Cyrene scoffed, "A shop where everyone goes in and nobody comes out? Sounds like a scam, I am sure someone would have already done something if it were true." Still, her eyes looked at the shop warily; the outside seemed inconspicuous, like a shop for old antiques. Old pieces of clothing adorned the center of shop windows, and old musical instruments lay upon the ground of the clothes. As both of them stood in front of the door, they smelled the old, musty smell of the wood, which was almost decaying.
They looked at each other and both pushed open the singular door; a bell chimed. Wilwarin looked up and saw an old mechanism, of the door hitting the bell with its edge. The inside didn't look better; if Wilwarin were to describe it, it would be like a mystic antique shop meeting the old lady who lives in the woods. Most of the wares sold here were piled up like junk on the side of the small walkway. The shelves and wares stood around with no particular order, the wallpaper was cracking and falling in some places, as Wilwarin looked in the corners of the ceiling, he could spot more than five spiders and their webs. He wondered when the last time someone cleaned in here was.
"Hello?" Cyrene's voice echoed through the what seemed like an empty shop.
Nothing was heard that could've been an answer, as they advanced further to what they hoped would be the setup for some kind of cashier place, they came around a big shelf of dolls. Dolls are creepy enough as is, but they were different. Wilwarin couldn't quite describe it, but he had blurry vision when he looked at them. At first glance, they looked very well kept, but the longer he stared, the more deformed the dolls would become. Some were missing limbs, some were burned, but as soon as he looked away and then back, they were fine and in perfect condition again.He shook his head, believing his mind was playing tricks on him. In such a creepy shop, it was no wonder his nerves gave out, and besides, he had seen scarier before. There was no need to be terrified of dolls.
They walked more and more inside, and Wilwarin came to another idea, "Ardon?"
Cyrene looked alarmed and wanted to place a hand over Wilwarin's mouth, but then they heard something. A rustling was heard through the shop, a metallic sound, someone cursed something, and then, "Hello? Is someone there?"
Cyrene looked relieved, but only for a second, "Depends on who asks..."
Wilwarin felt relief washing through him, but as he watched Cyrene's reaction, he knew maybe something could still be wrong. Cyrene walked in front of Wilwarin and took the lead, "Cyrene? What the hell are you doing here? Where are you? I've been here since yesterday. From the outside, one would never have figured that this shop is so big."
"What was the first thing you said to me when you hired me?"
More rustling, but it sounded closer, the voice was also feeling closer, "That if you brought me to Dilofryrorn, I would give you your freedom."
"Why would you give me my freedom, I am a mercenary after all."
"You're kidding, right? Of course, it is because..."The footsteps were heard and got closer, with every word 'Ardon' said, "You-" step, "had-" rustle, "a-" Wilwarin's heartbeat quickened; he was unused to such a situation. A fantastical situation where a creature might have mimicked Ardon.
CLANK, in front of the both of them, a metal pot fell from a pile and Ardon's figure stood in front of them. "Weird guild, only letting you free if your employer decides to do so."
Cyrene relaxed her guard slightly, and Wilwarin smiled in relief, "Ardon, I was worried for you. You said you'd meet in the morning, and then I found out you didn't even return home?"
Ardon smiled in shame, his eyes seemed deeper, his ice-colored blue seemed just a little darker, but maybe this was the lighting of this place, playing tricks on Wilwarin's vision.
"Yeah, I... I don't really know. I went in here to acquire the stuff for the pixies, but I don't know. I walked around, turn after turn, aisle after aisle, and still no one." Ardon looked frustrated as he looked around. Wilwarin looked at Cyrene warily, after all, Ardon just exposed the pixies in front of someone who wasn't with them at all.
"Pixies? You're looking for the same thing as Ninor? Why?" Cyrene asked, her brows furrowed, still a hint of suspicion when she looked at Ardon.
"They came to us as well, just like they lured the princess in many years ago," Ardon answered that. Wilwarin looked at the guy in full alert. He was told by the princess yesterday, how on earth would Ardon have acquired such information?

YOU ARE READING
He keeps finding me
General FictionIt all began with a message on his 16th birthday, 'Today in one year, you will die.' Felix didn't think much about it, after all his father was a well-known underground boss in this area. Unbothered, he pocketed his phone, going about his normal da...