A variety of stalls lined the three streets dedicated to the night market.The spicy scent of meat mixed with a seasoning I couldn’t identify filled my nose as we stood waiting at a stall Darius insisted we visit, claiming it to sell the best meat skewers in the market.

Noctus was at a nearby stall, bartering with a merchant over the price of a ten-inch slab of pink stone that the vampire had beelined towards the moment we passed the stall. Skewers in hand, we made our way back over to Noctus, who was putting away the slab with a triumphant smile.

The merchant displayed several unique gem stones. Several I was familiar with, and dozens more I’d never heard of.

A yellow-tinged crystalline stone stacked in a crate towards the back of the stall caught my eye, as did the placard affixed to the front of the crate.

“How much is the brimstone?” I enquired after catching the attention of the stall-holder.

“Five silver’s a kilo,” the dwarf grunted, glancing at the crate.

“Two silver,” Noctus chimed in, causing the dwarf to glare at him in annoyance.

“Four silver, three copper.”

“Two silver, five copper.”

This carried on several times before the dwarf agreed on a price of three silver and two copper. Using a pair of gloves which the dwarf let me borrow, I picked out three pieces of brimstone, and was about to pay when Darius placed a hand on my shoulder.

“What do you need the brimstone for?”

“Brimstone, otherwise known as sulfur, is one of the twenty-two key elements used in alchemy.” I told him, and he nodded, removing his hand from my shoulder to pull out his own pouch.

“The guild will cover purchases for alchemic research. However, you will need to keep records of what you purchase, and notes on the purpose of the purchase. During the next council meeting, we will discuss a budget and provide a book for you to record your purchases, but for now I’ll cover the items you require within reason.”

“I can pay for it myself. I have gold.”

“I told you we would allocate resources towards helping you train. This is part of it. However, I would ask that you source items you need from within the guild, as it will lower costs and help our guild members further their own crafts.” He paid for the brimstone, which the dwarf put into a linen sack before handing it over.

“I need protective equipment and some tools. Do we have a leather worker who can make gloves and an apron? I also need eye protection and a mask, as breathing in fumes can be dangerous.”

“We have crafters who work with leather, so they can make those items. As for the eye protection, would goggle's suffice? The saddle maker sells goggles for those who have flying mounts. They also sell masks so we can get both there, and the seamstress can make you more later.”

“I need a mask with filtration,” I told him as we walked further down the street.

“Would an air purification enchantment work?” Noctus asked, and I shrugged.

“I don’t know, as I’m not familiar with the magical side of alchemy, just the scientific.”

“Well, it worked well on strips of cloth to keep out the stench of that bog Darius got our team lost last month.” The vampire jested, looking over at the guild leader, who was feigning interest in a stall that was selling fruits and vegetables.

Next to the fresh food stall was one selling spices and, seeing the bundle of cinnamon sticks in a jar, I dashed over the two stalls waving over the seller who’d just finished serving another customer.

“Good eve to you lass, what can I be getting ya?”

“All the cinnamon, please.” I said, glancing at the price which was scrawled on the jar's label.

“All of it, lass? Do ya mean just what’s in the jar or what’s in stock? I can do ye a good price for bulk purchases,” the woman said, giving me a bright smile.

“How much do you have in stock?” I asked, glancing at the other spices she sold.

“Thrice this amount on hand, more if I send the boy over to the warehouse” She gestured to a young boy stacking crates behind the stall.

“I’ll take all you have here, and a kilo of salt, sugar, mint leaves, and…”

Chewing on my thumb nail, I stared at the mixture of dried herbs and spices, many were ones I knew such as fennel, ginger and even garlic. Things like elven root, blood grass and fey blossom were mentioned in the common plants book, but the properties of each were not, so I wasn’t sure how to use them.

If they are sold at a stall that sells spices, then those must be safe for consumption.

“A kilo of everything you have here, and an extra two gold if you can deliver it to the Eternia guild hall in the morning.” Darius cut in, and I glanced at him, then back to the spices before nodding.

“Yes, a kilo of each please, uh, how much cinnamon is in your warehouse? You said you had more?” I asked the delighted looking woman who was writing on a piece of paper with a stick of charcoal.

