((@ Lusalma and Tali. wondering where we should go with this musical herb store. i have some ideas in OCC. please comment on them. I'll be going to dinner for a bit, but I'll be back to post again ;)))

Alak bowed his head slightly and looked at the ground. Friend? No one had ever called him that. For a moment, he was at a loss for eloquent words. He barely heard the rest of what she said but he nodded and mumbled, "Thank you Miss Lusalma."

Alak followed into the store behind her quietly. He felt a strange energy wrap around him. For a quick second, the shop looked empty. The, it was cluttered with oddities and shoppers that did not seem to notice anyone had entered. Alak felt strange and suddenly did not like being in this place. Perhaps it was the overpowering aroma of the many different herbs, or it could have been the clerk who seemed all too eager to approach them. Alak resisted the urge to sneeze while he was surprised that Lusalma seemed to enjoy the air in here immensely.

The girl made her way to a door. Alak reached to stop her, for it was rude to suddenly open doors that did not belong to you, but he paused as the clerk who had been eying them rushed forward.

After a slight exchange, the clerk stuttered, "S-south Gate, S-silver District..." he pushed his glasses forward on his nose, giving Alak a strange look over the rim, before turning away.

Alak hurried out, beating Lusalma to the door, before getting a breath of fresh air. "Interesting? Like what?" He remembered the faint music he had make him think he was hearing things.

"Perhaps we should browse the shops on this street? We've had a long day and you seem hungry," he said whilst ignoring the fact that his own stomach was beginning to complain. "Then we can meet with that nice guard lady."


EDIT: As he spoke, Alak noticed something odd. He blinked and looked around him, turning in a full circle. He rubbed his eyes for a second and blinked again. He could not believe his eyes. It was pitch black outside save for the softly glowing mage lights on the corners of the streets. Astonished, he looked to Lusalma to see if she too saw the sudden jump in day time. They must have been in the shop for only 2 or 3 minutes...but now it looked as if several hours had gone by. Alak turned back around to the shop, but it was closed. His stomach growled loudly as if it had not eaten all day. What was going on?

His rational mind figured there must have been some strange magic on the shop to get people to buy more than they would, or perhaps to punish them if they left without buying. He was sure that'd be illegal, but in this part of town, most things done were illegal. That's what Alak's rational mind said anyway. But his gut pulled at him worriedly.

"We'll be late meeting with the young miss..." he said with an absent mind, more so to himself in need of hearing his voice than to Lusalma. The event had shaken him somewhat. For any type of magic that strong to go past him undetected was...unnerving. He took one final suspicious glance back at the shop. A blank sign swung innocently.

Despite the hour, Mene was still a busy city. The ally they had been down with the herb shop was dark, but most of Mene was lit up with dozens of mage lights around every corner. It was perhaps brighter on some main streets at night than it was during the daytime. Crowds still ambled about, most drunken or lewd or a combination of the two. Alak forced himself not to turn his nose up against the smell. He had only had fire liquor once...it had not been a good experience. Shops that were open almost all night were the blacksmith and armorsmith in the Main Square and some Pubs. The woman said the Main Square was easy enough to find, and she had been right. If one got lost among the weaving crowded paths and large buildings, they need only to look up toward the clock tower and make their way in that direction. That was exactly what Alak set off to do after making sure Lusalma was with him.

((sleep...I need it...might make changes when i can think better.))