A rhythmic, powerful beating reverberates through Ransford's very body. Opening up his dreary eyes, he finds himself within an ancient palace. The floor is filled with holes and the pillars are nearly shattered. The only thing keeping the roof from collapsing is the frigid ice that covers everything in sight. An army of frozen skeletons all look forward with spears and bows in hand. He looks to where they are staring, but find nothing there. Behind them, at the end of the hall, the frozen corpse of a man sits on a throne made of bones. His expression filled with rage. Enraptured by the scene, Ransford walks closer, all the while the thumping that shakes nearly the entire hall reverberates with increasing volume as he approaches. As he stands just before the body of what he assumes to be the king, Ransford feels as though his eyes are strangely... alive.
None of that matters to Ransford though, placing his hand on the man's chest, Ransford feels the thumping of an ever beating heart. Shock and ecstasy shroud his face. Before he could think any longer, he is whisked away. Suddenly flying upwards without any control, Ransford feels his heart drop as he approaches the roof, then, he passes through it as if a ghost. Stone, earth, sand, he passes through it all as if it were never even there. Then there is light and air. Ransford keeps falling upwards, a vast desert is contrasted by a singular towering mountain. When falls beyond the mountain, surrounded by clouds, he notices that at its peak there is a massive hole going so deep he cannot see the bottom. It is as if the mountain has been hollowed out. Even then, he does not stop, he falls and falls until he smashes in the sun as it begins to reach its precipice in the sky. His body evaporates, not even being able to let out a scream.
***
A dull, thudding headache, matched with sore muscles and aching bones. Pushing himself off the floor, Ransford rubs his head, only to feel something cold and wet. He pauses, and then looks at his hand, covered in blood. His clothes too are stained with it. Looking around, the summoning circle has been smeared across the floor. Ransford drags his body over to his cane, using it to stand up. He looks at what's left of the summoning circle, and laughs. He laughs and laughs until he collapses into a coughing fit.
"A thousand pleas to the Gods are not even worth one deal with a devil."
After a moment, he reorients himself and walks to a nearby window. Seeing a familiar figure waiting at his door, he smiles. Ransford grabs a wicker basket and places a clean set of clothes in it doing his best to keep them clean. He jaunts downstairs. Before Ransford can even entirely open the door, he hears the man on the other side begin to speak with glee,
"Mr. Ransford, I hope you were satisfied with our delivery, it isn't easy to get so many animal products on such short noti..." His voice suddenly cuts off as the door opens all the way. The portly man stares at Ransford with shock. Ignoring him, Ransford shoves the basket into his hands and says, "Take me to the bathhouse." With those words, it seems as if the man's brain starts to spin again. A genial smile on his face, he asks in a bouncy tone,
"So, uh, it was successful?" Ransford shakes and says,
"Successful enough to make a grown man piss himself." The portly man's eyebrows lift slightly as he stares at Ransford's crotch,
"Oh?" Ransford frowns and smacks the man on the back of the head,
"Its an expression." The portly man rubs the back of his head and nods hurriedly,
"Oh, yes, of course, Sir." Despite the fact that the merchant's performance just now was less than believable, Ransford opts not to pursue it any further, simply snorting instead. The merchant drapes Ransford with an overcoat hiding his unsightly appearance and the duo make their way to the town's center.
***
Inside a small diner, Ransford leans against the wall, hair still wet from his bath, and looks out the window at the waning sun as the merchant orders a meal from a friendly waitress. Once the waitress leaves, Ransford places several Dalias on the tables and speaks without moving his gaze,
"It isn't much, I'll make up the difference soon." The merchant scoops up the coins and smiles brightly,
"Don't worry, Mr. Ransford, these coins aren't worth a lot right now, but the Imperials going to start removing them from ciculation soon. In ten to twenty years, these will be worth quite a bit. Rarity is value, after all." Ransford raises an eyebrow and asks,
"Oh, what happened to the Princess?" The merhcant shakes his head and says,
"Nothing grim, the Empire is simply renewing their commitment to the sun church by sending her to be the grand Priest's new concubine." Ransford sits up, looks at the merchant, and asks,
"Will she be heading to Salana soon?" The merchant nods with a look of awe in his eyes,
"The caravan sets off in two weeks, It is going to be the largest tribute mission to Mount Alascera in one hundred years." Ransford smirks, and taps his finger,
"Mr. Deenar, if you wanted to smuggle someone into Salana right now, how would you do it?" Frowning at the change in subject, the merchant, Mr. Deenar, conjectures,
"Bribing the border guards is hit or miss. As likely to get you killed as it is to work. Otherwise, you would have to head to Galan and cross the Almawt mountain range." shaking his head, the merchant sighs, "That isn't much better." Ransford looks back towards the sun and asks,
"How difficult would it be to place the heir to a fallen noble house in the Princess's caravan?" Mr. Deenar lifts his eyebrows in surprise and asks,
"Mr. Ransford, are you going to Salana?" Nodding vacantly, Ransford asks,
"Can you get it done?" Mr. Deenar, draws his eyebrows together and thinks for a long time,
"Yes, it's doable, but very expensive." Ransford smiles,
"I'm sure the Ransford family mansion will cover the cost and then some. Make sure to prepare some other items I might need." Shock colors Mr. Deenar's face,
"Mr. Ransford, what are you...?" Before he can keep talking, Ransford motions for Deenar to look at the window and says,
"The end of the day, is beautiful, don't you think?" Deenar looks at the sun as it contracts in on itself and shatters. It explodes in a massive display of blinding, multicolored light. Then, it all disappears, leaving only two dim moons hanging in the sky. Deenar nods solemnly,
"Yes, it's beautiful every time."
