The portal shimmered, the promise of escape from this place, from these dangers.
He hesitated before stepping through, watching as Yareeth followed him. He couldn’t shake the sense of… unease, a feeling that this realm, this vast, seemingly benign landscape, wasn’t quite what it seemed.
But as the portal's energy engulfed them, as the world around them shifted, a strange kind of excitement replaced the worry. It was a feeling he was only beginning to understand, a feeling of connection, of shared purpose. A team, that’s what he’d called them. And the thought, once a hollow echo, now rang with an unexpected truth.
They were in this together, and for the first time in a very long time, he wasn’t afraid.
----------------------------------------
Kael felt the familiar pull of the portal as he stepped through the shimmering surface, the light fading behind him, the scent of wildflowers replaced by the damp mustiness of the basement.
He glanced around the familiar darkness, his eyes adjusting to the lack of light. Yareeth, her breath shallow but steady, stood beside him.
The world was quiet.
Realm Cleansed...
Realm Energy Extracted...
Refining...
Converting...
Imbuing...
Stat Points +2
Skill Points +2
Void Shard Slots Replenished
Rewards Received:
50 XP
2x Course Hide (Common) 1x Sharp Tooth (Common) 1x Iron Shard (Uncommon)
He dismissed the System's pronouncements with a sigh. Stronger. Better. But those words meant so little, now. Not compared to what they’d seen, what he'd lost. “Home. For now.” His voice rasped a dry, self-mocking humor. But the phrase resonated with a strange, unexpected truth.
She was looking at him, an unasked question in her gaze, a need for reassurance. "What now?" she whispered, her voice a soft blend of fear and something he didn't recognize in her yet, but felt growing.
“Now? We rest. And we plan.” It wasn’t a triumphant declaration, just a quiet acceptance of what was to come, a whisper against the darkness that surrounded them, but it held a power.
He wasn’t just trying to survive. He was trying to build a life. Not just for himself, but for her as well.
“There will be more challenges,” he said. He looked at Yareeth. She was different now. Not just because of the System, but because of their shared experience, the battles they'd fought. "And this time… This time we'll face them together.”
A warmth spread through him, something that had nothing to do with the Void Shard. It was the weight of his responsibility, yes. But also, the growing awareness that she wasn’t just a companion, an ally, but… a friend.
He forced himself to look at her. “Did… I say the right thing? Does… Does this get easier?”
A smile touched her lips, the warmth of it. They stood there, and the air between them was a connection, a whisper of possibility in the darkness.
She nodded.
“It will.”
----------------------------------------
Kael watched Yareeth move around the basement, her form a fluid shadow against the rough stone walls. She’d stripped the meager flesh from the Meadow Nibbler and the two Grass Prowlers, her movements precise, efficient. The scent of blood, sharp and metallic, mingled with the earthy musk of the creature’s fur. It wasn’t an unfamiliar smell, not in the slums. He’d grown accustomed to the stench of decay, the omnipresent reminder of life’s fragility in a city that devoured its inhabitants with casual cruelty.
“Needs salt. And maybe some fire-roasted root vegetables. And…” She glanced around the basement, her gaze flickering over the damp walls, the piles of rubble. Her tail swished back and forth in a rhythmic counterpoint to the rhythmic drip of water from a crack in the ceiling, a nervous energy, a barely contained frustration that mirrored his own.
He’d never thought about it before, about making this space… livable. It had always been a refuge, a place to hide. But she was right. They needed more than just a hole in the ground to survive.
“We’ll need to buy more things, better tools.” Kael’s words, spoken as much to himself as to her. He’d been so focused on the System’s pronouncements, the promise of power in those realms, in the pulsing energy of the Shard. He’d forgotten about the basics. Food. Shelter. It had been so long. Since the shack. Since Taris, and the others. His crew, before the betrayal.
“This one, the hides.” she held it up, inspecting the ragged edge. She'd already removed the teeth, their sharp tips now wrapped in a scrap of leather. They’d be good for something. Trading, maybe, for a higher price than the merchant had offered the last time. “You said you could… store them? In the Nexus? Until we are ready to use it?” She’d grasped the concept quickly. Inventory. Accessing those resources, those scraps from other worlds. It made him feel… useful. Less stupid.
“Right. Just… like this.” He focused on his Shard. It was so different, the way it responded, the warmth, the hum. A pulsing echo that wasn’t his heartbeat.
Nexus Inventory Slot 1: ...
Slot 2: ...
Slot 3: ...
... ...
He pushed his will into the menu. A familiar, glowing window materialized before them. A space, not a place, an extension of his own being, a storage space woven from the Void’s strange, dissonant energy.
Yareeth looked over his shoulder, her scales shifting. He felt the warmth of her presence.
