The Kingdom of Clotho was currently reigned by the Great King Helvius Xander, the Blessed Ruler, or the so-called Seed of God. With four regions making up the Kingdom of Clotho, Astaynia was one of them. This was where Luna was currently settled.
Every millennium, a new seed was sowed, and the old tree was cut off from the land. The Seed of God was those who was chosen by the gods, despite the blood they carried. Once, even an elf used to rule the Kingdom, Twyll the elf bragged. The old King fell, and a new one rise. Or so the legend said, according to Twyll as he passed down the map.
Luna squinted at the map she purchased from the Treasure Trove. It cost her exactly one gold and a strand of Pegasus’ hair, half foot long, no less. She spent so much time running from one merchant to another to find Pegasus’ hair, but couldn’t find any. Finally, she managed to haggle for a strand of Pegasus’ hair in exchange for ten Bitterberry.
Luna took the strand of Pegasus’ hair in advance from Shalbhy, the goblin from The Third Wish, a small store in the alley squeezed between two buildings. It took her a lot of asking until she saw a wooden building, not taller than three feet. She must had passed the building more than a dozen times, but never paid any attention to it as she thought it was just a pony house.
Her five foot four inches body couldn’t fit through the door, so Luna had to squat by the cobbled road. Either that or drink the Shrinking Potion, which she declined as she thought it’s a scheme by the goblin to scam more gold from her. The haggling lasted long enough for two humans, two elves, and an orc to come and purchased the Shrinking Potion. Shalbhy smiled at the five gold coins and tucked them inside his clothes.
Initially, Luna wanted to reserve the map from Twyll before she found the strand of Pegasus’ hair, but it was the last map on store and the only Scholar in the region who has the authority to make map had taken a century-long holiday from heartbreak.
‘The old Scholar was already two hundred and eighty years old, for god sake. By the time his holiday is over, he is probably already dead. Or her. And what is this with only one person who can draw a map? Isn’t it just copy and paste?’
Desperate, she made the deal with Shalby. She will take the strand of Pegasus’ hair first, and come back soon with ten Bitterberry. Shalbhy doubted her, so he asked her a question.
“You met with a Wizardly Wizard who can make three of your wishes come true, what will your three wishes be?”
Luna gave it a slight thought before she answered, “One, a pocket that never runs out of money. Second, a book that have all the answers to my questions, and three, a plate that always serves hot bacon whenever I want to eat.”
“Alright then, here is your strand of Pegasus’ hair.” He handed her a transparent glass bottle with a piece of golden hair in it.
“If you failed to bring back ten Bitterberry, you will never eat bacon again in your whole life.” Shalbhy waved his wand, casting a spell on her.
Luna was stunned for a second on the thoughts of never eating bacon again in her life.
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The decision had been made, and soon she will head to the foot of Grassy Mountain to find berries. But before that, she also in dire need of a weapon. A sword or a dagger, she couldn’t do with bow and arch. She remembered back when she was in university, she tried the sport and ended up with bruises and blisters all over her arm. Her poor coach would had probably kicked the bucket if the arrow didn’t miss him by one inch away from his heart. Almost a fatal blow, accidental of course. Almost land her to jail too, if not because her coach wakes up soon from the surgery to explain the whole course of the accident. Thus since that day, she never touched the sport again.
Turning left, past the Bigger Cloak, down the alley and next to Celestial Spell, was the Whispering Smith. A blacksmith recommended by Twyll. They were selling on half-price today, he exclaimed.
Luna read the parchment paper on the door-
Thud your leg three times, turn one round, and shout, Honey I’m home! to be entitled to the half-price sale.
A bit embarrassing, she thought, but still worth her coins. Hesitated, but she did it anyway.
On the lower part of the parchment, which was too small for her to notice, was another line.
Just kidding, this is just a gamble between me and my grandpa to see how many fools didn’t read the whole notice.
Three thud on the ground, one round and –
“Honey, I’m home!”
Luna shouted as she entered the store, a little elf giggled by the counter. He took out a small parchment and a quill and scribbled with a huge grin on his face as he mumbled, “One. The first one of the day.”
An older elf sat behind the counter put down the book in his hand and stood up. He brought his finger to his lips.
“Shhh… This is the Whispering Store. You are not supposed to yell.”
Dumbfounded, Luna stepped inside the store. Somehow, she felt like a student getting a warning an angry librarian.
“Errr.. Do I have to whisper?” She asked in a very low voice.
“Your voice can still be heard even if you whisper from the town’s gate. Nothing escapes the old man’s ears,” The little elf turned to the old man before he added, “Who buys what and who went where, natters and hush-hush all he had heard. Even the squeaking bed at night he knows who.”
The old elf ears turned red, he shooed the little elf with his staff. “This little devil knows nothing but to gossip. Forget what he said. He’s just a young elf who only knows how to fools around, driving me mad to death.”
The little elf who ran to the back room suddenly popped out his head and yelled, “I’m fifty years old, for god sake!”
The old elf waved his hand, the back door closed with a loud bang.
“Now, where we were?” He asked.
“I’m looking for a weapon. Probably a dagger or sword.”
Luna looked around the store, her eyes studied every corner of the room. The floor was paved with large flat stones slotted into each other, chandeliers of lights hanged on the ceiling illuminated the whole room. In a world where electricity doesn’t exist, a little bit of magic solved the problem. Swords and staff stacked on the wooden rack in the middle of the room. On another corner are various daggers, knives, arch bow, and tons of weapons.
“You have come to the right place,” He said. He propped his staff against the wall and gazed her, “Would you like to take a look on your own, or would you like this old elf to give you some recommendations?”
“I will take a look around first, thank you.”
“No fret, please take your time. Any questions you have, whispering would do.” He took back the book, sat on the chair and continue to read.
Luna made a full round in the store, touched here and there, picked up various weapons and swung them around. At last, she headed back to the counter. The old elf was reading book; Advanced Gossip Management: Truth or lies? [ Latest Edition]
“Fancy anything?” The old asked.
“Well, I’m interested in dagger or sword. Not too fancy, not too expensive. Good enough to kill monsters in the forest. Any recommendations?”
The old man nodded his head and said, “Well, I think I have just the right sword for you.”
He took a box from the shelf behind him, opened it and revealed a shining sword inside.
“Thunder Splitter,” He caressed it with both hands and smiled. “Just the sight of this mighty sword, even the strongest monsters in the woods will hide in fears.”
‘Well, I need it to kill monsters, not to chase them away.’
Luna didn’t even dare to touch the sword, somehow expected that it was way too expensive from her budget just by the way it looked.
“A Thunder Splitter worth two hundred gold. Forged with fire dragon’s breath, the last stock available in centuries,” He stopped for a moment as if remembering something, “However, today, the Goddess of Warfare had sent her blessing to you. The Divinity had visited me last night, saying that a chosen child who will one day save this world will stop by my humble store and blessed me with good luck and fortune. Hence, she had strongly advised me to sell everything in my store for half price today.”
‘This sounds exactly like a medieval time scam.’