Chapter 1
Hey everyone, I'm Fieron and I'm a relatively new trader here in the city. Most of the time you can find me bumming around the Item Market. Buying stuff here, selling it there, and hoping to make enough to cover my rent. It's not the most luxurious life, but I get by... barely.
It won't always be like this though. One day I'll be famous for making the biggest trade ever. One day I'll have my own private island, with an airstrip so I can travel and a vault to keep my money safe.
Wait a second.....
Maybe I could do both at once.
Let's see, let's see......
What do I have to trade...... Not much.
I've got a jacket. Anyone wanna trade a private island for a jacket?
Anyone? Anyone?
Didn't think I'd get so lucky. Guess it's time to start trading up!
Chapter 2
The fates must be smiling on me today. Not long after I decided to start this mad journey, someone came up to my stall. They called themselves a 'covert watch salesperson' and said they needed a new, bigger jacket so that they could expand their inventory capacity. I must have had a look of confusion on my face since they proceeded to open up their jacket. Inside was hanging what seemed like hundreds of gold watches.
Apparently cash is too easily traceable for their taste so they traded me one of their watches for my jacket.
Chapter 3
I thought this journey had almost come to an untimely end. A real sketchy guy came up to my stall and began browsing my wares. He looked at the watch looked at me and then proceeded to put the watch in his pocket and walked off into the crown without another word.
I was sure that he just robbed me, but as I was sitting down, resigned to my fate, I looked over to where the watch was and saw that he had swapped it for a single rectangular pill. A Xanax.
Chapter 4
This guy was a doozy. Wearing a mask of a guy with a mustache, this dude could not keep still to save his life. He just kept bopping around muttering how he had too much porn and not enough Xanax.
As soon as he saw my table he flew in like a hawk and zeroed in on that Xanax. When I said it was barter only, he took out the weirdest assortment of items to try to trade. A plunger, a rubber duck, a Christmas wreath, and more. Then inspiration struck him. He gave me one of the extra porn DVDs which I accepted. He threw off his mask took the Xanax, then thanked me profusely and told me he was about to go jump. I'm really hoping that's not off a bridge. But as a bonus he left his mask behind. Maybe that's worth something.
Chapter 5
I could tell that she was eyeing the DVD from the start. I don't know if she was shy or she had an image to maintain, but she went through and asked about every single item in my stall before sheepishly passing me a drug pack and taking the DVD. I don't know who she thought would be judging her, but it definitely wasn't me. So long as your money is green, I don't care what you buy from me or why.
Chapter 6
The next guy said he had something big for me and that he wanted to meet me outside the market so he wouldn't have to pay the fees.
As soon as we exchange bags he starts booking it, laughing and warning me not to chase him or the bomb he put in my bag would go off.
But you can always trust a druggie to mess something up. C'mon man, if you're gonna threaten a guy with a bomb, at least make sure it's armed first.
Chapter 7
Sometimes the trading game isn't about swapping one item for another, but rather having the right stuff at the right time to take a job.
The other day my faction leader announced that she had taken a contract for us. A new strip club recently opened and it was pulled both patrons and dancers from the old established one, so it had to be dealt with. They suggested that a Molotov would do the trick, but we're a poor training faction and gas is expensive. Thankfully, due to the crackhead, I was in the perfect spot to step in and get things done.
I got the explosive device planted in their liquor delivery. Once they opened it, it turned their entire bar into a series of molotovs. Not only did the place open with a bang, but now it closed with one too.
As per custom, the cash part of the payment went into the faction vault, but for my quick thinking Roxi let me keep the Strippogram Voucher that they sent with it.
Chapter 8
So I'm about to close up shop for the evening when a very well dressed man in a three piece suit comes up to me. A bit overkill for the market, but there are all types here in the city.
"So word is that you're a trader who likes to barter and doesn't ask questions. I've got a number of bags of blood I'm looking to offload before I leave town. Human, O+, freshly harvested. Will you take the lot for the voucher?"
"How--"
"I thought you didn't ask questions. If it's a deal, I'll have it brought around back to your loading dock."
