As the sun crested onto the small village, the rays breached the west side window of the room right beyond Bella’s footboard. The room housed in order Bella, Zoz and Khalid. Three even-spaced beds headboard to the north wall, a simple wooden chest on the floor at the foot of each bed. The tall metal open-top brazier in the centre of the room now smouldered, barely giving off heat. Bella had awoken early to resume her work. The assistance from Zoz the previous night had provided some progress, but much work still remained. A knock came on the door of the room.

“Message for the room,” A voice came from outside the door.

Khalid jolted from his thought and hopped off the foot of his bed. As the second knock came, he opened the door.

A small boy, no more than ten, dressed in merchants’ clothes with a small brown bowler cap, held out a piece of rolled parchment wrapped with red twine.

“Sir, you’ve been requested by Smokey to the Sleeping Giant for breakfast,” the boy said, handing the letter and departing back down the stairs and out the front door.

Khalid closing the door, turned to the now-waking Zoz and Bella still as she scribbled away.

“We got a letter,” Khalid said

“From who?” Zoz questions

“Well, I can guess,” Khalid said

“Last night, when I went exploring the town, I ended up at the top of the platforms to the west. There are ruins of a big house up there, nothing valuable, but I did find a hatch in the stone floor leading somewhere. I tried to lift it but couldn’t. It might have been magical. Right after I tried and tried, I heard a click from the inside of it. I quickly found some cover to the side behind a part of a collapsed wall to see who or what came out. I kid you not. A cat person walked up from below the hatch. He sniffed the air, looked dead toward me, and walked down the hill. I followed him down until he entered the second-last building on the left before the hill. I tried to go in, but they said members only after sundown,” He continued.

“How much did you drink last night, Khalid?” Zoz

“Only a bit. I wasn’t drunk, though, and this wasn’t a dream. Remember, I don’t sleep or dream.” Khalid said

Bella closed her book as she finished a scribble, moved toward Khalid and took the note.

“Still no luck, eh?” Zoz said, “that is a very complicated arcane formula you’re trying to create,” he continued.

“I’m getting close. I think I’ve got the elemental anchoring solved. Unfortunately, my summoning and release ideas don’t fit by solidifying the anchoring this way.” Bella replied

Bella grabbed the parchment from Khalid, removed the twine, and unravelled it to read.

“Oh…” Bella said after a moment.

“Oh?” Zoz replied

“We forgot about Xi’ti,” Bella said

“Oh..” Khalid Said

“Seems this Smokey has her at the Sleeping Giant,” Bella continued, “and wants to meet to discuss our presence here.”

“Huh, a cat person…Does the letter mention what they have for breakfast?” Zoz asked

“Oh, we’ll have breakfast first, then we can deal with this,” Bella replied.

“I agree I’m starving,” Khalid said

“You get hungry?” Zoz said

“Sort of,” Khalid replied

The group dressed, donned their equipment, and retrieved their effects from the individual wooden chests at the end of their beds.

“I’ll take the orbs,” Bella said

“I want to study them and see if I can recreate them,” She continued

The others handed their orbs over as they gathered by the door. Bella opened the door to see the previously quiet, dimly lit area with sectioned couches, now illuminated with sunlight from the canvas window.

“Was that window there last night?” Zoz asked as he finished his wrappings.

“Now that is a spread!” Khalid replied disinterestedly to Zoz’s question.

Khalid made his way over to the southmost table, previously host to Bella and Zoz the night before, to find it filled with various foods. Various braised and sliced types of meat were arranged in a cornucopia with fresh-cut fruit on a wooden platter. A mountain of dumplings surrounded the meat and fruit, a chain of sausage links placed around them, and a mixture of unknown sauces beside them. Fire-kissed sliced bread with a half stick of butter sat on a separate platter. Three large tankards of a sweet-smelling ale were placed at the table in no particular order.

“Oh wow! I’m gonna dig in! Zoz said, rushing over to the table.

Bella checked the room over a final time, then closed the door. As the lock clicked, she felt the orbs had begun to degrade into raw arcane energy, then dispersed in her hands.

“Clever but disappointing,” Bella said as she turned and made her way to the placed feast and her companions. Inspired by the small orb recently dispersed. Bella continued her scrawling as she ate.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“I think I have an idea, but I need more of those orbs,” Bella said

“What’s wrong with the ones we gave you?” Zoz questioned through a mouth full of sausage.

“They disappeared when I shut the door,” She replied

“Oh….Oh! That would work,” Zoz said. “If you can get more of them to figure out how,” He continued.

“That was my thought, but I have some ideas to make it easier to find out which ones a wrong,” She replied.

The meal cleared, and their morning hunger sated. They departed down the stairs past the velvet rope. The chatter of the main area became audible as they headed for the door.

“Will you need the room again tonight?” A voice shouted from across the tavern

The group looked at each other.

“Should we just book for the next two days, just in case?” Zoz questioned

“Free beer and breakfast for one gold aren’t too bad, right?” Khalid replied

“Might as well,” Bella answered as she departed the group from the door and headed to the bar counter.

Bella reached behind her into her coin pouch, withdrew her last four gold coins and placed them on the counter.

