《EVIL RUN》 Chapter 1: Juniper The shopkeeper¡¯s tea had gone cold and he slurped it in a single go as he¡¯d always done. ¡°You should have it already,¡± he said to the open pages of the book as if the characters were supposed to hear him and change their predetermined course. ¡°She¡¯s the killer, don''t be so naive,¡± he flipped the page with great agitation, almost bending it in half, then changed the position of his feet on the counter. The chair screeched under him as he kept swaying back and forward, anticipating a finale. "Oh, please, how irrational is that?" Flipping another page, he gasped, seeing that the story was yet to get complicated, and he was not even halfway in. ¡°Come on, why do you have to be so miserable?¡± He was too invested in the story to hear the chimes announce a customer. *** ¡°Are you sure this is it?¡± Rooren said twitching her arm in the broad direction of the small corner shop. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like this is it.¡± ¡°This is Kaiden Island Roor,¡± returned Lei as he tried to kick a stink bug off his shirt. ¡°The literal butt of the world. Don¡¯t expect it to be anything at all, and you won¡¯t be disappointed.¡± He flicked his fingers and launched the bug straight at Brano¡¯s arm, who in turn kicked it further to the street, where it died. ¡°We made it this far, we might as well get it over with while we can. I certainly can¡¯t afford to get into any more trouble,¡± Brano added, pulling off his sunglasses. His left eyelid danced in an unpleasant rhythm, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. ¡°Yeah, sure thing B. I just never thought I¡¯d get to see you so riled up over a stupid artifact. You¡¯re more nervous now than you were in an actual haunted house. It¡¯s weird.¡± ¡°He¡¯s got a point,¡± Rooren cut in. ¡°It¡¯s not like this is the first time we got in trouble over some bauble, but you seem a bit too jumpy is all. Case in point,¡± she pointed once again to the corner shop, and the long sign above the door, that in elegant cursive letters wrote Little Vrevramil¡¯s Antique Shop. ¡°Who the hell is this Vrevr¡­ ah, whatever his name¡­ and why is he so important all of a sudden?¡± Brano responded with a low growl and clenched his bag tightly before looking at both sides of the street. It was as deserted as it was when they arrived, safe for several old ladies watching over from their balconies and a stray cat lurking between the trash cans. ¡°Just stay on guard. Please.¡± *** The shop had a smell to it. Not an old smell like most such places had, and neither a sweet aroma some people used to compensate for it. It was the scent of fresh resin that made them feel like they¡¯d entered the heart of a pine forest and not a shop on an island. ¡°Listen to me young man, you sold me this teapot. You said it was one of a kind, worth much more than you were asking for,¡± said a plump old lady clenching her coin purse under her arm and shoving a ceramic teapot over the counter. From the distance, it looked like any piece of a modern take on traditional artistry, but if one were to look closer, one would discover the limitless beauty of red lines and black flowers decorating its body. Nonetheless, she kept pushing it over the glass like a battle piece on a map. ¡°Yes, indeed I did,¡± returned the shopkeeper, pulling his unusually gray hair behind his ears. His tone was not affected by the woman¡¯s frustration, nor did he seem too concerned with what she was saying. He was, almost annoyingly, calm. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°I find it preposterous that you would sell me such a foul thing. I held you in a higher regard.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry you found this item dis-satisfactory,¡± he added as he spun the teapot around and brought it closer to him. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to refund you fully.¡± ¡°Refund me?¡± she flustered up and turned slightly red in her cheeks. The coins in her purse may as well have merged from the pressure she put on them. ¡°You think money will solve this? Young man, your teapot ate my cat.¡± ¡°I¡¯m quite certain such a thing is not possible,¡± the shopkeeper insisted with a cheerful smile across his face. ¡°Look,¡± he removed the top and tilted the ceramic masterpiece towards her, revealing nothing but white emptiness inside. ¡°I know what I saw. I am not crazy,¡± the woman growled. ¡°Juniper was a sweet cat, and that thing just... oh, I can¡¯t bear this injustice. All of Kaiden Port will hear of this. I promise you that.¡± ¡°Please take this,¡± he handed her several paper bills from the register and nodded politely. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but there is nothing I can do about Juniper now.¡± ¡°Sorcery,¡± she cried as she wobbled to the door, wiping her tears with a purple handkerchief, barely paying any mind to the three newcomers in the back. ¡°How may I help you?¡± the shopkeeper sounded once the chimes on the door stopped chirping. ¡°Looking for something in particular?¡± They stood, equally stunned by what they heard and enchanted by the amount of things surrounding them. A thousand trinkets beckoned their attention with intrigue and beauty, and they found it hard to peel their eyes away. It was as if the shop contained the entire history of the world within its walls. ¡°Is that a real skull?