“Ay, lass, we have more. Got a full crate this week, I’ll take twenty gold for the lot, and let's see, I’ll do you fine folks a deal with the other spices as well, leaving your total at an even a hundred gold.”

“Here, please deliver the spices to the guild hall in the morning, let the guards at the doors know it is for Kadia.” Darius instructed, placing the payment for the spices into a wooden box that looked similar to the one used in the bank.

“We’ll be doing that, sir, thank ye for your patronage,” the woman said, waving at us as we left the stall.

“What are the spices for? I thought you were studying alchemy, not cooking.” Noctus questioned as soon as we were away from the stall.

“Some spices have medicinal properties. Many common herbs, and plants are still used on Earth to create herbal remedies, even now,” I lectured as we continued through the market heading, the food stalls decreasing in number to be replaced by those selling fabrics, pottery, and other crafted goods.

“Why so much cinnamon? You bought more of it than the other spices,” Darius asked.

Looking away from a stall selling wooden figurines, I turned to face him with a grin.

“Do you know about Hennig Brandt? He was one of the many alchemists who sought to create the fabled philosopher's stone.”

“Ah, no sorry, I wasn’t much for history when I was in school,” Darius admitted, and I turned to look at Noctus, who shook his head with a light shrug.

“Hennig Brandt is the alchemist who invented Phosphorus by boiling thousands of liters of urine. He believed that by distilling the urine to remove any impurities, he would discover the philosopher's stone. Instead, he found Phosphorus. These days there are much better methods to create Phosphorus, but those are not likely to be viable here, so the method I want to try is an adaptation of the original method Hennig discovered. Using ground charcoal, I can lessen the boiling time needed, as charcoal binds with the impure elements. Adding cinnamon while boiling the urine also helps to—oh, sorry.” Seeing the look of concealed disgust on Noctus’s face, I broke off my explanation.

“You want to make potions with pee?” Darius asked, looking equal parts horrified and intrigued.

“No, not consumable potions. Alchemy isn’t just about creating medicine.” I assured him. “I’ve always wanted to try more experiments with Phosphorus. Pure Phosphorus is flammable when exposed to air, it was historically used to create alchemical fire. Later it was used to make matches, explosives, fertilizer and cleaning products. Marcus and I once burned down part of the pool house trying to make our own homemade Phosphorus.” I told them, as the memory of Danica’s enraged face when she saw the damage brought a smile to my lips. Marcus may not have been interested in pharmacology, but he was always keen to help me with some of the more interesting chemistry experiments I’d attempted.

“Explosives? Wait, can you make gunpowder?” Noctus asked, looking excited.

“That depends, gunpowder in its modern form might not be possible. But blackpowder, which was first created in…” I began, only to be cut off by a hand clamping itself over my mouth.

“Noctus, save your questions for later. No more talking about any of this in public,” Darius cautioned, pulling his hand away from my mouth.

“Right, you’re right, we shouldn’t be talking here,” Noctus said.

I nodded in agreement, staying silent while my cheeks felt like they would burst into flame, just like the Phosphorus I wanted to make.

Wait, where am I going to find urine? We don’t pee!

“We don’t pee,” I mumbled, staring ahead as my mind raced with the different methods I could use to create Phosphorus.

I can make Calcium Phosphorus from animal bone, and, if there is brimstone in Kaledon, then is it possible there are phosphorite and apatite rocks?

“No, we don’t pee.” Darius agreed, rubbing a hand over his chin. “The farm animals do, I think. I know they create manure, as Calidus uses it to fertilize the fields.”

“Farm animals? Fields?”

“Yes, Calidus and Bell didn’t want to live in the guild hall, so they ended up using Bell’s land token to build a farm near the city. They live there along with some other guild members who’ve taken up farming and animal husbandry. The farm supplies meat and fresh vegetables to the cooks at the guild hall, which saves on food costs. It is also where most of the guild keeps their mounts to save on stabling costs.”

“What happens to the bones of the animals used for meat? Is it already being rendered down for use? Can I have some? Is it possible to collect urine from the animals there? Oh, and manure too.” I asked, my previous enthusiasm returning in a rush.

