Mark stood on the roof of their building. The air up here was crisp and fresh in the afternoon sun, Mark found it incredibly relaxing to look out over the city, even if half of it was crumbling.
They were so far up that the streets below looked like a different world. It was quiet up here, the pleasant breeze calmed the mind. Mark made a note to come up here when he had some time.
“Right, you ready Mark?” Sam called.
Nodding, Mark expanded his construct to cover Daphne and Chloe. While Sam carried Jonathan and Cara. Sam had insisted they bring her as she had promised the girl, the first time they went out, they would invite her to see the sights. Cara still had not found her parents and Sam had noticed she was retreating into herself. Chloe had spoken to her. Whatever was said cheered the girl up but she still seemed lonely.
Flying was more difficult with three people and lowered their maneuverability and speed. For this type of travel though, it didn’t matter.
They lifted off the roof gently and aimed for the Marketplace.
This was one of the hearts of the city, located on the outskirts of the Guild territory, it was seen as a free district where all were welcome.
A no man's land of sorts.
Here, people could deal in trade and the exchange of services. There were several combat-orientated factions hired as guards to those who could afford them, but for the most part, it was an unspoken rule that one looked after themselves in this area. Scams and theft were always abounded, so a hint of vigilance never went amiss.
Though for the most part business was above board as the Guilds demanded it. It was the individuals one needed to watch out for. There had been talks of the guild handing out licenses for businesses they approved of but that was still in the works.
They had come here because while it was a trade hub it also dealt in information and that was something they were sorely missing right now.
Not to mention a good number of restaurants and other stalls.
The plan was to go looking for a place to get some information and then explore some nearby areas. Kill two birds with one stone sort of thing.
The sound of wind whipping about woke Mark from his thoughts, as Sam took off. Mark pushed [Telekinesis] forward and they dashed after Sam, pulling up beside them. The Mana cost was heavy, but manageable, as they flew through the sky. They covered the distance rapidly as the city blurred below them and the sights of people moving about their business came in glimpses. Pearls of laughter issued forth from Cara, while Daphne and Chole also seemed to be enjoying the feeling of flight. Mark couldn’t blame them, even though he could fly anytime he wanted, it hadn’t lost its novelty.
Reaching the edge of the zone they began to descend and landed among the pedestrians and traffic. A couple of people gave them looks but it seemed that flying was more common here than in Prospect Park. Or at least people thought less of it.
Merging into the crowd was easier but he noticed an array of armors and badges. Some were used to denote level or what faction they belonged to, or both.
Mark started to notice as they got deeper into the zone a wider street opened up and he began to see stalls set up in the streets. Smells of food and perfumes mingled in the air and drew in paying customers.
Mark picked up the green sashes worn by the vendors, tied around their waists. Clearly identifying them as Guild-owned establishments. Even some of the patrons walking around wore the sashes openly.
As their group got to a courtyard-like area they spotted a faction waiting near the entrance. They wore the sashes but also wore heavy armor and looked combat-orientated. At first, Mark thought these were the guards that worked for the Guild to keep the peace but when he looked over, one of them caught his eye.
The man had a freshly healed scar on his cheek and when they saw their group he broke away from his group and made a beeline for them.
Mark clicked his tongue to signal the incoming and the rest of them immediately zeroed in on the approaching man.
Sam was the closest and when the man got there he stopped and waved at them all in a peaceful manner. He had a small but noticeable metal plate attached to his shoulder pauldron, with the number twenty-one engraved on it. Which had to be his level, it looked like it could be removed, and a new one slotted in its place for when he leveled.
“Bonjour friends, you looked like first-timers here, so I was drawn to you all. Perhaps you need a guard or a guide, hmm? My faction works in this area often so we know our way around, perhaps you wish to hire us?”
Sam looked at the man and then back at them, Mark nodded along with Jonathan. They looked legit and a little convenience for some Sp was worth it in his mind.
“Well we don’t need a guard but a guide would help. I’ll take just you, fifty Sp for the hour”
Mark wasn’t sure how Sam had come to that number but the expansion of the man's pupils showed it was a more than fair price.
Laughing freely the man did a small bow with his hand over his heart and said.
“Mademoiselle you may call me Leo, where can I take you all today?”
Sam went over what they were looking for and the man seemed confident he knew of a few good information brokers.
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With Leo leading the way they got to see more of the marketplace. People moved through the space in close proximity.
Everything from basic necessities to impressive-looking weapons were on display. None of them were system-recognized, nevertheless, they were of good quality. All around them, a cornucopia of junk food and services were available if one had the points.
Hairdressers, Electronics repair, masseuses, and more seemed to push their trade. All the creature comforts were somehow thriving in this place. Mark wasted no time in grabbing everyone a cup of coffee from a passing vendor. Cara wouldn’t touch the stuff but happily accepted a hot chocolate.
