“We’re going to need a ton of stuff, aren’t we?” Eric said. 

The party stood around him as they were about to enter the market of Bracharest. Shops filled the large courtyard of the castle and spilled out onto the road and plaza outside the gates to the fortress. Eric and his party had exited the castle to pick up other perishables and supplies for the trek into the mountains. Eric hadn’t realized how many people would be wandering the market at the same time as them.

“It is better that we be prepared,” Bearick said. “Otherwise, we may regret not bringing more, no matter how cumbersome it is.”

“There’s just so many…people,” Eric said. 

“Well,” Sophia said. “Standing around and gawking at people is probably not going to help us get on the road soon. Should we split up, too?” 

“I suppose,” Eric said. “Clanker and Sophia stick with me. Bearick, can you take Josiah with you to help gather perishables and other equipment you deem necessary?” Bearick nodded, then gave Josiah a hefty slap on the shoulder. They moved away to shop, Josiah looking at Eric with concern. Eric couldn’t help smiling.

“Let’s not worry about the amount of materials we need to gather,” Eric said. “We can use my inventory to store a bulk of what we need.” 

“So what do you want us to do?” Clanker asked.

“I guess we can plan and shop as we go,” Eric said. “I still don’t know what I need as for weapons or equipment.”

“How are you wanting to hunt?” Sophia asked. 

“What do you mean?”

“What approach to fighting do you want to use?” Sophia said, eying shops as they slowly walked. 

“Well, Bearick is our engagement and tank,” Eric said. 

“What’s a tank?” Sophia said. 

A few shop owners shoved their wares into Eric’s face as they passed, making him back into Sophia, more out of surprise than necessity to get away from them. Sophia shoved Eric away.

“Sorry,” Eric said. “It’s cramped in this market. Anyway, a tank is…well the actual term of tank would be hard to explain right now. The idea of a tank in a party is the individual that begins the fight, runs into the fray, and draws agro, or the attention of the enemy. They usually are large, strong, and well-protected, and can take a lot of hits that would have otherwise landed or get directed at less armored members of the party. I’m no tank which is fortunate that we have Bearick.”

“Ok, then,” Sophia said. “So with hunters, most of our work is solo. Having a party is somewhat foreign to me. I don’t know if there’s an official term for a ‘tank,’ or whatever, in our world.”

“The other roles of the party are pretty filled out as well,” Eric said. “Clanker is our mage, you’re the assassin or rogue type, and I’m hoping Josiah can be our fighter or secondary tank perhaps. So, what do I do?” 

“If I am to understand you correctly,” Clanker said. “This organization of a party has roles to fill. So, you would be the leader, yes?”

“Well, yeah,” Eric said. “But what other role or purpose would I have? Knowing that will help me figure out what equipment I need to buy and how to focus my training.”

“Just tell us what you want to do,” Sophia said. “Seems simple to me.”

“I suppose,” Eric said, nodding with a hand to his chin. “I guess I can be some kind of mage paladin, someone that is in the mid-range, not the frontline, but still in front of the backline where Clanker will be.”

“Did you forget what I said about not knowing much about party dynamics?” Sophia said. “Stop confusing me.” She glared at him.

“I’ll need some light armor,” Eric said, shrugging. “That will keep me protected to a degree, and maybe a shortsword? I don’t know what else I could get for that.”

A ball of blue light appeared in the air next to Eric’s head. 

“Note,” Rose said. “You are capable of creating weapons from your abilities. Perhaps for now you may get a sword, but it is recommended that you rely on and hone your skills instead of using inventory space and weight on your person for unnecessary weapons and equipment.”

Eric nodded as she spoke, having forgotten about his ability to mold light to his will and desired shape. I bet I could make all sorts of weapons! 

Sophia nudged him and gestured to a shop with her chin.

“That’s a light armor shop,” she said. “I bet they’ll have some shoulder plates and maybe some thick leather armor you could wear.”

Eric let Sophia guide him and Clanker over to the shop, which was nestled up against the outer stone wall of the castle and between two sword and weapon stands. 

“Anything for you, my lord?” The attendant asked as they approached. 

A thought kept poking at Eric as he looked at the wares in the shop, a thought born from what Rose said. 

Can I also create armor from my light? Eric thought, asking Rose. 

