I woke an hour later back in my room and searched my inventory for the least offensive robes I owned and pulled on a set of green with black trim. Master Matt had shown me the small glyph stitched into the collar the guild master had given us, a toggle that shifted Tucker between his true form and his dog guise. I pressed it, and with a shimmer of light, Tucker padded beside me as we made our way downstairs. I added him to our party and gave him a head scratch for good measure.

  Master Matt always allowed me to slip back an hour before dawn. With my boosted stats, sleep was more a courtesy than a necessity; even a single hour left me sharp and refreshed, my body humming with energy.

  By the time I reached the inn’s common floor, my game face was firmly in place. Mei and her staff were already assembled, waiting with quiet anticipation. She planned to keep Wren and a skeleton crew behind in case customers from across the street wandered in, but the rest of us were bound for the marketplace.

  “Everyone ready to kick some ass?” I called.

  The responses were mixed: a few spirited whoo-hoos, some tired yawns, and half-hearted cheers. Eight of us in total, more than enough for the plan I had in mind.

  Mei and her women wore crisp red robes, a black dragon embroidered across their backs that seemed to ripple in the lantern light. She gave everyone one last once-over and then gave the command. “Alright, everyone. Let’s move.”

  We pushed open the inn’s doors. Dawn was just beginning to spill across the sky, painting the streets in pale gold. The air was cool and smelled faintly of bread baking somewhere nearby. Early risers shuffled past, their voices low, the clatter of carts and hooves echoing against stone.

  We walked about half a mile to where the first ring of the merchant quarter stalls was located. We turned the final corner, and I took in the marketplace in front of me. A full section of stalls lined the wide avenues, their awnings snapping in the breeze, as merchants were opening their booths getting ready for the day’s business.

  Mei had secured us a prime stall last night; right where all first-ring foot traffic converged. She’d winced when she told me the price the man had asked to rent it on short notice: a thousand credits a day. I’d simply shrugged and handed over three thousand for three days. My gut told me we wouldn’t need all three, but it was better to be safe than sorry later.

  We located our designated stall and set to work. I put up the signs I’d sketched the night before while Mei’s staff arranged the counter and brewing equipment. The stall reminded me of a mall food vendor, polished counter, steaming kettles, and a small seating area in front of the stall with tables and chairs.

  As the sun climbed higher, the crowd thickened. The rich, bitter scent of coffee drifted from behind me, curling through the air. No one had approached our stall yet until the drink samples hit the counter.

  Tucker sat loyally at my side, a sign clenched in his teeth: BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE. His tail wagged in rhythm with the crowd’s footsteps. I held my sign, waiting for Mei’s signal.

  Mei caught my eye and gave a sharp thumbs-up. “Alright, "Tucker the staff is ready for us to start,” I murmured. “Follow my lead. Turn the cuteness up to eleven.”

  For a heartbeat, I worried he wouldn’t understand. Then Tucker’s eyes widened into the most devastating puppy-dog gaze I’d ever seen. My heart almost melted. “Does this work, Riven?” he asked, voice soft and hopeful.

  “Buddy, that’s perfect. Now let’s do this.”

  I spun my sign into motion, my enhanced stats making the maneuver effortless. The wood whirled in my hands, flipping and twirling with acrobatic precision. I leapt, twisting midair, landing with a flourish that drew gasps from passersby.

  “Try a drink that’s all the rage across the universe!” I shouted, voice carrying over the marketplace din. “Refreshing, energizing, and completely free to sample!”

  The scent of roasted beans and sweet cream filled the air. Tucker’s eyes worked their magic, drawing curious smiles. The crowd began to slow, heads turning toward our stall.

  I handed the nearest woman a steaming sample. She lifted it to her lips, hesitant at first, then let out a soft, surprised “Mmm.”

  “What is this?” she asked, eyes widening.

  “That, my good customer, is a latte. That can only be found at the Hungry Dragon.”

  Word spread fast. Within the hour, every sample was gone, and our stall had drawn the longest line in the merchant quarter.

