Manifold Mirror Mage

"Why did the spirits give me bug eggs for a reward?" Gio asked.

The Shopkeeper sat still for a moment before bursting out with polite laughter.

"You are very entertaining. I knew your name would be worth the price. Your question is also likely to be the most difficult to answer out of your group." The Shopkeeper chuckled.

"I was almost certain that you would tell me to pick another question. You can actually tell me why the spirits gave this to me?" Gio asked.

"Are you surprised? Tell me… do you have any skills that you find odd? Skills that others question?" The Shopkeeper asked.

[Enlightened Catoptromancy] would qualify. I still remember the look Chandrika gave me when she thought I just had a skill that only let me detect mirrors. [A Student's Diligence] is also proving to be quite strange when it combines with [Fledgling Knowledge Seeker] to form [Studious Charms].

"Yes." Gio replied.

"The Shop and I have skills that we've trained together over the years to suss out information about both our customers and the world itself. The Shop sees more than I do, but can only tell so much without the proper compensation. I, however, am limited mainly by etiquette."

"Like with names." Gio guessed.

"Correct. I was only able to guess the names of young Miss Vandross and Mister Castallane because of their connection to other high-profile individuals. My skills do not allow me to directly divine information about my mortal clientele without a trade. Back in the days of gods and devils, it was far easier to grasp details about the great powers by simply calling upon the strange arcana and lore of the world. Now, in a world of politics and kingmakers, I am reduced to rumour and gossip to read the flows of power and influence." The Shopkeeper lamented.

"That sounds… challenging." Gio said, unsure how to sympathize with the being.

"I'm being overdramatic. Don't let me fool you, I enjoy it. You would scarcely believe some of the treasures that the powerful will part with for a couple of names and stories."

"And what about my name? Would you sell a rumor about me?" Gio asked.

Gio couldn't see the Shopkeeper's face, but he had the uncanny sense that they were smiling underneath the veil.

"Careful with the questions, dear boy. If I answer, you might be charged for it."

"I mean… I can't imagine you'd get much out of a rumor about me, anyway." Gio said, dismissing the notion.

"Hmmm… perhaps. Perhaps not. There are plenty who maintain a relationship with me. If, for example, one of my customers asked if I had met any interesting young mages recently, who knows what I might be… persuaded to say?" The Shopkeeper said, their voice dancing around the room in dulcet tones.

Gio stiffened.

"Should you have told me that? I don't have much more to pay you with." Gio said.

"As I said before, I once made the mistake of short-changing a spirited yet unassuming young woman from Bangla. I have no desire to make such a miscalculation again. I realized then that sometimes, investing in interesting people can pay dividends. Do you want to know something peculiar, Giorgio? I have the strangest notion that before this session is done, you're going to surprise me."

Gio tried to compose himself, but felt a strange mix of pride and discomfort.

"I'm flattered by the comparison, but I don't think I'm anywhere near as interesting as Chandrika's Grandmother."

"We shall see."

"Just how old are you, anyway?" Gio sputtered.

The Shopkeeper laughed. "My dear boy… You could not afford the answer to that question. Not for a long, long time. Let's get to work."

The Shopkeeper held the Ootheca in one gloved hand briefly and traced Gio's palm with another.

"I believe that I see the connection. I'll begin explaining now, but remember that additional questions may be costly. Choose your questions wisely."

Gio nodded.

"What do you know of the Saints?" The Shopkeeper asked.

Gio pondered.

"You must have already figured out who my mentor is, then." He replied.

"From the moment you walked in." The shopkeeper said, pointing to the crystalline skull affixed to Gio's shirt.

"Ah. I forget it's there, sometimes. I know the broad strokes. Each 'Saint of Magic' is an incredibly powerful being, and most Saints are credited with either a groundbreaking discovery or even founding an entire branch of magic." Gio replied.

"And of the Thirteen Patient Saints?" The Shopkeeper asked.

"...Almost nothing."

"Very well. You should ask your mentor for the whole story, as it is too expensive for me to tell you without compensation. The important part for you to know is that each Patient Saint is linked by… destiny, you could call it."

Gio's head was already spinning with questions. Questions that he knew he couldn't afford the answers to.

"So… Saint Baphelus must be a Patient Saint. I was under the impression that he was a Saint of Magic." Gio said.

"It is a well-known and public fact that he is indeed a Saint of Magic. I can tell you that much for free." The Shopkeeper added.

"Which means that he is both a Patient Saint, as well as a Saint of Magic… I doubt you'd bring it up otherwise," Gio said.

"You made that deduction without too much prodding. Good. The reason that you received that item from the spirits of Familial Bonds is that the spirits have deemed you worthy of inheriting a certain type of legacy from one of the Saints. This inherited legacy is… a heavy burden to bear, should you choose to do so."

The Shopkeeper paused for another moment, allowing Gio time to digest the information.

