Sneak Peek (Patreon)

Sometimes it pays to not beat around the bush and call the bluff of a master manipulator.

-

Now that word gets your attention.

"Information?" you ask, *stroking the hairs on your chin. *stroking the end of your beard. *rubbing your chin. *playing with the tip of your braid. *playing with the ends of your hair. "Care to elaborate?"

Mist rotates his glass on the desk, his fingers sprawled like a spider over the rim. "You must be curious about something. A person, a place, an event? Anything you ask me, if I have an answer, I will give it to you. If I don't, I'll be honest and let you choose another question."

He brings the glass to his lips and takes a sip. "Information and the breach of privacy, translator. Those are my specialties."

You look down, brows pinched in thought, and find yourself staring at your black glove. Mist offers you a dip into his deep pool of knowledge — or, at least, the pool he promises to possess. Will you take the plunge?

*"Seems risky," Hadrian brings your attention back to the room. He's giving you a look that tells you he clearly doesn't think this option is a good idea.

Mist's glass casts a large shadow as he sets it down. "Everything has its risks."

"How many questions can I ask?" you want to know. "How much does the gauntlet buy me?"

Mist opens his mouth, but then the lord pauses. He looks at one of the weeping candles, hands pressed in thought. Finally, Mist addresses you. "Two," he says. "Two is fair."

1) But you don't agree. "For an ancient gauntlet? It's worth more than that, Mist. You know that."

2) "I suppose it is," you cede. 

3) You click your tongue. "Horse shit. That piece of crap will earn you hundreds of gold. The least you can do is answer a few more questions for it."

4) You nod and move on.

- - - 

He has to be pulling your damn leg. "Horse crap," you rough out. "I call pure bullshit, Mist. That piece of crap is going to earn you a few hundred gold, and you're saying you want to trade it for two damned questions?'

Mist is unfazed by your outburst. "That's precisely what I'm saying."

You click your tongue to keep from cursing his name. "And I'm telling you," you start, your voice dropping a few notes. You grab the edge of your chair and lean in, eyes piercing a hole in his. "That's inadmissible."

"Translator, you're not grasping what I'm offering. Of all I can give you, information is, and will always be, the most valuable. You speak of gold, but you and I both know that means nothing when compared with knowledge. Your gauntlet for two questions — if you still believe the deal to be unfair, then feel free to choose the other options."

*if (Combat>= 40)

"I'm not going to part with the gauntlet for less than three questions," you declare, calmer now, but no less determined. He spoke as if he didn't care, but you know he does. Mist wants the gauntlet; he can't fool you. "If you don't give me that, I'm not going to choose any of the other options."

You get up to your feet, snatching the gauntlet from the desk. "I'm going to leave."

*Hadrian's head swings from you to Mist, quite literally sitting on the edge of his seat. 

Mist stares up at you. You stare right down. You'll do it. You'll leave this room. 

Silence stretches...

"Sit down," Mist cracks. "You'll have three."

And you do as he says, sitting down with a smile tugging one corner of your lips. You toss the gauntlet back on the desk. "Glad you listened to reason."

*Hadrian squeezes your arm. "Nice going," he whispers with a smile. 

*"Nice going," Hadrian mumbles through the corner of his mouth. 

*goto Mist_Choice