First, there was his staff. While it was well-made, it wasn’t something I would be using. I thought Marli might pay decently for it, so I tossed it onto my bed, creating a ‘sell’ pile. The same could be said for his robes, and when I tossed them over to the bed, a bundle of white fabric tumbled out from within the folds. Eww. Was that his underwear? Gross.
I cautiously looked at them, and they appeared to be clean. Recalling Zander’s dissertation the night before, I assumed they had received the magic cleaning he had told me about. Still, I wasn’t touching those. I used his staff to gingerly pick up the garment and place it with the robes.
Next was Zander’s special coin pouch and belt. Both were far superior to mine, so I put them in my ‘keep’ pile. His upgraded backpack also joined them there.
All that was left was his dagger, a small camp knife like my own, and a pair of shabby, brown boots. I had my short sword, but no dagger. I thought to keep the dagger, and then I remembered Georl. He had offered me a good deal on some blades, and if I was indeed stuck here, I was going to take him up on it. The dagger went in the ‘sell’ pile, but I kept the knife and boots. You never knew when spares for such important items might come in handy.
It wasn’t much, but by the time I had finished sorting the gear, my mind had calmed enough for some semblance of rational thought to be possible. I came to a stark realization: If this truly was real, there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. And if it wasn’t, there was still literally nothing I could do about it except wait for someone else to get me out of here. Either way, I was stuck here. My only constructive option, in either case, was to keep moving forward. And so, that’s what I did.
I picked up Zander’s backpack and put my new spare boots and knife inside, then I placed it alongside my armor and weapons. The backpack was a clear upgrade, and it seemed that he would not be returning for it. All the items I had decided to sell went inside my old backpack, destined for Marli’s shelves.
I fastened Zander’s belt and coin pouch around my waist. Picking up my old, plain coin pouch, I dumped my coins into the new soul-bound pouch. I could see each type of coin individually sorted, and I immediately knew the exact number of each. I discovered that when I thought of various combinations, I was able to pull out the exact number of coins I wanted. That’s a cool feature!
After a moment, I realized that I had far too many coins. Zander and I had split our coins and loot evenly. The total sum of our gains had been 20 Marks, 4 Silver Bits, and 145 Coppers. But the coin purse now contained 43 Marks, 22 Silver Bits, and 170 Coppers. There was more than double what there should be. Where did all that extra come from?
Then I remembered Zander’s confusion when he had first peered into his new coin pouch the night before. I had interpreted his befuddlement as a result of the alcohol he had consumed, but now a different explanation seemed more likely. He had discovered the contents of the purse and decided to keep them for himself.
That little fucking weasel!
If he were here, I would have beaten him to a pulp. Then again, if he were here, I might never have found out. Instead, he was back home, safe, and I was stuck here. He was definitely not my favorite person at that moment.
After discovering his deception, any hesitation I had about selling Zander’s stuff instantly vanished. Snatching up my old backpack, I rushed out the door and quickly headed over to Marli’s once again.
8
When I entered her shop, the ever-cheerful Marli greeted me the instant I walked in the door.
“Pretty eventful day we’re having, wouldn’t you say?”
Hmm, I thought, message from the Gods turning your whole world upside down? Yeah, that qualified as ‘eventful’ in my book. I would have loved to ask her about a million questions, but I hesitated.
These people had just been told that their entire world, including the Gods they worshipped, had been manipulated by strange outside forces. Despite the Gods’ message to treat the trapped Deathless fairly, I was certain there would be some amount of backlash. I needed to be careful and keep a low profile, to avoid saying or doing anything that might reveal me to be one of those involved in their deception.
“Yes,” I finally said. “I’m still trying to understand what it all means myself.”
“I think we all are and will be for quite some time. Now, what can I do for you today?”
Shit. How do I explain Zander’s absence and selling all his stuff without raising suspicion? I adopted the most nervous expression I could manage and rolled the dice.
“Well, um, you see,” I hesitated. “Zander seems to have... uhh, vanished. I think he might even have been one of them. Now I’m all alone.”
Marli looked truly concerned. “Oh. Oh, I see.”
“I went to find him this morning, but he wasn’t in his room, and all his stuff was just lying there on the floor.”
“Oh.”
“Please don’t tell anyone,” I added hastily. “I had no idea, and I don’t want anyone to think I had anything to do with… with all that.”
“No,” she said thoughtfully. “I can see how it might be bad for you if this became known.”
Oh, shit. Had I just made a huge mistake?
“We’ll just keep this between us then. If anyone asks, just say he left town last night.”
I could tell that Marli meant what she had said sincerely. She was truly trying to help me out of a potentially awkward situation.
“Thank, you Marli. I appreciate that a lot. If I can ever return the favor, just let me know.”
“Of course. Think nothing of it. I assume you’re here to the sell the equipment Zander left behind then?”
She was a sharp lady, that Marli.
“Yes, I am. He won’t be needing it any longer, and I certainly can use the coin. Also, I forgot to get some supplies yesterday, so I need to buy a few things as well.”