So much packed within one statement.

Gio furrowed his brow.

I've got more than a few questions, and I don't know what I can afford to get answered right now. I have an idea.

"I'm going to make some non-question-based statements about my comprehension of what you have just told me. Please do not take anything I say as a question until I've specifically said so. Okay?" Gio said.

"How very amusing. You may proceed."

Gio began listing things off. "Firstly, I don't know what the difference is between a Saint of Magic and a Patient Saint, or why that distinction matters. I don't know why the spirits of Familial Bonding were the ones to give me an item that summons insects, or really what these insects have to do with me at all, besides the fact that they seem to feed off of mirror mana. I don't know what legacy the spirits want me to inherit, or what that entails. For that matter, I don't know which Saint this legacy springs from if they aren't Saint Baphelus. I'd also love to know what 'destiny' is linking the Saints together."

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

"Hmmm… I suppose there is one additional clarification that I can make without incurring a debt to the Shop. 'Familial Bond' describes more than just genetic relationships. The language we speak does not eloquently have a way to encapsulate the true purpose and station of that particular court of spirits… but I suppose 'entities that govern the concept and execution of happenstantial affiliation and ties' would be a touch wordy for the system to spend its power to describe." the Shopkeeper replied.

So those spirits must also govern the bond between the Saints, whatever that bond may be.

Gio's head was spinning with the implications of everything the Shopkeeper said.

"...And that was information that you gave me for free… You must be very good at what you do, because for every one thing you say, I feel three new questions emerge in my mind." Gio balked.

The Shopkeeper laughed politely. "I'll take it as a compliment. For what it's worth, your bright and inquisitive mind is a poor choice of opponent in games such as these. It's a shame that I cannot be more charitable, but the till and ledger must be balanced. If you want any further clarification, I'm afraid you must barter for it."

"I hope that this does not count as a question that would require payment, but what would that look like? I don't have anything physical that I would be willing to part with. Is there… other information that you would be willing to buy from me?" Gio asked.

The Shopkeeper leaned in.

"Oh, absolutely. The first thing that I'd be interested in is information about Saint Baphelus. I can smell that you know something about him that I do not… but I haven't the faintest Idea of what that might be. Has he taken you to his Phylactery? Information about his core would sell for a high price."

Gio's curiosity faded slightly. He'd gotten so excited about the possibility of real answers to his questions that he had nearly forgotten that this being was not necessarily his friend or ally. He leaned back in his seat, adjusting his posture and idly fiddling with the cover of his spellbook.

"I'm sorry, but that's not something I would be willing to answer. My relationship with Saint Baphelus is probably the most important thing that I have going for me right now. He's placed a bit of trust in me, and I would be an idiot if I repaid that by selling you his secrets." Gio curtly stated.

The Shopkeeper tapped a finger to the side of their head. "Ah… forgive me for asking. If you still desire answers, there is another way for me to see what information the Shop might purchase from you, but it might be… uncomfortable."

"How uncomfortable?" Gio asked, grimacing at yet another question flowing from his lips without proper consideration.

"It will feel a tad invasive, but you have my word and the Shop's that your secrets will remain your own unless you sell them to me."

Gio paused to consider.

"Chandrika said that you are to be taken at your word… and I trust her. Do it." Gio said.

"Please give me your hand."

Gio held out his hand. The Shopkeeper took off a glove, revealing a muscular arm covered in painful-looking scars. They grasped his hand, pressing a thumb into Gio's palm. A sensation combed through Gio, like the entirety of his existence was being evaluated and quantified. He thought he heard the specific sound of coins being neatly stacked in the distance, and smelled the faint scent of his mother's checkbook. It wasn't entirely unpleasant, but it left Gio feeling exposed.

Letters bloomed across his vision in bright gold. This gold was different from the sun-like rays of Chandrika's spell-silk. This light was the glint of gilded vaults and the shine of cufflinks on a businessman. The glow of currency and trade itself. A pleasant feminine voice sounded in his mind, with some words punctuated by a metallic, robotic interjection.

[Greetings, Giorgio. This is an automated message from the SHOP. No information collected herein will be disclosed to ANYTHING, ANYONE, OR ANY ENTITY - BY ANY MEANS POSSIBLE unless you SELL it to our ASSOCIATE.]

[PLEASE NOTE: ANY information sold to the shop may be purchased by other customers for a fair price.]

[Selection 1]

PRICE: Disclose that you are destined to become an Aspect of CHAOS.

PAYOUT: The answers to ALL of your questions will be revealed, as well as a PLATINUM MEMBERSHIP CARD.

(SPECIAL INFORMATION ABOUT Selection 1: There are many individuals who have put out a standing bounty for information about Aspects of CHAOS. These individuals have paid to be informed immediately upon the receipt of such information to the SHOP.)