  Each cup bore the Hungry Dragon’s name and location, etched in crisp ink. Magic made the printing quick, but supplies had been the real hurdle. Mei, with her years of experience in the city, knew exactly where to source what we needed. The cups weren’t cheap, high quality and costly, but she’d convinced the supplier to stamp our logo and even a map to the inn on everyone for free. So that was something I supposed.

  I considered it a startup expense. Get the word out. Build the buzz. Make sure every customer knew where to find more and let them leave with a souvenir as a reminder of the product. Mei handed out each drink with a practiced smile, reminding patrons that we’d only be here for a few days before returning to the Hungry Dragon. Tucker and I kept the crowd entertained, drawing eyes and laughter, while Balt was back at the inn looking for our next Task to take on.

  Just then, Balt came barreling through the crowd. Speak of the devil, and he appears, as Dad always said, I thought.

  I scanned the area, half-expecting trouble, judging by the way he was sprinting. But then I caught sight of his stupid grin and calmed down.

  “I found it! I found the next one!” he shouted. He ran towards me and half stopped, half crashed into me.

  I kept him from falling and gave him a smirk as I helped him steady himself. “Damn, man, you almost had me worried someone was after you the way you were running through a crowded marketplace.” I spun my sign again, letting the motion steady me. “So what kind of new Task did you find?”

  Balt’s eyes gleamed. “A task that will let us both upgrade our weapons, but we have to hurry because multiple people have already accepted the Task!”

  That made me stop spinning my sign and give him my full attention. “You know how hard it is to upgrade my weapon, and from Lawson has said, very few are even capable of knowing how to go it.

  “That’s the beautiful thing, pull up your menu and look up the Task called The Legacy Blacksmith.”

  I started scrolling through alphabetically until I found it.

  I reread the Task and glanced at the map. Turned out, Lisk wasn’t far, a few hours’ travel at most.

  “Holy shit, Balt, no wonder you were so excited.” I accepted the Task, then heard Mei shouting my name. I looked over to see her frantically waving me over. She was waiving me over with one hand and handing out a drink with the other.

  I slipped to the side of the stall, and Mei rushed up to talk. “Riven, we’re going to run out of everything in an hour,” she said, eyes wide as she glanced back at the crowd. “Maybe less.”

  “Perfect,” I replied with a grin.

  Her cheeks flushed, and she shot me an incredulous look. “Perfect? What do you mean, perfect?!”

  I leaned over and gave her my best smile. “Chu’s out securing more supplies, isn’t he?”

  “Of course. I gave him the list this morning.”

  I pulled out the banner from my inventory I’d prepared for just this situation. Bold letters declared:

  We have sold out! Only Limited Seasonal Supplies remain! Available only at The Hungry Dragon.

  The first fifty through the doors receive half-off pricing. Hurry while supplies last!

  She glanced at the banner, then back at me. Leaning close, she whispered. “But we don’t have limited supplies; we’re about to be stocked to the brim.”

  I whispered back matching her energy, “I know. But it will help with urgency, urgency to try something that is seasonal and will soon be gone will gets customers through the door. Once they’re inside, it’s on you and your staff to give them an experience worth coming back for.”

  Her eyes widened, then softened with understanding. She gave a small nod. "I get it. Very clever, Champion."

  I gave a short bow. "Why thank you my dear lady." I passed Balt, another sign from my anchor, and together we kept twirling until the coffee was gone, not thirty minutes later.

  When the banner went up, the line erupted in groans and frustrated curses. I quickly handed out half?off vouchers to everyone waiting, and then we packed up and headed back.

  The whole event had been fast, furious, and undeniably successful. Our first foray into the market had gone off without a hitch but if we wanted this to truly catch on, we were only just getting started.

  Once I had escorted the staff back safely to the inn. “I explained to Mei the Task we had accepted and that we might be gone a few days, but reassured her if she followed the business plan I had drawn up everything would work out.”

  It wasn’t even noon yet when we set out towards the town of Lisk. The road flew by quickly, the terrain turning into gentle rolling hills. Tucker had no problem keeping up with our pace I set. In fact, he seemed relieved to be out of the city and ran alongside us excitedly, tail wagging and tongue out.

  I crested the last of the rolling hills and slowed my pace. The village lay ahead, tucked neatly into the folds of the land like it had grown there rather than been built. Lisk.

