It was already late in the evening but the merchant seemed unfazed by the passing of time. He sat, poised and elegant, watching the world around him. He didn’t seem bored, even as he leaned forward and laced his fingers atop the table; below it, he kept his toe tapping to some silent tune in his head. He was tall, by human standards, though while sitting down he didn’t seem particularly threatening. If you didn’t look at his face.
He had graceful features--sharp and refined. His chin and nose tapered to a point, giving him an air of sophistication, but that, combined with his slitted eyes and pointed teeth, there was something undeniably predatory about him. He watched with a hungry gaze and a mischievous, nearly sinister smile. His ears were pointed and were prominent despite being tucked behind his vibrant, multi-colored hair. The most intrusive feature that indicated there was something not human about him were the curling horns protruding from his temples and the oil-slick black scales that brushed his cheeks and forehead. He was well dressed, in a fashion obviously otherworldly, and seemed to enjoy dressing himself up in glistening gemstones.
His table was somehow both simple and overwhelming; it was draped in a dark purple tablecloth, with extravagant embroidery in different designs. Scattered neatly atop the table was an array of items that seemed to carry some magical weight to them.
He did not seem intimidated in the slightest and, upon noticing that the barrier surrounding him rippled when his visitor entered, he smiled.
He did not rise to meet them nor adjust his position in the slightest. He followed them with his fierce eyes and greeted, in a silky voice, “Welcome.”
Heliodor had been curious about the merchant and the wares that were presented. It was all peculiar, but oddly alluring. Plus, with an air of dashing mystery, the corrupt was coaxed enough to see what such a person had for wares. The barrier had been interesting. Like stepping through a bubble but the need to inspect was more powerful than his wariness.
He vaguely wondered, as eyes roamed from the table to the man, where he hailed from. Was his appearance that of something normal or perhaps along the lines of half-youma? A being merged with another?
All very interesting questions, but nothing that Heliodor would dare ask. There were expectations and prying into a stranger’s personal life was not something he cared to do. Let the mystery remain as such. It created a much more atmospheric encounter anyway. The fact that Helio had not had the privilege to have met the man before, did not mean he hadn’t heard of him.
At the welcome, Helio offered a small, tentative smile. “Good evening. You’ve got quite an array of items here.” He said as he glanced around the table that was well stocked with items. Helio kept his hands to himself though as he perused. “I have noticed your plethora of signs.” He reached into his subspace and pulled out what he believed was one of specific fruit that the merchant was seeking.
Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2023 7:17 am
“I do, yes. Thank you for noticing.” The man was obviously proud of his items, and sat up a little straighter as he prepared to conduct business.
“If you saw the signs, I hope that means you were successful in recovering what I’ve asked?”
His tail twitched eagerly as Heliodor seemed like he was producing his tradeables, and continued, “I’m rather enthusiastic about a good trade. And I’m sure you can tell that I’ve got a little bit of everything, so I’m certain you’ll be able to find something you like. Are you in the market for anything in particular or are you just browsing?”
There were no wrong answers, only a direction for him to start working in. He was already sizing Heliodor up and trying to guess what he could produce to seal the deal.
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Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2023 11:04 pm
Displaying the pod brought about a response from the merchant that spoke volumes on how very interested he was in the odd product. Helio couldn’t fathom the use of the thing beyond, what he assumed, was to grow another tree. The signs and interest told the corrupt there was more to it than that.
“I am just browsing considering I’ve never had the pleasure of investigating your stall before. I wasn’t exactly sure what I’d find here.” The real question was as he glanced at the items on the table, was what wasn’t he going to find? There appeared to be a wide range of product.
“There’s so many different things here.” If the man specialized in anything perhaps that would be the best route? “ Do you specialize in anything in particular or prefer to just collect whatever catches your eye?” After all, what he had in his hand was useless to him and obviously not to the merchant. So one way or another he intended to leave with something that wasn’t the large pod nestled against his chest by a singular arm.
