Aside from the grinning teeth and elaborate outfit, the strange creature’s body was intangible and partially transparent. Wisps of shadow rose and dissipated from its skin, gazing at Jax with ominous red eyes curved into crescent moons.

It reached up to adjust a convoluted top hat adorned with decorative knit knacks and a ribbon just above the brim. Lifting the hat from its head, the creature tucked it in front of its body and performed a flourishing bow. Ornamental charms on the surface of its maroon overcoat clinked together with the movement.

Despite the fine attire and mannerisms, the creature in front of Jax was most certainly not human. Standing upright, it straightened a pompous bow tie before purposefully fingering a distinct brooch and affixing it above a well-fitted waistcoat.

“I’m known as the Peddler to mortals. You’re in luck, I was nearby trading an unkillable chicken for their impenetrable golden feathers. Don’t worry, they’ll probably grow back. But you, my dear boy, are so much more interesting…” The Peddler introduced himself, his smile turning slightly quizzical as he thoughtfully stroked his fuzzy chin. The words resonated with the air around them, making it seem as if it came from all directions at once.

My Gran always said to be wary of any calling themselves the Peddler, they’re better known as the Meddler. I’m truly beyond the veil and in the Nether now. She used to tell me bedtime stories of the Old Folk that filled me with delight, wonder, and awe. I remember he’s among the least trustworthy of the Old Ones.

I must have the chance to strike a bargain with him. Among the most powerful of Hexes, the Peddler can overturn my destiny and write me a new one. The other gods don’t like the fact he’ll barter with just about anyone.

I must beware of the Lopsided Scales at all costs, it’s ever-tilted in the Meddler’s favour. Instead, I have to convince him to gamble with me on his Wheel of Fate…

Jax’s head lulled forward, causing him to notice a pair of figures obscured in the shade of the tree’s foliage. They both shied away from the Peddler’s presence, instinctively recognising an apex predator among their kind.

Unlike the Peddler, these two Old Ones were undeveloped. Their incorporeal bodies were small and undefined, with their roughly humanoid shape appearing to flicker and merge with the shadows. Jax pulled his hidden Hex-Charm from his shirt, uniting it together with his other one and holding them both up, his arms trembling with the effort.

The Hexes' distinguishable features were clearly illustrated on the talismans. The first one responsible for the tree’s sudden bloom released impressions of light-hue leaves and blossoms floating from its body as if carried by an unfelt wind. The second was gnarled and squat with strong, oversized hands fit for crushing stones in its grasp.

“I don’t want the newborn Hexes before you ask. I deal in concepts, the abstract, and the extraordinary. And I want your unmet potential. Perhaps you’d like to barter for the impenetrable golden feathers I mentioned earlier? No? I get it, you don’t want to look like a chicken. Not the matter, I have many other things to offer,” the Peddler proposed. Jax was oblivious to the cunning glint in his eye.

The Peddler reached into the shadows beside him, inserting his arm up to the elbow. Tendrils of darkness manifested together into a closed wardrobe trunk. The Peddler dramatically snapped his fingers and the leather buckles magically undid themselves. Jax felt an involuntary sense of curiosity as the trunk slowly began to swing open. Light escaped from the interior as rows and rows of neatly stacked glass vials were revealed.

Inside each transparent container was a living strand of light. The various incandescent colours illuminated Jax’s face propped up against the tree. The Peddler watched Jax’s face in anticipation of his excited reaction. Instead, Jax’s face contorted into a grimace as he clutched at the sword piercing his chest. The mortal world started to crumble away as tears in the fabric of reality distorted Jax’s vision.

A luminescent mist seeped up from the tree roots to entangle Jax’s limbs, seared away by the radiant flames of the holy sword as they got too close. Sometime during the exchange, Jax’s heart had stopped beating, the spirit connection to his flesh becoming tenuous. The surrounding area shattered into disjointed pieces similar to the reflection of a broken mirror.

The fragments collapsed in every direction while defying gravity until all that was left was a landscape devoid of detail, aside from the solitary tree behind him. Knee-high fog blanketed the ground between them. The Peddler’s face lost its grin for the first time as he watched the holy sword flare up. Flames began to eagerly consume the length of the blade, intense heat unexpectedly distorting and blackening the metal.

“None of that, Unifier. This one’s mine. It looks like I need to do you a favour to start us off on the right foot, mortal. I hate doing things for free,” the Peddler spat in annoyance, tapping his foot while reaching inside his coat with a pained frown.

The Peddler unstoppered an empty vial in his hand, pressing it toward Jax as he exhaled a ragged breath. It wasn’t to capture Jax’s essence as you would most likely expect. Instead, the Peddler crouched down to peer at the lip of the vial and pinched the flaming holy sword. He dragged a reluctant strand of golden light and inserted it into the opening, threading it inside.

The strand thrashed in the Peddler’s firm grasp like a parasitic worm being extracted from its host, shrieking with righteous fury. He extracted the final piece into the container and quickly plugged it closed with a cork. Straightening upright, he held up the vial to examine the contents. He placed it beside matching strands inside vessels on a shelf of his wardrobe. He hurriedly pulled his hand away with an exaggerated expression of disgust, dusting off both sides of his hands on his fine waistcoat.

“Now, let us return to our bargaining. Your life is not forfeit yet, mortal,” the Peddler promised with a dismissive wave of his hand.

Ignoring the tinkling sounds of the erratic strand striking the walls of the glass, the Peddler turned back to Jax. He leaned close and softly blew on his face. A hair-thin strand of light appeared from the disturbed wind and contorted itself between Jax’s lips. He immediately sat bolt upright with a shocked gasp, sliding up the length of the charred blade in his chest.