“This is for two nights. The extra here plus the extra I gave last night is for one of those orbs to study.’ she said

“Twenty gold, and ill just teach you the spell,” Mirla replied

“Just the orb is fine. I’ll figure it out”. Bella Said

Mirla placed the three glowing room orbs on the counter and a plain looking one separate from them.

“I’ll let you know the moment you pick that up, it’s going to disappear,” Mirla said

“Why?” Bella replied

“Trade secret”

“Just the rooms for now, then,” Bella said as she retrieved two of the four gold coins and replaced them with eight silver coins. She collected the three glowing orbs and regrouped with Khalid and Zoz by the door, handing one of them to each.

“Let’s go,” Bella said

“You know where we are going, Khalid. You lead the way.” Zoz chimed in

Khalid pushed the door open into the morning sunlight and stepped outside with the group.

A very different sight greeted him from last night. The town was now buzzing with villagers as they passed toward and returned from the market.

Stepping outward, he looked to his right where the closed, empty market had been the night before. Various stalls with brightly coloured fabric ceilings were littered throughout the circular market area. Patrons and proprietors could be heard chatting and haggling over multiple goods for sale. More carts with vegetation and others with fabrics and oddities were still gathering to set up shop for the day. The row of buildings surrounding the market circle now had open front faces with a service desks in their shops facing the market. He could see three particular shops gathered at the northern end of the circle directly across the main path they travelled to arrive in town, next to the Tilton. The first was an armourer with several crafted armours on stands out front. Next to it was a jewel crafter with several necklaces and rings on display. The furthest he could see before being hidden by the crowds was a weapon shop with various large and small weaponry on stands. The sound of interchanging hammers hitting anvils could be heard even through the crowd. He could see smoke rising from some of the tents as patrons left with plates of food.

“This town certainly becomes lively. There can’t be that many merchants in this small village. Bella said

“Yea, and it took us three days on foot to get here from Vetur,” Zoz added

“One more question for this smokey,” Bella said as she turned toward Khalid and tapped his head. “what are you looking at?” She asked

“There are blacksmiths over there and shiny rings,” Khalid replied

“Perhaps a small detour. I am looking for something to make casting and swordplay easier.” Bella said as she headed toward the swarm of people.

Khalid and Zoz followed her across the path to the second shop in from the path.

The shop’s open wall section was swung outward and acted as a large display shelf of gold and silver accessories accented with different gems. The rich dark wood counter was layered with various greater wares under a glass covering.

“Hello, miss. Welcome to Aoern’s Accessories and artifacts. I’m Aoern. How can I help you.” the scruffy dwarf with a loupe on his left eye and slicked-back grey hair announced as Bella stepped up to the counter. Dressed in brown overalls, he placed his worn fingers on the counter and smiled.

Bella withdrew a short piece of wood with a white crystal embedded in it from the sash covering her stomach. A large crack was visible along the wood, and a second around the wood encircled the gem.

“This is no longer usable,” Bella said as she grasped either side of the wood and bent it until it snapped. She snatched the crystal out of the air and left the broken wood to fall to the ground. “Can you make a piece of metal that will house this that I can clip to my hair or ear?” She continued

“Sure can, but depending on the material you want it made from, it will take time,” Aoern replied.

“Preferably something not likely to break,” Bella said.

“Steel or iron is your best bet then, iron being the cheaper of the two.”

“I would like it to be well designed, presentable in certain company, and functional. steel will do fine how long will it take?” Bella said

“With detailing and design, I can have it done by tomorrow morning. I’d say it would cost you two gold even.”

“Very well, I will return tomorrow morning to retrieve it, do not lose this,” Bella said as she withdrew her last two gold coins and placed them on the counter along with the white crystal.

Bella turned around and looked at Khalid. “Where is this place?” she said

“Ah, your name, miss? Aoern said

“Bellatrix,” She said, turning her head slightly

“Let’s try to keep the fighting to a minimum until I can retrieve that. I was able to stock a decent amount of components from that shop in Vetur, but still.” She said

“Now that Bella has her jewellery taken care of,” Khalid said with a slight snicker. “This way toward the platforms,” Khalid said, turning to his left and leading them away from the bustling market.

The group arrived five or so minutes before the opened door of The Sleeping Giant.

“Do we.. ?” Khalid said

“Come on in,” a voice from inside interrupted him

Khalid consented to the voice and stepped into the building as the others followed. A sharp contrast in brightness took a moment to adjust to. The only light was generated from a fire pit on the far left. The fresh logs burned brightly with a constant crackle. Two large red four-seater sofas facing each other sat in front of the centred firepit. A large brown pelt covered the light hardwood flooring between them. Spaced along the left wall, he could see three doors at intervals. In the center of the room were three large round tables with four evenly spaced chairs. In the far right corner, a light wood double bar matching the flooring, behind stood a thin girl in dark blue formal clothing with her hair tied back. Khalid could see that her ears had been clipped to resemble human ears. Another door was located at the bottom of the right wall, this one weather warn and marred with scratches. Between this door and the bar was a single six-foot wooden table. This table had a much more refined craft and materials, dark varnished wood with benches. Upon the far bench sat the only other creature in the room, a familiar furred humanoid Khalid had encountered the night before.

“Hey, I’m Smokey.”