《The Fool Mage》


 Prologue

    The storm raged outside as they moved, pushing forward through the howling wind and rain. ¡°mom why are we going this way?¡± A young boy¡¯s voice tried to speak out, quivering with fear. His mother glanced at him before looking behind her, quickly pushing him forward once again. ¡°We¡¯re going to take you somewhere safe baby. Trust Momma.¡± The little boy nodded and continued on with their mother. They crossed through woods and stone outcroppings, until they came to an arched stone doorway. In front of the door stood a mountain of a man, armored in ensigled plate armor, shifting fluidly as he walked. The young woman embraces the man, clutching him tightly. Her body shakes as she sobs, desperately trying to keep their son from seeing. ¡°We can¡¯t go Callan. We can¡¯t.¡± The man gently pushed here away. ¡°We have no choice Martha.¡± He looked over to the shivering boy. ¡°Come Alden. Its time to take you on your first Delve.¡± Alden flashed a brilliant smile in response. He had grown up hearing about the wonders of the Delving. He wanted to be a Delver in fact, just like his parents. ¡°Really?! Let¡¯s go then! What are we waiting for?¡± His father smiled sadly down at him before moving into the arch. He could only hope that what was down there was better than the alternative.


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 Chapter 1: The Traveler

    6 years later.


    In a large forest, filled with towering oaks and trees of incredible age, an arched stone door resided. This door seemed to grow out of a tree, as if being birthed by it. The ancient stones were covered in moss and plants, with faded lines on them. Such lines began to glow a brilliant blue and the door swung open. Out stepped a man. He was tall, at least 6 ft. if he was an inch. Black hair was cut in a military style. Piercing green eyes stared out from under harsh brows. His body was bulky, rippling with muscle. When he moved it was reminiscent of a bear, large and powerful. Peeking out from the hem of his shirt and pants were dull grey tattoos. Such things seemed to twist in mind-bending patterns and forms. On his back was a large pack, nearly the same size as he was. Clutched in one hand was a long, wooden staff, tipped with a large straight blade. Said staff and blade was also adorned with writhing symbols and formulas that seemed to invoke madness. He scanned the surroundings for a moment before setting off confidently into the underbrush. Behind him, the silent glade once again erupted with the chittering of birds and squirrels.


    The man moved confidently through the brush, dexterously avoiding protruding sticks and webs. He crossed the distance quickly, an unassuming speed that let him tread miles in short amounts of time. It was not long before he reached the edge of the forest, only around three hours or so. In front of him the monolithic trees quickly disappeared to reveal an enormous grassland, a single, tiny dirt path leading through it. The man paused, seemingly breathing in the scene before once again moving forward. The surrounding land began to blur together in his mind as he focused on merely moving forward, one step in front of another. It was almost a surprise then when he started encountering the remnants of civilization. Dilapidated wood buildings built squat and low to the ground. Rotted cloth and paper adorned the streets. It was similar to a ghost town. The man finally slowed down, hesitant almost, as he approached one building in particular. This one was not much larger than the others. It did not hold any magical runes or weapons, nor were there any valuable artworks on the walls. Instead, there were merely some decayed rugs and blankets, and a central room combined with a kitchen. The man dropped to his knees, and gently picked up a picture. It was a drawing, done in the local manner depicting a tall man, built as if to hold up the world. At his side was a woman whose smile, even in the drawing, seemed to light up the world. For the second time that week, Alden wept for the loss of his family.


    Alden took a deep breath as he sat on the porch of his family¡¯s once home. For the first time he finally had closure, at least partially. A knot that seemed to have constricted around his heart with every passing day finally loosened and fell away. He took a deep breath and slowly let it out, as he let his eyes finish drying out. He took a bit of fraying cloth and used it to wipe his nose, snorting at the motion. His mom would have been on him in a heartbeat had he done something so uncouth. He lifted his gaze and fixed his eyes further North. He still has some business to attend to.


    When his family had still been alive, they had extensive connection with other adventures, mercenaries, and mages. They themselves, being Delvers, were considered to be kin to the others. Of those very few they actually called friends. Alden was going to see if one of those friends was still alive. Although when he was a child, the local geography had been drilled into his head, he would have easily gotten lost if not for the map he carried. It was old, and almost certainly out of date, but the major geographical features would have remained recognizable at the very least. His feet took him far, far into the North, where the expansive grasslands and prairies gradually changed to rolling hills and stone outcrops. Such hills then turned into mountains, and outcrops turned into massive formations that adorned said mountains like jewels. Instead of gentle prairies, large, misted valleys became the norm. It was around a month since the beginning of his journey that Alden found Hillak. It should have only been around 3 weeks, but his unfamiliarity with the area had caused him to backtrack a couple of times. In front of him the mountains dipped down into an expansive valley. Large trees, rivaling those of the Jungle Expanse, jutted from the rich, fertile soil. A veil of mist obscured the valley to all but the most perceptive of watchers. To his left the valley rapidly dipped down, forming a nigh impassable series of cliffs, mountains, and ravines to any who attempted to scale them. To his right the valley began to climb into a narrow pass, leading much further into the mountains themselves. And in the center lay Hillak, a massive city of sprawling stone that covered the central third of the valley. Easily over ten thousand soles hustled about, caravans regularly leaving and entering through a river which snaked through a valley. Said river exited through a carved series of canals at the left side of the valley, a large granite guardhouse controlling entry and exit. It was far less in volume, but still many people walked down from the mountains themselves, approaching the massive city walls and gates on foot. Alden smiled eagerly and began walking down himself.


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    As he approached the city he was funneled into the large snaking columns of people and beasts that approached the main gates. He saw everything from humans, to dwarves, to even some of the Folk. What was far worse than the crowds, however, was the smell and the noise. The smell was the first thing to hit you. It was like a punch in the gut, a rotten combination of sweat, feces, and animal odor that blended together into a weapons grade toxic fume that threatened to burn out the nose. Nearly as bad was the noise. The conversation from dozens, perhaps even hundreds, of surrounding people blended together into a dull roar of voices. Alden grimaced at the affront to his senses. While normally he enjoyed his heightened hearing and smell, these were one of the few times such things were not welcome. With a quick twist of his mana, the smell and voices lowered to a manageable range. Then he had to wait. And wait. And wait some more.


    It ended up taking almost the entire day for Alden to get to the front of the line. In front of him, the massive stone walls towered up into the sky above. Glyphs glowed with a sullen light as they throbbed on the large stone. He had heard about the legendary Hillak walls, but they were so much more impressive up close. He wondered if- ¡°HEY! Listen up! Reason for visiting the city and length of stay?¡± Alden stared blankly at the guard before his brain started again. ¡°My apologies its my first time visiting the city. Reason-visiting a friend and length shouldn¡¯t be for more than a week.¡± The guard nodded before handing him a token. ¡°It¡¯s understandable. As it¡¯s your first time that token right there is your form of identification. Don¡¯t lose it, we¡¯ll think you entered illegally. Keep it on your person when outside of your residence at all times. If you lose it visit the guardhouse to get it replaced.¡± With that the guard ushered him along, Alden just rotely following, still trying to catch up to the whirlwind of information. As he entered the city the sound got even worse, hawkers yelling out their wares. Alden shook his head and smiled. It was time for him to find a place to stay.


    A little while later he was back on the prowl, having found a relatively inoffensive little tavern, tucked on the inside of the wall. Such a place had excellent quiet and relative secrecy. Now Alden moved swiftly along, eyes scanning his surroundings and a little map he held in his hands. Said map was a description of the city, showing the various markets and government buildings. His family¡¯s friend lived right by the food market in the north-western side last he had heard. It was surprisingly hard, navigating along the map through the seemingly random and labyrinthine design of the roads and buildings. Nevertheless, it wasn¡¯t long before he was standing in front of a squat, small building. Moving towards the door, he hammered down the brass knocker, fashioned into a boar¡¯s head. ¡°Who is it!?¡± A gruff voice yelled out from inside. Alden quickly scrambled to find something easy to say before replying with, ¡°Martha¡¯s son!¡± equally as loud. What sounded like a crash and muted cursing was followed by the door opening. Out from behind it peered a heavyset man, thick layers of fat covering what looked to once be muscle. On his arm Alden could see part of a tattoo. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be dammed. Come in, come in. Don¡¯t mind the mess I just got back from a job.¡± He walked further into the house, Alden following. Around him scattered weapons and papers adorned both the walls and the floor, almost as if a whirlwind had blown them all over the place. Gingerly Alden followed the old man, eventually coming to a small but homely common room with thick rugs and a hearth burning steadily in the side room. ¡°Go ahead take a load off while I get some tea brewed. Then you can tell me what you¡¯re doing all the way out here.¡± The man quickly moved off into a back room, the sound of clanking pans and pouring water drifting out. Alden hesitantly took a seat on a low wooden bench, with comforters placed on it. Quickly the man came back out, holding two steaming mugs. Gratefully Alden took one, gently blowing on it. The man took a seat in a large chair absolutely covered with rugs and furs that seemed to swallow him whole. ¡°Why are you here boy? Last I heard I thought you were dead. The Vaulsh don¡¯t leave many survivors.¡± Alden nodded in agreement, taking a sip from the cup before speaking. ¡°They put me with a trusted friend nearby before they were forced to join the effort. I¡¯ve been staying with him, but he recently died. As such I¡¯ve decided to come in search of work. Everyone needs some way to support themselves, right?¡± He smiled, attempting to convey sincerity and earnestness. The man snorted. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid kid. Why¡¯d you come all the way out to Hillak? There¡¯s a lot easier places to get good, honest work.¡± Alden sighed in response. ¡°Two reasons. 1. I¡¯m not exactly looking for run of the mill work. And two, well, Hillak has chickens. And I need one.¡± The man eyed him for a moment before nodding. ¡°That¡¯s a strange request but it¡¯s doable I suppose. What¡¯s your name kid?¡± ¡°Alden.¡± ¡°Alden? That¡¯s certainly interesting. Well, I¡¯m not sure if you remember my name but I¡¯m Lannon. I used to go monster hunting with your

 Chapter 2: Introduction

    About a day later Lannon took Alden to a specialized breeder. Said breeder and dealers were surprisingly common, catering to the more¡­ unique mage affinities that appeared. The man had been surprisingly accommodating, only giving him a single look when they said they wanted chickens. Nonetheless, he led them to the back. His shop was one of the few that had extra space, filled with cage upon cage of different creatures. He led them through the rows of cages until they came to a particularly chaotic session. The previously orderly and clean cages became significantly more haphazardly placed and dirtier. The creatures inside, however, didn¡¯t seem to be diminished in the least. Alden could have never imagined how many species of chicken there were. There were chickens with no tail feathers, and chickens with tail feathers that tripled their length. There were chickens nearly the size of his knee, and others that were barely bigger than a teacup. Still, some were covered in scales with minor feather accents, while others were covered with feathers from head to toe. It was a truly awe-inspiring sight, made even more so by his affinity senses. For a long, long time Alden had wanted to be able to practice with his chicken affinity. But sadly, there were no chickens where he had lived for 6 years now. As such he had been unable to exercise his affinity with any sort of regularity. But now as he ran his senses over them, he found himself disappointed. He had a very specific chicken affinity-one for a specific species in fact. That species was not hear. It was like hearing a dozen notes each somewhat similar to what he was looking for, but never quite matching it. He turned to the seller, a slim dark-skinned man. His bald head shimmered with the mists that hung in the air, even during the daytime such as now. ¡°Do you have any more chickens? Ones that look especially mean or angry perhaps? Maybe used for fights beforehand?¡± The man turned thoughtful at thought, gently humming to himself. ¡°I do in fact have a couple that matches your description. I would be careful however as they are dangerous.¡± Alden nearly laughed and he looked over to see Lannon doing similarly, although a snort still escaped him. The man, in comparison, seemed dead serious. ¡°I¡¯m completely serious I¡¯m afraid. The previous owners had specifically bred them for aggressiveness and power, and a few even used labyrinth creatures. In fact, I believe a chicken or beast mage of some sort enhanced one or two of them. All of them are angry and cunning, however. I¡¯ve already had three escapes in the month I¡¯ve had them. If you do choose one of them, you¡¯ll need to be careful. Follow me.¡± With that the man spun on his foot and began walking away, not looking backward to see them acknowledge his words. Alden hurried to follow, Lannon hurrying behind him. They progressed even further into haphazardly placed cages. This time the creatures were significantly less well behaved, pacing around in their cages. They ranged from what looked to be a tiger, to a massive spider with almost-glyphic-looking symbols on its back. The cages grew more fortified as the creatures grew more aggressive, changing from thin wire mesh frames to solid looking iron bars. And at the very back the man came to a halt. Just before the wall surrounding the courtyard were three cages. In each of them prowled a very different creature. In the far left it appeared like some of the earlier chickens, with a long train of feathers trailing behind it. Yet instead of being a foot or so large it reached nearly four feet. Ripped and missing feathers revealed scaled skin underneath that shifted with muscle. Its eyes locked onto them, almost burning with intensity. In the middle was a small creature, no larger than a medium sized dog. What it lacked in size, however, it more than made up for in aggressiveness. It looked as if someone had taken a normal farm chicken, grown it to the size of a dog, and replaced its feathers with metal replicas. It also had what looked to be fleshy growths and protrusions all over its body. It lunged at the bars as soon as they came into view, making Lannon flinch back. Alden merely smiled at it. On the far right was something far different. The creature was only a small bit larger than a normal chicken. It had less fat and extra stores and seemed to ripple with muscle on its legs and near its wings. Its talons were truly impressive things, easily extending out at least 3 inches. For all of that however, it attracted Alden¡¯s gaze for two reasons. One was his affinity senses, chiming, smelling, and glowing just the perfect amount, that this creature was the one. The second reason was its eyes. Its eyes locked onto him with an intensity best described as curious. It did not pace, or lunge at the bars like the other two. Instead, it merely sat, and stared. Watching. Observing. And he knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that his creature was far more dangerous than the others. ¡°You¡¯re escape attempts. Which one made it?¡± The man glanced over at him, surprised, before pointing at the one on the far right and saying, ¡°that one. The other two tried it but couldn¡¯t get through the locks. That one, however, busted through it like it was nothing. Another time it figured out how I locked it in and escaped that way. The third way it found a loose cobblestone and managed to leverage the bars so that it bent open enough for it to get out. No idea how it pulled off that last one honestly. If you don¡¯t buy it, I¡¯ll probably try to sell it down to a group of researchers down near the Flats. Heard they were looking for interesting specimens like this guy.¡± Alden shook his head. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. I¡¯ll take him off your hands. What¡¯s his name?¡± The man looked at him like he was crazy before shrugging. ¡°Your money. Names Bob. Not the most original name, is it?¡± Alden grinned widely at that. ¡°No. But it does serve its purpose. I¡¯m sure. How much?¡± The man considered for a moment before smiling. Alden prepared himself. He should have known better than to give him an opening.


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    In the end they ended up only paying around 20 coppers for it. It wasn¡¯t cheap by any means, but he wasn¡¯t exactly getting ripped off either. Whatever the case Alden was quite happy as they took the cage with him. Lannon looked at him concernedly. ¡°You sure your taverns gonna allow that thing? Its not exactly common now, is it?¡± Alden shook his head. ¡°They cater to all kinds of animal mages, so I¡¯ll be fine. Besides, from the way the owner talked anything short of a dragon they wouldn¡¯t blink at.¡± Lannon shrugged at him. ¡°You know when to meet me kid. Firstday before the eighth bell. I¡¯ve got a job lined up.¡± He eyed him for a bit. ¡°I¡¯ve got to say though, you certainly don¡¯t look like the type to excel at logistics. No offense kid, but I thought for sure you would¡¯ve asked for a monster hunting job.¡± Alden just shrugged. ¡°I thought about it, but I don¡¯t know the surrounding area well enough to be confident in offering my services. Besides, a little bit of extra calmness and time is just what I need to deal with this little fellow.¡± He gestured with his head towards the chicken. Lannon just stared for a bit before turning away. ¡°Whatever you say kid. Whatever you say.¡± Alden grinned at him. Today went very well.


    Alden arrived at the hotel, having split off from Lannon at the food market. He strode confidently toward the tavern, ignoring the assorted creatures that roamed in the rather large stables outside the building. He nodded towards the barman as he entered, heading directly upstairs to his room. His room was rather sparse in furnishings, only consisting of a bed, a small tub for washing himself, and a small drawer that had been attached quite vigorously to the floor. He sat himself down, sitting down and opening up the cage as he did so. He waited for the chicken to move, while he sat there with a bit of salted meat in his hands. He began to talk to it as he did so, the rooster still staring at him calculating. ¡°I¡¯m not going to keep you against your will. If you want out there¡¯s the exit. I gotta warn you though buddy, the outside world ain¡¯t a cakewalk. Heck, I¡¯ve barely been out here more than a month and I¡¯ve already got tons more concerns than I had living at home.¡± He looked beside him, at the chicken that was still just staring at him. Quite interested too, Alden would bet. ¡°Yeah, I liked it at home too. But every chick¡¯s got to leave the nest eventually, am I right?¡± The chicken didn¡¯t answer him, and Alden kept talking to it. He waxed on about different topics, from the theoretical aspects of how a chicken affinity might work, to how the mages of Gelid used the mudflats to help farm a particular vicious species of mud worm. He never seemed to get tired or less animated as he talked. Eventually the chicken completely left the cage and walked over to his side where he had dropped a bit of meat not long ago. It grabbed it and continued eating, Alden giving no indication that he noticed or cared. It was a decent period into the night that he noticed the chicken asleep, curled up on the ground. He smiled and gently stroked it as he did so. He hoped it had a good night of rest. He himself got up and lay in his bed. He dreamed of all the different things he and Bob could do together. So many nights, lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, and imagining everything he could do. He might not have had a live chicken to use but he had still been able to grow his mana pool, mostly through excessive castings of cantrips or low-level spells using the completely wrong Aether. It had given some really interesting results actually. He faded to sleep, dreaming of monstrous chickens that could eat even the most powerful of dragons.

 The Job

    The next few days passed incredibly quickly. Alden filled his time with doing research about the city, working on his physical ability, and spending time with Bob. Over the last couple day Bob had significantly warmed up to him, to the point that Alden was finally able to affect him with a few of his spells. Nothing much of course, but Alden had already started what he liked to call ¡®the body cleansing stage¡¯. It was a bit of a nerdy name-sourced from a few books he had read as a child- but it accurately summarized his plan quite well. Put simply he was slowly going to be tailoring Bob¡¯s diet, exercise, and puzzles to his current abilities. As a Chicken Mage Alden had the ability to affect his animal type to an incredible degree. However, the animal had to first trust him. Alden was hoping that through the use of spells and good old fashioned hard work, they would be able to improve it to tip-top physical and mental shape. Hopefully at that point Bob would trust him enough so they could move on to the more¡­ ambitious of Alden¡¯s plans. Nonetheless, Bob was not sporting the most luxurious and well cared feathers a bird could ask for as he trundled alongside Alden. Alden grinned as he dexterously imposed himself between oncoming traffic and Bob. Well, he thought he was quite dexterous. The look Bob was giving him gave him quite the opposite impression. Regardless, they still made it to Lannons¡¯ well before the eighth bell. He hopped up onto the porch, hitting the wood hard enough that it left small bruises on his fists. He was in too much of a good mood to care much, however. Lannon opened it up, the man still his portly, gruff self. ¡°I¡¯ll never understand what witchery makes you so energetic this early in the morning. Hold on one minute, I¡¯ll take you down to your new work.¡± Without waiting for a response, he slammed the door close, the sound of muffled rustling and banging sounding out. A cluck sounded out from behind him, and Alden nodded his head in agreement. ¡°You¡¯re right he is like a hen. Doesn¡¯t like to get up in the morning, never appreciates those who are eager to greet the dawn. We¡¯re a rare breed us.¡± An agreeing squawk sounded out from behind him. With a creek the door opened up and Lannon stepped out, dressed in leather clothing with a few furs draped off him. He set off, grumbling ¡°Of course you¡¯re an early bird. Just like your mother, that.¡± For a brief second Alden¡¯s smile wavered before he plastered it back on, this time a little more forced. Lannon continued on, giving no indication that he saw Alden¡¯s response. They traveled through the winding streets, Lannon guiding him with a deceptive ease. Hillak was easily one of the largest cities on the continent with around a quarter of a million souls. Such numbers placed an immense burden on the city¡¯s logistical efforts. When Alden had first considered the different jobs available to him, many had come to mind. Alas, however much monster hunting or delving was more well known, it was the supply and logistics division that was the lifeblood of any well known city. His natural interest in the subject combined with his above average intelligence had made him highly inclined to ply his services. They crossed from street to street, dodging the huge crowds, wagons, and occasional beast of burden until they came towards the Central district. Said district housed most of the governmental buildings, or so he had been told. There destination was a rather stout and unassuming building, located off to the right side of the large block. Lannon moved with a deceptive swiftness, not even giving a glance toward the much more impressive palace at the center. Alden, however, couldn¡¯t help but stare in awe, slack jawed, at the massive fortress that was called a palace. It was incredible, made of an elaborate marble with delicate engravings of silver and gold adorning it, and stained-glass windows depicting images of the history of Hillak. Lannon didn¡¯t pause in the slightest, forcing Alden to hurry up to catch back up to him. Without breaking stride he began speaking saying, ¡°You¡¯ll most likely be a minor supply clerk. As such the most you¡¯ll be doing is inventorying the less important items and issuing said items. They¡¯ll also have you doing a lot of the paperwork I¡¯m afraid- par and parcel for this kind of business.¡± Alden nodded. As the new guy he would be expected to do all the boring and tedious tasks. They arrived in front of the building as Lannon finished talking, a large pine door rested heavily on its hinges. Lannon strode up confidently before banging on it, sound reverberating like a gong from it. A small window at eye height opened, revealing murky brown eyes. ¡°Lannon? Didn¡¯t expect you of all people to be early. Come in, come in, the quartermasters in the back.¡± With a quick gesture the slit closed, and the sound of multiple locks coming undone sounded out before the door swung open, creaking even more than Lannon¡¯s door. Lannon just grunted at the man before striding in, Alden quickly following suit. Inside the room was laid out in an incredibly utilitarian manner, with little other than a stone chair and a back desk that stretched completely across the back wall. The man who let them in turned out to be slim, and brown haired. He had an almost mousy expression, eyes constantly darting this way and that. He gestured for them to wait in the front room as he opened a small gate in the table and followed a hallway into the back. He and Lannon just stood still for a moment, waiting for the man to come back. Eventually the door-greeter came back with a woman in tow. She was a tall, robust woman, with long luscious golden hair. She was dressed officiously in perhaps some of the most unappealing robes there were, but Alden couldn¡¯t help but notice the¡­ curvature of her voluminous apparel. She looked him dead in the eyes, staring into them as if she could see into their souls. ¡°I am quartermaster Laina. Harold here tells me that you¡¯ve come to apply for the supply clerk job. You have a minute to convince me you deserve it. Go.¡± Alden always favored the motto of being prepared not dead, but he had never expected it to apply to everyday life. He answered however just as quickly. ¡°I¡¯m good with numbers, I¡¯m naturally organized, I can talk to customers. I¡¯m willing to listen to constructive criticism, I know when to be serious and when not to be. I don¡¯t have any pressing needs that would compromise my ability to work here, and I¡¯ve just recently arrived giving me almost no history with the city. I¡¯m good with managing people and things and am always willing to try to improve and make better a system if I can.¡± His barrage of words seemed to take the women by surprise, as if she didn¡¯t expect such a deluge for a response. For the first time since meeting her a little smile broke her harsh features. ¡°Well, that was certainly the most coherent response I¡¯ve heard in a while. You can start work tomorrow after you finish filling out some paperwork with Harold here. We start at the sixth bell, no later. We¡¯ll issue your robes today as part of your welcome package, I expect you to show up with them every day. No stains, no grease on them, treat it with respect. That will be all.¡± With that she spun on her heel and left, pulling out a notepad and marking something off with it. Alden just exhaled quietly, happy that his response hadn¡¯t been dissected and picked apart. That was most certainly NOT how he expected things to go to be honest. Harold just seemed to smirk at Alden¡¯s confusion before gesturing at him. ¡°Come along now, it¡¯s time to finish up your paperwork.¡± Alden just nodded before following behind, Bob following him. Harold glanced back and saw it, his eyes widening slightly. ¡°That your Companion?¡± Alden nodded in confirmation. ¡°Well keep him close, make sure he doesn¡¯t get underfoot. That would cause paperwork, and I hate to do easily avoided paperwork.¡± Alden just nodded again, glancing back slightly at Bob to see him watching Harold wit inscrutable eyes. Alden would ask him what he thought a little bit later.


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    After the interview and paperwork had been finished, he and Lannon once again left looking for something to do. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to take Bob out of the city, maybe get him used to the wild gradually.¡± Lannon just nodded at him saying, ¡°All right. You know the paths well enough by now. Just be careful kid, the guard keeps pretty good watch and patrol but there¡¯s always slip ups.¡± Alden just grinned at him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about a thing, I¡¯ve got my fierce protector Bob with me,¡± he said gesturing excitedly at the sedately moving chicken. Lannon just shook his head before walking off, muttering something about ridiculous man-children.


    As Alden and Bob passed through the gate, Alden looked around before quickly spotting an area for him and Bob to begin working. He pivoted on his heel, changing direction with an almost uncanny ease. Bob scrambled to follow behind him. He passed through the many crowds that surrounded the city, like thick rivers that flowed into the sea that was Hillak. He only stopped when they were about equidistant between the North and East gates, far enough way that people would mistake them for trees or something. He sat cross legged on the ground, Bob just watching curiously. ¡°Alright Bob. I¡¯m gonna talk about some options we¡¯ve got for how to turn you into the best Chicken you can be. Basically, every enhancement is going to be easier if we make you larger. I could probably work something out while you¡¯re this small, but anything I do is going to have to be much more cautious while I¡¯m working on such a small scale.¡± He eyed Bob to make sure he was following along, the rustling and head movement that he responded with all the answer he needed. He continued, staring straight into Bob¡¯s eyes as he talked. ¡°Now no matter what there¡¯s probably the standard package I¡¯ll want to run through. We¡¯ll start by continuing the cleansing package, making sure you¡¯re the strongest, healthiest rooster you can be. Once we start plateauing there though, I¡¯ll start on your bones first. It¡¯s pretty complicated stuff, but basically if we want to make lasting changes, we have to make your body and spirit recognize it as a part of you. The spirit stuff comes through repeated spell use, but the body stuff is a bit more complicated and in depth. The short of it is that I¡¯ll start by reinforcing your bones with various metals and structures. Then I¡¯ll slowly extend it outward, reinforcing and strengthening your musculature and organs. This will be the hardest part ¡®cause I don¡¯t want to make it to where your heart tears through your chest, so we¡¯ll take it slow and steady. After that we¡¯ll make your skin tougher, your feathers more resistant and flexible, and we¡¯ll reinforce those even more impressive talons. He eyed him. After that, things get a bit more¡­ arcane. We¡¯ll leave that for later. So, what do you think?¡± Bob eyed him for a minute before launching into a complex sequence of squawks and clucks, Alden nodding all along. For the first time in a long, long time, Bob seemed to smirk in that way unique to chickens.

 Chapter 4: The Routine

    It didn¡¯t take long for Alden to fall into a routine. 5 days out of 7 he would work at the supply clinic, before coming back to the tavern and picking up his journal then heading out to the forest. Nearly every day he and Bob would venture out, exploring, doing some physical exercises, or just planning for the future. Alden was incredibly happy that Bob had finally warmed up to him, to the extent that he followed Alden wherever he went. It was a nice feeling, to have such a close companion. On the sixth day he would go to the library to search for more mana techniques or other such knowledge. Much was hidden-and for good reason- but there was still a lot one could learn by reading between the lines. Besides, Alden¡¯s own training had been sufficiently in depth that he didn¡¯t have to worry about his growth for a while even now. Scoping out the library was mostly something he did for fun, at this point. It was fascinating how much you could learn about a people by reading their books and works. For example, the people of Hillak seemed incredibly fascinated with the idea of celestial bodies and rare, mystical realms. There were books after books about different adventures that were supposedly happening at the sun or the moon. Even more the majority of the non-fiction texts- as rare as they were- seemed centered around the Sun and Moon and presented some truly interesting hypotheses. He would call them crazy, but his Master had opened up his eyes to a lot of the truths of this world. Nevertheless he would spend his sixth-day working on various exercises, magical and nonmagical, and working extensively with Bob. After that on the seventh-day he would rest, wandering around the town and merely enjoying the sights and sounds that came with being in such a populous city.


