As the carriage came to a sudden halt, the sounds of footsteps sounded out from the dwarven man, Gareth, as he jumped off his seat and walked around to the end of the carriage, pushing the wooden doors wide open as they went forwards. Nicholas, being the closest to the doors, was the first to depart as he showed the man his gratitude as he left towards the town of Ridges Edge, Novac.

The plethora of people who crowded the streets of Novac was a sight to behold, both men and women walked in large groups as they walked from one store to the next. Their clothes vibrant and beautiful as they danced ever so slightly upon each step taken. Their smiles plastered upon their faces as they conversed between one another, taking in the beautiful scenery around them.

Nicholas, having had enough of this foreign, peaceful atmosphere, began to take quick hurried steps towards the blacksmith hidden behind the masses of people. Upon arrival, he was embraced by the fragrant smell and sounds of metal clashing against metal. At its core, a strong woman in possession of a large, sturdy build sat. Gripping a hammer in hand as she pounded it against the small sheen of metal attached to a handle. Sweat dripping from her face as she focused on the work at hand, her eyes holding a great determination as she swung on.

Nicholas, looked away as he began to browse over the items present in the shop. Swords, daggers, maces, shields, and armours, all of both different sizes and shapes lay strewn across the shelves and within the display cases. There were also cloaks created from chainmail and fitted with leather to encase the metal, it’s price reaching up to a massive amount of 1 silver!

Nicholas also came upon a belt which held sheaths that covered the entirety of its figure, the price ranging from around 30 coppers itself. Thinking he may be able to haggle it down, he picks up the items and strode towards the blacksmith as she wiped the sweat from her brow before staring in awe at the sword before her. Before he bought them, he stopped, before identifying the two objects he held.

Cloak of Faith

20 to defense 5 agility 1 constitution

Durability: 14/20

Level Requirement: 8

Description: A cloak made through fine craftsmanship and effort, it’s creators will engraved into it’s fine silk and chainmail as it went through both the bad, and the good of times. May it bless you on your travels.

Belt of Agility

10 agility 5 defense

Durability: 20/20

Level Requirement: 6

Description: May hold up to an amount of 4 blades, 2 on either side of the body. It is of ordinary quality and blessed with the runic arts of the dwarves as they are engraved into its leather material to provide a boost to agility.

They seemed pretty decent in quality if you considered that the cloak and belt were just, as they were, a cloak and a belt. The additional effects were well welcomed as he saw the blacksmith walking over to the counter. Her height just barely shorter than his as she rested her hands on top of the table. Her gaze transferring from her sword, over to his eyes, a great deep viridian colour perpetually entrancing for all, but nothing to Nicholas.

“What would you like to buy?”, the soft and harmonious voice that had exited her mouth, contradicted the fairly well built body that she beared. Unfazed, he continued on to pull out the pouch left with but a silver and 27 coppers, placing it on the wooden surface of the counter. Next to it he left the cloak and belt.

“These 2 but I am 3 coppers short, would that be fine?” He wore a constant undaunted facade of nonchalance, his voice as harsh and rigid as it was, catching the woman a little by surprise. She straightened herself out, reacting to the mans offer.

“I guess, if it is only 3 coppers, it shouldn’t be much of a difference. Just remember to be loaded the next you come you hear?”, stated the woman, a bit of sarcasm evident in her voice as it was displayed in front of the figure. She slid the equipment along the counter towards him, his arms gratefully accepting them. He followed with a grateful thank you expressed in a monotonous voice before exiting the shop.

At the public changing rooms, he came out bearing a different, more presentable, appearance. An evident luster apparent from the new dark blue cloak he wore, it’s edges shining in the hot rays of the sun. The Belt of Agility sitting around tightly against his waist as he tested out small exercises in order to see if it had obstructed any of his movements. Satisfied with the results of his purchase, he left onwards, out of town, to the nearest monster infested forest.

As he strided through, he came across what appeared to be a dungeon at least 5km out, it’s exterior looking at what seemed to be a cave. The insides being more extravagant as the bricks made of a foreign material lined the walls. Piquing the man's curiosity, he entered. His dark blue cloak, fading into the shadows as the luminescent torches across the walls radiated in both warmth and light. He walked forward, corpses of what seemed to be both small green and large grey creatures littered the pathway. Their bodies were poorly equipped as he took in the sight before stroding on.

On his way, he heard the sounds of a battle taking place. The orders being yelled throughout the dungeon cut through the grim and grimy place. He peered through the darkness, past the dim lights as his eyes reached what seemed to be a small group of 4. Their equipment was of higher quality than his petty cloak and belt as they blurred in comparison to such spectacular armour. He watched from afar as he stared at the group from the shadows.

Their fighting techniques were sloppy, they missed vital strikes, wasted precious time, and couldn’t handle their weapons to their full potential. Their teamwork however, in contrast to their individual fighting strength, was above average as they cleared what seemed to be orcs and goblins simultaneously at a decent rate.

In their group they had a girl who specialized in what seemed to be a thief occupation as she handled two daggers, her body dancing around the battlefield between the monsters as she missed close hits and hit them in return, her agility just barely below his own. He looked towards the rest of the group, there was a boy who held both a shield and mace, another paladin, as he fended monsters off the mage behind him and casted buffs and heals on himself and his group. The mage behind him, a young woman, who manipulated the earth too her will, as spikes condensed from the soil sprouted forth into the heels of the monsters, negating their ability to move.

Lastly, a lone boy who used a spear as he pierced and thrusted the enemies in his path. Their bodies dropping to the ground after a quick 3 bursts. As the battle slowly ended, they smiled and looked to one another joking around and laughing as they collected the spoils from battle. Unlike outside the dungeons, monsters within had a higher drop rate for items and currency.

Nicholas hadn’t even bothered to check the corpses for things such as currency, he hadn’t thought he would so soon be using it. But it was already done, he walked along the walls of the dungeon around the group as he made it to the next corridor where an abundance of monsters lay. He identified them, their levels averaging around 15 - 18 as he prepared to fight.

It would be quite interesting to see where his training had gotten him to against an opponent of this stature. He pulled out the combat knife he had condensed beforehand from his sheath, placing it into a backhanded grip as he approached the closest and largest of the enemies separated from the group. Trying to use the shadows to his advantage, he followed the walls, arriving but a metre from the creature.

He took action, kicking out the legs of the creature, causing gravity to take control as it began to drop onto its knees. But before it landed, he placed the combat knife underneath where the creatures chin would be, causing it to land on the knife, piercing through the tough skin as the knife raced straight into its brain. He tugged it out before quickly placing his hand over the orcs mouth, slicing the creatures throat.

He smiled once again, the bloodthirsty nature of the Demon taking control. He looked over towards the unalerted monsters as he ran towards them, taking another orc by surprise as he bent it’s back into the blade of his knife as it pierced through it’s throat.

It was going to be quite the battle.