Day Three

Eight hours later, I woke up rested and restored. From the light filtering in between the gaps in the shuttered windows, I could see that the sky was just beginning to turn gray.

Dawn had arrived.

Rolling off the bed, I gathered my possessions, readied myself, and hurried out of the room. My first destination was Kesh’s agent.

Even at this early hour, the keep’s corridors were busy, and not unexpectedly, the doors to the emporium's offices were open. I ducked inside and found the red-cloaked figure seated at her table and reading a letter while she sipped from a steaming mug.

“Good morning, Michael,” she said, setting down the parchment and rising to her feet. “Your items are ready and waiting.”

Two objects materialized on the table.

I smiled, appreciating the efficiency of Kesh and her agents. Striding forward, I examined the items. Just as promised, my wristband and bracelet had fully charged, and I equipped both.

Your potion bracelet has been refilled with a full healing dose. Cost: 100 gold. Your trapper’s bracelet has been replenished with 10 traps. Cost: 50 gold.

The agent moved her hand back towards the letter, then paused as she caught my thoughtful expression. “Is there something else you need?”

I nodded. “Do you stock wards of disease protection?”

“Yes, of course. How many do you want?”

“Hmm… for now, I only require enough for one day.”

“I have these,” the agent said, laying down a familiar-looking object on the table.

This is a rank 4 disease protection crystal. Cost: 20 gold. Each crystal contains a single-use enchantment that grants you protection from tier 1 to 4 infections for 4 hours.

My brows rose slightly. The cost of the enchantment crystals was a bit steeper than I anticipated. Still, I couldn’t do without them. “I’ll take five.”

“Easily done,” she said.

“Out of curiosity,” I asked idly. “How expensive are higher-ranked disease protection crystals?”

“A rank five one will cost you two hundred gold, a rank six, five hundred gold,” she replied. “The cost escalates quickly after that.”

I winced. It was just as expensive as I expected.

“If you think you may contract a disease of a higher level than rank four, you’re better off using a cure disease potion instead of a ward. They’re cheaper.”

“Oh,” I said, perking up in interest. “Do you have any?”

The agent shook her head. “Try the herbalist, Trexton. Do you know his shop?”

“I do.”

“In that case, is there anything else I can help you with?”

“Yes,” I said, then took a minute to gather my thoughts as I wondered how to describe what I needed to hide from the mantises.

I knew already that the hunter eyes tracked their targets by sight, sound, and scent. With my deception abilities, I could disguise both my appearance and voice. Scent, though, was trickier…

“I’m looking for some way to hide my smell,” I said finally.

“Your… uh, smell?” the agent asked hesitantly and in a tone that made me sure her face was screwed up in confusion beneath her concealing hood. “Like a, uhm… perfume?”

A smile twitched at the corners of my mouth. “I don’t think I’ve done a good job of explaining. But yes, a perfume should work if it is overpowering enough. I’m looking for anything that will make me smell different, really.” I paused. “And that will last a whole day.”

The agent pondered my request for a moment. “A perfume will be… inefficient,” she said at last. She placed an object—another crystal—on the table. “This will work better, I think.”

I frowned. I was unsure what use an enchantment crystal would be, but I inspected the item nonetheless.

This is a scent protection crystal. Cost: 20 gold. Each crystal contains a single-use enchantment that completely masks your scent for four hours.

An involuntary bark of laughter escaped me. “Really?” I asked, lifting my gaze back to the agent. “Is there anything a protection crystal won’t ward against?”

The agent laughed lightly, sharing in my amusement. “Very little.” She paused. “So, will these suffice?”

I nodded. “They will. I’ll take five of them as well,” I said and touched her keystone to conclude the transaction.

You have acquired 5 x rank 4 disease protection crystals.

You have acquired 5 x scent protection crystals.

Money remaining in your bank account: 1,366 gold, 4 silvers, and 9 coppers coins.

“Thank you,” I said and turned to go.

“One second, please, Michael,” the agent called out.

I swung back around to find her holding two pieces of paper. “Yes?”

“I spoke to Kesh yesterday. She asked me to give you this,” the agent said, handing me the pages. They were from the letter I’d seen her reading earlier.

I frowned. The letter was for me? Reaching out, I took the pages and began to read. The first was a note from Kesh—short and to the point.

Michael,

I've established contact with Saya, the tavernkeeper of the Sleepy Inn. She is not very trusting. Read her letter, and you’ll understand what I mean.

Kesh.

My interest quickened. Kesh had heard back from Saya! Hurriedly, I set down the first page and scanned the second.

Dear Michael,

I am glad to finally receive word from you—if this is really you, of course. When weeks went by, and then months, and you still did not return, I feared you never would.

Now I have hope again.

It's been an eventful year, and much has happened that I must tell you about. But given the… questionable manner in which you’ve reestablished contact, I think you would be the first to advise caution. You’re in Nexus and rich enough to afford a factor?—I don’t believe it!

You will understand—I hope—that before I can give your agent access to the tavern’s books, I need you to verify your identity. To that end, please answer the following questions through your factor.

Question one: Why did Gelar kick me out?

Question two: What was the wyvern’s mother's name?

Question three: Where did you find me?

Yours truly,

Saya.

A broad grin split my face. Saya was proving to be an even better choice for the tavern than I’d expected. Not only did I think her caution necessary, I heartily approved of it!

Chuckling, I turned over the page and scribbled out my answers with the pen the agent handed me. “Send this back to Kesh with my compliments,” I said when I was done.

