11. Window Shopping

After spending the first day away from the inn laying low, Lukas started the second by visiting Esther’s clinic. Unfortunately, she was too busy to entertain him, and he turned to the markets instead. Lukas and the clones had passed several interesting stores and businesses during courier jobs or deliveries for Kat’s father. Time for investigations was a luxury, and they settled for glancing through or at the window displays when passing. Now, Lukas finally took the time to explore his new world.

The midday market was in full swing. Crowds filled the streets, vendors called out to customers, singing the praises of their wares, and patrons argued for lower prices. It was a scene Lukas had grown used to over the past couple of weeks. He liked it.

The Realm of Great Beings had few such places. Entities like Lady Silverspine and their demigod-like minions, or the ‘Lesser Great Beings’ as most used to call them, controlled far too much for free markets and full-on trade cities to exist. Even though Lukas was weak and had little money to his name, he felt free. No godlike being was tracking him or demanding his praise. He didn't need to answer to anyone. Next, he needed power, influence, and wealth. His degrees of freedom would increase.

El-Two’s visits to the library had helped Lukas regain a fraction of his knowledge of Fracture. The world didn’t have as many god-like entities as the Realm of Greater Beings. The history books spoke of several powerful warlords, emperors, and sentient creatures with enough power to solo armies, tear down or raise mountains, and divide seas. Chatter on the streets and in taverns claimed that a good deal of the relevant entities still walked the many landscapes of Fracture or ruled over them. 

An immortal king ruled over the Kingdom of Schwarzberg. He rarely left his mountain palace, but his masterwork metalwork often appeared in the markets. Lukas couldn’t tell whether it was propaganda or he genuinely spent all of his life in a forge heated by lava. The Empire of the Holy Sun apparently had a trio of centuries-old demigod siblings rulers. Their late mother, also an immortal, had bedded a god, a dragon, and a mythological ice wolf to birth them. Lukas hoped the entities had the power to adopt human form or it was all propaganda. 

Apparently, people attempted to rise to their ranks on a regular basis, but time, limited resources, and stiff competition worked against them. Power also painted a target on one’s back. Lukas and his clones had snuffed out one too many hopefuls that Lady Silverspine or one of his other masters considered a potential future threat.

What Lukas liked most about Fracture was that most of it was wild and unsettled. There were also several free cities and settled, civilized lands like Iskandar, which mortals ruled.  Lukas had little interest in becoming a ruler or land grabber. He preferred the freedom of anonymity and the ability to move around. Ruling a kingdom or empire came with too many responsibilities and dependents.

Focus on completing the Pillars first. Then, you can dream of becoming a Greater Being.

First, Lukas needed to figure out what kind of shards existed, whether there were any patterns and rules regarding how they functioned with the pillars, and see examples of them and their conjunction abilities. He intended for everything to compliment Arcane Clone. Body enhancements or transfigurations were necessary to improve their physical capabilities. Any and all magic would also help push them to new heights. 

The research began in stores that stocked shards and essences. The former were rare and sat in well-protected display cases. Inspector’s Compendium told him that not all of their labels were strictly correct. Lukas couldn’t tell whether it was a matter of dishonesty or incorrect identification. He scanned a forearm-sized glass shard filled with swirling grey and black particles.

The Shard of Iron Sand can produce the following abilities:

Ironskin(Body): Turn your skin into iron while also reinforcing bones and muscles. The increase in strength and durability will come at the cost of speed and flexibility. Your skin will also exhibit all the same qualities as iron as well, becoming hard but malleable and conductive. 

Heart of Iron(Heart): Gain a significant boost to willpower and psychic fortitude. Shaking your resolve is challenging, and the mental strain of casting magic will be insignificant. A lesser version of the empowerment can be shared with all nearby as an aura. Your body will also process poison better than individuals of your tier. 

Iron Sand Sorcery(Mind): Conjure, shape, and manipulate iron sand. You may also take care of iron sand not born of the ability. However, control over it will be weaker and demand significantly more magic. 

It was an excellent shard. Ironskin was perfect for the clones if he went down the mage path—assuming they eventually gained the power to use shard abilities. They could defend Lukas while he cast long, complicated spells. Meanwhile, the Mind ability was similar to something Lady Silverspine had offered him when they first met. 

Lukas had requested Arcane Clone from Lady Silverspine because it was one of his favorite supernatural abilities from a childhood favorite TV show. The same program also had a character who carried a giant gourd of sand and used it defensively and offensively. Lukas had often wondered what path he would’ve walked with a similar spell or ability. It would probably be one of magehood or more direct combat. Killing phoenixes and similar entities would’ve been much easier. However, his life probably wouldn’t be as fun.

The shopkeeper had labeled it only as Shard of Black Sand. There were estimations of possible abilities the shard would grant, but they were also incorrect. Lukas wanted the shard, but the price of a thousand crowns put it well outside of his reach. Glowing spellscripts lined the display case, and armored guards filled the store. It felt as if even the thought of stealing the shard would get him arrested, if not killed on the spot.

