Offered to the Triplet Alphas

Chapter-56. Actual shopping

[Ezra]

"And at last..." I mumbled, staring at the building that was structured like a giant skull with two hollow eyes acting like the only two windows and a wide open jaw as its entrance. Chiseled into the giant skull's forehead were words that seemed to leer at passersby-

Bone Voyage: Alive skeletons at your service since the first death in the wheel of time.

Store open for purchase, rental and installments. Price negotiable for young aspiring healers.

The store does not give any guarantee. The skeletons are subject to running away and other risks.

A creepy din of clattering teeth emerged from the entrance of the store as though the giant skull building was vomiting some kind of ghastly, repulsive aura.

"Let's buy you a talking skeleton." I swallowed, peering at Xanthea's back as she stood into the shady frame. The faint red glowing light from the store lined her silhouette.

Xanthea slowly turned around and blankly blinked at me with an incredulous look on her face.

"What happened?" I asked her. "Go. Get your skeleton."

I waved my hands, urging her to enter the store. Meanwhile, I stood almost half a mile away from the store. And although the land post directly stood like a barrier between me and the store, I was clearly not hiding behind it. "Go! Come on. Get going. Go!"

"Alpha. You are a demon lord." She drawled, disappointment dripping from her tone.

"I am! That is why I, the great demon lord, Ezra Xipher, allow you to go on the skeleton hunt all by yourself. If you need me... which you won't and make sure you don't... I'll come," I yelled from across the street, smiling with all my teeth on display.

Thankfully, the store was located in an abandoned street and there was no one around except for one or two cloaked fingers crossing at some distance.

Turning into living skeletons was just one of the many tragic fates immortals met. Being an immortal was not as romantic as mortals perceived it to be. It was far worse because eternal life came with eternal sufferings.

Xanthea gulped hard. Her grip tightening around the pouch filled with gold coins to make the payment because skeletons didn't have a bank account, so they traded only in gold. Mostly, when an immortal turned into a living skeleton, they lost their previous identities, powers. Except for life running in their bones, they were left with nothing, not even enough strength to protect themselves.

So they were captured and sold for medicinal purposes, mostly. They were also used for festive decorations; sometimes they had a rope tied around their cervical bones and hung them on their porch.

Some were used in black magic rituals and sacrifices. Some unique and ancient skeletons, like the ones extracted from ancient ruins and mummies, were showcased as antiques in hospitals and museums. But no matter where those skeletons came from, being around them always gave me icks.

the store and then

Don't look in her eyes. You can't melt...' Odeus

up!' I growled at

eyes, whistling, and then quickly

take a deep breath, her heart pounding wildly against her ribs as she gingerly stepped into

five minutes since she entered the store and the store erupted into bouts of mad roof-piercing

and then to my right and then walked closer to the store and eventually

within floor to ceiling glass cabinets

themselves on one another, regaining its

to bone. Hahaha!" A skeleton spoke from behind

rolled his skull right into

see, Bony? I

caged skeletons chortled and goofed

his skull in his palm. "Not everyone is this pro at bone bowling. How long have you been doing this?" "Uh... this was my first time," Xanthea said with a proud, excited

for the full experience. You

a heavy discount!" A skeleton yelled and others supported him

young lady," said Skully, fixing his skull

and hoots reverberated in the store with bony claps, making an ugly, icky

that sound so

and

miss something?' Odeus asked,

a lot of fun,' I said. 'And one of her wins. Even though it's small, I still count

was having an ick

Skully said, walking behind the counter made of stacked up

jokes that had her laughing and giggling like a child. She looked a lot more comfortable around those skeletons than she was

one!" Xanthea shot out her finger at the skeleton that

one?" I asked, walking closer to

she hadn't noticed my presence until now,

glared at the skeletons, and they

head as Skully woke that skeleton and dragged it down from the

"Not as jolly as the others. Maybe because of a few minor cracks and fractures he has. But he is the obedient one. Boredbones, go with your new master

Xanthea, took the fit-it-all purse from her hand and, with a yawn, dived right into the purse, zipping