Chapter 188 – Shadows Amidst the Light
The morning sky over Anarets was a pale blue, bright and cloudless. Small birds flitted between the rooftops and low towers of stone buildings. The market was coming alive again, filled with the aroma of spices, toasted bread, and burning wood. In the distance, the temple bells rang softly, marking the start of the day.
Stacia and Alicia sat at a small café on the edge of the plaza, beneath a thin orange canopy that swayed gently in the breeze.
"The herbal tea here is pretty good," murmured Alicia as she stirred her cup, warm steam rising lazily.
"I think it’s too sweet," Stacia replied, lifting her notebook and scribbling something with a small magical pen. "But the atmosphere is perfect for reading. Not as noisy as the market, not as quiet as the library."
Their table was set off to the side, near a small park where children played and mothers sold vegetables. Through the trees, sunlight danced on the cobblestone streets. Anarets truly was a city unlike any they had visited before.
"So, where to after this?" Alicia asked, resting her chin in her hand.
Stacia closed her notebook, her gaze turning toward the distant Hunter’s Guild tower. "I want to check the mission board again. But... before that, there’s something I want to see."
Alicia raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
"Last night, while I was reading at the inn, I found a reference to an old temple in the northern part of the city. Supposedly, it was once used to seal away an unknown magical flow... before it was abandoned." Stacia looked at Alicia seriously. "I think that place may be connected to the dimensional communication magic I’m working on."
Alicia sighed. "An old abandoned temple? Full of possible traps and restless spirits? Sounds like Sylvia’s kind of place."
Stacia chuckled softly. "Maybe. But I think it’s important. I just want to examine it, nothing too deep."
Alicia took her final sip of tea and stood up. "Alright then. Let’s go find a shadowy place that may or may not be cursed. Why not?"