"What can we store? Is it limited?” She’d gotten it. The system, its logic. He clicked through the menus, showing her how it worked, his voice a little steadier now, the confidence building with her understanding. It felt… good, to be the one explaining.
Kael opened the Nexus inventory, pulling out the 5x Coarse Hide (Common), 1x Sharp Tooth (Common), and the Crystalline Fragment (Uncommon).
"I... don't know. We’ll keep the iron shard here. Until we have a plan, I… I want to see what we get for these. Keep something in reserve..” Kael carefully placed the shards, the hides, and teeth alongside the Moonpetal and the strange herb Yareeth had harvested.
“We’ll need something to carry it all.” Kael gestured vaguely, “A bag, maybe. A pack. It’s hard to… I mean, there wasn’t much room last time. It’s… different, since…” He couldn’t finish the thought, but they both understood the change.
Yareeth nodded. She took one of the larger hides, draping it across the small pile. “This will do for now. But we’ll need something better,” she agreed. “If we want to make this work.” She met his gaze, the unspoken understanding a silent echo.
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She followed him out of the basement. It was a strange world for her, this world of noise, of wood and stone. It was as if he could hear their thoughts, their memories, echoing within the worn stone, the rough wood, a chorus of whispers reminding him of what he’d lost, of what she had lost, of the fragility of this pact they’d forged.
The air outside the house was a familiar assault— a chaotic symphony of scents and sounds that he’d learned to tune out. But Yareeth wasn’t used to it, not yet. He watched, a protective instinct rising in him, as she winced, her scaled hand tightening around his arm for a moment before she pulled back. “Too much… too many voices. This world, so…”
She trailed off, her expression one of bewilderment as she took it all in. The twisting, narrow alleyways, the crooked wooden buildings leaning against each other like drunken sentinels. The air filled with the smells of burnt cabbage, and coal smoke, mingled with the metallic tang that was uniquely Mudtown. It was his world, the one he knew. But now, seeing it through her eyes, it felt strange, almost alien.
They navigated the narrow, winding streets, making their way toward the pulsating heart of the Market. Her senses seemed to take in everything at once— the sights, the smells, the endless movement of the crowds, the low murmurs, whispers, and shouts that echoed around them. Her tail whipped back and forth, the dull scales against his tattered cloak a rhythmic beat against his anxiety. He understood her reaction. This place—it was a living, breathing organism, pulsing with a chaotic, desperate energy that could easily consume someone unprepared.
The warmth of the sun against his skin was a stark contrast to the shadows they passed. Kael saw the way her gaze lingered on the makeshift grills, the charred meat dripping with fat and sizzling, the smells triggering a primal hunger. Her stomach snarled, the sound soft, almost birdlike, a high-pitched chirp against the symphony of the Market of Shadows.
“Soon. We have to sell first,” he said. His words, a reminder that survival, in this world, required more than just instinct.
She nodded, her gaze focusing, her mind already working, the way she’d scrutinized the prices on her first visit, her sharp eyes picking out flaws in the wares.
“This… this is how we survive?” She gestured toward the vendors. She was catching on, he thought, pride welling in his chest, a warmth that eclipsed his fear. Maybe they could make it through this. But he knew he wasn’t her savior.
"It’s one way,” He’d answered, his words truthful but a deflection.
This time, her response a gentle dig, “One way you’ve done poorly at so far.”
She was right. He chuckled, then caught a glimpse of the irritation flashing in her eyes, and added, “But you. You’re really good at this.”
The Market's familiar chaos seemed a little less daunting, a little less menacing with her beside him. He’d walked these streets a thousand times, his pockets empty, his stomach gnawing with a hunger he couldn’t silence.
He wouldn’t let that happen to her.
----------------------------------------
They reached the merchant’s stall, a small wooden structure draped in faded cloths and adorned with hanging herbs, as if the very air here was steeped in healing secrets. The merchant, a middle-aged woman with a weathered face and keen eyes, glanced up as they approached. The faint scent of ginger, cloves, and something else, something metallic that he couldn't quite place but triggered a shiver of unease, hung heavy in the air, a reminder of the unseen power that resonated throughout this world, through every realm. The air buzzed with the scent of herbs and potions, a mix of both soothing and acrid, a reminder of both healing and poison.
"Welcome," the woman said, her voice a raspy alto that conveyed both authority and weary resignation, "What can I do for you?" Her gaze lingered on Kael for a moment, as if sizing him up. Had he changed? Did the realms, the battles he’d endured, show on his face now, even in the marketplace?
Yareeth, stepping in front of him, drew herself to her full height, her scaled form surprisingly imposing.
