I perused the store rather aimlessly as the others looked over gear. They needed upgrades far more than me.

  "How is your ring holding up?" asks Isabelle, holding up a staff suitable for the level she thought I was.

  "Hmmm, don't feel I need to change it... haven't thought about it but I think it's leveling up with me."

  I genuinely hadn't realised, but the meteor steel ring was keeping up with my needs. I hold it up and inspect it.

  "Young man, may I?" The elderly shop keeper approaches hand raised, with people looking I feel obliged to slip the ring off and hand it to him to inspect.

  He raises a brow, did he think I was going to put my hand in his like a newlywed showing off?

  "Hmmm, do know what you have here?"

  "A meteor steel ring, serves in place of a wand or staff for directing magic though slightly limited. I prefer it, keeps my hands free."

  "Hmm yes, that is the main benefit, some folks also had it as a backup. This one is extremely rare..."

  "Extremely rare? Wasn't there a whole lot of meteorite found and the rings were mass produced?"

  "My boy, your information is about 16 years out of date. Plus this is not from that production."

  Shit, as much as I liked the ring, I took it thinking it wasn't too risky. I did not like the sound of 'extremely rare'.

  "That mine closed down after they discovered that further down, the ore was less pure. It took greater effort to extract and concentrate the meteor steel.

  The rings were indeed mass produced for a little over a year.

  Normally such meteor steel would be left to at least master blacksmiths, but the owner of the deposit had lesser blacksmiths churning out mid to high level rings, with only the superficial abilities of true meteor steel rings.

  Yours is far more valuable than those rings.

  Hmm... Not long ago I heard a grandmaster blacksmith was buying up the mass produced ones, even broken and worn out, in order to salvage the material to make rings like this... but this isn't one of those.

  No... Your ring is an original. Possibly a hundred years old.

  You said it's leveling up with you? That is a feature of an original meteor steel ring— They were items of the highest quality, meant to serve a lifetime!

  Though true you'll always likely find a wand or staff more powerful, these rings, if worn long enough, grow with the user to be quite formidable. For very high levels they are known to be the only alternative to legendary staffs and wands.

  It's also true that if you can't afford to upgrade this will overtake your level set staff or wand.

  Where did you get this?"

  Fuck! The others had gathered round and were listening. They knew I was an orphan, they hadn't asked before, but knowing it was valuable, it was now very out of place for me... Some version of the truth, no choice...

  "I didn't steal it... but... I did loot it— sorry, hope you guys don't think less of me— I swear the owner was practically dust and I didn't th—"

  "Harvey! Looting is a reality of adventuring, you've nothing to apologize for. There are even laws pertaining to looting and from the sounds of it, yours was a lawful find. No different from taking something from a dungeon." Isabelle stares at me, I shoot her a smile of thanks, she quickly looks away.

  How deep in the box it was, the style of ring and jewellery around it, had told me it was old. Come to think of it, I should've realised it seemed older than the fashionable (15 years ago!) rings I had mistaken it for.

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  I had not known they had been made mid to high level, I had found the pink gemmed ring, probably taken off an adventurer barely out her childhood, at level 8.

  "What your friend says is right... though, a word in private if you please?"

  Strange looks from the others, I agree and follow him to the back of the store. My mind races. I didn't want to kill him, I decided in the worst case I'd threaten him, plus bribe him with the ring. Then run away. My heart ached at the thought of losing my new friends.

  The old man waves away his younger assistant, probably son, they looked similar. The shop was called Garland and Son's.

  "Don't panic and you have my assurance there's no need for violence, I'm no threat to you." says the old man in a hushed tone.

  I say nothing and decide fuck it, I put on my steely assasin's poker face.

  "Hmph."

  The old man smiles, starts turning before stopping himself. He flashes his palms, and hands back the ring. He has bruises on his fingers, one on his chin too.

  Let's earn some amity. I place my hand over his and use Heal before retracting my hand, taking the ring back.

  "Hm, thank you. Just a moment please..."

