“I see you’re still very calm and rational,” Ethan said dryly.

Garm clapped the swordsman on the shoulder and nodded in agreement. “You always saw things my way. It’s good to see you again. Does your presence in Rellen mean you plan to get the team back together?”

“We all know that isn’t possible,” Ethan said with a frown.

“Toggle would have found a way to do it,” Garm said.

“Toggle is dead,” Jasper said flatly. “And none of us are Toggle.”

Garm shrugged. The huge man lumbered past Jasper and Ethan toward the other end of the street.

“Are you just gonna leave a pile of bodies here?” Jasper asked incredulously.

“Yep. And if you ever grow a pair and decide to bring the team back, you know where to find me,” Garm growled.

He made a turn at the edge of the street and vanished into the city. Jasper glanced down at the big man’s victims and shook his head sadly.

“We really ought to do something about him,” Ethan said.

“But not today,” the gremlin said.

“Not today,” Ethan agreed.

They crossed the street and slipped into another alley, leaving the dead men behind them. They wove through the city for several more minutes until the duo emerged onto a small side street. Buildings littered the streets in various stages of disrepair.

Stone walls had cracked and crumbled to the ground, blocking large parts of the road. Even the moss and ivy that had once covered the walls was dried up and dead. Wooden signs, once boasting shining letters and varnished wood, hung precariously or not at all. Their wood had cracked and rotted, some beyond recognition.

Nestled between the crumbling ruins of a small house and a cracked gray wall was a small wooden door. The wood was old but, unlike its brethren, still intact.

A small sign hung from a single peg above the door. It was carved with the words Bartholomew's Bits and Bobs in scratchy lettering. Ethan rapped his knuckles against the door once and pushed it open without waiting for a response.

The inside of the building was similar to its entrance. Every surface was made of weathered mahogany wood. It was completely empty, aside from a large counter in the far left corner. A dim yellow light lit the room, but it was impossible to tell where it was coming from.

Once Ethan and Jasper had stepped inside, the door swung shut behind them and locked with a silent click. A powerful gust of wind howled through the room and the floor writhed violently beneath their feet without warning.

Brilliant yellow light washed over the entire room, momentarily blinding Ethan and Jasper. When it faded, the space around them had completely changed. Glistening piles of gold and gemstones covered every inch of open floor space. Intricately carved swords and staves adorned every inch of the walls and the ceiling was covered in murals depicting scenes of gluttonous wealth.

At the other end of the room, seated behind the previously empty counter, was an incredibly large overweight man wearing a sleek black suit. He was nearly a perfect sphere and was several heads taller than Ethan. The suit he wore appeared to be fighting for its life to keep from bursting and Jasper was willing to bet money that it was losing.

A wide brimmed pirate’s hat was perched precariously on the top of the man’s round head, casting a dark shadow over everything but his mouth.

“Gentlemen. It’s good to see you again,” the man drawled.

“Bartholomew. I see you’re still a jiggling pile of rancid fat,” Jasper said.

Bartholomew’s huge mouth stretched into a grin and he lifted one of his hands lazily to beckon the two men over to him. The gold coins under their feet turned into a shimmering wave that carried the two men forward, dropping them down directly in front of the counter.

Ethan, unperturbed by their sudden change in position, tossed his backpack onto the counter. He took Jasper’s pack from him and placed it up next to his own. Bartholomew wiggled his beefy fingers in delight and yanked one of the bags from the table.

The huge man unlatched the bag straps and turned it upside down over the table. Coins spilled out of the bag, bouncing onto his counter and the floor. Once the bag was emptied, Bartholomew tossed it over to Ethan and repeated the process with the second one.

“Splendid work, friends,” Bartholomew said, a strand of drool leaking from his open mouth. His teeth were thick and rounded, like two rows of yellowed tombstones.

Bartholomew picked a coin up from the table and bit down on its edge. He ground it between his teeth and nodded in satisfaction. Half of the coin was completely flattened when he pulled it out of his mouth.

“You’ll be glad to know that you’re almost to your goal,” Bartholomew said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and wiping it off on his suit.

“That is-” Ethan started.

Bartholomew slammed a massive fist down on the table. Coins cascaded to the ground, and Ethan took a cautious step back. After a short pause, the large man leaned back and crossed his hands in front of his stomach.

“As I was saying, you’re almost to your goal. However, I’m afraid the next caravan carrying goods that I desire will not arrive for at least three months,” Bartholomew said.

“That’s not a problem,” Jasper said.

Bartholomew leaned forward over the desk so he could look down at Jasper. He raised a bushy eyebrow and gave the gremlin a wide grin. His rank breath brought a grimace to the small Vision’s face, but Jasper didn’t move.

“You should confirm that with your partner,” Bartholomew said in a singsong voice.

Jasper glanced over at Ethan, who nodded reluctantly.

“Sorry, Jasper. I think he’s right. I’m running out of time,” Ethan said in a somber tone.