Thick tension hung within the Iron Barrel as Ethan and Kael faced across from Arius Dain, a rogue whose grin oozed with mischief and danger. He leaned back in his chair, balancing it precariously on two legs while spinning his dagger lazily between his fingers.
"So," Arius said, breaking into the silence. "You want to step into a Fractured Realm, huh? Either you are a brave one or a fool. Maybe both."
Maybe we don't get a vote, Kael said, her tone sharp.
Arius raised an eyebrow. He clearly found this amusing. "Fair enough. Let me give you some free advice before you get yourselves killed: nothing in a Fractured Realm works the way you think it will. Your weapons, your skills-even the system itself-they're all unreliable. It's like the rules of the world are rewritten as you go."
"Rewritten?" Ethan asked, frowning.
"Exactly," Arius said, leaning forward. "Think about it—fighting a wolf, and then gravity suddenly turns out to be optional. Trying to cast a fireball when you actually get a lightning bolt instead. That's the Fractured Realms for you: chaos in flesh."
Kael's eyes narrowed. "And yet you survived."
Arius smiled. "I can adapt. That's the thing—you cannot simply overpower these places. You need to think on your feet."
"Anything else we should know?" Ethan asked.
"Yes," Arius said, growing serious. "The Voidborn don't play fair. They'll screw with your mind, turn you on each other if they can. Trust is your best weapon—and your biggest liability."
Ethan looked to Kael, and the weight of what Arius had just said drove him back as if it threatened to crush him. "Okay. So how do we get to one of these Fractured Realms?"
Arius chuckled. "Patience, kid. First, you'll need to gear up. To enter a realm unprepared is suicide. You will need equipment, better weapons, and some magical protection if you can manage that."
"Magsical protection?" Kael asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Wards, potions, anything to counter corruption," Arius said. "There is a merchant in the marketplace-her name is Delva. She specializes in anti-corruption goods. Expensive, but worth every coin."
Ethan groaned heavily. "Of course it's expensive. We just spent all our money."
Arius shrugged. "Welcome to the adventurer's life, Ethan. Want to live, you pay the price."
Kael stood up, letting her bow curve over her shoulder. "Fine. We'll go see this Delva and see what we can afford." She looked at Arius. "Are you coming with us?
"Not yet," Arius said, with a grin. "I'll join you once you're actually ready to tackle a realm. Until then, I'll be here---enjoying another drink."
Ethan rubbed at his temples. "Why does this feel like a terrible idea already?"
Arius raised his tankard in a mock toast. "Because it probably is. Good luck, kids."
He had never seen the marketplace so carefree, yet it made his skin vibrate with irritation. Kael moved through the crowded stalls with ease.
"Do you think we'll be able to afford anything?" Ethan asked as they approached the booth, which was marked with weird, glowing runes.
Kael turned. "We'll be fine. If Delva's wares are as fine as Arius makes them out to be, we can't afford not to buy from them."
The stall itself was a chaotic sprawl of baubles, of phials, of scrolls. A woman in the middle of her years, with silvery streaks in her hair and green eyes that seemed almost to transect one, stood behind the counter, her fingers vibrating through rings that glimmered limnously in the light.
Looking for something in particular?" she asked, her voice smooth and practiced.
"Delva?" Kael asked.
The woman nodded. "That's me. Let me guess—you're off to a Fractured Realm."
Ethan blinked. "How did you know?"
Delva smirked. "I can spot reckless adventurers a mile away. Besides, no one else buys my anti-corruption gear unless they're desperate."
Kael ignored the jab. "What do you have for sale?
She pointed at her wares. "Wards against influence by the Voidborn, potions to slow corruption, and scrolls with lesser purification magic. It's not cheap, but you'll find nothing better."
Ethan picked up a small amulet in the shape of an eye. "What's this?"
"Void's Eye Ward," Delva said. "Limited resistance to mind manipulation. Useful against when the Voidborn try twisting your thoughts."
Ethan frowned. "How much?"
"Twenty silver."
"Twenty silver?" Ethan groaned, putting the amulet on the shelf.
Kael looked at a vial filled with liquid that glittered green. "And this?"
"Anti-Corruption Elixir," Delva said. "If you're exposed to corruption, drinking it will slow how fast it spreads. Fifteen silver."
Ethan let out a resigned sigh. "We're broke. Is there any way we can trade for this stuff?"
Delva looked at them for a moment before her eyes settled on the pouch at Kael's waist. "You have Shadow Essence, don't you?"
Kael frowned. "How do you know?"
"It's rare and dangerous, but I can use it to craft more powerful wards. I'll give you two Void's Eye Wards and an Anti-Corruption Elixir in exchange for the Shadow Essence."
Kael's hand hovered over the pouch. "What do you think, Ethan?
Ethan considered it. The Shadow Essence was a high-value booty from the Shadow Hound, but as much as they might be wanting that now, considering their current situation, truly they had little use for it at the moment of time compared to what Delva had offered them. "I think we need the wards worse than the essence.
"Pleasure doing business," Delva said, her green eyes gleaming.
---
As they left the marketplace, Ethan slipped the Void's Eye Ward around his neck. The amulet felt warm against his skin, as if pulsing faintly with energy.
"You think these will actually work?" he asked.
"They'd better," Kael replied, tucking the elixir into her pack. "Or we're in trouble."
They stopped near the edge of the square, sitting on a low stone wall to catch their breath.
"You ever think we're in over our heads?" Ethan asked after a long silence.
Kael glanced at him. "All the time. But we don't have a choice. The system picked us for this quest, and if we don't deal with it, who will?
Ethan sighed. "Yeah, I guess." He looked at the Void's Eye Ward, flipping it in his hand. "I just hope this thing keeps me from losing my mind in there."
Kael smirked faintly. "You're already half-crazy, so it shouldn't be much of a problem."
Ethan laughed, despite himself. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."
---
Back in the Hub
As they returned to the Adventurer's Hub, the sun was lowering, casting long shadows all around the village. The inside had changed slightly—less noisy, more subdued.
He was still sitting at his table, but the tankard beside him was empty. He looked up at them as they approached.
"Well, look who's back," he said. "Get everything you need?"
Barely, Kael replied, settling into the chair across from him. "We traded the Shadow Essence for wards and an elixir."
"Good call," Arius said. "You're going to need all the help you can get."
Ethan sat down next to Kael, slouching against the table, his spear leaning against it. "So what's our next step?"
Arius smiled. "Next, we go to the edge of the forest. There's a gateway to a Fractured Realm hidden there - an old ruin that serves as an entry point."
Kael's face twisted in a frown. "How do you know about this?"
"I was there once," Arius said with an air that told someone that talked about remembering a past life. " Barely escaped with my skin. But with the three of us. maybe we have a shot."
"Maybe," Ethan muttered. "Very comforting."
Arius let out a laugh. "Hey, calm down, kid. Stick with me and you'll live a very long time to regret that you ever did."