Marcus, Kyrie and the holy knights reached the village of Salinar in a day. They did not use mounts but walked up to the village. Marcus did not mind but he would have enjoyed it more if he had flown in on Lara.

Salinar was located to the Northeast of Opulential, about a hundred kilometers away from the city. The roads to the city were well paved and the group did not face any obstacles along the way. Marcus felt that they made good progress, reaching the village in just a day. They had stopped in for the night. It was now noon and time for lunch when they reached the village.

Edmund spoke to Marcus, “The village is in sight. The fellows here want to have lunch in the village only; preserve our rations. Makes sense. What do you say?”

Marcus looked at Edmund. He was a gnome with level 50. Marcus wondered why non-adventurers had rank and how they gained experience. Marcus dismissed his thought and considered Edmund’s question.

Marcus said, “Why are you asking me?”

Edmund said, “You and Kyrie are not my knights. You are adventurers and we are travelling together. Your opinion matters.”

Marcus nodded and said, “Well, let’s eat in the village.”

The company started to walk towards the village. They passed a few farms along the way. There was a road bypassing the village but the company made their way to Salinar. There were no gates, no walls or any other sort of protection for Salinar. The farmhouses did have a fence but Marcus noted that it would provide no resistance against attacking forces. Then Marcus shook his head. This seemed to be a peaceful village. The villagers would hardly have considered that they would be attacked.

The buildings of the village were wooden structures. Many villagers stared at the company as they made their way to the only inn of the village. The inn did not even have a name. There was a board in the front labelled inn and that is how the company knew that it was an inn.

The company entered. The owner of the establishment was a gnome named Charity Dune and she looked surprised to see adventurers and knights entering her inn.

She recovered quickly and said with a smile, “Welcome my dear patrons. How may I help you?”

Edmund stepped forward and said, “Good afternoon good lady. We are looking for food and lodgings. We are a company of seven requiring err, wait a minute. Kyrie, would you be wanting a separate room?”

Kyrie shook her head and said, “No, it’s alright. I shall sleep with Marcus. Err, I mean sleep in the same room as him.” Kyrie blushed as she said this. Marcus patted her on the back and she blushed more.

Edmund coughed and said to Charity, “Three rooms and do you have lunch?”

Charity said, “250 units per room for the night and 50 units for a plate of lunch. Lunch is herbed rice and chicken gravy. Will you be staying one or more nights?”

Edmund said, “We shall be taking seven lunches then and for now give us three rooms for the night. We shall tell you if we are required to spend more nights.”

Edmund paid for him and his holy knights while Marcus paid for him and Kyrie. Edmund would have paid for Marcus and Kyrie but Marcus insisted that he would pay for himself and Kyrie. He somehow felt wrong that Edmund would pay for them.

Then the company went for lunch. Marcus found the lunch excellent. The rice was buttery with flavourful herbs and the chicken gravy was slightly spicy. The chicken melted in his mouth and Marcus enjoyed it. Kyrie asked for vegetarian options and Charity got a salad for her.

The dining room of the inn had been empty when Marcus and the others had started to eat their food but it had slowly filled up by the time they had finished. Marcus was sure that the people present there were mostly curious about the company. He saw Edmund smile at some people who caught his eye.

After lunch Edmund said, “The holy knights and I are going to ask around the village about the demonic activity. We are also going to go back to the sites where the demonic activity had been reported but not found. Will you be accompanying us?”

Marcus looked at Kyrie who said, “What do you have in mind?”

Marcus said, “I also want to search for the book while looking for demonic activity. I was thinking of visiting someone in the village who would know about the history of this region. Maybe we should split up? You go with the soldiers and I visit some houses.”

Kyrie looked at Edmund and said, “Will you be okay with that?”

Edmund was comfortable with the suggestion. Kyrie and the others stood up and started to ask the present villagers regarding the demonic activity that had been reported. They would soon go out and ask other villagers and Marcus did not join them. He had a different task in mind.

