Kaleb and the Bazaar of Odd and Peculiar Things

Kaleb stared at the amount of papyrus and books on his desk. The pen in his hand quivered as the amount of scribing he had to do overwhelmed him. Kaleb scribbled a few more sentences before scooting back in his chair. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he sighed rather dramatically.

"There has got to be a faster way to do this," he said, knowing there was no one around to hear him.

Not that it mattered, as the only other person in the library this early was Mistress Kana, who lost her hearing after the last dragon war a decade earlier. It didn't stop her from practicing her magic or teaching Kaleb a thing or two about the art, and it also didn't stop her from piling work on his desk.

Kaleb loved the old sorcerous like a mother, and they kept the Great Library of Arcanus running smoothly between them. Even though he was a simple librarian, Kaleb had unintentionally become an apprentice mage under Mistress Kana.

He regretted none of it except for a large amount of scribing detail he had to do. Copying books and scrolls were the least exciting part of his day, but he had full access to the library and the wonder it contained at night. No matter what someone asked, he found an answer. If someone needed a book on the fate of the elves after the rise of man, he knew what section and which book would fit the reader the best.

It's what made him stand out amongst the others. Most of all, Kaleb loved the stories from bards throughout the ages. His favorite was Evellius Rouge, who supposedly single-handedly defeated a squad of ogres and rescued a princess.

Deep down, Kalen knew most of these stories were exaggerated, like the pile of books on his desk, but they took him places only his imagination could. Now, if only I could imagine a way to scribe these using my voice. Maybe the market has an item for me to use.

"Mistress Kana won't notice I'm gone if I make it quick," he said as he stood and scooped a few of his favorite bard's tales into his satchel.

The market in the center of Eden, the capital of Tallania, would open soon, and he wanted to get there before too many people flooded the area. Kaleb preferred the library's solitude over the market's hustle and bustle. There were too many people, and the chances of pickpockets making their rounds rose the longer he was there.

He made it to the door before running back to his desk. Snatching a used piece of parchment, he wrote a brief letter to Mistress Kona stating where he was going and why. That way, she wouldn't worry too much. If the vendors were exceptionally nice, he could get free truffles from the bakery guild and anything to make his scribing duties flow faster.

***

Kaleb skipped out of the library with a spring in his step. While he preferred the solitude of his work, the idea of finding a magical scribing device energized him. After months of painstakingly writing letter for letter and word for word from history books and more, his hands had grown tired and sore. Any item to help would make his job easier and allow him to explore more of the books, which to him was a greater treasure than anything a dragon could hoard.

Once down the steps, he adjusted his satchel for comfort and took a beeline toward the alley. His heart sped as alleys were a fast way to get robbed or murdered, and it was the quickest way to the market and would save him some time having to go around all the other buildings in the area.

Eden was a big city, and her city blocks took up a lot of space. While it wasn't a huge undertaking to walk the regular way, Kaleb didn't want to waste time, and a brief trip down an alley was worth it. You can do this, Kaleb. You're a librarian, after all!

With a glance down the path, he didn't see anyone and set off down the alley. He kept his pace fast while taking in his surroundings. The sweet smell of garbage reached his nose, and he sniffed reflexively at the odor.

"Almost to the other end. I feel like this was an adventure all on its own," Kaleb said, speaking to himself. Not that he was mad, but working alone got him into the habit of thinking out loud. The books listened, and Kaleb could point to a few that actually could.

As he walked, a wave of dizziness passed through him, and the light from the twilight sky became abnormally bright. He shielded his eyes as the surrounding alley spun like a top with him at the center. Wobbling slightly, he regained his balance as he shut his eyes to avoid the bright light.

"Now, what could cause this? Mistress Kana will want to know about this right away."

Sounds of merchants shouting their wares and music from bards filled the air. Kaleb opened his eyes to find he no longer stood in the alley behind the library. He now stood on a dirt path in front of a strange market surrounded by even stranger buildings whose construction defied a man's sanity.

The sky was bright and gray, and the smells of confectioners filled his nostrils. Smiling, he glanced around at the wonder of the place where he was at. He had seen some strange things in his life, but this was stranger than usual. Well, it seems I'm no longer in Eden or my world.

