Rick’s return to the Temple Garden was just as abrupt as his departure, a violent and uncomfortable flash. He blinked in confusion. One moment he was trying to sell Maya ideas to earn more merit-Points and the next moment he was here.

“That could have gone better,” he spoke shaking his head.

Rick did learn about a Core Rune, but it was just that. He was hoping Maya could direct him to the places where he would find the Core Runes, but all he got was the advice of where he could find one of the Core Runes.

“Nevermind,” Rick said consoling himself.

At the end of the day, the Merit Points were well spent. He learnt quite a few things about Core Runes. First was the guidance of the Manager, but what fascinated him more was the knowledge that even Maya was not an Elemental Mage. Even Maya had only mastered a couple of Core Runes.

Even otherwise, all his efforts at bargaining did show some fruit as a message popped out mid-conversation with Maya.

[Proficiency in the Skill: Negotiator has increased!]

Now he was only 10% away from improving the skill up another level.

“Where are they,” Rick wondered closing his status.

Maya had said she would teleport him right along with Samira and the rest, but they were nowhere to be seen. Rick wanted to leave the Blessed Exchange quickly.

“Peep! Peep!” he heard a familiar chirp before a sharp peck on his ankle.

“Hey, there you are!” said Rick picking up the little yellow chick off the ground.

“Peep! Peep! Peep!” she chirped as she climbed her way under his jacket.

“And they just left you alone and left?” Rick asked in surprise. It wasn’t like Samira to be careless and for her to leave Pip out while she and the rest went to check the Temple was uncharacteristic of her. “Tell me you like sis more now!” he asked but received no reply. Pip was already fast asleep.

Rick looked towards the Temple. If the others were there, should he go check it out as well?

‘Not worth it,’ he decided quickly. He could reach out to Samira, Jay and Dale later now that the Blessed Exchange was going to remain open. But more importantly, now that he had a hint, he wanted to try mastering the second Core Rune as soon as possible.

Having made his mind, Rick pulled out the thick parchment from his pocket.

‘Such a ripoff,’ he thought in dismay.

The piece of paper had cost him an entire Merit-Point and thin lines of multiple runic glyphs marked the surface of the Teleportation Circle Print.

Rick wanted to initially master the Teleportation Circle on his own and try to improve his [Rune Craftsman] skill along with increasing his pool of runes.

But with a possible Core Rune on the line, everything else quickly became secondary. After trading the first Merit Point to learn about the Core Runes, Rick spent the next to purchase the Teleportation-Circle print from the Manager itself.

“Is this supposed to be a joke? Do you know how much a Merit Point is even worth?” the Manager did throw a tantrum initially, deigning it beneath her to trade in plebeian goods. But evidently, she really couldn’t refuse to grant a wish that was offered in Exchange for a Merit-Point.

With a little insistence, she agreed.

Rick placed the Teleportation Circle print on the ground. He decided it would be best to attempt at cracking into the second Core Rune within the safety of the Earth where he could use the Lemegeton without fear.

But before he could teleport, he was interrupted.

“Excuse me,” a tender voice called over.

Rick saw a lean girl walk over towards him. He couldn’t see her face under the hood, but she did sound young from her voice.

“Yes,” Rick replied picking up the print and tucking it back.

Pulling down her cover off her head, she started, “I am Veni, Leader of the Green Wood–”

“You’re an elf,” Rick blurted out.

There was no doubt in his mind, as soon as the girl, Veni showed her face. A lean structure and pale skin that looked not to have seen a day of sunlight were all there. But more distinctive were the long and pointed ears

The elf-girl Veni stood surprised for a second before nodding her head. She added, “Yes. I have become a creature of the forest.”

“Wait, you mean you were a human when all this started? What about dwarves, have you seen any?” Rick asked, cursing himself for wasting his time on unnecessary. But the bookworm in him was getting the better of him.

“Yes. And then I evolved. How primitive, I forget how ignorant you humans are. Dwarves are just a figment of undeveloped human imagination. On the other hand, we elves are the evolution of the weak human-kind,” said Veni. The contempt in her voice seeping through her terse expression.

“Apparently elves didn’t evolve to learn any manner,” said Rick and turned around to leave. Even if he was amazed to find elves were real, it wasn’t worth standing the condescending tone.

‘Even their arrogance was stereotypical of elves,’ he thought as he walked away.

Suddenly he felt a hand grab on to his shoulder.

“I wasn’t done, Mr. Rick,” Veni spoke in a whisper.

‘The hell!’ Rick immediately jerked the hand's grip off and looked back. His face scrounged to a frown as he held two golem-cores in his hand ready.

The girl had sneaked right behind him without making a sound! And if that wasn’t bad enough, how did she know his name?

“Who are you?” Rick replied his shoulder raised. He wasn’t going to back down.

“I don’t get it,” Veni said holding her head in her hand. “What are you worried about? Didn’t you hear the little girl blabber about no fighting in this soulless world?”

Rick gulped involuntarily, refusing to let his guard down.

Either Veni was strong enough to not care about bad-mouthing Maya, or she was completely over her head. Anyway, he was not interested in finding out which it was. He didn’t want to be the one to test the efficiency of the Blessed Exchange’s police. ‘Whatever they are.’

“What do you want?” Rick asked.

He was positive he had not met the girl before today. She wasn’t in the white uniform of the Celestial Devotees and neither did she remind him of anyone from the Arihant Supermarket or the Horow Trainyard. Besides, the girl had a face distinct enough that he would remember if he ever saw her.

Rick gave a questioning look as he stared at Veni. There was only one possibility of who she could be.

“You are the Forest Salvus,” spoke Rick.

The Lemegeton was separated – while one part was recovered when Grimwar, the necromancer was slain by Samira and jay, the other part was with another.

All this while, Rick had ignored this Forest Salvus because the World Map had shown his to be on the other side of the world. He had planned to take his time and become a Summoner and bring the might of Hell with him to take down this Forest Salvus, but the Blessed Exchange had made things complicated.

But Veni’s expression was completely different from what he expected it to be. She gave a condescending half-smile. “Why do I have to deal with dim-wits? You are asking a pawn if she’s the king,” she chuckled.

“Again. What do you want?” Rick replied stoically.

He was done amusing Veni. He wanted answers now.

“I don’t why Teacher even considers idiots like you a threat. But, I will fulfil my duty,” Veni looked up at the sky and sighed. She looked into Rick’s eyes, the mocking done disappeared from her voice. “If you try to take it from us, the entire Green-Wood Clan would fight you to the last child. We will protect what’s ours.”

A silence engulfed as Veni finished speaking.

“The thief is now dictating terms to the owner, is it?” Rick chuckled. He stood up straight and stared back. “This Teacher of yours is a real stand-up guy, standing behind children.”

“Incomplete knowledge is a scary thing Rick Hanique. Don’t test us and our loyalty to the Forest Salvus,” Veni said turning around and walking away. “For both our sakes, let’s never meet again.”

Rick stood silently, his thoughts were in complete disarray. Was it worth going after the missing part of the Lemegeton. The grimoire had served him well enough as it was. And Even if could beat the Forest Salvus, he didn’t want to kill an entire clan of elves for it.

“Fuck!” he spat in disgust.

Rick closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind. He had to have his priorities clear. A few minutes later he pulled out the Teleportation Circle print on the ground. He had to get stronger. Not to fight the Forest Salvus – he was just offered a truce, although it didn’t sound like one. Nor was he interested in facing off against the alien invaders, others were more than eager to do that.

Rick needed to become a Summoner in six months or die at the hands of the Kings of Hell – that was the only constant that remained in his life. It was time he learnt the Air Core Rune!