Marcus walked up to Charity and asked, “Can you tell me the name of the person who would be knowledgeable about Salinar and the region around it. I would like to know the history and current situation.”

Charity nodded, “Ah, you would be requiring to meet old Khonos for the history. As for the current situation, ask me. What do you want to know?”

Marcus said, “Let me talk to old Khonos first. Then I will have a talk with you. Where does he live?”

Charity replied, “Go out the Eastern side of the village and past a couple of farmhouses. His farmhouse is at the end near the brook. You shall find it easily. He has put a black flag over his house.”

“Why is that?”

“Best you ask him.”

Marcus thanked Charity and exited the inn. He started off towards Old Khonos’ farmhouse. It seemed that the village had Umaru and Gnome population. He did not see any other species other than them. Marcus, being human, would be a novelty for them and he could see it from the stares he was getting as he walked through the village.

As he walked, Marcus looked at the Globalnet regarding Salinar and the region around it. There was not much up-to-date information. However, there had been a major battle in the past during the earlier demon wars. Marcus found that information interesting.

Marcus finally reached Old Khonos’ farmhouse. As Charity had said, Khonos had a black flag fluttering in the wind above his house. He saw an old Umaru sitting on a rocking chair in front of the entrance. There were other Umarus working, but Marcus could see that they were in the field behind the farmhouse. A young female Umaru sat nearby, weaving, and occasionally throwing glances at the old Umaru as if checking up on him. A nurse perhaps or a helper of some sort.

Marcus approached the gate, a wooden structure about four feet high and called over it, “Is this the house of Old Khonos.”

He could clearly see it was as he could read the names of both the Umarus. But it was always polite to ask.

The female Umaru named Kylinipo Thorne looked up from her weaving as she asked, “Who’s asking?”

“My name is Marcus Blank. I am an adventurer. I am interested in the history of Salinar. I was told Mr Khonos could help me.”

Kylinipo looked at Khonos who said, “Come on in then lad. Let’s see what you wanna know.”

Marcus opened the gate and then closed it behind him. He walked up to Khonos who gestured at a stool in front of him. Marcus sat down with a small smile on his face.

Khonos said, “Marcus Blank. A human. It’s been years since I saw a human and it’s been even more years since a human stepped on Salinar soil. What brings you here young adventurer?”

Kylinipo walked up to Marcus at that moment and then gave him a pitcher of water. Marcus thanked her and took a sip. He kept the pitcher in his hand. Kylinipo sat down in a chair near them.

Marcus said, “As I said to Kylinipo here before, I am interested about Salinar, its history. Could you help?”

“What do you want to know about the history?”

“Let’s start with how Salinar came to be. I read that it came after the demon wars.”

Khonos nodded. He started to speak in a low voice, “The demon wars were terrible. A great battle took place here where the adventurers and the Order of the Golden Sun managed to defeat a great evil, a demon of great power at this very location. Well, not this farmhouse but you see where Salinar is built. At that location.

After the defeat, bodies of non-adventurers lay strewn around the battlefield. The adventurers who died respawned as adventurers do but there was great loss of non adventurer life.

At that point a monk visited this place, burning the bodies of the non-adventurers and giving them their final rights. She was shook by what she saw of the battlefield and she decided to make it her home.

‘Great sorrow and tragedy plagues this land’ she said, ‘I want to heal this land. I shall stay till my work here is done.’”

Khonos coughed and Kylinipo gave him a pitcher of water too. Khonos took a long drag out of the pitcher and sighed. Then he continued with his story.

“God knows what the monk did here”, said Khonos, “God knows how she healed the land but she set up a hut right where currently our inn is present. Soon, this land was good and fertile and several settlers who were refugees of the demon war came here. They decided to set up over here. Salinar came into existence. The monk lived for a long time. Initially people planned to keep her house as a shrine to her as she was the main reason that the village came to be, but then decided to renovate her house into an inn. She was a hospitable person and an inn seemed like a fitting tribute to her.”

“What was the name of the monk?” asked Marcus.

“Lumina Lightweaver”, came the reply.

