《Darkness and Hellfire》


 Prologue

    Prologue


    ¡°Daughter, could you do me a favor?¡± A deep voice with a low rumble came from a shadow in the shape of a man.


    A girl who looked to be in her late twenties with white hair, eyes and pale skin, looked up from the papers on her dark oak desk in the corner of her room and replied ¡°Of course father, but what can I do for you that you cannot simply have one of your shadows do?¡±


    ¡°Can you¡­ write your mother¡¯s and my story?¡± He asked almost hesitantly, as if he doubted if it was a good idea, or maybe he didn¡¯t want to ask too much of his daughter.


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    ¡°Really?! Truly father?¡± She looked at him with a mix of excitement and worry in her eyes. The silver eyes of the shadow looked down then up as if to nod the affirmative. ¡°I will of course¡­ however, are you sure it is a good idea? I mean, there are some things in your story that should not be common knowledge. Mortals should not know of other worlds and the path to divinity right? Would that not cause untold problems for lesser divinity and interplanar travel? Not to mention all the mages that are bound to do something idiotic in an attempt to cross worlds.¡±


    ¡°At present, I only want you to write it down. We can think about the rest when we are done.¡± A hint of amusement in his voice and a slight squint of the shadows left eye. She knew he had one of his signature smirks that meant he was amused at something only he knew.


    She turned back to her desk, straightened the papers she had been pouring over into a neat pile and set them off to the side. Then she opened a drawer in her desk and pulled out a stack of fresh blank paper. Straightening her back and grabbing her crystal fountain pen that never ran out of ink. ¡°Well father, I am ready when you are.¡±

 Chapter 1: Well, That’s Unfortunate.

    Chapter 1: Well, That¡¯s Unfortunate.


    A man was driving home from visiting family. His carriage was not magical yet propelled itself at speeds greater than any horse by two fold. His artifact, a small tablet capable of communicating across vast distances vibrated, informing him of a recently received message. He looked down at it to read the note that had just crossed miles in under a second.


    At his speed he covered a hundred feet before his eyes could return to the road. During that one fleeting second an animal decided that that was the time to cross the road. As he looked up he saw the deer just before impact ¡°OH SHI¡­¡± A crunch of glass and bone. A squeal of rubber. Then spinning as the carriage tumbled. By then he was already dead.


    The deer, from the impact at such speeds, lost its legs to the front of the carriage. Its body impacted the glass forward facing window with enough force to plow through it and into the man¡¯s head. Breaking his neck and killing him instantly.


    His next conscious thought was not what one would expect. It was not of heaven nor hell, not of nothingness nor purgatory. It was a white room with a pair of young blonde twins lounging in pillow chairs. The brother¡¯s eyes were green and blue and the sister¡¯s brown and red. Their eyes were not simply a shade of these colors. No, they WERE those colors. The entirety of the concept of those colors were trapped in the twins'' eyes. Their blonde hair was much the same. Every yellow was trapped in each strand as if the color was distilled into an ink. An ink that was then painted in space that just happened to exist in the place where their hair should be. For a mortal it was headache inducing. The mortal mind was not meant to perceive these things.


    ¡°Welcome child to our domain. You are here because you died.¡± The sister of the two said in a child-like voice.


    The man, who would later become the Lord of Darkness itself, unbeknownst to any in the room, snapped out of his stupor at the words. He took a deep breath and looked down at his hand that he could now see through. ¡°Well, that¡¯s unfortunate.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± The sister laughed with a voice like wind chimes on a summer day ¡°Well Zei you lost. I told you those would be his first words.¡±


    The brother with a sigh and a voice that had yet to deepen replied: ¡°Yes Rei. You win. I was almost certain his first statement would be,¡± He deepened his voice and made a serious face, ¡°Fuck¡± then he chuckled to himself and returned his voice to his normal angelic, sweet, and slightly high pitch it normally was. ¡°But it appears your guess was better than mine. After all, divination can never truly be one hundred percent accurate.¡±


    The sister, Rei, smiled cheekily to herself then returned her attention to the man standing before them. He was an average height for his world with average looks and nearly black hair and eyes. He was still clothed in the garb he died in, a black shirt, blue jean pants, and black shoes. All in all unassuming and average yet her and her brother had a job to do.


    ¡°Well mortal, you died because a god from our realm decided to go on a vacation to yours. His presence caused that deer to prematurely cross the road right in front of you. He then had to make amends. Normally it would be as simple as resurrecting you and sending you on your way with some token of apology. However, there were witnesses so that was out of the question. Our existence in other planes MUST be kept a secret to mortals of Earth as a whole.¡± She explained casually as if it was just another errand to be done before the day was done.


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    The man looked at her with the same blank expression that had adorned his face since his entrance. ¡°So what now? You said I¡¯m dead. Is my soul being judged or something?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± The brother, Zei chimed in. ¡°Your soul is to live out the rest of its natural time. In our world however, not yours.¡± He shifted in his chair. ¡°You get to decide how we, the twin divinities of reincarnation, will recycle your soul.¡± He took a deep breath locking eyes with the mortal. ¡°Do you want to stay dead?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± The man replied. Intrigue, concern, and confusion all wrapped into one in his voice yet very little of it reached his face.


    ¡°Well, we can recycle your soul completely. You, as you are, will end. Cease to be. Turned into energy for the next you to be born as a babe. A babe to some random pair of humans somewhere.¡± Rei continued ¡°Alternatively we can leave you as you are, maybe take some of your memories and use them to give you power in this world that will be new to you. In this instance you may change your body as we will have to create a new one anyway.¡±


    The man looked down in contemplation for a short while, the gods not disturbing him as they quite literally had all the time in the world. Then he spoke as he looked up ¡°What kind of power?¡± He had already decided what memories he wanted to keep. ¡°What kind of power, if I only want to remember my family¡¯s names and how I feel about them? Well, I guess I would like to remember what little combat I know and I guess one thing about people in general.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and what is that one thing?¡± The sister asked leaning in like she was about to receive a little gossip on another god.


    ¡°That people are evil the more power they have over others. The strongest man in the world may be the kindest but the ruler of it WILL not be,¡± He stated with steel in his voice and conviction in his heart. Conviction to use whatever power he attained to make others¡¯ lives better instead of worse, as so many in power have throughout his world¡¯s history.


    ¡°Hahaha I like this one brother,¡± Rei giggled. ¡°Magic. That is what you will receive. Mortals from this world can have magic from many sources, study, bloodline, or natural magic anomalies. It happens often enough. However, their connection to the mana of their world is weak. You, amusing mortal, in exchange for your memories will have a strong connection to one type of mana specifically. This will prevent you from even using the other types of mana. However, the mana in your body will refill in a matter of minutes , maybe even seconds where the others will take hours.¡±


    ¡°That sounds incredible. What type of magic will I be able to use? Fire? Ice? Earth?¡± The man asked with some excitement reaching his face and eyes.


    ¡°What do you think brother?¡± Rei asked, turning to Zei.


    ¡°Black mana. It fits him don¡¯t you think? Shadow and Death. Of course necromancy will be out of his reach because it requires more than just dark mana and Death is not as straightforward as it might seem.¡± Zei replied with a smile almost wicked.


    ¡°Indeed black it is. Darkness. Shadow. Death. That will be what you use. He who has come back from the dead. Who died in the dark. Who never left his own shadow. In addition to the memories you wished to keep you will also remember how you died and your time here with us. Now think of how you wish your new body to be.¡± Rei commanded as her face turned serious. Her eyes boring into the man.


    The man gulped, closed his eyes and focused. His Hair would be as long as it could be and still be able to hide it all under a helmet, if he brushed it back. He absently did just that as he thought about what else he wanted to change. Nose smoothed slightly, jaw sharpened, all hair not on his head reduced to little more than fuzz. He removed the facial hair too while he was at it. Straightened his back and defined his muscles. Tweaked his skeleton to hold his muscles, now also larger but small enough to hide should he need to, properly and efficiently. Perfect skin of course. ¡®Who doesn¡¯t want perfect skin? And any more hair than necessary is just a pain to keep clean. I don¡¯t know what environment I¡¯ll end up in.¡¯ he thought. Then he made his pupils silver and his hair a pure black without a hint of color.


    ¡°Alright, how do I look?¡± He asked flashing Rei a grin.


    Rei in her part ignored him and turned to her brother, ¡° He took that rather well considering, don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. But to answer your question mortal, you look better even if those eyes will stand out a bit. Fare thee well mortal. I doubt we will meet again but in the infinite multiverse of possibilities one can never say for certain.¡± Zei remarked as he smiled a smile that didn¡¯t reach his eyes.


    The man locked eyes with both the twins in turn and gave a short bow. ¡°Thank¡­¡± Next thing he knew everything was dark and cold.

 Chapter 2 Okay Death Hurts…

    Chapter 2 Okay Death Hurts¡­


    Cold and darkness. That¡¯s all the man felt and saw. His feet touched the ground and he lost balance collapsing onto cold hard rock with a clank of metal on stone. He barely got his hand in front of him before his face hit stone. ¡°Well. I guess I¡¯m here. He turned and sat cross legged on the ground. Hearing metal scrape on stone and feeling something on his hip dragging across the ground causing his sitting position to be even less comfortable.


    ¡°Huh. I didn¡¯t think about it at the time but hindsight being twenty-twenty and all that I¡¯m surprised I still know language.¡± He put his hand on his chin in contemplation. ¡°What¡¯s twenty-twenty mean anyway? Like I know the saying means that you don¡¯t realize mistakes until you look back on them but like¡­ why?¡±


    A flash of light snapped him out of his contemplation and nearly made him fall backwards. As the light dimmed and he lowered his hand from in front of his face he noticed a small lantern and a wooden box with an obvious lid on it. The box was about one foot deep, one foot tall, and two feet wide. It was made of a wood that seemed to change which tree it came from by the grain. Definitely unnatural.


    ¡°Thanks?¡± He said looking up towards where he figured the sky would be. ¡°A final gift box and a lamp. I¡¯ll take it.¡± He stood up but before he moved to open the box he got a good look at himself and the gear he was now equipped with. Leather armor. Shaped to a perfect fit and sturdy but light. Looking for weapons he saw he had three. He had a dagger on his right hip, a longsword on his left, and a shortsword strapped to the small of his back with the hilt pointing to his left side. Two weapons for his right hand and one for his left.


    ¡°Good some protection. I just hope that whatever is out there is less armed than me¡­¡± His voice trailing off as his eyes scanned the endless dark. He was lost in the total blackness of it for a moment. Drawn in as if it was trying to communicate with him. ¡°Okay time for the box.¡± He said while shaking his head to clear it.


    Crouching down he pulled off the lid. Inside he saw three things. A small brown leather bag of coins, an ornate compass, and a letter without a seal. ¡°Let¡¯s see what their last message to me is.¡± He quietly commented to himself as he pulled the letter out and opened it. Inside there was a simple piece of paper with crisp perfect text stamped on it:


    There was a dramatic exit to be made so we skipped some of things you should know. Firstly: The compass will always point toward the nearest large group of mortals. It can be temperamental sometimes so who knows what large actually means but it will serve its purpose for you now. Secondly: you have an Inventory skill. Think Inventory and you will see a screen appear in front of you and towards the right. You can change its orientation as you like. Note that anything nonliving that you can pick up can be pushed inside of it. Once inside it will be safe from all external forces however the weight of the object will be dispersed across your body so keep that in mind. Other than that there are no limits to the Inventory, just don¡¯t crush yourself okay. Thirdly: Your magic. Focus on your core, dive deep into your soul and you will feel your connection to the dark mana that resides there. Focus on the shadow aspect and guide it towards your eyes. The death aspect should only be used on your hands for now. Anyway good luck and thanks for the entertainment young mortal.


    -Zei loser of bets


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    ¡°Damn. That¡¯s a lot to unpack.¡± His eyes skimmed the page again to make sure he hadn¡¯t missed anything. ¡°Okay first Inventory.¡± He focused on the word and a window appeared exactly as the note had said. The first thing he noticed was a set of climbing gear. A rope, a set of hand and foot spikes, a dozen pitons, and a small hammer. Next was a filled water skin. It looked like it could hold about a quart of water.


    He reached in and pulled out the water skin. It felt like once his hand was touching the screen the object simply materialized in his hand. He opened it and took a sip. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s cold. I wonder if things age in there?¡± He then sealed and pressed the water skin back into the screen and it vanished. ¡°Huh. Convenient.¡± He withdrew the compass from the box next. Opening it the hand spun a few times before settling on a direction. ¡°I hope it¡¯s pointing towards the path and not the general direction towards more people.¡± He pondered while staring at it intently.


    Placing the compass in his Inventory he grabbed the bag of coins. Inside was ten copper coins, ten silver coins, and a singular gold coin. ¡°I wonder how much this actually is?¡± he questioned while putting the bag in his Inventory. Right as he was about to press it into the screen he stopped. ¡°Actually¡­¡± He said to himself as he poured the coins out of the bag into his Inventory directly. The screen reacted to his intent and rotated itself so it would be under the coins to catch them.


    ¡°Sweet it sorted them for me. Two stacks of ten and the singular gold coin.¡± He sat back and crossed his legs again. ¡°Now for the fun part. Magic.¡± He did as he was told. Focusing on his core he could feel the mana circulating inside him. He knew instinctively that the dark mana was two sides of the same coin. Shadow and death.


    Focusing on the shadow mana he found it wanting to follow his direction. ¡°Okay to my eyes then.¡± He brought some of the mana up through his spine and then forwards to his eyes. Once there the mana seemed to know what to do and coated his pupils in a fine layer of almost tangible shadow stuff. Probably shadow mana he figured.


    ¡°Woah I can see!¡± He exclaimed and jumped to his feet. Looking around he could now barely see the walls of the cavern he found himself in. It was about thirty feet across with him in the center.


    The dim lantern light had actually reached most of the way across the cavern. It was just dim enough that prior to his new ability the cavern could have been miles across for all he knew. He let out a breath feeling a weight leave his shoulders. With sight came at least the illusion of safety.


    ¡°Okay now that I can see, what¡¯s this about death mana and only my hands?¡± He looked down at his hands as he held them in front of him. Closing his eyes he once again felt for his inner mana. Once he touched the death mana he willed it towards his hands. Immediately he was met with pain from the inside as the mana seemed to burn its way through his mana pathways.


    ¡°Ugh, okay death hurts¡­¡± He had abruptly cut off the mana flow as soon as he was met with pain but the pain still lingered. ¡°Okay think. How do I limit it only to my hands?¡± He stopped and thought for a minute.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s not that easy is it?¡± He focused on his mana again but this time he guided the dark mana the whole way to his hands before trying to pull just the death mana out. Sure enough it worked without pain and the death mana simply collected on the surface of his hands.


    Opening his eyes he was met by his hands dripping black flames and a faint scent of decay. ¡°Yikes, I hope that pain in my chest goes away soon and I didn¡¯t just burn my insides too badly. Ouch it still hurts.¡± He stopped focusing the mana and unlike with the shadow mana and his eyes the death mana fizzled out and returned to just dark mana.


    ¡°Alright. Some abilities will just stay active until I turn them off and others need my constant attention. Got it.¡± He stated while looking around.


    ¡°Guess I don¡¯t need this right now. Could be useful later though.¡± He told the cavern, the only thing that he thought could hear him, as he reached down and put the lantern and then the box in his Inventory.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    Very far away in her own domain a goddess looked into a pool of dark water. To her this pool was a window to the material world. As she gazed into it watching the newest addition to her world she performed a divination.


    ¡°Ah now this is interesting. Yes, yes, and I know just who to send¡­¡±


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Chapter 3 I Wasn’t Hallucinating.

    Chapter 3 I Wasn¡¯t Hallucinating.


    In a stone city carved into a cavern eighty miles away there was a woman. A noblewoman paladin. Lenna V¡¯Nova. Heiress to the city of Contantis, a major slaving hub for her people. She was descended from an unbroken line of Dark Elf rulers. Nobility and power flowed through her veins as dense as the never ending shadows of the Innerworld.


    To her, gods and goddesses were known but never seen. Rarely she would hear of a cleric receiving a divine message from Dri¡¯El, the god who ruled her people. As she slept in her princess sized bed in her princess sized room a goddess known to her only in whispers was plotting.


    ¡°My child. Forsake your oath. Forsake your family and their ways of pain and subjugation.¡± A goddess with a voice obviously belonging to one spoke into Lenna¡¯s dreams. The goddess¡¯s voice was smooth like melted butter. Its pitch was right in the middle of mortal singing range and held a hint of playfulness that was more felt than heard.


    Lenna tossed in her sleep aware of what she was hearing but stuck in unconsciousness. Bound to her dream until the goddess was done.


    ¡°Go. Travel to this place. Be HERE in ten days time.¡± Lenna¡¯s mind was assaulted by the knowledge of exactly where the goddess meant and how to get there. ¡°If you do so, your life will change for the better. Instead of misery and slavery you will one day be surrounded by love and music.¡± Lenna sat up in her bed. Covered in a cold sweat and with a pounding headache.


    ¡°Now, please my child, I only want what is best for you¡­¡± The goddesses voice trailed off as Lenna¡¯s mind cleared. She sat there staring at the marble wall of her bedroom. Struggling to understand what had just happened to her.


    ¡®Was that really Lua?¡¯ She thought. ¡®Am I going crazy?¡¯ She slowly climbed out of her bed and knelt next to it and closed her eyes. ¡°Lua, mother of beauty in all its forms, goddess of the moon and all its phases. Please, send me a sign that I wasn¡¯t hallucinating.¡±


    A soft laugh could be heard that seemed to come from every direction. ¡°Open your eyes child. You were not hallucinating.¡± the goddess replied. Lenna opened her eyes and before her was a soft beam of moonlight that ignored her bed¡¯s canopy and the ceiling as if they weren¡¯t even there.


    Lenna knew that Lua was the only good deity in the entire drow, also known as dark elves, pantheon. She knew that Lua would only want what was best for her and that she would never lie. The promise of a better, more beautiful life was a certainty in Lenna¡¯s mind. She hesitated for a moment thinking of all the repercussions of her choice either way.


    ¡°Yes my goddess. I will do as you have commanded. Thank you for your guidance.¡± No sooner had Lenna finished she was met with inconceivable pain. Her power that had formerly come from her oath, an oath to honor her ancestors and follow in their footsteps, burned its way out of her. The once divine power of her oath turned to fire in her veins, burning her from the inside out.


    The goddess moonlight moved to cover the woman who was now curled in a ball on the floor. Her mouth open in a scream that had quickly run out of air. The moonlight put Lenna to sleep so the sweet embrace of unconsciousness could save her from her torment. Steam drifted off her unconscious body.


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    Lua projected as much of herself as she could into the material world. A faint shimmer in the rough shape of a person appeared in Lenna¡¯s room. ¡°I¡¯m sorry my dear. The pain now will be worth it later. I hope.¡± The shimmer bent low and brushed some of Lenna¡¯s hair out of her face.


    Lua reached under the sleeping woman and gently picked her up. Placing her on the bed Lua smiled and then disappeared. All evidence of her ever having been there was gone. Only the now Oathbreaker knew that she was ever there.


    ¨C


    Hours later Lenna awoke. Her entire body was in pain. She could tell that her power had changed. She had lost the power granted to her by her ancestors and in its place was fire. Wrath and flames. She knew that that flame in her core was the anger of her ancestors given form. Unfortunately for them that flame now belonged to her. It was her flame to nurture and use as she wished.


    ¡®First I¡¯ll need supplies.¡¯ She pulled herself out of bed and looked at herself in the mirror. Her silver, normally perfectly straight hair, was a tangled mess and damp with sweat. Her almost graphite gray and violet tinted skin was still giving off steam. Her silver eyes were tired but resolved.


    She went to her bathroom, stripped, then poured cold water over herself. Drying off she walked back into her room and grabbed her under armor. ¡®I¡¯ll leave as soon as I can. I don¡¯t want to miss this chance the goddess gave me.¡¯ She quickly got dressed then looked at her armor. It was an enchanted set of full-plate with gold trim. The metal was dark steel and painted violet.


    In the dark however it all looked like varying shades of gray. Drow had perfect dark vision, not needing light at all. The only light in Drow cities was for their slaves to see what they were doing. She turned and walked towards her door. Next to it was a rope tied to a bell in her servant¡¯s quarters. She pulled it and waited.


    Soon a young human girl with an iron collar around her neck and gaunt cheeks walked in. ¡°What can I do for the mistress?¡± She said bowing.


    ¡°I just need into my armor. Afterwards get something to eat. It won¡¯t do for a slave of house V¡¯Nova to look like a walking corpse.¡± Lenna honestly just didn¡¯t want the poor girl to starve but she had an image to keep. At least for now.


    The girl replied ¡°As you say mistress.¡± and then hurried over to Lenna¡¯s armor. Over the course of the next five minutes the two worked in silence until Lenna had her armor fully donned save for the helmet. ¡°What of the mistress¡¯s hair?¡± The slave asked, staring at the floor.


    ¡®Oh yeah I look like a mess.¡¯ Lenna thought. ¡°Just brush and braid it.¡± she replied and sat down on the stool in front of her mirror. The girl carefully brushed through the tangled, knotted mess. Then pulled it into a tight braid. Even braided her hair went down to just below her shoulder blades.


    ¡°Is that all mistress?¡± The girl asked. She had been Lenna¡¯s forcibly employed servant for long enough to know that Lenna only talked when necessary and asked for little. It made being her slave an easy if terrifying task. The girl was always worried that Lenna would one day hand her off to someone else because the mistress preferred to do everything herself.


    ¡°Yes. I will be out for a while. Don¡¯t wait up.¡± Lenna ordered and walked out the door. The girl just stood there stunned for a moment. The last three words hung in the air.


    ¡®Was that kindness in her voice?¡¯ The girl thought. ¡®Don¡¯t Drow get smited for that or something?¡¯ After a moment she broke out of her stupor and left to do as her mistress had told her. It was time to find something to eat.


    Lenna went to the market and looked for a few key shops. First she needed a backpack, then rations, water, climbing tools, a blanket and then she would need to go back to her room and pack a change of clothes or two. She wasn¡¯t a barbarian after all.


    Finding those things wasn¡¯t the problem. Buying them without anyone asking questions however was. She decided to simply play into her image of the silent warrior and just not talk the entire time. She walked into the first store and grabbed a sturdy looking backpack.


    Walking up to the counter she set it down and looked into the clerc¡¯s eyes then down to the pack. ¡°I¡¯ll send the bill to the estate mistress.¡± the man said with a slight bow after a moment. She nodded to him and walked out. She repeated this process in every store until she had everything she needed.


    Returning to her room she grabbed her sword and strapped on her scabbard. Stuffed two changes of clothes in the bag and then stopped. ¡®Do I just leave? Should I leave a note?¡¯ She contemplated for a moment and then made her decision.


    This was going to be an exit to remember. The goddess said to forsake her family and their ways after all. Might as well make a show of it.

 Chapter 4 I Never Liked You Anyway.

    Chapter 4 I Never Liked You Anyway.


    Lenna paused as she was about to walk out of her bedroom. Looking at her bathroom she thought ¡®That was close. I wouldn¡¯t want to leave without any of that.¡¯ She walked in and stuffed everything she would need for a while in her pack. It was barely closing at this point but as long as the flap buckled it was good enough.


    Packing for a ten day trip wasn¡¯t easy. Luckily there was an underground lake on the way so she could at least stop for water. All packed she left a note on her desk for her family:


    Lua came to me and gave me a divine mission. A mission I would be a fool to refuse. Fare well and may we never meet again.


    She walked out and took the corridor towards the main hall where she knew her uncle, the current head of the family, would be at this time of day. Pack settled on both shoulders, sword at her hip helm under her arm, anyone who saw her quickly got out of her way.


    Entering the main hall she saw the grand table, empty save for a candelabra and a long carpet covering the middle two feet of the table¡¯s entire length. At the one end a gigantic pair of solid elder mushroom wood doors barred and reinforced in iron. On the other end was a wall of stained glass depicting the god Dri¡¯El, a half man half spider monstrosity, locked in mortal combat with El¡¯Gra, the head of the high elven pantheon and the original elf. Sitting in what can only be described as a solid gold throne was a drow man clothed in a silken suit with gold woven into the trim.


    ¡°Niece, I didn¡¯t summon you. Why are you here?¡± A gruff voice to gravelly to be from a noble spoke. He looked both bored and annoyed at her presence. He would have been about six feet tall if he were standing, a full two inches taller than Lenna, and his muscles looked like they were barely contained by his suit.


    ¡°No you did not.¡± She stated as she approached undaunted by the larger man. She stopped two steps in front of him forcing him to stand so he wasn¡¯t craning his neck to look her in the eyes. His annoyance had obviously grown as he was forced to stand.


    ¡°You have angered the ancients girl. Explain.¡± He demanded taking a step towards her. She shifted her elm to her left hand and tucked it under that arm instead as she cleared her throat and looked up at him.


    ¡°I have received a divine command and am simply following its directive.¡± She stated with pride and conviction in her voice. His annoyance dropped and he leaned in with curiosity in his eyes.


    She just held his gaze for a long moment and then his curiosity got the better of him. ¡°Well girl spit it out! What did he say?¡± She took a deep breath and opened her mouth to speak then promptly beat him over the side of the head with her helm.


    He staggered back shocked at her sudden burst of violence. She drew her sword and stabbed him in the throat. ¡°She told me to forsake our evil ways uncle and well¡­ I never liked you anyway.¡± He staggered back reaching for his magic to heal himself. ¡°Have an awful life uncle.¡± She said and bolted towards the glass wall.


    She jumped and tucked her knees in, crashing through the window right where Dri¡¯El was depicted. She landed in a painful roll twenty feet below and took off in a dead sprint towards the east gate. A few people who witnessed her rapid descent were locked in shock until she rounded the corner at the end of the street.


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    Her uncle was still reeling nearly a full minute later. Still trying to process what all had just transpired. That minute was just enough for Lenna to get too far away to stop. By the time an alarm was raised she was already out of the gate. A few arrows chased her but none came even close at that distance.


    For the first time in her life she was free. Free of the chains of drow society. Free from her god¡¯s tyranny. Free from her family¡¯s pressure. Free from the suffering all around her on a daily basis. Thank Lua for her push towards freedom and a better life.


    ¡°Thank you¡­ goddess¡­ for your¡­ guidance¡­ and¡­ protection¡± She wheezed out while sprinting. Her lungs and legs were burning but she pressed on. She needed to make as much distance as possible. Her uncle was a vengeful man and he would not let that insult slide.


    She felt a soft breeze from her back for a moment as if Lua was still giving her a gentle push towards her better life. She smiled and pushed on. On and on until she collapsed a few miles down the tunnel from the city. She drank some water and rested for a short while. While resting her poor legs and lungs she wondered about what might be waiting for her where her goddess was guiding her.


    ¡ª


    Over the course of the next four days she walked through the winding caverns. She met a few giant spiders and a few shadow-wolves but nothing she couldn¡¯t easily handle. The journey was going easily. Too easily. She could feel something was about to go very, very wrong.


    An hour into the fifth day she walked into the giant cavern where the underground lake resided. The cavern was four hundred feet wide and six hundred feet deep. The ceiling was a hundred and fifty feet high at its highest point. Under the water a glowing moss grew bathing the entire cavern in a soft blue light. It was quiet. Too quiet.


    Normally caverns like this were flooded with life. Creatures needed water to survive and the total lack of life or even corpses was unsettling. ¡®Something is definitely here. But what could it be to scare off every living thing down here?¡¯ She thought.


    The lake rippled and she quickly put on her helm. It still reeked of spider blood from that one that jumped on her face before she could kill it. Slowly she saw it. A large, long, stony back with a hand full of spines protruding down its length slowly drifting towards her.


    Then a massive lizard-like head lifted up out of the water. ¡®Shit! A basilisk?! Really?!¡¯ She exclaimed internally. She dropped her pack and ran at the beast while unsheathing her sword. She focused on her inner flame and guided it towards her blade, coating it in vengeful fire and pressed outward with her presence.


    Paladins had a unique ability granted to them by the nature of their oaths. They could press outward with their soul and blanket a small area near them with their presence. This aura could take any number of forms, almost all of them beneficial to a paladin¡¯s allies. For Lenna, an Oathbreaker, her aura was the exact opposite.


    Any creature that was the focus of her wrath would feel a deep instinctual fear of her while within her aura. This fear was still magical in nature so many more intelligent or powerful creatures would ignore it entirely. For the giant, twenty foot long, six legged, stony hided, monster of legend in front of her, it was a toss up on whether or not the fear would take hold.


    As it pulled itself up onto the bank its head turned to the side so its side facing eyes could get a better look at her. Channeling its inner magic it focused on her trying to turn her stone. She raised her left hand over her face shielding her entire body from its gaze in steel.


    Once she reached it she felt her aura make contact with the monster. Her aura slammed into the creature¡¯s soul and then abruptly halted its assault. The beast was too powerful and too focused on killing her to fall victim to her magically induced fear.


    Unfortunately for the basilisk she was well versed in its kind and their tricks. Right as she entered its bite range it turned and tried to snap its jaws around her. She dove to the side and raked her blade across its face hoping to clip its eye.


    The creature was smart however. A veteran in its own right. It closed its eye and her blade skipped off its stony eyelid. What the monster did not expect was the magical flames from Lenna¡¯s sword lingering on its body. She had focused a good bit of her mana into her blade for that strike, searing smite coursed through the magically reinforced longsword burning all the stony hide it touched. The beast roared and tried to bite her again. This time she focused her magic into her open left palm and chanted a spell.


    ¡°Let my flames consume all before me!¡± She shouted and pointed her palm towards the creature¡¯s open mouth. A cone of flame poured outward and down the monster¡¯s throat. It closed its mouth but it was too late. Smoke poured out of the monster¡¯s nostrils and it yanked its head to the side.


    It yanked its head away and opened its eye. Momentarily forgetting the danger of her sword. She grabbed her sword with both hands and lunged, driving it hilt deep through the basilisk''s eye. The monster flailed and thrashed for a few seconds before the flames still coating her blade fried its brain.


    Right before it collapsed it kicked out with its front paw and caught Lenna in the side. Tossing her ten feet and sending her sliding across the ground for another seven. She jumped up, her blade still lodged in the monster¡¯s eye, ready to re-engage only to see it collapse in a heap.


    ¡®That took a lot out of me. Half my mana and now even more to heal all the bruising from that hit. I hope nothing else is out here.¡¯ She thought as she carefully walked over to the stony corpse and retrieved her sword.

 Chapter 5 Of Course It Heals Them!

    Chapter 5 Of Course It Heals Them!


    Ready to leave the cave of his rebirth, the dark mage looked around for an exit. There was only one and it was a roughly circular hole in the wall. The man reached into his Inventory and retrieved the magical compass.


    ¡°I guess there is only one way to go.¡± The compass was pointing towards the exit, at least confirming that it was the direction. He started off on his first adventure.


    He looked around for anything interesting but mostly it was just more stone. Dark brown, hard, unyielding, unending stone. He walked for a little while and then finally met his first obstacle.


    The passageway started to slope down at an increasingly harsh angle. The ground was getting rougher and rougher as well. He put his compass away after checking it one last time to make sure down was the right direction.


    ¡°Yikes that won¡¯t end well if I¡­¡± He cut off as the rock he was standing on crumbled under his foot. He went down. Barely catching himself with his hands scraping them on the rock. Luckily he had only managed to slide about three feet.


    ¡°Holy shit that was close.¡± His hands burned from the new cuts and scrapes on them. ¡°Ow. This hurts. At least I can see the bottom from here.¡± About twenty feet below him the tunnels leveled out again. He pulled himself partially upright so at least his chest was no longer on the ground.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s time for that climbing gear.¡± He tried something for the first time. Pressing his hand through his Inventory screen and once it was through the screen out of sight he thought about the one climbing spike being secured on his hand.


    Pulling his hand out he found the climbing spike mostly secured on his hand. With some light adjustment it was on properly. ¡°That sort of worked I guess. Now to hopefully not die again.¡± Slowly he repeated the presses on his other hand.


    Now, with some grip, he slowly slid downwards on his kneepads. Scraping away leather and crumbling stone as he went. A few more close calls and light scrapes but he made it.


    ¡°Finally I can stand again. Noted for next time, climbing gear on before I need it.¡± He got to his feet and put his climbing gear away. He gently brushed off some dirt from his hands. ¡°Ow, ow, ow, I need to find a pair of gloves¡± He grumbled and turned to continue on his trek.


    After about an hour of walking down the same pathway he was getting bored. Absently he started playing with mana. Bringing his mana into his hands again, he pulled some shadow mana over his fingers. Watching the shadowy substance seep out of his skin he touched his fingers together.


    ¡°That¡¯s freakin¡¯ weird. I can¡¯t feel anything.¡± The shadow stuff didn¡¯t feel like anything nor could he tell it was there when he touched it. It was as if his sense of touch was just a shadow of what it should be while in contact with it.


    He tapped his fingernail on the end of his longsword hilt. Hearing nothing he got an idea. Focusing on spreading out his mana across his body he then pulled on the shadow aspect and tried to press it outward to cover him and everything he was wearing.


    It took some time but eventually he got it stable enough that he could move around and maybe even fight without it falling apart. Then he noticed something. He was getting tired.


    Not the normal kind of tired from walking all day or a lack of sleep. No, this was something else. He felt hollow and cold on the inside. It felt like the very center of his being was empty and needed a rest.


    ¡°Damn, I must be burning through my mana. Okay enough playing around I guess.¡± He absently said to himself and then pulled all his energy back into his core. As soon as he started to pull his mana back in he noticed the passageway opening up farther ahead.


    Slowing down he moved closer to the wall. Creeping ahead he peered into the cavern that opened up before him. It was about forty feet across but he couldn¡¯t tell how deep it went. There was a steady uphill incline for about fifty feet and then all he could tell was that it continued down on the other side.


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    There were some jagged rocks but the slope was gentle enough to traverse safely. ¡°Slow and steady and hopefully alone.¡± He whispered to himself. He quickly pulled out the compass to check which part of the cavern he needed to go towards.


    The compass unfortunately was pointing to the exact opposite side of the cavern. He would have to go over the ridge. There was no other way. He listened carefully for anything that might be up ahead but it was dead silent.


    He noticed something else though. During the two or three minutes he was listening and creeping forwards his mana was almost full again. He focused on moving his mana towards his feet and then pressed the shadow aspect out.


    His steps became silent in a matter of seconds and he tried to feel if his mana was going down or not. Breathing deeply a few times and focusing inwards he realized it wasn¡¯t dropping any faster than it was refilling. ¡°Nice.¡± He whispered.


    He crept along the left side of the cavern. Keeping his right side towards anything that might be trying to kill him. The cavern remained deadly quiet. He approached the top of the ridge and peered over it.


    The cavern floor sloped downward and then the walls closed in towards the center of the far wall. There a hole opened into another passageway. Something about these tunnels just didn¡¯t feel right. He couldn¡¯t place why exactly but they didn¡¯t feel natural.


    Not seeing anything he continued forward. A few steps past the ridge he suddenly felt like something was staring at him. He froze. Turning his head he tried to find what had seen him. Then he felt another pair of eyes. Then another. Finally he noticed them.


    Three lean yet powerful bodies. Six piercing dull white eyes between them. Snouts low but all eyes focused on him. Their bodies were giving off soft wisps of shadow stuff that seemed to try to float away. Their bodies forged half in shadow and half in flesh began to move as they spread out to flank him.


    ¡°Shadow wolves huh? I take it they¡¯re not friendly. I kinda wanna pet one though.¡± He said to himself. He reached down and drew his dagger. He didn¡¯t really know how to use a sword properly and they looked fast. It was better to have something he was comfortable with than something flashy.


    He kept moving forward. Trying to get to a point where they could only come at him from two sides. Glancing ahead he was reminded of the wall¡¯s gentle inward curve and cursed to himself. ¡°Well puppies I don¡¯t wanna hurt you. We¡¯re all shadow users right? Let¡¯s be friends.¡±


    The wolves showed no sign of understanding him and got into position. One on his left, the second on his right, and the third straight ahead. The third one hung back however. It looked to be the leader and was most likely waiting for an opening.


    The mage got into a fighting stance and waited. This would be a reactionary battle. There was nothing in his arsenal with range so landing a quick first attack was out of the question and he doubted he could get to one of them before the others could react.


    The First one launched towards him and then leapt towards his throat. At that exact moment the second one started forwards and seemed to go for his knife hand. He brought his left forearm up and wedged the hardened leather bracer inside the wolf¡¯s mouth.


    The second wolf¡¯s attack was inches from his hand as the impact from the first turned him slightly towards the left. This caused the second wolf¡¯s attack to miss his hand and instead bury its teeth in his other bracer.


    He knew he had only seconds before the third went for him while the other two had him pinned. He switched the knife into a reverse grip, careful not to drop it, then pulled towards his chest with the hilt facing him as hard as he could.


    Once he felt the wolf start to yank back with its full body he went with it. Using the wolf¡¯s own force to drive the dagger blade hilt deep in its eye. It squealed and tried to pull back. He turned his head towards the third and center most wolf just to see it start to lunge.


    He brought his knee up and slammed the wolf¡¯s jaws shut while it was still in mid air. Its nose slammed into his chest. The impact yanked his right forearm out of the second wolf¡¯s mouth and sent the three remaining combatants to the ground.


    The first wolf still had his left arm in a death grip. Fortunately for him that one was at least tied down. He stabbed at the third wolf¡¯s head, the one that now ended up on top of him, A few stabs scraped off the side of the beast¡¯s head. It tried to get its feet under it and then go for his throat again. As it lunged he jammed the dagger into its mouth vertically.


    The blade pierced downward through the beast¡¯s tongue and out the bottom of its mouth. It thrashed its head side to side in a panic. At this rate it wouldn¡¯t die quickly and he could feel the first wolf¡¯s teeth digging through his bracer.


    He coated his right hand in his death mana in an attempt to kill the third one faster. Much to his surprise it stopped thrashing and stopped bleeding as badly. ¡°Fuck. Of course it heals them!¡± He cried and quickly cut off the death mana.


    The beast started thrashing again. He let go of the dagger and let the third wolf thrash and toss its head away from him. The fangs from the first wolf were digging into his forearm. He could tell it was about to draw blood if it hadn¡¯t already.


    He punched the first wolf in the nose trying to get it off of him while he tried to sit up. It whimpered but didn¡¯t budge. He punched it again. Then again. Finally he jammed his index and middle finger into the creature¡¯s eye. It yelped and jumped back, dislodging it from his bracer, it pawed at its eye and backed away.


    The man drew his shortsword and lunged at the first wolf. He swung down as hard as he could from the wolf¡¯s blind side. The monster noticed but not quickly enough to avoid the blow. The blade cut deep in the wolf¡¯s head and wedged itself in the monster¡¯s brow.


    The third wolf was starting to slow by now but at this rate it wouldn¡¯t die quickly, nor soon. ¡°O¡­kay¡­ listen¡­ you¡­ final¡­ bastard¡­¡± He wheezed while trying to yank the shortsword out the first wolf¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ going¡­ to finish¡­ you off¡­¡± He swallowed and finally managed to get the blade unstuck.


    He walked over towards the wolf who kept thrashing but was coughing. Drool and blood was pouring out of its mouth as it side-eyed him. He coated his body in shadow trying to make it harder for the wolf to read his movements and then lunged.


    The blade thrust forwards, it caught the wolf in the eye and drove true. It impacted the inside of its skull and got stuck half an inch deep in the bone. Man and beast collapsed in unison. One alive and one dead. The man heaved and turned off his spell.


    ¡°Gods I need a nap¡­ and a bath¡­¡± He muttered and passed out as the adrenalin rush ran out.

 Chapter 6 I Guess I Should Help

    Chapter 6 I Guess I Should Help


    Waking up a little while later the man¡¯s whole body ached. He had pushed his new muscles as hard as they could go, if only for less than a minute, and was bruised in multiple places. He let out a low groan as he rolled to his back.


    ¡°Why is it so freakin¡¯ cold down here?¡± He wondered. The cold stone had stolen much of his warmth and the constant chill of cool spring day was ruthless when unconscious. It wasn¡¯t cold while he was up and moving however while laying face down on solid stone and unconscious he was freezing.


    ¡°I need warm clothes. Maybe a cloak¡­ or a blanket.¡± The cold made it hard to move. The ache in his bones from the recent battle made it worse. His left hand stung from the dirt that had gotten into the cuts from his accidental descent down the path earlier.


    ¡°Huh¡­ Why doesn¡¯t my right hand hurt?¡± He reactivated his dark vision power. He had accidentally turned it off when he cut the other ability off before his brief bout of unconsciousness. Raising his hands to his face he noticed something under all the dust, dirt, and blood now covering them.


    ¡°Where did those cuts go?¡± He thought back on everything that had happened. ¡°Wait, death can heal?¡± His eyes bore into his right hand, unable to think of anything else that could have healed the few cuts and scrapes in such short a time.


    His gaze shifted to his left hand. He lost focus for a moment staring through his hand. ¡°Shit, I need to move.¡± He said to himself and then slowly stood up. ¡°The cold¡¯s getting to me.¡± He looked around quickly to make sure he was alone.


    Against the far wall, where the wolves had originally been he noticed something. A backpack, torn open, and some bones. ¡°Okay first my hand then the backpack.¡± He brought his left hand up and examined it for a moment. ¡°Here goes nothing I guess.¡±


    Black flames covered his hand and dripped off it towards the ground. Before his eyes in an instant his hand started to heal. In a matter of a second all of the scrapes and cuts were gone and anything that had gotten in them was pushed out.


    ¡°I need to ask somebody how the hell magic works. None of this makes any sense. It¡¯s death mana right? Why did it heal the shadow wolf and more importantly why did it heal my hand?¡± He thought for a moment, staring at the black flames.


    ¡°I swear if the reason I get is something stupid like ¡®Well it just kills the injuries obviously¡¯ I¡¯m going to kill somebody.¡± He cut the power now that his hand was healed and walked over to the shredded back pack. He didn¡¯t try to heal any of his other injuries because he still remembered the pain of his very first experience with death mana.


    Crouching over the remains of the pack he dug through it looking for something worthwhile. He found a metal container with a tight latch and a pin holding it closed. He took out the pin and undid the latch. Slowly opening his eyes went wide.


    A smoky scent of jerky reached his nose as he laid his eyes on the dried meat. ¡°Thank you poor traveler for the meal.¡± He said and stuffed a piece in his mouth. It was salty with only a hint of smoke and beef hidden beneath. It was obvious it was made more to last than taste good. The mage however didn¡¯t care. Food was food. He hadn¡¯t eaten anything since getting this new body and he was starting to feel it.


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    ¡°I wish Zei would have given me something to eat too.¡± He mumbled as he chowed down on another piece. He stuffed the rest, box and all, in his Inventory. Next he saw a small badge. It was about two inches across and tall but quite thin. On the back it had a pin to fashion it on fabric of some kind. On the front There was a spyglass and a feather crossed over a map.


    ¡°I guess I should bring this with me. Maybe somebody will know what it means¡­ If I ever find somebody that¡¯s still alive.¡± Seeing the corpse and fighting for his life against the wolves had been sobering. He was quickly reminded of his mortality in a very direct manner.


    There was a whole mess of tattered and torn fabric but nothing he could really use. He put some of it in his Inventory but only because he thought there was a chance he could find a use for it in the future. ¡°Better to have and not need than need and not have.¡± He mumbled while standing up.


    ¡°I wonder what I should do about the wolves? Can I eat them? Do I bring them along and hope somebody else can make use of them? They look heavy.¡± He was now standing over one of them contemplating the corpse¡¯s immediate future.


    ¡°Maybe I can bring just one of them.¡± He turned his Inventory window to face downward and pressed it down onto the corpse willing it to enter. The next thing he knew he was face first on the ground where the corpse used to be. ¡°Ouch¡­ how heavy is this damn thing?¡±


    He tried to get up but it was a struggle. Finally on his feet he pulled the corpse back out and let it drop. ¡°Sorry Zei, it looks like I crushed myself already.¡± He ripped his shortsword out of the skull of the last one he had killed. He wiped the blade off on a relatively clean part of the corpse¡¯s fur.


    Now that he was paying attention he could see the wolves withering away. The shadow stuff that was entwined throughout their entire being was drifting away, whatever had been making it before couldn¡¯t as the beasts were dead. He retrieved his dagger and cleaned it off before sheathing it and his shortsword.


    ¡°Okay time to go. If I keep moving I¡¯ll keep warming up.¡± He thought out loud as he headed forwards once again. The path seemed to wind on forever. As he wondered so did his thoughts. He thought back on how the death mana felt in his hands and practiced using it a few more times. Eventually he noticed something.


    ¡°The death mana isn¡¯t hurting me because the mana pathways in my hands have been changed somehow. It¡¯s almost like they have been infused with it somehow.¡± As he contemplated his magics he would periodically take out his compass and check to make sure he was still going in the right direction.


    Thankfully there hadn¡¯t been any more large caverns full of something trying to eat him for a while but he was starting to get concerned. Why were the wolves there in the first place if there wasn¡¯t anything else to eat or drink nearby? Just as he was thinking this he came upon an intersection.


    There were three more paths other than the one he came from. They all look relatively the same too. ¡°Well I guess the compass is going to be useful for once.¡± He checked the compass and the needle pointed to the right most tunnel. ¡°Right it is.¡±


    He proceeded down the rightmost tunnel for a little while longer and then he noticed something. A light in the distance around a corner. Slowly he approached the corner then stopped. He moved his shadow stuff to his boots and around his waist where most of his buckles were.


    Now silenced, at least mostly, he peered around the corner. He was immediately met by a horrifying sight. The path opened into a massive cavern. At least a hundred feet in each direction, a few dozen pathways in all directions even on the floor and ceiling.


    Nearby there was a small campfire burning some weird kind of wood that seemed to tubular, the fibers large enough to use as a drinking straw. A few bedrolls around the fire. A person was sitting up staring off to the side. The problem was that they were stone. Through and through nothing but stone.


    Farther in he was a massive creature ten feet tall to its back spines and stony skin. It was fifteen feet long and locked in combat with a warrior and a mage.


    The mage was a beautiful woman in white robes and holding a staff shining golden light. Her hair was a light brown and he could see her pointy ears from the entrance. She was chanting a spell over and over again firing golden bolts at the creature''s eyes with reckless abandon. ¡®That feeling she gives off kinda feels like Zei and Rei. maybe she¡¯s a cleric or something.¡¯ The dark mage thought.


    The warrior was brandishing a long pole with an ax head on one side, a square plate on the other, and a spike on the end. He was covered in shining steel armor that hid all of his features. All the dark mage could tell about him was he was huge in both height and shoulder width. He too was focusing the monster¡¯s eye that was closest to them.


    ¡°Well I finally found people. I guess I should help them unless I wanna find civilization by myself.¡±


    He steeled his nerves then drew his shortsword. He moved it to his right hand where it felt more comfortable. ¡°Time to hopefully not die again.¡± He mumbled and took a step forward.

 Chapter 7 Isaac Wexler.

    Chapter 7 Isaac Wexler.


    The dark mage ran forwards out into the tunnel. Calling out to the woman he assumed to be a cleric he yelled ¡°I¡¯ll help what do I need to know about the monster?!¡± She startled, almost missing her next spell ¡®oops¡¯ the man thought and continued running towards the monster.


    ¡°Petrifying eyes, tough scales, tougher teeth.¡± She called in between spell chants. The warrior grunted as he dove out of the way of the monster¡¯s snapping jaws. Another golden bolt slammed into the beast¡¯s face. The mage ran towards the other side of the monster to help split its attention.


    As he ran he pushed his magic to cover him in shadows completely. He hoped that it would help him blend into the ambient shadows and go unnoticed for at least a little while. Risked a glance at the monster¡¯s face. He was now on the side not facing the cleric so its eye had gone unmolested.


    He noticed that the eyelid was open but the eye seemed to be unfocused and dim. He saw his opportunity and dove for it. He lunged at the eye and grabbed his shortsword with both hands. He thrust it as hard and as deep as he could into the monster¡¯s eye.


    The monster roared and thrashed its massive bulk as soon as the blade made contact. By a twist of luck, or maybe a god of fate, the beast had been hit in the opposite eye a fraction of a second before he struck. It thrashed into his oncoming sword helping him stabbed into its brain.


    The creature flailed, Its front leg stomped. Its massive paw came down inches from the mage¡¯s foot. Its claws however caught part of his armor and went through them like butter. Two buckles blew apart in an instant and a gash a few inches long formed down the mage¡¯s side.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± He yelled and jumped back, leaving his sword hilt deep in the monster. His focus faded and the shadow cloak dissipated slightly. He took a few more steps back holding his side. ¡°Okay I think I did my part.¡± He whispered to himself and then started walking back towards the cleric.


    About halfway there he pulled his shadows back in to conserve mana. He looked back at the monster to see the warrior still harassing it but it was rapidly losing energy. It was functioning on wrath and pain and little else. It must¡¯ve had some serious brain damage at this point.


    He could feel a connection with it but he couldn¡¯t quite place why. He hadn¡¯t felt it with the shadow-wolves but he hadn¡¯t exactly had a brake to stop and think with them. Maybe it was because the monster was a creature related to his mana somehow. At least that¡¯s what he felt instinctually.


    He turned back towards the cleric and stumbled. He was losing blood and not slowly. ¡°By the gods are you alright?!¡± The woman yelled and hurried over to him. ¡°Hold still I have enough for another heal or two yet.¡± She moved the tip of her staff near his wound and chanted a spell in a soft whisper.


    ¡°May the blessing of my goddess heal this mortal¡¯s injury.¡± A soft glow emanated from the staff and a golden strand reached out and touched the mage. He felt his wound stitching itself back together. It wasn¡¯t pleasant but it was better than dying. He grit his teeth.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± He got out after a moment of steadying his breathing. She nodded to him and then turned back to the monster. He shifted slightly so he could see it too. They watched as the warrior was standing on top of it stabbing his halberd down over and over again. It wasn¡¯t moving.


    ¡°We should be thanking you. Your assistance was greatly appreciated. I take it that¡¯s your sword stuck in its eye?¡± She asked and turned back to him. He nodded and took a slow breath. He could finally breathe without feeling like he was going to pass out from the pain.


