Adventurers!

Alexander slowly opened his eyes and was greeted with the sight of Aurum sleeping soundly under his arm. The dragonling looked so cute that he almost didn't want to disturb him. But he couldn't help but wonder if he should have Aurum turn back into a mouse. "Hmmm, he ate that rat last time," he thought to himself. "I wonder if he can turn into what he eats."

As if sensing his stirrings, Aurum woke up and stretched his little body. "Morning buddy!" Alexander said cheerfully, giving Aurum a little scratch under his chin. "You ready for another day?"

"Ready!" Aurum replied in his childlike, cheerful voice.

"Would you like to change back into a mouse?" Alexander asked.

"No mouse. Boring and tiny," Aurum said with a shake of his head.

"Do you change into something you eat?" Alexander asked, curious.

"Yes! I eat, I change," Aurum replied happily.

With that, Alexander reached for his satchel and pulled out the remaining hopper meat, still fresh from the satchel's magical properties. Hungry from a long sleep, Aurum happily devoured the meat. As he finished, a bright light shone around him and he transformed into a green, six-legged serpentine hopper.

Alexander couldn't help but laugh as he watched Aurum hop around the room, testing out his new form. It was amazing how adaptable the dragonling was, and how much he enjoyed changing into different creatures. Alexander made a mental note to keep some extra animal loot on hand for Aurum in case he got hungry.

"Now that you've had your breakfast, what do you say we go explore the city a bit more?" Alexander suggested to Aurum, who hopped up onto his shoulder.

"Exploring! Yes!" Aurum replied excitedly, his voice echoing in Alexander's head.

Alexander got dressed and made his way down to the inn's common room, where he found Mrs. Loren cooking up a storm in the kitchen. The smell of frying bacon and fresh bread filled the air, making his stomach growl once again.

"Good morning, Alexander!" Mrs. Loren said with a smile. "Did you sleep well?"

"I did, thank you," Alexander replied. "And I see you're making a feast!"

"It's the least I could do for my favorite customers," Mrs. Loren said, winking at him. "Help yourself to whatever you like."

Alexander thought back to the previous night when he had asked Mrs. Loren for something to eat. Upon receiving his plate, he threw her a gold coin and headed to his room. "I think I might have over tipped a bit," Alexander thought bemusedly. "Oh well, can't hurt to have another local's favor."

Alexander loaded up his plate with bacon, eggs, and toast, while Aurum snatched a few crumbs off the table. They ate in silence, enjoying the food and the atmosphere of the inn.

As Alexander stepped out of the inn with Aurum perched on his shoulder in his green hopper form, he felt the energy of the city around him. There was a sense of excitement in the air, a palpable buzz that seemed to be drawing everyone in a certain direction.

Curious, he approached a stranger and asked what was going on. The man turned to him with a grin, "Two adventurers are in town, and they're about to have a duel!"

Alexander and Aurum followed the crowd toward the town square, which was already packed with people. In the center of a fenced-off area, two men were squaring off against each other.

The first man was a younger man wearing leather armor with intricate flowing lines and what seemed to be a slight glow emanating from it. The second man wore a long, flowing robe also slightly glowing. His beard was short and graying, with an air of wisdom to him.

"Would everyone like a demonstration?" the first asked the crowd as if trying to cheer them up.

"Who wants to see some magic!?" the second asked, this time getting an even bigger reaction from the crowd.

"Let's show them then, Gavin," the first said to the other man.

"I suppose we must now, Erik," the other said back, drawing his sword from the hilt at his side and squaring up.

Suddenly, each of their chests glowed brightly, Erik's with a light blue light, Gavin's with a red light. Alexander could make out the necklaces the lights were coming from and the multiple small rocks adorning the chains.

He was mesmerized by the spectacle before him. It was unlike anything he had ever seen. As the two men faced each other, he could feel the tension in the air, the anticipation of the crowd as they waited for the first move.

Aurum chirped from his shoulder, snapping Alexander back to reality. He realized he was standing in the middle of a bustling crowd, and he needed to find a safe place to watch the duel from.

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"Come on, buddy," he said, leading Aurum toward the edge of the square. "Let's find a good spot to watch from."

Climbing the base of a fairly large statue of a woman, Alexander could see the two men just as the action took place.

As the duel began, the air crackled with magic. Gavin's sword was almost too fast to see, surrounded by a red blazing fire. Simultaneously, two shimmering forcefields sprang to life, one around Erik and the other around the area where they were fighting, presumably to protect the onlookers.

Gavin sprang forward, swinging his sword with impossible speed and strength. Erik raised his wand, speaking in an unintelligible language and drawing symbols in the air. The symbols floated and glowed with blue light. As Erik finished drawing, he shot his wand forward and unleashed a column of water at least 4 feet wide at Gavin.

Quickly reacting, Gavin raised his sword, and a wall of flame immediately sprang up in front of him to intercept the water cannon. The fire wall held for a few moments until the water broke through. Gavin rolled to the side, avoiding most of the deluge, but his armor still sizzled from the impact.

