When Jace woke up it was already afternoon; it turns out he had slept for quite a while.
But he didn't wake up; he just lay there groggily for another hour, then finally pushed himself off the bed.
He woke up from the squeaky bed and walked into the living room; he looked around and saw that there was a small cloth pouch on the table with a folded page.
He first opened the page:
"I hope your final act went well. These are the ingredients you asked for, we can settle our account later
Write me back.
— Catherine"
Jace smiled as he read the note.
He then opened the pouch and pulled out the Mist Treant root and a vial of Mist Treant juice.
"Haa," he exhaled heavily, slumped on the chair at the table.
In these six weeks he had digested the potion with exceptional speed, but it was at a cost.
Jace was now a murderer—no, he was a serial killer; he was also depressed and he had found some ugly truths about himself.
But it was all done; perhaps acting as a Magician would be better than a Clown.
He kept the pouch aside and decided to look at his spoils.
He pulled out the black bag from beneath the table and laid it on the table; after opening, the sight inside made him smile wide.
It was cash, lots of it.
Without wasting a moment he started counting it; while counting the money he also pulled out three Beyonder characteristics.
One was a stone-like small brown plate; this was the Sequence 9 Arbiter Beyonder characteristic.
One was a small round grey sphere the size of a child's fist; this one was Sequence 8 Sheriff.
Last one was a small black blob with spikes on it; Jace had his doubts but he performed a divination anyway and confirmed it: it was a Sequence 9 Assassin characteristic.
And finally one of the things he was most excited about: it was the mystic revolver.
There was no need of divination for Jace to know that this was an artifact of Sequence 7 Pyromaniac Beyonder characteristic.
But he still needed to perform divinations to find out the abilities and side effects of the artifact.
So he pulled a paper and wrote in Ancient Hermes "abilities of this artifact" and kept the gun on the page and muttered it for seven times.
Using cogitation he fell into a sleep-like state where he saw a dream.
The dream was hazy; in it the man first loaded the revolver with his spirituality and kept it in his holster.
The scene changed, but this one was different and more detailed; in it the man pointed and shot at a man, the result was critical, the bullet exploded at the point of impact, took a chunk of, and the body burst into flames.
Jace opened his eyes; he now knew the abilities of the revolver, and as a Seer he was able to decipher some other things as well.
Next he again used the dream divination to find the side effects of the artifact.
And after noting everything he thought this artifact was quite good.
3,420 pounds cash, 2—Sequence 9 characteristics, 1—Sequence 8 characteristic and an artifact of Sequence 7 level.
This was good loot—no, it was a great one.
His mood improved significantly.
Jace kept the things aside and decided to write to Catherine.
———
Catherine was laying on the couch in her study room, her eyes closed.
But she wasn't sleeping; she was just tired of the work and decided to lay down.
Though in the back of her mind there was a part of her that was worried; she wondered whether the so-called final act of Jace went well.
In the morning she had sent him the ingredients he asked for as well as a note asking him to write back.
But there was no reply from him yet; that only made her more anxious for him.
With the artifact she had sent him, he should be able to fight a Sequence 7, much less 9 or 8.
But in the Beyonder world, things never go as they are planned.
Her spiritual intuition triggered; opening her eyes she saw the octopus dropping a box and a letter.
Catherine got up and sat upright; she immediately picked up the letter and opened it.
She was relieved seeing that it was Jace's handwriting.
"Dear Catherine,
My hard work here finally bore the fruit I had been waiting for.
My potion is digested; the final act worked better than I imagined it would. The act itself was fairly easy and quick; it was due to the artifact you sent me that I was able to perform so well.
In truth I likely would've failed if it weren't for the artifact. There were three Beyonders present there: one was Sequence 9 Arbiter, one was Sequence 8 Sheriff, and the last one to my surprise was a sneaky Assassin.
Not only that but the Sheriff had a powerful artifact, it was a revolver; I will tell you about it when we meet. Only with the artifact was I able to make it; I have with this letter sent it back to you.
I thank you again for the ingredients you sent; with them I should be able to advance tonight.
In a day or two I will be back in Cherwood. I will come to your manor on Friday night (say otherwise if the time is not right); we will discuss our account and some other things.
Can't wait to see you.
Yours truly,
— Jace"
Catherine smiled as she read the letter, happy for Jace's successful endeavor.