  From a distance, the houses looked simple but sturdy, stone foundations with timber frames, roofs pitched against the wind, smoke curling lazily from chimneys. As I drew closer, I caught the faint scent of bread baking and tilled earth, the kind of smell that made you think of hearths and quiet evenings.

  There were no guards at the gate, no patrols, no looming watchtowers. Just a modest stone archway marking the entrance, with the name Lisk carved deep into its surface. Beneath it, smaller letters carried the village motto: “The quiet place where quality sleeps.”

  I paused there for a moment, taking it in. The hills rolled gently behind me, the village stretched comfortably before me and started to scan the village for a forge.

  I passed beneath the archway, the carved motto lingering in my mind, and let my eyes roam the street. No forge in sight. Balt and Tucker fell in step beside me as we moved deeper into the village.

  We followed the street when a voice barked, “Hey!” I turned to see a shopkeeper leaning out from a wide?framed doorway, broom in his hand and flour dust clinging to his apron and forearms. His hair was a wild tangle of gray, his face lined from age, and his eyes carried a weary sharpness.

  “You three,” he snapped, pointing a thick finger at us. “If its Wayne you’re sniffing around for, his family's shop is in the corner of the village on the right, there will be a sign out front, with a hammer but don’t let that weapon upgrade blind you boys, turn back now and save your skins.”

  We exchanged glances, then walked over to the man. Balt cleared his throat. “A lot of people have been looking for him, I suppose, since the blacksmith sent out that Task, his father must have meant a lot to him to offer up a legacy boon like that.”

  The shopkeeper’s expression shifted, less anger now, more resignation. He wiped his hands on his apron, then met our gazes. “The only blacksmith who lived in this town is now dead,” he said sadly. “You’ll see what remains when you get there.” He pointed, “Head that way and decide for yourself. It’s a fool’s errand to go into those ruins, but I’m not your Da’s. So, if you adventures are crazy enough to follow through with that boys Task, do your best to stay alive.”

  I waved, “thanks old timer.”

  He gave us a nod and went back to his sweeping.

  We walked a little further down the road before I said what I was thinking. “That was a little ominous, wouldn’t you say?”

  Balt smirked. “What that shopkeeper fails to realize is that this is just another day for us.”

  I couldn’t help but smile and agree with the sentiment. Soon we were at our destination.

  The blacksmith’s home loomed larger than any other building in the village, its stone walls thick and weathered, timber beams darkened from years of smoke and heat. Wide shutters hung closed, their iron hinges rusting, and the heavy double doors bore deep gouges where countless hands had once pushed them open.

  The yard was silent. The forge itself sat cold and lifeless, its great chimney rising above the home. Ash lay scattered in the hearth, gray and untouched, as though the fire had died months ago and no one had bothered to sweep it clean.

  Tools hung neatly on the walls inside, but they were coated in dust, their edges dulled from disuse. Racks that should have held blades and armor stood empty, and the air carried only the faint metallic tang of iron long cooled.

  I walked closer to the tools and eyed them. “Balt, didn’t the man supposedly just die?

  “As far as I know, that is correct,” he responded. “It’s very odd that these tools had not seen use for a long while then. This Wayne will hopefully clear this little mystery up for us.”

  We stopped at the largest door along the quiet lane, its wood worn smooth from years of use. I raised a hand to knock, but before I could, it creaked open.

  A middle?aged woman stood there, her face pale, her eyes rimmed red with exhaustion. She looked us over in silence for a moment, then spoke softly, her voice carrying the weight of grief.

  “I’m guessing you’re here for that foolish Task?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” I said, straightening.

  She gave a small nod. “Wait here, please. I’ll go get him out of bed.”

  The door shut gently, leaving us on the stoop. Balt glanced at me, and I shrugged. Tucker pressed against my leg, so I crouched down and gave him a few scratches behind the ears while we waited.

  After a long minute, the door opened again. This time, a boy no older than twelve stepped out. His hair was tousled from sleep, but his eyes carried a determination that felt far older than his years.

  “Thank you for coming,” he said, voice steady despite the tremor beneath it. “I’m Wayne. Have you come to talk about my Task?”