As they arrived at their destination it was clear this building was somewhat different. It wasn’t luxurious, it was built in the same fashion as the others yet it stood out even if just slightly. To be precise it wasn’t a rundown crumbling pile of bricks as the others. It was maintained, the paint on it was smooth, not a single patch of mold could be found on it or the wooden door.
As they went in it almost felt cozy. Narrow corridors slidered around rooms closed off by huge doors. The soft carpets on the floor almost gave out a welcoming impression, and the paintings on the walls almost lent the interior a hint of elegance.
They went up on the stairs made of black wood to the next floor. Drykh knocked on the door just to the left of the staircase which continued on upwards for a few more turns.
“Come in!” came the answer in an uninterested, and slightly annoyed tone. So Drykh confidently entered.
“And an ‘Evening to you too Xzanr!”
With an attitude like this, Freyan could easily understand why would someone annoyed by Drykh’s presence immediately. The pale robust man looked up unamused. He had ginger hair, almost in the hue of fire, yet dark brown eyes deep as the abyss. And his features looked like as a statue chiseled with an axe. He looked like more of a Mazen than someone of Qvilick origin. Still he owned a Qvilick name. He looked at Freyan just for a second and already lost interest in the newcomer.
“Do you have it?” Xzanr asked without any pleasantries.
“You are quite the chatter as usual, aren’t you?” Drykh teased him.
“My job doesn’t involve small talk, you are well aware of that.”
“Yeah, I know. But it wouldn’t hurt to try it out sometimes you know…”
Xzanr’s straight face started slowly become tense as if he was a second away doing something reckless in anger. Yet he maintained his cold manner.
“Don’t waste my time. If you have… the Tear of Fire, you get the reward. Otherwise we don’t have anything to talk about” He looked at his papers. He knew every detail of the contract yet he double checked just in case.
“I just said I do… Sheesh…” Drykh rolled his eyes. He stepped closer to the sturdy table where Xzanr sit and put his backpack in front of him.
Freyan looked around the room while the other two was going on about business. There were display cabinets with all glass sides everywhere in the already cramped room with all sorts of items in it. Jewelry, clothes, weapons, even full plate armours of different kinds could be found besides each other.
“Don’t even think about touching anything” Xzanr looked up from his paperwork taking off his glasses. He looked seriously at Freyan. Whoever he was, his tone and manner wasn’t quite frightening, yet it was clear someone should think twice taking his words lightly.
‘Was he wearing glasses before?’ Freyan thought beside that he wasn’t planning on touching anything in the room in the first place. He nodded towards the muscular vampire. Probably that what he was, as he had no heartbeat.
There’s been a long silence while Xzanr inspected the orb with out touching it. Left alone Freyan did the same thing but around the things kept in the room. After a few minutes focusing he started to feel some energy resonating from some of the objects as if those were magical in nature.
The vampire sitting behind the desk suddenly let out an annoyed sigh taking off his round glasses again.
“What did you do to it?” he looked up at Drykh.
“What did I do? I brought it to you that’s what I did. Despite the fact it burned both of us! If anything happened to it, it was the damn trash. They did it.”
“If something happened?” Xzanr pushed the bridge of his nose with his fingers agitated. “It’s active, that’s what happened. Even if sightly…”
“Yeah… that’s what I” he pushed the last word “said. The trash did it. But that’s your problem. I brought you the Tear, contract completed.”
“This needs to be sealed away, your payment can wait.”
“Wait?!” Drykh was clearly disappointed yet didn’t comment any further. While the other vampire closed back the box holding the orb and stood up from behind the table he turned to Freyan. Who almost jumped in surprise feeling a hand touching his shoulder.
“Wow, easy, it’s me. Who did you expect?” the trickster asked.
“I… no one I guess. I was just…”
“Caught up looking at these beauties? I can see that.”
“What is this place anyway?”
“Well the guy over there, Xzanr, is a Taskmaster and Keeper of treasures. That two titles usually means two different person, but not always. If the elder ones want to get something done they talk to the Taskmasters, and then they give out the task to one of us. And when it’s done the Keepers give the rewards for such contracts. If there are any that is.”
