Myke Keys stood in the opulent hall, his fingers adjusting the feather in his hat. The usual white plume was replaced by a more fitting golden one. He had hoped it would impress upon the King of Golden City the importance of his presence.

  His double-breasted doublet, now adorned with shiny gold buttons, gleamed under the flickering light of the candles. His fingers ran over his chin, feeling the sharp bite of his gold tooth.

  Gold had always been his goal.

  The hall stretched before him, a perfect display of the very thing he craved. Everything was covered in gold. Gilded edges on tapestries, golden candelabras holding dancing flames, intricate gold leaf patterns on the marble floors.

  If only I had gold like this, Myke thought, a mixture of admiration and envy in his chest. The King didn’t just own gold. He embodied it.

  He moved to the window and gazed at the city that stretched before him. A labyrinth of golden spires, domes, and glittering buildings reflected the sunlight back to him. But beneath that golden sheen, something was wrong.

  The streets below, usually bustling with traders and citizens, were thick with people fleeing. Myke’s sharp eyes caught sight of several figures carrying bundles fleeing. Above them, Griffins flew in the air, no longer the sign of power or protection they used to project.

  Myke turned away from the window, scanning the hall once more. The room was filled with a varied crowd, people Myke knew didn’t belong among these luxuries.

  In the far corner, a group of robed individuals caught his eye. They moved together in a quiet, almost serene way, their robes marked with a symbol of a woman sitting on a flower. Myke recognised it instantly.

  The Priestesses of the Healer God. Rarely seen outside their temples, always distant from the politics of the outside world. Their presence here, in the midst of death and destruction, was a welcomed sight.

  A small group of wererats slipped by, their cloaks barely concealing their short, hunched figures. Their eyes darted nervously from side to side, their movements skittish. Myke instinctively reached for his coin pouch, his fingers brushing over at his side. His paranoia flared momentarily, before they walked away from his view.

  Even the ratfolk are here, Myke thought.

  His attention shifted again, this time to the warriors in the center of the hall. Their long, thin swords on their hips were nearly touching the ground where they stood. Their armor was light, no doubt they were skilled rather than relying on armor.

  And then, there were the mages. Mages with orbs of magic swirling in their hands, faint lights dancing and sparking. These weren’t street magicians, these were the sanctioned mages from the Arcaneum.

  And of course, scattered amongst them were merchants, those who, like Myke, dealt in wealth, in trade, in coins. One such figure moved towards him.

  Cath. The Ledger of Arms from the Merchant Guild. The Ledgers each controlled a branch of the Guild, and Cath was in charge of weapons. It was a position not easily earned, and certainly not one to be taken lightly.

  She was sharp as the blades she sold and Myke knew not to cross her. At least not in front of her.

  Her auburn hair, shoulder-length and always neatly styled, swayed as she stared at Myke, like a hawk eyeing a baby rabbit.

  "Myke," Cath said. "I wasn’t expecting you here."

  Myke gave her a polite nod, masking the flicker of surprise in his chest. "Just passing through, really," he replied. "And I wasn’t expecting you, either."

  "War and death bring misery to many but it also brings opportunity for others.”

  She was right. War, chaos, bloodshed, and all the misery they entailed. Those were the things most people fear. But to someone like Cath, someone like him, they were a chance to seize power, to secure contracts, to profit.

  "First rule of the Merchant Guild," Myke said.

  "Exactly," she said smiling. She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice in a conspiratorial whisper. "But there’s something you should know, Myke. Kaden is worried."

  Myke raised an eyebrow. King Kaden was the most powerful king of the lands, he had more gold and troops than anyone else.

  "Worried? What about?"

  "I had been a Ledger for so long," she whispered, "I don’t think I’ve ever heard of him recruiting, buying weapons, and mercenaries like this. It’s not like him to act so openly, so desperate."

  Myke’s nod was slow, deliberate. He was not aware of the large recruitment drives or the call to arms initially. He came to sell Kael’s egg, to peddle his wares.

  Looks like Vor really did a number on them, Myke thought to himself. It was the perfect time to capitalize on the opportunity. A dragon egg when the city was tethering on the edge of collapse. He could charge double. Triple even.

  “You know,” Cath said, “Ironmire’s been trying to sell Golden City their weapons for ages. If I could broker a deal between them, that would fill the Guild’s coffers up quick. The city’s in desperate need of supplies, and with their current situation, even iron weapons would be accepted for the Golden Legion.”