The next shard was similarly mislabelled. It was only as big as Lukas’s finger, and a glimmering white wisp floated within. When Lukas’s attention moved toward the sign that said ‘Shard of Foresight,’ he was sure the crystal’s contents winked at him.

The Shard of Seeking can produce the following abilities:

Sharpened Senses (Body): Temporarily enhance any or all physical and metaphysical senses to superhuman levels. Nothing and no one can escape your detection. Beware of sensory overload and the headaches that come with it. The longer anything is enhanced, the greater the risks of physical strain. Empowering any sense for too long or too frequently will weaken it afterward.

Spirit of Exploration (Heart): Traverse faster and with natural care and grace than individuals of the same tier. Develop a sixth sense that guides you to water and game animals and easily identify edible plant matter.

Scryer (Mind): Gain the ability to magically divine the location of objects and organisms you have touched or studied from afar. You may also shape floating eyes out of magic and direct them to travel close or far.

Despite the misrepresentation, it wasn’t a bad shard. In fact, Lukas believed a lot of people—who weren’t him—would greatly benefit from it. Most thieves, assassins, and hunters would kill for Sharpened Senses. The enhanced metaphysical changes also sounded great for mages. Treasure hunters, scouts, explorers, traveling merchants, and cartographers would find value in the Spirit of Exploration. At the same time, Scryer seemed like the perfect gateway into divination magic. 

Besides occasional thieving, assassinating, and hunting, Lukas didn’t see much use in most of the shards on sale. Many would likely buy the shard for clairvoyance-related abilities, paying a hefty twelve hundred crowns for it, but then end up disappointed.

Of all the stores he explored, only one had a correctly labeled shard.

The Shard of Metalsmithing can produce the following abilities:

Born To Smith(Body): The art of blacksmithing comes naturally to you, improving your instincts regarding metal temperatures, the correct spots to hammer, quenching times, and all else. You tire slowly around forges, metal workshops, and smithing tools. Fires of metal workshops don’t bother. Instead, they’re comforting like a mother’s embrace.

Heartforge(Heart): Gain incredible resistance to heat and fire. Your heart and lunge embody a forge, and your breath carries one’s fury. Your internal heat keeps frigid temperatures at bay and reduces the potency of diseases and toxins.

Molder of Metal(Mind): Metal might as well be clay to you. Replace magic with fire, gaining the ability to soften, shape, and harden metal without ever heating it up. 

Despite the incredible magical and combat potential of the shard in the Heart and Mind Pillars, it was far cheaper than all the others he had found thus far at only eight hundred crowns. The shard looked like it was once a crystal anvil, and then repeated impacts had chipped and cracked its edges. It was almost as tall as his torso and twice as thick. Even without all the enchantments and guards, he couldn’t have stolen it if he wanted. It was the only shard he considered a good match. Molder of Metal had potential for use in all walks of life, including thievery and combat. 

Lukas imagined softening or melting weapons and arrowheads before they hit him. A sword swinging at his axe could just as easily become a constricting serpent that no amount of struggling could remove.

As Lukas explored other stores, he encountered many other shards and inspected them all, kicking himself for not doing so sooner or using the journal’s function more often over the past couple of weeks. Even though he couldn’t afford any of them, window shopping helped him understand shards and the accompanying abilities much better. 

Lukas noted a pattern and made mental notes. 

The Pillar of Body granted active or passive physiological improvements or made one better at a specific task or trade. The Copycat ability that the Shard of Duplication would’ve given him seemed like an anomaly, leaving him to wonder whether it was a product of Lady Silverspone’s magical influence.

The Pillar of Heart came with primarily passive abilities, physical or magical. On occasion, it allowed the sharing of said boost in the form of an aura. He didn’t encounter any other gifts like Heartforge’s fire-breathing, leaving him to wonder whether it was a rare occurrence.

Finally, there was the Pillar of Mind. It was the most consistent in the sense that it produced magic-adjacent abilities that allowed replicating a spell or school of spells without going through traditional casting procedures. Some also fundamentally altered one’s magic or provided metamagic. The latter, like Twice Magicked, also seemed like a rarity, and of the dozen or so shards he encountered, only one other had a similar ability.

Merchants seemed far more honest and consistent when it came to labeling essences. Lukas only spotted one Ember Essence labeled as Flame Essence. It felt like a case of a merchant trying to exaggerate the potency and quality of his product. 

Lost in exploration and curious about what the journal had to say about everything, Lukas wandered deeper into the city and away from the main market street. The street ran out, and a final store caught Lukas’s eye. The worn armor, weapons, and clothes gave it a pawn shop feel. He peeked through the window and caught sight of a shard and a man arranging a display case full of essences.

“Here to buy or sell?” The shopkeeper asked. He sped to his shop’s centerpiece, the enchantment covered glass cabinet that housed the shard. It was as big as Lukas’s hand and floated within. The man closed the front glass panel and locked it with a key that hung around his neck before finally facing Lukas. 

