Rorschach caressed Balan's Pearl. The spirit contained within gave no response.
Rorschach had once made a deal with Balan, promising to help resurrect it and free it from its current half-dead state. However, the pearl's excessive activity during the latter part of the Shadow City incident had aroused his suspicion. Out of caution, he had placed layer upon layer of seals on it.
If Balan were in its complete form, Rorschach's verbal agreement with it would have been ironclad. Unfortunately, it was merely a pearl that relied on Rorschach for power. If another Thoth hadn't appeared, it might have continued to gather dust indefinitely.
Now, the man and the pearl had arrived at the border between Valois and the Southern Countries, on the edge of the territory controlled by the Anion Holy See. In the distance, the mountain ranges extending from the northern Apennine Mountains were visible. Closer by was a relatively flat valley.
