Chapter 50: Shopping

“Where are you going?”

It was a simple question, but Tobias had that hopeful look in his eye. He found her while she was leaving her quarters, purse full and with a desire for some personal time. There was no way to get out of this without hurting his feelings.

“Around town on errands,” Adriana said noncommittally. “I’m always drained after the service, but the Hierophant likes me to make a public appearance after.”

Tobias nodded, sympathy clear on his face. And eagerness. “Care for some company? I’ve been meaning to get my bow re-stringed.”

Adriana shot him a look.

“Okay, but seriously, I was thinking of meeting up with a private collector today. It’s about time I got some more Divinity. Especially after letting my last piece go so easily.” He grinned at her.

Over the past month, she’d gotten to know most of the Children of Stephanos really well. Everyone except Eva, really. Cora was both the team mom, but had been distracted by Davos and vice versa. Lucas didn’t like being the leader, but didn’t want anyone else to have to do it. Iris wanted a big sister to spend time with.

Tobias wanted a lover. He’d had eyes for her from the start, and it had only gotten worse. At first she’d thought it was funny, but a little annoying. She didn’t know what was going on with Lucas, but he at least appealed to her and let her get away with more than he otherwise would. Since nothing progressed there, Tobias had taken every chance he could to hit her up to see if she wanted to spend time with him.

There was nothing wrong with him, per se. He was younger than her, smaller than her, and friendly enough, but Tobias was grouped up with Iris in Adriana’s mind. A younger sibling from another life. Besides, Iris liked him. Either way, she was too tired to say no and deal with the disappointment.

“Alright, fine, but we’re going to my places first.”

Tobias’ eyes lit up. “Let me go get some money, and then we’ll see what the collector’s offering. Maybe we can sneak some for you…”

They couldn’t, but it was a nice thought. They left ten minutes later, going down stairs filled with worshipers. They had to take it slow, as many people reached out for Adriana, seeking a kind word or a blessing. She muttered some indistinct nonsense as she raised a flaming hand to touch peoples’ foreheads. Deep inside, she felt a similar tingle as when the congregation prayed to her, only so much smaller.

“They don’t ask me for blessings,” Tobias jokingly muttered once they reached the bottom and the crowd parted.

“That’s because you’re a nobody,” Adriana returned, keeping a straight face.

“A nobody?” Tobias puffed up. “I’ve got more Divinity than you do.”

“And yet I’m the heir and you’re my support archer.” Adriana led them around the foot of the mountain, towards one of the richer, less crowded parts of town. Their followers trailed behind, and didn’t continue after them .

“You may be a Demigod, but I’m going to be a Greater God someday. I’ll keep you in my entourage if you can be humble before me. And I know you can’t.”

That earned her a groan, and he moved to elbow her in the side before thinking better of it. “How can one be humble when they’re this damned good at what they do?”

She didn’t disagree, but she could never let him know that. There was a difference between confidence and cockiness. If Tobias had been more confident, he wouldn’t have been so cocky. They climbed up another set of stairs built into the mountain and went parallel to the temple. “When we get there, don’t say anything. This guy is…proud, and weird.”

Tobias nodded, then said, “What guy?”

“My Builder,” Adriana replied.

It still felt weird, knowing a Builder and having the resources to retain his services. All the best Heroes and Demigods wielded weapons and armor made by a Builder, especially empowered with Acacia’s special Divinity. They knew how to create, modify, and enchant things, using any source of power they had on them.

They stopped outside a house that was taller than it was wide, and built partway into the rock. Adriana took a deep breath, and then knocked. A few seconds later, a young girl named Amanda opened it and stared balefully at her.

“We’re here to see Fenneous about a piece he’s working on for me,” said Adriana, glaring right back at the girl.

“Did he send for you?” Amanda asked, obviously knowing the answer.

“He has not,” said Adriana. “But it’s been over a month, and he said he was going to make this his first priority. Can I come in or not?”

Amanda sniffed, then opened the door for them.

“Damn,” whispered Tobias as they entered the house. “Someone even ruder than you. I didn’t think it possible!”

The inside was as messy as Adriana remembered. Bookshelves were stuffed with aged tomes, each one expensive as far as she knew. There weren’t really any places to sit or live in on that first floor, and Adriana had never seen the second or third floors, where she imagined Fenneous and Amanda lived when not in the workshop.

The workshop was safely tucked away into the mountain, behind a thick, metal door that, she was assured, stop any disasters from getting out of there and into the city. It had sounded ominous, but she figured it was just something to scare or impress her into behaving around the man’s experiments.

Stolen story; please report.

Amanda opened the way, struggling with the weight. A blast of heat so intense even Adriana felt it rushed them. She recoiled, then pressed forward into the scaldingly hot workshop. A forge and anvil were at the far end, and several tables and shelves lined the rock walls, full of various pieces of weapons, armor, and contraptions Adriana didn’t recognize or understand. Fenneous himself stooped over a nearby table, where he worked with a sword and silver Divinity.

He was a tall, lean man with a beard that had been partially singed off. Wild brown eyes darted around nervously before settling somewhere in their direction.

“Yes?” He asked, squinting. “What do you want?”

“My lion pelt,” Adriana said. “The Adamean Lion. Remember? You said you’d have it done a week ago.”

“Ahhh,” said Fenneous, dropping the sword and orb on the table. He clapped his hands together and rubbed them clean. “You’re too early. It needs another couple of weeks. The pelt is harder to work with than I thought, but when it’s done, it will be as strong as it is beautiful.”

Adriana groaned. “C’mon, I’m about to go on a mission soon. What if I die because you dragged your ass in making my damned armor?”

Fenneous shrugged. “Then I suppose you die, and I’ll sell the armor to someone else. There is no rushing genius, you know.”

