"Ok then, boys, what would you like? Just name it—I got it," Coraline replied.
Nexus took a moment to think. For the Drake parts, they didn't specify, so we could kill any Drake. Probably best to fight a mountain horn Drake, since their only abilities were creating small earthquakes, and their hard scales won't be a problem for my abilities. So all we'll really need to worry about is stealing the eggs, and if things go south.
"We'll need seven healing potions, two stage-three defense rings, two stage-four fire resistance rings, and an impulse scroll," Nexus said, stroking his chin as he continued to think of all the possible equipment he could use to counter magma drakes.
"Will that be all?" Coraline was surprised that Nexus didn't take any higher-class items. After all, defense rings and fire resistance rings were only B-class.
She couldn't help but feel they were severely underprepared for such a quest.
"Don't forget we'll need a shadow lock ring and raven storm illusion scrolls as well," Quinn replied, fully aware that Nexus wouldn't remember the stealth items, since his mind was usually occupied by damage control rather than preventing the issue in the first place.
"Thanks, I almost forgot. Anyways, how much will that be?" Nexus grabbed a small pouch from his bag filled with silver coins.
"Oh, that'll be 200 silver," Coraline replied while holding out her hand, ready to receive her payment in full.
"Oh, 200 silver?" Nexus paused with his hand still in the coin pouch as he finally processed what Coraline had just said.
Quinn's head whipped around to look at Coraline, baffled by what she had just said. Two hundred silver—that's rent money, he thought as he began calculating the real price.
"Ok, that's unfair. This should at most cost 50 silver." Quinn walked in front of Nexus's wallet, arms stretched out like he was defending his closest friend.
"Come on, boys, you're gonna be rich after this big mission, right? You can spare your favorite shopkeep some extra coin, right?" Her voice was softer than usual, and she moved closer to the boys, putting her hand around Nexus's waist, pulling him in closer with a practiced friendly smile.
Nexus and Quinn looked each other in the eyes, communicating with only a sharp glance. She's trying to scam us, isn't she? they thought in unison before turning to face Coraline.
"60 silver. Take it or leave it." Quinn's harsh tone didn't surprise Coraline, since he was always careful with his money, but even kind-hearted Nexus gave her a look of disgust.
"Boys, boys, boys, not even an extra 50 silver for little ol' me?" She looked Nexus in the eye, smiling and twirling his hair with her finger, trying to look cute to soften him up a bit, but Nexus wouldn't budge. He had had enough of women trying to lie and manipulate him today.
All he wanted now was to finish the mission, get paid, and enjoy a round of drinks with his boys before heading to confession to vent to the priest about how much he wanted to crash out.
"70 silver is the most you're getting." Nexus's eyes hung low in both disappointment and exhaustion. He rummaged around his coin pouch for a bit, taking out 70 silver coins and handing them to Coraline.
She grabbed the coins from his hand, her face no longer pleasant but instead frowning in disappointment that they didn't even raise it to 100 coins.
"Ah, you two are as stingy as always. Fine, I'll go grab the rings. You can get the scroll from the top drawer of the cabinet behind you," Coraline replied as she walked away complaining and stomping downstairs.
Nexus felt a bit like he could have given her more, and he would have after the mission if she hadn't tried to swindle them.
Quinn, on the other hand, rolled his eyes at Coraline, thinking she'll get over it, before leaping onto the large chest of drawers behind Nexus. Pulling out the top drawer, Quinn's eyes began to glow in awe when he saw that it was filled with raven storm illusion scrolls and other AA-class illusion scrolls.
"Jackpot," Quinn whispered as he began sneaking as many of them into his coat without catching Nexus's ear, since he knew that goody two-shoes would tell him to put them back.
As he continued grabbing scrolls, he realized there was a small piece of paper at the back of the drawer with a familiar Tal-Kan character written on it.
He remembered seeing it written on a few of Nexus's weapons and even a few scrolls.
"Hey, Nexus, what's the symbol that looks like a circle with two dashes on the top and bottom mean in Tal-Kan?" he asked as he reached to touch it.
Nexus didn't understand what he meant for a minute, but then it hit him. "Oh—xao reka. It means binding."
"Oh no."
Purple vines wrapped around Quinn's arms and legs, binding all four together while hanging him over the chest of drawers.
"Of course it was a trap," Quinn sighed as the scrolls tucked away in his cloak began falling onto the floor, rolling down to Nexus's feet.
Nexus looked down at the multiple scrolls at his feet, and his eyes went dim as he turned to look at Quinn, utterly disappointed.
"Come on, they were just lying there. Plus, she did try to swindle us earlier." Quinn folded his hands while looking away from Nexus's gaze, unable to take his silent judgment.
Nexus picked up the scrolls, placing them one by one back into the drawer, only keeping the one he paid for and using it to smack Quinn on the back of his head.
"Ouch! What was that for? You already put them back—that was completely unnecessary!" Quinn flailed his arms wildly, trying to swat Nexus away like he was some common housefly causing an annoyance, but Nexus just stepped back a few inches and was now out of his reach.
Nexus shook his head slowly while giving Quinn a blank stare that pierced his soul, causing him to pout as he really thought he could get away with it, but it seemed God wasn't on his side for this one.
"Ok, ok, I get it—I was wrong. Now can you please get me down from here?" Quinn continued to flail his hands and legs that were still bound by the vines, only allowing him minimal movement.
Nexus sighed, then grabbed one of the vines. "Vax kin-xao."
The vines burst into a sparkling cloud of light, leaving Quinn falling face-first toward the ground, only for Nexus to grab him by one of his legs mere inches from the floor.
"Well, at least you didn't grab me by the tail."
Quinn flipped out of Nexus's grasp, landing right before him.
"Hopefully this teaches you to keep your hands to yourself next time," Nexus replied as he packed the illusion scroll into his bag.
"No promises," Quinn replied while giving Nexus a smug smile that made him feel a bit unnerved, but once again he chose to ignore it and deal with Quinn's sticky fingers another day.
"Boys, come get your rings!" Coraline's voice rang from downstairs.
"We'll be there in a minute." Quinn and Nexus made their way down to the bottom floor, where adventurers, alchemists, and even simple farmers were making their way in and out.
Some were buying water stones to help hydrate their fields or health herbs to make potions. Whatever the need was, it was always on the shelf for the right price.
"Here you two go." Coraline tossed the rings in Nexus's direction as he skillfully caught each one between his fingers, then placed them in his bag.
"Ah, good doing business with you as always," Quinn replied as he peeked into the bag, making sure they had everything.
"Don't mention it. Maybe next time you cheapskates could buy something more expensive," Coraline replied as she made her way behind her shop desk.
"Ah sure, save some of your expensive jewelry for when we're back. I want to buy my girl an anniversary present." Quinn waved to Coraline as he leapt back onto Nexus's shoulder.
"No problem—and Quinn, next time don't try to steal my scrolls." Quinn froze in fear as he heard Coraline's words and met her cold, calculated gaze.
Nexus, on the other hand, felt her silent rage but couldn't care less. After all, he didn't do anything—Quinn was the one who had to deal with an angry Tal-Kan woman.
He waved goodbye, then left the store with Quinn shaking in fear as if he were in a frozen tundra.
"You think she'll leave me with a warning this time?" Quinn asked as he looked to Nexus.
"Oh, after she didn't get that 200 silver? Absolutely." Nexus's voice was dripping with sarcasm as a small grin crept up on his face.
"Man, I'm cooked, aren't I?" Quinn sighed as he sat down.
"Yep," Nexus replied while trying to hold in a laugh.