Disguise back in place, I strolled along the street. While I did, I checked the gains I’d earned from the last encounter. My player level hadn’t advanced—but then it was Eyes who had done all the work of killing Gintalush.

Still, many of my skills had progressed.

Your dodging has increased to level 57. Your shortswords has increased to level 62. Your two weapon fighting has increased to level 55. Your telekinesis has increased to level 51. Your deception has increased to level 61. Your light armor has increased to level 50.

Your skill in light armor has reached rank 5, decreasing your light armor penalties by 25% and allowing you to learn tier 2 abilities. The net effect of your armor is -1 Magic and -3 Dexterity.

My lips twitched upwards. While I was still no match for the mantises—or most other players for that matter—if I kept advancing at the rate I was going at, soon I would be able to hold my own against all but the very best.

I found the progress of my light armor skill, in particular, to be especially pleasing. The skill had advanced appreciably since I’d entered the Game, and the armor penalties I incurred now were significantly reduced. In fact, taking into account the added enchantments on my gear, the overall detrimental effect on my Magic and Dexterity was only ten percent. Negligible really.

With a contented sigh, I turned my attention back to my surroundings. Reaching the safe zone’s south entrance, I kept walking and soon enough found the building Eyes had told me about.

The structure was constructed from slatted white timbers and had a large white sign gilded in gold affixed to it. Clumps of players milled about the entrance in greater numbers than I’d yet seen in the plague quarter.

Striding up to the sign, I scanned its contents.

The first line read: “Welcome to Nexus’ Information Brokers, professional rumormongers, and the best source of gossip in town.” Below that, in smaller text, was a second line: “Strictly no guarantees will be provided as to the veracity of any disclosed information.”

I scratched my head, not sure what to make of the sign. The first sentence sounded like a joke, but after reading the second one, I wasn’t so certain. Right now, though, I was too desperate for information—even unconfirmed rumors—to turn my nose up at the brokers.

Slipping through the crowd, I entered the building. It was even busier inside. Players were pressed up at the counter that stretched the room’s length, shouting to gain the attention of the uniformed gnomes sitting on high stools on the other side. A screen of bars separated the gnomes from the players.

From the layout of the room and the behavior of the other players, I guessed the gnomes to be the brokers. Curious, I thought and studied them more closely. The gnomes were dressed in white suits with gold embroidery and matched the building’s decor. Reaching out with my will, I analyzed the closest one.

The target is Meson, a level 28 gnome.

Surprisingly, the information broker in question was not a player. I analyzed the other gnomes and saw that none of them were. Interesting, I thought and joined the line of queueing players. I kept a wary eye on my surroundings as the line inched forward, but nothing untoward happened before I reached the counter.

“Buying or selling?” the broker asked in a bored tone, not looking up from the book in which he was scribbling furiously.

“Excuse me?”

The gnome looked up, his eyes assessing me. “Ah, a new customer. And a newcomer to the sector as well, I take it?”

I nodded.

“Then you're here to buy,” he said with confidence. He flipped open his book to a blank page, pen poised in readiness. “I’m Arden. And you are?”

I told him.

“Class? Level? Home sector?” Arden asked.

Those particulars I was less inclined to share. “Why do you need to know all that?”

The gnome grinned. “I don't. But the more you tell me about yourself, the bigger your discount.”

I eyed the broker suspiciously, not trusting the glint in his gaze. I suspected any information I shared with him would be freely sold to whoever requested it. “I'll forego the discount,” I said blandly.

The broker shrugged. “Suit yourself,” he said and closed his book. “Before we begin, there is one thing you should know. For every question I answer, no matter how mundane, you will be charged a fee.” He paused, waiting for my nod of acknowledgment. “Now, what can I do for you?”

I had already thought the matter over on my way here and knew what information I desired. “For starters, I want a book on the Game.”

Arden sighed. “Not another one.”

I stared at him blankly. “What?”

“Do you know how many players come in here asking for lorebooks on the Game?”

I didn’t but judging from his expression, it was a lot.