His gaze fell back to the table. Golden eyes flitted over one thing to another. Some items appeared to be nothing more than knick knacks. Others well…he had no idea what they were for or were. A few rings, stones, and…
His eyes stopped on an item. Such a frivolous thing. Something he had never thought to own. In fact, in comparison to other things on the table it seemed so mundane, but it was the first and only item that he touched from the wares. Carefully he lifted the small hair stick. Gold edged red glass leaves, mayhaps petals, cascaded from the top of it.
”The Space Cauldron”
Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2023 6:10 pm
“You have excellent taste,” the Merchant observed. “I have many trinkets of various quality, all treasures in their own right, but I’m not surprised that one called to you. It matches you, doesn’t it?”
He hummed thoughtfully, a quiet, amused sound, and then nodded approvingly. “I collect many things, my specialization lies in ‘treasure’ and all its forms. I like the novelty of it all, but some of these things get so heavy. It’s not practical to carry them around with me here and there. I travel, often, but I care about these pieces. I’d like them to go to a good home. Some of them are sentimental, even to me. And I’ve found so many nice things discarded, I want these in good hands. They deserve a second chance at life, don’t you think?”
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Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2023 9:35 pm
Helio slowly twirled the metal stick of the item in his finger as he studied the hair piece. What was fascinating about it was the steady glow from those petals. It had a beautiful, ethereal look to it. "It does..." He replied a bit absently before lifting his gaze back to the merchant. "I'll take this if you feel it's a fair trade?" He held out the pod not at all perturbed to be passing it off for such a small trinket. There was just something about the glowing stick that wouldn't let him pass it by.
"As collector of treasure I assume you've seen a lot of unique things." The array on the table said so. "Could you..." He chewed at his bottom lip in thought. "Are you able to tell if any of your treasures have any extra magic? Like this?" Because there was no question the item had some sort of magical properties. Not with the pull it had on the corrupt and the persistent glow.
"If the pod isn't enough for information I can add something to the deal. A starseed perhaps?" He didn't carry much on him that anyone would consider valuable. Not for a treasure collector anyway. But, Helio was also aware how important and valuable information could be and many would expect payment.
The Space Cauldron
Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2023 8:13 am
With great enthusiasm, Almadel accepted the pod. He tucked it away under the table without much fanfare but visibly seemed delighted to do so.
“You assume correctly, I thrive in the unusual and unique. You’d trade me a starseed?” he asked, and after brief contemplation, he nodded. “I haven’t had such contraband in my possession for a while, yes. I’ll make that trade. But you must tell me where you got it, if you know. For curiosity’s sake.”
He laid his hands down on the table and observed his collection. “Many of my items have some sort of magic. Not all of them. You never know what you’re going to find, and even if you do find something, sometimes the magic fades over time. Are you looking for something in particular?”
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Posted: Tue Jul 18, 2023 6:57 pm
The man looked incredibly pleased with his prize. Vaguely he wondered what worth there was in the strange pods. If he was being honest with himself, he didn’t much care. The large item was out of his subspace and off his hands for good. The last thing he needed was it possibly rotting in there. Assuming that was at all possible.
He was pleased when Almadel offered to take a look at the item he had. Trading a starseed was no big loss for the possibility of getting some knowledge of the trinket he had. So, Helio slipped his had back into subspace and pulled forth both a starseed and a small yellow and red crystal. “This is what I am interested in learning about.” The stone lay flat in his palm. Its irregular jagged shape spoke to the damage done when it had broken off of the main source.
The starseed he placed down on the table between them with his other hand.
He wondered how much information he should actually share. Faustite wasn’t even aware yet that he had the piece of crystal. Perhaps staying vague but feeding only the most pertinent info would bare some knowledge? “This was broken from a large crystal born of a fire from a half-youma. The half-youma had been completely encased inside of it before the main body of the crystal disappeared.” If Helio was frank with himself, the whole event still felt like some sort of fever dream. Details were not strong in his memory for how the entirety of the events played out.
