The ashes before Strife

Episode 2 : Hidden Tear ; 7

Cayde Barbaten POV:

It's been 7 months since the incident with Lumine in the forest and I was now 6 and a few months years old. She's also changed in this time, her former easily scared attitude was now replaced by a little girl who would step on spiders after messing with it making her personality a little darker which I oddly liked when I knew I shouldn't.

I was simply walking around town with Lumine one day when there was a junk sale week seeing if there was anything that I could buy with the money I saved up from the odd jobs I've done for the adventurers guild when I then saw a man hidden next to the fountain with a blanket spread across the stone floor selling multiple items I had never seen in any of the other stalls.

I lifted a weird-looking see-through cloth that seemed to want to try and meld with my skin "what's this mister?" He stared at me with intrigue as I was the only one to approach him thus far "That is a meld mesh. If you let it fully attach it will provide a layer of protection from magic spells to your skin."

To test what he said I lit an orange flame in my hand and raised it above my hand to see if he would react but he sat there unmoving "if you're looking to see if I'm telling the truth go ahead."

I dropped the strange cloth in the flames and it gently rested atop it moving as the flame did, impressed I snuffed out the flame and placed the cloth back down onto a piece of wood.

"Is there anything you'd recommend for a tamer?" The man then glanced at me and then lupra who was being stroked by Lumine behind me "there is something I have but unless you can use dark magic it's useless to you."

I lifted a black curtain right in between us and then opened it like how a theater would reveal their scene "oho! Aren't you full of surprises kid?" He then turned around and rummaged in his backpack until he finally pulled out a strange stone with markings glowing a faint blue.

"This is a soul veil. This will allow any animal that has the same mark as on the stone to enter a subspace that looks like an open field using the owner as the entry and exit portal. To register it as the owner you need to infuse it with dark magic while pressing it against your cranium and then it will kind of fuse with you."

I was impressed by this, I would now be able to hide Lupra in case of emergencies or launch a surprise attack with another beast I had kept hidden. "Ah, but there is a limit of only eight beasts so pick wisely kid."

Making up my mind to get it I asked "How much for it?" The man gave a pondering look

"soul veils are quite hard to find these days and they are very sought after with a market price of 1000numa but for you kid, I think I could cut it a little bit and make it 300numa instead." I gasped in shock, that was three-fifths of all the money I had saved up, there was no doubt that it was worth it but I argued with myself that I shouldn't then finally after clasping both my hands on my head I said "fine... here" and handed him three silver coins. I was in sorrow from the loss of money but was happy I got the soul veil.

"Ya know what kid. As a special bonus for being my first customer, you can take any item under 100 numa for free." I was shocked by his goodwill but couldn't help but act skeptical as I could tell most would be over that.

"You pick for me since I don't know what's good here" he then licked his lips and pulled out a small wooden box opening it to reveal an ornate pen and a stack of small papers the size of my hand. "What's this supposed to be? A consolation gift?"

He then smirked menacingly "I never said that all you needed for the soul veil was the stone now did I kid?" I then sighed in disbelief staring at the ground, how could a man be such a shrewd businessman.