Ar'Kendrithyst

Valok and Apogough walked Erick around the farming area. Hera trailed behind.

They said some words and they sounded nice, but Erick was too entranced by the green all around to really listen. The problem with living inside Spur, is that the city was fundamentally a desert city. There’s green here and there, cultivated specifically to alleviate the browns and tans and greys of the stone buildings, to give a bit of life to the desert. But out here, among the farms? Green as far as he could see. Well. Maybe not that far.

The green extended for maybe a mile or two or three all around. Past that were the tans and browns and occasional crystal agaves of the Crystal Forest. In the distance to the south were the dominant walls of Ar’Kendrithyst, rising from the desert dirt like a mountain range.

Spur was north of Ar’Kendrithyst. Somewhere on the other side of the Dead City, laid Frontier, the human city that the human kingdoms founded after the Great Purge of Spur. Somewhere far to the west of Spur was Kal’Duresh, the incani city that was created in response to Frontier.

Somewhere far, far, far to the south, was the nearest bit of water, an ocean.

And the sky stretched above, an endless vault of blue, lit by a brilliant yellow-white sun.

Cluck Cluck CLUCK.

A chicken raced across Erick’s feet, wildly clucking. A 40 pound cat crashed through exactly where the chicken had come from, but the cat saw Erick, Valok, Apogough, and Hera, and dashed back through some underbrush.

“Damn cats!” Valok said, “They’re supposed to eat the rats. Only the rats!”

“There aren’t enough rats, Valok,” Apogough said, “Another gift from Bulgan for allowing those monsters in our city.”

Erick was almost stunned by that casual revelation of ‘Bulgan’. “You all know about that?”

Valok spit on the ground. “How could we not? All the wives are gossiping.”

Hera chimed in, “And all the men aren’t gossiping enough. Some of you knew how bad he was but never came forward until after the damage had been done. We might could have stopped this.”

“Bah!” Valok glared at Hera. “The Quiet War is a blight and there’s nothing we can do except weather the storm and hope that these two humans being planar is enough.”

Apogough said, “It is not Erick or Jane’s fault that Bulgan went too far. Erick even has a Silver Star, for Rozeta’s sake!” He turned toward the orchards they were walking through. “The apples here will need more [Grow] when we start adding more water to what we pull from the ground.”

“We can afford more mages.” Valok said, “We might be doubling the size of the farm if Erick’s magic can reach that far.” He stopped. He looked around. “This is a good spot. Do it, Erick.”

Erick looked around. They were… Probably in the very middle of the farms. But something didn’t seem right. Valok wasn’t this much of a brusque asshole at the party. What had changed? Was it the alcohol? Maybe Erick not showing up when he was expected… That was probably a good guess.

Erick said, “Hey, Valok. I want to work with you, but I’m going to need some better treatment than this.”

Apogough frowned. Hera smirked, but only the slightest bit.

Valok’s red scales turned redder. He grit his teeth, and said, “A farm is a living, breathing, growing entity. We work on a tight schedule to keep everything here in order. Chaos is the enemy. Everything is timed. From [Grow], to Krakina releasing the water, to the planting and the harvesting. You not showing up on the day you promised to show up fucked over a lot of planning, and today? We are not ready for you. So pardon me if your feelings are hurt. You’ll get treated right when you act right, and not a moment before.”

“… Fair enough.” Erick looked up. “Right here?”

“Right here,” Valok confirmed.

[Ward]. [Call Lightning]. Meditation.

A spark of white light spread around then settled into a [Ward 2: Weather], with a glittering white edge. The sky twisted as clouds sprang into existence. Fluffy white at first, they grew, darkening, blocking out the sun up above, then spreading outward, wide. In the depths of that cloud, Erick’s Meditation made him see shadowy monsters, but he knew they were fake.

And as soon as he realized they were fake, they vanished. Did Focus help with that aspect of Meditation, too? Al had said that he could go days without seeing Meditation hallucinations, and Al had a high Focus. Erick hadn't actually seen Al's Status, but Al's Focus had to be above 50.

A minute passed. The crackling thunderhead had filled out, then stopped. The clouds covered a space maybe two miles in diameter. It didn’t cover all of the farm, but it covered most of it.

Apogough had sat down to stare at the cloud overhead. He asked, “Why the weather [Ward]?”

Erick said, “Rozeta changed the spell. She said many relevant entities liked the rain part of it, but the lightning was too strong. It won’t strike through a weather [Ward] now, and I wanted everyone to feel safe.”

