It was nightfall as we reached Yamal again, and as we alighted tiredly at the Hoard; the door guard approached me and handed me a letter.

Curiously, I tore it open to find an invitation from the adventurer’s guild to visit them when possible.

Puzzled, I handed it to the teacher, who shrugged and said, “What? You don’t expect me to know why they called you there, do you?”

Seeing me look expectantly at him, the teacher barked out a short laugh as he shook his head, “I’m not omnipotent, Faustus. Go visit them tomorrow and find out what they want. Though I bet its something good,” he finished as his eyes lit up and he chuckled.

Even more puzzled, I trailed behind the Teacher, and bidding him goodbye; I made my way to my room.

Throwing myself onto the mattress face down, I laid there for a while before I turned over and reached for the sky, summoning a vial of the potion of thorns.

Looking at it for a bit, I grinned and unsummoned it. Then, I turned over and went to sleep.

Waking in the morning to the fragrance of fresh bread and eggs wafting from the dining hall, I quickly got ready and sprinted.

Only to watch in abject misery as I was handed the last two slices of a loaf, along with one solitary egg that grinned at me yellowly.

Inhaling the food, I waved a quick goodbye to Madam Amee, who heaved a sigh of relief, and then I was out of the door and running to the adventurer’s guild.

Reaching there, I saw Farrah busy at work. Coming near him, I coughed to alert him of my presence. Once. Twice. Thrice. Then, throwing caution to the winds, I yelled out.

Violently jumping up, Farrah glared severely at me and asked, “What was that for?”

Aggrieved, I pointed to myself and said, “I called you so many times but you didn’t hear.”

Dusting himself off and arranging the papers that had been strewn about, Farrah spoke. “Apologies… There’s a lot of paperwork to be filed. Speaking of which, it’s good that you came.”

Nodding, I waited for him to speak as he adjusted the various papers in his pockets, and then reaching into one, he pulled out a paper and threw it at me.

Catching it, I opened it to see in bold letters a missive that stated that due to meritorious service; I was granted the right to operate solo, and a reward.

Delighted, I stared at Farrah and stuck out my hand.

Looking at it, he whispered, “Money Grubber,” before he reached into a drawer in the desk and pulled out a pouch.

Tossing it to me, he said grandly, “Your reward, Sirrah!”

Equally grandly, I caught it and said, “Thank you, Sir Farrah!”

Then staring at each other, we broke into a laugh as Farrah spoke, “We should be bards instead of adventurers. It’d pay us better too!”

Puzzled, I asked as I hefted the bag, “But this doesn’t seem too bad?”

Grinning sardonically at me, Farrah said, “That’s your share of the loot from the Tarantula’s body.”

Then, tossing a solitary coin at me, he said, “This… is your reward.”

Catching it, I looked dumbstruck at the gold Proton that lay shimmering in my hand, and up at Farrah before I choked out, “You’re not serious, are you?”

Farrah looked at me for a long moment before he laughed and tossed me another coin.

Catching it, I saw it was one big shiny…. copper.

It was my turn to look at Farrah for a long moment before I held up the copper and asked with frustration, “What is with you people and your fascination with coppers?”

Shrugging, Farrah said, “Beats me, but Sir William specified that you would receive 1 gold and that 1 copper. I’m just following his orders.”

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Shaking my head, I asked curiously, “Isn’t Sir William retired? Why does he have so much authority?”

Looking in confusion at me before he slapped his head, Farrah spoke. “You don’t know since you’ve just joined, but Sir William is also the vice-leader of the Yamal branch of the adventurer’s guild. But this isn’t his main job, which is why we say he’s retired.”

Catching on to the last part, I asked, “Then what is his main job?”

Smiling mysteriously at me, Farrah said, “You’ll find out soon enough. Now take these…. Scraps with you, and get a better set for next time.”

Saying so, I received an armful of my tattered leather armor that was, as Farrah rightly said, scraps.

Scraps which drove out the mysterious smile right off my mind as I realized that my grand plan that I had been thinking of the entire night had just been derailed.

