Waking up in the inn bed, Maetrin spread his arms out feeling ready to face the auspicious day. Standing up, he went to middle of the luxurious room and sat peacefully on his knees. He began his usual morning prayer ritual he did every day. Before yesterday he just prayed to no particular god, now he properly directed his prayers to Sara Everlai, his new goddess.

Like when he decided to be her priest, Maetrin could feel her power flow through him. Which was astonishing, as it would typically take years for an acolyte to obtain this sort of connection with a god. For several minutes he sat there earnestly seeking divine wisdom from his goddess, before finishing and opening up his status.

 

 

Last night he had used his restorative powers for the very first time, and it felt amazing. While they were sitting to play a hand of cards, Jadai cut his hand on a piece of shattered glass. Taking Jadai's hand in his own, Maetrin used Healing Grace to cleanly close the wound up.

This made Maetrin ecstatic, for he had finally healed a person and not cripple them. He was conclusively off the path his father had tried to force him on. The whole night last night almost felt magical, Jadai had taken Maetrin out for dinner, then to a gambling club.

Even the cut didn't put a damper on the night, for Maetrin got a proper feeling of Jadais body while he was mending him. Then later Jadai felt Maetrin up as well, when he kissed Maetrin good night. He was thrilled for the prospect of another date with Jadai. Standing up from the Praying position, he got a message from Jack.

"Hey Maetrin, this is a heads up. We will be leaving on the expedition tomorrow. If you require anything I suggest you get it today. If you need some coins, let me know."

"Thanks for letting me know Jack. Have you already picked up the others who will be going with us?"

"Yeah, later tonight we will have dinner and plan out what I expect from all of you during this expedition. I will be acting undercover as a noble, so be aware that I will not aid you at all. If you need me for anything I will be in my room at the inn."

"Got it. See you later Jack."

Going through his pack, he took a quick stock of what he needed to get. While he could mend most wounds with his curative power, it was expensive to cast. Taking thirty MP per casting, at his current level he could only heal four times. Each heal however could heal up to eighty HP. It however had no affect on diseases or poisons.

Thus, he needed to pick up healing potions to supplement him when he was out of mana and some potions when he needed to deal with other ailments. Thankfully he would be dealing with mainly other Users of Jack. Looking at himself, he could tell that by signing a contract with Jack, it made them far more resilient, thus could take more than an average person.

Stowing his gear into his inventory and slipping into the robe that covered his face, Maetrin headed out the inn towards the Magic District. With his newly acquired healing license, he could purchase healing goods from the mages. Healing potions and the like could be bought by anyone, but if you required the actual supplies to make your own, you needed to have a license.

He made sure to keep his hood down. Demonkin were unfavored in the city. While not outright banned, they were looked down on. Maetrin knew it was already going to be a challenge to acquire the goods he wanted, so it was best to make sure none took note of his race.

As he entered the Magic District, Maetrin saw a strange shabbily made stall. Familiar with how his father had handled his buisness, this felt like a front. A sign next to it said 'Timmy P'tions of Luxury.' Behind the stall stood a fat man in a pair of overalls and a wide grin on his face.

Curious to see what potions the man had to offer, Maetrin took a look at the potions and found they were almost unusable given how bad they were. He could make better with his hands fastened behind his back. Looking up he asked "Are you Timmy?"

"Sho' Nuff, my Name be Timmy the Concocter." Timmy said extending his greasy large hand.

Maetrin reached out and shook the hand, "I'm Maetrin a Healer. I'm picking up some potions to supplement my abilities. I was taking a look at your potions, but I'm afraid these are not really worth what you are asking for them."

Timmy scratched his face, "Reckon your right about that. Barely started to learn how to mix potions myself. These be the best I have made so far. Though you might not have much choice, seeing a store willing to deal with hellspawn is as scarce as hen's teeth." Timmy said pointedly.

"As it is, these potions are not worth purchasing. Perhaps you possess some more decent ones in stock?"

Timmy looked up and down the street for a second and said "I might could get you some better potions for you. A large silver coin would get you a long way there."

"Five small silver coin, and the other five if you possess anything worth purchasing."

Making sure no one was near, Timmy promptly dropped the accent and said "Deal." He went to the back and moved a large box and pulled out a sack. From within timmy pulled out several potions and lined them on the stall. Taking a proper look, Maetrin was surprised at how high quality these potions were. One of the healing potions could heal one hundred HP.

Timmy did not have all the potions he was looking for, but possessed a decent amount. Maetrin picked out five healing potions, and five mana potions. He took a look at the other potions, there was a love potion, he had no use for. A potion of increasing reflexes and a potion of strength, both of which he picked out one of. The others were of no use to him at this time.

"What is my total?"