Loading dock? How big does he think I am. And how much blood am I getting?
Well the answer is 1000 bags of fresh blood. Now I kind of want to know what he meant by 'harvested', but on the other hand I'm really not sure that I want to know.
Chapter 9
When I made the trade for the blood I never considered how I was gonna get rid of it and trade it on. Who is gonna want something like that?
Wait...... DarkHearts is having a blood drive today!
The guy running it, who strangely has no name, is a bit confused when I ask where I should drop off my donation. Apparently they expect you to give your own blood straight from your body. It takes a bit of discussion, but he eventually relents and takes it.
It seems that I far and away smashed their all time record for biggest giver so they give me a gift crate labeled 'donator pack'. I'm not sure what's inside, but apparently it's a hot commodity around these parts.
Chapter 10
I haven't had a trade in a bit but that's probably partially my own fault. Rather than hitting the pavement, I've been spending a good amount of time hanging out with some people in the park. They're a great bunch, a mix of newbies and seasoned vets, all coming together to share their experience, company, and occasionally some of their excess wealth.
Today I was talking with one of the guys, Hurley, about my trading quest. He was impressed by my hustle and traded the Donator's Pack for a Goodie Bag he got at a big event here in town. He had been waiting for the right person to passinit along to and, for him, I was the one.
Chapter 11
When Mama, one of the more established members of the group, saw me make that trade, she was not happy about it. She had had her eye on that goodie bag for a while but couldn't even get Hurley to consider trading it to her.
She didn't have much, but she was willing to give what she had. For the goodie bag she transferred over to me a credit for a two night three day training camp at The Feathery Hotel. They keep you working in the gym all day then at night you get to rest in the lap of luxury.
I'm honestly glad that I'm trading this one because much as I could use it, I'm not really sure I'd survive such an intense program.
Chapter 12
Kruug, one of the guys from the park, came up to me in a panic tonight.
A few days ago he broke someone's house and stole some crime memorabilia, including this sickle soaked in blood. He was able to offload most of it, but no one wanted the sickle since it was so new to the market and didn't have a price history yet.
I'm not sure what it is, but since then he had been super paranoid, constantly talking about how 'they' are now after him and how he needs to protect himself. Once he heard about the camp credit I had on offer in my trade chain, he immediately offered to swap the sickle for it so that he could be ready when 'they' stop following him and decide to confront him directly.
Honestly I think 'they' are all in his head, but getting a chance to get in on the ground floor of a potentially priceless artifact is a chance I can't give up.
Chapter 13
I was doing some preclosing at my store last night when I hear the click of the lock on my front door engaging. I whip around, ready for trouble, and standing in the doorway is the well dressed man who traded me the blood.
"I see you've done well for yourself since we've last met. Gotten yourself your own shop and everything. Bold choice taking the Fellfire name, but I think Lug and Hildie would be proud of your hustle.
But I'm not here in a social call. You have something of mine And I would like it back."
"You've gotta help me out, sir. I buy pretty much anything that walks through those doors I can afford."
His voice doesn't change but I see the silent storm raging in his eyes.
"Where is it?"
"That would be entirely dependent on what IT is."
"My sickle. I left it in the care of a friend, but while I was away, that maggot Kruug stole it."
"You could have lead with that, y'know. Let's see.... here we are. I don't want any trouble, so it's all yours."
"Thank you. You've been a gentleman both times I've met, so I'll see that you're compensated for your loss."
And with that he calmly walked out the door.
This morning I received a package with nothing more than a picture of a sickle on it. Inside was 27 energy drinks and 8 needles with drugs in them. I thought I may have gotten the short end of the stick there, but after doing some research I realized how crazy the economy here in the city can be.
Chapter 14
I had a woman walk into my shop the other day dressed in a plain yet elegant blue dress and her long flowing hair neatly tied up with an eidelweiss pin.
"Are you the young man doing that trade chain?"
The icy storm raging within her simultaneously raises and lowers the temperature 20 degrees.
"Yes?"