“Alright then. Show me what you’ve got and let’s see what we can do,” Marli answered.
After a short bit of obligatory haggling, I had exchanged Zander’s various items for the supplies I needed. I picked up a bedroll and oiled tarp in case I got caught out of town overnight or in bad weather, some fire-making supplies, a few candles and torches, a length of rope, water skins, several bandages, a decent whetstone, even a basic sewing kit to repair my clothes or armor in a pinch. I also managed to pick up a small, rudimentary map of the kingdom I was in, which I learned was known as Lorida. I had intended to also get some travel rations, but Marli told me those were available at my inn or the tavern across the street.
We had agreed to call it an even exchange—Zander’s old gear for my new. But then she set the hook.
“You’ve covered most of your needs here, but are you sure you don’t also want to have a few potions or crystals as well? You know, just in case?”
I had no idea how any of that worked here. I didn’t even know what the crystals she mentioned were, so I faked it.
“Oh, I almost forgot! Please, show me what you have.”
Marli arched an eyebrow at me, and I couldn’t help but wonder if she had figured me out. Then she motioned me over and unlocked a small cabinet I hadn’t noticed before.
“Here they are,” she gestured.
I looked into the cabinet and saw an array of vials and small crystals. They varied tremendously in both color and shade. Varied hues of red, blue, and green seemed to sparkle before my eyes as the light played over the collection of vials and crystals.
“As you know,” Marli began, eyebrow arching meaningfully once again. “Red is for healing, blues restore Aura, and the green and yellow cure disease and poison. The darker shades are more potent, and the crystals, having been created by magically enhancing and concentrating potions, are generally more powerful.
“Oh, but listen to me telling you things you clearly already know.”
She knew. Dammit, she knew.
“Yes, of course. But I’ve never actually seen or used any. Can you help me
pick out a few that would be appropriate for my needs?”
“Certainly,” Marli smiled back at me.
She carefully went through the potions and crystals, picking up many and narrating the qualities of each, then either returning them to the cabinet or setting them aside for me to purchase. When she was done, I was left with a solid grasp of the various potions and crystals. I even learned about a few she did not have, as she pointedly dropped offhand comments regarding several she did not currently have in stock, but for which I might later find some need.
When she was done, I had a small pile of red potions and crystals, and one potion each of green and yellow. It was more than I thought I would need, but there was no way I was going to refuse anything Marli offered me at the moment.
“So,” I hesitated, “How much for all of these?”
“Well, considering the situation, I would say twenty Marks should about cover it.”
Oh, that was how was going to be, is it? Not that I was in any position to argue.
“Of course, that seems quite decent of you, Marli,” I said, as I handed over the coin with a fake smile plastered on my face.
“Oh, and since you told me you haven’t used any potions or crystals before, you may not be aware of this,” Marli added, somewhat smugly. “But you can store them in a basic coin pouch instead of using it for coins. Each pouch can hold any combination of up to five different types of potions or crystals instead of coins.”
That was truly good to know. I would not have even considered trying to store the potions and crystals in a coin pouch, and having them available on my belt, rather than tucked away in my backpack would make it so much easier to use one when I needed it. I was glad I had left both mine and Zander’s basic pouches back in my room, assuming that they would be worthless to sell.
“Thank you for that information, Marli.”
She smiled back at me, and her expression instantly made me nervous.
“You know,” she began, “there is one last thing I think you may want to have.”
Oh my God! This woman is going to try and take me for every coin I had.
“Whatever it might be I will probably have to do without,” I pleaded. “I’ve already given you nearly every copper I have.”
It was not technically true, but she certainly didn’t need to know that.
“Oh no, my dear, this won’t cost you any coin, just perhaps you could do me a small favor instead.”
“Anything for you, Marli,” I replied sweetly as I began seething inside.
“You see, there’s this farmer just a few miles out of town. He provides me with certain... materials. Materials that are very important to me. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to deliver those materials for quite a while now. It seems that something has been slaughtering his goats. He is afraid to leave them untended, and so he cannot bring me what I need.
“Normally, it would not be a problem to pay someone else a small free to retrieve them for me. However, this is a delicate matter, and I fear to trust anyone with it.
“Fortunately, it seems that you and I may have reached a certain understanding. I feel that I can trust you not to spread my secrets. Much as you might trust me not to speak of things you would rather keep private.”
Subtle. Real subtle. Twist the knife a little why don’t you, I thought. Then again, it seemed that she might actually be leveling the playing field between us. I wouldn’t be at her mercy. Each of us would have a secret to keep for the other. Well played, Marli. Well played.
“Yes, well I agree. Discretion is a very important thing. Of course, I will help you out.”
“My, so willing to help,” Marli mused. “You didn’t even ask what it was I was offering you in exchange.”
She seemed to really enjoy toying with me, and I was getting even more frustrated with her and her manipulation. I was about to tell her where, and exactly how far, she could stuff whatever it was she was offering when she winked at me.
