Black Markets in fantasy worlds were like mushrooms in forests after rain.
This one was no different.
The group of five were looking at the many things on offer. Weapons which gave out a dark aura. Books which had teeth on the cover.
Even some things Nikola was certain were a witch's Grimoire.
They made a stop before the depot.
It was a warehouse with dimensional runes on it, much like the ones Nikola had.
There, by the counter, was a bored goblin. A short one with a beer belly, similar to how Nikola's goblins had looked, once upon a time.
They stepped to the counter and Nikola smiled.
Hoping that the goblin understood human speech.
"Good day, kind sir!" The brunette started.
The goblin snorted.
"If you are here to sell, then show me the wares. We don't give loans in here!"
Nikola took a breath to calm himself.
He pulled out a crate with mana stones from his bottomless bag, hefting it on the counter with more than a little effort.
The goblin's eyes went wide.
"Do you have any idea how many runes one can power up with this?" The creature asked.
"We have at least 1,000 more crates," Nikola said, a smile finding a home on his lips. If the goblin was so excited about a single crate, then Nikola didn't know what he would do with all the crates!
"I'll believe it when I see it. There is a dimensional rune over there. Place all the crates, it will count them."
Nikola nodded. Crates after crates were sucked into the other dimension.
The number kept on growing over the scales. When the nulls became so many that Nikola didn't even want to count them anymore, he decided that it was enough for a single sale.
"Do you know what you just gave me?" The goblins said, as he began to write something on a piece of paper. "We can start a mana reactor with this many mana crystals! We will have streetlamps and hot water again!"
Nikola smiled. At least they weren't going to try to use the crystals for something malevolent.
"Here, if you have more, come back later! We have enough crystals for the next month, but the reactor will need more! Don't forget about us!"
The goblin handed him the piece of paper. It was stamped. The name of the bank where they were supposed to cash it in was also on there.
"We also have food that will never rot," Nikola said, as he pocketed the check.
"What? How did you get a druid to become a farmer?" The goblin took his checkbook and pointed at the scales again. "In there, boys! With the food, the goblin tribes won't need to rob travelers! I can't offer you as much for the food as for the mana stones, but you will be doing a good deed!"
Nikola felt warm inside.
And if he placed more food crates than the mana stone ones, well, then he simply wanted to help feed the world.
****
They came back to the inn, only to see Andrew surrounded by pillows and with Timmy on his chest. The baby was also sleeping.
"I bet he sang him to sleep," Bleda said, his eyes soft. "What are we going to do with all the money?"
Nikola had no idea. Even if they had sold only the mana stones, he still thought that they would be set up for life.
"I want to give some money to the hospital and the town's soup kitchen. Maybe even give some food to the homeless shelter," Nikola knew that this was just a band-aid, no permanent solution.
"The forest hugs the town. No main roads pass through it," Bleda told them. "If we are to put it on the map again, its logistic assets need to be modernized."
"What about the small port by the river?" Jean asked. "If we fix that one, can't we at least revive the transportation of materials via ship?"
"This might end up with the forest being chopped down," Dimitri said, thinking about the possible outcomes. "After all, the forest doesn't lack in timber. And it will be the easiest thing to get, should we fix the harbor."
"What about the Adventurer's Guild?" Jack asked. "Some weapons are so rusty, they will probably get someone rabies instead of protecting them."
"If the change doesn't happen in an organic way," Dimitri said, his heart heavy. "Then as soon as something happens to us, the town will revert to what it used to be."
A silence stretched between them all. No one dared to speak.
They didn't want to agree, but they knew that Dimitri's words were the truth.
Just as Nikola was about to protest, Timmy opened his eyes. The baby blinked sleepily, yawned, and as he felt Nikola and Dimitri, he began to kick his tiny legs and arms.
Andrew yawned as well, looking around.
"Oh, you're back," the siren said, as he snuggled the baby closer to himself. "Good because I had to sing him songs for the past two days. He misses you."
Dimitri chuckled, taking the baby from the siren. Nikola was soon by his side, making funny faces.
"You know, I think we need a babysitter. Now that we can afford it, we can have Andrew deal with the revitalizing of the town." Nikola offered.
The siren yawned again.
"Fine by me. Just make sure it is a good person. The kid will turn them into maggot muffins if they so much as raise their voices at him."
Nikola blinked, Dimitri coughed in his hand.
It was so easy to forget what Timmy was, most days.
"You don't need a babysitter," Bleda offered his arms. Dimitri gave him the baby. "A necromancer can raise another necromancer. Besides, I don't really want to risk my life."
The "I am being hunted anyway," sobered the small group. Nikola nodded, made a mental note to hire some adventurers to guard Bleda, and then began to make funny faces at his son once more.
The baby boy was all giggles and fluff.
But his necromantic mana lingered at the surface of his soul.