The gnome didn’t wait for my answer but charged on. “There are none. And do you know why?”

I shook my head.

“Because knowledge is power in the Game, and no one shares that freely.”

I scratched my chin. “In that case, I want a map. Do you think you could help with that?”

Arden brightened. “Of the plague quarter?”

I nodded. “And of the rest of the sector too.”

Arden bent under the counter and began to rifle through some papers there. “How recent a map do you want?” he asked from below.

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could answer, he fired more questions.

“How accurate should it be?”

“Do you need it with or without street names?”

“What details do you need to see?”

“Do you need any specific locations shown?”

He finally ran down, and I managed to get in a word. “Erm... I don’t know.”

“Figures,” Arden muttered and bobbed back up. His arms were ladened with rolled-up parchments, I saw.

Withdrawing one from the stack, he placed it before me. “This map is only twenty hours old. It has the updated location of every dungeon portal and rift in the sector. It includes street names and the last known position of the Powers currently in the city. It also includes a basic analysis of every major faction in the sector.”

“Wow, that sounds very useful,” I said and reached out for the map in question.

Arden snatched it back. “That will be one thousand gold,” he said primly.

I gaped at him. “That's ridiculous!”

“Information is a valuable coin in the Game,” the gnome replied without the least trace of a smile. “It does not come cheaply.”

Clearly, it didn’t. But one thousand gold was beyond my means. My gaze drifted to the other maps in Arden's hands. “Do you have anything… cheaper?”

The broker sighed. “What’s your budget?”

“Ten gold?”

The gnome winced. Executing an intricate gesture with his fingers, he caused all the maps but one to disappear. “For ten golds, I can offer you this.” He unrolled the parchment on the counter. “It shows the basic layout of all four city quarters and the plague quarter in a bit more detail.”

I let my gaze rove over the map. It didn't include any street names and contained disappointingly little information on the other quarters, but it showed key structures in the plague quarter. A few dungeons were also marked on it. I already knew, though, that nether portals in Nexus were not always stable. “How outdated is this information?”

“It was last updated ten years ago,” Aden replied.

My lips turned down, and I pointed out the dungeons on the map. “Do these even exist anymore?”

Arden nodded. “They do. This map only shows the most well-known dungeons in the plague quarter. Those have existed for eternity in the city and their entrances are still at the locations marked on the map.”

The map had value then. “I'll take it.”

“Excellent,” Arden said, some of his smile returning. “Now, what else can I help you with?”

I scrutinized the map again, noting the ocean that surrounded the city. It explained the whiff of sea breeze I'd caught earlier. Nexus, it seemed, was an actual island. I focused on the plague quarter, and my brows furrowed as I noticed one area of particular interest to the southeast. “Tell me about the saltmarsh.”

“The marsh is a low-lying region in the quarter that is periodically flooded by the ocean’s tidal currents,” the broker answered. “It is also responsible for much of the quarter’s woes, and few players venture within its depths.”

My frown deepened. “What does that mean?”

“The plague quarter is not called such for nothing,” Arden said with a smile. Disease and sickness oftentimes run rife in the quarter—most of which are born in the saltmarsh. Unsurprisingly the worst illnesses and plagues can be contracted in the marsh itself. Here, close to the safe zone boundary, we are rarely affected, but if you venture farther into the quarter, I’d advise you to purchase ointments and potions to treat disease.” He paused. “You will not survive long in the quarter otherwise.”

Arden’s information was tallied with Shael’s, and his warning was timely. “I see,” I murmured. “Where can I find such ointments?”

“You will find the biggest selection and best prices for cure disease potions in the Triumvirate citadel at the center of the quarter,” Arden said. “Of course, you could also buy them through the global auction if you don't mind paying a bit more.”

I glanced at the citadel in question. Assuming the map was accurately drawn to scale, the Triumvirate castle did not appear too far away. “Do the knights patrol the plague quarter?”