    It was third-day before anything changed. They had just received a new shipment of boxes- Hillak served as a major importer and exporter of various goods. Chiefly lumber and food but they were known to dabble in a few other trades. Most imports they received were actually alchemist material- apparently materials that alchemists prized did not exactly play well with normal plant life. In the few cases that it did, it usually became a hotspot for monsters and various powers, so Hillak stayed clear of that. He was working with Harold In the back- after two weeks he had been declared fully trained and allowed to resume his duties without supervision. Normally it was Harold supervising deliveries, but he trusted Alden enough to relax such vigilance. In the back they had a rather large courtyard connected to a stream that ships traveled down to unload their goods. Ships were expensive to build and repair so most ships looked slightly ramshackle, but not this one. It was a lacquered wood, absolutely layered with different runes and glyphs. In fact, if he wasn¡¯t mistaken, there were even a variety of enchantments on it. The men who were unloading the cargo certainly didn¡¯t disappoint either; all of them were large, at least six feet, and absolutely stacked with muscle. Alden had trouble most days finding someone to match his height, let alone his width, but these men made him look like a regular pea in a pod. One of the men spotted him and walked forward. He was dressed in workman clothes, stained with dust and what looked to be mud on his face. His blue eyes locked onto Alden¡¯s and didn¡¯t waver for a second. ¡°Greetings, my name is Joshua. I¡¯m here to deliver the shipment from Ithos. Are you the supervisor here?¡± Alden just nodded, making a note on his pad to research ¡®Ithos¡¯. ¡°I am. Are you one Odyssey?¡± The man nodded in confirmation. ¡°Very well. Let¡¯s see the merchandise.¡± The man nodded and led him to where the laborers were unloading the cargo. They were large crates, easily 3 feet wide and 2 feet tall. There was already 7 of them in the pile, placed neatly in organized rows. Alden slowly moved between the boxes, reading the item labels, and checking them off from his list one by one. As a standard security precaution there was a predefined label that correlated to various items. This was supposedly to stop bandits or pirates from going after a random cargo traveler. Alden had heard some mixed things about its effectiveness, however. As he checked the boxes, he kept up a stream of conversation with Joshua. ¡°How was the trip? It is storm season I here.¡± Joshua nodded in agreement. ¡°Ain¡¯t that the truth. Apparently, somethings got all the storm mages in a fuss over on Ithos and so they¡¯ve all started throwing out random stores. We¡¯re lucky to get out when we did, I would not want to be there right now.¡± Alden just nodded in agreement. Weather mages were nasty pieces of work. Most people underestimated, in his opinion at least, the power that a storm could have. It took roughly another 40 minutes before the ship was fully unloaded, Alden doing his best to keep Joshua talking while keeping track of the boxes. Looking down at his list he double checked his count before asking, ¡°Where is LP-3946-I? We were supposed to receive two boxes of that as well.¡± The man shook his head. ¡°We can¡¯t get any of that. Its rare stuff even on good days. I did manage to get this small sample however.¡± He reached in his ropes and took out a small box, handing it over to Alden. Alden just barely managed to keep his face neutral, the potent wards and enchantments radiating off of it a huge cause for concern. ¡°Thank you. Let me talk to my supervisor about payment.¡± Joshua just waved him off and moved over so he could sit on a chair. Alden strode quickly in, peeking into the inventory room where Harold currently sat, looking over some numbers. ¡°We¡¯ve got the Odyssey here boss. Its all there except the packages of LP-3946-I. He has a small sample but nothing more than that.¡± Harold just looked at him for a moment before sighing and standing up. ¡°Got it kid. Although next time wait a little longer to tell me about the LP stuff. You can¡¯t just dump that kind of thing on people, they won¡¯t remember it.¡± Alden blushed slightly and nodded and followed Harold out. Everyone could always learn it seemed.


    Sitting at a small table across from the supply building two people sat. One a man, and the other a woman. The man was average in appearance, brown haired and eyed with around 5 ft. tall. The only unaverage thing about him was the fact that he was so average. The woman on the other hand was incredibly striking, with long blond hair grey eyes and a voluptuous body that promoted dirty thoughts. They sat in a tea house, slowly sipping on the fragile porcelain cups. It was the woman who spoke first. ¡°The delivery has arrived Brown. We move when they move. You have the equipment?¡± The man nodded, still not speaking. ¡°Good. We can move onto the next order of business then. Scales is getting impatient with us. We need to get that package today, Brown.¡± For the first time since sitting down the man spoke. ¡°Rushed jobs are botched jobs Blond. Botched jobs are how you end up dead. The Hillbillies have been sniffing around. We should delay, wait for another package.¡± His voice was soft, almost like a whisper against the ears. The woman frowned at him, setting her cup down gently. ¡°We can¡¯t afford delays Brown. Retrieve the package and return to Base. We need this Brown. Don¡¯t fail.¡± She gracefully stood up before striding out the door, people¡¯s eyes following her movements like moths to a flame. Brown finished up his tea, taking his time before getting up himself and following after her. He hated rush jobs, but he didn¡¯t have many options at this point. Besides, he was confident it would be nothing unusual.


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    Alden had just finished loading up the wagon with the laborers by the time Harold had finished figuring out payment with the merchant. Apparently, the missing packages were supposed to be a significant amount of the payment and so arguments about how much the amount they still retrieved was worth had raged on.  In the end they came to some sort of agreement before Harold handed him a bank slip. The supply building didn¡¯t carry the gold, but they could issue slips that would be exchanged for gold at the bank. It was a layer of security in the city that Alden thought was absolutely brilliant. He smiled at Fargo, the lead laborer and shook his hand. ¡°It was nice workin¡¯ with you Fargo. You ever need a job you swing by and I¡¯ll get you set.¡± The man nodded saying, ¡°I appreciate that Alden. Hope you have a better day than our bosses over there. I¡¯ll see you in a month.¡± Alden grimaced at the reminder. While Harold and Joshua had reached an agreement both had thunderous expressions on their faces. ¡°You too man.¡± With that Fargo and his crew headed back towards the ship while Alden waited patiently in front of the wagon, Bob perched on his shoulder. Ever since they had gotten closer Bob had taken to riding on his shoulder or his head for the convenience. They still got plenty of exercise of course, but the enhancements Alden had started on had made it hard for him to stand up or move around directly after. Harold came up to him and passed him, heading straight for the front of the wagon. Alden followed behind, climbing up onto the bench behind the horses with Harold. Harold immediately flicked the rains, causing the horses to start to move forward. Alden just stayed quiet for a moment before his curiosity got the better of him. ¡°What¡¯s in the small package?¡± Harold glanced at him before looking back at the road, navigating them through the busy streets of the city. The surrounding noise quickly turned from an ever-present murmur to a roaring crowd forcing them to shout to hear each other. ¡°DON¡¯T KNOW! ALL I KNOW IS PRODUCT NUMBER AND DESCRIPTION OF THE BOX! QUATERMASTER PROBALLY KNOWS MORE!¡± They were moving towards the main governmental building of the area, dead center in the city. The supply building was in the inner district, but the roads were congested enough that it took roughly an hour to get through to the building itself even with the cobble roads. Alden just sat back, looking out into the city. Harold, still stewing over the earlier negotiation stayed silent, only broken by the occasional muttering. They were about halfway to the building when it happened. Alden had just adjusted himself on the bench, trying to find a more comfortable angle, when a massive force seemed to grab and chuck him. His vision went haywire and dark spots started appearing before he impacted the stone walls of one of the surrounding buildings with a solid THUNK. He gasped for breath, wheezing out as he desperately tried to control his breathing and body. He shifted and grunted in pain, before a weak croak beside him caused him to look to his side. Bob still lay cuddled in his lap where he had sat after they had started moving. Luckily Alden¡¯s body had shielded him from the worst of the impact. Nevertheless, he still moved gingerly, one of his wings at an awkward angle. Alden groaned before shifting himself up into a sitting position, being careful not to crush Bob. Waves of pain emanated from the entirety of his back and ribs, although the pain was diminished by the adrenaline and magic raging through his veins. He looked blurrily to his side to see Harold, his head at an angle unnatural and his eyes glazed over. His eyes rolled around, while his body sagged, and his ears rang. With a grunt a pulse of mana ran through him from his second reservoir refreshing his concentration long enough to send magic through the tattooed spell forms on his skin. Gold geometric shapes lit up with a brilliant radiance, reinforcing and slowly mending his body. He grunted and staggered up, taking his dislocated and limp shoulder, and popping it back in as a fresh wave of agony washed through him. In front of him the wagon had been flipped, 1 of the horses back broken and the others skull cracked enough to leak fluids. Alden grimaced at the sight, barely holding in his bile. Refocusing two things immediately grasped his attention. One, what appeared to be an incredibly average man stood opposite of what looked to be a Gorgon with massive striped snakes emerging from its head. Two, was the small sample box, blazing with incredible power, in-between them. He looked at Harold, then Bob, and immediately moved to help Bob. As he did so he grasped the small crown that hung around his neck. It was made of wood with metal spikes emerging from it and vines twining around it. He forced himself to release it before running over to Bob. He couldn¡¯t reveal himself, not her and not now. He looked up and saw the Gorgons face shift and knew what was going to happen next. He grabbed Bob and ran a building away, not daring to look bad as collisions rocked the air behind him.

 Chapter 5: The package

    Brown considered himself a planner, plotting out possible challenges, making contingencies, and making more continence¡¯s for those contingencies. He had factored in the possibility that Hillak spies had uncovered their target and sent one, or perhaps even a team to ensure the safety of the sample. He had not counted on them sending a veritable archmage, perhaps a minor great power to stop him. It was so far beyond all his expectations and plans, and now he was trying to understand what he could do. ¡°If you turn yourself in and tell us who sent you, I can promise you at least a good death. Maybe even a probationary time in jail before being let free.¡± Brown replied, trying to buy time to come up with a plan. ¡°From Hillak? Please. If I were to enlist my services to a city-state it would be to the clans or perhaps the Mudders. Not some trumped on hill-folk out in the middle of nowhere.¡± The gorgon just laughed at him. ¡°I suppose everyone is entitled to your opinion. Either way I¡¯ll-¡°With a sudden burst of speed he moved, the stone rising up around him and forming around his fists into massive gauntlets that hissed with stone serpents. Brown moved with incredible force, jumping straight up into the air to avoid the strike. He gestured as he did so, flinging around a storm of shards from the shattered ground. He couldn¡¯t control them well at all, but it served well enough forcing the Gorgon to split his attention, even if just for a second. As soon as the gorgon stopped the shards he manifested a blast of force in a triangular shape, thin in the front and hic in the bac and forced it forward. The strain on his mana reservoirs was immense but it was one of his most effective attack spells. He landed, now a good 100 feet from the gorgon. His opponent, however, did not hesitate to divert the shards before raising a wall of stone from the street to block the force blade. The immaterial triangle hit with a WHOOF blowing through the first wall, the second, and the third, but barely had enough power to nick the fourth and final wall. He grimaced as he adjusted, more triangles of force manifesting around him. These were significantly smaller than his first attempt, trying to preserve as much mana for his next spell as possible. The gorgon didn¡¯t give him long to prepare, sprinting over with a freakish speed that should be impossible for someone of that size. In the brief time they had been separated more stone adorned him, forming a partial covering of stone armor around the most central organs. Around him small stones hovered, slowly orbiting around him. Brown frowned before moving towards the gorgon, an armor of force manifesting around him, buffeting the air around him. They rapidly approached each other, neither giving any indication of backing off. Just as they started to enter striking range two things happened. Brown activated the spellform he had been assembling in the bac of his mind and simultaneously the ground in front of him erupted into spikes. He grunted as his armor broke the first spike, while in front of him the gorgon screamed as liquid lava erupted from the ground, melting, and warping even the stone of his gauntlets and armor. Brown smiled, managing to slow his run after breaking through three different spikes as he jumped trying to get away as quickly as possible. He glanced back down only to see the gorgon pushing holding the lava away with solid granite walls. He could see what looked to be bone and tendons from the skin and muscle being burned off. He landed and turned around, the gorgon staggering towards him limply. He smiled before holding up his hand. His lava reservoir had been expended but the still had enough force to get the job done. He held up his hand-and suddenly vomited as up became down, down became up, sound that should have come from his left came from his right instead. He staggered as reality seemed to twist and turn around him. Desperately he tried to run away only to fall onto the ground. He tried to crawl and ended up plopping forward instead, barely moving. The last thing he saw was a gorgon flying above him.


    Vento¡¯<ack> stepped away from the body, impaled on one of his spies and looked around, confused. He should have been killed but something had happened to his opponent causing them to become extremely disoriented. He didn¡¯t know who could or would do it but¡­ he looked back to the box and picked it up. It was good no one had stolen it-that always made things more problematic. He sighed, as he sat down and leaned against the cart. His legs had started to heal, the pain being dulled by one of his enchanted items. He coated them in a layer of stone to serve as a replacement for his missing skin. It would at least keep out the worst of dust and other particles. He had heard healers complaining multiple times about how hard it was to heal those wounds. He stared vacantly out into the city, clutching the sample, as he waited for healer to arrive. He blinked in surprise at the sight of a young man hovering over the bent and disfigured body of another. He grimaced slightly-it was the driver. He was only a mortal, but it was still a sign of sloppiness. He had been taken by surprise just as much as the wagon drivers themselves. The man stood before striding over to Vento¡¯<ack>  a chicken on his shoulder. The man stopped in front of him and took a deep breath. ¡°Are you working for Hillak?¡± Vento blinked in surprise before nodding slowly. The man made a choppy nod before holding out a pendant. Vento had noticed it on the force mage¡¯s neck earlier-it looked like some type of scaled beast encircling the whole world. ¡°I recognize this symbol. Its from a relatively obscure power up in the mountains- some type of lich if I¡¯m not mistaken.¡± Vento just stared at the young before sighing and holding out his hand. The man dropped the amulet before turning around and sitting further down the wagon. ¡°Kid,¡± Vento called. The young man looked back at him. ¡°How¡¯d you know that about the lich I mean?¡± The lad just stared at him for a minute before responding, shifting to look straight at the stone wall. ¡°Books. A lot of books.¡± Vento just chuckled as he leaned his head back against the wagon. At least he had company while he waited.


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    It took about another 10 minutes before any help arrived, a depressingly long time and something that Vento would strive to fix. If he could that was. He worked in the logistics division as the 2<sup>nd</sup> highest ranked-while normally a job such as this would be given to a specialized team Vento had taken a personal interested in seeing it through. Well, that and the fact that he had wanted to do some field work again. He had not expected to meet someone who could match him-let alone likely could have killed him if things had played out a little differently. Teams of healers had arrived and immediately began assessing and healing him-along with young Alden who hadn¡¯t moved much from his sitting position. After they were declared stable enough to move, they were both immediately moved to the large central governmental building for debrief. It was here that he received the scolding he had been expecting. ¡°What were you thinking Vento¡¯<ack>? Do you know the chaos your death would have caused? It was only one sample as soon as you realized your opponent posed a genuine threat you should have disengaged.¡± Vento just stared stone faced at his superior as they ranted and raved. Gracklen Rivochi the Mist Warden was the head of the logistics division- and one of the five great powers that governed the functioning of Hillak itself. While Hillak had relatively few Great Powers compared to the other major cities, the ones they did have were much more powerful usually. In fact the Mist Warden himself was renowned for his control over the mists of Hillak-he was one of the main reasons any invasion attempt was considered foolhardy in the extreme. ¡°I¡¯m sorry sir. I wanted to do some field work-ground myself before these next few revisions we were thinking about.¡± Gracklen just shook his head and sighed before sitting down in a chair next to Vento. ¡°I am not unsympathetic to your plight old friend. But there are ways to do that so that you are not at risk-we are lucky that an assassin didn¡¯t make an attempt on your life.¡± Vento just nodded before Gracklen leaned back. ¡°Now what happened? I trained you myself for quite a while, there is no way any mere archmage should have been able to push you that far.¡± Vento shook his head. ¡°I think he was an archmage in name only. I¡¯ve seen great powers weaker than him. I believe he was only barely able to be consider one-just like me- but he was still easily able to match me. He caught me off guard with his lava affinity- lava and force is a highly unusual combination, and I think he used his force affinity to generate some additional pressure. I don¡¯t know what happened at the end, but he somehow got disoriented enough that I could land the final blow.¡± Gracklen listened patiently before looking away, a thoughtful frown crossing his face. ¡°That is concerning. Someone who both has the ability and audaciousness to interfere in a power with great powers-however weak they may be- is certainly someone to consider carefully. What about the boy? Alden, I believe he was.¡± Vento just shrugged. ¡°He was one of the supply clerks I believe. He seemed to have a very sturdy body- or maybe he just got lucky and hit something soft.¡± Vento shifted in his bed, trying to get more comfortable. ¡°He did however identify who our mastery mage was working for.¡± Gracklen turned to stare at him with unblinking intensity. ¡°He said it was a lich in the mountain, said he found it by reading books. Lots and lots of books.¡± Glackren leaned back and hummed thoughtfully. ¡°That could be useful. Also dangerous for the boy. If this lich decides to make an issue with him identifying its interference that could lead to some unfortunate consequences. We¡¯ll place him somewhere he can be of use- he must have been the young man with a chicken on his shoulder. Might be a chicken mage then. We¡¯ve got some research going on about animal mages, I¡¯ll stick him with them. Give him some protection and give us some information.¡± He leaned back before his gaze softened. ¡°Look, I can understand what you¡¯re going through Vento. Every Great Power, Archmage, heck even a battlemage goes through it. You have to realize that ultimately you are not like other people anymore. You have access and abilities which the normal citizen does not- that comes with both responsibilities and privileges. Take this time while on leave to come to peace with yourself. We¡¯ll say you needed the time for some mind healing as well- which is true enough.¡± He stood up before striding over to the exit. He looked back once more and said, ¡°The worlds changing Vento. The King and other division heads all tell us the same thing. Somethings coming. We¡¯ll have to be ready in case it comes for us.¡± With that he turned and strode out the door, Vento staring out after him. He stayed like that for a long time, just letting his mind run wild as he considered what had happened. He sighed before picking up a book on his side table. It wasn¡¯t looking like he was going to get some sleep any time soon.

 Chapter 6: The researchers

    Alden was led inside a rather sprawling building. His guide, a slim young woman who couldn¡¯t be much older than he himself gestured towards the extensive rooms in the back. ¡°You¡¯ll be working with Researcher Yanthan. As a research assistant your job will be to help him with setting up the various experiments, recording down the results, and occasionally some field work. In between assignments you may use lab resources for your own projects-if, however, your work suffers to said projects you will be restricted. Researcher Yanthan will fill you in on more details about the research you will be working on. Questions?¡± Alden cocked his head a moment before asking, ¡°How much can I use in my projects? Resource wise I mean?¡± She considered the question a moment before answering. ¡°General rule of thumb is anything approaching 5 silver is a little steep. Gold is definitely off the table. Any other questions?¡± He shook his head. All his other questions had to pertain directly to the research after all. ¡°Good. Here you are. Research Yanthan is in the back.¡± She dropped him off before a solid oak door, an emblazoned bronze plate with the word LEAD RESEARCHER at the top and below that in smaller letters was Yanthan. He took a quick breath and knocked brusquely on the door. ¡°Come in!¡± Alden entered, grunting slightly from the wait of the door. Inside was a mess. Documents were spread everywhere, files open, partially open beakers and chests on every available surface and then some. The man was equally as frazzled as his work room, hair spiked all over the place, clothes in disarray, stains all over his coat and jacket. He looked up and his crazed eyes lighted up upon seeing Alden. ¡°Ah! You must be my new assistant. Good, good, follow me we have work to do.¡± He swept out of the room, picking up some documents causing others to fall down from their precarious stacks on the floor. He seemed to not notice, just ushering Alden out the door like a whirlwind. ¡°Ah, ah, yes, yes, I see. We must start immediately, no time for chatting. We are attempting to ascertain the reason for why mages with an affinity for their own species can do so much more than beast mages. You are a beast mage correct? Of course you are, I see that lovely chicken looking as fine as ever. No matter, you will be expected to clean and prep the equipment, take notes, and identify possible issues with the experiment. Ah, yes, here we are.¡± Alden just blinked in confusion as he was herded into a stone room with an absolutely massive heavy oak door with glowing enchantments emanating from it. Inside were rows upon rows of stone tables filled with paperwork and beakers as various researchers move to and from, a constant dull murmur reverberating through the room. ¡°This is the general assistant¡¯s lab. Here will be where you revise the documentation for publication and where you may conduct your own experiments if you wish. Now if you¡¯ll follow me, we have some work to do.¡± With that Alden was once more swept out the door as they headed for the next room.


    ¡°Watch their movements. Write down not only what they say but also what they do. Their voices and comments only paint half the picture, you must be able to paint the other half for the reader. Researcher Yanthan is particularly bad about this so you must be extra observant. Continue writing and I will show you what I have written and demonstrate where you can improve.¡± Liam advised, sitting next to Alden in the testing yard. Alden had thought that there might have been some resentment at him being placed under the lead researcher-and to be fair there was a minor amount- but the majority of assistants were glad that the position was filled. It seemed that researcher Yanthan had a reputation that only the most insane or dedicated assistants were fated to fill. Most of the other assistant staff seemed to consider the former more likely to work with the constantly confused researcher. Liam was part of said staff, assigned to help Alden get up to speed with his work as it were. It was day two and Alden could confidently say that it was some of the most interesting work imaginable. Right now, Yanthan was currently dissecting the pet of a bird mage, who had been killed in some type of monster attack. Alden as part of the assistant staff was to record down the materials, experimental process, notes during the process, and results at the end. They sat a good 5 feet away, dressed in protective leather clothing and gloves. Researcher Yanthan was particularly adamant about proper labware. While Alden had noticed that most other researchers considered his precautions extreme, they knew better than to argue with the man it seemed. ¡°Subject¡¯s internals are remarkably healthy, no key bacteria or parasitic infections. In addition, the body appears to be in excellent condition, no major breakdown of organs yet seen. I am now beginning to analyze the breast muscles of the creature. It seems that the muscle is highly-¡°Alden refocused his idle thoughts and continued writing. It wouldn¡¯t do to miss anything on his first go around after all.


    Roughly an hour and a half later Alden sat next to Liam, comparing notes on the dissection. ¡°This is good, good notation. Seems like you kept up with his key comments. Something you will want to add is denoting when in the operation he switches tools. In addition, try to be specific with the terminology. Researcher Yanthan usually proofreads his own work to make sure that the key points are correct but one misplaced or misspelled scientific term and confusion can and will ensue. As for the rest of it you did an excellent job. I would say your connection and writing may even a bit better than mine- but only by a bit. Now this paper here,¡± He gestured at a relatively blank piece with only a heading, ¡°suggests your different ideas for the research. Usually, one of the researches will go over it at the end of the week or month. Or quarter. Just depends on how their own research is going. Now that you¡¯ve got that down, meet me tomorrow and we¡¯ll go over setting up the lab.¡± Alden just nodded, still considering the last sheet of paper.


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    Alden slowly fell into a rhythm slowly feeling out the new job and understanding what was expected of him. As he kept working, he also kept thinking. Every day he would take out his journal and make notes about his performance and things to improve on. He was a firm believer that a single improvement a day-no matter how small- would lead to monumental improvements later. No matter what, Alden wanted to excel at what he did. It was a urge, a drive, a passion, something that was demanded and needed from him. At first these improvements were small. For example, the chemicals used to clean the tools left an odorous smell and filament on the tools. Alden simply found a cleaning agent that was less foul and left no film. Another would be the fact that they ate whatever they had gotten from the occasional shipments from the quartermaster- often the researchers would complain about the food. Alden just asked about getting some fresher meals. He had to sweettalk the quartermaster a bit, and promised to help with some of his former¡¯s duties as a supply clerk but he managed. He placed scent absorbing enchantments at the dissection rooms-with permission of course- so that the smell was contained. Slowly but surely the researchers became happier, more at ease, more comfortable. As a result, the assistants became more relaxed, not so tense. A few even asked Alden to teach him- which Alden was more than happy to oblige in. His noes about the experiment mostly stayed about the operation- the lack of a repeatable method each researcher used to conduct themselves, the differing lab safety equipment, more. One day however, he began writing an idea that had been germinating in the back of his head for a while.


    At the end of that week Researcher Yanthan told Alden to meet him in one of the research rooms- this one containing a simple mana beast variant of a wolf.  He was slightly worried-why else would they break routine like this- but not enough to seriously cause him a large amount of concern. He was still slightly curious and nervous however, when he entered into the wall. The space was filled with plants, with one half of the massive room walled off. Behind the bars paced a large wolf, dull stone covering parts of its body. In front of the cage researcher Yanthan hovered, taking notes on a sheet of paper he carried. At the sound of the door, he whirled around, a grin on his face. ¡°Alden! Come, come. I wanted to talk to you about your role.¡± Alden nodded, slightly hesitant as he approached, stopping a few feet away. ¡°Yes sir?¡± Alden asked, as Yanthan took a few more notes before setting down the paper on a stone desk near him. ¡°Yes, I wanted to talk to you about this.¡± He held up one of the papers that contained Alden¡¯s suggestion about the experimentation. ¡°To be frank the idea is fascinating. Hard to test, undoubtedly, but fascinating, nonetheless. I¡¯ve already talked to a few empathy mages about aiding in our research and they¡¯ve been receptive.¡± Alden breathed out a silent sigh of relief, thankful it was nothing bad. He had found that he quite enjoyed working at the research station. ¡°Unfortunately, your current role is far too limiting for your obvious talents. Therefore, you will be promoted to a junior researcher. Probationary, of course, but I foresee good things in the future.¡± He looked down at the paper, a distracted look on his face. Alden took the chance to ask a question. ¡°What about my pay sir? Will there be any increase?¡± Yanthan turned to look at him, still distracted, ¡°Yes, yes, of course. Now as a junior researcher part of your duties will include doing relevant research to the subject on hand. I¡¯ll put you in charge of the empathy mages when they arrive.¡± He looked at the wolf, a look of concentration on his face. He was like that for a solid five minutes before Alden slipped out the door. He shook his head as the stone sheet shut fully. He definitely hadn¡¯t got used to the weird yet.


    Alden sat down at his research desk, a week later, poring over the results of the most recent experiment. At his side sat Liam, organizing the data. When he had been elevated to junior researcher and required to pick an assistant he had thought about Liam. Fortuitously for him, the researcher that Liam was working for had been driven insane by experimenting with modifying his own affinity senses. Well fortuitously for Alden at least; not so much for the researcher driven insane. He made a couple of notes on the data, making notes for the conclusion he was going to make later. Liam broke the silence that had fallen on them while they worked. ¡°What¡¯s the consensus?¡± Alden glanced up from his paper before looking back down. ¡°Good. Data is relatively sparse, but it appears that considering the emotions and mental state of the creature allows for greater modification.¡± Liam nodded, humming thoughtfully. ¡°It¡¯s obvious in hindsight. So much of the magic depends on familiarity and without understanding the culture and mind of the creature you are missing out on the majority of what they are.¡± Alden nodded making a sound of agreement. His original idea had been to include the mental and societal aspects of the creatures when making changes. That had led to the current set of experiments they were creating and monitoring. Alden looked up and smiled. Things were going much better than he could have expected.

 Research General: Entry #1

    Entry #1 Subject: Bob


    I suppose my research job has affected me more than I thought. If you¡¯re reading this, I¡¯m either dead, or I¡¯ve given it to you to help you in some way. Either way I wish you the best. Here I will be recording my notes on what changes I have made on Bob, and how those changes have affected him. To begin with I shall define my objective: Turning Bob into a being capable of fighting Great Powers. Audacious yes, but I have always been ambitious. I have been thinking about the final form I want Bob to take, and this is what I am imagining; a chicken, large as some bears. Quick enough to match even some wind mages both on foot and in the air. Talons and beak powerful enough to break through the most powerful of enchantments and materials. A resistance to damage, magic, and a rapid regeneration able to repair near anything. His own mana pool and well accustomed magic able and willing to be use. And a mind as sharp of sharper than a human with senses vaster than any possible creature. Now I will discuss what has already been currently done and what the effects were.


