I could not decide which one that I wanted to take on so I put my point and middle fingers on both of my temples. I never knew why, but this always seemed to help me focus and come to a decision a lot quicker.
Which one of these portals would be the easiest to take on with the new Sophitia since I needed to see what she was capable of as a Gilded Vanguard.
After a few minutes, I finally made up my mind on what enemy type that we were going to fight.
"We will take on the portal with the Lava Toads and the pain mages." I saidd to the receptionist
I saw that she walked over to a terminal and inserted our badgesbinto the terminal that she was standing at, and the terminal began to beep and showed blue lights that were blinking. A few minutes passed when the blue lights turned green , and she walked back over to us and gave us our implication cards.
"There I have registered the both of you to take on the lava toads and pain mages. May the grace of our god be with you". She said in that same exact tone tone that was annoying me.
" lThank you"".
"Now , is there anything else I can help with today?"
"Yes, I need you to buy something from me. I have gathered a few Darvikian Crystals on my last mission." I said to her as I pulled out the Darvikian Crystals.
She grabbed a scale from under the table and began to weigh the crystals that I gave to her. Then she put down a set of numbers on a small suquare device that was attached to the right side of the scale.
"These crystals are worth two thousand Cp." She said to me in that same monitone voice.
"Then transfer the money to my account."
"I am going to need your account card so that I may deposit money in the correct account".
I handed her my black account card.
She banged the crystals that I gave her and then she walked to the back of the room with my card.
Then she came back at a short time later and handed me back my card.
"The new balance to your account has been transferred".
A small amount of rage started to boil up inside of me because of how this receptionist was acting. I truly did despise those who did not take those that they work seriously enough to do it in a professional manner.
I really wanted to punch this receptionist, but she was protected by the G. S. F. and they basically run the whole profession that I am a part of. So I chose to ignore the urge and just made my way out of the building so that I could get ready to take on whatever these Lava Toads and Pain Mages had in store for me.
"Where do we go to next?" Sophitia asked me as soon as we stepped out of the building.
"We are going to exterminate some toads". I said as we started to walk away from the section of the city that was reserved for those that worked in my profession.
"Where are we going? The portal that we are supposed to fight the Lava Toads and Pain Mages is in the opposite direction?". Sophitia ask me in a very impatient tone.
"I need to visit someone first." I told her as I made my way through the marketplace and down a side alleyway.
"Who might that be?" She asked me as we made it to the door of Zachary's store.
"A Smith that I know that is not associated with the merchants guild.
"Are you crazy!? He could be a shady individual. If they haven't been sanctioned by the merchants guild then he cannot be trusted." Sophitia said to me in a very paniced voice.
"Do not be so concerned. He was recommended to me by a very trusted friend." I said to her as I walked into the store. "You can believe all of the rumors and propaganda of the merchants guild, or you could just find out for yourself."
"So you have brought me a new customer Destiny".
"Yes I wanted to get a few things that might help me in the next portal mission that I am going to be taking on."
"Then what do you want me to help you with? Is it going to be a new type of knife, a set of improvements to your armor, or is it going to be attachments for your sniper rifle."
"Well a first off I need an advanced thermal scope so that I adjust the types of heat that are picked up when I look through the scope. I am also going to need a suppressor, add finally I will need three more clips of ammo".
"I have all of those things, but as always i have to ask what your money situation is."
"I just made two thousand more Cp by selling a set of Darvikian Crystals.
He then opened the stairs that led to his forge and vaul.
As I made it to the bottom of the stairs I placed my sniper rifle on the table in the room and waited for him to come out with the two attachments that I had requested for my is my rifle.
"That is going to cost you a total of one thousand two handed Cp." He said as he showed me both of the attachments and three clips of ammo that I had requested from him.
"We should leave. We cannot trust these shady back alley merchants." She said to me in a fearful voice as she was pulling on my right arm.
" It seems that your friend does not want to be here. Did I do or possibly say something to offend her?"
"Oh do not worry. She just believes that in an merchant that is not associated with the guild is out to get us and rob us of all of our money".
He put down the attachments right by my sniperrifle on the table and started to laugh.
"It is not funny. You could take us for all of my money or possibly even take a body part as part of your payment." She said in a stuttering, fearful tone as she was increasing the hold that she had on my arm.
He continued to laugh at what Sophitia stated that he would do as a merchant that was not associated with the guild.
"You do not have to worry. I am only asking for money in exchange for the goods that I provide. I also only work with those who are associated with people I know and trust. If I were to ever take advantage of them in any way, shape, or form it would harm my reputation with the individual that I know who they are associated with." he said he put the new attachments on my sniper rifle.
I gave him my card and he went back upstairs to finish the transaction.
"The transaction is now complete. As always, I thank you for the business that you have provided. I hope that you are satisfied with the products that I sell." Zachary said to me as he handed me my account card.
"As always, thank you very much for what you do for me." I said to\nHim kindly , as I started to walk out of the store.
Then we made our way to the portal that was going to lead us to the Lava Toads and Pain Mages that await us.
When I made it through the portal , I chose to look and see what equipment Sophitia had on. It did not even cross my mind to see exactly what the guild receptionist meant when she said that she was as scout.
I saw that Sophitia was wearing a set of light metal battle armor. She had an energy rifle on her back. On her waist I saw two sphere shaped devices and a small square tablet.
After looking at the gear that she was carrying, I knew that at least she would be able to defend herself.
I saw that the area that I was in was a massive lava lake where there was only a few bridges that made it where we could cross it on foot.
The bridge was broken with a medium opening that I would have to jump across to get to the other side.
"Let's get going. We need to get started i r extermination of these Lava Toads." I said to her before I ran towards the broken bridge.
I jumped across the pit an my feet made contact with the other side with relative ease. This must have been because of my increased agility from the last time I checked my stats.
"Come on jump across. The toads are not going to wait for us." I said to her , as I waved my hand in a quick motion towards me as if to make it obvious to her that we are in somewhat of a hurry.
She ran and jumped across, but she slipped as she made her landing, which caused her to start to fall.
I rushed over and grabbed her right wrist. The weight of her armor and weapons made it very difficult to maintain this without falling myself.
Would I be able to save my first partner, or would I lose my grip and she would fall to her death in a lava pit?