Chapter 2.5- Sales Calls

I shuffle through the bustling Kowlick market square, my limbs still stiff from weeks confined to a healer's cot. The scent of fresh baked bread and the distant clang of a blacksmith's hammer mingle with the anticipation that prickles up my spine. After the tedium of recovery, my first task as a member of the Kowlick merchant guild feels like a breath of new life.

"Keep your wits about you, Bert. We can't afford to lose this contract," grumbles my assigned partner, Grimsby, his weathered face creased with concern. Grimsby's reputation as a shrewd negotiator is legendary within the guild, and I sense the weight of expectation when he passes me a scroll – the contract we must secure.

"Understood," I reply, my voice steadier than I feel. The thought of facing down the owners of the largest provisions store in a neighboring town sets my heart racing. They've been buying from us for years, but whispers of Tepid's alluring prices reach even the most loyal of customers.

We traverse cobblestone streets, leaving the familiar hawking vendors and the comforting shadow of Kowlick's spired guildhall behind. As we approach the outskirts, the air grows heavy with the scent of the open fields, tinged with the promise of commerce beyond our borders.

"Remember, it's not just about numbers. It's about relationships," advises Grimsby, his eyes scanning the road ahead. "You've got a knack for listening, Bert. Use it."

The words bolster my resolve. In this world of barter and trade, where every conversation is a level to be gained, his advice is as valuable as the enchanted trinkets lining the pockets of adventurers. Our footsteps fall into rhythm, a silent march toward destiny—or at least, the next stage of my own progression within the guild's ranks.

Before long, the outline of the nearby town emerges on the horizon, its modest buildings clustered like sheep against the encroaching influence of Tepid city. My mind races with strategies, my palms damp with the thrill of the challenge. Will I convince them of our worth? Can I ensure that Kowlick remains their supplier of choice?

"Focus on the goal," I remind myself, the cool wind of early dusk whispering promises of success. With each step forward, I feel my purpose within this fantastical world solidifying, my mundane past fading like the setting sun behind us.

"Let's make them an offer they won't want to refuse," says Grimsby, the hint of a smirk playing on his lips.

"Right behind you," I say, my confidence surging. This is my chance to prove that I'm more than just the newest recruit—that I am a vital thread in the tapestry of the Kowlick merchant guild. And as we cross the threshold into the small town, I know that this negotiation will be the first of many levels I intend to conquer.

We approached the town's gates, where a small guard stood, lazily scratching his head as he nodded at us. It was apparent that our town's reputation as a sleepy, unassuming place hadn't reached these people yet.

"Remember, always be gracious, yet firm," Grimsby reminded me, his eyes scanning the town's empty streets. The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows on the deserted buildings. It was eerily quiet, the only sound being the crunch of our boots on the cobblestone road.

After we passed the gates, we continued down the deserted streets, searching for the large provisions store we were told was located in the center of town. The owner was known to be a

stern man, but fair in his business dealings. However, the rumors of Tepid's tempting prices were causing him to reconsider.

"Just remember, we're not here to take advantage of him or force anything on him," Grimsby said. "We're here to build a relationship. Let's get this done, Bert."

We finally found the store, an imposing stone building that seemed to tower over everything else in town. The name "Townsend's Provision" was etched in gold on the front door.

"Now what?" I asked, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Now, we walk in and do our best to make our case," Grimsby replied.

We entered the store, the sound of our footsteps echoing in the empty hall. A musty smell filled the air, and I could feel my skin crawling. I had done sales for a long time, and I can not remember the last time I was this nervous.

As we pushed open the heavy oak door, the bell above sounded a mournful toll, as if lamenting the days of old that we were about to disrupt. The scent of mouse urine and dust hit me in the face as we stepped into the dimly lit room. In front of us, a tall man stood behind a tall counter, his arms crossed, with a sour expression on his face.

"Ah, just the merchants I've been waiting for," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "What do you want?"

Grimsby stepped forward, his voice steady despite the hostile atmosphere. "We've come to discuss our contract, Mr. Townsend."

The man's eyes narrowed as he sneered, "Well, what do you propose to offer me that I couldn't get from Tepid?"

I could see the frustration in Grimsby's eyes

as he responded with an even tone, "We are not looking to undercut Tepid, Mr. Townsend. We are here to offer you a better deal, a more personalized service, and a relationship you can't get from a big city merchant."

The man's eyes narrowed further, and I could see the wheels turning in his head as he assessed our proposal.

"And how do you plan to convince me of that?" he asked, his voice still sharp.

Grimsby gestured toward me, "This is Bert, our newest member. He has a keen ear for business and an extensive background in negotiation. I believe he can help us establish the personalized service you're looking for."

