Grand Game 456: A Deal Well Struck (Patreon)

No sooner had Nicola agreed than I pulled out a slip of paper from my pocket.

“What’s that?” he asked, eyeing the parchment.

Smoothing open the paper, I laid it out on the table. “My shopping list.”

Leaning forward, the merchant studied what I had written.

Ability tomes

load controller tier IV, 

piercing strike tier III, IV, & V 

backstab tier IV & V, 

whirlwind tier III & IV, 

trap disarm tier III,

lockpicking tier III,

mass charm tier IV & V, 

windborne tier IV, 

heightened reflexes tier IV, 

analyze tier IV & V, 

trap detect tier IV, 

facial disguise tier IV & V, 

ventro tier III & IV.

Other

12 x upgrade gems.

4 x greater portal scrolls.

10 x acid bombs, 10 x smoke bombs, 10 x ice bombs, and 10 x fire bombs. 

200 trap-making crystals.

10 x full healing potions. 

Nicola’s eyebrows rose. “That’s a sizable list.” His eyes flicked up to study me. “Don’t tell me you’ve been stuck in a dungeon or something all this time?” he asked, only half-jokingly. 

My lips twitched. “Something like that. Can you get the gear I need?”

Not answering, Nicola closed his eyes.

I waited patiently, assuming he was searching the stores and auctions he had access to. My list had been carefully curated, of course. 

I’d not included everything I wished, only those items which wouldn’t raise too many eyebrows. For instance, the shopping list made no mention of a fade ability tome. To advance the ability, I planned on using an upgrade gem—even though the cost of doing so was exorbitant. There was a price to secrecy, after all. 

Sometimes a literal one.

Also buried in the list was the thing I desperately sought—a portal scroll. Amongst the other equipment requirements I’d scribbled down, the portal scrolls would barely draw notice, yet they were vital to my escape plan.

I’d first run across portal scrolls during my time in the wolves’ valley, and even though I’d not ended up using the one I’d acquired then, I knew the scrolls required nothing from the user but mana—which was important because my spell-illiterate trait would not allow me to weave any spell myself. 

And while the mana cost of a greater portal scroll was astronomical—to the average fighter anyway—thanks to my own not-insignificant investment in the Magic attribute, I had enough mana to use one.

“I can get everything on your list,” Nicola pronounced at last. 

I leaned across the table. “And the price?”

He held up a hand. “I can get everything except for a full complement of upgrade gems. I can only source ten right now. Even at the astronomical prices at which they sell, they are much in demand.”

I waved aside the comment. “How much?” I asked again.

“Forty-seven thousand gold.”

I sat back, a surprised expression on my face.

“You think it too much?” he asked, noticing my look.

 I shook my head. “On the contrary, it’s about what I estimated.” And indeed it was. “I’m only surprised…”

He grinned. “That I deal fairly?”

I matched his grin. “Ye, that.”

He chuckled. “I may drive a hard bargain but once the deal is struck, you can trust me to be scrupulous in meeting the terms.”

“I see that now.”

“That brings us to the matter of the legendary artifact you desire.”

I nodded. I’d been in two minds about how open to be when it came to my equipment requirements but seeing that Nicola had not tried cheating me, I decided to trust him a bit further. “I’m looking for any wayfarer pieces you may have.”

“I’m familiar with the wayfarer set,” Nicola murmured. “I can get you the gloves—” his gaze flickered to my hands—“but I see you have them already. I assume you don’t want duplicates?”

I shook my head. “I need only the pieces I’m missing,” I confirmed.

“Ah. Then, in that case I can’t help you,” he said regretfully. “Are there any other legendary artifacts you need?”

I hesitated, then coming to a decision, I set down the psi bracelet. “Yes, either of the pieces that match with this.”

Nicola sucked in a breath as he caught sight of the artifact. “The Three-is-One. This, too, I’ve heard off. It’s a unique set, something almost unheard of.” He looked up at me, his eyes shining with awe. “Where did you get it? This piece has been missing for centuries.”

“I can’t say, of course.”

He smiled. “Stole it, did you?” he murmured.

I didn’t correct him. “So, can you source the other two pieces?”

He shook his head. “Regretfully, artifacts like this are almost never put up for sale.” His eyes grew distant, and he said nothing else.

“But?” I prompted, guessing from his look that there was more to the matter.

He refocused on me. “But,” he allowed, “I know the whereabouts of both remaining pieces.”

I stamped down my excitement. “Tell me,” I whispered.

“It won’t help you,” he cautioned.

“Let me be the judge of that,” I replied.

Nicola shrugged. “They are in the keeping of a Power named Mai.”

