Aldrin’s eyes flicked back and forth from all the threats in the room before regaining control of himself. “I’m sorry,” he said to his friends, his Vampiric features slowly receding.

  Jared and Pierre waved him off while Evie relaxed her shoulders, letting out a huff of breath. Aldrin turned back to Waesmenor, offering the same apology to which the bloated imp cackled again. He called off the frenzied imp swarm in their guttural language, making them disperse back to what they were doing.

  Waesmenor clasped his long, gnarled fingers behind him. “Now that introductions are out of the way, I am Waesmenor. This is my humble abode to which our Giantess princess has taken you too,” he gestured all around him. “I know my appearance as a Demon might be off-putting, as most of my kind likes to dabble in chaos and carnage, but there are few of us that can elevate ourselves from our baser instincts, which mine is knowledge and creation.”

  “I guess good and bad are just a matter of perception to some,” Jared whispered.

  “Correct, my young fleshy friend,” Waesmenor commented, grinning widely.

  Waesmenor turned and flapped his tiny wings rapidly until he got to a blackened stone desk, plopping down with a thump behind it. “Now, what can I do for you?”

  “We need a few things,” Evie answered. “Specifically, new gear for a dungeon run and enchantments for a carriage.”

  Waesmenor eyed each other, appraising them as they felt small pricks wash over them when his gaze landed on them. “I think I may have items that will be suited for you,” he cackled once he finished Inspecting them.

  A shrill screech escaped his wide mouth that made the other imps buzz in a flurry of motion as they flitted around the shop to different cubby holes. They dropped items in front of them, all on top of the desk, after which Waesmenor began sorting them into piles for the group.

  “First up, the budding Archer.” Waesmenor gestured for Jared to step forward. He placed a blackened bow lined with silver and a faded dark brown empty beat-up quiver.

  Jared’s eyes went wide briefly before realizing he wouldn’t be able to use them. He opened his mouth to protest but Waesmenor held up his gnarled long hand, “You can grow into them but you won’t be able to use their enchantments until you reach the required stat to which I am sure you will if you plan on dungeon diving for the time being yes?” He shrewdly smiled. “Take them for a favor at a later date.”

  Jared flicked his eyes back and forth between the items and the Imp that was enticing him. “What’s the favor?” He tried to sound contemplative, but his greed was winning.

  “Take them and find out at a later date as you all will owe me if you decide to take the items presented to you,” Waesmenor’s smile deepened.

  “In our world, deals with demons do not end up being the best of ideas,” Pierre piped up.

  “Well, you’re not in your world, are you? You are in mine,” Waesmenor fired back, smiling shrewdly. “So take it or leave it.” He rushed Jared, shooing him away.

  Jared grumbled to himself, knowing enchanted items were hard to come by until later levels or from finishing higher tier dungeons. He picked them up and swapped them for his current bow and quiver. “I still need to buy some arrows to go with it,” Jared said.

  “One of my imps will take care of you,” Waesmenor whistled, and an imp zipped in front of Jared, jabbering and gesturing for him to follow it. Jared looked at the others nervously before heading off with the Imp.

  “Next, my Princess of the Mountain Giants,” he smiled at Evie, who bounded up without a care in the world. He placed a silver necklace that had dark gray beads at equal points. Inside those beads, upon a closer look, swirls of wind danced within them. He then placed a tattered purple book that was burnt around the edges of the cover. A lavender gem sat in the middle, acting as a lock as gilded chains wrapped around it, with the gem being the center of it.

  “Since you are the only Tier 4 among the group, I figured these would be good for you.” He gestured to them.

  “How did you get these… knowing exactly what would help us?” Evie asked once she Inspected her items.

  “Oh please,” Waesmenor chortled. “It's in the air if you know how to listen. Especially for something monumental on the horizon.” He quickly glanced at Aldrin, who watched him intently.

  “Now for our dashing Rogue,” he turned his gaze to Pierre. He presented a black wispy cape that seemed to fade into the background, fraying at its edges. Then he fished out a pair of dark blue velvet boots with a gold buckle on the top of the foot.

  Without fuss, Pierre took them and stood next to Evie, who watched on with interest as to the items Aldrin would receive.

  “Lastly, for the upcoming dark lord, a gift from Kilinos,” Waesmenor grinned wickedly. “Consider these an investment.” He pushed forward a dark steel, dull bastard broadsword that was chipped and scratched. A pulse of magic faintly pulsed from it that made Aldrin's enhanced senses pick it up. Waesmenor then placed an obsidian circlet with a blackened gem at the center. He placed the circlet down next to the broadsword.

  Aldrin immediately recoiled at the gifts, making Waesmenor cackle in unbridled glee. “Take them. They are gifts from your patron, after all.”

  Aldrin hissed in response, baring his fangs at Waesmenor, which only incited more cackling. “You surprised me the first time, but you will not do so again in my shop, Juvenile. You aren’t strong enough to threaten me yet.”

  “Take them or don’t, but it will be your doom without them. We want you to survive the upcoming events, as it has been foretold.” Waesmenor informed.

  “But a favor will still be owed? I cannot imagine what kind of favor will be needed if I take these...” Aldrin murmured to himself, ignoring the ominous meaning behind his words.

  Waesmenor patiently waited for the internal conflict to resolve itself as it danced across Aldrin’s features. He licked his lips, feeling the palpable choice that was going to rear its ugly head and bind the Vampire to him. The chaos and carnage that he would ensue if he left with the weapon alone. It almost felt wrong to him, but Kilinos had given him strict instructions not to sway the young man in any direction. He had merely given him a tidbit about what would happen if he didn’t take them. There wasn’t a doubt in Waesmenor’s mind that Aldrin had others looking for him already, since he could not have been the only one to sense the awakening of a Progenitor.

  Unaware of what the imp was thinking, Aldrin debated with himself before accepting the weapon and whatever favor that would come with it. He was already too far deep after indirectly destroying a city, so adding a cursed weapon to his name as well wouldn’t be so bad.

  Waesmenor wetly cackled in absolute madness when he sensed the shift in power as the weapon bounded itself to Aldrin. “I wonder what unique ability it will acquire when it reaches Tier 6 in the hands of the Vampire Progenitor!”

  He almost popped his existence on the plane with the rush of excitement that ran through him when Aldrin accepted the items. “Yes, yes! Excellent! You have made the right choice!” he excitedly clapped his hands, flapping up off his seated position to float in front of Aldrin, who still looked conflicted.

  “Your arsenal will only grow as you grow in power!” Waesmenor said to each of them. “Do not shy away from anything given to you, for each has a purpose here or later. With that business done, your carriage will be seen to! Now begone, all of you!” He clapped his hands.

  The four of them reappeared outside, varying emotions crested each of their faces as they each held a slip of paper that read, “We shall meet again, new friends.”

  “Well, he was eccentric,” Jared grumbled, earning nods of agreement from everyone except Aldrin, who stared at the note and the large two-handed sword he now owned.

  Pierre placed a hand on Aldrin’s shoulder, snapping him back to reality. “We can go test them out in the dungeons, I guess?”

  “Yeah... sure,” Aldrin half-heartedly agreed as he walked away with the others following him. He looked back at where the entrance to the shop would be only to be met with an empty space.

  “His shop is only found when it needs to be found. We needed it, and now we don’t. We will find it again when the time is right,” Evie caught his gaze when she looked back at it too.

  “I’m beginning to dislike the Demons that have an interest in me,” Aldrin said, earning a nervous chuckle from Jared.