Darkness and Hellfire

Chapter 70 Do You Have A Bag?

After their warm breakfast, which felt more like dinner to the two who had barely rested in the past thirty hours, the pair left to go pick up Lenna’s, formerly Isaac’s, sword from Stan the blacksmith. “I hope he’s done, otherwise I’m sleeping in his shop.” Isaac grumbled as they opened the door and walked inside to the sound of the small doorbell.

They were met by the boy, the same one that had been there the first time the pair came to this shop, behind the counter giving them a wave and a smile. “How do you do?” The boy greeted them.

“Tired.” Isaac replied honestly. “Is Stan in?”

The boy nodded and walked into the back. A minute later Stan emerged. “Here fer the sword I reckon.” He told them by way of greeting. Stan was nothing if not direct and to the point.

“Yeah. Going to ship it off to get enchanted as soon as we leave. Actually, while on the topic, where do I get a box to ship it in?” Isaac asked.

“I can get ya a box. Folks gift swords all the time.” Stan answered.

Isaac gave him a smile. “That would be great. How much?”

Stan grinned at another business opportunity. “Two gold each. Yer sendin’ two swords right?”

“Yeah. We’ll take them.” Isaac replied and checked his gold count. He had made sure to keep as much of it in platinum coins to save on weight. Their total savings would be enough to cover the transport and enchanting for both swords and a few meals but not much else. He was glad they were going to be getting paid the next day.

“This blade.” Stan began and retrieved the lent sword. He looked at it in reverence. “Whoever made it was a master far beyond me.”

“I should hope so.” Isaac replied.

The old dwarf’s eyes shot Isaac’s. “What do ya mean?”

“Those boxes?” Isaac deflected.

The dwarf scrutinized Isaac for a bit longer before turning and nodding to the boy who was watching from off to the side. The boy left to find the gift boxes that were going to be used for transporting the swords to the academy of magic. “Who made this?” Stan asked suspiciously.

Isaac shrugged. “The same person, people? Anyway, I got it the same place I got this sword.” He drew his shortsword and handed it to Stan. “And my armor.”

Stan’s eyes went wide as he inspected the shortsword. “It’s the same. No flaws. Light damage. One piece o’ unfolded steel. It’s like i’twas conjured.”

“That might be accurate. I don’t know. It was a gift that I only received after I left. I didn’t have the opportunity to ask about my gear.” Isaac explained in a way that he hoped would satiate the smith’s curiosity but also keep from actually divulging any important information.

“How’s ya get it?” The smith asked.

“I woke up with it on.” Isaac replied honestly.

The smith stroked his beard. “I’d love ta have a wizard cast some spells on it.” He commented.

“No. Absolutely not.” Isaac replied. “I can let you look at it but that’s where it stops. Some things should stay secret.” Isaac warned, leaving nothing for debate.

Stan was startled by the sudden change in attitude and decided to take the young man’s word for it and leave it be. “Aye, that be true.”

The boy returned with the boxes for them. “Anywhere I can turn a hundred platinum into gold coins?” Isaac asked when they were about to leave.

‘The bank, up three blocks then down four.” The boy told them with a pair of gestures.

“Thanks. See ya around guys.” Isaac said with a wave as he and Lenna left the shop. Once on the street Isaac sighed.

“Another stop.” Lenna sighed speaking his mind.

“Yeah.” He affirmed.

—

A short while later the pair arrived at the bank. It was a square building that gave off a feeling of heavy magical enchantments. There were no windows and the double doors were solid oak. Above the doors were two words. “City Bank. How original.” Isaac said flatly.

“At least it was easy to find.” Lenna commented and got the door for him. On the way there they had ducked into an ally and stashed the boxes in his Inventory. The weight was noticeable at this point. He had wanted to pull all of the platinum out of his Inventory before they got there but they quickly realized a problem. They didn’t have anywhere to put it.

Lenna had a coin purse but it could only hold fifty coins at a maximum and even less if they wanted to close it. “How are we gonna carry all that gold?” Isaac asked as they entered the bank.

“Hopefully they can help with that.” Lenna answered and let Isaac walk up to the desk ahead of her. The main room in the back was split by a brick wall that went the entire length of the building separating it into one third for patrons and the other two thirds for employees and the vault.

The wall had windows with receptionists behind them and only one door to enter that was made of a heavy wooden door reinforced with iron bars. The windows had iron bars across the top three quarters of them as well. Whoever designed the bank was not messing around when it came to security.

Isaac walked up to one of the receptionists. “Hello. How can I help you?” The lean man with glasses asked from the other side. He, like most of the population of Safeharbor, had a light complexion and brown hair and eyes.

“I would like to do two things while I’m here. One is that I need a hundred platinum turned into gold coins. The other is opening an account.” Isaac explained.

The clerk nodded and pushed up his glasses. “Am I correct in assuming you two are adventurers?” He asked.

“Yes.” Isaac replied.

The clerk nodded again. “Well, you should know that if anything happens to you the bank will get to keep whatever is kept here unless you specify that someone else is able to use your account. There is also a fee of one gold per week to keep your riches safe. Opening an account is easy. I'll just need you to fill out this form.” He slid a paper towards Isaac. “All information is confidential. Once you have an account we can exchange the coins for free. Otherwise there is a small fee of a copper per coin exchanged.

Isaac listened and processed the information given. “Alright.” He took the paper and read it over. It was honestly decently empty. ‘Name, age, race, city of residence, notification that the bank keeps dead people’s stuff and will withdraw the fee from what is kept here, the same for a co-owner. ‘Shit, I want Lenna to be a co-owner but the race thing might be a problem.’ Isaac thought as he read the paper over.

He filled out the paper with a fountain pen that was sitting on the desk waiting for him. After he finished he handed it to Lenna. “Are you sure?” She asked.

Isaac shrugged. “He said it’s confidential and everyone important in town already knows.”

Lenna shook her head. “Not that.”

Isaac raised an eyebrow. “Yes. Of course I’m sure. If I end up dead for good this time I at least want somebody I like to get my stuff.”

Lenna shook her head and took the paper. She filled out her part and handed it back to him. Isaac then handed it to the clerk who read over it and did a double take when he read Lenna’s race and surname. “Mam, are you sure you filled this out correctly?” He asked hoping it was an accident or a prank of some kind.

“Yes. I am.” She replied and tapped the guardsman emblem on her issued vest. She still didn’t have anything less flashy to show she was allowed in town.

The clerk swallowed. “Understood. Well, let us finish the rest of what you came here for.”

“Please.” Isaac agreed and glanced around. Upon seeing no one else in the bank he leaned in. “The platinum is stored in a spell at the moment. How would you like me to retrieve it?”

“There is a ritual room upstairs for just this situation, I can show you. If you don’t need a ritual and the spell will not damage anything, then since there is no one else here, you may do it here and we can get started right away.” The clerk explained back to his even, business-like, tone.

Isaac gave him a pleasant smile. “Great. Do you have a bag?”