Marcus grinned at that and Khonos said, “You have heard the name.”

Marcus nodded, “I am told that she wrote a book titled An Interview with a Demon. I am told that this book is lost and the last rumoured location of the book is this village. I am tasked with finding and retrieving this book.”

Khonos said, “Yes, Lumina wrote many books while she lived here. The book you named is her most controversial book. In that book she claims that she met a friendly demon and learned a lot about the demon kind from it. The book was not received well and the people burned all of her published copies. It is true that there is a rumour that one copy remains here. But before I tell you more about it, I have to ask, what are you going to do with the book?”

Marcus said, “Well, read it first of all and then submit it to the Head Librarian of Opulential city.”

Khonos said, “Are you interested in destroying the book and the knowledge present in its content?”

Marcus looked shocked, “That would be blasphemy.”

Khonos laughed at that. He said, “Well boy, it is good to know that you are a preserver of knowledge rather than a destroyer. You should join The Librarian faction.”

“Already did that.”

“Good. Good. Then I shall tell you what I know. There are rumours that Lumina hid a copy of her book in this village but no one knows where. We gave up searching for it about two hundred years ago. But we are sure there is a copy present here. Talk with Charity. She runs the inn where Lumina’s house used to be. Perhaps she could be of help.”

Marcus nodded and thanked Khonos. Then they chatted more about the village and its surrounding region. Kylinipo contributed a bit too. Time passed and the Umarus working in the field came for some rest. Khonos introduced Marcus to his three sons and the other workers of the field. He insisted Marcus stay for some tea and snacks and Marcus agreed.

It was evening when Marcus started off towards the inn. When he reached back, he found out that Kyrie and the others had not gotten back yet. He said to Charity, “Can we talk in private somewhere? I want to ask you something.”

Charity led him to a room behind the reception area. It looked like her quarters.

Marcus said, “Thank you. I had an interesting chat with Old Khonos. A lively Umaru. His family is also nice.”

Charity nodded and said, “Yes. Ask away then. What do you want to know?”

Marcus told her about his search for Lumina’s book. Charity nodded thoughtfully, a far off look filling her eyes as Marcus explained what all he had learned from Old Khonos.

Charity said, “There is a secret passage in the basement but no one has been to open it till yet. We never used force but it could help you if you want to have a look. It could lead to the book but I am rather skeptical about it.”

“Why are you skeptical?” asked Marcus.

“It is most likely a prayer room or something considering how Lumina was. We may not know much but we do know the history of our village that has been passed on through generations. Old Khonos is the expert though. However, even if he does not know where the book is, then this is your safest bet.”

Charity took Marcus to the basement. It was filled with barrels. Wine and ale, Marcus presumed. Charity led Marcus to one of the corners which was not well lit and took a torch from a nearby bracket.

“Here”, she said, handing Marcus the torch. Marcus shone the torch over where Charity was pointing and he saw a faint rune in the wall.

“This is it”, said Charity, “We assume there is a secret passageway behind this but we have not been able to open it. We have never used force till now and are not planning to do so. It would be great if you could do the same. I will leave you to your thing then.”

Marcus thanked her as Charity left. Then he examined the rune again. It looked like an R with the symbol pi passing through it. Even though it was faint, Marcus guessed that it was red in colour. Marcus put his hand on it but nothing happened.

Then he sat down and brought up the Globalnet. He wondered how he would search regarding the rune. He brought up whatever information he could find on Lumina Lightweaver and started to read.

He did not know how much time had passed before he felt a hand on his shoulder. Marcus looked up to see Kyrie standing over him. He greeted her.

Kyrie said, “Charity told me you are down here. What are you doing?”

Marcus explained everything. Kyrie was lost in thought for some time after that.

It was Marcus who broke the silence.

“So, how was your day?”, he asked.

“We asked the villagers regarding the demonic activities and visited the same sites as before. Well, we visited five of the same sites as before. We found no evidence of demonic activity but the sites were humming with energy. Magic had been performed there. That was a discovery made by Edmund. He was pissed that no holy knights had caught on to that before. He passed the message to Harraam and Harraam is going to send groups of holy knights and adventurers to detect magical activity on previously eliminated sites.”

