Vesper was nervous. Not the slightly nervous feeling that came from a motherly scolding or having a half-orc looming behind you while waiting in line. It was a more potent nervousness with a dash of paranoia and a fear for one’s life. Vesper feared that Fartmor was reaching the end of his patience.

Vesper nervously scratched at the bindings of a book as he worked counting exits once more. His mind drifted, thinking of the different ways Fartmor could do it. There were endless possibilities, from elaborate schemes to simpler disappearances. Vesper needed an exit and not the type he found while reading boring texts.

Even the [Bookworm] girl didn’t speak up. She wasn’t the only one that knew. Everyone knew. Still, though, no one dared to say a word, to intervene. It wasn’t their business after all. Vesper wondered how Quill would’ve reacted if he was here, but he wasn’t. He was seemingly missing on the one day that mattered.

Pages flipped, and time passed. And the time for the day to end came as Fartmor walked in. Vesper’s heart thumped as he watched Fartmor pay everyone, waiting for Fartmor to come to him.

“Vesper, if you could stay after everyone leaves that would be appreciated. I have some things I need to discuss with you.”

“Yes,” Vesper managed to get out. There wasn’t an alternative. There was no way out.

Vesper sat in his chair and watched the other workers leave one by one until only Fartmor and Vesper remained.

“Follow me. This isn’t a good place to discuss business. I have an office in the back that is more private. I wouldn’t want anyone overhearing our discussion.”

Vesper nodded and followed Fartmor.

The lights were dim in the labyrinth of books as Fartmor guided Vesper in all sorts of directions. Tall rows of books slowly floated around, aimlessly, sorting and arranging as if whatever order they found themselves in just wasn’t good enough.

Soon they reach a small metal door, with etchings carved into the metal. Gears turned and clicked as Fartmor turned dials and knobs protruding from the door’s exterior. Gasp. The door collapsed inwards. Inside sat Quill and a couch, where Quill was sitting on the couch. He looked worried.

That worried Vesper. If Quill was worried, then where did it leave him.

“You have the Fae with you, Vesper?” Quill asked.

Alry sat inside Vesper’s coat pocket. She’d been in there ever since Grog managed to knock her out cold. Vesper didn’t know if Alry was dead or alive. Maybe she was somewhere in between. He didn’t know.

“Sort of…” said Vesper.

“Sort of! You need her to be here now!” panicked Quill.

“Shut up, Quill. The truth will come out of both your tongues, and I’ll know how to deal with both of you properly.”

“What’s going on?” asked Vesper.

Fartmor paused. He walked behind a large desk facing the opposite direction of the couch and sat in a fine leather chair. He poured some water out of a flask into a glass. He took a sip.

“Someone’s been looking too closely into my assets and not just some random bumpkin. Whoever is digging up information on me is influential. Either some foreign power has gotten a sniff of what I’m doing or someone close to the King. Quill has told me some information, but I will need some information from you to connect the dots. Do you know who those supposed bandits were?”

“The ones that ambushed us?”

“Yes.”

“Lothar’s Farm Orphanage. I lived there before fleeing to Lucridge.”

“Why did you leave? Lothar’s orphans are in many positions of power, and typically do quite well for themselves.”

“He killed two of my friends. I didn’t want to be a slave. Submission or death. Those were my options.”

“A slave? How do you know Lothar is a slave. I’ve heard rumors but have had no concrete information on that.”

“It was one of my choices on my path day, insinuating that Lothar was a slave driver. It’s not too surprising considering what I went through.”

“Interesting. However, the people coming after me aren’t working for Lothar. That much I know. And the Fae? Quill did tell me you had one, bound through some ritual book.”

Vesper’s hand shook as he scooped Alry out of his pocket. He carefully placed her onto Fartmor’s desk.

“Fascinating. It seems to be disconnected from the mortal realm.”

“What do you know about Fae?” Vesper asked.

“Not much, but I do know a few things about demons. Not a tremendous amount of information leaves the [Wizard’s] Guild, but even the Guild leaks information from time to time.”

“Is it dead?”

“No, I don’t think so. Not if it’s connection works the same way it works with demons. When an Immortal creature is injured in the mortal realm, their mind is sent back to their realm. There have been theories of why this happens, ranging from not being fully tied down to the realm to theories that suggest their consciousness are attracted back to their homeworld.”

“Can you fix her?”

“Possibly. Tell me more. Why are you mucking about in the adventurer’s guild?”

“I need access to the Royal Library to learn about my bond and fix the soul strain that makes me feel less whole.”

“And how is the adventurer’s guild going to do that?”

“I’m going to kill an Ice Wyvern.”

“I’ve heard of stranger things. Not many, but I’ve heard of them.”

Fartmor scratched his chin and leaned back, sinking into his chair.

“You’ve caused my business a lot of trouble, and neither of you have answers I’m looking for. Quite frankly you’ve put me in a tight spot. I’ll make a deal with you, both of you. I need a book that can only be found in the Royal Library that holds great value to me.”