¡± Roor said with her fingers wrapped around a glass case, reinforced by a metal frame and a massive lock. ¡°What happened to it? Why is it locked?¡± ¡°Ah, a good choice,¡± the shopkeeper said prancing forward. ¡°That used to be a chalice. One of the northern kings liked to drink from his enemies¡¯ skulls from time to time, but he liked that one in particular. No one knows who the poor fellow was but they say if you are not careful, he might still bite you. Would you like to try?¡± ¡°Oh, I-¡± Brano cleared his throat, cutting the fun short. He pulled the bag off his shoulder, still holding it tightly. ¡°We¡¯re looking for Mr. Vrevramil,¡± he said, a bit too formally. ¡°I¡¯m afraid he is traveling on business,¡± the shopkeeper returned shaking his head. ¡°Perhaps I can be of service? Hi, I¡¯m Ullie,¡± he added raising his hand like he was saluting a class of children. Brano paused, taking a long moment to think through his next move. Too many thighs hung in the balance and not everyone could be trusted. He looked at the blades on the walls, the bones in the boxes, and things he knew nothing about, trying to make a decision. He did not notice Lei inching towards the counter. ¡°So, did the teapot really eat the cat?¡± Lei asked joyfully pacing around the mysterious item like the porcelain held all the secrets of the universe. He did not dare touch it, though, merely admired it from above. ¡°But of course it did,¡± Ullie laughed, as he hurried to lower the teapot into a wooden crate before anyone else got the opportunity to peek inside it. Closing the lid he added, ¡°Except this is not a teapot and Juniper isn¡¯t a cat.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lei upstarted before Brano pulled him away, not too gently. ¡°I was told Mr Vrevramil was an expert on historical artifacts,¡± Brano said once he knew he would not be interrupted. ¡°And I¡¯m afraid the matter is quite urgent.¡± ¡°Well, you are in an antique shop,¡± Ullie joked. ¡°History isn¡¯t going anywhere.¡± Brano¡¯s face crumpled into a grimace and then released into a neutral, indifferent expression. ¡°Can you tell me when he¡¯ll be back? Or at least give me a way to contact him?¡± Ullie squinted his eyes at the calender he kept on the wall close to the door. ¡°It''s hard to say. I doubt it will be any time soon. He doesn''t tell me these things¡­ but worry not, you are in good hands, either way. I am equally knowledgeable in¡­ artifacts.¡± ¡°He means magical artifacts,¡± Roor intruded, peeking over Brano¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Are you sure you know anything about those?¡± ¡°I told you to¡­¡± Brano whispered signaling the others to head for the exit. ¡°Sorry to bother you,¡± he added nodding at Ullie. ¡°I think we¡¯re in the wrong place. Goodbye.¡± He turned to leave, pulling Lei away with him, as they argued among themselves in loud whispers. ¡°That thing you¡¯ve got in your bag,¡± Ullie said before all three of them had disappeared through the door. His tone was slightly different, serious in a way they weren¡¯t expecting. ¡°What is it?¡± Something in the air had changed in those short moments. Some invisible force flew around them, like a soft electrical current or gentle strands of twine touching their skin, and they stopped, wondering if it was what they feared. Chapter 2: I am one of me ¡°Oh, no. Nope, get inside,¡± Roor cried pushing them back into the store. She was the first one to spot a suspicious group of people, lingering not too far down the street. They did not do a good job of blending in with the island life and looked like a bunch of ravens in a rainforest. ¡°I told you this was the right place.¡± ¡°No you didn¡¯t,¡± Lei protested, but after seeing the group slowly move towards the shop, he too decided it was a good idea to stay. Shutting the door, they peered through the windows, pretending they were a part of the decorum. ¡°Are you one of them?¡± Brano asked the shopkeeper, clenching his fists as he hid behind a tall cupboard full of knives. ¡°How did you know?¡± Ullie chuckled, a little less serious than a moment before. Instead of answering, reached into the pocket of his long coat and pulling out a thin silver key. ¡°Not to worry,¡± he said, as he lodged the key into an almost invisible hole on the back wall. He turned it three times to both sides like he was opening a safe until it clicked. ¡°I am one of me.¡± Long shadows approached the shop. They were quick to surround the place and did not seem to care about being seen, even in the daytime. ¡°These guys don¡¯t give up,¡± Lei said hiding behind a garden gnome with a sinister smile on its face. ¡°How did they even find us here? I thought we lost them at Galakus. This is not right.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question,¡± Brano insisted. ¡°Do I really need to?¡± Ullie returned as he offered them a plate of almond cookies he pulled out of somewhere. ¡°Want some?¡± ¡°No,¡± Brano growled. ¡°I haven¡¯t yet found a single reason to trust you.¡± ¡°Alright. You hold that bag as if your head were inside it, and you come looking for someone who knows a thing about magical artifacts, of all things. You may as well have a glowing sign on your back that says I AM IN DANGER.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Brano lowered his head and glanced at his companions. ¡°We did not mean to bring trouble to your door, but this is the last place we could turn to. We were told¡­ we can get a good deal here.