[Black Horse Inn]
The dim, dusty storage room of the Black Horse Inn felt different tonight. The air, usually heavy with secrets and decay, was now thick with the metallic scent of spent magic, the coppery tang of blood, and the palpable energy of their success. Pouches heavy with magic crystals weighed on their belts, a satisfying counterpoint to the light, almost imperceptible hum of the new artefact resting against Greem's chest.
They were not alone. It was a surprising sight. The Black Horse Inn was secluded in the darkest alley of the slums. No sane person would visit such an establishment, except those with affiliations to the Association.
[Tony - Lv. 3 Acolyte]
[Hugo - Lv. 4 Acolyte]
Greem recognised a couple of familiar faces. Some had participated in joint raids in the past. Others were met in black markets. No one knew exactly how many people there were, but over time, Greem estimated the organisation to number in the 50s, perhaps the 60s.
Looting the magical court acolytes had proven more rewarding than expected. In total, there were 34 magic crystals. If shared, that was roughly 11 magical crystals each, with Greem taking 12 to account for investment in poison, even if he got his hands on it through his brother Kael's smuggled goods.
As a merchant, Greem naturally knew a lot of black markets, his own family having some dealings in Lunia's own black market.
However, that was not all. Antidotes, high-quality daggers...the equipment on them was of pristine quality. It was worth at least a couple hundred gold coins, although they had to leave the lizardman's breast plates on the ground as it was too heavy for them to transport back to Lunia.
But what made Greem, usually apathetic, genuinely happy, was the fact that he had gotten his hands on an artefact. Well, it was of the lowest grade, but it was still a magical artefact.
[Thread of Fate Pendant - Low-grade Rank 0 Artefact]
Just like acolytes, magical artefacts were ranked 0. Low-grade artefacts were the equivalent of knowing one more beginner rank acolyte spell. Medium-grade artefacts were even more precious. As for high-grade artefacts, Willem said that the patriarch of his clan possessed one that allowed him to expand his lifespan, its value enticing even to the likes of magi.
'How strong is Willem's clan, really?', Greem wondered
Even after four years, he had never seen Willem's kin. Mostly because they did not blend well in human towns, much less towns filled with a heavy presence of knights. However, his clan seemed very strong. How else would he have gotten his hands on a contracted beginner-rank magical beast? This alone made him a very fearsome acolyte, not to mention he knew two spells on top of that.
The [Seer Pendant - Low-grade Rank 0 Artefact] was a utility-type artefact. It allowed the user to have sharper perception. A crossbow shot was impossible to dodge with regular agility, yet Thermiona managed to pull it off with ease. Such thing would have been impossible, even with the rare [Fate Sight] spell.
The answer lied in the magical artefact. It came with a blessing, an ability that sharpened the ability to perceive danger, a passive increase of perception. Under normal circumstances, Willem would have asked for it, but Greem's wavering mind was seen through by Willem. He had been in the Association for nearly a decade now, and he was by far the most experienced. Numerous acolytes worked with him.
"You keep touching it," Willem observed, his voice a dry rustle. "The pendant. It sings to you, doesn't it? A seer artefact sings of sharper senses, of perceived invincibility. Don't let it get to you"
Greem's hand, which had indeed been resting on the cool metal through his chain mail, finally rested. He glanced at Vanessa, who was gritting her teeth against the pain, a stark reminder of the consequences of a single misstep.
"It is a magical artefact", Greem stated, his voice flat. "You could have claimed it. Your seniority in the Association gives you precedence. Yet you agreed that I keep it"
"Precedence...", Willem repeated, "Look at her. Precedence means nothing on a mission. Can it stop an icicle? These acolytes were not even that strong. They are at the bottom of the food chain in an organisation like the Magical Court. Hundreds of them are dispatched accross the Empire and its neighbours. We were lucky they were not that strong, or rather, that Elizabeth was accurate in her judgement"
Greem nodded: "Still, what's the catch? There is no such thing as free meals in the Association. And certainly not from old foxes like you"
"I have seen acolytes like you, Greem", Willem spoke faintly, as if he did not want Ronnie and the unexpected visitors in the inn to hear what they were saying, "Talented. Ambitious. They get a taste of power, a piece of good loot, and they start to wonder if they've outgrown their team. And then they die"
Greem stopped. He did not like the tension: "Is that a threat?"
Willem laughed: "Four years ago, I had no need to take you in. Plenty could have joined the team, and they would have made a much better replacement of Jack than you did"
Jack was the previous teammate of Vanessa and Willem. He was a strange acolyte, with affinity to the nature element. He used a strange pumpkin spell that allowed him to control enemies, similarly to what his role was with the [Dark Illusion] spell. However, an accident during a yellow-star mission claimed his life, creating a void in the team.
Just like Willem said, there were plenty of dark path acolytes in the Association who were stronger than him at the time. Even if he had the ring, and he could observe and evaluate enemies, his practical usefulness was very much limited. He quickly learned a spell, then two, then three and then grew to this realm of strength, going so far as to become the party leader but...Willem's choice to recruit him had been a boon.
"I am not giving you the pendant. Just like I did not make you a favour four years ago. You had potential, and I invested in you. Today, I am investing in you too. Plus, it was your kill", Willem said on a lighter tone, "Remember, Greem. Teammates you can trust are a rare sight nowadays, especially in the association. We share a lot of secrets..."
The message was clear, woven into the very fabric of the moment. The pendant was a reward, a tool, and a chain. To accept it was to accept their partnership, even if brief. They had done some smuggling in the past, never too big, never more than a couple of magic crystals' worth of actions. Too little to be noticed by the watchful eyes of Elizabeth's crows, big enough to be considered leverage that could put any team member on her radar.
Their discussion came to a stop, as Ronnie called them out. If Greem's quick stitches had stabilised Vanessa's condition to some extent, he wanted to bring her to the Southport manor as soon as possible. His father, influent merchant, possessed a lot of insights in medecine and all the tools and ingredients necessary to make sure she would not succumb to her wounds.
As they walked towards him, Greem crossed path with a strong acolyte. Just like him, he wore a hood that made him unrecognizable, but he could definitely tell he was stronger than most.
[Berethum - Lv. 13 Acolyte]
Berethum was one of the few intermediate rank acolytes of the Association. He acted alone most of the time, but occasionally participated in raids. Seeing that he was here along with so many dark path acolytes, it meant that the Magical Court had not dispatched one, but several teams of investigating acolytes.
'Is it a bad time to be in Lunia', Greem wondered