Chapter 27: Marketplace
The afternoon sun greeted the four Initiates and the ginger Disciple as they left the central Plaza Nexus portal to enter the boisterous streets of Arcanum Haven’s Marketplace. Despite the number of times Mercedes had legged it through the crowded, busy stalls, shops, and boutiques of commerce, this would be her first opportunity to take it in and explore it fully.
The melodic notes of a musician drew her attention to where a bard and two minstrels sat performing outside a familiar three-story establishment with a sign she couldn’t read. Still, the carved wooden pillars of a fish drinking from an ale mug and a bear smoking a pipe that decorated the front porch told her everything.
The albino’s gaze rose to the second floor, where several long rainbow-colored, diamond-patterned stained-glass windows stood open. More than one produced a lazy stream of blue smoke that carried a smoldering mix of herbs and exotic incense to the streets below.
“Focus Initiates!” Raimund said as he herded them to a corner of the street beside the alehouse’s steps. “The objective for our outing will be to complete a simple quest. But first—” the ginger Disciple pulled a sack from his magic inventory and presented them with a band similar to the Nexus bracelet they already wore. “Put these on. Then give your new Appraisal skill a go.”
The Sparrow accepted the slender wristlet and examined the curious purple centerpiece that resembled the face of a watch with no ticking hands and hieroglyphs instead of numbers. The bracelet itself was covered in dark metal links that rippled faintly with veins of arcane energy. The center links were engraved with runes, while the end pieces near the clasp were blank.
“We’ll use these again during the tutorial dungeon,” the ginger Disciple explained. “For now, they will help ensure your safety during today’s exercise.”
As she secured the band, Mercedes felt a familiar buzz of energy ripple up her arm and watched the bracelet adjust its size to fit her bony wrist.
[Acquired! Arcane Resonance Wristlet]
The albino followed the current of energy and used it to inject the magic from her power core into the band, only to be rewarded by a faint blue spark that lit up the decorative dial face. She tried again, this time focusing on her intent to identify the object. After a few failed attempts, Mercedes finally received a new screen of information.
[Mystic Appraisal Successful!]
[Identified! This is a Common Arcane Resonance Wristlet crafted from Mystilite Ore and infused with Arcane and Spiritual Energy. When charged with either Spiritual or Arcane energy, this paired communication device allows two or more Mystics to communicate within three miles of each other.]
M.DEF: 1.62. P.DEF: 1.15. S.DEF: 0.46.
Stats: +1 STA, +1 M.ENG, and +1 S.ENG.
[Note: To communicate, simply focus on the name of the Mystic you wish to speak with. They will receive a notification of your request.]
‘Interesting. [Mystic Appraisal] gives a lot more information than [Quest Insight].’ The Sparrow glanced up and quickly realized the others were waiting on her.
Raimund flashed the albino a reassuring smile before continuing, “Your quest for today will be to explore the Marketplace and identify at least ten unique items. No more than three items from each stall or store. Try to spread out and take in what the market has to offer. You’ll spend a lot of time here scavenging, selling, and trading ingredients and goods once you become Disciples.”
[Quest Received: Get Appraised!]
As part of your Mystic Arts Training, you will use the Common Spell [Mystic Appraisal] on ten unique objects to determine their purpose, rarity, and worth. This experience will help to strengthen your spellcasting abilities and untapped potential.
Requirements: While exploring the marketplace, find ten unknown objects to identify using [Mystic Appraisal]. There can be no more than three objects per stall or store.
Items Identified: 1/10.
Reward: 1x Common Mystic Token.
Deadline: This quest must be completed before the final bell of the fourth period.
Time Remaining: 01 hour 07 minutes.
“Alright, everyone should have their quest. You’ll be working in pairs for this. Mercedes, you’ll team up with Lorcon. Dimitri, you’re with Hestia. Once you’ve finished the quest’s objectives, you can wait for me inside the tavern here.” The ginger Disciple gestured to the drinking establishment behind them. “If you run into any trouble, you can either activate your communication bracelet to reach me or use the teleport enchantment in your uniform to return to the Academy grounds. Understood?”
The Initiates all nodded as they shifted into their assigned groups.