¡± ¡°Must be important, the thing you carry," the shopkeeper said with a growing intrigue in his eyes. He felt it the moment they entered his shop, a power that was hard to ignore, and for the first time in a long time, he was a little more than curious. The magic they carried did not feel right, like a bad note in a symphony. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°Damn right it is,¡± Roor hissed. ¡°I nearly lost my arm getting it¡­ Oh shit. They are coming here.¡± "Now, you answer my question,¡± said Ullie, pointing at the silhouettes of several robust figures outside, ignoring how time-sensitive the situation was. ¡°Who exactly are they?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think it matters at this point,¡± Roor said in a faint tone. ¡°They¡¯ve been after us for days. Everywhere. It¡¯s like they can track us, creepy bastards.¡± Lei shifted closer to her, avoiding the bells in between the shelves. ¡°Please, sir, we are not keen on getting caught after all we¡¯ve been through. We¡¯ve been told this shop is a safe haven.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Ullie exclaimed as if emerging from deep thoughts. ¡°So, you took it from them?¡± ¡°No,¡± Roor cried, increasingly frustrated with his hesitation. ¡°We¡­ they want to take it from us. They would do anything to get it.¡± ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say you¡¯re the first¡­ salespeople to come to my door, but you are certainly the first to bring the market competition along as well. In any case, whatever it is you are trying to sneak away must be very valuable to them, and thus to me, so, I will make my decision, based on your answer.¡± The people outside the shop lingered. It was a matter of moments before they barged in. ¡°Ask,¡± said Brano, watching Ullie walk up and down the isles. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°Where did you find it?¡±  ¡°Is this a good idea?¡± Lei whispered shaking his head. ¡°We could get into trouble for even mentioning that. I really don¡¯t want the Bureau at our backs. We¡¯re already as good as dead.¡± ¡°The Bureau?¡± Ullie said and smiled even wider. ¡°Now that¡¯s interesting. Please tell me more.¡± ¡°One year ago,¡± Brano began after a lot of hesitation, as the twitching in his eye returned. ¡±A group of divers found a wreckage near one of the submerged caves in Angalin. ¡° ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°Well, at first, they thought they discovered a vessel from the Paranian War. They believed it could be one of the ships that sunk while carrying gold to fund the East campaign, so they rushed the expedition. A lot of money was put into getting it out and dragging it ashore, but when they did, they realized something was off with the ship itself. They spent months analyzing the materials because they could not believe that it is actually several millennia old, all the while holding the resemblance and technology of ships from two hundred years ago.¡± ¡°Two thousand?¡± The shopkeeper''s eyes faded out into the distance and he turned back to the wall with the keyhole. ¡°Fascinating. I wonder how I never heard about it.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t. The government locked It all up once they knew something was off, including all that was found on the ship. The Bureau has it all now, and no one knows just how much there is. However thanks to all the rumors, some things did manage to find their way out before the shutdown, and we got there just in time. That¡¯s all there is.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Ullie whispered as he pressed onto the hidden door, perfectly camouflaged in the wallpaper. It creaked and opened a way to another part of the shop. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to show you the back room.¡± They hesitated at first, looking at one another, unsure what to expect, but Ullie insisted nonetheless, waving his hand in the air, calling them forward. ¡°Are we really going to follow this weird guy into his dungeon? Is that not the plot of every horror film?¡± Lei whispered in Brano¡¯s ear, like a prophet. ¡°Do you have a better idea?¡± Brano protested, clenching the bag and bending his head below the shelves. ¡°The things I do for money,¡± Roor mumbled as she shoved them both through the opening. Chapter 3: The Goons The little chime above the door sounded with a gentle, pleasant sound, the kind that should have accompanied the arrival of collectors, wanderers, or bored locals. But the shopkeeper, reclining behind the counter, already knew these new visitors were nothing of the sort. He¡¯d felt it¡ªa disturbance in the quiet hum of his shop. He did not look up, merely licked his finger and turned another page of the book he was pretending to read. His other hand casually adjusted the silk shawl around his neck, a habit he¡¯d never managed to shake in a thousand years. Four men entered, and with them, the acrid scent of cigarettes and cheap cologne. Leather jackets, heavy boots. The type of men who believed the weight of their steps would be enough to make people cower¡ªthe type who had never learned to be afraid of the right things. The tallest of them, broad-shouldered and rather sleek, stepped forward. His gaze swept the shop, analyzing the cluttered shelves, and the strange assortment of anything and everything. He did not seem impressed. Ullie, annoyed with their mere presence, shut the book with a loud snap, slowly lifting his gaze to meet theirs. After a few seconds, he got up, cracked his fingers, and welcomed the unwanted customers. ¡°Hello,¡± he sounded. ¡°Welcome to Little Vrevramil¡¯s Antique Shop. What can this humble purveyor of the past do for you gentlemen? Are you buying, selling, or just browsing? We¡¯ve got some great prices for you if-" ¡°No,¡± the boss-apparent croaked, as the floorboards creaked under his feet. ¡°We don¡¯t need the crap you¡¯re peddling,¡± he added, in an even less intelligible tone. ¡°Oh, so what do you need, then?