Humble Little Shope

Some fumbling was heard behind the shack door. A loud crash was soon heard. The door slammed upon the shack wall as it was thrown open. A hooded man in brown robes scurried out of the small wooden home. A oversized shovel was dragged behind him.

The flickering and quiet candles illuminated his pale face, his cloudy eyes observed the cart that had stopped before his humble abode. In an instant, with an erratic and unsteady gate he rushed up to the small cart and planted his bare feet upon the ground right in front of the counter built into the side of the cart.

looking up his cloudy unfocused eyes jittered around taking in the wrinkled old man before him.

" I apologize for my rudeness, we don't get very guests around here. I don't think I was expecting company. "

In contrast to his pale and unsteady appearance the man was quite strong and fast. With what looked like an impossible speed for his frail and unsteady frame he had somehow manage to walk the forty meters between the caravan and his house within seconds. It even had appeared that that superhuman achievement had barely tired the man out as his voice stood strong and unbothered.

Of course to the owner of the hand such a feat was barely worth a raised eyebrow. Instead the withered old man chuckled with a laugh more horrible then nails on a chalkboard, and a smile as trustworthy as a goblins.

" It..... Is a delight..... to provide.... much needed company.... "

It was now Cleff's turn to laugh, his pale face releasing a toothy grin as he laughed along with the old wrinkled man.

" Dont worry old man, the candles keep me plenty, although they dont talk much. "

The wrinkled man paused for a second before waving his hands around, spitting down on the ground beside Cleff.

" Olddd Mann... I am nottt..... I do not deserve such a title....... Many call me merchant..... Some Shope keeper... you may call me Thesus.... "

A wrinkled hand once again reached out of the cart. This time a symbol of good will.

Cleff reached out and grasped the shop keepers hand. Pausing for a moment before giving a firm handshake, surprised from the slight warmth grasping it provided. Over the last few days Cleff had gotten used to the cold grasp of the dead forgetting the warmth of the living.

" Name's Cleff, I would tell you my job, but it seems you know more about it than me, "

Again the old man let out another horrible laugh.....

Cleff yet again had a reason to appreciate the fact his sense of pain had long been tossed away.

" Nevvverrrrr..... Grave Keeper..... All I know is that its my duty to occasionally stop by to sell you some of my goodssss..... After all this is a humbleee shopeee... a good shopee keeper knows their buyerssss..... yesss ?? "

Sigh...

" I guess so."

Pulling out a rather large sack of the bronze coins that he had been saving up Cleff roughly placed the bag upon the worn countertop. The old mans ears wiggling as the sound of jiggling currency rang out.

" Do you accept bronze coins ? "

The old man reached across the counter opening up the cloth bag, pulling out one of the few bronze coins Cleff had earned. Giving it a good inspection Thesus once again smiled slowly placing the coin back into the rough cloth bag.

" These.... These are much more than simple bronze coins.... But we shall refer to them as such for now... And Yessss ..... I do accept them..... "

Reaching over for the bag Thesus looked at Cleff for his approval before picking the bag up and dragged it to himself. Taking the bag Thesus turned around and gently placed it somewhere behind himself before turning back around and placing 5 boxes of differing sizes on the countertop before Cleff.

Opening each box with care Thesus revealed four objects and a sheet of paper. Within the boxes open by Thesus was a pair of straw sandals, a cats skeleton, a cloudy mirror, and a strange mask, and of course a piece of paper with strange writing on it.

Pointing to the items Thesus crooned,

" With the coin... you have provided me... you may choose two of the five..... Choose carefully... Each one is special.... I have many customers... you may not get a chance to buy the same item again.... "

Gently lifting up the piece of paper Thesus continued,

" Although.... I cannot disclose the effects the effects of each item before purchase..... This piece of paper.... represents a service..... A contract..... By buying out this contract..... you will receive a service.... This contract.... Represents the favor of an ancient forest.... What will you recive.... I dont know... "

Afterwards Thesus fell silent gesturing for Cleff to make his choice.

Cleff of course thought for a bit. He then looked down at his bare feet and pointed to the straw sandals. He then pointed to the old wrinkled piece of paper.

Thesus took both items out of their respective boxes and placed them onto the counter before clearing everything else away. Thesus then handed both the contract and the sandals to Cleff before closing his carts shutters and driving away.

Thesus seemed to be in quite the hurry mumbling something under his breath before waving to Cleff as his cart vanished into the mist.

Cleff turned around walking past the candles and back into his little shack, contract in one hand and straw sandals in the other.