The streets of Caldera were an endless maze of shadows, lanterns and people. It was dark, but that was no surprise, it was always dark on the second floor.

We walked in silence. Miko led the way, a smile upon her face. She greeted everyone we passed, a wave, a nod or even a brief pause to chat. Eliaria followed close behind, her head darting about as she took in everything.

Flint brought up the rear. He was in the foulest mood I had ever seen him in. The encounter with the sliven had gotten to him, and I was still trying to process it myself. We had almost been tricked into binding our souls to some dragon goddess's domain. If it wasn't for Miko, who knew what would have happened?

I shivered at the thought. I didn't know much about binding, but being bonded to a dragon sounded horrible.

Miko had told me that the fake card forge trap was laid out by the Dragon Goddess herself. It was a trick to get new worshipers, but with so few visitors, the number of people that fell for it had dropped drastically over the years.

It was obvious that we had no idea what was happening on the second floor. We were stumbling around blind and if we didn't learn quickly, then the consequences could be deadly.

The loud pounding of a blacksmith's hammer interrupted my thoughts. I looked up to see a large stone building, the glow from the forge illuminating the street in front of it. The blacksmith, a burly horned zorin, was shaping a blade that must have been as long as he was tall.

It was strange to see people still milling about, working and shopping, all carrying lanterns or glowing crystals. There was no natural light, so everyone had adapted. People created their own daily cycles but based on what I wasn't sure. It made me wonder how crops were grown on this floor. Nobody I'd seen had looked ill or malnourished. I figured it was probably the Tower's magic, it usually was.

We left Artisan’s Alley behind us and entered the Mage Bazaar. Here, shops selling spell cards, potions and relics lined both sides of the street. Everything was far out of our price range. It looked like we’d need to find jobs if we wanted to stay in the city much longer.

"This is it," Miko said as she came to a stop in front of an inn.

I looked up, taking in the sign.

'The Waystone Inn'. The words were painted in chipped, glowing paint.

"You've got to be shitting me," Flint said, pointing at the sign.

I laughed, "So Malachi was right."

Eliaria stared up at the sign. "There's an inn just like this in your village, I remember staying there."

"Exactly like this," I said, grinning.

Miko frowned at us, "Of course there is! Every floor has its own Waystone Inn."

"Is there really a waystone in there?" Flint asked, sounding interested for the first time.

Miko's eyes narrowed, "Which floor did you say you were from?"

"We didn't say," I said.

Miko grinned once more, "So mysterious! Are you guys bandits, or, wait, don't tell me—you are nobles escaping an arranged marriage involving all three of you?"

I laughed again, "We are definitely not nobility."

Miko shook her head playfully. "Oh well, I'll squeeze your secret out of you eventually. Now, let's get going—drinks are on you, mystery boy!"

***

A wave of warmth and noise greeted us as we entered the inn. A crowd of people were gathered around stone tables smoking long pipes. One man exhaled a huge cloud of white smoke, and Eliaria coughed.

"Those things will be the end of you, Kled," Miko warned, waving at the man.

Kled grinned, revealing a row of yellowed teeth, and puffed out a stream of smoke in her direction.

A bar lined the back of the inn, and a stout zorin woman with short-cropped hair pulled up a lever on a cask. Amber liquid splashed into a glass mug, and she pushed the handle down, cutting off the flow of the liquid.

"Four fire ales, Hilda," Miko said, holding up her fingers.

"Comin' right up."

I looked around the inn, taking in the spacious interior. There were several long tables and chairs and a staircase that led to bedrooms on the upper levels. A large double door led to a back room where I could hear the murmur of a crowd.

Miko guided us to a table and settled in, motioning for us to join her. "So," she began, removing her oracle lens glasses, "are you ready to sell me that card?"

I frowned, "Not a chance, this baby's special."

"Let's have a look," she leaned forward, intrigued. "Can't say I've seen one of these before."

I summoned the [Candlewick Sprite] on the table and watched it flicker into being. It was tiny, about the size of my fist, with delicate, pointed ears and a mischievous smile. Its body was a deep orange color, like hot embers, and it hovered above the table, staring at me with wide, unblinking eyes.

"It's so precious," Eliaria said, watching the sprite with fascination. "We can't get rid of him."

"Him?" Flint asked.

"Elementals are genderless," Miko clarified, rolling her eyes. "But we can refer to it as 'him' if that makes you feel better."

Hilda arrived with our drinks, and I took a sip. The fire ale was surprisingly good, with a sweet honey aftertaste and a warmth that spread throughout my body.

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"That's hit the spot," Flint said, banging his mug on the table.

"It burns," Eliaria said, taking small sips from the oversized mug. She smiled, "But it's so good."

"Glad you like it," said Miko, "it's a local delicacy."

"I've got another card I might be interested in trading," I said, still gazing at the sprite.

"Yes?"

"[Pilgrim's Rest] it's a rare space affinity—"

"I'm quite acquainted with it," Miko remarked, a slight smile gracing her lips. "This card is sought after by many adventurers. It significantly speeds up questing."

"I can imagine," I said, now thinking about it.

With the spell, card hunters and adventurers could go further out of town without fear of having to spend the night in the wild. Once they were finished with their job, they could teleport back to the temple.

I wasn't so sure I wanted to get rid of the card anymore. But it really depended on what we could get in exchange for it. We needed the power to defeat the floor boss more than we needed a quick mode of transport.

"It's a rare card," I said, "do you have anything of similar value to offer?"

Miko chuckled lightly. "Come on," she teased. "I've got a bunch of cards with similar value. The real question is, what are you looking for?"

