Chapter 6: The Merchant of Shadows (Part 1)
Location: The Royal Arken Stables, Loft.
Time: Mid-day.
Current Status: Level 4 (Mana Full).
Ren sat in the shadows of the loft, counting his spoils.
On the wooden planks lay twelve small, uncut garnets—poor quality, likely stolen by the goblins from a river panner—and a handful of silver coins. To a noble, this was pocket change. To a servant, it was a year's wages. To Ren, it was startup capital.
"I cannot keep these here," Ren muttered. "If Gable searches my bunk, he will steal them and claim I am a thief. If Caelum finds them, he will cut off my hand."
He needed to liquidate the assets. He needed Gold, not rocks. And he needed equipment.
He looked at his clothes. The rough wool tunic was torn from the forest branches, stained with mud and dried goblin blood. He looked like a beggar.
Neigh.
Below him, in Stall 44, the Abyssal Warhorse snorted.
Ren peered over the edge. The massive black beast was chewing on high-quality oats (which Ren had stolen from the Knight's supply bin). The horse's leg was healing at a supernatural rate.
"You're hungry again, Nightmare?" Ren whispered.
The horse looked up, its red eyes intelligent and calm. It chuffed, stomping its good hoof.
[ Hidden Bond Active: The beast recognizes you as 'Pack Leader'. ]
"Guard this," Ren said, dropping a small pouch containing the gems into the hay rack, buried deep under the feed.
The horse nudged the hay over the pouch, hiding it effectively. No stable hand dared to put their hand near that horse's mouth. It was the safest safe in the kingdom.
Ren climbed down. He heard the rumble of heavy wheels outside.
He walked to the stable doors.
Entering the main service courtyard was a caravan. Six massive wagons, drawn by Ox-Bears (hulking beasts with horns and fur), were lumbering through the gates. The wagons were painted in motley colors—purple, gold, and black.
[ Analytical Eye ]
[ Group: The Vargo Trading Company ]
[ Reputation: Neutral / Mercenary ]
[ Danger Level: Variable ]
It was the monthly supply run. The Duke's estate was a city unto itself; it needed grain, wine, steel, and spices. Merchants came to sell to the Duke, but their guards and lower-level clerks often set up a "Shadow Market" behind the wagons to trade with the servants and soldiers.
Ren's eyes narrowed. Opportunity.
He needed a disguise. He couldn't go as "Ren the Stable Boy." He needed to be someone else.
He grabbed a heavy horse blanket—a dark grey wool meant for winter. He cut a hole in the center for his head and draped it over himself like a poncho. He pulled the hood of his tunic up, then wrapped a strip of linen around his lower face, leaving only his grey eyes visible.
He looked like a shrinking violet, a small servant trying to stay warm.
"Stealth Mode," Ren internalized.
He activated the footwork from [Viper's Strike]. His steps became weightless. He slipped out of the stables, hugging the shadows of the walls, moving toward the caravan.
The rear of the caravan was a hive of activity.
While the Duke's steward haggled over wine prices at the front, the wagon drivers had set up shop in the back. Soldiers were buying chewing tobacco; maids were buying ribbons.
Ren bypassed the crowds. He wasn't looking for ribbons.
He moved to the last wagon. It was smaller, reinforced with iron bands, and sat apart from the others. A man sat on the tailgate, smoking a long, thin pipe.
The man was bald, with skin the color of polished mahogany. He wore many rings on his fingers, and his eyes were covered by dark, circular spectacles.
[ Name: Vargo ]
[ Class: Merchant of Secrets ]
[ Level: ??? ]
[ Note: High Mana Sensitivity detected. ]
Ren paused. Question marks? That means he is at least 10 levels above me. Maybe 20.
Vargo didn't look up. He puffed on his pipe.
"You walk quietly for a child," Vargo said, his voice like gravel grinding on silk. "Come out of the shadow, little ghost. It makes the customers nervous."