    -Cleansing: The first basic change I made. As we age, we have numerous defects, inefficiencies, or even impurities that build up in the body. These spells are simply meant to excise as much of that as possible. So far progress has been good, and I¡¯ve seen a noticeable increase in his ease of movement, glossiness of his feathers, and general color patterning. I will continue on with this spell regimen, but I expect to encounter diminishing results.


    -Increased size: The cornerstone to any planned changes will be increased size. Working in miniature is something much more challenging and requiring more skill than I currently possess. I can easily move and shape my attuned Aether, but working with Chicken spells is different. Few people realize the differences between attuned mana to any significant degree, but those of us experienced with some amount of skill work are exceptions. As such an increase in size allows for more modifications easier and with greater speed. There are natural inhibitors that seem to exist within a chicken, limiting how much it can grow. I have slowly started removing those inhibitors and set his body into motion of growing larger. As such he has started requiring greater quantities of food and minerals. His body seems to be using the opportunity to undo some of the damage of his youth, causing him to look even healthier and stronger.


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    -Empowered Immune System: The immune system is an incredibly interesting system. It is involved with the entire body and is one of the key defensive measures. Increasing its power and ability is at the same time a task of extreme importance and extreme risk. My current regimen is currently focused on simply giving it more energy and support in its natural function. I have exposed him to various forms of disease and strengthened the response. The results seem promising as he has been gaining more energy, and his bodies efficiency in defeating different diseases has skyrocketed. I will continue to monitor the different results as they come but this spell regimen, I expect will only become more effective with time.


    -Empowered senses: Due to my unique abilities, senses are easily enhanced. As such I have begun a preliminary training and enhancement regiment with his sense of smell. One does not simply add or improve senses willy nilly- indeed I have created an extensive plan to help him understand what he is smelling and whether it is good or bad. After sense of smell, I plan on increasing the sense of taste. As these two are incredibly linked I expect this to be a much more easily implemented change. I have already started to see results- he can now begin to sniff out worms and interesting seeds while avoiding poisonous butterflies and bugs. We will see how this changes in the future.

 Chapter 7: The Mission

    Alden stood with Liam, staring at the wooden board in front of them. ¡°You said that every researcher has to do at least one of these?¡± Liam nodded, leaning against one of the walls at the edge of the room. ¡°Yep. It¡¯s the kingdom¡¯s way of making us earn our keep. The way they see it, one practical bit of knowledge every year or so isn¡¯t enough to justify our continued existence. Hence, they make researchers take missions-helps kill two drakes with one arrow as it were.¡± Alden nodded, humming thoughtfully. Around him the various other researchers talked quietly with each other, gesturing at various papers. Alen eyed a few mentally dissecting it. ¡°What¡¯s with the stars? And the rewards, aren¡¯t we rewarded with continued funding?¡± Liam grinned at him. ¡°You saying you don¡¯t want more gold? If so don¡¯t worry, I would be more than happy to take our share.¡± Alden rolled his eyes at the man saying, ¡°You know what I mean. What¡¯s the deal?¡± Liam sighed, a faint grin still on his face. ¡°The stars denote difficulty- the more stars the more difficult it is. 1 star means any mortal could handle it; 5 stars means that you better bring top of the line researchers. Nigh-archmages top of the line. As for the rewards, the city takes a cut from every quest we do for our funding- everything extra they consider incentive to get us to do more of them. Occasionally a researcher will need more resources than they give us and go on a questing spree.¡± A commotion at the board distracted him, making both him and Alden look over. A clerk had pinned a new paper on the board- this one in a more ornate script and with yellow aged paper. Alden¡¯s eyes widened as he read it. ¡°They want to lure a hydra into the mountains!? Are they insane?¡± Alden¡¯s response was more muted, just leaning back to consider the information. Beside him Liam looked like he was about to start screaming. Alden reached over, resting a hand on the man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Calm Liam. It¡¯s only a juvenile, not a full grown one. Plus, the city will be supplying their own archmage and guide for support.¡± Liam finally tore his eyes from the paper, staring at Alden. ¡°Just a juvenile hydra!? Things probably close to an great power level threat on its own.¡± His eyes narrowed dangerously. ¡°You aren¡¯t considering taking it are you?¡± Alden could only shrug at him, his eyes caught on the rewards. ¡°Maybe. Look at that-an unattuned Aether crystal. More, books on your affinity and an unchosen award from their lesser vault. That¡¯s worth the risk.¡± Liam just shook his head at him. ¡°You do what you want, I¡¯m not going near that thing.¡± Alden just nodded before striding to the board from their position against the west wall. He weaved through the crowd, gently pushing and shoving until he came to the paper. Picking up one of the signing pens he wrote his name- the 3<sup>rd</sup> out of 10 potential slots. Putting it down he continued moving on, not hesitating as he exited the room. He had a lot of preparations to see to.


    A few days later Alden stood in a stone-built room. A large oak table dominated the center of the room, with twenty seats. Alden chose to sit at one of the corners at the far edge-he liked making sure he could keep a view on everyone. Their meeting time was at the eighth bell. Alden was there not long after the seventh bell. When he arrived, there was only one other person- a stern faced, grizzled human with a limp and a yellow, rotted, tooth smile. They waited as more and more people showed up. Mostly humans with a few gorgons and even a dragon. Said dragon was out on the balcony, head through the doors into the room. Alden recognized a few as researchers from his facitilty-7 familiar faces. Not as many as were possible but still more than he expected. As soon as the eight bell rang the old man limped to the door before slamming it shut. With a grunt he slurped back some of his saliva and limped back to the front of the table. ¡°Welcome, welcome. I am Arthur and am leading this poor excuse for a mission. I don¡¯t need your life story-just your name and general abilities.¡± He pointed at the dragon first. ¡°You start go around away from me than back towards me. Got it? Good, go.¡± He didn¡¯t wait for a response gesturing enthusiastically at the dragon. Alden smiled to himself. It was definitely going to be an interesting mission.


    Alden took notes as they went around. They had a wide variety of affinities- a lot of stone or earth variants but also a sound mage, a fire mage, and even a dust affinity. Alden took special note of him- affinities of small things were harder to defend against than most. When it finally came around to him, he kept his contribution short and simple as the man asked. ¡°My name¡¯s Alden and I¡¯m a chicken mage. I specialize in sensory abilities.¡± From his lap Bob stood up, looking curiously at everyone. There was a beat of silence before the person next to him- a gorgon- began listing out their own affinity. Alden studied the reactions of others. You could tell a lot from how a person reacted. Did they keep their face neutral no matter what? Did they take notes? Did they openly scoff? People could fake their reactions but most did not or could not do so. It wasn¡¯t a highly prized ability to most people after all. The old man at the front waited before everyone finished- ending at a human dirt mage who specialized in creating sinkholes. The grizzled man hacked out a wad of spit onto the floor and everyone¡¯s attention immediately turned to him. ¡°Alright. Now that show and tell time is over its time to discuss the mission.¡± He gestured and an enchantment activated, showing an image of the juvenile hydra. ¡°This is our target. It¡¯s still a juvenile and can be taken out by a coordinated action from a couple of archmages or a more destructive great power. Our goal is to lure it out into the Hamiyaln mountain range if we can. There¡¯s a lot of nasty critters and other powers out there and this hydra will be a good defense. There¡¯s also a lot of political reasons behind it but I don¡¯t much care about those. Instead, we will be discussing how exactly we are going to attract its attention, and how exactly we aren¡¯t going to die while doing it. The floor is open. Who wants to speak first?¡± Alden sat back and brought out his pencil and book. Time to take some notes.


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    About two hours later they were still in the thick of the discussion. They had managed to discuss what they were going to use- Hydras had a known tendency to go after highly Aether dense creatures. Fortunately for them they happened to have some incredibly Aether-Empowered beasts- they were used to as mounts and living opponents for the various archmages withing the city. Unlike most Hillak was constantly preparing and moving as if at war. Yet then they had come to the crux of the problem; how exactly did they intend to keep ahead of a massive, regenerating, draconic creation while keeping its attention. They were slow undoubtedly. Yet even the slowest of creatures had the potential to move with blinding speed in short distances and hydras were no different. That was problem number one. Problem number two was that the mountains were incredibly challenging to scale and navigate at the best of times- leading a hydra through them would be a even greater one. In addition, there was a question about whether the creature could actually do it in the first place. Problem number 3 was the fact that none of them were courageous enough or, perhaps more accurately, stupid enough to lead and guide the bait around. There were enchantments true, but such things became unpredictable when it came to The Spine. Alden¡¯s voice cut through the current argument between two humans- both of whom seemed to think that they would be able to solve all the problems with a few applications of their magic. ¡°I¡¯ll guide the bait.¡± For a moment there was silence as everyone just stared at him. The dragon- Lilainth her name was- broke said silence by chuckling in amusement. ¡°That¡¯s one problem solved then. Now, I may know a route through the mountains, but it will take some persuasion. Sphinxes can be particularly difficult to convince. We¡¯ll need to find some worthy gifts.¡± She looked directly at Arthur when she said that, and he just grunted before spitting a sickly wad of phlegm onto the ground. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it. What can we do about its attention?¡± Alden leaned back as conversation once again started up with renewed intensity. His role had been decided. Now it was just preparing.


    The next day Alden sat in the stone seats of the Arena- an area that allowed different contenders to come up and challenge whatever champion was put on display for that day. They also had a rather large number of Aether-beasts fortunately enough. ¡°You ready to see it?¡± The smooth voice of a slim, dark-haired man echoed from below him. Alden nodded, quickly moving down to the sandy bottom. The Arena had half stone seats, and half stone walls. The bottom was covered in sand. They used mostly non-mage fights and only used Aether beasts and other mage specials whenever they wanted to spice things up. The man led Alden to a massive gate in the far wall. He made a signal with his hand and slowly, ever so slowly, the gate began to open revealing a massive mountain goat. It was a beautiful creature and Alden could feel his breath almost catch as he looked at it. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± he murmured out loud to which the Arena master smiled in response. ¡°Yes, yes, she is. This is Jisellda and she should suit your purposes just fine. She¡¯s a mountain goat and should have no trouble scaling the Skypiercer mountain range. Payment has already been arranged by Arthur, so you don¡¯t need to worry about that.¡± He handed Alden the reins. ¡°She¡¯s very good handling wise- if it ends up that she survives don¡¯t hesitate to bring her back.¡± He made a signal, and the gates began to close spurring Alden to lead Jisellda out into the sunlight of the Arena. The man started briskly walking toward another gate- this one opened up to a ramp leading to the outside. ¡°I wish you the best of luck. I think you¡¯re a fool and mad, but to each their own.¡± With that he turned around and left leaving Alden with Jisellda. He gazed up at the magnificent creature, Bob doing likewise from up on his shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll have to keep you safe, won¡¯t we.¡± He smiled. Things just got a whole lot easier.

 Scheduling Notice

    Hey guys, this summer has been less productive writing wise than I had hope. For reasons I haven''t been writing in The Fool Mage and for that I apologize. I specifically mentioned in the description I wouldn''t stick to any posting schedule but have ended up posting close to every Sunday. This is just not sustainable, especially with me writing another fiction. As such I''ll be moving my writing to once every other week. I apologize for the less frequent releases, but I am still going to be writing and working on this project. If it ends up that I will discontinue it, for any reason at all, I''ll post my notes in a chapter so y''all can see what I was writing towards. Thanks for still following to this point.


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 The Mission Part 2

    Less than a week later Alden shifted in Jisellda¡¯s saddle. On his left resided the Hamilayan mountain range, the massive outcrops of stone piercing the sky. On his right Arthur was silently standing with him, both of them watching the oncoming beast. Even from this far away Arthur could tell just how massive it was. Easily over 30 feet long and 20 feet wide, it was a truly colossal beast. There were a few beasts that matched it, but not many. Arthur spat to the side one last time before side-eyeing Alden. ¡°You ready kid?¡± Alden just smiled and nodded, very unconcerned. He could feel his heart pumping in his chest, that mix of excitement and dull nervousness in his gut. It fueled him, sustained him. ¡°I¡¯m ready. You sure you¡¯re gonna be able to handle containment old man?¡± Arthur just chuckled before breaking out into a hacking cough. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. You worry about yourself kid.¡± Alden nodded and Arthur began moving away, the stone and earth shifting underneath him. Apparently, Arthur was a granite and pyrite mage. He specialized in wards and containment and would be key in holding back the hydra barreling down on them. The plan was simple; Alden would be the bait on a particularly appetizing Aether-dense beast. The hydra would be struck a few times to get its attentions, and then Alden would run like he was on fire as the Hydra chased him. Run depending on how active and excited the hydra was feeling. Alden adjusted, lightly tapping on the bow he had been given. It was enhanced by several magnitudes and was a fine weapon. Nowhere near Alden¡¯s staff, but few things were. Instead, the weapon would very easily allow him to fire from absurd ranges, especially over the open plains that surrounded them. Alden sighed as he watched the form of the hydra inch closer. This was going to take a while.


    A little over 6 hours later the hydra had finally moved close enough that Alden would be able to hit it. It was roughly half a mile away, Alden easily aiming the bow. He mentally traced the arrow, feeling the wind and breeze against him. He let his breathing submerge into a calm pattern and slowly moved his Aether through his Aether channels. He could feel the mana moving through him, feel that intoxicating sense of power. His breath calmed. His eyes focused, his ears muted everything but the wind and his heartbeat. He loosed the arrow. The enchantments on the bow flexed with incredible power, launching the projectile far, far into the air. It arced, the arrowhead blazing gloriously with mana in Alden¡¯s senses. The arrow peaked; before hurtling back downward. The enchantment was very simple in theory and practice. After it lost contact with the control enchantments it became ¡®armed¡¯. When the now armed enchantments on the arrow detected that the momentum was zero it would activate a weight-increasing enchantment. It was very expensive to enchant disposable ammunition, but in this case, it was worth it as the arrow hurtled down with a force rivaling what the bow had initially launched it at. The arrow came hurtling down and punched into the scales of the hydra. Then there was an explosion as the arrow consumed itself to fuel the next set of enchantments. Alden smiled as the beast focused slowly on him. A few of the others had been wary that it may have ignored the arrow, but Alden had made sure it wouldn¡¯t.


    He grinned as the beast began to roar and move towards him. He could see it pouring on the speed, trying to catch up to him. It was still moving slowly- just at this point it was moving closer to a horse¡¯s trot than a man¡¯s walk. Alden moved Jisellda¡¯s head to the side and knocked his heals against her flank. She began to move, trotting off towards the mountains. He took a slanted angle, one that would cross diagonally beside the Hydra. The beast once more roared out in anger and rage and began to adjust itself. Alden just settled himself into the saddle, watching the beast come as he cycled mana around his channels.


    It took around an hour for the hydra to reach the mountain pass, a small tunnel between two massive peaks. It was both one of the most tense and boring moments of Alden¡¯s life. Hydras were fierce monsters and Alden had no wish to tangle one if he didn¡¯t have to. Jisellda performed excellently, following his directions even when the beast pounded down on them. Alden whistled as soon as he made It through the pass, the sound echoing over and over. The agreed upon signal- would tell the other mages that the Hydra was following him. Alden continued to move, always staying just one step away from the Hydra, the gap just a little too wide for it to cross. He could feel the beast wanting to turn it away- the spell he had manipulated it with was beginning to fade in power. Its desire to attack the infuriating insect that was Alden and devour him had faded to lethargy and irritation at the chase. Alden gently grasped Bob as he performed another trick-he flared Bob¡¯s mana. A bond between a beast-mage and their beast endowed some special objects upon the beast. One of these was the ability for the beast to slowly form its own mana reservoir- although such a thing to a lot of time. Alden had gone for a different idea. His enhancements imbued in Bob were still flush with Aether, the spells taking time to settle and perform. By flaring Bob, he basically rang the dinner bell, causing the Hydra to go crazy. It refocused its attention on Bob and began to race towards them again. Alden smiled as he kept moving with Jisellda having to stay one step ahead. He would have liked it to not expose that he knew such techniques- but he very much doubted many would recognize what he just did.


    As he led the hydra further and further into the mountain, Alden kept looking around for the escape tunnel. Again and again, he raked his gaze across the stone, curse words threatening to spill from his lips when he came up empty each time. Finally, a flare of fire caught his attention, directing him towards a small hollowed out section of stone. Alden wasted no time and urged Jisellda to move faster and faster, moving from a heavy trot into a full out sprint. The mountain goat raced towards the opening, her mana reinforcing her muscles and breath. Alden could hear the hydra shrike and begin moving even faster as it saw him disappear. Alden pushed Jisellda harder, the cool tunnel giving way before them to reveal a mountain ridge. Alden let Jisellda come to a gradual stop, sighing as his heartbeat slowed as well. Atop the ride the rest of the mages huddled, all staring down as the beast crossed the marked corridor. The plan was simple; lead the beast on a merry chase through a narrow passage, collapse said passage, and trap the beast in an artificial set of caves and tunnels. Most of the groundwork had already been done beforehand, consisting of the excavation and reinforcement of the tunnels. It had taken extensive work and resources to construct- but now the kingdom had a pet hydra located on its border with many powers in the stone. Alden saw Arthur move above the hole, stone shifting as the reinforced granite structure was placed over the hole. It looked reminiscent of a pagoda, a intentional choice in some ways. The structure itself served to anchor the massive ward that Arthur had been constructing- a ward that used the Pagoda as a focal point. Numerous smaller wards were slaved into a complex system of interlocking spells. Luckily for Alden, and the other mages, there were far enough away that the massive Aether drain didn¡¯t affect them. Alden couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly disappointed. He had expected something much more exciting for his first mission.


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    They returned to the city, victorious and all alive. They were to report at the palace tomorrow to receive their rewards from the lesser vault. Alden barely slept, instead focusing on his numerous Aether techniques. Many mages dismissed the use of such techniques- after all many of them only gave minor advantages, took a lot of work, and could even have disastrous consequences. Alden, however, was of a different mind. Every advantage, no matter how small, added up. Every small percentage increase, every small bit more skill contributed to a mage being more effective. After years of work those small advantages, Alden had cultivated had turned into massive turning points, completely reshaping him as a mage. Bob clucking brought him out of his thoughts and Alden laughed. ¡°You¡¯re right buddy. Much too heavy thoughts to be thinking about right now.¡± Alden laid down in bed for a quick nap before tomorrow. He was very excited- after all they were going to get glorious, glorious loot.


    The next day Alden was up bright and early at the palace. They weren¡¯t going into the main hall of course- there was a minor wind that swept of behind the building and below that wind resided the lesser vault. Arthur had given them each individual times to appear- it would help keep what each person got a secret and allow them to show who merited the most from the mission. Alden was first since he was the bait. The only person who could have argued against his position as first would have been Arthur, but Alden suspected he had already been promised something. Arthur was waiting impatiently, shifting from side to side. When he saw Alden coming up, he smiled, revealing his yellow teeth. ¡°You¡¯re early boy. Good. Make this easier. Follow me, follow me now, I¡¯ll take you to see what you need.¡± Arthur¡¯s gruff voice washed over Alden as he was ushered into the building. There was a security desk, but it was waved aside by Arthur. It turned out that the old man must either be trusted or already talked to security, as they let them down after only a brief conversation with Arthur. They descended down the golden and marble architecture to revere pragmatic and solid stone construction. They came down to the vault- a massive door, enchanted and inscribed heavily. Arthur grunted as he produced a key from nowhere, opening up the vault. Rows upon rows of shelves appeared before Alden. He entered, eyes darting form one place to the next as everything overwhelmed him.


    Arthur just chuckled, limping towards a small table in front of them. ¡°Close your mouth boy, or you¡¯ll let the fly¡¯s in.¡± Alden¡¯s jaw snapped shut with a click as Arthur dropped something down on the table before him. Alden¡¯s eyes were drawn to the noise, revealing a solid and thick-looking book. Besides the book Arthur dropped an unattuned Aether crystal. ¡°Well, boy, here are your first two rewards. The Aether crystal¡¯s already been harvested so it¡¯s not nearly as valuable but it¡¯s still a good material used for various artificing purposes. As for the book- it¡¯s a collection of every known chicken mage and their spells they used. It¡¯s a lot better than most will get- command was more than willing to give a little extra for the role you played in the plan. It doesn¡¯t hurt that most chicken mages haven¡¯t achieved any appreciable amount of power. You¡¯re the first I¡¯ve heard of that willingly took on an adventure, so I wish you the best of luck.¡± The man gestured to the hall around them filled with different items. ¡°As for your next rewards you have your pick. Anything you can see you can pick- choose wisely. Or not. I don¡¯t care.¡± Arthur snorted and flopped down into his seat as Alden slowly wandered. The vault was massive, and Alden could easily spend the whole day in here- although he thought that Arthur wouldn¡¯t be appreciative of such an action. He strolled past artifacts of all different times- enchanted swords, spears, hammers, shields. Various books on spell enchantment and enhancement, although only basic works. Various gems and precious ingredients. Small gold blocks hung on the floor. Alden couldn¡¯t believe such a display of wealth, nothing he had seen before could compare. He wandered aimlessly for a few minutes, eyes just watching the beautiful items. He knew what he needed though- he headed back to Arthur and cleared his throat at the snoring form. The man opened his eyes, glaring at Alden. ¡°Done?¡± Alden shook his head before speaking. ¡°No, I wanted to ask you to find something for me. A book on the various cultures and peoples on Gelid.¡± Arthur just eyed him for a moment before snoring again. ¡°All the things in here and you want a book on different people. Whatever, follow me.¡± Not long after, Alden left very satisfied with his rewards. He gazed at the mountains, feeling that itch again. Perhaps it was time to wander some more.

 Chapter 9: Wanderer

    Alden stared out over the valley spread out behind him. The valley kingdom of Hillak had treated him very well and so he would keep in mind its people. He turned around before setting off, Bob riding on his shoulder.


    They wandered for some time, never settling down in one place. Hillak was along the Hamilayan mountain range and as such was in the far north. As Alden began his traveling he wandered along the edge of the mountains. They split Gelid lengthwise with very few passes bridging the northern and southern pieces of Gelid. He wished dearly to go and explore every inch of it- the famous Mudflats of the Coast, the floating islands of the Center, the Sun Jungle of the East. He promised himself that he and Bob would see all of it.


    The paths of the mountains were harsh and unforgiving. Steep twists up and down, storms with winds strong enough to tear the skin off a man and enough lighting to turn into a fried rat. Added to that challenge was hunting- the mountains were notorious for the numerous Labyrinths that dotted their faces. Numerous might be somewhat generous, but there were enough that the Hamilayan mountain range was infected with them. Further and Further Alden traveled, before one day he decided to change his route. So he packed up his sleeping bag, his wardstones, and set off to the south to explore the countryside. Towering cliffs and trees were replaced by softer and more lush hills. He continued to travel, occasionally avoiding a pack of wolves of a labyrinth monster. On rare occasions did he use his bow- acquired at a hefty discount from the Council of Hillak- to put down a beast or two. On those few occasions he ate well, delighting in the exotic tastes and mana that infused the flesh of the creatures. It certainly made his cycling and mana exercises that much harder, but he didn¡¯t much care. It just made his training more effective in his mind. Each day was like the last, one day blurring into another. Wake up, clean up camp and sett off. Marvel at the beauty of the world before settling down an hour or two before dark. Set up camp, cook dinner while running through martial katas and some basic exercise routines. Eat dinner, wash himself if possible, and practice his Spells diligently. He loved the feeling of his mana, being able to cast spells and utilize his creativity to craft powerful effects. Eventually he would crawl into bed only to wake up and do so again.


    It was on one of these days, like any other, that he was disturbed. Around an hour into hiking he had found a dirt road, partially overgrown on one side. With a shrug he hopped onto the road before resuming his march ever forward. It wasn¡¯t that long afterwards that he heard a faint stomping- reminiscent of men walking or horses moving. The noise slowly grew louder before resolving into a caravan of armored horsemen and three chariots of excellent quality. He could tell the moment the guards spotted him- they clustered together before 3 of them rode forward together. Alden paused, waiting for them to cross the distance towards him. If it was a merchant caravan as he figured, then it would be in his best interest to appear as unthreatening as he could. He really didn¡¯t relish the thought of fighting a couple of Merchants guards after all. Two of them stopped around 10 ft. away while the third- and apparent leader- approached closer. ¡°Hail the traveler!¡±


    ¡°Hail to the guardsmen!¡± Alden replied, completing the path-greeting. The man seemed to relax some at the response, although his hand still rested on the hilt of his sword. Now that he was closer Alden could see the design of his armor and clothing. He wore a leather hauberk, on top of which chainmail rested. Expensive armor for a merchant guard. It either meant the merchant was rich enough to afford it, was carrying something valuable enough to justify such a guard or was someone important. Those three often went hand-in-hand as it were. ¡°What is a lone traveler doing in this area?¡± The guard¡¯s voice was rough and gritty yet still clear. ¡°Wandering friend. Looking for a job as it were. You happen to have any openings?¡± The man regarded him for a moment before replying. ¡°Maybe. You any good with that bow of yours?¡± Alden tilted his head at the question before shrugging. ¡°Probably as good as you are with that sword you have.¡± The guard captain¡¯s- if Alden¡¯s guess was right that is- subordinates chuckled a little bit at that. The man himself even sported a small smile. ¡°I doubt that friend. Come, join us. We¡¯ll see if you¡¯re worth a job.¡± Alden nodded before following the man back, his subordinates falling in behind him.


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    It was always interesting, Alden mused, to consider the thoughts of others. Exhausting at times it was true, but often it could be a fun little game. Did they think he was a robber? A bandit who had lost his band? Perhaps they considered him a spy, or maybe a wandering mage of considerable power. Or perhaps they thought he was placed to sabotage or gather information on the merchant. Whatever the case they were certainly taking no chances. They placed him at the wagon in the rear. It was where the least valuables were kept and also where the 2<sup>nd</sup> largest gathering of men congregated. As they journeyed Alden attempted to weasel as much information as he could out of them- to no avail. He did however, stumble upon one interesting tidbit.


    He was sitting with three other guards around a fire. They had settled down for the night and were enjoying the meal the merchant¡¯s cook had put on. The men were trading the usual stories- war stories, cantrips and spells they had personally made, whatever wench or woman they had recently bedded. Alden was simply enjoying the atmosphere- and ignoring the raunchy jokes and conversations to the best of his ability. He didn¡¯t agree with them but knew better to say anything. Besides, his silence was more powerful than any words he could spout. At least right now. It was a short fellow, one of the few infantrymen that accompanied the cavalry. Felran was his name. He was a small lad, fresh into manhood. He couldn¡¯t have been more than 18 maybe 19 years. He spoke shyly, but as the wine and stories had flowed, he had grown bolder. ¡°If you want a job wanderer, you should go to Ol¡¯ Finch. You take the road partway down the southern rampart and branch off into the wilderness and you¡¯ll find him. Old man always needs things doing for the right kind of people. Decaying wards that need to be taken down, a few vermin infestation. I¡¯ve also heard that he needs to kill some undead! Probably hog wash you know, but putting the old man¡¯s mind at ease might be worth a few golds if you know what I mean!¡± The boy laughed with ruddy cheeks before launching into another story. Alden continued to listen, laughing at the jokes and stories. Internally however, his mind whirled. He loved people who no one had an interest in, and who always had chores. Those were usually the people who had the most interesting things to be done after all. And, if worst should come to worst, undead slayer didn¡¯t sound bad as a reference. He leaned back with a smile, and a mind full of ideas. He would have to see what this ¡®Finch¡¯ was about. Hopefully it was something interesting.