Hera said, “But you can take down your [Ward] at any time and leave us vulnerable, while you [Blink] or such away.”

Erick frowned at her.

“What?” she said, innocently. “You need to be aware of what you’re doing, and while Valok and Apogough would never say or act like what you just said could be construed as a threat, other people would. Incani certainly would.”

Erick reluctantly said, “Right. You’re right.” He turned to the farmers. “Sorry.”

Apogough said, “I have a personal [Ward] on. I’m not worried. Why don’t you have a [Ward] on, though?” He pointed from Hera to Erick. “Seems like you’re in some trouble, and mages usually wear [Ward]s when they’re out and about in Spur. The wolves have been gutted from the city, but there are always more hiding in the dark shadows.”

Valok just stared at the sky, waiting for the rain.

Erick said, “I didn’t think to do it. I’m honestly not used to violence and would prefer all of that as far away from me as possible.”

Apogough said, “This isn’t an orcol town. The people in adventuring towns have a tendency toward violence, and Spur is not much different than the rest.”

Erick sighed. “I believe that.”

“Why are you still here, anyway?” Apogough asked. “Why not journey down to Frontier?”

Erick smiled. He had an answer to that question. “Because I heard that all humans on Veird are required to serve in their military. I’ve known enough cultures like that back where I’m from, to know I want no part of any army, or any culture where the army is such a basic part of life.”

Apogough nodded. “Yeah. I can see that.”

“My daughter doesn’t want to be involved in a war, either. She’s pretty set on killing monsters, though.”

Apogough laughed. Valok looked to Erick for a moment, before returning his gaze to the sky.

Valok sighed, smiling, as the first drops of rain pattered against the roof of Erick’s [Ward]. The first iteration of [Call Lightning] was almost over.

[Call Lightning].

The spell was one level higher for the second casting, level 7 now, and the cloud that sprang forth above filled the space of the previous one and went a bit further. Rain fell gently across the green farms of Spur.

It wasn’t much rain, but it was rain, and Erick had caused it.

The sky rumbled with tiny thunder. Flashes of inner light rimmed the deeper parts of the thunderhead. Valok, Apogough, Hera, and Erick, all stared upward as water rolled around the ward. Eventually, the sky rained itself out.

Before Erick cast another one, Valok said, “That’s enough for today, Erick. We need to check on yields and growth rates and quality of product. Can you come back at the same time tomorrow?”

Apogough added, “A bit later would be better for us. Late afternoon.”

Valok nodded. “Late afternoon, then.”

“Sure. This spot tomorrow, late afternoon.” Erick said, “I’ll be here, on time.”

The farmers nodded and went their separate ways, leaving Erick and Hera to find their own way back.

- - - -

Erick walked into the Mage Guild and Anhelia immediately went to him, saying, “Thank the Script you’re back.” She quickly spoke around him, “Hello, Hera.” She stared at Erick. “They’re in the bigger room, just past the one you used. You need to get up there right now.”

“Okay!” Erick said, with more than enough enthusiasm to cover a sudden growing dread. “On my way.”

An orangescale dragonkin was stationed outside of Erick’s original lecture room. Tamarim. The door had been shut and it looked as though Tamarim was meant to keep people out.

Erick said, “Hello, Tamarim.”

“Mage Flatt! There you are.” Tamarim pointed up. “They’re two floors up. Main Lecture Hall.” He thumbed at the door behind him. “Can’t use this room anymore. Too many people showed up. Some of those people got too enthusiastic and now we have to [Mend] this room back together without destroying the notes you wrote on the board.”

“… I can write them again.”

Tamarim shook his head. “There’s more important things to be doing upstairs than going over old notes. Zago is protecting you with all of her might, but religion made itself involved. Head Priest Darenka is assisting you, too, but she’s mostly making fun of the interlopers.”

Erick looked up the stairs. He cast a personal absorption [Ward], full strength, using 500 mana out of his 600 limit, and kept Meditation running afterward. He said, “I’m going to wait here for a few minutes.”

Tamarim and Hera both nodded.

After a moment, Tamarim asked, “What other spells are you going to invent with electricity?”

Hera intercepted the question, “If he’s smart, none at all. Or, he could gift an idea to someone like Headmaster Kirginatharp at Oceanside Academy. That would be the second smartest option, and could potentially earn him some powerful friends.”

Erick thought about possible new spells. Two ideas popped into his head. One of them extendable to wildly useful, the other maybe more a toy but much flashier. Erick had really no idea which was which without actually seeing them in action, though.