Ren stepped forward. He kept his hands visible.
"I am looking to trade," Ren said. His voice was muffled by the linen.
Vargo chuckled. "Trade? Does the stable boy have extra horse shoes to sell? Or perhaps some stolen oats?"
Ren reached into his pocket. He pulled out a single Moon-Shade Mushroom. He tossed it.
Vargo caught it in mid-air without looking. He brought it to his nose.
"Moon-Shade," Vargo mused. "Fresh. Picked last night. From the Dark Forest."
He lowered his spectacles, revealing eyes that had vertical pupils—like a snake. He looked at Ren.
"A child who walks into the Dark Forest and comes back with poison," Vargo smiled, revealing gold-capped teeth. "Interesting. What else do you have?"
Ren approached the wagon. He placed the leather pouch on the tailgate.
Vargo opened it. He spilled the garnets and the goblin ear onto the wood.
"Garbage gems," Vargo dismissed the stones. Then he picked up the ear. "Goblin Scavenger. Clean cut. One strike."
He looked at Ren, his gaze piercing the disguise.
"You want gold?" Vargo asked.
"I want gear," Ren corrected. "I need a Dimensional Pouch. Small. Concealable."
Vargo threw his head back and laughed. "A Dimensional Pouch? For this trash? Boy, even the smallest spatial bag costs 50 Gold Coins. These gems are worth... maybe 5 silver."
Ren remained calm. He knew the economy. He knew Vargo was right.
"I don't just have these," Ren said. "I have information."
Vargo stopped laughing. "Information is the most expensive commodity I sell. What could a stable boy know?"
"The Abyssal Warhorse in Stall 44," Ren said softly. "It has an infection in the hoof. The Duke's farriers are incompetent. If it isn't treated with Silver-Leaf Salve within two days, the infection will reach the bone. The horse will die. The Duke will blame the Merchant who sold him the 'defective' beast."
Vargo went still.
"We sold him that horse," Vargo whispered. "If it dies... the Duke will cancel our contract. That contract is worth thousands."
Ren leaned forward. "5 silver for the gems. And a Small Dimensional Pouch for the diagnosis."
Vargo stared at the boy. This wasn't a servant. This was a shark.
"You have a sharp tongue," Vargo grunted. He reached into the wagon and rummaged around.
He pulled out a small, unassuming leather pouch the size of a coin purse.
"Rank F Storage Bag," Vargo said, sliding it across the wood. "Holds 1 cubic meter of space. Time does not stop inside, so food will rot. And..."
He counted out five silver coins.
"Five silver."
Ren took the pouch. He felt the mana signature on it. It was genuine.
"Pleasure doing business," Ren said. He swept the coins into the new bag—it vanished inside the magical space.
"Wait," Vargo said as Ren turned to leave.
Ren stopped.
Vargo reached into his vest and pulled out a card. It was black, with a silver eye embossed on it.
"You are not normal," Vargo said. "I can't sense your core—my eyes tell me you are a Null—but my gut tells me you are dangerous. If you survive... find me in the Capital one day. We have use for people who can walk through forests without dying."
Ren took the card.
[ Item: Shadow Pavilion Invitation (Bronze) ]
[ Description: An invitation to the low-tier auctions of the Shadow Pavilion. ]
"I will keep that in mind," Ren said.
He vanished back into the crowd.
Location: The Stables, Stall 44.
Time: Late Afternoon.
Ren returned to the safety of the stall. He checked his new inventory.
[ Inventory (Dimensional Pouch) ]
- 5 Silver Coins
- 40 Copper Coins
- The Prisoner's Shiv
- Shadow Pavilion Card
- Moon-Shade Mushrooms x5
He felt much better. He wasn't rich, but he had utility.
"Now," Ren sat in the corner of the stall, next to the dozing horse. "The Archive."
He closed his eyes.
He stood in the library. He walked to Row 1, Section B.
The books here glowed with faint colors representing their elements. Red for Fire, Blue for Water, Green for Wind.
