Chapter 4 - The Shopping Failure (1/2)

Xavier

The marketplace was always busy, even in the morning. Most of the bustling crowd moved past us, but a few gave us glances of curiosity. Their curiosity was justified, we were a strange group to be roaming the narrow streets together. A young, but confident warrior, their ruling Lord, and a grizzly, armor-clad man.

Though I could sense no danger around us, I could still feel the eyes watching our every move from our backs. My old habits kicked in as I muttered to myself, ”Should've sent someone out back to look for anyone following. Maybe one in the front to scout ahead.”

”What was that, Xavier?” Solskin had grown very amiable in my presence. I had yet to find out why: I rarely said a pleasant word to the man.

”Nothing.” I grunted in reply,

”Quite the socialite, aren't you?” Mordred questioned.

”Obviously.” I said sharply, pronouncing my dėsɨrė to end the conversation. Suddenly, I sensed another gaze looking on us. A gaze of someone sizing us up. A calculating gaze. I slowed my pace to be instep with the other two. From his face, it was obvious that Solskin had felt it, too.

”Act like you don't notice. If they want a fight, they'll come to us.” I mentioned casually to my companions. If the person was just watching, they wouldn't notice anything amiss. Solskin nodded slightly.

Soon we reached our destination: a smithy. We needed to stock up on weapons to make it to the Capital, and I needed some better armor. Bandits were known to prowl the roads for wealthy merchants traveling along the road to the city of Galius. The blacksmith's shop was a small and dilapidated stone building that stood outside of the main market square and off to the edge of town. Unlike other shops in the town that were open to the outside world, it was closed with the only opening being a slightly ajar door, with a sign hanging on it with the words 'CLOSED' on it. The inside was dark, yet we could hear shuffling from inside. I was immediately cautious and went to tell the others to be on guard, but Solskin had already kicked open the door, proclaiming to the world, ”I wish to buy something from you!”

Solskin

All I wanted was to buy a new sword, instead I was met by a strange sight. Through the darkness, I could make out the silhouette of a person hunched over something.

”Are you the smithy?”

The figure straightened in surprise and slowly turned toward me with his hands behind his back.