 Chapter 10: Wanderings Part 2

    Alden stepped onto the cobblestone road. His boots padded smoothly on the cobble, an add dissonance from his weeks out in the wilderness. He passed through old and rotted walls, through a hanging gate which wouldn¡¯t keep a child out, let alone anything more dangerous. Overgrown weeds and grasses slowly grew more manicured and managed, culminating into an idyllic front garden. The stone path continued, leading to a large wooden porch. The house that it was attached to could be similarly described. It was large, at least as large as a few of the mansions Alden had spotted in Hillak. More than that It was sprawling, something that brought to mind a lazing beast of magnificent size. Yet as Alden stared at it for longer, he could see the signs of decay. There is a little bit of rot. Here a small moss infestation. Over there a hole, likely chewed by rats. Alden took it all in. Sighing a little bit he strode to the door banging his fist decisively on the rickety wood. He waited. He took his fist and slammed it into the door this time. He felt the wood begin to vibrate slightly at the force. He strained to his best senses to try and glean any piece of sound he could. Nothing. He grumbled a little bit before taking a deep breath. Exhaling he calmed himself. ¡°Well, it was worth a shot. Maybe I¡¯ll go see that inn all of the guards were raving about.¡± As Alden turned and began walking back towards the main path he felt a distinct lightness. Confused he spun around, checking to make sure everything was in his back. As his brain whirled his hand moved towards his shoulder only to find nothing. Looking to his right he saw that Bob had disappeared. Frowning he tugged at that connection that existed between them. It was faint- no more than a thick tertiary connection at best- but it was still strong enough for him to find Bob. Moving in general direction he sense Bob, Alden took off.


    As he jogged, he couldn¡¯t help but think that maybe Bob needed to be a little bit better trained. Then he wouldn¡¯t run off on his own and possibly get chopped up by an opportunistic butcher. Or kill the butcher themselves. Whatever the case he continued to grumble to himself as he moved further and further into the expansive grounds of this estate. The well-manicured grasses and flowers once again began to rapidly become overgrown and infested, with some even reaching up to his chest in height. Alden was rapidly closing in on Bob¡¯s location. As he mulled over what words of chastisement he would use a sound caught his ear. Slowing Alden trickled some mana into the ear system. It wouldn¡¯t do much, and only enhance him minorly, but it was enough. The sound sharpened to reveal shouting and something vastly more important to Alden. Clucking. Alden didn¡¯t waste any more time and sprinted forward. The area around him began to blur as he pulled on that reservoir from within himself. That well of power which he very rarely used now. He ignored the shadows that grew around his mind as his feet blurred even faster. He burst through into a clearing, taking in the situation with all the haste he could. Bob stood next to an older man- tall but hunched, lithe yet strangely muscular in some places. He wielded some staff that had strange runes carved into, twirling it around like it weighted nothing. Next to him Bob rapidly moved back and forth, lashing out with his talons and spurs. In front of them resided what Alden could only describe as frog-people. They croaked in rage as they stabbed out with crude stone spears. Alden didn¡¯t hesitate. He mentally reached out to the ring on his finger and it rapidly expanded. It flipped into his hand, a rapidly growing wooden pole. He didn¡¯t wait for it to fully form already moving, lashing out with kicks. His left leg blurred and crushed the knee of a creature on his left. As his foot came back and landed on solid ground he twisted his body, lashing out with the still-forming pole. The magical wood whistled through the air before cracking the skull of another one of the creatures.


    It was at this point that they finally noticed him, three of the remaining 5 creatures turning to meet him. He didn¡¯t bother with anything fancy- he simply reached out with his mind. He felt the center of himself shiver in pleasure as he used his power for the first time on this world. He disregarded the feeling as he took the frog-things minds in hand. With a simple flex he crushed them. He could feel the few attempts they made to stop him, that desperate struggle to prevail. He ignored it. The advancing creatures simply stopped. They fell to the ground without a sound, each one having a glassy eyed stared as their empty vessel tried and failed to run on autopilot. Alden ignored him as he swept his naginata out in a wise slash, tearing through the next frogs knee. It fell to its knees with a surprised croack while the old man took advantage, his quarterstaff whipping through the air into the creatures skull. Bob meanwhile, had taken to the air rapidly flying with his strengthened wings onto the last frogs head. The creature sent out a screaming warble and attempted to swat at him- only for his had to be pierced by an incredibly sharp beak. Alden decided to end things faster and his blade skewered the disgusting creature through its heart. Silence descended except for the old man¡¯s heavy breathing and Alden¡¯s heart that was going so fast he feared it would leap out of his chest. He turned to the old man- he presumed Ol¡¯Finch- and extended out his hand. ¡°Hi. I¡¯m Alden, and I believe that you¡¯ve already met Bob.¡± He tipped his head slightly to his left at where the chicken was proudly strutting. The Man stared incredulously at him for a moment before throwing his head back and laughing. His own hand took Alden¡¯s, letting him feel the numerous callouses and scars of a working man. ¡°It is nice to meet you Alden. My name is Finch Senior, although most just call me Ol¡¯Finch.  I must say if it were not for your companion there I would be in a significantly worse position. As it was you came at just the right time. The rest of the Swamp People had just arrived reinforcing the patrolling squad I had stumbled upon.¡± Alden smiled as he senses a job opportunity. ¡°I sense a story their. Perhaps you need some help?¡± The man just smiled at him before gesturing back towards the house. Alden followed him.


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    A few minutes later they stood in Ol¡¯Finch¡¯s dining room, sitting on the rather comfortable seats. In front of him Alden idly glanced at the teacup, marveling at its intricate design and workings. He turned his attention away when he heard the older man settle down into the seat across from him. He waited patiently as Ol¡¯Finch adjusted himself, taking a sip of tea before speaking. ¡°Before I begin telling you my story I must ask, how did you find me young Alden? It is not many who know of my plight, nor care, for that matter.¡± Alden just smiled. ¡°I heard that you might need some help from a young guard. Felran, I believe his name was.¡± Ol¡¯Finch smiled at that. ¡°Felran. A good boy that one. Had a rough childhood, but most do around these parts. I¡¯m glad to see that he¡¯s managed to snag such a job.¡± He waved his hand, as if to dismiss the topic from further conversation. ¡°Nonetheless, I should be telling you about I how I ended up in my position. You see my forefathers had made themselves quite successful by farming and hunting in the wilds around here. All sorts of alchemical potions and regents can be made from the surrounding area. Not nearly as good as deliberately cultivated herbs most of the time, but we have a few species that are truly exceptional.¡± His eyes glossed over, as if he were back in time seeing it with his own eyes. ¡°For generations my family continued in that regard, slowly turning into a full fledge tribe of people. We had grown large enough that a nearby village took notice of us. They sent word to the council of villages and well- we were told to either contribute or prepare for war. My ancestors joined.¡± The man shrugged his shoulders. ¡°It wasn¡¯t all bad. My ancestors were not afraid to die for what they believed in, and freedom was among first place on that list. While they did pay some tribute they received much in turn- enough that they continued to grow. It was around that point however that things began to change. The swamp began to house more and more dangerous creatures. Soon creatures like those dimmable frogs you just fought became commonplace. My ancestors were many things, but they had grown less united over time. Opposing currents within caused them to loose their grasp on the wasps until only a single line remained control over the swamp. That man was my great-great-grandfather. Since then stewardship over our steadily shrinking land has passed from son to son. I am the last remaining heir to the title and soon I may pass away as well.¡± He sighed as he ran his finger around the rim of his cup. ¡°In truth, young adventurer, I question asking you for aid at all. No matter what you do, how many of those creatures you slay, eventually you will leave. Then I will have to deal with the swamp myself. And I cannot. Not anymore.¡± Ol¡¯Finch stopped talking, raising his eyes to meet Alden¡¯s own. Alden¡¯s respect for the man grew. Any man who could voice his weakness without flinching was a man deserving of respect. He let a smile spread across his face at the news. ¡°Actually, Ol¡¯Finch, I believe that we may be able to help each other. You see I¡¯ve been looking for a place to settle down, and well, I¡¯ve got a few debts that I need to repay.¡± So Alden proceeded to lay out the plan that had been brewing in the back of his mind since he had first met Ol¡¯Finch.

 Chapter 11: OlFinch

    Alden began speaking as his eyes wandered. ¡°I make this offer without any threat of retribution. Should you decline, I will merely continue on my way.¡± Ol¡¯Finch quirked his lips at that. ¡°I need a place to build a few things. I wish to dabble some in alchemy and enchantment and this place could be excellent. In exchange I would be more than willing than help you solve some of your issues here.¡± Ol¡¯Finch narrowed his eyes. ¡°That is an¡­ interesting offer. Generous, even.¡± Alden just smiled slightly as he stared at Ol¡¯Finch. ¡°This was not the only place that I planned on stopping by. There are numerous towns nearby that I could buy from, or perhaps I could convince someone closer to my destination. I merely came because I heard some rather unique tales about this place. While I cannot speak to other mages, I can confidently say that I love a good mystery.¡± Ol¡¯Finch snorted. ¡°That all seems nice enough, but this land has been in my family for generation. I believe I may decline.¡± Alden just smiled a little wider. ¡°Yes and were I coming for your land I would leave. But I do not want this land here. I want something else, something I believe you may know.¡± Alden reached into his bag and pulled out the book of Gelid cultures and peoples. Flipping it open he came to a section on various liches. Another book appeared on the table. Then another. Soon the table was covered in opened books, passages highlighted and marked up. Alden slid the largest one, The Treaties of Gelid Cultures by Book¡¯an. ¡°When I started my search, Liches were among my most wished for positions. Their way of caring for their demesne, and the way they aggregate Aether was of key interest to me. As I searched for different Liches, I stumbled upon Azer.¡± Alden¡¯s thumb tapped a picture of an obscured mushroom. ¡°A mushroom lich. Something so rare that this is the only example I have ever heard of. Master of at least a half-dozen mushroom or related affinities. A lich once renowned for their mastery of alchemy and fungiculture. Yet this lich disappeared from their demesne, something that should have been impossible. Azer was assumed dead.¡± Alden stared straight into Ol¡¯Finch¡¯s eyes. ¡°Azer¡¯s here, isn¡¯t he? I could walk you through the dozens of obscure comments, small clues or different signs. But instead, I will merely ask you to tell me truly; is he here?¡± As Ol¡¯Finch opened his mouth Alden helped a hand. ¡°I understand that this is something you wish to keep secret. So, I shall extend some equal trust.¡± Alden placed down a small ring on the table. It had the sigil of a labyrinth, a fist clenched around it. ¡°My mother and father were both delivers.¡± He ignored the sharp intake of breath, saying, ¡°My mother was from Tunk¡¯lan, my father from the Khanstulate. I believe you know what that means.¡± A slow nod was his only answer. ¡°So now that you know some of my story, I ask you truly; is Azer here? And can you arrange a meeting with him?¡± Ol¡¯Finch stared at him steadily for a moment before slowly exhaling. ¡°You are far too strange, boy. But no one would claim what you just did unless it was true, or they were hiding a much worse secret. I write a letter to the Inquisitors or Cadre Legionem and you¡¯re a dead man.¡± Alden merely stared straight into his eyes. Ol¡¯Finch exhaled once again before abruptly standing. ¡°Very well. I suppose there¡¯s nothing else to it. Follow me then.¡± He spun around and disappeared into the maze of a house, Alden following quickly behind.


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    They moved quickly, Ol¡¯Finch grunting as he opened up a dusty trapdoor. He began to climb downwards, Alden moving to follow him. They moved through small, cramped stone hallways filled with cobwebs. They moved steadily for what had to be at least half an hour. Alden looked to his right, seeing the lines of silver and chalk intertwining on the walls. He looked back onto the path they were walking.


    It couldn¡¯t have been more than 30 minutes of walking that Ol¡¯Finch stopped. They were at a T-intersection, one just like the other hundred they had passed. He moved towards a brick, knocking gently on it. Nothing. He waited, lamp swinging slightly in his hands. A low wind began to blow. The brick grinded out, before a whole section of the wall swung inwards. What greeted them was mushrooms. Hundreds upon hundreds of mushrooms growing out of the walls, the ceiling, the floor. Ol¡¯Finch stepped onto them without hesitating, Alden staring at them for a moment before he reached out his foot and stepped onto the mushroom path. They once again continued onwards, a grinding noise heralding their descent deeper into the depths.


    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Ol¡¯Finch¡¯s voice broke the silence that had descended upon them as they came to stand right before a huge mushroom. It towered, nearly reaching the roof of the cavernous room. Alden had to crane his neck to be able to see the edge of the cap. Ol¡¯Finch grumbled as he sat on a red-white spotted mushroom. He sighed as leaned against it, Alden feeling a bit of jealousy. ¡°Who comes before me?¡± Alden glanced at Ol¡¯Finch who just waved his hands at him in a flurry of motion. Alden responded, staring upwards at the massive mushroom. ¡°Alden, the Chicken Mage.¡± A rumbling shook the cavern, heaving in and out. ¡°A Chicken Mage? Why has a Chicken Mage come before me? Speak quickly child. My patience is not infinite.¡± Alden spoke at the same clip, idly rubbing his ring of thorns. ¡°I have come to make a bargain.¡± ¡°What kind of bargain?¡± ¡°I wish to have a place to practice my experiments and plenty of resources. In exchange I offer knowledge.¡± The answer was slow, coming out after a few seconds. ¡°What knowledge could you offer me, Alden the Chicken Mage?¡± Alden just smiled before he reached into that place that he had ignored for so long now. A wind blew. The flame went out. And Alden took the Lich¡¯s mind in hand, gently pressing down upon it. It was nothing more than a gentle touch, a nudge. Yet he could feel that mind recoil in horror at the sensation. The wind faded. The flame flickered back to life. Alden swept that part of himself back into its little corner, squirming slightly at the feeling. Ol¡¯Finch stared at him. Silence engulfed them. Finally, the world once again rumbled. ¡°Very well Alden the¡­ Chicken Mage¡­ I accept your bargain. Come back on the morrow and I shall show you where you will reside in.¡± Alden smiled as Ol¡¯Finch lumbered back onto his feet and began to limp back into the tunnels. Alden followed.

 Chapter 12: Old Debts

    Alden shifted on his feet, staring at the mushroom around him. The darkness welcomed him, embracing him like an old friend. ¡°You are early. Good. Follow my avatar, young mage.¡±  The skin of the mushroom deformed as something pushed out of it. A tearing sound came as the skin broke, a pale mushroom arm breaking through. Another arm joined it. Then a leg. Then another leg. Slowly a small mushroom-man stood before Alden. It stood proudly, staring Alden dead in his eyes-at least he thought it was eyeing him- as it flicked its hands in a ¡®come here¡¯ gesture. Alden struggled not to laugh as the knee-high creature led him to the opposite end of the cavern. There the fungal growth shifted, unveiling a path deeper inward. The avatar wasted no time in moving forward, Alden pacing slowly behind. They spiraled downward, passing branching corridors and rooms. Each one was intricately made from different mushrooms, intertwined precisely. Each room¡¯s design suggested something more, something greater. One reminded him of a mathematical formula for distance. Another the temperature of the sky. Alden memorized their twisting and convoluted path, the layers building themselves withing his mind. He itched with the urge to draw it down on a piece of paper, fingers fidgeting as they walked. Finally, they came to a stop in front of intertwined golden mushrooms. They formed something that resembled a massive cauldron, thin fungus emulating smoke. The mushroom twitched and the wall behind it shuddered, massive roots slowly pulling backwards. Alden entered, gaping slightly at the massive expanse. He looked down, seeing nothing but bare dirt. The avatar gestured impatiently at him, waving those small, child-like arms. Alden quickly acquiesced, following the avatar through the labyrinthine room. He passed stone tables of differing heights, large cauldrons, and various test tubes, before eventually coming to another doorway. This one was made of simple stone, swinging open to reveal a massive garden. Hundreds upon hundreds of different mushrooms grew, spiraling out of every crevice and crack in the room. A huge smile split his face as he took it in.


    A little while later he stood at one of the tables, slowly alphabetizing the different species of mushroom he had found. He appreciated all the different varieties, but it made it rather difficult to quickly write them down and order them. His hands quickly flew over the page, a blur of constant motion as his eyes focused on reading the list. Meanwhile, his left hand flipped open pages in a second book, feeling the rough tabs that denoted each section. Soon he had managed to sort out what sorts of mushrooms were in the garden and what few ingredients he had brought with him. Looking at his formula book he traced the instructions with a finger. He was hoping to help Ol¡¯Finch solve his problems simply and quickly so that he could get a move on. His next destination was quite far from here. Pulling out another sheet of paper he began making notations on what he needed to do.


    Alchemy was unlike anything else that Alden had ever done. Wards, enchantments, smithing, carpentry, cultivation. Alden had done it all and was at least decently skilled in all of it. All those crafts shared similarities, commonalities that could be applied to each. But Alchemy was a different beast entirely. It was both an art and a science, methodical and irrational. Sure, there were specific reactions to different combinations. But rarely did those reactions stay consistent in their intensity and design. No matter how much he measured, analyzed, computed, or experimented, each batch turned out just a bit differently than the other. Not enough to cause issues, but enough to drive him insane. It was almost artistic, feeling what the items needed. Knowing in your gut what herb or ingredient was next, or how to combine it. The recipes helped but only by so much. They were designed to produce one average product consistently. Alden refused to be average. He smiled as he stirred the cauldron. Some days it drove him mad, but even still, he loved it.


    Sometime later Alden climbed out the trapdoors, bouncing up onto the wooden floor. On his back, racks upon racks of glass bottles clinked together. He closed the trapdoor, pulling the rug over it before heading towards Ol¡¯Finch. It was still daylight, before midday. Streams of light beamed in through the cloudy windows, lighting up the rooms. Ol¡¯Finch was a creature of habit- he kept to his schedule religiously. Sure enough, Alden rounded a corner to find Finch working in his library. Books upon books of notes lay around him filled to the brim with different notes and highlights. He looked up when he heard Alden clanking down the hallway, quirking an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Alden gently slung the pack off his shoulders, laying it down on a side table before responding. ¡°Just a few potions I thought might solve our problems. I can¡¯t stay here too much longer; I need to get moving before winter starts to move in.¡± Finch nodded, his smile slowly fading. ¡°I can understand that, although I must say I¡¯m not sure how much those bottles can help. No offence, but I don¡¯t think some fancy magical liquid will make the Swamp People stay away from my territory or dissuade any ghosts I might have.¡± Alden chuckled. ¡°You might be right about that, if it were only the potions I¡¯m giving you. But it¡¯s what I¡¯m going to make with the potions that will help you. Follow me.¡± Alden gestured as he moved out towards the side of the wall. There he pulled a specific book, a click resounding through the air. Tugging on the shelving, the door swung inwards revealing a narrow hallway. Grabbing his potions and slinging him on his back Alden gestured and began moving down the hallway. Ol¡¯Finch just stared at his departing form before scrambling to catch up.


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    ¡°What in the blazes is all this!!? How did you know this was here when I didn¡¯t even know?¡± Alden didn¡¯t pause, talking over his shoulder as he moved. ¡°It¡¯s pretty common really. Most mansions such as this have them for servants and the like. I¡¯m not surprised you didn¡¯t find them- they were made to be unobtrusive. It took a little bit to find where yours were, but it wasn¡¯t too hard when I went room by room. Ah, here we are.¡± Alden swung to the right entering a smaller corridor. He pushed at the end of it, the door swinging open to reveal a large stone room. Rotting wooden chairs and boxes lay scattered, the strong scent of urine and crap wafting from them. Tilted shelves hung loosely on the walls while numerous small tunnels were punched into the mossy stone. A single torch hung in the middle of the room, giving a flickering light. Finch pinched his nose as he stared out into the room while Alden stepped to the side and slung his backpack off. Very carefully he began to pull them out and lay them out in rows, neatly arranging them.


    ¡°The issue is we have a whole lot of problems, and very little time. That leaves us with a bit of a conundrum. Luckily, there were some very smart people who invented ways to deal with these kinds of conundrums.¡± As Alden finished unpacking the potions he began to take out small clay pots. These pots were then arranged similarly to the potions. ¡°I present to you Heighphilliaas Coridantias, otherwise known as Swamp Devils. These little shrooms grow to about the size of your knee and attract bugs, small mammals and even small snakes or frogs. They trap them with a unique excretion called extrocaine which causes them to pass out. The passed-out critters are then dissolved, the Swamp Demons¡¯ acid melting them down into a gooey slurry. The nasty fungi then feast on said slurry as a nutritious little drink.¡± As Alden completely unpacked the pots, he began to put rotted wood and organic matter in the bottom, compacting it with his fists. That was followed by pouring rich, black soil into each one. ¡°Luckily for us these plants have long been bred harmless to humans. Interestingly enough, they were originally created by a mushroom mage to deal with all the little critters that kept getting into his alchemy garden. We are simply going to expand on his work. These pots will make sure the mushrooms grow and stay hearty, along with directing a beneficial amount of Aether to them. Those potions will make them large enough that their acid will threaten even the swamp people, which should dissuade them from coming here. The pheromones won¡¯t affect you or me, so as long as you don¡¯t touch one, you¡¯ll be fine. Best of all they are incredibly rare and reproduce slowly so they won¡¯t get out of control.¡± Alden took several small seeds and began to push them into the pots. ¡°We plant these little things all along your property line and your issues go away. I¡¯ll set up some wards to enhance the effect and we have a natural barrier against the Swamp people.¡± He stood up and smiled at Finch. ¡°So. Whaddya think?¡± Finch stared at him, eyes slowly wandering across the numerous pots. ¡°I think that this plan is probably gonna end in some disastrous way we couldn¡¯t have expected. But I can¡¯t think of anything better. But it still doesn¡¯t tell me what to do with the ghosts that may be here.¡± Alden just smiled at the man. ¡°That required some¡­ special attention. But don¡¯t, worry its taken care of.¡± The old man just grunted. ¡°How do we plant these magical shrooms?¡± Alden smiled and picked up one of the pots. ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long to set up the shrooms, planting them around a quarter of the property. They focused on the western side that abutted the swamp and subsequently the Swamp People. Alden absently swept some sweat from his head as he stared down at the planted mushrooms. On his left Finch finished up, standing up and leaning backwards. Alden heard a crack followed by a sigh. Ol¡¯Finch wandered over to Alden, hands on his hips. They stood there silently for a moment, staring out into the wilderness. The sound of the wind blowing and water lapping at the shore filled the air. Finally, Alden spoke, breaking their silence. ¡°I¡¯ll be heading out within the week. Tunk¡¯lan is at least 2 weeks of hard hiking, probably closer to 3 weeks.¡± Finch hummed, pressing his lips together. He nodded. ¡°Alright. You have any idea when you¡¯ll be back?¡± Alden shook his head. ¡°No clue. If everything goes according to plan it should only take a month or two before I¡¯m back on the path again. I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯m going to find, and things seem to be heating up again with the Khanstulate.¡± Finch nodded again before his brow pinched downwards and he began glancing around. ¡°Where¡¯s Bob gone? I haven¡¯t seen him since the day we met.¡± Alden smiled as he thought about that. It was somewhat hard to believe that they had only met three days ago. ¡°I set him up with his own mission. He¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Finch stared at him with that quirked brow of his. Alden just smiled and swept his gaze back over the swamp. ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±

 Chapter 13: The Clucking Calamity

    Bob was bored. Philosophers could debate if what Boob was feeling was truly boredom, what boredom was, but at the end of it all Bob was bored. Bob didn¡¯t know this of course. No, Bob only had vague intelligence. Still, that was enough to know he was bored, and a bored Bob was a troublesome Bob. So, the Warm One had sent him on a mission. To root out the numerous pests that dared lurk in the hollow stone chambers of their coop. Bob had taken to the quest with great zeal, quickly diving into the rooms. He had prowled the cold stone halls with gleaming eyes and readied spurts. And at first his harvest had been bountiful, uncovering the insectoid vermin left and right.                                                                                                                                                                                                 Lately however, they had avoided his gaze. He prowled down the hallway, clucking slowly to himself. His eyes scanned the area around him. Nothing. His claws clicked and clacked against the hard cobble. Nothing. His waddle trembled as he swept his beak back and forth rhythmically. Noth-movement. Bob¡¯s head whipped around, a cluck screaming its way from him. What appeared was a beetle. Not just any beetle however- no this was a mealworm beetle. Bob could feel a hunger rise in him, a growing call that demanded to be answered. He sprung towards it, his talons slamming into the creature and pinning it. It bucked beneath him even, its abdomen arcing, and a clear mist being sprayed outwards. Said mist engulfed Bob, his waddle shaking as he shrieked his displeasure. Bob could feel the disgusting odor try and worm its way into his nose. With a quick motion his beak pierced the shell of the creature, tearing straight through the chitin. Clear blood arced outward, coating his beak. The beetle twitched and shook as Bob¡¯s beak blurred downwards again and again. Finally, Bob backed off, clucking rapidly as the horrific odor invaded his nostrils. With a silent glance backwards Bob resumed his patrol once again.


    Bob prowled the stone rooms on watch out for any movement or notice. He stepped, turned a corner- and found a small dirt tunnel. It diverged from the main stone angled downward. Bob curiously came towards it, inspecting it for any movement. His eyes ran up and down the tunnel seeing nothing- but he could smell something. Something that reminded him of a mealworm. Bob¡¯s strides came quicker and quicker.


    The tunnel descended sharply for a time and a time more. Bob moved with a steady pace as he raked his keen gaze all across the tunnel. Down and down he traveled, the tunnel beginning to level out before him. The smell grew even stronger, the promise of food luring him deeper. The tunnel fully flattened out, grey growth covering the walls and floors. The tunnel continued forward before splitting open to reveal a massive cavern. Bob stepped into the cavern- and froze. Hundreds upon hundreds of mealworms writhed in a mixture of crap and soiled grain while giant mealworm beetles tended to them. At the back of the cavern another tunnel opened leading further into the earth. If Bob were a man, he would have quickly run away to report what he had found. But Bob was not a man, and Bob was bored. So, he cocked his head and released a thundering, ¡°Cock-a-doodle-do!¡±


    The response was instantaneous. The giant beetles- three of them in the room- immediately moved as fast as their little legs could carry them. They raced towards Bob, moving over the mountain of trash with unmatched expertise. Bob moved to meet them, his wings fluttering eagerly in anticipation. Up and over the mound they came, sprinting downwards. Bob intercepted the first one, leaping up and flapping his wings. His flight was brief, no more than a second or two, but he moved fast enough to land on the beetle. The beetle immediately twisted and rolled up, Bob responding with a vicious spur, flapping upwards before whipping it downwards. The hard bone spike cracked into the beetle shell with a chink, cracking the armor. Bob raised his head to strike downwards- when a stream of liquid struck him in the side. He squawked as he rolled, feet landing in a tangled heap off the beetle.                                                                                                                            With an awkward shuffle and flap of his wings he was back on his feet, now facing all three of the beetles. The back two had begun to arch their backs, streamers of pale liquid being ejected violently. Bob clucked and dodged, the streams falling into pools near him. A few droplets landed on his beak forcing him to inhale the violently putrid liquid. Resisting the urge to eject his crop, Bob took to the air once again in a flying leap. His form soared over the beetles crossing the first two. As he neared the third one, he lashed out with his spurs, right-left, left-right. The small, curved bone carved furrow into the hard shell, cracking it severely.                                                                                          Moving quickly Bob ducked to the side with a short hop, avoiding another streamer of liquid. His right foot lashed out impacting and grasping a crack in the shell. With a tug he pulled himself forward and the beetle off-balance, landing atop the creature. His beak shot down, slipping through the small crack.  His beak tore through the internal tissue, and he felt something soft and large puncture and deflate. He pulled his beak back, raking his talons along the shell as he took off once again. The other two beetles had turned around, one firing steadily while the other charged at Bob. Bob leaped as fast as he could, meeting the charging beetle. Another streamer of liquid impact, this one Bob ignoring as he flicked and struck at the charging beetle. It lashed out with its mandibles recklessly, black insectoid blades whipping about. Bob met it with equal ferocity, striking with his spurs, raking his talons across the carapace and lightning-quick pecks. Shots of the foul-chemical came in less and less frequent intervals, slowing down. The beetle lunged forward, tired- and wiggled in surprise when its front legs gave out. Bob gave it no chance to recover whipping his spurs into his head before viciously kicking and pecking it to death. Bob stared at the final beetle which attempted to turn away. Bob clucked in annoyance before quicky moving towards it. He swiftly dismantled the creature. As Bob began to move towards the feast before him, a rumbling shook the cavern. Bob stared as a massive beetle breached the mound. Hundreds of larval mealworms wiggled and writhed around the grotesque bulk of their mother. Bob clucked in annoyance as the creature-easily twice his size- began to move towards him. With a final cluck Bob bravely turned around and ran.