“We can talk to Calidus about getting what you need from the farm, but for now let's focus on getting what we came here for,” Darius said, pointing to a row of stalls selling clothing. “We have seamstresses and tailors at the guild, so just get a few basic outfits for now until you can have some made.”

“Here, here, I sell clothing for those with tails, wings and more!” A girl called out when she spotted our group looking at the clothing at a nearby stall.

I’d been just about to concede defeat to the fact that I’d be stuck wearing dresses in order to allow room for my tail, as none of the trousers I found accommodated extra appendages, when I’d heard the girl’s shouting and made my way over to her stall. The girl introduced herself as Delainy, a tabby cat Bakeneko with long hair that was a mixture of gray and black, just like her striped ears and tail.

An hour later, I’d changed from my knee length kimono and wore a pair of soft, black cotton trousers with a maroon blouse worn beneath a leather vest. I also purchased six blouses, three with a long-tapered sleeves, three with a shorter cap-style sleeve, along with two leather vests, and six pairs of cotton trousers. I’d also needed to buy undergarments, which had been more than a little embarrassing, but it was better to suffer the momentary embarrassment now than be stuck with only one set of underwear.

We ended up skipping the stalls selling weapons and armor, because I was sure Marcus would have a stroke if I used a weapon he didn’t make himself and because Darius said it would be better to have a set of leather armor custom made in order to ensure it was comfortable.

As we reached the end of the second street of the night market, Noctus pointed to another street to our right where pressed in-between two larger stores, was a narrow shop with a metal sign shaped like a feather quill with the words, ‘Inked and Bound’ written in gold lettering

“That is the scrivener supply store,” the vampire said as he led the way out of the market.

The soft ding of a bell sounded as Noctus pushed open the door, holding it for Darius and myself to precede him. As we walked further into the store, I breathed in the familiar scents of paper and ink. It was a scent that could only be found in a bookstore, library, or historical archive.

Bottles of ink filled the shelves along the left-hand wall and below them was a glass-covered display case containing rows of writing implements. Quills of all shapes and sizes filled the first case, displayed in small boxes. The second case held glass dip pens, while the third contained metal dip pens which looked like the one used by the dwarf in the bank. Though the pen that stood out the most was placed on a velvet cushion in the center of the third case with a price tag of two hundred gold.

Steel fountain pen.

“So much for a fountain pen?” I said, glancing at the vampire, who was admiring the basic dip pens.

“They are made by an Artificer, so that’s why they are more expensive than the dip pens which are made from a casting mold.” He responded, tapping his finger on the case containing the metal dip pens.

“These are easier to use than feather quills and cheaper than glass. I will buy you a set of three metal dip pens, and ink, if you want a fountain pen that’s coming out of your own coin.”

“Dip pens are fine,” I told Noctus, who nodded, and pointed out a leather case containing a set of silver dip pens along with a matching inkwell and a pen holder.

“This pen set, two bottles of standard black ink, drying powder, a cleaning kit, ten leather bound journals and three vellum bound journals,” Noctus said to the shopkeeper and glanced over at me as he continued speaking.

“Each vellum journal contains two hundred and fifty pages, which can be for your research and translation notes. For the final translations, I would like them done in the leather journals. Is there anything else here you think you might need?”

“I would like a set of drawing charcoal, and can I get more vellum journals? It will make it easier if I split my notes on different subjects into separate books,” I said, pointing to a case containing a metal pen with a dozen slender charcoal sticks that could be inserted into the hollowed center of the pen. Then again, did I need so many things if I was leaving soon? I guess it won’t hurt, I’ll likely be coming back to visit Marcus here when he ends up going digital.

“Add the charcoal set, and make it thirty vellum journals,” Noctus said to the shopkeeper after a moment's consideration.

As we left the store, Darius indicated a cobbler further down the street and suggested we see if they had any pre-made shoes which would fit me, as I was still wearing the slippers that were a part of my starting outfit. Ten minutes later, I had on a pair of ankle length leather boots, which were a little tight, but the cobbler assured me the leather would stretch in time.