"Two large Gold coins."

That was cheap for such high-grade potions. Maetrin double checked the potions to make sure he wasn't being scammed. He handed over the coins and said "That's pretty cheap." Meatrin took the potions and placed them away.

"Indeed, we developed a innovative manufacturing method to cheaply produce them. Here for a first-time customer we are offering a special right now. A package of our specialty pills and a free random potion."

Taking the box of pills, Maetrin carefully looked at them. They were of a odd unsettling blueish green color. It reminded Maetrin of the ocean for some reason. Using Examination he pulled up the information on them.

"What kind of pills are these?" Meatrin said kinda alarmed at what he read.

"These are our brand-new product that opens the mind up and gives a special kick to your insight. I highly recommend it. It's done wonders for my colleagues and me." Timmy said with a weird off putting smile.

Taking a look at the potion Timmy had given him. He found that the potion was completely blocked to his examination skill. Inside the bottle was a weird orange smoke, and by agitating it, he could see a black goop in the orange smoke. "What odd sort of potion is this?"

"It's a random potion. What it's effect will be not even we know. It could be a great boon to drink, or it could be downright dangerous to drink."

"If it's that dangerous, why are you giving it out as gifts?"

"Unfortunately part of new manufacturing process produces these as a by product. Since they are so random, we cannot sell them, but by giving them out as gifts, we can get rid of them and build up our connections."

Carefully placing the pills and the potion into his inventory, Maetrin said "That is an odd reason. Thank you Timmy for the potions."

Timmy slipped into his accent and said "Y'all come back now, hear?"

Nodding, Maetrin started heading down the street. A odd pair of guards passed him, and Maetrin glanced back to see the guards stop by Timmy's stall, where Timmy passed a few coins and another box of those pills to the guards. They then walked away. Deciding this whole affair to be suspicious, he took out the orange potion to take another look as he walked.

A blue window popped up as he did so.

Realizing he would require a lot of help with this, Maetrin put it aside for now. He would consult with Jadai about it. Jadai would have more leverage to deal with the corruption in the guard then a unknown demonkin healer. Heading to the supplies stores, he went in to pick up the other things he needed to get.

Entering the store, Maetrin could smell the herbs and medicines that were being stored inside. Before reaching the counter he saw a list of rules all customers needed to follow while they were in the store. First they needed to write down what they wanted before reaching the counter, and not speak at all while they were in the store. Second they could only order up to five of each herb per day.

Taking the provided paper and pen, he wrote down the herbs and ingredients he needed. Knowing he would be going into a magic dense zone, Maetrin also asked for some herbs that deals with magic burns and the like. Feeling he wrote down everything he required for the moment, he got into line.

The line was eerily silent, as each customer went to the counter and handed over the paper, and the clerk behind it went to get the herbs, all without speaking. When it was Maetrin's turn, he handed over the paper, and the clerk went to get his orders, when a the door to the shop slammed open, and a boisterous man came in followed by several servants.

One of the servants yelled "Oi, This is Lord Ivanlos, we will be purchasing all the herbs in this shop." Lord Ivanlos gave a large smirk at the customers.

When the servant began to yell, Maetrin saw the clerk face go pale, and he went into a crouch and covered his ears. Seeing that some of the other customers were doing the same, Maetrin quickly did so. The servant said, "What are you waiting..."

The servant was unable to finish his sentence as Maetrin suddenly felt a massive weight being pressed into him, struggling, he managed to look up, and saw there was a weird eye in the wall of the shop looking down at the now terrified Lord Ivanlos. Then the eye spoke, and Maetrin found his ears even from holding his hands to them.

Lord Ivanlos was blasted out the door along with his servants, and for several seconds the eye just stared at the door, then it glanced down at Maetrin. For a brief second, he could experience it look deep within his soul then the eye blinked and then grew dim and closed. When it closed, Maetrin could not see where it was on the wall.

Standing again, he saw the Clerk shakily get to his feet and gather the rest of the stuff Maetrin had requested. Maetrin paid what the clerk wrote down as the price and gathered the supplies and was about to leave, when a woman walked down the stairs and waved at Maetrin to come over.

Curious, he did so and followed her up the stairs, she entered a room. Going in after her, he saw a strange weird foam covering the walls, and the door carefully closed without making a sound. The woman took a seat in one of the three chairs that were the only furniture in the room.

Sitting as well, he was sort of relieved when she spoke, "I see you have signed with the lost goddess Everlai."

"I have, though it's Sara Everlai to be exact."

"Just one side of the same coin. I'm overjoyed she is doing better. I had worried she had fallen into corruption since I last saw her."

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Maetrin said using Examination on her.

"I'm Necras, one of Kara Everlai's generals."