Tobias snickered and brushed a long strand of hair behind his ear. “That’s a Builder for you, alright. The only group of people I am more humble than.”

Fenneous glared in the boy’s direction. “At least I will be remembered. Petty Demigods are a dime a dozen, little better than arrogant Heroes. With my work, any worthless one of you could take on a God. Now go. I’ll send word to the temple when it’s done. Knock ten percent of the price off the top, for my tardiness. Good? Yes? Bye.”

There was nothing to do but leave. If he wasn’t finished, then he wasn’t finished. Adriana groaned and left, Tobias trailing behind.

“That’s one down, I guess,” she grumbled.

“What other errands do you have to do?” Tobias asked.

A million different answers went through her head. Getting a good drink and meal, maybe hitting up a public bath for a soak, and even going for a run. Why not? In truth, she didn’t have to do anything. With a sigh, Adriana said, “Nothing else, really. Let’s go meet your collector, see if he’s got anything good.”

The collector wasn’t too far off, as many of the richer citizens stuck together for safety and company. While most of the island worked for or to the benefit of the Sun Temple, many in this neighborhood benefitted and contributed little. Other than to sell temple Demigods better Divinity, once in a while.

The estate was a bigger building than Fenneous’ workshop, twice as wide and with a fourth story. It sat in the middle of a square of buildings all as big, with a shared park in the center. Tobias and Adriana, as Children of Stephanos, could go almost anywhere on the island without fear of being harassed. Local privately hired guards gave them the stink-eye on principle, but did nothing to discourage their presence.

Like the workshop, the door was opened by a servant, this time a distinguished looking man with a silver beard. He led them into a small, private study filled with sturdy looking lockboxes lining the walls. The collector stood and smiled. He was short, middle aged, and had the start of a belly. He looked like the kind of person who had never had to work hard or fight for what he had.

“Ahh, Tobias, right on time. And who’s your girlfriend?”

“Adriana,” he said, the same time as she said, “I’m not his girlfriend.”

The collector held up his hands. “Apologies. Be welcome, be welcome. I’ve got some competitive pieces of Divinity, for prices that will surely ruin me some day. That’s how much love and respect I have for the temple. But you had something specific in mind, didn’t you Tobias?”

The archer nodded with vigor. “I want your best Huntsman Divinity.”

“Again?”

Tobias looked over to Adriana. “Gave it to her. She’s making great use of it, so I don’t mind, but I want one of my own now. What’ve you got for me, Plat?”

Plat chuckled and retrieved a key from his belt. It took a second to find the right chest, but he unlocked it and pulled out a green orb. “Five percent, guaranteed to satisfy.”

Adriana let out an annoyed groan. “Where are the double digit Divinities?” she demanded. “Everyone on this island deals in small power. Where do we get the good stuff?”

Plat’s expression turned frosty. “You want better Divinity, you should harvest it yourself from Demigods and Lesser Gods. Most Divinity is taken from petty mortals and some decent Heroes at times. What I have here is clean, reliable, and won’t have anybody come searching for it.”

Tobias grimaced. “Of course, Plat. And I always greatly appreciate how discreet and reliable you are. How much for it?”

Plat eyed Adriana for a second longer, before smiling pleasantly. “For you, my friend? Let’s call it five hundred haemar.”

The price seemed outrageous to Adriana, who had only earned that much total at that point and had spent half of it already. Tobias didn’t blink. “Yeah, that sounds fair. Would you be willing to pick up the money at the temple? It’s in my savings, and you know I’m good for it.”

The collector pretended to think it over before grinning. “Of course, Tobias. I’ll be by later for payment. And if you’re short, then I’ll send the goons out, naturally.”

“Naturally,” Tobias returned with a grin of his own. He took the green orb and popped it into his mouth. After the green flash, he smiled. “Gift of Missiles.”

Over the past month, Adriana had gotten to talk with a lot of Heroes and a few Demigods and learn some of their powers. This one was known to her, and would multiply any arrow shot or rock thrown with phantasmic copies alongside it. It was perfect for the archer, and she wondered if it would work on her Smoldersap if she got it.

“Excellent!” Adriana said.

“Indeed,” said Plat. “Congratulations, and may it help you fight evil well.”

They headed back to the temple after that. Tobias gushed the entire time, drawing the eyes of people passing by. “This is going to change everything. I’m already a pretty good shot, but now it won’t matter if I’m just trying to do damage. Wait, do you think this means I’ll have to start carrying arrows, or will it multiply my magical arrows too?”

Adriana shrugged. “I guess the next step is to find out, isn’t it? You going to go to the practice yard and play around?”

“I am! You want to come?” He looked at her hopefully.

Honestly, she didn’t. Adriana didn’t know what she wanted. She was happy for him, and knew the excitement of wanting to try out a new ability. But something about how the day had gone had just slowly sank her mood. She got a lecture from the Hierophant, her armor wasn’t ready, and Tobias was…

“I think I’m going to go lay down for a bit,” she said. “Services always drain me. Maybe at dinner you can tell me how it went.”

The disappointment was obvious, but Tobias masked it under a cheery tone. “Yeah, no problem. You rest well, and I’m going to see just how much of a boost this is.”

They parted ways at the temple. Tobias went right, and Adriana went left, towards the apartment she shared with Davos. The apartments in general were more functional than anything, and had little personality of their own. She didn’t mind, and wasn’t much for decorating or even staying in the same place for long. Davos had hung up a couple of tapestries he purchased for something, but they didn’t need much.

The man himself waited for her on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He was alone, which was unusual for Davos at the best of times, let alone after joining up. When she entered, he rolled over on his side and favored her with a forced smile.

“We need to talk.”