"I don't know, and frankly I don't care, what you have on offer cause I know that what I have is worth significantly more than what you have."
With that she slams a skateboard on my counter. My eyes immediately go wide because I immediately know what this is. This is one of a set of items that is talked about within the trading community in hushed tones. No one knows how they work, but they seem to have the ability to change and enhance people who use them.
"I've tried to let it go, I've tried to talk to the kid, but some things never change. I just need this gone and out of my life."
I try to stammer out a reply, but in my shock that not only has this come into my shop, but that someone is essentially giving to away to me, all I can do is wordlessly hand over the box I got from the mysterious well dressed man.
She thanks me, and as she leaves you can just see the tension melting out of her.
Chapter 14.1
{AKA the prequel to ch 14 as told by -snowqueen-}
Before I get my mail, I have to make sure the neighborhood brat isn’t outside so I don’t have to listen to him whine. He wouldn’t have this problem if he’d stuck to that ridiculous skateboard park that our taxpayer dollars paid for. No, he had to construct a ramp in the middle of the street. He did such a crappy job (probably eating shrooms again) that it collapsed just as he was at the top, and of course he landed in my prized bed of edelweiss.
I was out there so fast I got to the board before he was done picking petals out of his ears. I held it triumphantly in the air, shouting “You think I didn’t know you left the stink bomb and dog poop? Who’s sorry now! You’ll never see this again!”
You would have thought I’d announced I kidnapped the Mayor (which this kid wouldn’t care about except it’s his dad). He went stark white and started stammering about the board having magical powers and he was trying to get good enough not to waste his one shot with it. I mean, come on. Initially I was going to give it back, but this is priceless. (Him being so upset, that is, not the BS story about a wooden plank and 4 wheels suddenly making you fast.) Do you want it? I feel a little bad about taking the haul you’re dragging around, but not bad enough to turn down the deal.
Chapter 15
CLACK
Mail at this time? Damn CCAs. Why can't the TCPS hire carriers that..... Oh, now that's not regular mail. That right there is the runic butterfly, seal of the Monarchs. They're not in the habit of sending personal messages like that so I'm either about to be very happy or very very dead.
Aight, let's get this over with.
"My sources tell me that you have something in stock that I'm quite interested in. Please have it available for trade tomorrow afternoon.
Prophet Jonasty"
--The next day --
As I'm analyzing the mornings market reports, I hear the thud of wood on wood coming up one of the aisles. I look up to see a guy dressed in a long tan robe and holding a gnarled wooden staff. He doesn't seem to need it for balance so it seems to be more a show of power and a signal of his presence.
Well I'm pretty sure he's a guy, he has his hood pulled up so far that I can't see his face under it.
"Afternoon sir-"
"Prophet"
"Ahh, here for the skateboard I'm guessing?"
"That I am. Could I see it?"
I take it out and he closely examines it, never taking off his hood.
"Mmmm beautiful condition, just like the one I had..."
"Please dont tell me I've gotten involved with stolen goods again."
"Dont worry yourself. If this was the one I had, you obtained it legitimately. A while ago I used it to buy back into a poker game I should have stayed out of, but what can I say? I can't help myself sometimes."
"That's a relief. So, what were you thinking about trading me for the board?"
He takes a folded slip of paper out from under his robe and slides it over to me.
"I hinkk this should cover it."
Unfolding it, I see that it is a check redeemable for quite a large number of supply packs from the Monarch Armory.
"I don't mean to sound any sort of way about this, but are you sure that these numbers are correct?"
"The clouds of war are gathering. This should see you safely to the other side."
"Its a very gracious offer, thank you. And if there's anything I can do for you in the future just let me know."
"As a matter of fact there is. I have been looking for a certain kind of boxing gloves. If you come across them hold them aside for me and I'll be on touch."
"Will do."
And with that he took the skateboard and left. Maybe it's cause I was still a bit shaken from the unnatural darkness under his hood, but he seemed to leave ever so slightly quicker than he came in.
