Quince was walking through the slums of Aurine which was a majority of the city from what he remembered from Sunday school it was about 68% of the city before you got into the "middle class" area which is 22% of the city and finally those at ascension gate are only 10% of the city.
Of course there was also the underground part of Aurine apparently almost every floor has something like it as a hub for jobs and requests and it's all ran by one organization with a Paragon backing it apparently.
'Which of the five was it again? War? Doubt it he's doesn't seem like the type to have smart thoughts. Shadow would make sense but that's so lame plus that guy always seemed so timid in his interviews. Guess it's probably the Paragon of Wilderness she always did have that sly grin on her face just like rose does when he makes some sort of plan to make me eat s**t.'
As Quince was walking he saw men in white robes and gold lining drag a man into car.
"F***ing fanatics."
He muttered to himself watching the priests which were basically just cops.
Looking at the man they dragged away, he looked dirty and shaggy with bloodshot eyes giggling.
'Actually maybe it's a good thing they are here haha…'
***
Rose was still at the hideout because to be honest he lived there, he didn't have parents or family and honestly this place is probably one of the best in the slums plus it's free.
The building it's attached to is a pub so sometimes it gets a little loud but this let's him
get good info sometimes.
'Song of blood… why is a Weaver artifact all the way in Aurine and not in some bigshot top floor like the city Larney… it's all so weird but even after careful inspection it seemed legit…'
The item was originally disguised as a rank 1 item but someone leaked that it was actually rank 4 off of a job listing requesting it. The spear holds enough power to wipe out buildings with just a thrust. Apparently items get hidden on lower floors like this sometimes and Rose had also heard of this but something was still off about this.
"Eh whatever as long as the priests don't catch us"
He said to himself.
'Shards huh…'
Shards are people who've gone into danger zones and survived the corruption and gained powers related to the corruption they took in. Apparently though I wouldin't know when enough corruption goes into you and starts seeping into your soul out of survival you automatically enter within your soul and have to fight off the corruption, if failed your screwed but if you win the corruption is staved off and the actual power seeps further in and merges. That why powers are always unique to the person since it merges with the soul.
'Wonder if I'd be able to win… doubt it I'm too frail haha… but Quince would probably win he's always been the strong one out of us.'
"Huh. if it's just corruption going into your body would eating a artifact also trigger the trial?"
The priests of light are part of the sun paragon's organization. A paragon, a human who has reached up to Rank 6 of the scale. Heard they could level cities easily. People who ventured out onto the ground and killed Avatars of their respective authority and devoured the fragment and survived.
Rose chuckled to himself before speaking.
"Insane bastards… they were actually able to kill such monsters."
***
"Hey you there! What did you just grab!"
Quince turned around confused and saw a man with blonde hair and golden eyes wearing robes of white and gold.
"Grab?"
Quince really did look confused but truth be he did grab a small charm to add to his collection.
'Tch, prick.'
The man approached closer in the shopping district.
"Let me see your sleeve!"
With a gentle smile on your face quince responded back.
"My sleeve? Here."
As the man inspected the sleeve he launched the charm out of his sleeve and activated it fast causing a blinding light and by the time the priest recovered quince was already gone.
"Damn it where did he go!"
***
Quince was already long gone as soon as he blinded him he had gone around the corner and hopped a sheet fence.
"From his eyes he probably a Sun shard so he probably doesn't have a tracking ability. There is always the probability he has an item that can. Damn it."
Quince quickly grabbed another few charms out of his pocket and took precautions against tracking and went back to his house with his mom. His dad died before he was even born apparently he was a war shard which is probably why Quince himself always had natural affinity towards fighting though apparently he did also have a unique trait about him that he noticed.
The more he was enjoying a fight the better he got it always did give him a rush each time but he's learned to hold himself back afterall it's not great to go around picking fights.
"Yo mom I'm home got some chips too from a off job"
He had actually just sold a ring he stole to the pawn shop for the chips but that didn't really matter.
He threw the pouch onto the counter and sat down.
His mom came up to him and sat down at the dinner table as well putting down there meals.
It was chicken soup they've been surviving off of for the last three days and this was the last of it. It was always rare when they made chicken soup after all it was rather lavish meal for them filled with chicken, corn, and veggies.
"It's good mom… um so there's a job me and Rose are working on… it's a bit dangerous but it has good pay I thought I'd tell you but don't worry I'll be alright haha."
His mom looked up at him from the soup and sighed.
"Dangerous? Well not like I can stop you. Just don't die okay honey?"
Her face was a bit pained since Quince hardly calls a job dangerous and when he does he usually ends up with bruises and gashes. Even with her pleading he always goes but atleast he always came back with a good amount of money.
"When's the job?"
Finishing up his meal before he responded.
"Three days from now on Wednesday, Dec 20"
Her expression was solemn yet her heart felt like it was being grabbed by something.
"Ah a day before your birthday huh?"
Quince wore a half smile as he got up and took the bowls and started scrubbing them.
"Don't worry mom I'll come back just fine okay mom? Those priests don't have anything on me!"
He half heartedly laughed as he finished up the dishes.
'Yeah.. I'll be able to finish this job and get us out of here…'