First Steps

The full moon cast an eerie glow over the landscape as Raven, Havar, and their newly acquired undead wolf Fenrir approached the town's gates. The walls loomed before them, constructed of a strange stone that seemed to glow in the moonlight.

Two guards stood at attention, their armor, unlike anything Raven had seen on Earth. It appeared made of living metal, shifting and adjusting with each movement.

"Halt!" one of the guards called out. "State your business, travelers."

Raven stepped forward, acutely aware of his tattered hospital gown and the strange company he kept. "We seek shelter for the night," he said, trying to project confidence.

The guards exchanged glances, their eyes lingering on Havar and Fenrir. "An Awakened and his... companions," the second guard muttered. "Show us your rank, traveler."

Remembering Havar's words, Raven held up his left hand, displaying the blood-red orb mark. The guards' eyes widened slightly.

"Rank C9? That's almost as high as the guard captain," the first guard said, his tone becoming more respectful. "Very well, you two may enter. But keep that beast of yours under control," he added, nodding towards Fenrir.

As they passed through the gates, Havar leaned into Raven. 

"Master," Havar whispered, "we should seek an inn. You need rest, and we can gather information in the morning."

Raven nodded, feeling the exhaustion of the day's events weighing on him. They went through the twisting streets, eventually finding a modest inn called "The Sleeping Manticore."

As they entered, the innkeeper, a portly man with two burly arms, raised an eyebrow at the strange group but said nothing. Raven approached the counter, suddenly realizing a potential problem.

"We need a room for the night," he said, then hesitated. "But... I'm afraid I don't have any local currency."

The innkeeper frowned, but before he could speak, Havar stepped forward. "Perhaps we could work out an arrangement," he said smoothly. "My master here is awake and newly arrived. Surely there are tasks he could perform in exchange for lodging?"

'If only I could trade some Mana Crystals for currency,' Raven thought, letting his familiar do the talking.

The innkeeper's eyes lit up at the mention of an Awakened. "Is that so? Then, of course, we can come to an arrangement!"

The innkeeper handed Raven a room key while Havar stayed to talk specifics.

Raven entered the small room and, without any preamble, fell unconscious as soon as his head hit the pillow.

After a dreamless sleep, Raven awoke to find Fenrir standing guard by the door and Havar reading through a stack of documents spread on the floor.

Raven blinked the sleep from his eyes, his mind quickly sharpening as he took in his surroundings. The previous day's events came rushing back, and he sat up, turning his attention to Havar.

"What's all this?" Raven asked, gesturing to the papers strewn across the floor.

Havar looked up, his glowing eyes meeting Raven's. "Information, Master. While you slept, I gathered as much data as possible about our current location and the surrounding areas."

Raven nodded appreciatively. "Good thinking. What have you learned?"

Havar stood, organizing the papers into neat piles as he spoke. "We're in a town called Verdant Hollow, a minor trading post in the Kingdom of Astoria. The kingdom is one of the smaller powers in this region of the First Realm, but it's known for its magical academies and alchemical innovations."

"Interesting," Raven mused. "And what of the local power structure?"

"The town is nominally controlled by a governor appointed by the crown," Havar continued, "but the real power lies in three main factions. The Mage's Consortium controls most of the legitimate magical trade and research. The Alchemist's Guild holds sway over potion-making and material refinement. And then there's the Shadowhand, the local underworld organization that deals in less... savory goods and services."

Raven's eyes narrowed at the mention of the Shadowhand. "Tell me more about this underworld group."

Havar's expression grew grim. "They're a ruthless bunch, Master. They control the black market, run protection rackets, and have their fingers in almost every illegal activity in town. They're also rumored to have connections to some of the darker magical practices."

"And the currency here?" Raven asked, his mind already working on how to establish themselves in this new world.

"The primary currency is mana crystals," Havar explained. "They come in various purities and sizes. The most common are Low-Grade Mana Crystals, often called 'crystals' for short. One crystal is equivalent to a day's wages for an unskilled laborer. There are also Mid-Grade and High-Grade Mana Crystals, each worth about 100 times the previous grade."

Raven whistled softly. "That's quite a jump in value. Anything else of note?"

Havar nodded. "Yes, Master. The innkeeper has a job for us. There's been a series of disappearances in town. The local guard has been unable to solve the case, and the innkeeper's nephew is missing. He's offering a substantial reward for any information or, better yet, the safe return of the missing people."

Raven's eyes gleamed with interest. This could be an opportunity to test their abilities and establish a reputation. "What do we know about these disappearances?"

"Not much," Havar admitted. "They seem random - men, women, young, old. There is no clear pattern. But there are whispers of strange noises coming from the abandoned mines on the outskirts of town."

