Chapter 4: What Dean’s pub really is (part 2)

In moments Dean didn’t answer her, still looked on them by his eyes opening widely 

“Oh, he must be wrong.” Dean spoke up; “We don’t have things you want. If you want to drink, you can stay here but if you want to buy something like that, you have to leave.” he stressed.

“Heracles--” said Amelinda, turned right, looking at Heracles. Heracles quickly took out a pocket then put it on the table, untied it and showed Dean to see things inside.

“We can pay for them.” said Heracles.

Dean turned silent again all attention paid on the things inside Heracles’s pocket. His eyes became sparkling showing up his greed. It happened for thirty seconds. Dean took his eyes out of Heracles pocket, looked on them, “Follow me!” he said. Then he made his way to the right, heading to a door there.

Heracles, Gwen, Amelinda went after him, silently. They passed the single door near the corner of the pub. It led to another room that was a kitchen. Heracles could see many people there. They were focused on their jobs cooking, not to pay attention on Heracles and others. Kept walking along the kitchen, they got through it and at last, came to a stone wall which was very prominent. They stood there in moments then Dean used his stick poked on it three times. Suddenly, the stone wall trembled; a heavy stone door appeared on the wall, being pulled inside. It slowly opened ajar and completely opened after minutes. A huge figure from darkness appeared walking to them. Hooves hit heavy on the stone floor clop-chop each step of it. A pair of horns came out the light; a huge hairy bullhead appeared. Amelinda immediately used her hand covered tightly on her mouth forcing herself not to scream as she saw the scary looks of the creature. A rough body with big muscles, a bull head with big blood pair of eyes, the creature stood on two black fur feet. Held its big club tightly, it lowered its huge body went upper half of body through the door.  

“Master.” spoke the bullhead creature to Dean. “Who are they?” added the creature, looking on Heracles, Amelinda and Gwen by beast eyes.

“They are clients.” said Dean shortly, looked upon the creature. Though he was tall man, he turned tiny in front of the creature.  

The creature took its eyes out of Heracles and his friend, turned back to Dean. “Yes, master.” it said, made the way stand aside. Dean turned back, hinted Heracles, Amelinda and Gwen to follow him then walked, passing the door and the bullhead creature. Heracles, Gwen and Amelinda hurriedly rushed toward him and quickly caught up. They still kept their eyes alertly on the bullhead creature and tried to get closed Dean. That was a small room after the stone door. It’s dark and hot and had nothing inside but a staircase going down. Dean took a torch hanging on the wall then led them to go down. They followed him down. As they were at the middle of the staircase the place under their feet trembled again; the bullhead creature closed the stone door. At the end of the staircases, it was another door larger and tall it was made of metal Heracles was not sure which the metal was but it’s striking by its jet black color and looked very solid. And, there was had a shape of a snake-body dragon on the door with the head and one sharp claw-foot protruding. It’s also jet black. Dean put hanging his torch on the wall next to the door then took out a crystal ball. Honestly, it was a glowing gem. He approached to dragon head, put the gem into the dragon opening mouth. As soon as, Dean took his hand out, the mouth shut. The original black eyes suddenly emitted red light then cracked sounds came out almost the dragon body except the head which was at the middle of the door moved. The dragon’s body moved with cracked sounds faster and faster then stopped. The dragon opened its mouth again showing up the glowing gem. Dean took the gem, put it back his pocket then stepped backward. “Boom!” a great loud sound spread out, the door split in two it tremblingly opened slowly. As soon as it opened completely, Dean turned to them and asked them to go in. 

It’s a very large chamber when they walked in, was lit dozens of torches and candles which were hung around on the wall. The chamber was very bright. Heracles and others could see many shelves and racks placed along length of the chamber. There had a lot of stuff as like knives, sword, axes, shields and armors on racks. 

“I was curious a bit - but why do you need magical stones?” asked Dean.

“We need them to create a shifting-circle.” answered Gwen.

“Really?” Dean raised his voice. He was completely surprised as he heard the answer from Gwen, “It’s really difficult to create a complete shifting-circle. It’s an ancient magic and now not many people use it. I don’t think that you can do it. Does anyone guide you?” said Dean, still walking leading them pass shelves. 

“No,” said Amelinda shortly, “We created it ourselves.”

“Oh really! You can do it yourselves.” said Dean, “You all make me too surprised.” He lowered his voice seriously, “I don’t know that how you can create shifting-circles and of course don’t want to care much your privacy but I must warn that you can get in danger if you create and use a shifting-circle. Shifting-circle can bright you to right place you want but it sometime brings you to wrong place and there have many dangerous places in the world. If you are unlucky you can go to one of those places. Therefore, shifting-circles are not used now. Anyway, though you use magical stones to do anything, I will always sell them.”

“Very thank to you Dean. We will remember your warning.” said Amelinda.

“Oh Dean, I don’t know that you also can make scepters.” said Heracles suddenly. He just crossed some scepters which were put standing on some racks standing aside their way.

“Good looking, Heracles” said Dean, turned to him and gave a smile. “Honestly, I can’t make any scepters. Very few people can do it making scepters. However, we can change them.” 

“Change them.” squealed Heracles, “You mean that you can change scepters. How can you do it?”

“It’s our business secret but a can tell you a little.” said Dean, “There have few spells and are not allowed to use. We use them to clear scepters’ memos about their owners and force them to accept others to be their new owners.”

“You tell the truth? What are the spells?” spoke Amelinda at one.

“I can’t tell you them. They are secret.” said Dean gently, turned to Amelinda smiling.

“It is not allowed, to change scepters – right? Why do you do it?” said Gwen. There had curiosity in his voice.  

“Honestly, it is prohibited. However, the world is inherently unbalanced; some people want to sell scepters while some others want to buy. They both come to us and order; what they do only meet their requirements buying scepter from people who sell, changed them then resell to people who want to buy. We only make the world more balanced” Dean explained. He turned his way coming in an aisle between shelves.