A Cozy Pawn Shop

"Have you got much money?" He supported a wide grin while looking at Ras, Ras's danger sense was like a blazing inferno, he was too dangerous for Ras to handle so running wasn't an option.

Ras just lifted his clutched hand showing the two pence he had, he didn't know if he had any money before tonight, there was an obvious lack of trust between the two. After all, they were strangers.

"That's a pitiful amount that, how about this. You seem like an alright fella and you can catch someone's eye easily with a little makeover, I'll let you beg near my store, specifically outside my competitions store." It didn't sound too bad to Ras but is it just business rivalry?

"Here" That chuckle escaped his lips again. "I'll start you off, hope you can catch" Ras, sadly, wasn't available at the moment so the two pence just fell to the floor. 'Should I accept his offer? What if it's a trick and he is some crazy murder?'

"Anyone home?" Yes, Ras was a bit absent-minded but that didn't mean he could hit him as he pleased. "Can I see your store first?" A mumble said, he might as well have a look, right?

Bending down to pick up the two pence, Ras was still having second thoughts but the man in front of him gave him a sense of danger he couldn't say no to. He looked so friendly, why would he cause his senses to flare up like this?

Ras was tired from running for his life, the sun had already set and he needed to sleep, where didn't matter anymore. Shuffling after the blue-eyed man, lack of sleep was catching up to Ras.

They walked down the main road for nearly an hour before they arrived outside a shop, it had an old signboard what said The Fair Shark. Looking through the front window you could see shelves littered with all sorts of things. The building itself was on the main road, it was clean on the outside and would have looked inviting if it were day.

At night, however, there was a sense of mystery pouring out of the shop's doors. The hair stood at attention on Ras's neck, looking around he couldn't see the competition that the man spoke of, 'Was I tricked? What will he do to me?'

Sporting that grin of his, he unlocked the door and walked in with Ras in tow. The shop felt warm, comforting almost yet Ras felt danger radiating from the man, was his homeless passive acting up again?

"The names Akrolon and welcome to my humble little store, I'll show you where you will be working in the morning." Akrolon yawned and locked the door behind him "I don't know about you but I need some shut-eye" He weaved in between the shelves to reach the counter. Looking at the shelves, Ras could see lots of curiosities.

A sword covered in runes, old vases covered in dust, books from forgotten times detailing legends, blood-soaked relics of the past, scrolls with spells stored in them, he even saw a jet black revolver with an extended barrel. 'He has a license to sell?' All of the items were expensive but top quality, the shop looked like it was busy during the day.

"Hurry up little man, wouldn't want one of these cursed objects to eat you up would we?" Ras hurried to the Akrolon's side, causing a chuckle to escape his lips. They entered what was labelled the storage room but what storage room had a sofa, a radio and a stove in it?

"There." He pointed at a corner, gesturing towards a bundle of sheets. They looked like spares thrown in a pile but they were clean at least, "Make yourself at home."

He jumped onto the sofa and got tired getting comfortable, he stopped trying and with a huff said to a confused Ras "Throw me a blanket would ya." Waking up from his state, Ras started making his way to the corner where he found a blanket and, thinking he could catch him off guard, threw it at the man when his attention was elsewhere.

Akrolon spun around and caught the blanket with a wink, "What's your name? I didn't quite catch it."

"My names Ras, Sir." The man then fell off the sofa laughing, "Sir? I might be your employer but I ain't no Sir. What kind of Sir lives with his beggar employe?" Struggling to get himself back on the sofa, he acted like Ras was a great comedian.

'He's bat shit crazy, my life is over' Ras filled with despair but his lack of sleep had finally caught up to him.

Falling asleep, Ras felt at peace for the first time today, maybe his luck was turning around?

Dreaming of today's experiences, Ras felt that he could have done better, been less scared. At least today helped him get closer to his fourth dot, he could finally get a proper class then, make a living out of it.

His thoughts then drifted to Akrolon, he seemed nice but Ras had to keep his guard up around him. No one who sells weapons legally was as simple as they seem, let alone magic weapons.

He acted like a nice boss but Ras would have to see how the pay was, maybe his luck had been spent on the word boss and not on nice.

His dream then drifted back to the alleyway but something was different, a burning feeling came from one of the dark corners of it. Two glowing red eyes walked out of the darkness.

The thing with red eyes filled his dream. Its face was unstable, constantly changing but the eyes never changed. Always that blood red, staring Ras down yet the gaze was familiar like he was looking at his family.

Darkness flooded his dream, locking him down, suffocating him. It was like a thick liquid, surrounding him and filling his lungs. Pain spiked through his body, randomly at first but slowly getting more frequent until it was constant.

He screamed for it to stop but it didn't, it was merciless in its assault against him. The pain did react to his scream but it wasn't it stopping. It focused on his left arm, all the pain shifted there making him feel like someone was tearing his limb apart.

Then it stopped, his body felt numb from the pain and he passed out.

Ras's screams didn't wake the heavy sleeper called Akrolon but when he woke up to make breakfast for him and his new slav- employe, he was caught off guard by the changes to Ras.

Black shards littered the floor near Ras while his face was constantly changing.