She laid her hand on the table, and the clinking sound of chains echoed faintly. The chain links emerged around her wrist, coiling upward. At the end of the chain dangled a black book. She caught the book and dropped it onto the table with a thud.

"What's that?" I asked, peering down at the book.

The cover had an illustration of a circle made up of the fourteen affinities, surrounding a single circle which contained the ‘eye in a triangle’ symbol of the Tower.

"It's a card grimoire," Miko explained. "And it's actually a space affinity card that protects other cards."

She flipped open the book, to the first page, revealing four cards neatly arranged in rows, each held within its own magical pocket.

"All my top-notch cards are here," she mentioned proudly.

"How many cards do you have?" Eliaria asked, her eyes wide with awe.

"Thirty-seven," Miko responded.

"That's amazing!"

Miko nodded, a proud gleam in her eyes. "I've been trading cards for years," she shared.

"Why don't you use the cards yourself?" I asked.

"I'm only Porcelain-6," she explained, "So my deck limit is two cards. My foundation card takes up one slot, and [Infinity Grimoire] takes up the second."

"Why don't you rank up?" Flint asked.

Miko shot him a stern look. "Because I happen to value my life, that's why."

"Is it dangerous to rank up on this floor?" Eliaria asked, a concerned look on her face.

"It's safer sticking with a group," Miko responded. "But I'm a trader, not a fighter. I deal in buying and selling cards to make a living. If I ventured into the field, I probably wouldn't last very long."

"That makes sense," Eliaria said.

"Take a look at my wares," Miko said, "let me know if something grabs your attention. Even if it's out of your price range, we may be able to come to some agreement."

***

I sipped on ale as I leafed through the book of cards. It was strange to see just how diverse the cards were. Miko had at least one card from each of the fourteen affinities.

There was a song weaving affinity card called [Echoes of Renewal] that, when cast, accelerated plant growth. There was also a celestial affinity card called, [Lunar Veil] that, when cast, could prevent the target from sleeping for the duration of the spell.

I was particularly impressed with what she called a starter summoner's deck. It was made of three cards. [Conjurer’s Sight] which allowed the caster to see through the eyes of a summoned familiar. [Conjurer’s Switch] which allowed the caster and familiar to switch locations and [Luminoth] a summoned creature that produced light based on the caster's mood. The summoned creature also had the ability to mimic the appearance of other light sources, allowing it to camouflage or act as a decoy.

"These are amazing," I said, unable to hide the excitement in my voice.

I could just imagine what it would be like to send a summon into an enemy encampment and see through its eyes, and then switch locations with it the moment it found a good hiding place.

"Which one catches your fancy?" Miko inquired, wearing a smile.

"The summoners deck," I said. "What do you want in exchange?"

Miko tapped her chin in thought. "I'd consider two rares a fair trade," she proposed, "or alternatively, one rare and sixty essence."

I didn't have the cards or the essence for that trade. I really wanted to build my deck around curse, death and summon affinity, so I didn't have to take the hit to my [power] stat but [Sky Shield] had saved our lives on multiple occasions. As for [Pilgrim’s Rest], the card had its uses, as Miko had already pointed out.

"I'll have to think about it," I said, "but if we do decide to sell, you will be the first to know."

We fell silent for a bit as Eliaria leafed through the grimoire and I sipped on the fire ale.

"Do you know anything about the floor boss?" Flint asked. "Where is it, and what is it?"

Miko pushed her empty mug away and wiped her mouth with the back of her sleeve, "I'm not an information broker," she said. "I prefer dealing with things I can touch and hold, not rumors and speculation. But I know a guy who can help. If you're willing to trade some essence for the information, he might be willing to share."

"Who is it?" I asked.

"His name is Rakanar," Miko said, a serious look on her face. "He's an old friend, and he's trustworthy."

"But?" I asked, suspecting there was something she wasn't saying.

Miko sighed, "He lives in Tattertown, and he spooks easily, you don't want to see him when he’s scared."

I frowned at that piece of information, but before I could ask about it, Eliaria spoke up, "And what's wrong with the people in Tattertown?" she asked, tilting her head curiously.

"Of course, you are new here," Miko said, shaking her head. "Tattertown is an entire district of beggars and thieves. It used to be safe, but not anymore."

"What changed?" I asked.

"The Black Briar," Miko said, a scowl on her face. "They came from out of town and claimed the area. Now they rule Tattertown and the surrounding slums."

"What's so bad about them?" Flint asked.

"Everything," Miko spat. "They sell drugs to the down and out and when they can't pay anymore, the Briar makes them disappear."

"Makes them disappear?" I asked. "What the hell does that mean?"

"Exactly what you think it means," Miko said, a frown creasing her forehead.

"And that's where we will find this info seller guy?" Flint asked, sounding skeptical.

"Rakanar," Miko replied. "There are other information brokers but none that sell to the public. Their services are reserved for the great houses and the guilds."

"How much essence would it cost to get the information?" Eliaria asked.

"Rakanar is not a cheap man," Miko warned.

"How much?" Flint repeated.

"For information about the floor boss, it'll be five essence," Miko said. "For a list of beginner Tower achievements, that'll be eight essence."

"Shit," Flint muttered.

"It's not so bad," I said, doing a quick estimation in my head. "We have enough to get started."

Flint glared at me. "I guess."

Miko looked at us curiously, and then she shrugged. "If you need my services, you can find me in Arcane Alley, my shop is called Miko's Magic Emporium."

"Thanks for everything," I said, "I owe you one."

"Any time," Miko replied.

I watched as she stood up and made her way to the door.

"What now?" Eliaria asked.

Flint sighed and drained the rest of his ale. "Now we get some sleep, tomorrow we head to Tattertown."

***