¡± Ullie asked playfully, as he slid past them and approached the front door. ¡°I could still recommend certain items that would pique your interest. Most people come here not knowing what they-¡± ¡°We know it¡¯s here,¡± the man insisted, his voice rough, impatient. The shopkeeper sighed, stopping mid-step. No one noticed when the key turned in the lock and the letters on the front door sign changed. Without looking back, he muttered, ¡°I hope you¡¯re not referring to my signed first edition of ¡®A Treatise on Arcane Malevolence¡¯, because that one is mine, and I¡¯m quite possessive. Anyway, you¡¯ll have to be more specific. I do stock an awful lot of items. Judging by your appearance I must ask, are you looking for something that burns, something that whispers, or something that bites?¡± "The three people that were just in here brought something with them," another of the goons scowled at him, a brute with a face like a badly carved pumpkin. "Thing is, it wasn¡¯t theirs to give. We¡¯d like it back." ¡°Ah,¡± Ullie returned, stretching the word with obvious delight. ¡°That narrows it down, doesn¡¯t it?¡± The goons, however, did not share his amusement. The third one, a wiry man with a perpetual sneer, reached into his coat, revealing the glint of a knife. ¡°We ain¡¯t got time for your bad jokes.¡± ¡°Neither do I." He too reached into the pocket of his coat and plucked a small, unassuming trinket¡ªa tiny brass whistle, dented with age. He blew into it. There was no sound. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The effects, however, were immediate. The chandelier above them flickered, casting long, restless shadows across the shop. Every artifact in the room seemed to shift, their latent magic stirring. A suit of armor in the corner turned its helmeted head with a faint creak. The temperature dropped by several degrees, and the shop seemed to thrum with some kind of an unseen force. The boss¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°A little trick. You see, I¡¯m just waking up my wares.¡± The boss¡¯s eyes widened, but he recovered quickly. ¡°Listen, freak, we don¡¯t care about your parlor tricks. You give us the artifact, or¡ª¡± ¡°Or what?¡± Ullie interrupted cheerfully. ¡°You¡¯ll make more empty threats? Delightful!, but I collect those, you know. Keep them in a jar labeled ¡®bad decisions.¡¯ It¡¯s rather full at the moment, but I can always make room.¡± The fourth goon, the quietest of the bunch, took a step back. He was no fool¡ªhe could already tell this was a losing battle. ¡°Boss¡­¡± he muttered. The boss ignored him, growling like a dog, ¡°We¡¯re done perusing. Where is it?¡± ¡°Boss, that thing is moving.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don''t know what you¡¯re talking about," Ullie persisted, lingering beside them, but not too close. "Cut the crap. We know you''ve got the artifact. Hand it over, and no one gets hurt." ¡°Like I said,¡± Ullie tilted his head. ¡°You have to be more specific.¡± his smile didn''t waver, but his eyes now glinted with a mad gleam. He leaned in, feigning a conspiratorial whisper. "Unless, of course, you''re after a particularly rare chamber pot from the Helu`ant dynasty? I have one in the back." The goons exchanged confused glances, but their leader wasn''t so easily deterred. "Is that a no?" he said sourly. "I don''t think you understand the situation very well. We will take it back, and you can either give it to us willingly or..." he pulled a metal rod from the lining of his jacket and tapped on one of the glass cases closest to him, "We will equal the scales with all this junk." "Junk?" Ullie squealed with a raised eyebrow and a devious smirk on his face. "I beg to differ. I have an exquisite selection of cursed relics, slightly murderous but full of charm. Would you like a tour?" The third goon scoffed and spat. ¡°Yeah, right.¡± "Hear that, boys? He is taking us for fools," said the second one, shaking his pumpkin head. "So how about we break you instead?" The boss, having lost all patience, stepped closer, just enough for Ullie to get suffocated in a toxic could of bad breath. He straightened, nodding toward the uncanny opponent. ¡°Let¡¯s put this clown out of his misery.¡± ¡°Very well, if you insist on being boorish¡­ ¡± Ullie tapped his chin, pretending to consider. ¡°Don¡¯t play games,¡± the second goon sneered. "Ah, but I do love games." Ullie clapped his hands together, looking over the shop. "Shall we play one?: The third goon, being smaller and more jittery than the others, shifted uneasily. "It''s time you shut up. Folk said you was weird. Didn¡¯t say you was crazy." Ullie grinned, showing teeth. "Oh, darling, I am the very picture of sanity. It¡¯s the world that''s mad. Now, let¡¯s see¡­" "Cheeky one, aren¡¯t you? Shake him up, see what falls out." ¡°Yes Boss,¡± said the pumpkin head as he tried to grab Ullie by the scarf, but his hand fell through the illusion, catching nothing at all. "Sorcery," he screeched. "Where the hell is he?" "The bastard tricked us." The image of the shopkeeper dispersed into a fine golden dust, with a burst of lingering laughter bouncing off the walls, coming from nowhere at all. ¡°Boss, that thing is moving again. It''s really moving.