“Where to next?” I asked, looking back towards the far end of the street where I could still see a glimpse of the colorful market stalls.

“We can head back to check out the last street of the market, or find the saddle maker's store.” Darius said.

“Well, I need to get started on processing the mushrooms right away, so I’ll need protective equipment. You said before there was a herbalist store near the eastern gate, right? I would like to see what they have in terms of equipment.”

Shoving my hand into my satchel, I pulled out one of the vellum bound books and the charcoal pen kit. After inserting a stick of charcoal into the pen, I shoved the kit back into the satchel and flipped open the book, writing a list of the things I needed for processing the mushrooms as we walked. Mortar and pestle, knives, bowls for sorting, jars, alcohol, sieve, ladle, funnel, gloves, eye protection, apron, mask. Once I finished the basic list for items I needed to get started, I began a second list of other tools and equipment I would need; such as different sized caldrons, additional retorts, beakers, storage containers.

“You need all this stuff?” Darius asked, glancing down at my lists as we walked.

“Yes, and more, this is just the basics.” I said as I sketched out a rough drawing of a pelican distilling flask.

The pelican flask was made of two round sections called chambers, stacked on top of each other, with the bottom one being larger than the top. When I was younger, I’d once likened the pelican flask to the image of a snow man standing with its hands on its hips.

“Most of these Markion can make out of copper, as that has better heat dispersion than bronze, iron or pewter. Though, I would prefer them to be glass,” I told Darius, who sighed, shaking his head.

“Glass is expensive. It is why so few buildings have glass windows and, instead, use wooden shutters. Here it is called Arcanium glass, which is made using a mixture of crushed Arcanium crystal and sand,” Darius said, pointing to the surrounding buildings.

“Was that why the alchemy kit with its glass retort was so expensive? Why was it Arcanium glass and not normal glass? Arcanium is the crystal that forms a mana crystal by absorbing mana. Does that mean Arcanium glass also absorbs mana?”

“Arcanium glass can withstand moderate amounts of mana. It is used because it won’t shatter if a spell is cast at it and can also withstand some physical damage. Think of it like magical bulletproof glass. It can be destroyed if you try hard enough, but it isn’t easy.” Noctus chimed in, and I flushed, not having realized I’d been speaking my thoughts aloud.

“We’ve a craftsman who is learning to work with glass, but-” Darius began, only for Noctus to cut him off.

“He is shit at it and refuses to admit it,” the vampire grumbled, looking annoyed. “Ivan is my cousin and an utter pain in the ass. If he wasn’t family, I’d have never let him join the guild. Ivan is a player, so has this sense of superiority with digital’s like us, but he hasn't done anything serious enough to be given the boot aside from being annoying. If I kick him out just for that, it would set a bad precedent.”

“Oh.” Looking down at the book I held, I flipped it shut and put away my charcoal pen, feeling a little lost for words. I’d forgotten they were both digital, but then again, most of the guild was, weren’t they?

The scent of horses, and more notably the scent of manure, wafted across my senses, as did the faint sound of horses.

Rounding a corner, I saw a large, elongated building with a yard beside it where dozens of horses and other animals were corralled.

“This is the saddle maker's workshop and over there is the eastern stable.” Darius said, pointing to a smaller building to our right and then towards the larger elongated building with the pens.

“Does the stable sell horses?” I asked, looking at all the horses as we passed.

“No, horses are sold at the stock auctions or bought from breeders.” Darius suggested as we entered the saddler's store. “You might find a wild one, and can tame it, but because of the dense population on the continent, most wild horses have already been domesticated. If you are looking to get a horse, then I suggest you ask Yuki to go with you to buy one. She is a tamer and can help you pick out a good one.”

“How much do horses’ cost?”

“You’ll be lucky to find one under a thousand gold. Most are upwards of five thousand.”

“You can get a donkey for three hundred gold, it would be about the right size for you.” Noctus suggested with a sly smile, and I contemplated whacking him over the head my book.

“Ah, customers, what brings you to my store this evening? Looking to fit your mount for a new saddle?” A burly older man with balding gray hair entered the store from a door at the rear of the room.