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    ¡°Yeah. I should probably get that when your friend is done¡­ uh¡­ making sure it¡¯s dead.¡± He replied. He turned to look at her. The first thing he noticed was her eyes boring holes into him. Then was her sharp features and pointed ears. ¡°Is there something on my face?¡± He asked and smiled awkwardly.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± She looked away then back again. ¡°I¡¯m Aria Tr¡¯Bore and that is Claus son of Rock. You are?¡± She asked in a formal voice, her eyes still sizing him up.


    He started for a second. ¡®What is my name? I don¡¯t remember. C¡¯mon think. Okay just pick something. ¡°I¡­Isaac Wexler?¡± He said not very convincingly. ¡®Shit now she thinks I¡¯m lying. I don¡¯t even know if I am lying. That name just felt right.¡±


    ¡°Uh huh¡­ Well, Isaac. Thank you for the help.¡± She said cautiously. ¡°What can we help you with?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Um, well, I was passing through and saw you two fighting. I figured that if you didn¡¯t kill it I would have to fight it alone and I didn¡¯t like those odds so here we are.¡± He replied honestly. He hoped his straightforwardness would garner some trust.


    ¡°Pragmatic.¡± She replied. He shrugged. ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t mind me asking, why are you out here?¡± She probed, squinting her eyes.


    The mage, Isaac, figured a little honesty might help him get them to take him the rest of the way back to town and spoke: ¡°One thing led to another and I woke up down here in a cave somewhere with little more than what I have on me and I didn¡¯t even remember my own name. Isaac Wexler sounds right though.¡±


    Her eyes opened wide. She seemed to be able to read him like a book for the most part and could easily tell he was telling the truth. ¡°Okay let¡¯s do a ritual to see your Status.¡± She recommended.


    ¡°What¡¯s a Status? And what is this ritual going to do to me?¡± He asked, taking half a step back. The thought of some random magic he didn¡¯t understand being cast on him was not a pleasant one.


    ¡°It¡¯s an Identify ritual. I¡¯m a cleric of knowledge so it¡¯s kind of my thing. It will send some mana at you and probe for information like your name, strength, class, and other things like that.¡± She explained. ¡°It¡¯s entirely harmless and afterwards we can see if Isaac Wexler really is your name.¡±


    ¡°Am I going to have to do anything for this ritual?¡± He asked cautiously.


    ¡°No. I¡¯ll just need you to sit in the circle for a few minutes once it¡¯s ready.¡± She replied, smiling and nodding her head.


    ¡°Well¡­ alright. But what about your friend that was turned to stone?¡± Isaac asked. They both looked at the statue of a young human man whose face was locked in a state of shock facing where the creature now lay dead.


    ¡°I would turn him back but that¡¯s too high a spell for me. We¡¯ll have to CAREFULLY bring him back to town with us and have a higher level cleric turn him back.¡± She stated somberly. Aria turned back to Isaac. ¡°Let¡¯s get this ritual over with and then we can all head back.¡±


    ¡°O..kay. What do you mean by higher level?¡± He asked while she got out a piece of chalk and started drawing a large elaborate sigil on the ground in a relatively flat area.


    ¡°How did you go invisible?¡± She countered, not looking up from her work. The warrior jumped down from the monster corpse and over to Isaac¡¯s sword.


    ¡°I went invisible?¡± Isaac asked, confused for a moment. The warrior yanked Isaac¡¯s sword from the corpse. ¡°You mean like this?¡± Isaac asked and shrouded himself in shadow. The warrior started over towards them.


    She looked up. ¡°Yes. How did you do that without a spell chant? Most magic requires them. Shroud and Invisibility both being ones that do. Oh I guess I should explain. Shroud makes you invisible but only until you make contact with another living creature or mess with mana of any kind. Many thieves love the spell. Invisibility is constant as long as you are concentrating on it and have the mana to keep it up.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know that¡¯s just how it works for me. I just focus on how I want my mana to move and it happens.¡± Isaac replied. She just stared. The warrior stopped a few feet away.


    ¡°Isaac?¡± She asked with concern clear in her face and voice. Isaac pulled his shadow mana back inside and reappeared.


    ¡°Huh I responded but I guess you couldn¡¯t hear me. This magic stuff is weird.¡± He scratched the back of his head. ¡°Yeah as I said I just kinda focus on the mana and tell it where I want it to go. I don¡¯t really know how it works, it just does.¡±


    The warrior, Claus, grunted and handed Isaac his shortsword back. The blade looked like a dagger in his massive hands. Aria just shook her head and refocused on her ritual.


    ¡°Thanks big guy. I¡¯m Isaac Wexler. At least I think. Nice to meet you.¡± Isaac said and wiped some of the blood off the sword on his non bloodied side. Claus just nodded and turned to look at the statue of their third party member.


    ¡°Alright go ahead and sit in the middle of the circle. In about five minutes an illusion will show up depicting your Status and we can read it together.¡± Aria stated and stood up dusting herself off. ¡°Claus, help me rig up something to carry the kid. It was his first mission too. This is a shitty start to his career. ¡°


    ¡°Alright.¡± Isaac said and carefully stepped into the center of the ritual circle and sat down. Claus and Aria didn¡¯t wait. They quickly moved towards their stone comrade and began tying ropes and unlit torches together.

 Chapter 8 That’s New.

    Chapter 8 That¡¯s New.


    Isaac Wexler was sitting in a ritual circle while it occasionally sent a pulse of mana at him and recorded the results. While waiting for the ritual to finish he started playing with his mana. He was curious as to why he became invisible whenever he shrouded his body in shadow.


    Something was happening when the shadows completely enveloped him. It was more than just a cloak of shadows making it harder to see him in the dark. It was as if once the circuit was completed he became a shadow. ¡®Why? What is changing in that moment?¡¯ He silently asked himself.


    After a few minutes he felt it. It wasn¡¯t that his shadow mana was doing something different. When the circuit completed the light and sound originating from him, either via reflection or otherwise, simply couldn¡¯t escape anymore.


    His shadows were always only perceived because of the lack of normal space wherever they resided. It wasn¡¯t that he or anyone else could see shadows, it was that they could see the lack of normal space wherever they were. ¡®Magic is freakin¡¯ complicated.¡¯ He thought to himself.


    A moment after his epiphany Aria came to see the results of the ritual. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see what Identify has to say about you.¡± She said and crouched down next to a specific part of the ritual and touched. Isaac could feel a faint pulse of mana come from her and the ritual responded.


    An illusion of a sheet of paper appeared in front of them. ¡°Huh. That¡¯s new.¡± Aria said. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone described as just a mage before. It¡¯s always Cleric, Sorcerer, Druid, Warlock, Wizard, or Bard. We are all classified as mages but it¡¯s just a general term.¡± She kept reading.


    ¡°Well can you turn it around so I can see it? Or like can I get up now?¡± Isaac said. Now that the ritual was over he was getting impatient. He wanted to know more about himself and his powers.


    She just kept reading for a second then whispered: ¡°Yeah you can stand up now¡­¡± her voice trailing off as she read. ¡°What in the nine hells?! I¡¯ve never heard of a Talents section?! That¡¯s not even talking about your jacked stats. Your total is crazy high. Wait what?! Your level two?!¡±


    Isaac walked around behind her and looked over her shoulder at his Status page:


    Name: Isaac Wexler             Race: Human Age: 20


    Height: 5¡¯10¡±          Weight: 153            Eyes: Silver


    Skin tone: Kaki           Hair: Black          Level: 2 (3)


    Strength: 14         Dexterity: 16   Constitution: 16


    Intelligence: 18       Wisdom: 18    Will Power: 16


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    Total: 60 + 38 Polarity: Split


    Class: Mage - Dark                       Multiclass: N/A


    Talents: Dark Mana Manipulation, Deflection


    Skills: Stealth, Unarmed Combat, Polarity Sense.


    Blessings: Zei (Eternal Youth: You will still die when your natural time comes, however you will always look as you do now.)


    Curses: N/A


    ¡°Huh I¡¯ll always look hot, good to know. Also what¡¯s polarity and deflection supposed to mean?¡± Isaac asked Aria who was still muttering something to herself.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± She asked, turning to look at him over her shoulder.


    ¡°You first. You tell me what that stuff means and why you guys were out here and I¡¯ll tell you what little I know.¡± Isaac replied.


    She stared at him for a few seconds then took a deep breath. ¡°We were out here looking for a member of the Cartographers Guild who never reported back. The two with a three in parentheses means that you will level up probably as soon as your body can recover completely, usually from a good night¡¯s rest. Also I have no idea with the rest of it. Half of your Status page doesn¡¯t exist for most people. Most humans¡¯ stat total is sixty plus twenty six. Yours is sixty plus thirty eight. It¡¯s honestly insane. Your turn.¡± She demanded.


    ¡°Alright. That wasn¡¯t as helpful as I was hoping not gonna lie.¡± Isaac responded. ¡°I found your missing guy¡¯s body a bit back the way I came. He was eaten by these shadow-wolf things.¡± He continued. ¡°This is a secret that you can¡¯t tell another soul about alright. Swear it on your god or I disappear.¡±


    She squinted at him, assessing him and weighing her options. ¡°Alright we¡¯ll split the bounty for finding the missing cartographer, I¡¯ll swear on my god not to tell a soul, and you will help us get back to the outpost safely. Deal?¡±


    Isaac thought about it for a second. It was honestly everything he could have hoped for. Hopefully they would have some more food or water with them. He was almost out. A few pieces of jerky and a quart of water didn¡¯t go very far when you were fighting for your life every few hours.


    ¡°Deal.¡± He said. ¡°Swear by your god and I¡¯ll tell you everything you, as a mortal, are allowed to know. I know some things that I don¡¯t think Zei would be happy if I told anyone about.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I swear by El¡¯No to tell no other living or dead soul unless magically compelled against my will.¡± She stated and Isaac could feel a small pulse of divinity wash over them. ¡°Well. Out with it. My curiosity is killing me.¡± She pushed.


    ¡°Alright. I died and Zei and Rei, the twin divinities of reincarnation, brought me back. In exchange for most of my memories they gave me an almost direct connection to black mana. I woke up a little while ago not very far from here and have been trying to find civilization ever since.¡± Isaac recounted in a greatly abridged version.


    He was careful not to divulge anything about his original world or his Inventory skill. From what he could see they kept everything in backpacks and he didn¡¯t want to accidentally show off another thing that nobody else had and make her even more curious.


    ¡°By El¡¯No¡­ I didn¡¯t even know about gods of reincarnation for humans. Actually that makes sense. Who knows how many humans would kill themselves to get a second chance at life or power like you have. Alright I understand why no one can know this.¡± She stated and took a deep breath.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get going. We have a long walk back. I¡¯ll make sure Claus doesn¡¯t tell anybody anything about you too.¡± She promised.


    ¡°Shit. I forgot he was even here. How can someone so massive be so quiet? Wait, he talks?¡± Isaac asked doubtfully.


    ¡°Haha yeah he can talk. He just only talks when he has to.¡± She walked over to Claus and the now supported scout they had been traveling with. The poor kid was rigged with unlit torches and rope, to disperse his weight and help keep any part of him from directly touching anything hard.


    ¡°Thanks¡­ I really wish I knew what polarity meant.¡± Isaac said the second half mostly to himself. ¡°Well time will tell I guess.¡±


    ¡°While we walk back I¡¯ll teach you as much as I can about the rest of the world and why your magic is¡­ strange¡­¡± She offered. Isaac gave her a rare real smile and offered his hand. She took it.


    ¡°Pleasure doing business with you Aria.¡± He said and she smiled back.


    Shaking her head she replied: ¡°Likewise Isaac.¡±

 Chapter 9 Should Have Sent More.

    Chapter 9 Should Have Sent More.


    Lenna V¡¯Nova withdrew her longsword from the basilisk''s eye. She shook some of the blood off the blade and then looked down at herself. She was covered in dried blood. None of it hers. Giant spiders, shadow-wolves, and now a basilisk hand painted her a myriad of reds, browns, and green.


    ¡®I need a bath. Well now¡¯s as good a time as any. At least until other monsters realize the basilisk is dead.¡¯ She reasoned. She walked waist deep into the water and started peeling off each piece of armor one by one.


    As she removed each piece she washed it off in the once clear mineral water. The water was slowly spinning due to a hole in the bottom of the lake draining it and a hole in one of the walls filling it. The hole in the wall was bigger however it was so low on the wall that once the water reached it the lake would stop rising.


    Eventually she was able to strip completely and wash herself. This was the first time she was out of her under armor in four days. As soon as it was all off she sat down in the water and a huge wave of exhaustion hit her. The last four days of running and fighting with little sleep was getting to her.


    This rest, even at the cost of a fight, was well worth the possibility of some of her uncle¡¯s assassins catching up to her. She sat there and soaked for a long while and stared into nothing. Simply letting her tired body and mind rest in the lukewarm water.


    After she felt sufficiently rested, or perhaps she could feel something bad coming, she pulled herself out of the water. She started walking towards her backpack to get a clean set of dry clothes. As she walked she had an idea.


    She felt for the wrathful flames inside herself the way she would normally to cast a spell. It was the same as feeling for her ancestors¡¯ power like she had been trained oh so long ago. Once she made contact with the power she pulled on it as if she were going to coat her blade in flames.


    She instead directed all the power out of her body in every direction. She closed her eyes and a wave of heat poured off of her. Her use of mana like this was incredibly inefficient and she soon realized so she cut the power to conserve mana. She was hoping for an instant dry but instead just turned herself into a sauna as steam poured off of her for a few seconds.


    ¡®Well, that¡¯s why I just hit things instead of making new magics.¡¯ She thought to herself. She redressed and rearmed herself despite still being half soaked. A growing sense of unease was overcoming her and she knew better than to ignore it.


    She had left her armor by the lake so she walked back over to it in order to rearm herself. No sooner had she finished donning her armor she heard something. If she hadn¡¯t been listening she never would have heard it even in the dead silence of the cave. A quiet scrape of leather on stone. Almost imperceivable.


    She grabbed her sword by the hilt, letting the scabbard fall to the ground and turned towards where she had come from. She took a deep breath, listening. Then another. Then she closed her eyes and focused. A second later she heard it again, leather of stone, rougher this time. The enemy was lunging at her, probably at her throat, she swung downwards in the direction she thought she heard it from.


    Her swing was met by a grunt and she opened her eyes to see a shroud spell give out. The spell was not designed to touch more than one person¡¯s mana at a time and her sword made them a complete circuit. He had attempted to block with his pair of spiderfang daggers but her strike blew through his blades and cut a gash into his leather armor.


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    Her blade didn¡¯t even draw blood but that didn¡¯t matter. Now she could see him. He was a tall and thin drow male with short hair and sharp features. His armor was scraped and cut in several places, all new by the looks of it, and painted with blood. His chase had been an eventful one it seemed.


    ¡°Die traitor!¡± He yelled and lunged at her. She cloaked her blade in flames and stabbed forwards with all her strength. The blade tore through his armor and cooked him from the inside. No sooner had her blade stopped, hilt deep in his chest, he grabbed her sword arm and smiled.


    She swung her other arm back in as powerful a backhand as she could manage. She felt her hand hit something hard and soon saw another assassin leave invisibility, stumble, and stagger a few feet away. His jaw was broken and his mind reeling from the sudden strike.


    ¡°Damn¡­ You¡­¡± The first assassin said as the last light left his eyes and he crumpled to the ground. She yanked her blade out of his chest and swung it in a wide ark all in one motion. She heard a and felt a slight scrape of steel on leather and saw another assassin leaning backwards.


    He had dogged her attack almost perfectly but that short moment of contact was all that was needed to break the spell. ¡°Shit.¡± He whispered under his breath. He too was now no longer hidden and within melee range of the angry Oathbreaker. He moved to cover the second assassin, the one with the broken jaw, and squared off against her.


    She knew continually that it was a trap. She didn¡¯t know why however. ¡°Let my flames consume all.. ugh¡± She was cut off by a dagger bouncing off her faceplate. The fourth assassin was now revealed and had thrown a dagger at her to interrupt her spell. The third lunged at her throat in her moment of distraction.


    She tucked her chin and took the strike to the faceplate, knocking her head to the side. She went with the motion and swung at him. He danced back and circled her as the second assassin stood up. They circled her at an even distance from each other. It was impossible for her to see them all at once.


    She focused and pulled some of her power out. Throwing it in all directions she knew they would prepare to counter whatever spell she had just cast. Instead they were met with a light breeze of hot air. The momentary change in the pace of battle caused them to pause for a second.


    That was all she needed. ¡°Come forth ember of a dying star!¡± She yelled as she turned to ensure one of them would be directly behind her. They all lunged, trying to stab her in the throat before the spell finished. They were too slow. Everything went orange as flames exploded out from right in front of Lenna.


    The two to her front left and right got the worst of it. Their bodies charred and on fire flew across the cavern. One hit a wall and the other went into the water. Lenna was launched backwards. She was bruised from head to toe. Her ears were ringing and her eyebrows were singed despite her casting the spell at waist height.


    The assassin with the broken jaw was impacted by an airborne Lenna in full body armor. His one hundred and forty pound frame was not ready for two hundred pounds of magically reinforced steel hit him mid lunge. His blade snapped on her backplate. His nose was crushed by her shoulder. Both he and Lenna laid on the ground in a daze.


    Lenna was the first to move. She raised her head just enough to look around. She turned her head to look behind her but was met with pain from whiplash. She heard leather and steel scraping on stone and knew she wasn¡¯t alone. She turned and started to get up.


    The assassin was already on his feet. His second blade now in his right hand. There was blood pouring out of his nose and leaking out of his mouth from the broken teeth. He stared at her with eyes full of nothing but hate. For him, everything was worth it as long as she died. He looked unsteady on his feet.


    Lenna was almost out of mana. That last stunt had taken most of her mana to pull off. She had to choose between saving some for healing or trying to get rid of the last assassin with it. She obviously chose violence.


    She raised her hand towards him and said in a flat tone: ¡°Let my flames consume all before me.¡± Flames shot from her hand in a cone towards him. The assassin dove to the side and turned his left side to face her. He dodged most of the flames but enough still hit him.


    His left arm was on fire. His hair was burning. His left eye was burned closed and was leaking some kind of liquid. He stumbled one step then lunged at her. He screamed a guttural, wet, scream through all the pain and blood in the way. She reached out and caught his hand with her¡¯s. She could see the fury. It was as if there wasn¡¯t even a person inside him anymore.


    She tried to stab him through the heart but he turned his body and her blade stabbed into his burned, ruined arm. The blade was too deep to withdraw easily so she let it go and punched him in the head with all the strength she had left. He crumpled, unconscious but soon to be dead. He would either drown or bleed out within seconds.


    Lenna turned and looked for the other three corpses counting her assailants. The first one was a few feet away, mostly just ash now, he was already dead before the Fireball. The second was at her feet, blood still pooling, he had just stopped breathing and was in his death throes. The third was crumpled against the wall still on fire. The fourth was face up in the water with his stomach facing down, the explosion must have snapped his head to the side so hard his neck broke.


    ¡®I need another bath.¡¯ Was her first thought after the battle. Her second thought was said out loud. ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re getting soft in your old age. Only four? Should have sent more.¡± She then walked to the wall, slid down it so she was sitting with her back against the cold stone, and fell asleep.

 Chapter 10 No Pain No Gain.

    Chapter 10 No Pain No Gain.


    Isaac walked over to the campsite with Aria. ¡°What now? Do we head to this town or outpost or whatever?¡± He asked.


    Claus grunted and shook his head. He pointed to the bedrolls then to Isaac and Aria. ¡°You¡¯re right, we do need to rest so we can level.¡± Aria replied. ¡°Okay Claus, you take the first watch. Isaac you get second. I have a date with El¡¯No so I¡¯ll need my full four hours in a row.¡±


    ¡°You are meeting your goddess just like that?¡± Isaac asked with a raised eyebrow.


    Aria sat on her bed roll and explained: ¡°We all level differently. You are a caster so when you rest your mana pool will expand as your mana pathways relax. It¡¯s pretty much the same with all casters. The real difference is how we level. A wizard might level because of some magical breakthrough. A sorcerer from countless hours of practice. A warlock from doing as their patron commands. A druid levels from their connection to nature, it¡¯s unclear how exactly for anybody not a druid.¡±


    She continued: ¡°For clerics like me when we do something our deity likes they may grant us a level. For me it was probably everything you told me. Unfortunately I will only be level six so I still won¡¯t be able to cure his petrification.¡± She gestured towards their stone companion. ¡°Claus just needs to rest up and he¡¯ll get the rest of his level. He leveled up in the middle of the fight I think but he won¡¯t get some of the benefits until he lets his body rest and heal.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean benefits?¡± Isaac asked. As far as he knew nothing happened when he leveled up other than an increased mana pool. He sort of remembered not being able to hold as much when he first got here but it was hard to tell. He had assumed it was just his imagination.


    ¡°Well, sometimes we get new magics or techniques. Magics are broken up into two categories. For magics there are Spells and Abilities. Abilities are magical effects that require mana but are activated entirely by your will and focus. Those are the magical abilities you use by pulling directly on your mana reserves.¡± Aria explained until Isaac cut in.


    ¡°Everything I do is an ability then. I don¡¯t know how to use my magic any other way.¡± He stated and sat down as well on the now empty bedroll. It was empty because the stone scout and his new rig was set off to the side.


    ¡°That is because you haven¡¯t had proper training. Unfortunately I don¡¯t know any spells that only use dark mana but I do know some that are mostly dark mana that we can try later.¡± She assured him. ¡°Anyway spells require you to picture the effect and speak the chant and or perform hand gestures. Some even require specific components to be cast like a hawk feather for Slowfall or a flawless diamond at least six inches across and four inches tall for Resurrection.¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait, wait. Timeout. There¡¯s a spell to just bring back the dead?!¡± Isaac exclaimed. He was under the impression that it was a god only thing.


    ¡°Yes. However, it comes with certain restrictions like who can use it and how they died and you have to ask the soul if they even want to come back and after all that the god of death has to be alright with it.¡± She explained nonchalantly as she grabbed a piece of jerky out of an identical tin to the one Isaac had found earlier.


    ¡°Huh.¡± Was all Isaac could say as he stared at the dying fire for a moment. ¡°Will it be alright for you two if that goes out?¡± He gestured at the dwindling flame.


    ¡°Yeah we¡¯ll have to switch to just one torch at a time. We had so many extras we could waste a few like this but we don¡¯t have enough to keep it going for another eight or so hours.¡± She said and took a bite of her jerky.


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    Isaac looked at it for a second. ¡°You got anything more substantial? I could go for something actually filling.¡± She looked at him for a second, then behind him as if she was looking for something. She looked back at him and smiled sheepishly.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t resurrect with food did you?¡± She asked hoping she was wrong. He shook his head. ¡°I have some bread but other than that it¡¯s just jerky.¡± She said and reached into her pack. She handed him a piece of bread about the size of his fist and a few pieces of jerky. She then dug through their companion¡¯s pack for his waterskin and handed it to Isaac as well.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± He smiled and gratefully accepted the meal. He dug in and gestured for her to continue.


    ¡°Techniques are a lot like abilities except they pull from another source. Mostly the person¡¯s stamina. I once watched a monk burn himself out in under a minute from using them too much. He collapsed mid battle.¡± She explained with disappointment written all over her face.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of information. Thank you.¡± He replied while still stuffing his face.


    ¡°No worries. Now we sleep and later you can answer some more of my questions.¡± She said cheerily and then laid down, covered herself in her blanket, and fell asleep without waiting for his response.


    Isaac looked over to Claus who was staring out into the dark cavern. Finally getting a good look at the mountain of a man Isaac figured he was probably about eight feet tall and three feet wide. He was truly giant. His armor was dented in a few places and covered in some brown blood, probably from the monster, and had lost its shine.


    ¡°How long were you two fighting that thing?¡± Isaac asked, still looking at him.


    Claus shrugged and looked over to Isaac. ¡°Thirty.¡± Was his reply in a voice so deep it was further underground than they were. If Isaac had to describe Claus¡¯ voice he would say it was like what he imagined stone trying to talk would be like.


    Isaac looked at him for a second then replied: ¡°Seconds?¡± To which Claus just nodded. ¡°I guess you guys really did most of the work then huh?¡± Claus shook his head then pointed to his eye.


    ¡°You. Lucky.¡± Then he turned back to gaze into the myriad of tunnels connecting to their cavern.


    ¡°Huh.¡± Isaac replied and turned to look at the now sleeping Aria. He ended his darkvision ability so he could see in color again and notice the soft reddish-brown that was her hair and her tan skin. She was beautiful but not in the steal your heart type of way and more in the bartender type of way Isaac thought.


    ¡®I wonder how I know these things and why? I¡¯m gonna have to start making a list of questions for Zei or Rei if I ever see them again.¡¯ He thought. His musings were interrupted by Claus who grunted and turned to look back at him.


    ¡°Sleep.¡± He ordered in as flat a voice as he was probably capable of. Isaac nodded to him and curled up on the bedroll. He pulled the blanket over himself and slowly dozed off.


    ¡ª


    A while later, Isaac had no way to tell how long, Isaac awoke to Claus lighting a fresh torch. He sat up and rubbed his eyes wondering why everything was so dark. ¡°My turn?¡± He asked.


    Claus turned and looked at him for a moment in thought. Then seeming to have come to a conclusion he nodded and set the new torch up. He rested it in a small stand that looked like a plus sign with a cup welded to the center of it to hold the torch. He then walked over and laid down on his back on his bedroll.


    Claus still hadn¡¯t even opened his visor on his helm but seemed to already be dozing if the slow and deep breaths were anything to go by.


    Isaac stood up and looked into the darkness. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, breathing in the shadows. He felt a connection to them, like they were whispering to him but he couldn¡¯t quite make out what they were saying. He pulled some of his internal shadows to his eyes so he could see again and opened his eyes.


    The cavern was just as he had last seen it. The corpse was still there. Bloodied and scorched. Isaac walked over to the rock Claus had been leaning against and sat on top of it. While there staring at the same holes and the same dead, unmoving, monster he began to get bored.


    He felt for his mana and pulled it towards his hands again. He reached for the death mana and it obeyed. It coated his hands in their dead black flames. He just stared at them for a moment, watching them fall towards his lap only to dissipate after a few inches. He then felt for the mana pathways in his hands, the veins and arteries for his mana.


    He slowly began to notice something about them. The ones in his hands and a little of the ones around his core were different from the rest. They were tainted. No? Infused. With some of his death mana. This infusion was why it didn¡¯t hurt him when he used it in his hands, he reasoned.


    ¡®If some of the mana pathways around my core are infused then that must mean I did it by accident earlier. If that''s the case then I can infuse all of them if I¡¯m willing to suffer for it. If I do though I¡¯ll probably be able to heal myself like how I did with my hands.¡¯ His face had undergone many differing expressions while he went through this inner monologue.


    ¡®My insides don¡¯t hurt anymore which must mean it doesn¡¯t cause any damage I can¡¯t just heal from. Well, no pain no gain.¡¯ He took a deep breath, looked around the cavern again and back to his new party members, then steeled his nerves. This was going to hurt.

 Chapter 11 A Disgraced Noble

    Chapter 11 A Disgraced Noble


    Isaac sat on his rock focusing on his mana. He needed to be gentle otherwise he got the feeling he could do real damage to his insides. He moved his mana to his left hand and pulled out his death mana. He felt the flames dripping off his hand. He ever so slowly started working his death mana up his arm.


    As soon as it reached his wrist he felt pain. The mana pathways were burning from his death mana. He pulled his mana back and took a deep breath. It was then he realized his jaw was clamped and he hadn¡¯t been breathing. The pain was not pleasant. It wasn¡¯t unbearable in small quantities either.


    He relaxed all of his mana. Deciding that was enough suffering for now. He opened his eyes and looked around making sure there weren¡¯t any monsters looking for a snack. Well, he looked over to Claus¡¯ sleeping form, a meal and two side dishes.


    Isaac brought his attention inward again and focused on feeling his recently wounded mana pathways. The death mana was still lingering and his pathways had started to heal through it. He could tell that this process is what would allow him to use his death mana over his entire body.


    At the rate it was healing it would probably take the better part of the day to heal the minuscule damage he had done. At that rate he felt like he would die of old age before he was done destroying and rebuilding all of his mana pathways. He sighed.


    ¡®Well better get a start on it now otherwise it¡¯ll never get done.¡¯ He thought. Over the course of the next hour he burned every single mana pathway bordering an area where death mana wouldn¡¯t hurt him. He would periodically open his eyes and breathe.


    During that time he would look around for any hidden threats and make sure his new party members were still asleep. Once he was done he hurt. His wrists and a ring around his core ached. He tried to run normal black mana through them and found that he could but not very well.


    While they healed the mana would have to skip over them and jump to the next non damaged part. Everytime it jumped it lost some of its power. Only now did he realize that this might not have been a good idea while he was out in the wild with his only companions being unconscious.


    He refocused on keeping watch, now more vigilant at the thought of his weakened state. Messing more with his magic would have to wait for a little while.


    A while later, Isaac was pretty bad at keeping accurate time, Aria yawned and sat up. Stretching, she looked around. It was dark. There were only embers left of a torch. She squinted to see Isaac sitting on a rock looking back at her.


    ¡°The rest of us still need a little light to see.¡± She said and glanced back towards the torch.


    ¡°Oh yeah. Sorry.¡± He said and got up to grab a fresh torch. He winced when he put pressure on his hand to stand. Aria, despite the darkness, noticed. She could still see in total darkness, just not very well.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you hurt?¡± She asked and got up. Claus sat up and looked around. Isaac stopped, fresh torch in hand, and looked at her.


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    ¡°Just sore¡­¡± Was Isaac¡¯s response. Then he thought for a second. ¡°Unless you can heal mana pathways?¡± He asked.


    ¡°How in the nine hells did you injure your mana pathways?!¡± She exclaimed as she ran over to him, nearly tripping on a stone on her way over, and touched his shoulder. He felt a light pulse of mana go through him then back to her.


    ¡°How?¡± She was now more curious than worried. ¡°Its self inflicted internal damage. It''s healing fine but slowly. I could heal it but I don¡¯t think it¡¯d be a good idea.¡± She looked into his eyes. ¡°You said dark mana right? I only saw shadows and assumed you were mistaken in the breadth of your power.¡±


    She let go of him and paced with her hand on her chin. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to understand what''s going on without some more tests but it looks like an aspect of your power is dangerous to your current mana pathways. If I heal them they will go back to how they were before but if you let them heal naturally they will come back stronger like a muscle.¡±


    Isaac had stopped to listen for a moment but then had continued on his quest for light. He lit the new torch from the embers of the old one and started rolling up his temporary bed roll. Claus was packing everything else already.


    ¡°Alright so what I¡¯ve been doing is okay then? I¡¯m not killing myself or anything?¡± Isaac asked and continued packing up.


    ¡°You should be alright. Stronger maybe even. It¡¯s hard to tell.¡± She said and then finally realized what was going on around her. She too started packing. ¡°My goddess has a message for you Isaac.¡± Aria said in a serious tone, all excitement gone.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to explain how that works sometime.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°What¡¯d she say?¡±


    ¡°She told me that we need to come up with a cover story for you. She said that your past should be hidden. She also said that you should tell everyone that you are a shadow sorcerer because that is the closest thing to the truth.¡± Aria went on.


    ¡°Alright, that was the plan. Well except the shadow sorcerer thing, but that¡¯s because I didn¡¯t know that was a thing.¡± Isaac stated. He packed the now spare backpack with practiced ease. He didn¡¯t even realize it until he had buckled the last buckle.


    Aria noticed but didn¡¯t say anything. She seemed to realize that there were going to be a lot of things that Isaac could do that none of them realized until it happened. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get going. We have a long walk ahead of us and I have some more questions.¡±


    The trio set off with Claus carrying the bundle that was their petrified scout. Isaac was in the lead. His steps silent with shadows wrapped around his boots. Aria was in the middle so she could pepper him with questions about his mana and everything he knew about how it worked. Claus was in the back carrying his fragile bundle.


    Aria and Isaac talked quietly about his new backstory. He was now a disgraced noble from a far away country. If anybody asked where he ¡®didn¡¯t want to talk about it¡¯ and that was to be his answer if anybody asked why. He was a shadow sorcerer for all intents and purposes. His noble status would help explain why he didn¡¯t know some of the more common things.


    They stopped on several occasions to rest Isaac¡¯s feet and Claus¡¯ arms. Whenever they did Aria would watch as Isaac played with his shadow mana. He realized that if he covered almost all of himself he would become completely silent and scentless. If he covered everything and created a complete circuit he would disappear entirely.


    Isaac also learned that his shadow mana was way easier to control than his dark mana while it was still pure. His enlarged mana pool was balanced out by his internal injuries so unfortunately he wasn¡¯t able to enjoy his larger mana pool.


    Eventually, Isaac thought it felt like days, they came across something interesting and stopped.


    Before them there was rubble strewn across fifty feet of tunnel. The tunnel looked like it had collapsed and was recently excavated by an angry basilisk. Isaac now knew the name of the monster they had fought.


    ¡°Be careful and sneak ahead to see what did this. The tunnel was open last time we were through here. All of this is recent.¡± Aria whispered to Isaac.


    ¡°Alright. Run to my rescue if you hear screaming.¡± Isaac joked and headed out.


    A minute or two of travel later Isaac heard some deep guttural voices talking quietly. He cloaked entirely and peaked around the corner. What he saw was three massive, fat, humanoid looking creatures. Each one was around fifteen feet tall and looked like they weighed a ton. Most of their flesh was exposed except for a loincloth covering the important parts and nothing else.


    They smelled like they hadn¡¯t bathed in years and they were resting. They looked tired. They were talking. It was hard for Isaac to understand. He made out a few words however. Something about running and a monster.


    Isaac returned to Aria and explained what he had seen. ¡°What are they? Do we wait or what?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°If they are running from something that means it¡¯s worse than a few ogres. We should go through them and then keep going and hope that whatever is hunting them is far enough behind that we can get out of here before it gets too hungry.¡± Aria explained. Claus nodded.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take care of them. Anything I need to know?¡± Isaac asserted.

 Chapter 12 To Be Fair, I Was Invisible

    Chapter 12 To Be Fair, I Was Invisible


    Isaac stepped around the bend in the passageway and drew his longsword. He cloaked himself in shadows and disappeared. The three ogres never saw nor heard him coming. They were all preparing to leave their temporary resting place to continue their flight from some unknown monster. Unfortunately for them they were going in the way Isaac and his companions needed to go.


    ¡ª


    The first ogre felt something sharp slice deep across the back of his knee. One of the tendons severed and he let out a howl of pain. He turned and swung but met nothing but air. He looked to his brothers and demanded to know who cut him. Neither of their weapons were bloody and as they were yelling their innocence the second brother collapsed to the ground howling.


    The second ogre had a long gash across the back of his ankle. Then the first ogre felt a blade finish off the second tendon behind his right knee. His leg gave out and he too collapsed to the ground. The ogres began swinging in random directions trying to hit whatever creature was cutting them apart. The third ogre swung wildly and clipped the second ogre¡¯s eye with his spear.


    The second screamed and punched the third in the side of the knee bringing him too to the ground. The first felt a gash open up on his back and swung around, sweeping his spear around him, hitting something. His spear had clipped some unseen object. The ogre couldn¡¯t tell what it was but he knew he felt resistance for a fraction of a second. He stabbed out in that direction a few more times but once again only hit air.


    The third brother was sliced across his back and he went into a frenzy. He started swinging wildly not knowing nor caring what he hit. He only wanted to kill whatever evil creature of the dark was playing with them. They had been running for hours now and his mind was fraying. The only thing that mattered to him was killing anything and everything that would do him harm.


    The second brother was hit a few more times by the third¡¯s wild swings before he managed to get some distance by dragging himself across the ground. The first met him and they sat on the ground back to back looking for any sign of their invisible assailant.


    Minutes passed with nothing happening. The first wondered if whatever it was had moved on after realizing they would not go down quickly. The second wondered if it was just biding its time to strike at them again once their guard was down. The third yelled at his brothers. He claimed that whatever spirit had attacked them was mad because they had pressed on too deep into the inner world.


    The third wouldn¡¯t stop yelling. The first knew that the noise would be bringing the other monster that was hunting them there quicker and tried to calm his brother. The third kept yelling and rambling. Eventually the second had had enough. He punched the third in the face. The third retaliated and soon they were a bundle of fists blood and muscle.


    Then the first cried out in pain again. Another gash, more blood, more pain. Then another and another. After the third slash of steel on flesh it was gone.


    A moment later the second brother¡¯s second eye was slashed. Now blind, he just continued to flail and strike out randomly. He lost his other ankle to the unseen blade. It was as if the shadows themselves had decided this tunnel would be their graves.


    The third ogre had snapped. In his mind everything around him meant him harm. Everything around him was trying to kill him. He grabbed his brother, the one who was now blind, and stabbed him in the throat with his spear. It was the only way he could be sure the other ogre wouldn¡¯t hurt him anymore.


    The first ogre, seeing this, threw his spear at the third brother. It stabbed deep into his shoulder and another howl of pain was its reply. The first ogre then felt another slash across his neck. He reached out to grab whatever had cut him. His hand closed around something but he couldn¡¯t see or even feel what it was. His hand felt nothing even though he was squeezing his fist closed.


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    Then another gash opened up on the inside of his wrist. His hand opened and his eyes began to grow dim. He had lost a lot of blood. He was tired and needed rest. After a few more deep breaths he laid down and closed his eyes. He would rest, just for a little while, then he would kill whatever had hurt him so. At least that¡¯s what he believed. He would never wake up again.


    The third ogre was panting, he had lost a bit of blood as well, his muscles were tired from so much flailing and fighting. He could barely lift his head. Then he felt pain again. Another wound opened up, this time on his neck, he tried to swing out but even though he felt some resistance he couldn¡¯t tell what he had hit and he knew he hadn¡¯t hit it hard. Then he noticed a new slash on his hand.


    He panted and panted. Exhaustion was starting to win out over blind terror and frenzy. He huffed and then felt the gash on his neck open wider as it was struck again. He tried to roll over but his body wouldn¡¯t listen. Soon there was another strike and he felt his own blood start to pour down his throat. He coughed and then lost consciousness as blood loss overtook him.


    ¡ª


    Isaac stumbled back towards his companions and released his shadow cloak so he could once more be seen. ¡°Ouch¡­ they¡­ have¡­ some¡­ grip¡­¡± He got out between labored breaths.


    Aria ran over to him and quickly started to heal him. ¡°What happened?¡± She asked as she felt her magic heal a fractured rib and then a second.


    ¡°I got careless and one of them got lucky.¡± Isaac said and then took a deep breath, glad that he wasn¡¯t in excruciating pain anymore. ¡°I got grabbed. It tried to crush me to death in one massive hand. You weren¡¯t kidding when you said they are freakin¡¯ strong.¡± He nodded and straightened his back. ¡°They were kinda slow which is probably the only reason that worked.¡±


    ¡°You really did it. I was sure you had lost it when you said you could handle them alone.¡± Aria replied and continued to look him over for injuries. She noticed a few more scrapes and gashes in his armor but no other injuries. ¡°Rest a moment and then we need to keep going.¡±


    Isaac sat against the wall and Aria offered him a waterskin and a rag for his sword. He took a drink and then cleaned his sword before sheathing it. He liked the leverage and reach of his longsword but he preferred a one handed fighting style and it was just too heavy for him to use like that. He didn¡¯t doubt that Claus could one hand it fine but Isaac was very well aware that he was not Claus.


    Aria went to see Isaacs handiwork for a minute and left Isaac to rest up. Claus and Isaac happened to meet gazes at one point and the larger man just gave him a nod of approval to which Isaac returned with a nod of thanks. He didn¡¯t voice his thanks partly because he was listening for whatever had been chasing the ogres but mostly because that would have taken more effort than he was willing to spend.


    Isaac¡¯s adrenalin rush had worn off and he was feeling it. His muscles hurt from being pushed so hard even if it was for only a little while. His two minute break part way through to regenerate mana had helped but not very much.


    Thinking back on the fight he noticed a few things. One was that on a few occasions he had come very close to being stabbed. Only ever very close however. Every time a spear head approached at an angle he couldn¡¯t dodge he would just turn his body a bit and a spear head would glance off his armor leaving behind just another scratch or gash on the rapidly wearing out leather.


    The second was that despite having died already he was having fun fighting for his life. The rush of dancing on a razor¡¯s edge where only his skill and luck kept him alive. He reveled in it. His muscles burned, his mana was empty, but he had never felt more alive than during that battle dancing through their fury of stabs and sweeps.


    The third was that he felt a connection to them. He could tell that his power was resonating with them. His death mana had started to beg to be let out and put to work. It felt like at a touch he could have saved any of his recent victims by simply allowing his death mana to run through their mana pathways like it did with his hands.


    ¡°Magic is weird.¡± Isaac said aloud absently while staring at his hand.


    ¡°Hah I guess it is.¡± Aria replied as she approached. ¡°You really took them apart in there. It¡¯s hard to imagine one level three human could do something like that.¡± She looked at him and squinted her eyes scrutinizing him again.


    ¡°To be fair, I was invisible the entire time and they were pretty stupid. The one actually killed the other one for me.¡± Isaac replied and then took another swig of water.


    ¡°Well, either way, if you¡¯re up for it we should keep moving. I still don¡¯t wanna see whatever they were running from.¡± Aria declared. She walked over to Isaac and offered him her hand. He took it and she helped him to his feet.


    ¡°Yeah. Thanks.¡± He replied and reached for his backpack. He reattached the waterskin to the side and stuffed the rag in an empty pouch. ¡°Alright let¡¯s¡­.¡± His voice trailed off. He felt his power resonate with something. Whatever it was trying to reach out to was far, far stronger than the ogres.


    His eyes snapped to the path they had taken. He remembered back a little ways there was another tunnel that had opened in the ceiling. That was where the ogres and now their hunter had come from. He drew his sword and motioned for Claus to move in the direction of the fresh three corpses.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Aria asked worry in her voice as she prepared to cast a spell.


    ¡°It¡¯s coming. I can feel it.¡± Isaac replied in a whisper she could barely hear. Claus moved the petrified scout behind the three of them and off to the side in hopes he wouldn¡¯t get damaged in the ensuing battle. Right as Claus had set his bundle down and turned to face Isaac and Aria the three of them saw the monster¡¯s face pear around the corner.

 Chapter 13 What In The Hells Is That?!

    Chapter 13 What In The Hells Is That?!


    The faint torchlight attempted to give color to the scales and fangs peering around the corner of the passageway. It failed as the light seemed to be absorbed as it approached. Claus moved to cover Aria and Isaac moved off to the side so he¡¯d be out of their way.


    ¡°What in the hells is that?!¡± Isaac exclaimed as he got a good look at it. A massive reptilian face with a dozen fangs on each jaw barely contained by its mouth. Orange orbs with a black slit straight down the center for eyes. It lacked eyelids and the eyes¡¯ gazes seemed to dart around the room individually as if they belonged to two different creatures. A pair of horns swept back from the creature¡¯s brow and then angled outward at their end. The head was about a foot and a half long and the horns another half a foot.


    ¡°It looks like a dragon but something is wrong with it.¡± Aria explained and prepared to cast a spell on all of them. ¡°Gracious blessings of the heavens.¡± She spoke and a soft golden light reached out from her and touched each of them. Isaac felt his senses sharpen and the world slow slightly. He could tell that only his perception had sped up but he wasn¡¯t about to complain.


    As the golden light receded the monster moved the rest of the way into sight. A black furry paw covered in shadows stepped out and then another as its torso appeared. It looked like a giant shadow-wolf with a dragon¡¯s head. The real crazy part wasn¡¯t even this amalgamation. It was the six stony tendrils whipping about. They sprouted out of its back, three along each side of its spine about eight inches apart, and searched for prey in a wild frenzy. ¡°Chimera.¡± Aria whispered.


    Drool dripped from the beast¡¯s maw and its eyes focused on Isaac, no doubt feeling the same connection he did, it lowered its body and prepared to lunge.


    Claus didn¡¯t hesitate, he charged forward brandishing his halberd, the beast¡¯s eyes snapped towards the movement. Isaac shook out of his shock from observing the monstrosity and ran around towards the side of the beast, planning on hacking at it with his longsword, hoping that Claus could keep its attention.


    Isaac pulled on his still only half refilled mana reserve and poured shadows out of himself. He didn¡¯t need to go invisible, that would require even more mana, he just needed to be easier to overlook and silent. Claus reached the monster and swung towards its head with his halberd''s ax blade.


    Three tendrils reached up to catch the blade. One was cleaved through entirely, the second had the blade wedged half way through, and the third coiled around it trying to yank it from the warrior¡¯s grasp. Claus Yanked back so hard his boots scraped a few inches across the ground. The second tendril was cleaved through and the third lost its battle of strength.


    Aria¡¯s golden bolt hit the monster on the brow and the creature didn¡¯t even flinch. It turned towards her and opened its maw all the way. Its mouth was so wide it looked to Isaac like it could have fit his entire torso between its jaws.


    Lighting arced across its fangs and a blue-white light began to pour out of its throat. Aria¡¯s eyes went wide and she dove to the side. Isaac reached the creature and swung at its front leg. A pair of tendrils wrapped around his blade. Claus swung at its head again, surprised that the two tendrils he had cut were already regrown, this time his weapon was caught by the four free tendrils.


    A loud crack sounded as a bolt of magical lightning cleared the distance from the beast to the wall in an instant. Luckily it couldn¡¯t see where it was aiming once it opened its mouth and the bolt caught only air until it reached stone.


    After the impact there was a sound of breaking stone. Claus tried to free his weapon while Isaac thought about just dropping his longsword and drawing something else. Then came an unmistakable sound. Stone hitting wood and wood giving out. Aria risked a glance behind her as she got back to her feet. There was a stone about the size of her head embedded in the bundle that was her young teammate.


    ¡°Chris!¡± Aria yelled then turned back towards the monster and fired off another spell. This spell was different than any other Isaac had seen her cast. ¡°I, through my goddess, revoke your ability to perceive!¡± She yelled and Isaac felt a presence descend on the Chimera.


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    As soon as Isaac and Claus had heard Aria¡¯s cry they both dropped their weapons, reached down with their right hands, and drew their daggers in perfect unison. The monster threw their weapons behind it and turned its head to face Claus. At that moment three things happened.


    The first was the presence descended on the beast. Its eyes and ear holes, hidden under its horns, were covered in a golden light. The second was Isaac¡¯s dagger scraping off the chimera¡¯s horn while Claus¡¯ embedded itself about half an inch in the creature¡¯s brow right between its eyes. The third was the creature deciding who it was going to kill first.


    All six tendrils reached for Claus. The monster didn¡¯t need to be able to see nor hear anymore. Claus was too close to dodge them. They coiled around his arms and head holding him in place. Isaac stabbed at its neck since its eyes were now facing completely away from him. The scales took most of the impact and his dagger got stuck an inch deep and in three separate scales at once.


    Aria hit the monster with another golden bolt. Claus struggled to free himself from the tendrils that threatened to crush his armor with him in it. Isaac let go of his dagger and drew his shortsword. The monster opened its maw once again.


    The party¡¯s eyes went wide as they all realized what was about to happen. Isaac stepped around to the side of the beast¡¯s head, blocking Aria¡¯s line of sight, and drove his sword towards the monster¡¯s eye. Lightning arced, a crack resounded throughout the tunnel, a golden bolt impacted leather armor, a sword pierced an orange eye.


    The next moment Isaac felt pain as if his shoulder was on fire, he heard Aria scream but couldn¡¯t tell what she said as he was impacted in the chest by the side of the monster¡¯s head as it thrashed from his stab. Claus was tossed, his breastplate glowing orange in a four inch circle around the middle.


    Isaac held onto his sword as he was tossed a few feet from the monster. He was winded from the impact and couldn¡¯t react in time to the tendril whipping out in his direction. It caught his shoulder and he felt the joint give out. It tossed him another few feet and he landed on his now dislocated shoulder.


    Aria ran forwards, the monster bucked then toppled. Isaac cried out in pain as soon as he got air back in his lungs. Aria was at his side in the next instant. ¡°Good if you can scream you¡¯re alive.¡± She said and sprinted towards Claus who was farther down the tunnel.


    When she got to him the monster was still in its death throes and a few of the tendrils almost hit her. She didn¡¯t even flinch. It was as if in that moment the only thing that mattered was Claus. She unstrapped his helmet and tossed it to the side. She leaned down and put her pointy ear by his mouth and nose hoping to hear a breath.


    Some of her hair fell and landed on his breastplate. It started smoking. She yanked her head back and started furiously trying to get his breastplate off. ¡°Not yet damn you! Claus you are not allowed to leave me!¡± She yelled at him but there was no response. She tossed his chest armor behind her and ripped open his still steaming gambeson underneath.


    Her fingers burned but she pressed on. ¡°Oh strand of fate I beseech thee. Let not this mortal be set free. His soul the reaper must not steal. Please oh please reconnect and heal!¡± She yelled and pressed her hands onto his chest. A torrent of golden light poured from her and covered Claus¡¯ entire body. A second went by like this and then another.


    Isaac watched on with tears in his eyes from the pain and awe in his mind from what he was witnessing. Claus was dead. Isaac could feel it. He had watched him take a lightning bolt through the chest and it still kept going with enough energy to singe the wall behind him. Yet Aria didn¡¯t grieve. No, she prayed and focused. She was bringing him back to life. She was fighting the reaper to bring him back.


    Claus took in a deep breath and Aria chanted her healing spell. She rolled him over, tossed his backplate away and stuffed her staff down his back to keep the back of his gambeson from burning him anymore. Claus groaned but soon slipped into unconsciousness.


    Aria sat back on her heels and took a deep breath. She let out a long slow sigh. She turned to face Isaac who was now sitting, cradling his dislocated arm, mouth agape at the spectacle. She smiled at him and then said one word: ¡°Empty.¡± She promptly passed out. Her face hit the ground. Isaac winced at the impact and in doing so accidentally moved his shoulder causing him to wince harder.