”The Space Cauldron”
Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2023 11:27 am
The merchant nodded, and though he reached for the starseed, it seemed only to keep it contained so it didn’t float off. He withdrew a dark, purple box from somewhere behind the table, and he observed the crystal in Helio’s hand as he carefully secured the starseed. Inside the box, though it was only visible for a moment, seemed to be lined with some iridescent crystal.
He latched the box closed and leaned forward to examine Helio’s crystal with a bit more scrutiny.
“It’s beautiful,” he said, but anyone could have observed that.
“I won’t filch it from you, will you let me hold it for a moment?” He extended his hand, open palmed and expectant. “I only want to see it a bit closer. Something born of a half youma is rather impressive–fires hot enough to crystalize, what, air?”
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Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2023 1:45 pm
Helio didn't think much of handing off the starseed. It was replaceable, after all. What did catch his attention though was the chosen home for the seed and the flash of glimmering stone inside. Interesting. This Almaden certainly had a plethora of interesting items at his disposal. "Lovely box." He commented absently as his attention was swiftly redirected back to a more pressing item.
He hesitated a moment at the vendors request. Fingers closed over the crystal as if protecting it from exactly what Almaden promised not to do. Another moment though and Helio carefully deposited it into the mans awaiting hand. Eyes were steady as he watched carefully. The little crystal was an extremely precious item to the corrupt, and any sign what-so-ever of if being secreted away was going to quickly prompt him into retaliation.
"It was his fire itself that crystallized." He clarified. "The fires themselves turned solid around him." The memory of that day still haunted him for the possibility of loss that had been so near.
the space cauldron
Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2023 6:59 pm
“Oh, thank you,” Almadel answered, just as absently. His eyes were fixed on the crystal with a keen interest, and as he accepted the shard he turned it over in his hands. “Fascinating. You people of Earth are capable of a great many things. There is a power in your kind unlike that I’ve ever found elsewhere. Humans are, in many ways, the perfect catalysts.”
He seemed to be examining the crystal for any imperfections, but he could find none.
“I could make something beautiful with this. It’s a pity, I don’t suppose I have anything with me right now that could convince you to part with it. But take good care of this. You won’t find items of this stock easily. Have you held this over flame yet? I’ve a candle here, will you let me try something?”
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Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2023 3:55 pm
The comment about humans abilities was an interesting one. "Catalysts for power?" He questioned curiously, eyes watching the strange man as the stone was studied.
"I can guarantee you there's nothing you could ever offer me to make me part with that." He said with a small smile. Special or not, the stone held far too much sentimental value for the corrupt to ever think about parting with it. It was both a symbol of his failure as well as the success of his loved. It held a warmth about it that forever would remind him of the General King.
At the mention of a flame, Helio nodded in agreement. A little flash of doubt did flare. Was it possible it would trigger something within the stone? Make it return to it's original state? No, surely not. Not with how hot of a fire it had come from. A simple candle would be a far cry from the heat that Faustite put off, Helio had the scars to prove it. "You have an idea of what it might be?"
The Space Cauldron
Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2023 10:22 pm
“Many ideas.”
He reached for a candle–black and shimmering with glitter that made it look like moving water even before it had light on it. He held it to his lips and breathed. Though nothing seemed to come out, the candle sprung to life as he moved it away.
He placed it in a candle holder and absentmindedly produced what appeared to be a scrap of paper. He held it over the flame and watched as it lit up orange and burned away quickly. He waved the scrap to extinguish it. The fire was hot, but nothing special.
Almadel produced tongs from some unseen collection, and pinched the crystal between them. Maybe he was just showing off a bit. He held it over the flame.
“You’ve been on Earth, what, your whole life? Aren’t you ever just impressed by how much you’ve been able to accomplish? All you’ve seen, all you’ve done? The half-youma that produced this, certainly you must have spent some time to think about how amazing it was that this was created from nothing?”
He turned the crystal over and was trying very hard not to be too impatient, but after only a few seconds more he moved the tong to press against the back of his hand. Almost immediately, his skin began to darken.
Almadel didn’t flinch. Instead, he opened his palm and dropped the crystal in it.
The skin of his hand did not change color. He rolled the crystal around a bit and pinched it between his fingers before he held it out for Heliodor again.
