"Sir, there's someone here to see you."
The old wizard looked up from a scroll he was scribbling on and looked over his rectangular glasses at the boy in his doorway. He was a good boy, though a bit dense at times. Pushing a lock of his wispy, unkempt white hair out of his face he scowled in response. "Don't you know what time it is, boy? We're closed, tell him to come back tomorrow! And don't bother me again! I may be old, but I still have to work for a living." At that, the old man dropped his head, returning to his work. He lifted a hand and waived the boy off. "Shoo now."
"S-Sorry, sir", the boy stammered. "H-He told me to tell you, 'Y-You'd look better if you'd just keep the damn mask on. ' Sir."
The old man looked up immediately, dropping his quill on the parchment, causing some of the ink to splash over his words. "Did he now..." he replied. "Well this is unexpected indeed. Come," meekly pushing himself out of his chair, he raised a hand towards the doorway that the young boy was still standing in, "We musn't keep him waiting."
The boy nodded and turned around, walking through the door only slightly ahead of his master. The two left the small office, walking into the store that lay beyond. Only a single lantern on the counter was illuminated, casting it's faint light on the many bookshelves lining the walls. The shadows from the scrolls which inhabited them stretched back into the darkness of the shop. Standing in the doorway was an uncharacteristically muscular Dark Elf, wearing a long, black cloak, its hood down and still dripping from the rain outside.
After only a moment's pause, the old wizard threw his hands in the air and walked towards the elf. "Relic!!" He exclaimed loudly, startling his store hand into a slight jump.
Chuckling, Relic extended his arms and embraced the old man. "Tim, it's good to see you." The two patted each other's shoulder as they pulled apart. "Still old, I see."
Tim threw a hand up in the air, "Pah! Still as pleasant as ever." He turned around towards the kid still standing near the office door. "Boy, fetch us some water." Tim motioned Relic with a hand over his shoulder,
"Come, let's get out of this drafty doorway."
Relic obliged and followed the man into his office. Tim walked around the table and sat down in his seat, motioning to the chair opposite him indicating his guest to take it. "Sit, sit."
As he took the chair, Tim's store hand walked in the room with two glasses and a pitcher of water. He set them on the table between the two men then scuttled back out of the room, knocking a glass over in his haste. "Grow a pair!" Tim yelled at his back as he picked the glass up, scowling all the while.
Relic chuckled his amusement, "You always had a way with them, didn't you?"
Tim rolled his eyes and filled the two glasses, "They come dumber each time. Hopeless twits." He handed one glass to Relic and lifted the other in cheers, to which Relic returned the gesture. Setting his glass down,
Tim looked up and smiled. "It is good to see you my dear friend. It has been a long time."
Nodding in agreement Relic responded, "Indeed it has. I regret that this isn't merely a visit without purpose."
Tim looked at the Drow scrupulously. "No, I don't suppose you've ever been much the time to stop by and chat about the weather, have you?" He shook his head at his own query and took another sip of water. "What business brings you here, then?"
"Certainly you know of the state of things in this disaster of a city," Tim scoffed in response. "Too well." Relic nodded. "I can't divulge all that I know, the wrong ears could hear the right information." Relic leaned in slightly. "However, what you need to know is that there's money to be made. And in no short supply."
Tim raised an eyebrow, "Go on..."
"I need supplies. A lot... Of supplies. Scrolls, wands, staves, enchantments. Of all sorts too, curative, destructive, creation." Relic lowered his voice, "Enough for an army, and I need it delivered to one."
Tim leaned back in his chair, glancing at the door to his office, still closed tightly. "And the payment?"