    Isaac, the now only conscious person in the tunnel, turned to look at the petrified scout. The rock, about eight inches across, was embedded about where his legs should be under all the torches and rope. He swallowed. ¡°I hope that high level cleric can fix that too.¡± He said.


    He moved back to where he had been previously sitting. His backpack was still there and he could use some water. Slowly, carefully, he unfastened his waterskin and took a sip. ¡°I need to stop almost dying.¡± He said to one in particular. ¡°The fight was kinda fun though, all things considered, any fight you live through is a good one I think.¡± He then closed his eyes and waited.


    He breathed slowly so as to not move his shoulder as he waited for Aria and Claus to wake up. He didn¡¯t sleep because he needed to keep an ear out. The chimera had walked entirely silently and because its body was that of a shadow-wolf Isaac reasoned that they had that ability too if they wanted to.


    Isaac also reasoned that the reason they weren¡¯t always silent was probably the same reason he wasn¡¯t always invisible, they just didn¡¯t have enough mana regeneration to keep those effects active continuously. ¡°This sucks.¡± Isaac complained aloud in a whisper.


    ¡°What am I supposed to do now? I can¡¯t go to sleep and I can¡¯t stop this pain either. We are in the middle of a tunnel with corpses on either end. What if something bigger comes along looking for a meal? We¡¯d be screwed, that¡¯s what.¡± Isaac continued to himself. He opened his eyes and looked around. It was going to be a long next few hours.


    About an hour in, Isaac had his head leaning against the wall and his eyes closed. He rationalized that this way he could focus on his hearing better. Unfortunately it only really led to him falling asleep after a few more minutes.

 Chapter 14 I Want Its Head.

    Chapter 14 I Want Its Head.


    Isaac awoke to the sound of metal being slowly dragged against the stone floor. His eyes flew open and shadows coalesced in them so he could see. His eyes scanned the tunnel and settled on Claus¡¯ gauntlet slowly moving like the big man was trying to get his hand under his shoulder to stand.


    Claus grunted, low and deep like the planet itself was moving. He was still face down with Aria¡¯s staff down his back and his armor tossed about. He turned his head and squinted his eyes. He saw Isaac leaning against the fall cradling his arm.


    The mage smiled at his once again living companion and nodded towards him. ¡°Back from the dead I see. How¡¯s the other side? Did Zei and Rei say hi?¡±


    The warrior inclined his head towards Aria who was still unconscious face on the ground, butt in the air. ¡°She passed out right after fighting off the reaper for you. That doesn¡¯t look comfortable.¡± Isaac replied to Claus¡¯ unspoken question.


    ¡°Why stick?¡± Claus asked and looked back at Isaac.


    ¡°She had to keep your gear from burning you back to death.¡± Isaac stated matter of factly. Claus just nodded and closed his eyes. Isaac closed his as well.


    The mage focused on his mana and guided up towards his dislocated shoulder and down his arm as well as the part of his chest that the arm was touching. He pushed shadow out these places and tried to wrap it around his injury and his arm. He then tried to solidify it. He knew that shadows had some amount of substance to them. What he wanted was not a cloud that he could put his hand through but a solid object that could withstand some amount of force.


    He felt the shadow mana trying to do as he asked but it was not an easy task. Shadow by its nature was easily dispersed and thus weak, even if it was easy to control. Slowly but surely he felt the shadows solidify. He had to keep increasing the amount of mana he poured out especially under his arm.


    ¡®Why¡¯s my arm gotta be so damn heavy?¡¯ He thought. Eventually the shadows were strong enough to at least hold his arm in place. He was pushing up against his new equilibrium. He was taking in almost as much mana as his new sling required to stay effective. He opened his eyes and saw Claus watching him.


    ¡°Sling?¡± The larger man asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac said and then with a grunt got to his feet. ¡°Let me help you with your stick problem.¡± Isaac walked over to Claus on unsteady feet. His legs were weak as his body was diverting his strength towards healing his injuries and not his weakened muscles. He felt like he bruised his rib, that Aria had recently healed, from his pummel hitting him when the monster bucked him away.


    Isaac knelt down by Claus and felt the back of his gambeson. Noting that it was cold he nodded and then grabbed the top of the staff. He slowly pulled it out. Claus let out a long, low, pained grunt as Isaac pulled it out. ¡°Burn on your back?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Claus responded and then slowly got to his feet. ¡°Thanks.¡± He took off his gauntlets and pauldrons, setting them down carefully on the ground so as to not make too much noise. He then dropped his gambeson on the ground with a soft thud. Isaac in the meantime had gone and grabbed a bed roll and was waiting for Claus to finish.


    Claus turned to Isaac and Isaac pointed the bed roll at him then nodded towards Aria. ¡°At least one of us should sleep comfortably.¡± Isaac said and Claus took the bedroll. Nodding Claus laid out the bed roll. He gently picked up Aria and set her on the soft, cushioned, blanket. He stood back up and looked at Isaac.


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    ¡°What happened?¡± Claus asked.


    Isaac told Claus exactly what happened after he was grabbed by the Chimera¡¯s six tendrils. Once he was done Claus had a few words to say. ¡°Got lucky.¡¯ He said and nodded. Then he turned towards the Chimera¡¯s corpse. ¡°Bad fight. Not many of those.¡±


    Isaac raised his eyebrow. ¡°Because you died?¡± Claus turned back to him and nodded towards the semi crushed bundle that was Chris, the petrified scout. ¡°Oh. Yeah. We should wait until Aria heals my arm. It¡¯s dislocated.¡±


    Claus nodded and leaned in to look at Isaac¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Only dislocated?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yeah. I think I¡¯d know if it was broken. The muscles and tendons still feel like they are in one piece. It just needs put back in place and some healing and I¡¯ll be good to go.¡± Isaac explained.


    Claus looked Isaac in the eyes then said: ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Isaac swallowed and then after a brief moment of thought he nodded his agreement. What followed was Isaac covering his face in shadows to hide the yell of pain from the big man putting the ball back into Isaacs dislocated ball and socket joint.


    After Isaac and Claus got a drink and some jerky they just sat together for a little while in silence. ¡°Got anything to do other than stare into the dark?¡± Isaac asked, getting bored and trying to take his mind off the pain. His arm was back in a sling to let his shoulder rest as much as possible.


    Claus dug a pair of decks of cards out of his pack and handed one of them to Isaac. ¡°I¡¯ll teach. Sit.¡± The warrior said and sat cross legged on the ground. Isaac joined him and after a while he got the game down.


    Each of the cards had a wizard spell on it and every turn they¡¯d get another mana to spend to cast them. Whoever dealt enough damage to the other first would win. There were counterspells and fireballs but Isaac¡¯s favorite was invisibility. It prevented Claus from targeting him with most spells and let Isaac gain mana for a few turns so he could hit Claus with a larger spell. Their decks were shuffled so what spells they had in their hand to play was different every time.


    Eventually the two were interrupted by a high pitched groan from a few feet away. Aria went to sit up and immediately grabbed her head in pain. ¡°Where am I? Why is it so dark? I can barely see my hand right in front of me.¡± She grumbled out drearily. ¡°Claus, can you light a torch?¡±


    ¡°Claus?!¡± She bolted upright and looked around frantically. Her gaze caught her large friend sitting across from Isaac playing cards as if nothing had happened. Tears came to her eyes and she went to take a step. She stumbled as her head was assaulted with pain.


    Through her pounding head she got out her prayer of healing and soon her mind cleared. Claus and Isaac were still playing their game, content to let her figure herself out. She glanced back at her bedroll. ¡°Did you guys put me there?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Claus did. Good morning she who fights death itself.¡± Isaac said and tossed down a firebolt card. Claus turned his twelve sided die down to nine and then tossed down his own. ¡°Not to sound needy or anything but Claus and I are still a little fucked up.¡±


    She looked at him, then to his sling, then to the fresh burn on Claus¡¯ back and nodded. She swallowed. ¡°I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re alive¡± She said and knelt down behind Claus. The big man just nodded. Isaac could see his smile even before Aria started healing him. Isaac couldn¡¯t help but smile too.


    After they were all healed up Aria was back down to half of her mana. ¡°Now that we three are in one piece it¡¯s time for something I¡¯ve been dreading.¡± She said as she turned towards Chris. ¡°Let¡¯s get him out and see how bad the damage is. Right now my only hope is that enough of him is still together to unpetrify.¡±


    They slowly dug through the rubble and pulled out a mostly intact life-like statue of a human male no older than eighteen. His legs were broken however. His right leg was crushed at the knee and his left at the shin. Aria looked down at him with a frown.


    ¡°With a ton of healing and being unpetrified he¡¯ll live. Unfortunately he will never walk again. Not unless his family can come up with a literal mound of gold to pay for his limbs to be regrown.¡± She said and shook her head. ¡°In all likelihood he¡¯ll never adventure again even if we can get him the whole way back to town without him braking further.¡±


    Isaac just stared at the boy for a few moments. ¡®What if I had looked into the basilisk''s eye while it was active? Would I just be a broken statue somewhere?¡¯ The thought was sobering. There were some fights not even Isaac would go looking for. He decided that he didn¡¯t like anything that could kill him just by looking at him. Those things needed to be stabbed in the back as often as possible.


    The party got something to eat and packed up. Claus once again had his armor on and Isaac retrieved all his weapons. Aria had her staff and was finishing packing up. Isaac¡¯s eyes were locked on the skull of the Chimera. He still felt a powerful connection to it long after it had died. The connection was significantly weaker now than when the monster was alive but he noticed that the connection was only to its head for some reason.


    He walked over to the fallen beast and withdrew his longsword. Taking a stance he hacked downward with all his might at the base of the neck. The scales stopped his blade barely an inch in. He noticed the others had stopped moving and he turned to see them staring at him.


    ¡°I want its head.¡± He stated simply. Claus just shrugged and walked over. In two mighty chops Claus had its head removed. Isaac lifted the dragon head and gazed into its eyes. ¡°Thanks.¡± He said to Claus but his mind was elsewhere. The connection really was only to the head. Being removed from the body hadn¡¯t changed anything.


    After a moment Isaac grabbed some rope and tied the head to his backpack. Claus and Aria rebound Chris. With Chris in Claus¡¯ hands, Isaac in the lead, and Aria being navigator they set off once more towards civilization. None of them knew how long they had been together at that point but neither did they care. They all knew the others would have their back regardless of what lay before them.

 Chapter 15 It’s Death.

    Chapter 15 It¡¯s Death.


    Aria, Claus, and Isaac were walking down yet another tunnel as had been their habit for only the gods knew how long. They had taken a few breaks for one reason or another but this time something happened.


    ¡°SHIT!¡± Aria yelled and turned to look at Isaac in a panic. ¡°Do you have anything proving that the body you found belonged to that cartographer?¡± Isaac looked back over his shoulder to see her face.


    ¡°Yeah, right here.¡± He responded and pulled the badge out of mid air. He tossed it to her and she caught it mouth agape. ¡°What? Is there something on my face?¡± He asked, questioning her look of shock. Then it dawned on him. He had just pulled something out of his Inventory right in front of them. ¡°Your eyes are playing tricks on you. Whatever you think just happened didn¡¯t.¡± He explained in a very matter of fact tone that left nothing up for debate.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Um¡­ Okay?¡± Aria stammered out while staring at him in utter bewilderment. ¡°C-Claus can you put this with the Basilisk eye?¡± She asked and handed it to him. He nodded and placed it in one of his backpack¡¯s pockets.


    ¡°When did you get the basilisk¡¯s eye? Also why do you need it?¡± Isaac asked curiously.


    ¡°Um¡­ Claus got it right after the battle. We need it for proof we fought it so the guild will pay for its death.¡± She said, still reeling from the magic that shouldn¡¯t be possible she just witnessed. ¡°Isaac, is that the power that damaged your magic circuits?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Was his only response.


    ¡°You have another secret power?¡± She pressed.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He responded.


    ¡°And you didn''t think it might be relevant.¡± She asked, tension in her voice.


    ¡°No. It wasn¡¯t relevant. None of my ¡®secret powers¡¯ would have helped at all in any of our previous fights. Not even the one you just saw. There is a reason I¡¯m carrying the dragon head on my backpack.¡± He explained in an even voice and then started walking.


    ¡°Oh.¡± She said just as much to him as to herself. ¡°Sorry Isaac. I should have trusted that you had used everything in your power when all of our lives were on the line.¡± She apologized. He just nodded and kept walking. Aria and Claus hurried to catch up and the trio, plus Chris, continued on their journey.


    ¡ª


    It had been a few hours since the Inventory incident and conversation was back to normal. They were all getting tired. They found a small cave just large enough for them to cram into in order to sleep. They set up their bedrolls and just as Claus and Isaac were about to go to sleep they heard something.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Isaac asked and looked to Claus for an answer. The larger man just shook his head.


    ¡°No idea.¡± Aria said and crouched down while peering around the corner.


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    ¡°I¡¯ll go take a look.¡± Isaac said and got up. Shadows covered his boots and he took a silent step out of the cave.


    ¡°Alright. But regardless of what it is, come back and tell us, even if it''s something you know you can kill easily.¡± Aria instructed.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Isaac said and nodded without turning back. He crept forwards down the tunnel into the darkness that for him wasn¡¯t even a hindrance. A few hundred feet down the passageway he found what had made the noise that none of them could really place.


    What he saw was a massive open cavern. The cavern must have been over a hundred feet wide and three times that deep. The ceiling was at least a hundred feet up at its highest point. The ground was covered in hills of broken bits of stone and a few boulders, some near each other while others were spread out randomly.


    As large as the cavern was, Isaac had barely noticed. He was more focused on the creatures that were residing inside it. A large group of maybe seventy bipedal creatures with slim limbs, pot bellies, and weirdest of all, fish heads, were just milling about. They looked to be about four feet tall and armed with primitive weapons and wore only loincloths.


    The creatures had bed rolls made of an assortment of hides and skins tossed about the cavern and were driving stakes into the stone to set up some kind of poles. Isaac made himself invisible and got closer to hear what they were saying.


    Their language skills left much to be desired and he could only get out a few words. None of it really meant anything to him so he started back. That was when he heard something that he did understand: ¡°Attack tall ones. Am excited.¡± Isaac paused and looked back. He saw one of the fishmen talking animatedly with another one.


    The second fishman agreed and also said he was excited. Isaac was getting low on mana so he hurried back towards the cave careful to not disturb the rocks too much lest he be found out. Once back at the camp he explained what he had seen and heard.


    ¡°Wait wait wait Isaac. You could understand them?¡± Aria asked. Isaac just looked at her incredulously and nodded slowly. ¡°Isaac they don¡¯t speak common. They only ever speak their own language. It¡¯s a point of pride for their species. You shouldn¡¯t be able to understand them.¡± She explained now whispering as not to accidentally attract unwanted attention.


    ¡°Huh.¡± Was Isaac¡¯s only response.


    ¡°Let me try something.¡± Aria said. ¡°If you can understand this you have a translation ability.¡± She continued.


    Isaac just raised his eyebrow and said: ¡°Okay? Are you alright Aria?¡± Isaac asked, thinking that she had lost her sanity in transit.


    ¡°No. Listen to me Isaac. I just spoke to you in elvish and you responded in elvish.¡± She looked at him excitedly. ¡°I had my suspicions when you said you understood some of what those ogres were saying before. There was always the chance either you were mistaken or they were raised somewhere where that kind of behavior was encouraged. This however, this confirms it.¡±


    ¡°Okay. That¡¯s nice and all but I think we have a bigger problem. Are they violent?¡± Isaac asked.


    Aria nodded her head a few times in total certainty. ¡°They will try to eat us, or enslave us. They never deal or barter with anyone. There¡¯s a reason they all only live down here now. The rest of the mortal races drove them to the brink of extinction because they tried to fight all of us at once.¡± She mentioned off handedly like going to war with the rest of the world and living to tell about was some trivial matter.


    ¡°So what do we do?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°Like I said there¡¯s like seventy of them.¡±


    ¡°We sleep and figure it out tomorrow.¡± Aria said. Claus nodded and laid down.


    ¡°What? There¡¯s an army of savage fish people not even a thousand feet away and we are just gonna go to bed?¡± Isaac asked, now really concerned that she had lost it.


    ¡°Yeah. We are all too tired to try to fight or sneak around them. After some rest we¡¯ll put our heads together and try to come up with a plan.¡± Aria decided.


    ¡°Verywell.¡± Isaac said then sat on his bed roll. ¡°Turn around and don¡¯t look. I have ¡®secret power¡¯ stuff to do.¡± Isaac told the other two. Aria raised an eyebrow but they did as he asked. Well Claus didn¡¯t have to do anything as he was already fast asleep.


    Isaac sent a pulse of his dark mana through his body to feel how healed his mana pathways were. Just as he thought they had fully healed. He then spent the next few minutes burning more of his insides. He needed to expand his range of death mana use on his own body so he could heal more than just his hands.


    Once he was done he opened his eyes and saw that Aria was still facing the other way and Claus was still fast asleep. ¡°Thank you.¡± He said.


    Aria nodded and looked back towards him. ¡°That was some bone chilling mana you were giving off. Not very much of it, so I doubt anything more than a few dozen feet away could have felt it, but I did.¡± She spoke seriously.


    ¡°It¡¯s death.¡± Isaac told her but did not elaborate.


    Aria nodded then asked: ¡°That¡¯s what it felt like. That¡¯s what damaged your mana pathways right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I can¡¯t use it right until it can flow through my whole body without killing me or something.¡± He explained and then laid down to go to sleep.


    ¡°I see.¡± Was all she said. Aria went back to looking out of their hiding place. A few hours later she woke Claus who then woke Isaac after his shift was done. Once rested it was time to plan.

 Chapter 16 The Ferryman

    Chapter 16 The Ferryman


    ¡°Alright, any bright ideas?¡± Aria asked while sitting up and stretching. Isaac handed her some jerky and her water skin before shaking his head. They both looked towards Claus who just shrugged. ¡°Well, I have one that might work. Maybe. I hope.¡±


    ¡°Aria you¡¯re not being very convincing.¡± Isaac told her and Claus nodded.


    ¡°Okay so it¡¯s like this:¡± She started enthusiastically. ¡°the Ori-Masa, the fish people, are very superstitious. They have this minor deity, well more like a spirit of some kind, that is more or less their own version of the Ferryman.¡± She looked between the two of them and neither said anything, they simply stared at her.


    She continued on with her plan. ¡°Isaac over here can cover his body in shadows right? He can also talk to them in their own language as long as they speak first. All he has to do is walk in, covered in shadows of course, and tell them that they will all die unless they move or something and they should just do it out of fear of this spirit.¡±


    ¡°This sounds like something you quite literally dreamt up during your nap.¡± Isaac said and shook his head. ¡°Firstly, I don¡¯t even know who this Ferryman is that I¡¯m supposed to be pretending to be. Secondly, I don¡¯t know how this guy talks so what if I say something that tips them off? Thirdly, what if the direction they decide to go is towards you guys?¡± Isaac continued.


    ¡°Agreed. Need new plan.¡± Claus said and crossed his arms.


    ¡°Um¡­ Well, all you have to be is scary. It¡¯s not like any of them have met their specter who guides them to the afterlife or anything.¡± She reasoned. ¡°And and and you can just point them down a different tunnel. Tell them to go that way or something.¡± She nodded and smiled, apparently quite proud of her plan.


    ¡°If. IF! I decide to go along with this crazy plan of yours. I''ll need to know a few things.¡± Isaac started counting on his fingers. ¡°I need to know exactly how you know all this.¡± Then he raised a second finger. ¡°I need to know what exactly this spirit guy thing is supposed to look like.¡± He raised a third finger. ¡°And last but not least I need you both to understand that I may have to use some magic that you CANNOT ask questions about. Not until you show me magic that can do those things. I don¡¯t want to go messing with the world¡¯s fundamental understanding of magic and I feel like I already have.¡± He stated the last part while pointing at Aria and giving her a stern look.


    ¡°Hey I already swore on my goddess to tell no soul living or dead about you and your crazy powers. I think you should trust an oath like that a little more Isaac. My goddess won¡¯t let me break that oath. That¡¯s the whole point of swearing on her.¡± Aria said somewhat offended.


    ¡°Okay fine. Then answer the rest of my questions and let¡¯s get on with your crazy plan.¡± Isaac resigned.


    ¡°Alright. Answer to how I know is easy. I¡¯m a cleric of knowledge. I researched basically everything I could about the Innerworld before I came down here. Second question is a bit harder. Basically it¡¯s a shadowy spirit that holds a lantern and at a touch can pull the soul out of a dead Ori-Masa.¡± She lectured with a finger in the air and eyes closed.


    ¡°Does this spirit walk or float?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°And do either of you have a lantern?¡±


    ¡°It sort of glides across any surface. It looks more like it just moves across the ground because it wants to not from walking or anything.¡± Aria answered his first question. ¡°No we do not. We only had one and it broke in a fight before we met you.¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s time for more secret powers.¡± Isaac said dejectedly and pulled the lantern from Zei out of his Inventory. It wasn¡¯t very bright but all three of them put their hands over their face as the light stung their eyes.


    ¡°How does that even work? It¡¯s obviously a magical light source but it isn¡¯t pulling in any mana. In fact I can¡¯t even feel any mana moving or coming from it.¡± Aria stared transfixed on the lantern in Isaac¡¯s hand.


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    ¡°I don¡¯t know nor would I tell you if I did.¡± Isaac declared and stood up. He walked out of their little hole and turned back to them. ¡°Cloak or no cloak?¡±


    ¡°Cloak. Make it look like the shadows are being pulled up from the ground to make you if you can. Also turn your eyes back to normal and make sure the light is reflecting off of them; it''ll look way scarier. You can choose what parts of yourself to cover right?¡± Aria walked him through getting his disguise correct.


    After a few minutes of Aria playing dress up with Isaac and his shadows she nodded and gave him a thumbs up. He looked like some god had pinched someone''s shadow and pulled it upwards to make another person. The shadows seemed to pull down from the top of his head like the hood of a cloak and drape over his shoulders. They continued down the whole way to the ground, gradually getting wider and making sure that when he walked his leg movements couldn¡¯t be seen. Only his eyes were visible. Isaac had to work with the shadows for a while until he could get them to let his voice through without showing his mouth.


    ¡°How, do, I, look.¡± Isaac drew out in as deep and gravelly a voice as he could maintain.


    ¡°Raise the lantern.¡± Aria said and he did so. When he raised it up to about chest height the light caught his eyes and she raised a hand to stop him. The light reflected nothing but two silver rings back out of the pure black void. ¡°Perfect.¡± She grinned wickedly.


    ¡°You, are, having, too much fun, with thisss.¡± Isaac spoke slowly making sure to not drop character even though there was a stupid grin plastered across his face. He was also having too much fun with this and that was why he was extra glad that she couldn¡¯t see through his shadows.


    She giggled with her hand to her mouth. ¡°Yeah probably but let¡¯s hope this works. Can you maintain that?¡±


    ¡°Yesss. But, nothing else.¡± He said and turned to head out.


    ¡°Good luck Isaac.¡± Aria called quietly after him.


    ¡°The Ferryman, needs, no, luck.¡± He responded and then chuckled darkly. His chuckle was so deep and dark that coming from his shadowy form it actually gave Aria chills.


    ¡®Oh gods I hope I didn¡¯t just accidentally create a monster.¡¯ Aria prayed silently.


    ¡ª


    Isaac walked out into the massive cavern the fishmen had set up in. As he walked he made sure to take small steps and move as little of the stone as possible. He moved silently due to his shadows but that didn¡¯t stop his victims from spotting him on his approach. A few of them started yelling and running around. Isaac didn¡¯t slow.


    A group of them came out to meet him. ¡°Capture. Enslave. Help kill tall ones.¡± The one he assumed to be the leader said. The only defining trait the leader had was that he actually had a proper shortsword. It didn¡¯t look rusted or chipped at all.


    Isaac stopped a few feet in front of the leader as the rest of them encircled him. ¡°You, are, in the way. Leave.¡± Isaac commanded them.


    They froze. No one moved a muscle for what felt like an eternity. Then the leader broke the silence. ¡°It mocks us! Kill it!¡± He commanded. None of the others moved however. It swung its sword angrily at Isaac.


    Acting entirely on instinct he reached out and caught the blade with his free bare hand. As he realized what he was doing he quickly covered it in death to heal the wound and hide his skin. His other hand was covered in shadows like a glove.


    The blade stopped. It bit a little into Isaac¡¯s hand and he winced from the pain. The Ori-Masa however only saw his silver eyes squint in what they assumed to be fury. He pulled on the sword and the leader released it in fear. The small, four foot tall, creature stumbled back half a step.


    Isaac dropped the sword. It fell for barely an inch before his Inventory swallowed it up. His victims jumped. One ran back towards their camp. Isaac moved closer to their leader half a step then leaned in to loom over him while tucking his free hand back inside his shadows. ¡°Boo.¡± He said and then gave his dark, gravelly, chuckle when they all jumped and the one in front of him soiled itself.


    He straightened and pointed towards one of the side tunnels, that Aria had told him to send them through, with the lantern. ¡°Go, that way. Get, out, of, my, way.¡± He commanded them again.


    This time they all scrambled and started getting their brethren together. They packed up as if attempting to escape an incoming flood. Isaac waited on the outskirts of their camp, only moving when they shrunk their camp¡¯s borders as to reinforce that they needed to leave with all their stuff.


    ¡ª


    The exodus of the Ori-Masa took way longer than Isaac would have liked. By the time they were done his arm was killing him from holding up the lantern for so long without rest. Once every last one of them looked to be gone Isaac walked around the cavern¡¯s edges to make sure nothing was lurking in wait for his companions.


    Once satisfied he placed the lantern back in his Inventory. Then he reactivated his dark vision and disappeared.


    It took almost all of his mana but he managed to make it back to his companions without dropping his invisibility. Once he arrived he let his concentration go and the shadows dispersed. He stretched and Aria gasped.


    ¡°You just took a hundred years off my life.¡± She said while clutching her chest. Claus let out a quick, quiet, and deep chuckle. Isaac saw his shoulders bounce a little and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle himself.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± Isaac said with a smile on his face.


    ¡°You are not.¡± Aria declared and crossed her arms. ¡°I take it everything went well?¡±


    ¡°Mostly. One tried to slash me so I had to improvise a little but other than that yeah. They all cleared out. We should get going before they decide to see what I¡¯m up to in there.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°Yeah let¡¯s go.¡± Aria got up and Claus followed. They had packed everything up in Isaac¡¯s absence so he just grabbed his pack and the trio once again headed out.

 Chapter 17 Mine

    Chapter 17 Mine


    Lenna awoke to the sound of tearing flesh. Her body ached. Her neck was definitely injured, whiplash from the feel of it, and she was covered in bruises from her armor being violently shunted into her due to excessive explosive force. Her mana reserve was only about halfway full.


    She healed herself while standing up. She opened her eyes as her mana fell dangerously low again. What she saw was carnage. Scorch marks across the ground. A few bodies tossed about. A basilisk in a heap next to the water. Her backpack by the entrance was knocked over but nothing seemed to have spilled out thankfully. Her scabbard was laying against a wall about fifty feet from where she had last seen it.


    Three shadow-wolves were picking at an assassin¡¯s corpse. The corpse with her sword still stuck in its arm. A fourth wolf was sniffing at the basilisk¡¯s corpse. They all turned to look at her as she stood. Their hackles raised and they started growling, especially the ones that had been eating. They all looked starved.


    Lenna, now feeling quite a bit better, walked at a casual, even, pace towards her sword. The wolves refused to back off but she paid them no mind. Once she got within ten feet or so they lowered their body¡¯s preparing to lunge at her. She pressed out her aura and focused it down on them.


    The three that were close enough started to whimper and back away with their tails between their legs. They never stopped staring at her despite their terror. The magically induced fear from her aura was powerful but, as she found out with the basilisk, not a guarantee to take hold in the first place. The three wolves in front of her however were already afraid of her and her aura just made that fear permanent.


    The fourth wolf looked a bit bigger than the others and it moved to meet her. It entered her aura and flinched but didn¡¯t yield like the other three. It lunged at her. She brought her fist down on its nose with as much force as she could muster. Her fist coated in flames just before impact.


    The hit slammed the beast¡¯s mouth shut with a crack and then she heard a crunch as her armored fist broke bone. It slammed into the ground already unconscious from either the impact or the pain. She reached down and grabbed her sword. She had to put her foot on the corpse¡¯s arm in order to pull her blade out.


    Lenna thrust her blade into the wolf¡¯s neck to put it out of its misery and then looked around to find the other three. They were running down one of the tunnels. She tore a piece of fabric off of the assassin¡¯s cloak and used it to clean her blade. She tossed the dirty cloth at the corpse but then something caught her eye.


    A small leather bag was tied to his waist and it looked to be full of coins. That was when she realized that she herself had not a copper piece to her name at the moment. She was so used to having bills sent to her family¡¯s estate that she never even thought about bringing money along.


    She shrugged and looted his coin purse. She then went looking for the other¡¯s. She found two more but some of the coins were bent in one. She didn¡¯t bother to count the coins but simply tossed them all in one of her backpack pockets. She decided that wolf meat was probably better than nothing but rations and jerky but quickly realized that she didn¡¯t have any way to make a fire that would last long enough to cook it.


    Lenna gave the cavern one last look after filling her water reserves and retrieving her scabbard. She had no idea how long she was there but it couldn¡¯t have been more than a few hours. It was time to get moving again. No matter what she needed to get to where Lua had told her to be as quickly as possible.


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    Lua may have said that she only needed to be there in ten days and the journey should take a normal person ten days to do it but Lenna wanted to get there early. She would be there in no more than nine.


    The Oathbreaker ran into a few more minor nuisances such as spiders the size of her torso and a few starved shadow-wolves but luckily she didn''t need to spend any more mana for the rest of the day. She sat down to rest for a little while and closed her eyes. As an elf she didn¡¯t necessarily need to sleep but there had been plenty of times where her body hadn¡¯t given her a choice.


    As she sat there meditating the rest of the world fell away. For a time there was only her and her mana. She thought back on her life and realized something that she probably should have realized earlier. She hadn¡¯t even felt warmth from anyone except the slave woman who was her nursemaid when she was little.


    The woman had been killed at the age of sixty three by Lenna¡¯s uncle. She could no longer perform her duties so he relieved her of them. It was only logical for them to lessen the resource burden by removing those who could no longer carry their own weight. If only that woman, Ama, could have been born an elf then she could have lived longer.


    Lenna was thirty seven then. Two hundred and ninety years had passed and she was still angry at her uncle. She knew that keeping her alive would have been a waste of resources but she couldn¡¯t help but resent his actions. At that moment Lenna briefly considered swearing an oath of vengeance against her uncle. An oath that she would not rest until she both became stronger than him and killed him with her own hands.


    She shook her head to clear it. Swearing an oath like that while on her way to find a better life would just lead to her breaking it and she didn¡¯t want to know what kind of damage that would do. Already her broken oath had limited the spells she could use to only those that were primarily fire based. She could still pull on some of the incarnate magics that came with a holy oath such as healing and having an aura but even those had changed.


    Her healing now left her hot and seemed to make her more tired after she used it. It felt like it was less efficient healing than before and it took more of a toll on the body. Her aura used to be defensive and actively worked to interfere with spell casting of non drow within its radius. Now it was nothing but pure wrath and hate. It assaulted her foes with the hatred of an apex predator. Like what one would expect from intruding into a dragon¡¯s lair. It was essentially the same effect that dragons used to scare their prey into submission.


    Lenna¡¯s power that used to be so focused on protecting her and her brethren was now nothing but fire and hate. She didn¡¯t like it but she couldn¡¯t argue with the results. Her fire magic was much stronger and easier to use now. Her aura made a fight with most things easier due to their state of utter terror. Even though it worked that didn¡¯t mean she had to like it.


    She was jolted out of her meditative contemplation by a sudden weight on her arms and tension around her body. Her eyes flew open to see a giant snake, a foot thick and at least fifteen feet long, wrapping around her. She tried to pull her sword but the snake¡¯s body was in the way.


    She turned her hand and grabbed onto the snake. ¡°Let my flames consume all before me.¡± She ordered her mana. Flames blasted out of her palm and singed both her glove and the snake¡¯s hide. It loosened for a quick moment and then bit down.


    The snake was non venomous and its teeth were u-shaped so they could grab onto prey easier. It¡¯s mouth had clamped down on the front of her helmet and her shoulder yanking her head to the side. It started getting tighter, trying to squeeze the life out of her. She felt some of her armor¡¯s leather straps stretch against the pressure.


    She clamped her hand down on the burned part of the snake. Her hand hurt and was probably minorly burned already but she cast her spell again. This time the snake loosened enough for her to move her arms for a brief moment. She reached up with one hand and grabbed the snake¡¯s jaw. She pulled it open slightly but she could tell there was no way she was going to be able to completely remove its grasp.


    She stuffed her other hand into the snake¡¯s mouth and the snake tightened like a vice. ¡°Let, my flames, consume all, before me.¡± She got out with shallow breaths. It was getting harder and harder to breathe. Her flames poured down the snake¡¯s throat and boiled its insides. It loosened slightly for a moment before going completely limp.


    All Lenna could smell was cooked snake and whatever bacteria were making a colony in its mouth. She pried herself out of its corpse and laid on the ground for a moment taking deep breaths. She needed to be more careful. One lone giant snake shouldn¡¯t have given her that much trouble.


    She had been careless and almost paid for it with her life. If one of her armor¡¯s straps had failed in the wrong place her ribs could be in a few dozen pieces right now. She healed herself, mostly her hand, and sat up. She decided that snake, even though she didn¡¯t particularly care for it, was at the very least not her bland military rations that she had packed.


    She took the time to gut the snake and carve out the meat that had been flash cooked well enough to eat and after the third bite decided that maybe her rations weren¡¯t so bad after all.

 Chapter 18 Nothing Like Warm Food

    Chapter 18 Nothing Like Warm Food


    ¡°No Isaac, I''m not messing with you. That spirit you impersonated is real.¡± Aria insisted. Isaac for his part was trying to make sense of the world, without being able to see most of it, and failing.


    ¡°So not only did I just pretend to be a real creature that could kill me but there are dozens if not hundreds of beings just wandering around that are stronger than it? How are any of you alive?¡± He asked in disbelief.


    Aria started counting on her fingers while lecturing before forgetting she was counting part way through. ¡°There¡¯s a few reasons. The first is that there isn¡¯t a lot of meat on mortal bones if ya know what I mean. The second is that we stay out of their way. Demi-gods are an entirely different situation though. Basically they were mortals that transcended our innate limits. Some say that they are still limited to level twenty but their power is qualitatively better than ours. Others say that they unlock a special class that gets added on post twenty. It¡¯s all really fascinating.¡±


    ¡°There is even this theory that demi-gods are just born that way. Like they have a hidden class that Identify can¡¯t reveal.¡± She squinted at Isaac for a moment before shaking her head and continuing. ¡°Demi-gods need worship to get stronger as they are technically gods. People can still pray to them for strength or rain or for justice to be done or whatever else there is a demi-god for.¡±


    ¡°This is a lot to process.¡± Isaac shook his head while staring off into the middle distance. ¡°Like I¡¯ve met gods Aria but I was dead and in their own little world. To think that beings like that are just wandering around is hurting my brain.¡±


    ¡°No, no, those, true gods, are stuck in their domains for the most part. Our world is connected to a few outer planes that can be traveled to with sufficient magic. The realms of gods and devils are almost completely out of reach from here. They made a pact a long time ago to seal off the mortal realm from the heavens and the hells. You can still get to them but you have to go through the elemental plane first and that can be even more dangerous if you wind up in the wrong place.¡± Aria looked to be enjoying herself. Isaac, listening to her, thought that she must have been a teacher at some point.


    ¡°Alright enough about all powerful beings and even more new worlds for a bit. What do I need to know now? You said we are getting close to this town or outpost or something right?¡± Isaac guided her back towards a more currently relevant topic.


    Aria nodded in agreement. She knew she was getting sidetracked again. ¡°Basically just what I told you earlier. Don¡¯t steal. Don¡¯t get into fights. Don¡¯t go anywhere that¡¯s behind a locked door or that there is a sign that says not to enter. There are showers and a singular tavern for adventurers but the rest is military stuff. There is an armory that you can buy equipment from but everything there is double the price it would be elsewhere. We are really deep into the Innerworld.¡±


    ¡°What about money?¡± Isaac inquired. ¡°I have some but I have no idea what its buying power is.¡±


    ¡°Ten coppers to a silver. Ten silvers to a gold. Ten golds to a platinum. So many silvers were used at one point that they had to make an electrum coin which is worth five silvers or half a gold.¡± Aria sighed. ¡°Everything down here is technically worth what they ask but only because of how hard it is to get resources down here. A shortsword like yours is worth about twenty five gold. Don¡¯t lose it.¡±


    Isaac opened his Inventory window and looked at his current life savings. One gold, ten silvers, and ten coppers. He swallowed. One of his weapons was worth more than he had. ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡ª


    After what, to Isaac, felt like a lifetime, it technically was, he finally reached his first destination. There before them was a gate that took up the entire tunnel. It was two thick wood-like doors. They were a dozen feet high and each was seven or eight feet wide. Isaac thought wood-like because the fibers seemed to be too large to be wood. He couldn¡¯t place why he felt that way but he just knew that wood fibers shouldn¡¯t be half the thickness of his finger.


    ¡°Ahoy!¡± Aria yelled and stopped ten or so feet in front of the gate. A slit opened up and a pair of eyes peered out.


    ¡°Badges and names?¡± A young male voice cried out. The sound was muffled from the gate but Isaac could have sworn he sounded no older than thirteen.


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    ¡°Gregory Windwalker I swear if you don¡¯t open this gate I¡¯m going to beat you over the head with it!¡± Aria yelled at him. The slit slammed shut and a moment later Isaac heard the drawbar move out of the way. Next he was met with a blinding light as the doors opened. The inside was well lit and it took Isaac a moment to turn off his darkvision so he could see in color again.


    ¡°Hey professor, Claus.¡± A boy that looked not an inch over five feet tall with brown hair, green eyes, and pale skin greeted them. ¡°Where¡¯s Chris? And who¡¯s this guy? You all look like shit.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to tell your mother about that mouth of yours.¡± Aria chastised him. ¡°Chris¡­¡± She pointed to the bundle in Claus¡¯ arms. ¡°Needs to be unpetrified.¡± The boy¡¯s face fell. ¡°This man is the reason we made it back at all. Lord Isaac Wexler, this is Gregory Windwalker. He is the son of the woman who runs the tavern and is also Chris¡¯ brother.¡±


    ¡°I see. Nice to meet you young man. Let¡¯s get your brother to a less crazy healer.¡± Isaac said and gave him a slight smile.


    The boy took him in for the first time. His green eyes met the nobleman¡¯s silver ones. It took him a second to realize he was staring. ¡°Thank you for bringing my brother and Claus back. And I guess Aria too.¡± He gave Isaac a short bow as he thanked him then straightened his back.


    Aria¡¯s face went from a soft smile then a scowl at Isaac¡¯s words. Then a genuine one at Gregory¡¯s appreciation and then a scowl again at his last sentence. ¡°I need a shower and a bed.¡± She said and marched inside. ¡°Claus, could you handle everything with Chris?¡± She asked looking back at the mountain of muscle and steel.


    Claus nodded and started walking in. Isaac joined him and once inside Gregory closed the gate and locked it. His eyes met Isaac¡¯s again and Isaac smiled.


    ¡°Something on my face?¡± Isaac asked with a smirk that only reached one eye and one corner of his mouth.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Um¡­ I was just wondering¡­ If you don¡¯t mind¡­ Why are your eye¡¯s silver?¡± The boy stammered out.


    ¡°That, my young friend, is a secret.¡± Isaac replied and winked at him. ¡°Claus, do you need help or can I go get a shower too?¡± Isaac asked while turning to look at the warrior.


    ¡°No. Split reward later.¡± Claus responded and started walking off in a different direction than Aria.


    Isaac nodded and waved to the boy as he hurried after Aria. The town was made of the same gray wood-like material as the gate. It was lit by magical glowing rocks either embedded in the walls or set on small shelves that looked to be made just for them. The buildings were one story tall near the edges and gradually got taller as the ceiling rose in the cavern they had taken over. The tallest building Isaac could see was three stories. Everything was made with square edges and the ¡®wood¡¯ was cut in one foot wide planks no longer than ten feet long. The stone ground was red and not gray here. Isaac wondered how far he truly was from where he took his first breath in this new world.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Wash your clothes with you noble boy and don¡¯t use too much water. The underground stream this place is built under is little more than a leaky faucet. There¡¯s soap in there. Leave anything you don¡¯t want to get soaked in one of the lockers. Oh one more thing, the water is cold. I mean cold enough to kill you. Make it quick and then head to the tavern across the street and stand by the hearth.¡± Aria instructed. She knew he didn¡¯t have a change of clothes partly because he still had on his bloody and sliced shirt on under his armor.


    ¡°Thanks. Shower¡¯s free?¡± He asked.


    ¡°No. I paid for yours and Claus¡¯. You both reek.¡± She replied and walked in.


    Isaac followed her in after he stashed his weapons, backpack, and boots in a locker. Inside was a hallway with a dozen doors on each side. The doors were spaced with five or so feet between them. Isaac could hear water running in a few of them. The water would turn off for a while and then get turned on again.


    Isaac entered one of the showers, still in his armor, and turned on the water. It was like taking a bath in ice water. The water was actually around fifty degrees but with it running down him it felt like it was fifteen at best. He hurried to wash himself and his armor as fast as he could and used the water as little as possible.


    By the time he was done and retrieving his gear his teeth were chattering and he was shivering uncontrollably. He hurried across the street and into the tavern. When he walked in he noticed a fire burning without fuel in a hearth off to the side. He walked over to it, dropping his gear a few feet away against the wall, and warmed himself.


    He heard Aria talking to another lady and, even though he couldn¡¯t hear the words exchanged, it didn¡¯t sound like a fun conversation. The somberness and tension reached him from across the room.


    After a while Isaac was at least no longer on the cusp of hypothermia. Aria had left to check on Chris. Claus wandered in dressed in a casual long sleeve shirt that barely contained him and a pair of pants. All of it tan due to a lack of dye being used. He waved Isaac over to a table not far from the fire and then waved towards the woman behind the counter.


    A thin woman, maybe thirty pounds lighter and four or five inches shorter than Isaac, came over with two bowls of soup on one arm and a pair of ales in the other. She set them on the table and put a hand on each of their shoulders. ¡°Thank you boys, for saving my son.¡± She had looked tired but not old until that moment.


    It was as if that sentence had aged her twenty years. She walked over looking only a little over thirty and now she looked like a fifty year old woman who had just heard her son had lost a limb in the army. Isaac wondered how accurate that actually was. Her mournfulness and relief were clear in her set jaw and eyes in equal measure. Claus patted her hand and spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Sorry I couldn¡¯t save his legs.¡±


    At that moment she couldn¡¯t hold back her tears anymore and collapsed on the large man hugging him. A few sobs escaped her breath. Claus and Isaac shared a somber look. They knew that they had saved the boy but that didn¡¯t lessen the weight of knowing he might not ever walk again. Isaac didn¡¯t know him but it was clear Chris was loved.


    After the woman left Isaac and Claus ate their food. Isaac¡¯s first bite was slow, he was still thinking about Chris and everything that happened to him, but once he tasted warm meaty stew everything left his mind. He dug in and once he was finished Claus gave him a smile and nodded.


    ¡°There really is nothing like warm food is there?¡± Isaac asked wistfully.


    Claus seemed to think Isaac¡¯s drama was the best joke he¡¯d heard in a while because it was met with a deep hearty laugh that had some of the patrons, off duty guards by the looks of them,  glance over at them.

 Chapter 19 I Wasn’t Even Trying That Time.

    Chapter 19 I Wasn¡¯t Even Trying That Time.


    ¡°Thanks Miss.¡± Isaac said as he accepted the key to his room in the upstairs of the tavern.


    ¡°Jennie. And I¡¯m no Miss anymore. I gotta eighteen year old ya know. I¡¯m a tad old to be called Miss by young bulls like you.¡± Jennie, Chris¡¯ mother, replied and gave him a light smile. ¡°First night an¡¯ a few meals are free. No drinks. I learned my lesson.¡±


    ¡°Well, you look young enough to be Chris¡¯ sister if you don¡¯t mind me saying so.¡± Isaac complimented with a grin while playing with the key. He noticed that despite how old she tried to play herself to be she didn¡¯t have a single gray hair. His eyes settled on hers and their emerald green shone in the firelight.


    ¡°Nah I ain¡¯t given ya free drinks no matter how much flirtin ya do.¡± She smiled at him and shook her head as she turned towards the man sitting at the bar only a few feet away from them.


    Isaac¡¯s eyes followed her lean figure and graceful movements, the grin never leaving his face. ¡°Worth a shot. Goodnight Jennie.¡± He said with a suggestive tone. He pushed off the bar and headed towards the stairs with a wave.


    As he started up the stairs he heard her say, mostly to herself: ¡°That boy¡¯s gonna get himself in trouble with that mouth.¡± Isaac pretended not to hear her and finished his assent. He easily found his room and once inside he was greeted by something he had only dreamed of, a bed.


    There was also a lantern that was unlit on a nightstand next to the bed. On the wall was a coat hook and directly under it was a stool. Isaac stripped down to his underwear and collapsed into bed. His clothes and gear were in a heap in the corner.


    ¡ª


    Isaac awoke still tired. His body didn¡¯t want to respond now that it had finally achieved rest. He opened his eyes and noticed a bit of light shining in under the door. He struggled to push himself up into a sitting position and turned on his darkvision. ¡°I need to learn how to keep that on when I¡¯m asleep.¡± Isaac said to himself.


    As his gaze swept across the room he noticed that he hadn¡¯t only said that to himself. Someone was elbows deep in his gear and now staring at him wide eyed. Isaac was instantly wide awake. The person was short. Four feet tall Isaac guessed. They were shrouded in a thick cloak and had a scarf pulled over their face.


    ¡°Not what I expected to wake up to. Something I can help you with?¡± Isaac said nonchalantly. He tossed the blanket off of himself and clothed himself in shadows as he rose to his feet.


    The person fell backwards as they tried to stand. They got back to their feet and took one step before their foot caught on Isaac¡¯s armor and they crashed to the ground. ¡°Wait. Before you make an even bigger mess. Sit and explain yourself.¡± Isaac ordered and took a step towards the door.


    The shorter person realized they weren¡¯t going to be able to escape without first going through Isaac and carefully stood up to face him. ¡°Listen if you were trying to rob me I¡¯m afraid the sword is the most expensive thing I own.¡± Isaac told them as he set himself in front of the door.


    The thief, at least that¡¯s what Isaac assumed they were, pulled a dagger and locked eyes with him. Isaac couldn¡¯t tell much about the thief but watching them move and seeing the small amount of their face that was visible he had some postulations.


    ¡°How would your parents feel about this kiddo? A young girl like you breaking into a suspicious traveler¡¯s room. I don¡¯t know a lot of things but that doesn¡¯t seem like a very smart idea.¡± He commented. She lowered herself with her dagger ready to stab into his gut if she lunged.


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    ¡°Also you could have at least waited until I left the room to search it. Unless¡­ yeah that makes sense. This is your first robbery. You¡¯re pretty bad at this.¡± Isaac chastised her. Her posture slumped slightly. Isaac couldn¡¯t help himself and he smirked at her in clear amusement. Isaac crossed his arms. ¡°Can I get dressed?¡±


    The thief moved to the side of the room and gestured towards his clothes with her dagger. ¡°So you can take off? I don¡¯t think so. Just toss me my pants.¡± Isaac replied. The thief didn¡¯t move but their eyes darted around the room. ¡°What about a name? You are, afterall, a young lady, in my room, in the dark.¡±


    Her eyes narrowed in fury at him and he immediately knew he was now on the edge of pushing her to attempt to go through him. ¡°Alright listen. If you didn¡¯t take anything then there¡¯s no harm done.¡±


    She dove at him. He knocked the dagger to the side but missed the second one until the last moment. He got his right hand in the way of the blade and it punched through with little resistance. Isaac¡¯s smirk changed to a scowl and he punched her in the side of the head. He hit her hard enough for her to stumble into the wall a few feet away.


    He took her moment of not knowing up from down to heal his bleeding hand with his death mana. That could have been bad if he hadn¡¯t gotten his hand there in time. ¡®I need to figure out a faster way to heal everywhere. Latter. Business first.¡¯ He thought and shook his head.


    ¡°One of those was mine wasn¡¯t it?¡± He asked. The thief had finally gotten her head to stop spinning enough to look at him.


    ¡°Let me go and I will give it back.¡± A quiet and sharp feminine voice whispered. ¡°Do not try to find me and leave in peace.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna take a guess that you are somebody important but not important enough to have money. You heard some noble found himself in town and tried to make off with whatever money he brought with him. Am I close?¡± Isaac prodded.


    She lowered herself again, ready to pounce. ¡°Deal?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Fine. Deal.¡± He replied and ran his hand through his hair with a discontented look on his face. ¡°I don¡¯t want to get in another fight to the death just yet I do need to rest sometimes you know.¡±


    She nodded and then motioned him away from the door. He took one step then stopped. He was still close enough to intercept her if she went for the door but had made enough space that, if he let her, she could leave. ¡°Farther.¡± She ordered.


    ¡°No. Dagger first.¡± He insisted. ¡°On my honor I will let you leave after I have everything you have taken.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± She huffed and tossed his dagger to the floor. Then she took half a step away from it. Isaac moved farther away from the door and she ran to it. She took off so fast the door almost broke off the hinges.


    Isaac closed the door then got dressed. His shirt was less filthy than it had been but that gash from the basilisk had done a number on it.


    ¡ª


    An armored Isaac walked down the stairs to the main body of the tavern. He turned off his darkvision once in the light. Jennie was still behind the bar. She was adding something to the bottomless cauldron. As she emptied the cauldron to feed more patrons she would add more food to it. This meant that there was always food whenever anyone needed it.


    ¡°Heard some commotion a bit ago. Anythin¡¯ excitin¡¯?¡± Jennie asked.


    ¡°Somebody thought I had heavy pockets. When I didn¡¯t she tried to steal my dagger. It was an exciting way to wake up if that counts.¡± Isaac replied and took a seat at the bar.