“What book are you looking for?” Vesper asked.

Fartmor frowned.

“You’ll find out once you have access to the Royal Library. For now, focus on killing that lizard you’re so obsessed with.”

“I will.”

“Good. Now, let’s take care of that Fae. I’m sure that you’ll need her if you have any chance of killing the Ice Wyvern. And, yes, I know about your little book exploit. It won’t work; Wyverns are too fast.”

Fartmor pulled a small stone from his shelf. It was etched and glowed a slight tinge of blue, as if mana coursed through it. Vesper felt an instinctual reaction to push Fartmor away as he scooped up Alry into his palm. It was the bond between Vesper and Alry that much Vesper knew. It was an insurance policy of sorts.

Alry and the stone collided. Blue wisps of energy seeped into her before her eyes shot open.

“Took you long enough. I was getting bored waiting in no man’s land. So where’s this Grog? We have a score to settle.” said Alry.

“Grog. Is helping us.”

“Ridiculous. He slapped me. No one gets away with slapping me, except maybe the Queen of Faes. That bitch would get away with it,” seethed Alry.

“He’s doing us a favor.”

“He better be. What exactly is he doing?”

“He’s taking us on an adventuring trip to go kill an Ice Wyvern.”

“So you got the badge?”

“Yes, I beat him in combat,” Vesper lied.

“No shot. Did you bribe him? I bet you did. If I couldn’t beat him, then there’s no way you could.”

“My badge says otherwise.”

“I’m doubtful.”

“Ahem. I’m afraid our business is concluded for now. As much as I would like to interrogate your Fae, I’ve got things I need to take care of,” interrupted Fartmor. With a flick of a switch, the mechanical door whirred, opening back into the library.

“Quill, show them out will you?”

“Yes. Fartmor,” Quill said.

As Fartmor left their sight, Quill spoke up.

“You’re lucky Fartmor didn’t slit your throat. He was seriously paranoid, so much so that debated offing you. For both of our sake, you better kill that Wyvern. It took a lot of convincing to get him to see the benefits. Benefits that rely on you killing that thing.”

“You’ve changed your tune, Quill.”

“Believe me, I still want nothing to do with that Fae. She’s nothing but trouble. Look at the mess both of you have gotten me in.”

“So you’re coming on the adventure?” asked Vesper.

“Gods no. I just have to hope you’re competent enough. I wish you the best of luck Vesper.”

Vesper rolled his eyes.

“I mean it. I may not have been the best to you, but I can’t bring myself to do it. I’m not an adventurer. I’m not even that brave. It’s best for everyone if I continue my research away from giant reptiles. I’ll look into your Fae if that’s any consolation.”

Vesper nodded. It was the best he was going to get out of Quill.

“Well, I’ll try my hardest.”

“Good.”

POV: Dralik

On the other side of the capital, far away from the dregs of society, Dralik sat in his manor drinking some fine wine and eating some just as high quality cheese. It was the type of cheese that was worth as much as a small cottage home. And, no, it wasn’t cottage cheese. That was already a type of cheese, one that cost significantly less than a cottage.

Dralik’s manor was glorious. The gold trim on the doors was actually gold. The fine mahogany table he sat at was actually crafted by pigmy gnomes. Draliks servants stood by his side, attending to his every need. Life was good. Yet Dralik was not satisfied.

Like a revenant eating at his sanity, Dralik could not squash the feeling that he was so close to becoming a [wizard]. All he had to do was solve the mystery of what actually happened back in Lucridge. And the more time that passed, the more unsettled and, quite frankly, the more obsessed he became.

Goroth entered the room.

“Any news on the Goblin’s whereabouts? He must have answers.”

“I’ve been tracking the goblin, and his companion.”

“The one who upset the elf princess?”

“Yes, but that isn’t why I came. My informants figured out the purpose of that building.”

Dralik perked up.

“The building is owned by an information broker whose name is Fartmor, or at least that is what the most surface-level answer that my informants found. While true, that isn’t the whole truth. From my digging, I’ve found that Fartmor has heavy ties to the Duke of Altmar. At one point Fartmor was an advisor on his court, although his name was Farlmore.”

“What a strange name change? So you’re telling me he willingly called himself “Fart” more.”

“Well, as far as I know, yes.”

“What does any of this have to do with the event?”

“He’s an information broker. I think it is likely that he knows what went down in Lucridge. We can blackmail him for the information we need, if I’m able to set up a meeting with him.”

“I don’t want him to know who I am. If word makes it to court that I’m doing an undercover investigation, I’ll be scrutinized heavily.”

“I understand. I believe I should go alone.”

“And if he has someone who can stop you?”

“I’m level 50. There are very few people in the Kingdom who could stop me, let alone are aware of my class.”

“Fine, but make sure to be thorough. This isn’t an opportunity I can let slip through my fingers.”