They arrived at the building—a wide, ash-colored structure nestled between two taller towers that resembled imposing guard barracks. The exterior was rough-hewn stone, marked with faint, claw-like scratches and cracks, testament to a history of explosive incidents and weapon mishaps. Above the thick wooden door, reinforced with iron bands, was a metallic sign depicting two crossed swords forming an "X" beneath a dragon's wing, a stark and slightly menacing symbol. A small bronze bell, tarnished with age and use, hung just above the doorframe, ready to ring out its discordant jingle with each entry and exit.
As they approached, the bell jingled, announcing the departure of a previous group of students. Several students stepped out of the building, their faces a mixture of scowls, frustration, and muttered complaints under their breath. Some looked like they'd been cheated, their expressions a mixture of anger and disbelief. Others seemed to have lost a bet, their shoulders slumped in defeat. The atmosphere around the building was strangely charged, a mixture of anticipation and disappointment.
"Why is the price so high?" a girl muttered furiously as she stormed past the boys, shaking her head in disbelief, her voice laced with outrage. "A thousand points for a dagger that doesn't even *glow*! It's practically useless!"
Asher blinked, his initial excitement momentarily dampened by the girl's outburst. "That's… not a good sign."
"Maybe it's a really, really well-crafted dagger?" Nick offered, trying to remain optimistic, his usual calm demeanor slightly shaken.
"Nope," Ethan said, already stepping through the door, his confidence unshaken. "We're about to find out. Let's go see what this place is all about."
The bell gave a sharp, jarring jingle as the boys entered the shop. Inside, the weapon hall was a sensory experience – a dense, smoky scent hung heavy in the air, a peculiar mixture of burnt metal, oiled leather, and something subtly acrid, like the faint smell of ozone. Racks lined the walls, seemingly stretching into infinity, each groaning under the weight of countless weapons. Some held swords of varying sizes and designs, others spears, twin daggers, or axes, each gleaming faintly in the dim light. Each weapon shimmered faintly with element-specific engravings or crystals embedded in their hilts, a subtle indication of their magical properties.
Behind a tall, rune-inscribed counter, looking strangely out of place in this dimly lit emporium of weaponry, stood a man with slicked-back grey hair and a wide, almost unsettlingly cheerful grin. He wore a smith's apron over robes that seemed far too pristine for the environment, giving him a rather incongruous appearance. He looked far too cheerful for someone surrounded by so much disappointment.
"Welcome, students!" he greeted, his voice smooth and practiced, a professional salesman's practiced tone. "My name is Andrew, caretaker of the weapon hall. If you're looking for elemental weapons, head to the left side of the shop—everything is arranged by affinity. Armor and magical charms are on the right. Feel free to browse. No touching without purchasing, of course."
The boys gave him a short bow, acknowledging his greeting, and moved to the right first, their curiosity piqued by the promise of magical equipment. But the moment they saw the prices on the enchanted items, they nearly lost all color in their faces. Their initial excitement quickly evaporated.
"Wait, *what*?!" Asher yelled, squinting to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. "Seven thousand points for *these* boots?! Are they made of solid gold?"
Nick leaned over to check the description, his frown deepening. "They boost speed by, like, ten percent! That's… it! Ten percent! For seven thousand points?!"
Ethan held up a simple charm glowing faintly purple, his disbelief evident. "This one's just a basic mana protection charm… four thousand points?! Is it cursed with a loan payment? This is outrageous!"
"This is daylight robbery," Asher hissed, his voice low and furious. "At this point, I'd rather fight barefoot with a stick. At least that would be honest."
Several other students turned and chuckled at the comment, clearly having shared the same dismay. The boys weren't alone in their outrage. The prices were unbelievably steep.
The boys backed away from the armor section slowly, as if afraid they'd accidentally be charged just for looking at the gear too long. Some of the items didn't even have price tags—just the words *Request Only* written in ominous red ink, which somehow made them even more terrifying, hinting at costs far beyond their wildest imaginations.
"Alright, weapons then," Nick muttered, his voice flat with disappointment, as they shifted to the left side of the shop.
This section was lined with racks organized by magical affinity, each section clearly marked with glowing symbols. A flickering red symbol hovered above the fire weapon area, its heat palpable. Yellow lightning sigils danced above the thunder blades, their energy crackling in the air. And emerald green marked the wind-aligned arsenal, its symbols seeming to shimmer with air currents.
Asher ran to the fire section, his excitement momentarily revived, only to be dashed against the harsh reality of the price tags.
"One thousand points… for *this*? This is just a basic elemental longsword! It's not even particularly well-crafted!" he said, his voice incredulous.
Nick and Ethan stood beside their respective sections, frowning, mirroring Asher's disappointment. The prices were uniformly high, consistently out of reach.
"Yup. One thousand here too," Nick said, staring at a slim wind katana with swirling gusts trapped inside its blade, a weapon that appeared deceptively simple.
"Same for lightning. This dagger better fry eggs and cook bacon on the go for that price," Ethan muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
The trio stood there for a few seconds, defeated, as a student beside them muttered, "These prices are criminal." Their shared disappointment created a brief moment of unspoken camaraderie.
Without another word, the boys turned around and walked out of the weapon hall, the bell chiming behind them once again, a mournful sound that seemed to echo their frustration.
Out in the sunlight, Nick held up the point total on his student badge like it was a death sentence.
"I've never felt this poor in my entire life," he said, his voice flat with despair, the weight of his financial limitations heavy upon him.
"Well, welcome to the club," Ethan replied, equally disheartened. "We just got a front row seat to the economy of suffering."
Asher cracked a grin despite everything, his resilience and optimism shining through. "Relax. At least we've got missions now. That's how we build up points, right? And besides, we haven't checked the spell library yet. Maybe that'll be more affordable."
"Oh yeah!" Ethan's eyes lit up, his spirits reviving. "Let's go there next! Maybe we can find something useful there."
"First one there gets to laugh at the others," Asher said, stretching, a mischievous glint in his eyes. The competitive spirit re-emerged, momentarily overshadowing their disappointment.
He paused, adding a final, competitive twist.
"…And last one loses ten points!"
"Wait, *what*?!" Nick shouted, his voice a mixture of protest and disbelief.
"You can't bet points without asking—HEY!" Ethan barked, already breaking into a sprint after Asher, who had bolted down the stone path like a fire was chasing him. The sudden burst of energy was infectious.
"No cheating, you bastard!" Nick growled, chasing behind both of them, his frustration momentarily forgotten in the thrill of the chase.
Their laughter and yelling echoed through the academy grounds as they raced toward the magical library, their disappointment temporarily forgotten in the thrill of the chase and the promise of new possibilities. The initial setback hadn't broken their spirits; it had merely sharpened their resolve.