Chapter 16
I'm not sure why, but I got the gut feeling that Prophet's request for the boxing gloves was not one to be taken lightly. Not in a threatening way, more that it could potentially be very lucrative.
So the next day I started pounding the pavement and calling up all my contacts. My trader buddies didn't have any, but they said they'd keep an ear to the ground for me. No luck at the park either. I aactually got quite a few leads asking around my faction HQ, but unfortunately none of them planned out.
Very few people had a pair of gloves, fewer still were willing to part with them, and the few that would wanted cold hard cash.
I had actually almost given up when I saw a pair while bargen hunting at Apatxe's shop. He seemed iinterested in the idea of trading for them, but turned me down at first. In all my late nights hunting, I accidentally told him the wrong amounts. Once I corrected myself, he was more than willing!
Pretty cool guy. Definitely have to keep him in the back of my mind for the future.
Chapter 17
I have no idea how he knew, but the same night that I traded for the gloves, I got another message from Prophet.
Or at least I think it was from him. The outside of the envelope just had my name and the Monarch seal and inside was a ticket to board a private sea plane the next afternoon.
Of course I was a bit apprehensive that this all might be a set up, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. And besides, no one ever mentions it, but I don't think I've ever heard of anyone dying in this city. Strange, might be something to look into in the future.
As we made our approach to our destination, I saw that we were headed for one of the only natural islands in the Torn Archipellago. Gotta say I respect the designer of the island. Rather than imposing the structures onto the landscape, he seemed to have taken great care to work with the existing terrain and instead let it dictate how things are placed.
Waiting on the docks for us were two men. Although he wasn't wearing his robe, I recognized one as Prophet from his build, and the other I knew I've met before but couldn't for the life of me place who he was.
The second guy took the bag containing the gloves from me for safekeeping, gave me a bunch of papers to sign, and handed me a key. I really didn't think much of having to sign them cause Monarch had their own way of doing things and I trusted them not to be screwing me over.
After a bit of small talk with Prophet about the trip, and the island, and the nice dinner we'd be having tonight, I asked him where the guesthouse was so that I could go freshen up a bit. With a smirk he pointed me in the right direction.
It was a bit of a trek to get up there but the walk through the lush forests of the island was nice and relaxing. I get up to the door, put the key in the lock, and nothing. The cylinder just was not budging. So I hike back to let Prophet know that he accidentally gave me the wrong key.
"You don't have the wrong key, you have the wrong lock"
I gave him a confused look, so he continues
"You didn't read the papers you signed, did you?"
"Yeah, of course I did."
"Walk with me."
He led us up the path to the main house and when we get there he nods towards the door. Still a bit confused, I put the key in the lock and turn.
CLICK
"Had you actually read the papers like you said, you would have seen that they were a a sales contract and a transfer of title. Welcome to your new home."
After a tour of the grounds, the three of us sat down for dinner and that's when I learned who the third guy was. Benji was actually the druggie that failed to blow me up way back in the beginning of my journey. Since then he's really turned his life around and actually got the contract to refurbish the island's vault and air strip. He says that it might take a while for the work to be done with the war making materials and labor hard to come by, but he's committed to seeing it through to the end.
After dinner, Prophet packed up the last of his things, leaving just me and my island.
Epilogue
After Prophet left, I sat alone on the beach watching the sunset, still in a bit of shock over the day's events.
This is it. I've achieved my goal.
But somehow it doesn't really feel like the end.
Sure, I've now made a name for myself. I've made an near impossible trade, going from nothing to everything.
I thought this might be my laurels to rest on, but it's not. Now the question is, what I am going to do with the name for myself?
I guess life isn't really about reaching the goals and destinations we set out for. What gives life its flavor is the amazing people and pivotal experience we find on the way from here to there. I have been blessed with plenty of both and for that I will be eternally grateful. Perhaps someday I can be in a place to be one of those key people for someone else.
Tonight, the sun doesn't just set on the city, but on a chapter in my life. Tomorrow, it will bring a new day with new adventures and new challenges.
But I can deal with tomorrow tomorrow. Now, I think it's time for some well deserved rest.