“How did Edmund think of looking for magical traces?”

“It was the last test any holy knight had to perform while visiting a location”, said Kyrie, “It seemed that some of the holy knights were lax in their duty.”

“I am sure Harraam would not be pleased with that”, remarked Marcus.

“No he would be not”, agreed Kyrie, “We are going to visit the rest of the sites tomorrow. I think there are ten more sites remaining. Would you be joining us?”

Marcus shook his head, “No, I shall be busy deciphering the mystery of this rune tomorrow if I am not able to do it by tonight.”

Kyrie tilted her head and said, “You do know what time it is right?”

Marcus looked at the time and started. It was 21 o’clock.

“I think I should rest for tonight”, said Marcus, “Approach this rune problem with a fresh mind in the morning.”

Kyrie laughed, “Yes you do need your rest. [Well Rested] bonus might help.”

Marcus stood and they both started climbing the stairs towards their room. He said, “The bonus helps me get more experience, not insight. I doubt it would help.”

Marcus slept well that night. The next morning he woke up with his [Well Rested] activated. He grinned. Kyrie looked at this grin and said, “You know, your passive skill really makes me jealous.”

They went down for breakfast. Edmund and other holy knights were already present. Breakfast was fried eggs and buttered toast. Kyrie ate the toast and had some potato wedges. Then they split up again. Kyrie went with Edmund and the other holy knights while Marcus went into the basement.

After some time he stood up and decided to seek help from Khonos. Khonos was no help either as he did not know the rune, nor did any other villagers Marcus asked.

It was lunchtime and the others had not come back. Marcus was getting frustrated regarding the rune. He texted Harraam through his utility belt for help. Harraam told Marcus that he would consult a linguistic expert and get back to Marcus. Harraam also suggested asking the librarians for help. Marcus also sent the rune to Sylinine.

Sylinine was the first to reply. She wrote that the rune was a part of demonic language. It meant ‘harmless’. Marcus wondered what it meant.

After lunch he went down to the basement and muttered ‘harmless’ in front of the rune. Nothing happened. Then he had an idea. He texted Sylinine regarding the pronunciation of the rune in demonic language. He got an audio file which he played. As soon as he played the audio file, the rune started to glow. Marcus heard a grinding noise and a part of the wall containing the rune shifted back and to the left.

A rush of air blew from the passage as if it had been sealed for ages. It seemed that Charity had heard the noise as she came down and gasped.

“You opened it”, said Charity in surprise.

Marcus grinned at her. He said, “Wanna come with me?”

Charity shook her head, “I am alright here. You go on and see what is there. Do share though as to what you find.”

Marcus took a torch from one of the walls and entered the passage that had opened. It was a narrow passageway and Marcus had to walk at an angle. The passage ended at a wooden door which Marcus pushed to see steps leading downstairs. Marcus took the steps downstairs.

At the end of the stairs was a small room, maybe eight feet by eight feet and about ten feet high. There was no door. The steps just ended at this room. The room was empty except for a chest in the center. A faint glow surrounded the chest. As Marcus approached the chest, letters, words, sentences formed in front of his eyes.

Behold strangers. This chest holds the greatest treasure of Lumina Lightweaver. Only the pure of heart and mind can claim it. The rest shall perish.

Yeah, thought Marcus, Fucking ominous message for a fucking booby trapped chest.

Marcus wondered what the message meant by pure of heart and mind. He looked around the room waving his torch at every nook and corner. There were no other clues. The chest simply stood in the middle of the room as if daring Marcus to come open it.

Marcus walked up to the chest and examined it. The chest looked as if it was made up of wood but Marcus was sure that the material used was not wood but something that looks like wood. The chest was plain looking and brown in colour. There were no decorations, no drawings or anything on the chest except for a keyhole. Marcus could find no key though. He wondered what to do.