It was no warmer than before Almadel held it over the fire.
He didn’t seem surprised.
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Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2023 12:54 pm
Golden eyes watched with great intensity. Whether it was out of fear of loosing the tiny bit of crystal to the collector or strong sense of curiosity for the unknown would remain a mystery to Almadel, but Helio never took his eyes off of the proceedings. It was quite a little show being put on. Whether a display or power or to show off the masssive collection of items the man had, Helio did find himself intrigued. The candle itself was a beautiful item in all of it's inky, water-like existence. The method of lighting it caused a brow to raise.
It was like a little show. A demonstration that what was being done was in fact real as the scrap of paper burned away. It was a fair enough assumption though that if a flame could appear seemingly out of no where on a candle that obviously held it's own magical properties that perhaps the flame itself wasn't real. The paper scrap proved otherwise.
Then came the thongs and Helio's brows furrowed a bit as his tiny piece of crystal was captured between the tips and introduced to the tiny flame.
"Honestly..." He said with all sincerity. "I can't say I set and reflect on any of that..." But now that it had been brought to his attention his mind began to wander. "But you're correct on one thing. The half-youma. He is amazing." A small smile quirked the corners of his mouth.
The crystal showed no signs of darkening over the flame unlike Almadel's fingers which reacted to the heat of the metal of the thongs. The crystal dropped into the vendors hand with no reaction. When offered, Helio held out his own hand to accept the small bit of stone.
He had expected to feel an elevated heat when the stone hit his hand but, it felt exactly as it did before. Just that subtle warmth exuded from it. Nothing was different even after it had been held over the flame for such an extended amount of time.
"It's not hot." He stated the obvious as he rolled the crystal gently within his palm. Almadel didn't seem at all surprised by any of this. Not one iota.
"You expected this." Helio stated. "A tolerance to fire?"
The Space Cauldron
Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2023 6:39 pm
"So it would seem," he answered, with something of a knowing tone in his voice. He annunciated each word carefully and pointedly, buying himself a few seconds more to mull over the strange crystal.
He had noticed the tender way the Agent had spoken about the half-youma in question--the way his tone seemed to express fondness and the way his lips and curled into a smile at the mere mention of him. Of course Almadel wondered who this half-youma would be, but there were only so many out there, and he always seemed to know more than he let on. "No doubt this half youma is familiar with fire and flame already," he mused. "To create something like this as a byproduct is still rather impressive. I can only imagine all the powers that could be harnessed from such a thing. Even as small as it is, I imagine it has great potential. In the right hands, with the right materials, I suppose you could take advantage of its abilities. Find a way to tap into them. Maybe you could find a way to be immune to such flames, yourself. But then, are you the sort who wants to play with fire?"
Judging by the enamored demeanor in which he'd spoken of the half youma before, Almadel suspected that he was.
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Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2023 8:34 pm
The stone rolled between his fingers a few more times as Almadel spoke. Helio mused over the words.There was a lot to think about with the prospect of what his tiny piece of flame crystal could provide for him. "i'll have to share your praises with him." He said as he reached into subspace to carefully store the stone.
Vaguely he wondered how far the fire resistence would span. Could it provide a safety for him with Faustite? Perhaps beyond the boys own fire? And beyond that, how exactly did this little crystal work? At the mention of playing with fire, Helio shared a half-grin. "You could say that." A little chuckle.
"But thank you, my friend. This was very informational." He reached down to gather the hair stick that had been placed on the table in front of him as his and the vendor's attention were focused on the crystallized flame. He gently spun the stick between his fingers. The petals with their soft glow, clinked together gently with the movement. "And thank you for this as well." While it was very much a bauble, it was a bauble that held some sort of draw. It certainly worked with his fuku though. He ssupposed he'd need to learn how to use the ornamental piece.
With the pleasantries and farewell made, Helio turned and left the stall with spirits high. Vaguely, he hoped he hoped that Almadel and his paths crossed again in the future. The vendor had come across very well versed in magic, and while Helio couldn't say it was true or not, the man had left a good impression.