Hey everyone, I'm Fieron and I'm a relatively new trader here in the city. Most of the time you can find me bumming around the Item Market. Buying stuff here, selling it there, and hoping to make enough to cover my rent. It's not the most luxurious life, but I get by... barely.
It won't always be like this though. One day I'll be famous for making the biggest trade ever. One day I'll have my own private island, with an airstrip so I can travel and a vault to keep my money safe.
Wait a second.....
Maybe I could do both at once.
Let's see, let's see......
What do I have to trade...... Not much.
I've got a jacket. Anyone wanna trade a private island for a jacket?
Anyone? Anyone?
Didn't think I'd get so lucky. Guess it's time to start trading up!
Chapter 2
The fates must be smiling on me today. Not long after I decided to start this mad journey, someone came up to my stall. They called themselves a 'covert watch salesperson' and said they needed a new, bigger jacket so that they could expand their inventory capacity. I must have had a look of confusion on my face since they proceeded to open up their jacket. Inside was hanging what seemed like hundreds of gold watches.
Apparently cash is too easily traceable for their taste so they traded me one of their watches for my jacket.
Chapter 3
I thought this journey had almost come to an untimely end. A real sketchy guy came up to my stall and began browsing my wares. He looked at the watch looked at me and then proceeded to put the watch in his pocket and walked off into the crown without another word.
I was sure that he just robbed me, but as I was sitting down, resigned to my fate, I looked over to where the watch was and saw that he had swapped it for a single rectangular pill. A Xanax.
Chapter 4
This guy was a doozy. Wearing a mask of a guy with a mustache, this dude could not keep still to save his life. He just kept bopping around muttering how he had too much porn and not enough Xanax.
As soon as he saw my table he flew in like a hawk and zeroed in on that Xanax. When I said it was barter only, he took out the weirdest assortment of items to try to trade. A plunger, a rubber duck, a Christmas wreath, and more. Then inspiration struck him. He gave me one of the extra porn DVDs which I accepted. He threw off his mask took the Xanax, then thanked me profusely and told me he was about to go jump. I'm really hoping that's not off a bridge. But as a bonus he left his mask behind. Maybe that's worth something.
Chapter 5
I could tell that she was eyeing the DVD from the start. I don't know if she was shy or she had an image to maintain, but she went through and asked about every single item in my stall before sheepishly passing me a drug pack and taking the DVD. I don't know who she thought would be judging her, but it definitely wasn't me. So long as your money is green, I don't care what you buy from me or why.
Chapter 6
The next guy said he had something big for me and that he wanted to meet me outside the market so he wouldn't have to pay the fees.
As soon as we exchange bags he starts booking it, laughing and warning me not to chase him or the bomb he put in my bag would go off.
But you can always trust a druggie to mess something up. C'mon man, if you're gonna threaten a guy with a bomb, at least make sure it's armed first.
Chapter 7
Sometimes the trading game isn't about swapping one item for another, but rather having the right stuff at the right time to take a job.
The other day my faction leader announced that she had taken a contract for us. A new strip club recently opened and it was pulled both patrons and dancers from the old established one, so it had to be dealt with. They suggested that a Molotov would do the trick, but we're a poor training faction and gas is expensive. Thankfully, due to the crackhead, I was in the perfect spot to step in and get things done.
I got the explosive device planted in their liquor delivery. Once they opened it, it turned their entire bar into a series of molotovs. Not only did the place open with a bang, but now it closed with one too.
As per custom, the cash part of the payment went into the faction vault, but for my quick thinking Roxi let me keep the Strippogram Voucher that they sent with it.
Chapter 8
So I'm about to close up shop for the evening when a very well dressed man in a three piece suit comes up to me. A bit overkill for the market, but there are all types here in the city.
"So word is that you're a trader who likes to barter and doesn't ask questions. I've got a number of bags of blood I'm looking to offload before I leave town. Human, O+, freshly harvested. Will you take the lot for the voucher?"
"How--"
"I thought you didn't ask questions. If it's a deal, I'll have it brought around back to your loading dock."