“Buy,” Lukas said, walking down the length of the long, narrow store. The display case containing the essences was closer to the rear than the front. It sat not far past the shard and next to shelves of glass bottles filled with colorful fluids, probably alchemical brews. “My Soul shard is closing in on the next tier, and I want to be ready with an essence.”

It wasn’t a complete lie. He wasn’t sure if it was the regular dispelling and resummoning or pushing the clones to exercise, train, and learn and then absorbing all of their efforts that did it, but Shadow Clone had reached rank seven a week ago, and the next one up felt close.

The man put on the stereotypical salesman price. “Forgive me if this comes across as rude, but I hope you know that shards don’t come cheap. Are you here to buy or plan a purchase?”

“Can’t it be both?” Lukas asked, raising an eyebrow. “This will be the shard’s first essence, and I don’t want to be hasty with my decision. Most of today has gone into checking what’s available, how much everything costs, and shortlisting candidates.”

“Right.” The man’s eyes lingered on the sword hanging from Lukas’s waist for a moment. “Careful,” he said when Lukas took a step back and almost bumped into another shelf. The fluids within the glass bottles appeared to move in their containers, swirling, bubbling, crackling, and, in some instances, floating. “Can you tell me what the shard does?” 

“I’d rather not.”

“I’m afraid I can’t help or advise without a rough idea of the ability, its function, or type.”

“Conjuration,” Lukas said after some thought. 

“That’s a good start.” The shopkeeper returned to the open display case containing the dozen or so essences. “Next, we need to figure out what you want from the next rank.  Are you trying to gain potency, reduce cost, make the ability more efficient, or get an entirely new function?”

“Cost and volume are a priority.” Lukas didn’t pull out the journal, relying on a visual inspection instead. It would be invisible to the shopkeeper, but Lukas worried he’d look strange staring at invisible pages. “ I’d like to be able to conjure more and do it for cheaper.”

“I don’t have enough information regarding your ability to offer a lot of advice. However, the best way to reduce the cost of an ability and increase its volume is to modify its nature. Removing the magic cost of a conjuration completely is impossible. However, you can substitute part of the demands with an easily available, common, environmental substance. The man grabbed a tray covered by a thin velvet mat. He moved four essences onto it, along with the little cards that listed their name and price. “Essence of Blood. Essence of Dust. Essence of Light. Essence of Shadow. I’ve placed them in decreasing order of cost for your convenience.”

Blood clones would be pretty metal.

“Why are light and shadow so much cheaper than the other two?” Lukas asked, studying the two glass spheres. A bright white light shone in the center of one while wispy black floated in the other, reflecting him and the shopkeeper but as dark silhouettes.

“They’re intangible, and effects born of them can frequently be metaphorical,” the shopkeeper answered. “Hence, they’re not always compatible with the conjurer's desires and lower in demand.” He picked up the sphere filled with billowing clouds of yellow-brown specks. “People turn their noses up at dust, thinking it's below them. But dust is infinite, has countless sources, and can be strong when packed together.” He moved onto the glass ball that looked like a lava lamp filled with bright, viscous red. “And don’t get me started on blood. Move past disgust, and it's an incredible essence for most shards. Easily available. Rich in iron and bound to terrify even the most stalwart of foes.”

“I don’t disagree with you in the slightest. Dust and blood are well beyond my means, unfortunately.” Lukas’s hand moved to the coin pouch in his pocket. “I have an undercity job coming up later this week. The pay for that should be enough to almost get me the shadow or light essence.” He hesitated. “Maybe a few days of extra long courier shifts—”

“Why don’t you sell me your sword?” The shopkeeper interrupted. “You don’t have to settle. I’ll trade it for the blood or dust. It’s up to you.”

“I’m afraid it's not for sale,” Lukas said, surprised by the offer. Kat had offered him far less than what the sign cards claimed any of the essences were worth.

“Oh no.” The shopkeeper’s eyes glanced past Lukas toward the entrance. “I’m afraid it is.”

Lukas looked over his shoulder. A man and woman now stood on either side of the shop’s door. They weren’t present when Lukas first entered. Both were armed. 

“Do you really want to steal from me?” Lukas chuckled. He presented a calm and pleasant front. “I work closely with Captain Stefan of the Iskander Guard.” Lukas tapped the courier badge pinned to his lapel. “I was on his way to report for a pick up from him—”

“I wasn’t going to steal from you!” The shopkeeper feigned offense. “I’d never do that. I’m a law-abiding citizen. We’re going to trade the sword for the blood essence. It’s a fair deal. Guard Captain Stefan will agree. I certainly pay him enough protection for his support on most things.”

Lukas pushed over the glass cabinet of essences and shoulder-charged the neighboring shelf of alchemical brew containers. Things shattered. Fluids splattered across the floor. Fumes filled the air. The shopkeeper let out a high-pitched feminine scream, and the man by the door roared angrily. He and his companion charged at Lukas as he raced toward the door.