The woman sighed and Dasha smiled cheekily. "Thank you Adelaide." The older lady stared at her with narrowed eyes. "I should never have told you about this book. Not four years later, you're standing here wanting it. Why? Is she the reason?"
Her long bony fingers pointed at me and a shiver ran down my spine.
"Yes Adelaide. You really are a fright! But that's all you need to know. Just tell us where to find the book."
The old lady sighed. "It's currently in my care."
Dasha stared at her, startled. "Why do you have it?"
"It's a merchant's secret!" said Adelaide.
"But I can't give it to you, but you may look at it. But this book is not leaving this store!"
Dasha looked at her in irritation. "Why not?"
"Don't be dumber than you already are. This is a dangerous book!"
"So you say," replied Dasha. "But what does it actually contain? What's so special about it?"
Adelaide stared back at her intently. "I am not telling you anything. Look at it and decide for yourself."
Adelaide rose from her chair and walked over to a wall, where she pulled on a cord. A hidden door slid open, revealing a dimly lit passageway. The air was thick with the smell of musty old books and the sound of rats scurrying through the walls. Adelaide led us through the tunnel, the flickering light of torches illuminating our path.
As we emerged on the other side, my eyes took a moment to adjust to the bright light of the room. It was filled with shelves of old books, some of them falling apart from age. A large table sat in the center, with a single book resting on it.
I couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity as I gazed upon the book. It was the same one I had seen in the secret room back at my own house. I approached it cautiously, studying the cover. The book was bound in black leather, with a gold symbol etched into the front.
Dasha reached out to take the book, but Adelaide stopped her with a stern look. "I must warn you, this book contains divine mysteries," she said. "It should not be taken lightly."
Dasha nodded, her eyes fixed on the book. "We understand the risks," she said. "We have no choice."
Adelaide nodded slowly and stepped back, allowing us to approach the table. Unfortunately, it was like before. I couldn't read these symbols and Dasha didn't seem to be able to read what it said either.
Suddenly, I heard a noise behind me and spun around. My heart raced as I scanned the room, looking for any sign of danger. But all I saw was Adelaide, standing in the corner with her arms crossed.
"Is everything alright?" she asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.
I shook my head, feeling foolish. "Sorry, I thought I heard something."
Adelaide chuckled. "You're not the first to be spooked by this place," she said. "But don't worry, there are no ghosts here."
I breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a little embarrassed for my sudden fear. Dasha, on the other hand, seemed to be fully focused on the book, her fingers tracing the intricate symbols on its cover.
"Do you have any idea what this means?" she asked Adelaide, her voice laced with curiosity.
Adelaide shook her head. "I am not an expert," she said. "But I do know that this book is said to hold some of the most powerful magic known to man."
Dasha's eyes widened in excitement, but I felt a pit form in my stomach. The idea of wielding such power was terrifying. What if it fell into the wrong hands? That was probably why Adelaide was not really pleased that we touched this book.
But it was too late to turn back now. Dasha had already opened the book and was flipping through its pages. I peered over her shoulder, trying to make sense of the strange symbols and incantations scrawled across the ancient pages.
"Unfortunately, it doesn't do us much good if we don't understand anything. What a fucking mess!" Dasha hit the table and Adelaide cleared her throat. "If you hit that table one more time, though, then you'll get to know me Dasha!" Threateningly, Adelaide took a step forward.
Adelaide was a striking figure, with her long, thin frame and sharp features. She wore a simple black dress that hung loosely from her bony shoulders, emphasizing her gaunt appearance. The dress was plain and unadorned, with long sleeves that covered her slender arms.
Her hair was pulled back tightly into a bun, revealing the sharp lines of her face. Her eyes were dark and piercing, almost black in color, and seemed to follow us as we moved around the room. Adelaide wore no jewelry, save for a simple silver ring on her finger.
Despite her age and frailty, there was a sense of strength and resilience about her. She moved with a graceful, almost regal gait, and her presence commanded respect. It was clear that Adelaide was a woman who had lived a long and difficult life, but had somehow managed to persevere through it all.