¡± the fourth good insisted, hiding himself behind the others. ¡°What thing, damn you?¡± Following the outstretched arm of his companion, the boss observed a tall dark statue in the other corner of the shop, armed with a long, glistering sword. The metal was shiny, yet scarred in several places, well maintained, but used. ¡°I don¡¯t care. We need to search this place, burn it to the ground if we must, and the lunatic with it.¡± ¡°Yes Boss,¡± they agreed unanimously and scattered around the room. ¡°Boss, it¡¯s coming for us.¡± Chapter 4: The Backroom At first glance, it did not look like much, just a regular room with no windows and a ceiling so high it broke a few laws of physics and architecture. Arrays of wooden masks, ritual weapons, pots, and figurines stared at them from above, as if they had entered the lair of some devout dragon and its prized collection. The back room, however, was indeed a treasure trove, but not the kind one would expect. It did not hold jewels or gold, and to an untrained eye would appear more like an overcrowded warehouse than a place where one stores things worth more than whole countries. The three guests found themselves mesmerized with things that should not exist in the world. They¡¯d seen enough in their careers to know what was what and still, their minds were not capable of comprehending its vastness. It smelled a little different than the shop, a little older, and bound by no common constraints. Ullie sat them down on a yellow couch in the middle of the room and brought the most elaborate-looking glass he had dug out of one of the boxes. It looked like it belonged to an ancient king, and yet its secret was not in the decorum, but in the glass it was made of, for it could see things, most eyes could not. ¡°Now, can I see what you have in there?¡± he said with an outstretched hand and a sparkle in his eyes. Brano, though still uncertain of his actions, ripped the bag open and placed a metal sphere on the shopkeepers palm. The look on his face mimicked that of his companions, as they watched their prized possession slip from their grasp. A thousand shivers ran down Ullie''s spine, the moment the metal touched his skin. Something he never had a name for came rushing back to him, a signature of an energy that he was afraid he would never get to experience in his life. He was cold and warm at the same time as the feeling came and went in waves, pulsating down to his feet. He did not know how to look at it. He¡¯d seen complex things before, things that hold supreme power captured in a small item that could fit inside a pocket. They lived as a remnant from a different age and ley scattered across the world, waiting to be found. They had different names and strange purposes, but none of them had the same effect on him as the one was now holding. Ring after ring all layered together, forming a sphere of rough metal and bone. Small, intricate words followed every curve and told a story no one could read. It was heavy, like a rock, and no bigger than a ball of yarn. Its very presence made his stomach shift like the artifact was trying to pull pieces of him into itself. He could not help but wonder if he finally found what he was looking for. ¡°So, is it worth anything?¡± Lei said leaning in. ¡°It must be, right?¡± Lei¡¯s words threw Ullie out of the trance which to him felt like an eternity. It took another moment to remember his own name and feel the light vibrations wash over him again, paralyzing him in an instant. He faltered to the ground like a ragged doll, as tiny green sparks emerged from his motionless body and bounced off the ceiling like a beacon. ¡°It¡¯s cursed. Damn it!¡± Rooren cried, seeing the state of confusion Ullie was trapped in. ¡°We picked up a cursed bauble again? Come on¡­ no, wait¡­ could that be why they want it so badly? Is this dark magic?¡± ¡°Shhh¡­¡± Brano pulled them both back like a dam. ¡°Why do you always go there?¡± he whispered. ¡°It¡¯s not our concern what kind of magic it holds, remember?¡± ¡°Only what it¡¯s worth, yeah, I know,¡± Lei whispered back, with one eye on the fallen host. ¡°Wait a minute. Is he dead? ¡± ¡°Is he? I am not prepared for this scenario,¡± Roor added getting ready to poke Ullie¡¯s body with a sliver candlestick, but he wiggled and groaned before she had the time to reach him. ¡°Cursed! Yes,¡± Ullie said struggling to get up as the cramps remained in his legs. Once he was up, he shrugged his shoulders and slapped his cheeks a few times until his face relaxed from the paralysis. He took a long breath and laid the looking glass back on the table. ¡°Luckily, I¡¯ve built immunity.¡± ¡°Are you alright?¡± Brano asked, visibly concerned with the shopkeeper¡¯s health. ¡°Immune to curses?¡± Roor whispered behind Brano¡¯s back. ¡°Who is this guy?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Lei began, scratching his ear and following Ullie around the room with wide-open eyes. ¡°I have no idea anymore.