“Well,” she said with a calm confidence that made him smile, a warmth blooming in his chest. He hadn’t expected her to step up. “We’re back, with some things to sell." She laid the herbs and the Crystalline Fragment carefully onto the counter. Her posture, the way she held her head high, her chin lifted, the dull gray-green of her scales a testament to the realms’ power, a challenge, a statement of self-assurance that even he, a seasoned Mudtown survivor, admired. Her confidence, the way she held her ground, it felt… good. He hadn’t even considered the possibilities, but it was clear now, in this exchange. “Do you trade for goods such as this?” she asked.
The old woman, her eyes shrewd, leaned forward, her fingers— long and delicate despite their calloused tips—moving with a practiced ease as she picked up the Uncommon herb, turning it over, inspecting it closely. The air filled with the scent of dried leaves and something sweeter, something that tickled his nose. It reminded him of the forest realm. “This one is interesting.”
“Where did you find it?” she asked, her voice a low rumble that carried the weight of her years in this market, a lifetime spent navigating the city’s underbelly.
Yareeth exchanged a quick glance with Kael and smiled, her scales catching the dim light. “In a place,” she said, her voice calm but firm, “where they grow strong and abundant.” She wouldn't reveal their secret. That the realms, for all their terrors, also held a beauty. It was their advantage.
She saw the question in the woman’s gaze. “And the… fragment? That, too, came from the… special place. Where those things… are found.” She tilted her head, scales rippling as she considered the words. She was learning quickly. It was as if she'd been born to this.
The merchant woman’s gaze flickered towards Kael, the skepticism evident in her expression, her years of experience telling her that this wasn't the whole truth. He could feel his cheeks flush, but Yareeth’s gaze, steady and reassuring, held him grounded. It was her secret to reveal. Not his. He had to let her take control. Trust her. It was unnerving.
After what felt like an eternity, the woman nodded slowly. Her keen eyes, a world of knowledge reflected in their depths, seemed to have reached a decision. “Very well. But if they are less than you say…" The threat hung in the air. But it wasn't aimed at Kael.
"One iron, six bronze for the lot." The merchant. But then, Yareeth's voice cut through the haze, a familiar sharpness. He watched her barter, his exhaustion forgotten, pride a warmth against the creeping sickness. The merchant’s skepticism, quickly fading into respect. Their negotiations, conducted with a deft precision, left him speechless.
Persuasion +1
Negotiation +1
Two Iron, eight bronze. He hadn’t considered that everything would be worth that much. A fortune.
There was a pause. Yareeth, looking at the woman. “What are you looking for? More herbs?”
The question seemed simple enough. But there was a subtle shift. Not just desperation. The girl… She was learning to play the game. To predict. Her instinct, his understanding, an unexpected harmony.
"If you can bring me what’s on this list,” she’d told them, pushing a piece of rough parchment, a list of (common) herbs, toward them, “I’ll pay you well.”
New Quest Received: Gathering Herbs I
Objective: A merchant wishes for you to bring back some (Common) herbs.
Rewards: Experience
Failure: Lost standing with the merchant
Accept Decline
They’d stood there, watching as the merchant counted out the coins, the weight of them a reassurance. He felt a spark, something new. A quest. It was just a simple gathering request, hardly a life-or-death challenge compared to his recent encounters. But it was a purpose, a reason to explore those realms beyond the city’s confines, something more than just leveling up. **Accept**.
"Amazing." he breathed the word, a quiet reverence against the market’s din. She had been incredible, a whirlwind of strategy, of sharp words. A strength he hadn’t expected, and now— this. A quest.
“You were incredible back there.” Kael said it as they made their way back to the house, his admiration in every syllable. “I wouldn’t have known where to start.”
“You know I used to help my father run the merchant stall back home. Before… Well, before all this happened." she replied, a touch of sadness in her voice, but as they walked, she hummed a song, a low, mournful melody that was both beautiful and heartbreaking, a rhythm that spoke of a world he’d never truly understand. "My mother always said I had a sharp tongue.”
“She was right,” Kael said. He looked at the ground, shame making him turn away. It was because of him.
"We're lucky to have that sharp tongue now.” he replied, feeling awkward, the words heavy with unintended truth. He glanced over at her, a faint blush warming his cheeks, surprised by his own vulnerability, the ease with which these emotions came to the surface. This was… different.
He could almost see her father, now. Imagine him, a tall, strong lizardfolk with patient eyes, his scales shimmering like sunlit water, teaching his daughter the art of barter, his gruff voice a gentle counterpoint to her quick, witty remarks. He’d stolen that, too. Everything. A pang of grief, of guilt.
“So… any ideas on what to spend it on? Anything you’re… missing?”
Yareeth frowned, her gaze scanning the market once more. The Market of Shadows, with its vibrant chaos. It seemed… less threatening now.