Erik kept looking around for something that piqued his interest, but he could buy nothing. However, he had to fake having the financial means to buy something. For this reason, he decided to ask something specific.
"Do you have anything with a brain crystal for controlling elements?" he asked Olivia.
Olivia's face held a brief pause, recognizing the rarity and importance of such a request.
"Yes," she said measuredly, "but I must let you know that items with the ability to control elements are certainly hard to come by. And as you can imagine, they are quite expensive."
Erik's eyes narrowed slightly, his curiosity palpable. "Do you have anything related to the earth element?"
Her eyes widened in recognition as soon as she remembered one particular item. "Ah, yes. We do have an item that you might be interested in. It's a wand," she explained, her voice tinged with reverence.
"A wand? A strange choice for a weapon," Erik said.
"Yes, indeed. This was because of the crafter. He was apparently fascinated by magicians, and when he found the beast's brain crystal, he couldn't stop himself from creating the weapon that way."
"May I look at it?" Erik inquired, his voice calm but with a tinge of excitement.
"Certainly," Olivia said, motioning Erik to follow her.
They walked through the immense showroom, skillfully evading other artifacts that would have aroused Erik's curiosity. Olivia guided him to a more secluded area on the same floor, where objects of high power and rarity were displayed in separate, well-lit cases.
At the end of the row, there was a case containing a wand, which, despite its simple design, emanated an undeniable aura of power.
The wand was approximately a foot long and made of a deep, ancient mahogany wood. It was carved with intricate lines that gave the wand a sort of tribal look, and a brain crystal was embedded halfway up the wand, its deep green hue pulsing gently like the heart of the earth.
"That," Olivia said, her voice full of respect for the crafter who made that piece, "is the Earthward Wand. It was created using Terragor's brain crystals and does exactly what you want: control the earth around you."
Erik approached the case with caution, his gaze fixed on the wand. The closer he got, the more he felt the crystal's pull, its energy resonating with his own. "It's beautiful," he murmured almost to himself.
Olivia gave a nod. "Indeed. The Earthward Wand is one of the most impressive items in our inventory. When manipulating the earth element, its power is unrivaled."
Erik paused momentarily, allowing her words to sink in. "And the price?" he finally asked. Such a weapon had a very high cost, but no price tag was attached anywhere.
Olivia paused for a split second. "The Earthward Wand is priced at 50 million Eurems due to its rarity and immense power."
Erik inhaled deeply, taking in the amount. Due to the mask, his expression was unreadable, whether in shock or contemplation.
He returned his gaze to Olivia after another look at the wand, the allure of its power visible in his eyes, but when he was going to say something, the biological supercomputer broke the momentary silence by sending a message directly into his consciousness.
[SEARCH COMPLETED. INFORMATION ON DORAN STEDMAN FOUND.]
Erik's attention was drawn away from the wand by the sudden notification.
<Inject the data> Erik ordered, and the biological supercomputer didn't waste time.
His attention shifted inward, sifting through the information retrieved by the supercomputer while it injected it into his brain.
The constant hum of the market faded into the background as he processed the new information, looking for any hints that could lead him closer to finding Doran Stedman.
Erik had learned to trust his supercomputer long ago, understanding its efficiency and precision.
As the data streamed into his mind, he realized how important this machine was to his investigations. Without it, he would still be bullied and beaten every day in New Alexandria.
Erik was right when he assumed that the Haven market held information about Doran. The extensive establishment's network had stored more information on Doran than Erik had anticipated, giving him a clearer picture of the man's movements and associations.
There were two kinds of trade information, though, some that the place could freely share, as they were related to regular products the Haven Market sold everyone; some, instead, were kept in well-hidden and protected servers and detailed much darker trades.
While processing this new information, he remembered Olivia's presence beside him. She had a curious and patient gaze and wondered why Erik wasn't saying anything. Erik had to pay attention to his surroundings.
He had to put up a believable act, ensuring his reactions didn't reveal the real reason why he was there. Not that they could prove anything, even if they had some suspicions.
"Thank you for showing me this," he said, his thoughts clearly racing.
Erik's gaze was drawn to the ornate wand for a moment longer before he started shaking his head. "It's an impressive piece, for sure," he said, raising his head to meet Olivia's expectant gaze, "but I'm more accustomed to using Flyssas."
Her brow arched delicately in response to his admission. "Flyssas?" she wondered, her tone tinged with surprise and intrigue. "That is an unusual choice. They're not a popular weapon selection, especially among our clients."
He shrugged casually, a hint of a smile on his lips. "I've always liked to deviate from the norm."
Olivia chuckled lightly, her gaze darting around the vast collection, and then she sighed. "Unfortunately, we do not currently have any Flyssas in stock. However," she paused, leaning in slightly, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "we could arrange a custom weapon tailored exactly to your specifications."
Erik raised a hand to reject her generous offer. "I truly appreciate the offer. However, there is no need. My Flyssa has served me well, and I do not plan to replace it soon."
She nodded, but her face was tinged with disappointment. After all, they were selling the best equipment, and every potential sale was welcomed. "Is there anything else that might pique your interest?"
Erik's gaze flitted to a nearby glass cabinet, which housed an array of small vials containing luminescent liquids. "Actually, do you have any brain-stimulating serums?" he asked. He had the chance to get some but couldn't do so when he was in New Alexandria.
Olivia's face brightened instantly, and she motioned to the elevators from which they came. "We do, indeed. They're a specialty of ours. Many clients use them to improve cognitive functions or for specialized training sessions."
Erik couldn't help but feel excitement as they approached the section. He had never been able to try the serums, but now that he could afford them, he wanted to try and, if he could, maybe make them at home.
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