A large sign stretched over an open gate. Kaleb read each word as his heart raced with apprehension. "The Bazaar. We have everything you need for a price," he said. "If that doesn't sound cryptic in the least."

He looked behind him and saw that the road ended in the same gray as the sky, as if both connected seamlessly into one. "Looks like I can only go forward. Perhaps I'm mad after all."

***

Kaleb stared in wonder at every merchant he passed. A few sold food, but he was weary about approaching them as none of the food particularly had a pleasing appearance. His stomach grumbled in protest, but he needed to focus. Kaleb wondered who had brought him here. Even more, how does he get home?

"This place keeps getting stranger," he said, strolling down one lane.

A merchant called out. "Dragon silk cloth. I'm sure a fine man like yourself could use this beautiful fabric for a pretty lady?"

Kaleb shook his head and kept going. He'd have to go back unless he found what he was looking for. If only that'd lead me back to the library. After adjusting his satchel to another shoulder, he saw a few individuals with skin glowed in the daylight.

All three stood talking amongst themselves as Kaleb approached. This bazaar was strange; unlike the one in Eden, this was by far the least strange of things that had happened to him. The library attracted other mages and scholars, and more times than he liked, a spell that shouldn't have gone off. That was the price when working in a library dedicated to the God of Magic.

Stopping at the table, a scroll popped up, along with a quill. One of the pale merchants spoke, and the quill instantly scribed the words on the scroll. Kaleb stared in amazement, his eyes widening along with his smile. Now that is what I need!

"Excuse me, but does this work by voice dictation?"

A woman turned and smiled. "Of course, young librarian."

The others turned as well to stare at him. One on the woman's right was taller and carried an air of strength. Dark tattoos spread across his pale chest, and black hair fell over his shoulders. The woman herself was striking. Though her bone structure made her seem delicate, she carried herself with confidence and power. Her red curly hair hung down to her back, and her robes were the purest green Kaleb had ever seen. Even the man to her left had her build, but he had his red hair cropped short, and a strange medallion hung around his neck. They all smiled warmly and exuded peace. Kalen stepped closer.

"How did you know I'm a librarian?" He asked.

The woman smiled. "You wear the badge of an Eden Guild Member, the Arcanist Guild, if I'm correct. You don't carry yourself like a mage, though you know some magic."

"I'm still in my world, then?"

The dark-haired man laughed. "No, you're in the Bazaar, and it's a place between places and finds you before you find it."

"That explains how I got here. How much for the quill? I have little, but I may be able to pay for it."

The red-headed man chuckled. "We don't take coin or payments like the other merchants, and we take words, which as a master librarian, you may have plenty of them."

"Words? I'm no master librarian. What do you mean by words?

The woman leaned down as she was taller than him and smiled. Let me explain.

***

"We use the printed word as payment. As a Solarian, I follow my people's path of enlightenment through art. While we build things to keep our people moving forward, stories are what hold our society together and have become its greatest asset," she said.

"Do your people exchange words and stories as payment?" Asked Kaleb.

"Indeed. While we appreciate a bard's work or any storyteller, those stories that an individual holds close to their heart are worth more than tale around the campfire."

Kaleb instinctively clutched his satchel of books close to his chest. He wanted the pen as it would make his life easier and it would also give him more time to practice the magic Mistress Kana had taught him. The books he had were special as they were his and not part of the library's catalogue.

"Let me consider this strange offer as I have never heard of such a thing until now."

The women smiled gently, but her eyes held anticipation. "We understand. The bazaar is always open, young Kaleb from Aria."

Kaleb stepped away to think. They had what he needed, which excited him, but he would have to sacrifice some of his prized books. He didn't own many, which made it harder to decide. How does a bazaar like this know what I need? This is an odd place.

He strolled to the table. "Do your people not have writers?"

The man with the long black hair spoke. "We do, but stories from other worlds and races are worth more than ours."

"What Xaros says is true. Stories from other worlds and races moves us. It's the originality, tone, mood that entrances us and helps build our civilization and make it strong," she said.

"Fascinating!" Exclaimed Kaleb. "Unfortunately, all I have are the few books I brought with me to keep me entertained as I shop the market in my city. I have a tendency to walk and read. They're written by a great bard from my world, his travels and adventures."

