Second Realm

by Michael Chatfield

  “All right, let’s get the Thantis Traders back. Once they’re all sorted out, then I’ll start offloading random items to them to be sold. I’ll go through the markets, see what they’ve got in the way of Alchemy. I can see about making some more concoctions and selling those. Then see if I can set up a stall and start healing people, up my healing skill and get that cash flow,” Erik said.

  “You know what happened last time.”

  “Yes, but I can help people, earn some cash, and increase my skills. Sounds cold-blooded as hell, but still only going to charge two coppers. Just going to have to do a lot of healing,” Erik said.

  Rugrat didn’t look away.

  “I’m trying to go for a monk build—can’t I spread the love and happiness?” Erik growled.

  “Damn, you just went down hippie alley hard.” Rugrat was rewarded by Erik’s middle finger.

  Rugrat chuckled. “We are level nineteen now. There’s few things that can mess with us in the Second Realm but we’ve been fighting creatures and beasts. There’s no knowing how powerful the people are here,” Rugrat said seriously.

  “Yeah, let’s just hope that it doesn’t come to that.” Erik threw another rock.

  ***

  “A secluded place in the city?” Liao Ah repeated what Rugrat had asked before Cai Dan perked up.

  “There are a number of stables that are on the outskirts of the city. Some of them are empty as the traders who store their beasts there are out trading. You can probably use one of those to work in.”

  “That should be fine, far away from other people and prying eyes.” Rugrat nodded.

  “If you look at this map here, I’ve marked out the places that you can get smithing supplies from for a decent price. If you want, I can help in getting the items for you,” Feng Yi said.

  Liao Ah could only look from him to Rugrat. The more Feng Yi talked to Rugrat, the greater praises he sang. Rugrat seemed to be a simple and crude man, but anyone who took him as what he showed on the surface would be greatly mistaken.

  Hearing the two talking smithing, it was clear that Rugrat’s knowledge of the practice was much higher than Feng Yi’s. Even Ru Guo, who had a decent background knowledge in formations, could only go so far in a conversation with him.

  “Sure, that would make it easier and faster for me to make items.” Rugrat nodded.

  “Once you’re established back in Taeman, we have a number of things that we need to sell. We’ll need your help to deal with that,” Erik added in.

  “We agreed to help in any way possible—you saved our lives,” Liao Ah said seriously.

  Erik waved off the seriousness of her words. “It’s not a problem, just we need to work quickly.”

  “We will report to the Ekeem clan as fast as possible and then meet up with you afterward,” Liao Ah said.

  They were outside of the gates that led into the city, where people were walking in and out of the city. A few stalls were set up, selling refreshments to make the time pass faster for those who were entering the city.

  “We have a special pass for traders of Taeman city,” Liao Ah said awkwardly.

  “Go on in. We’ll meet up later. We’ve got one another’s sound transmission marks,” Erik said.

  “Thank you, Mister West, Mister Rodriguez.” Liao Ah and the others all bowed to them deeply.

  “Come on, get up, will you? People are staring,” Rugrat complained. But his voice was soft, touched by their actions.

  “See you inside Taeman.” Liao Ah waved good-bye.

  Erik and Rugrat nodded as the two groups parted.

  The Thantis Traders headed toward the gates reserved for Taeman city traders.

  She looked back at Erik and Rugrat, who stood in line and talked to each other. They were so different, but they were as close as brothers; for them, it was just natural.

  She turned back toward the gate.

  “Pass,” the guard said in a bored voice.

  Liao Ah pulled out the pass from her storage ring. Days ago, she had been on the brink of death but now she was entering Taeman city as if nothing had happened.

  She felt confused by it all.

  “Continue on.” The guard gave them the pass back and they walked forward through the towering walls. The noise of the city channeled through the wall’s entrance way.

  Can’t focus on what happened, or nearly happened. Just keep moving forward, one step after another.

  ***

  Erik and Rugrat got to the gate. The guard there stood straighter as he looked at the two of them. The other guards also looked over in interest.

  Seems that they have pretty good senses that they can get a good understanding of our level, Rugrat thought as the guard captain came over with a smile.

  “I am sorry that you had to wait in line. Might I know what brings you to Taeman city?” the guard asked with a kind smile.

  “Just passing through,” Erik said with a disarming smile.

  “Is that so?” The guard captain seemed to be weighing Erik’s words.

  Rugrat was inwardly surprised. The guard captain was level sixteen. In the First Realm, he could be a king, but here he was just the leader of the gate guards.

  It showed the strength of Taeman city to support level sixteen people so easily.

  The guard smiled and pulled out two passes. “These passes are for two weeks. If you wish to stay longer, you will need to apply to the city administrators, or a person from one of the powers that reside inside the city.”

  “Two weeks should be enough time.” Erik and Rugrat took the passes.

  “Should be able to get something done,” Rugrat muttered. He had a plan for Erik’s new armor and to upgrade his own. He also wanted to test the new bullets and components he had created. The desert had been too barren; any noise might attract a wandering animal’s attention. In the city, firing off bullets would likewise bring attention down on him.