¡± ¡°Worry not. I am fine,¡± Ullie returned cheerfully, limping as he went. ¡°It¡¯s a protective curse, meant to prevent theft. The looking glass tends to trigger them. You¡¯re lucky you didn¡¯t mess with it, it would have certainly killed all of you, or worse.¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Worse?¡± Lei cried poking Brano with his elbow. ¡°What is he saying?¡± ¡°Caramelization,¡± Ullie returned, plucking a thick tome from one of the shelves. ¡°You¡¯d be dead and yet alive, frozen in a state of decay, coated in a sticky substance, which ironically happens to be sweet. It¡¯s just one example.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ it¡­¡± Lei began but failed to close his gaping mouth. ¡°I knew it. I told you we should leave it there, but nooo...¡± Roor folded into her knees, holding her forehead with her hand, daring not to look at anything other than the floor. ¡°So the¡­ the curse is to protect whatever that thing is for?¡± Brano cut in as if hoping to get the conversation over with before things got more graphic. ¡°Quite right,¡± returned the shopkeeper, as he took a seat opposite them. ¡°I know nothing about magic, and to a good degree, I want nothing to do with it, besides knowing to avoid it. What we came here to learn is what it¡¯s worth. It¡¯s given us too much trouble already.¡± ¡°You said this came from a very old ship?¡± inquired Ullie, blinking slowly, as he flipped the pages of the old book. It was riddled with sketches and strange writings which looked more like elaborate installations that letters. The pages let out a creepy sound every time he touched or moved them, like the paper they were made of was a lot heavier than it should be, almost like leather. ¡°Yes,¡± ¡°Near Angalin?¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Roor intruded. ¡°It¡¯s in those little scribbling lines, isn¡¯t it? What does it say?¡± Lei followed. ¡°I have no idea,¡± Ullie returned. He became unnaturally serious, like he was equally delighted and terrified by the thing he was holding. ¡°I¡¯ve seen this kind of language but once, a long¡­¡± Something shifted behind him, making a thunderous noise as it moved through the jingling bells and the crystal lamps in the hidden corner of the room. There was a narrow opening between the shelves there, like a hallway, dark and almost untouchable, leading somewhere else. ¡°Is that where you were?¡± said Ullie looking back. ¡°I was almost worried you were still in the netherworld.¡± The three guests followed the noises while their faces turned paler with every passing moment until the light revealed a fluffy orange cat. A gold medallion around its neck gleamed like a mirror, with the clear inscription of its name - Juniper. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s the same Juniper that was eaten by the teapot?¡± Lei said quietly as the cat marched straight towards him and jumped into his lap. He did not dare touch it, much less look at it in its strange glowing eyes. ¡°Not a cat,¡± Ullie repeated like it made all the sense in the world. ¡°Then what is it?¡± Lei squealed as the yellow ball of fur took him as its personal pillow. He carefully tapped the cat¡¯s head several times and it began to purr, loudly and persistently. He did not move a muscle afterward. ¡°I would like to purchase this artifact from you,¡± Ullie cut in, grasping the mysterious object even tighter. He was no longer able to hide his overwhelming curiosity, and moreover, unwilling to let anyone else have the pleasure of studying it. ¡°You did a good thing bringing it here, but I wouldn¡¯t want to keep you waiting. This is a riddle I may not be able to solve in some time.¡± ¡°Just like that?¡± Brano launched up from the couch like someone lit up a fire under him. ¡°I never even said it was for sale.¡± ¡°And yet, you came all the way here, to the edge of the world, looking for help. You wouldn''t do that if you didn¡¯t think this was more than just a strange-looking piece of metal. And especially if you didn¡¯t think it was powerful magic, which would certainly make it¡­ priceless. You do not look that foolish to me.¡± ¡°Is it then? Is it dark magic?¡± Roor insisted. "I still want to know." ¡°There is no such thing as dark magic,¡± the shopkeeper returned wisely. ¡°Only dark intentions. Besides, not everything that looks like magic is magic, and these old scribbles could be nothing more than a bad poem protected by a curse for the fun of it. For all I can tell right now, this could be a child''s toy,¡± he lied. ¡°This was a bad idea,¡± Lei mumbled under her breath, as Juniper cemented itself in his lap, becoming a loaf. ¡°What guarantee do we have you are not going to trick us into believing this thing is worth a lot less than it really is?¡± Brano barked. ¡°We did not risk our neck for a few thousand red ones.¡± ¡°And what makes you think I am a cheapskate?¡± returned Ullie as he once again began shifting through the boxes on the shelves, most of which were made of materials that had no place being shaped like boxes. After fumbling through at least a dozen of them, he rejoiced, plucking out an egg-shaped stone. As he held it in his hand, the stone gave out a golden glow, and If it were just a little bigger, it would have been enough to illuminate the night. Seeing the glow, Rooren did not hesitate to push everyone aside and get to it. ¡°Salikar egg,¡± she screeched. "Impossible. How in the world? This can¡¯t be real, can it?" ¡°I thought those were a myth,¡± Brano added adjusting his eyes to the light. ¡°How could you possibly have one? It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s magic. It''s real magic.