I'M IN

The hour showed 08:10 AM. There was still some time; James and his goons said they'd be back in the afternoon. I could hit up some houses – I 'had' to hit up some houses. I didn't like going out in the mornings, but there was nothing I could do.

I opened the door of my home, quickly changed out of my school uniform, and slipped into my leather brown and black-accented armor. Using the side window, I left the house. The back alleys of this city had taught me many things, like in the shadows, if you're quiet enough, the city itself would whisper secrets.

I navigated through the alleys for about twenty minutes and stopped at a part of the district where I knew people with good jobs -not rich, but above the normal wage- lived.

I climbed onto a wooden ledge that had a sign waving in the wind and pulled myself up. Opposite where I stood, I saw a house with a cracked window. I took a few steps back, jumped forward, and grabbed the window sill at the last second. After checking to make sure no one was watching me, I opened the window quietly and listened inside. I could hear a dog barking and a cat meowing in response. Other than that, it was silent.

"Let's go." I pulled myself up and entered inside.

It was a small room, probably belonging to a young woman. The walls were unplastered and had mold on them. Right next to the window was a bed with a red blanket on it. A wardrobe stood opposite the room's door. The rug, which had clearly seen better days, seemed expensive.

I checked under the pillows and, to my surprise, found four gold coins and a silver one. I pocketed them and continued searching the room.

I peeked through the door and saw the dog that had been barking nonstop. It was barking at a cockroach on the wall, and the cat meowed at it as if trying to say, 'Stop already.'

"Guess I'm stuck with this room," I said as I closed the door. "Okay… let's see."

After opening the wardrobe, a letter fell out. I caught it in mid-air and opened it.

"Did you hear about that weird bard?" I read aloud. "She's coming into town. I think I'm going to get a signature from her. Don't worry, Mom, I'll be home before Dad gets home. Love you…" I narrowed my eyes. "Weird bard?"

I made a mental note of the bard and checked the pockets of the clothes hanging in the wardrobe. The only things I found were ten silver coins and an earring that would fetch at least twenty gold. Good haul.

I rolled up the rug and threw it outside, hoping to fence it and get a decent amount of gold for my troubles. My go-to man was Barton since he was the only man I could trust. After our father died, he was the one who took us in and trained us, after all.

"Okay…" I leaped off the ledge, my knees bending to absorb the impact. "Barton, I hope you're home, you old man."

I was about to take the rug from the ground when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I quickly turned around, drawing my dagger from my belt. Again, there was no one. I spun around fully, just in case.

"Fuck, that felt real," I muttered. "That was real. Someone is here…"

My eyes scanned the alleyway, searching for someone using an invisibility spell.

"Shadow," a weird, uncanny voice echoed inside my head, making me crouch reflexively. "Dancer."

"The fuck?" I yelped, backing up against the wall, ready for an attack. "Who are you? Show yourself."

But the voice stopped, and the weird sensation I felt disappeared. I was panting as if I had just finished a marathon.

I sheathed my dagger and removed the mysterious locked box from my pocket. Though, it didn't seem like it was locked anymore. It was slightly -just a tiny bit- open. I could see something in the little crack, but it wasn't enough to make out what it was. No matter how much I tried, it wouldn't open any further.

"It just unlocked itself," I gulped nervously. "Crap, was it cursed?"

I stared at the ground, trying to gather my thoughts. That wasn't my problem right now. My sister was in danger and I need money for James and his goons. After getting enough gold for them, I was going to take care of this mysterious box deal.

"Fuck it…" I put the rug on my shoulder and began walking toward another alley. "I need sleep I guess…"

Navigating the winding, narrow sewers of the Gravif was second nature to me. This hidden labyrinth beneath Gravif, accessible only to those in the know, was a haven for the city's most unsavory characters.

After a short walk, I reached a seemingly dead-end section of the tunnel. Pausing for a moment, I ran my fingers along the rough surface, searching for the concealed mechanism I knew to be hidden there. Finding the small, indented button, I pressed it firmly, feeling a slight resistance before it gave way with a soft click.

With metal creaking, a section of the wall slid open, revealing a narrow passage concealed behind the facade of solid stone. Stepping through the opening, I left the darkness of the tunnels behind me and entered Rusty Chalice.

"Hate this place…"

Dimly lit by flickering torches, the place reeked of damp stone and stale ale. Vendors peddled stolen goods, alchemists offered dubious potions, and mercenaries sought their next job.

Rusty Chalice was a clandestine bar where deals were made and secrets exchanged. Its clientele ranged from petty thieves to the most notorious crime lords. It was the perfect place for someone like me to fence stolen goods or take some quests.

"Barton," I said as I approached the counter, "I need to fence some stuff."

He looked up, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Sure, what you got?"

I placed the items on the counter one by one. "An earring, and a rug."

Barton inspected the items, picking up the earring first. "Nice piece," he muttered, weighing it in his hand. "This'll fetch a good price." He then glanced at the rug. "Bit worn, but still valuable."

"Good."

He looked back at me, his expression serious. "Where'd you get all this?"

"From a house in the west district," I replied, keeping my voice low. "No one was home."

Barton nodded, satisfied. "Alright, let's see what I can give you for it." He pulled out a ledger and began calculating the value of the items.

As I was waiting I leaned my elbows to the counter and turned my back. The Rusty Chalice was a poorly lit establishment, its interior shrouded in shadows and its atmosphere thick with the scent of stale ale and sweat. Oval tables were scattered around the room, some occupied by shadowy figures engaged in hushed conversations, while others sat empty, awaiting new patrons.

The low ceiling held a simple chandelier, its candles unlit, leaving the flickering glow of wall-mounted torches to illuminate the Rusty Chalice.

"Fifty gold," Barton said. "But for you, I'll make it fifty-five."

"Thanks," I turned toward him. "I think we have enough for this month's payment… but I don't know about next month."

"I heard James charges 550 gold for his 'service,' though. You sure you have enough?"

"Yeah, got some gold laying around. With that, I can pay that stupid fee."

"Lucky for you." He poured himself a mug of beer and drank it all with four loud gulps. "Ahh – want some?"

"Nah."

"Your loss, Axel." He chuckled. "Any news on that box? You managed to crack it open?"

"I don't know… we'll see."

"What kind of answer was that?" He asked, not really expecting a response. "Anyway, how was the second day of school? Made any friends, mm?"

"It was good. Give me my gold so I can leave. I don't like this shithole. No offense."

"Ya prick." He shrugged. "Of course you would hate this place. Of fucking course."

He reached into his pockets and placed the gold coins on the counter.

"Thanks." I put them into my pouch one by one, counting as I did. "I'll take a quest while I'm here… ten, eleven, twelve… you got anything for me?"

"Yep. A quest-giver wants Hilbra's flute stolen. He pays 250 gold coins for that."

"Twenty-five… six – Hilbra?"

"That one-eyed bard. You know, she's a celebrity."

"Oh –" I remembered the note I had read. "Where is she?"

"In Tireo."

"She stays in a tavern? I heard she was pretty rich, though." I finished counting and put the pouch inside my pocket.

"Her mother works in Tireo. That's why she chose there," he replied. "So, will you take the job?"

"For 250 gold coins?" I said with a deadpan tone. "Yep, I'm in."