Alex smiled as he walked towards the front of his shop. As he did, he looked towards his left and saw the glistening trinkets and other knickknacks that he had collected and made, ranging from a little car to a large, odd-looking sword as well as a variety of different potions and medicines. He smiled as he breathed in the smell of oil and tea. When he reached the counter, the door opened, and a bell rang. It was the first customer of the day, his good friend Tom.

As Tom made it to the table, he placed down a set of peculiar-looking eyeglasses. Alex looked down at them, smirked, and shook his head, saying, "Tom, how many times have I told you not to put these in water?" Tom, with a gaping mouth, replied in a wounded tone, "I always wonder how you figure it out, and you've only told me like 7 times now, so don't be so happy."

As Tom was speaking, the door opened, shutting the two men up, and in walked a snow-covered Jacob, who was holding a piece of paper. As he walked forward, he placed the paper down on the countertop and said in his thick orcish accent, "The copper and lead you asked for are around back. Can I get the money now, please?" Alex nodded, looking down at the paper. He smiled as he replied joyfully, "Definitely, I will grab it right now."

He walked back into the depths of the shop, and as a loud boom sounded from nearby lightning striking, a storm was brewing, and all knew it would be one for the ages. Alex emerged, still smiling, holding a small purse, which he passed to the thickly clad Orc, shaking hands with him. Meanwhile, Tom watched amused, standing from his leaning position. He shook his head and looked towards Alex, saying in a bemused voice, "I don't know how you stand them; they are so weird with their teeth."

Alex looked towards his friend, a slight frown creasing his face, and replied in an annoyed tone, "Jacob is and always will be a friend as well as a valuable trade partner. He can get me any item or material at a fair price, unlike those damn merchants in town."

As Alex's talking came to a stop, another loud strike of lightning hit nearby, deepening his frown. He picked up the binoculars and placed them in the back, looking outside to see Tom waving from the windows as the rain started. Just then, a small figure rushed into the store and pulled down her hood. Alex stopped dead in his tracks as he saw a young-looking girl with vivid green hair and a bloody-looking mess of an arm.