The merchant district was silent at night. Shadows pooled between the stalls. Nagi stood before the Sevenfold Gate. It looked like a small wooden booth. From the outside, it was five feet wide. From the inside, it should be cramped. He remembered the lock plate from before. It had been smooth metal without a keyhole. Now, the surface was bare wood. The lock was gone completely. Nagi reached for the handle. His fingers brushed the cold iron. He pushed the door forward. It swung open without a creak.
Darkness waited inside the booth. Nagi stepped across the threshold. He struck a flint to light his lantern. The flame flickered to life. Light spilled across the floorboards. Nagi stopped breathing for a second. The interior was not a single room. It stretched back farther than the exterior allowed. The walls extended into deep shadows. He walked forward into the space. His boots clicked on the wood. Shelves lined the left wall. They were filled with glass bottles.
Nagi said, "I did not buy these."
He picked up a blue potion. The liquid glowed softly in the lantern light. It was a high-grade mana restore. He had never owned such quality items. He placed it back on the shelf carefully. He moved deeper into the stall. A workbench stood against the far wall. Tools hung on racks above it. Hammers and tongs and files. They looked used but well maintained.
Nagi said, "This is not my design."
He had customized this stall before. He knew every inch of its layout. This workshop was new. It smelled of oil and hot metal. He walked past the workbench. A door stood in the back wall. It was made of heavy oak. Nagi turned the handle and pushed. He expected to hit the back wall of the stall. Instead, he stepped into open air. He stood in a small courtyard. Stone tiles covered the ground. A single tree grew in the center. Its leaves were silver and metallic. Nagi looked up at the sky above. It was not the city sky. It was a painted ceiling of stars. He walked to the courtyard wall. He touched the stone surface. It was cold and solid to the touch.
Nagi said, "This space is impossible."
The exterior was five feet wide. This courtyard was twenty feet across. Spatial expansion was a high-tier skill. He did not have that skill. No player had that skill at level one. He walked back inside the stall. He closed the courtyard door. He locked it from the inside. He returned to the main entrance. He looked out into the street. The district was still empty. No guards were patrolling nearby. No eyes were watching him yet.
Nagi said, "Who gave me this?"
He remembered the note under the door. "You opened the seventh door. They are watching." Was this a gift or a trap? If it was a trap, it was a generous one. If it was a gift, the price would be high. He decided to accept it for now. He needed a base of operations. The inn was too public for secrets. This stall was private and secure. He walked back to the workbench. He ran his hand over the wood. Dust coated the surface lightly. He grabbed a rag from a drawer. He began to wipe the bench clean. He needed to organize the items. He needed to catalog the resources. He opened the drawers below the bench. They were filled with raw materials. Iron ingots and leather strips. Gemstones of various cuts and colors.
Nagi said, "Someone wants me to craft."
He picked up a hammer. It felt balanced in his hand. He struck the anvil once lightly. The sound was dull and muted. It would not carry outside. He placed the hammer down. He looked around the room again. He noticed a ledger on the corner. It was bound in black leather. He opened it to the first page. The pages were blank except for one. Text was written in ink there. It said, "Build your strength."
Nagi closed the book slowly. He put it in his pocket. He blew out the lantern flame. Darkness returned to the stall. He stood in the silence. He felt safer here than anywhere. But the mystery was deeper now. He walked to the front door. He locked it from the inside. He would enter through the back later. He needed to test the courtyard exit. He returned to the workshop area. He sat on a stool near the vice. He took out his basic iron knife. It was dull from the wolf fight. He placed it on the grinding stone. He began to sharpen the blade. The sound of metal on stone filled the room. It was a rhythmic and calming noise. Sparks flew in the dark. They died before hitting the floor.
Nagi said, "I will use this."
He would not question the source yet. Survival required resources. This stall provided them. He worked for an hour steadily. The knife became razor sharp. He tested the edge on his thumb. It caught the skin lightly. He sheathed the knife in his belt. He stood up from the stool. He stretched his back muscles. The workshop was ready for use. He would return here nightly. It was his secret sanctuary. He walked to the courtyard door again. He opened it and stepped out. The silver tree rustled in a windless air. He looked at the painted stars. He wondered if they moved. He would watch them tonight. He sat under the tree on the stones. He leaned his head back. The air was cool and still. He closed his eyes for a moment. He listened to the silence. It was not empty silence. It was waiting silence.
Nagi said, "I am ready."
He did not know for what. But he would face it here. From this hidden ground. He stood up finally. He walked back inside the stall. He extinguished the second lantern. He locked the courtyard door. He exited through the front door. He stepped into the night street. He locked the stall from the outside. The lock reappeared as a smooth plate. It sealed itself automatically.
Nagi said, "Interesting."
He turned and walked away. The Sevenfold Gate stood silent. It held his secrets inside. He returned to the Broken Cog. Maret was asleep at the counter. He climbed the stairs quietly. He entered his room and locked it. He sat on the bed in the dark. He thought about the workshop. He thought about the silver tree. He thought about the ledger words. Build your strength. He lay down on the mattress. He closed his eyes to sleep. Tomorrow he would begin crafting. He would make new tools. He would prepare for the hunt. The Grey Wanderer needed gear. Now he had a place to make it. The mystery of the stall remained. But the utility was clear. He drifted into sleep slowly. The smell of metal was in his nose. It smelled like progress. It smelled like war.
A/N: Thank you for reading Chapter 10. The base is established. What will Nagi craft first? Please add this to your library and leave a review. Your support keeps the story alive!