“Good. And just to be sure you don’t end up lost or somewhere you shouldn’t be, here’s a map of the Market’s different shopping sections and the streets that connect them.”
Mercedes stepped closer as Lorcon accepted the map for their group and unfurled it. She smiled in relief as [Quest Insight] popped up and took in the names of the buildings around them.
‘So, our meetup point is called the [Sorcerer’s Spirits and Smokes]?’ The Sparrow glanced at the younger Initiates around her. ‘Is the drinking age lower in the Mystic Realms?’
“Any questions?” Raimund eyed each of them in turn before offering a relaxed grin as he waved them away. “Remember, you don’t have to touch an object to identify it. And trust me, you shouldn’t touch anything you can’t identify, especially if you can’t afford to pay for it. Now, go have fun. And try to be back here before the final ten minutes are up.”
The albino and brunette Mystic returned to examining their map as the Disciple left them to enter the drinking establishment.
“Anywhere particular you want to go?” Lorcon asked as Dimitri and Hestia took off.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
“I’d like to explore the Enchanted Bazaar,” Mercedes answered. “You?”
“I wouldn’t mind another look around the Arcane Threads and Metalworks District. Both places should have plenty of new items for us to identify. And we might find a Tailor to mend your jacket.”
“Right.” The albino grimaced as she reached towards the singed fabric gap that exposed her shoulder. “The Bazaar is on the way, so we can hit that up first.”
“Fine by me.”
image [https://www.royalroad.com/dist/img/ornaments/16.png]
The Enchanted Bazaar was a chaotic tangle of smells, sights, and sounds. On one side of the street, the musky scent of raw monster hides hung on display above wooden trays of rock-like scales, wicked-looking fangs, bizarre horns, and a variety of bones. The next stall contained tubs of squirming, freshly caught aquatic creatures, some scaly, some oily, and some swirling in spherical bowls of murky smoke that crackled with electricity.
“Step right up and behold The Kraken’s Catch of the day!” a large fishmonger with a blue tentacle tattoo covering half his face bellowed towards them. “We have everything from shimmering scales to tentacled treats and shelled treasures. Come and experience the freshest wonders harvested from the realm's most notorious seas, rivers, and lakes. Each one is sure to elevate your dish to the finest artisan display of culinary art guaranteed to satisfy the craving of even the most fanciful pallet.”
‘That’s probably the best place to start,’ Mercedes mused as she wove through the stream of Mystics towards the store.
“This should be interesting,” Lorcon muttered under his breath as he followed.
“Well, well, what have we here?” the fishmonger grunted as his gaze ran over the pair of young Mystics. “Students of the Academy gracing my store. What an honor. Is there something I can help you with, Initiates?”
“Yes.” The Sparrow ignored the hint of cynicism in his voice as she scanned the walls of stacked glass tanks lined with steel inside his store. “I’m looking for something specific—that is—I need something with a high amount of Vitality, like blood-eel eggs.”
“An intriguing request,” the shop owner observed as he glanced over his wares thoughtfully. “Now, will you want that fresh, raw, or cooked?”
“Well—raw—I think?”
“What sort of quantity are you looking for?”
The albino tilted her head uncertainly. “I’m not sure—I’m still trying to figure out what my stomach can tolerate.”
“Aye, you’ve had it rough, I can tell,” the fishmonger murmured as he surveyed her face and frame critically. “Tell you what, Initiate. I’ll give you a dozen fresh blood-eel eggs and some raw blood-eel sushi. If you handle those, I might have a few other suggestions for you.”
The Sparrow blinked as the man clapped his hands and summoned two wooden boxes before her—one lined with familiar crimson gelatinous orbs and the other layered in several creamy pink meat patties.
“That will be five Common Crystals for the eggs, eight for the Sushi, and I’ll throw in a recommendation to Herb Your Enthusiasm.”
“I’m sorry—what?”
“Herb store just down the street,” he grumbled, gesturing past them. “You should have one or two options to help balance your nutrition intake. Can’t live off fish alone, Initiate.”
“Right,” Mercedes said as she hurriedly pulled the thirteen Common Crystals from her ring, handing them over to the fishmonger in exchange for her next meal. “Thanks.”