Marcus sat down and accessed the Globalnet. However, the message was not a riddle and he did not know how the Globalnet could help him. Searching for the pure of heart and mind yielded many results and the majority of them were linked to different quests. Marcus did not know whether the conditions of other quests would work here.

Marcus muttered, “Let’s just fucking try to open it. What’s the worst that could happen? I would die. And then I would resurrect at the resurrection stone. Better message Kyrie though.”

He messaged Kyrie what he was going to do. There was no reply for a few minutes. Marcus just shrugged and bent down. He put the torch beside the chest and touched it. The faint glow around the chest increased in intensity. Light shone all around the chest, blinding Marcus. Then the light stopped. Marcus heard a click.

Marcus slowly pushed open the lid of the chest. Nothing happened to him. He looked in the chest to find a bundle of cloth and a piece of parchment in it. He took the parchment and opened it first. It was a letter.

Ye who is pure of heart and mind, I leave to you my greatest treasure. My book, whose copies were burned down by the order, is one of the things that I am truly proud of in my life. I am placing my trust in you that you shall preserve this book and not destroy it. Share the knowledge with the world if the world is ready for it. I hope you fare better than I did.

Lumina Lightweaver

Marcus put the letter in his inventory and picked up the bundle of cloth. He felt something in the bundle. He opened the bundle to find a book. An Interview with a Demon. Marcus grinned. He had found the book. He wrapped the book in the bundle and put it in his inventory.

Marcus stood up, picked his torch and started back in the passageway. When he reached the basement, the passage sealed shut behind him.

Charity was waiting for him. So was Kyrie.

“What happened? Are you alright? Are you cursed? Did you find anything?” asked Kyrie rapidly. Marcus could see the worry on her face.

Marcus laughed and said, “Calm down. Let me explain everything. But first, I would like something to drink. I am thirsty.”

Marcus, Kyrie and Charity went to the dining room. Charity gave Marcus some juice after Marcus refused ale. Marcus explained everything.

After he was finished Kyrie said, “So, you found the book.”

“Yes I did”, said Marcus.

“Will you be going to Opulential to give it to the Head Librarian then?”

“Not yet. I am going to fucking read it first.”

Kyrie nodded as if she had already been expecting the answer.

Charity said, “Can you teach me the word to open the passage? I shall look into it. Let’s see if I can turn this into an opportunity for tourist visits or something.”

Marcus said, “Get someone to check it for further magical traps. I am sure the room would be safe now as I have taken the book but it pays to be safe.”

Charity snorted, “I am not a fool.” She stood and left Marcus and Kyrie alone after Marcus had taught her how to open the passage.

Marcus said, “So, how go the site visits?”

Kyrie said, “There are magical traces at each site. Edmund’s mood keeps on getting more and more sour as he keeps on visiting each site. I came as soon as I got your message. I know I could not have helped much but I was not helping Edmund and his knights either.”

Marcus nodded and said, “What will you do now?”

“Go back to them”, replied Kyrie, “And I presume you are going to our room to read the book.”

Marcus nodded. Kyrie laughed and left. Marcus went up to their room and got comfortable on the bed. Then he opened the book and started to read.

The book was an interesting read. It contained information regarding the demons, their culture, how they lived, where they came from and how they were enslaved by the Game Masters. The most interesting part of the book was the way it was written. Lumina claimed that she had met a demon and had interacted with it. The book was in the form of a transcript of that interview with Lumina’s notes, thoughts and summary written in between the question answers.

Marcus understood why some may consider this book a blasphemy and would like to burn it. This might be the last surviving copy of the book.

Kyrie opened the door and Marcus jumped.

Kyrie said, “Come on. It’s time for dinner. You can’t remain holed up here forever no matter how interesting the book is. Come downstairs.”

Marcus followed Kyrie wondering what to do next. He should return this book immediately to Sylinine. However, he had found a passage in the book which described where Lumina had found the demon she had interviewed.

As he ate the delicious roasted meat, which was spiced perfectly, Marcus made up his mind. He would need to talk to Kyrie though. They were going in search of a fucking demon.