Ning and Tim got onto a bus that went from the Cape of Tremala to a city in the west called the Twomile City, from where they would then take a train to the Warfort Kingdom.

From there, they would make their way to the Cogonian Archipelago to take a ship to the theocratic country of Airan.

Ning sat by the window, looking at the drab buildings all around him. He couldn’t wait to leave the city and go somewhere greener.

The bus started moving, and soon they were on their way.

“This is the first time I’m leaving the city to go to another one,” Tim said softly. “It feels weird.”

“You went on a treasure hunt not even a month ago, and you’re excited by a trip to another city on a bus?” Ning asked.

“Am I not allowed to?” Tim asked blankly.

“No, no, you’re allowed to. I’m just surprised you are excited at all,” Ning quickly said.

Tim shook his head slightly. “You know how it was. I was constantly looking for any sight of a Zurin treasure I could hoping to find anything that could heal my father.”

“There have been many incredible Zurin treasures that could heal someone in the past that haven’t surfaced in the present days. There was the Eyeglass of Diagnosis, which you could look through to exactly tell where someone’s sickness was.”

“There was the Hourglass of Reversal, which was said to have the capability to almost reverse someone’s life and heal them to how they were beforehand.”

“There was the Comb of Eternal Preservation. Anyone in possession of the comb would thwart all disease and sickness from their life.”

Tim went onto name every possible Zurin Treasure that he found a record of in the past that had not appeared in present times. He had hoped to find anything that could have helped his father in any way.

“Explain one thing to me,” Ning said. “Zurin Treasures, how do they get remade?”

“I don’t think they get remade. They just get lost and end up somewhere far away from the greater civilization and have to be found again.”

“When someone gets a Zurin Treasure and uses it, it bonds to them and can only be used by them for their entire life. When they die, the treasure no loner has any owner.”

“In that case, the treasure is then waiting for another owner to come and take it.”

“The conjecture is that sometimes these treasures just end up disappearing altogether, maybe in a forest, or in a shipwreck. They somehow end up somewhere where they can’t be found.

“The conjecture is that in those instances, the unbounded Zurin treasure slowly gathers back an aura that forms more Zurin monsters to protect itself.”

“In this horn’s case, it must have disappeared in the sea for a long time before we found it again. In those times, the treasure must have gathered a lot of power, creating a monster as strong as it did.”

“I see,” Ning said. “What happens if you destroy the Zurin treasure itself?”

Tim was more than used to Ning’s basic questions by now, so he didn’t even bat an eye before answering.

“If destroyed, I do not know if the treasure can come back or not, but the chances are low I assume. The Zurin treasures are incredibly difficult to destroy anyway, so there is nothing to worry, anyway.”

Ning nodded slowly. He learned a bit more about the treasures and then looked out of the window at the beautiful mountain path that led them out of the Cape of New Tremala and took them toward the Twomile City.

They arrived at the Twomile City, where Ning let the young man roam the city for a few hours. Their tickets to Warfort was for an evening train, so they had little to do, anyway.

Tim found himself a small diner place where he ate some coffee and sandwiches while reading a small newspaper on it.

“Anything about Zarius Bracksfort in there?” Ning asked the young man.

Tim looked away from the newspaper and toward Ning. “The scientist?” He flipped through a couple of pages. “Nothing I can see.”

“Do tell me if you find anything recent,” Ning said and sipped on his coffee.

“Why are you curious about him?” Tim asked curiously.

“He’s one of the three on the list I told you about,” Ning said.

Tim’s eyes widened. “He is?” he asked. “Why are you going after someone so popular—oh wait, you are going after high-profile people?”

He looked around, trying to find an answer to a question that had suddenly formed in his mind. “Wait, do you know if this is the guy you are looking for or not? He’s quite popular, so you should know, right?”

“I don’t,” Ning said. “But I will soon enough. Just keep a lookout for his name on the newspaper or radio. I won’t be listening to any, so you are the one I have for it.”

“Okay…” Tim said softly and turned back to his newspaper. He looked back up again and wondered if he should ask this question or not.

“Sir Ning, why are we going to Airan? What is there that you are looking for?” he asked.

Given all the context, a horrible thought had come to Tim, and he needed ot make sure that was not true at all.

“Why? To meet the pope, of course,” Ning said. “We’re gonna give him a little visit and see if he or any of his subordinates at the people who we need to be looking for.”

Tim felt his mind go blank for a second. “I’m sorry, the pope?” he spoke out loud before quieting a little. “Why are we going after the pope?”

“Why not?” Ning asked. “As I said, we’re going after anyone big. The three I have are just the ones that stood out the most.”

Tim couldn’t say anything else. He was speechless. They finished eating and made their way to the train station. At exactly 5 pm, a dark train letting out plumes of black smoke and white steam arrived at the platform.

“Carriage 2,” Ning pointed and walked in.

The first carriage was for people who wished to remain separate, with no other people joining them.

The second and third carriage was one that provided a little less privacy by making more than one person stay in the single compartment, although they gained the same privacy over all.

Finally, the rest of the train carriages were all with open seats and barely any privacy.

Ning opened the door to their compartment and arrived upon two women seated next to each other. To the far side, next to the window, was a woman with large spectacles with raven black hair covering most of the side of her face. She had jewelries peeking from her neck and dress, and her hands were bejeweled with large bangles and many rings. She looked at Ning and Tim entering and gave a small nod before looking away.

It did not look as though she was a very talkative king.

“Oh, two young men,” the other woman said. She looked at Ning and Tim with a bright smile as she welcomed them.

The woman was muscular, wearing coats and pants that a man should have been wearing. She had her brown hair tied in a bun behind her.

She wore almost no jewelry except for a thin silver necklace that was hidden within her shirts.

“I see we already have companions on this journey,” Ning said. “My name is Ning, and this is my friend Tim.”

“Hello,” Tim gave a small nod.

“I am Penelope,” the woman said. “I hope you won’t mind my existence throughout this travel. I will get off at Garnhall City around 4 in the morning, anyway.”

“We are going the whole way through,” Ning said. “And who is this friend of yours?”

“Oh, this is not my friend. This is the first time we’re meeting as well,” Penelope said. “I’m sorry. What was your name again?”

“Jasmine,” the girl said in a quiet voice. “I’m sorry, I don’t enjoy talking. If you would ignore me.”

She turned back around.

Tim went over to the far side, next to the window, opposite Jasmine, and Ning sat opposite Penelope.

“So, where are you boys from? Your accent doesn’t sound like you’re from around here,” the woman said.

“I’m from the Cape of New Tremala,” Tim said.

“Oh, where the University is. Are you two from the university?” the woman asked. “You look scholarly.”

“I go to the University, but I’m not hear from there,” Tim explained. “I’m doing my thing.”

“I’m from far away. It would be difficult to explain where I am form exactly. Just know that it is not Warfort, Oriman, or Nineflags.”

The woman put her hands up. “Hey, if you want to keep your privacy, do. I won’t say anything. We’re already having to share this compartment. We can keep it there.”

“Thank you,” Ning said. “Speaking of which, where are you from, miss Penelope?”

“I’m from Warfort. I came here because one of my uncle lives in this city,” she said. “I’m returning home now. It’s been a long journey.”

The train whistled, signalling that it was about to leave.

“Well, it’s started,” she said. “My journey back home.”

Ning nodded.

“I hope the ride is as comfortable as it was coming here. My uncle cheaped out in the end and didn’t pay for the first carriage,” the woman laughed.

The train left the platform.