Mr. Townsend gave me a skeptical look, taking in my

appearance. I could see the doubt in his eyes, but I remained confident in my abilities. "I assure you, Mr. Townsend, our guild prides itself on building strong relationships with our clients. We're not just here to sell you goods; we're here to ensure you are satisfied with every aspect of our service. And I will do everything in my power to make sure that happens," I said, my voice steady.

Mr. Townsend studied me for a moment longer before finally nodding, "Alright, let's hear your proposition."

Grimsby and I exchanged a triumphant glance before proceeding to lay out our plan. We offered lower prices on certain items, provided a more flexible delivery schedule, and promised to work closely with Mr. Townsend to tailor our services to his needs.

At the end of our proposal, Mr. Townsend's expression softened, and I could see the grudging respect in his eyes. "Well, I'll be damn," he said, scratching his head. "You two may have just saved my business." Grimsby chuckled, his face beaming with satisfaction. "That's what we're here for, Mr. Townsend. We're glad we could be of service."Mr. Townsend nodded, his expression still skeptical but less hostile. "Alright, let's get down to business. What do you need from me?" As we began to finalize the contract, Grimsby and I couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. We had successfully navigated the tumultuous waters of negotiation and had established a strong foundation for our relationship with Mr. Townsend. As we left his store, the sun was setting, casting a warm golden light over the deserted streets. We walked back to the gates of the town with a sense of purpose and satisfaction."Well done, Bert," Grimsby said, patting me on the back. "I knew you had it in you."I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in myself. In this strange new world of barter and trade, I was finding my place. I was becoming a valuable member of the Kowlick merchant guild, and I was proving that I could handle the pressures of negotiation and building relationships with our clients. As we left the town gates, I couldn't help but feel excited for the challenges that lay ahead. I knew that every negotiation, every deal, and every new relationship was a level gained, a step closer to mastering this world of commerce.

"What do you think, Bert?" Grimsby asked, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Do you think we can take over Tepid's share of the market?"

"I sure hope so" I replied, holding my tongue regarding my aspiration related to a select few residents that I had met in Tepid and the revenge I planned on taking out on them when I found them.

"Ever heard the saying "money is power", Grimsby?" I asked, my normally easygoing demeanor turning temporarily slightly darker.

"Let's get a drink," Grimsby suggested noticing the shift in personality, clapping me on the back. "We've earned it."

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Another day another call, it has been a month since I had nearly lost my second life and joined up with the small town Kowlick Merchant guild. Things were pickingup quickly and Grimsby and I were starting to really put up some real sales numbers. "Putting us back on the map" Elborne said to us one day. I thought he was using a figure of speech, but no they actually put Kowlick back on the map due to the increased amount of revenue we were bringing into the town.

I strode into the dusty town of Parchhaven, Grimsby at my side, clutching our leather-bound product catalogs like sacred texts. "Remember, Bert," Grimsby mutters without breaking his stiff march, "this church has been with Kowlick for a decade and a half. They're not gonna switch suppliers over some smooth talk and a free quill."

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong, Grimsby," I say, allowing myself a grin that doesn't quite reach my eyes. The silver sword "Dealbreaker" strapped to my back, hidden beneath my sales cloak, I had gotten accustomed to carrying the blade with me, its a good insurance policy and plus it's a great confidence boost, the blade almost seems to hum with anticipation when it smells a sale coming.

We approach the church—a stone behemoth with stained glass windows depicting scenes of clerical ledger keeping—and before we can knock, the heavy doors creak open. A balding man in holy vestments greets us, suspicion etched into his furrowed brow.

"Good sirs, what brings you to our humble sanctuary?" he asks, eyeing our catalogs.

"Divine intervention, Father," I quip, handing him a brochure. "Your prayers for better service have been answered by Kowlick Mercantile."

The priest raises an eyebrow but invites us in. As Grimsby launches into his no-nonsense pitch about paper grain and ink absorption, my attention drifts to the chatter of two nuns near the altar. They whisper about a cleric from Trepid who passed through, asking for blessings before venturing into the nearby woods.

"Kael," I mouth silently, my heart pounding against my ribs.

Could it be the same cleric who was a member of the party who chose to betray me or did my want for revenge just make me think that it must be? Either way I planned to find out.

"Excuse me, Father," I interrupt, "Nature calls." I don't wait for his nod before slipping away, following the faint echo of destiny—or is it revenge?—guiding my steps beyond the church walls.

Outside, I scan the horizon and there, at the edge of town, a cloaked figure makes haste toward the treeline. It's as if an invisible string tugs me forward, and I break into a run, Dealbreaker pulsating like a living thing against my spine.