He had learned Mana Arrow (Non-elemental). He needed something for defense or utility.
He browsed the titles.
Basic Fireball (Too loud, too bright).
Earth Wall (Good, but slow).
Wind Step (High mana cost).
His eyes landed on a thin, black book tucked between two larger tomes.
[ Spell Tome: 'Shadow Veil' ]
[ Rank: Common (Rare Variant) ]
[ Element: Dark ]
[ Effect: Wraps the user in shadows, increasing stealth by 50% in dim light. ]
[ Cost: 5 Mana per minute. ]
"Stealth," Ren nodded. "Survival first."
He touched the book.
[ Learning... ]
[ Spell Learned: Shadow Veil (Level 1). ]
He opened his eyes.
He raised his hand. He channeled his mana. Shadow Veil.
Dark smoke curled off his skin, blurring his outline. In the dim light of the stable, he became almost impossible to see—just a smudge in the air.
"Perfect."
SLAM.
The stable doors burst open.
Ren cancelled the spell instantly.
Caelum strode in. He was wearing a padded training gambeson and holding a wooden practice sword. He was followed by two guards and a very nervous-looking Gable.
"Where is he?" Caelum demanded, his face flushed with anger.
"He... he's in Stall 44, Young Master," Gable squeaked.
Caelum marched over to Stall 44. He kicked the door.
"Come out, rat!"
Ren stood up slowly. He made sure to look tired and fearful.
"Young Master?" Ren asked, bowing his head.
Caelum sneered. "I heard you survived the forest. Hork says you hid in a tree like a coward."
"I... I did what I had to, sir."
"Cowardice is a stain on the Arken name," Caelum spat. "My father might tolerate a Null, but I won't tolerate a coward."
Caelum pointed his wooden sword at Ren.
"Get a weapon."
Ren blinked. "Sir?"
"I said get a weapon! We are going to spar. If you can touch me, I'll give you a gold coin. If you can't..." Caelum grinned viciously. "I'm going to break your legs so you can't run up trees anymore."
The guards laughed. Gable looked away.
Ren looked at the wooden sword in Caelum's hand. Then he looked at a rack of tools on the wall. There were pitchforks, brooms, and wooden staves.
[ Quest Triggered: The Bully's Lesson. ]
[ Difficulty: C ]
[ Objective: Survive the spar. Do not reveal your Magic. Humiliate Caelum without getting caught. ]
[ Reward: +1 to Agility. ]
Ren walked over to the wall. He didn't take a pitchfork. He didn't take a staff.
He picked up a short, wooden handle meant for a broken hammer. It was roughly the size of a dagger.
"I am ready," Ren said softly.
Caelum laughed. "Look at him! He thinks he's a knight with a stick! Come on then, Bastard!"
Caelum lunged.
His form was actually decent. He had been trained by the best knights money could buy. His thrust was fast, aimed straight for Ren's chest.
Ren didn't move.
Not until the last fraction of a second.
[ Agility: 7 ]
[ Analytical Eye: Trajectory Predicted. ]
Ren simply leaned to the left.
Whoosh.
The sword passed harmlessly through the air where Ren had been.
Caelum stumbled, off-balance.
"Stand still!" Caelum shouted, swinging a wild horizontal slash.
Ren ducked. The sword swiped over his head, cutting a few strands of hair.
Ren was analyzing.
He overextends on the thrust. His footing is weak on the left side. He is emotional.
Ren could have ended it instantly. He could have used Viper's Strike to drive the wooden handle into Caelum's throat. But that would reveal his training.
Humiliate him, the Quest said.
Caelum swung again, a heavy overhead smash.
Ren stepped sideways. As Caelum's sword hit the dirt, Ren extended his foot.
He didn't kick. He just hooked his foot behind Caelum's ankle.
Caelum tried to pull his sword up, shifted his weight, and tripped over Ren's foot.
THUD.