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    Bob squawked and clucked consistently as the massive beetle perused him. He hit the tunnel and sprinted upwards, the sloped tunnel rapidly falling behind him. There was a groaning of earth before the tunnel started to rumble. Turning his head around Bob squawked again as the massive beetle simply burrowed through the earth with incredibly speed. The very dirt seemed to flow around it allowing it to ¡®swim¡¯ closer and closer. Bob clucked rapidly as his legs twirled even faster.


    Bob flew through the mouth of the tunnel, turning away from the tunnel. He moved quickly through the stone hallway before stopping and staring backwards. Silence. Then- a rumble. Gently at first it began to grow in intensity, shaking the floor beneath his talons. Louder and louder it roared, peaking with a thunderous breaking- before cutting off. Bob cautiously began to walk towards the tunnel, cocking his head at the mouth. He was only a couple of meters away when the wall exploded outwards, stone pellets flung from the tunnel mouth. Emerging was a massive Queen beetle, armor dented and torn, clear liquid leaking from her body.                                                    The creature clacked its mandibles and emitted a piercing vibration that slammed into Bob. He opened his beak- and choked as red liquid flowed from his beak. He staggered, the massive beetle stretching out one leg after another. Bob began to shake- before shrieking and charging forward. His eyes locked onto the carapace- and suddenly every crack was all that he saw.                         He leapt, flapping his wings furiously. He ducked around the clacking mandibles, gracefully landing upon the creature¡¯s head. With a contemptuous movement he spun, his leg diving deep into the head of the beetle. His spur sunk through soft tissue, his talons flexing and tearing as much as he could. A massive screech emanated from the beetle, Bob squawking in horrific pain as the noise penetrated his enhanced sense. His talons hit something and flexed. The noise immediately died off and the beetle shuddered, twitched, and then settled down. Still. Bob hopped down, trying to ignore the horrendous stench- feeling his crop shudder in disgust- before strutting past the dead corpse further into the tunnel. He had a living buffet he had to finish after all.

 Chapter 14: Departure

    Alden smiled at the open road before him, only pausing to toss a wave to Ol¡¯Finch over his shoulder. He just shook his head before turning around and heading back into that mansion he called a house. Alden laughed as on his shoulder Bob clucked, staring at the retreating form of Ol¡¯Finch. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he was talking to me, not you.¡± Bob clucked once more as he turned to stare at Alden before his gaze traveled to the towering sky in front of them. Aldens grin widened. ¡°I know buddy, I¡¯m ready to be back! Watch out world, we¡¯re coming for you! You ready for this Bob?¡± Bob squawked and flapped his wings. Alden rubbed his hands together. ¡°Of course you are! Onward we march!¡± Alden kicked up to a light jog. The world wasn¡¯t going to wait for him after all.


    The Farming Collective- as the country Ol¡¯Finch resided in was called- was, as it sounded, a collection of massive farms. As Alden jogged along the road he passed by numerous fields. Some had plants growing on them. Some didn¡¯t. Some were cleared. Others were still filled with thick forest. Alden took it all in stride. Literally. He marveled at each tree, each unique depression and reentrant. Time passed quickly as he continued onwards, feet carrying him faithfully forward. At night he would continue onwards, not paying any heed to his body¡¯s complaints. It was around a week of travel that he finally succumbed to his body¡¯s demands.                                                                                                                He walked slowly, limping on one leg, heaving for breath, and struggling to not cramp. He staggered up a small hill, pausing at the pinnacle. A large building, easily three stories tall, emitted an incredibly appealing smell. Around it he could hear the neighing of horses and the occasional huff of a Bullwop or chuff a Tigris. He sniffed- and something awoke within him. He crossed those last few steps with a thundering of feet. On his shoulder Bob stirred from his rest, puffing out his waddles and fluttering his wings. Alden pushed on the warm brown doors, easily swinging them inwards. A long and low hearth burned merrily along the right wall while various cuisines roasted over it. Numerous tables were spread out with perhaps a hundred or more different people eating.


    A few side-eyed him when he entered but most turned their attention back to their plate quickly. A young woman, standing behind the desk upfront, smiled at him. ¡°How can I help you sir?¡± Alden chuckled as he walked up to the lady. ¡°Don¡¯t call me Sir, I work for a living.¡± A polite chuckle was his response, Alden laughing harder at his own joke than she. ¡°Ah, I crack myself up sometimes. I¡¯ll take a table and whatever today¡¯s special is. I¡¯d also like a room for a night, presuming you have any open?¡± The girl smiled, nodding her head. ¡°Yes, sir-Alden- we do. For a night its half a silver piece, a full silver if you include food.¡± Alden smiled at that. That wasn¡¯t a bad deal. A bit pricy, but that was to be expected for such a well-known tavern.


    ¡°That sounds wonderful. I¡¯ll go ahead and take the full package. Do you happen to have any bathing areas nearby?¡± The woman nodded again, gesturing. Another lady-nay a girl- walked up, smiling and doing a small curtsey. ¡°Yes Alden. This is Marice, one of our younger staff members. She can guide you to the bathing area, if you wish to bathe before you eat.¡± Alden shook his head. ¡°I believe I¡¯ll eat first.¡± The woman nodded. ¡°Very well Alden. After you eat Marice will be at your disposal. In the meantime, please follow her to your table.¡± The girl gave him a small smile before turning around. Alden followed her to a smaller table against the back wall. He sat down, Marice heading over to one of the waiters. They had a murmured conversation before the waiter headed back to the low bar at the back. Soon a steaming plate of cow was placed in front of him. Alden smiled and rubbed his hands together as he dug in. A cluck from his shoulder prompted a chuckle as Alden cut off a bit of meat before feeding it to Bob. With a contented sigh he dug in.


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    A meal, a bath, and a change of clothes later Alden happily relaxed in his bed. Bob was sitting next to him, staring at Alden in the eyes. ¡°Alright, alright. Time for your daily checkup. You ready buddy?¡± Bob just jutted out his beak, Alden chuckling in response. He reached out and rand his hands over Bob, slowly letting his sense sink through his body. His hands could feel the different layers inside Bob, his touch relaying more information than should be possible. In his mind he easily created a 3-Dimensional structure of Bob, his Aether trickling through him in his entirety. He hummed as he felt Bob¡¯s increased glossiness, the strength of his muscles and feathers.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          It appeared that his spell cleansing regiment had been extremely beneficial, with Bob being stronger by around 20%. His immune system was more vibrant and powerful than ever, his blood flowed cleanly through his veins, and his beak and claws were at their strongest. Alden lifted his hands and pulled over his research journal, idly stroking Bob as he did so. ¡°Okay. Here¡¯s the issue Bob. I think I know how to do things- pretty confident in fact- but don¡¯t really want to try on you. In case, you know, I mess up.¡± He looked towards Bob, eyes narrowing. ¡°There are some things that would be fairly simple to do. I need to unblock the limits on your growth, and I need to feed you enough to grow. That¡¯s pretty simple, ¡®cause your body knows how to do that. Growing new organs however- and strengthening them too- that¡¯s a bit more of a challenge.¡± He chewed on the end of his pencil, eyes flickering rapidly. He stopped suddenly, as he remembered something. ¡°The Olm¡¯an¡¯il. They¡¯ve got the Maddorak riders. I bet they know how to modify different creatures.¡± He stood up, pacing around the room, as thoughts continued to tumble out of him.                                                                                                                                     ¡°The Tunk¡¯lan are pretty close. I¡¯ll just skip over there, find that translator and the baker, then hightail it north. Any pursuers of mine won¡¯t dare tread on their soil, especially with Wurm migrations starting up.¡± Alden¡¯s feet slowed down until he stopped right before Bob. ¡°They¡¯re also pretty friendly- as long as I help out a little bit that is.¡± He nodded once before flopping onto the bed. The mattress shuddered and Bob glared at his human for disturbing his position. ¡°Sounds like a plan then. I¡¯ll just have to find some way to entertain myself between now and then. I¡¯ve read some absolutely fascinating things about the mind¡¯s eye, mana techniques, and developing affinities. Maybe I¡¯ll branch out.¡± Musing to himself Alden let his mind drift off into the darkness of sleep.

 Chapter 15: On the Road Again

    The next morning Alden sprang up, sputtering about the room as he collected his clothing and various belongings. He hopped down the creaky steps, coming out into the main foyer with a grin smeared across his face. He could see the same waiter from the previous night- Manalla, he was pretty sure- glide around the room taking orders. Humming slightly to himself Alden chuckled as Bob squawked and flapped his wings. He hadn¡¯t provided his usual wake-up call and Alden could tell the guy was feeling it- rubbing his head Alden took a seat at a small table. Manalla made her way over, a bowl already in hand. ¡°Here ya go, Sir Alden. Its venison stew with a dash of rabbit. Enjoy.¡± With a curtsey and a smile she excused herself, Alden happily digging into his food. He quickly emptied around ?¡¯s of the bowl before pushing the last of it towards Bob. He squawked before quickly submerging himself in the food. Alden watched with a small smile.


    About 15 minutes later Alden was on his way out, waving to Maurice as he exited the tavern. The small girl gave him a nod in return as the door swung shut behind him. Breathing in the crisp morning air Alden set out once more on foot.


    Slowly he began to make his way east, following the earthen path. While it wasn¡¯t the most direct route Alden was far more confident following a well-trodden path than journeying through the wilderness. The occasional traveler passed him, nods and shouted farewells their only communication. The land around him slowly began to change, the land beginning to turn hilly and lightly vegetated. He filled his head with the beauty of the world around him, and contemplations about different spells. At night he would take a small break to write things down in his journal before once again taking off. Every 3rd day or so he would lay down and sleep, letting the darkness carry him to faraway lands.


    It was after a little over a week that he came to his first major stop. In front of him a low-lying basin was revealed, a massive river snaking its way through the land. Perched on the thinnest section of river was the city of Quil. The distinctive flag- A heavy archer on a purple and white striped shield- flapped in the breeze. He smiled as he trotted down the path, traffic picking up drastically. He mentally ran through what The Treaties of Gelid Cultures had on the city. It was young, having only been established around 20 or so years ago. Despite that it quickly rose in wealth and stature, laying on a key trade route between the west and the east. The Ulgemirsu river served as a natural barrier dividing the east from the west. To the north the formidable Skypiercer mountain range dissuaded any trade caravans. To the south any road risked the fury of the Wild Lands and its savage inhabitants. As such the city was in a prime geographical location and thus, a prime economic location.


    His mind spiraled as he approached the gates, joining the long line that waited patiently for entry. While the Farmers Collective was the main trader to the west, several others were also fairly prominent. The Alf¡¯ari came to mind, as well as the Jun¡¯ocul. Trade-wise they tied for second, while every other city-state rated far, far behind. Coincidently they were the only two countries with multiple cities within their borders. Alf¡¯ari only had two, but still. Alden stilled as his wandering eyes passed over a caravan in front of him. In it he could see men and women chained to an iron cage. His face froze, before relaxing slightly. The trader was a couple of places in front of him, and they were still far away from the gates. That gave him time.


    He narrowed his eyes, hand reached up slightly, a spark of purple twirling around it. Frowning he jerked his hand back down to his side, eyes still darting around the caravan. His lips twisted at the picture. It seemed like an enterprising nomad had found 5 or so foreigners from a local village and decided to make a quick coin. Alden sighed before he moved up the line. A few glares were sent his way, and one or two men even began to step forward. That quickly stopped when he approached the slave trader, postures relaxing. Alden walked up to the man, smiling and waving his hand. The tall warrior, easily over 1.8 meters, climbed down from his place on the carriage, nodding at the carriage rider. Alden moved up to meet the man, quirking his lips slightly.


    ¡°Good to see you friend. I couldn¡¯t help but notice what you¡¯ve got there. Any chance you would be open to selling?¡± The man chuckled slightly before responding. ¡°Depends on how much you¡¯re willing to pay.¡± Alden tilted his head slightly. ¡°6 gold.¡± The other man scoffed, eyebrow twitching. ¡°That¡¯s below market price friend. 4 strong men and a fine woman such that I have? Easily goes for 8 gold in that city.¡± He jerked his thumb in tune with his words. Alden responded in a steady cadence, still wearing a half-smile. ¡°Yes, but we both know that the more established traders would eat you alive. At best you¡¯d get 4 from one of the traders. At worst you end up in an alley with a knife in your back.¡± The slaver shifted slightly nose twitching. Alden pounced at the twitch.


    ¡°Besides, do you really want to pay for them between now and selling them? Who knows how long it will take, and if you starve them, they sell for less. I¡¯ll give you 7 now and you don¡¯t have to deal with it.¡± The other man paused, biting his lip at the corner before he smiled. ¡°You have a deal friend.¡± He offered his hand and Alden took it, shaking firmly. As soon as contact was made the man froze. Alden leaned forward whispering in his ear. ¡°You will not sell, buy, or take another slave for any purpose other than to free them.¡± Alden stepped back, the other man squinting and glancing around. Alden laughed before he clapped his hands onto the slaver¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Let¡¯s get them out of that cage, no?¡± Nodding slowly the man wobbled towards the cage. Pulling out a key he opened up the cage, swinging it open for Alden to see. 5 pale Defarssi stared at him as the man began to gesture.


    Slowly they waddled their way forward, eyes still glazed over. Alden could see a small ring of thorns around each of their necks. Glancing at the man beside him Alden saw similar thorns weaved through his cloth in a semi-stylish manner. He hummed and nodded before turning his gaze back to the action. The slaves tumbled onto the ground, the slaver holding out his hand and letting the bands of thorns jump into it. ¡°There you are friend.¡± A nod later he stepped away and hopped back onto the carriage, slowly rumbling forward.


    Alden glanced at the slaves, hands flashing at them rapidly in hand-speak. He fell back to his place in line, nodding to the guards he saw on his way. They relaxed even further, each one of them giving him returning nods and smiles. He did, however, see a narrowed glare sent his way. Alden gazed at the emblem on that particular guard¡¯s chest before returning his attention to the line before him. The slaves shuffled quietly behind him, not speaking until they had returned back to their place in line. There they stood, Alden ignoring them as he stroked Bob¡¯s waddles and head. A satisfied cluck rang from the chicken¡¯s mouth as he leaned into the touch.


    It was the women who spoke first, a wild mane of red hair hanging thickly around her. ¡°Wha¡¯da you want us fo¡¯ ya big bastard? Won¡¯ be doing nothi¡¯ with that cock of yours.¡± The men around her shifted and fidgeted forward, slightly placing themselves between him and the women. Alden just rolled his eyes as he turned around to face them. ¡°Please. If I wanted the company of the woman there are much more appealing options in that city over there. Most of them I wouldn¡¯t even have to pay for.¡± One of the men- the shortest one with brown hair- chuckled slightly, the woman shooting him a glare in response. Alden continued, ignoring the byplay. ¡°Besides, I have a much more important task for you.¡± This time all of them focused on him, their gazes much more¡­ intense.


    It was the tallest man who spoke next, another mane of fire-red hair draping down his back. ¡°And what task would that be?¡± Alden smiled before handing him a small piece of paper. He watched intently as the man looked at the paper before glancing back up at him. ¡°I can¡¯t read this.¡± Alden¡¯s smile widened. ¡°That¡¯s a lie.¡± The man stared at him. Alden glanced at the rest of them. ¡°You wanna give the rest of your little Band the piece of paper?¡± They had all gone still now, staring at him. He saw their fingers flex and legs tense as the big man responded. ¡°Have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Alden laughed and clapped his hands.


    ¡°Well thank the High Lord. Because if you knew what I was talking about there would be a lot more trouble. After all you¡¯ve never heard of a Band. Right?¡± This time his smile faded, and he stared dead in the big man¡¯s eyes. He received a slow nod in return. Alden went to clap his hands- and then stopped- before petting Bob. ¡°Great! Then I¡¯ll tell you what you¡¯ll be doing since you can¡¯t read. I want information. As much as possible, as detailed as possible, and as subtly as possible. I¡¯ll give you money for the job of course, and maybe one or two other things. Are you amenable?¡± The former slaves stared at each other for a moment, before their leader turned back to Alden. ¡°You have a deal, strange man.¡± Alden grinned broadly. This trip was already going much better than he had expected.

 Chapter 16: Forward

    Alden strode out from Quil¡¯s walls, Bob clucking happily on his shoulder. A wide smile rested on his face as he strode towards his destination, dirt road falling behind him. The now-informants he had enlisted would do an excellent job of collecting what information he needed. He was paying them rather generously, after all.  He bounced slightly as he walked, ideas filling his mind about the future. The world around him faded and blurred, his feet carrying him ever forwards.


    The journey from Quil to Azal was even more boring than from Ol¡¯Finch to Quil. Traffic was much higher on the road for one, leading to frequent slod-downs. The merchant caravans and horses rarely bothered Alden directly however, and so he in turn didn¡¯t bother them. The local bandits knew better than to try and strike at the caravans. If they managed to actually pierce the roving patrols and independent merchant guards, take any sizable number of resources, and flee successfully they would be hunted down relentlessly. This trade route was a vital source of money and resources, the beating life of both cities¡¯ economies. Any attempt to disturb that heartbeat would be met by a swift and overwhelming force from both city-states¡¯ militaries. More than that however, the bandits knew what Great Powers ruled these cities and wanted none of it.


    Time passed and before long Alden had reached the sky-winch. The sky-winch was a massive contraption of ropes, pulleys, and platforms stuck into the side of the mountain like a grafted limb. Alden didn¡¯t have to wait long before the efficient bureaucracy- at least in this aspect of the city- loaded him onto a platform up. The pulley system slowly lifted him and a rather large group of compatriots further into the air, moving them ever closer to the gates. He could see a staircase carved into the mountain- although he pitied any poor soul that had to scale it. As they were lifted level to the fortress city, birds seemed to sing, and the constant winds stilled at its magnificence. The city of Azal stood proud, its flag blazing with an internal light.


    Built half-way up the mountain, sheer cliffs on all sides protected it from any would-be attacker. The city was renowned for its defenses, having held against the roving Mori¡¯arti¡¯shol bands for centuries. Its walls had not buckled, its defenders had not fled. The city was seen as a symbol of defiance against the Great Empires and Kingdoms that held themselves tall around the Skypiercer mountain range. Alden smiled at the guard as he approached the gatehouse, the mailed man waving him down. He was quickly let in, a small bit of copper making the paperwork much easier.


    As he entered the city proper a wall of noise almost sent him staggering. But he put one foot in front of the other, the noise slowly fading to a background roar. A cloth covered his nose, shielding him from the pungent aroma that wafted all around him. He blamed the lack of a proper sewage system. In front of him a large cobble road led towards an open market, wooden stalls filled with hawkers selling their wares. Alden ignored any such invitations as he pushed through the dense crowd. Buildings of wood and stone surrounded him on all sides, pressing down on him like a physical weight. Slowly he traversed the mob, slipping through small gaps and pauses in the foot traffic. Eventually he managed to slip away from the main marketplace, a sigh escaping him and shoulders slumping slightly.


    For a second, he just leaned against a wall- before rolling his shoulders and standing up straight. He strode towards a small, decrepit wooden building. It was squashed between two massive buildings of stone, trash and garbage stacked up all around it. A wonky wooden sign hung over the entrance, depicting a single light burning brightly in the infinite darkness. Alden shuffled sideways and forward as best he could, holding his nose as he tried to avoid piles of trash. Finally he came to the front, shoving his shoulder into the doorway and pushing with his legs. The door creaked open, the interior of the store painting a sharp contrast with the outside. Pristine wooden shelves decorated the walls while small counters with glass fronts rand the width of the shop. At the back a small boy was flipping through a book, a pair of reading glasses hanging loose on his nose. He glanced up at the door opening, eyes widening as he took in Alden¡¯s form. ¡°Alden!¡± The boy leapt over the counter before sprinting towards Alden. Alden squatted down and let the boy smash into him. He rocked back slightly, chuckling at the impact. ¡°Hello little Alchemist. Did you miss me?¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Of course! Where have you been?! You have to tell me everything!¡± Alden chuckled again as he slowly stood up. ¡°I will, I will. I just need to speak to your father for a moment. Is he here?¡± The boy nodded, eyes darting towards the back. ¡°He is, but he said no one should disturb him. Something about world-ending science.¡± Alden widened his eyes in exaggerated amazement. ¡°Well in that case I better make sure that he doesn¡¯t end the world.¡± Shooting a wink at the little boy, who giggled, Alden moved towards the back of the shop. There he pushed through a cramped doorway, into the even more cramped backroom. A long room stretched before him, rows upon rows of ingredients and books filling the space. He passed through a small corridor of such ingredients and books, filled with both the exotic and mundane, before the shelving fell away. It revealed a massive workstation, at least a dozen tables spread out around one massive, central worktable. At it a man sat hunched over, monocle over one eye and small teasers in one hand. He was working on something small, making tiny adjustments near constantly. Alden just crossed his legs and sat, tilting his head curiously at the project.


    It was over 30 minutes before the man put down his tools and stood up to stretch. He turned- and froze as his eyes landed on Alden. He frowned. ¡°How long have you been waiting there?¡± Alden stood, a smile on his face. ¡°Long enough. Working on something about clocks I take it?¡± The man just grunted as he began to move past Alden. Alden followed behind, trailing a foot or so behind him. ¡°What has brought you here? Why have you chosen to curse my shop with your presence out of all places?¡± They moved towards a small office, taking a right at a small offshoot in the endless books and reagents. Alden took a moment to respond, idly glancing around. ¡°I need information.¡± A snort erupted from the man as he opened up a rich oak door and entered a room. Alden followed, entering as his guide flopped onto his butt behind a solid desk. ¡°Of course you do. Very well then, what knowledge do you seek?¡± Alden sat down in front of the desk, pulling out a sheet of paper as he did so. ¡°I need to know about all of these things. Books preferably although I could make tablets or songs work.¡±


    The man took the list with a grunt and stared at it. He froze as he was partway down the list before continuing, although much more intently than before. Slowly he looked up, eyes narrowed and restless. ¡°Why would you need to know about Tunk¡¯lan? Or how to construct an artificial affinity?¡± Alden just waved his hand. ¡°Because I¡¯m going to visit of course. Besides, I had a few ideas for expanding my magical repertoire. You¡¯ll notice that I also asked for books on mana techniques and casting, and some history books. The man put down his monocle, staring Alden straight in the eyes. ¡°Yes. And by ¡®some history books¡¯ you mean things such as Davragam¡¯s Census and the work of Archibald the Greater.¡± His voice dropped to a whisper. ¡°But that¡¯s not even the worst thing you ask for. You asked for an uncensored version of the Tha- I¡¯m not even going to say the name. Do you know what that thing is? Who would come after you-me- if they knew it was here? You know what, I don¡¯t want to know. Take it and leave.¡± The man gestured and a book flew from one of the shelves coming to rest before Alden.


    Alden picked it up gently, the weight resting in his hands. With a flick of his wrists, it disappeared. More books came flying down, Alden carefully stacking them before picking them up. They disappeared from his hands, as if they had never existed. The man leaned back in his chair, form slumping. Alden stood up and began to head toward the exit- before pausing and looking back. ¡°My oath still stands Master of Clockworks.¡± The craft Master just gave him a look, leaning against the backrest of the chair. ¡°I am well aware Devosh. It is the reason I do as you ask. Now leave and give Michael that story you promised him.¡± Alden inclined his head before exiting the office. There were things to do and not enough time to do them. And he owed a dramatic story of fierce bandits and actions as well.

 Chapter 17: Impatience

    Alden¡¯s eyes wandered across the rolling hills, drifting off the numerous boulders that dotted them. On his shoulder Bob shifted, his slumbering form radiating a comforting heat. Aden¡¯s hand darted up and started to stroke his crown of feathers, mouth twisting slightly. Glancing down at the book in his other hand he cocked his head slightly. His finger tapped a beat on the aged paper, tracing out the swirls and dashes that made up the words. He hrrmmmed for a second before flipping the book closed and flicking his wrist. The book vanished. He came to a halt a few steps away from a large outcrop of rock. With a few steps and a small leap, he was sitting on the outcropping, legs dangling downward.


    He twisted his fingers slightly. A dull green stream twisted around his hands and fingers, twirling and pulsating. He clenched his fist and the dull river disappeared. He looked up and locked his eyes farther on the path. There was nothing but the blue horizon and towering mountain peaks in the distance. A grin danced on his lips. It called to him and soon he- a black silhouette interrupted his contemplations. Alden glanced up at Bob. ¡°It¡¯s go time buddy. You about ready for this?¡± A single eye flickered open before the chicken snuggled in, deeper into his shoulder. Alden chuckled. ¡°All right, all right. I¡¯ll wake you in case I get in trouble.¡± With a swing of his legs, he hopped off the stone outcrop, dropping into a squat as he landed. Standing up he began to stroll towards the approaching figure.


    The dull silhouette on the horizon soon turned into the robed form of a women. Dark silks and fabrics hung around her lithe form, accents of red creating half-formed sigils and pictures. She only spared him a single glance before resuming her march down the path. Alden raised a hand and stopped around 10 meters from the mysterious stranger. ¡°HO! Mind a bit of company traveler?¡± The woman came to a halt, her charred staff grinding into the dirt. ¡°Never.¡± Her voice was low, rough. It wiggled into his ears and mind. Alden shivered a little bit before quickly taking a few steps forward. ¡°Where are you headed?¡±


    ¡°Azal.¡± Alden grinned. ¡°Is that so? As it happens, I just came from there. If you wish I can tell you about the happenings of the city?¡± The woman threw back her head and laughed. ¡°Thank you dear, but I believe that I will investigate it myself. It is so much more interesting that way.¡± Alden nodded with her. He began to move past her still form, pausing when he was only a few feet behind her. ¡°Oh, the names Alden by the way. If you ever need any help, just ask around. Someone will know how to contact me.¡± The robed figure just chuckled and began to walk away-¡°Will do dear.¡± A gentle, dull green spark leapt from Alden¡¯s hand onto her. With a nod he stepped back onto the path, feet treading rapidly over the worn soil.


    Alden remembered reading a book about a famous traveler. The author had described with astounding detail every amazing sight and sound they had discovered. At the time Alden had questioned the author. No longer. He couldn¡¯t point to one sight, one vista or view that stood above the rest. Yet every sight combined into something magnificent, something that he feared forgetting. So, he did his best to commit that natural beauty to memory. It made every passing step precious. Soon enough he stood at his next destination.


    Alden surveyed at the field ahead of him. Behind him the Skypiercer pierced the sky that they lay underneath, a solid presence. The field ahead had lush, green grasses stretching high. A low mist clung to the ground, emitting an ethereal grace that was beyond depiction. If he had not known what this place was, his eyes would have skipped over it. But some burdens had to be carried. Slowly he crossed into the tall grass, of to the side of the dirt path. He waded further and further in, kneeling on the rich soil on the side of a hill. Gently he shifted through the soil, letting the moist black dirt fall through his fingers. His eyes traced the descent of each particle as they impacted the ground. In his smudged hands a small piece of metal revealed itself. He held it up to his eyes, slowly rotating it around in front of himself. It was rusted and pitted, but Alden could see where once it had been a part of something greater. He stood silently, tucking the metal shard away. Neither he nor Bob spoke until they were once more onto the path, heading towards his next stop. Some places deserved the respect of the living. Some places deserved their final rest.


    The plains around him began to fall away, revealing gently rolling hills and sparse trees. In the distance those sparse trees gradually turned into a forest, thicker than a mule¡¯s skull. A smile lingered on his lips as they closed onto the forest. Bob ruffled his feathers, clucking questioningly. Alden chuckled and reached up to stroke his waddles. ¡°We¡¯re almost there. Just have to take one last stop before we continue onwards. You remember what I told you?¡± Bob squawked and fluttered his wings. ¡°Alright, alright. Yes, you are perfectly capable of remembering your dumb human¡¯s suggestions.¡± Bob clucked once more as he settled down, Alden snorting at the uppity bird. ¡°It¡¯s only cute the first-time buddy.¡± Ignoring Bob¡¯s verbal riposte Alden stepped into the thick brush, and off the trail. Time to make his greeting.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    Life was something no one really understood. Alden had seen a wider variety of creatures than most his age and he could say with complete confidence, that it was weird. Some animals made sense, in how they behaved and looked. Others didn¡¯t. Aether enhanced some creatures, blessing them with greater intelligence and thought. For others it didn¡¯t. And still, the question had to be asked, how much of a role was Aether playing? Could sapient creatures arise on a world without Aether? What would such a world look like?