As they discussed the potential leads, a commotion erupted outside their window. Raven and Havar rushed to look, seeing a group of rough-looking individuals surrounding a terrified merchant.

"Shadowhand thugs," Havar growled. "They're shaking down businesses for 'protection' money."

Raven raised his eyebrows and pondered. He knew he should lay low and avoid drawing attention to himself in this new world. But the sight of the helpless merchant brought back memories of his powerlessness and being at the mercy of others.

"We're going to intervene," Raven declared, his voice cold with determination.

Havar raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure that's wise, Master? We don't want to make enemies so soon."

"Sometimes, Havar," Raven said as he headed for the door, Fenrir falling in behind him, "the wisest choice is to show your strength early. It might be time to let the Infinite Realms feel what a Blood Necromancer can do."

They descended the stairs and stepped out into the street. Raven felt his blood pulse quicken, the bloodline's power thrumming through his veins.

"Gentlemen," Raven called out, his voice carrying an authority he didn't know he possessed, "I believe you're causing a disturbance. Why don't we discuss this like civilized beings?"

The Shadowhand thugs turned, their eyes narrowing as they took in the strange trio – a man in tattered clothes, an armored undead, and a glowing-eyed wolf.

"This doesn't concern you, stranger," the apparent leader growled. "Walk away if you know what's good for you."

Raven smiled a cold, dangerous expression that didn't reach his eyes. "Oh, but I think it does concern me. You see, I'm new in town, and I'm looking to make some... connections. Perhaps we could come to an arrangement that benefits us all?"

The leader hesitated, clearly thrown off by Raven's unexpected approach. It was in that moment of uncertainty that Raven struck.

With a thought, he reached out with his blood manipulation, feeling the pulse of life in each of the thugs. He didn't want to kill them – not yet, at least – but a demonstration was in order.

Suddenly, the leader gasped, clutching at his chest as his blood seemed to thicken, making his heart labor. The other thugs looked on in horror as their boss struggled to breathe.

"Now then," Raven said calmly, maintaining his hold on the leader's blood, "shall we discuss terms? I might have some skills that could be useful to your organization."

The other thugs looked at each other uncertainly, torn between helping their boss and fleeing. Raven could see the fear in their eyes, the realization that they were dealing with something beyond their usual street-level threats.

"What... what do you want?" one of them finally managed to choke out.

Raven eased his grip on the leader's blood, allowing him to breathe more easily. "Information," he said. "About the disappearances in town. And a meeting with whoever's in charge of your operation. I think we could have a mutually beneficial relationship."

The leader, still gasping for breath, nodded frantically. "Okay, okay! We'll talk. Just... stop whatever you're doing!"

Raven released his hold, and the man collapsed to his knees, coughing. "That was a Wise decision. Let's find somewhere more private to continue this discussion, shall we?"

As they led the group of thugs to a nearby alley, Raven caught Havar's eye. His familiar nodded approvingly, understanding the strategy at play. By confronting the Shadowhand directly and demonstrating his power, Raven was positioning himself as a force to be reckoned with, someone the local underworld would have to take seriously.

In the alley, away from prying eyes, Raven listened as the thugs spilled what they knew about the disappearances. It wasn't much – they were low-level enforcers, but it was a start. They mentioned rumors of strange experiments being conducted in the abandoned mines, whispers of dark rituals and forbidden magic.

"And who's behind all this?" Raven pressed.

The leader, still rubbing his chest, shook his head. "We don't know for sure. But there's been talk of a new player in town, someone with connections to the second or third realms. They've been throwing their weight around, even getting some of the Shadowhand higher-ups spooked."

Raven exchanged a glance with Havar. This was potentially valuable information, hinting at larger forces in Verdant Hollow.

"Very good," Raven said. "Now, about that meeting with your superiors..."

The leader nodded quickly. "I'll arrange it. Tomorrow night, at the Crimson Veil Tavern. Ask for the back room."

As the thugs scurried away, Raven turned to Havar and Fenrir. "Well, that was informative."

Havar nodded, his glowing eyes thoughtful. "Indeed, Master. But we must tread carefully. We've made a bold move, and the Shadowhand won't take kindly to outsiders muscling in on their territory."

"Agreed," Raven said. "But it's a risk we had to take. We need information and resources if we're going to survive and thrive in this world. And speaking of resources..." He glanced down at his tattered hospital gown. "I think it's time we found some proper attire and equipment."

Raven's mind was racing with possibilities as they returned to the inn. The disappearances, the rumors of dark experiments, the mysterious new player in town – it all hinted at something big brewing in Verdant Hollow. Raven was determined to be at the center of it all, no longer a helpless test subject but a power to be reckoned with in his own right.