Chapter 6: Ripples in the Water
The tension in the studio lingered long after the man left. Mi-rae paced back and forth, her brows furrowed. Adam sat slumped in his chair, staring at the faint scorch marks on the workbench from his earlier failed attempts.
"That guy wasn't just some random thug," Mi-rae said finally, breaking the silence. "He moved with purpose. Calm, controlled. He's part of something bigger."
Adam rubbed his temples. "I figured that much when he strolled in here like he owned the place. Any guesses who he might be?"
"Could be anyone," Mi-rae replied. "A rogue talisman crafter, a gang recruiter, or someone higher up the chain. The fact that he knew where to find you means he's got connections—and that means trouble."
Adam groaned, leaning back. "Great. Trouble seems to be the theme of my life these days."
Mi-rae shot him a sharp look. "You can't keep acting like this is a game, Adam. Every move you make is rippling out. People are noticing, and not all of them are friendly."
"Yeah, well, not everyone walks around with a mystery system stuck in their head," Adam snapped. "I'm doing the best I can here."
Mi-rae softened slightly, her voice steady but firm. "Then you need to start taking this seriously. You're not just some guy selling trinkets anymore. You've got power, and people will do anything to take it from you."
Adam sighed, running a hand through his hair. He hated that she was right.
"Alright," he said reluctantly. "What's the plan?"
Mi-rae smirked. "First, we need to fortify. If someone comes after you again, you'll need talismans ready to defend yourself."
Adam perked up. "Now that, I can handle."
Mi-rae slid a small leather-bound notebook across the table. "These are advanced defensive patterns. Start with a Barrier Talisman—it's versatile and should keep you safe in most situations."
Adam picked up the notebook, flipping through its pages. The patterns were intricate, far more complex than anything he'd worked with before. He couldn't help but grin. "Alright, let's do this."
The next few hours were a blur of focused work. Adam meticulously studied the patterns, his hand guided by both the notebook and the system's faint prompts. Each stroke of the brush felt more confident, more deliberate.
By the time he finished, a faint shimmer emanated from the talisman.
Adam held it up, feeling a surge of pride. "Not bad, huh?"
Mi-rae inspected it, nodding approvingly. "It'll do. Now, let's test it."
Adam's smile faltered. "Test it? As in…?"
Mi-rae grabbed a wooden training staff from the corner of the studio. "Activate the talisman. I'll take a swing."
Adam backed up, holding the talisman in front of him. "Are you sure we can't just trust it works?"
Mi-rae smirked, twirling the staff. "Not a chance."
With a resigned sigh, Adam activated the talisman. A shimmering, translucent barrier appeared around him, faint ripples of energy coursing along its surface.
"Here goes nothing," Mi-rae said, stepping forward and swinging the staff in a clean arc.
The barrier held firm, absorbing the impact with a resonant hum. Adam flinched, but the talisman didn't falter.
"Nice," Mi-rae said, lowering the staff. "It's stable. That'll buy you time in a fight."
Adam exhaled in relief. "Glad to hear it."
Before they could celebrate further, a sharp knock echoed through the studio. Both of them froze, their eyes darting to the door.
"Expecting someone?" Adam whispered.
Mi-rae shook her head, gripping the staff tightly as she moved toward the door. Adam readied the barrier talisman, his heart pounding.
The knock came again, louder this time.
Mi-rae swung the door open, revealing a young man in a tattered hoodie, his face pale and streaked with dirt. "Help," he gasped, stumbling forward. "They're after me."
Adam caught him before he collapsed, lowering him to the floor. "Who's after you?"
The man struggled to speak, his breath coming in shallow gasps. "The Black Veil… they… they know…"
Mi-rae's expression darkened. "Black Veil?"
Adam frowned. "What's the Black Veil?"
"They're a rogue group of talisman crafters," Mi-rae said grimly. "Dangerous ones. If this guy's on their radar, so are we."
The man grabbed Adam's arm, his grip weak but desperate. "You… you have to stop them. They're using fake talismans to—"
His sentence cut off as his body went limp, his eyes fluttering closed.
Adam's stomach turned. "Is he…?"
"He's alive," Mi-rae said, checking his pulse. "But barely. We need to get him somewhere safe."
Adam nodded, his mind racing. Whoever the Black Veil was, they clearly weren't playing around.
Cliffhanger: As Adam helped Mi-rae lift the unconscious man, the faint glow of a talisman shimmered in the man's pocket. Unnoticed, its edges darkened with an ominous energy, pulsing faintly like a heartbeat.