The Merchant

Everything hurts. I know I’ve broken a lot. My left arm, which had already been stabbed, is refusing to move.
I can barely breathe. At least one rib has punctured my lung.
The best movement I can manage is opening my mouth to let all the blood out.
But, even though my eyes refuse to open, I can still see my H.P.
It’s low. Very low. Honestly, I’m surprised I’m not dead.
Normally a challenge mode fall won’t do much damage. But, because of the Guardian laying into me before and during the fall, I wasn’t exactly healthy to begin with.
Not only that, but I also covered Retainer, which redirected all of her damage to me when we hit the ground.
I’m already in so much pain that nothing changes when I’m slowly rolled onto my back. I can feel two small hands try to gently move me.
Don’t you know you shouldn’t move a person if they might have a spinal injury? I can’t even speak, all that comes out is more blood.
I faintly hear a pop sound, followed by something cold being pressed against my lips. A cold liquid comes out, most dribbling out the sides of my mouth, but enough hits the mark, and I can see my H.P slowly increasing. I don’t know how effective it’s going to be, potions are only used to top up your health when it’s almost full, they can’t actually heal proper injuries, or, that’s how it worked in the game. At least some of the pain is getting numbed.
Tap.
There it is. My H.P only went up a fraction before stopping. At least it’s better than nothing.
Tap Tap.
I need healing magic, or a high rank magic item to fix me up. None of which are currently in my possession. As a Paladin, I do have healing magic, but at this level it’s not much more effective than a potion, and there is no way I’m casting it in my current condition.
Tap Tap Tap.
I can’t ignore it any longer. Footsteps, and they’re getting closer.
Get up. I summon every ounce of willpower I can muster.
Nothing happens. Not like I really expected it to work.
The reality of the matter is, I’m a broken mess and Retainer only has herself.
“Oh,” there’s an awkward pause, “are you lost?”
The voice speaks slowly, and it just sounds wrong. But the fact that it’s talking instead of just attacking means it's at least not initially hostile to us.
“Children shouldn’t play with knives.” It states, followed by the clattering on metal hitting the ground.
I don’t know whether Retainer dropped her knife, or if she was disarmed, but there's nothing I can do either way.
“Ugh, and let us,” there’s another pause, “do away with this disgusting magic.”
A faint chill runs through my body, but I don’t know if it has anything to do with the stranger, or just me being this close to death.
“Now child, what do you need?”
“Please.” A high pitched voice yells out as I start to fade away. “Help him.”

My eyes shoot open. I can open my eyes again?
Breathing is normal, my arms respond to me, and all my pain is gone.
I pat myself down to double check, nothing broken, nothing bleeding.
Checking my health bar, full.
“Rise and shine,” a deep breath, “Little Paladin.”
I quickly scramble backwards, equipping my sword in the process.
“Is that how you show thanks?” The man standing before me chuckles slowly. “After I was begged to save your life?”
I loosen the grip on my sword and sit up properly. He’s right. Why would he even be talking to me if he was just going to hurt me, let alone why would he heal me.
“You’re up!”
I’m suddenly tackled in the side by Retainer, who starts loudly sobbing against me. Reaching down I gently pat her head.
“You can talk now? Did the Vow wear off already?” I ask, my voice sounding strained.
“I wouldn’t try to… strain yourself too much Paladin,” the way he talks is almost unnatural. “I removed that foul curse from the young lady, as did I heal you.”
“Okay, I’m grateful for all that. Really, I am. But, why?” Might as well ask him straight. “Why would you do this?”
“Well, my little Paladin.” He takes another long pause. “You see, I would like to leave this floor and climb the tower. But, I am just a merchant. So I would require someone to slay the boss so that I can move on.”
I look over at the man standing in front of me. Honestly, if I had no knowledge of the game, I would think he was lying, because, why would a merchant be down in the basement levels? But the thing is, this skinny, lanky, unnaturally talking man, is one of the greatest NPCs in the game. He can only be encountered in challenge mode, because of the requirement of meeting him down here, and then helping him escape.
“Also, I would like to acquire what you have there.” He points past me, towards the ground.
The Guardian lays in a crumpled heap, still in the same spot when we landed. It hadn’t even crossed my mind to think about the Guardian at all, I had actually mostly forgotten about it, and I really don’t have any need for it, and as for the loot it drops, it will all be useless to me anyway.
“You can have it.”
“Ah, wonderful.” What could be called a smile spreads across his face. “I promise to repay you, but right now, I do not have the ability to offer you any of my goods.”
It’s what I expected, you can only trade with him whenever you encounter him after escaping from the basement floors.
But there is an even bigger problem. How the hell am I meant to solo a boss to get us out of here? I might have had a chance solo against the Wraith Knight, but against a challenge mode boss? No way.

“I see we have a problem,” the merchant interrupts my thoughts. “But, maybe the answer is closer than you expect.”
“Are you going to help me fight a boss?” I ask incredulously.
“No, like I told you.” He walks over to the Guardian. “I am but a simple merchant.”
He rips the dark cloak off the Guardian’s corpse, and picks up the two knives that just earlier were in my arm.
“Child, come here.”
He beckons Retainer over. She stops crying and looks up at me for guidance. Nodding, I give her a gentle push towards him. I don’t know what his plan is, but I know that he won’t hurt her. He wouldn’t risk his chance to escape from here by doing something dumb.
I finally stand in order to watch the two of them, instead of turning my neck behind me.
“Hmm,” He examines and looks over Retainer. “Yes, this should work well. Consider this just a small part of my repayment.”
I don’t get any time to ask what he means before he throws the cloak over Retainer’s head, cuts his hand with one of the knives, then slams them both into the ground between them.
He starts quietly mumbling to himself, while I just stand there in shock. I know what he’s doing, but I just can’t believe it.
A Class Change ceremony. Normally, you might encounter a Class Change in maybe one out of a hundred playthroughs, if you’re lucky. And yet, here I am, watching it happen to my companion NPC.
Retainer, to her credit, is standing perfectly still, obviously not knowing what is happening, but still trusting in me to not put her in harm's way.
“There, I hope this will help assist you in your endeavours." The entire thing took less than a minute, and now the Merchant is looking back at me expectantly.
“Retainer, are you okay?” I ask, dropping down to her height.
She’s no longer wearing the basic starting outfit Retainer has. The cloak that was covering her face just moments ago, is now covering the majority of her body in its dark grey fabric, coming to a hood covering her head. The knives that were taken from the Guardian and stabbed in the ground are now sheathed on each side of her hips.
“I feel so,” she pauses for a moment, looking over herself. “Light.”