The Grey Dome loomed overhead. It was a massive structure of stone and steel. Shadows fell across the entrance gate. Nagi stood at the threshold. He took a deep breath. The air smelled of old paper and iron. He stepped inside the hall. The space was vast and echoing. Hundreds of people moved within the chamber. They wore various types of armor. Some wore light leather for speed. Some wore heavy plate for defense. Others wore woven robes for magic.
Nagi wore simple cloth garments. He blended in with the laborers. He walked toward the center of the room. The quest board stood against the far wall. It was a massive wall of cork and wood. Requests were pinned tightly in rows. Nagi scanned the top section first. Monster clear requests dominated the area. Hunters sought glory and experience there. The rewards were high but risky. Below that were material fetch jobs. These were for gatherers and crafters. They paid less but were safer.
Nagi looked lower still on the board. There was a sealed section there. It was a black board embedded in the wall. No paper was pinned on its surface. Only carved runes glowed faintly. Nagi tried to read the symbols. The text blurred before his eyes. It required specific clearance to view. He stepped back from the board. He felt a presence behind him. He turned slowly to face it.
A young woman stood there. She wore a standard clerk's uniform. It was blue and gray in color. Her badge was silver on her chest. It indicated a junior rank. She looked around nervously. Her eyes darted left and right. She focused on Nagi finally.
Clerk said, "Are you unlicensed?"
Nagi said, "Why do you ask?"
Clerk said, "You have no badge."
Nagi said, "I am observing."
Clerk said, "Do not lie to me."
She stepped closer to him. She lowered her voice significantly.
Clerk said, "I have a job."
Nagi said, "For me?"
Clerk said, "For someone unseen."
She held out an envelope. It was thick and sealed tightly. The wax was red and fresh. It had no official stamp on it.
Nagi said, "What is inside?"
Clerk said, "I do not know."
Nagi said, "Then why me?"
Clerk said, "You look like no one."
Nagi said, "That is not an answer."
Clerk said, "It is the only one."
She pushed the envelope forward. Her hand trembled slightly. Nagi looked at the envelope. He looked at her face closely. Fear was etched there deeply. It was not stage fear. It was real terror.
Nagi said, "What is the risk?"
Clerk said, "Being seen."
Nagi said, "By whom?"
Clerk said, "The eyes above."
She glanced at the ceiling. Cameras were mounted there. They rotated slowly on tracks. Red lights blinked on them.
Nagi said, "Is this against the rules?"
Clerk said, "It is against the system."
Nagi said, "There is a difference."
Clerk said, "Not here."
She pressed the envelope into his hand. It felt warm to the touch.
Nagi said, "Where do I deliver it?"
Clerk said, "The outer district."
She named a merchant specifically.
Nagi said, "What is the pay?"
Clerk said, "Five gold coins."
It was a large sum. It was too large for an errand. Normal errands paid silver only. This paid gold upfront.
Nagi said, "Why so much?"
Clerk said, "For silence."
Nagi said, "And if I refuse?"
Clerk said, "You walk away."
Nagi said, "And you?"
Clerk said, "I find someone else."
Her voice cracked slightly. She was desperate for help. Nagi weighed the options. He needed money urgently. He needed information too. This envelope offered both. The risk was calculated. He was invisible here. He could take the chance.
Nagi said, "I will do it."
The clerk exhaled sharply. Her shoulders relaxed visibly.
Clerk said, "Thank you."
Nagi said, "Do not thank me yet."
Clerk said, "Just go quickly."
Nagi said, "Wait."
Clerk said, "What is it?"
Nagi said, "What is your name?"
Clerk said, "It does not matter."
Nagi said, "It matters to me."
Clerk said, "Call me Elara."
Nagi said, "I am Nagi."
Elara said, "I know."
Nagi froze slightly. He said, "How do you know?"
Elara said, "Everyone knows."
She turned away quickly. She walked into the crowd. She disappeared from sight.
Nagi stood alone in the hall. He held the envelope tightly. It felt heavier now. He looked at the cameras. They were still rotating. He put the envelope in his coat. He hid it deep inside. He walked toward the exit. He kept his head down. He acted like a worker. He acted like a nobody.
He reached the sunlight outside. The air was fresher there. He touched the envelope again. It hummed faintly against his palm. It was not ordinary paper. It was something else entirely.
Nagi said, "What have I agreed to?"
He did not wait for an answer. He began to walk away. The outer district was far. He needed to move fast. But not too fast. Attention was the enemy. He merged with the crowd. He became a shadow.
The Grey Dome stood behind him. It watched him leave. Or so it seemed. Nagi turned a corner. He checked the street. It was clear of guards. He continued walking steadily. The envelope burned against his side. It was a physical sensation. He ignored the heat. He focused on the path. The merchant awaited him. The truth awaited him.
He said, "Let us see."
The city noises rose around him. Carriages rolled on stones. Vendors shouted their wares. Nagi moved through it all. He was a ghost in the machine. But the machine was alive. And it was watching. He reached the district gate. He paused for a moment. He looked back at the Dome. A figure stood on the balcony. It was too far to see clearly. But it waved at him. Nagi turned away. He walked into the outer district. The shadows grew longer. Night was approaching fast. He needed to finish this. Before the sun set. Before the eyes opened. He quickened his pace. The envelope pulsed again. It was a heartbeat. Or a countdown. Nagi did not stop. He walked into the dark.
A/N: Thank you for reading Chapter 4. The mystery of the envelope begins. Who is Elara? What is inside? Please add this to your library and leave a review. Your support means everything!