Zafron walked through the winding alleyways of the Wasteland, the slime suit clutched tightly in his hand.
'Raxus's staff,' he mused, his brow furrowed in concentration. 'Could it really be the key to our escape? And if so, how in the world are we supposed to get our hands on it?'
[Oh, I'm sure it'll be a breeze,] Calista chimed in, her voice dripping with sarcasm. [We'll just waltz up to his section and ask politely if we can borrow his staff. What could possibly go wrong?]
Zafron rolled his eyes, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth despite the gravity of the situation.
As he rounded a corner, he reached the door to his scrappy house and entered, expecting to see Matilda waiting where he thought she'd be, he found no trace of her at in the house.
"Matilda?" he called out, his voice echoing off the grimy walls of the house. Worry began to gnaw at the pit of his stomach as he scanned the room .
[Well, this is just perfect,] Calista grumbled. [First, we get a crash course in prison-breaking, and now our partner in crime has vanished. Should we start checking the local taverns, or jump straight to assuming she's been kidnapped?]
"Not helping, Calista," Zafron muttered, his eyes narrowing as he considered their options. He raised his free hand, concentrating as he formed a small blob of slime in his palm. "This should help us track her down."
The slime quivered and stretched, forming a thin tendril that pointed down one of the nearby streets. Without hesitation, Zafron set off, following the compass.
As they made their way through the twisting streets, Zafron's mind raced with possibilities. 'She wouldn't have just wandered off without a reason,' he thought, his grip tightening on the slime suit. 'What if something happened? What if-'
[My lord ,] Calista interrupted, [isn't that the place where we got our breathing crystals?]
Zafron's head snapped up, realizing they were indeed approaching the ramshackle stall where they'd acquired their life-saving accessories.
As they drew closer, he caught sight of a familiar figure engaged in animated conversation with the crystal seller.
Relief washed over him as he recognized Matilda, her laughter carrying through the stagnant air of the Wasteland.
She seemed completely at ease in contrast to the worry that had been gnawing at Zafron's insides. Matter of fact, she and the merchant appeared to be laughing about something that was funny.
'Since when did she make friends with him?,'
"Matilda," he called out as he approached, unable to keep a hint of exasperation from his voice. "Why did you leave the house? I was worried sick."
Matilda turned, her eyes widening in surprise as she saw Zafron. A sheepish smile spread across her face. "Oh, Zafron! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you. My breathing crystal started acting up, so I came to get it checked out."
The crystal seller, stepped forward. "My sincerest apologies," he said, his voice oily and placating. "It seems I mistakenly gave you one of our lower standard crystals instead of the top-notch ones you paid for. A regrettable error, I assure you."
Zafron's eyes narrowed, studying the seller's face. 'Mistake, my foot,' he thought, his jaw clenching. 'You knew exactly what you were doing, you slimy charlatan.'
[Wow, a dishonest merchant in a prison full of criminals? I'm shocked. Shocked, I tell you,] Calista deadpanned.
"I'd be happy to exchange your crystal as well, sir," the seller offered, turning to Zafron with an ingratiating smile. "Free of charge, of course, to make up for the inconvenience."
Zafron shook his head, his voice cool as he replied, "That won't be necessary. I'm perfectly satisfied with mine." He had a strong suspicion that the crystal Hector had provided was far superior to anything this con artist could offer.
[Smart move, my lord,] Calista approved. [I wouldn't trust this guy to sell me water if I was on fire.]
"If you're sure," the seller said, a flicker of disappointment crossing his face before it was quickly masked by another oily smile. "Please, don't hesitate to come back if you change your mind."
"We won't," Zafron said firmly, placing a hand on Matilda's shoulder. "Come on, we should head back."
As they turned to leave, Matilda's gaze fell on the strange suit in Zafron's grasp. Her brow furrowed in confusion. "Zafron, what is that? It looks... alive."
Zafron glanced down at the slime suit, having almost forgotten he was carrying it. "Ah, this," he said, a wry smile crossing his face. "It's a long story."
He explained to her his encounter with Hector and the plans he had to escape.
