Back inside the inn, Lucien sat beside Magnus as they listened to the innkeeper's morbid tale.
"Six months ago, three people came to the village claiming that they could help us become a mighty and prosperous town if we worshipped a goddess called Nurhia. They had brought with them several wooden carvings of this goddess which they distributed to every family in the village. Most of us, of course, refused because we had our own deities that we were loyal to."
Artemus had his eyes closed, resting with his tipped back over the chair. Lucien would have suspected him asleep if the anti mage wasn't cupping a glass of warm water on the table. Sebastian had insisted he get some rest but the anti mage had refused to do so. If Syryn had been there with them, the alchemist would have told Lucien that it wasn't the first time that Artemus was pushing himself to exhaustion despite being told to rest.