At "The Silver Star" Inn
The companions sat around a wide wooden table, laden with dishes emitting the pungent aroma of mountain spices.
Pecos (wiping his mouth with the edge of his sleeve):
"Ortinus, I swear I smelled this broth from a mile away! This restaurant is the only real thing in this strange world. Look at this piece of meat—it's talking to me! It's saying, 'Pecos, please, save me from my loneliness!'"
Darius (laughing as he dips a piece of bread into Pecos's plate):
"I think it's crying out for mercy, not salvation! Man, you eat as if we're facing a global famine tomorrow."
Pecos (shoving Darius's hand away):
"Get away from my plate! The budget of 100 crystal shards—which I won thanks to my cheering skills and your... modest archery skills—allows us a royal feast. Right, Nerar?"
Nerar (glancing at the map laid out beside him):
"Save your money, Pecos. I spent a fortune on that Crystal Vehicle, and we need to buy raw fuel and dry rations. We don't know when we'll find another restaurant once we leave Piras."
Old Nikos (calmly sipping his herbal tea):
"Enjoy the moment, my sons. The mountains beyond this town know no mercy, and empty bellies make for weak minds."
Romelius, being the most precise and composed of the group, decided to head to the market to gather the necessary supplies for the long journey.
Romelius (standing up and adjusting his cloak):
"I'm heading to the central market. I need to buy 'Stone-Flax' fiber ropes and weather maps, plus double the usual rations. Who wants to join me?"
Pecos (with his mouth full):
"I'm busy with a dangerous mission right here! You go on, but don't forget to bring back some 'Aged Cheese'... they say it stays edible even if it's struck by lightning."
Miron (in a low voice, staring out the window):
"I'll go with you, Romelius. I need to breathe air that doesn't smell like Pecos's food. Also, I want to buy a heavy scarf; the frost in my head is starting to spread to my body."
The market was suffocatingly crowded. Merchants of all kinds displayed their wares, from counterfeit crystal swords to smuggled spices.
Romelius (haggling with a merchant):
"Five shards for this rope? Is it made of golden thread? I'll give you two, or I'm going to the trader at the end of the alley."
The Merchant (with a cunning smile):
"Sir, this rope can hold the weight of an angry elephant! But, since your face tells me you're traveling north... I'll take three. The north needs strong men and stronger ropes."
Miron (touching a coarse black fabric):
"Romelius, look at these people. They live their lives as if the world isn't collapsing around them. Ajax is swallowing capitals, and they're arguing over the price of rope."
Romelius (seriously):
"This is life, Miron. People cling to small details so they don't go mad from the big truths. We are searching for the gate of 'Achille' to go home, and they are searching for a living to survive another day. There isn't much difference."
Suddenly, a blind old man sitting in a dark corner caught Miron's eye.
The Blind Seer:
"The Blue Feather... the Feather seeks its ancient owner... do not go north... the north is a cold that burns the soul before the body!"
Miron stopped, his face turning pale. He wanted to approach the old man, but Romelius pulled him by the arm.
Romelius:
"Don't listen to him. In every border town, there are madmen who thrive on scaring travelers. Focus on our mission; we need to be back before sunset."
Romelius and Miron returned laden with bags, only to find Pecos and Darius had joined a local band in a corner of the restaurant. Pecos was drumming on his empty metal pot, and Darius was dancing light-footedly with the villagers.
Ortinus (standing at the door with a rare smile):
"Look at them... they go mad at the beat of a drum."
Romelius:
"Perhaps that's what we need, Ortinus. A little madness to endure reality. Did you gather the information I asked for?"
Ortinus (looking at the new map):
"Yes. The Storm Pass will be open for only three days before the entrances are sealed by snow. We must move at the first light of dawn."
Pecos (shouting while waving his spoon):
"Listen, comrades! A new song I just composed:
We are the lost companions... in the land of crystals drowning,
Fleeing Ajax and our doubts... for 'Achille' we are coming!"
Darius:
"Your voice is hideous, Pecos, but your words capture our plight!"
When night fell, the town grew still, but the companions did not sleep well. They checked their weapons and arranged the supplies in the Crystal Vehicle. Miron sat alone, touching his new scarf, while Ortinus gazed at the Blue Feather, which glowed with a faint, steady pulse.
Old Nikos:
"Do you feel it, Ortinus? It's pulsing... as if it senses our proximity to 'Achille'."
Ortinus:
"I feel it, Nikos. And I also feel that Ajax isn't as far away as we think. His silence in Medonia is the silence of a hunter who has set his trap and is waiting."
Nerar (starting the vehicle's engine to test it):
"Tomorrow, we set out from the town of Piras toward the borders of Crystalis."