There Are More Than You Might Think

"How long, guide?"
"About four hours, Mr. Jarris."
Jarris considered. He could reach his destination that same day, but his men wouldn't feel right about staying the night in or anywhere near the Esdallic Fane. Neither would he, come to that. "We'll make camp here," he told them before turning back to the local he had hired. "Will you continue with us or return to town? I don't know how the people around here feel about the Fane."
The guide pulled a copper pendant from behind his shirt and fingered it while he thought. "Mostly we don't think about it. There's nothing special about it as far as we know, but if you find something . . . I hope you wouldn't mind if I tell everybody."
"Depends what we find." Jarris chuckled, but he kept his eyes on the pendant. "I didn't see anyone else with a pendant like that. Back in town, I mean."
"Oh, uh, well no. My father gave this to me before he disappeared. Told me not to let it out of my sight, that it was important."
Jarris narrowed his eyes. He felt his scar throbbing. He opened his mouth, but that was all. Wind blew words away. Thunder made everything silent by comparison. A storm manifested, a man-sized storm, and cleared up seconds later.
"I'll give you 500 melks for it." A man stood where the storm had been. He wore robes and held a staff made not for walking, but for magic. "The average laborer makes 3 melks per month. With 500, you can buy property. Get married. It's a good deal!" "Who are you? What are you up to?" Jarris demanded to know.
"I'm the Mage of Darrannassa. I have a spell that alerts me to mysterious keepsakes so I can make an offer. They've all been duds so far, but eventually I'll find one with immense magical potency. That's the bet I'm making, but take my advice, young Araph. Don't bet. Take the sure thing. 500 melks, today."
"How did you know my name?" the young guide gasped.
"I'm the Mage of Darrannassa."

Well? What you would you do? Answer now before scrolling down to see what happened.





"Well . . ." Araph said, but then the demons attacked. As usual, that was a fake choice.
Finis