All three Solarians lit up and light shone from causing Kaleb to shield his eyes. "We'll have to discuss this opportunity for trade," said the one with the short red hair.

Kaleb pulled out his books and frowned. As much as he didn't want to part with them, he knew he had to, so he could get the magical quill. He glanced around and watched as merchants made trades to the happiness of their customers and Kaleb hoped he'd show as much happiness.

The lady turned toward him. "We have agreed that your bargain is true. No one in our world has stories from Aria and to bring such stories home will see us as heroes. What is your trade, young Kaleb?"

Kaleb glanced at his books before sliding one of the three back into the satchel. "I have two books to exchange for the magic quill and scroll. They're some of the bard's later adventures, but hold a lot of history from my home."

"We have a deal, young Kaleb. If you ever come to our world, you'll find that my people will speak favorable about you, said the woman.

"Shall we trade?" Asked Kaleb.

***

"Yes, we can definitely transact," said Xaros.

Kaleb set the two book son the table as the all three Solarians prepared the magic quill and scroll for its packaging. They worked fast and with enthusiasm. Kalen saw the glint of excitement in their eyes as they would take turns staring at the books.

"It has been such a long time since we partook in such adventures from another world. We'll be intoxicated with excitement as we read them," said the woman.

"I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. They were my favorite books," he said.

"They'll be our favorites as well. Though we know of your world and have dealt with people from Aria before, no one has ever paid for an item with us with one of their books. It may seem strange, but does no one in your world read?"

Kaleb guffawed. "Not enough, unfortunately. Most nobles or wizards can afford to do that. I'd love to make it more accessible to those who can't afford it, but for now, I'm content with being a librarian," said Kaleb.

The man with the short red hair smiled. "Perhaps you'll open a library of your own. Knowledge is a person's greatest weapon and adventure. Both come from books."

"I agree."

The woman handed Kaleb his package, which he slipped into his satchel. "Now, there are instructions written in your language. It's fairly easy to use. Give it a command of your choosing and start talking. The quill and scroll will do the rest. For books, you'll need a different word. That's it."

Kalen beamed with excitement. He couldn't wait to get to the library and use and perhaps tell Mistress Kana of his adventures. He then promptly frowned; his face sagged with a sudden sadness.

"What is wrong, young Kaleb?"

"Well, I don't know how to get back home," said Kaleb.

All three Solarians laughed. Kalen cocked his head, wondering why they were laughing so hard. The woman pointed back toward the front gate. "It's the same way you came in. This must be the first time as the Bazaar."

Kaleb nodded. "It is."

"We shall laugh no more at your expense. Forgive us. The bazaar always knows when a buyer needs to leave and will quickly set them on the path back home. For you, young Kaleb, the Bazaar shall always be open. We ask you to bring more books in case you come to our table again."

Kaleb bowed humbly. "Of course!"

He took off at a fast gait and stared at the banner over the entrance as he exited through. Ahead of him, the gray sky met the road like before, and Kaleb wondered how all this magic worked. About to give up and try to find another way, the world spun around him.

"You need to learn patience, Kaleb," he said, talking to himself.

He closed his eyes so he wouldn't get dizzy. As the magic took its effect, a light feeling came over him as he was as light as a feather. Shortly after, he stood on firm ground. After a few moments, he opened his eyes to see the Great Library of Arcanus in front of him. Mistress Kana was also at the top of the steps. When she saw him, she ran frantically down the steps, signing quickly.

Kaleb tried in vain to get her to slow down, but when an event upset Kana, she moved fast and it made her sign language hard to read. He signed back and spoke. "Mistress Kana, you won't believe where I was this morning!"

She signed again, raising a worried eyebrow. Kaleb stepped back. "What do you mean, I was gone for two days? Maybe an hour at the most."

She grabbed his chin and pointed him toward the clock that stood on top of the library. She signed again and Kaleb nodded in shock and signed back slowly. "Let's get inside as I got a fantastic story to tell you."

He helped her up the steps and let her enter the library first. Kaleb glanced back and glanced in his satchel. The quill and scroll were there. So it wasn't a dream after all!