Chapter 21
Aurelius crosses his left leg over the top of his right and flips to the next page of the book he holds firmly in his hands. The light from the noon crystals shines in from the windows of the manor and provides for some perfect reading ambiance. His time would be spent mostly reading, as he planned to lay low and keep from drawing attention to himself, at least until the barrghest awoke from his slumber. He understood well that his priority is to keep watch and wait for the portals to open back up. After which he should be able to obtain passage out of the city. Tomorrow he planned to head into town, but now he awaits the return of Zoah from the town hall. Aurelius alternates between his thoughts and the book to keep him company.
...
Baron, Keine Zwu, courageously slew the dreaded alpha demon, ushering in a new golden age for Aienswald. His incredible intelligence led to the establishment of the citadel in the optimal place, taking advantage of the terrain's natural state for a strategic advantage. Rich in all forms of ore and magic, Aienswald quickly became the most prominent location for settlers of the Windswept Depths.
Only ten years into his Majesty's reign, heinous rebels attempted to sabotage the stability and peace of the citadel. Though Baron Keine quickly put an end to those vile enough to stand against the citadels hero...
...
Noise catches his attention and draws him up from the book. Movement from within the walls of the manor signal that the staff has suddenly become more active, and the dim light from the crystals outside signal to Aurelius that it is about time for Zoah to return home. Right on cue, the door to the library opens, and Zoah strides in.
"Has your Baron always been such the humanitarian? Putting 'rebels' to death and all that?" Aurelius asks sarcastically to Zoah. She has on a form-fitting leather vest atop of her white frilled undershirt. In contrast, she wears a pair of dark bottoms, a leather belt, and a pin attached to her voluptuous chest which portrays her station in the town hall.
"Unfortunately, yes. As always, history is written by the victor, and the baron has always made sure that he has been the victor." Zoah explains, before producing a sack of coins from a ring on her right hand and tossing it at Aurelius, who promptly catches it. "Your reward for solving the murders. Although the paperwork will take a few more days to be filed, rewards for proof like yours are handled with the utmost haste. The number of cases that would fail to be solved, if the bureaucrats had their way and processed them, would drop significantly. It's also why bounty hunters can still be hired out to track down those who falsify their quarry."
"I'm planning to head into town tomorrow for ingredients. Would you happen to have an alchemical lab in your estate?" Aurelius asks, catching the sack of gold and placing it in his own ring. The spatial rings were something that most high-level adventurers kept with them, as traveling was made significantly easier when they were capable of storing and retrieving large amounts of goods. Though the ones that Aurelius wears are a cut above the rest.
Most of the standard storage rings did not come with a display as his did. It was a personal touch he had enchanted it to have, to ease with filtering through the objects within. As with most of his enchanted gear, it was done by his own hand and customized to fit his needs. Which in this case he was quite glad he had always been an over-preparer.
"I do. It's in the secondary building, you're free to use it. What do you have on your mind?" Zoah responds, strolling over and sitting herself down across from Aurelius in her own seat and giving him a wide grin.
"Nothing like that. I need some supplies, for personal use. I would go into more detail, though I prefer to keep my troubles my own." Aurelius returns her expression with a smile of his own.
"Would it be alright if I were to accompany you, my old friend?" Zoah asks, leaning forward and flirting as she always had with him. The two have known each other for some time, and it had been years since they have last seen one another, but Zoah still seemed to enjoy teasing him in this manner.
"Of course. I have no issue with you accompanying me. Shall we continue our conversation elsewhere?" He asks, standing and holding his hand out for her to take. The two leave the study and head elsewhere in the manor...
The next morning Aurelius stands in an open window, watching the large crystals in town illuminate as if the sun were rising. "I would prefer to head into town and obtain the ingredients on my list before the majority of the city wakes." He says, turning around to see Zoah fitting her boots on, already a step ahead of him.
"Of course. It seems that neither one of us needs much rest, especially after last night." Zoah comments, rising from the bed and making her way to the dresser, retrieving two of her rings and then striding over to Aurelius and taking his arm in her own.
"I haven't needed regular sleep for years. A side effect of an experiment performed ages ago." Aurelius chuckles. "It's the benefits of being a master alchemist. Speaking of which, we will be heading to the local alchemy shop first. Would you happen to know which one might have phoenix dust?"
"I believe the Quithe shop in the black market district would be your best chance to find it, albeit at a higher price than at market." Zoah explains as the pair exits the manor through the front.
"I do not mind the higher price, so long as the product measures up. It is quite important as you might have well guessed." Aurelius explains. The pair then travels through the city until they find the Quithe shop, a quaint place hidden at the back of an alley, away from prying eyes.
Immediately upon entering, it was clear that they were into peddling ingredients of all kinds, as the mixed smell of alchemy and creature parts assaulted the senses. While Aurelius' presence could turn a head given the look of his equipment, it was Zoah's presence that really got the owners on edge. A burly man immediately stepping forward and in their path.
"What business does the esteemed commander have in a place like this?" The man asks Zoah.
"My friend has business with you, not me." She smiles to the burly man.
"I am looking for Phoenix Ashes, and crystalized tears if you have them in stock. I was told that this establishment had a reputation for having in stock whatever their client needs. I hope that you do not disappoint." Aurelius responds.
"So long as you are here for business, you may proceed inside and ask the woman behind the counter about what you are looking for." The burly man says and hesitantly steps aside. Aurelius nods in thank and leads Zoah inside.
The pair strides through a doorway laced in plantlike ingredients, which seem to be growing on the frame and the surrounding walls. To their left are rows of pelts, meat, and writing ... things. Aurelius makes a mental note of the variety this location has, and then approaches the counter, looking for the aforementioned woman.
"Hello my friends. what can i do for you?" A female voice sounds out as a woman with cloaked features can be seen working from behind the counter.
"I am looking for Pheonix ashes and crystallized tears. Would you happen to have such ingredients in your humble shop?" Aurelius speaks up.
"Quite a rare thing, the phoenix ashes. The crystallized tears I'll throw in for free if you can meet the asking price for the ashes." The woman replies, turning around to face them. Her face is old and weathered, and her eyes glazed over as if she had lost her sight many years ago.
"So long as the quality is worth it, I do not mind paying a little more than market price." Aurelius responds. The blind woman then leans over the counter and whispers the price into his ear. "You were not lying about that markup..." He says and ponders a moment, thinking it over.
While he had the money, and the aforementioned price was within his estimated markup, he did not want to seem over eager, so he waited a moment before speaking. "Agreed."
The woman disappears from behind the counter, in to a back room, and then returns a minute later with a vial of ashes and a bag of crystals. Aurelius smiles and places a sack of gold on the counter. "As agreed. I do hope that your day goes well madam."
"Keep to yourself if you do not wish to find trouble. That bit of advice is for free." The woman responds, taking the sack and making it disappear into a storage ring.
"All advice from a seer such as yourself is welcome." Aurelius responds, smirking as the woman grows a look of surprise across her face, which then fades to a smile and a chuckle. "Farewell." they say to one another and then Aurelius and Phlemming leave the shop.
...
Authors Note: I have been dealing with writer's block recently, and have decided to create a set of short stories for when I find myself unable to work on this novel. It's called Cascade of Collections and can be found here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/cascade-of-collections_19632657906939105