Riniock reached into the chest, quickly pocketing a good amount of solargold and lunarsilver. However, his attention soon shifted to the other intriguing trinkets inside.

  Amongst them was a bottomless sack – larger than the one he already carried. Inside were spoiled food, a few pieces of jewellery, and common household objects. It was a valuable find, especially given how costly these sacks were at the markets, and how dangerous it was to acquire one otherwise. He was grateful a safer opportunity had presented itself.

  After securing the sack, he turned his focus to the rest of the loot. At the bottom of the chest lay a vial filled with a crimson liquid, unsettlingly similar to blood, alongside a large, crudely fashioned dagger with a crescent blade.

  ‘A sacrificial weapon?’ Riniock wondered aloud.

  The vial was unfamiliar, so he tucked it away without much thought. The dagger, however, held his interest. Upon closer examination, he noticed several chips, blemishes, discolorations, and hints of rust – evidence that it had likely been used extensively, perhaps in many rituals.

  Finally rising from the floor, Riniock stretched and cracked his back. Though uncovering valuables was satisfying, he reminded himself that finding Irgod remained his primary goal, especially since he had yet to determine his whereabouts.

  He decided that, whilst continuing his search for the Ikshari student, he’d gather any valuables that happened to cross his path. However, he wouldn't actively pursue treasures for now.

  Riniock ventured forth amidst the ruins of the ancient city, navigating his way through the collapsed and fragmented remains. It was astonishing to consider that this place, now reduced to little more than piles of rubble and stone, had once been home to an entire civilisation – a cult whose members thrived and prospered beneath the earth.

  Now it lay abandoned, as lifeless and silent as the rock barren stretching endlessly overhead, forming an oppressive stone ceiling that sealed the city in perpetual darkness.

  As he moved deeper into the ruins, Riniock noticed an increasing number of skeletons scattered across his path, their brittle bones still draped in the intricate yet badly deteriorated robes of their former order. Despite the obvious decay, Riniock sensed faint residual energies emanating from the garments. Though the enchantments that once infused these clothes with power had long since dissipated, the lingering presence of odh hinted at the grandeur and mystical prestige these garments once possessed. The realisation intrigued him – it meant that the inhabitants of this place routinely wore enchanted clothing as everyday attire.

  ‘Impressive,’ Riniock murmured softly, genuine admiration creeping into his voice. ‘If only Gorlea provided its acolytes with robes of similar quality and enchantment.’

  For a considerable portion of his exploration, Riniock’s search yielded little of real interest. He discovered a few promising locations – a handful of abandoned stores with empty shelves and several lavish apartments that hinted at past wealth – but these discoveries ultimately proved mundane, offering nothing noteworthy to collect or study.

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  After a period of wandering through deserted streets and examining hollowed-out buildings, one particular structure drew his attention. It appeared modest and unassuming, yet it wasn't the house itself that captured his interest. Rather, it was the sight of a skeleton suspended partially through a broken section of the second-floor wall. Something metallic caught Riniock’s eye – a ring, still intact, resting upon the skeleton’s brittle finger.

  Curiosity piqued, he quickly entered the house, carefully navigating past rubble and debris until he found the stairs leading upward. Upon reaching the second floor, he was surprised to find that the skeleton at the wall was not alone.

  Across the room, resting peacefully atop a bed, lay another set of remains. Judging from their positions and the few details he could discern, Riniock concluded that the skeleton dangling by the wall belonged to a woman who had perhaps been seated before a mirror when death claimed her, whilst the skeleton lying serenely on the bed was likely a man – presumably her partner. They had likely spent their final moments together within this room.

  ‘Don’t mind if I do,’ Riniock muttered under his breath as he reached carefully through the broken wall and plucked the ring from the skeletal woman’s finger. He admired the jewellery for a moment, feeling a sense of satisfaction wash over him – until a new realisation abruptly struck.

  His gaze shifted back and forth rapidly between the two skeletal remains, noticing something unusual.

  ‘They’re not wearing their robes!’ he exclaimed suddenly, a note of excitement and anticipation evident in his tone. ‘They must have died undressed – which means their enchanted robes must still be nearby…’

  Clearing away some rubble and fallen beams, Riniock discovered the couple's wardrobe remarkably undamaged amidst the surrounding destruction.

  Opening its doors revealed two intact sets of robes – one tailored for a man, the other designed for a woman.

  Riniock extended his hand, gently rubbing the fabric between his fingers. It felt smooth as silk yet durable enough to withstand wear, tear, and even the passage of time.

  A smile spread across his face when he noticed the faint glow of odh surrounding the robes. The glow appeared dim not because the enchantment had weakened over time, but due to Riniock’s own limitations in clearly discerning these subtle energies with the naked eye.

  Ensuring he was alone and out of danger, Riniock changed clothing, donning the cultist robes. They were coloured in white and red, accented with occasional golden stripes.

  Almost immediately, a distinct sensation washed over him as the fabric settled onto his body.

  Though he couldn't yet determine exactly what effect or enchantments the robes held, simply knowing he wore attire of superior quality was satisfying enough.

  Content, Riniock turned his attention to the feminine robes, taking them as a gift intended for a certain individual he had in mind.

  Soon afterward, he exited the couple's home.

  The instant he stepped outside, his gaze fixed sharply on a distant mark, and his expression shifted into intense focus. His eyebrows rose and his eyes widened as he identified a scorch mark amongst the rubble.

  Most would have found it easy to overlook, blending seamlessly into the dilapidated surroundings, but Riniock recognised its significance immediately.

  A faint yet noticeable trail of smoke drifted upward from it, and its colour was far too vivid and fresh-looking for an old burn mark.

  Given these details, Riniock reached only one possible conclusion – Irgod had passed through here!