Erick asked, “Would Kirginatharp prefer a flashier one, or a useful one? Granted I don’t know which is which until they’re created.”

Tamarim slowly exhaled. He looked to say something, but then didn’t.

Hera had no problems correcting Erick, “Don’t ever say Headmaster Kirginatharp’s name without using ‘Headmaster’. He hates that. If you wish to speak in shorthand, ‘Headmaster’ is acceptable. And I think he’d prefer the potentially flashier one. You could grant him both, but then he would think you were holding out on him and that would not go well for you. If you truly have two new spells in mind, you must hold one for yourself, yet be prepared to lose both before going into any confrontation with the Headmaster.”

Tamarim hummed noncommittally.

Erick said, “Maybe I have a third one, but it’s so non-useful that I doubt anyone but me would want it.”

Hera frowned. Tamarim hummed noncommittally, again.

“It would be a toy, like [Prestidigitation].”

“Ah.” Tamarim said, “Keep that one. The Headmaster would want something his students could use against monsters.”

Erick stared at the stairs, still meditating. He tried to spend 510 mana on his personal [Ward], for a 500 point barrier, but that is not what actually left his body. Clarity dropped mana costs by 45%, but a personal [Ward] doubled the costs. So what he actually spent was 561 mana, and he felt drained. The [Ward] shimmered white against his skin. It was rather visible; everyone would know he had it on. But Apogough’s words about every mage having a [Ward] on at all times were true; Tamarim had a personal [Ward] active. His was orange, visible on the edges of his scales.

At 600 max mana, with Clarity X for 50% mana costs, he could get close to an effective 600 HP with a personal [Ward], almost as good as a rookie warrior, but that extra ‘health’ could not be healed by healing magic. Since personal absorption [Ward]s did not stack —you could only have one at a time— he would need more Willpower to make a better personal [Ward]. Al had warned Erick about this. Smaller [Ward]s were one downside to forgoing Scion of Willpower.

He was still going for Scion of Focus, though. Mana Exhaustion sucked.

People had been going up and down the staircase all this time, occasionally looking at Erick, Tamarim, and Hera, but one of them, the Guildmaster’s daughter Sizzi, was not just traveling along the staircase to somewhere else. She had come down the stairs for Erick.

“Mage Flatt.” Eloquence filled Sizzi’s voice, “Your presence is requested upstairs.”

Erick’s mana was not full, but it was better than before. Maybe he could delay a little longer.

“Before we go.” Erick asked, “Why the ‘mage’ title? What were the necessary events for me to pass to get that? Are you a mage? Is everyone here a mage? Have I been offending everyone by not using that title before?”

Sizzi side-eyed him. Then she blinked, realized something, then said, “The ‘Mage’ title is earned by those who create a high functioning war spell on their own, or reach spells of the fourth tier. The qualifications for that title will need to change with the addition of your tier 1 war spell to the Script, but for now, and for you, the title holds.” She added, “I am not a mage. Spur has no arcanaeum, so we don’t have many actual mages, but many of the non-mages here could become a mage, if they wanted. Most could create their own war spells with the prerequisites we already have, but we do not, because having war magic means you are required to report for duty in the case of any large scale assault, among other things.”

“Thank you, Sizzi.” Erick’s mana was better. He moved to follow her. “Let’s go.”

Sizzi nodded and led the way upstairs.

Erick could hear the yelling before Sizzi could open the door.

Sizzi opened the door and walked right in.

Erick hesitated.

On the other side were at least thirty people, scattered either in small groups around the large lecture hall, or gathered closer to the chalkboards. Some of them were diligently checking ancient tomes against chalk writing on the blackboards that was not Erick’s, but looked the same.

Almost all of them were talking rather loudly at each other. Some would even call it ‘yelling’.

The people were all different types. Some were dragonkin, mostly reds and blues, but also some metallic colors. Incani populated almost every group. Orcol were here and there; Krigea was writing on a different chalkboard near the front and talking to people sitting in chairs in front of her. All among all the groups, were wrought, like metal facsimiles of the other three races. None of the wrought here wore clothes like Silverite; all of them were dressed in their own skin shaped into clothes.

One woman looked human, but her hair gave her away as something else; it was feathered like Lanore’s. She seemed to be yelling the most, at anyone who would listen.

Aaaaand. Let’s count heads and check for any humans…

Yup. No humans.

And there’s Zago.

And now they all see him. Some stopped talking. Some of them began to yell directly at him. Then the rest began to yell at the rest.

“There he is!”

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“Blasphemer!”

