Picking Up Knowledge

Wearing her typical outfit of olive green t-shirt and khaki cargo pants with her backpack and Nightshade Machete on her back, Leona also sported her ever-present Argent Gloves and carried an important letter in her pocket. Today's job was to pick up a book delivery for a wealthy collector named Benjamin Rellock. Due to some undisclosed business that occupied his attention, he was unable to obtain his purchase himself and hired Silver Wolf to do it for him. However, Leona would not be alone. She would be working with Desmond, the researcher and occasional prankster.

She was glad for the company. She was concerned that if she returned to Capital Crocus alone after what had transpired a few days ago with Other Eero, it might not end well for her. No one seemed to recognize the blonde right now, which was a good thing. She would be able to conduct her business in relative peace. Leona strolled along the streets until she saw the bookstore named Written Antiquities.

That was where she needed to go. Removing her machete and wrapping it in her desert cloak, she placed the bundle inside her backpack, where it protruded at an angle but did not have the profile of a weapon. Concealing the machete should keep her out of trouble with store security and the town guard. Once she had shouldered her backpack again, Leona walked inside.

-Inside Written Antiquities-

Leona entered the bookstore and was greeted by wall-to-wall shelves and decor that reminded her of an earlier era. The furniture was all-leather and the lighting came from gold chandeliers with clear glass globes. She had not seen anything like it since the Hall of Books from the Three Cities in Desierto. Before she proceeded to explore Written Antiquities, she decided to wait for Desmond and took off her backpack before sitting in a leather chair.

[Word Count: 312/750]

Leona was mildly surprised to find that Desmond had entered the store just after she did. The green-haired guild member was a quiet type who tended to keep to himself. Still, she appreciated his company.

"Hi there Desmond. I'm not expecting any trouble, but if it finds us, I'll deal with it." Leona said to him. She knew from experience that he did not like wasting time, so it was time to find the right staff member and get the book they had come for. But who to ask?

"Hi there Miss. Remember me?" A blond male with brown eyes and a fancy three-piece black suit asked her. Leona tilted her head a bit... he looked familiar. Then she remembered him. It was Charles from a few days ago!

"Hi Charles. How'd the date go?" Leona asked him. His face had almost fully healed. Bruises were visible only if one looked closely.

"It went well, thanks to you. Claire and I saw the movie and managed to get a table at Ramsee's with time and Jewels to spare. You saved our date." Charles said to her. Leona was pleased. All that trouble had been worth it after all.

"I'm here to claim a purchase for a Mr. Benjamin Rellock. Do you know him?" Leona asked while producing the letter.

"Oh yes, Mr. Rellock! He's one of our frequent customers. He has an eye for rare books, especially magical tomes. I'll get my boss right away. Follow me!" Charles said before walking briskly to a polished wooden counter with the letter firmly in hand. Leona waited patiently at the counter as Charles summoned his boss, an older man wearing a three-piece brown suit and a gold-rimmed monocle. He had an owlish appearance, a look accented by his monocle and modest stature.

"Hello Miss Jarnefeldt. I am Oscar, owner of Written Antiquities. My employee Charles informs me that you are here on behalf of Mr. Rellock." He said to her as Charles handed him the letter authorizing the Silver Wolf mages to retrieve the book.

"Yes sir." Leona stated as she looked him in the eyes. She was here on legitimate business and had nothing to hide from him. She was not afraid of scrutiny. Oscar turned back to the letter and began examining it.

"Hmm... this handwriting looks real enough. But let me delve into the truth of the matter." He said before adjusting his monocle, which projected a cone of golden light onto the letter. The words floated off the page and hovered in the air, permitting Oscar to easily read them and examine them for inconsistencies. He hmmmed and frowned, carefully examining every letter of every word. Leona remained quiet and let the store owner do his work. She could not blame him for being cautious... she had heard that the book had cost at least 80,000 Jewels but could easily sell for more, so it was an obvious target for thieves.

[Word Count: 493] [Total Word Count: 805/750]

Leona watched as Oscar scrutinized the letter from top to bottom. He was focused as he pored over every letter of every word. Then his monocle stopped projecting light and his eyes met hers.

"The letter is real." He announced tersely. The owlish man then put on a smile.

"I apologize for the scrutiny, Miss Jarnefeldt. Thieves sometimes pose as our best customers. They frequently present forged letters and try to claim merchandise that has already been paid for. I will not permit such thievery, not on my watch." Oscar explained.

"It's no problem. Really." Leona insisted.

"I will go and get your book, Miss Jarnefeldt. Please wait here." Oscar said before calmly walking into a stockroom. Charles faced her and Desmond, who had inquired as to whether their business was finished here. Almost three minutes later, a muscular man with short black hair who was easily seven feet tall strolled out of the back with a large book in his left hand. He walked up to the counter and gently laid the book down. The book emitted a soft WHUMP as it was set down.