  “I hope you enjoy your stay in Taeman city.” The guard captain moved to the side with a small bow.

  Erik and Rugrat moved past and into the city.

  “I’m going to look for a place to set up. See you later,” Rugrat said.

  “Don’t get into too much trouble.” Erik waved him off.

  They had sound transmission devices to communicate and they had already picked out rally points in the city to meet up if they were in danger. Erik headed off into the bustle of Taeman city. It was much larger than any city they had been in before.

  People wore all kinds of clothes. Most had symbols added to them to show off their alliances and where they came from. Those without symbols in their clothes were rare.

  Rugrat moved away from the busy streets alongside traders who had come back from their travels and those who were heading out.

  The traders talked of their wins and bugged one another on their losses as they passed.

  Rugrat didn’t pay it much attention as he moved through the crowd.

  With his large stature and the slight pressure he exerted holding the title Mana king and being a level nineteen, people unconsciously parted for him.

  He reached an empty villa. It had a large warehouse off to one side; another had a building and then a large courtyard with different stalls to hold beasts and items.

  It was just one trading villa of many. Each of them had the Ekeem clan’s symbol carved on their gates and walls. Guards walked around, making sure that the villas were protected. Some of the villas had traders resting in them, preparing to head out, or coming back from their journeys.

  Rugrat walked up to a guard who was walking around nearby, his armor showing the Ekeem clan’s symbol.

  “Hello. I am looking to rent an empty villa for a week.” Rugrat pulled out a chit that Liao Ah had given to him.

  The guard looked at the Ekeem chit and took it from Rugrat. He checked it with a special tool before nodding. “I can take you to the manager of this block, if you would like?” the m
an said in a level voice.

  “Please.” Rugrat followed the guard to a four-story building that rested in the center of the Ekeem trader villa sector. Guards stood on the roof, scanning over the villas.

  Rugrat waited in the lobby as the guard he talked to went off into the building.

  It was cool in the shade.

  Reminds me of the buildings in Afghanistan—simple design but they cool right down just being in them.

  The guard quickly returned and took Rugrat to a room.

  A woman sat there, looking over paperwork. “I am told you are looking to rent an empty villa for one week.” She read over a piece of paper and applied a stamp to it before tossing it into a new box and pulling out a new piece of paper, reading it and glancing at Rugrat.

  “That’s correct.” Rugrat nodded.

  “The chit checks out. We have three villas available.” She waved her hand. A map appeared and she held it out, reading the other piece of paper the entire time.

  The guard took the paper and held it out to Rugrat.

  Rugrat looked the three locations over, first to see how close they were to the other residences, then looking at their defenses and then finally seeing whether the courtyard was secluded enough to keep out prying eyes.

  “I’ll take this one.” Rugrat pointed to one on the map.

  The guard put it back on the table and pointed to the residence.

  “The cost will be ten gold per day,” she said.

  Rugrat pulled out seventy gold and held it out.

  The guard’s impassive face twitched as he took the gold and passed it to the lady.

  She put down her piece of paper and looked over Rugrat. She was a level fourteen and Rugrat didn’t think she could read his level, merely thinking that he was at a higher level, but not knowing how far removed.

  “The rent is agreed and signed.” She pulled out a piece of paper and started writing down information on it. She stamped the piece of paper with the Ekeem clan’s symbol. The paper shone as the contract was completed and she passed it back to the guard. The money disappeared into her storage ring.

  “Good doing business with you,” Rugrat said.

  The woman nodded with tired and annoyed eyes, getting back to her work.

  Rugrat left the building and headed for the villa he had rented. He sent a message to Erik and Feng Yi to tell them his location.

  “Feng Yi already offered his services and it’ll go faster if I have someone doing the legwork for me,” Rugrat thought aloud.

  He tossed the guard a gold coin and left him to return to patrol.

  Rugrat made it to the villa and closed the doors. He walked past the main building and went to a garden courtyard with residences around it.

  “First I should increase the Mana in the area.” Rugrat pulled out Mana gathering formation plates. He placed them throughout the courtyard. He placed the largest in the center, then used thorium ingots to create a path from the central Mana gathering formation plate to a circle of more Mana gathering formation plates. He repeated the process two more times, creating three circles around the main formation plate. Rugrat fired up the central Mana gathering formation and then moved outward. The Mana in the area started to condense and move to the center of the courtyard.

  The grasses and trees started to grow faster; birds and animals moved closer, trying to make use of the Mana.

  Rugrat took out his forge. It was placed right over the central Mana gathering formation. The flame in the forge flickered and became stronger with the concentrated Mana.

  “I wonder…” Rugrat pulled out a blue orb—the dungeon core.

  A blue mist formed around it. The orb seemed to draw on the surrounding area, as if a heart pulling in blood.

  Rugrat took it close to the Mana gathering formation.

  ==========

  Do you wish to place this dungeon core?

  YES/NO

  ==========

  “Yes,” Rugrat said, hoping it wasn’t a bad decision.