Matilda's curiosity got the better of her. "Zafron," she began, her voice low and urgent, "this plan you mentioned... how exactly do you intend to get Raxus's staff? And what about the cart? It's still with Shadow and Whisper, isn't it?"
Zafron's lips curved into a small, confident smile. "Finding the cart will be the easier part, actually. I have a plan for that."
[Oh, here we go,] Calista chimed in. [Another brilliant scheme coming through. I'm on the edge of my non-existent seat.]
Ignoring Calista's talks, Zafron continued, "As for Raxus's chambers... well, that's where things get a bit more complicated."
Matilda raised an eyebrow, a mixture of skepticism and intrigue playing across her features. "Complicated? In this place? I'm shocked," she said, her tone dry but tinged with affection.
Zafron chuckled, then suddenly paused, his gaze fixed on something in the distance. Without warning, he turned on his heel and began walking back towards the crystal seller's stall.
"Zafron?" Matilda called after him, confusion evident in her voice. "What are you doing?"
As they approached, the crystal seller's eyes widened with recognition. A sly grin spread across his face as he spread his arms in welcome. "Ah, my friends! Back so soon? Perhaps you've reconsidered my generous offer to exchange your crystal?"
Zafron shook his head, his expression neutral. "No, that won't be necessary. I have a different question for you."
The seller's smile faltered slightly, but he quickly recovered. "Of course, of course. How may I assist you?"
Zafron leaned in slightly, his voice low and casual. "I was wondering if you knew of a place where one might get... broken gadgets repaired?"
The seller's eyebrows shot up, a look of amusement crossing his scarred face. "My friend, everything in this forsaken place is broken. Could you perhaps be a tad more specific?"
Zafron nodded, choosing his words carefully. "I'm talking about more... specialized repairs. Weapons, for instance. Or other... Transportation machines."
Understanding dawned in the seller's eyes, followed quickly by a glint of wariness.
He glanced around furtively before leaning in close. "Ah, I see. You're looking for the Scrapyard, then."
'The Scrapyard,' Zafron thought, committing the name to memory. 'Fitting.'
The seller continued, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's in the upper section. But listen closely, my friend. That area... it's not for the faint of heart. Deadly thieves gather there like flies on a corpse."
[Charming analogy,] Calista muttered. [Really paints a picture, doesn't it?]
"You'll need to watch yourself," the seller warned, his tone grave. "Those vultures would steal the breath from your lungs if they could. Your mask, your crystals, your units, anything of value – it'll be gone in the blink of an eye if you're not careful."
[Is he serious?] Calista scoffed internally. [Half the population of this dump is made up of thieves already. What's a few more?]
Zafron nodded solemnly, feigning concern. "I appreciate the warning. We'll be on our guard."
The seller straightened up, apparently satisfied that he'd done his civic duty. "See that you are. It would be a shame to lose such... interesting customers."
"Indeed," Zafron replied, a hint of irony in his voice. "Thank you for your help."
As they turned to leave, Matilda fell into step beside Zafron, her expression a mixture of curiosity and concern. "The Scrapyard? Zafron, what are you planning?"
Zafron's eyes gleamed with determination. "The twins need a place to repair the cart, and the only suitable option would be the Scrapyard."
Matilda hesitated for a moment before agreeing to follow behind. They walked in silence, each lost in their own thoughts and wondering about the challenges they might encounter at the Scrapyard.
'I should probably drop this at home. Can't walk around with it everywhere I go,' Zafron thought looking at the suit in his hand.
[Or...you could use one of your unused skill...]
Calista chimed in to remind him.
'I've forgotten. Is it the one from saving the enforcers? I was planning to save that one,' Zafron said. There was a special skill he got but was planning to save it until it was absolutely needed.
[Would you like for me to activate it?] Calista asked.
'Hang on, let's get to this alley first,' Zafron said, grapping Matilda's hand and picking up the pace. He was now somewhat excited to see this new skill.
Because of all the chaos, he'd abandoned some of his pending quests and even rewards from previously completed ones. But now was the chance to see one of them.