I joined Stix and Jade in the dining area and found Starla had already joined them, or they were with her. I grabbed a breakfast sandwich that was a popular choice with the morning crowd, especially with the daily fresh bread, bacon, eggs, and cheese that went with it. I chose some juice and joined my fellow goldens at their table. They pulled over a fourth chair and made room for me.

  “So, you’ve all met,” I said with a smile.

  “Just in the process,” Starla said and nibbled off her plate of fruit and bread.

  “Is it always this intense around here?” Stix asked.

  “Nah, it's usually far worse,” I said, grinning.

  “I’ve been here since yesterday,” Starla began, “and it has been fairly quiet. It’s a good opportunity to get ahead on some training and access to spells and magic. Gwydion has a good thing going.” She stated.

  “If it wasn’t for the goblin horde, that is.” Jade offered.

  Starla lifted her fork. “Good point.”

  “What sort of adventuring is available?” Stix asked.

  Jade looked at him. “You’d think that your appetite would be quenched for a few days, given the infernal lord you stumbled upon.” She remarked.

  “We stumbled upon.” He said with emphasis. “And how common could that be?” He asked.

  “Crazy powerful boss shark immune to many of our spells and a seabed full of giant halfling eating oysters,” I replied.

  “I met a powerful and evil nature spirit my first hour here. It killed a unicorn stallion that was also a strong spirit, and nearly killed me.” Starla offered.

  “The city was invaded by thousands of undead under the power of a crazy powerful necromancer.” I added.

  Jade held up her left hand and started counting on fingers one at a time, “infernal lord, archmage, Lone Ranger serpent rides, daymares, huge mountain giant, greater elemental-”

  Stix interrupted her. “Yes, but none of that is recent.”

  “It’s been maybe twelve hours,” Jade replied to him.

  “So you agree. Nothing recent.” He gave us all an innocent look that broke us all into laughter.

  I interjected. “The city is getting ready for an epic invasion. An infernal leading around a hundred thousand goblins. We need to use this time to prepare and stockpile spells, weapons, strategies, and skills. While we do this, there is adventure waiting in the Undercity with loads of undead and other dark, smelly, gooey creatures. Oh, and a giant rat.”

  Stix made a sound by blowing through his lips. “Rat.”

  “Its body was twelve feet long, the tail was at least that long, and it was around seven feet high and nearly filled an entire sewer tunnel.”

  “Oh, a giant rat.” He said slowly. “I misheard you. Yes, they can be tricky.” Stix amended.

  Jade rolled her eyes and said, “Welcome to my world.”

  “There are quests all over the city,” I said. “Half of the ones I found I had not been looking for. In addition to the sewers and Undercity, there are creatures in the city burrow mounds, the marshes to our south have some little nasties in them, and the plains around the other three directions of the city also have creatures. Alchemists need ingredients, and there is good coin to be made just working in the lower level of my shoppe for a few days.” I added.

  “And magical trinkets for helping,” Starla said and flashed her Dwarven Copper, five-socketed crystal ring that I gave her. She also summoned her staff-spear and showed off the sockets.

  Jade and Stix both oohed appreciatively.

  And then they looked at me.

  “So, Gwydion, old friend.” Stix began. “Just what does one need to do to acquire jewelry and weapons around here?”

  Bella said in my mind, The halfling can start by giving you back the ring he took off your pinky a few seconds ago.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  “You can start by giving me back my ring, and I’ll let you know how to earn one yourself,” I replied.

  He froze and, looking at the others, pulled my ring out of his pocket and handed it back to me.

  “There is none of that behavior in my shoppe or with people under my protection. Do I make myself clear, Stix?” I said in a very calm voice as if we were talking about the weather.

  I think that the calm reaction unnerved him more than getting caught.

  Jade was furious with him. “We are not welcome back in The Tower because of you, and you want to get us kicked out of here, too?”

  “It’s all in fun.” He said.

  “It is stealing,” Starla said. “In my village, you would be stoned to death or fed to the wolves. Or first the one and then the other.”

  “You feed thieves to the wolves and then stone them to death?” Stix asked wide-eyed.

  “Don’t be cute.” Jade scolded him.

  “I can’t help who I am.” He said with a smile.

  “Help it around here and with friends, or you could get your cognito reset by someone,” I said. “There are some pretty powerful people around here that make us all look like the rookie journeymen that we are.”

  They nodded.

  “And I am one of them.” Bella said, whispering into Stix’s ear, and she leaned forward and refilled his water glass.”

  Other than flinching, nobody moved. They just stared at her in surprise since she had not been standing there an eyeblink before.

  Bella had that effect on people.

  She filled the other glasses, changed the water into juice, and filled mine. She walked away humming to herself.

  “That was spooky. And I know spooky.” Jade said.

  “She is a legendary spirit,” I replied simply.

  Jade’s eyes bulged.

  “And my friend,” I said, looking at Stix with a smirk.

  “Good choice in friends. Says a lot about you.” He said.

  We all ate in silence for another couple of minutes.

  Jade asked, “So, theatrics and bad choices aside, are you able to help us out with some magical items, Gwydion?”

  “If you are willing to work toward saving the city, yes. I’ll get you some things at no cost.” I said.

  “What if we want to move along before the goblins arrive?” Stix asked.