[Selection 2]

PRICE: Disclose that your Reflection is an Aspect of CHAOS.

PAYOUT: The answers to all of your questions will be revealed.

(SPECIAL INFORMATION ABOUT Selection 2: There are many individuals who have put out a standing bounty for information about Aspects of CHAOS. These individuals have paid to be informed immediately upon the receipt of such information to the SHOP.)

[Selection 3]

PRICE: Disclose information about the movements of the individual known as Lot, Prophet of Chaos.
PAYOUT: Information about The Saint you are linked to, as well as incomplete information about the bequeathed legacy.

[Selection 4]

PRICE: Disclose information about the [NOMENCLATURE CORRUPT] in the cover of your spellbook.
PAYOUT: ERROR########### - ERROR:Query:NULL - ERROR: NOT FOUND
DEBUG:[(Piece?/Strand?/String?/Fragment?/Star?/Shard?) of ?Ἀνάγκη? (Nescessity??? CONTEXT MISSING)]

(Please inform a Moderator.) (Contacting GARDEN… … … … … … Transmission Failed. HOST:COHU Unavailable.)

[Selection 5]

PRICE: Disclose information about being approached by the Ringed City Dissidents.
PAYOUT: The full story (as is known by the SHOP) of the Saints.
(SPECIAL INFORMATION ABOUT Selection 5: Information garnered about this subject has been done via second or third-hand accounts, and as such may be incomplete or biased.)

"Oh." Gio guffawed. He read through each entry carefully, raising his brows higher and higher.

The first two are somewhat expected. 'Destined' is a crazy word, though. Selection 4… I don't even know where to start. I have no idea what that means. Selection 5 is probably a bad idea, and I can just ask Baphelus for the story.

The Shopkeeper waited patiently.

"I… don't know if it's even wise for me to ask this, but how valuable is a Platinum Membership Card, and what does it do?" Gio reluctantly said.

The Shopkeeper went deadly silent, leaning forward in their chair.

"Oh dear. I may have inadvertently scammed another Chakraverti." The Shopkeeper said. "Value… Hard to say. There are fewer than ten people who currently hold such a card. You would be entitled to several benefits. The first of which is that once a month, you would be able to spawn an entrance to the Shop anywhere of your choosing that would last for several days."

"You know what? Nevermind. I can't go with that selection anyways." Gio interrupted.

"A shame. It seems that I was correct. You have surprised me, and my curiosity is… insatiable."

Gio did some mental calculations.

"I'd like to start with Selection Three." Gio said.

A flash of light sparked between him and the Shopkeeper. A booklet of faces and names appeared, flipping to and highlighting a picture of a muscular old man wearing a robe of sparkling sand.

"Ah. Lamentable Lot, The Prophet of Chaos. Please tell me, in your own words, what you think you know about this person."

The words flowed out of Gio, surprising himself. "He's on his way to the Ringed City."

It was nothing that he wasn't willing to share, but the specific wording wasn't necessarily what he was trying to say.

"Really? How curious. And where did you come across this information?" The Shopkeeper asked.

The words flowed freely. "A note from him directly addressed to me."

Gio was nervous. He wasn't expecting some sort of truth-telling compulsion, and hoped that the Shop would hold to its word that it wouldn't disclose anything Gio didn't want to.

Gio remembered what the Shopkeeper said about inferring information. Maybe Gio didn't need to tell the Shopkeeper everything in order for them to come to conclusions he'd rather avoid. A bead of sweat dripped down his forehead.

"How curious. I'd love to see that note, but I'm aware that such a thing isn't covered in your agreement with the Shop. Let me borrow a trick from you. I do not know why such a being as the Prophet of Chaos would be interested in a schoolboy such as yourself. I do not know why Lot would be traveling to the Ringed City when he explicitly knows that he is not welcome there. I also do not know how this man would have contacted you from his exile in the Wastes." The Shopkeeper drawled.

Gio felt like his every muscle movement was being analyzed by the Shopkeeper. He stayed silent.

"Curious. So very, very curious. I'll not prod, as I know better than most what it's like to harbor dangerous secrets. I could make some… assumptions… but what good would those be? I certainly wouldn't be a very reliable information broker if I started debasing myself by selling forcefully extracted half-truths."

Gio exhaled.

"As a last bit of… good will, or perhaps you might call it an investment. A piece of free advice: You should tell your mentor and his wife that the Prophet of Chaos is on his way to the Ringed City. I'd have heard of it by now if you had already done so. Though nothing can prevent the inevitable, given enough time to prepare they might reduce casualties." The Shopkeeper finished.

"C-Casualties?" Gio stammered.

"Oh? You must not know Lot very well. Even more curious. 'Lamentable Lot' brings mayhem and upheaval wherever he goes because he is both cursed and beloved by that which he serves- Chaos itself. His very presence makes the improbable into the inevitable. The man is a walking calamity."