  The dungeon core floated away from his hands and moved into the furnace, right above the Mana formation plate. The flames didn’t seem to bother it at all.

  Rugrat looked through the flames as the dungeon core came to a rest.

  The Mana that was coming from the formation plate was drawn into the dungeon core and then released. The formations on the forge activated, drawing in the pure and refined Mana from the dungeon core. The rough surfaces of the forge started to show signs of repairing and alteration as the flame turned from yellow and red to a deeper red.

  Rugrat had worked with the forge a lot and had come to know it well. Seeing the flame, he could tell its strength had increased greatly.

  The pure Mana from the dungeon core was powerful. As Rugrat looked around, he could see more creatures coming to the courtyard. He needed something to take in all of the raw power.

  Rugrat pulled out the Mana cornerstone. Moving behind the furnace, he placed it down. The refined Mana poured into the Mana cornerstone, repairing the damage that had been caused to it.

  Its progress was slow. The pure Mana might have been enough to draw in the creatures and raise interest, but the Mana cornerstone created Mortal-grade Mana stones. Its power requirements weren’t simple.

  The creatures started to disappear. Rugrat grinned, looking at the modified courtyard, his forge, the Mana cornerstone, and the dungeon core.

  His grin faded away and his look became serious.

  Once again the image of Erik being hit with a stun and then having a Mana spear break through his armor appeared in his mind.

  Rugrat’s blood boiled as the man in the area moved with his actions.

  Rugrat’s hammer appeared in his hand.

  “It’s time I got to work.” Rugrat pulled out a half-formed set of armor and placed it into the flames, heating it up before he took it to the anvil. With each blow, he let out a breath; every time he lifted it, he would breathe in. With each hammer blow, Mana would surge toward him as he channeled Mana through his body, through his hammer, and into the armor he was working. Each blow imbued it with the focused Mana of the courtyard.

  Chapter: Confrontation

  “Move!” someone yelled at Erik. He was looking up at the Ten Realms totem and the massive bustling square around it. The square was large enough to take up a third of Chonglu city. There were stalls all around, with people moving to and from the totem, coming from all over the realm.

  When someone ascended for the first time, they were randomly sent to another totem in the higher realms. Only if they descended and ascended once again would they be able to pick the location. Though if someone traveled to a totem and touched it, then its location would be saved and they could go to it whenever they wanted. Also, one could use the “random location in current realm” to be teleported to a random totem in their current realm. Totem hoppers were people who had gathered a number of locations; they could take any number of people with them to a new location.

  Although ascending was free the first time, descending cost one Mortal-grade Mana stone or equivalent monster cores. Moving in a realm randomly cost a Common Mortal-grade monster core. If you knew the location, then it could cost anywhere from a Common to a Grand Mortal-grade monster core.

  The totems were some of the fastest and safest ways to travel. They were also some of the most expensive.

  Erik looked to see a trail of traders moving to the totems. Guards looked over to Erik and the man who had yelled out.

  Not wanting to attract their attention, Erik quickly moved out of the way and headed back into the city, toward the Blue Lotus auction house.

  Around the totem, people continued to disappear and reappear in a steady stream, paying their fee or showing a pass and entering the city.

  The city was filled with an energy. Erik could compare it to New York’s bustle, but with medieval features.

  People were all over the streets, hawking different goods. Mon
ster meat of at least level twelve could be found at stalls; even if badly prepared, people would get a boost to their Stamina Regeneration. In the First Realm, it would be seen as a great luxury.

  Instead of coppers and silvers, most people dealt with silver and gold.

  People moved through the seas of spices and arrays of market items.

  Erik couldn’t help but smile, eager to test out this new city and to come to know it.

  I’ll have a look through the apothecary stands, see if I can resupply my Wraith’s Touch and other supporting concoctions. I can see what kinds of wares they have. If I can find out what things people buy in the city, then I can make concoctions that will draw their attention. Hopefully a few more of the Age Rejuvenation potions have sold. I should see about making more of them.

  Erik headed in the direction of the Blue Lotus, entering the markets that sprawled across the city.

  He looked down at the different herbs and items he hadn’t seen before. No time like the present to try to increase my Alchemy knowledge!

  “How much for the black root and Ilas?” Erik asked the vendor.

  “Four silvers!” the trader said.

  In Erik’s eyes, a screen appeared, telling him that in the region that these items had a combined value of three silvers.

  This must be the extra help I get from becoming an Apprentice in the Mercantile skill.

  “Two silvers and twenty coppers,” Erik said, wanting to test out the skill.

  “Three silvers, fifty coppers,” the trader said.

  “Two silvers and eighty coppers,” Erik said.

  “Three silvers, forty coppers—lowest I can do,” the man said.

  “Done.” Erik pulled out the money from his storage ring.

  He had plenty of gold right now but he knew how fast it could be burned through when working on different Alchemy concoctions. Raising his mercantile skill would increase his profits and decrease his costs, making it much more viable for him to make a living from Alchemy and increase his skill level.

  The trader wrapped up the herbs and passed them to Erik. He turned to deal with the others who were coming by.