  He disappears down some stairs to a basement. A few minutes pass and he returns with a faded missing poster of a young girl. Amongst the details was that she had a distinctive meteor steel ring with a pink gem. I almost dropped my poker face.

  "I was a boy, complaining about having to stock shelves instead of playing with my friends, when my father was handed that to put up. He never threw important documents away, a diligent filer, was my father.

  The parents are both now dead, and the family has spread out, I don't believe anyone still remains in this area... If it's any further consolation, I think they'd be happy knowing it's been used by a... healer. Now I suppose you're wondering how I found this poster so fast?"

  The man chuckles. Now I was...

  "I say again, please don't be concerned. I actually searched for old posters a couple weeks ago, after a very strange appraisal request.

  Some very shady individuals had me look over items from a burnt down cottage. Took me there with a bag over my head, and I suspect the carriage took a few extra turns then necessary.

  I'm not stupid. I've been around long enough to know there's no winning in this situation. If I threaten you, I'm dead or you just flee. If I try to find those people, my only reward— Getting quietly snuffed out. I am right, aren't I?"

  I nod. He was spot on, I would be a major embarrassment to the organisation.

  "I have a granddaughter a little older than you. Thanks to an aunt who's a nun, she trained, spiritually cleansed herself, and whatever else is needed to be done— to become a cleric from level one. Her name is Evelyn Garland."

  Odd segway. Cleric was an advanced class that branched off the healer skill tree. However it was a route forever closed to me due to having offensive skills.

  I thought of the cleric who'd recognised my ring, made sense she'd know what it was if she'd spent some time in this shop.

  "This shop is Garland and Son's, OK what do you want? You're blackmailing me right?"

  "No not at all... I'm going to burn this poster and never speak of it. Any thoughts I have regarding this situation, I'll take to my grave— and that won't be too long." He says the last part with a goofy grin despite it being quite morbid, perspective of the old, I guess.

  "All I ask, is that should you encounter her, perhaps even work with her... You protect her.

  Clerics are absolute pacifists, the trade they make with the gods for greater healing abilities. Her choice concerns me...

  You don't strike me as a pacifist."

  "Hey, I'm just a healer, though I am seriously considering the capsarii— field medic branch of healer when I get to that level. It allows for basic combat support."

  "I wonder about your dual class?"

  I say nothing, he smiles and walks over to a stove in the store's little kitchen area outback. He holds the poster over the coals and looks at me.

  "I think I've met her, she's not far off my party's level so sure, I'll look out for her."

  He throws the poster in. Though not burning, the remains within the stove are still hot enough from last use to ignite and destroy the poster.

  He clears his throat.

  "Urgh! I think that was a darn good offer! Well be off then, but if you want to sell that ring- I BEG YOU! Come back here!"

  No doubt about it, he'd worked for the organisation before. Likely a local expert. Wouldn't be surprised if in his younger days, the old man was involved in shadier dealings. I wasn't sure, but figured I'd trust him.

  "Oh I have a good condition capsarii helmet when you need it." The old man says, patting me on the back as we walk out.

  "Yo Harvey, we wouldn't make you sell the ring but—"

  "No but! Shush brother. Harvey while you were back there, we had a look over things. How is your gear situation, a brief summary please?" Isabelle turns from a light look of scorn aimed at her brother, to one with a hint of pensiveness.

  The group looks concerned, I have some idea as to why. Beginner gear falls below level quickly, everyone needs upgrades. We were not a wealthy party.

  Our questing thus far had been focussed on helping others. We had taken quests other parties had overlooked, the rewards had not been very high.

  After surmising my honestly not terrible gear situation; healers don't need much. Isabelle goes quiet.

  "If we kill monsters with tough hides, I can sew..." Layla gets a small, but nonetheless warm smile from Isabelle.

  Isabelle takes a deep breath and her eyes pass over everyone before settling to stare down at the floor.

  "I think we need to do a dungeon run."

  Huh, well old man Garland might be getting his wish quite soon. I'd overheard Evelyn's party discussing a dungeon they were interested in. Let's see if we could tag along...