  “Then you can either buy the devices or we work out something,” I answered. “Depending on your gold, your spells, and your crafting skills, we could barter and trade.”

  Jade asked Starla, “If I may ask, what did you decide to do?”

  She looked at me, and I said, “From my perspective, all transactions and commissions are private, but as the client, you can say whatever you want.”

  She nodded. “I am helping with rune magic. There is a group making rune arrows and other weapon attacks to try to protect the city and take out large groups of goblins with area of effect spells. They will outnumber the people here ten to one.”

  “Or more.” I agreed.

  “Would you like any help with sorcery?” Jade asked hopefully.

  “I’m sure we could arrange for some SUS rings, but I’m not sure we need much more than that,” I said.

  “SUS rings?” Jade asked.

  “Sorry, Single Use Spell rings. Basically, for useful spells, I either give you gold or agree to give you one if you make one. That’s the offer most spellcasters take.”

  “Does it only work with spells?” Stix asked.

  “Good question. Spells and skills both could work. In essence, I make a special, purified ring and then prepare it magically. You put it on and cast your spell or use your skill. It is then primed for anyone to use.” I said.

  Stix nodded and said, “So I could wear the ring, execute a skill like Dodge, and it would go into the ring for use by someone later. Is that it?”

  “That’s it exactly. If you did it twice, I’d keep one, and I would give you one in return. Or some combination of options. These could also be traded among journeymen for skills or spells you don’t already possess. There is always work that needs to be done in exchange because the cost of making the rings and then enchanting them is not cheap. But if we agreed on a price, I could give you blank rings that I prepared for some services on your part, and you could fill them yourself or ask another mage to do so.”

  Jade asked, “So I could give an Ecto Armor III spell to someone in exchange for a lightning bolt spell.”

  “Or healing. Sure.” I said.

  “Rings of healing would be good,” Stix said, and both Jade and Starla agreed.

  “You can either treat this as a transaction, a limited contract, or full support of the city. The more the other journeymen get to know and trust you, the more access to powerful magics they might be willing to share. Same with me.”

  “That seems pretty fair,” Jade said.

  “And if you commit to stay, I reward my journeymen with rings, sockets, and gems. It really comes down to are you dealing with me as a shoppe owner or me as Commander of Special Services. Short transactions are with me and at my approved cost. Longer commitments open up free defenses because you are supporting the city.”

  Stix said, “I am willing to help, but I am not sure if I am willing to commit to being here for a week and during the invasion.”

  “That’s your call, and we can look at what you have to offer and what can be done in trade or straight gold and gems if you have them,” I replied.

  “Oh,” Jade said, “You are looking for gems?”

  “Yes. Any gems, of course. But especially magical gems. That earns you even more credit since we are using them as part of the city defenses.”

  She said, “I acquired a small bag of magical gems from my former master after he was,” she hesitated, “killed. Along with a mount, my staff, and a wand.”

  “One of my masters was murdered, too,” I said. “In fact, this shoppe was once his.”

  “Oh,” She said. “His name must have been Sundance. I wondered about the name.” She turned to Stix. “I told you it had nothing to do with music.”

  I smiled.

  “Would you like to see the gems?” Jade asked.

  “Sure. What types do you have?”

  “Amethysts.” She replied as she reached into a robe pocket to bring out a small purple cloth bag with a drawstring at the top.

  “I don’t plan to use those too often because of their special nature around spirits. We are mostly looking for some skills and combat spells.” I said, “But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a call for them. What sizes do you have?”

  “One of each, I think.” She said.

  “What do you mean, one of each?” I asked.

  She handed me the bag. “Well, as I understand it, there are seven levels of magical gems. My master had one of each of them all as amethysts.”

  I opened the drawstring and started to pour the gems out onto my palm.

  Bella was instantly at my side and said, “Danger! Drop them, Gwydion!”

  I was so startled by her sudden appearance and shout that I did indeed drop the gemstones onto the top of the table. None rolled to the floor, but they did scatter and bumped up against people’s plates and glasses.

  Everyone moved back from the table and Bella. Stix literally leaped backward in a somersault off his chair from a sitting position. It reminded me of something Simon would do, but even faster if that was possible.

  After our breathing slowed down, I turned to Bella, who was still staring intently at one of the gems, but she did not say anything.

  “Bella, what’s wrong? What is the danger?”

  She pointed at one of the gems, a 49pt amethyst that sparkled in the room’s magical light spheres. “That contains a powerful and extremely dangerous spirit. It belongs in Isaac’s box!”

  I had never seen her like this, and it was drawing the attention of everyone else in the dining room.

  “Okay, let’s handle this slowly.” I picked up a spoon that was on a nearby napkin but had not been used. I scooped the gem and slid it back into the drawstring bag.

  “Be careful! Don’t let it touch your skin!” She warned.

  It wobbled a bit on the spoon as she made me flinch with her intensity, but it went in safely, and I tightened the drawstrings.

  As soon as the bag drew closed, she relaxed. She turned to me. “It is extremely dangerous and it should not leave this shoppe.”

  She breathed deeply and shared in my mind, I won’t let it out there. I won’t.

  Give me a chance to speak with Jade. This is hers, not mine. We cannot just take things from people, Bella.

  She did not reply, but I sensed deep frustration, anger, and even some fear, which was a new one from her.