The City of Shadows

The Museum

The halls were quiet when he walked in. The large, intricate hallways were laden with history. On some walls - like the one he was looking at - there were great paintings depicting adventures to faraway places. Scenes of exploration, discovery, and wealth were prevalent just as much as trifles, wars, and losses were. Their people had gained much, and lost even more, despite all that they had done.

Cyngus: "Some say these paintings start speaking to you, if you stare too long."

Lunar: "You've spent too much time amongst ghosts' old man."

Cyngus: "Perhaps. And it smells like you've spent too much time in a feeding trough."

They both shared a laugh and embraced.

Lunar: "How have you been? I haven't seen you since the middle year."

Cyngus: "Oh you know me. I look at old things. I go home and prank the husband. The cycle repeats. It's quite the fulfilling life, if I do say so."

Lunar smiled warmly at him and chuckled.

Lunar: "You haven't changed one bit."

Cyngus: "On the contrary. I've got this new thing on my back, doc says it's not contagious- "

Cygnus began to lift up the back of his shirt as Lunar turned away with a small sound of playful disgust. They laughed together again and looked back onto the ornate murals.

Cyngus: "Something tells me you're not here to look at an old man's rash. You are in need of my expertise."

He smiled and tapped the side of his head a few times, then started walking away and motioned for Lunar to follow.

Lunar: "You'd be right. There have been a lot of strange things going on recently, and me and Solar are trying to get to the bottom of it."

Cyngus: "Oh yeah? What's her make of it?"

Lunar: "Well, she seems a bit apprehensive to tell me details. But generally it seems as though she believes the curse is about to hit its climax."

They entered into a medium-sized room. It was full from top to bottom with trinkets and wares, artifacts and junk. A large, rectangular table took up the middle of the space, with everything else haphazardly lying around it, or even on top of it. Cyngus took a seat in one of the large wooden chairs that surrounded the table, one of the few that didn't have a pile sitting in it. He motioned for Lunar to take a seat in the empty chair next to him.

Cyngus: "And do you believe her?"

Lunar: "I have no reason not to."

Cyngus: "That's not what I asked son."

Lunar sat back into the chair with a heavy sigh.

Lunar: "I think she's right. I've never seen her in a fuss like she is now, and she's always had a tight grip on herself. Not to mention some of the things I've witnessed recently."

Cyngus leaned forward in his chair and watched him carefully.

Cyngus: "Spare no detail."

Lunar explained his short adventure out into the fields, leaving out only the humor, as he knew he didn't posses the skill of delivery like the rancher did. When he was finished, he thought for a few more seconds then leaned in closer to the old man.

Lunar: "Then something happened on my way here. I was walking out in the streets alone, with absolutely no one around, when I started hearing whispers."

Cyngus's eyes grew wide.

Cyngus: "Are you sure you did son?"

Lunar: "I've been to every festival the same as you. It was the same whispers, the same voices, only they were telling me something different."

Cyngus: "What did they say?"

Lunar: "The Eclipse is coming."