  Cath said the last two words in an exaggerated tone. It was true. Golden City had its traditions, golden armor and sword for each Golden Legionnaire. Only Griffins for the Griffin riders. Yet, push came to shove and any weapon was better than nothing.

  He nodded silently, his mind moving past her words and toward what he needed to do next.

  "What do you have for sale, then, Myke?" she asked, her voice turning more businesslike.

  "I don’t have it on me now," he said. He met her eyes, his lips curving into a thin smile.

  Cath’s eyes flicked briefly to the empty space around him before looking back at him.

  "Makes sense," she said. "Too big to carry or too much to bring around?"

  Before he could come up with a convincing lie, the large golden doors at the far end of the hall swung open with a heavy, ceremonial creak. The sound echoed through the room, drawing the attention of everyone in the hall.

  Myke’s eyes instinctively darted toward the entrance, his merchant instincts sharpening in an instant. The spectacle that emerged was nothing short of striking.

  Out of the doors came a group of grey skinned individuals. Their bodies were covered in tattoos, adorned with precious gems, gold and silver. Each piece of jewelry, each piercing told a story of the dwarf's life, its struggles and its triumphs. These people, Myke mused, knew how to wear wealth.

  The dwarfs carried heavy hammers and pickaxes, their weight not just in the metal, but in the history of the Dwarven Empire. They were miners first and foremost but their great undercities were impossible fortifications.

  Looks like Golden City’s treasures have tempted these underground folk to the surface, Myke thought to himself with a wry grin.

  As the dwarfs made their way out of the hall, a figure emerged behind them, stepping into the light with an air of command.

  "Ledger Cath, from the Merchant Guild!" he announced.

  Myke’s eyes couldn’t help but drift toward Cath. She looked every bit the part, confident as ever, adjusting the tunic she wore with a subtle grace.

  "May your books be balanced," Myke said.

  "And may your gold flow," she replied smoothly.

  Without another word, she walked past him, her head held high to meet the king.

  Myke leaned casually against the polished gold walls of the hall, knowing the discussions between Golden City and Ironmire would take time, the slow, tedious trade and negotiation. It was the nature of things. Deals weren’t made in haste.

  His thoughts momentarily drifted when it was pulled back instantly. A hooded figure among the crowd. He had learned long ago to trust his gut. The man moved in a way that suggested he wasn’t just another merchant, nor was he someone who belonged among the gilded court of the city.

  When he reached Myke, he stopped, leaning in slightly, his voice low, almost a whisper. "You alone?"

  "For now," Myke replied.

  The stranger stood silently for a moment, his hood still drawn low over his face. The man was lanky, with long limbs that seemed to stretch unnaturally, like a spider ready to spin its web. Myke didn’t make a move just yet. Not all deals were meant to be cut in public, and this could be one of those moments that would demand a more delicate approach.

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  "You looking to get stronger?" the hooded figure asked.

  An odd question from one merchant to another. Myke shook his head, his thoughts flickering. He was many things, but naive wasn’t one of them.

  The hooded man didn’t seem to mind Myke’s refusal. Instead, he took a slow, deliberate step closer, pulling back his coat just enough to reveal something. Several vials of thick, dark red liquid were nestled inside.

  "Demon Blood. Get stronger. Faster,” the hooded man said. “First one’s on the house."

  It was getting even odder now.

  On the house? Either this merchant is an idiot, he thought, or he's up to something much worse.

  Myke closed his eyes for just a moment, the air around him seeming to still as he activated his ability.

  All That Glitters.

  The world around him sharpened, the details of everything becoming clear, and the price tags of every item in his line of sight appeared as if they were floating before him, glowing faintly in the air. His gaze snapped to the vials of Demon Blood.

  Nothing.

  There was no price, no value, no market value at all for the Demon Blood. In fact, this was the first time Myke had heard of this potion. Myke knew every price, every concoction that passed through the market, and yet this was foreign to him.

  Myke's eyes narrowed as he watched the hooded figure pull his coat closed, his movements swift and deliberate. "Suit yourself," the figure said.

  The hooded man walked away without another glance, slipping through the crowd like a shadow. The Demon Blood might be worth a fortune, or it might be poison, the first act in a much bigger game.

  Is it meant for the King? Myke wondered. It made sense, didn’t it? Or were they for his army? He certainly had stock for a few.