Nevertheless, you could see in Adelaide's eyes that she should not be underestimated. Dasha seemed to know that as well.
"I apologize," Dasha said, her voice small. "I'm just frustrated."
Adelaide's expression softened slightly. "I understand," she said. "But this is not a task to be taken lightly. The content contained within that book is not something to be played with."
Dasha nodded, chastened. "I know," she said. "But we have no other leads. We have to find a way! Adelaide how can we decipher the book? Do you have any ideas?" Dasha asked, looking at the book thoughtfully.
"Well, I have an idea, but you won't like it."
Dasha frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Come with me," Adelaide replied. With a wave of her hand, a hidden door slid open and we stepped into another room. It was similar to the room that Adelaide had shown us before, except this one was much smaller, with only three shelves.
There were several scrolls and books lying neatly on the shelves, but they were all different sizes and shapes.
"These are the oldest texts I have," Adelaide explained, as we made our way over to the middle shelf.
"And what do these texts say?", I asked with interest, and Adelaide pulled out a scroll.
"This scroll says that the patron god of Oritris can give a blessing to his followers or travelers under certain conditions. This blessing is supposed to make it possible to read and understand any language," Adelaide quoted and skimmed the scroll. "But how to obtain this blessing is not written here."
Dasha's eyes widened with excitement. "Do you think we can obtain this blessing and use it to decipher the book of shadows?" she asked eagerly.
Adelaide's expression grew stern. "Obtaining a blessing from a god is not a simple task. It requires dedication, devotion, and sacrifice."
"What kind of sacrifice?" I asked, feeling a sense of trepidation in my gut.
"It could be anything," Adelaide said, her voice low. "It could be a physical sacrifice, like a piece of flesh or blood. Or it could be a sacrifice of something more intangible, like a cherished memory or a deeply-held belief."
Dasha's eyes widened with fear.
Adelaide nodded. "It's not a decision to be taken lightly," she said. "But it may be the only way to unlock the secrets of the book of shadows."
We stood there in silence for a few moments, contemplating Adelaide's words. The thought of making a sacrifice was daunting, but the desire to unlock the secrets of the Book of Shadows was pervasive.
Adelaide was about to say something when she suddenly turned back and forth.
"What's wrong?" I asked, and a sudden icy chill filled the room.
"I don't think I closed the door upstairs. Let's go back upstairs and I can get you on your way to the temple." Without waiting for our answer, she turned and left. We followed her.
"Dasha?", I asked quietly, biting my lips. "What's going on landlubber why are we whispering?" she replied also whispering.
"I have a feeling something is wrong."
"Landlubber, don't get paranoid now."
As we re-entered the shop, Adelaide went straight to the door and closed it, then turned around to face us. "I'm sorry," she said, "I don't know why I thought I hadn't closed the door. I must be getting forgetful in my old age."
I looked around the room, and my eyes landed on the window. The curtains were slightly open, and I could see that the latch on the window was unlocked.
There was something very wrong here.
Dasha seemed more relaxed, unlike me. "You're getting old, you crazy bitch."
"Don't get cheeky Dasha!"
Dasha just nodded and patted me on the shoulder. "Well then, come on landlubber, we have a lot to do before we go to bed."
With these words we left the mysterious little shop. Adelaide waved goodbye before the door creaked shut.
We walked a few steps before I turned to Dasha. "
Dasha?", I asked quietly, biting my lips. "
What's going on landlubber why are we whispering?" she replied also whispering. "
I have a feeling something is wrong."
"Landlubber, don't get paranoid now."
"We need to be careful," I said, my voice low. "That can't be a coincidence. There was someone else in the shop. We don't know who was in there. Let's get to the temple quickly and try to figure out how to obtain that blessing... What if there's something more to this? What if Adelaide knows more than she's letting on?"
Dasha shrugged."We don't know for sure. But we should be cautious and keep our eyes open."
As we walked down the street towards the temple, my thoughts kept returning to the strange energy in Adelaide's store. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was not right.