“Hello, sir, I am looking for some protective equipment, eye protection and a mask,” I said, approaching the man, who smiled warmly at our group and gestured to a small display past a rack of bridles.

“Got yourself a flying mount, do ya? Well, these goggles are made with the finest leather, and clear quartz with no impurities to disrupt your vision. I’ve these here which are just standard eyewear with no enchanting, and then these over here which come with anti-fogging and a night seeing enchantment. As for masks, these are all I have. If you are looking for something prettier, then Mavis’s Marvelous Masks should be where you’ll find what yer looking for. You can also find a larger variety of eyewear at Elmer’s eyewear, as they both be the ones who own these items here. I sell these few on their behalf.”

“Hmm, well, I’ll just take a pair of standard goggles for now and these two black cloth masks. If I need something more than these, I will certainly visit those stores. Thank you, sir,”

Smiling, I followed the older man back to the counter with the items, where Darius paid a total of two gold and four copper.

“Onward, to the herbalist shop,” I exclaimed as soon as we exited the saddler’s store, much to the amusement of the two men accompanying me.

The herbalist shop was easy to identify. Surrounded by lush gardens was a two-story cottage-style building with bundles of drying plants hanging from the roof of the front facing upper balcony.

Plants hung in bundles from the roof of the store, leaving not a single inch of the ceiling bare, and glass jars lined floor to ceiling shelves along each wall.

The overwhelming scent of dirt and plant-life filled the store, causing my nose to twitch as I fought the urge to sneeze.

“Kadia.” Placing a hand on my shoulder, Darius leaned down to murmur in my ear.

“Many of the plants here can be found locally, and they are rumored to overcharge. You can put up a request for any plants you need in the guild hall so you don’t need to buy them from here.”

Ears drooping, I nodded, pulling away from the guild leader to head towards the corner of the room where various tools were displayed. The first thing I picked up was a basic stone mortar and pestle, which I handed to Darius to carry towards the counter as the shopkeeper was nowhere to be seen.

Next, I moved to the knives that were laid out on a roll of leather. Where I chose a set of three iron knives for three gold. There was no point in wasting gold on more expensive sets when my brother could make them cheaper. I also found a nice pair of leather gloves and an apron with pockets sewn onto the front, which I carried to the counter.

“My apologies for the delay, good customers. I was detangling some viper vines downstairs and got a little tangled up myself.” A tall, slender elven man said as he appeared behind the counter. “I am Bo, of Bo’s Botanical. What can I help you with this evening?”

Bo? His name is Bo? That doesn’t sound very elf like. Shaking my head to refocus my thoughts, I greeted the shop owner with a smile.

“I am Kadia of the Eternia guild. I would like to purchase these items,” I said, mimicking the man's introduction and gesturing at the items on the counter.

“Of course. Are you planning to follow the path of an herbalist or potioneer? Might I recommend my Bo’s herbalist kit? It contains a set of shears, a hoe, spade, fork, pruning knife, linen collection bags and five storage jars. The cost is ten gold, but if you fulfill a few gathering requests for me, I shall offer you a discount of three gold,” Bo said, pulling out a canvas satchel.

Feeling a hand on my shoulder, I glanced up to see Darius shake his head.

“No thank you, just these items for now.” I said with a polite smile.

“For the mortar and pestle, knives, gloves and apron it will be eleven gold.” Bo said, his smile losing some of its brightness.

As Darius paid, I put the items away in my satchel and, after giving the rows of herbs a mournful glance, I followed the two men out of the herbalist shop.

“What a fucking rip off!” Noctus hissed the moment we reached the street. “Ten gold for those shoddy tools and bag? That shit isn’t worth even two gold. I know people said he was expensive, but I didn’t know it was that bad.”

Startled by the vampire's sudden outburst, I jerked to the side and almost crashed into Darius, who reached out a hand to steady me.

“From what I’ve heard, all three of the herbalist shops in the city are just as bad.” Darius said with a shake of his head. “I think I remember seeing a potter's stall near the end of the second street. We can order the jars you wanted from there.” Darius suggested, getting a lazy nod of acknowledgment from Noctus.

“Sounds like a plan,” I agreed, as we continued down the brightly lit street back toward the market.