I frowned. “Never heard of him.”

“I’m not surprised. Mai is a recluse who rarely ventures out of his home sector,” Nicola said. “He is a collector too and has been searching for the last piece for a long time. Over the years, Mai periodically reaches out to the underworld seeking information on whereabouts of the last Three-is-One piece and other artifacts as well.” He shrugged. “If you’re looking to sell your piece, he’s the one to approach. And if you’re not, you’d be wise to tell no one else about what you have. Mai does not take rejection lightly, if you take my meaning.”

“Thank you,” I said softly. “I do.”

“That still leaves the matter of our deal.” Nicola gestured to the four artifacts still on display. “Since I’ve failed to live up to my end of the bargain you can take one back.”

I eyed the items on the table doubtfully.

“There is an alternative,” he offered.

 I looked at him curiously. “Go on.”

 “You can take the remaining money—thirteen thousand gold.” He smiled. “That much gold will be hard to carry on your person, but I could issue you with a promissory note to be reclaimed when you visit Den Chief Dinara.”

“But that will entail a visit to Nexus,” I said, stating the obvious.

He nodded. “Which you may not be able to do any time soon. The other possibility is that I offer you something else from my stores.”

I bit my lip. Buying more gear was tempting. There was still much I needed and things that Ghost did too. But I didn’t know what awaited me in the guardian tower, the wolves’ valley, or Nexus, and until I reconnected with my allies—or a bank—I would have no ready source of funds.

“I’ll take the money,” I said finally. “Twelve thousand in a promissory note, and one thousand in gold coins.”

Nicola nodded. “I can do that.”

“And one more thing,” I said, struck by a passing thought.

He looked at me questioningly.

“What can you tell me about cynacilin?”

“Cynacilin,” Nicola mused, rubbing his chin considerately. “I gather this has something to do with the envoy?”

“Hmm,” I replied noncommittally. “What makes you say that?”

He laughed. “You will not find cynacilin on the open market—or any market for that matter. The alchemical powder is extracted from a rare plant, one that few have access to. And it just so happens the Blades number amongst those who do.”

My eyes narrowed thoughtfully. So, the Riders would know immediately who was responsible for the assassination. Not that I could see how that would make any difference. “What does it do?”

The merchant shrugged. “Cynacilin is most famous for being an alchemical poison for which there is no known cure—magical or otherwise. The victim’s only chance is to resist the powder’s effects. If he or she doesn’t, death is inevitable.”

“I see. What are the poison’s limitations?”

“It’s not easy to make or prepare. I’m told the process to produce the powder takes years. And it requires an expert touch to apply.”

“An expert touch,” I mused. “Could I use it?”

He snorted. “Not unless you’re a trained poisoner.”

Interesting, I thought. This Jone who I’m meant to deliver the smuggled package to has to be more than a simple fisherman. Tyelin had failed to mention that.

Glancing back at the merchant, I inclined my head. “Thank you, Nicola. You’ve been quite helpful.” I gestured to the table. “I’m ready to conclude our deal if you are.”

He nodded. “I am. Let’s do it.”

✵ ✵ ✵

You have lost 4 x legendary items. 

You have acquired an underworld promissory note for 12,000 gold.

You have acquired 1,000 gold coins.

You have acquired 21 ability tomes, 10 x upgrade gems, 40 bombs, 200 trap-making crystals and 10 x full healing potions.

You have acquired 4 x greater portal scrolls.

Each of these scrolls allows a spellcaster to open a portal for a party of 4 to any known sector key point. This item requires a minimum Magic of 40 to use.

Nicola did not hang around once our transaction was concluded. After saying his farewells, the merchant turned around his wagon and disappeared over the horizon.

“That went well,” Ghost noted.

I nodded. “It did.” The under-dweller had been an interesting character, and in the end, had proved more trustworthy than I had expected. Tyelin chose well. 

Remembering the envoy, I searched the surroundings, but there was no sign of Tyelin yet. It was only late afternoon though, and we’d agreed to enact his plan at night.

He’ll be back after dark, I guess.

Shrugging, I sank down cross-legged in the grass. I had a few hours to wait, and I knew exactly how to spend the time. Pulling out the upgrade gems and the ability tomes I’d purchased, I lay them out before me. 

For a moment, I just sat staring at the items. This point had been a long time coming. It had been over a month since I’d last had access to a merchant, and in that time my skills and player level had grown exponentially.

Not so my abilities. They had remained stagnant. 

It was finally time to address that lack. But doing so would call for some difficult decisions too. Cupping my chin in my hands, I pondered my choices.

Which abilities did I upgrade?