Today had been a good day, no, a great day!

I couldn’t help but smile after the all the antics hanging out with my friends, it had been even more fun after we had arrived at the local anime/games expo at the local community centre. Sure I probably could have done without the earache from Michel, my more “mature” friend telling me that the whole thing was for weirdoes, even though he’d never been to any in his life and just didn't want anyone else to have fun, sometimes he just made me wonder why I still hung out with him.

Shrugging off the stale thoughts I hummed one of the new anime openings that had wormed its way into my head while slowly making my way outside, considering whether or not it might be worth watching. Somewhere along the line we had all lost track of time, it was starting to get dark and the winter nights had been rather harsh the past few days. So rather than put up with the cold I decided I was going home while the going was good, and after hunting down and saying goodbye to all my friends (all bloody twelve of them and their friends) I was just leaving the building.

But something felt off.

For once in a long time, I had left a convention with roughly twenty pound sterling left of my planned spending money, and nothing to show for the brilliant day of laughter and shenanigans. I felt like I was leaving a free food stand without really eating anything, metaphorically of course, after all food and drink was what I had spent most of the money on.

For a brief moment, I was actually half tempted to go back in and just buy the first thing that caught my eye, though I really didn’t want to spend half an hour or so picking around the stalls just for something to reflect on. Sighing half in mirth, half in defeat, I took a step from the doors out into the twilight of the town, feeling a small shiver race down my spine as a cold breeze nipped at my exposed face.

That was when reality suddenly reasserted itself. Mid second-step, I had to pause as a looming figure seemed to materialise from nowhere in the corner of my vision. Jolting round in fright, even fearing for my life briefly, I was silently elated to find no real danger, just some person in a rather large coat tending to a small stand gesturing at me to come closer an take a look. I thought it odd to place himself outside in the cold, the thought didn’t linger long as my eyes took in what was laid bare on the table in front of him.

All assortments of videogame, anime and cartoon paraphernalia was spread out before me like a treasure hoard, I almost couldn't believe my eyes as they searched greedily through the various objects I could easily see, taking note of various ones of interest. I saw a replica handgun from Aldnoha.Zero, an anime I had recently been introduced to and enjoyed perhaps a little too much, Martian design and very well pained to the point it almost looked real!

There was also a sword or katana like weapon that was presumably from the videogame Warframe, if the design was anything to go by, and some sort of egg shaped figurine with legs and a large cannon from something vaguely familiar but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

But the last thing I found took the cake, and all my common-sense.

A full size replica of the original vanilla wizard staff from the Magicka game series laid across the top of a small leather bound book. It looked almost like the prize centrepiece of a collectors’ grand spending spree, and had I had the money it probably would have been mine in a heartbeat.
As I stood briefly marvelling over the staff it quickly became apparent that there were no price tags, looking up to ask the owner I again paused as a brief chill went down my spine.

I recognised the get up. Resident Evil four, the infamous arms dealer. The character had always given me the creeps, what kind of ulterior motive the guy must have had always plagued me as it was exceptionally odd that he just showed up out of nowhere selling weapons of almost every kind.

Clacking my teeth together to stop an involuntary chuckle of nervousness, I asked how much the item was.

“Hmm, that little masterpiece… have to admit I’ve had a little difficulty shifting this one, not many seem to recognise it…” I could almost hear the smile in his voice, the words almost dripping with silken interest. It did not help that I couldn’t really see his face and that alone unnerved me more. “Well, I could let it go for, let’s say… around twenty pounds?”
My heart missed a beat.

Coincidence, not something I had always been a huge fan of. I let it slide but my gut was telling me to ask for more information, to make sure this was not some kind of trick. My brain on the other hand was more focussed on the immense bargain, while trying hard not to let the conflict show on my face.

“Just twenty? May I a…”

“Now or never boy! quick before I change my mind!” the man suddenly chided, the mirth in his eyes showing me that I had not done a good job of hiding my doubts.

With a defeated sigh, I gave in. it was almost impossible resist the temptation of such a prize even though all I wanted to do was slink away as quickly and quietly as possible from the almost imposing figure. Pulling out my wallet I grabbed the last crisp note and slowly passed it over the table, the man took it gently from my grip before hefting the staff up and over to me to hold. I had to say that the person who made it did more than perfect as it looked exactly like the ones in the game, even the gently blue glowing crystal hovering in the crook of the crescent moon like shape at the top…

…I had to do a double take. That had not been there before.

“Oh, and before I forget!” I turned to man, my eyes shooting wide in a mix of fear and dread as two yellow silted orbs gazed back, a hand roughly shoved the book the staff had been resting on under my free arm. “Don’t forget or loose this book, you’re going to need it.”

All at once the world began to blur, my head felt like someone had just beat me over it with a rock. The only thing I could register was the sensation of falling.

Then everything went black.

Author's Note

Welp, this is the first story I've written in a while. Feel free to tell me what you think!