Alaric went towards the second circle. He had the token, so he would be able to easily pass though.
"Alright. I'll just sell it quick and get out." Alaric thought. He was tired, and he just had some surgery, so he wasn't in the mood for partying.
If he was physically well though, he would be totally down. He would just need some more money first.
Alaric approached the guard guarding the second circle.
This time, it wasn't just a flimsy wall. It was a real stone wall that would provide security. There was a gate that the guard could control to let people in or out, much like the gates at the ocean wall.
The guard was more equipped as well. This guard was wearing a full suit of armor, and was possibly a mage. Their whole face was covered up by a hounskull helmet, so the gender was a mystery, but even if Alaric knew it, it wouldn't be important.
Luckily there didn't seem to be a bell attached to a door.
"I'm heading into the second circle to sell goods." Alaric said to the guard. He handed him the token.
"Alright alright, looks like you're all good party man! Go sell some alcohol in there!" The guard said excitedly, lifting up the gate for Alaric to enter.
As he entered, he felt a strange feeling wash over him briefly.
"Must be one of the detection fields." Alaric thought.
He walk through no issues, at least that he knew of.
"I hope it didn't detect whatever the thing inside me is…." Alaric thought. He was planning on ignoring it, but it seemed to keep coming back. First the personality shift, then the first vision, then the fish out of the eyes. It seemed that he would have to confront it eventually.
"But not now." Alaric decided, going back to ignoring it.
Entering the second circle, he could immediately tell that it was a level up.
The shops were nicer, and were selling better stuff. There were jewelry shops, high end meat shops, and perfume shops. The entertainment was better too. There were professional dancers doing their thing, as well as singers and songwriters. Alaric heard some things that sounded pretty good.
"That puppet guy in the first circle though, I high key feel like he is second circle worthy. Controlling a human sized puppet to the degree he was doing it was good. Not third circle worthy though." Alaric thought. He was a big fan of puppets. When he was a kid he watched any puppet show he could go to. And he would just sit and drool while watching a clown puppet punch itself or something.
Alaric now decided to set up shop. He got the bottles out of his bag, and began to start marketing.
He needed to decide on a price.
"30 charred a bottle seems enough." Alaric thought.
"Artisan alcohol! 30 charred a bottle! Oceanblood alcohol!"
Alaric shouted out hoping to catch anyone's attention.
Nobody wanted to buy from Alaric's bum ass yet.