Breathe out

(I actually do not know anything about history or the persians, so don’t hold me to my word on some of the things said in here.)

A chestnut haired man walked up to the counter of the market place stall and sammed a few items down on it, in front of the owner. His sharp green eyes glanced around the room as if he was looking for something, or perhaps being followed.

Before the seller could tell him the price he slammed two gold coins on the counter. “Keep the change.” he said before the seller could tell him the much cheaper price. Taking the items and putting them into a satchel before disappearing within the blink of an eye.

The sky was a colorless grey, the frigid air making the chestnut haired man feel refreshed after a day of oppressive heat.The night was slightly chilly, making him draw his black tailcoat jacket around himself more. He tightened the white scarf around his neck. His black, button up shirt was lost under the sea of fabric. The moonlight guided him to a glen.

“I can hear you.” he said

A thin figure crept from the shadows. A boy. He was only slightly taller than five feet. The playful wind ruffled his tousled onyx hair. He wore nothing but a black leather vest and mink brown pants. Old, but sturdy boots covered his feet. In the moonlight, the man recognized the boys arched eyebrows, cat-like face and honey eyes. That crooked smirk he would know anywhere. He had become quite fond of the boy over many years. He had many times, offered him to stay with him but the boy refused.

“If it isn’t James Moore.” the boy said, walking up to him with silent feet “What brings you to these parts? Are you in need of my services again?”

“Yes, Crypt. I found something, but in order to obtain the prize, I require an individual with certain skills. Particularly, a Jackal.” James said

“You came to the right place Moore.” Crypt climbed up onto the large branch of a tree. He sat on it, making him slightly taller than James “Depending on what you got in mind, I’m thinking it’s not gonna be an eye catching price.”

“I’ll give you three hundred Nich and five percent of the prize.”

“Deal.”

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They entered James’s office, where he sat looking at an old piece of parchment. Crypt was looking at some pictures on the walls. 

“You really got all of these degrees? How many times did you go to college?”

“Only a few times, I have two masters and one associets. One for medical, one for history and excavation and one for economics.” 

“And yet you chase wild adventures and hire shifty people like me?”

“I have found that I am a very complex man.”

“It just seems weird, that’s all.” Crypt commented “I mean, waste your time with schooling and then dump it all out the window.” 

“Wait, what did you say? Say that again.”

“Uh… you dumped your schooling out the window?”

“No, before that.”

“You hire shifty people? It’s weird and a waste of time?” 

“Yes! Time!” James said, excitedly getting up and showing Crypt the yellowed parchment. “Don’t you see? The Persians used to have certain statues, each one was delicately placed in order for a certain shadow to fall on the statue at a certain time in order for it to reveal a location or a symbol.”

“You lost me.”

“This isn’t coordinates, it’s times of the day. 8:30, 12:00 and 4:25.” James explained “All we have to do is get to the statue around those times to see the shadow in order to reveal our next step.” __________________________________________

They visited the tall eagle statue at the three times and sketched them. Back at James’s study, they looked at the pictures. 

James ran a hand through his hair “This doesn’t make any sense. The persians never used symbols like these and they aren't from any other culture that I know of.”

“Hang on. Look at that one, it’s like the base of something.” Crypt recognized “And that one looks like a peak or top of something.”

James arranged the pictures so that they formed one big picture of a mountain with a circular symbol near the bottom left. “Yes, that’s it! That little circular symbol is the Agamentnonqui. It means good fortune. That must be where the entrance is. That’s definitely Mount Chima because that’s the only one that they had in the area.” He laughed and ruffled the boys hair. “What would I do without you Crypt?”

Crypt shrugged “Problably something stupid.”

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