“It is plausible,” Rose said. “With training and time.” 

Maybe I shouldn’t buy any armor, Eric said. I could use the money the king gave us for something else…

Sophia looked at him, noticing his hesitation. 

“Did you have a different idea?” she asked him. “We can get you something else, or find a different shop.” The shop owner deflated a bit from Sophia’s comment. 

“I think I’m going about this wrong,” Eric said. “I think I can rely on my abilities more for a wider range of needs than I thought. We should pass on armor and equipment for myself, at least.” 

“Suit yourself,” Sophia said, shrugging. “What are we going to do, then?” 

“Let’s go and gather the necessities for you, using the king’s money,” Eric said. “And maybe get a few things for you, too, Clanker.”

Clanker perked up. 

“For me?” Clanker said, gesturing to himself. “Well, that is quite thoughtful of you. However…” he trailed off as he brought his hands together. 

In a burst of light, Clanker spread his hands and pulled them away, as if he was pulling open a door, or ripping open a hole.

Between his hands, a tear in the air formed, letting Eric see into oblivion. The light and vastness of the space beyond set cold chills through Eric. It was just a tear in space about a handspan tall and as wide as Clanker’s chest, but it was enough to see into it fully. 

Eric was lost in that dark abyss. It seemed to go on forever.

“What…” Sophia started to say, but her question trailed off as she was entranced even deeper than Eric. 

“Oh,” Clanker said. “I guess I forgot to mention I have a dimensional space that I can store things in, much like your inventory, Eric. However, mine is, as far as I can tell, infinite. So long as the tear I open to access it is large enough. I suppose that is one limitation to the space.”

“How…” Eric began but Clanker explained before he could finish his question.

“I got this from a god,” Clanker said. “He was…well, I don’t quite remember. I should be able to use this space for things as well.” Clanker reached into the tear and pulled out a thin dagger that seemed to be glowing. “Wait…that’s not it.” He placed it back into the space and pulled out a jar of blood.

“See? Useful!” Clanker returned the jar to the space then brought his hands together and the tear fell away, seeming to sink into itself.

“Got that space from a god?!” Eric said, somewhere between furious and curious.

“Yes,” Clanker said. “Though, I think that portion of my memory has been… altered, unfortunately. I feel that would be important to remember someday.” The skeleton turned around and began inspecting the wares of a neighboring shop. A few onlookers had stopped at the display and slowly began to move away, eyes still on Clanker. 

“I suppose,” Eric said, coming out of his stunned wonder. “We should continue.” He looked at Sophia who was staring at where the tear in space had been a moment ago. She only nodded once.

“Our party is strange,” Sophia said. 

“All the more interesting, I guess,” Eric said. 

The three moved through the market in search of shops to replenish Sophia’s equipment and find new armor for her as well. They found a shop that sold throwing daggers, which Sophia nearly cleared out. The shops expressed full gratitude for that. After a time, Bearick and Josiah returned with perishables, like meat and vegetables as well as bread. Clanker offered his space for storage, saying something about time in the space being weird and preventing spoilage. The other two were just as shocked to see Clanker open his space as Eric and Sophia had been. 

Though the crowd that watched was much larger this time. 

Josiah purchased some thicker leather and clothing as well, expressing his gratitude to Eric for lending him some money. 

“It’s not my money,” Eric said. “I almost can’t carry the bag of gold the King gave us. That said, I have no problem using it to outfit our party.” 

Bearick had also gotten a new set of armor that seemed to cover his whole body, with leather and mail slit into the gaps and other areas that allowed for movement. The armor had a darker color to it, like black stainless steel with just as polished of a finish. Along some of the edges of the larger pieces of the set were engraved letters that seemed to glow a dim blue.

“What’s that glowing?” Eric asked as Bearick let the armor slowly sink into the tear Clanker had opened up.

“That’s nature enhancement,” Bearick said. “It strengthens the metal and prevents it from denting or scratching very easily. It would take diamonds to scratch it now.”

“That is definitely a conversation I want to have later,” Eric said. “But…” he turned and looked back at the castle. “We have one more stop to make today.”

“What’s that?” Clanker asked.

“I still need to speak with the king,” Eric said. “Then, tomorrow morning, we’re on our way to the party’s first hunt together. Hopefully it goes well.”