Loading dock? How big does he think I am. And how much blood am I getting?
Well the answer is 1000 bags of fresh blood. Now I kind of want to know what he meant by 'harvested', but on the other hand I'm really not sure that I want to know.
Chapter 9
When I made the trade for the blood I never considered how I was gonna get rid of it and trade it on. Who is gonna want something like that?
Wait...... DarkHearts is having a blood drive today!
The guy running it, who strangely has no name, is a bit confused when I ask where I should drop off my donation. Apparently they expect you to give your own blood straight from your body. It takes a bit of discussion, but he eventually relents and takes it.
It seems that I far and away smashed their all time record for biggest giver so they give me a gift crate labeled 'donator pack'. I'm not sure what's inside, but apparently it's a hot commodity around these parts.
Chapter 10
I haven't had a trade in a bit but that's probably partially my own fault. Rather than hitting the pavement, I've been spending a good amount of time hanging out with some people in the park. They're a great bunch, a mix of newbies and seasoned vets, all coming together to share their experience, company, and occasionally some of their excess wealth.
Today I was talking with one of the guys, Hurley, about my trading quest. He was impressed by my hustle and traded the Donator's Pack for a Goodie Bag he got at a big event here in town. He had been waiting for the right person to passinit along to and, for him, I was the one.
Chapter 11
When Mama, one of the more established members of the group, saw me make that trade, she was not happy about it. She had had her eye on that goodie bag for a while but couldn't even get Hurley to consider trading it to her.
She didn't have much, but she was willing to give what she had. For the goodie bag she transferred over to me a credit for a two night three day training camp at The Feathery Hotel. They keep you working in the gym all day then at night you get to rest in the lap of luxury.
I'm honestly glad that I'm trading this one because much as I could use it, I'm not really sure I'd survive such an intense program.
Chapter 12
Kruug, one of the guys from the park, came up to me in a panic tonight.
A few days ago he broke someone's house and stole some crime memorabilia, including this sickle soaked in blood. He was able to offload most of it, but no one wanted the sickle since it was so new to the market and didn't have a price history yet.
I'm not sure what it is, but since then he had been super paranoid, constantly talking about how 'they' are now after him and how he needs to protect himself. Once he heard about the camp credit I had on offer in my trade chain, he immediately offered to swap the sickle for it so that he could be ready when 'they' stop following him and decide to confront him directly.
Honestly I think 'they' are all in his head, but getting a chance to get in on the ground floor of a potentially priceless artifact is a chance I can't give up.
Chapter 13
I was doing some preclosing at my store last night when I hear the click of the lock on my front door engaging. I whip around, ready for trouble, and standing in the doorway is the well dressed man who traded me the blood.
"I see you've done well for yourself since we've last met. Gotten yourself your own shop and everything. Bold choice taking the Fellfire name, but I think Lug and Hildie would be proud of your hustle.
But I'm not here in a social call. You have something of mine And I would like it back."
"You've gotta help me out, sir. I buy pretty much anything that walks through those doors I can afford."
His voice doesn't change but I see the silent storm raging in his eyes.
"Where is it?"
"That would be entirely dependent on what IT is."
"My sickle. I left it in the care of a friend, but while I was away, that maggot Kruug stole it."
"You could have lead with that, y'know. Let's see.... here we are. I don't want any trouble, so it's all yours."
"Thank you. You've been a gentleman both times I've met, so I'll see that you're compensated for your loss."
And with that he calmly walked out the door.
This morning I received a package with nothing more than a picture of a sickle on it. Inside was 27 energy drinks and 8 needles with drugs in them. I thought I may have gotten the short end of the stick there, but after doing some research I realized how crazy the economy here in the city can be.
Chapter 14
I had a woman walk into my shop the other day dressed in a plain yet elegant blue dress and her long flowing hair neatly tied up with an eidelweiss pin.
"Are you the young man doing that trade chain?"
The icy storm raging within her simultaneously raises and lowers the temperature 20 degrees.
"Yes?"
"I don't know, and frankly I don't care, what you have on offer cause I know that what I have is worth significantly more than what you have."
