(DAY2)

I sat there for a moment, gathering my wits, somewhat overwhelmed by what just happened to me.

When my brain started working again, I pulled off my backpack, and frantically started looking through it for the Magic Tome. It had been in the center main part of my backpack, set flat behind my shoulder blades. Exactly where you were supposed to pack the heavy stuff. I looked in the pack again, my face slack, staring dully. The entire center section of the pack was completely empty. I stuck my hand into it to be sure. Not even a piece of lint.

Trying not to panic, I walked around the clearing, picking up the bits the two men had kicked to me and stuffing them one by one into the pack. Hat, sleeping bag, poncho, a coil of Paracord. A foil lined space blanket rolled up tight and held with a hairband… That was it. I kicked around frantically in the weeds, not leaving the clearing, but not finding the Tome either. After the 4th or 5th time going over all the same locations, I stopped my brain full of spinning emptiness and not much more, I put my hands to the side of and head, looked at the sky and yelled “FUCK” at the top of my voice.

I then collapsed where I was, hugging my limp backpack like a teddy bear and thinking furiously. Hey! you try to look manly at a moment like that.

First and foremost, I rattled off a prayer to Gar, better call him Garabal for good measure, don’t want any wrong numbers. I prayed as hard as I could and explained everything that happened, including the missing tome. I then sat there expectantly, hoping for an angel, or a burning bush or something.

Nothing.

Right and truly angry, I mentally added the large grey woman to my list of mortal enemies. Those never to be trusted again. To be avoided at all costs. Never to be forgiven. Right next to the supposed buddy in college who’d been fucking my then girlfriend the whole time. Never again Steeve, never again!

Then I unrolled and spread out the poncho, and began methodically going through the pockets of the pack, include the two smaller pouches connected to the molly straps on the side. Laying everything I found out on the poncho, next to the gear I had already recovered. It included My sword, many fire and light stones, one communication stone and many other small bits of mall ninja-esque survival gear. The grey lady got my water purifier though. That might suck.

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(If you want a full list of the content of the remaining pockets of the backpack. See Appendix A)

After spreading out and looking at everything I had. I patted my pockets, remembering the extra socks Wes had tucked deep into the pockets of his leather biker jacket before he traded it for mine. I pulled them out and unrolled one pair of socks to check the size

When I did one of the socks hung strangely and I realized there was a lump in the end of one of the toes.

I quickly upended the sock over my other palm and dumped it out. There shining in my palm were 2 simple gold rings, like a men’s wedding band.

That sly devil! Wes had put loot in the socks, probably when he was puttering about Gar’s living room. I definitely owed that guy a beer. Gold was worth, well, Pure Gold here, Aggie had said my silver was great, imagine gold. I slipped them into my inner pocket of my leather jacket, where the gold would be safest, and zipped up the jacket just to be sure.

I quickly pulled out the other pair of socks, shuffling them too through my fingers to empty them. Out fell a Crystal Skull the size of my palm, this one glowing just slightly from deep in its center. Holy shit. I concentrated and used my carefully nurtured identify talent on the skull, frightened it was the dummy one Gar had shown me earlier. It came back;

[Crystal Skull of Power. Crush to add 1 level to your Magical Rank.]

Fuck. Wes had just maybe, saved my bacon.

I went to slip it into my inner pocket as well, but I suddenly remembered what Ms. Agatha has said, back when I’d asked for my house and all its contents. I wouldn’t get my inventory till I landed in Devona. I am in Devona.

In hope and desperation, I thought “Inventory” as hard as I could. Up popped a big grid area, but there was nothing but my blacksmithing kit in my inventory. Except at the very bottom, it listed. In a section labeled ”Money”.

48 1 oz silver coins.

2 1/4oz and 1 1/2oz 90% silver coins.

15 medium bronze coins.

Oh crap, I’d totally forgotten what happened to that box of silver I’d had Aggie grab for me. Thank God, er Gar, whatever Aggie had added it here. If I’d had it on me, it would have been right next to the Magic Tome spread out on the floor of the gate chamber.

Honestly, I’d rather have the Tome of Magic, but a jingle in my pocket was better than nothing.

I tossed everything useful into my inventory, and tossed the back pack in as well and sat down to think, my sword sitting across my knees.. There was much to ponder.