Because I didn’t have another set of armor.

Plus, my sword had also been left behind in the forest of death, and I wasn’t too keen on getting it back.

All I had at the moment were the clothes on my back, and my dagger that I would never part with. Oh, and the Horn of Valor which stayed inside me, rent free.

Trembling, I looked at Farrah before I cleared my throat and asked, “You wouldn’t happen to have an adventurer loa-”

Cutting me off, Farrah firmly replied in the negative, and my hopes were dashed.

Dejectedly, I walked to the Hoard, and found Sir Patrick, who looked at me askance as I placed the many scraps of the armor in front of him, and asked, “Repairable?”

Seeing his expression, my sigh was audible enough to be heard throughout the Hoard.

Then hopefully, I asked, “Do you have any armor that’ll fit me?”

Shaking his head, Sir Patrick looked at me with sympathy as he spoke, “I’m afraid not, young Faustus. All of our arms have been diverted to the mercenary troop. They’re in the thick of things all the time, and they can’t keep up with the wear and tear of their equipment.”

Frustrated, I remembered the pouch that Farrah had thrown at me, and opening it; I stood stupefied.

Inside were glittering golden Protons that lay smilingly, a vision of wealth. Counting, I gulped as there were a whole 40 gold Protons inside!

As I inwardly mumbled, “I’m rich, I’m rich!”, Sir Patrick leaned over and gasped as he saw the gold.

Seeing his expression as though he suspected me of robbing a bank, I hastily explained the situation with the Tarantula reward, and then, gritting my teeth; I handed him 10 gold coins, and spoke, “Give those to Aaron, please. That’s the loan he’d given me before with some interest.”

Raising his eyebrows, Sir Patrick looked at me appraisingly before he nodded with a smile.

Taking a last look at the pair of Gauntlets that Aaron had given me, now almost scrap, I waved goodbye to him and trotted off to the Dining hall to find Madam Amee.

Handing her another 10 gold, I bid goodbye to a petrified Madam Amee, who peered in shock after my retreating back as I went off to my last destination for the day.

The 6 story shop with the best equipment in Yamal.

Calming my racing heart, I valiantly stepped in through the doorway, and almost immediately; the heads of all the attendants snapped toward me as money signs appeared in their eyes.

Gulping, I walked forward - conscious of the sweat dripping down - and the coins jingling in my pocket.

To replace my armor.

As I waved away the attendants and browsed the equipment on display, I noticed a brightly lit stand with many lightstones placed above it.

Curiously, I made my way over, only to gasp as I saw the prices.

15 gold for a common sword!

“This was practically daylight robbery,” I screamed in my mind.

So, of course, I had to try the sword out.

A few minutes later, I walked out of the shop, a very finely made common sword hanging on my hip.

Looking off into the distance with my eyes dripping tears, I sniffled as I consoled myself, “At least I still have 6 gold left of the reward.”

Only to realize that I still didn’t have any Baling armor!

Gritting my teeth, I went back inside, and as the attendants approached, I coyly traced my feet and asked, “Do you have any armor for less than 1 gold?”

Looking at me with disdain, they sniffed and replied in the affirmative. Stunned, I looked at them and spoke out in disbelief, “Really?”

“Yes, yes, which piece do you want?”

Blinking my eyes, I said, “I want a set of armor.”

A few seconds later, I was out on the street dusting my behind off; a behind that, may I add, was nearly pierced by the Baling sword that I had just purchased as I flew out of the shop.

Morosely, I scanned the nearby shops, only to find them gleaming with Gold Proton signs emanating from every part of the building.

Shuddering, I dragged my feet as I walked toward the Hoard.

Only to pause as I saw the decrepit blacksmith forge that I had seen back when we had explored Yamal for the first time.

Looking at it, I hesitated before I walked in, thinking that it wouldn’t hurt to check it out.

It wouldn’t, right?

Then what’s with this sense of fear that’s enveloping me and the man who’s staring daggers at me?