With that she slams a skateboard on my counter. My eyes immediately go wide because I immediately know what this is. This is one of a set of items that is talked about within the trading community in hushed tones. No one knows how they work, but they seem to have the ability to change and enhance people who use them.
"I've tried to let it go, I've tried to talk to the kid, but some things never change. I just need this gone and out of my life."
I try to stammer out a reply, but in my shock that not only has this come into my shop, but that someone is essentially giving to away to me, all I can do is wordlessly hand over the box I got from the mysterious well dressed man.
She thanks me, and as she leaves you can just see the tension melting out of her.
Chapter 14.1
{AKA the prequel to ch 14 as told by -snowqueen-}
Before I get my mail, I have to make sure the neighborhood brat isn’t outside so I don’t have to listen to him whine. He wouldn’t have this problem if he’d stuck to that ridiculous skateboard park that our taxpayer dollars paid for. No, he had to construct a ramp in the middle of the street. He did such a crappy job (probably eating shrooms again) that it collapsed just as he was at the top, and of course he landed in my prized bed of edelweiss.
I was out there so fast I got to the board before he was done picking petals out of his ears. I held it triumphantly in the air, shouting “You think I didn’t know you left the stink bomb and dog poop? Who’s sorry now! You’ll never see this again!”
You would have thought I’d announced I kidnapped the Mayor (which this kid wouldn’t care about except it’s his dad). He went stark white and started stammering about the board having magical powers and he was trying to get good enough not to waste his one shot with it. I mean, come on. Initially I was going to give it back, but this is priceless. (Him being so upset, that is, not the BS story about a wooden plank and 4 wheels suddenly making you fast.) Do you want it? I feel a little bad about taking the haul you’re dragging around, but not bad enough to turn down the deal.
Chapter 15
CLACK
Mail at this time? Damn CCAs. Why can't the TCPS hire carriers that..... Oh, now that's not regular mail. That right there is the runic butterfly, seal of the Monarchs. They're not in the habit of sending personal messages like that so I'm either about to be very happy or very very dead.
Aight, let's get this over with.
"My sources tell me that you have something in stock that I'm quite interested in. Please have it available for trade tomorrow afternoon.
Prophet Jonasty"
--The next day --
As I'm analyzing the mornings market reports, I hear the thud of wood on wood coming up one of the aisles. I look up to see a guy dressed in a long tan robe and holding a gnarled wooden staff. He doesn't seem to need it for balance so it seems to be more a show of power and a signal of his presence.
Well I'm pretty sure he's a guy, he has his hood pulled up so far that I can't see his face under it.
"Afternoon sir-"
"Prophet"
"Ahh, here for the skateboard I'm guessing?"
"That I am. Could I see it?"
I take it out and he closely examines it, never taking off his hood.
"Mmmm beautiful condition, just like the one I had..."
"Please dont tell me I've gotten involved with stolen goods again."
"Dont worry yourself. If this was the one I had, you obtained it legitimately. A while ago I used it to buy back into a poker game I should have stayed out of, but what can I say? I can't help myself sometimes."
"That's a relief. So, what were you thinking about trading me for the board?"
He takes a folded slip of paper out from under his robe and slides it over to me.
"I hinkk this should cover it."
Unfolding it, I see that it is a check redeemable for quite a large number of supply packs from the Monarch Armory.
"I don't mean to sound any sort of way about this, but are you sure that these numbers are correct?"
"The clouds of war are gathering. This should see you safely to the other side."
"Its a very gracious offer, thank you. And if there's anything I can do for you in the future just let me know."
"As a matter of fact there is. I have been looking for a certain kind of boxing gloves. If you come across them hold them aside for me and I'll be on touch."
"Will do."
And with that he took the skateboard and left. Maybe it's cause I was still a bit shaken from the unnatural darkness under his hood, but he seemed to leave ever so slightly quicker than he came in.
Chapter 16
I'm not sure why, but I got the gut feeling that Prophet's request for the boxing gloves was not one to be taken lightly. Not in a threatening way, more that it could potentially be very lucrative.