    Jennie stopped and turned around to look at him. ¡°You were robbed?!¡± She asked in shock. Her expression caught up a second later and her eyes were wide.


    Isaac waved her off. ¡°No. She tried though. I get the feeling I shouldn¡¯t look into who little miss sticky fingers is however.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Why not?¡± Jennie pressed.


    Isaac turned to look around the tavern. There were only two patrons and they were passed out half on a table. He looked back at making eye contact. ¡°Four feet tall, young, told me not to look into her and to leave peacefully.¡±


    Jennie thought for a moment. ¡°Maybe¡­ No, her father would kill her¡­¡±


    ¡°Whoever you just thought of is who it was. Garrison commander¡¯s kid?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Adventurers'' Guild branch leader.¡± Jennie replied with a hard expression.


    Isaac gestured towards the cauldron. ¡°Can I get a bowl?¡± She nodded while still in thought and absently got him a bowl of warm stew. ¡°Thanks.¡± She just nodded in response.


    ¡°Never got your name. Aria said it was Isaac but Greg said you were a nobleman.¡± Jennie asked.


    ¡°Yeah but not anymore. Aria was just getting back at me for scaring the shit out of her.¡± Isaac responded. He took another mouthful. He swallowed and stood. He puffed out his chest, raised his chin and looked directly into her eyes. ¡°My name is former Lord Isaac Wexler. It is a pleasure Jennie Windwalker.¡± He gave her a short bow. His eyes never left hers.


    She stared for a second. Staring deeply into his silver eyes as the fire behind her flickered. The dull orange light flickered in his eyes and made her feel like the being before her was more spirit than man. The ethereal feel was only reinforced by the fact that Aria had told her that they had stumbled across each other deep into the uncharted caverns.


    Isaac raised an eyebrow and went to sit down. His smirk was back. ¡°Something on my face?¡± He asked. Even though he had moved he hadn¡¯t broken eye contact.


    ¡°Uh, sorry. The pleasure¡¯s mine¡± She stammered out and looked away. ¡°You still aren¡¯t gettin¡¯ free drinks.¡± She said quietly as she got back to work.


    Isaac chuckled and shook his head. ¡°I wasn¡¯t even trying that time.¡±

 Chapter 20 I Have A Heading.

    Chapter 20 I Have A Heading.


    Aria entered the tavern to see Isaac chatting up Jennie, the tavern owner. ¡°It looks like you two are getting along.¡± She said as walked over to the bar to sit next to Isaac.


    Jennie stopped mid sentence and rushed to meet Aria halfway. ¡°How is he?¡± Aria could see the worry that she had been expertly burying. Her pleading eyes looked up and met Aria¡¯s.


    Aria smiled at her and said: ¡°His life isn¡¯t in any danger.¡± She placed her hand on Jennie¡¯s shoulder to steady her. The relief had hit her in a wave and her knees threatened to buckle. Aria¡¯s eyes met Isaac¡¯s and they shared a smile at the tension¡¯s sweet release. She mouthed ¡®Thank you¡¯ to him then looked back down at Jennie.


    ¡°Jennie. Time for the bad news.¡± Aria said and steeled herself and Jennie braced. ¡°Without a cleric who can cast seventh level spells he will never walk again. His one leg is only half his thigh now and the other we were able to close it up at the knee but neither of them are in any condition for a prosthetic. A wheelchair could be ordered in but it¡¯s going to cost you a lot to get something bulky like that delivered down here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright. We¡¯ll figure it out.¡± Jennie replied and hugged Aria. ¡°Thank you for not letting the dark take another one from me.¡±


    Aria hugged her back for a long moment. ¡°It¡¯s the least I can do.¡± The two separated and Isaac turned around so his back was to the bar.


    ¡°Thanks for breakfast Jennie.¡± Isaac said then locking eyes with Aria for a moment he nodded and greeted her. ¡°Aria.¡±


    ¡°You still have the dragon head right? Let¡¯s go get it cleaned up before it starts to stink up Jennie¡¯s whole building.¡± Aria offered.


    Jennie turned, eyes red, and gave Isaac a stern look. ¡°Ya brought monster parts into my tavern?¡± She interrogated.


    ¡°Um. No.¡± Isaac replied deliberately unconvincingly.


    She shook her head at him then ordered: ¡°Take your rottin monster flesh outta here before I start chargin ya.¡±


    Isaac jumped to his feet and replied: ¡°Yes mam.¡± He hurried up the stairs and grabbed Chris¡¯ backpack that he had been using. He took some of the rations out and put them in his Inventory. He threw on the backpack and hurried down stairs to meet up with Aria. As he reached the top of the steps he had an idea.


    ¡ª


    ¡°So, Isaac huh.¡± Aria said.


    ¡°What ¡®bout him?¡± Jennie replied innocently.


    ¡°You know what. You really like the whole mysterious past thing don¡¯t you? Your husband was a drifter wasn¡¯t he?¡± Aria probed.


    ¡°Yeah. What¡¯s that have to do with Isaac?¡± Jennie continued pretending not to notice what Aria was implying.


    ¡°He¡¯s got secrets even he shouldn¡¯t know. He¡¯s a good enough guy but he¡¯s way more than you are bargaining for. And he¡¯s broke.¡± Aria warned.


    ¡°I know. It¡¯s just the eyes. I can¡¯t help myself. It¡¯s like I¡¯m looking into some fae¡¯s from a bard¡¯s story.¡± Jennie replied looking embarrassed.


    ¡°So it is the eyes.¡± Isaac replied as he materialized sitting on a table a few feet from them. Aria jumped and Jennie screamed before covering her mouth with her hand. One of the unconscious patrons stirred.


    ¡°Isaac Wexler I swear if you give me a heart attack and I die I will haunt you.¡± Aria vowed as she was the first to recover.


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    Isaac waved her off and continued. His easy, amused, smirk cemented on his face after his recent prank. ¡°Like a fae huh?¡± He thought for a moment then nodded. ¡°Aria do you have a book on them I could read?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been this embarrassed since I was knee high I swear.¡± Jennie said, her face was red and she was specifically not looking into Isaac¡¯s eyes. ¡°I got work ta do.¡± She walked back to the bar and continued where she had left off when Aria had come in.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you about them later. Let¡¯s go before you cause any more trouble.¡± Aria directed and turned to go.


    ¡°Too late for that I¡¯m afraid.¡± Isaac mumbled as he followed after her.


    She stopped and looked at him. ¡°What¡¯d you do?¡± She questioned.


    Isaac raised his hands in a placating gesture. Then he lowered them and raised only one finger. ¡°I woke up.¡± Was his reply with enough conviction that he could have become a paladin at that very moment if there were such an oath.


    Aria stared. ¡°Alright, why did that cause trouble?¡±


    ¡°There was a girl in my room who wasn¡¯t there when I fell asleep.¡± Isaac continued his dancing around the real problems while only speaking the truth.


    ¡°And who was this girl?¡± Aria asked.


    ¡°I may or may not have an idea which I may or may not share. However, if you happen to see a four foot tall girl with a dark cloak and scarf covering her face who may or may not have a bruise in the shape of my knuckles on the side of her head it may or may not be her.¡± Isaac stated matter of fact.


    Aria blinked. Then blinked again. Then something dawned on her. ¡°I saw Lisa, the Guild Master¡¯s daughter, earlier. She was at the temple. She claimed she tripped and hit her head. She had a concussion and a nasty bruise on her head.¡± She squinted at Isaac. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Someone was digging through my stuff and tried to make a brake for it. I was in front of the door. She tried to go through me. She stabbed me and I didn¡¯t remember to pull my punch in the heat of the moment.¡± Isaac replied apologetically.


    Aria and Jennie both exclaimed simultaneously: ¡°You were stabbed?¡±


    Jennie ran over to him. ¡°Where? Why didn¡¯t ya say something earlier?¡±


    Aria just shook her head and sighed. Isaac waved them off. ¡°A little girl with my own dagger isn¡¯t going to be what gets me this time. I¡¯m fine. See no blood.¡± He said and pointed to his palm where he had been stabbed. Jennie sighed in relief and then a, now awake, patron called her over.


    ¡°She¡¯s not a little girl, Isaac.¡± Aria said and headed out motioning him to follow. Once outside she continued. ¡°She is half lightfoot. Her mother is only three feet tall. Her father is a half elf. She¡¯s older than you.¡±


    As they walked they continued to talk. ¡°She¡¯s a rogue. Light and quiet on her feet. I¡¯m surprised she was careless enough to wake you up. She¡¯s a pretty high level too.¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I just woke up. I didn¡¯t even realize she was there for like five whole seconds. I think we were both just as surprised. She¡¯s kinda a klutz.¡±


    ¡°She shouldn¡¯t be. Why was she digging through your stuff? She¡¯s not known to be a thief. She¡¯s a scout and a damn good one at that.¡± Aria asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know. I think she¡¯s broke. We had a mostly one sided conversation but that¡¯s what I got out of it. She needed money and hoped the noble boy from out of town had some out in the open.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Speaking of, where is your money? You shouldn¡¯t normally have to be careful with it in an outpost like this but it¡¯s still a good idea.¡± She recommended.


    ¡°That is a secret.¡± Isaac said and winked at her before following it up with: ¡°The same place as the lantern.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡ª


    They reached the guild a few minutes later and Claus was there getting payment for the job as well as the monster kills. He motioned for Isaac to give him the dragon head. Handing it to him Isaac asked: ¡°Will I be able to get the skull back?¡±


    The receptionist nodded and replied in his gruff deep voice. ¡°Yeah come back tomorrow.¡± Then he made a note on his paper and finally looked up to Claus. ¡°Twenty platinum coins, seven gold coins, and three silver coins.¡± Claus nodded in agreement and the man, brown hair and eyes, medium build but an aged look about him, disappeared into a back room.


    ¡°That easy?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°We are members so yes. You will need to go to an actual town to register. They don¡¯t stock badges here so even if you did the paperwork it wouldn¡¯t mean anything.¡± Aria answered.


    ¡°Sounds like I have a heading.¡± Isaac stated and nodded once to himself.


    The receptionist returned with a bag of coins and poured them out onto the counter. He counted them all in front of the party and then returned them to their bag and handed it to Claus. ¡°Good work as always.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Aria said and turned to leave. Claus and Isaac followed after her. ¡°Claus. Ten plat to Isaac. The gold and silver to Chris.¡± The big man nodded and took out ten shiny platinum pieces. He passed them to Isaac who took them all in one hand. They, like the rest of the coins, were an inch across and less than a tenth of that thick. They had a hole in the center wide enough for a cord to be fed through.


    Isaac made nine of them disappear as he inspected the last one for a moment. Then he looked up and realized Aria was staring at him. ¡°What?¡¯ He asked and then made the last coin disappear.


    ¡°Maybe don¡¯t do that out in the open.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Oh.¡± He replied. ¡°Anyway about my armor.¡± Isaac changed topics. ¡°Can it get fixed or something?¡±


    Aria stopped and looked at the damage. A buckle was sheared in two and two of the straps were cut. Some of the stitching was torn. ¡°It can be fixed but, again not here, there is an armory where you could buy a new set with your new money.¡±


    ¡°How much will it cost me?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Twenty five gold. Maybe more if it¡¯s the last one in stock.¡± Aria responded. ¡°It¡¯ll be no more than twenty in the town a few days from here. If you can make it the whole way to Safeharbor you could get a set for probably twelve or thirteen.¡±


    ¡°Travel is really dangerous down here huh?¡± Isaac mused.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Aria said somberly.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll wait until at least the next town over. I¡¯ll be there to sign up with the guild anyway. Getting paid for turning in the corpses of everything that tries to kill me sounds like a good idea.¡± Isaac stated. He now had a plan.

 Chapter 21 See Ya Around.

    Chapter 21 See Ya Around.


    Isaac spent the rest of the day exploring the town. There wasn¡¯t much to explore. There was a storehouse, barracks, and command hall that he was not allowed to enter as he was not an enlisted person. Those buildings and everything inside them were property of the Kingdom Of Altia.


    Altia would occasionally send expeditions into the Innerworld and this outpost, Outpost Charles III was coincidentally the third stop an expedition would rest at before they would be truly off on their own. This being the case did not mean that traveling between any of the ¡®safe¡¯ zones would be without peril.


    Caravans would always be guarded by a minimum of four soldiers per wagon and usually traveled in groups of four to seven. Any smaller and they ran the risk of not being able to fight off whatever vile monster or army of Ori-Masa they came across. Any larger and they might attract the attention of a ¡®real¡¯ monster.


    These supposed ¡®real¡¯ monsters were drow raid teams, a dragon, or a monster known only as the Cleaner. Apparently these threats would leave groups as small as eight people or even a solitary wagon alone because they simply weren¡¯t worth the effort. However, a larger group would make for an enticing snack or might have loot worth having.


    The buildings Isaac could enter included the showers and tavern which he was already acquainted with. Also the three guilds, Adventurer¡¯s, Cartographer''s, and Merchants. As well as an armory and a general store. The armory was little more than a few shelves with different armors and weapons on them. All of which, according to Aria, were incredibly overpriced and should be avoided.


    The general store had some interesting things. Everything you could ever need for climbing or camping out underground along with a singular healing potion and a few dozen empty glass bottles. Lanterns, torches, rope, bedrolls, blankets, the list went on and on. There were only two of most things but Isaac was surprised at the selection considering how hard Aria had said it was to get things down there.


    Isaac tallied everything in his Inventory: Four days rations, a one quart waterskin, climbing spikes (Hands and Feet), twelve pitons, twenty feet of rope, Zei¡¯s magical lantern, his letter, and his weird wooden box. Isaac figured he should lighten his load and stock up for the trip to the next town over at the same time. The trip should take him about three days if he had a map.


    Isaac bought a map for one of his few platinum pieces. He also brought a second and third waterskin, a backpack, and a cloak to keep him warm for another platinum piece. His life savings had now fallen back down to eight platinum, one gold, ten silver, and ten copper pieces.


    Once back to his room he loaded his new backpack up with his rations, in the sealed container, as well as his climbing spikes, rope, and waterskins. This left only his letter, lantern, spare shortsword, and weird box in his Inventory. Isaac wanted as much stuff in his backpack as possible because, even though it would make the walk less comfortable, it would be easy to drop it if he needed to fight something. He didn¡¯t want all the extra weight slowing him down in a life or death situation.


    ¡ª


    The evening, as far as anyone could tell, found Isaac sitting at the bar talking to Jennie Windwalker. ¡°I¡¯m thinking about heading out tomorrow. Aria said there won¡¯t be another caravan for a week or so and I want to sign up with the Adventurers'' Guild over there.¡± Isaac told her.


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    ¡°It¡¯s lot more dangerous ta travel alone.¡± Jennie said as she poured a drink for another guy sitting at the counter. She handed off the drink and looked back to Isaac.


    ¡°Not for me. Well, not really. I¡¯ll have to be careful where I sleep but otherwise travel is much safer when I can just disappear and walk away from my problems.¡± Isaac replied, ending his thoughts with a grin.


    ¡°I spose. You can stay a bit longer ya know. No need to go rushin¡¯ ¡®round everywhere.¡± Jennie responded.


    Isaac dodged her reply by changing topics. ¡°I have Chris¡¯ pack with most of his stuff still in it. I got my own earlier. Where should I leave it?¡±


    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°By all rights it¡¯s yours. You brought him back. It makes no difference if you left his back behind or took it for yourself to me or him.¡± A twinkle shone in her eye for a moment. ¡°But, if you insist on returnin¡¯ it, I can go up and get it later.¡± She said with a sideways grin.


    Isaac thought for a moment. ¡°If I decide to come back here you might just convince me to stay. But, for me, there¡¯s a whole world out there to explore and get myself into trouble in.¡±


    She looked at him for a second and then smiled. Her eyes fell for a second before they met his. ¡°You¡¯re sharper than you look. I understand. Well, if you ever come back, think about sticking around, will you?¡±


    He smiled. ¡°With a smile like that, how can I refuse?¡±


    ¡ª


    By the time Isaac woke up the next day Aria and Claus were already downstairs having breakfast. The table had four chairs. One had Claus, one Aria, one Gregory Windwalker, and the last had a dragon skull a little smaller than Isaac¡¯s torso. The skull still had its horns and teeth but was otherwise picked clean. The guild had made sure not to leave a single scrap of material that could be used in some potion or for armor.


    ¡°Morning sleeping beauty. Enjoy your beauty sleep?¡± Aria called when Isaac was still only half way down the stairs. He nodded and yawned. He blinked a few times to get used to the light and walked over to the bar. Jennie handed him a bowl.


    ¡°Thanks. How much do I owe you? You said only the first night was free.¡± Isaac asked her while accepting breakfast.


    ¡°A pack with most of my son¡¯s adventuring gear is how much. Now eat.¡± She ordered.


    Smiling and nodding to her he replied: ¡°Yes mam.¡± He walked over to the table with Aria, Claus, and Gregory. ¡°They really cleaned that up nice.¡± He commented mentioning the skull.


    ¡°Yeah they make sure not to leave anything. I¡¯m surprised you got the skull back.¡± Gregory rambled in between bites. ¡°How are you gonna carry that thing around? Ma said you were leaving. Won¡¯t it get damaged? It¡¯s a pretty trophy.¡±


    ¡°I have my ways.¡± Isaac said. He looked around and noticed that the five of them were the only ones in the hall. He positioned himself in between the skull and the Windwalkers. Then he moved his Inventory window to the other side of the chair. He picked up his foot and pushed it off the chair. It disappeared before it had even left the seat.


    From Gregory and Jennie¡¯s perspective there were a pair of horns moving to the side and then they vanished. Both of them froze. ¡°What?! How?¡± Gregory looked up at Isaac.


    ¡°I. Have. My. Ways.¡± Isaac replied with a smile. Then he sat and enjoyed his breakfast while refusing to answer any questions. He had noticed as soon as he had awoken that he and the skull still had a strong connection. Seeing it sitting there with the empty eye sockets staring at him had only made him want to run his mana through it. It was as if the skull was telling him to.


    ¡ª


    Isaac was at the gate to leave. The four that were in the tavern with him had come to see him off. Well, Gregory was now working as he was a doorguard. Aria was the first to speak. ¡°Sleep off the ground if you can. Shadow-wolves can¡¯t climb.¡± She smacked his shoulder. ¡°And don¡¯t die. Again anyway.¡±


    Isaac rolled his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll be more careful. I can¡¯t do much if a¡­ I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Isaac replied. He almost let slip that a god was the reason he died the first time.


    Claus nodded to him and Isaac nodded back. At the same time Jennie looked between them. ¡°You died? When?¡± She asked wide eyed.


    ¡°When I got your favorite part about me.¡± Isaac replied and winked.


    ¡°What? Gross.¡± Gregory said and looked at his mother. ¡°Really?¡±


    Jennie¡¯s face flushed slightly. ¡°I just wanted ta make sure it wasn¡¯t while you were bringin¡¯ Chris back.¡±


    ¡°No. It wasn¡¯t. Anyway see ya around.¡± Isaac said and then looked at Claus and Aria. ¡°Thanks you two. I could have made it on my own but the company was nice.¡±


    Aria shook her head. ¡°Sure. Just remember we are the reason you got paid.¡± She retorted.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, thanks for that.¡± Isaac nodded and then turned to leave. As he was walking out the gate he waved without looking back and said: ¡°Boys, keep those two out of trouble.¡±


    Isaac couldn¡¯t see but Claus nodded and put a hand on Aria¡¯s shoulder. She turned to look him in the eyes, craning her neck, and squinted at him. He chuckled and met her gaze. ¡°It will be hard.¡±

 Chapter 22 Nightmare Into The Past

    Chapter 22 Nightmare Into The Past


    Isaac¡¯s traveling philosophy was to, in his own words, ¡®disappear and walk away from my problems.¡¯ which were, in this case, monsters. Without Aria to heal him if he got himself hurt he decided the best course of action was to let them be if possible. He passed another small group of ogres, two separate packs of three and four shadow-wolves, and a contingent of Ori-Masa who got the drop on him as they were lying in ambush.


    Unfortunately for the little fishmen Isaac vanished as soon as they leapt out at him. Isaac tried to make out any weapons of quality on them. They had none. Their spears were all bone and sinew so Isaac left them alone and kept walking. If they didn¡¯t have anything he could sell then he wanted to wait to hunt them until he was getting paid to do it.


    After what felt to Isaac like an eternity he found a place that looked good enough to sleep at. Seven or eight feet up there was a ledge that looked to be made from a large chunk of stone falling out of the wall. Isaac climbed up and sat on the ledge. He looked around, seeing nothing except tunnel in each direction, he decided to take a break.


    He hammered two pitons into the ceiling about six feet apart. Then he tied his rope to each piton and draped his blanket over it. He laid out his bedroll and used his cloak as a blanket. The reason he didn¡¯t use his cloak as the curtain was because his scent was much stronger on it and he wanted to hide as much of his scent as possible. He knew that hiding it completely was impossible but he hoped it would make enough of a difference.


    Sitting in his hiding hole he decided this would be a good time to play with the dragon skull. He took it out of his Inventory and turned it to face him. Looking into its eye sockets he felt like it was staring back. ¡°Here goes nothing.¡± He said and closed his eyes.


    He guided his mana down his arms and into the skull. The skull at first didn¡¯t respond so Isaac pulled some of the mana apart into death and shadow. The death mana was instantly sucked in and Isaac could feel the skull pulling more and more of it out of him. He was about to drop it in order to cut the connection when something made him freeze.


    ¡ª


    Cold. Hungry. Fear. Terror. Darkness. It was all It could feel. It looked around frantically. Only enchanted iron bars met It in each direction. Then, right as despair was threatening to take control, blinding light. The cavern lit up. The cavern had smooth walls and only one exit. That was not what terrified It however.


    There, standing not ten feet away was a monster. This monster was more horrifying than anything it had ever seen. The monster had two legs and its fur poured off the monster¡¯s shoulders in weird waves. This was the monster that had stolen It away from its home. Its home wasn¡¯t safe by any means but at least It was free there.


    The monster spoke something in the monster¡¯s weird high pitched language and It felt space constrict around It. The monster opened the cage and grabbed It¡¯s mouth pulling it open. The monster poured some disgusting liquid down Its throat. Soon Its entire body locked up from the inside.


    The monster dragged It out of Its cage and then out of the small cavern. They arrived in a larger cavern with a raised platform. On that raised platform was a mess of limbs and fur that It recognized. Some of the limbs were from a creature that It loved to hunt because they were tasty and easy to catch.


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    The monster said some more weird words and then pulled out a straight claw. It had learned about them from fighting other monsters of this one¡¯s kind. They were sharp and sometimes even cut Its scales. It panicked and tried to thrash. It tried to get away as the monster approached. The claw was raised about Its neck and then was yanked down hard. Pain. Pain was Its thought.


    ¡ª


    Isaac screamed and dropped the skull. His hands went to his neck and he gulped. He breathed heavily. ¡°I¡¯m alive. Okay. What was that?¡± He asked himself and looked down at the skull. ¡°Was that? Was that how you died? But I killed you? And it definitely wasn¡¯t like that.¡± Isaac rambled on out loud. His own voice was his only comfort at that moment.


    ¡°Actually, didn¡¯t Aria tell me that a Chimera was made from a bunch of different creatures? Like some crazy wizard cut them up and stitched them together with magic or something.¡± His breathing was slowing down but his mind was still racing. ¡°Maybe, maybe this was how the dragon died. It seemed so small and young. I feel bad for it now.¡±


    His gazes drifted back down towards the skull in his lap. What he saw stunned him. Right in the middle of his chest was a strand of mana that reached out and bore through the dragon skull into where its brain would be. It was only then that he noticed that he was almost out of mana. He had no way of knowing how long that nightmare into the past had taken.


    The strand of mana connecting the skull to him didn¡¯t really seem to be draining any mana at the moment. He decided that he had had enough excitement for the day and put the skull back into his Inventory. In his mind the scene kept playing out again and again. The more it looped the more he wanted to find whoever had killed this poor little dragon and carve them into little pieces.


    He shook his head and tried to focus on other things. He thought back on his time with Aria, Claus, and Jennie. Remembering the pleasant conversations, the lectures on the new world he was in, learning a card game, and the fun he¡¯d had scaring Aria half to death not once but twice.


    Soon the dark mage drifted off to sleep.


    ¡ª


    Isaac awoke to the sound of scratching claws on stone. He stayed silent and tried to figure out what was making the noise. To him it sounded like something was trying to jump up a wall but couldn¡¯t quite make it to the ledge.


    He sat bolt upright, narrowly escaping smashing his head into the ceiling, and took a few slow calming breaths. He slowly put on his cloak and then peered down at the ground around the side of his makeshift curtain. Sure enough there were two shadow-wolves taking turns jumping up at his ledge.


    ¡°Go away. I was trying to sleep. You could at least wait until I¡¯m up to be obnoxious.¡± Isaac lectured them. They stopped and stared at him for a second before baring their teeth and growling. ¡°Well if you are gonna stay down there I¡¯m going to pack up. Just wait until I¡¯m done then we can play.¡±


    Isaac carefully put away his bedroll and untied the rope. It took him a bit but he finally got the pitons out and then stored everything in his backpack. He looked over the edge to see the wolves still trying to get up. He thought for a second before coming up with a plan. He retrieved the two pitons he had used earlier. He held one in each hand and then made himself disappear.


    He waited at the top of the ledge for just the right time before dropping them both. One was aimed right for one of their throats as they took bites out of the air while trying to reach him. The other was most likely only going to hit the second one on the head.


    They both jumped and Isaac released the pitons. His aim and timing were perfect but not for the one he was actually aiming for. A piton went right down the other¡¯s throat and it started gagging and coughing trying to get it out. The first one bit down on the piton that was actually aimed for its throat.


    Isaac started for a second, trying to realize how that had happened, and then shook his head to clear it. He climbed down as quickly as he could. His descent was more of a fall with a guiding hand on the wall than anything. He hit the ground hard and fell to his knees. His kneepads did their job and Isaac got to his feet.


    He drew his longsword and brought it down hard right as the non gagging one landed from another failed climbing attempt. The blade cut deep. Not quite where he wanted it but close enough to get the job done. The beast fell lifeless at his feet. The second wolf had finally managed to cough up the piton and was looking around frantically.


    Isaac took that moment to deal another lethal blow. He cut off his invisibility to save mana and looked around for his pitons. ¡°Well I¡¯m awake now. Time to get a move on I guess.¡± He said to himself as he stowed his improvised weapons.


    Isaac set off once more on his journey to find an actual town. He hoped that the rest of his trip would be less eventful but he had the sneaking suspicion that the craziness was only getting started.

 Chapter 23 I Appear To Have Been Injured.

    Chapter 23 I Appear To Have Been Injured.


    Isaac had quickly realized that climbing was not his strong suit. For one he didn¡¯t know how to tie any climbing knots and for two he didn¡¯t know how to climb down and still keep his pitons. Climbing by itself was taking a lot out of him despite his above average strength. Luckily he had only had to climb twice as the path he took was supposed to be wagon worthy.


    Several cave-ins had happened unfortunately and had forced him to take an alternate route. He was now incredibly happy he spent that platinum piece for a hand drawn copy of the actual map. The detour was only supposed to cost him about four hours but to Isaac, and his inability to gauge time correctly, it had felt like half a day.


    He had just woken up from his third extended nap of his journey and was wondering how much farther he had to go. Looking at his map he noticed that up ahead there was a concentration of decently large caverns connected to each other by small tunnels. These caverns were marked with a danger warning.


    According to the general store manager there had been an increase in monster sightings around those caverns. Thankfully they were small and weaker monsters but the increase in numbers was still something Isaac would have to be careful of. His usual plan of attack, going invisible and stabbing things and then walking away, would only work if he could kill all of his enemies before he ran out of mana.


    At Isaac¡¯s current mana level he could maintain his invisibility for about a minute without rest. If whatever he was fighting took any longer than that to kill he would be, in his own words, ¡®Up shit creek without a paddle.¡¯


    Isaac had also decided that messing with the dragon skull would have to wait. At least until he was sure nothing would try to eat him while off in nightmare land. By now he was getting tired of traveling. It had only been three days but he was almost out of water and he was out of things to wipe with.


    As he approached the danger zone he heard something. A sound like metal on stone. Then a loud yelp. Isaac covered his boots in shadows and started after the sounds. A minute later he found what was making them.


    ¡ª


    Lenna V¡¯Nova was ready to pass out on her feet. She was about to find a hole to sleep in or at the very least meditate for a little while when she was met by an army. An army of shadow-wolves to be precise. She had stumbled upon a pack larger than any she had ever seen. All of those packs of two to four must have been scouting groups from this clan. She could no longer call it a pack.


    Their numbers rivaled her own house. There were over two dozen of them. They were starving but seemed to be drawn towards the very same place Lua had told her to go. ¡®One last battle and then a better life.¡¯ She mentally told herself.


    She let them back her up against a wall so they wouldn¡¯t be able to come at her from behind. Each lunge was met by a flaming sword or a devastating punch. Lenna¡¯s armor took hit after hit without much more than scratched paint. Lenna herself however was collecting bruises like a mouse does breadcrumbs.


    She took another hit to her faceplate and she heard the rivet pop. She knew it was only a matter of time until the tiny piece gave out from the dozen hits it had taken. Regrettably there were no other options in most cases. Any attack going for her throat she would lean into and take on the chin instead. Each of these hits damage the rivets holding her faceplate on more and more.


    Lenna struck another down and her flames began to flicker. She was running out of mana. She knew that if she ran out in the middle of battle like this it would definitely spell her downfall. In her already exhausted state mana exhaustion would take her to her knees no matter how hard she wanted to keep fighting. She really should have just opened with a fireball but in her sleep deprived state she hadn¡¯t even thought about it. Now, she had to fight without any more flames at all.


    ¡ª


    Isaac watched as a pack of wolves lunged and snapped at the knight. One jumped at the knight¡¯s face and caught a shoulder to the chest. Its snout impacted the knight¡¯s faceplate and Isaac heard metal scrape on metal. The wolf was immediately slashed at but the strike was too high. The blade cut the wolf¡¯s leg off at the elbow and sent it tumbling away.


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    The knight reached up with their left hand and in one motion undid the buckle and yanked off the helmet. Isaac could see, as the helmet was getting removed, that the faceplate was bent upwards on the right side. This effectively made the knight¡¯s right eye useless.


    What Isaac saw made his breath catch. The knight before him that was fighting for their life was not some hardened man like Claus nor were they a young inexperienced boy like Chris or Gregory. What his eyes met was nothing short of a goddess of war.


    In the dark Isaac could only see in black and white. What he saw was ornate full-plate covered in blood and scratches. He saw silver hair that was half in and half out of its simple braid. He saw dark skin that looked soft but he could see the hardened facial muscles beneath it. He saw silver eyes that seemed to both take in everything and focus to a needle¡¯s point wherever they looked.


    Her jaw was sharp, her nose a straight line between her eyes that only seemed to sharpen them. Her chin was thin but not small. Her cheekbones were pronounced enough that their hardness wasn¡¯t hidden by her soft skin. Her brow was set in a slight scowl in concentration. Her eyes were angled upwards at their edges and combined with her scowl gave her a look he would never forget.


    From Isaac¡¯s perspective he gazed not on a knight, not on a woman, but a wolf. What he saw was a lone wolf facing off against an entire pack and winning if the dozen or so corpses tossed about meant anything. Then those sharp predator eyes met his for the briefest of moments as they scanned the battlefield.


    The wolves had backed off for a moment and seemed to be weighing their options. They all looked starved but simultaneously their shadows seemed stronger. Isaac could feel a slight connection to the knight as well as the air around them. Something was weird about this cavern that made these wolves stay here.


    Isaac had a decision to make. He could either use the knight as a distraction and sneak past or he could go help her. He hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided that at the very least he was tired of traveling alone. He could only talk to himself so much before he feared he was going insane.


    Isaac started running towards the knight and her foes. His steps were silent as was his gear as he coated his body in shadows and vanished. A wolf lunged at the knight, she slashed at its head but it managed to move slightly so the blade only cut off an ear and gave it a gash on the side. Another lunged from the other side and she threw her helmet at it. The helmet bounced off its nose and the wolf fell backwards in a whimper.


    Isaac approached the rear of the pack and drew his sword. Another wolf lunged at her and she jammed her free hand down its throat. She pulled her hand back out while grabbing onto something inside. She turned and tossed the wolf at one of the other ones but whatever she was holding onto tore. The wolf tumbled along the ground and into one of its brethren¡¯s corpses.


    Isaac flew between two of the wolves and slashed at one. Much to his surprise the wolf reacted near instantly. It clawed out towards where the pain had come from. Isaac was still in the way and caught the swipe in the side. He pushed on. Then he felt the ache and warm liquid start running down his side. He realized in that moment that that was the side where his armor was damaged.


    The knight saw the wolf get cut and its claw finish its slash with blood on it. She was breathing hard and didn¡¯t know how much she had left in her. There were still too many wolves left and she could feel her arms slowly going unresponsive. Her knees were weak. Then a man appeared next to her. He moved in behind her and placed his palm on her back.


    ¡°Gods I hope this works.¡± Isaac said and focused his death mana through his hand into the knight¡¯s back. If he could feel a connection to her like he did with other monsters then he should be able to heal her. He could feel a slight connection to the wolves too but only when he was close to them. They were too weak to have a strong connection like the dragon skull.


    ¡ª


    Lenna didn¡¯t have the energy to stop whatever this hooded stranger was up to. She just let him hide behind her because her mind was too exhausted to process anything anymore. When his hand touched her back she got worried however. And maybe a little hopeful. At least until he prayed that whatever he was doing was going to work.


    All of her worry was washed away in an instant. All her muscles relaxed for a moment and she almost stumbled. A moment later it felt as though cool water was running through her veins. Her exhaustion melted away like she was taking a hot bath. Her bruises began to disappear and her head started to clear. It was the most rested she had felt in days.


    A grin spread across her face as she cut down the next wolf, then the next. She felt like she could fight on forever. Every muscle fiber was being repaired as it was damaged so she could keep swinging with everything she had. She put as much force into each strike as she could, making sure to kill each wolf in one hit, and the act didn¡¯t slow her down in the least.


    The feeling, for weary Lenna, was pure ecstasy. Whoever this man was he must have been a saint sent from Lua herself. This shadowy, hooded, stranger who could have, should have, just left her to die to these wolves had not only saved her life but also given her a taste of the heavens. In her mind this person must be protected at all cost.


    She jumped in front of a wolf that dove for him and punched it with all her strength in the snout. It crumpled.


    Now there were only three left. One was missing a leg, one had lost an ear and had a long gash down its side, and the final one looked perfectly healthy. The last one seemed to be their leader and looked to be realizing that she wasn¡¯t going to go down at all anymore. Before the wolf could watch her slowly succumb to exhaustion but now she looked better than when they had started.


    Whatever had been keeping the wolves there and trying to kill her looked as if it was about to break. Then they all felt a pulse of mana and the three wolves lunged at her. Lenna quickly finished them off without ceremony.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Holy shit you are strong.¡± Isaac said to the knight. He then sheathed his sword and pulled his hand off her back. He moved the hand to cover his injury that was still bleeding everywhere.


    The knight turned towards him and their eyes met. Their eyes, hers silver and his coated in shadow, gazed into each other before Isaac broke away and looked down at his side. ¡°By chance, can you help me? I appear to have been injured.¡± Isaac said and then the darkness that had been creeping in on his vision won out and he dropped to his knees. His head was spinning. He had no way of knowing how much blood was too much to lose but he felt like he was rapidly approaching that amount.

 Chapter 24 Then Rise Lady V’Nova.

    Chapter 24 Then Rise Lady V¡¯Nova.


    Lenna dropped to her knees next to her savior. She quickly undid the straps holding her left gauntlet on, it was covered in blood and insides from at least one of the wolves, and frantically looked around for her backpack. ¡°Use my shirt.¡± The man said weakly.


    Lenna started ripping his armor off as quickly and gently as she could. Once the top half of it was off she tore his shirt open, from the armpit on the wounded side to where it was cut open and then again from the bottom of that opening, to its bottom end. The entire time making sure not to make him move his hand that was sealing most of his blood inside.


    She took off his shirt and tore some strips off of it. She tied the strips into a rope. She took the rest of the cloth and folded it into a square pad. She gently moved the pad under his hand. He winced but didn¡¯t otherwise react. Lenna tied the padding in place with the shirt-rope.


    ¡ª


    Isaac was barely coherent at this point. He wanted to sleep but he knew instinctively that it would be a bad idea. The knight had just finished tying a makeshift bandage on. His hand was still loosely pressing on his wound. Then he heard something that brought some clarity to his mind for a moment.


    A voice. To Isaac it was the greatest thing he¡¯d ever heard. Maybe it was the three or so days of solitude and his current state at the brink of losing consciousness, probably forever, but he felt as if a goddess was speaking to him. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± She ordered.


    Her voice was unlike anything he had ever heard. It was smooth and deep. Rich and sweet. It reminded him of honeyed mead. Like syrup or maybe hazelnut chocolate. He hadn¡¯t even had any of those things since coming to this world but those were the thoughts running through his mildly delirious mind.


    She left him for a little while. He couldn¡¯t tell how long but he was struggling to stay awake. If one could even call what he was at that moment awake.


    ¡ª


    Lenna found her backpack and pulled out a blanket. She wrapped his cloak around him tightly and then wrapped her blanket around that. ¡°Lay down.¡± She ordered and helped him lay on his back. ¡°Keep pressure on it. I need to meditate to get enough mana to heal you.¡±


    She closed her eyes and began taking in as much mana as she could. It was a slow process but she didn¡¯t need much. Just enough to keep him from bleeding to death would be fine for now.


    A few minutes later she opened her eyes and checked on him. What she saw didn¡¯t make any sense. The darkness itself had almost solidified around his side. It seeped through the blanket, cloak, and bandage. She moved the blanket and cloak out of the way so she could get her bare hand as close to the wound as possible. He had stopped bleeding. He was also unconscious which wasn¡¯t a good sign.


    She sent a light pulse of mana into him and felt for his injury. His kidney had the slightest scratch on it but nothing worse. She let out a breath she didn¡¯t know she was holding and poured healing into him towards the open wound. It sealed, not well, and not quite completely but it was as much as she could do for now.


    Lenna covered him again in the cloak and blanket. He stirred. ¡°Backpack. Came from.¡± He whispered. She went towards where she had seen him come from and sure enough on the ground was a mostly empty backpack. He was out of water and low on food from the looks of it.


    She was looking for a healing potion or something that could actually help him but she found nothing. She brought it back with her and laid out his bedroll. She meditated for a bit longer and then healed the injury again.


    Feeling his wound was closed completely, she gently picked him up and put him on his bedroll. He needed to be off the cold ground. She felt his head. He was cold and clammy but breathing. ¡®He¡¯s in shock¡¯ She thought. She raised his legs and put their backpacks under them to increase the blood going to vital organs.


    With the wound closed all she could do was pray to Lua that he would survive. She closed her eyes and sent a quick prayer. Then she sat next to him and meditated to recover as much of her strength as possible. There was no telling when something might smell the blood and come looking for dinner.


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    ¡ª


    Isaac was cold. And damp. But mostly cold. He opened his eyes and felt the world start spinning. ¡°Bad idea.¡± He whispered. He heard movement and then felt a hand under his head. It raised his head and then a waterskin was pressed to his lips.


    He heard that lovely voice again say to him: ¡°Drink. Only a sip.¡± He did as she instructed and took a sip. Once he swallowed she laid him back down. ¡°How do you feel?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Like I¡¯m, spinning.¡± He replied wistfully.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep giving you water every few minutes. Food as well in an hour.¡± She replied curtly. He nodded weakly and drifted off.


    ¡ª


    Lenna woke him to give him water every ten minutes or as close as she could without a timekeeper. She gave him some of her military rations she had saved. They tasted bland and they were dry as hell but they were full of nutrients and iron which he desperately needed.


    A few hours in and she was starting to lose a battle. This battle was her battle of consciousness. She had been awake for days and even though elves didn¡¯t ¡®need¡¯ to sleep they still needed proper rest and that was something she hadn¡¯t had in over a week. She left a waterskin and some of her rations next to him and set her back against the wall. Sleep was going to take her sooner or later and she would prefer it was now than when a monster had shown up.


    ¡ª


    Isaac finally had his head back on his shoulders. He was starting to get hot which he hoped was a good sign. He opened his eyes and much to his surprise he could see. His darkvision was still active. He decided to think more about that later. He tried to sit up but the best he could do was get his elbows under him. His feet were up on a pair of backpacks and the knight was sleeping against the wall. He looked to his side and saw the food and water.


    He slowly turned and carefully took a drink of water. He was shaky but at least he was alive. His wound was gone but a ton of blood had dried on his side and it itched. He slowly got the meal, which tasted like saw dust and rust, down and then laid back down. He let out a sigh.


    The knight stirred and looked around scanning the cavern then looked at him. He gave her a weak smile. ¡°Help me sit up? If I lay down any longer I¡¯m gonna fuse with the ground.¡± He joked. She got up and helped him sit up and lean against the wall. His cloak and her blanket between him and the stone. He left the front open so he could cool off.


    ¡°Thanks. For saving me.¡± He said to her and turned to gaze into her sharp silver eyes.


    She shook her head. ¡°No.¡± She searched his eyes for a moment. ¡°Thank you for saving me.¡±


    He smiled and replied: ¡°Then you saved me so we are even.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She took a breath. ¡°You were injured while saving me. That makes my debt to you even greater.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault I got hit. I didn¡¯t think wolves could react that fast. Most of them are kinda dumb.¡± He replied while weakly waving her off.


    She got to her feet and walked around to stand in front of him. She knelt down.


    ¡ª


    Lenna knew in her heart that this man was the reason Lua had sent her here. She didn¡¯t know why or how he would be the key to her better life but she knew he was the start. The timing was too perfect. If he had been a minute slower or if she would have been ten minutes slower than they would have missed each other.


    As she knelt down in front of him she knew that what she was doing was a risk. A risk that she was sure her goddess would want her to take. She bowed her head towards him. ¡°I, Lenna V¡¯Nova, of house V¡¯Nova. Heiress to the title of Guardian of Contantis. Oath of¡­ Oathbreaker Paladin. Servant of Lua. Swear to protect you and yours until my debt is paid. A debt of two lives, mine that was saved and yours that was almost lost in the process, or the end of your natural life.¡±


    ¡ª


    Isaac just stared at her. He didn¡¯t know what to do. He wasn¡¯t sure what would happen after he went to help her but this was certainly not anywhere near what he thought might happen. ¡°I¡­ Um¡­¡± His mind was racing, or at least trying to, but coming up blank. ¡°I didn¡¯t help you because I thought this would happen. I don¡¯t know how to respond.¡± He replied honestly. Her forwardness had caught him completely off guard.


    ¡°All the more reason than. I shall be your sword and your shield. If you would have me. I am a knight, and know not another way to repay this debt.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Alright. You don¡¯t even know my name though. What if I¡¯m some crazy person who¡­ I don¡¯t know, it doesn¡¯t matter. What if I¡¯m gonna sacrifice you or something?¡± Isaac replied, still trying to process what was happening. ¡®Well I guess I am a noble right? Maybe I should have a guard.¡¯ He thought.


    ¡°Are you?¡± She asked without looking up.


    ¡°No, but it¡¯s still something you should have thought about.¡± He took a deep breath and gathered his strength. He used the wall to slowly help him stand. Once mostly upright and on his feet he looked down at her. She hadn¡¯t moved the entire time.


    ¡°I, Lord Isaac Wexler, exiled noble, dark mage, accept your service under one condition.¡± He told her while matching her formal declaration.


    ¡°Of course my Lord.¡± She replied immediately.


    ¡°Everything pertaining to my abilities and magics must remain a secret. Any secrets I tell you or you discover on your own that pertain to me will go with you to the grave. You shall tell no being, living, dead, or otherwise these things.¡± He commanded.


    ¡°It is my honor to serve, Lord Wexler.¡± She responded.


    ¡°Then rise Lady V¡¯Nova.¡± She did as he said and rose to her full height. Isaac figured she was about his height if they were both standing straight. He, however, was having trouble staying standing at all. He felt the strength in his knees wavering. His face softened and then turned to a grimace as he struggled to stay standing. ¡°Alright help me sit back down.¡±


    She took a quick step forward and then her solid form lowered him slowly to the ground. ¡°Thanks.¡± He said. She just nodded then looked around.


    ¡°Finish this.¡± She told him and handed him another ration. ¡°Then half of this.¡± She handed him her last bit of water. He nodded and started to eat. ¡°That¡¯s the last of the water. Where were you going that you were traveling so light?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a town a few hours that way.¡± Isaac told her and gestured down a tunnel.


    ¡°A human town?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He mumbled with a full mouth.


    ¡°I see. I will take you there then.¡± She responded.

 Chapter 25 Ben’s End

    Chapter 25 Ben¡¯s End


    Isaac took off his bandage and brushed off as much of the dried blood as he could. He finished the last of the water and snacked on some jerky as Lenna packed everything else up. She dug a shirt out of her back and handed it to him. It was a thin, soft, cotton long sleeve t-shirt that was a plain dull color. In the darkness Isaac couldn¡¯t tell what color it was exactly but it looked like a light gray.


    ¡°Thanks. But, won¡¯t this get all bloody?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°You need to stay warm.¡± Was her only response. Isaac nodded and put it on. They soon set out towards the human town.


    ¡ª


    Lenna helped Isaac along while carrying both of their packs. It was slow going and they had to stop multiple times as Isaac kept getting light headed. He felt incredibly weak from the blood loss. Lenna¡¯s healing could fix injuries but it couldn¡¯t replace lost blood. During their travel Isaac asked Lenna how she came to be there and why.


    ¡°So you stabbed him in the throat and jumped out the window?¡± Isaac asked almost in awe.


    ¡°Yes. Then I ran for as long as I could. The alarm didn¡¯t sound until I was already at the gate.¡± Lenna continued.


    Isaac cocked his head. ¡°But why not just kill him?¡±


    ¡°He is too important. He would have been resurrected before the day was through.¡± She answered.


    ¡°The hit to his honor and the humiliation of getting knocked around by his niece won¡¯t get fixed as quickly as him being dead would?¡± Isaac postulated.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna confirmed.


    ¡°Run into many monsters on your way here?¡± Isaac quizzed.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna responded matter of factly.


    ¡°Like what?¡± Isaac pressed. He wanted to know how strong she really was. He had seen her in action but shadow-wolves were still only shadow-wolves.


    Lenna thought for a bit then answered him. ¡°Twenty nine shadow-wolves before the cavern where we met. Two giant constrictor snakes. Five tunnel vipers. Eleven giant spiders. One basilisk. Four assassins sent by my uncle.¡± When she told him it sounded to Isaac like she was reading off a grocery list. To Lenna however it was just that. A simple total of the dangers of the Innerworld she had gone through.


    ¡°What are you made of?¡± Isaac asked. Lenna looked at him quizzically then realized he meant it as a compliment and tried to think of a reply.


    Lenna had realized early on that Isaac was a talker. Lenna however was not. Her mother had told her that if she didn¡¯t have anything constructive to say that it would be better for her to stay silent. Lenna, afterall, had never been very good at ¡®polite¡¯ conversation.


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    ¡°Fire and steel.¡± She eventually responded. Isaac turned to look at her face and caught the amused grin on her face.


    He burst out laughing. When he finally wrestled it back to only the occasional chuckle he responded. ¡°Yeah. I can see that.¡± Then he smirked his tell tale, up to no good, smirk. ¡°You are pretty hot. And reliable.¡±


    Lenna for the life of her couldn''t understand what he was trying to say. Common was her third language but she had thought herself quite proficient. ¡°I¡­ Yes, fire is hot.¡± She responded tentatively.


    Isaac saw the confusion on her face and chuckled. ¡°Hot, is another way of saying attractive.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Was Lenna¡¯s only response. Plenty of young drow suitors had tried to sweet talk her in the past but once they went a round with her in the training hall they had all mysteriously lost interest. She was used to men always wanting to be the stronger one in a relationship. Isaac was just odd. Unless he was just being flirty. There were plenty of young males like that too.


    Isaac just let the silence hang for a while as not even he knew how to follow that up. Eventually though he did realize something. Isaac noticed that when he had mentioned the human town she hadn¡¯t seemed very enthused to say the least. She didn¡¯t protest but Isaac still wanted to know why.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with a human town?¡± Isaac asked her.


    She looked at him confused as to why he even asked the question. ¡°Because I am a drow. We aren¡¯t welcome in human towns.¡±


    Isaac just looked at her for a moment, also confused, before he spoke. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Drow are slavers. Humans are the primary source.¡± She explained.


    ¡°There is a lot I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m going to need your help with these types of things.¡± Isaac explained as he tried to process the complex situation he found himself in. Lenna nodded in understanding as they continued on.


    ¡°Alright. Here¡¯s one of those secrets I mentioned earlier. I¡¯m not from here. I died and the twin divinities of reincarnation brought me back. I traded almost all of my memories for magic powers and now I don¡¯t know what most people would think is common knowledge.¡± Isaac blurted out.


    Lenna just listened and slowly processed what he had told her. ¡°Twin divinities?¡± She asked. That had been the one part that she wasn¡¯t sure about. Gods were fickle and them bringing him back to life with weird conditions wasn¡¯t too far fetched. She thought she knew all of the gods in the human, dwarf, elf, drow, and gnome pantheons but she couldn¡¯t place these ¡®twin divinities¡¯ anywhere.


    ¡°Yeah. Rei and Zei. Blonde. Looked like they were twelve years old but I could feel the power in the air. They seemed nice enough. I could have been resurrected with all of my memories but I wanted magic powers so it¡¯s my fault I don¡¯t know anything.¡± Isaac explained.


    Lenna just kept thinking. She had never heard of these gods before. No, divinities, that¡¯s what he had called them. There was a big difference between gods and divinities. Some divinities were gods but only as an afterthought. Gods required worshipers to exist but divinites existed even if no one knew they even existed. She wondered why she had never heard of them but then decided that those questions were out of her power level and moved on.


    Lenna nodded and then Isaac went into more detail about his story. He gave her an abridged version but since it was Isaac telling the story it still took a while.