  Myke barely had time to process the thought before the golden doors at the end of the hall creaked open, drawing his attention. Out from the door stepped Cath. She was calm, controlled, and confident. And yet, as she walked out, he couldn’t help but know she had the deal secured.

  A man’s voice rang out again with surprising authority.

  "Myke Keys!"

  It was his time. Myke continued forward, confident and calm, passing Cath. He wasn’t here for idle conversation. Not now. Not with her.

  “Myke, may your books be balanced.”

  "And may your gold flow, Cath."

  Myke felt the pressure on his shoulders as he entered. His audience with the King would be the turning point. This would make him richer than he could ever imagine.

  King Kaden’s throne room was everything Myke had imagined and more. The walls, coated in the purest gold, reflected light in every direction.

  At the far end of the hall, sitting atop a throne made of solid gold, was King Kaden. His presence was imposing, even from this distance, but Myke was no stranger to such figures. Kaden was flanked by several generals and advisors, their faces as stern as his. They stood in perfect formation, their golden armor gleaming under the light, their eyes sharp and watchful.

  Myke’s gaze lingered briefly on Felix Thunderhands, the commander of the Golden Legion. His Thunderhammer rested at his side, its head crackling faintly with barely-contained energy. Myke knew of Thunderhands, his deeds, his heroics.

  A man like him on a dragon, Myke thought. That would turn heads.

  It was Myke’s first time meeting Kaden, but he had met enough men like him to know the right way to approach.

  Flattery. Patience. He had mastered that art over the years

  "I am Myke Keys," he said. "A mere humble merchant from Newvale."

  A few snickers echoed through the hall. There were always those who found humor in a merchant’s upbringing, their birth. It was not what they were born with, it is what they could earn.

  "But Your Grace," he continued, "I bring an exciting opportunity."

  He let the silence linger, the anticipation building, before he finally spoke the words that would change everything.

  "I have a dragon egg."

  The murmur that followed was immediate and unmistakable. There were gasps, whispers, the sound of gold scraping against gold.

  King Kaden’s hand lifted in a slow, deliberate motion. The room fell silent, every eye drawn to the King.

  "And where is this egg, merchant?" Kaden asked.

  Confidence, he reminded himself. He had been in rooms like this before, surrounded by powerful men and women. In moments like this, confidence was more important than any material possession.

  “The egg,” Myke said, “is in a safe place in Newvale. But the gold and the egg need to be exchanged there. It’s a simple matter of logistics.”

  But before Myke could move to solidify his offer, a loud and insistent voice cut through the murmurs of the room.

  “It’s a lie!” the voice called.

  Myke’s eyes flicked to the source. The man was ancient, his long white beard sweeping the floor like an old, weathered mop, his back hunched so deeply it looked as though it would snap under its own weight. The old man was bent over, but his voice was still harsh.

  “You lie,” the old man shouted again, his gnarled finger pointing directly at the merchant. "Tyrannix is the only known dragon Master, and his brood couldn’t be reached by even the best adventurers! How could you, a merchant from Newvale, have such a creature in your possession?"

  Myke’s smile never wavered, though the man’s words rattled around his mind like stones in a jar. This decrepit old fool was the least of his concerns.

  “I can’t show you where I get my wares, old man,” Myke said smoothly. “Some things are meant to remain... private.”

  “Lies!” the old man repeated, his voice trembling. “You think you can fool the King with such... tales? You—”

  The room began to grow louder but before it could escalate, King Kaden’s voice rang out, cutting through the rising noise like the snap of a whip.

  “Silence!”

  Just as quickly as the murmurs had begun, the room fell quiet again. Even the old man seemed to shrink under the King’s gaze.

  “Felix,” Kaden said. “Would you be able to ride a dragon?”

  Myke’s heart skipped. He just had that thought when he walked into the room. Seemed great men thought alike.

  Felix, ever the soldier, didn’t hesitate. "It would be a boost in power," he said.

  That was exactly what Kaden was after. Power. And that meant Myke had what the king wanted.

  "And your asking price, merchant?" Kaden asked.

  “One million gold,” Myke said.

  Kaden’s expression didn’t change. “Eight hundred thousand.”

  The King’s words were decisive, his tone final. Myke’s smile faltered ever so slightly, but he recovered quickly.

  “This is going to be a powerful dragon,” Myke began, his words deliberate. “The biggest—”

  “Eight hundred thousand,” Kaden interrupted. King’s tone was calm, but there was no room for negotiation in his voice. It was a stone wall.