[Acquired! 12 Blood-Eel Eggs and 20 Blood-Eel Sushi Patties]
Since she was already familiar with the eggs, the Sparrow decided to use [Mystic Appraisal] on the sushi before storing it in her inventory.
[Mystic Appraisal Successful!]
[Identified! Blood-Eel Shushi Patties x20. This rare delicacy consists of raw crimson eel, known for its Vitality-enriching properties. This uncommon dish is prepared to replenish and strengthen blood-based abilities.]
‘Not bad.’ The Sparrow quickly stored the raw patties, then focused on the street ahead until she spotted their next stop.
image [https://www.royalroad.com/dist/img/ornaments/16.png]
Mercedes walked out of Herb Your Enthusiasm with two new meal options and a drink, bringing her total number of identified objects to 5/10.
[Identified! Bloodberry Jam x2. A delicious and potent jam made from bloodberries originally from the Blood Realm. This mystical fruit is imbued with high amounts of Vitality essence. Bloodberry jam is a substitute for many [Well Balanced Meal] recipes that require Vitality but wish to avoid the use of blood and meat.]
[Identified! Bloodwort Soup x6. This unique and invigorating soup is known for its blood-cleansing abilities. It is a vigorous nutritional remedy for Mystics who wish to replenish their Vitality while also purging any negative effects such as fatigue, illness, and poison.]
[Identified! Blood Thistle Tea x18. A restorative brew celebrated for its unique ability to enrich Vitality while alleviating mental and spiritual fatigue. This Tea, crafted from a blend of blood thistle leaves and extract, has revitalizing properties, making it an ideal choice for recovery after prolonged meditation or intense battles.]
“It sucks that you can’t stomach a meal with more balanced stats,” Lorcon said as they headed towards the Sparrow’s next recommendation. “I can’t imagine surviving off such a constrictive diet.”
“It’s not so bad,” Mercedes replied, distracted by the sudden loss of twenty Common Crystals. “I had grown used to barely eating. Having options like this, however strange they may be, is nice.”
‘At least I don’t have to worry about any of the food going bad while it's in my inventory.’
The brunette Initiate shot her a sympathetic glance before checking the map and pointing out a shortcut to the Alchemist’s Apothecary Alley. “That should get us there quicker.”
“Sure. We still have forty minutes left. After this, we’ll head over to the metalwork district.”
“No rush,” Lorcon said with an easy-going shrug as he led the way forward. “I’ve completed half the quest already.”
The Sparrow smiled, then slowed her steps as she took advantage of a shop window to check the street behind them, unable to shake the sense that they were being observed—and possibly even followed.
image [https://www.royalroad.com/dist/img/ornaments/16.png]
Mercedes felt torn as she handed over another 12 Common Crystals to the Apothecary shopkeeper.
[Identified! Blood Vigor Elixir x4. A potent and revitalizing drink crafted from a blend of blood-eel eggs, bloodberries, and Shadowhorn Elk blood. This mystical elixir was specifically formulated to replenish Vitality, enhance physical and magical prowess, and fortify a Mystic’s connection to Blood Magic.]
[Elixirs cannot be stacked. One bottle generates the following Stat boost for one hour after consumption. +2 INT. +2 WIS. +3 AGI. +5 VIT.]
‘A bit expensive, but those stats might come in handy if I run into trouble.’
At this point, the Sparrow was almost certain they were being followed. But so far, she had caught little more than a glimpse of a shrouded figure lurking just behind a building, stall, or some other random obstacle.
‘I can’t tell who or what they are since they disappear whenever I turn around. I wonder why they’re following us.’
“All set?” Lorcon asked as the pair joined the other pedestrians moving toward the Apothecary store’s exit.
“Metalwork district it is,” Mercedes affirmed after checking their quest timer. “We should hurry. There are only twenty-five minutes remaining.”
“I only need two more items to complete the quest. You?”
“I still have four. But it’s an easy spell once you get the hang of it.”
The brunette offered her an amused smile as he headed towards their final destination. “If you want a challenge, try appraising your last four items without touching them. That will be more beneficial for your spellcasting training.”
The albino raised a confused brow as she followed him, then realized his meaning. Every item she had used [Mystic Appraisal] on so far had been something she bought and could hold while examining it.
‘Still. How hard could it be?’