"It's terrible the things people do to each other." A thin, pale skinned woman whose hair was white like the snow and eyes the colour of leaves in autumn, "did you hear about that priest, Larcius?"

Her companion, who was slightly shorter, a little rounder and carried a great yellow-blonde mane of curly hair shook her head in disagreement, "I heard what Larcius did to that poor man. Took out a sword and beheaded him as the concluding rites to the Palus ceremony - I knew those sun god worshipers were a bunch of wack-jobs."

"No even close to true, my niece was there." The white haired woman stopped walking and sat down on a bench along the side of the cobblestone street, her companion joined her and the conversation resumed, "He turned into a muscly monster with great wings and claws that called itself The Judge. The creature then accused the man of sinning and demanded repentance. The man confessed and the creature slit his throat, spilling his blood on the base of the alter, then the creature turned back into Larcius. It took the crowd a few moments to get a hold of themselves, it started with a friend of the sinner. They mobbed the unconscious priest and tore him limb from limb. As if death wasn't enough they took his head and pierced it over the spear of the statue of Palus in the temple courtyard."

The other woman looked repulsed, "That's disgusting. What are people coming to these days, evil creatures and ruthless mobs. We're in for some rocky weather."

There was a unanimous nod of agreement before they both rose from their seats, "Well" they said at once, "It is time I departed." Again, in unison, "Take care, see you next moon." And they walked in opposite directions, neither of which lead to where they were going. The shorter woman reached into her pocket and removed a small satchel that was heavy with coins. The other placed a hand in her pocket to confirm the presence of a small vial containing a bluish-grey liquid that would give her leave of this mundane world for the next two days.

Elsewhere, on the fringes of the town a man cloaked in black stood watching a woman dismount her horse and inquire form another woman the name of the town in which she had reached. The fates were spinning their threads and all was coming together, the man thought to himself as he strode towards the pair.

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