    All that was to say, that there were certainly a lot of explanations and questions about the Squil. As Alden traipsed through the forest he could feel their eyes on them, shadowing him from the trees. They were hard to keep track off, and in fact without Alden¡¯s certain-advantages- such a thing would be nigh impossible. Even with his unique abilities, keeping one eye on them as they leaped and glided from tree to tree was an exercise in frustration. Still, it was an enjoyable exercise, nonetheless. Alden paused as the trees seemed to warp in front of him, eyes glossing over the area. His mind wanted to wander, and a thousand different worries and plans sprung to the forefront of his mind.


    Alden grinned and reached out, a small bit of mana funneled into the tree beside him. The ward in front of him wavered for a brief second- and in that second Alden stepped through it onto the other side. He could feel it attempting to hold onto him, drag him backwards, yet he cared little for it. The wards were well made but not Expert quality. Alden continued onwards, dodging through three different sets of wards, a couple of traps, around a venomous plant or two, before finally reaching the inner reaches of the trees. Here the massive trees turned into monoliths- towering monuments that reached far into the realm above. Alden paused before entering into the ring of the largest of the Elder Trees. ¡°I petition the Herald for his time.¡± The singing of the birds paused. The wind began to slow, even as the rustling of leaves resounded louder and louder. Then a voice echoed out. Squeaky, and high pitch- yet powerful. ¡°The Herald greets the entrant.¡± Alden schooled his expression before his foot crossed the threshold into that inner glade. He could feel a tingle over his skin, even as his eyes squinted at the power of the Ward around him. The others had been well made, yes, but Alden was confident in making as good or even better. Yet this one- this one¡¯s maker he would humble himself before, to glimpse the barest secrets of this Ward.


    Alden entered and took three crisp, deliberate steps- before kneeling. He swept his hands out from either side of him, a small object in his right palm. The Herald waited, eyes hidden behind a pale white mask. Only when Alden had completely stilled did he step forward and reach into Alden¡¯s outstretched hands. Those furry paws tickled his hands as they picked up Alden¡¯s gift. The Herald stepped back and Alden smoothly transitioned upright, hands on his thighs. The Herald- a small furry creature most similar to a squirrel- held up the dark acorn up to his eyes. ¡°I give to the Herald a Tenebris Custos, one of my most prized possessions. It is a seed, a seed that- if properly cultivated- will hide and protect you far better than any Ward every could.¡± The Herald¡¯s whiskers quivered.


    ¡°A bold claim. One that we will test thoroughly.¡± He set down the acorn and turned his attention upon Alden. ¡°But that is of far lesser concern than how you found Us. Few are those who are aware, and those that are know better than to send a guest unaccompanied.¡±  Alden shrugged. ¡°I muddle my way here and there.¡± The Herald just stared at Alden. Alden grinned back unashamedly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about it. Let¡¯s just say I have my ways and leave it at that.¡± One of the Herald¡¯s 4 arms stroked its whiskers. ¡°Very well then. What have you come to do?¡± Alden stood up completely. ¡°Nothing. Other than to introduce myself. I have a hunch that things are going to get interesting soon enough, and I suspect that your people do not have many to call upon.¡± Alden turned, as if to leave, before pausing. ¡°Oh, and I also wanted to make sure I had a way to get rid of the Curse.¡± The Herald¡¯s mask flared with bright light. For a brief instant Aether rushed towards the Herald- before the light abruptly cut off. ¡°Is that another hunch, mysterious stranger?¡± The Herald¡¯s voice was cautious now. Alden turned completely around and began to step out of the circle. ¡°You could say that.¡± Alden completely stepped out of the circle, and let his feet carry him all the way back to the trail. Bob stood up on his shoulders, claws piercing through the thickened leather pad. Alden patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry buddy. Soon you won¡¯t have to worry about mages like that.¡± With a smile, and a clucking Bob, Alden moved forward onto the path.

 Research Journal

    Entry #2


    Subject: Bob


    Updates:


    <ul>


    <li>As expected, the cleansing regimen has begun diminishing returns. Currently each spell is giving miniscule effects, so much so that I have been able to reduce the spell load by half and ensure the same amount of improvement. I expect within the next week to gradually reduce the spell load until it is completely removed. </li>


    <li>Bob has increased somewhat In size, although I have halted any further modification. Legends of the Olm¡¯an¡¯il and their bonded beasts have piqued my interest. I suspect my adventurers will soon lead me there to consult their wise sages. I shall have to bring something suitable to trade for the knowledge. I will need to search for information. </li>


    <li>Bob¡¯s immune system has become marvelous. There were a few areas where the disease did more damage than expected, but I was quickly able to heal any damage that would have been occurred. Nonetheless, I can feel how such spells strain at the edges of my Affinity. AS such I have taken more precautions to treat him even more carefully. I have also reached a quandary; all chicken-exclusive plaques have been acquired through various means. Most remaining diseases will expose me to some level of harm, and I lack the ability to heal myself as I can Bob. As such this spell regimen may stall as I seek an answer to this question.</li>


    <li>Sense wise Bob has far exceeded all my expectations. His sight, hearing, and smell have all been expanded to roughly double their previous effectiveness. Any further improvements will be much more challenging, as my knowledge of chicken anatomy is not complete.</li>


    </ul>


    New Programs:The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    <ul>


    <li>Due to the inspiring success of his senses, I have stepped up on his mental enhancements. Using¡­ it¡­ is uncomfortable but necessary. The regimen is in its infancy. </li>


    <li>I have begun an extensive level of diagnostic spells on bob, far more in depth and painstaking than previously. In addition I plan to research other creatures anatomy for inspiration.</li>


    <li>While progress has stalled in most areas, I have managed to identify a training regimen that will put Bob through the optimal growth. It will require precise measurements, but the rewards are more than worth it. I shall begin upon it as soon as possible. </li>


    </ul>


    General:


    I have come to the conclusion that one affinity is far too limiting. I plan to expand my repertoire of magic extensively and have taken steps to ensure such a thing.  We shall see how it will go. Dawn is approaching, as is my next destination. Let us see what the day brings.

 Chapter 18: The Gates of Tunklan

    ¡°Does it impress you, Bob?¡± Bob clucked on his shoulder as Alden eyed the massive hole in front of him. ¡°Yeah, I think it¡¯s a little over the top myself.¡± Rolling hills, dotted with trees, and dozens of similar holes dotted the area around him, although none could compare to the one before him. Said hole was easily over 500 meters in diameter, and stretched deeper than his eyes could see. Alde grunted and looked back at Bob. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to it, I guess. You wanna go first?¡± Bob squawked and flapped his wings. ¡°You wanna fly down? We haven¡¯t really worked on your wings but it¡¯s well within your ability.¡± Bob answered with a warble and a leap off Alden¡¯s shoulder. Alden just shook his head and leaped down himself, the spellform for levitation springing into his mind.  It fit easily within his Mind¡¯s eye, Aether racing through it and enveloping him. He smoothly descended into the hole, Bob gliding below him. Alden¡¯s lips quirked as he saw the bird perform several mid-air acrobatics. ¡°Showoff.¡±


    As the initial thrill faded from his veins, Alden could only stare in awe at the massive bore. The cavernous sides were threaded with dozens of streaks of colors- brief splashes that faded away, but not before enrapturing him. The occasional critter would dart over the smooth surface, escaping into small holes and pockets in the pockmarked rock. Moss grew from the cracks, a green glow that created a mesmerizing aura with the colored ores and metals. By the time his feet gently hit the cavern floor, Alden was still marveling at his surroundings. A cluck from his right brought his attention back to the earth where Bob was flapping his wings impatiently. Alden chuckled and reached out, Bob scaling up onto his shoulder. He settled into his customary position, observing the cavern before then.


    Although to call it a cavern failed to encapsulate its glory. It felt as if he had stepped upon a memorial, a monument built to old, ancient peoples. Columns of rock sprouted from around him with carved reliefs of men battling disfigured, demonic monsters all around him. The stone floor had been extensively carved with a thousand intertwined images. Alden¡¯s eyes danced around, seeing a battleground in one scene, then a lone hero ripping open the earth in another. He walked further and further in, more and more statues, paintings, carvings and reliefs adorning every inch of the place around him. He came to halt before two massive gates of burnished bronze, unadorned at first glance. Alden¡¯s eyes narrowed, revealing thousands of tiny lines that scrawled across the structure in intricate braids and patterns. He took a step backwards to get a better view, eyes slowly panning over every inch of it. ¡°HALT!¡± Alden glanced upwards, towards the top of the massive gates. A silhouette slowly resolved, tiny against the bulk atop which it stood. The figure held what appeared to be a crossbow, pointed at him. Or perhaps it was a staff- he couldn¡¯t really tell.


    ¡°Ho the Gates! I come in search of my Line.¡± The silhouette didn¡¯t move. ¡°And why do you suspect your Line hides here?¡± Alden cocked his head at, what he suspected at least, was a man. ¡°Because I have a letter.¡± Reaching down into one of his pockets he brought out a small piece of old papyrus. He held it up in the air. ¡°It was penned by my mother.¡± The guard lowered the crossbow slightly. ¡°And why would one of the Tunari go into the world?¡± Alden raised an eyebrow. ¡°She wished to make her own way and life.¡± A sigh echoed from the guardsman. ¡°Very well. You will still be inspected before you can enter the Refuge.¡± Alden just shrugged. ¡°I would expect nothing different.¡± The man lowered his weapon completely and began to turn- before pausing and turning back towards Alden. ¡°What¡¯s up with your chicken?¡± Alden stroked Bob¡¯s waddle. ¡°He¡¯s my companion.¡± The guard chuckled at that. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll have to scan him as well.¡± When Alden nodded the man turned and gave a nod to someone below him. A cranking sound echoed as a small doorway swung open from the wall. Alden nodded in appreciation at the cleverly hidden doorway. 4 different guardsmen, all in brown leather tabards formed a cube around it.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Alden walked steadily towards the group, the escort quickly enveloping him. No words were spoken as the men filed into the revealed passageway, Alden following behind. They moved through the straight corridor before taking a right. The tunnel began to slope downwards as they took a left at a T-intersection. Another right, then down a flight of stairs, then a left, down a long hallway. After what seemed to be at least 30 minutes of twists and turns they finally came to a nondescript door, hung in a hallway that looked all but identical to the others. Similar doors dotted the corridor on both sides at regular intervals. One of his guards pushed open the door and stepped through, peeling off to the right. Another stepped off to the left as Alden himself moved into the room.


    It was a small room, with dirty walls and a smudged cobble floor. A rickety wooden table with two chairs dominated most of the room. On Alden¡¯s side a small stool was pulled out, one leg dangling precariously from it. Opposite of him a man sat, thick leather armor interlaced with metal plates. Numerous small badges and pins adorned his left side. Alden¡¯s eyes slid off the man towards the area behind him. A woman leaned against the wall, in what looked to be some sort of fur overcoat and dress combo. The man cleared his throat, gesturing at the chair in front of him.


    ¡°Take a seat.¡± Alden smiled and crossed to the chair, flopping down onto it. Bob¡¯s claws tightened slightly at the motion - before relaxing as Alden sunk into the chair. The man¡¯s eyes flared as they scanned Alden- although he did notice a brief twitch at Bob on his shoulder- before the man gestured again. ¡°I believe you had a letter?¡± Alden nodded and leaned forward, placing the paper on the table. The man leaned forward and scanned it, eyes flickering over the old papyrus. The examination dragged on, Alden leaning back and staring at the roof. He even kicked his feet out under the table, ignoring the glare the man sent his way. After another few minutes the man stopped analyzing it and held it over his shoulder. Without a word the woman took it and scanned it herself. Alden started drumming his fingers on the table. The man just glared at him.


    Finally, the woman handed the sheet back to the man, leaning forward to whisper something in his ear. The man- a captain Alden figured, or someone equally important- held the piece of paper for a second before handing it back to Alden. Alden slid the paper back into his pants, looking up as the captain cleared his throat. ¡°The rules of Tunk¡¯lan are simple.¡± He held up a finger. ¡°As with all other cities no robbery, murder, assault, or any other physical violence will be tolerated.¡± A second finger. ¡°If we find that you are in any way associated with the Khansulate you will be immediately detained and held for questioning. All your rights will be revoked, and you will serve as our guest for as long as we see fit.¡± A third finger. ¡°Finally, if you bring any of the False God¡¯s images or altars into this place you will either face immediate expulsion or execution. Are we clear?¡± Alden nodded.


    ¡°Crystal.¡± The captain flicked his hands, and the guards began to file out. ¡°Follow them out and they will lead you where you need to go. We hope you find your Lineage, wherever they are Lost One.¡± Alden smiled at the man, bowing slightly with a fist over an open hand, before turning around and following the guards out. Behind him the door slammed shut as that same dull hallway came into view. Alden stroked Bob¡¯s waddles. Things were going to get interesting soon. He could feel it in his gut.

 Chapter 19: The Market

    Alden ignored the grinding of the stone door behind him as he stepped onto a large boulevard. Alden grimaced as thoughts of where the door was slid from his mind, a thousand other things jumping to his attention. He had suspected something like that would occur. Not bothering to hold onto the information he let it slip into the recesses of his mind and began to stride forward. The cavern was cast in a dull light, few people hustling to and fro. Tall poles, topped by softly glowing mushrooms, guided travelers forward.


    Alden took in a deep breath, marveling at the city around him. Tunk¡¯lan was a city build by persecuted people, who were used to hiding and fighting, and this place showed that. The boulevard he was on was wide enough for a wagon but not two, and tall enough for a wagon but not anymore. The mushrooms hung from those poles, but Alden had no doubt that they had some way to turn out the light. Instead of broad caverns and sweeping architecture, it felt cramped, solid stone surrounding him on all sides. Yet despite that beauty marked every inch of it. An intricate swirl there, a small depiction of the sun rising over here. A small series of images showing Tunari fighting different monstrosities that chased them.


    He kept walking, the doors engraved with unique Tunari symbols. They kept their language secret-so secret that if you left the city, they stripped knowledge of the language from your mind. The building stones were thick and heavy, no doubt reinforced against any sort of violence. Every man or woman Alden saw had some type of weapon- whether that be a dagger or a small crossbow. Their gazes bore into him, watching the way he walked, the way he held himself. Alden ignored it. A stranger in every town was a stranger in no town. He mentally chuckled as he turned right at an intersection, more people collecting into the space.


    Thick, towering doors stretched up to the height of the ceiling resided at the far end of the path, propped open by large stone blocks. Even from this far Alden could see the guards taking note of all who entered and left. Alden joined the queue, letting the flow of people carry him along. A bubble formed around him as the Tunari eyed him up, gazes suspicious.


    Soon enough Alden was past those doors, the guards¡¯ gazes burning several new holes into his back. He ignored them in favor of the room that surrounded him. It broke the mold the rest of the city formed- a large cavern, numerous tents and stalls spread out. Yet even here, Alden could see the way the roof remained low, or the dozens of small stone walls and hatches placed regularly around the room¡¯s circumference. He had no doubt that this place could be turned into a fortress with little trouble.


    As the small crowd pushed him along, he turned his attention to the stalls around him. The first step of blending in was proper clothing. Swiftly he made out his target and strode towards a small stall on the outskirts. It was placed in a very unfavorable position, yet Alden still noticed a steady stream of customers flowing through it. He came to the entrance, a small tent in front of which sat a table. Atop of it were various silks and clothing, more of those intricate patterns and designs woven through the fabrics.


    Flanking the central table were clothes that were of lesser quality. Still, they seemed to be as good or perhaps even better than Alden¡¯s current garments. A young lady stood behind the central table, numerous bracelets and earrings jingling as she glided towards him. She wore a long, flowing tunic into a puffed skirt that twirled around her. Her bare feet hardly made a whisper against the stone floor as she approached Alden. ¡°What can The Wonderous Wears of Effie do for you sir?¡± Alden looked around the selection before pointing to a collection of tunics and pants that were off to the side. ¡°I want three different pants and tunics, 2 robes, and at least one pair of sandals please.¡± The woman nodded, a brilliant smile on her face as she swiftly packaged the requested items.


    In no time Alden had a pile before him, neatly folded and organized. He slung his pack off his shoulders and began to reach into it- before the woman¡¯s voice interrupted him. ¡°If I may make a suggestion sir.¡± Alden just shrugged and waved at her. Her smile didn¡¯t flicker in the slightest. ¡°If you are planning to blend in then you still need some more items. What you have currently is¡­ sufficient, perhaps, but not enough. If you want, I can find you a complete wardrobe for every activity you might engage in. We have reading robes, or shopping tunics. We also have sparring wear if that is more to your liking.¡± Alden paused for a second- before bringing out his coin purse, although he paused before handing anything over. ¡°For now, I suspect I will do just fine.¡± He hesitated for a moment. ¡°But I will take a pair of sparring clothes if you have any nearby.¡± The woman spun around behind her, grabbed something, and spun back around revealing a tight brown weave with white accents.


    ¡°Here you are sir. That will be 3 silver shekels.¡± Alden peeked into his bag and handed her 4 silver coins. ¡°Will this do?¡± The woman held them up to her eye, inspecting them- before biting one down. Nodding, she slipped them away. ¡°These will be adequate, although I do have to warn you that you will not be finding many favorable deals if you continue to use these foreign currencies.¡± Alden just nodded and smiled. ¡°Of course, I received a very favorable deal, no?¡± The woman threw back her head and laughed. ¡°Oh, not at all. It¡¯s still better than you¡¯ll find elsewhere, however. Don¡¯t hesitate to come back.¡± With that the woman swept over to another man who was currently browsing the cloth-armor and began gesturing enthusiastically. Alden shrugged, turned, and left. Time to pick up his other items.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Alden bob ad weaved through the crowds, his pack heavy with acquired items. He had managed to pick up a sparring stick, a couple of meditation candles, a few books on local culture and philosophy, and even a carving of Bob, because why not? He had made sure, however, to exchange his foreign coins for the local shekels. While it may not be common for foreigners to enter Tunk¡¯lan it was apparently not unheard of, because off the main market space a small room led to an equally small exchange counter. They had skimmed more off the exchange than he had hoped, but less than he had feared. After acquiring the local currency, throwing on a pair of robes and sandals, and changing his accent-a talent he had acquired on his adventures-he began to blend in. People still gave him looks, but those looks tended to be towards his strange assortment of acquisitions than any behavior he exhibited.


    Soon after he managed to slip into his last store, a small tent built against the side of the wall. A sign hung down above, showcasing a cauldron with a hissing cat atop it. Alden smiled as he pushed through the flaps, a small jingle echoing out as he entered. A shuffle, mixed with the sound of something hitting the ground, echoed out before a short, stocky man pushed his way through a second set of flaps further back. Alden nodded at the man even as his eyes scanned the store around him. Various pre-made wards, enchanted items and more littered the area. Well, their placeholders did at least. Instead of the physical items themselves there were drawings and note cards describing what the items would do.


    Alden took a moment to take in the store- before setting off toward the front table. He swept from table to table, coming closer and closer to his target. He pretended to be interested in a few things here or there- in order to throw the shopkeep off, hopefully- before coming to his target.


    ¡°Looking for something in particular?¡± Alden smiled at the man and shook his head. ¡°Just browsing I¡¯m afraid.¡± The salesman chuckled. ¡°No one walks into my shop just to ¡®browse¡¯ my friend. What are you looking for?¡± Alden shrugged. ¡°I may or may not need a couple of things. Like I said, I¡¯m browsing.¡± The man clasped his hands in front of him. ¡°Very well then. Do not hesitate to call on me, for I am but your humble servant.¡± Alden nodded as the man walked over to a chair in the back corner, sitting down and pulling out some type of ledger.


    Alden circled the tables a couple of times, lifting and inspecting various items- before finally picking up what he needed. It was a small brown orb that resembled a crudely done pot. Alden could feel the mana reservoir within it, connected to the enchantments. Apparently the shopkeeper had deemed it low enough in power and value to leave it out instead of a notecard. He let his eyes sweep over it, seeing the threads and weaves of Aether. He grunted and lifted it completely before bringing it to the man. He also picked up a small dagger with a simple metal enchantment. It would keep the blade sharp and from rusting, a very useful thing. The man looked up from his seat, setting down his ledger. ¡°Ah, you have found what you were seeking.¡± Alden nodded. ¡°Indeed, I have.¡± The man grinned at him. ¡°That is excellent. Just set them down on that table right there.¡± Alden did as he was bid, setting both magical items onto the table. The man lifted what looked to be some type of spectacle and closely examined each item, running his finger over them and lining them up on the ledger he was holding. Finally, he nodded and looked back up at Alden. ¡°Looks to be in order. It will be ready to go soon.¡± He wrapped both items- but placed them under the counter and looked back up at Alden. ¡°That will be ten gold shekels.¡± Alden took a deep breath and settled himself in for a long session of bartering.


    In the end he managed to negotiate it down to 7 gold and 5 silver shekels. Still pricey, but not outside his funds, although he had a limited number of ways to earn it back. He strode down the main market way, quickly exiting the market cavern into the main boulevard. As he walked out, he took a right, opening another door to reveal another hallway. He walked to the midpoint of that hallway before taking another right into a small niche and popping open the hatch. Down he descended. Left, right, right, up, down, he twisted and turned his way through the labyrinthine city. He was very thankful for the painstaking instructions Mother had written to him in her letter.


    After hours of walking through the twisting passages, going up and down hatches, and muttering unfavorable sentiments towards the builders, he came to a halt next to a door. It was a door like any other, except perhaps a tad bit more circular and with a few more inspiring images. It depicted a being holding up what appeared the world, while an eagle picked from its liver. Another detail was in some script and circled the door. Alden took a moment, just taking in the beauty of the place. Its natural construction may not have been beautiful- but what it was made into was.


    Alden took a deep breath before knocking thrice, the sound echoing out into the silent hall. Nothing happened for a moment. Then, the door slowly opened, revealing an older man. He was tall- somewhere around 2 meters- with a thickly muscled frame. He had a slight potbelly although that didn¡¯t diminish his presence in the slightest. He stared at Alden, a single eyebrow raised. ¡°What do you want?¡± Alden shifted slightly on his feet as he met the man¡¯s eyes. ¡°I- well rather I am- um...¡± He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. ¡°I am the son of Martha Wilben.¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened as Alden continued. ¡°Daughter of Liben Frank.¡± His eyes firmed as the man¡¯s hands went limp. ¡°I¡¯m your grandson.¡±

 Chapter 20: Family

    Strong hands whipped forward and latched onto Alden, dragging him into a hug. He could feel his mom¡¯s father shaking a little bit, even as he squeezed the air from his lungs. Alden didn¡¯t care though, pounding Frank on the back just as hard. Finally, he was released, wet eyes staring at him. Alden blinked his own eyes. It must have been very dusty down here.


    ¡°Come in, come in. I don¡¯t have much but your welcome to what I do have.¡± Alden was swept inside and into a small, but warm room. A low-slung coach was against the righter most wall, straight across from a small - well it looked to be some type of vivarium with small fungus and moss- and Alden thought he saw a frog hopping happily along in it. Various paintings hung on the walls, depicting different men who looked eerily similarly to Frank himself. A pot or two resided on intricate columns, intricately formed and adorned with gold and jewels.


    As he relaxed into the sparse yet luxurious seating, his grandfather flew into another room, quickly reappearing with a tea set of some type. Two mugs were sat down as he expertly poured a serving into each before handing one to Alden. He took a sip- and his mouth exploded with flavor. Every inch of his tongue lit up and Alden almost groaned aloud at the feeling. Frank grinned at him. ¡°Good, isn¡¯t it? There¡¯s a tea shop not far from here, and they have mages who specialize in making various teas. I¡¯m not totally sure how it all works, but I do know that no one makes tea like them.¡±


    Alden swallowed his saliva down as he spoke, trying to speak normally. ¡°I have no doubt. This is far better than- well anything else like it to be honest.¡± He reached down calmly, and slowly lifted the mug to his lips. He had to force himself to only take one sip before setting it back down, the flavor saturating his mouth. They sat in silence for a few minutes, each enjoying the tea, before Frank finally spoke.


    ¡°You look just like her ya know?¡± Alden paused, teacup partway to his mouth, before setting it back down. He met Frank¡¯s- his grandfather¡¯s- eyes. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t. Mom was- I don¡¯t have many memories of her. She and Dad disappeared before my teen years and left me with some friends.¡± Frank¡¯s lips turned down as he set down his own mug. ¡°They were taken far too soon. She was so full of life, and vibrant. Her smile could infect a room, and her voice could rival that of the High Ones. She was shorter than me and had the most beautiful golden blond hair.¡± He chuckled softly, eyes glazing over as he stared at the wall.


    ¡°When she left it felt like the entire city had lost something important. Something vital.¡± Alden was quiet for a moment. ¡°And my father?¡± Frank hesitated. ¡°He was a good man. He- didn¡¯t come from the best family let¡¯s say.¡± Frank¡¯s eyes met his and Alden inclined his head slightly before moving on. ¡°That¡¯s why I came here actually. I- I want to find out more about my mom and my dad. I also want to find out what happened to them. What took them from me so soon.¡± Frank¡¯s finger twirled around his handlebar mustache. ¡°The first part I am more than happy to help you with. The second- the second I cannot help you with. I¡¯m afraid that I only have the official reports to go on, and not much else.¡± Alden nodded, and a small smile split his face. ¡°I¡¯ve had about enough seriousness for one day. What do you do for fun around here?¡± Frank laughed and stood up, extending his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡± Alden excepted the proffered appendage, and some small, broken part of him warmed up just a little bit.


    Alden staggered as Frank¡¯s fist smashed into his face. He blinked as his right leg arced low, slamming into his opponent¡¯s thigh. Frank grunted and staggered a bit himself, before moving into close range, attempting to grapple him. Alden huffed as he fended off the seeking hands, another low kick slamming into Frank¡¯s thighs. This time Frank managed to block, bringing up his leg and catching Alden¡¯s shin. He kicked of his back leg, arms swinging as his front foot slammed down inside Alden¡¯s guard. Alden¡¯s fist was already racing towards his face- but Frank slipped under it, letting it glance off his skull. Before he knew it Alden was in a grapple on the floor.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Their spar lasted another few minutes before Frank managed to twist him into an armbar. As his legs wrapped around Alden¡¯s extended arm Alden struggled for a second- before he sighed and tapped. Immediately the grip was loosened, and Frank was on his feet, hand extended. Alden heaved himself to his feet, rolling his shoulders. Frank walked over to the low bench, picking up a small jug of water and downing it. Alden came to a stop next to him and used a small towel to wipe the sweat off his face. ¡°You know, when you said you sparred for fun, I have to admit I didn¡¯t take it very seriously.¡± Frank chuckled and shrugged, wiping his partial-beard dry. ¡°Well, there isn¡¯t a whole lot else to do down here. You can go watch the happenings in separate caverns but, well, that has its own share of problems. Most other things either require more money or more talking than I prefer as well.¡± Alden grinned at that, leaning against the wall. ¡°Not much for socializing, are we?¡± Frank quirked his lips and shook his head. ¡°Not outside the ring. You want to go another round?¡± Alden stretched out his arms. ¡°We can. Or we can try and do something else.¡± Frank silently looked him over for a moment, before nodding and picking up his jug. ¡°I think there¡¯s something else you would enjoy.¡±


    Alden followed Frank from the communal sparring gym to a small alcove jutting out beside it. As soon as he entered a wave of heat and moisture hit him. Frank led him past a small reception desk, raising his hand towards the young lady sitting behind it. She nodded at him and smiled, eyes following them curiously as they moved into the next room. They swung through the righter most doorway at the back wall, trotting into a large circular room. In the center of the room there was a small pool, a swift current running through it. Frank grunted a greeting to the only other men their- an old, wrinkled man- before slipping into the pool himself. Hesitating for a second Alden shrugged and slipped off most of his clothes before following suit. He slowly relaxed into the water, simply letting his muscles unwind and relax. Frank resided similarly beside him, head leaning against the ground behind him and eyes closed. They stayed like that, simply enjoying the hot liquid and the small current that butted against his legs.