“If you’re asking, do they serve the same function in the quarter that they do in the safe zone, then the answer is no. However, you will find squads of knights roaming the quarter. Their mission, though, is not establishing order but hunting down any nether beasts running loose and closing open rifts.”

I pointed to the stygian brotherhood chapter house. “And what do they do?”

“The brotherhood also hunts the nether beast that enter the city through the rifts. But unlike the knights, who seek only to kill the creatures, the brotherhood are more interested in capturing and taming the creatures for their own use. At times, this puts them at odds with the knights, but the two factions have had centuries to work out an accord between themselves, and these days quarrels between the two are rare.”

I nodded thoughtfully. The glint in the broker's eyes had not escaped my notice, and I was certain that he would bill me for every explanation I asked for, but the background knowledge he was providing was invaluable, and I did not curb my flow of questions.

“Where is a safe place to rest in the quarter?”

Arden chuckled. “Safe? Nowhere in the plague quarter is truly safe, not like the safe zone. And arguably, that isn't all that safe either. But if you intend on spending a night here, you can sleep in the taverns along the south wall with minimal risk. And of course, the lodging provided by the knights in the citadel is also quite secure.”

“Thank you. Now, tell me about these dungeons,” I said, returning to my primary purpose in venturing into the quarter.

“They are all public dungeons. In the scorching dunes, you will usually find rank twelve players and desert creatures. Your biggest challenges there will be combating poison and fire.

“The haunted catacombs, as you can guess, are infested with undead. The catacomb’s depths provide a healthy challenge for most players between ranks twelve and fifteen.

“The guardians’ tower is inhabited by the hooded savants, and in there, you can expect to face all manner of elemental magic. I would not advise entering without a strong and well-knit team, all of whom exceed level one hundred and fifty. Even though it is a public dungeon, few venture within the tower.” The gnome paused to glance at me. “That is the basic rundown, but I can expand further on any particular dungeon if you so wish.”

I digested the information but didn't ask him to elaborate. “Why do you call them public dungeons?”

“Because they are just that—dungeons unclaimed and uncontrolled by any faction. Unlike more prestigious dungeons, the rewards from the three dungeons are of relatively little value and not worth the resources of any faction to protect and control. The Game itself seeds the three dungeons, and any player is free to enter.”

“Huh,” I muttered. That likely meant I would not find any rare class stones in them. Still, they would help me level up quickly and were still useful. I’d learned all I wanted to know of the quarter, though, and rolled up the map. As I did, I asked offhandedly. “You brokers are not players. Why is that?”

Arden’s eyes twinkled. “Before I answer your question, I'm obliged to inform you that your tab has reached one hundred gold for the information provided already. I must request that you settle the outstanding amount.”

“One hundred gold? That's steep,” I muttered but didn't protest further. “Do you have a keystone?”

“Of course,” the gnome said and laid one on the table. I placed my hand on the device, authorizing the transaction.

You have lost 100 gold.

“Thank you,” Arden said, beaming happily. “Now, do you still wish me to answer your last question?”

I waved off his request. “Forget it.” Something else had occurred to me. “If I wanted to find out the identity of an individual who placed a bounty on me, could you help me with that?”

The gnome’s smile faded. “Ah, that is a more serious request and one not likely to be fulfilled immediately. We can, of course, attempt to uncover the information you require but can make no guarantee as to the success of our queries. And of course, the price will vary depending on the parties involved.” He paused. “Who holds the bounty?”

“The mantises,” I replied simply.

Arden sucked in a breath. “That will be expensive indeed.”

“But not impossible?” I asked.

The broker’s smile returned. “But not impossible,” he agreed. “I'm afraid, though, because of the nature of your request and the risk of er… non-recovery, we will have to demand payment upfront.”

“Naturally,” I murmured.

“The transaction will also have to be handled by a senior broker. Do you wish me to call one of my supervisors?”

I shook my head. The cost was probably going to be exorbitant and not one I could afford now. Still, it bore consideration for the future. “No, thank you,” I said. “I have all the information I need. But you mentioned something about buying information too. What do you think about this…”