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Rooren said gently lifting the stone from Ullie¡¯s hand. She held it tightly and did not let anyone come near it. ¡°Curses be damned, we have a deal.¡± "A deal?" Lei insisted, hoping to rid himself of the thing that wasn''t a cat. ¡°Just like that? What¡¯s that even worth?¡± ¡°Now¡¯s not the time to be daft,¡± she scolded him. "Is there a way out of here?¡± she added looking back at Ullie. ¡°Are they¡­ gone?¡± With a lot of caution, Lei picked up the cat and placed it at his side where it stretched and flipped onto his back, continuing to purr. He was finally free and in a hurry to leave before the teapot tried to befriend him as well. ¡°Oh,¡± Ullie gestured vaguely toward the front room. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Chapter 5: The Artifact After sending the happy customers on their way, Ullie turned to other matters. "What a day,¡± he mumbled as he marched among the shelves, scratching his neck and curiously peering into the jars and chests that weren¡¯t there before. The shop had a way of keeping itself tidy, and even if a snowstorm were to blow through, it would find a way to re-arrange itself within minutes. It did what it wanted, and Ullie had long given up on trying to reason with its whims. ¡°Where did you put them?¡± He squinted at the dark statue as it towered above him, remaining perfectly still, looking at him with a mischievous smirk in the corner of its mouth. Instead of a sword it now held a birdcage in its arms, a beautiful thing made of gold and black leaves wound around the bars. ¡°Damn it Zaggari, we talked about this,¡± Ullie hissed, hearing a soft chirping sound coming from the cage. Four little songbirds covered together on the very edge, fearing for their lives. ¡°Let go,¡± he cried as he tried to pluck the cage from the statue¡¯s grip. ¡°Let go!¡± ¡°Aaaaaaaaa,¡± the bird screeched in deep manly voices the moment the cage was released. ¡°Turn us back you imbecile.¡± ¡°No,¡± Ullie returned, quite grumpily. ¡°Not until you¡¯ll tell me who you work for.¡± "We ain''t telling you nothing!" ¡°I won¡¯t be the judge of that,¡± Ullie returned and began to hum a tuneless song on his way to the backroom. *** Under the light of a lantern, he observed the mysterious sphere. The lantern itself was a relic he treasured greatly, and despite its humble and grubby appearance, it was the only one of its kind in existence. Behind the colored glass, it held thousands of crystals, which would light up like embers if touched by magic. Basking in purple, Ullie had almost forgotten what it felt like to be excited over an unfamiliar thing, especially the one that in his hands felt like the missing piece of the greatest puzzle in the universe. He kept the sphere suspended in between two upright rods, made of some unusual metal, full of runes and glowing veins. They were another unique tool in his possession, once used by the masters of arcane arts to create tiny pockets in space, and thus a controlled environment they could influence with energy. It was not a secret some of those old masters conspired in the pursuit of a different kind of magic, which they believed was the ultimate answer to everything, the very fabric that held the worlds together. At a certain point, their pursuit became a forbidden art, as too many people had lost their lives to the errors made and things that came out of the rifts it created. Since that time, no one dared to follow in their footsteps, and whatever knowledge they gathered, was lost to the ages, leaving only a set of warding laws and rules to remember it by. The instruments that survived, had been locked away from the world in secret places and private collections, whose owners could only guess at their true potential. Luckily, Ullie had spent a few centuries in the very same pursuit. "Could this be it?" he whispered as he let a small spark of light glide over the artifact back and forward. He watched as the layers revealed themselves one underneath the other, so intricately made, that it would have taken decades to put it all together. It did not look like a mechanism based on logic. It was not a clock and it did not move to the passing of time. He tried giving it small shocks of electricity at first. Most things imbued by magic give some of that energy back to the world, be it a small shock or a radiant glow. Even the simplest of beings can sense this to some degree, and some are even able to feed off this energy and live in symbiosis. Nature recognizes magic as its integral part, but the thing Ullie was trying to study did not speak that language. ¡°I can feel it Juniper,¡± he said to the orange fur ball that lay curdled up on the sofa, purring and shaking its paw in its sleep. