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.

looked at the store and then at

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

shut up!' I growled at him in my

my eyes, whistling, and then quickly averted my gaze to an abandoned gothic tower

deep breath, her heart pounding wildly against her ribs as she

since she entered the store and the store erupted into

my left and then to my right and

skeletons on display within floor to ceiling glass cabinets

themselves on one

young lady. Skully's knocked out bone to bone. Hahaha!"

you see the way she rolled his skull right

see, Bony? I

skeletons chortled and goofed

his palm. "Not everyone is this pro at bone bowling. How long have you been

full experience.

achievement, eh? Skully, she deserves a heavy discount!" A skeleton yelled and others supported him by playing their bones

lady," said Skully, fixing his skull on his

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

I hate that sound

and then beamed brightly.

miss something?' Odeus

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

having an ick from

Skully said, walking behind the

and giggling like a child. She looked a lot more comfortable around those skeletons than

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

asked, walking

me as though she hadn't noticed my presence until now, all because

glared at the skeletons, and they flinched

shrugged, tilting her head 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

and unfazed, walked beside Xanthea, took the fit-it-all purse from her hand and, with