“Shut up, sycophant!”

“Theology has no place in magic!”

“Eat a dick, mage!”

“Suck my asshole, hag!”

Erick walked into the room, and Zago put herself right there, next to him. She yelled over the crowd yelling at him, staving off the worst of the verbal assault, but that didn’t stop the woman with the feathered hair.

Feathered woman yelled, “Blasphemer! Usurper! Adulterer!”

‘Adulterer’ was the one that caught Erick offguard. He muttered the word to himself in disbelief.

And then the silver dragonkin priest from the Interfaith Church, Darenka, the one who gave him his Silver Star, stood between them. “Tiza Nindi! You hush! Your Goddess approved the spell!”

Tiza yelled, “Sininindi does what she wants! And so do the rest of us! Erick Flatt has brought dishonor to the sky by demanding it heed his demands!”

Erick had to laugh at that. So he did, but just once. Tiza went bright red in the face. Before she could speak again, he said, “As Sininindi does what she wants, I will too. Get the hell out of here unless you’re here to learn.”

She yelled, “You put yourself above the gods!?”

“Rozeta is also a goddess.”

The woman flickered with lighting.

Darenka descended upon her, saying, “Foolish child. Look around you then get out of here before you do something truly stupid.”

All eyes were on Tiza. Some of those eyes glowed with power. But some of the people stepped toward the feathered woman, as though in support. Gradually, the atmosphere of the room charged. Like the sky preparing to strike—

Zago stepped in to the middle of the room, speaking as she moved, “Mage Flatt is correct. If you are not here to learn then you must leave. We have had enough of your disruptions and arguments. If you have a personal problem with the nature of our world being revealed, then you are on the wrong side of history, Priest Tiza.” She turned toward the feathered woman’s side of the room. It was the smaller of the divide. “Those on the wrong side of history are purged by the rest of us.”

Moments trickled past like the cracking of a glacier. Tiza’s glow faded. She stepped back.

She vanished in a pop of air.

Five other people vanished in similar pops.

Zago sighed, “Gone as quick as they came. I guess I can’t fault them for not acting like proper Storm Priests.” Gentle talking resumed around the room as Zago asked, “Mage Flatt, we have lots of questions. Are you ready to begin again?”

Erick said, “I would love to answer a few, but I’m going to need some human mages in here—”

Zago did her best to not flinch, but Erick saw anger flash across her face.

“—so that this won’t be a spark to a new round of atrocities in the Quiet War, with one side having a massive start on the competition.” He asked, “Do you have any suggestions?”

Zago looked like she might have an aneurysm right then and there—

Krigea spoke up, “I have some suggestions from the Headmaster.”

Zago sighed out, tension leaving her body, pure politeness taking root in her voice, as she said, “I approve of whatever the Headmaster suggests, of course.”

Krigea said, “The Headmaster expresses his thanks.” Her eyes glowed briefly. “They will be arriving now.”

The air popped with the arrival of three new people in the center of the lecture hall floor. All of them looked pretty darn human, from where Erick was standing. Two men and one woman, all in comfortable mage-type clothing, all of them rather young looking. They carried unbound sheets of paper and opened books. If Erick was guessing right, they had just picked up their things and [Teleport]ed right here.

Zago’s face scrunched in disgust. She whispered to Erick, “They were already watching us, you know. Your request was already one of the Headmaster’s demands.”

The humans smiled at him as they took their seats in the lecture halls.

Erick smiled back, then said to Zago, “I’m literally not from here, Guildmaster Zago. I have no idea who is watching at any point in time, so please forgive my ignorance.” He stepped across the lecture hall, then up the small stairs leading up the stage, to the lecturer’s podium and half-filled chalkboards. “And now they can ask questions!”

Zago waved him off, saying, “They were already asking questions through Krigea, too.”

The middle human, a brown-haired green-eyed dude with a medium build, effused, “I just want to say before we begin that you have already unlocked an entirely new branch of ice magic, Mage Erick Flatt. Using your ideas about molecules, I created a new spell just yesterday. All it took was understanding that molecules exist!”

The room erupted into another round of yells.

Zago’s voice boomed, “Hush! Hus— SHUT UP.”

Silence returned.

Zago strained to say, “Please introduce yourself, and describe what you have accomplished.”

The human said, “Eduard Rokva, graduate Ice Mage of Oceanside. I got 1 point from producing the new basic spell, too!” He lifted his hand through the air and a blue box zoomed over to Erick. “It’s nothing compared to your [Call Lightning], but it's a start!”