"Hey!" I shout, but the figure doesn't stop. My feet pound the earth, my breath coming in ragged bursts as I close the distance. Suddenly, the figure whirls around, a flash of steel greeting me.

"Didn't want to gut ye in front of the gods," sneers an unfamiliar voice. —a strange brute of a man with a scar across his cheek stands before me grinning.

"Who the fuck are you?" I ask, almost offended that I had been tricked again

"Doesn't matter who I am friend, just heard you were alive from some folks with some gold who convinced me ye shouldn't be. Anyway enough talkin then I gotta be home by supper."

Instinct takes over as the man lurches towards me with his brandished blade. I summon Dealbreaker into my grasp, its thick silver blade gleaming with the power of my recent closed sales fueling it and Our swords clash, ringing out across the quiet town. I parry and thrust, each movement clumsier than I would have liked, Damn .

"Give Thorne a message from me," I growl between strikes. "Tell him Bert Allen doesn't get betrayed and forgotten."

The brute laughs, a sound that grates on my nerves. "You think you're gonna scare Thorne, merchant?"

"No," I say, crashing down with my blade, banking on it being stronger than his, striking and causing a slight hairline fracture down to creep down its base. "But this should."

I raise Dealbreaker high, letting the sun catch the blade just right, turning it into a beacon of righteous fury, and swing again shattering his already wounded blade and striking through into his neck.

The unknown man laid on the ground before me., fear filling his eyes in anticipation.

"Sales call's over," I declare, bringing down Dealbreaker, sealing the deal with a finality that resonates deep within my core.

Breathing hard, I stand over my fallen foe, Dealbreaker's blade now a little shinier, a little sharper. I slide it back into its hidden sheath, my resolve hardening like the blade itself.

"Next level," I whisper, feeling the weight of purpose and destiny upon me. With revenge burning in my veins, I turn back toward the church, ready to close the most important sale yet.

I burst back through the heavy church doors still winded from my melee. Grimsby was slack-jawed at my sudden re-entrance that cut him off mid-sentence.

"So, who's gonna explain first why they set me up to die here today?"

"Bert, what happened out there?" Grimsby stuttered, finally finding his voice. "You don't look, uh, you don't look like you just had a friendly chat with one of our clients."

I chuckled, trying to mask my anger as I wiped the sweat from my brow. "Just learned a valuable lesson about trust, Grimsby. Never trust a man who kills you with a smile."

The priest, looking scared out of his wits, could barely manage a weak nod in response to my boorish interruption. I didn't care, I was ready for answers.

"First, you and your procession will be purchasing ONLY from Kowlick Mercantile until whatever apocalypse you believe in comes to pass, and second of all you're going to tell me everything you know about the man that I just killed outside in your field."

I could sense the tension emanating from the room, like a thunderstorm brewing on the horizon. The priest's eyes flickered between Grimsby and me, his face ashen with fear.

"I... I don't know what you're talking about," he stammered, trying to keep up appearances. "We have no dealings with any man you speak of."

"Cut the crap, priest. I can smell deceit on you," I snarled, clenching my fists. Despite the anger bubbling inside me, I tried to keep my voice steady. "I saw your nuns talking about someone coming through asking for blessings before venturing into the forest. Now, who was that man?"

His eyes darted around the room, searching for an escape, but there was no way out.

Grimsby shot me a warning glance, but I was beyond caring about diplomacy. The time for subtlety had passed. I stepped closer to the priest, towering over him with the authority of someone who had just tasted revenge.

"Listen here, Father," I said through gritted teeth, my voice low and dangerous. "I've had enough of being lied to and betrayed. If you don't start talking right now, you'll find that dealing with me is a lot worse than any apocalypse you can imagine."

The priest swallowed hard, beads of sweat forming on his brow. He finally relented under the pressure of my gaze.

"I-I don't know his name," he confessed, his voice barely a whisper. "But he claimed to be a follower of Thorne, a man who found beans of divinity in the groves of the Alchemist's garden that lay within the enchanted forest."

A cold fury gripped my heart at the mention of Thorne's name. I could tell that this was the truth I was looking for.

I turned away momentarily, straightened myself up, and collected myself. Turning back I rejoined Grimsby and the priest where they sat.

"So, is it safe to say that we can count on your business?"

I placed my hand on Grimsby's shoulder, noticing the look of relief that spread across his face as he saw the priests face soften back up and his breathing ever so slightly slow. "Yes, Mr. Allen," the priest replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "Your products are safe here. I assure you, we will only deal with Kowlick Mercantile from this day forth."

Ding- Another deal sealed and another level up.