    After some time, Alden rose from the pull and began to dry off, Frank not far behind. Alden moved to put on his sparring clothes- only to have a hand placed on his shoulder. ¡°No need. We may live underground, but we¡¯re not savages.¡± He gestured at a set of subdued robes. ¡°Compliments of Mary. I¡¯ll give them back to her by the end of the week, and she makes sure me and any of my guests have clothing after a spar.¡± Alden nodded as he gathered up his sweat stained clothes. ¡°Where to now?¡± Frank grinned at him as he stroked his beard. ¡°I think the next place you¡¯ll find quite exceptional.¡± With that he moved out, and Alden followed.


    After a short stop back at Frank¡¯s room to pick up their own clothes, Frank led him through the twisting tunnels. As they walked Alden peppered the man with questions- although it didn¡¯t take much to get the man talking. ¡°Yeah, it caught me and your grandmother off guard when Lana said she wanted to be a delver. That was a job for professionals, for murders and scum not our daughter.¡± He shrugged and sighed. ¡°I still believe that it¡¯s a job for others, and not a Tunari woman. But¡­ in the end she survived and made many strides. I still remember her coming back and showing us her first ever artifact.¡± He wore a wistful smile. ¡°She was so proud of that stupid cube.¡± His eyes regained his focus as he made another turn.


    ¡°In the end however, it wasn¡¯t the delving that got her.¡± Alden¡¯s eyes briefly narrowed as Frank waved his hands as if to wipe the memories away. ¡°But that is not the matter at hand. We¡¯ve arrived.¡± Frank pushed open the door and entered, Alden following. He took a step pin- and blinked. Bins and massive piles of different fungi, stones, woods, and other raw materials resided on one side. An obstacle course was against the far wall with what looked to be some climbing wall, some parkour, and some random walls with spikes sticking out from them. Frank spread his hands our grandly, as if he were encompassing it all. ¡°This is the Training Hall, where mages and aspiring young men and women come to improve themselves. Whatever you need it is here.¡± He paused. ¡°Well almost anything.¡± He waved his hand. ¡°No more of that. Let¡¯s get to the good stuff.¡± He looked over at Alden. ¡°Where would you like to start?¡±

 Chapter 21: The Myriad Ways of Training

    Alden surveyed the hall for a second before pointing to the far wall. ¡°Let¡¯s start with the obstacle course.¡± Frank grinned at him. ¡°Good choice. And after that I can show you a true Tunari meal.¡±


    Alden convulsed on the ground, laughing, as Frank attempted to scale the wall before him. Frank¡¯s muscles quivered and strained to pull him over- and failed, spilling him into the mud below. He sputtered as he came to his feet, glaring at Alden, who had started laughing tears. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be quite so vigorous in your amusement.¡± Alen held up a hand as his breath wheezed from him, the air in his lungs beginning to run out. He looked at Frank and tried to speak- and immediately burst into another round of laughter.


    He sucked in another breath, crushing his smile as he began to speak. ¡°Y-you¡­didn¡¯t have to make it¡­. So, ha-ard.¡± Peals of laughter interrupted his words as Alden sat up and flipped onto his feet. Frank sighed, although a small smile was on his lips. He shrugged and heaved himself off the side of the course, joining Alden on the side of the wall. Alden successfully scaled it and had come back to help Frank- and only stopped when the man insisted he could do it by himself. As such, Alden thought he was entitled to some laughter.


    Frank took a small towel and wiped off the sweat beading on his forehead, ignoring the oozing layer of mud that covered the rest of his body. ¡°You hungry?¡± Alden grinned back at him. ¡°Of course.¡± He looked Frank up and down pointedly, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Frank tapped a finger onto his head. ¡°Have no fear youngster, for with age comes wisdom. Come, let me show you the privilege of age.¡± With that Frank spun around and swiftly marched off, Alden scrambling to catch up.


    They passed several others, all moving through the various courses- there a young man training with some weights. Here an older man creating swirling forms out of some type of dust of small rock. Beyond another man manipulated a small pool of water. Alden frowned as his gaze wandered around the hall. ¡°Where are all the Elders? Women? Children?¡± Frank threw a glance over his shoulder, pounding a fist onto his chest. ¡°I am an Elder, am I not? Show some respect youngling.¡± Alden quirked an eyebrow at Frank¡¯s serious face- and watched as the mask cracked, revealing the smile underneath.


    ¡°Nothing slips by your masterful senses I see.¡± Alden flushed red slightly, a hand scratching his head. It wasn¡¯t his fault the pillar had hit him. He had been distracted by one of the courses mechanisms and got lulled into a false sense of security. ¡°In answer to your question, we are in a single male section. Children and women are in another area of the city, and most Elders are married.¡± Alden nodded, speaking as soon as Frank finished. ¡°True, but there must be some who are not. And what of widowed fathers, who still have their children?¡± Frank studied Alden for a moment, stroking his beard. ¡°Such people have their own areas. For many reasons, but for the Elders in particular it ensures our safety.¡±  Alden cocked his head at that. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Frank waved his hand at the hall around them.


    ¡°Look around you. Look at this place, what it offers. It may have been many years since I¡¯ve seen the surface, but I imagine things haven¡¯t changed much. Not many other powers offer such places, do they? And in such a common area?¡± Alden took a moment, racking his brain- before slowly shaking his head. Frank nodded and continued, hands moving expansively at the area around them. ¡°These halls provide something so few have on the outside world. Training in magic. Even if a child only trains semi-seriously from their tenth year, by the time they have reached my age they are a formidable mage.¡± He paused for a minute and cocked his hand.


    ¡°In fact, I would go so far as to say they are more than a match for the average mage in any other kingdom. As for those who take such training and instruction seriously? Those families and households that see it as their duty to protect our home?¡± Frank shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s a point at which them practicing with us becomes impractical at minimum. More than that its dangerous.¡± Frank¡¯s rapidly moving hands cut through the air in a blur. ¡°But that is beyond the extend of your question. Let me show you what Tunk¡¯lan has to offer you.¡± Alden smiled and followed him out the door. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±


    After they made it back to the apartment, Frank headed over to the kitchen and began cooking up a storm. Alden stood behind him, passing the time with casual conversation. They talked about the little things- where the best restaurants were, what Frank did, that kind of thing.


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    It was roughly an hour later that Frank emerged from the kitchen, a metal plan clutched between thick swathes of cloth. He gently set it on the table, a small raise piece of metal protecting it from the wooden table. Alden smiled as he laid out two sets of plates and utensils. He had just finished placing the tulip shaped cups when Frank walked in with a steaming kettle in his hands. He gestured for Alden to sit and waited for him to be fully seated to fill his cup. Alden inhaled- and blinked at the powerful flavor that sucker punched his nose.


    Frank watched him carefully, grinning at his blinking expression. ¡°You¡¯ve never had yeniden before, correct?¡± Alden nodded as Frank poured himself some of the same liquid and took a seat. ¡°Excellent. It is a traditional Tunari drink that is most excellent for revitalizing the body.¡± Alden hummed and reached out to pick it up- before hesitating and glancing to his right. ¡°I may need to have a meal with someone who isn¡¯t family. Would you mind walking through some of the more basic etiquette for meals?¡± Frank smiled at him, eyes lighting up.


    ¡°That would be my pleasure! Properly performed etiquette is another language you can use to communicate with whomever you wish. To start with your positioning is correct for this occasion. As you are family you would be considered an honored guest, and as such sit to my- the hosts- right hand side. You will wait to drink until the oldest man, whoever that shall be, drinks first and you shall not eat until they oldest man has eaten first.¡± Frank gestured towards the food. ¡°You will serve me the food after I have poured your drink- which has already happened. Do not touch it with your left hand, for that hand is considered unclean. Instead, you will hand over the food with your right hand onto my plate and wait for me to eat.¡± He paused. Alden waited for a second before realizing what he wanted. He turned over to the plan and- with his right hand- carefully scooped out what appeared to be some type of flat bread with cheese and meat on it. Sliding it onto Frank¡¯s plate he turned to look at Frank.


    Frank slowly inspected the slab of bread before reaching out and picking it up. He pinched the bread together and took a bite, chewing slowly. Alden waited until he had swallowed before reaching out and grabbing his own flat bread-thingy. Frank nodded. ¡°Good. Those are the most basic of basics. Complexities such as plate rotation, drink placement, and toasts can be covered later. In the meantime, following my previous suggestions should see you through. The main thing is to just be upfront and gracious with your host.¡± Alden nodded before taking a bite of food, and nearly collapsed as its heavenly flavor exploded on his tongue. He stared at Frank, mouth flapping at him. The man chuckled. ¡°Is it good? Its called Pide, the first dish I ever learned to cook. My amumor hated it.¡± That wistful smile was back- before he shook it off. ¡°Eat, eat, there is plenty there for you to enjoy.¡± Alden didn¡¯t hesitate to dive into the meal.


    Around an hour later, Alden was settling into his bedroom. He was leaning across the bed, a small notebook in his hands. On his shoulders Bob briefly stirred, hopping down onto the bed. He circled it a few times before laying down. He stared at Alden for a second before letting out a low coo. Alden grinned and rubbed Bob¡¯s head. ¡°I know buddy. I haven¡¯t forgotten about you, I promise. Here, check this out.¡± Alden pulled out a small book and showed Bob the cover. It was a simple leather front branded with the title Derived Affinity Construction and Mastery. Alden flipped open to the middle of the book and pointed to the image that it revealed.


    It was a small deer-like creature that had every muscle and vein diagramed out. On the side were detailed blocks of notes surrounding what appeared to be vague shadows of blue-green Aether. Alden pointed at the pictures, voice coming out in a furious whisper, a grin pulling at his lips. ¡°You know that my affinity right now is just a Chicken affinity- or a Thai Chicken affinity to be specific. I want to develop a Bob affinity.¡± Alden flipped the page to show an additional channel growing from the main shadow that had now developed like a pool. ¡°Now creating an affinity that¡¯s just a more specific version of what you already have is easier. Still though, it¡¯s very difficult. Now the most effective method seems to be completely submerging yourself in whatever aspect you want to derive.¡± Alden grinned excitedly at Bob. ¡°So, for us, that means we need to spend a lot of time bonding. And I¡¯ve been thinking- what better way to bond than life defying circumstances?¡±


    Bob clucked-cooed and Alden nodded, his smile growing larger on his face. ¡°Your right, that was always the plan. I just wanted to make sure you were on board.¡± Alden clucked once more and flapped his wings slightly. Alden finished stripping off his clothes and began to snuggle into the sheets, smiling. ¡°You¡¯re the best Bob. We¡¯re in this together. Just you and me.¡± With that, Alden¡¯s eyes closed, and darkness quickly consumed him.

 Chapter 22: The Seedy Side

    Alden meandered over to a corridor, opening the door and peering down. A hallway identical to all the others greeted him. Alden nodded and moved down, coming to the end of the similarly plain hallway he was on, and going up one floor. There he checked one of the doors near the stairway, peeking his head in checking the area. He had been doing this for a couple of hours at this point, searching the area around Frank¡¯s apartment. He was traveling in steadily expanding squares, following the hallways and stairs. He was hoping to find something interesting. Or rather, someone interesting. Alden moved down the hallway, randomly stopping to check some doors or ignoring them altogether. He moved down the stairway onto another, lower, floor. Here he began his search anew, checking the occasional door. There was no rhyme or reason to which doors he checked, and which left alone.


    Bob sat on his shoulder, clucking and going on about each turn, stair, or hallway Alden took. Alden found that after the first few hours of the search Bob¡¯s charm began to come across a bit flat. Still, after a couple of hours- most of the morning, really- Alden found what he was looking for. He swung open a certain door in a certain hallway and poked his head in. Inside that hallway were two different men, talking quietly and casting gazes all around them. Both were dressed in extensive leathers that obscured their features, and the shorter one had the unmistakable outline of a knife against his upper thigh. Alden smiled and fully opened the door, strolling towards them at a causal pace. He didn¡¯t go out of his way to make noise, but neither did he stalk them. Even so, he went unnoticed for an astonishing long time- at least a minute or two- before the tall man¡¯s darting eyes finally landed on him.


    He immediately shifted to face Alden, whispering furiously to the man beside him. That man shifted-shorty, Alden called him in his head- looked Alden up and down before sprinting down the hallway. He was heading towards the stairs at the far end, which he clearly thought would make Alden unable to pursue. His partner gave him a startled glance before following suit, darting down the hall. Alden nodded once before he cast a cantrip. Aether flowed into his Mind¡¯s eye, filling in the levitation cantrip. Both of them, actually. The tall man cursed as his boots tore upwards, flipping him onto his face. A crack echoed out as red began to pool from his nose, feet still up in the air. He began to claw his way forward, pulling along his levitating feet on his hands. Alden laughed at the man¡¯s dedication as he strolled his way forward.


    The man kept crawling, but he was so slow that Alden easily caught up to him. As Alden pulled up beside the man he just watched amusedly. He was curious how long the man would keep going for. The man- probably just having reached adulthood if Alden had to guess- crawled forward another few meters before his quivering arms gave out. He rolled onto his side and stared at Alden. ¡°Whaddya want? I¡¯m just an innocent man, minding my own business.¡± Alden snorted as he folded his legs beneath him, dropping down onto the hard stone. ¡°An innocent man, huh? Why¡¯d you run then? Or attempt to rather.¡± The man shrugged, or as close an approximation as he could. ¡°You see a strange man with a chicken on his shoulder begin to walk towards you, you run away.¡± Alden chuckled at that.


    ¡°Fair enough. Still, I know what y¡¯all were doing.¡± The man stared dead faced at Alden. ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± Alden smiled and leaned forward. His hand darted out, grabbed something out of the man¡¯s robes, and pulled it back. ¡°Hey!¡± Alden ignored the man and held up a small book. ¡°Now, you wouldn¡¯t have run because of this, would you?¡± The man yelped and swiped at it. Alden easily pulled it back. The man tried a couple more times before flopping onto the floor, limp. ¡°Alright, you got me. What do you need?¡± Alden raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why do you assume I need something?¡± The man just glared at him. Alden chuckled and raised his hands in a placating gesture. ¡°Alright, fair enough. I need information, an investigation into certain things, if you will.¡± The man sighed. ¡°And what exactly might that be? Because I¡¯m not going to cross certain lines. No matter the cost.¡± Alden waved his hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. All I need is some information on a couple of people who used to live here. And some information about any newcomers into the city.¡± The man was silent for a minute before eventually nodding. ¡°Alright, I can do that. You can call me Heron and I¡¯ll call you Chicken. No real names, makes things easier.¡± Alden clapped his hands together. ¡°Excellent. We¡¯ll use this as a drop off point, say in three days?¡± The man grunted. Alden sprang to his feet and began to walk off, whistling merrily. ¡°Wait! Get my feet down!¡± Alden spun around and waved his hand, the man¡¯s boots slamming into the ground with a grunt. Alden spun back around and kept walking. It was becoming a wonderful day.


    Now that Alden had his source of information on the inside, it was time to figure out what exactly they needed to be looking for. Frank- Alden had spent a lot of time figuring out when people were lying to him. It was something he was a bit of an expert in really. Frank knew more than he was sharing. The only difficult part now was figuring out how to get it out of him.


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    Alden knocked three times on the door. He only had to wait for a moment before the door was opened by Frank, the man dressed in an apron. ¡°What are you doing back already? I thought you were going to explore for a little longer?¡± Alden shrugged as he stepped inside. ¡°I found what I was looking for quickly enough. What¡¯re you doing?¡± Frank gestured around to the numerous different pastries laid out on nearly every surface. ¡°Baking. We¡¯ve got a baker¡¯s market in a few days, and I need to be prepared. It¡¯s one of my best events.¡± Alden nodded as he surveyed the scene.


    ¡°Do you have time to talk?¡± Frank¡¯s eyes narrowed before he shrugged. ¡°Sure. Everything in the oven right now is going to take a little bit to be ready. What¡¯d you want to talk about?¡± Alden considered different ways he wanted to phrase it- before shrugging and deciding to be blunt. ¡°What are you hiding about my parents¡¯ death? I know there¡¯s something you¡¯re not telling me.¡± Frank stared at Alden silently. Slowly he shook his head. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Alden sighed and then reached into his pocket. Frank tensed before slowly relaxing as Alden pulled out a small ring. It was a simple band of iron that fit perfectly around his middle finger. The only thing that stood out about it was the insignia, made from twisting gold and ruby. It was a dragon, flipped upside down with massive rends in its body. Frank stared at it for a second, and his eyes widened when as soon as Alden equipped the ring it began to throb with a white light. Alden took the ring off, and the glow faded. Frank stared at him a moment more before gesturing. ¡°Follow me. I¡¯ll show you what you need to know.¡±


    Frank moved into the backrooms, Alden following. He stopped briefly by the oven and fiddled with the coals there, taking most of them out. ¡°Just in case this takes as long as I expect it will.¡± Alden nodded at the explanation as Frank moved back towards one of the walls and pushed in a certain section. The room grumbled some before a click sounded out. Dust fell as cracks revealed themselves in the wall, forming a small door. ¡°Come along now, we haven¡¯t got time to waste.¡± Frank pushed open the door and stepped smoothly in. Alden followed, curiosity tugging at him.


    They walked in silence along a dark tunnel, the walls only a handsbreadth from Alden¡¯s shoulders on either side. They twisted and turned this way and that, threading through the stone. As they walked Frank spoke, his voice filling the still air. ¡°Your mother was never satisfied with the way things were. She wanted to do more, to be more, to accomplish more. She was imbued with a sense of purpose that filled her every waking moment. She crafted these tunnels herself. She had an Affinity for stone and was never one to shy away from training it. I don¡¯t know when she created these passages, but she did and somehow managed to keep the Cadre Legionem from finding out.¡± Frank¡¯s voice was quiet but still reverberated in the small stone hallway.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know what she was doing for the longest time. I thought she was just out with her friends, or researching more on famous delvers and monsters.¡± He paused at a staircase downward, staring at the wall. His lips quirked, even as he blinked furiously. He shook himself before beginning his descent downwards. ¡°It wasn¡¯t until she showed me this- all of this- that I realized why she wanted to become a delver, an adventurer. Why she would give up her home and her family to go out into the wilderness and fight beasts, rival mages, risk her life for glory and gold.¡± They descended downwards, the air beginning to chill until Alden¡¯s breath left a white mist in the air.


    ¡°I won¡¯t say that it was all out of self-sacrificing love. No, I suspect that some part of her wanted those things. Wanted the glory and the gold and the respect and power. But, ultimately, those were minor concerns. Her true passion, true purpose rather, was to propel this world forward.¡± They came to a stop before a large door, constructed out of some type of stone with various reliefs on it. It took a second for Alden¡¯s eyes to pierce the shifting light and take in the images. When he did, his breath was taken away.


    Intricately formed veins of stone and gems painted a mesmerizing picture. It was a map- a map of something that didn¡¯t exist. Couldn¡¯t exist. Magnificent cities spread across the empty plains. Caravans, molded from dull stone into life, moved from these cities. They passed by small settlements, with pictures of them trading and prospering.


    As Frank¡¯s words sank in, Alden¡¯s eyes narrowed and swiveled back towards him. ¡°The world?¡± Frank shrugged. ¡°Maybe that is giving her too much credit, at least in the beginning. It all started with a simple desire. She wanted to make her people safe. And as she dug into our history, our enmities and friends, our betrayals and wonders. She saw a deeper issue and so sought to correct that.¡± Frank pushed the door in, letting it swing on silent hinges. It revealed a room that was small but packed with so much that it seemed minuscule.


    What must be dozens, hundreds of books were stacked. Various papers were pinned to the wall, lines of rope leading from one to the other. Alden stared at it all with a slack jaw, even as Frank threw out his arms to encompass the whole room. ¡°Welcome to your mothers¡¯ obsession. It was what drove her, inspired her, motivated her. And, in the end, it was what killed her.¡± Alden¡¯s jaw came together with a click.

 Chapter 23: Obsession

    Alden took a slow step in, hands fluttering all around him. ¡°What is all this?¡± Frank chuckled. ¡°Your gonna have to be more specific than that son.¡± Alden flailed his arms wildly, his voice catching up with his astonishment. ¡°This! All of this! What do you mean this killed her? What even is all of this? Is it an investigation? A pattern or spell or affinity? What is it?¡± Frank just stared at Alden, a small smile on his face. ¡°I had a similar reaction when she first showed me. Even now I don¡¯t think she showed me everything, just what was here. It was enough though.¡± Alden sputtered some more. ¡°That still doesn¡¯t answer my question. What is all this? And why would it kill my mother?¡±


    Frank still had that small smile as he stepped forward, pointing out a large piece of paper. On the paper was a small description of a cadaverous man. Dark shadows were cast behind him even as he grasped, what appeared to be, the spinal column of an unfortunate soul. ¡°It all started with this. Azeron the Defiler. A mage that was considered, before his fall, to be among the greatest of archmages and a formidable Great Power. It was thought, for the longest time, that he had only a single affinity; that of granite.¡± Frank followed a piece of rope to another picture, depicting a city burning. ¡°It turns out that he had a second affinity. An affinity over plaques.¡± Alden looked closer and saw that the waters around the cities were a putrid green, dead rotted bodies floating atop it. ¡°He found the original city of Tunk. The Khansulate had retracted its forces for the winter, and so the council thought themselves safe. After all, they were isolated. Insulated. Protected, from any who would wish them harm.¡± Frank laughed, a dark, bitter sound.


    ¡°So Azeron decided he wished to experiment with his forbidden power and launched his putrid spells against the city. He ravaged the city for 40 days and nights, letting none sleep or rest. In the end the city fell, only a small remnant escaping.¡± Another rope line, this one leading to a splotched paper of papyrus with a small note underneath it. The note denoted it as a private journal entry. ¡°Their journey was a harsh one. The Khansulate would not learn the fate of Tunk until the winter melts, but Azeron was not so limited. He pursued them and slowly picked them off, one by one-torturing them in the name of his own advancement. It wasn¡¯t until a small strike force from the Olm¡¯an¡¯il rid the world of his vileness that the remnants could move on.¡±


    Another rope, depicting a picture of a city that looked very similar to the one Alden resided in now. ¡°So, the people of Tunk created a fortress city under the earth. They called it Tunk¡¯lan so they would never forget the horrors that their people had experienced.¡± Frank came to a stop, staring at the final picture for a long moment. Alden stared at the picture for a moment, before slowly turning to Frank. ¡°That seems like an¡­ interesting story. What did my mother think of it?¡± Frank chuckled. ¡°She thought much of it. For you see, it was my own mother who experienced some of those horrors. Your mother¡¯s grandmother. I don¡¯t know if it was the impetus of her path, but it was important to her. Important enough for her to keep an image of it here.¡± Frank paused as his eyes kept studying the picture- before turning to Alden. ¡°It was a story demonstrating the evil of those who call themselves Great, from one of the last peoples who had dared to defy the many.¡± Alden¡¯s mind whirled; begored a horrible realization dawned on him. ¡°Wait- you don¡¯t mean that-¡° Frank cut him off. ¡°Your mother wished to bring down the Great Powers. And she got close enough that they killed her for it.¡± Alden was back to staring at him. Then he shook his head and began to pace, as well as he could, around the room.


    ¡°That still doesn¡¯t make sense. I know, better than most I would wager, the vulnerabilities of Great Powers. But there has never been a viable threat to their power. Yes, you could expose their weakness. But that would just generate harsher extremes of what we would already have. Individuals of great power would always rule in some form or fashion, no matter what society you have.¡± Frank smiled. ¡°All but one.¡±  Alden cut his hand angrily in the air. ¡°What do you mean all but one!? Every society needs a Great Power. They need them to provide, to protect, hell even to guide them. What society could possibly-¡± Alden froze. He slowly turned to face Frank. ¡°You¡¯re talking about mortals. About Aether deserts.¡± Frank smiled crookedly at him.


    ¡°Indeed. They are the only peoples¡¯ who have no need for great powers. They still have a flawed system; of that I have no doubt. But it is a system that allows for progress, for forward motion. We are doomed to always be dragged back to where we are now.¡± Alden ran his hands through his air. ¡°So, she was going to convince people to go to Aether deserts? Maybe create some Aether deserts? Kill all the mages? What did she find, what did she do, that was so terrifying she needed to be killed?¡± Frank sighed. ¡°You still don¡¯t see it. I don¡¯t blame you; I didn¡¯t see it either.¡±


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Frank turned and grabbed something from the floor. He lifted it up. It was a long, smooth piece of wood. The back was molded so that it would fit comfortably into the socket of his shoulder, with a small metal rod attached atop it. Frank tossed it to Alden, his hands lancing out to grab it. Alden stared at it for a moment. He glanced back up at Frank with a raised eyebrow. Frank smiled at him, a faint moistness in his eyes. ¡°What you hold in your hands is a device that the mortals in the Starving Plains invented. It is a weapon of war, used in their interclan rivalries. It''s called a musket. Have you ever heard of it?¡± Alden shook his head as he flipped it over in his hands.


    Frank continued, that same smile on his face. ¡°It is a weapon that is both mad and brilliant. They stick an explosive that they call gunpowder down that metal tube- called a barrel- all the way to the end. They then stick in a lead ball. You pull a small assembly, called a trigger, that causes a hammer to hit a metal plate and spark. The spark ignites the gunpowder and shoots the ball out with tremendous force.¡± He stroked his beard. ¡°At least, I think that how it works. Whatever the case it can shoot a ball out at speeds that can match lower quality enchantments.¡± Alden¡¯s eyes snapped upwards to Frank before falling back down at the conundrum of a device in his hands.


    ¡°Impressive, but hardly earth-shattering. You said it yourself; it can match lower quality enchantments. Any kingdom worth their salt would be able to create much more powerful devices than this pitiful thing.¡± Frank nodded, even as his arms swept out excitedly. ¡°Of course, of course but look! Look at what they have done! They have created something that can match a mage-produced item. More than that they have developed the means to produce these in vast quantities, so that every warrior of theirs can have one.¡± Alden¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wait- so that means-¡° ¡°Yes! They will be able to exceed the number of crossbows a mage force has. A resonance cascade is always a worry, always something to take into consideration. But imagine, a force of mages equipped with these muskets. They would have the power of a magical crossbow without limiting any other items! And imagine if you had an entire army equipped with such things, how many more artifacts you could bring! At that point would It not be possible to destroy a great power? More than that would it not be possible to protect yourself from a great power!¡± Frank¡¯s voice was starting to boom out as he spoke.


    ¡°And this is only one such device! There are dozens of similar innovations from across the continent. In Salamart Valley there is a device that gives the ability to add and subtract numbers with precision. In Effucia there is a device that uses gears to lift things heavier than should be possible. On their own they are limited, but together?¡± His voice dropped into a near whisper.


    ¡°Together they could change the world, perhaps even revolutionize society. Imagine a lead mage, enhancing a musket ball even more. Making it faster, tougher, perhaps even making it explosive? What about stone mages working in conjunction with machines to find valuable ores and extract them without dedicating whole excavation teams or valuable artifacts?¡± Frank stared straight into Alden¡¯s eyes, an internal fire burning within them. ¡°This is why your mother was killed. She was beginning to put together the pieces, see the bigger picture. And if she saw that bigger picture, saw it through? Then Great Powers might not be so needed. Then, perhaps, we can find some sort of way, some sort of path forward.¡± Alden held his gaze for a moment before looking down at the musket. Slowly he scanned the room again. This time he could pick out at least a dozen machines or weird items that he had no idea of their design or purpose. He suspected what they were now. More examples of what could be accomplished without magic.


    ¡°This is still not enough. I know of what you speak. There have been others in the past who have tried such things. Climbed even higher in fact, reached pinnacles we cannot imagine. They all fell. There are records of kingdoms whose magics were so mighty they could travel the void between the stars with ease. Yet these rumors and stories are not destroyed, are not thrown out, but my mother is? Why?¡± Frank stared at him a moment longer, before slumping slightly and stepping back. ¡°I suspect you are right. There is much I do not know, much she could not or would not tell me. I don¡¯t know what you will find along this path. But I can at least point you in the right direction.¡±


    He reached into his pocket and brought out a small scroll. He handed it to Alden who has to resist the urge to immediately unroll it. ¡°In there is the next piece. Your mother gave it to me, said if anything happened to her and I chose to follow her path it was in there.¡± Frank shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve looked as long and as subtly as I could. I found nothing. Perhaps you will make progress where I failed.¡± He began to walk past Alden. He paused at Alden¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m going to take out the pastry from the oven. Take as long as you need here. I¡¯ve left torches in a side wall on your right.¡± Alden just nodded as Frank left, closing the door most of the way. He stared at the room before him, and the piece of papyrus clutched in his hands. ¡°What did you find?¡± His whisper echoed out into the cool stone. The cool, hollow, stone.

