Denizens of the Labyrinth

As soon as Jazmel stepped through the gate, he looked around and realised he had returned to the city of Sacretares, the walls were dusty from sand, and he could see that the long queue to enter the city was moving quickly but growing just as fast too. He and Sadé slipped into line and followed their way into the city.

They queued for almost fifty minutes before they made it inside and once they passed through the gates, he felt the coins leave his ring as soon as he stepped through the threshold he was hit by just how many people were actually within the city, his eyes told him that they were seekers and rankers. But there had not been this many when he had been here last time. Something was up.

“For a gold coin, can you tell me what’s going on in the city?” Jazmel asked a small boy who he had caught running past.

“Two gold coins?” the boy bartered, and Jazmel pulled the two from his ring and handed over one while holding the other.

“Seekers and Rankers have been coming into the city for a while now. We think the gate is about to evolve but the system hasn’t announced anything yet!” the little boy said before grabbing the second coin and running away. Jazmel turned to Sadé and smiling she nodded knowingly.

“When a gate is used frequently the Mana build up will cause it to change, to evolve. In some case the gate will evolve and lead to newer gates or it might change the whole gate internally and upgrade everything around. If we are here when it’s about to evolve, the system is probably planning to open into a new gate again.” she explained and he nodded, listening intently.

“How far are you from Ranker tier?” he asked, and she grit her teeth before responding.

“Just a few levels.”

“I hit level 60 in the fountain trial. I am ready for the tribulation; I need to grab items for it now. Before the gate evolves.” He told her and she hugged him.

“Congratulations.” He thanked her with another hug and then they walked deeper into the city to try and find stores. Jazmel didn’t like the first store; the prices were too high for the quality of the items. The second store didn’t have any items for tribulations but they were willing to buy items from him and so he sold the steadfast armour for 250 white gold coins. He sold the short sword for 160 white gold coins to earn himself 410 white gold coins.

When he walked into the third store, he immediately knew he was where he wanted to be. The scent that came from this storefront told him he was in a space where lots of items were present, but also that he was in amongst vast and assorted items.

“Welcome!” the storekeeper offered, and Jazmel smiled at him, but he wasn’t trying to charm a customer. This was a man who loved what he did, this was the same look Colin always had when he and Jazmel bartered.

“I am here for tribulation items; I need to find some, and I want to do it before the gate evolves.” He told the man who nodded, understanding him.

“Well I have my wares, please look them over and you can tell me what you are looking for.” He said and Jazmel walked in, Sadé following behind.

“Do you have anything for dragons?” the storekeeper nodded and then moved behind his bar and pulled a scroll out from beneath it, it was old. Jazmel could see that in the way the scroll looked. When the storekeeper showed the lettering on the inside his eyes tried to read the language, but he could not, but one thing he could see was the dragon Mana that was being held into the paper. It was written in dragon blood too.

“This is a song written in dragon tongue, I have had it for a long time, but nobody has wanted to buy it before.” He confessed and Jazmel smiled at his honesty.

“How much?”

“1 platinum coin.” Jazmel almost winced, but he needed it. Money was meant to be spent after all. So Baek told him anyway.

“Done.” He pulled the platinum coin out from his ring and slid it towards the storekeeper, the scroll was pushed towards him, and the transaction was agreed.

“I need something for my mind or my spirit.” He said and the storekeeper tapped his chin in thought before reaching into his own ring and pulling out a large vial filled with a honey colour substance, it was thick, and he could smell it from where he stood even though it was stoppered.

“This is sap from the everglade tree, it is used in medicinal potions but with this amount, I imagine it will be enough to use in a tribulation. 500 white gold coins.” He said and Jazmel eyed him and shook his head.

“That is too much, 400.” The storekeeper sighed and shook his head.

“450.” Jazmel laughed at this offer.

“410.” He offered and this was his final amount. The storekeeper nodded, accepting and Jazmel pulled the white gold coins from his ring and left them on the counter.

“Now do you have anything for the spirit?” he asked, and the keeper nodded but before turning he spoke up.

“Can I make a suggestion?”

“Yes of course.”

“Use the dragon scroll for your spirit, and the sap for your mind. You should be looking for something for your body instead now.” He said and Jazmel turned to Sadé who was simply looking around, she shrugged but nodded. They weren’t sure but it didn’t seem like a bad idea.

“Alright then, do you have anything for the body?” he asked, and the keeper nodded before looking around his counter and considering his options.

“What have you used for your body?” he asked, and Jazmel told him, and he nodded, agreeing that they had been good choices.

“Bones and corpses are good for body tribulation, but have you considered metal too? It’s a mineral after all.” He explained and pulling out a shard of a metal Jazmel hadn’t seen before. He left it on the counter.

“This is the shard of a star, a nebulae to be precise. Usually used to strengthen armour and weapons, but a body can be a weapon no?” he said, and Jazmel nodded, understanding his thought process behind it.

“I will take it. how much?” he asked, and the storekeeper smiled at him.

“15 platinum coins.” Jazmel whistled but shook his head.

“No way, you set me up. 5!” he said, and the storekeeper began to put it away.

“Wait.” Jazmel said and the owner looked at him with a grin.

“10.”

“6.”

“8?”

“8.” Jazmel resigned and pulled the coins from his ring and left them on the counter. He turned to leave but stopped and Sadé stopped too.

“If we are going to wait for this gate to evolve, it is likely you will hit ranker as soon as we get the next quest or task. You should buy your items from now, so we don’t have to hunt for anything specific.” He said and she agreed. The storekeeper stood to the side and simply smiled waiting for Sadé to spend her money now. Jazmel stood off to the side and waited for her.