    ¡ª


    Eventually they came across a sign. Well Isaac called it a sign but it was really just a name carved into the wall and an arrow pointing in the direction they were going. ¡®Ben¡¯s End¡¯ Was all it said.


    ¡°Alright. Put your helmet back on. Take my cloak.¡± Isaac instructed her. She did as he said and then fixed some of the straps on his armor. He had kept it loose when he¡¯d put the top half back on to help his blood flow. He looked over at her. ¡°Ready?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She replied and nodded.


    Isaac gazed into her eyes for a moment and then something dawned on him. ¡°Right. My eyes.¡± He said and turned off his darkvision as they noticed a light down the tunnel.


    Everything was black except for a soft orange from the end of the tunnel. ¡°How do people live like this?¡± Isaac asked rhetorically.


    Lenna stared at his silver eyes for a moment. ¡°Are you half drow?¡±


    ¡°No. Why?¡± He asked, slightly confused at the question.


    ¡°Many of your features are, elf-like.¡± She answered.


    ¡°Like what?¡± He asked.


    ¡°No facial hair, silver eyes, sharp jawline.¡± She responded and helped him continue walking.


    ¡°No. I am very much only human. I may have modified some things before I was reincarnated.¡± He mentioned guiltily.


    ¡°Modified?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Yeah. Rei and Zei let me change some things since they had to remake my body anyway.¡± He answered.


    ¡°Should you be telling me this?¡± She questioned, slightly concerned.


    ¡°Probably not.¡± He said honestly. She looked at him for a moment before letting it go.


    They soon found the source of the light. A gate much like the one from the outpost appeared before them. There were a pair of sconces lighting the gate from either side. On the gate was the same name that was carved into the wall further back.


    ¡°Well, I guess we are here.¡± Isaac said. He was silently praying that they would be able to hide her identity for at least as long as they were there. Isaac had a bad feeling that they wouldn¡¯t.

 Chapter 26 One Bed Or Two?

    Chapter 26 One Bed Or Two?


    ¡°Ahoy!¡± Isaac yelled at the gate like he had seen Aria do. A slit opened up and a young man¡¯s voice came through.


    ¡°Names and badges!¡± He called.


    ¡°Lord Isaac Wexler. And my guard, Lenna.¡± He didn¡¯t mention Lenna¡¯s last name because he wasn¡¯t sure if any surnames were distinctly drow or not and he didn¡¯t want to tip them off. ¡°No badges. Can we get them inside? I need water.¡± Isaac was starting to feel lightheaded again. The yelling wasn¡¯t helping.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll need to see a badge or we can¡¯t let you in. Doppelgangers and all.¡± The man called out.


    ¡°Listen. Either you open the gate or I have Lenna go through it. I have lost too much blood and am too dehydrated to deal with this.¡± Isaac gave his ultimatum.


    ¡°Is that a threat sir?¡± The guard retorted.


    ¡°I am too thirsty for threats.¡± Isaac stated.


    ¡°I am going to get the sergeant.¡± The guard told him.


    ¡°Good.¡± Isaac replied.


    Isaac leaned against the wall and slid down. He closed his eyes and rested until the sergeant arrived. The gate opened and three men walked out. All of them were covered in full-plate with spears in their hands and shortswords on their belts.


    ¡°State your name and business.¡± The man in front commanded Isaac and Lenna.


    ¡°As I told your subordinate; Lord Isaac Wexler. And that is my guard, Lenna.¡± Isaac said while weakly gesturing to her. ¡°We are here for water. And food. I was also going to sign up with the Adventurers'' Guild while I was here.¡±


    The lead guard, who Isaac assumed was the sergeant, pulled a golden amulet in the shape of a crescent moon out of a pouch on his belt. He leaned down to Isaac and spoke to the amulet. ¡°Be. Revealed.¡± A soft white glow shined out and bathed Isaac in its glow.


    Nothing happened and the sergeant seemed to take that as a good sign. He walked over to Lenna and did the same thing. Again nothing happened. He turned and nodded to his men then looked at Isaac and continued: ¡°You may enter. Once inside go straight to the guard station and get badges. They are attuned to your mana signature and will prevent this from happening again.¡±


    Isaac nodded and went to stand. He didn¡¯t get very far before Lenna was there. She grabbed his shoulders and hauled him up then grabbed his belt on his far hip. He grabbed her pauldron and they started through the gate. The guards let them pass and then closed the gate behind them.


    The town was much like the outpost in many ways. Its main difference was that the town was much bigger. Down the street they could see a dozen doors on each side and a few other streets that intersected that one. Half way down and on the right was the guard station. There was a sign hanging out of the wall that said exactly that. The sergeant called after them. ¡°The healer is at the end of this street. They can point you towards the guard station.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Isaac said but he wasn¡¯t sure if it was loud enough for the man to hear. He appreciated the sergeant¡¯s decency to at least let them see a healer before doing anything else. Lenna and Isaac slowly walked down the street towards a short and wide building. It had a carving of a woman floating in the air reaching down a mass of smaller people who were all reaching up towards her. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Isaac asked Lenna in a whisper.


    ¡°Halya, the human goddess of healing, life, and growth.¡± She advised after thinking back on her lessons for a second. Isaac nodded his thanks and they entered through the wood-like door.


    Inside there was a small room with a desk and a young woman sitting behind it. She was short. Really short. Only about three feet tall but she looked like an eighteen year old human girl with brown hair and eyes. The only real difference was that she was miniaturized. ¡°Hello. What seems to be the problem?¡± She asked in a high pitched but soft voice.


    ¡°Blood loss. Recovery from shock. Dehydration.¡± Lenna told her as she helped Isaac over to the counter.


    ¡°Cleric Edwards!¡± The young woman called out. An older man, about the same height as Isaac and Lenna walked out of one of the siderooms. He had white hair, a full beard and only the hair on the side of his head. He had an easy and warm smile on his face that reached his blue eyes.


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    The girl at the counter recounted Lenna¡¯s prognosis word for word and Cleric Edwards ushered them into the room he had come from. Inside there was a table, small desk, and two chairs. ¡°Lie down on the table young man.¡± The Cleric instructed. Isaac did as he was told and Lenna stood off to the side.


    Edwards sent some healing mana into Isaac and then nodded to himself. ¡°You don¡¯t have any lasting physical damage. There is something strange about your mana pathways however. Have you been involved in a magical anomaly recently?¡± He questioned.


    Isaac nodded and said: ¡°Yes. The pathway damage is normal. I really just need another gallon of blood at this point.¡±


    The old man nodded and looked at Lenna. In the lamplight the only part of her that could be seen was a silver eye and darkness under her helm. ¡°Did you treat him?¡± He asked. She nodded. ¡°You did well. Shock is a dangerous thing. Can you heal?¡± She nodded again. ¡°I see.¡± He sat in thought for a moment.


    ¡°Anything you can do or do I just need food, water, and a nap?¡± Isaac asked him.


    The old man laughed heartily before responding. ¡°Yes, yes. A good meal and a good rest would do you much good. There is a spell that can make your body create more blood however it is expensive and quite frankly unnecessary at this point. You will feel better in no time.¡± He helped Isaac sit up.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Isaac said and nodded to the older man. Then he turned to Lenna. ¡°We still need to get our badges. Then we can have a hot meal and most of all, water.¡± She nodded and helped him stand.


    ¡°Have a good rest of your day young ones. And please be more careful.¡± Edwards told them as they walked out.


    Lenna turned her head to face Isaac as best as she could with only one open eye. ¡°Yes. Be. More. Careful.¡± She told him. They heard the old man laugh heartily again as they walked out into the street.


    There weren¡¯t many people walking around this part of town. It was impossible to tell exactly how large the town was because each road was only about a hundred feet long before it met a building. The town was laid out like a maze.


    They walked over to the guard station. A guard, in full-plate, met them outside. ¡°Here for badges?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac replied. The guard nodded and headed inside. He soon reemerged with a pair of bronze plates. They were rectangular and about two inches by four inches and were only about as thick as a coin. He held them out towards Lenna and Isaac.


    ¡°Run some mana through them if you can. If not, put your blood on your thumb and press it to the back of the card.¡± The guard instructed. Isaac and Lenna obliged and ran mana through their respective cards. The badges glowed blue and some script appeared on them. The script was in some runic language that Isaac couldn¡¯t read.


    ¡®I thought I could understand every language.¡¯ Isaac thought. ¡°Thanks. I don¡¯t want that mess from earlier happening again.¡± He said to the guard. Lenna just nodded to him and stuffed it in a pouch on her belt.


    ¡°No worries. Have a good day. And get some rest, you look like shit.¡± The guard said to Isaac.


    Isaac chuckled weakly. ¡°Yeah, I feel like shit. See ya around.¡± He replied and then looked at Lenna. ¡°Alright my knight in no longer shining armor, to an inn.¡±


    She nodded and then looked down the street. ¡°Take the next right and it¡¯ll be on the left.¡± The guard said as he headed inside.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Isaac replied and the two weary travelers headed off.


    The inn was right where the guard had said it would be. It was another building half carved out of stone and half built out of that wood-like material. The red stone and the magical white light gave the whole town a warm feel. In fact it was warmer. The increased population had caused the partly man-made cavern to be about fifteen degrees warmer than the rest of the Innerworld the two had traveled through.


    The tavern had a pair of double doors but otherwise looked the same as all the other buildings. There wasn¡¯t even a sign outside. The two pushed their way inside and were met with the smell of stew, sweat, and alcohol. Inside there were about two dozen patrons, a barmaid running to and fro, and a middle aged man with reddish-brown hair, brown eyes and familiar features working the bar.


    The barmaid moved with the grace of an experienced dancer. Her dirty-blonde hair and dress flowed and billowed behind her. Her sharp green eyes tracked everything in the room. Her slightly pointed ears helped keep her hair in line.


    A few of the patrons stopped to look at the new arrivals. The pair slowly worked their way to the bar. My name is Abe Edwards. What can I do ya for?¡± The man behind the bar asked.


    ¡°Edwards? Like the cleric?¡± Isaac responded.


    ¡°Yep. He¡¯s my uncle.¡± Abe responded.


    ¡°Huh, Well, he told me I needed a good meal, water, and rest.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°Ya came to the right place mate.¡± Abe assured him. ¡°One room or two?¡±


    Isaac looked at Lenna. ¡°One or two?¡±


    ¡°One.¡± She stated.


    ¡°One bed or two?¡± Abe asked with a wink.


    ¡°Two.¡± Isaac replied without even looking at Lenna.


    ¡°A chair is fine.¡± Lenna responded.


    ¡°Two beds.¡± Isaac retorted. ¡°You need to sleep as badly as I do. I don¡¯t know how you are still standing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be easier to respond if I¡¯m already in my armor and I don¡¯t have to fight a blanket first.¡± Lenna shot back.


    ¡°Two. Beds.¡± Isaac commanded, his tone leaving nothing for debate.


    Abe just watched the entire interaction with a smirk and a practiced patients. ¡°Two beds, one room, with a desk and chair?¡± Abe asked.


    ¡°That sounds perfect. How much, Mr. Edwards?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Just Abe, two gold a night. That¡¯ll include two meals each.¡± Abe replied.


    Isaac put his hand on the counter and left a platinum coin. No one saw where it came from. Abe picked it up and bit into it before nodding and stashing it under the counter then handing Isaac back eight gold coins. He handed them a key. ¡°Third room on the left.¡± He informed, while gesturing towards the stairs.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Isaac said as he grabbed the coins then the key. ¡°Can we eat in the room?¡±


    ¡°Sure but I¡¯ll charge ya extra if I gotta clean anythin¡¯ extra.¡± Abe responded.


    Isaac nodded and he and Lenna started their way up the stairs. ¡°I¡¯ll bring it up to you.¡± Lenna told Isaac as they climbed the stairs that seemed to get longer and more arduous with each step.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± He replied between deep breaths. ¡°You¡¯ll have to explain doppelgangers to me. And what that magic moon thing was.¡±


    ¡°Doppelgangers are shape changing monsters. They¡¯ll kill travelers in their sleep and then assume their identity. The amulet is able to dispel illusions. Many like them are used to prevent incursions.¡± She explained simply.


    ¡°Shape changers¡­ That¡¯s a scary thought.¡± Isaac said absently.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna agreed.


    The two of them ate their food and Isaac made sure to drink as much as he could. The water was crisp and cold. The natural spring that this town was built near must have been very close to the inn based on the purity of the water.


    The two of them passed out within a matter of minutes. Lenna refused to use the bed and slept in full armor. She argued that if anyone broke in they would see her face otherwise. Isaac didn¡¯t have enough energy left to argue with her and soon it was the next day.

 Chapter 27 Just A Warning.

    Chapter 27 Just A Warning.


    Lenna awoke a while before Isaac. She didn¡¯t want to leave the room however because she knew that every moment he was alone was a moment where she couldn¡¯t protect him. As she sat in her chair she looked around the dark room.


    Their packs were tossed to the side. Isaac, for all his complaints about Lenna¡¯s preferred sleeping arrangement, had also slept in full armor. He hadn¡¯t had the energy to dof his gear before passing out. Lenna was surprised he had managed to stay conscious for as long as he had. Honestly, she was also surprised he was still alive at all.


    She stared at him while he slept. His hair surprisingly still brushed back. It was strange. She hadn¡¯t seen it messy in the slightest, well, except for dirt and stone dust. Something about him just didn¡¯t feel natural. He had told her that he had been reincarnated but his reincarnation was unlike any other she had ever heard about.


    His silver eyes, that looked all too similar to hers, were hidden behind his eyelids as he slept. ¡®At least he sleeps normally.¡¯ She thought. His jawline was quite sharp too. Maybe too sharp. It was hard for her to believe him and his story. He really did look half drow. ¡®He is kind of good-looking.¡¯


    As if noticing her gaze Isaac stirred. With a groan he rolled onto his back. His eyes opened and he slowly pushed himself up onto his elbows. His unfocused eyes scanned the room before they settled on Lenna. His mind seemed to clear a bit and he looked down at his side. There were still blood stains and some dried blood on him.


    ¡°Lenna?¡± Isaac said to her. She nodded in response and waited. Isaac pulled his lantern out of his inventory and bathed the room in its soft light. Isaac hadn¡¯t even realized that his darkvision ability was active until the light hadn¡¯t let him see in color. He dispelled it.


    He could see what was left of her violet paint that used to cover her armor. The multitude of claw marks and blood stains that covered her entire form. There were even some blackened parts that looked to have been burned.


    She raised her hand to cover her one exposed eye for a moment before slowly lowering it as her vision adjusted. ¡°Can you do me a favor?¡± Isaac asked her. She nodded without hesitation. ¡°Can you take off your helmet?¡± He asked.


    She just stared at him for a moment and then went to undo the strap and remove her helm. As she did so he turned and sat up on the bed with his feet on the floor. As her helmet was removed Isaac couldn¡¯t help but stare. He was transfixed by her dark gray skin with its violet hue. She just looked at him quizzically.


    Isaac shook his head to clear it. ¡°Sorry. You can put it back on now.¡± She waited a moment more, staring at his every microexpression, trying to figure out what was going on in his head. Isaac tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if yesterday was a dream or not. And¡­ I wanted to see what you look like in color.¡± He said the last part with a satisfied grin.


    Lenna shook her head as she buckled her helmet back on. ¡°I¡¯ll go get breakfast.¡± She told him and stood up. He stored his lantern and activated his vision ability. She walked to the door and paused. Turning back she said, half to herself and half to him; ¡°You are a strange man Lord Wexler.¡± With that she left to get breakfast for the two of them.


    Isaac just smiled in response and then slowly stood up. He was starving and his mouth was dry but otherwise he felt a lot better than the day before. He brushed some dried blood off the bed and then started sorting through his backpack. He took out his bedroll and brushed as much of the blood off as he could. ¡°I need to wash this.¡± He sniffed himself. ¡°And myself.¡±


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    Lenna soon arrived and they had an uneventful breakfast in their room. Once they were finished Lenna returned their utensils. When she returned Isaac had his backpack on. ¡°Wash up and then to the smithy. I hope the water isn¡¯t ice cold like it was in outpost Charles.¡± Isaac told her.


    The two of them got directions from Abe before they left to find a place to clean up. Abe told them that there was a bathhouse a street down and that they had hot water. Apparently Lord Benjamin had brought a magical heating device with him when he had led his expedition down into the Innerworld and had graciously left it here.


    Excited for hot water and actually getting clean the two of them had hurried off to find this fabled bathhouse. Lenna was worried about someone seeing her but Isaac assured her that there was no harm in at least going to see it.


    As they entered they were hit with a wave of heat. Standing behind the counter, at the far end of a small entry room, was a short and round woman with braided brown hair and stone gray eyes. Next to her was a sign that read:


    Laundry    - 6 silvers a basket


    Bath    - 6 silvers an hour


    Bath and Laundry  - 1 gold


    ¡°Bath or Laundry?¡± The woman asked in a voice even deeper than Lenna¡¯s.


    ¡°Both for both.¡± Isaac replied and walked up to the counter.


    ¡°Two gold for public. Another five silvers each for private rooms.¡± The woman countered.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take the private rooms.¡± Isaac replied and turned to look at Lenna. ¡°The Lady likes her privacy and I could use a quiet soak.¡± Lenna reached into one of her backpack pockets and pulled out a sack with some coins. She approached the woman and handed her three gold.


    ¡°One o¡¯ these is bent to hell.¡± The woman complained.


    ¡°Sorry. The fireball wasn¡¯t gentle.¡± Lenna responded. The woman just stared at her for a moment and then seemed to notice the burn marks.


    ¡°Well, can¡¯t be helped.¡± She replied. ¡°Boy!¡± She yelled to the back. Soon a boy that looked to be no older than twelve ran out from a back room. ¡°Take these two to private rooms.¡± She instructed him. The boy nodded and led Isaac and Lenna down a side corridor.


    ¡°There¡¯s a basket inside. Just put ya clothes in the basket and put the basket in the hatch. I¡¯ll get it from tha outside.¡± He told them as he stopped in front of two doors. One on each side. Next to each door was a smaller hatch door that slid to the side so the hatch¡¯s contents could be reached from both the inside and out.


    Isaac nodded and opened the door to his room. The room was empty save for a brass tub that Isaac could barely fit in. His first thought was that there was no way that Claus could use one of these but his second thought was a question. ¡°Where¡¯s the water?¡± He asked the boy.


    ¡°I gotta carry it in. I¡¯ll just be a moment.¡± He responded and hurried off. Inside the hatches were the baskets and Lenna and Isaac went about dumping everything and anything that could be washed into them. The boy soon returned and glanced at each of them.


    ¡°Hers first.¡± Isaac told him. The boy nodded and slowly but surely filled her tub one bucket at a time. Once he was done she nodded to him and he left. She closed the door behind him and then placed her handkerchief over the only light in the room to make it pitch black.


    The boy watched her close the door and then moved on to filling Isaac¡¯s tub. By the time he was done Isaac was in his underwear sitting on the side of the tub. ¡°Hey kid.¡± He said to the boy after he had dumped the last bucket in.


    ¡°Yeah mister?¡± The boy responded.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go peaking on her.¡± Isaac told him and gestured across the hall. ¡°She really, REALLY, likes her privacy.¡± He gestured towards his bloodied clothes. ¡°Just a warning.¡±


    The boy gulped and nodded. He headed out quickly and didn¡¯t even look at Lenna¡¯s door. Isaac just smiled and shook his head. ¡®I hope that works.¡¯ He thought to himself before settling into the hot bath.


    As Isaac soaked he fried his mana pathways again. Then he just rested for a bit. After a few moments he noticed something strange. His mana pathways were healing faster than they usually did. Thinking back, the water had smelled weird but Isaac had just chocked it up to whatever magic heated it.


    ¡°Does this water have healing properties?¡± Isaac asked aloud. He focused the rest of his allotted time to making the most of this boon. He still only had just started modifying his mana pathways in the grand scheme of things. His wrists and heart area being changed was nice but it was barely a drop in the bucket.


    Across the hall Lenna was having a slightly different experience.

 Chapter 28 Dragon Fear.

    Chapter 28 Dragon Fear.


    Lenna was enjoying a relaxing soak when something unfortunate happened. The laundry boy was returning with her clothes and armor, now hopefully blood free. She heard the first door open and the basket be heaved into place. Then a moment later she saw light start leaking in through the inner hatch door. Not a lot but enough.


    ¡®A peeping Tom? Really?¡¯ Was her first thought. Then immediately after was pure panic. The tub was deep enough that even if he looked inside he wouldn¡¯t see anything he shouldn¡¯t see. Well, except for the fact that she was a drow that had been snuck into town and would likely be chased out with swords drawn if anyone found out.


    She panicked and did the only thing she could think of. She blasted her aura out at him. The boy froze. His hand on the hatch door. A cold sweat poured down his body. His pulse spiked. His knees started to shake. He stopped breathing for a moment. When the lack of air forced his body to move on its own and he took a sharp inhale he regained enough of his faculties to run. He took off down the hall.


    ¡®Shit.¡¯ Lenna cursed to herself. Either way this was not going to end well. If he had seen her there would most likely have been a blood bath of her fighting her way out of town. That¡¯s not even considering how that would affect her Lord. Now, however, she was probably going to be accused of casting magic on the poor boy. Granted he deserved it for trying to peep at her in the first place but that might be a hard sell to the owner or the boy¡¯s parents.


    Lenna got out and crept up to the hatch. She looked through the slit and, upon not seeing anyone on the other side, quickly opened her side and pulled in the basket before quickly shutting her side¡¯s door again. She dried herself and armored up. The boy had done a good job of cleaning everything she had to give him that.


    Once she was dressed and armored she packed her now clean clothes and gear into her backpack and waited with her back against the wall for a while. She was going to have to get close enough to the boy to touch him in order to end the fear effect on him. The fear effect brought on by her aura was a powerful one. Even more so when the being affected by it was already weaker than her.


    A little while later she heard Isaac open the door to leave his bath room. She opened her door and met his gaze. Well her one visible eye met his gaze. ¡°We need to talk.¡± She told him.


    His face turned serious and he quickly closed the gap between them. He leaned in and whispered: ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°I panicked. The boy tried to sneak a peek. I suppressed him with my aura but now I need to be able to touch him to end the effect.¡± She explained.


    ¡°What effect?¡± Isaac asked concerned.


    ¡°Magically induced fear. Humans have a term for it though the term is not entirely accurate. They call it Dragon Fear.¡± She delineated.


    ¡°Huh. I didn¡¯t know you could do that. You did it with your aura? Like without a spell?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Yes. Aura¡¯s are a paladin¡¯s expression of their divine oath. Mine is the opposite.¡± She continued. Isaac was glad that she was actually giving him useful information without him having to dig for it like mining for gold for once.


    ¡°Alright¡­ So we just need to get you close enough to touch him without him yelling and screaming dragon at the top of his lungs?¡± Isaac postulated.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied.


    Isaac noticed her backpack on her shoulder and turned to leave. ¡°Let¡¯s ambush him at the entrance or hope we don¡¯t see him. I wasn¡¯t planning on staying here long either way. I have friends at the outpost and apparently there is an actual city in the other direction.¡±


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°Understood.¡± Lenna concurred.


    The two of them headed out. As they reached the front desk they saw the boy sitting in a chair shaking and the woman leaning over him. ¡°Now what happened to you boy?¡± The stout woman asked.


    He just kept shaking and stuttering incoherently. Lenna and Isaac shared a look and then Isaac nodded towards the boy. Lenna walked over and put her hand on his shoulder. He hadn¡¯t noticed her come in as his eyes were boring holes in the floor. As she extended her hand a soft golden glow emerged from it. As soon as she touched him he stopped shaking and his head snapped up.


    ¡°W-What? H-Happened?¡± The boy stammered out.


    The shorter woman spun around and glared daggers at Lenna. ¡°What did you do to him?¡± She accused.


    ¡°A little Dragon Fear for our peeping Tom.¡± Isaac replied and nodded towards the boy. ¡°I warned you.¡±


    The boy looked relieved for a moment from the fear effect being removed and then immediately terrified at the words ¡®peeping tom¡¯ and ¡®dragon fear¡¯. The owner turned to glare down at him and he wilted under her gaze.


    ¡°Is that true? Did you try to peep on a patron again?!¡± The woman started going off on the boy and Isaac waved Lenna out the door. It was best if they left while they were ahead and before the woman remembered that Lenna had slammed the boy¡¯s mind with enough magical fear to all but paralyze him permanently.


    Once outside Isaac looked down the street towards the general store sign and said: ¡°Lets get what we need and to the guild hall. I wanna get signed up and out of here before any more problems arise.¡± He started walking and Lenna dutifully followed just behind him. ¡°That was a nice bath though. I wonder how they get the water to have healing properties?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the spring. It used to feed into a drow city before this town was made.¡± Lenna enlightened him.


    ¡°So the water itself has natural healing properties? How?¡± Isaac asked curiously as they continued down the street.


    ¡°Mushrooms.¡± Lenna replied without going into any kind of detail. She was back to her normal complete lack of extrapolation.


    ¡°If we come across those mushrooms you¡¯ll have to point them out to me.¡± Isaac told her.


    ¡°As you wish.¡± She replied.


    Entering the guild hall they were met with what amounted to a tavern with two bars instead of one. The one didn¡¯t serve alcohol, instead it served paperwork by the looks of it. Next to that one was a cork pegboard with a handful of sheets of paper pegged to it with large tacks.


    There were only a handful of patrons scattered about and most of them looked dead on their feet. The place was honestly quite depressing. Isaac walked up the front desk and leaned on it. There was a small woman about four feet tall with black hair and brown eyes scribbling something on a sheet of paper.


    She looked up. ¡°You look new. How can I help you?¡± She said in a squirrely voice while squinting at him. ¡°You have a badge?¡±


    Isaac pulled out the badge he had gotten from the guard the day before and ran mana through it. The runic letters lit up in a soft but bright blue. ¡°This?¡± He asked.


    She shook her head. ¡°No, an adventurer¡¯s badge.¡±


    ¡°No I don¡¯t.¡± Isaac responded. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°A new adventurer? Out here?¡± She asked with a raised eyebrow, taking him in in a new light.


    ¡°Yeah but we can handle ourselves. We wouldn¡¯t have made it this far otherwise.¡± Isaac assured her.


    ¡°I see.¡± She nodded her head. She dug through her desk for a pair of applications and handed them to him. ¡°Once you finish this I¡¯ll get that bum in the corner to cast Identify on you and then get you your badges.¡±


    Isaac just stared at her for a second then looked down at the application. The questions were simple but he couldn¡¯t answer most of them. Questions like; Address of closest relative in case of death, date of birth, full given name, were off the table. Isaac didn¡¯t even know if he had a middle name let alone his date of birth. Some of them were easier but complicated and he assumed they were from the Identify spell. They were; Race, Gender, Age, Class, and Level.


    He looked back at the girl at the desk. ¡°What if I can¡¯t answer some of these? Or don¡¯t want to be Identified?¡±


    ¡°Well, in that case you will have to go to the guild hall in Safeharbor. We don¡¯t have anyone capable of testing you the old fashioned way here.¡± She apologized. ¡°I understand that many adventurers have hidden pasts and that you might not want your real name to come out but I assure you guild records are private. Mostly.¡±


    Isaac turned to face Lenna. ¡°I guess we are off to Safeharbor. Do you know the way?¡± He asked her.


    ¡°Not well my Lord.¡± Lenna responded honestly.


    ¡°Is there a map for sale?¡± Isaac asked the receptionist.


    ¡°The general store will have one, yes. That is a seven day journey. Are you sure you don¡¯t just want to have Keith cast Identify on you? He probably won¡¯t even remember doing it.¡± The receptionist proposed.


    Isaac looked at the old wizard asleep on a table with a half full mug in his hand. His head was bald and his white beard shone in stark contrast to his dark chocolate skin. ¡°No. It¡¯s not just that. There are some things on the application I don¡¯t want to fill in.¡± Isaac explained to her.


    ¡°Alright. Well, good luck and safe travels.¡± She replied and then went back to working on whatever form she had been elbows deep in before Isaac and Lenna had arrived.


    Leaving the guild hall Isaac stopped right outside the doors. ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate.¡± He stated to the streets and lamps that were listening. ¡°Let¡¯s stock up and then get some rest.¡± He looked at Lenna¡¯s busted helm and then down at his severed straps and buckle. ¡°And get our gear fixed. Don¡¯t want to forget about that.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna replied.

 Chapter 29 Turn ‘Round.

    Chapter 29 Turn ¡®Round.


    Isaac and Lenna were on their way to the smithy when they spotted the general store. Inside, like the last one Isaac was in, were at least two of just about anything one could ask for as an adventurer deep underground. Isaac had to buy another rope after his last one got left in one of the tunnels because he couldn¡¯t figure out how to get it down while standing at the bottom.


    They also bought a map to Safeharbor. The map cost another one of Isaac¡¯s quickly disappearing platinum pieces. After the ten days of rations for him and the eight days rations for Lenna, she still had two days worth, as well as a length of fifty feet of rope Isaac was down to four platinum, nine gold, ten silver, and ten copper coins.


    Lenna had offered to pay for her own rations but Isaac¡¯s reply was too logical for her to argue. ¡°You are paying for them. We are just taking the money from my coin purse instead of yours.¡± He had said. He, however, had no intention of actually charging her for the rations. As far as he was concerned she was the one who was supposed to be jumping in front of him in case of danger and thus she deserved to be taken care of. Even if she didn¡¯t see it that way.


    Lenna could see the logic in splitting up where money was kept in case of theft and let it go. Well she did until she remembered that Isaac always seemed to pull his money out of thin air and never kept it in a place where it could be stolen in the first place. Thankfully for Isaac she didn¡¯t realize that fact for quite a while.


    Isaac¡¯s backpack now weighed close to fifty pounds, after they refilled their waterskins at the local well, and he was not happy about it. The thirty pound pack he had with him on his journey from the outpost was heavy enough.


    Luckily for both Isaac¡¯s back and his savings the map said there was a natural stream that they could refill their water at close to the halfway mark. Lenna had enough quarts of water to make the entire trip without stopping if only barely but Isaac didn¡¯t even have enough to make it to the halfway point without at least being a little thirsty.


    The two now had enough water for five days each, enough food for ten days, and everything they figured they would need to get to Safeharbor. They left the general store almost ready to head out. They soon tracked down the smithy and headed inside. Isaac was hoping that once they got their gear fixed up they would be able to spend another day there to rest. His body would have liked to have more time to replace some of his lost blood before they began another odyssey.


    The inside of the smithy¡¯s shop was a small fifteen by ten room with a small counter in the back and rows of weapons and armors on stands and racks against the walls. Behind the counter was a short, stout man with a long beard that went to his waist. The man¡¯s brown hair was graying and his gray eyes seemed dull in the dim light from the lone magical glowing stone in the room.


    He looked up from staring off into space to stare at the newcomers. ¡°What in ya need youngsters?¡± He called out to them. His voice was deep but not as deep as his accent. It was almost hard for Isaac to understand. His voice was also much too loud for the small room.


    ¡°Just some repairs.¡± Isaac replied while squinting from the pain in his ears.


    The old dwarf nodded and beckoned them closer. ¡°What needs fixin¡¯?¡±


    Isaac approached and turned to the side. Raising his arm he gestured towards the cut straps and buckle on his armor. ¡°Almost died because of this. I¡¯d prefer to not have to worry about it anymore.¡± Then he gestured towards Lenna¡¯s helmet with his thumb. ¡°Bent faceplate.¡±


    ¡°And broken rivet.¡± She continued for him.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The smith nodded. ¡°Aight, won¡¯t take long. Gimme the leather first.¡± He instructed.  ¡°Have to make a new rivet for that one.¡± He mentioned absently while tossing a glance at Lenna and her bent faceplate.


    Isaac took off the chestpiece of his armor and handed it to the smith. He disappeared into the back and after a moment Isaac and Lenna could hear him fast at work taking off the old straps and cutting new ones.


    ¡°He never told us how much it¡¯ll cost.¡± Isaac said with a thoughtful expression. Lenna shook her head in confirmation. Isaac stared at her for a moment. ¡°Take off your helmet and then put your hood back up before he comes back out. Just make sure to not look his way.¡± Isaac whispered to her.


    ¡°What about after I get it back? I¡¯ll have to put it back on.¡± She countered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll distract him by paying him and hopefully he won¡¯t notice you putting it back on.¡± Isaac responded quietly and ushered her to do it quickly.


    She did as she was told and had her hood, from Isaac¡¯s cloak, back up before the old smith was finished. He exited the back room while giving the chestpiece another look over. ¡°Fancy leather. Good stuff. Take care o¡¯ it now ya hear?¡± The smith told Isaac.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll try. Monsters don¡¯t seem to like that idea though.¡± He quipped while exchanging Lenna¡¯s helmet for his chestpiece. ¡°How much is this gonna cost?¡±


    The old dwarf looked over Lenna¡¯s helmet a moment before lifting his chin in thought for a bit. ¡°Two gold. Your repairs ¡®ere easy ¡®nough but I¡¯mma hav¡¯ ta forge a new rivet and treat it ¡®fore bendin¡¯ the rest back. It¡¯ll ¡®ake an hour or so. Two oh you can come back la¡¯er if¡¯in ya want.¡±


    Isaac looked at Lenna for a moment out of the corner of his eye. ¡°We¡¯ll wait.¡± He told the smith.


    ¡°Aye, suit yerself.¡± The smith said then disappeared into the back once again.


    Isaac walked over next to Lenna who was pretending to inspect one of the swords on the wall. ¡°I guess we¡¯re stuck in here for a bit.¡± She just nodded. ¡°I hope nobody else walks in.¡±


    She turned her head to meet his gaze. ¡°They say that is bad luck.¡±


    ¡°What is?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Mentioning something unfortunate. They say it causes it to happen.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Was Isaac¡¯s only response. He hoped that she was wrong but worried that she might be right.


    An hour passed with Isaac leaning against the counter and Lenna staring at the wall. Lenna was a patient person and simply existed for their time waiting for her gear to finish getting fixed. Isaac on the other hand couldn¡¯t sit still for more than three minutes without anything to do. Without a book to read and nothing in particular to talk to Lenna about he turned to the only other thing he could think of to occupy his time, magic.


    Isaac coalesced shadows around his arms and examined them. He slowly started adding more and more while condensing them as much as possible. ¡®Maybe armor?¡¯ He thought. Then he realized how much mana he was burning through and decided against it. Then he focused it all into one of his palms and made an impossibly black orb.


    He tried to shape the orb. First making it oblong and then a disk. He grabbed the disk on either side and tried to bend it. It took some effort but he was still able to bend it in half. ¡®Not hard enough yet but it has some potential I think.¡¯ He mentally noted. After messing around for a bit longer he finally heard the smith set down his tools and come back out to the front.


    ¡° ¡®ere ya are laddy.¡± The dwarf said as he set the helmet down on the counter. ¡°Now fer me coin.¡±


    Isaac reached his hand into a pocket on his backpack and pulled a pair of gold coins out of it. He decided that just pulling them out of thin air like he had been was drawing too much attention. ¡°Thanks for the help.¡± He said as he handed the coins over.


    ¡°Anytime lad.¡± The dwarf replied and slid the helmet over towards Isaac. Isaac smiled and nodded while grabbing the helmet. He covered the two step distance towards Lenna and handed her the missing piece of her armor. His mind was racing trying to find a way to distract the dwarf so Lenna could put it on.


    Isaac walked back over to the counter. ¡°Can I trade my longsword in for something a little lighter with just as much reach?¡± Isaac asked, trying to draw as much attention to himself as he could.


    ¡°Maybe. Ya still wanna slash wi¡¯¡¯it?¡± The old smith asked. Isaac had to think for a second before his brain understood what the man was trying to say.


    ¡°Yeah. I like having one hand free but my shortsword is just too short sometimes.¡± Isaac explained. As he did Lenna quickly tossed her hood back and slipped on her helmet. The old dwarf¡¯s eyes flicked towards the movement.


    ¡°Hold on now lass. Turn ¡®round.¡± The smith ordered Lenna. She did so as she clasped her helmet on tight. He looked her over for a moment. ¡°Move yer visor.¡± He commanded.


    Isaac took a step between them. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? She doesn¡¯t ever show her face.¡± He lied.


    The dwarf just ignored him. ¡°That be¡¯¡¯er not ¡®ave been dark poi¡¯¡¯y ears and white ¡®air I saw.¡±


    Isaac tilted his head like he was confused. ¡°What do you mean?¡± He asked innocently.


    ¡°That ¡®¡¯ere is a drow bitch I tell yee!¡± The smith yelled.


    ¡°A drow? You must be seeing things.¡± Isaac retorted. Just then the situation got even worse. A woman burst through the door. A woman with a certain boy in tow.

 Chapter 30 What In Lua’s Name

    Chapter 30 What In Lua¡¯s Name


    ¡°You! You are the one who cast a spell on my boy!¡± The woman yelled while pointing accusingly at Lenna. The smith, Isaac, and Lenna all tuned and stared at the room¡¯s newest inhabitants.


    ¡°Oh come on.¡± Isaac said out loud and not at all in his head like he thought he did. Lenna turned and locked eyes with Isaac. He nodded and held up a finger in gesture to wait. He took a step towards the woman. ¡°Miss, I have a question for you.¡±


    ¡°And what do YOU want?!¡± She exclaimed whirling on him.


    ¡°What magic do you think was used on the boy?¡± Isaac inquired. The smith was now completely derailed and his attention was now drawn into this newer altercation. The boy was hiding behind his mother from Lenna and Lenna was trying her hardest to blend into the weapon rack.


    ¡°Fear magic obviously!¡± The mother yelled. Utterly affronted at being made to even voice it.


    ¡°Alright, let me ask another question. Would you say that Dragon Fear is just some spell? Or, hear me out, would you say that Dragon¡¯s Fear is just a part of it?¡± Isaac countered. His argument didn¡¯t need to make sense, it just had to get everyone back to talking with their inside voices so the guard didn¡¯t come running down the street and box them inside the smithy with no way out.


    ¡°Well¡­ Um¡­ A dragon is a magical creature so its fear is just a spell it doesn¡¯t need to speak¡­¡± The woman was now starting to get roped into Isaac¡¯s made up argument enough that she was no longer yelling. ¡°But that¡¯s besides the point. She!¡± She pointed back at Lenna furiously. ¡°Used magic on MY boy!¡± She pointed back at herself and then at her son as if no one in the room could understand what she was saying.


    ¡°Well miss, if your boy hadn¡¯t been trying to peep on my companion she wouldn¡¯t have needed to use her aura to make him fear her.¡± Isaac countered, now acting even more affronted than the woman. ¡°Maybe YOU should have taught your son better.¡± He declared the last part while pointing his own finger at her.


    ¡°How DARE you?!¡± The woman exclaimed and took a large step towards Isaac. Isaac subtly gestured, with his hand that was still at his side, towards the door and Lenna started moving to sneak out before attention was back on her.


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    ¡°How DARE I? How dare YOU?¡± Isaac countered. He mentally prayed that the smith wouldn¡¯t notice Lenna¡¯s attempted exit.


    The woman huffed and took another step towards Isaac. She was now only a few feet away. ¡°Ay! You! Ya can¡¯t leave! I¡¯m callin¡¯ tha guard!¡± The smithy cried, calling attention back to Lenna.


    ¡°Fuck it.¡± Isaac said to himself. ¡°Lenna! Fear and run. We are leaving.¡± Isaac commanded and then promptly vanished.


    ¡°Yes my Lord.¡± Lenna responded and then slammed the full weight of her aura down on the smith and the boy¡¯s mother. The smith scrunched his nose but then looked only angrier while the woman collapsed onto the floor with a smell of ammonia.


    Lenna didn¡¯t wait to see either of their reactions and just bolted towards the exit they needed to take to get to Safeharbor.  She tore down the street, rounded a corner then raced down the next one. A guard saw her but it took him a moment to respond. Lenna used that moment to bolt past him and reach the gate where another guard was standing.


    The gate guard stood up from his stool and grabbed his spear. He leveled the spear at Lenna and braced. She drew her sword and caught the spear right behind the spearhead and pushed it to the side parrying it. She slammed into him with her shoulder at full speed and he impacted the wall three feet behind him with enough force to knock the air from his lungs.


    Lenna threw the gate open and waited. She turned around. The guard started to recover. The other guard that she had passed earlier was getting close. She couldn¡¯t see Isaac and her eyes were desperately darting around looking for him.


    ¡°What are you waiting for? Let¡¯s go!¡± A familiar voice yelled from behind her.


    Lenna looked over her shoulder to see Isaac with his hands on his knees huffing and puffing. He still hadn¡¯t completely recovered. She slammed the gate in the guard¡¯s face and stowed her sword. Isaac nodded at her and then started to jog down the tunnel. Lenna hurried after him.


    A moment later the gate reopened and the guards emerged. They did not pursue but instead threw their spears at Lenna and Isaac. One of them shot right past Isaac¡¯s head and he let out a very manly squeak but kept running. The other impacted Lenna¡¯s pauldron and was promptly deflected into the wall.


    Isaac and Lenna could hear them cursing as they pushed deeper into the Innerworld. Well in this case deeper was subjective because they were technically getting closer to the surface but at present were getting farther from any form of civilization.


    Isaac had to stop after about another two minutes of running. He was getting lightheaded again. He sat down against the wall of the tunnel they were in and started laughing in between deep breaths. ¡°That¡­ was¡­ actually¡­ kinda fun.¡± He eventually got out.


    Lenna sat down next to him and took off her helmet so she could breathe easier. ¡°That was fun for you?¡± She asked him.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ definitely.¡± He responded with a roguish grin.


    Lenna just shook her head. ¡°You really are a strange man.¡± She said after a moment of silence.


    ¡°I may be many things Lady V¡¯Nova but normal is not one of them.¡± Isaac pridefully retorted. She handed him a water skin to shut him up and leaned back against the wall.


    At that moment the only thing going through her head was a question: ¡®What in Lua¡¯s name did I get myself into?¡¯

 Chapter 31 Just Isaac Is Fine…

    Chapter 31 Just Isaac Is Fine¡­


    Isaac and Lenna had to stop to rest many more times than Lenna would have had to had she been by herself. Isaac was still recovering and they had to juggle his recovery with how much water they had. They only had enough water for five days if they were careful with it. Isaac didn¡¯t have the luxury of being careful with his. His body had a lot of blood to remake after all.


    At one of their earlier rests Lenna took Isaac¡¯s backpack and moved all the water and his rope onto hers. She made sure his water was easy to get to without her having to take off the pack so Isaac could drink while they hiked easily. The extra weight was not helping Isaac go any farther before he needed to catch his breath.


    When she had done this Isaac could only nod in thanks as he gulped air from just a short climb. Lenna had the map and was making sure they stayed on the right path. There were many offshoots and side tunnels but the one that they were going through was very well traveled.


    At a later rest stop Isaac had stopped to relieve himself and grumbled about not having anything to wipe with. Lenna threw him a white, gold embroidered, thick, handkerchief. ¡°How much does this cost? I¡¯m not gonna wipe with this.¡± Isaac responded while examining it.


    ¡°It¡¯s self-cleaning. That¡¯s what it¡¯s for.¡± Lenna responded off handedly.


    Isaac stared at it in shock. ¡°Wait what?! They make cloth that cleans itself?! Wait. Why isn¡¯t your shirt self-cleaning?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not cost effective. It¡¯s cheaper to have slaves wash clothes.¡± Lenna answered.


    ¡°Huh. Learn something new everyday.¡± He said and walked around the corner. ¡°Well, I guess everything is new to me huh.¡±


    A few hours into their trek they stopped to sleep in a small alcove. Lenna leaned against the wall, making sure to give Isaac enough space to lay down, and kept her eyes scanning both ways down the tunnel. ¡°Wake me when it¡¯s my turn.¡± Isaac told her as he buried himself under his blanket and cloak.


    ¡°No need.¡± Was Lenna¡¯s short reply.


    Isaac sat up and squinted at her. ¡°What do you mean? You need to sleep at some point.¡±


    ¡°Elves don¡¯t need sleep.¡± She replied. It was technically the truth. Elves didn¡¯t need to sleep as long as they spent enough time resting and in meditation. This was how Lenna had survived her solo adventure without being eaten in her sleep. Lenna however had only allowed herself a few hours of meditation at a time, hence her exhaustion when they first met.


    ¡°What? Aria sleeps all the time.¡± Isaac shot back. He wasn¡¯t convinced Lenna wasn¡¯t trying to pull his leg or something.


    ¡°Sleep is better for recovery. Meditation and rest is enough otherwise.¡± Lenna continued without looking back at Isaac.


    ¡°So, like you can just stay awake forever?¡± Isaac asked doubtfully.


    ¡°If I¡¯m careful.¡± She replied.


    Isaac narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°You¡¯re not just saying that so you sound cooler or something are you?¡± Isaac had to ask this question because he could totally see himself doing something like that.


    Lenna finally turned around and met his eyes. She tilted her head in thought. ¡°Why? What good would that do?¡± She simply couldn¡¯t understand the worth of such a course of action.


    ¡°Uh¡­ never mind¡­ I¡¯m going to sleep.¡± Isaac disengaged and laid back down. Isaac was happy that he finally had someone to travel with but his companion was strange. He felt almost like her whole personality was that she was a knight but whenever he felt that way he would catch a glimpse of something else hidden under it.


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    Lenna was confused. Nothing Isaac did or said ever made sense. She wasn¡¯t an adolescent boy trying to sound stronger than he was. She was a paladin. A warrior of conviction and might. She didn¡¯t have to try to brag about being stronger than she was. She knew that she was in the top ten percent of strongest mortals in the Innerworld. She was trained, bred, to be a warrior. Was he doubting her strength?


    She shook her head and closed her eyes. She focused on her hearing as she relaxed and fell into a deep meditation. ¡®Am I traveling with a child?¡¯ Lenna¡¯s own thoughts pulled her out of her meditation. ¡®Is the reason he asked that because it was something he would do?¡¯ She blinked in shock at the potential realization. ¡®Lua help me.¡¯


    ¡ª


    Isaac awoke to metal on stone. Then boot steps. Then the drawing of a sword. And finally a squeal of agony from some unholy creature of nightmares. He sat up quickly and looked around. Lenna was nowhere to be seen. He crawled a few feet to the end of the tiny alcove and peered out.


    What Isaac saw was the silhouette of a set of full-plate and at its feet a spider the size of him. Lenna turned around to head back to her post and Isaac saw her flaming sword for a moment before the flames died out. His eyes adjusted to the darkness and he looked at her, taking her in. Then his eyes went to her sword and then the spider. He was still a little groggy.


    ¡°You can sleep for a bit longer. Unless you want to continue now?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac rubbed his eyes and yawned. ¡°Let¡¯s continue for a bit. Maybe have a shorter day today?¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Lenna acknowledged and moved to grab her self-cleaning rag. Isaac slowly packed up his bedroll and blanket while Lenna cleaned her sword and grabbed some rations for them to have for breakfast.


    ¡°How long does that thing take to be clean again?¡± Isaac asked her.


    She finished wiping down her blade and stowed the cloth. ¡°It depends. Blood? An hour. Dust? Twenty minutes.¡± She replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s so convenient. Anything else like that?¡± Isaac asked hopefully.


    Lenna nodded and handed Isaac some food after he stowed his bedroll and blanket. ¡°A tooth brush. And something else.¡± She told him and then removed her faceplate so she could start eating.


    ¡°A toothbrush?! Was there one at the general store and I missed it?¡± Isaac said crestfallen.


    ¡°No. There were no magic items in that store.¡± She assured him. ¡°Can you pull two hundred gold out of thin air? So you can buy one at Safeharbor. That place should be big enough to find one.¡±


    Isaac opened his Inventory and looked at his rapidly dwindling funds. Then he looked down at the ground. ¡°No.¡± He said crestfallen. ¡°Unless I can buy one for¡­¡± He counted up his coins and converted it all to gold in his head. ¡° ¡­ forty eight gold and ten coppers¡±


    Lenna opened the pocket she kept her coin in and counted it up. ¡°I have a platinum piece and seven silvers. I owe you almost all of it for the rations and my part of the room.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not counting. If you are going to be protecting me then I need you fed, rested, and healthy.¡± Isaac replied not leaving anything up for debate. ¡°I can¡¯t even pay you. If anything I owe you money.¡±


    ¡°No. I owe you two life debts. You owe me nothing.¡± Lenna retorted firmly. Isaac felt like she could have made the chimera turn around and leave if she told it to with as much unrelenting will as was in what she had just said.


    ¡°Well¡­ Anyway, I¡¯m not counting.¡± Isaac responded. The two finished breakfast and then continued their journey.


    ¡ª


    Lenna and Isaac were walking side by side down another tunnel when Isaac had a thought. ¡°How about I lead? My steps are silent and I can just disappear if there is anything dangerous ahead. Also I might be able to get the drop on some of the weaker creatures.¡± He said to her.


    ¡°No. How can I protect you if you are that far from me?¡± She countered.


    Isaac put up a finger. ¡°Firstly. My patented ¡®disappear and run away¡¯ method of dealing with my problems hasn¡¯t let me down yet.¡± He raised a second finger. ¡°Secondly. The most dangerous monster I have ever faced came at us from behind so you should stay in the back to fight whatever sneaks up on us.¡± He raised a third finger. ¡°Thirdly. I¡¯m not afraid of what I can sneak up on but what can sneak up on me so putting you between me and whatever that is just sounds like a good idea.¡± He raised a fourth finger. Then he took a deep breath and cocked his head. ¡°Okay I don¡¯t have a fourth reason.¡± He admitted after a few silent seconds.


    Lenna had just been staring at him while they walked. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t remember anything? Who taught you combat tactics? Most children or scholars would want me in the front, to protect them from whatever we¡¯d stumble across. You want to use me in the most effective manner, not the one that feels the safest. Who are you, Lord Wexler?¡±


    Isaac stopped walking and just stared off into space for a moment. ¡°Who am I?¡± He whispered to himself. She was right. What he had said made sense but it didn¡¯t feel as safe as hiding behind her. He was best used as a scout with his great stealth and the ability to slip away from almost any engagement. But how did he know this? Who was he that something like this was ingrained into him like speaking or knowing what a spoon was?


