The street of the banshee kingdom was filled with spectacles. From the very large arena which was two times that of a football stadium to their museum filled with unkwon object and a dragon skull. This things were not that amazing until lucian saw what they do with their technology.
Their technology was built in such a way that you could have fun even while working , unlike Orton which technology was meant to be used in a no fun way but work only, it made him wonder if they do not value strong people.
'this things are all a distraction, they will only grow weaker when everything is made easy for them...expecially this technology filled with distractions' lucian thought to himself
"how did your people think about something like this? " Lucian asked as they walked down the street in a hurry; the girl was quite fast for her tiny short legs.
"different races tends to come here for business and our famous academy seem to attract not only those from this universe but others as well" Noreen explained "we were once without technology and could only use the manual way of doing work and other things until humans started coming " She added.
Lucian was without doubt hearing this for the first time, but what does humans have to do with this.
"you might probably be wondering what human have to do with all of this? " Noreen asked, she seem to be the social type since she has been leading the conversation since they first met.
"how long do we have to get to the portal? " lucian was used to going straight to the point and have little time for gossips, but for some reason he did not seem to hate this kind of conversation that did not involve training, scheme or war.
" about a day by foot " Noreen answered briefly seeing that lucian had no interest in the topic they had before.
" I do not have all that time, by noon, I should be leaving " if there was one thing lucian doesn't have that would be time; he was given an instruction to return by morning which he would prepare to return to earth. Since he left Orton during the noon and it was still morning here; he should return to Orton by noon of the banshee planet " how can we get there faster? " he asked 'I should have brought my hover bike with me. I will surely take it along to earth'. He made a resolve to not go anywhere without his ultra fast bike
"you can either take the griffin to get there in a few hours or take the ship" Noreen suggested since lucian was in a rush.
"which is faster? " since it wasn't his planet and Griffins were not found in Orton (if there was they would probably be a fey that could take on human form) he really didn't know which to pick, and even if ships were used in Orton by the nobles and rich in Orton due to their speed, privacy and comfort; he never could tell if the ships were the same here.
Noreen was surprised at lucian waiting for her suggestions; she might be young but she has acted as a tour guide to many visitors and tourist who came to the banshee kingdom, not only do they not put her in their eyes but also see her as nothing more than a plebian as she introduced her self.
"what...? " Lucian asked feeling weird due to how Noreen was starting at her.
"pick the griffin, not only is it faster but it would belong to you personally " Noreen explained, hoping lucian was rich enough.
"how much does it cost? " lucian asked.
"about a million point (the unified currency system for trade and transaction in the galaxy )" she said.
"what?! " lucian screamed in shock. A million point could by ten ships in Orton and it could only be used to buy a griffin that he wouldn't be able to take out of the banshee planet.
"huh...? " Noreen was surprised, she thought lucian was rich enough to not care about such things.
"never mind. Where can I get this griffin? " lucian asked Noreen expecting a reply but when he heard nothing from Noreen, he had to stop only to see Noreen drolling at a food stand that sells skewered meat.
"Do you want to eat those? " Lucian asked his tour guide since she wasn't hiding the fact she wanted to eat those. For some reason he is already seeing her as a little sister and the embarrassing unladylike way she was acting; he found it cute and mind relaxing...you hardly see people like this in the castle he grew up in (except for Emera of course).
"of curse, yes; I would very much like to eat those, but I am currently out of points" she voiced her thought out when lucian asked; she already expected to get her pay when she got lucian to the teleport station and knew that it was ninety-nine percent impossible for him to treat her to a meal, but...
"Then let's got get it" Lucian said, holding Noreen by the hand and going towards the food stand.
"uh... " Noreen was speechless when Lucian dragged her to the stand; she thought he just wanted to pull her legs until they got there and he asked for the amount.
"how much do you sell these? " lucian asked when they got to the stand
"10 point per stick" the vendor replied....
"how many do you need? " He asked noreen since she was the one interested in it.
"as many as possible " she replied. Who would want to say no to free food and why would you ask for little when you aren't the one paying.
....
"is this where the griffin is sold? "Lucian asked; he would not lie and say Noreen has eating manners, since they left the street vendor stand to this moment, Noreen has been chewing on the skewed meat in an embarrassing manner.
"yep, just go through that alley "she pointed at a narrow road in-between two big buildings, Lucian couldn't see the end of it
"how long is that alley, and why is it so gloomy? " lucian asked, it could only be an illegal business if one have to pass through such a place to get what they want.
"it is a black market, things are cheaper there and you could get a life long contract with the beast" Noreen explained "but if you do not wish to go where I want to show you; you could go to the official market where the griffins are sold and your contract with the beast terminated the moment you leave the planet" Noreen explained.
Usually, she would take all those she had toured in the past to the official market due to the percentage she could earn, but lucian not only looked at her for who she is and not what, he even fed her stomach to her satisfaction which is rare since she had nothing to offer except a tour around of her home planet.
" so, you are saying a live long contract with the beast is possible? " lucian asked, if what Noreen said was the truth, then it wouldn't be a waste to but the griffin but...argh 'the cost of maintenance, feeding and all...'
"yes, that is exactly what I am saying "Noreen explained "and the alley is not that long, it is just an illusion to guard against intruders. They wouldn't want to attract authorities would they? " lucian saw Noreen smirk mockingly at him "do not tell me that you are afraid" she said dragging lucian into the alleyway "now we are even" she gave a light smile; at least she could let her self run wild with this alien.
" me, afraid, pfft...you should hear of my tale in my home world" lucian bragged but he could not get his mind of the bad feeling he was getting from the gloomy alley.
" then come " she dragged him into the alleyway by his hand " oh, and you are getting me a griffin" she reminded lucian.
"oka-wait, I never said I would... " lucian was interrupted.
" so you won't or you can't? " Noreen asked.
" I can but... "
"thank you alien for your generosity " Noreen said as they went into the alley.
Lucian did not know how much time passed but he was surprised when they got out from the alley and got to the open but what he saw left him speechless.
" this place is like another world on it's own" lucian marveled at the large crowd going to and forth around the market and the traders which had lots of exotic and mythical item around.
"you can even get a dragon blood here " Noreen said giving a mask to lucian who stared at her weirdly "you would not want to attract the bad guys " she said warning him of not revealing his true face unless he wanted a knife at his throat.