“Where do you think?” I replied, sniffling as I pulled the pouch back.

“Obviously a Trial Realm, you know they’re the only places to get another Perk Stone.” I added.

“How did you find one? We’re supposed to report any found on supply runs to the team leaders. This is too risky Leo.” said Grin as he pulled down his hood and scratched his head.

“How do you think I felt when I hopped into that sinkhole with an unknown trial and environment to get this?” I rebutted.

“You know how challenging trials can be and it would’ve taken them ages to examine it and send someone in.” I took a sip of my ale and sighed, continuing.

I looked him in the eyes and began, “Grin. I need you to believe me when I say, I was the only one capable of taking care of that Trial Realm. The mission I had to endure would’ve killed anyone else.”

He looked into my eyes and sighed, “Trust me I know, you’re talking to someone to had to kill 300 huge ass ants just to get a lowly Perk of Dirt Manipulation.”

His eyes peered once again towards my pouch, “What Perk does that have anyway? And why are you willing to trade this for an ordinary drone? I’m having a hard time figuring you out Leo.”

I sat in silence and contemplated if he really was worth giving this too. He had a reputation among the base civilians as the ‘Stone Sentinel’ and Jon had even vouched for him and encouraged him to make a trade.

Grin let out a disapproving mumble and began to get up. Before he could I slightly shifted my hand and a dim haze of purple shifting light formed around his leaving hand. The purple dren solified and locked his arm to the table, causing him to jerk the table slightly in the direction of his exit. A couple people glanced our direction, it wasn’t common for some people to have quarrel in the dining hall but the man I was dealing with was one of their best forms of law enforcement, a Sentinel.

He looked at me with aggravated eyes and spoke in a calm but eerily commanding tone.

“You know Perks aren’t to be used within base perimeters without supervision and approval of your team leader, Leo. Are you asking to be arrested?” He said as he sat back down.

I gave him a sly smile and chuckled, “You won’t do that, you’re too curious about this Perk stone and I personally know it would synergize with your Core Perk extremely well.”

He looked me up and down but his eyes lingered on the pouch still sprawled on the table. He looked back up at me and cackled, “I don’t know who told you my core power but anyone woild be curious about it. Since you appear to want this trade settled can you get to the point Leo? These walls don’t guard themselves you know. ”

I took another sip and smirked, looking at him. “All right but you gotta make good on your end. I want two drones before the end of the week.”

He looked at me and nodded, mumbling “Only if it’s worth it.”

I laughed before continuing, “So Mr. ‘Stone Sentinel’ your core power allows you draw Dren and energy from the surrounding environment correct?”

His green eyes locked onto me as I kept going, “Perfect for our base in the middle of the forest, huh? Well, the one I have for you is going to make your defensive capabilities so much better.”

I slowly slid the pouch across to him and he slowly reached for it, pulling out the stone with an attempt to keep it from surrounding eyes. It was a dark green stone about the size of a die. It has green runic symbols carved into it as hues of light and dark green Dren seeped from the stone.

I leaned closer and whispered, “_Plant Manipulation_.”

His eyes widened in disbelief but he immediately tried to dial down his astonished face. He put the stone back in the pouch and began to speak but I interrupted him as I got up from my chair, “Have fun being the Flower Guardian now Grin.”

**I pushed my chair in, hurriedly finished my ale and began walking from the table. **He gave a slight smile and just looked back down at the pouch containing the one object he hadn’t knew he needed.