So the next day I started pounding the pavement and calling up all my contacts. My trader buddies didn't have any, but they said they'd keep an ear to the ground for me. No luck at the park either. I aactually got quite a few leads asking around my faction HQ, but unfortunately none of them planned out.
Very few people had a pair of gloves, fewer still were willing to part with them, and the few that would wanted cold hard cash.
I had actually almost given up when I saw a pair while bargen hunting at Apatxe's shop. He seemed iinterested in the idea of trading for them, but turned me down at first. In all my late nights hunting, I accidentally told him the wrong amounts. Once I corrected myself, he was more than willing!
Pretty cool guy. Definitely have to keep him in the back of my mind for the future.
Chapter 17
I have no idea how he knew, but the same night that I traded for the gloves, I got another message from Prophet.
Or at least I think it was from him. The outside of the envelope just had my name and the Monarch seal and inside was a ticket to board a private sea plane the next afternoon.
Of course I was a bit apprehensive that this all might be a set up, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. And besides, no one ever mentions it, but I don't think I've ever heard of anyone dying in this city. Strange, might be something to look into in the future.
As we made our approach to our destination, I saw that we were headed for one of the only natural islands in the Torn Archipellago. Gotta say I respect the designer of the island. Rather than imposing the structures onto the landscape, he seemed to have taken great care to work with the existing terrain and instead let it dictate how things are placed.
Waiting on the docks for us were two men. Although he wasn't wearing his robe, I recognized one as Prophet from his build, and the other I knew I've met before but couldn't for the life of me place who he was.
The second guy took the bag containing the gloves from me for safekeeping, gave me a bunch of papers to sign, and handed me a key. I really didn't think much of having to sign them cause Monarch had their own way of doing things and I trusted them not to be screwing me over.
After a bit of small talk with Prophet about the trip, and the island, and the nice dinner we'd be having tonight, I asked him where the guesthouse was so that I could go freshen up a bit. With a smirk he pointed me in the right direction.
It was a bit of a trek to get up there but the walk through the lush forests of the island was nice and relaxing. I get up to the door, put the key in the lock, and nothing. The cylinder just was not budging. So I hike back to let Prophet know that he accidentally gave me the wrong key.
"You don't have the wrong key, you have the wrong lock"
I gave him a confused look, so he continues
"You didn't read the papers you signed, did you?"
"Yeah, of course I did."
"Walk with me."
He led us up the path to the main house and when we get there he nods towards the door. Still a bit confused, I put the key in the lock and turn.
CLICK
"Had you actually read the papers like you said, you would have seen that they were a a sales contract and a transfer of title. Welcome to your new home."
After a tour of the grounds, the three of us sat down for dinner and that's when I learned who the third guy was. Benji was actually the druggie that failed to blow me up way back in the beginning of my journey. Since then he's really turned his life around and actually got the contract to refurbish the island's vault and air strip. He says that it might take a while for the work to be done with the war making materials and labor hard to come by, but he's committed to seeing it through to the end.
After dinner, Prophet packed up the last of his things, leaving just me and my island.
Epilogue
After Prophet left, I sat alone on the beach watching the sunset, still in a bit of shock over the day's events.
This is it. I've achieved my goal.
But somehow it doesn't really feel like the end.
Sure, I've now made a name for myself. I've made an near impossible trade, going from nothing to everything.
I thought this might be my laurels to rest on, but it's not. Now the question is, what I am going to do with the name for myself?
I guess life isn't really about reaching the goals and destinations we set out for. What gives life its flavor is the amazing people and pivotal experience we find on the way from here to there. I have been blessed with plenty of both and for that I will be eternally grateful. Perhaps someday I can be in a place to be one of those key people for someone else.
Tonight, the sun doesn't just set on the city, but on a chapter in my life. Tomorrow, it will bring a new day with new adventures and new challenges.
But I can deal with tomorrow tomorrow. Now, I think it's time for some well deserved rest.
![[image: i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/v1HN1bE.png){kind=link}