Night settled over Backlund slowly, and with it came the familiar fog that drifted in from the river. It rolled through the streets in thin layers at first, then thickened as the hours passed, softening the edges of buildings and dulling distant sounds.
The streets around the eastern docks were quieter than during the day, though they were far from empty. Workers finishing late shifts walked toward taverns, their voices low and tired. A few sailors laughed loudly as they passed by, already drunk or close to it. Somewhere farther down the street, a carriage rolled past with a dull clatter over the cobblestones, its wheels echoing faintly in the mist.
Shen kept his pace steady as he walked toward the warehouse district.
The cloak he bought earlier covered most of his clothes, and the hood cast a shadow over his face. It wasn't a perfect disguise, but it was enough to make him blend in with the other cloaked figures occasionally moving through the area.
He adjusted the edge of the hood slightly, making sure it sat low enough.
Not too low.
Too much concealment would look suspicious.
Too little would defeat the purpose.
He stopped near a corner and looked ahead.
The warehouse he had seen earlier stood in the middle of the street, its wooden doors closed and a single lantern hanging beside the entrance.
Two people were already standing nearby.
Both wore cloaks similar to his. One leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, while the other paced slowly as if waiting for someone.
Shen approached calmly and gave them a nod in greeting.
The pacing man glanced at him briefly and gave him a nod in return, but didn't say anything.
After a few more minutes passed, the man who had been leaning against the wall moved, he walked up to the door and knocked.
Three knocks.
A short pause.
Then two more knocks.
The door opened slightly.
A masked man looked outside.
After a quick glance at the group, he stepped aside and allowed them to enter.
Shen followed quietly.
Inside, the warehouse was larger than he expected.
Lanterns hung from several beams overhead, their light dim but steady. It wasn't bright enough to clearly see every corner, but it was enough to move around without difficulty.
Rows of crates were stacked along the walls, forming uneven shadows between them. The center of the warehouse had been cleared, leaving space for people to walk and gather.
Around thirty people were already inside.
Some stood near tables laid out with various objects. Others talked quietly in small groups, their voices low enough that individual words were hard to catch unless standing close.
Most wore cloaks.
Some wore masks.
A few didn't bother with either, but their expressions remained guarded.
The atmosphere was calm but filled with caution.
It looked like everyone here was aware that identities were not something to reveal carelessly.
Near the entrance, a man stood beside a small wooden box.
"Entry fee is one pound," he said.
Shen handed him the pound without arguing.
The man dropped it into the box and nodded for him to move along.
Shen stepped farther into the warehouse.
Several tables were arranged throughout the room, each one displaying different items.
The closest table held bottles filled with colored liquids. Some were dark red, others pale green, midnight blue, or cloudy white. A few had small particles floating inside them.
A short man with round glasses stood behind the table.
"Looking for potion materials?" the man asked calmly.
"Just looking," Shen replied.
The man nodded.
"Take your time. If you need anything, ask."
Shen examined the bottles.
Each one had a small label attached.
Some listed names he recognized from the occult book, while others were unfamiliar.
Prices ranged from twenty pounds to nearly one hundred.
He moved on to another table.
This one displayed various minerals and powders.
Crystals of different colors were arranged in small wooden trays. Some looked dull and ordinary, while others had faint reflective patterns inside them.
A woman stood behind the table carefully weighing a small amount of powder on a scale.
Shen pointed toward one of the trays.
"Is that sun-patterned crystal dust?"
The woman looked up and nodded.
"Yes, ground from raw crystals. Used mostly in light-aligned rituals."
"How much for ten grams?" Shen asked.
"Twenty pounds."
That was cheaper than he expected.
"I'll take it."
She measured the powder carefully, wrapped it in folded paper, and handed it to him after he paid.
Shen slipped the small packet into his inner pocket, making sure it was safe.
He continued walking, looking around at everything curiously.
The next table held various tools used for rituals.
Candles, chalk sticks, small silver plates, daggers, and even several carved bone needles.
The man running the table was older, with gray hair and a patient expression.
"From the looks of it, this is your first time attending?" the man asked casually.
Shen paused for a moment, startled, before answering cautiously.
"Yes, it is my first time."
The man smiled faintly.
"Most newcomers spend the first gathering just looking around to get familiar with the place."
"That was my plan," Shen admitted.
"Well, if you're preparing for rituals, these are the basics that might help a beginner."
He pointed to a few items on the table.
"Spirit candles, ritual chalk, and purified water containers. Those three cover most simple rituals."
Shen considered the items.
"How much for the candles and chalk?"
"Eight pounds."
Shen nodded and paid.
The man wrapped the items in cloth and handed them over.
"Good luck," he said.
Shen gave a small nod before moving on.
The last ingredient he needed was the bat eyes.
He had spotted them earlier at a table with a label near the back of the warehouse.
A wide-shouldered man stood behind the display.
Several small jars rested on the table, each containing preserved creature parts.
Shen examined the labels.
Frog venom sacs.
Crow feathers.
Then he found what he was looking for.
A small glass jar filled with clear liquid.
Inside floated two tiny black objects.
Light-Seeking Bat Eyes.
"Fifty pounds," the seller said when he noticed Shen looking intently, and said, "Collected two nights ago."
Shen picked up the jar carefully and inspected it.
The eyes looked intact, though the liquid distorted their shape slightly.
"From the sewer tunnels?" Shen asked.
The man paused for a moment, then nodded.
"Near the lower drainage channels. Plenty of them down there if you know where to look."
Shen thought about it briefly.
He could have tried hunting them himself with some help.
But navigating sewer tunnels without experience sounded like a terrible idea.
And he was not even a Beyonder yet.
It looked like buying them now was a safer option.
"I'll take it."
He paid fifty pounds.
The man handed him the jar without further comment.
Shen wrapped it carefully in cloth and placed it inside his cloak pocket.
Now he had all three ingredients.
Sun-patterned crystal dust.
Light-seeking bat eyes.
And pure water could be collected later under starlight as the formula required.
Shen took a slow breath.
The gathering had already proven useful for him tonight.
But he decided to stay a little longer and observe.
Watching how people interacted here and getting some other information was just as important as buying ingredients.
Two men nearby discussed the price of monster blood.
Another person tried to sell a stack of handwritten ritual notes.
Occasionally someone would approach a table, examine the items, and negotiate quietly with the seller.
He watched everything silently like a spectator.
After nearly an hour, Shen felt he had learned enough.
He adjusted the hood of his cloak and walked back toward the entrance.
The masked man near the door didn't stop him as he left.
Outside, the cold night air felt refreshing after the lantern-lit warehouse.
The fog had grown thicker again, softening the edges of the buildings and muffling distant sounds from the docks.
Shen walked slowly down the street.
Inside his coat pocket, the wrapped ingredients rested safely.
The first step had been taken.
Tonight he will brew the potion and become a beyonder.