    Lenna put her hand on his shoulder after he hadn¡¯t moved for fifteen seconds. He barely blinked. ¡°Lord Wexler?¡± She asked, concerned.


    He was startled and shook his head while taking a deep breath. ¡°Uh¡­ Just Isaac is fine¡­ I¡­ I don¡¯t know who I am. No, who I was. After I was reincarnated I became who I am now. I remember changing some of my features and I gained this magic.¡± He swirled shadows around his fingers. ¡°Here I am Lord Isaac Wexler. The Dark Mage of the Innerworld.¡± He nodded to himself. ¡°That¡¯s what matters.¡±


    Lenna removed her hand from his shoulder and just listened. She was gaining insight into the man being the childishness, jokes, and unsubtle side glances. Under the mask he was a man lost in a world he barely understood who had spent half of his waking moments either fighting for his life or recovering from one such fight. Even if he did enjoy the thrill of mortal combat he still needed to acclimate to this new world.


    Isaac cleared his throat and hardened his resolve. ¡°Whatever happened before I died doesn¡¯t matter. Only what I decide to do with this second chance matters now.¡± He said more to himself than to Lenna.


    ¡°Walk with me until you¡¯ve cleared your head. Then, Isaac, I will let you lead by thirty feet, no farther. You are still my charge, even if you are a scout.¡± Lenna made clear that although he was her boss, it was her job to keep him alive, and that meant that her word was final when it came to his safety.

 Chapter 32 Remind Me To Look Up.

    Chapter 32 Remind Me To Look Up.


    Isaac froze. He heard something but he couldn¡¯t place what it was. He held up a hand and Lenna stopped as well. The two listened for a moment before they heard anything. A sound like creaking wood before a pop. Followed by what sounded like something trying to eat a chair and succeeding.


    Isaac backed up a few steps before turning around the jog the last twenty feet to meet up with Lenna. ¡°Could you hear that?¡± He asked.


    ¡°No.¡± Lenna replied. She would have asked him what he heard but she knew that was unnecessary. Isaac was many things but a man of few words wasn¡¯t one of them.


    ¡°It sounded like an ogre eating a chair.¡± Isaac explained as best he could which, granted, wasn¡¯t very well. Lenna just stared at him for a second while trying to think what manner of creature would make a sound like that but wasn¡¯t actually just an ogre eating a chair.


    She eventually gave up and took a step forward. Isaac stopped her with a raised finger. ¡°What?¡± She asked. Did he not want her to fight whatever it was?


    ¡°Let me go see what it is at least before we go charging in there.¡± Isaac replied and then promptly disappeared without giving her the opportunity to reply.


    ¡®How am I supposed to protect someone who I can¡¯t even track when they are right in front of me?!¡¯ Lenna¡¯s thought was accompanied by an audible huff and a shake of her head. She crossed her arms and waited. She listened as carefully as she could hoping to hear what monster was up ahead. She was also hoping to not hear Isaac screaming.


    Isaac ran ahead of Lenna about seventy feet down the tunnel and then stopped at a hole in the wall. The hole was about eight feet across and looked as though an ogre had shoulder checked the wall and the wall lost. There were stone chunks, pebbles, and stone dust sprayed out in front of him.


    Past the debris was a huge cavern. The cavern was at least four hundred feet across and was teardrop shaped. He was on one of the sides. The bottom of the teardrop was about two hundred feet away and the top looked to be maybe five hundred feet from him.


    ¡°What made all these caverns down here? Now that I think about it, why are all these tunnels down here too?¡± Isaac said to himself. Luckily for Isaac his big mouth was silenced by his cloak of shadows that also made him invisible. A hundred feet away were three monsters he hadn¡¯t seen yet.


    The monsters were between nine and twelve feet tall and had long arms that almost reached the ground. They had white fur and gray cataract eyes. Their fingers were more claws than dextris devices of motor function. One of them was sprawled out on the ground breathing deeply with its eyes closed. Another was looking around to make sure nothing was trying to sneak up on them. The third was pulling mushroom caps off of their stems and eating them.


    Speaking of mushrooms, the entire cavern was full of them. These mushrooms were special. They gave off a soft blue light that bathed the cavern in an eerie glow. There were a few stalagmites and stalactites spread out throughout the cavern that stuck out through the ankle high mushroom forest but little other stone was visible.


    As Isaac was watching the mushroom eater, some movement caught his eye. One of the stalactites moved a few inches along the ceiling. The ceiling of the cavern was also sloped with the teardrop shape but not as pronounced. Where that particular stalactite was, the distance from floor to ceiling was about eighty feet.


    Isaac just watched for a moment and soon enough it moved another few inches. He heard something to his side and quickly turned to see what had made the noise. It was Lenna creeping closer to the hole in the wall that Isaac was currently standing in the middle of. He took a few steps towards her so he would be out of sight from the cavern and cut the power to his invisibility. He reappeared and Lenna stopped.


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    Lenna was now only about twenty feet from the cavern¡¯s entrance. ¡°Shhh.¡± Isaac whispered with a finger to his mouth. He took a few silent steps towards her until he was sure that they would be able to whisper back and forth without anything hearing them.


    ¡°You were taking too long.¡± Lenna told him. She had given him two minutes and he hadn¡¯t returned so she went to look for him.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that long¡­ I did get distracted by this moving stalactite though¡­¡± Isaac admitted.


    ¡°Falling shadows.¡± Lenna replied, answering his question before he could ask it.


    ¡°The stalactite?¡± Isaac asked in clarification. Lenna nodded in affirmation. ¡°I take it they drop on people violently. But why shadows?¡±


    ¡°As they fall they gather dark mana around themselves. Right before impact they invert and catch you. When they do, they create an orb of shadows around them. It is impossible to see through without special equipment.¡± Lenna explained to him quietly.


    ¡°I might be able to see through it¡­ Anyway it looked like it was trying to position itself over these hairy, giant, two legged things. One of them was eating some of the glowing mushrooms that cover the place.¡± Isaac theorized.


    Lenna broke eye contact and gazed toward the cavern¡¯s entrance. ¡°Pecurke¡± She whispered.


    ¡°Pecurke?¡± Isaac asked and followed her gaze.


    ¡°It means mushroom eater. Those creatures you saw.¡± She continued and took a quiet step forwards.


    ¡°What can you tell me about them?¡± Isaac asked and joined her.


    ¡°Big, strong, dumb. Good sense of smell but poor eyesight. Many are captured and bred as drow war beasts.¡± Lenna replied. Lenna and Isaac reached the hole in the wall and Lenna peaked around the corner to see the pecurke. Isaac disappeared again so he could stand out farther and see them clearly without fearing them spotting him.


    The pair¡¯s eyes drifted up to the ceiling where they watched a stalactite move a few more inches. One of the pecurke took another bite of mushroom. The stalactite fell. Isaac saw six stony tendrils trail behind the creature. Eyelids opened up revealing orange eyes with a black slit down the center that seemed to dart around the room and take everything in at once.


    The tendrils twisted and spun as the creature guided its descent. Shadows poured out from it in all directions obscuring it from everyone and everything¡¯s sight. Isaac had trouble seeing through it but he could still see the glowing eyes. The eyes blinked out for a moment and then were visible to him again right before impact.


    The falling shadow landed right on top of the lookout pecurke. It almost completely engulfed the monster¡¯s body with its own and the tendrils wrapped around what the Shadow¡¯s body hadn¡¯t. The pecurke toppled and its friend, who was still chewing a mushroom, let out a gargled howl while jumping back.


    The falling shadow¡¯s field of darkness reached at least ten feet in all directions. The mushroom eating pecurke stumbled out of the curtain of blindness and tripped on the formerly sleeping one¡¯s foot. He faceplanted hard.


    Isaac turned off his invisibility when he was sure the falling shadow had fully arrested the attention of the pack of pecurke. His mana was getting low but due to the rate that it refilled he¡¯d be fully charged in only a few minutes. Lenna glanced at him when he appeared and then stepped out to join him.


    ¡°Wanna kill whoever wins?¡± Isaac asked her. Lenna nodded but otherwise remained silent. What Isaac saw next was unpleasant at best. An arm pierced through the side of the falling shadow. It was steaming and dripping with some kind of fluid. All the hair on the arm was gone and some of the flesh looked like it was actively melting away.


    Tendrils reached up and wrapped around the arm struggling to hold it in place as whatever it was attached to was being dissolved. The pecurke thrashed and clawed as the falling shadow tried to restrain it. The two by standing pecurke couldn¡¯t try to help because unlike Isaac they couldn¡¯t see what was going on inside the black void.


    A full minute of thrashing later and the shadow field dissolved. The bystanding pecurke rushed in and ripped the falling shadow¡¯s body apart to get their companion out. What they retrieved looked almost nothing like what had been taken.


    The victim¡¯s skin was melted over its entire body. All traces of fur were gone. There was a yellow liquid still covering its body and that liquid was continuing to melt flesh. Isaac could smell the rot and death from where he was standing and he unconsciously scrunched his nose. He could see hundreds of small puncture wounds all over its body and one of its eyes was deflated like a dehydrated tomato.


    The two uninjured pecurke set the injured one down and began conversing in a few gestures, grunts, and growls. ¡°They¡¯ll eat it once the acid has lost its potency.¡± Lenna said quietly.


    ¡°Can they even eat that? It looks like leathery stone.¡± Isaac replied equally as quietly.


    ¡°No. The other one.¡± She said gravely.


    Isaac turned his head and looked at her. ¡°The other pecurke?¡± She nodded at him. He looked back at the carnage and observed them converse for a moment. ¡°Remind me to look up.¡±


    Lenna nodded again. ¡°Yeah¡­ unpleasant way to die.¡± A moment later she reached for her sword.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Isaac interrupted her. ¡°I¡¯m finally feeling good enough for a fight. I don¡¯t want to waste an opportunity to get some more combat experience. Especially with you right here in case something goes wrong.¡±


    Lenna moved her hand back to her side. ¡°Very well.¡± She had partially agreed because he was right but mostly she just wanted to see how he could handle himself. There were only two of them and they weren¡¯t incredibly tough monsters. Also he would have the drop on them so that would give him another advantage.


    Isaac nodded back around the corner. ¡°You should hide.¡± He took a step forward and started covering his body in shadows much slower than he usually did. He had an exit to make after all. ¡°Unless you want them to think you are cutting them from across the cavern anyway.¡± He finished the last word a second before he disappeared.

 Chapter 33 You Really Are Something.

    Chapter 33 You Really Are Something.


    Lenna ducked quietly back inside the tunnel. She then slowly leaned to the side so she could peer around the corner back into the cavern with as little of herself showing as possible. She waited and watched. Now was her chance to watch her charge in action. This would allow her to gauge exactly how much she would have to worry about him in combat.


    Isaac, who was invisible at the time, casually strolled up to the pecurke after dropping his backpack against the wall. He watched them for a moment as they conversed. One of them reached down and grabbed a mushroom off the floor. That one would be his second target. The longer that one was distracted the longer he could focus on the other one. He decided to name the distracted one number two for future reference.


    The cavern was silent save for a huffing pecurke and another eating a mushroom. Lenna watched intently, waiting for Isaac to make his move. The pecurke on watch cried out in pain as blood gushed from its knee. In a moment the scene had gone from almost tranquil to a horror story. There was a full sized longsword sticking halfway through it knee and out the other side.


    The monster crumpled to the ground as its leg gave out. No sooner had it gotten its hands under itself, to keep from kissing the ground, a dagger appeared in its eye. It howled and reached for its face. It leaned backwards in pain and exposed its throat. A quick slash and a spray of blood as its throat was sliced open.


    The cut wasn¡¯t deep enough to kill the monster and it started flailing wildly. It pulled the dagger from its eye and threw it across the cavern into a wall almost two hundred feet away. The second pecurke toppled as its ankle tendons were cut in quick succession. As the first one continued to flail about and tire itself out the second was quickly realizing that it too had been sentenced to death.


    The second one swung wide and it felt its claw skip off of something. When it did it was met with a slice along the back of its hand. The first monster stopped swinging and was gasping for air. Its inhale was silenced as a blade was brought down on the back of its neck. The blade cut deep but not deep enough to kill it. The monster swung out and hit something but there was no blood nor sound accompanying the impact.


    The cavern fell into silence. The monsters looked around frantically. Lenna didn¡¯t move a muscle lest she be seen. The silence dragged on and on until, just as suddenly as it had begun the last time, the cavern fell into chaos. The dagger from earlier had reappeared and was now lodged in the other eye of the first pecurke.


    The monster toppled backwards. It swung, swiped, and clawed in every direction it could while laying on its back howling. The second one looked on in horror from its kneeling position. A blade pierced straight into the second monster¡¯s throat before something pushed off its chest, sending it too falling onto its back.


    The second monster clutched its throat, its dull eyes searching for its murderer. It knew it was already dead. It was drowning in its own blood and rapidly losing strength. It rolled over and pushed itself back onto its knees. It swung weakly a few more times until its strength completely gave out and it collapsed onto the ground, dead before it even hit stone.


    The mushrooms bathed the bloody scene in their soft blue glow. Many of the mushrooms around the scene were covered in blood or destroyed from flailing limbs. The first pecurke couldn¡¯t see any of it anymore. It was bleeding out but not quickly. Pecurke were known for their resilience and this one was no exception.


    Isaac reappeared a few feet in front of the cavern¡¯s entrance. ¡°I don¡¯t really know how to finish that one off without getting hit again.¡± He said to Lenna while staring at his gruesome handiwork.


    ¡°It is safest to let it bleed out. You¡¯re not strong enough to kill it without undue risk.¡± She told him and walked out into the cavern to stand beside him.


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    ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°I wish I was though.¡±


    ¡°I can teach you.¡± She assured him. She casually walked over to the first pecurke, the one still alive, and drew her sword. Her steps were anything but silent and the beast swung towards her. Her blade coated in flames and she swung with incredible power.


    Isaac watched in awe as her blade cleaved through the monster¡¯s thick forearm and parted bone like a woodcutter¡¯s ax through a thin branch. The bottom third of the arm bounced off her pauldron but no blood sprayed. The fire had instantly cauterized the wound. She took another step forward and the beast swung at her with its other hand.


    She took half a step to the side and swung upwards. Its hand went flying from its own momentum. She stepped back to where she was and chopped down with her flaming blade. The sword cut through the monster¡¯s throat and bit into stone. The final pecurke went limp.


    The flames on her blade died out and she looked over it. There were no dings and the blade was just as sharp as it had been when she had gotten it a hundred years ago. The blood had burned off so she sheathed it and turned to face Isaac. He had grabbed his backpack and was now walking towards her.


    ¡°You really are something.¡± Isaac praised her. ¡°You cut through that thing like it was barely even there.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a tenth level paladin with a magic sword. This is normal.¡± She explained simply.


    Isaac thought for a moment. ¡°You are the highest level person I¡¯ve met.¡± He mentioned, while retrieving his weapons. ¡°Well, maybe.¡± He continued speaking while cleaning them off with Lenna¡¯s handkerchief. ¡°I don¡¯t know what level that thief girl was but Aria said that she was a high level.¡± He shook his head to refocus. ¡°Anyway, you said you could teach me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Is that something you want?¡± Lenna asked him. She knew that she would be able to teach him swordsmanship and how to better read his opponents. She also knew that their fighting styles would always be on opposite ends of the melee combatant spectrum.


    ¡°Hey I¡¯m like level three or four so I won¡¯t say no to getting stronger.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°I don¡¯t like there being things that I physically can¡¯t win against. Its one thing if I fuck up and get myself killed because I was an idiot. It¡¯s an entirely different thing dying because something way stronger than me was passing through a tunnel at the same time I was.¡±


    Lenna nodded in understanding. ¡°Let¡¯s talk and walk. We are going to run out of water before we get there.¡±


    ¡°How long before we get there?¡± Isaac asked worriedly.


    ¡°Three to five hours at this rate.¡± She explained


    ¡°That¡¯s not too bad.¡± Isaac reasoned.


    ¡°No. Onto your lesson.¡± Lenna directed as they moved through the mushroom cavern towards an exit opposite to where they had entered. Lenna had the map memorized by this point. Well, she at least remembered enough of it that she only had to reference it occasionally.


    ¡°Yes mam.¡± Isaac said with a smile.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave your weapons lying around. They can and will be used against you.¡± She lectured.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ that dagger missed my head by like seven feet.¡± Isaac conceded while scratching the back of his head bashfully.


    ¡°Invisibility is your only trick isn¡¯t it?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac tilted his hand in a maybe gesture and explained: ¡°Yes and no. I can heal, kinda, mostly just monsters and you though.¡± He thought for another moment. ¡°I¡¯m working on understanding my power right now. I need to figure out what else I can do with it.¡±


    Lenna looked him up and down. ¡°You can¡¯t heal yourself but you can heal me?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Isaac began and looked up towards the ceiling in thought. ¡°I can only heal creatures that are compatible with my death mana. I can make myself compatible with it but it is both painful and time consuming. I¡¯ve been trying to for days. I¡¯m making progress but at this rate it¡¯s gonna take months.¡±


    ¡°You heal¡­ with death? That¡¯s what you used on me?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°Yeah. I can instinctually tell who and what is compatible.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°You are the first civilized person I¡¯ve met who is compatible.¡±


    She thought for a moment as they walked. ¡°Have you met any other drow?¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No. You are the first.¡± They walked in silence for a time before Isaac asked: ¡°Do you have any idea why?¡±


    ¡°Too many ideas to be helpful.¡± Lenna mentioned. As she saw it there were at a minimum five reasons why his power worked on her and not on other mortals. It could have something to do with her species being Innerworld natives, her broken oath, her broken oath being to the ancient spirits of her dead ancestors, the curse on her species that prevented them from joining the other elves in the heavens when they died, or lastly, her species being considered evil as a default. The last option was not necessarily true but it was true enough. Stereotypes existed for a reason.


    ¡°Any other advice?¡± Isaac asked, interrupting her thoughts.


    ¡°It is difficult without actually seeing you fight.¡± She replied. ¡°Or fighting you myself.¡±


    ¡°I might wanna skip the fighting you option for a while.¡± Isaac confessed.


    ¡°I won¡¯t use my flames on you. They are either on or off.¡± Lenna explained.


    ¡°Still¡­ you are a LOT stronger than me. Also I don¡¯t have a magic sword.¡± Isaac continued.


    ¡°We won¡¯t fight with sharp blades. I am confident in my abilities but I will not risk an accident.¡± She asserted.

 Chapter 34 Is It The Whole Older Woman Thing?

    Chapter 34 Is It The Whole Older Woman Thing?


    On the fifth day they finally reached the watering hole. ¡°I¡¯ll scout it out then come back and get you.¡± Isaac said over his shoulder and then disappeared. A few minutes later Isaac reappeared a dozen feet in front of Lenna. ¡°It¡¯s clear. I think. It looked clear anyway.¡±


    Lenna nodded and met him so they could enter together. The watering hole was a cavern only about twenty feet deep plus a small bulge where the water gathered and forty feet wide. The ceiling was twenty feet high at the highest. The water collected in an ovular pond seven feet across and four feet deep. The pond was full of clear water that was only three feet at the deepest. Water trickled down the wall into the pond.


    There were four entrances into this small cavern. Only two of them being at least ten feet wide to accommodate a wagon. The other two were both perfect circles and between one and two feet across. ¡°We should move quickly.¡± Lenna said and dropped her backpack. Isaac helped her retrieve all their water skins and fill them. By the time they were done the water level had fallen noticeably. They both drank to their heart''s content while they had the ability too.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Isaac said while they were taking a short rest.


    Lenna cocked her head in thought. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You stopped drinking six hours ago so the water would last longer.¡± Isaac replied.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°The faster you recover the quicker we make it to Safeharbor. We shouldn¡¯t run out of water this time.¡±


    ¡°Still. I appreciate it.¡± Isaac said. The cavern fell into silence for another minute and then Isaac remembered something. ¡°Can I use your toothbrush?¡±


    Lenna just stared at him. It was self cleaning so there wasn¡¯t really any harm in sharing. ¡°I¡¯m using it first.¡± She replied and dug it out of her backpack along with the vial of liquid soap she had stashed between her spare clothes. The toothbrush took an hour to clean itself as the enchantment was more to keep it clean than anything.


    After Lenna was done brushing her teeth she handed the toothbrush to Isaac. ¡°Thank you so much.¡± Isaac said honestly. Lenna shook her head and put her helmet on.


    ¡°Hurry up. I¡¯m surprised we haven¡¯t been attacked yet.¡± Lenna urged him. She kept a lookout and was surprised when nothing came slithering out of the smaller tunnels. Isaac finished and handed the toothbrush and soap back to Lenna.


    ¡°What made all these tunnels anyway?¡± Isaac asked while looking around.


    Lenna started walking down the path towards Safeharbor. She didn¡¯t want to stay there any longer than they had to. ¡°Tunnel horrors, dragons, various bugs, the dark dwarves gnomes and elves. Well, usually their slaves. Sometimes even drider if the stories are to be believed.¡± She answered without slowing.


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    Isaac rushed to catch up like a child left behind at the store. When he caught up he continued his questioning. ¡°Dragons come down here? Like full sized ones? Aria told me some of them can be as big as an inn.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Blue dragons like the dark. Shadow dragons too but they are incredibly rare.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Shadow dragons?! I want one.¡± Isaac said like a child staring at a toy that cost too much gold.


    Lenna almost tripped when he said that and after stabilizing herself she turned to make eye contact with him. ¡°Whatever you are imagining is not correct. Shadow dragons are full size adult or sometimes ancient dragons. They go as deep as they can and find themselves a portal to the realm of shadows and death. They sleep there for a thousand years to gain its strength.¡± Lenna took a deep breath. Isaac¡¯s face was still that of a child staring at a puppy in the pet store as he imagined having a shadow dragon as a pet. ¡°You really are a child sometimes aren¡¯t you?.¡±


    Isaac burst out laughing. He didn¡¯t stop for almost a full minute. ¡°Took long enough.¡± He finally got out.


    She narrowed her gaze. ¡°What did?¡±


    ¡°You to finally crack.¡± He explained. ¡°You¡¯ve been super serious the entire time. Which is fine. The whole perfect, ancient warrior thing you got going on is pretty cool and I¡¯d be lying if it wasn¡¯t kinda hot sometimes but I knew there was something else under the mask.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Fine. Then tell me Isaac; what did you expect to find under my mask?¡± She asked him.


    ¡°I had no idea but I¡¯m glad there was something under it.¡± Isaac said while flashing her a roguish grin.


    ¡°Are you trying to court me Lord Wexler?¡± She questioned. He was just too hard to pin down sometimes. She needed to know if he was just always flirty or if he was being serious. He was handsome enough and he wasn¡¯t afraid of her being stronger than him which was rare. He had also shown that he cared for her well being even if that was only so she could protect him better. ¡®He¡¯s just so strange.¡¯ She thought to herself.


    Isaac just laughed and kept walking. ¡°Maybe, maybe not. You are pretty hot though¡­ Lady V¡¯Nova.¡±


    Lenna could only shake her head. Half in disbelief and half in annoyance that he didn¡¯t just give her an answer one way or the other.


    A few hours later they stopped for the night. The two of them had mostly moved past their previous conversation and were eating their dinner of nutrition rich unleavened bread and jerky. ¡°Tomorrow we go through the area my people call the mushroom kingdom.¡± Lenna told him as she finished her food and leaned against the wall to take watch.


    ¡°The mushroom kingdom? What are we gonna get attacked by a bunch of mushrooms with shields and spears?¡± Isaac asked jokingly.


    ¡°Perhaps. It all depends on if they are hungry or not.¡± Lenna responded.


    Isaac swallowed. ¡°How big are these mushrooms exactly? Actually, better question, how smart are the mushrooms?¡± He asked with worry clear in his voice and on his face.


    ¡°Any mushrooms smaller than your waist are only poisonous. Those can¡¯t move or think. Waist high to ten feet are dumb but move around. Those use weapons. Over ten feet are only there to make more mushrooms. Don¡¯t breathe in the spores.¡± Lenna explained quickly and quietly.


    ¡°Okay¡­ If it¡¯s called a kingdom, is there a king?¡± Isaac asked even more tentatively.


    ¡°Yes. Hope we don¡¯t see it.¡± Was Lenna¡¯s only reply before she pulled the blanket over her lap and turned completely away from Isaac.


    A few minutes later Isaac, who had been laying down trying to sleep, broke the silence. ¡°We can take shifts. I¡¯ve done it before.¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± She almost agreed which was enough for Isaac to not press it. ¡°go to sleep.¡± She ordered quietly.


    Isaac didn¡¯t fall asleep for some time. There was a lot going through his head. ¡®Should I really wait until we get to town to mess with the dragon head? What if we get chased out right away?¡¯ He thought. ¡°How do I feel about Lenna? She cares at least a little bit, I mean it¡¯s her job I guess but it¡¯s still nice. She¡¯s attractive as hell too but I¡¯m not that shallow. Is it the whole older woman thing? Jennie was old enough to have a son two years younger than me.¡¯ Eventually he fell asleep to endless and ultimately fruitless introspective questions.

 Chapter 35 We Try Stealth

    Chapter 35 We Try Stealth


    Isaac awoke from his dream of a giant dragon made of mushrooms with a golden crown to Lenna nudging him. ¡°We should get moving.¡± She told him quietly.


    Isaac sat up and rubbed his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not gonna sleep?¡± He asked her.


    ¡°No. I got plenty of rest.¡± She replied and handed him breakfast.


    Isaac accepted the food that he was quickly starting to hate. It wasn¡¯t bad but it was bland. And the exact same each day, which was what was really getting to him. ¡°So, mushroom land today.¡± Isaac said by way of small talk.


    ¡°The next three days. Maybe two if you are up for it.¡± Lenna explained.


    Isaac shook his head to get the image of mushroom dragons out of it. ¡°Is it safe to sleep in there? Well, you know, less safe than it usually is?¡±


    Lenna took some water before answering. ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t breathe the spores. Best case they are poisonous.¡±


    Isaac paled. ¡°What¡¯s worst case?¡±


    Lenna made eye contact. ¡°Mind control.¡± She said dead serious.


    Isaac swallowed. ¡°Noted. Anything we can do to keep that from happening?¡±


    ¡°Touch as little as possible and remember; slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Sudden movements will only attract their attention.¡± She explained.


    Isaac nodded and before long they headed out.


    ¡ª


    Five hours later they entered what was to be the first of twenty seven mushroom caverns. The tunnel opened up to a cavern that was no smaller than two hundred feet across, a hundred and fifty feet high, and seven hundred feet deep. It was covered in mushrooms of all sizes and shapes.


    Some of the mushrooms were the glowing ones that Isaac had seen before. Those mushrooms were poisonous but could apparently be used to make darkvision potions according to Lenna. There were whitecaps of monstrous size littered around the cavern and growing out of the walls and ceiling. The white caps were either one to two feet tall or well over ten.


    The larger mushrooms would occasionally open up under their caps and let out a cloud of spores which for the most part would simply drift to the ground. Some of them would occasionally get caught in a draft and float across the cavern to land somewhere else.


    ¡°Slow is smooth, smooth is fast right?¡± Isaac asked while eyeing the spores.


    Lenna nodded slowly. ¡°Yes. Follow me.¡± She headed out first. She was careful to not step on top of any mushrooms and moved with utmost care.


    They were almost through the cavern before Isaac came to a realization. ¡°They aren¡¯t dark aligned.¡± Isaac said mostly to himself.


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    Lenna whispered to him without looking back. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°My death mana should kill them. I want to try it.¡± He explained.


    ¡°At the exit.¡± Lenna replied after some thought. Her fire would work very well on the mushrooms but there was the small problem of there being miles of them and her not even having enough mana to clear even one of the caverns of them.


    At the exit Lenna stopped and waited for Isaac and his experiment. He covered his hand in death flames and reached do towards one of the smaller whitecaps. He grabbed its cap in a fist and raised his hand back up to chest height. He opened his hand and nothing but decayed dust fell out and drifted away in the slight draft.


    ¡°It works. I can fight them for real.¡± He turned to face Lenna. ¡°I can fight them with magic!¡± His excitement was palpable.


    Lenna raised a hand slowly in front of her face. ¡°They can hear you.¡±


    Isaac swallowed hard and nodded. He stopped wasting mana on his death flames. As smoothly as he could he followed Lenna as they continued through a mushroom infested tunnel.


    Their trip through the miles long fungi forest was mostly quiet. They saw a few rotting corpses of various monsters in one of the caverns but they didn¡¯t slow. Towards what was supposed to be the end of their first day in the mushroom kingdom they came across something Lenna was dreading.


    Inside the largest cavern Isaac had ever seen were walking, talking, mushrooms. They were holding spears made of bones and had shields made of mushroom caps. Their legs were half as wide around as they were and their trunks were three feet across. Their arms were a little smaller than their legs but they seemed to have grown into their weapons. They had pits on the sides of their head that Isaac assumed were like their ears. They also had a singular eye in the upper middle of the body about a foot below their cap. They were eight feet tall to the base of their caps which were another foot and a half tall. They were white with red caps and they seemed to move clumsily about while creaking at each other.


    ¡°Can you make both of us disappear?¡± Lenna whispered to Isaac.


    Isaac tilted his head to the side. ¡°I never thought to try honestly.¡± He placed his hand on her shoulder and started dumping shadow mana out at an alarming rate. By the time he had covered her completely he was already half empty. He closed the circuit and although he could still see her he could tell that she had disappeared for everyone else.


    He cut the flow of mana and wiped some sweat from his brow. ¡°Not yet.¡± He said and took a few deep relaxing breaths.


    ¡°Takes too much mana?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I have enough to turn us both invisible for maybe ten seconds. A little longer if I¡¯m okay with bottoming out completely.¡±


    She nodded in understanding. ¡°Can you silence my gear like you do yours?¡±


    Isaac nodded and guided shadow mana between her metal plates and around her weapon. ¡°I can keep this up permanently. I¡¯ll have to tap into my reserves for myself though. It¡¯s a lot harder to do this to you than it is to do it on myself.¡±


    ¡°How long at a time?¡± Lenna asked while trying to formulate a plan that didn¡¯t involve them going to war with the caverns themselves.


    ¡°A minute or two. Long enough to sneak past them. The real problem is that there is nowhere to hide. How well can they see?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna¡¯s gaze returned to the mushroom warriors. ¡°Not well. They can only track movement. Their hearing is pretty average. The real problem is that all of them are connected.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°They can feel when their brother¡¯s die. Shared pain or something.¡± Lenna explained.


    ¡°Any crazy magic to blow them all to bits?¡± Isaac asked half jokingly.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes. I could fireball them but it would blast spores everywhere.¡±


    Isaac froze. ¡°Wait, you can actually blow them all up?¡±


    Lenna nodded again. ¡°About twice per mana pool. Once if I wanna fight normally for a few seconds afterwards or need to heal.¡±


    Isaac thought for a moment. ¡°I have two plans. One is slightly more crazy than the other.¡± Lenna looked at him so he would continue. ¡°Firstly. I could go invisible and hack at them while you make your way towards the exit without me making you quiet. I¡¯d be the distraction and not really be focused on killing any of them. After you make it I¡¯ll disengage and meet you there.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the crazier plan right?¡± Lenna asked. ¡°The risk of breathing in spores will be very high.¡±


    ¡°Oh gods no. That¡¯s the less crazy plan. The crazy plan is you scorch a wall free of mushrooms, I coat you in death flames and use you as a shield against all the spores that¡¯ll go flying from you blowing them into a thousand pieces.¡± Isaac said his entire plan in one breath speaking quicker as he ran out of air.


    Lenna stared at him for a moment. ¡°You are insane.¡±


    ¡°Probably. But it should work. I can¡¯t coat myself in them or I¡¯ll melt too. But you, my Lady, are healed by them so you¡¯ll be fine. The spores that get close to you will disintegrate on contact and we¡¯ll just have to hope none of them get around you.¡± Isaac explained.


    Lenna thought for a moment. ¡°What about our gear?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t melt your clothes when we first met, did I?¡± Isaac retorted. Then his mind started down the rabbit hole of the reason why his death flames don¡¯t melt certain things. He eventually settled on them simply not working on things that weren¡¯t alive.


    Lenna nodded in acknowledgement. She turned to face the mushrooms again. ¡°Let¡¯s try to sneak past them. If that doesn¡¯t work we¡¯ll try the crazy plan. I don¡¯t like risking you getting covered in spores.¡± Lenna conceded.


    ¡°Alright. We try stealth and if that doesn¡¯t work we go with plan B. There is no one to notice if there is no one left to notice.¡± Isaac said with a nod accentuating the last part.

 Chapter 36 I Officially Hate Mushrooms

    Chapter 36 I Officially Hate Mushrooms


    Lenna and Isaac started tiptoeing around the outside edge of the cavern. They were trying their hardest not to step on any mushroom whose pain might alert the others of their presence. Their plan was working as long as they continued to move at a snail¡¯s pace. The only problem was Isaac¡¯s steadily dwindling mana reserves. He had estimated that they could make it to the other end of the cavern with about ten seconds to spare. Unfortunately that wasn¡¯t exactly what anyone would call a large margin.


    Two thirds of the way around they ran into what Isaac would call a ¡®small problem¡¯. They ran out of bare ground to walk on. Lenna stopped and pointed down in front of her slowly. Isaac saw what the problem was almost instantly. He mouthed to her: ¡°Just go.¡± Because he was going to run out of mana if they stayed there.


    Lenna swallowed and took a step. A mushroom crumpled underfoot. She took the next step onto solid ground and then movement caught their eyes. Approaching them slowly was the contingent of mushroom soldiers. Whenever they stepped on a mushroom the smaller mushroom would magically handle their weight fine and hold them aloft.


    Isaac and Lenna made eye contact. She whispered ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± He stopped powering the shadow mana that was silencing their movements. The two of them waited, breathing slowly and deeply while trying not to blink. The mushroom soldiers approached cautiously. They looked around with their one, viny, eye.


    One of them let out a cloud of spores that seemed to just hang in the air. Isaac held his breath. The spores started slowly spreading out instead of falling towards the ground. Lenna ever so slowly turned her hand to face the wall that was closest to them. It was time for plan B.


    The spores would soon be too close to not be breathed in and the mushroom soldiers were too hard to kill. If the fight didn¡¯t end in an instant, the mushrooms would all release all their spores into the air, then the two of them would have much worse problems than bone spears.


    ¡°Let my flames consume all before me.¡± Lenna said in a perfect, even, spell chant. The flames poured out of hand towards the wall and instantly cooked all the little mushrooms adorning it. That spell was too weak to kill the large mushroom soldiers but it worked wonders on the little unsentient ones.


    Isaac ran the three steps towards the burnt wall and threw his back against it. He pressed as hard as he could against the backpack to flatten it. Lenna was in front of him a moment later. The mushroom soldiers started to move, they lowered their spears and readied their shields.


    Isaac grabbed onto Lenna¡¯s breastplate on the inside of the shoulders. ¡°Make sure not to melt me with my own flames okay.¡± He said nervously while igniting both her and his hands in death flames.


    Lenna nodded and pointed her hand behind her about twenty feet away, which was a few feet behind where the mushroom soldiers were, before chanting another spell. ¡°Come forth ember of a dying star!¡± She quickly slammed her hands into the wall just above Isaac¡¯s shoulders and dug her toes into the ground.


    The cavern erupted in brilliant orange flames. The earth trembled. Fifteen hundred square feet of mushrooms were annihilated in an instant. Chunks of mushroom soldiers smashed into the wall next to the duo. Lenna¡¯s arms ached under the stress. Her boots slid an inch forward, bringing them dangerously close to Isaac¡¯s. Isaac closed his eyes against the blast and pressed as hard as he could against Lenna¡¯s breastplate. He didn¡¯t dare breathe in the aftermath for fear of inhaling spores.


    Spores and mushrooms were incinerated in a massive radius. As the dust began to settle Lenna spoke to Isaac. ¡°Don¡¯t breathe yet.¡± She blasted some of her remaining mana out around her to push some of the dust away from them in a gust of hot air. ¡°Okay.¡± She said after a moment. ¡°Slow is smooth.¡± She reminded him.


    Isaac opened his eyes and breathed out slowly. He let go of Lenna and stopped burning through his mana reserves. He was almost empty at that point and would be screwed if they needed to rely on any of his abilities soon.


    Lenna took a step back and turned around. What they saw was a carnage of the fungi variety. There was a blackened circle of stone about forty feet across and mushrooms a few feet passed that were blown to pieces. The dust was quickly settling as the entire cavern seemed to be frozen from shock.


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    ¡°We need to move.¡± Lenna told Isaac and she started walking towards the exit. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She asked the unusually quiet mage.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Isaac whispered in awe of her destructive force. ¡°You¡­ are¡­ awesome¡­¡± His eyes still wide as he continued to survey the destruction of a singular spell.


    Lenna smiled under her helm. ¡°First time seeing real magic?¡± She questioned.


    ¡°Second. The first was watching a crazy cleric bring someone back from the dead.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°How soon after they died?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°Not long.¡± Isaac responded. ¡°Under a minute.¡±


    ¡°I know that spell too. Don¡¯t make me use it.¡± Lenna replied.


    Isaac nodded absently and then her words seemed to register. ¡°Wait, you can do that?!¡± Isaac exclaimed in shock. Lenna shushed him. ¡°What kind of monster mage warrior hybrid are you?¡± Isaac said much quieter.


    Lenna shook her head and chuckled lightly. ¡°A tenth level paladin. It¡¯s normal for us to be able to cast third level spells like that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s insane. I wonder what kind of crazy shit I¡¯ll be able to do at level ten.¡± Isaac wondered out loud.


    ¡°Probably something even crazier.¡± Lenna replied.


    The two of them continued without further issue for a little while longer before they had to stop. They had to let a squad of mushroom soldiers rush past them towards Lenna¡¯s small crater. The duo simply stopped moving and let them pass without incident.


    After they had been traveling for hours Isaac finally asked the question that had been on his mind for a while. ¡°How are we going to stop to sleep?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we will be able to.¡± Lenna eventually said. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for a good spot for the last two hours.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Isaac replied and the pair continued on their grueling hike through mushroom land.


    ¡ª


    The pair¡¯s second day of hiking began without ceremony as they still had not found a place to rest. They had been forced to step on a few more mushrooms. They had also been forced to sneak past a few more soldiers, however, they were lucky enough to not have to do both at the same time. Both of them were extra glad of that fact because it was getting harder and harder to find good footing as their exhaustion continued to rise.


    At one point Isaac had an idea. He had Lenna stop and he reached out and grabbed her shoulder. He ran death mana across and through her for a few moments and then nodded as he lowered his hand.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± She whispered now that her muscle fatigue was washed away. ¡°Give me your pack.¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡± Isaac responded.


    ¡°My healing doesn¡¯t work like yours. You will still be tired.¡± Lenna told him.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°I¡¯d feel bad if you carried everything for both of us.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better than having to carry you when you pass out.¡± Lenna countered.


    Isaac thought for a moment before conceding and handing her his pack. She put it on backwards so the backpack was against her chest instead of her back. The two then continued on their way in silence once again.


    ¡ª


    A few hours later Isaac started talking in order to keep himself awake. ¡°I officially hate mushrooms and everything they stand for.¡± He said more to himself than to Lenna.


    Lenna just let him talk for a while and only silenced him when she spotted more mushroom soldiers or he was being too loud.


    ¡°Following you for two days straight without rest would be a lot nicer if I could at least stare at your ass instead of the backpack the whole time.¡± Isaac eventually said in his sleep deprived state. They had been walking for around thirty hours straight by that point. Most of the other random words that seemed to endlessly flow out of his mouth Lenna had managed to ignore but this one caught her off guard.


    ¡°That was quite forward, Lord Wexler.¡± She responded.


    ¡°Oh shit¡­ I said that out loud didn¡¯t I?¡± Isaac sleep drunkenly responded. He hadn¡¯t slept for almost forty hours and he hadn¡¯t been walking for only an hour or two of it.


    ¡°Yes. You did.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Oops?¡± Isaac said and then was quiet for a while again. Lenna didn¡¯t push it but now she wondered even more what he thought about her.


    ¡®Is he really just naturally flirty? With that last comment¡­ is he just lecherous?¡¯ She thought to herself. She shook her head. ¡®Focus Lenna. Almost out of this awful place.¡¯


    A little while later Isaac asked a question and this time he meant to say it out loud. ¡°If this is the path, why aren''t there any wagon trails?¡±


    ¡°That path would have added two days. We didn¡¯t have enough water.¡± Lenna explained. Isaac just nodded and soon started humming to himself.


    Finally after their thirty eighth hour in the mushroom kingdom Lenna found the exit. There was only one problem. It was guarded by two mushroom soldiers and had a gate made of a bunch of smaller mushrooms.


    Lenna whispered to Isaac: ¡°It looks like we are fighting our way out.¡±


    ¡°The shortest distance between two points is a straight line I guess.¡± Isaac replied.


    Lenna thought for a second. ¡°I like that line. I should use that sometime.¡± She replied.


    ¡°I figured you would.¡± Isaac responded.


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± She asked.


    Isaac made eye contact with her and smiled. ¡°Exactly what it sounds like. I find your methodology refreshing. Especially because I¡¯ll be the first to tell you that I am allergic to the straightforward path in most situations. It¡¯s nice having you around.¡±


    Lenna just tilted her head in confusion at him. ¡°Thanks?¡±


    ¡°You are very welcome.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Now. Let¡¯s cook some mushrooms.¡±

 Chapter 37 They Are Too Thick To Cook.

    Chapter 37 They Are Too Thick To Cook.


    ¡°Any ideas?¡± Isaac asked Lenna as they watched their only way out of the mushroom kingdom. ¡®Gods forsaken mushroom forest of sleep deprivation and torment.¡¯ As Isaac referred to it.


    Lenna stared at him. ¡°You just said, that I only go in a straight line. My idea is for you to hide. I will carve and burn a path. Then you follow.¡± She replied flatly.


    ¡°Would that work?¡± Isaac asked while thinking up more elaborate plans of chaos and destruction.


    ¡°It should. Yes.¡± Lenna answered.


    ¡°What about the spores? There¡¯s bound to be a lot of them. Do you have some spell that would keep them off of you like I did?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Lenna thought for a moment before shaking her head. ¡°Not really.¡±


    ¡°Can you keep that cone of flames up longer than a second?¡± He asked while rubbing his chin.


    ¡°Yes and no.¡± She replied. ¡°I can but it¡¯ll start to burn my hand very quickly.¡±


    Isaac put his hand on her shoulder and ran death flames down her arm. ¡°Now it won¡¯t actually burn you right?¡±


    ¡°It will but I don¡¯t mind.¡± She then countered his suggestion: ¡°It won¡¯t be enough to kill the soldiers.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Isaac asked before thinking about it for a second. ¡°They¡¯ll block it with their shields.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna agreed. ¡°Also they are too thick to cook.¡±


    ¡°Oh. You killed the other ones with concussive force, not heat. Right.¡± Isaac thought out loud. ¡°But¡­¡± He raised a finger. ¡°It will burn up all their spores so you and I can just kill them normally.¡±


    ¡°It should. Yes.¡± She agreed.


    Isaac nodded to himself with a smile growing on his face. ¡°Okay here¡¯s the plan¡­¡±


    ¡ª


    Lenna ran forwards. Her armor was silent due to Isaac¡¯s shadows and her arm was covered in his flames. As the pair approached the mushroom soldiers guarding their escape Lenna raised her already flaming hand. ¡°Let my flames consume all before me.¡±


    Lenna focused on her internal flow of mana and forced it to keep flowing out of her hand and through the spell array blazing on her palm. Her hand heated up but she ignored the pain. She swept her flames over both soldiers and the exit. The smaller mushrooms were gone in an instant. The larger two raised their shields against the flames but not before the soft vents under their caps were thoroughly scorched.


    Lenna dove for the one on the right with her sword raised and already coated in flames. That was when she felt Isaac¡¯s hand let go of her shoulder. She closed the gap and drove her blade down in a heavy chop. Her sword and its flames cut through the shield like it was butter. Her followup swing saw her sword lodged halfway through its trunk right in line with its eye. She poured even more mana into her blade and the flames erupted from inside the monster. It collapsed dead at her feet.


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    Isaac had disappeared as soon as he let go of Lenna¡¯s shoulder. He closed the distance towards his target. He coated his sword in death flames much like how he had covered Lenna. The only real difference was the mana expenditure. Coating his sword barely made a dent in his mana compared to covering Lenna with it from head to toe.


    He kited around the monster¡¯s shield on its shield arm side. He slashed through its arm and the shield fell. He stepped in and slashed its eye. His blade cut six inches deep with on the single slash as his death flames disintegrated the mushroom. It turned and thrusted at where the pain was coming from. Isaac turned his body slightly and blade skipped off his armor.


    Isaac sliced upwards and decapitated the mushroom¡¯s sword arm. Now that it was disarmed, both literally and figuratively, Isaac was safe to finish it off. He took a second and built up a large amount of death mana in his free hand. He placed it firmly on the monster¡¯s trunk and focused the mana to cover the mushroom as quickly as possible. The monster melted in just over a second. Two seconds after he had placed his hand on it the mushroom was little more than dust.


    The paladin of wrathful flames and the mage of shadow and death turned to look at each other. They locked eyes and neither of them could hold back their smiles. They were free. The two of them raced out of the cavern and down the first tunnel that wasn¡¯t covered in mushrooms that they had seen in almost two full days.


    Not even twenty feet down the tunnel Isaac started laughing. ¡°Thank the gods. We are out of there.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡± Lenna replied while chuckling and running alongside him.


    The two of them stopped two hundred feet farther as Isaac was breathing heavily with his hands on his knees. ¡°Is this far enough to be safe from the mushrooms?¡± Isaac asked after he had caught his breath.


    ¡°It depends. If we are his biggest problem then no.¡± Lenna replied, referring to the mushroom king.


    ¡°Good enough for me.¡± Isaac replied and tossed his backpack onto the ground. ¡°We are not going back that way.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna replied and also dropped her pack onto the ground.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if we have to hire a wagon.¡± Isaac continued.


    Lenna nodded and sighed as she sat down with her back against the wall. ¡°I don¡¯t care if I have to push it.¡±


    Isaac snorted a laugh. ¡°Agreed.¡± He said as he collapsed onto his backpack like a lizard on a warm rock.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡®That can¡¯t be comfortable.¡¯ She thought and then shrugged. She was sitting against a stone wall in full gear. Her position wasn¡¯t exactly a feather bed either.


    Sleep took Isaac within a minute of the tunnel falling into silence. Lenna, much to her own disappointment, followed soon after.


    ¡ª


    Isaac awoke to the tightest hug he had ever had. It felt like Claus was trying to kill him via bear hug. Actually now that he thought about it he felt like he was dying to this hug. He couldn¡¯t breathe. His eyes shot open and he grabbed whatever was crushing him. He felt smooth scales as they wound around him tighter. He coated his hands in his flames and pushed them through the snake¡¯s body. The reptile fell off of him in three parts and he started coughing while trying to refill his lungs.


    Lenna shot up and took in the scene. ¡°Shit.¡± She ran to him and put her hand on his back. She sent a light pulse of healing magic into him. He was fine. Barely. He was winded but she could tell that he had been only a second away from having his own ribs turn him into a pin cushion. ¡°I fell asleep.¡± She stated.


    A hundred things were running through her head at that moment. She almost let her charge die not even two weeks into traveling with him. If she would have positioned herself better the snake would have gone after her instead. Should she apologize? Ask for punishment? A drow noble would have their guards beaten if they had failed in their duty this badly.


    Isaac rolled onto his back after pushing some snake pieces to the side. He was still breathing heavily. He closed his eyes and focused on deep and regular breaths. ¡°We¡¯re good. I¡¯m alive.¡± He gave her a thumbs up. He could feel the anxiousness wafting off of her the way she was hovering over him.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Lenna eventually said. She couldn¡¯t think of anything better to say. She felt responsible. It was her job to keep him safe after all.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Sleep in shifts next time.¡± Isaac responded with his eyes still closed.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± She said quietly.


    ¡°How long were we out?¡± Isaac asked. He didn¡¯t really expect a very accurate answer but was pleasantly surprised when he got one.


    ¡°It feels like six hours.¡± Lenna replied back to her usual steady self.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± He opened his eyes and the two made eye contact. ¡°I feel like I could keep sleeping for a week.¡±


    She smiled under her helmet. ¡°We¡¯d run out of water.¡±


    He smiled back upon hearing the smile in her voice. ¡°A day then.¡±


    ¡°We can do that. We should do that somewhere safer.¡± She replied and stood.


    Isaac groaned and sat up. ¡°Yeah¡­ you¡¯re right.¡±


    Lenna offered him her hand and helped him stand. It took him a second to be steady on his feet again. She put on her backpack and he put on his. ¡°I¡¯ll lead.¡±


    Isaac was too tired to want to lead or to argue with her so he just nodded. The two continued on their near lethal odyssey to Safeharbor.

 Chapter 38 I’m So Confused.

    Chapter 38 I¡¯m So Confused.


    Lenna found a tunnel that had collapsed which branched off of their path about an hour after they had set out. She stopped in front of it waiting for Isaac¡¯s input. ¡°I need more sleep. Also there is something I wanna test out with a clear head.¡± He told her.


    She nodded and dropped her pack at the entrance. Isaac set his down across from hers and began pulling his bedroll out. ¡°Don¡¯t go too deep.¡± Lenna said, referring to the collapsed tunnel.


    Isaac glanced at the piled stone and rubble before nodding at her and getting back to sleep.


    The next few hours passed peacefully with Lenna on look out and Isaac fast asleep. When he finally awoke it had only been another four hours. He stretched and yawned. Lenna watched him for a bit while he got something to eat and then joined her at the mouth of their tunnel.


    ¡°My magic is weird.¡± Isaac began. Lenna just let him talk. She knew that her being silent and listening would be more fruitful than interrupting and distracting him. Isaac pulled the dragon skull out of thin air and set it on his lap. ¡°Last time I did this I saw the moments before it died. I was alone and I have no idea how long I was vulnerable reliving the poor guy¡¯s last memories.¡± His gaze moved from the skull to Lenna¡¯s eyes. ¡°You should rest before I get started.¡± He told her.