"Thank you, Walter." Oscar said to the tall, muscular employee. He was a mountain of muscle who had arms as big as Leona's torso. One of his covered pectoral muscles was as big as her head. Where did Oscar find such a man?

"No problem, sir." Walter replied before walking away to the back. Leona did not want to fight him. While it was true that raw strength did not mean everything, he had a magical signature that was roughly equivalent to her own. She was not eager to find out what type of magic he could use.

The book that had been deposited onto the counter was a large book with an obsidian cover and the title was written in golden cursive letters. It had an equally impressive title. Leona peered at it and read.

Hidden Knowledge: A Collection Of Writings Concerning The Contents Of The Obsidian Archives

"OK, that's the one. Thanks Mr. Oscar." Leona said while picking it up with her left Argent Glove. She hefted it with the same ease that Walter had thanks to the power of the gauntlets. It would have been very difficult for the blonde to have picked it up without wearing the gauntlets.

"Do come back again, Miss Jarnefeldt." He said while presenting a business card. Leona took it with her right hand and put it into her side pocket. She then looked at Desmond.

"OK, Desmond. Our business here is finished. Let's go to Oak Town." Leona said to her guildmate. She then carefully made her way to the front and opened the door. With a little bit of effort, she managed to make it through the door without damaging anything.

-In the streets of Capital Crocus-

Leona stood outside the bookstore and waited for Desmond. Almost immediately she spotted strange men wearing black who were hanging around outside the shop. They had taken an interest in her, or rather an interest in what she was carrying. She did not like the look of that.

[Word Count: 521] [Total Word Count: 1,326/750]

With the air of menace dispelled thanks to Desmond convincing the men to leave, Leona returned the thumbs-up gesture. She had a feeling that the men would return, but it would not be today. Still, she decided to get out of here before they changed their minds.

"Thanks, Desmond. Now let's get going." Leona said to him, hefting the book into both her gloved hands. Together the pair set out for Oak Town. She hoped that Mr. Rellock was home to receive his purchase.

-Oak Town, Mr. Rellock's mansion-

It was almost nighttime by the time the Silver Wolf mages arrived at Mr. Rellock's mansion. Leona carefully knocked on the door and was answered by a white-haired butler in a three-piece black suit with matching shoes. He glanced down at them with disdain until he spotted what Leona was carrying.

"Oh! You have Mr. Rellock's book! Please, come right in! He's been expecting you!" The man said, all but dragging them inside.

The pair entered the mansion and carefully wiped their feet on the rug laid out for them. They walked down black-and-white checkered tile and were escorted up a flight of marble stairs with thick mahogany rails leading to the second floor. The mages walked past paintings and fine porcelain displayed in wooden cabinets made of mahogany and other luxurious woods. When they came to a set of dark brown double doors, the butler knocked three times.

"Yes?" A strong male voice answered.

"Mr. Rellock, the mages who have your book are here, sir." The butler replied.

"Splendid. Do bring them in." The voice instructed. The doors were opened and the mages entered to face a well-dressed man with graying hair and a gray suit with a blue tie and black-rimmed glasses on his face sitting in a brown leather chair. Surrounding him was a wall-to-wall bookcase filled with books that were older than Leona. He looked the part of a wealthy collector.

"Ah, Miss Jarnefeldt and Mister Troy! You have brought the tome! Please, set it down on this cart and my faithful butler Reginald will do the rest." He instructed while pointing to a sturdy metal four-wheel cart. Leona did as she was told, gently setting down the book so it did not move the cart. The contraption groaned under the weight of the book but somehow retained its shape and structural integrity. Mr. Rellock stood up and gently brushed his hand on the cover of Hidden Knowledge.

"I have waited months for this tome. I had to outbid a Fellerock, two Gormans, and a Narcegie for this book. But this book is worth far more than I paid for it. A lot more. Oh yes, indeed it is!" The collector said with excitement as the hapless Reginald strained to push the cart out of the room. Once Reginald had left, Mr. Rellock turned to them and produced two bags of Jewels. He approached each mage and handed it to them.

"Well done, my youthful friends. Your work here is done. But this is only the beginning of our relationship. I may have more work for you yet. I will keep in touch with your guild." Mr. Rellock assured them. That was their cue to leave. Leona took the hint.

"Thank you, Mr. Rellock. We'll see ourselves out." Leona said to the collector before turning to Desmond.

"We completed the job, Desmond. Let's go home." Leona said to him, slowly turning around and leaving the mansion the same way the pair had entered. She carefully shut the front door. Desmond had proven to be a valuable partner for this job; they would have to work together again some day. It would be a long walk, but the feeling of a successful job would ease the discomfort. Leona started walking... she would lead the way home.

Mr. Rellock's Appearance:

[Word Count: 638] [Total Word Count: 1,964/750]