“Okay… I get it” Freyan noted, still feeling a bit off about all of this as if something was missing in the whole picture.
“Good, good… I see something got your attention” Drykh motioned towards the cabinets before them with his head.
“Well… I mean, I don’t know…”
“Oh, don’t be shy. You got eyes for things like that it seems.”
“What do you mean?”
“That full plate? It’s made for you types. Enchanted with all sorts of dark magic to make a warlock-type stronger. Easier casting, protection from other magic and most likely from physical attacks too.”
Both of them looked at the armour for a minute. What Drykh said was good and all, but Freyan was sure about not wanting such a thing. Or more likely that one anytime. It was clear for him that the other vampire was telling the truth. He felt the magic emanating from it… Somehow it wasn’t that sweet dark energy compelling him, calling to him what he once felt in the forest stumbling upon the cultists. No, it was repulsing, threatening even, as if it would deliberately harm him the moment he put it on.
“But I have to warn you” Drykh continued suddenly. “It’ll cost you. Even I don’t have that kind of money” he giggled. Of course there was no chance he would ever buy something of this value even with lesser price for someone like Freyan. “That one though” he pointed at the next cabinet holding a black robe with crimson lining. “You do a few more jobs like this one, even if just accompanying me, and you’ll able to buy it.”
“It’d sure come in handy…” Freyan took a long look on the robe. He still wasn’t sure, but dared not comment otherwise. Moreover he felt too tried to lock on whatever vibe the enchanted cloth was giving out. One thing he knew for sure, it didn’t gave out such threatening ones like the sinister full-plate near it.
“Right? With a bit of practice and an enchanted robe boosting your spells, you’ll be able to fight things like that abomination almost frying you in the cellar.”
‘Why he is smiling again?’ Freyan frowned with out saying anything out loud. But in his state it only seemed logical to him, that having such a thing would be useful.
“Well if trinkets what you want instead of money for your work, it’s fine by me” Drykh noted still looking at the cabinet.
“I get paid?”
“Of course! You done your part, so we share. But as I said if you don’t want money you can have the amulet matching that robe.”
Freyan looked at the mentioned trinket hanged above the robe. There was a black ribbon holding a fairly large round metal amulet, with a motif showing a clawed hand reaching out to a single black stone in the middle.
Getting bored of not getting an answer Drykh commented:
“Or you can give your part to me and get nothing. It’s your choice.”
“No. I take it” Freyan spoke finally still mesmerized by the talisman.
“Splendid!” the older vampire gave voice to his delight and stepped away turning back to the Taskmaster. “Are you finished yet?”
Xzanr gave a displeased look.
“You have some courage to press me on my work… I’d tell you to don’t push your luck, but I’m wasting time already talking to you” although clearly irritated Xzanr voice remained indifferent he took out a small pouch from under his desk counted off the price of the warlock amulet and threw it on the table.
Light on his feet, Drykh almost hopped to the taskmaster’s desk snatching the purse. Meanwhile Xzanr got to the fore-mentioned cabinet handing out the amulet to Freyan.
“I expect you in three days time or someone else gets the next job.”
“Alright, alright I get it” Drykh sighed just like a child when nagged by his mother. He went back to Freyan not caring about mister Fuss-a-lot anymore. “Come one, newblood, try it on!” he encouraged his protege directing him towards the exit.
“Sure. Why not…”
“How does it feel?” Drykh asked when he heard the small click of the necklace clip closing together to its rightful place.
“I… don’t know…” Freyan wasn’t sure about even saying these few words and not just about the power of the amulet. After being around much powerful artifacts, reacting to more potent magic, it was hard to concentrate on a delicate enchantment for him. He traced his fingers around the amulet’s adornment around its edge. Small wavering lines, almost unnoticeable, gave out the sensation as if they were holding the secret he was searching for.
Drykh frowned on the answer. It was clearly not what he wanted to hear. Yet he didn’t bother to comment further on it.
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