    Lenna was a little tired but that wasn¡¯t something a few more hours of meditation couldn¡¯t fix. She had slept a whole six hours which was more than she had slept within the last two weeks combined. Elves'' ability to replace sleep with meditation was supernatural compared to the non-long lived races and she leveraged that ability as much as she could, now that she didn¡¯t have the safety of her family¡¯s castle.


    She shook her head. ¡°If I can meditate for another four hours or so I¡¯ll be back to normal.¡±


    Isaac searched her eyes for a moment before asking her a question: ¡°Should I wait?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She replied. ¡°While I¡¯m meditating I can still hear. That¡¯s what I do when you are asleep.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Isaac closed his eyes and picked up the skull. Lenna shifted her gaze down the tunnel before closing her eyes and meditating again.


    Isaac ran his death mana through the skull and almost immediately fell into the dragon¡¯s memories again. The more he relived the moment right before life left the dragon, the more he understood about the creature. The young dragon was blue and could breathe lightning. This might have seemed obvious but it confirmed that the wizard had not modified these aspects of the dragon when it made the chimera.


    He also learned the dragon¡¯s name and how old it was. The dragon was only ten years old and his name was Kahtesh. Kahtesh was still growing into his ever changing body but was both strong and nimble nonetheless. His scales were conductive and lightning would arc through them away from the dragon¡¯s heart and brain when they were exposed to the dragon¡¯s element.


    Isaac also learned how the dragon could breathe lightning bolts. The dragon¡¯s epiglottis, the flap that keeps a creature from inhaling whatever it is swallowing, grew with a special magical sigil carved into it. As strange as this was, it seemed to be a natural process and as the dragon got bigger so would the sigil. The sigil would convert the dragon¡¯s internal mana into the lightning bolt as soon as the dragon would focus its mana through the sigil.


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    The inside of the dragon¡¯s mouth and throat were completely non conductive. This forced the lighting bolt out in whatever direction the dragon¡¯s mouth was facing. The magical nature of the lightning is what helped it keep its direction and travel in an almost perfectly straight line.


    The dragon was still in the process of learning how to fly with its magic as it had rarely found the need to fly down in the Innerworld. It did know that by circulating mana around its wings it could generate lift without the need for wind or speed. This had allowed Kahtesh to fly short distances in the past to cross over canyons and pitfalls.


    As Isaac¡¯s understanding of Kahtesh grew, so did his connection to the skull. After what, to Isaac, felt like ten minutes but was actually an hour, something changed. This time the skull hadn¡¯t sucked mana out of him but simply let Isaac explore and understand at his own pace. Now, however, the skull seemed to need his mana.


    Isaac felt his mana reserves plummeting and his death mana being taken from him like a starving vampire. When he was about to run out of mana he dropped the skull and opened his eyes. Lenna had been watching him since she felt the mana flowing from him spike.


    They both stared at the skull in shock. It had regrown seven of its vertebrae and the skull had thickened. The new bone growth was seemingly carved to look like scales. The new vertebrae started to grow plates out of their sides that bent around as if they were trying to form the outside of the dragon¡¯s throat.


    Isaac and Lenna just stared at it for a while. Neither of them were sure what had just happened. Isaac eventually looked at Lenna and her gaze left the skull to make eye contact with him. ¡°What did I just do?¡± He asked her.


    Lenna was stunned for a second at the question and eventually cocked her head in confusion. ¡°How am I supposed to know?¡± She asked.


    Isaac shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Well I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve only had magic for like what sixteen, seventeen days? Which by the way are impossible to keep track of when it¡¯s always nothing but dark tunnels and things trying to kill me.¡± He ranted.


    Lenna just shook her head. ¡°Your magic is unlike anything I have ever seen.¡± She admitted much to Isaac¡¯s disappointment.


    Isaac could feel a connection from his core into the skull and then from the skull into his shadow. He looked down but he couldn¡¯t see his own shadow as the entire cavern was pitch black. Neither he nor Lenna needed light so they had been traveling without it. He focused on his shadow and an inky black pool began to grow from underneath him.


    The pool seemed to just expand outwards in all directions. He focused and it moved in front of him. He placed the skull on top of it and the skull sank into the inky pool. He just stared at it for a moment before a thought occurred to him. Panicking he reached into the pool both with his hand and his will and wished the skull back out. It rose far enough out of the pool that he could grab it and pull it out the rest of the way.


    ¡°I¡¯m so confused.¡± Isaac said to himself. Lenna who had been watching the entire process from a few feet away just nodded in agreement. She had no idea what kind of crazy magic he was stumbling through. After a moment he just looked at her with a pleading look on his face. ¡°Why? No, better question, how?¡±


    Lenna could only shake her head at him. ¡°I have no idea.¡± She answered honestly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how anything works anymore. I give up for today.¡± He grumbled. ¡°You can get some rest. I''ll stay on watch.¡± He assured her. ¡°I gotta figure out the nature of death, shadows, and mana apparently.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Lenna said. She was just as, if not more, confused as Isaac. She shifted into a more comfortable position and closed her eyes. It took her a bit to get back into the right headspace for meditation but soon she had tuned out her own thoughts and let her mind and body continue recovering.


    Isaac spent the next hour muttering to himself and staring into nothing. After that he shifted his attention to his shadow mana. Something he thought he understood until the whole inky portal to nowhere that had opened up underneath him. He practiced shaping it into a dagger and making it both sharp and hard. He was making slow progress but progress was still progress in his eyes.


    Eventually Lenna was ready to go and Isaac called upon the inky portal again and put the dragon skull inside it. He packed up his bedroll and walked a dozen feet away from where he had been sitting. He called upon the portal again and pulled out the skull. ¡°Good. It is connected to me, not to a location.¡± He said out loud. He put it back and then dismissed his inky shadow again.


    Lenna had been watching him with her backpack on, waiting for him to be ready. She didn¡¯t want to rush him because his magic was incredibly interesting to watch. She felt like she was seeing things that mortals shouldn''t every time he made that inky black portal. Something about it was just off.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± Isaac said and they started off again towards Safeharbor.

 Chapter 39 Why Does Everyone Hate You

    Chapter 39 Why Does Everyone Hate You


    ¡°So why didn¡¯t you just flame cone the first set of soldiers again?¡± Isaac asked. He hadn¡¯t actually asked previously but he had been thinking about it for a while.


    ¡°There are elemental creatures that sometimes find their way down here. One such creature explodes on death.¡± Lenna explained.


    Isaac thought for a moment. ¡°So¡­ because of the fireball the mushroom king would assume the problem sorted itself out instead of a rogue group of mortals scorching his kingdom?¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Huh. That makes a lot more sense than what I was thinking.¡± Isaac said mostly to himself.


    Lenna raised an eyebrow under her helmet and turned her head to look at him. ¡°What were you thinking?¡±


    ¡°That you just didn¡¯t think about going through them instead of around.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°We tried that in the past. It never ends well. I¡¯m surprised we were not followed by any mushroom scouts.¡± She told him.


    Isaac blinked a few times. ¡°How many variations are there?¡± He asked worriedly.


    ¡°No one knows for sure. At least soldier, scout, attacker, defender, mage, life bank, and king.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Why are there so many different types of mushroom people?¡± Isaac was confused. ¡®What¡¯s the point in so many individual types?¡¯ He thought.


    ¡°Who knows.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡ª


    Another day passed without much incident. Another cave in had to be detoured around but that wasn¡¯t very unusual. The following day they did run into something strange. Webs. Lots and lots of webs. The tunnel they were passing through suddenly opened up into a cavern that was made of tunnels. They couldn¡¯t see any of the far walls as the tunnels just kept turning and winding into each other.


    ¡°What made this?¡± Isaac asked while staring at the web covered tunnels and passageways.


    ¡°A dragon fighting an earth elemental. According to legend anyway.¡± Lenna answered.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Some monsters really put our power into perspective don¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Patience.¡± Lenna told him.


    He looked at her. ¡°You mean we¡¯ll be strong enough to do stuff like this?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. But we will be able to kill what did.¡± She assured him.


    Isaac turned back towards the twisted nest of tunnels and gazed upon them in a new light. ¡®Kill a dragon huh? Whatever dragon did this had to be at least ten feet wide. Kahtesh was only like four and his breath one shot Claus.¡¯ He thought and swallowed hard thinking about the power a dragon that size would have.


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    ¡°Will your flames work on the webs?¡± Lenna asked, pulling Isaac out of his thoughts.


    Isaac reached out and touched one of the webs. He ran his death mana over it. Nothing happened. ¡°No. I guess they either don¡¯t count as alive or are death attuned like the spiders they come from. I can feel them in the walls.¡±


    ¡°How many?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°No idea. They are too weak to pinpoint but there¡¯s definitely a lot.¡± Isaac replied.


    Lenna pulled out the map and checked their location. ¡°We need to get to the center path. The humans here keep it clear of spiders. Third tunnel down on the left, then second on the right, then first hole in the ground.¡± She told him and tucked the map away again.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°So what are we going to do about the webs?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to burn them.¡± Lenna explained.


    ¡°Will you have enough mana?¡± Isaac asked concerned.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°Probably. Ready?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Isaac replied and made sure his pack was on correctly.


    What followed was seven casts of Lenna¡¯s cone of flame spell and a lot of screeching spiders. The air was thick with burnt web and it was hard for them to breath at one point but the map led them true. They dropped down a hole in the floor and onto a wagon path.


    They could hear the spiders crawling in the walls. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry.¡± Isaac told Lenna and the two of them broke out into a swift jog to cover as much distance as they could before the spiders decided to go look for whatever had torched their webs and some of their brethren.


    After half an hour of jogging Isaac was about to say that they should stop for a break when the tunnel abruptly opened up. Isaac¡¯s breath caught at the sight that was laid out before them. A cavern six miles deep and ten miles wide opened up. The ceiling must have been a mile high. The cavern¡¯s scope alone was breathtaking.


    Down and to the right from where they were standing was a city. The city was two miles across in each direction and laid out in a perfect circle. There was about a mile of space between the city¡¯s thirty feet high walls and the walls of the cavern. There were three gates and a large building where the fourth gate should have been. The city was alight with magical stones and torches. They could see the different colors of lights from where they were standing.


    ¡°Is that?¡± Isaac eventually whispered.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Safeharbor.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s knees felt weak. He sat down. ¡°Finally.¡±


    Lenna sat next to him. ¡°Finally.¡± She agreed.


    ¡°Spider, Pecurke fighting falling shadows, mushroom kingdom, giant snake, and finally a nest of giant spiders, and three detours.¡± Isaac listed off their obstacles. ¡°How many days?¡±


    Lenna took a deep breath. ¡°We just started day eight. We should be asleep right now actually.¡± They¡¯re sleep schedule had been promptly discarded due to the mushroom kingdom¡¯s lack of clear spaces for them to rest.


    ¡°Wanna sleep out here and deal with people when we are both rested up?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna stared at him for a moment. ¡°I figured you¡¯d be more excited.¡±


    ¡°Oh I am. I¡¯m just also worried after what happened last time.¡± He explained. ¡°I have a feeling this isn¡¯t going to be incident free. Something is telling me we are only just getting started when it comes to problems.¡± He said more to himself than to her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Lenna replied after a moment. ¡°I can wait out here.¡± She offered.


    ¡°What? No.¡± Isaac looked and sounded offended that she had even said that. ¡°No, you are coming with me and if anybody has a problem with that I¡¯ll fight them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be protecting you, not putting you in more danger.¡± Lenna argued.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t negotiable.¡± Isaac declared.


    Lenna was silent for a moment. ¡°As¡­ you wish.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s rest up out here.¡± Isaac eventually told her and the two of them moved a bit off to the side of the path. Isaac set up his bedroll and laid on it staring at the ceiling. After a few moments Isaac spoke: ¡°Lenna?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± She responded.


    ¡°Why does everyone hate you immediately?¡± He asked.


    After a pause Lenna replied with: ¡°As I told you. My people are slavers. Cruel ones.¡±


    ¡°Did you own slaves?¡± He asked her.


    Lenna took a deep breath. ¡°Sort of. My family owns a lot of them. There was this girl, she was supposed to be at my beck and call.¡±


    ¡°What did you have her do? How did you treat her?¡± He continued with his questioning.


    ¡°Honestly? I ignored her most of the time. The only thing I really told her to do was keep my stuff clean. I had her help me with my armor a lot. I didn¡¯t have to, but it¡¯s annoying to don by myself.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Were there ever any other drow who were not awful to their slaves?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Maybe. I don¡¯t know. If there were then it was kept quiet. Anything that could shift the power balance was silenced or hidden.¡± She answered.


    ¡°So everyone just assumes you are a horrible person because most of your people are?¡± He asked almost rhetorically.


    She nodded. ¡°Yeah. Stereotypes exist for a reason. I don¡¯t blame them for expecting me to be like my family. I was always the weird one. I like to do things myself and not be fed by some child in chains because I¡¯m too lazy to pick up my own fork.¡± She said coldly, it was probably the most words she had said in a single breath but despite her running out of air at the end her disdain was palpable.


    ¡°That actually happens?¡± Isaac turned his head to look at her and asked.


    ¡°Yeah. Often.¡± She stated matter of factly. All emotion was gone from her voice.


    ¡°Well, on that pleasant note, let¡¯s get some rest. We have an interesting day ahead of us.¡± Isaac told her.


    ¡°Alright.¡± She agreed and settled into leaning against the wall. It took both of them a while to begin to truly rest after their recent conversation but eventually Isaac drifted off to sleep and Lenna was able to wrestle her mind into meditation.

 Chapter 40 Let’s Go To The Barracks.

    Chapter 40 Let¡¯s Go To The Barracks.


    ¡°My Lord.¡± Lenna said only a little louder than a whisper. Isaac didn¡¯t even stir. There was a small team of adventurers approaching them. The one that had pointed Lenna and Isaac out, to the rest of the team, was a short woman about five feet tall with a pair of ruby lensed goggles on. ¡°Lord Wexler.¡± Lenna said a little louder and nudged him.


    Isaac only groaned and shifted a little. The adventures continued to approach. The one in the lead was a tall man in full-plate armor much like Lenna¡¯s. There was another woman who looked to be the first¡¯s sister with a bow on her back and a pair of curved swords on her hips. The two women were in light leather armor that only really protected vital areas. ¡°Isaac!¡± Lenna said sharply, while being careful to keep her voice down, and nudged him again.


    Isaac tossed off the blanket and sat upright while disappearing and looked around. Lenna rose to meet the incoming adventurers. Isaac, still invisible, stood up and rubbed his eyes once he was sure they weren¡¯t about to be eaten by something.


    ¡°Hey there.¡± The armored man said in a casual tone. His voice was a little deeper than Isaac¡¯s but not nearly as deep as Claus¡¯ earthquake of a voice.


    Lenna couldn¡¯t see Isaac so she took a deep breath and prepared to converse with the locals. ¡°Greetings.¡± She reciprocated his salutation.


    The adventurers stopped about a dozen feet from Lenna and Isaac decided to get a closer look after a long yawn. He walked up next to them and started walking around behind them while taking a look at their gear. They had a few pouches with what looked like small glass vials in them but carried no coin purses. The archer had two quivers of about two dozen arrows each. Only the armored man had a backpack. The girl with the ruby goggles had a satchel that seemed to be stuffed with something but Isaac couldn¡¯t tell without opening it.


    ¡°The city¡¯s right there. Why sleep out here?¡± The knight asked. The question sounded like an interrogation but his tone was nothing but casual friendliness. The lantern on his belt casting them in shadows wasn¡¯t helping him seem any friendlier however.


    Lenna was about to answer when she saw Isaac reappear behind them. ¡°Long trip.¡± Isaac said cheerily. The adventurers all jumped. The archer screamed, the girl with goggles squeaked, and the man whirled around with his hand halfway through drawing his weapon. Isaac raised his hands in mock surrender. ¡°Jumpy today huh?¡± He asked.


    ¡°See I told you there were two of them.¡± Goggles told the rest of the team. The knight slid his sword the rest of the way back into his scabbard.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be sneaking up on people like that. It might lead to a misunderstandin¡¯.¡± The knight told Isaac.


    Isaac lowered his hands and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh? What kinda misunderstanding?¡± He asked.


    ¡°There was a drow spy caught in town last week. Maybe that you¡¯re with them. Or maybe that you''re a thief. Not sayin¡¯ ya are. Just mentionin¡¯ it.¡± The knight replied wearily. His blade was stowed but his hand still hadn¡¯t left the hilt.


    Isaac made a dagger out of shadows appear in his hand and started spinning it around his finger. ¡°Gimme your gold.¡± He said completely monotoned. The knight started to draw his sword again. ¡°By the gods, relax man.¡± Isaac chastised him. He made the dagger disappear. ¡°It¡¯s a joke.¡± He shook his head.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here. This one seems more trouble than he¡¯s worth.¡± Goggles said to the knight.


    The archer chastised her sister: ¡°That¡¯s rude. Especially when that person is right in front of you.¡±


    ¡°Nah.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°She¡¯s right. Trouble follows me around like it¡¯s my shadow.¡± Isaac smirked at his own bad joke that only a few people on the planet would have even understood.


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    ¡°My Lord. Perhaps we shouldn¡¯t antagonize the locals.¡± Lenna cooly reprimanded.


    Isaac started walking back over to his bedroll and blanket. ¡°Yeah, you are probably right. It was fun though.¡±


    The irritation coming off the knight was almost tangible. The archer put a hand on his arm. ¡°He¡¯s just messing with you.¡±


    ¡°Like I said. Trouble.¡± Goggles reinforced her sister¡¯s statement.


    ¡°Maybe we should take them in and see if they have an outstanding bounty.¡± The knight replied through gritted teeth.


    ¡°Some people. You have to relax man or you¡¯re gonna pop something.¡± Isaac told him. Then he looked at Lenna. ¡°You don¡¯t think somebody would have put a bounty on us for that?¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No. Harsh words only get bounties if it was a noble. My Lord.¡±


    ¡°Even if they did, we would have beaten a messenger here. Side note. If I ever mention going through the mushroom kingdom for any reason ever again I want you to hit me.¡± I replied. He wasn¡¯t joking.


    ¡°As you wish.¡± Lenna agreed with a smirk under her helmet.


    The knight huffed and yanked his arm free of his companion¡¯s. ¡°We can check on their bounty when we get back.¡± He said and started off in the direction they were originally going before they had spotted Lenna and Isaac.


    They were still in ear shot when Isaac asked Lenna: ¡°You think any of them were over level six?¡± He didn¡¯t really feel like he was in that much danger when they were around.


    ¡°I think they were all level six actually.¡± Lenna replied and pulled on her backpack.


    ¡°Really?¡± Isaac said while doing the same. ¡°Lucky guess I guess.¡±


    Lenna glanced sidelong at him. ¡°Maybe.¡±


    The two of them started walking towards the city. ¡°You aren¡¯t gonna ask why I was antagonizing them?¡± Isaac asked her.


    ¡°No. Either you had your reason or you were relieving tension. After the past week I wouldn¡¯t blame you for almost picking a fight.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Oh. Well. Thanks for the faith I guess.¡± Isaac said while scratching the back of his head bashfully. ¡°I figured if people think we are too much trouble to deal with then they will leave us alone. There won¡¯t be people trying to sneak a peek or uncover any secrets if they are wary of talking to us in the first place.¡± He explained his reasoning.


    ¡°Understandable.¡± Lenna acknowledged.


    The two of them walked in relative silence the final distance to the city. As they approached the gate Isaac saw two guards stationed above it and two stationed on either side of the entrance. ¡°How likely do you think they are to recognize your last name?¡± Isaac whispered even though they were still a little ways out.


    ¡°Likely. Safeharbor has been a thorn in my family¡¯s side for almost three hundred years.¡± She told him.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Isaac replied.


    When the pair approached the gate one of the guards stepped to meet them. ¡°Greetings travelers.¡± He said casually. ¡°Not many new faces come from this direction.¡± His torchlight bathed the three of them in orange light. Isaac turned off his darkvision when the guard got close enough to see his face.


    ¡°Hi.¡± Isaac returned the greeting. ¡°I bet. That trip was awful.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Where you coming from?¡± The guard asked.


    ¡°Ben¡¯s End.¡± Isaac replied.


    The guard nodded. ¡°Long way to go with just the two of you. Hard to carry that much water.¡± It was starting to look like an interrogation.


    ¡°We took a shortcut.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Through the mushroom forest.¡±


    ¡°Just the two of you?¡± The guard questioned.


    ¡°Yeah. Why?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name and age mister?¡± The guard continued without answering Isaac.


    Lenna cut in before Isaac could properly answer. ¡°Lord.¡± She said.


    ¡°What was that?¡± The guard asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s Lord. Lord Isaac Wexler. And this is my guard Lenna. I¡¯m twenty. Now, officer, why are you asking all these questions of a pair of tired travelers who could really use a drink?¡± Isaac demanded calmly. He reached into one of his backpack¡¯s side pockets and pulled out his badge.


    ¡°There¡¯s been worry of drow spies so we gotta make sure everybody¡¯s safe. I hope you understand Lord Wexler.¡± The guard replied.


    Lenna also retrieved her badge and, along with Isaac, ran mana through the card making it glow. ¡°I understand. Now, if you please, I would like to sleep on a bed after getting something warm to eat.¡± Isaac responded. He really wanted to get through the checkpoint before any of the guards looked too closely at Lenna.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to have to ask your guard to remove her helmet and also answer some questions.¡± The guard insisted.


    ¡°Is this really necessary?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°If you have nothing to hide then this will all be over in a minute.¡± The guard replied. ¡°If you do have something to hide we can all go down to the barracks if you want and we can send for the magistrate. He¡¯ll decide if you are a threat or not to the city.¡±


    Isaac glanced at Lenna. ¡°Tell me about this magistrate.¡± He said to the guard.


    ¡°He is a paladin who¡¯s sworn an oath to protect king and country. He will make sure you are telling the truth and if you aren¡¯t drow spies he¡¯ll let you go.¡± The guard explained. His hand was gripping his spear tightly.


    ¡°Will he use Under Oath?¡± Lenna asked.


    The guard nodded slowly. ¡°I would imagine he would, yes.¡±


    Isaac looked at Lenna. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It prevents lying. Typically used in the presence of a judge.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really see any other options.¡± Isaac said. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the barracks.¡±


    The guard seemed taken aback for a moment before he regained composure. ¡°Alright. Follow me.¡± He told the pair.

 Chapter 41 Deep Breaths.

    Chapter 41 Deep Breaths.


    Isaac and Lenna followed the guard through the gate. Something about the gray stone walls caught Isaac¡¯s eye. The stone bricks, each a foot tall, a foot deep, and two feet wide, were all perfectly identical. They all fit together perfectly as well. ¡°Were these made by magic?¡± Isaac asked while staring at them.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna and the guard said simultaneously. The guard glanced at her then continued: ¡°Safeharbor was built by the first expeditionary force two hundred and seventy seven years ago. They brought with them a contingent of mages and construction crews for the sole purpose of creating a safety net for future expeditions.¡± The guard explained.


    By the time the guard had finished his explanation the three of them were on the other side of the gate. ¡°So the gray stone is conjured and the red was mined?¡± Isaac asked. The streets were cobbled gray stone but the sidewalks and first ten feet of each house were red stone bricks sealed with conventional mortar.


    Three more guards soon aided the first in boxing them in as they walked. ¡°Yep.¡± The guard replied casually.


    ¡°Four is both too much and not enough.¡± Isaac muttered.


    Lenna replied before the guard could get too antsy. ¡°They think we are a flight risk.¡±


    ¡°Ah. That makes sense.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°However, what if we are way stronger than them? It wouldn¡¯t matter. I hope someone at least let their boss know they took two strange outsiders on a stroll through town.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s mouth may have been running but his eyes were wandering. The buildings on either side of the street were mostly communal housing one or two stories tall. The streets were lit the same way they were everywhere else Isaac had gone, glowing stones on ledges. The guards didn¡¯t appreciate Isaac¡¯s chatter but remained silent even if their anxiety grew.


    ¡°How many people live here?¡± Isaac asked innocently.


    ¡°A lot.¡± One of the new guards answered. Irritation was buried in his voice but not well enough for Isaac to not catch it.


    ¡°My Lord.¡± Lenna said. ¡°You are doing it again.¡±


    ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s just my first time seeing a town down here that wasn¡¯t carved into the stone but built on top of it.¡± Isaac apologized. He actually wasn¡¯t trying to antagonize the guards but was actually rather excited.


    The rest of their walk was done in silence until they came across a large building two stories tall and fifty feet wide. There was only one door and it was made of solid wood with iron fittings. Upon seeing the door Isaac realized something. The wood-like material in Ben¡¯s End and Charles III was giant mushroom fibers. He could have facepalmed but didn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t want the guards to get any more anxious.


    The lead guard opened the door and the other three waited for Lenna and Isaac to enter before following. They closed the door behind them. Inside was a small room with a table and four guards playing a card game around it. There was another door and the duo¡¯s lead guard opened that one and walked in as well.


    Once the whole group of six entered and the door was closed behind them again the tension in the air spiked. Inside this room was a long table and a door made of iron bars. ¡°Cozy.¡± Isaac said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.


    The lead guard turned around and faced the pair after placing his torch in a sconce. ¡°Alright, this can go one of two ways.¡± He lifted a finger. ¡°My favorite way is you place your gear on the bench, I put you two in a cell and I let the magistrate know what¡¯s going on.¡± He lifted another finger. ¡°The second is we disarm you and toss you in a cell face first and I let the magistrate know where to find you at his last convenience.¡±


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    Isaac looked at Lenna. ¡°Well, if they don¡¯t freak out let¡¯s go with option one.¡± He didn¡¯t have to say that there was an option three. Option three was a bloodbath in the jail¡¯s armory.


    ¡°Understood.¡± Lenna replied and started taking off her helmet.


    ¡°Now I would just like to remind everyone present that we came here peacefully and I would like it to stay that way if at all possible.¡± Isaac told the guards.


    As Lenna removed her helmet all of the guards lowered their spears. ¡°They¡¯re drow spies!¡± One of the guards yelled.


    ¡°Now, now, everybody calm down.¡± Isaac told them with his arms hanging lazily at his sides. His swords were still only inches away from his hands if he needed them but he hoped he wouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Lower your weapons. They turned themselves in. Let¡¯s stick with the first option alright.¡± The guard that had led them there said and set the butt of his spear in the ground. The other three reluctantly followed suit a moment later.


    ¡°Now you see why a conversation with your magistrate is needed so I can explain why we are not drow spies and my bodyguard here is exactly that. A bodyguard.¡± Isaac tried to explain the situation even though he had little hope of the guards believing him with how zealous their hatred of drow likely was.


    ¡°Let¡¯s lock you up and I¡¯ll let the magistrate know to come see you.¡± The guard assured them. He then followed up with a warning. ¡°It might be a while.¡± He gestured towards the table.


    Isaac walked over and started unstrapping his weapons and putting them on the table. ¡®I hope this is the right decision.¡¯ He thought. ¡®I just want to get all this cleared up so we can restock without me having to leave her outside each time.¡¯


    After Isaac left all of his weapons and armor on the table he stepped to the side and Lenna did the same. It only took her a minute longer than him because she actually knew what she was doing. Isaac had only fully taken off his armor twice in the past so he was still more fumbling through it than anything.


    Isaac watched her doff her armor. Each movement was smooth and practiced. This was the first time Isaac had seen her without her armor and his eyes lingered on her curves. Her armor had built in padding so her under armor was only a long sleeve shirt and pants, both form fitting. Her hair was a bit of a mess and half of it was out of her braid but that did little to detract from her beauty.


    She caught him staring and raised an eyebrow. He coughed and turned away staring at the ceiling and then the floor to avoid staring at her. He couldn¡¯t see but she rolled her eyes and cracked a smirk at his childishness. When she was done the lead guard opened the iron gate and ushered the pair inside.


    He led Isaac into one cell and stopped. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to cuff you to the wall.¡± He said and gestured towards a pair of chains hanging from the wall each with a singular cuff at the end. ¡°We can¡¯t risk you breaking out.¡±


    Isaac was no longer starting to doubt if he had made the right decision and now was almost completely certain he had. He nodded with a hard expression on his face. ¡®Worse comes to worse Lenna can probably melt her way out and get me. Who knows maybe we can still meet the magistrate and salvage this.¡¯ Isaac thought to himself.


    He walked forward and the guard cuffed him. Once the cuffs were around his wrists Isaac¡¯s heart beat spiked. This was no longer a bad idea. This was the worst idea he had ever had. He turned to look at the guard. ¡°Actually, can you just take us to him now maybe?¡± He said almost pleading.


    The guard ignored him and walked out. He closed the cell door behind him and locked it. ¡°I¡¯ll let the magistrate know you are here. I promise.¡± The guard assured him. As he walked out Isaac got a clear view of Lenna.


    Lenna was led into the cell opposite Isaac. ¡®At least we are still close to each other.¡¯ She thought. ¡®I hope he knows what he is doing.¡¯ She walked up to the wall and one of the two guards that had entered the cell with her cuffed her wrist. The cuff started to glow and runes lit up across its surface. She was stunned for a half a second at the antimagic cuff before she heard Isaac¡¯s semi panicked voice across the hall.


    She turned to look at Isaac but the guard was in the way and soon the other cuff was on her. ¡°I¡¯ll let the magistrate know you are here. I promise.¡± The guard that had locked up Isaac told him. Lenna was starting to question how Isaac knew he could trust this guard in the first place when she got a clear view of Isaac¡¯s face.


    Isaac was worried and being cuffed made him feel like a cornered animal. When his and Lenna¡¯s eyes met they both swallowed hard. Lenna realized that Isaac no longer had any faith in his own plan and with the antimagic cuffs she couldn¡¯t do anything to get them out of their current situation.


    ¡®Why doesn¡¯t Isaac have antimagic cuffs?¡¯ Lenna thought to herself. ¡®He doesn¡¯t look like a mage with all those weapons. Maybe there¡¯s a chance after all. He¡¯s a good actor. Maybe this is all part of the plan.¡¯ Lenna tried to reason with herself. One look at Isaac after guards left crushed that thought.


    Once all the guards were out and far enough away for the two of them to talk quietly without anyone hearing Isaac broke the silence. ¡°I think I messed up.¡± He confessed. ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t but if I did, I¡¯m sorry.¡± He told her. ¡°I really don¡¯t like cuffs. Death magic doesn¡¯t work on things that aren¡¯t alive and being stuck to a wall is very unpleasant.¡±


    Lenna cut off his rambling. ¡°Isaac.¡± He didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Isaac!¡± His eyes snapped to hers. ¡°Deep breaths. Slow, deep breaths. You need to get your breathing under control before you pass out.¡± She ordered him calmly and steadily to ground him. ¡®Noted. Isaac doesn¡¯t like cuffs.¡¯ She thought to herself.


    Isaac did as he was told and slowly got himself settled down. ¡°Thank you.¡± He told her and then took another deep breath. ¡°Now, how do we get out of here if this goes as wrong as I¡¯m thinking it will?¡±

 Chapter 42 You, Don’t Deserve, To Touch Her.

    Chapter 42 You, Don¡¯t Deserve, To Touch Her.


    ¡°You could make a key out of shadows.¡± Lenna told Isaac. She was directing his anxiety towards something constructive as much as she was trying to actually find a way out of their current ¡®mess¡¯.


    ¡°Alright. Should I do that now or wait and see what happens.¡± Isaac asked quickly. He really wanted to be out of the cuffs. It wasn¡¯t the cuffs themselves that were driving him crazy. It was the fact that he was stuck to the wall, in a locked cage. Isaac wasn¡¯t a claustrophobic person but something about being tied down triggered his fight or flight response to a worse degree than actually fighting to the death.


    ¡°No.¡± Lenna replied and shook her head. ¡°If my cuffs are antimagic that¡¯s not a good sign. If you unlock it without the key it¡¯s supposed to use, it''ll probably set off an alarm somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Okay so what does¡­ Did you say antimagic?!¡± Isaac exclaimed.


    Lenna sighed and sat down against the wall. The chains were connected at shoulder height to the wall but were only long enough to reach a person¡¯s knees. Lenna looked at her hands which were suspended at just below her shoulder height via the taught chain. ¡°Yeah. They¡¯re probably just being cautious.¡± She looked at Isaac¡¯s unlit cuffs and tilted her head in thought.


    ¡°What?¡± Isaac asked, noticing her look.


    ¡°They don¡¯t know you are a mage. You look like a skirmisher.¡± She told him after another second of thought.


    ¡°I guess somebody with magic is going to attack with that instead of swords most of the time¡­ well you don¡¯t, is that a paladin thing?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Yeah. Spellblades tend to rely on more buff spells than direct damage.¡± She explained. ¡°I lost most of mine when I broke my oath.¡±


    ¡°So conjured key in case of emergency but even if I can do that it won¡¯t be quick.¡± Isaac thought aloud.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. They¡¯ll be more preoccupied with¡­¡± The door to the armory, the next room over, swung open. Lenna fell silent and stood up. This was the moment when they would learn if Isaac¡¯s bad idea was going to work on not.


    Three guards opened the gate and walked into the hall in between the cells. Isaac closed his eyes for a second and took a deep breath. One of the guards opened Lenna¡¯s cell. He had a torch in one hand so they could see in the dark jail. ¡®Wait! It hasn¡¯t been long enough to get somebody important here yet!¡¯ Isaac realized as the third guard entered Lenna¡¯s cell.


    ¡°Ya sure this is a good idea? What if the magistrate shows up?¡± One of the guards told the other two.


    Lenna¡¯s neutral expression turned hard and she glared down at the guards. Only one of them was as tall as her and he was in full gear, she was not. The guards¡¯ chainmail was covered in a fabric vest and tied with a thick leather belt. The vest was red on one half and white on the other with gold trim. On the back was a large hawk flying over a mountain range.


    ¡°Even if he does it¡¯s just some drow whore. Nobody¡¯ll care.¡± The guard to Lenna¡¯s right cut in.


    Isaac was already in cold sweats. When the guards started talking about everything they were going to do to Lenna his blood froze. The middle guard moved in front of Lenna and held his torch between them. Isaac wanted nothing more in that moment than to remove him from the world itself.


    He felt a connection to the guard¡¯s flickering shadow. He felt like he could reach through it and strangle him. Isaac reached for it both physically and magically. He felt some kind of resistance. He heard a slap and pushed with everything he had. Something broke. A shooting pain shot through Isaac¡¯s chest as one of the mana pathways leading from his heart, his core, snapped from too much mana being poured through it.


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    His vision went dark and then he was there, standing behind the guard, he had already forgotten about the pain. Isaac reached forward and wrapped his hands around the man¡¯s neck. His hands and half way up his forearms were covered in death flames that he hadn¡¯t even consciously conjured.


    He squeezed. His hands passed through the man¡¯s flash with little resistance until he hit bone. The bone only held up for a split second before that too, disintegrated at his touch. Isaac turned his gaze to the left and saw one of the guards staring at Lenna with a look Isaac would never forget. The first guard¡¯s head hit the ground, his body still standing, both guards looked at their companion in shock but only one of them got to move.


    Isaac took a step towards his next target. Shadows poured from him in every direction and he planted his fist in the man¡¯s face. His fist impacted the man¡¯s face for but a short moment before it gave way. His knuckles plowed through gray matter that dusted on contact before it hit the back of the man¡¯s skull. The guard fell.


    The inside of the corpse¡¯s skull got caught on Isaac¡¯s wrist and hand before it too, quickly turned to foul smelling black dust. Two corpses lay on the ground as Isaac turned to face the last guard. Inside Isaac was nothing but cold fury. He felt nothing from the two deaths that stained his hands and he would not feel anything from the third either.


    ¡°Stay back!¡± The third guard yelled as he grabbed the torch from his fallen comrade¡¯s hand. He swung the torch at Isaac and then moved it close to Lenna¡¯s face. ¡°If-If-If you don¡¯t I¡¯ll burn that pretty face of hers!¡± He threatened.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just heal it.¡± Isaac said coldly and took a step forward. His shadows came back under control and fell upon him like the cloak he had used against the Ori-Masa. The torchlight flickered off his eyes.


    Lenna backhanded the flaming torch sending sparks, ash, and flame into the guard¡¯s face. He stumbled back a step, hitting the wall of the small cell. He coughed and waved some of the smoke away. He looked up to see Isaac three feet in front of him. The living shadow moved in total silence.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± The guard yelled and tried to hit Isaac with the torch. Much to the guard¡¯s shock Isaac caught it. His hand, covered in black, dripping, flames smothered the torch in an instant.


    ¡°You, don¡¯t deserve, to touch her.¡± Isaac said coldly. He pushed as much of his mana as he could into his free hand. He felt the world start to spin from him running out of mana. He pressed his hand into the guard¡¯s chest and focused on covering as much of him as possible in his death flames.


    The third set of armor dropped to the ground. This one only had some brittle bones and a lot of black dust inside it. Isaac turned to face Lenna. His shadows were all gone, turned to flames and used on the final guard, his eyes were unfocused. ¡°The key.¡± Lenna said calmly and pointed at the guard at her feet. Isaac noticed her cheek was glowing with a soft orange light that quickly dimmed and disappeared.


    He bent down and grabbed the key off of the guard¡¯s belt and handed it to her. He then stumbled back as he felt the world tilting in strange directions. He leaned against the bars opposite Lenna and closed his eyes. ¡°They hurt you?¡± He asked her.


    ¡°It¡¯s ironic, me being burned.¡± She replied while unlocking her cuffs.


    Isaac¡¯s chest hurt way too much to be healthy. He breathed in and out with slow deep breaths. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Nothing happened Isaac. I¡¯m fine.¡± She told him as the second cuff fell from her wrist and hit the wall.


    He nodded and focused inward. He was getting enough mana back that he figured he could spare some to heal his internal damage. That was the first area he had burned all those days ago while playing with his mana for the first time. The death mana gently flowed over and around the ruptured pathway and he felt it knit itself back together.


    The world was still spinning and his stomach started to turn. Lenna put her hand on his shoulder. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She asked him while searching his face with her sharp silver eyes.


    He opened his and whispered: ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Mana fatigue?¡± Lenna guessed.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac answered. ¡°But why are you asking about me after what just almost happened?¡± He took another deep breath and she let him continue. ¡°They almost¡­ I wouldn¡¯t have made it in time¡­¡±


    ¡°But they didn¡¯t Isaac.¡± She assured him. ¡°And you did.¡± She smiled, a rare sight that warmed Isaac to the core. ¡°Besides, they wouldn¡¯t have gotten very far. I do have one secret.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac asked with a raised eyebrow. It was getting hard to ignore the smell of decay and death that hung thick in the cell.


    ¡°My last spell. It covers my body in flames. I would have managed.¡± She said confidently.


    Isaac thought for a second. She went to lower her hand and Isaac grabbed it without thinking. ¡°How would you have kept from burning yourself?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have.¡± She replied. Isaac¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°You would have had to heal me.¡±


    ¡°What are you made of?¡± Isaac asked and shook his head without breaking eye contact.


    She smirked at him. ¡°Four thousand years of selective breeding. That and two hundred and fifty years of harsh training, to be one of the greatest warriors on the planet. The drow empire was built on mine and three other families¡¯ shoulders.¡± She explained.


    ¡°You actually are just made of sterner stuff than I am.¡± Isaac said with a chuckle.


    ¡°Maybe¡­ maybe not, but there are still things that keep me up at night.¡± She replied and looked away. ¡°My kin are not known for their kindness.¡± She sighed deeply. ¡°Is it wrong for me to be glad I only had to witness other¡¯s suffering and was not subjected to it myself?¡± She asked and returned her gaze to his.


    ¡°No¡­ No Lenna it is not.¡± He assured her. ¡°I¡¯m glad it was them instead of you too.¡±


    Lenna took a deep breath and coughed. ¡°Let¡¯s get our gear.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Isaac replied and pushed off the wall. The world had finally stopped spinning enough for him to walk and he had to step over a corpse to leave. Lenna followed after him, never once looking back.

 Chapter 43 Take Us To Them.

    Chapter 43 Take Us To Them.


    ¡°Teleportation?¡± Lenna asked as they walked into the jail¡¯s armory.


    ¡°It¡¯s new. Hurt like hell.¡± Isaac replied.


    Lenna nodded and started re-arming. ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories. I¡¯m surprised you are alive.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What kind of stories?¡± Isaac asked and also started putting all his gear back on.


    ¡°There was a shadow sorcerer, they are common in house L¡¯Vore, who was forced to go beyond his limits. He ruptured a mana pathway but managed to cast a spell beyond his means.¡± She explained. ¡°Sound familiar?¡±


    ¡°Yeah actually.¡± He admitted. ¡°I felt like I hit a wall but pushed through it anyway. I had to heal a ruptured pathway afterwards. Is it that dangerous?¡±


    ¡°They tried to replicate it. Twelve sorcerers died from trying to gain power like that. They stopped the experiment.¡± She told him somberly.


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°Only twelve? With the way you talk about your kin I would have thought it would have been more.¡±


    ¡°That was a tenth of the sorcerers in the empire.¡± She replied sadly.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Isaac whispered. He was finishing the last strap on his armor when the door to the rest of the jail opened up.


    ¡°Guys? What¡¯s taking¡­¡± A young man about Isaac¡¯s age, in the same chainmail guard uniform as the three corpses a room over, walked in and froze upon seeing Isaac and Lenna.


    The whole room froze with him. Isaac took a step towards him and deepened his voice while leaking shadows out of his pores. The shadows came off of him in whisps that seemed to darken the room. ¡°Move one muscle and I¡¯ll add you to the corpse pile.¡± Isaac told him with nothing but cold venom in his voice.


    The young man swallowed hard and just silently stared wide eyed at the shadow monster in front of him. He didn¡¯t dare move as he processed what he had just heard. His fellow guards were probably all dead in a corner in the cells and he didn¡¯t want to join them.


    ¡°Now, here is what¡¯s going to happen.¡± Isaac commanded as if he was a god looking down on a mortal. The fear coming off the young man was palpable. ¡°You, are going to find that magistrate. Then you are going to tell him that he is about to receive an important guest. Then you will come back and take us to him.¡±


    Lenna continued strapping on her breastplate that she was in the middle of putting on when the guard entered. Isaac had the situation handled and she feared that if she got her aura involved she would break the poor boy¡¯s spirit to a point where he would be useless to them.


    The guard continued to hardly breathe and wait for Isaac to continue. ¡°Do, you, understand?¡± Isaac asked slowly without blinking or breaking eye contact with the guard.


    ¡°Yes sir.¡± The guard whispered.


    ¡°Good.¡± Isaac drew the word out just enough for the guard to feel like he had just made a deal with a demon.


    The guard swallowed hard again. ¡°Who should I tell him is coming?¡±


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    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t.¡± Isaac replied neutrally but still in his deepened voice.


    The guard nodded but didn¡¯t otherwise respond. ¡°If we are ambushed¡­¡± Isaac told him. ¡°I will kill every guard in this city. Bar none. Now go.¡± With that promise and order the guard hurried off on his quest for no other reason than self preservation.


    Isaac relaxed and his shadows dissipated. He took a deep breath. ¡°Was that the right call?¡± He asked Lenna.


    She glanced at him. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Why did you do it?¡±


    ¡°I needed more time before facing some important person in verbal combat. Also we need a plan. This has gotten way out of hand.¡± He explained.


    ¡°Then, I believe, you made the right decision.¡± She replied and reached for her helmet. Then she stopped and set it back down. She walked over to her backpack and dug through it until she found her brush.


    Isaac watched her take out her braid and brush her long almost straight silver hair. The waves in it were obviously from the braid and some of her hair had decided that up was the new down. ¡°How can you just let me go off and make decisions like this? There¡¯s never any discussion, I just decide something on a whim or come up with some crazy plan and you just go along with it.¡±


    ¡°Not every plan.¡± Lenna reminded him. ¡°Any plan that puts you in unnecessary risk I will question.¡±


    ¡°But what about putting you at risk?¡± He countered.


    Lenna continued brushing her hair as she replied: ¡°My life is yours. You saved me, almost died for it. Got chased out of a town because of me. Just killed three men and broke out of a jail that you were put in, all because of me.¡±


    She threw her hair back and turned to face him as she braided it. ¡°I have only put you in more danger with my presence. Instead of protecting you I¡¯m putting you at risk. What am I supposed to do Isaac?¡± She pleaded.


    Isaac was taken aback. He hadn¡¯t really thought about it like that. He had just seen that people hated her because she was a drow even though she had done nothing to them. He took offense on her behalf and acted. It was as simple as that for him.


    ¡°Lenna¡­ what I want you to do is¡­¡± He thought for a moment. ¡°Follow my lead. Continue to trust in me. Protect me from the front and I¡¯ll protect you from behind. Be my shield against opponents we can face directly and let me be a dagger in the back of those we can¡¯t. That is what I need from you. I¡¯m not keeping track of debts or dangers when it comes to you. All I need is a companion who will follow me wherever I decide to go. Can you do that for me?¡±


    She straightened and raised her chin. He wasn¡¯t even worried about the danger she posed to him. She knew at that moment that even if she could one day pay off the stacking debt she owed him that she would stay by his side. ¡°As you wish. My Lord.¡± She said with resolve to protect him from everything she was able to and to rely on him to handle everything else. She was his sword and shield and he was a cloak and dagger. She knelt in front of him. ¡°I swear I will¡­¡±


    Isaac cut her off. ¡°No. Don¡¯t swear it. Just do it.¡± He told her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She raised her head and met his gaze.


    ¡°Alright,¡± She nodded and stood. ¡°Isaac.¡±


    After a long moment of the two of them staring into each other¡¯s eyes like love struck school children Isaac smiled and took a deep breath. ¡°Now that the heartfelt moment is finished, let¡¯s get down to business.¡±


    ¡°What do you need from me?¡± Lenna asked and then finished braiding her hair.


    Isaac walked over to the weapons and strapped on his shortsword and dagger while talking. ¡°We tried to play nice and this is where it got us. Now we are doing things my way. They aren¡¯t going to like my way. It¡¯s time to play on something I heard once from a friend of mine. Demi-gods are made differently from mortals.¡±


    Lenna paused for a moment before asking: ¡°Are you a demi-god?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°But we need to come off as powerful enough that they want to work with us and also powerful enough that trying to get rid of us won¡¯t be worth the effort. We need them to use the truth spell and then only answer things in a way that makes us look as strong as possible.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like posturing. Anyone who¡¯s spent time in court will probably see through it.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°They would if it was just posturing. Tell me Lenna, do you think I could kill every guard in the city?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Given enough time, as long as they don¡¯t have magic items, or a powerful enough wizard, yes.¡± She answered.


    ¡°No. The correct answer is just, yes. Leave out all the ways it could go wrong and while we are in the truth spell they will have to take it at face value. That is how we are going to threaten our way into having access to the city.¡± He explained.


    Isaac grabbed his longsword then looked at Lenna for a moment. ¡°Trade.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She asked and turned to see the longsword in his hands. She took her sword belt off and handed it to him.


    ¡°We are never going to be caught without a weapon again.¡± He told her and the sword belt disappeared into his Inventory.


    ¡°That one is magical.¡± She told him as she took the sword from him and reached for his old sword belt that it was in.


    ¡°Oh. Well I guess we need to get another magic sword.¡± He replied. ¡°Now we just need to wait for the damn guard to show up. I swear if he brought an entire army back with him I¡¯m go¡­¡±


    The door to the jailhouse slammed open and in came a panting guard that they had seen not long ago. ¡°I¡­ am¡­ to¡­ bring you¡­ to see¡­ the duke and¡­ the magistrate¡­¡± He slowly got out between labored breaths.


    Isaac shared a glance with Lenna and they grabbed their backpacks just in case something went wrong and they had to make a run for it. Lenna put her helmet on and nodded at Isaac to say that she was ready. Isaac coated his armor in a thin layer of shadows to give it an eerie look. The light seemed to die on contact and it silenced his movement completely.


    Isaac walked up to the guard and looked down at him. He was still doubled over, hands on his knees, gulping air. ¡°Take us to them.¡±

 Chapter 44 Isn’t There A Spell For That?

    Chapter 44 Isn¡¯t There A Spell For That?


    The guard led Isaac and Lenna out of the jailhouse and much to Isaac¡¯s surprise, no guards tried to ambush them. He could see a pair of guards jogging in their direction two blocks down the street but they didn¡¯t look like they were expecting a fight. They looked hurried but casual. ¡®They haven¡¯t heard yet.¡¯ Isaac reasoned.


    ¡°They will escort you.¡± The guard next to them said. He was still trying to catch his breath but could at least get full sentences out now.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No. You will escort us. They may tag along.¡± Isaac ordered the guard. He spoke with the authority of a general commanding his troops on a battlefield. Except¡­ these weren¡¯t his troops and this wasn¡¯t a literal battlefield. Those two facts didn¡¯t seem to matter to the young guard however and he resigned himself to this new task.


    The new pair of guards approached and stopped in front of Isaac, Lenna, and their ¡®pet¡¯ guard. Isaac wasn¡¯t going to lose a perfect pawn now. The young guard¡¯s fear was palpable and he needed to look as strong as possible. ¡°Are you the important visitors?¡± One of the guards asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied with an even tone that left a hint of annoyance or maybe disdain in it.


    The new guards shared a look and then the one that had spoken before spoke again. ¡°Understood. Follow us.¡± The new guards then turned on their heels and started off in the direction they had come from. These guards were in plate armor like Lenna except for their open faceplates. They wore the same vest the jail crew had on over their armor. These guards had lanterns hanging at their hips with the magical, glowing, white, stones that lit up the majority of town.


    They had longswords hanging at their hips but no other visible weapons. ¡®It really is just an escort I guess. If they were trying something funny they wouldn¡¯t have just sent these two and the young idiot.¡¯ Isaac thought to himself.


    Lenna glanced at Isaac while the five of them walked towards the duke¡¯s mansion. ¡°When was the last time you fixed your hair?¡± She asked. She was slightly annoyed that his hair was never out of place and that she had to brush and braid hers regularly and his was just always tossed back without a care in the world. No matter the circumstance it was always like that. It wasn¡¯t fair.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Isaac thought for a while. ¡°After I got a bath at Ben¡¯s End. Why? Is it that bad?¡± He ran his hand through his hair to brush it back again but there were no hairs out of place to fix in the first place.