  Myke felt a flicker of frustration, but he buried it quickly. He was no fool. He had expected this. Kaden would push, he would test, just as Myke had. It was the game they both played.

  "Shall we meet in the mid—”

  “Eight hundred thousand,” Kaden said again, his words unyielding.

  There was no more room for haggling. Kaden had made his offer, and now it was up to Myke to accept it or walk away. But there was no walking away from this deal. And so, with a small nod of acceptance, Myke accepted.

  “Treasurer,” the King called, his voice booming across the hall. “Prepare the gold in chests. Felix, gather a strike team to escort the gold to Newvale.”

  "We shall do the exchange in Newvale, as you said," Kaden said, turning his gaze to Myke. “My men will get you there, and they will bring your gold, too."

  One million? Eight hundred thousand? The difference didn’t matter.

  He was rich.

  ******

  The door to the Golden Hall closed behind Myke with a soft thud. Myke remained where he stood, his mind still processing the deal that had just been struck.

  Eight hundred thousand gold. It was all now within his grasp. How much was Kael willing to share?

  And yet, the moment felt oddly empty. Nothing was ever truly in his grasp.

  For now, though, there was nothing to do but wait. And then, after what felt like hours of quiet contemplation, a voice broke through his thoughts.

  “I am Captain Titus,” the man said, stepping forward.

  The man was tall, broad-shouldered, and clad in gleaming golden armor. He looked every bit the part of a soldier. A warrior in service to the King.

  “We will be your escort,” Captain Titus continued.

  “My cart is at the outskirts, I need to pick it up and we can continue to Newvale,” Myke said.

  Titus shook his head. "We will be taking Griffins."

  Griffins. The majestic creatures were as much a symbol of Golden City’s might as its golden walls. The mere thought of riding one, flying on one, was enough to make his heart beat faster.

  Titus led him outside and the change in atmosphere was sudden. Gone was the gleaming interior of the palace, replaced by the open sky and deep chasm beneath the Golden CIty. Myke's eyes widened as he peered over the sharp cliff. He was on an outcrop in the chasm. A small rock along the great chasm that divided the world.

  On the outcrop were a dozen legionnaires, their golden armor shining like polished metal. Each one was armed with swords, shields and spears. But it was the Griffins that caught Myke’s attention. Two dozen of the majestic creatures stood in a loose formation nearby, their wings stretched wide, their intelligent eyes scanning the area.

  The legionnaires worked swiftly, securing large chests onto the backs of the Griffins. The chests were heavy, filled no doubt with weapons and provisions for the journey ahead. And the promised gold.

  This is more gold than I could ever imagine, he thought, a flicker of excitement in his chest.

  A legionnaire helped Myke onto one of the Griffins. The creature’s back was warm beneath him, its muscles shifting and rippling under its feathers as it adjusted to the weight. Myke settled behind the legionnaire, the leather straps of the saddle tight against his legs.

  The wings of the Griffins began to beat, a thunderous sound that filled the air. The ground beneath them seemed to tremble with the force of their movement. The roar of the wind grew louder, and within moments, the Griffins lifted off the ground, soaring into the sky

  Myke looked down briefly, watching as Golden City began to shrink beneath them, its towering spires and golden walls fading into the distance.

  The wind whipped at Myke's face, and for a brief moment, he felt the thrill of the flight, the freedom of the open sky. It wasn’t too long before the sight of Kael’s square came into view, the walls of blue light stretching upwards.

  The Griffins descended slowly, their massive wings slowing as they lowered toward the ground. They landed just outside the square, their great wings folding neatly behind them. Myke dismounted, his feet landing lightly on the ground as the legionnaires began unloading the chests of gold.

  “So, where’s the egg?” Titus asked.

  Myke didn’t hesitate. He pointed toward the square, the blue walls shimmering in the distance. "It’s in there," he said.

  "The dragon egg is in a mere Bronze square?" There was suspicion there. The Golden Legion captain was a man of precision, and he didn’t trust easily.

  "Yes," Myke replied. "I assure you, the egg is there. It's protected. But I can grab it and bring it out for you.”

  Titus gave a slow, deliberate nod. "Get the egg out then."

  With a deep breath, Myke stepped toward the blue walls of the square. He had to do this right. Deal with Kael. Deal with the legionnaires. Be the merchant extraordinaire.

  No room for error.

  Not when so much was at stake.

  ******