40 <<@$%^#>> (1)

Her eyes landed on two short black swords that were planted into the ground, both being products of Menzine's spell. Discarding the sword she had been using, she picked up the two swords and inspected them. 

They had a nice grip to them and the weight felt alright in her hands despite being slightly longer than daggers but shorter than regular swords.

Each sword only had one sharp edge and the blunt side was a thick flat surface. On each blade was a cut out small piece in the shape of a small dragon, that Annabeth assumed was aimed at reducing the weight. Whatever the case was, she liked her new toys and was going to use them for her training.

With a nod, Annabeth signaled Menzine that she was ready, moving to attack him as quickly as she could. The latter acknowledged and returned her gesture by doing the same, albeit three times faster. 

Annabeth realized that Menzine changing his starting position created a slight change in her environment that somehow affected her footwork. She had gotten used to objects being in certain places that she was now concentrating more on not tripping than on her opponent with a stick.

***

Over the next four days, Annabeth sparred with Menzine, changing starting positions and weapons constantly. Even the short swords she had fallen in love with were no match against brute strength. She was not able to last for more than 4 seconds on every other weapon except one. 

A long staff-like weapon with pointy ends had allowed her to last a whopping 10 seconds the first time she used it and added more time the more she got used to using it. It was a weapon she had been avoiding to pick up as it did not seem like a very effective tool to use. She had zero experience in using staffs to fight so lasting 10 seconds was almost unbelievable. She was able to hold the staff better since her hands were apart to withstand the force from Menzine's attack.

Her hand coordination had improved and Menzine had stopped asking her to change weapons from the time she picked it up. During breaks, Menzine would explain to her how to use it more effectively and provide top-notch tips on wielding it. Although all she could do was defend, she was improving greatly and she could feel it herself. 

In times she would have kept still and waited to be attacked, she took the initiative to rush to her opponent, even if she was knocked down almost every time. Not once had Menzine changed his weapon and not once had Annabeth launched an attack that he hadn't countered before she was halfway through with it. 

The difference in skill was exponential, but Annabeth was happy at how quickly her own skills were growing. Had she been trained by Menzine in the usage of the staff before the bandit fight, Annabeth was confident she would have done more against the metallic mage, Ujarak.

On the fifth day of training, Menzine took Annabeth to the market place of Alpane city. He informed her that they were going to purchase a few items in readiness to begin their journey to the capital.  

The streets of the market were crowded with people who all looked like they were in a hurry to be somewhere. It was bustling with all sorts of activities from normal trading to various forms of entertainment. You can bring your least favorite sibling and give them the slip here, and you wouldn't see them for a good number of days. 

There were plenty of shops around and attractive signs were everywhere but Menzine seemed unfazed by everything. He and Annabeth were headed for the one tall building in the middle of the market which looked like the place everyone in the market was coming from.

It had about 15 floors based on the number of windows on the wall with a large crimson crystal at the very top. The sides of the building that were built of various materials were painted white and had fewer windows than the rest of the building. Surprisingly, the white part seemed to look slightly yellow but most people assumed it was due to years of neglect. Stronger mages, however, could see numerous very light-yellow circles and other shapes constantly moving around the surface and giving it a slight yellowish appearance. 

Experts would understand that these were powerful arrays aimed at keeping the items and people inside the building safe from outside interference. Depending on what was in stock, sometimes it was the other way round. Even powerful mages behaved themselves inside the walls of such a building. 

The building had a symbol of a large hammer at an angle, a box with several shapes below the hammer and a potion vial above it, with a very thin circle encompassing everything. The symbol was engrossed on one of the windows and had a few characters under it that Annabeth couldn't recognize, let alone read.

A number of people were entering and leaving with various items. Annabeth saw quite a number of people leaving the building with treasure chests and doing some fist pumps that one could assume was to celebrate their fortune. Other people were either entering or leaving with orbs, potions, herbs, plants, weapons and various chained beasts. 

The traffic to and from the building was exceptional that a few coordinators were required outside the building to direct people. Fluidity was the only word Annabeth could think of when she saw the young men and women doing their work seamlessly.

Menzine walked with Annabeth towards one of the traffic coordinators and gave him a small nod. The young man looked at him and Annabeth smiled, turned around without saying anything, and gestured them to follow him. Annabeth noticed that the man had pointy ears, which Menzine explained as those of a half-man half-elf hybrid. 

In all the years Annabeth had lived, she had heard of elves and hybrids but never saw one. She actually thought they were fiction, including all the other strange things like werewolves and vampires. To her, they had been creatures added to children's stories to spice them up and make the little rascals eat their meals. 

Annabeth realized she had been dumb for a long time, only now considering that magic was everywhere and she had not explored much in all her lives. This was another moment of the proverbial frog being let out of the well, and she was eager to find out more about the world.

The young man was leading them along the sides of the building, but to Annabeth's surprise, she found herself in a large hall-like room. At no point had they entered past a door and yet she was standing in a completely white room as big as a cathedral with a girl in spectacles that looked younger than her, sitting at the only desk in the room. 

Her hair was neatly cut golden blonde and wore a stylish silver-silky dress that made her stand out and blend into the environment at the same time. Annabeth turned around but found a wall behind her, which was solid when she reached out her hand to touch it.

"This is your first time here huh?" a gentle voice said right next to her that startled her.

It was the woman that had been sitting at the desk just a moment ago. She had teleported next to Annabeth and was smiling at the hopelessly confused Annabeth. She had a gentle and very polite gaze that made one think an ant would be scared of harming such a pure and innocent-looking person. Annabeth was looking at the stranger dumbfoundedly.

This was the first time Annabeth had met someone she could not point out a flaw at with just one look.

Annabeth realized she had been staring too long and mumbled something, but no one actually got what she said.

"Hi, I'm Ephrixah. I am in charge of the weapons department of <<@$%^#>>. You must be Annabeth, right?" the silkily-dressed Ephrixah introduced herself.

That sentence alone sent Annabeth into a turmoil of thoughts that left her questioning reality. She had heard the girl say some words and then a word that sounded like something you get when the spawn of static and screeching has a premature baby with a 'reeee' sound. 

It was so completely baffling that Annabeth couldn't understand it at all. The other confusing part was why someone sadistic put such a pure and innocent-looking girl in charge of weapons.

Annabeth nodded, failing to say anything, and further diving into an 'awkward girl' title the rest of the room might have perceived her as. But not Ephrixah…

She was smiling at Annabeth so innocently like the girl had never judged someone in her whole entire life. Her eyes sparkled like that one blind owl that seemed to have the galaxy in its eyes. There was no sadness in them or any negativity about Ephrixah.

If the world was a fair place, Annabeth would have wanted a best friend like Ephrixah, whose pureness would lead her on a better path.

But wishes were horses and it seemed she was here for business and not friendships.