Continuing on, they moved into a more quiet area, the people here were more sparse and the stalls gave way to actual storefronts. The guards here were at a higher level too, Mark spotted a level thirty-one at one point.
It was understandable, as the goods on offer were more sensitive.
The stores still held good quality weapons but system items started to pop up. None of them were very powerful, as all of them had probably been crafted by human hands, but the system still brought a prompt forward.
The strongest items here weren't even close to Marks [Defensive Bracers], one of his weakest and earliest system items, and the prices were outrageous to boot.
Magically grown food was available, some of them were even system-recognized like Oliver’s lettuce.
Shiny Vehicles and complex machinery were on display too, though a lot of it didn’t look useful for survival. Form over function.
The first store Leo brought them to looked fancy and at a neat exterior, but before they could even enter Chloe shook her head.
“Not this one, we should move on to the next one”
The battle across the city had earned Chloe their trust, her predictions had saved them on multiple occasions. For all her eccentricities, if she thought there was a better chance somewhere else then there probably was. So the moment she said that they all stopped.
Leo was confused at their desire to move on without even checking inside but he seemed to accept it at face value and take them to the next one.
The second one was also refused and so they looked to Leo. This continued until eventually, they came to what looked like a renovated bookshop.
Leo seemed relieved because it was one of the last few he knew of, but it definitely would not have been his first recommendation. The man who worked here only took on a small number of clients and always seemed busy.
Just before they entered Sam leaned in to Mark and whispered.
“Link us up”
Magic flared as the [Telepathic link] settled in place.
A small metal bell rang as they entered the shop and Leo went forward to make introductions.
“Bonjour Mr. Gob, I have brought some customers”
In front of them stood a tall man kitted out in full metal armor. It was a strange contrast, the man had a sort of librarian-type demeanor, but at the same time, he was the very picture of an avenging paladin in his heavy metal armor, he even wore a large sword on his back. Mark would probably place the man in their age group, at most, maybe twenty-five years of age.
The whole image was out of place in the setting, as books lined the shelves around them.
“Thank you, Leo. Now how can Gob help you all? What are we looking for”
The man smiled at them welcomingly but it never reached his eyes. Mark was certain the man was going by an alias, but if they had come to the right place then discretion was his business.
Sam launched into it.
“Hello Mr. Gob, we are searching for information on our surroundings. We only just got here and knowing the lay of the land is crucial. As of this morning, our faction is officially recognized so anything you could give us that will help us develop faster we are willing to pay for”
The man named Gob looked thoughtful.
“Congratulations on founding a faction. If you don’t mind me asking when did you all arrive?”
“Day before yesterday,” Jonathan said
Gob’s eyes narrowed as if confirming something, while Leo’s head turned to look at them in astonishment.
“Congrats are definitely in order then. There are factions within the city who were here when everything started, and they still haven’t been officialized. You must have deep connections or they would have never pushed you up the queue”
Sam just maintained a business smile.
The man's demeanor remained polite, but that was all, he didn’t show any interest whatsoever.
“Right. Well, I have an information package for around seven hundred Sp that’s a crash course for anyone looking…”
Chloe sent a rapid message through the network.
‘This man is important to us, don’t let him turn us away no matter what!’
“...for the basics. Right now though I’m fully booked up you see, for anything more in-depth, I can recommend another-”
Honestly, the man just looked bored and they were seconds away from being told he wouldn’t help.
What Mark didn’t expect, was for Jonathan to just come right out and say it.
“We specifically used magic to lead us to you, are you sure you want to give this chance up?”
That one question seemed to have just the right amount of intrigue to cause Mr. Gob to pause.
A critical light entered his eyes.
“Oh? And what magic would that be?”
Jonathan didn’t continue, instead just glancing at Leo. Realizing he wasn’t needed, the man went to wait outside.
It was Chloe who spoke next with measured confidence.
“I call it ‘Calculating tomorrow’ but you would know it as future sight, and it's telling me that we can be the best of allies. And that you are about to tell us a secret about yourself that will ensure the trust between us”
"Oh really, am I now?"
Mr. Gob continued to stare at them all, but something had changed. A look of interest had crept onto his face.
Then a subtle Aura moved into the room. It felt like they were being watched out of the corner of one's eye but never able to pinpoint where it was coming from. Then there was something else mixed in the Aura. The feeling became almost unbearable as if Mark were under a surgeon's blade. Something was taking a look at his insides and deeper still.
Mark’s Prana rushed forward and battered the probing energy aside.
Mr. Gob froze and looked directly at Mark. A look of keen excitement glowed in his eyes as he glanced around at them in a new light. It didn’t take long to put together what had just happened. That energy was a mixture of Aura and Prana working together. The Aura had been subtle and not the least bit aggressive, but the Prana was the real problem here.
No one else looked like they noticed anything wrong but Mark had certainly felt it.
Prana was capable of entering another's body without triggering their will and this man's Aura was focused towards information gathering. What the hell had he just learned from them?