“Don’t mind me, dear,” she said in a soothing voice. “Your secret is very safe with me. I was just having a little fun with you. Although I admit, I may have taken it a bit far. But I really do need this favor, and it truly is a matter of great discretion.”
Somewhat mollified, I gave her a nod. “And what was it you were offering?”
“Why a cloak, of course! No self-respecting adventurer should be caught without one. This is no simple cloak though, mind you. It’s special-made for archers, such as yourself. It’s designed to fit around your quiver so you can wear it while still drawing arrows from over your shoulder. Not only that, but it’ll also help conceal you in the forest. Not like magic, just well-crafted.”
That actually sounded pretty decent. Some preferred a hip quiver, but I liked mine slung over the shoulder. And any help hiding from prying eyes in the wilds would be a good thing.
“You’re right, and it does sound like a very useful item,” I replied.
“Good, then we have a deal. While I do need this handled as quickly as possible, perhaps it would be best if you take the rest of today to prepare yourself. You can start off fresh in the morning.”
“Yes, that might be best,” I agreed.
It wasn’t too late, but I had already had a very stressful day. Starting off tomorrow with a fresh slate sounded like a great idea.
I had bid Marli goodbye and was almost to the door when she spoke again.
“Oh, I had almost forgotten,” she called out sweetly.
My heart fell into my stomach. What was she going to pull on me this time?
“Georl was asking for you. Seems you made quite the impression on the old half-orc.”
Half-orc? That explained his appearance.
“He said if I saw you to tell you he was almost finished making some new blades from ones you sold him. He thought you might be interested. He might even be willing to make you a good deal.”
That certainly was a mixed bag of news. On the one hand, I could use a good back-up blade, since I only had my short sword for close combat and the two camp knives I had would not be much good in a fight. But on the other hand, I really didn’t need a half-orc suitor, or any kind of suitor for that matter. I figured I should visit Georl later, and tone down the old ‘charms’ this time.
I gave her a quick nod and hastened out to the street before she could do any more damage. I was almost positive that I heard her giggling as the door swung shut behind me.
On my way back to the inn, I realized that in all the excitement I hadn’t had a bite to eat all day. Suddenly starving, I hurried to drop my gear off in my room and then ran back downstairs to get something to eat.
The pretty young barmaid from last night was busy serving again, and she offered me a quick lunch of cold meats and cheese. I had missed breakfast, but I was so hungry that I did not care.
“Your friend not joining you for lunch?” She asked as she placed the platter in front of me. “He must still be sleeping it off,” she joked.
“No, actually, he’s left town,” I lied. “Told me there was some family emergency and ran off home.”
“Oh. Well, seems to me you might just be better off without him. You made a point of calling him a friend, but the way he looked at you when you weren’t paying attention wasn’t very friendly—if you catch my meaning.”
Oh, I caught her meaning alright. I had busted Zander checking me out several times. I thought I had finally gotten him to stop. Apparently, the little pervert had only become more careful with his ogling.
The barmaid gave me a conspiratorial wink and flounced away to serve another table. She seemed like a decent person, and now that Zander was gone, I didn’t have any friends left in town. I thought it might not have been a bad idea to get to know her better. I suddenly realized that I didn’t even know her name. I would have to find out next time she wandered over.
While I waited for the waitress to return again, I dug into my meal hungrily. Even with it being such simple fair, the flavor was amazing.
Despite the momentous events, it was obvious that the hyper-sensory effects were still in full operation, but I had no complaints on this particular aspect of them. Before long, the barmaid returned to check on me.
“Anything else you’ll be wanting?” She inquired.
“No more food, thanks, but I do want to ask about two other things. First, I will be staying around longer than I had planned. Is there any discount for renting my room for say a week or longer?”
“Ah, sadly, no. Klepp is a bit of a miser, and runs the only inn in town; he doesn’t offer any discounts.”
Oh well, didn’t hurt to ask.
“But,” she winked at me again, “just between us girls, if you give me five Marks, I can see that you get your room for the full seven days.”
I gladly passed her the five Marks, and then, looking her straight in the eyes, slipped her a sixth.
“Thank you. That was one, but you did say there were two things?”
“Yes. You’ve been so very sweet and helpful, but I still don’t know your name.”
“Ahh, is that all? You can just call me Ella.”
“Ella? Would you be the same Ella the Curate spoke of earlier?”
I thought I caught a pained expression on her face, but it was gone before I could be certain. Dropping a quick curtsy, Ella responded. “Herself! Although, sometimes I wish people would stop telling that tale. It’s a little embarrassing being known as the poor little girl lost in the woods.” She chuckled at that, although it sounded a bit forced. I assumed she was just tired of constantly being reminded of the experience.
I joined in her laughter. “Thank you, Ella. Please, call me Dreya.”
9
After lunch, I returned to my room and organized all of my equipment. Once I had my armor on, I adjusted my gear until it felt comfortable. Perfect—I was ready for my adventure tomorrow. Or, at least I was as ready as I was going to be. It was time to go see Georl again.
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