With a sudden burst of speed, Gavin leaped forward and closed the distance between him and Erik. The older man waved his wand again, drawing in the air with intricate patterns. The ground shook as a fissure opened up in front of Gavin, but he deftly dodged it with a spin.

Erik raised his hand and spoke a few words of power, and a sharp spear of ice shot out from his fingertips. Gavin swung his sword and split the spear in two, sending it harmlessly into the ground. Gavin then rushed forward, his sword enveloped in flames, and delivered a powerful blow to Erik's forcefield. The shield held, but barely.

Erik took a step back and focused his power, his hands glowing with blue light. Gavin knew what was coming and leaped into the air, spreading his wings of fire. A massive column of water shot up from the ground, chasing him into the sky.

As Gavin flew higher and higher, he felt his wings getting heavier and heavier. The water was freezing him in place, threatening to send him plummeting to the ground. But Gavin wasn't done yet. With a roar of defiance, he channeled his power and let loose a massive blast of flame, engulfing the water and evaporating it in an instant.

The crowd gasped in amazement as Gavin landed gracefully on the ground, his armor steaming and his sword still blazing. Erik looked impressed, but also a bit winded. He raised his hand in surrender, acknowledging Gavin's victory. "I suppose youth triumphs experience in this case," Eric said with a smile.

As the two men made their way out of the fenced-off area, Alexander noticed the intricate details of Gavin's armor. It was adorned with red accents, and it seemed to glow in the sunlight. Erik's robes were similarly impressive, adorned with intricate symbols and patterns.

Aurum chirped in excitement from Alexander's shoulder, seemingly awestruck by the display of magic. Alexander could hardly blame him, as it was unlike anything he had ever seen before.

After the duel, as the crowd dispersed, Alexander turned to Aurum and said with a chuckle, "Well, Aurum, I guess we should stick to our day jobs. I don't think I can pull off that kind of magic, and I know you can't swing a sword."

"Day...job?" the childlike voice sounded confused in his head, causing him to chuckle and scratch the small creature under the chin.

"It's what we do to make money and survive," he explained.

Aurum's eyes widened in understanding, "Oh, I see! I help find things with glowy powers!"

Alexander grinned, "That's a great idea, Aurum. I'm sure we'll find plenty of use for your glowy powers!"

As Alexander walked through the streets, he marveled at the charming city around him. The buildings were made of an array of materials, from stone to wood to metals he couldn't even name. The streets were lined with shops and stands, and he couldn't resist exploring the different smells and sounds.

One store caught his eye in particular. It had a sign hanging above the entrance that read "Arcane Artifacts and Automata." Alexander couldn't help but be intrigued by the name, so he made his way inside.

As soon as he stepped through the door, he was hit with a cacophony of sounds. The store was filled with the whirring and clanging of machines, along with the occasional hiss of steam. The walls were lined with shelves filled with a mix of exotic and intricate machines and tools. Some were familiar, with somewhat obvious uses, while others were unlike anything he had ever seen before.

In the center of the room stood a tall, thin man with a shock of wild white hair. He wore goggles over his eyes and an apron stained with oil and grease. As he approached Alexander, the man's eyes widened in surprise.

"Welcome, welcome! I don't often see new faces around here," the man said with a smile.

"I was just passing by and couldn't resist checking out your store," Alexander replied, looking around in amazement.

"Well, you've certainly come to the right place. We've got all sorts of gadgets and gizmos for all your arcane needs. And if we don't have what you're looking for, we can make it for you," the man said, gesturing to the shelves around them.

Alexander was fascinated by the variety of items on display. He saw what looked like a hand drill, but the handle was made of an intricate mix of gears and steam pipes. There was another tool that resembled a chainsaw, but instead of a blade, it had a series of tiny spinning discs that emitted a glowing blue light.

"Wow, these are incredible," Alexander said in awe.

"Yes, they are. Our machines are the finest in the land if I do say so myself. We use only the finest materials and the most advanced techniques," the man said with a hint of pride in his voice.

Alexander continued to browse the shelves, taking in the wonder of the arcane tools and machines around him.

More than anything else, this astounded Alexander. From the moment he came to Avendor, things fit the mold of a "fantasy world with magic and sword-swinging warriors," but seeing this level of engineering and application of magic with technology made his mind swim with ideas.

Alexander gazed at the array of machines with wonder and amazement, lost in thought about what he could accomplish with this application of technology.

"You know, if I can learn how these machines work, I might be able to rule the world," he joked, laughing to himself.

The storekeeper chuckled. "I wouldn't go that far, but the possibilities are endless. Our machines have helped change the course of wars, helped in building and excavations, and even enhanced the quality of life for everyday people. It's a true marvel of magic and technology combined."

Alexander nodded, still lost in thought. The idea of having such power at his fingertips was both thrilling and intimidating. Alexander was not thinking of small devices, but to use his years of advanced engineering to truly change the world.

"But first," the storekeeper continued, "you'll need to learn the craft. It takes years of study and practice to master the art of artifice. But with enough determination and talent, who knows what you might accomplish."

Alexander grinned. "Challenge accepted. How do I start?"