The temple of the patron god was located in the heart of the city of Harbor near the large square where I had met with Dasha a few hours ago.
"Tell me, landlubber, do you know who the patron god of this land is?" Dasha suddenly asked into the dusk and I shook my head.
"No, I'm afraid I don't."
Dasha began to explain. "The patron god of this land is Argoth, the god of trade and commerce. He is said to be the protector of merchants and traders, and his followers gain knowledge and wisdom upon those who worship him."
She went on to tell me about the history of the land of Oritris and how Argoth had played a crucial role in its development. "The people of Oritris were once divided into many different tribes, each with their own customs and ways of life. It was only through the teachings of Argoth that they were able to come together and form a cohesive society."
Dasha's voice was filled with reverence as she spoke of the god's teachings. "Argoth teach the importance of fair trade and mutual benefit. He encourages his believers to work together for the greater good, rather than competing against each other."
As we approached the temple, Dasha gestured towards the elaborate carvings on the walls. "These are the teachings of Argoth, passed down from generation to generation. They remind the people here of the importance of honest trade and cooperation."
I was struck by the beauty of the carvings and the depth of the teachings they represented. Dasha's words had opened my eyes to a new way of looking at trade and commerce, one that focused on cooperation rather than competition.
My heart began to beat fast and a stab ran through my body. It was exactly the same feeling that had come over me at Eurybia's temple. I looked at Dasha but she didn't seem to feel any discomfort.
Then it struck me that I had never asked her which patron god she had submitted herself to.
Inside the temple, the air was thick with incense and the sound of chanting filled my ears. The room was dimly lit, with flickering candles casting eerie shadows on the walls.
I followed Dasha as she made her way to the altar, where a priest was conducting a ritual.
As I watched the priest, I began to feel a sense of awe and wonder. There was something powerful and profound about this place, something that I couldn't quite put into words.
I looked around at the other worshippers, all of them lost in prayer or meditation. It was as if we were all connected, united by our devotion to Argoth and his teachings. I knew that I had stumbled upon something special, something that would stay with me for the rest of my life.
Yet I could sense Argoth. He seemed to perceive me as a threat, because the pain inside was getting worse.
I couldn't help but feel uneasy as I sensed Argoth's displeasure towards me.
As the priest finished his ritual and turned to face us, I couldn't help but feel a sense of apprehension. Would he be able to sense that I was already an adherent of another god?
The priest approached us, and Dasha introduced us. I took a deep breath and asked him if he would be willing to give me a brief divine blessing, despite my affiliation with another god.The priest's expression hardened, and he hesitated for a moment before answering.
"It is not common for one who worships another god to seek a blessing from Argoth. Why do you ask for his favor?"
I could hardly tell him that I needed the divine blessing to be able to read a myterious book. So I lied. I explained my situation, that I was a traveler passing through, seeking wisdom and guidance from as many deities as possible.
The priest listened carefully, but his initial reluctance did not diminish."Before I grant you a blessing, a sacrifice must be made to appease Argoth. His favor is not given lightly."
The priest gestured towards an altar in the corner of the room, where several items were displayed. "Choose an item to offer as a sacrifice, and then we shall proceed with the blessing."I studied the objects carefully, trying to choose the one that would be most appropriate for my sacrifice.
After a few moments, I picked up a small, intricately carved figurine of a ship. It seemed fitting, given Argoth's association with trade and commerce.I placed the figurine on the altar, and the priest began to recite a prayer.
As he finished, he turned to me and placed a hand on my forehead. I felt a rush of energy, and suddenly the pain that had been gnawing at me subsided.The priest withdrew his hand and looked at me with newfound respect.
"Argoth has granted you his blessing. May you use it wisely, and may you always remember the importance of fair trade and cooperation in your dealings with others."
All at once my eyes went black and I fell.
But just before I hit the hard ground, I felt something soft underneath me.
I opened my eyes and looked around. The priest and Dasha were not to be seen. Sweet-smelling candle smoke was in the air and a pleasant warmth filled my body.