 Chapter 24: The Next Step

    For a long time afterward, Alden sat in that room, just taking in everything. He found dozens of paintings, diaries, papers, pots and more. Each depicted a different great power, a different civilization. Some were benevolent and lifted their people higher into an era of prosperity and peace. Others killed more than the civilizations could count. Dozens of connections existed between each of these events, notations describing each one. Bob sat silently with him as he went through hundreds of notations and documents. He didn¡¯t squawk or splay his wings- just stayed by Alden¡¯s side as he slowly explored the area. Alden sighed and ran his hands through Bob¡¯s feathers, mind running furiously. ¡°What do I do Bob?¡± Bob turned his head and clucked in a low register. Alden shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t just leave it. It wouldn¡¯t be right.¡± Bob clucked again. Alden sighed. ¡°I know, I know. The path they were on is not one I imagined for myself.¡± He ran his hands gently around a frame, with a painting of his mother and father depicted upon it. He paused as his fingers tickled along the edge of the silver.


    ¡°I don¡¯t owe them anything you know. They chose to give me up, chose to continue this path, chose to leave me in that place.¡± Bob cooed and Alden huffed out a breath. ¡°We can¡¯t choose our parents, can we?¡± He was silent for a moment-before he brought out the scroll. ¡°They seem so sure that everything would be better. Have they never considered that their belief was in error?¡± Bob fluttered his wings and Alden chuckled. ¡°Your right. Everyone believes that they can do it better, that it was the execution and not the idea.¡± Bob clicked. Alden stood, scooping him up and depositing him on his shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll see this thing through. Whatever that means, we will accomplish what needs to be done. It is our Duty. It is my Duty.¡± Bob dug his talons into Alden¡¯s shoulder pad. Alden began to march out of the door, holding up the sheet of papyrus before him. ¡°First things first. I need to find someone to decode this thing.¡± Alden exited, feet carrying him swiftly.


    He came up into the apartment not long after, giving Frank a nod on his way out. He didn¡¯t recognize the symbols, and very much doubted that many would. His informant would hopefully have his network together in a few days. If he didn¡¯t show, then Alden would have to get creative. ¡°Well, they have a library, right? There¡¯s gotta be some information in there.¡± Alden took a right turn and began to hurry down the hallway. A left turn, down the stairs, and into a side room he was there. Alden stroked Bob¡¯s waddles as they entered the foyer. A skinny lad was stretched out behind the desk, feet kicked up and a book laid out across his lap. Alden walked up to the desk and put his hands on the counter, waiting for the lad to look up. He waited. And waited. And waited. He cleared his throat, and the boy held up a single, pale, finger. Slowly he flipped the page, placing a small bookmark in it before closing the book. He looked up.


    ¡°How can I help you?¡± Alden¡¯s voice was as cheery as ever. ¡°This is a library, right? Of course it is, don¡¯t bother answering. How do I get in?¡± The boy sighed and spoke slowly, enunciating each word carefully. ¡°You. Need. A. Card.¡± Alden¡¯s smile grew somewhat strained. ¡°And how might I acquire a card?¡±  The boy sighed again and adjusted his glasses. ¡°You need to see the head librarian.¡± At this point Alden¡¯s smile was beginning to shrink. ¡°And how do I see the head librarian?¡± The teen sighed. Again. He opened his mouth to speak- before a wizened voice cut him off. ¡°That would be me boy. Josephus, find your sister and tell her to get out here. If she¡¯s fondling that Wizer boy, I¡¯ll beat them both black and blue.¡± The boy- Josephus- scrambled out of his chair, words spilling out of his mouth in a jumble. ¡°We- I mean Jania is, well she- the point is that-¡± He was cut off again as an ancient lady shuffled into the room, wooden staff in one hand. ¡°Stop talking boy, you¡¯re only making things worse. Run along now, before you scare off this interesting young man.¡± Josephus¡¯s mouth flapped like a fish- before he turned and fled, book in hand.


    The old crone sighed before turning to Alden. She marched right up to him, voice cracking like a whip. ¡°Lean down youngster so I can get a better look at you.¡± Amused, Alden did so- and hissed as she grabbed his ear in a vice-like grip. She turned his face this way and that, probing and pulling every inch of skin. After a few moments she released him, his hand rubbing his poor, abused face. ¡°What was that for?¡± She harrumphed and turned around, heading through a back door. ¡°It is the province of the Elderly to do as they see fit. And it is the privilege of the young to be under the Elderly.¡± Alden stared at the crazy woman before following. ¡°Maybe some Elders.¡± He thought he had muttered it quietly enough. He thought wrong. ¡°I heard that!¡± Alden grinned and shrugged, before rushing to catch up with her surprisingly fast pace.


    Her voice was old, and cracked, but it still straightened Alden¡¯s spine when she spoke. ¡°What are you looking for boy?¡± Alden cleared his throat before speaking, making sure to keep his voice friendly and casual. ¡°Whatever information you have on ancient Gelid civilizations. Preferably with some type of dictionary or other Hoffata stone included.¡± The librarian huffed a wheezing laugh-cough. ¡°What¡¯s a young mage like you doing, poking around old things graves?¡± Alden shrugged at her back. ¡°Curiosity. I¡¯m also interested to see how their mages operated.¡± The librarian halted and spun to face him. Alden stumbled behind her, eyes dipping down to her furious face. A blistering pain erupted from his leg, a curse on the edge of his tongue as the old woman retracted her cane. ¡°If you¡¯d wanted to study mage practices you should¡¯ve said so boy. Follow me and I¡¯ll show you what you need.¡± Alden limped slightly as he continued to follow, fighting to keep the grin off his face. While he hadn¡¯t expected her to realize what he really wanted to do here, he also hadn¡¯t expected that she would provide him with a perfect cover. He didn¡¯t think Tunk¡¯lan had anything to do with his parents but, well, it never hurt to be extra cautious.


    The Librarian led him through the twisting passages with a subtle type of grace. It was in the way she made no mistakes, didn¡¯t hesitate at any of the doors or intersections. It was interesting the way everyone who passed them acknowledged her. Whether it was with a nod, or a bow or a subtle gesture, they all paid their respects to the ancient woman. After an eternity of walking, she finally took a left and pushed open a door. Before she stepped fully in, she threw one last comment over her shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t gape in the entranceway. We have plenty of curious entrants that don¡¯t need to be blocked by some fool boy with visions of grandeur.¡± Alden smiled and shrugged, before following her in- and almost failed her request. He monotonously stepped to the side as his eyes took in the massive library- collection- no, repository before him. Every room he had entered so far had some version of a limited and cramped room. Even the marketplace, for its relatively expansive area, still had a normal-sized roof. The room before him was constrained by no such things.


    The ceiling towered above him, easily over 10 meters in height. Shelves stretched from the floor to the ceiling itself, books packed into every square inch. Rolling ladders were held at the edge of every shelf, even as the very books themselves flew to a few people walking around. Alden leaped to the side, obeying every instinct he had, avoiding the cane that lashed out at him. The woman harrumphed at him before waving her hand. ¡°That¡¯s enough gaping. Come here, let me show you what you need to work on.¡± Alden just nodded dumbly, eyes still tracing the titanic amount of information. It was only when her cane tapping started to peter out that he startled after her, chasing after her swishing dress. He came up to her right speedwalking as best he was able. ¡°How do you have so many books? Did you have more before our relocation? What languages are they all in? Are there supposed to be people making out in here?¡± ¡°Hold on bo-wait!¡± Her head snapped to the side and the couple that was passionately making out behind the front shelf.


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    ¡°Damn brats. HEATHRO! JENNA! Get out here before I whip your butts like your parents¡¯ ought to have!¡± The two teens- they were even younger than Alden himself- heads snapped up. They both wore guilty expressions and stumbled out, talking rapidly about how they were studying, and this or that. Honestly, Alden just tuned them out and watched the show. He wished he had some good meat skewers. Maybe some hard molasses. Thwack! That cane arced out lethally, smashing the boy in the thigh. He grunted, even as the girl behind him gasped as the cane hit her too. ¡°Shut up boy, your only making things worse. Both of you leave, and make sure to stop this canoodling. Else I¡¯ll tell your families, and your fathers can handle you.¡± Both their faces went whiter than a ghost¡¯s- before they spun and tore out of the library. The boy threw one glance over his shoulder before he left, and Alden gave him his best shrug. The boy didn¡¯t seem very comforted by it, strangely enough.


    The old lady harrumphed as she began to stride forward again. ¡°Where was I? Ah, yes, no need to bombard me with questions boy. Everything will be answered soon enough. In the meantime, I¡¯ll answer one of your questions. Make it a good one, I rarely give out freebies.¡± Alden thought over it for a moment. ¡°How do you protect this much information?¡± The old woman gave him a considering look. ¡°That is a surprisingly wise question. Mostly, we don¡¯t let people know we have it. The few who do know also know that we have enough power to back it up.¡± Alden grunted, thoughts spiraling into himself. Bob¡¯s talons digging into his shoulder brought him back to the present, eyes darting back up. The old woman was staring at him, eyes narrowed, and lips pressed together. ¡°Say, boy, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen you around before.¡± Alden shrugged. ¡°Long lost family member.¡±  She hummed. ¡°What family member?¡± Alden narrowed his eyes. ¡°Martha.¡± The old lady stared at him a minute longer- before throwing her head back and cackling.


    ¡°Of course. Martha Frank, the most book-avoidant little girl I¡¯ve ever known, gave birth to a Seeker. Tell me boy, how is she?¡± Alden stared at her flatly. ¡°She¡¯s dead.¡± The Libarian lost her mirth at that. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss boy. I am glad that you found us, however. Some wounds never go away, but family can help soothe them.¡± Alden just grunted and looked away, face going blank. She stared at him for a moment longer before gesturing at the bookshelves on their left. ¡°Here¡¯s what you need.¡± He followed her as she expertly maneuvered around random paintings and pots on pedestals. ¡°Starting from where we are is the most recent civilizations. Go further back and you get to older peoples. Is there anything in particular your researching?¡± Alden shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know yet.¡± A huff. ¡°Of course you don¡¯t. Martha is your mother after all. The library closes at the ninth bell. You can tell because the moss and shrooms will start to darken by then. Any one of the helpful people walking around with a card on them is one of my staff. Feel free to ask them any questions.¡± Alden nodded and turned around to thank the woman- only to see her turn the corner and swish off into the distance. ¡°Well. I guess she doesn¡¯t do goodbyes, huh Bob?¡± Bob clucked. Alden chuckled and shrugged. ¡°Your right. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The problem with trying to be circumspect is that it made everything take forever. Alden was already running a risk by telling the head librarian that he was looking at ancient civilizations. That she presumed he was looking at mage techniques would hopefully provide him a cover against any scrutiny. In hindsight Alden had to admit it made more sense. A young man with the chicken affinity looking at ancient Gelid Cultures? What was more likely- that he was researching a clue his dead mother left behind- or that he was trying to find some secret spell and make himself all powerful? Alden sighed and pushed away his tangential thoughts. Entertaining as they were, distractions were the least of his worries right now. He groaned and threw his head against the headrest, kneading his forehead. Bob cocked his head and clucked deeply, watching from the chair across from him. ¡°I know, I know we need to keep looking. But I¡¯ve been looking for hours Bob, and the closest thing I¡¯ve found to what I need is about a civilization only briefly mentioned in a cold studies case. Nothing else has it, not even a mention of it.¡± Alden leaned back even further, hands rubbing furiously.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what to do with this Bob. If someone was trying to hide the information they¡¯ve done a fantastic job at it. If I can¡¯t find any information here, where will I find it?¡± Bob fluttered his wings. Alden sighed and flipped open the next book- before pausing. ¡°Bob. Hide.¡± Bob didn¡¯t question him, diving down under the table. Alden stood carefully, walking a few steps in front of the table and leaning against the shelf. He slowly slid down with his back against it and buried his head between his knees. He silently shook, no noise escaping him. He could feel the shudders sweeping over him. Sounds pinged at the edge of his awareness as adrenaline flooded his veins. He could feel that urge to do something, anything grow within him. His magic gnawed at the last strands of sanity he had. Something tugged at the inner part of him. He ignored it. Something shuffled.


    His head snapped up as blazing spellforms leapt into his mind¡¯s eye. Next thing he knew, he was standing across the room hand reaching out. He heard a huff as it collided with someone before his body moved, sweeping the leg and controlling the hands. He tumbled onto the floor and raised his hand, Aether collecting-¡°Wait!¡±- and froze as the voice entered his ears. The dull roar that filled his brain slowly faded. His magic dissipated. Alden blinked and looked down. A young woman, brown haired and brown eyed, stared at him with an open mouth. Alden grunted and stood, extending his hand. ¡°Ever heard of announcing your presence? It¡¯s not good to surprise people.¡± She blinked. ¡°Wha-why- what just happened!?¡± Alden shrugged as she scrambled to her feet. ¡°You surprised me. I reacted. What¡¯d you think happened?¡± Her hands flopped in the air as her mouth flapped. Words seemed to escape her. Finally, they managed to escape her throat, somewhere between an incredulous hiss and a yell.


    ¡°What do you mean I surprised you!? I was minding my own business when you attacked me! What¡¯re you doing back here?¡± Alden shrugged. ¡°Research.¡± He scratched the back of his head and gave her a smile. ¡°Sorry about the sweep. You just caught me at a bad time that¡¯s all.¡± She stared at him for a moment longer- before sighing. ¡°Whatever.¡± She turned away and hustled back out. Alden shook his head, breathing a quiet sigh of relief as he returned to his studies. The last thing he needed was some librarian- what was the term? Errant or something similarly silly he thought- poking into his business. Settling back down onto the table he waved his hand at Bob. The proud bird hopped back onto the seat and settled in as if nothing happened. Alden sighed and waved around him. ¡°You need to keep a better watch around. I could¡¯ve knocked her out.¡± Bob squawked at him as Alden hunched over the book. ¡°Uh huh. Whatever you say, although a real chicken would just cock up and accept responsibility.¡± Alden smiled as his companion launched into an extensive diatribe towards him. He flipped the page, revealing another set of non-matching symbols. Hopefully something would turn up soon.

 Chapter 25: Interesting Times Sadly, Alden鈥檚 wishes failed to reveal anything substantial. So did th

    Sadly, Alden¡¯s wishes failed to reveal anything substantial. So did the next day. And the next. After four days of fruitless research, Alden was fed up with staring at a shelf of musty books. But he still had to find what he needed to find. Meeting with his ¡®criminal¡¯ contact had been a welcome distraction from his tedious research. Alden had given him a few tasks and paid him a considerable sum. He was hopeful that something would turn up, but there were no guarantees.


    Groaning as he got up, he stumbled out of bed¡ªonly to be met with the grinning visage of Frank. Alden blinked. He hadn¡¯t seen much of the older man, too busy with his packed schedule.


    ¡°Hey, Frank. Did I forget something? I didn¡¯t think we had anything planned for another couple of days.¡± Frank raised an eyebrow. ¡°No, we didn¡¯t. But I also don¡¯t remember us talking about you burying yourself in research and training every single day.¡±


    Alden scratched at the scruff that had started to pop up. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure what you¡¯re talking about. I admit, I¡¯ve been spending a lot of time in the library, but I¡¯m still taking care of what I need to do. We spar almost every day, after all.¡±


    Frank sighed. ¡°Yes, and you continue to improve at a frightening pace. But that¡¯s not my point. My point is that dedicating yourself so single-mindedly to a task isn¡¯t the best way to get results.¡± Alden just stared at him. ¡°Really? Because it¡¯s worked pretty well for me so far.¡± Frank waved his hands. ¡°That may be so, but let me tell you¡ªafter over three decades of nonstop work, you¡¯ll actually last longer if you take a break.¡±


    Alden tilted his head¡ªthen spotted the plates of food on the table. ¡°I¡¯d love to talk more, but I¡¯d love to eat before the food gets cold even more.¡± Frank chuckled and stepped to the side. ¡°Have at it. I¡¯m more talking at you than with you anyway.¡±


    Alden flashed a smile and hurried over to the food, sitting down¡ªbut not before serving Frank his own meal. The man smiled and nodded before pouring Alden some water and taking a bite. As soon as he did, Alden launched into his own meal, half an eye on Frank.


    For the next couple of minutes, silence reigned, only interrupted by the scrape of utensils on plates. Finally, Alden leaned back slightly in his chair, about to relax¡ªbefore remembering where he was and standing. Picking up his plate, he maneuvered over to the washbin and thoroughly cleaned it before placing it back in one of the cabinets. He returned to the table and took Frank¡¯s now-cleaned plate, similarly washing it. Frank came up beside him, leaning against the wall. ¡°I know what you¡¯re working for. Why you¡¯re doing it. But it¡¯s not going to hold.¡±


    Alden kept his voice light. ¡°Oh? Not quite sure what you mean.¡± Frank shifted. ¡°No one can dedicate themselves so single-mindedly to a task forever, Alden.¡± Alden¡¯s lips quirked. ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that.¡± Frank sighed. ¡°No one should dedicate themselves so wholeheartedly to a single purpose.¡± Alden turned to face him fully. ¡°And why not?¡± Frank met his gaze. ¡°Because there¡¯s more to life than just revenge, boy.¡±


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    Alden cocked his head. ¡°Like what?¡± Frank stared at him. ¡°Like family. Love. Joy, improvement, leaving a legacy.¡± Alden just looked at him. ¡°But why? Why do those things matter? You say it like it¡¯s obvious, like they have inherent value. But why? Why should I deny myself what I want now for some vague, ephemeral promise of a better future?¡±


    Frank smiled and sighed. ¡°Your argument sounds painfully familiar. I¡¯ll attempt to give you the answers my decades have granted me. At some point, you will either succeed or fail in your mission. And in many ways, failure is better. Because then you will always have that ¡®what if.¡¯ What if you had accomplished it? What if you had gone all the way? If you do succeed, I suspect you will be left emptier than before. When you¡¯re climbing a mountain, you don¡¯t think of all the people you leave behind, all the side paths and sights you ignore¡ªbecause the summit, the crest, calls to you. But when your foot makes contact with that summit¡ªwhen you ascend upon that tallest peak¡ªyou will find every missed opportunity roaring at you. You will regret every side path you didn¡¯t take, every man, woman, and child you left along your ascent. So no, I don¡¯t have a perfect answer for you. I can¡¯t tell you why those things make you feel wealthy, and loved, and valuable. All I can tell you is that they do.¡±


    Alden was silent for a moment. ¡°You may be right. You probably are, in fact. But let me ask: would I be worth anything if I didn¡¯t pursue this foolish goal?¡± Silence fell between them as they stared at one another. For a minute, it was just them and this conversation, nothing else. Frank was the first to look away, eyes moving to the wall. ¡°Perhaps you are right. Maybe you do have to chase this goal.¡± His eyes traced back up to Alden as his shoulders squared. ¡°But at some point along your journey, you¡¯re going to have to make a choice. More than once, in fact. I cannot make that choice for you. But I can tell you that when you do discover something that gives you value¡ªthat gives you love and respect¡ªif you pursue this path you¡¯re on, you may not be able to move toward that warmth, that light in the caverns.¡±


    He stepped out of the kitchen, heading toward the door. He opened it¡ªand paused, throwing a glance backward. ¡°You are still my blood, Alden. Sometimes, that¡¯s all we have. But sometimes, that¡¯s all we need.¡± The door closed.


    Alden stared at it before letting out a deep breath. He walked over and settled into one of the chairs. Bob clucked at him, and Alden chuckled thickly. ¡°Yeah. What should we do then?¡± Bob cocked his head at him and fluttered his wings. Alden stared at the bird and chuckled. ¡°A purpose, huh? If only Jacob could look at me now.¡±


    He flexed his hands and stood abruptly. ¡°Follow me.¡± With that, he turned and headed further back into the room, quickly finding the secret doorway. Pausing to take a deep breath at the crack of darkness, he exhaled before entering. Bob scrambled behind him, clucking and squawking in outrage at his mount leaving him. Alden smiled as he swept down toward the hidden room. He effortlessly followed the twists and turns until he came to a stop before the door. He put his hands on it. Pushed it open, and stepped back in.


    His gaze swept over every inch of the place as he planted his hands on his hips. Bob was right behind him, confidently sweeping into the room. He squawked at Alden. Alden sighed before bending over and picking him up, placing him at his position of honor. Bob settled in before clucking questioningly at Alden. Alden smiled. ¡°The plan¡¯s simple. I¡¯ve been attempting to run before I learned to walk. My parents¡¯ goal¡ªI¡­ I don¡¯t know if I want to accomplish it.¡±


    His smile faltered slightly before returning at full force. ¡°What I do know, however, is that some things are worth pursuing, even if you fail.¡± He smirked at the bird on his shoulder. ¡°Now the real work begins.¡±

 Chapter 26: Operation: Discovery

    Alden sat at a small table, Bob beside him. It turned out that another room was connected to the entrance. This one, thankfully, was less crowded. It was small¡ªsmall enough that it hovered on the border between room and closet¡ªbut big enough for his needs. A small table sat in the middle, plush seats surrounding it. Alden shifted slightly, twirling the feather in his hand. His eyes stared at the blank papyrus before him, even as his mind raced. Bob clucked, and Alden¡¯s eyes darted up as a smile crossed his lips.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, you¡¯re right¡ªI always do my best thinking out loud.¡± He turned his chair so that he was angled toward Bob. ¡°What I¡¯ve done so far is pored over some books. My search has been futile. There¡¯s just too much information, and if I skim, I run the risk of missing something relevant. ¡®Do it well once, and you won¡¯t have to do it again¡¯¡ªthat¡¯s my motto. The problem is that it¡¯s slow, agonizingly boring, and doesn¡¯t help me if there¡¯s not already a translation.¡±


    Alden¡¯s feet tapped rhythmically on the stone floor as Bob shuffled. ¡°My parents managed to translate it. Or, it led them to something in the process of translation. Since the latter is far too broad, I¡¯m going to guess it¡¯s the former. In which case, I need to find a translator. My contact has been putting out feelers, but I don¡¯t expect much.¡±


    Alden twirled the feather again. ¡°That brings up another point¡ªcontacts. I¡¯ve got exactly one source of intelligence, which is a dangerous position to be in. I need to cultivate some resources, use them to find a translator, translate and follow this clue while staying undetected. The same people who have managed to suppress every trace of this civilization¡ªand anyone who discovers it¡ªare after me. So it should be a piece of cake.¡± He snorted at himself.


    ¡°Alright, I see two major parts to this operation: decoding the information and keeping myself secret while I do so. The first I¡¯ll pursue through my studies in the library and my informant. I¡¯ll also talk to Frank. After all this time, I¡¯m sure he knows a few people who can keep an ear out. If I need to build more contacts, I¡¯ll ask him for advice. On most of them, at least.¡±


    Alden stood and began pacing. ¡°The second task is far more challenging. Whoever wants this secret buried has enough political, economic, and military power to take me out. If I could spread information quickly, I could undercut them, but there¡¯s no way to do that.¡± Bob clucked, and Alden paused, turning to look at him. Bob clucked again and fluttered his wings.


    Alden nodded. ¡°Maybe. Using book mages could be a way to create a system of mass distribution. But where would I find that many book mages? Or enchantments? No, I don¡¯t think that idea¡¯s feasible just yet. Which means I need to hide my activities. The best way is to not draw attention to myself. But I have to consider the possibility that they have some method to track those searching for this lost people. So I need a cover¡ªsomething that either obfuscates or creates a plausible backstory. Maybe something like being a traveling bard- but that has its own sort of issues.¡±


    Alden tapped the table, then grabbed a scrap of papyrus and jotted down a few ideas. None were perfect¡ªbut maybe that was good. A cover story too well-crafted might be suspicious in itself. ¡°I¡¯ll chew on them over the next few days, see if anything better comes up.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°We also need to consider what happens if we get discovered. Violence is a likely answer. In which case, we need to be prepared. I want to wait until the Olm¡¯an¡¯lil to start messing with you, but I¡¯m not sure if we have time.¡±


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    He hesitated. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s a solution somewhere. I¡¯ll work on that as well. In the meantime, you¡±¡ªhe fixed his attention squarely on Bob¡ª"need to work on yourself. It hasn¡¯t escaped my notice that you¡¯ve been slacking.¡±


    Bob squawked in outrage and flared his feathers. Alden ignored him, turning back to his paper. The beginnings of the plan were unfolding in his mind, and he needed to write them down before he forgot.


    <hr>


    Alden hummed a little tune as he skipped down the hallway. It was getting late, his and Bob¡¯s strategy session having lasted another two hours or so. The rooster was on a mission of his own, preparing for what was to come. Alden had to say, he wasn¡¯t entirely sure how his enhancements would take to Bob, but they seemed to be melding just fine.


    He pushed through the library doors and into the main repository. He took a deep breath, savoring the crisp air, before striding forward. He moved through the labyrinth of shelves with ease after so many days navigating them.


    He turned the corner toward his usual nook¡ªand stopped. Two men were sitting at his table.


    Alden kept one eye on them as he passed, tipping his head slightly. He could feel their gazes boring into his back as he sifted through the remaining books. He only had three more to go before he finished his current shelf. After that, just half a shelf remained. Victory was close enough to taste.


    His search had been futile so far, and he was starting to reconsider his approach. If a book mentioned these people tangentially¡ªmaybe under a different name or title¡ªit might have been overlooked. Who would care about a single obscure reference? It was a shot in the dark, but he considered it more than worth the effort.


    Gathering the books, he strolled toward a more secluded niche. It was farther away, but well worth the walk for the solitude. He settled in and began flipping through the pages, his hands moving with well-practiced efficiency. Four days of constant work had refined his technique. His eyes flickered over the text rapidly while his right hand scribbled down anything noteworthy.


    A loud thud sounded beside him.


    Alden glanced sideways. A man had dropped into the chair next to him, settling in with an air of practiced ease. He was lithe, with brown hair and eyes. He stared at Alden.


    Alden met his gaze, held it for a moment, then turned back to his book. The man cleared his throat. Alden ignored him. He cleared his throat again. When Alden still didn¡¯t move, the man sighed and thumped a hand onto the open book before him.


    Alden slowly lifted his gaze. ¡°What?¡± The man grinned, revealing crooked teeth. ¡°Are you Alden?¡± Alden shrugged. ¡°Depends. Who¡¯s asking?¡±


    The man cocked his head. ¡°Me? We¡¯ll get to that later. If you are Alden, though, I have a question for you.¡± Alden raised an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard you made a move on one of my men.¡± Alden didn¡¯t twitch. ¡°Not sure I catch your meaning.¡± The man tsked. ¡°I think you do. If you want one of my boys to do something, you come to me, not them.¡±


    Alden met his eyes and shrugged. ¡°Seemed like it would take too long. I was impatient.¡± The man studied him for a long moment before leaning back. ¡°Maybe.¡± He stood. ¡°Next time, you go through me.¡± Alden nodded once. ¡°Got it. Anything else?¡± ¡°Yes, actually.¡± The man¡¯s eyes flicked toward Alden¡¯s books. ¡°What are you researching?¡±


    Alden glanced at the open page. ¡°This? Nothing much. Just a little history project for an apprenticeship.¡± The man stared at him for a beat before nodding. ¡°Fair enough. Remember¡ªstraight to me.¡± Alden tilted his head. ¡°And you are?¡± The man¡¯s smile didn¡¯t falter. ¡°You can call me Samuy.¡± Alden watched him disappear into the shelves.


    <hr>


    The rest of his research expedition passed uneventfully. He finished every book¡ªonly to find himself at another dead end. The suppression of information had been thorough. Still, he had one more lead.


    Grinning to himself, Alden retrieved a small scroll from its hiding place. It looked like he¡¯d have a meeting to arrange.