The agent inclined her head. “I will deliver it myself.”

“Thank you.”

Still smiling, I left the shop.

~~~

I didn't exit the citadel immediately after that. Taking the agent’s advice to heart, I made my way to Trexton’s shop. I didn’t think I would run across any potent diseases during the day’s outing, but in case I ventured into the swamp, I might need one... In any case, it paid to be prepared.

I found the herbalist pottering around with his alchemy equipment. He swung around when he noticed me. “Ah, an early morning customer. Michael, wasn’t it?”

I nodded.

“Was there something you forgot yesterday?” Trexton asked.

I shook my head. “No, but seeing as you are a herbalist, I was wondering if I could commission a few potions.”

“Of course,” Trexton replied. He studied me curiously. “What are you looking for?”

“Cure disease potions,” I replied.

The herbalist smiled. “Those are easy. Given where we are, I always keep some in stock.”

“I'm looking for something stronger than usual… A rank eight potion, maybe?”

He looked at me strangely. “You're not intending on visiting the saltmarsh, are you?”

I shrugged. “I may need to,” I admitted. “I have a bounty to chase down there.”

“A bounty in the saltmarsh? How curious,” the herbalist mused. “But you will not need a rank eight potion. A rank six should suffice.” He looked down his nose at me. “Can you pay?”

I nodded.

The herbalist withdrew something from his robe’s inner pocket. “These should do.”

I studied one of the items in his hands.

This is a rank 6 cure disease potion. It will treat any affliction, plague, or blight of tier 6 or lower.

“That looks like what I need,” I said. “How much?”

“Two hundred and fifty gold. Each.”

I didn’t quibble. At half the price of an equivalent enchantment ward, the potions were the better buy. Mutely, I set my hand to Trexton’s keystone, and he concluded the transaction with a smile.

You have lost 500 gold. You have acquired 2 x rank 6 cure disease potions.

“A pleasure doing business with you, Michael,” Trexton murmured in farewell.

~~~

After I left the herbalist’s shop, I headed for the keep’s exit. While I hurried through the corridors, I saw to my preparations for the day.

You have activated a disease protection crystal.

You have activated a scent protection crystal.

You have activated the simple mode enchantment of the belt of the chameleon. Your armor and weapons are now hidden.

You have cast facial disguise, assuming the visage of Jasiah. Duration: 1 hour.

I’d chosen to conceal my identity with facial disguise instead of lesser imitate because, as I’d learned already, the lesser imitate spell unraveled when I took damage.

Facial disguise was a less complete illusion—it would not change my body shape nor alter my voice—but it would stay in place even if I was struck, and considering I planned on entering a dungeon, I couldn’t afford my face to be revealed mid-fight.

Looking markedly different and hopefully unrecognizable by the mantises or anyone else for that matter, I stepped into the keep’s entrance foyer. Constable Richter was absent, and no one stopped me as I slipped out the main doors.

Despite the early hour, the citadel’s bailey swarmed with players. My lips twisted. I’d been hoping to avoid the crowds. With a sigh of disappointment, I stepped into the courtyard.

Immediately, I was accosted.

Seeing me emerge from the keep and perhaps mistaking me for a richer player, vendors tried to flog their wares on me. Ducking my head, I shoved my way through the crowd.

It didn’t deter the merchants, though, some sticking with me all the way to the citadel’s outer wall. But eventually, I passed through the gates and my ‘escort’ faded away.

Exhaling in relief, I headed northwest through the quarter—towards the scorching dunes dungeon.

Of the three public dungeons, it was the easiest and, logically, my first destination. The rest of the plague quarter was blissfully quiet, most of its residents still asleep. Enjoying the silence, I strolled contentedly through the streets.

My journey was uneventful, and with the gnomes’ map, I found the dungeon easily enough. Emerging out of the narrow streets, I stepped into a paved city square. The entrance to the scorching dune dungeon sat in its center, marked by two towering statues standing sentinel on either side of a portal of shimmering white.

To my disgust, though, the square was nearly as packed as the citadel’s bailey had been. So, this is where all the players in the quarter are, I thought.

The portal was mobbed on all sides by a surging crowd of players—just as many entering the shimmering curtain as exiting it. My lips thinned in disappointment. If these many players were outside, the inside of the dungeon was likely overrun.

Still, I didn’t turn away.

I’d come to see the dungeon, and even if it proved a wasted trip, at the very least, I was going to do that.

Making sure all my belongings were firmly secured to my person—who knew how many pickpockets were running about—I joined the crowds.

The mob was rowdy. Players shouted and hollered at one another. Some even plied goods and loot. No one attempted to maintain order or guide the press of bodies into and out of the dungeon. To get to the portal, I had to push and shove my way as I saw others around me were doing.

It took some time, but eventually, I reached the dungeon’s entrance. While I waited for those ahead of me to enter, I glanced up, studying the giant marble statues that stood on either side of the portal—seemingly guarding it.

Whatever artist had carved the statues had managed to etch an astonishing level of detail in the stone. The human one had a falcon perched on his shoulder, and the elven one’s hand rested on the head of a hunting cat.

I found the incorporation of the animals in the statues strange—it didn’t seem something popular amongst the Powers—but before I could dwell much on it, the bodies before me disappeared.

It was my turn to enter the portal.

Before anyone could think to shove me aside, I darted forward and into the shimmering portal of white.

Transfer through portal commencing…

…

…

Passage completed!

This nether portal is uncontrolled by any faction and may be used by any player.

Leaving sector 1. Entering the Endless Dungeon.