Alaric was jolted awake as the carriage came to a sudden halt, causing him to hit his head against the side. "Damn it," he muttered, rubbing the sore spot. Outside, the coachman's terrified screams filled the air, begging someone not to kill him.
Before Alaric could fully grasp what was happening, the carriage door was yanked open. A rough-looking bandit with a sneer on his face peered inside. Alaric quickly shifted into his smooth-talking mode, hoping to buy himself a moment. "Hey there, friend. No need for violence. Perhaps we can come to an understanding."
The bandit seemed momentarily taken aback, but his hesitation was all Alaric needed. In a swift motion, he reached behind his back, drawing the Arcane Reaver. With a quick pull of the trigger, the bandit fell, clutching his chest as he crumpled to the ground.
Alaric stepped out of the carriage, ready to face the oncoming attackers. More bandits rushed at him, weapons drawn. "You lot never learn, do you?" he muttered, firing off several shots, each bullet finding its mark.
In the midst of the chaos, Alaric suddenly found himself swept off his feet by a torrent of water. He was thrown against the carriage, drenched and struggling to regain his footing. "A water mage?" he thought, annoyed. "Just what I needed."
The water mage stood at the edge of the clearing, hands glowing with magic as he prepared another attack. Alaric gritted his teeth, feeling the wet clothes clinging to his skin. "This is going to be a pain," he thought.
As more bandits charged, Alaric focused on taking them out one by one, all the while keeping an eye on the mage. "Just need to get close enough," he muttered to himself, dodging another blast of water.
Finally, he saw an opening. With a burst of speed, Alaric closed the distance between himself and the mage. The water mage's eyes widened in surprise, but it was too late. Alaric fired, the bullet grazing the mage's arm, disrupting his concentration and causing the torrent of water to stop.
The mage, realizing he was outmatched, turned and fled into the forest. "Coward," Alaric spat, wiping water from his face. He turned back to the remaining bandits, who were quickly dispatched.
As the last bandit fell, Alaric took a moment to catch his breath, surveying the aftermath. The coachman was still cowering by the carriage, his eyes wide with fear. "Get up," Alaric ordered. "It's over."
The coachman shakily rose to his feet, casting nervous glances around. "Thank you, sir. I thought they were going to kill me."
Alaric nodded absently, his mind more focused on his soaked clothes. "I'm going to need to change," he muttered, looking down at himself in disgust. "This is just great."
He retrieved a spare set of clothes from his travel bag and quickly changed behind the carriage, grumbling about the inconvenience. "Bandits and water mages. What's next? A dragon?" he muttered sarcastically.
Once he was dry and dressed, Alaric approached the coachman again. "Let's get moving. I want to reach the next town before nightfall."
The coachman nodded eagerly, eager to put the encounter behind them. As they resumed their journey, Alaric couldn't shake the feeling that the incident was more than just a random attack. "Water mages among bandits. Something's not right," he thought, settling back into his seat.
As the carriage rolled on, Alaric's mind returned to his mission. He had to remain focused.
After a journey of four weeks, Alaric finally arrived at the main city of the Veil Dukedom. The towering walls and bustling gates were a stark contrast to the wilderness he had traveled through. As he approached the entrance, he handed over the required fees and made his way inside, eager to find a place to rest.
"Let's see," Alaric thought, scanning the streets for a suitable inn. "Something decent, but not too flashy." He settled on an inn that struck the right balance between comfort and discretion. It was slightly more expensive, but it would help him avoid any unnecessary suspicion.
After a night of much-needed rest, Alaric sat down to sort through his items. He needed to decide what to sell and what to keep for himself. He spread the items out on the table, carefully considering each one.
"Items for sale: Bolt of Igram silk, Poison of Nemer serpent, Mid-level Mana crystal, and Tears of earth," he muttered to himself, organizing them into a neat pile. "Items for self-use: Steel and Flare shard."
The next morning, Alaric penned a letter to the Veil household, offering the Nemer poison and the Tears of earth. He knew these items would be of particular interest to them due to their applications in magical research. Satisfied with his plan, he sealed the letter and arranged for a courier to deliver it.
With that taken care of, Alaric set out for the market to sell the mid-level Mana crystal. He walked through the bustling streets, his eyes scanning the various shops until he found the most expensive-looking one. The exterior was grand, with intricately carved wooden doors and gold accents.
"This looks promising," he thought, pushing the door open and stepping inside.
The shop was filled with an impressive assortment of goods, both magical and non-magical. Alaric made his way to the reception, where a well-dressed attendant greeted him. "Good day, sir. How may we assist you?"
"I have something you might be interested in," Alaric replied, producing the mid-level Mana crystal.
The attendant's eyes widened at the sight of the crystal. "One moment, please." He hurried to the back, returning with a senior staff member. After a brief examination of the crystal and a few shocked looks exchanged between the staff, they made him an offer that far exceeded his expectations.
As he walked out of the shop with a hefty sum of money, Alaric couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. "That went better than expected," he thought, slipping the pouch of coins into his coat.
His next stop was the market, where he planned to sell the bolt of Igram silk. He navigated through the crowded stalls, eventually finding a merchant who specialized in rare fabrics. After a brief negotiation, Alaric walked away with another sizable amount of money.
"Now for the steel and Flare shard," he mused, making his way back to the inn. He needed to find a blacksmith or enchanter who could help him utilize these materials for his own purposes.
Back in his room, Alaric laid out his newly acquired funds and took stock of his remaining items. The letters he had sent to the Veil household would take a few days to receive a response. In the meantime, he planned his next move.
"Maybe I should explore the city a bit more," he thought. "See if there are any interesting leads or useful contacts."
The Veil Dukedom held many secrets, and he was determined to make use of them.