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. With every twitch of its whiskers, the caged birds faltered, nearly fainting. They were as silent as the dead. ¡°This is proof. This could change everything,¡± Ullie whispered as he tried to hold back the excitement and keep his hand from shaking. Once again he attempted to coax a reaction from the artifact with simple electricity, a charge only strong enough to ruffle feathers and make hairs stand on end. Nothing happened. Slowly he focused more power on an already-formed field just to see if he was missing something. Time and time again he had to remind himself that it was persistence and preservance that solved problems, not impatience. The energy bounced around the pillars and through the endless layers of the artifact, only to end up dispersing into nothing like it was pulled to another level of existence. No matter what he did afterward, and no matter how much power he used, it always led to the same result. Getting a little desperate, he powered through all the elements and simple spells, things that one would use to unlock a door or make a rusty gear move. It wasn¡¯t just the lack of reaction that baffled him, but the way the metal refused to heat up to fire or freeze under the ice. The symbols written on the rings were the greatest puzzle. Some part of his mind believed he¡¯d seen them before, somewhere far away and long ago, but at the same time, he could not be certain of it. Tracing the vertical lines around the ring, he tried to recall the memory he wasn¡¯t sure was real. Eventually, after tiring himself out and coming too close to incinerating the building, he concluded that whatever the artifact was designed to do, had also made it invulnerable. It could have been a million things and served a million purposes, but magic did not appear to be the key to deciphering its secrets. Having used the last of his eye drops to ease the exhaustion, he leaned back in the chair and stared at the ceiling. The light of the lantern stayed ever vigilant and kept a promise to warn against curses, even though it failed to recognize the greatest of all, the unbreakable curse Ullie was marked with. ¡°This would be so much easier if those archaic rules did not exist,¡± he said in a faint tone. ¡°If people stopped destroying everything for one day, so much knowledge would be preserved.¡± ¡°You hate them, don¡¯t you?¡± Juniper said popping one of its eyes open, revealing a piercing red glow. ¡°What a good wizard you are.¡± ¡°Hate? No. No, I¡¯m too old for that. I¡¯m just saying it would be much easier if everyone was a little bit more honest with themselves.¡± ¡°Pity. You could cleanse this pathetic world if you weren¡¯t such a coward.¡± ¡°This world¡­ I¡¯d rather just leave it. Oh¡­ that¡¯s it¡­ he said it was a ship, a ship older than millennia¡­¡± he said as speaking to the constellations on the ceiling. ¡°From another place?¡± As Juniper returned to purring, the wizard could not shake the feeling he had, ever since the three strangers walked into his shop. He tilted his chair back and forth tracing the path of stars, shaped like beasts and warriors of old. ¡°From another realm?¡± Jolting forward, he grabbed the sphere and pulled it upwards, trying to make sure he was not as crazy as everyone thought. "Orisi?" he whispered as a story started forming at the back of his mind. A thousand things he''d heard, a thousand speculations, and secret conversations could have held some truth after all. If it were real, he wouldn''t have just discovered proof, but a way to conjure the kind of magic that could rewrite history itself. Rubbing his eyes and cracking his fingers, he prepared to begin a different kind of game, the kind that required more¡­ books. Turning to the tallest bookshelf in his collection, he started dislodging dusty tomes from their resting places and sending them back to the desk. He stacked one on top of the other with such precision, that it was hard to question their stability even after they were halfway to the ceiling. "Now," he said happily dusting off his hands. "We finally get to-" Something rang. Something like a telephone, but the wizard was more than certain he never engaged in such modern yet foolish means of communication. There was never a need to call people back in the day, not when he could just summon them. ¡°Where is that coming from?¡± ¡°The bird,¡± said Juniper, flicking its tail. ¡°Shut it up or I will.¡± ¡°The bird? Now that¡¯s a first.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t!¡± the boss bird protested as the wizard pulled it out of the cage holding it in his palm like a giant monster. The bird was not the one making the sound, it was something inside it. ¡°How does this work?¡± he started poking the tiny animal, looking for a way to answer the call. ¡°Hello? Anyone there?¡± The ringing stopped and something sounded through the beak. ¡°Where are you?¡± the voice came through, surprisingly clear. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be at the castle by now?¡± Ullie paused, sorting pieces in his head, realizing the conversation may turn beneficial. ¡°At the shop,¡± he said, making his voice sound as raspy as he could. He spoke as he held the bird to his ear, actively ignoring the fact of where the microphone might have been placed. ¡°The client is here. Don¡¯t mess this up, Vac. Get the artifact and get your ass to the castle. You have 15 minutes.¡± The line broke, and the bird tried to peck his ear off, forcing him to put it back in the cage. ¡°The trade-off is tonight? Here? How convenient. I¡¯ll get to kill two birds with one stone today. No pun intended.¡± ¡°Fuck you,¡± the birds croaked before he put a cloth over them and went on to look for his shoes.