The Young Master of House Arken fell face-first into a pile of fresh horse manure.
Silence filled the stable.
The guards stopped laughing. Gable gasped.
Caelum pushed himself up. His face was covered in green filth. He looked at Ren, his eyes wide with shock, then burning with a humiliation so deep it looked like madness.
"You..." Caelum shrieked. "YOU TRIPPED ME!"
"I... I slipped, Young Master!" Ren cried out, feigning terror. "I tried to get out of the way!"
"KILL HIM!" Caelum screamed at the guards. "He attacked a noble! Cut him down!"
The guards hesitated. Killing a bastard son of the Duke—even a Null—without the Duke's order was risky.
"Young Master," one guard started. "Perhaps we should—"
"I SAID KILL HIM!"
The guards drew their steel swords.
Ren tightened his grip on the wooden stick. His eyes went cold. Shadow Veil ready. Mana Arrow ready.
If they swing, they die, Ren decided. I will leave the estate tonight.
"What is the meaning of this?"
A voice like cracking ice cut through the air.
Everyone froze.
Standing at the stable entrance was not the Duke.
It was a woman. She was tall, wearing the silver-and-white robes of the Holy Church. Her hair was pale blonde, and her eyes were covered by a blindfold made of white silk.
[ Name: High Priestess Seraphina ]
[ Rank: ??? ]
[ Affiliation: The Church of Light ]
"Lady Seraphina," the guards sheathed their swords instantly and bowed low. Even Caelum scrambled to his feet, wiping the dung from his face, looking terrified.
"Fighting in the stables?" Seraphina asked. Her voice was soft, but it carried an undeniable authority. She turned her blindfolded face toward Ren.
"And bullying a defenseless child?"
"He... he attacked me!" Caelum lied, pointing at Ren.
"Did he?" Seraphina walked forward. She stopped in front of Ren.
Ren looked up at her. His Ring of the False Null was humming. She was scanning him.
"Strange," Seraphina whispered. "You feel... empty. Like a hole in the world."
She reached out and touched Ren's forehead.
A warm, white light washed over him.
[ System Alert ]
[ Holy Mana Intrusion Detected. ]
[ Archive Response: Masking... ]
"You are unhurt," Seraphina said. She turned to Caelum. "Go clean yourself, boy. You smell of your own nature."
Caelum turned beet red. He glared at Ren with a hatred that promised murder, then stormed out, the guards trailing behind him.
Ren stood alone with the Priestess.
"Thank you, My Lady," Ren said.
"Do not thank me," Seraphina said. She leaned close, her voice a whisper near his ear. "I sensed the darkness in the forest last night. I sensed the death of the goblins. A Null did not do that."
Ren's heart stopped.
"Be careful, child," she said, pulling back. "The Church watches for demons. Make sure you do not become one."
She turned and walked away, her white robes untouched by the filth of the stable.
Ren watched her go.
[ Quest Complete: The Bully's Lesson. ]
[ Reward: Agility +1 ]
[ Agility: 7 -> 8 ]
Ren dropped the wooden stick. His hands were trembling slightly, not from fear, but from adrenaline.
Vargo. Caelum. Seraphina.
The eyes on him were multiplying.
"I need to get stronger," Ren whispered. "Faster."
He looked at the setting sun.
"Tonight, I hunt again."
End of Chapter 6 - Part 1
Summary of Events:
The Stash: Ren hides his loot in the Warhorse's manger.
The Merchant: Ren disguises himself and meets Vargo, a shady merchant. He sells the loot and buys a Dimensional Pouch. He gains an invitation to the Shadow Pavilion.
New Spell: Ren learns [Shadow Veil] (Stealth) from the Archive.
The Duel: Caelum tries to beat Ren. Ren humiliates him by tripping him into manure, completing a Quest.
The Intervention:High Priestess Seraphina stops the guards from killing Ren. She suspects Ren is not a Null but warns him about the "Darkness."