Looking behind him, Raze glanced at the large temple situated atop a hill. He was huffing and panting as he continued his descent down the stairs.
"Why... why would they build a temple on top of a hill?" Raze complained aloud.
"Haha," Sonny awkwardly laughed. He could tell Raze was quite annoyed; he had been complaining nearly the whole way down. "I'm sorry. I would have brought a carriage if it was possible, but the terrain is incredibly steep."
"It's actually quite common for Clans to have their bases up high. It offers protection, provides a vantage point to see incoming attacks, and helps students build physical endurance as they come and go."
"Exactly," Raze responded. "This is a temple, not a Clan base."
For Sonny, Raze was a peculiar sight. He had never seen someone of Raze's age struggle so much with mere steps. Though Raze wasn't a Pagna warrior, it was evident his physical condition and fitness weren't even at a basic standard, it might even be worse than a child.
Currently, they were en route to the main town where Raze had first entered this world and where the Red Brigade base was located. It was only the two of them traveling. Sonny felt there was no need to bring Safa for mere questioning, especially given her limited communication abilities. Another concern was the potential for them to be targeted again; Sonny was confident in protecting one person but was wary about two.
'I wonder why they've called me now. What have they discovered about the original body's killer that they need to inform me about? What do they want to ask? I've already told them I've lost most of my memories, which is true. There's still something that perplexes me about the whole situation. Why target this kid's family? Even with what I've learned, it's baffling. And that damned leader, if he had questions, he should have approached us directly.'
Though frustrated, Raze tried to focus on the positive. He had many queries about this world, and Sonny, with his Pagna warrior knowledge, might have the answers he sought.
Eventually, they reached the end of the staircase. Though they still had to traverse a pathway through the forest to the town, Raze finally caught his breath enough to voice his questions.
"Portals," Raze began. "I heard the other kids talking about them — portals leading to other worlds. Is that true? Do Pagna warriors use them too?"
"Oh, so you're starting to get interested in the Pagna warrior world," Sonny smiled. "Many youngsters are. But it's a dangerous world, including the portals you mentioned. Yes, they do exist, but they lead to other dimensions filled with deadly creatures. Many have lost their lives due to these portals. If you see one appear, run and inform the nearest clan."
"Appear out of nowhere?" Raze asked, intrigued. In Alterian, there was no such phenomenon. Portals to other realms there required magic to open.
"Yes," Sonny replied. "It's rare, but when these portals open, they last for a specific duration. Typically, a clan will claim a portal and take responsibility for its safety, ensuring any threat emerging from it is neutralized. But, honestly, when a portal appears, it causes tension. Clans often fight over its ownership."
This surprised Raze. In Alterian, portals weren't permanent; they needed to be reopened from the other side.
"Why the conflict over portal ownership? Wouldn't it be simpler to let another clan guard it if they offered?" Raze inquired, though he suspected he knew the answer.
"It might seem that way," Sonny began, "but it's because of the creatures within these portals. They possess crystals inside their bodies that are invaluable to Pagna warriors. They're also quite valuable for commoners as they can be sold for a significant sum, even the most basic crystal."
Now he knew the reaction from Safa was clearly warranted. How would a child get their hands on crystals if the only sources were these portals and beasts?
This realization made Raze slightly more optimistic about keeping some of the crystals. Perhaps he could sell one to acquire some money. With the money he could purchase items and enhance them. There were items he could use to make things a tad easier.
"Why are the crystals so valuable?" Raze inquired.
"As I mentioned earlier, they're actually valuable only to Pagna warriors. Commoners and the empire don't value them. That's because the crystals can be transformed into Qi pills to aid in one's cultivation," Sonny explained.
"The higher-grade the crystal, the stronger the Qi pill that can be produced. It's a useful tool for rapid growth, and the high-grade pills can help break through bottlenecks as well. Hence, it's primarily valuable to Pagna warriors.
"However, merchants, lords, and the military purchase the pills since they hold immense value to Pagna warriors. They sometimes use these pills as a form of payment. At the same time, this system ensures that others don't fret over the beasts emerging from the portals, as the clans handle them."
"So, they only produce Qi pills? They don't craft weapons or other items with them?" Raze pressed.
"No, just Qi pills."
Raze contemplated. The application of crystals in this world was significantly different than on Alterian. However, they lacked magic here. He speculated if he utilized crystals to enhance items or crafted elixirs and potions, commodities unknown in this realm, he could become a prosperous merchant. Furthermore, since he'd be the sole producer, he could reserve the premium products for himself.
"Does the Red Brigade Clan own a portal?" Raze queried.
Sonny chuckled heartily, "No. We're too small a clan to possess something of that magnitude. However, the Pagna Academy does access several portals for training their students."
Raze had hoped to perhaps utilize the Red Brigade Clan's portal, but that idea was now moot.
As they entered the town, the atmosphere was familiar. Wide streets bustled with folks hauling carts, purchasing goods from market stalls, and engaging in spirited conversations.
There were several prominent inns and restaurants. As they ambulated through the streets, Raze tried spotting any vendor selling these crystals, but to no avail.
'They must be rare... but that also means selling them might be challenging,' he pondered.
They were still some distance away from the clan building when another question popped into Raze's mind.
"Ah, there was another topic the kids discussed," Raze began, "Do you know someone named Beatrix Highborn?"
Immediately, Sonny halted, turning to Raze with raised eyebrows. It wasn't just Sonny; everyone around them, having overheard the name, stopped to stare at Raze.