2. Mardonius


    The old man was hard to find, partly because he seemingly did not appear. The markets were empty, and Church of Truth preachers were ranting and raving. The Church of Light had a quarter in the city and their preachers were trying to convert the locals with rather aggressive sermons.


    “We will smite you and force you to pay extra taxes! Convert to the Church of Light and your lives will be easier. Enough of the suffering. Can you not see that your god has forsaken you. Our god is true, yours is false!”


    Men gifted with fire magic, began blasting flames, and the locals watched in awe.


    “Verily, do you not see that our god is true!” Another Church of Light man said.


    Mercurius dodged them, and dodged the Church of Truth preachers as well. He walked to the bazaars, and there near a blacksmith was the old man.


    “Ah I see you have returned, have you done what I said?”


    “Sure,” Mercurius said, “can we talk around the back.”


    He grabbed the old man’s shoulder and teleported him to his dusty apartment.


    “Damn, what have you…”


    “The God of Trade,” Mercurius confided in the old man, “you have any idea where you can get more of these?”


    “I have at least one more, but I can make more,” the old man said.


    “Then do so, it is of utmost importance.”


    “The next one will be made of bronze,” the old man said.


    “I am Mercurius, and I’ve already made some coin thanks to your gift, let me buy you a drink at least.”


    “Go trade some more,” the old man said, “Mercurius, we are close allies for no one else worships the God of Trade.”


    “You didn’t know,” Mercurius said.


    “I didn’t,” Mardonius said, “but I will direct my prayers to it, it seems to be doing a lot of good.”


    “It certainly is,” Mercurius said.


    The old man gave another statue, a man on a chariot, a statue made of stone. Mercurius tapped it, and he felt the Trade Points accumulate.


    “Make me more, and I will bring you coin,” Mercurius said.


    He teleported the man back to the blacksmith where he had been before, the old man now smirked and winked at him.


    “Can you tell me of iron prices?” He said mostly to Mardonius.


    “Well iron is certainly cheaper in Balna than anywhere else,” another voice piped up.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    “Thank you, that is useful.”


    He teleported to the iron mines in Balna, requiring a few tries before he got the iron he was looking for. He decided to investigate the Raja states. A collection of extremely populous states far to the east. Mercurius had exchanged his Moru coins for iron, and now he received Raja state silver coins. 180 of them. He stopped for lunch in the town of Marston, buying venison and soup for himself. The locals eyeing him warily. Whispers could be heard everywhere.


    “He has a lot of coins, and he appears from nowhere,”


    The subject of religion seemingly forgotten as Mercurius was a popular figure to gawk at. People did wonder where the money came from. He had spent 10 Raja silver on his dinner, tipping generously to surprised servers. A blonde woman with a big tits and a large rear looked at the new merchant with a smirk.


    Next time I need to go to the money changer and change these coins. It looks too strange if I walk around with foreign currencies.


    Nonetheless he waited for his Trade Points to accumulate, bought wood and sold it in the Raja states, went to the city of Busur and gave away his Raja coins for Balna coins, the money changers were surprised, but gave him Balna coins for his trouble. 360 Balna silver coins were converted into 18 gold coins.


    20 to 1 is not too bad.


    He bought 1 gold coin worth of iron, before teleporting it to Mardonius. It had not even been a day, so the old man was surprised. Exchanging the Balna gold coins for Byz gold coins Mercurius gave it to Mardonius.


    “Use this to fund your operations,” he whispered.


    “I know I was the one who gave you the statue, but the situation is getting unstable here. Many have converted to the Church of Light, and Uruq may even annex the city,” Mardonius said in a hushed voice, “you might want to hide your statues. But anyway here’s another.”


    The other blacksmith smacking metal in the foundry showed himself in that moment.


    “Salutius.” He introduced himself, “what exactly are you doing?”


    “Oh, just a ho-”Mercurius stopped himself, “have a coin, and maybe another.”


    He gave two gold coins to Mardonius and two to Salutius.


    “What is this?” The blacksmith said.


    “The God of Trade is generous and wise,” Mercurius said most brazenly, “you merely need to accept him.”


    “Is that what that is?” Salutius said pointing to the statue.


    “It is,” Mardonius said quietly.


    The three of them huddled close, not saying their thoughts too obviously to not invite too much attention.


    “You understand if you wish to join, you must not advertise too loudly, not yet anyway,” Mercurius said, scanning around behind him.


    Salutius was a stocky short man with short black hair and brown eyes, his thin lips curved into a smile, and he pressed Mercurius’s skinny hand and shook it.


    “Oh don’t worry about it kid, you’ve earned my loyalty. I’ve not even seen gold coins, let alone two of them,” he said with a hearty laugh.


    I now only have 13 of them left. Mercurius thought, what should I buy?


    Using his Byz gold coins he spent his afternoon buying from the Northern Kingdoms. Buying enormous amounts of timber that he then teleported to the Raja states and sold it for four times the value. He now had 52 Raja gold coins which he exchanged in Balna to the astonishment of the local money changers of the city of Basur. Locals passed him by, the Church of Light priests occupying old Church of Truth holy sites, merchants peddling their wares. Day was turning to night with the onset of evening. Mercurius wondered where he would sleep. Again he returned to his blacksmith friends.


    “You should try Lori next,” Mardonius said, “it’s a church of Truth country, so they won’t find it too strange that you’re there.”


    “Do they have coin though?” Mercurius asked.


    “I guess not.” A merchant always becomes greedy I guess.


    “Your rumours about the impending doom of Byz are not unfounded,” Salutius began, “I heard rumours that Uruq might simply annex the city.”


    “Seriously?” Mercurius said, might as well keep the Raja gold coins. Otherwise I will hold something utterly worthless. “Make me more statues, and I will buy some land soon.”


    “Seriously?” Mardonius said.


    “Teleportation has its uses, I assure you of that,” Mercurius said.


    “We need to find a new place,” Mardonius said.


    “For sure,” Salutius said, “the city is no longer safe.”


    “Tomorrow,” Mercurius said, “I don’t think I have enough money for purchasing land, usually people fight for it.”


    And so ended the day.