Evolution: A Warlock's Rise To Power

Mr. Fort Anxiously look left and then right.  The entire room was sealed by shadows.  The sunlight no longer shinned through the windows and the noise from the city couldn't be heard either.

"Gentleman… What can I do for you?"  He asked nervously while wiping the sweat from his forehead.

Lucan frowned but didn't say anything.

Super turned his attention away from Lucan and looked towards the fidgeting man who was standing at the edge of the room.

"You know why we are here."  Super said with a scowl.

"I… Oh, yes.  I received your note.  What sort of business arrangement would you like to make with me.  I am curious to hear your proposal.  But unfortunately, I am very short on time today.  Maybe we could set a date later in the week."

Lucan remained silent while Super spoke again.  "Our 'Business' can't wait."

"Oh… Umm… I see.  That is too bad, because I really don't have time.  Perhapse I can recommend someone more suitable."

"Where is it?"  Lucan said.

"What are you talking about?"  Mr. Fort inquired.  "I am not sure what you are looking for."

Lucan's eyes narrowed as mana started to course through his body.  He stretched out an arm and pointed a finger.

A gash appeared on the jeweler's face while he let out a shriek.

"Where is it?!"  Lucan asked louder.

"What are you doing?  You can't do this to me.  We have no quarrel."  The jeweler said while dropping to his knees.

Lucan took a step forward, causing the kneeling man to flinch.  "The eternal luminary heart diamond.  You weren't lying when you told me you had one, but what you gave me was not what was promised."  He said while throwing the bad with the pieces of the fakes in front of the jeweler.

"What?!  How could that be?"  Said Mr. Fort while gasping.

His reaction was so fake that Super and Lucan didn't even need magical abilities to determine that the man was lying.

"There must be some sort of misunderstanding."  Said the jeweler while taking the bag and looking inside.

"Spit it out.  Where is the real one?'  Lucan said while shadows began to swirl around him as he took another step closer towards the kneeling man.

"Stop, stop!"  Mr. Fort shouted while Lucan began to raise his hand again.  "It wasn't supposed to be an issue.  He said there wouldn't be any problem.  I couldn't even tell it was a fake."

"Explain."  Lucan commanded while lowering his arm back to his side.

"After… After we made our deal, I was approached by another interested party.  They also wanted the diamond.  I refused since the deal was already made.  They insisted that I sell to them.  They even offered twice the price you and I had agreed to.  I was going to reject again but then they said that they would be able to provide me with a replacement.  A replica that would pass every test that was administered.  I am sorry, but I really don't have the eternal luminary heart diamond anymore."

"Give me a name."  Lucan demand.

"I… I can't do that.  As a reputable jeweler I hold myself to a certain standard.  Who would come to me if they knew that I gave out my client's information?  I would lose my honor as a jewler."

*Slap*

Before Lucan could even raise a hand, Super had struck the man across the face.

"You dare to claim to be reputable after you stole my friend's money and sold him a counterfeit.  Where was your honor as a jeweler then?"

*Slap*

"Give us a name. NOW!"  Shouted Super.

"I… I… really can't.  He is no ordinary person."

*Slap*

"Do you think we are ordinary people?!"

*Slap*

"Do you think you should fear anyone more than us?"

*Slap*

"Do you even know who you have crossed?"

The man's face was starting to swell up from the repeated strikes.

"Sirs.  I am sorry, you can take your money back.  But you should know where we are.  If you dare to kill me, you will not have a pleasant ending."

"Are you threating me now?"  Lucan asked as he pulled out a wand.  With a flick of his wrist, shadows materialized into a solid object.  A jet-black scythe hung over Mr. Forts head.  "Give me a name?"  Lucan inquired again.

"Sir, please spare me.  I will talk.  I did what I had to.  He is a hand of Raze.  This is the supreme leaders city, how could I not bend to his will?"

*Slap*

Super struck the man again.

"Do you really not know who you are speaking to?"

"Mr. Lucan I am truly sorry; you must understand I had no choice."

*Slap*

"You are in the presence of Lucan Quilldrake.  The fifth hand of Raze!"  Super shouted.  "Why is it okay to lie and betray him while hiding behind another hand?"

The jeweler went pale and pressed his forehead to the ground.

"Mr. Luc-… Lord Quilldrake, I really didn't know.  You told me you were just a salesman.  If I knew… If I knew I wouldn't have dreamed of doing what I did."

Lucan turned his back to the man.  "Just a salesman… that is precisely what I am.  I sell spells, skill sand abilities on behalf of the Mighty Raze."

Lucan thought things over.  Another hand having possession of the diamond made things incredibly complicated.  They seemed just as determined as him to get the stone.  And with the other buyer also being a hand, he wouldn't be able to throw his weight around and force them to give it up.  Technically, the other hand did nothing illegal.  They bought the stone fair and square from the jeweler.  It was only Mr. Fort who crossed those lines.  Complaining to Raze would be pointless and would make him look weak.

Lucan still remembered the last conflict he had with a Hand.  It wasn't something he wished to start the day before his wedding.  It seemed that the eternal luminary heart diamond wasn't destined to rest on Silent's finger.  If that was the case, it was more important to find a suitable replacement before tomorrow.  He no longer had time to linger here.

Lucan sighed.  "Obtain everything of value."  He said before disappearing as he took a few steps into the ethereal realm.  Without wasting anymore time he departed for a place that was know to contain all sorts of rare jewels.

Super turned towards Mr. Fort and cracked his knuckles.  He understood what Lucan was after.  He needed to find out which hand it was.  It was important to find out if the other buyer knew that Lucan was the original buyer.  When and how the other hand came in contact with the jeweler.  All of these things would paint a clearer picture of what happened.

The shadows enclosing the room didn't disappear when Lucan left.  Instead of dismissing the spell when he departed Lucan simple relinquished his control of it.  Super brought the spell under his reign with a bit of difficulty.  But it would make what was to come easier and more convenient.

Super tapped a few times on his interface and the stared at the shivering jeweler for a few minutes. A portal then opened beside Super and SneakySnake walked through.

"Lucan has some work for us."  Super said.

"Sure thing boss."  SneakySnake replied with a wide smile.