    Lenna frowned behind her faceplate. ¡°That¡¯s not fair.¡± She grumbled. ¡°No. It¡¯s perfect. Like it has been since we met.¡±


    ¡°Huh. Thanks Zei.¡± Isaac said the last part out loud even though he probably should have kept it to himself or maybe even just sent up a prayer.


    ¡°A divinity gave you perfect hair?¡± Lenna questioned. Her shock caused her too to forget about the three pairs of listening ears around them.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac confirmed. ¡°But you probably shouldn¡¯t have mentioned who Zei is out loud.¡± He nodded at the guards. The younger guard was sweating heavily despite their relaxed walking speed and the other two shared another look when Lenna had mentioned ¡®a divinity¡¯.


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    ¡°Oh.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Apologies.¡± They continued the rest of the walk in silence until they reached a pair of double oak doors. The duke¡¯s mansion was massive. Four stories, two balconies, a garden, twenty windows visible from just the front. They couldn¡¯t see the garden but from the trees that had managed to grow underground, peeking over a cobblestone wall that was at least eight feet high, it was obvious that there was one. It was also obvious that this was the single most expensive property in the entire small city.


    The guards stopped at the bottom of the three stairs that led up to the double doors. The younger one stopped as well and wearily looked at Isaac. ¡°Can-can I leave now?¡± He asked with fear clear in his voice.


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac told him. ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    The guard swallowed audibly and walked up the steps. The other two guards shared another look. This time the pair were in clear view and it was clear that the look that they had just shared meant ¡®stay quiet and out of the way or we are dead¡¯.


    The young guard opened the door and walked inside. Isaac and Lenna followed. Inside was a small room, small for the mansion anyway, that was about fifteen feet square. There were hooks for cloaks or hats and boot cleaners to ensure no one tracked anything foul into the rest of the mansion. The pair didn¡¯t stop to use any of it and Isaac just nodded forwards to the guard.


    He slowly walked over to the next set of double doors and opened one of them. He took a step inside and bowed low. ¡°My Lord.¡± He said clearly. ¡°I have brought them as requested.¡± He then stepped to the side to allow Isaac and Lenna to walk in. Lenna cut in front of Isaac quickly in order to open the other door.


    Isaac strolled through the open doors and walked confidently into the center of the grand hall. And grand it was. The hall was thirty feet wide and sixty feet long. The ceiling was twenty feet high. Every ten feet there was a pillar on each side that reached to the ceiling and at its center was a magical glowing stone to illuminate the hall. There was a red carpet rolled out the whole way from just two feet inside the room, to two feet in front of the dais, upon which a pair of large oak chairs sat.


    Isaac counted five guards on each side, to the left of the dais was a man in a set of overbearing, heavy, white and gold, plate armor without a helm. He looked to be in his fifties and was a human man. He had to be at least six feet tall and had brown hair and eyes with light tan skin. ¡®The magistrate.¡¯ Lenna thought.


    To the right stood a man in plate armor much like the guards except his vest was decorated with ribbons and metals. He looked much the same to the magistrate except his helmet was hiding his hair. ¡®The captain of the guard perhaps.¡¯ Isaac reasoned. ¡®I wonder if they are related. They look similar enough.¡¯


    Next to him was a man in flowing blue robes with a staff in his hand. His black hair looked like it was trimmed short at one point and that point was not recent. His hair was messy but his eyes were sharp. Their emerald green irises bore into Isaac. The pair could feel the magic clinging to the man. ¡®The court mage.¡¯ Lenna assumed.


    Lenna stopped a few feet behind and to the right of Isaac. Her shoulders squared and her eyes forwards. In the chairs resting on the dais were two middle aged humans. The man was graying but his dark brown hair continued to fight for survival. He had a full beard, unlike everyone who worked for him, that was well trimmed and added an air of a battle hardened lord to him. He sat casually with his blue eyes drifting over both Isaac and Lenna neutrally.


    The duke¡¯s clothes were white and red with golden threading and trim. His heavy tunic sat well on his shoulders and only seemed to make them appear bigger. His thick pants were plain brown but kept the golden threading. To his left was his duchess.


    A beautiful woman who wore an elegant white dress, that must have had a dozen layers half of which were red, with golden hair and blue eyes smiled down at the newcomers. Her hair was let to fall like water from her head and shown in the magical lighting. There were some wrinkles around her eyes but they still had a youthful vibrance. Her eyes shown, much unlike her husband¡¯s, with excitement at the pair of unscheduled guests.


    Isaac met the duke¡¯s eyes for a moment before meeting the duchess¡¯s. He gave her a polite nod and then locked eyes with the duke. Neither of them backed down for a long moment. ¡°Who, Are, You?!¡± The guard captain demanded of Isaac.


    ¡°I.¡± Isaac started. ¡°Am Lord Isaac Wexler. And this,¡± He nodded towards Lenna. ¡°Is my guard. Lenna V¡¯Nova.¡± He waited in silence as the court mage and almost tripped, the magistrate and captain¡¯s faces scrunched with anger and the duke¡¯s mouth fell agape. The duchess seemed to be struggling to hold in her laughter and the guards all gripped their weapons hard enough that Isaac and Lenna could hear their leather gloves rub against their hilts.


    ¡°Do you speak the truth?!¡± The magistrate demanded.


    ¡°Do I?¡± Isaac replied with a grin. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a spell for that?¡±


    If looks could cause a person to burst into flames then the entire room would be on fire from just his fury towards Isaac in that moment. ¡°By my oath no lies will be spoken.¡± The magistrate spoke through gritted teeth. A pulse of mana washed out from him that seemed to seep into everything and everyone.


    The duke spoke calmly after the spell had settled: ¡°I ask again. Who are you?¡±

 Chapter 45 I Like Them.

    Chapter 45 I Like Them.


    ¡°As I said before, my name is Isaac Wexler and this,¡± Isaac gestured toward Lenna. ¡°Is Lady Lenna V¡¯Nova. My bodyguard.¡±


    The duke glanced at the magistrate and the magistrate nodded. ¡°Why are you here?¡± The duke asked cautiously.


    ¡°That¡¯s complicated so let me start at the beginning.¡± Isaac replied and took a seat. His shadows poured off of him in a torrent and formed a square under him. From the bottom of the inch thick square was a column of shadows three inches thick that pressed into the floor and spread out at the bottom. Isaac leaned back lightly against some shadows that rose from the back of his seat to look like a backrest. In truth Isaac couldn¡¯t put his weight on it as it was taking practically all his incoming mana to maintain the chair and even then he was afraid to shift his weight on it.


    The court mage¡¯s eyes went wide and his mouth opened slightly in both shock and awe at the display. There was no spell, only concentrated mana being used to support a person. He had never seen anything like it and the mana that he felt being moved was easily enough to cast a ninth level spell and the man in the middle of the hall seemed to do it casually.


    The magistrate, who could also feel that mana being moved, prepared to cast a spell. His body was tense and ready but he made no visible move. The others in the hall also seemed to be surprised at the display but they couldn¡¯t feel the magnitude of mana being used in front of them. Well, except for Lenna. She had felt his power multiple times but even she hadn¡¯t seen him use so much of it constantly. She usually saw him use it in bursts like when he had killed each guard in one hit. Lenna¡¯s body language hadn¡¯t changed. She needed it to look like this was normal for Isaac¡¯s plan to work.


    ¡°My guard and I came to this city for two reasons. The first was to sign up with the Adventurers'' Guild. The second was to restock from our trip here.¡± Isaac explained and then began the story. ¡°When we arrived we were greeted by a friendly guard who told us that if we didn¡¯t want to give specific details about ourselves on entry that we would have to meet with the magistrate to ensure that we weren¡¯t spies.¡±


    ¡°As is protocol.¡± The guard captain interjected.


    Isaac threw him a withering glance before returning his gaze to the duke and regaining his neutral expression. ¡°He and two other guards took us to the jailhouse claiming that he was guiding us to the barracks to wait for said magistrate.¡±


    ¡°That is also protocol.¡± The captain interrupted again.


    ¡°Interrupt me again and I¡¯ll remove your tongue.¡± Isaac told him coldly.


    ¡°Insolence! You would dare threaten a guard in the presence of the¡­¡± The captain went on until he was stopped by a hand from the duke. The duke glanced at the magistrate again, again the man nodded.


    Isaac narrowed his eyes at the duke for a moment and then continued on with the story. ¡°Once inside, which we entered willingly, they ordered us to pile all of our gear on a table next to the entrance to the cells. At this point we were completely sure of what was happening but complied nonetheless.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°They tossed us in the cells and chained us to the walls even though we had done nothing but cooperate and ask for a meeting with the magistrate so he and his truth spell could confirm that we weren¡¯t spies.¡±


    Isaac stood up, the shadows rose with him and wrapped him in a void that ate away the light that touched it. Only Isaac¡¯s eyes were visible. The guards all tensed. Lenna rested her hand on her hilt and passed her gaze over some of the guards. The duke raised his hand again to get the guards to relax though he was still wary of what Isaac might do.


    ¡°Despite my hatred for cells and chains I complied, and Lenna, upon not seeing me resist, complied peacefully as well.¡± Isaac took another deep breath. ¡°A few minutes into our wrongful incarceration three of the four jailhouse guards entered.¡± Isaac ground his teeth and his cloak started to disperse, it came off in whisps like solar flares and the entire room dimmed. ¡°They walked into my companion¡¯s cell and started telling her about all the things they would do to her and how no one would care because she is a drow.¡±


    The duke leaned back in surprise and the duchess put her hand to her mouth. The court mage seemed slightly surprised but not nearly to the extent of the nobles. The guards and magistrate didn¡¯t even seem to register the problem of the guards actions.


    ¡°After it was apparent that they meant what they said I killed them. There are still three bodies in the cell Lenna was locked in.¡± Isaac said calmly.


    The duke looked at one of the guards in the back of the room and nodded towards the exit. The guard nodded and took off in a run, likely towards the cells.


    ¡°Now. I wanted to play nice. I¡¯m done playing nice. This is what is going to happen.¡± He told the duke. The captain visibly ground his teeth and looked ready to jump at Isaac. ¡°You are going to ensure that Lenna and I are welcome in all of your territories. You are going to give her a badge or something letting everyone know that you approve of her presence. Then you are going to grant us free lodging in this city. And finally you are going to tell your men that if any of them look at Lenna with anything less than total neutrality I will kill them, on the spot, in the middle of the street.¡±


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    When Isaac said that last part the duke glanced at the magistrate again who sighed and nodded. Lenna took her hand off her hilt and took a half step forwards. ¡°My Lord, I do not think that is necessary.¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± Isaac replied sternly.


    ¡°My Lord, I request that you reconsider. Killing guards for not liking my presence is unreasonable.¡± Lenna continued.


    Isaac didn¡¯t even turn to look at her as he responded: ¡°I have heard and acknowledge your request Lady V¡¯Nova and I reject it.¡± He said with finality.


    She took a deep breath and then returned to where she was standing and sighed. ¡°Understood, my Lord.¡±


    The duchess had covered her mouth at some point during their back and forth and was looking back and forth between them with wide eyes and a hidden grin.


    The duke cleared his throat and straightened a bit. ¡°I believe we can work something out under a few conditions. The first is that you will stay at the Celestial Dawn, so Celeste can keep an eye on you.¡± The duke glanced at his guard captain. ¡°The second is that you break no laws. If you break even one there will be hell to pay.¡±


    ¡°It depends on what the laws are. If it¡¯s just don¡¯t steal or kill people we¡¯ll be fine. If it¡¯s something stupid like don¡¯t be an asshole to the guards we might have a problem.¡± Isaac cut in.


    The duke did not appear amused and continued. ¡°The third is that you are obligated to take paid requests from me personally, much in the way adventurer requests operate. And finally¡­¡±


    He was cut off by his wife saying excitedly: ¡°You will join me for tea at some time in the future. Also if you would answer me one question and one simple request I will reward you with something you both are dearly needing.¡±


    ¡°Your terms are fair.¡± Isaac replied and nodded to the duchess with a slight smile. Her energy was much appreciated. The rest of the room was wound up like a ballista ready to fire but the duchess seemed to be enjoying the show instead of going for a knife.


    ¡°The request is easy enough. I wish to see the face of this lovely Lady you have in tow, Lord Wexler.¡± She asked with a cheery smile and expectant eyes.


    Isaac froze for a moment. He slowly turned to look at Lenna. ¡°It¡¯s up to you.¡± He told her quietly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡±


    Lenna met his eyes. ¡°I trust in you as you have trusted me my Lord.¡± Then she looked up slightly to meet the duchess¡¯s eyes. ¡°It would please me to know the Lady¡¯s name before I grant such a request.¡± She spoke her request in her deep, smooth, relaxed cadence that had enthralled Isaac when they had first met.


    The duchess smiled at her. ¡°My, my. I am Duchess Serentia Von Arbencroft. Wife to Duke Izen Von Arbencroft, ruler of Safeharbor and its surrounding territories. It is a pleasure to meet you.¡± The duchess, Serentia, spoke with the practiced authority of one experienced in the art of the court. Then she abruptly changed back to being almost playful and told Lenna: ¡°But you can call me Sera.¡±


    It took Lenna a second to formulate a reply. ¡°Perhaps in a less formal setting my Lady.¡± She replied. She took a deep breath and reached up to start unstrapping her helmet. Isaac disappeared without a trance in that very instance. The whole hall except for Lenna jumped.


    ¡°Without a spell chant¡­¡± The court mage whispered.


    As Lenna took off her helmet she spoke, loud enough for everyone to hear though it was only meant for one person. ¡°My Lord, if you save my life one more time I fear I will never repay my debt to you.¡± She then tucked her helmet under her arm and met Sera¡¯s eyes.


    The two noble women watched each other for a moment before the duchess broke the silence. ¡°Yes. That makes sense now.¡± She said quietly. ¡°You are gorgeous Lenna. May I call you Lenna?¡± The duke rubbed his temples with a hand and sighed.


    Lenna actually showed some surprise on her face even if it only for a split second. ¡°If that is your wish my Lady.¡± She replied and gave her a polite, slight, bow of her head.


    ¡°Now for my question and then on to your reward.¡± Sera declared. ¡°Lord Wexler?¡±


    Isaac reappeared standing behind Lenna and walked around her with silent steps. ¡°Isaac is fine.¡± He told her with an easy smile. His entire tone had shifted abruptly. This was partially on purpose but also because he was happy that the duchess at least seemed to like Lenna. It was a good start to people not freaking out when they saw her. The other reason was that he wanted to keep reinforcing two things to the duke and his subordinates. One was that he was extremely powerful and it was not worth pissing him off. The second was that he was easy to please but quick to anger. It made sure that the duke would be extra careful in not stepping on Isaac¡¯s toes but also showed that it was easy to make Isaac happy and a happy Isaac was the best Isaac.


    She smiled at him. ¡°Then call me Sera.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Isaac replied casually.


    She leaned in and interlocked her fingers with a devious smile. ¡°Are you two together?¡± Isaac froze for a moment trying to register her question. ¡°You know, an item, a thing, bound by love and passion.¡± She just kept laying it on.


    Isaac coughed and cleared his throat as he thought about what he wanted for the future for a moment before deciding. ¡°Not yet, Sera.¡± He replied with a grin.


    Sera giggled like a schoolgirl and Lenna¡¯s eyes shot to Isaac already raised in surprise. After a moment Sera calmed down enough to ask a follow up question: ¡°Not yet? Do you have some kind of plan then?¡±


    Isaac grinned. ¡°I do. It¡¯s quite simple. I¡¯ll just wear her down with roguish charm and flattery until she makes the first move.¡±


    ¡°Oh? You won¡¯t make the first move then? Why not?¡± Sera asked. Her full attention was on Isaac and watching Lenna¡¯s expressions from his answers.


    ¡°I¡¯m kind of in charge of her aren¡¯t I? It wouldn¡¯t be right for me to make a move when in such a situation. She, however, is more than welcome to.¡± He replied with his now constant grin.


    Sera giggled again. Her age, which was mid forties at the time, wasn¡¯t showing in the slightest. She could have been sixteen giggling at the new gossip if someone couldn¡¯t see her to know better. ¡°Well Isaac, I am going to have a letter delivered to the Silverstrand Seamstress on the corner of seventh and twentieth. She will get you your reward. Make sure to wear them when you come for tea.¡±


    Isaac couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Thank you Sera. We will.¡± He then turned to lock eyes with Lenna. ¡°I think we should stay for a while. I like them.¡±


    Lenna gave him a slight smile and then put her helmet back on. ¡°Agreed.¡± She replied.


    Sera laughed and turned to her husband. She placed a hand on his forearm and said loud enough for Isaac and Lenna to hear with a big grin on her face: ¡°I like them too.¡±


    ¡°If that is all then we will take our leave.¡± Isaac said to the owners of the very city they stood in.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± The duke sighed. ¡°That is all. I¡¯ll send a messenger to the Celestial dawn about your lodging within the hour. You are dismissed.¡± He said wearily. It looked as though this meeting aged him by ten years and gave those years to his wife. ¡°Tim, give the Lady a vest to wear. We¡¯ll come up with a better option at a later date.¡±


    The guard captain sighed and reluctantly walked up to one of the guards and had him remove his vest and hand it to Lenna. Lenna nodded to the guard and he hesitantly nodded in return before glancing wearily at Isaac who had been watching him the entire time.


    Isaac and Lenna nodded towards Izen and Sera and then turned to leave. They were at the door when Sera called out after them. ¡°Tea in one month!¡±


    Isaac nodded and replied: ¡°One month.¡± Before they walked out onto the street. Isaac took a deep breath which turned into a deeper sigh. The tension finally mostly left him and turned to look at Lenna. ¡°I have questions but first, warm food.¡±


    The two headed off to find the Celestial Dawn for a meal and hopefully soon a bed.

 Chapter 46 Next Question

    Chapter 46 Next Question


    Isaac and Lenna walked into a tavern that dominated the corner on which it sat. It was the only building within a block that was completely painted. The first floor was red stone bricks set in mortar that, towards the bottom of the second floor, transitioned into painted red wooden siding. The siding continued for the next two floors before abruptly stopping and the building was capped by a waist high picket fence. Set on the fence, in the center so it was in line with the entrance, was a wooden sun painted in bright yellows and oranges. The sun was eight feet across and was actually glowing, probably from some form of magic, which drew the eye from blocks away.


    The main entrance was a pair of wooden batwing style doors that were painted the same red as the siding. Above the entrance was the name made entirely of painted white wooden letters. Each letter was a foot tall so the name could be read from a considerable distance. ¡°The Celestial Dawn. Well it was easy to find at least.¡± Isaac said aloud.


    ¡°Where are we going to eat?¡± Lenna asked and threw on the vest she had gotten to prove that she was allowed in town. They had to wait for the duke to send a messenger for them to get a room so she was worried that everyone would find out what she was before they had even gotten one night¡¯s sleep in the city.


    ¡°Let¡¯s find out.¡± Isaac offered and walked in. Inside was the typical tavern layout. A bar with barrels and bottles lining the walls behind it, a few dozen pegs with keys hanging from them on the one side, fifteen stools placed along its length. There were two dozen or so round tables with anywhere from two to eight chairs around them.


    There were about a dozen patrons at that time and they seemed to hardly notice the pair entering. Behind the bar was a middle aged woman with graying ginger hair and scarlet eyes. Her ears were slightly pointed but her features were soft unlike most elves and half-elves. She had some wrinkles around her eyes but ran about serving drinks and talking to patrons with a brisk step and clear energy.


    Isaac walked up to the bar and sat down close to the end. He made sure to leave two open spaces to one side so Lenna could sit but she didn¡¯t even glance at it. She just stood behind him patiently waiting for him to handle the social situation. The woman behind the bar slid over to them. ¡°What can I do for you dear?¡± She asked in a sweet motherly voice.


    Isaac smiled and replied casually: ¡°We were hoping to get some warm food.¡±


    ¡°Well you have come to the right place.¡± She told him and pulled a wooden plaque out from under the counter that had a short list of dishes.


    ¡°A menu?¡± Isaac said, surprised. ¡°Um¡­ What do you recommend?¡± He asked her.


    She chuckled. ¡°Been out in the wild for a while?¡± Isaac nodded absently. ¡°The boar stew is ready if you want something fast and cheap, my son makes an amazing steak and potatoes. The fish just came in two days ago so it¡¯s still pretty fresh but we haven¡¯t been able to get one of the seasonings that really makes ours special.¡± She enlightened them.


    Isaac looked over his shoulder at Lenna. ¡°What do you want?¡± He asked her.


    Lenna thought for a moment. ¡°Cheap is good. You are still recovering. Honestly you should still be on bed rest.¡±


    ¡°That was like two weeks ago. I feel fine.¡± He told her and then turned back to the woman behind the bar. ¡°We¡¯ll take two boar stews.¡±


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    ¡°Want anything to drink with that? I had to start charging a copper for water just so ya know.¡± The woman told him.


    ¡°Just water is fine.¡± Isaac told her. He was cheap in more than just his food choices. He hadn¡¯t had anything except water to drink because it was free.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get scurvy. We¡¯ll take two apple cherry meads.¡± Lenna cut in.


    The woman chuckled. ¡°She takes good care of you. I can tell.¡± She said and winked at Isaac.


    ¡°Yeah. She does.¡± Isaac replied with a smirk. ¡°One question.¡±


    ¡°Yes hun?¡± The woman asked.


    ¡°Is there somewhere more private that we can eat?¡± He asked and glanced at Lenna for a short moment before returning his gaze to her.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ The roof is open but there¡¯s no chairs or tables up there. I haven¡¯t needed to use it in a while.¡± The woman replied. ¡°I¡¯m Celeste by the way. You two gonna be staying in town for a while?¡±


    Isaac smiled. ¡°The roof sounds great. Yeah. Izen said he¡¯d send a messenger to sort out our lodging with you. I¡¯m Isaac and that¡¯s Lenna.


    Celeste seemed to really notice the guardsmen vest Lenna was wearing and then leaned in to whisper to Isaac. ¡°You are somebody important aren¡¯t you? People don¡¯t usually call that old killjoy by his first name.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about.¡± Isaac said innocently. ¡°The letter should explain everything. If it doesn¡¯t feel free to ask away. That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll answer though.¡±


    Celeste¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°I¡¯ll get your food. Dinner is on me this time. It¡¯s not often something interesting comes through those doors.¡± She then called back through a certain door behind the bar for somebody to bring what they had ordered and poured two mugs of apple cherry mead.


    After Isaac and Lenna got their orders they headed up the three flights of stairs to the roof. Just as Celeste had said it was entirely empty. There was a thin layer of red stone dust on everything but that didn¡¯t stop Lenna and Isaac from sitting on the floor next to each other in the corner. Isaac inhaled deeply. ¡°That smells good.¡±


    Lenna removed her helmet and promptly dug in. Isaac followed her lead and they ate in silence until there was nothing left. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering.¡± Lenna started. ¡°How do you make things disappear?¡±


    ¡°Like coins and stuff?¡± Isaac asked and she nodded. ¡°No idea really. I have this window lookin¡¯ thing that I can call up with my mind and anything I put in it disappears and anything I want that is in there I can just take out. There is only one real restriction as far as I can tell. Whatever is in there still exists and thus still weighs something. That weight is then spread out across my body.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you still use a backpack.¡± Lenna reasoned.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac concurred. ¡°My turn. Why was the duke glancing at the magistrate over and over again?¡±


    ¡°The truth spell can be overpowered. He was making sure that neither of us had done that.¡± She answered.


    Isaac tilted his head in thought. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°The magic is weak. You can just force yourself to lie, if your will is strong enough, it will break¡± She explained.


    ¡°Oh. That easy huh.¡± Isaac shrugged. At least that made sense to him now. ¡°That was the magistrate right? I kinda just assumed because he was the one to cast the spell.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Next question. What did you mean by selective breeding when it came to your family?¡± He asked.


    Lenna leaned back against the fence. ¡°They marry strong warriors into the V¡¯Nova clan. Those who aren¡¯t strong enough are stripped of their surname and enlisted as guards or infantry. This makes sure every generation is as strong as possible. Both physically and mentally.¡±


    ¡°But not magically?¡± Isaac followed up.


    She shook her head. ¡°No. That is the L¡¯Vore family¡¯s thing.¡±


    ¡°I take it there¡¯s no choice in the matter?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°No.¡± She replied curtly.


    ¡°On an entirely different note, you¡¯ll have to teach me about spells and stuff. I know it¡¯s weird that I don¡¯t use them to make magical effects but I want to try.¡± Isaac told her.


    Lenna shook her head again. ¡°I can¡¯t help you. I¡¯m a paladin. Our spells are from us invoking power. That power comes from our oaths or, in my case, the broken oath. Clerics get theirs from invoking the power of their god. Warlocks from their patron. Sorcerers from their blood. Maybe a sorcerer could help you? A wizard gains magic from studying it and properly understanding the spell sigils and chants. That is what you need.¡± She explained.


    Isaac thought about everything she had just said. ¡°So when Aria brought Claus back from the dead it was her goddess¡¯ power not hers? And your fireball was from your broken oath?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She replied.


    ¡°But my power comes from the mana inside me. It¡¯s all mine. So how do I use it properly?¡± He asked.


    Lenna looked at him while he was deep in thought. She wished she could help him but their magic was fundamentally different. She leaned her head back against the fence and looked up to the cavern¡¯s ceiling. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She said quietly.

 Chapter 47 Keep Reading.

    Chapter 47 Keep Reading.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    Izen Von Arbencroft leaned forwards in his chair and interlaced his fingers when the door closed behind his two most recent ¡®problems¡¯. He set his chin on his knuckles and furrowed his brows in thought.


    The guard captain, Tim, took a step towards him and spoke: ¡°My Lord, me must deal with this problem, his insolence knows no bounds. Someone who treats you in such a way in your own halls should be executed, not rewarded.¡±


    Izen ignored him and kept trying to figure out how he was going to handle the situation. The magistrate, Gio, also took a step towards him and said: ¡°They are too dangerous to be left to roam the city. We should create a punitive force to deal with this problem as soon as possible.¡±


    The court mage, Alexander, raised his hand before voicing his dispute: ¡°He is much too powerful to attempt to kill in such a way. Did you feel the mana he wielded Sir Gio? The quantity of mana being used as a chair of all things was frightening. A man with that kind of power should be aided or at the very least left to his own devices. I can¡¯t imagine the fallout of a failed attack on him. The king should be made aware of his existence.¡±


    Izen finally acknowledged one of his advisors upon hearing the mention of the king. He sat up and turned to look at Alexander. ¡°The king? He is that powerful?¡± He looked down in thought for a moment. ¡°Actually that brings some things to light. I have never heard of someone having a V¡¯Nova as a bodyguard. At first I assumed he was lying but then¡­¡±


    Izen¡¯s voice trailed off upon seeing his door thrown open and a guard ran in holding a sheet of parchment. ¡°My liege!¡± The guard called out and quickly closed the distance to hand Izen the parchment. Izen nodded to him in thanks and took the parchment.


    After reading for a while in silence he handed the parchment to Tim. ¡°We will go with Alexander¡¯s suggestion. I will write a letter to his majesty. Until then they are both to be treated as valued allies and with respect.¡± He commanded all in the hall.


    Tim started reading, at one point he started reading aloud. ¡°Only one body could be identified¡­ heavy necrosis and disintegration¡­ eyes still open in shock¡­ almost his entire head was gone, reduced to rotted flesh and black dust?!¡± He looked up and met Alexander¡¯s eyes. ¡°What matter of magic could have done this?¡±


    Alexander paled. ¡°Nothing short of a seventh level spell.¡± he replied quietly but loud enough for them all to hear.


    ¡°Keep reading.¡± Izen commanded.


    Tim nodded and continued. ¡°Nothing but black dust and degraded bones remained buried inside a set of chainmail that was still in perfect condition¡­¡± He looked to Alexander again.


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    Alexander just shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Tim steeled himself and continued. ¡°Cell one A, where the woman known as Lady Lenna V¡¯Nove was said to have been restrained, was unlocked by a key to allow the entry of three guards in question. Cell one B, where the man known as Lord Isaac Wexler was said to have been restrained, was still locked. The cuffs were also untampered with and still locked. When questioned, the guard who locked him in the cell stated that he had made sure to lock him up properly¡­¡±


    Gio cleared his throat. ¡°We need to remove this problem before it gets even more out of hand.¡±


    Alexander took a step towards Gio. ¡°That final feat would have taken teleportation of some degree to pull off Sir Gio. If he is not killed in an instant he would escape and based on his final victim I do not doubt his ability to cast spells that even I am not aware of.¡± He looked towards Izen and met his lord¡¯s eyes. ¡°Please my liege, don¡¯t risk angering this¡­ this monster¡­¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°No mortal should be capable of the power he has shown today.¡±


    Before Izen could respond Gio cut in: ¡°You are forgetting the other problem!¡± His voice rose with the last two words of his declaration. ¡°There cannot be a drow noble walking our streets! She must be removed!¡±


    Sera, who had been sitting and listening quietly, spoke up. ¡°Sir Gio. I ask that you remember where you are. Alexander, you have proven to be well versed in all forms of magic, and your advice has never once been incorrect, however I believe it may be too soon to annoy the king with this matter.¡± She rested her hand on her husband¡¯s arm. ¡°Dear, if they want to be adventurers then why stop them? If they are truly as dangerous as you all say, then why not let them use their strength to help the people of the realm?¡±


    Izen was inclined to agree with her. No one in Safeharbor liked their neighbors, the drow empire, but Gio was zealous in his belief that they should be purged. His bias was clouding his judgment. Tim had been chosen as the guard captain because he was the only man Izen truly trusted to be unbribable and for no other reason. After thinking for a moment longer he sighed and rubbed his temples.


    Izen leaned back in his chair and looked towards the ceiling. He searched the shadows above for another answer but found none. He looked down and met each of his advisors¡¯ eyes one by one. ¡°We will leave them be and honor our agreement. If this Lord Wexler wanted to, he could kill each of us in our sleep. You all watched him disappear like I did, now we know that he can teleport. There is a chance we could kill them yes, but the risk of failing, and its resulting consequences, are too high. That is my final decision.¡±


    Sera smiled contentedly to herself. Alexander breathed out a deep sigh of relief even if he did believe it would be best to let the king know of this extremely powerful entity. Tim nodded in acknowledgement, his spirit had been crushed by the news and resulting discussion but he would trust in his lord. Gio ground his teeth and fought back a snarl.


    ¡°If that is your decision, I will handle it myself.¡± Gio declared.


    Izen¡¯s gaze shot to him. ¡°You will do no such thing.¡±


    ¡°My oath is sworn to the crown not to you Duke Arbencroft.¡± Gio reminded him.


    Izen rose to his feet. He was a few inches shorter than Gio and in much less imposing attire but that mattered little to him. ¡°I will have you removed from my city if you put it at risk. Can you even fight either of them?¡±


    Gio took a half step back and averted his gaze. ¡°I would manage.¡±


    ¡°No Gio. You would not. If you can not tell me honestly that you can be sure that you could win against either one of them, then what chances do you have against them both? Return to your duties and leave those two be.¡± Izen commanded his assigned magistrate.


    The reality of dealing with the drow noble had finally set in. It took the duke spelling it out to him but he realized that he, alone, would not be able to remove her. He nodded to the duke in understanding. ¡°I will excuse myself.¡± He said in a deflated tone and turned to leave.


    As Gio walked away Izen stared at him. ¡°I will add a warning to the letter to Celeste. I can¡¯t stop Gio from moving secretly but I can warn them and hope that they will only enact any repercussions on those that mean them harm.¡±


    ¡°I think that is a good idea.¡± Sera told him.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Chapter 48 We Remove Him

    Chapter 48 We Remove Him


    Isaac rose from his spot on the inn roof and turned to lean against the picket fence crowning its top. He looked out over the city of Safeharbor. A thousand rooftops swept out before him. He was on the roof of one of the tallest buildings. He could see a large building much like this one except it wasn¡¯t painted. He absently wondered what that building was.


    The sound of footsteps coming up the stairs broke him from his contemplation. Lenna, who had just been watching him, turned to see who was coming. She reached for her helmet but before she could get it on they heard a familiar voice. ¡°No need for that dear. It¡¯s just me.¡± Celeste told her.


    Celeste sat on the top step breathing a little heavily. Lenna glanced at Isaac who just shrugged and turned around to lean against the fence while watching the woman. ¡°The food was good.¡± He told her by way of greeting.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± Celeste replied while still breathing deeply. ¡°I¡¯m getting out of shape. It was only three flights.¡± She said mostly to herself. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m here for a reason.¡± She told them and pulled a letter out of her apron pocket.


    ¡°That was fast.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°About an hour.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°It appears Sera mentioned me.¡± She took a deeper breath. ¡°Well, this is not what I was expecting when I treated you two to dinner.¡± Celeste went on. ¡°A drow noble woman and a noble man from somewhere currently undisclosed. Three dead guards.¡± Her voice dropped as she said the next part mostly to herself. ¡°He told me to be on my best behavior, I¡¯m always on my best behavior, that old bastard.¡± She returned to speaking normally and continued. ¡°He¡¯s sending enough gold to rent out the suite.¡± She winked at Isaac.


    He shook his head and rolled his eyes. ¡°Lenna is allergic to beds¡­ or sleeping for that matter.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°Last time I slept you almost died.¡± She replied curtly.


    Celeste chuckled. ¡°Anyway, I think he told me just enough to get a point across but not enough to actually tell me what¡¯s going on.¡± She grumbled to them.


    ¡°I think that about sums it up actually. We came here to sign up with the Adventurers'' Guild and restock only to get detained and be put in the care of some rather unpleasant guards. Once we were no longer in their ¡®care¡¯ I demanded an audience and got it. Now we¡¯re here.¡± Isaac summed up for her.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Celeste was trying to understand one key thing: ¡°Why did that work?¡±


    ¡°Why did what work?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°You demanding an audience. That normally would have gotten bloody after they found out about the dead guards.¡± Celeste explained.


    ¡°They didn¡¯t find out until we were standing in front of them.¡± Isaac enlightened.


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    She thought for a moment before nodding. ¡°Well, this is all over my station so it doesn¡¯t really matter. What does matter is if you two are going to be causing trouble.¡±


    ¡°Probably.¡± Isaac answered honestly. ¡°Trouble likes to find me if I don¡¯t find it first.¡± He glanced at Lenna for a moment and then back to Celeste. ¡°It probably won¡¯t be on purpose if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about. It just tends to happen.¡±


    ¡°Izen¡¯s little note also said that if either of you step out of line to let him know but not to make a big deal of it. You got some kind of deal going on I take it?¡± Celeste asked.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah. We won¡¯t go breaking any laws or anything but he knows that his guards¡¯ lives depend on how accommodating they are to my guard.¡±


    Celeste raised her eyebrows in shock for a moment. ¡°You threatened the guard?¡±


    ¡°More like promised violence than threatened but yeah.¡± Isaac explained. Lenna just sighed and closed her eyes while leaning back against the fence.


    ¡°Part of me really wants to know the whole story but the other part is telling me to let you two be.¡± Celeste told them.


    ¡°If we stay long enough, you will find out. My Lord is horrible at keeping secrets.¡± Lenna told her.


    ¡°I am not.¡± Isaac interjected. ¡°I haven¡¯t told anybody about¡­¡± He cut himself off before he spilled the beans on something he shouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Izen¡¯s note also had a warning for you two.¡± Celeste told them. ¡°He said that Sir Gio, the magistrate, is after you. He can¡¯t do anything about it until Gio makes a move out in the open. Magistrate¡¯s are assigned by the king so Gio isn¡¯t technically one of Izen¡¯s subjects.¡±


    Isaac thought for a moment. He scratched his chin idly. ¡°Why warn us?¡± He asked.


    Celeste shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t know. He didn¡¯t say.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s afraid.¡± Lenna replied and leaned forward while opening her eyes. ¡°If something happened, and you survived, he doesn¡¯t want to suffer the consequences.¡±


    Celeste¡¯s eyes went wide. What she said made sense but Izen was the duke of the entire domain within the Innerworld that humans inhabited. He had also seen his own fair share of combat. She swallowed hard at the revelation.


    ¡°Why only if I survived?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna looked at him. ¡°They can deal with me. I can¡¯t disappear. Nor can I teleport. I also can¡¯t kill people by touching them.¡± She said, surprised that Isaac hadn¡¯t realized how high he had actually played his power up. Granted, even if he didn¡¯t realize it, that was how powerful he was.


    ¡°You think they figured out I can teleport?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°You never unlocked the shackles.¡± Lenna reminded him.


    ¡°Oh.¡± He replied.


    ¡°I see. So he sent some wizard assassin and his V¡¯Nova bodyguard to my doors so he could keep an eye on you.¡± Celeste said, exacerbated.


    ¡°Basically.¡± Isaac replied while Lenna just nodded.


    ¡°Well, you kids have fun. I¡¯m going to pretend I don¡¯t know anything.¡± Celeste told them and stood to leave.


    ¡°That¡¯s probably a good idea. So do any meals come free with the suite or no?¡± Isaac asked tentatively. He was really hoping to continue to eat for free everywhere he went. It was a ¡®gift¡¯ he thought to himself.


    Celeste just shook her head. ¡°Only one meal per day is free. This is an adventurer town. We expect you to be out for most of the day. Come down and get the key when you are ready to turn in.¡± She told them and started down the stairs.


    A little after Celeste had left Isaac looked down at Lenna. ¡°She seems nice.¡± He was happy for anybody who didn¡¯t freak out upon seeing her.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Everybody sure knows your name. I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t say it when we got to Ben¡¯s End. I almost did.¡± He confessed.


    ¡°That would have been horrible.¡± Lenna said while thinking about how quickly their journey would have ended. Even if it hadn¡¯t, Lenna probably would have ended up fighting the entire garrison.


    ¡°We made it.¡± Isaac said while looking out over the city again. ¡°We just need to be careful and we can stay here.¡±


    ¡°What about the magistrate?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Do you think you can take him?¡±


    ¡°Alone? Maybe. Together? Absolutely.¡± She replied.


    Isaac nodded to himself. ¡°Here¡¯s the plan. We wait until he makes a move then we remove him from the game. It¡¯ll be both a power play and a way to prevent future problems.¡± He explained and then continued thinking aloud. ¡°If the duke decided to warn us about him then this was always a possible outcome. He¡¯s prepared for us to remove Gio. This is also a test. If we are as strong as he thinks we are then we should be able to handle him. If not then we are a problem that was taken care of without him even having to lift a finger.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Lenna replied when he was done.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get some rest. We have to go to the Adventurers'' Guild tomorrow.¡± Isaac told her and headed down to get the key from Celeste and return their bowls.

 Chapter 49 Oh It Won’t Be That Bad.

    Chapter 49 Oh It Won¡¯t Be That Bad.


    Isaac unlocked the door to their suite and Lenna followed him inside. Isaac froze only two steps in. His eyes wide as he tried to take in the entire room at once. There was a large bed with a curtain around it in the back of the room centered against the wall. On each side of the bed was a nightstand with an oil lamp on each. On the right there was a sliding door that was open and showed an empty closet. Next to that was a dresser both tall and wide.


    To his left was an accordion door set up blocking the view to a bathtub that sat on a square, tiled, dais that sloped into the center where a drain was placed. The brass tub was about the same size as the one in the bathhouse they had been to. There was a hose that ran into the ceiling with a handle that could be turned to let out water. The hose was long enough that even though it hung against the wall it could easily be used to fill the bathtub. On a chair in the corner next to the tub was a cylindrical stone with runes carved into the top. Under it was a note.


    ¡°Woah.¡± Isaac whispered. ¡°Lenna look at this place. The bed even looks comfy for once.¡±


    Lenna smiled under her helmet. ¡°It¡¯s a bit like my old room.¡±


    ¡°Hells¡­¡± Isaac¡¯s voice trailed off. ¡°I need clothes that aren¡¯t dirty before I go sleeping on that.¡± He stated and dropped his backpack in the corner.


    ¡ª


    An hour later Isaac and Lenna walked back into their suite with a few new pairs of clothes. They were of good quality which was necessary but unfortunate for their coin purses. They had spent a platinum piece on two sets of clothes for each of them.


    Isaac took a few tired steps towards the bed. He took off his armor and tossed it on the ground. He started changing into something clean when Lenna cleared her throat. ¡°What?¡± He asked, looking over at her.


    ¡°Do you have shame?¡± She asked.


    Isaac tilted his head. ¡°In this body? No. I basically made it myself.¡± He said and then continued changing. Lenna just turned around to face the door until he was finished.


    He was unconscious within a minute of his face hitting the pillow. Lenna moved the stone off the chair and read the note. ¡®A warming stone huh. Taking a bath without needing somebody else to heat it will be nice.¡¯ She thought and set the stone and note down on the floor. She sat in the chair and watched over Isaac.


    ¡°Not yet.¡± She whispered and scoffed quietly. ¡®I can¡¯t believe he answered her with ¡®Not yet¡¯ the confidence of this man.¡¯ She shook her head. ¡®I don¡¯t think I like that he might be right.¡¯


    ¡ª


    The next day, well at least for Isaac, the two of them got their free daily meal and headed off to find the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. As it turned out the Adventurers¡¯ Guild was the tall building Isaac had been wondering about on the roof the day before. It was a large rectangular building with batwing style doors and large wooden letters over the doorway that said ¡®C.A.S.T¡¯. On the doors the acronym was spelled out for them to read. ¡®Coalition of Adventurers, Scouts, and Trackers.¡¯


    The two walked in and it looked much like Celeste¡¯s dining area with a big mirror set up on the wall. There were two bars and close to forty tables of different types, sizes, and shapes. The same went for the seating. There were chairs, stools, and benches seemingly randomly assigned to the tables. The one bar was a normal one. It had alcohol and behind it was a curtain blocking the view of the kitchen.


    The other bar had a receptionist behind it with a pile of papers and on the wall nearby was a cork pegboard with a bunch of bounties pegged to it. Isaac walked up to the bar with the receptionist. ¡°Excuse me miss.¡± He said to the woman who was only about four feet tall and quite thin. Her pale olive skin, short black hair, and long pointy ears that pointed directly away from her head was all Isaac could see of her behind the stack of papers.


    She looked up, showing Isaac her large blue eyes. ¡°Hello. My name is Alice. You look new. Gonna stay for a bit?¡± She asked in a soft and friendly voice..


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    Isaac smiled. ¡°I hope so. We are here to sign up with the Adventurers¡¯ Guild? Did we come to the right place?¡± He asked.


    Alice nodded and smiled back at him. ¡°Yes you did. The Adventurers¡¯ Guild merged with the Guild for Trackers and Scouts a while ago but jobs are still marked with a stamp on the corner for which ones are considered ¡®Combat Heavy¡¯. If you see a pair of crossed swords then those are the ones most adventurers go for.¡± She dug around for a form and handed it to Isaac.


    ¡°Actually the reason we are here specifically is that we want to skip the form.¡± Isaac told her and handed the paper back.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Alice replied. ¡°I see. Um. I take it you came from Ben¡¯s End then?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Alright. I will see if the Guild Master is available to test you. Wait here.¡± She told him and hopped off her stool. She went through a door that Isaac hadn¡¯t noticed in the back of the room. He scanned the rest of the room but the patrons seemed really normal.


    A few people in different types of armor with different types of weapons. Three people caught his eye however. Those three didn¡¯t have a weapon and they either didn¡¯t wear armor at all or had very light armor on. They didn¡¯t look particularly strong either. Isaac could barely sense a higher concentration of mana around them but that was only because he was trying to.


    ¡°Mages?¡± Isaac asked Lenna.


    ¡°Yeah. Four of them.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Four?¡± He asked. ¡°Where¡¯s the fourth?¡±


    ¡°In the corner on the left. Table has three warriors at it. The guy in the back. Cleric to a war deity.¡± She explained.


    Isaac saw who she was talking about. A large man in heavy armor with a mace at his hip, his helmet on the table, and his shield slung on his back. ¡°Damn.¡± He looked at Lenna. ¡°What is the difference between someone like him and a paladin when it comes to combat?¡±


    ¡°War clerics are much stronger casters. They don¡¯t have auras and can¡¯t infuse their strikes with mana. Weaker melee attacks but stronger spells.¡± Lenna explained.


    ¡°I see.¡± Isaac thought that that sounded better in a team like the man looked to be in. He was a combat healer who could also kick ass. Isaac however was glad to have Lenna instead. He didn¡¯t need a combat healer. He needed a one woman army who could heal in a pinch.


    A minute later Alice came back and hopped back up onto her stool. ¡°He¡¯ll be ready in a few minutes. He¡¯ll take the two of you to the arena and test you the hard way. My partner should be off of her lunch break soon and I¡¯ll go with you to officiate the test.¡± She took a deep breath. It looked like she had run down the stairs and then began a speech immediately afterwards. ¡°Any questions?¡±


    ¡°I take it the specifics will be explained on the way or at this arena?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Basically just don¡¯t try to actually kill each other and only use the training weapons that are at the arena.¡± Alice told them.


    ¡°What about magic?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°I have some¡­ spells¡­ that are nonviolent but I have one that is absolutely lethal.¡±


    ¡°I would ask you to not use the lethal one.¡± Alice told him. ¡°The others are fine¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°What about Lenna¡¯s fireball? That is probably survivable.¡± He said then looked at Lenna. ¡°Right?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t die when I fireballed myself.¡± Lenna said neutrally.


    Alice¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Um¡­ Well¡­ I¡­ Uh, I think that should be fine¡­ I¡¯ll ask the Guild Master just to be sure.¡± She stammered out. Just as she had finished, the door she had disappeared through earlier opened up again.


    Out walked a tall but thin man. His skeleton was thin but his muscles were toned to perfection. Some of them could be seen under his pale blue toga. He wore tan baggy pants that were tucked into a pair of leather boots. The boots looked like they were thinned and lightened wherever possible but they still maintained their structural integrity. His toga was tied closed with a silken rope. Hanging from the rope was a sleeve that was about a foot long and looked like it was waiting for a scabbard to be set inside it.


    In his hand was a sword as big as he was. The long slightly curved blade was at least five feet long and the handle was another foot. It was in a cherry red wooden scabbard that had a golden viper striking at a pink flower on it. He was a pale skinned man with green eyes and blonde hair that was pulled back into a high ponytail. He looked to be in his forties and he walked with power and grace. The floorboards didn¡¯t even seem to notice his steps as he approached.


    ¡°Guild Master.¡± Alice said and gave him a slight bow.


    He gave her a nod and reached a hand out to Isaac. Lenna was a step behind him as she usually was. ¡°I¡¯m Edward, The Blade Master.¡±


    Isaac took his hand and shook it. ¡°I¡¯m Isaac. The dark mage.¡± He said with a smirk.


    Edward raised an eyebrow. ¡°A mage?¡± He glanced at Isaac¡¯s shortsword and dagger. ¡°Can you use those?¡±


    ¡°Sort of. I¡¯m still learning.¡± Isaac told him. ¡°But that isn¡¯t what most people should be worrying about.¡±


    ¡°I see. Why don¡¯t you want to be Identified, Isaac?¡± Edward asked.


    Neither of the men had let go of each other¡¯s hand. ¡°I have an ability that could kill you before you could draw that sword. That¡¯s why.¡± Isaac told him. Isaac¡¯s smirk had turned into a grin and the swordsman smirked back


    ¡°Warlock?¡± Edward asked.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No. I heard warlocks get their power from someone else. I assure you, this is all mine.¡± Isaac said and flooded the area in shadow mana.


    The entire hall dimmed. The patrons stopped mid conversation or mid bite and all eyes went to the encounter. Isaacs shadows poured across the floor and they seemed to cling to him which hid his form entirely except for his eyes which he specifically guided the shadows around. Edwards smirk faded at the display. He didn¡¯t have mana and thus he couldn¡¯t sense it but he had fought mages before and a display like this was the stuff of extremely high level illusions.


    Isaac chuckled deeply and darkly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He asked in his deep gravelly tone that had scared the Ori-Masa all those days ago.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t fought a high level shadow sorcerer before.¡± Edward confessed. ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±


    The shadows all poured back into Isaac or simply faded away. ¡°Oh it won¡¯t be that bad.¡± He replied with a smile back in his normal voice.

 Chapter 50 I’ll Fight Her First.

    Chapter 50 I¡¯ll Fight Her First.


    The group of four, Alice, Edward, Isaac, and Lenna, headed downtown to the arena. It was really just a massive sand pit with stands a dozen rows deep circling it. There was one section for VIPs and two entrances that were opposite each other. The pit was two hundred feet across and a perfect circle. They all stopped about fifty feet in to discuss what was to come.


    ¡°I¡¯ll fight her first. She¡¯s the one that is actually getting tested here.¡± Edward said while looking at Lenna before he turned to Isaac and continued speaking. ¡°After your little display in the Guild Hall I¡¯d say you are at least level fourteen. What is your highest level spell?¡±


    ¡°That is what I¡¯m trying to hide.¡± Isaac replied.


    Edward looked at him for a moment before sighing and nodding. ¡°Alright.¡± He walked twenty feet away from the rest of the group. ¡°Okay knight. What¡¯s your name, class, and what level do you want me to put on your guild card?¡±


    Lenna walked out so she was ten feet from him but still twenty feet from the other two like he was. ¡°Lenna. Paladin. Level ten.¡± She replied curtly.


    ¡°Nothing else huh?¡± Edward asked and drew his sword from its scabbard before sheathing it again and drawing it once more. The second time he drew it the blade was dull in both color and edge.


    ¡®Did he just switch swords? That¡¯s so cool.¡¯ Isaac thought to himself.


    Lenna drew her sword. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait, wait!¡± Alice yelled before running back towards where they came from. She returned a few seconds later with a dulled longsword that was almost as big as she was. ¡°Dulled weapons, remember? No deaths today.¡±


    Lenna nodded and sheathed her sword before grabbing the one from Alice. She returned to her position. ¡°Ready?¡± She asked Edward.


    He tossed his scabbard to the side and held his sword with one hand. The dull backside of the blade was resting on his shoulder. ¡°When you are.¡±


    ¡°You want both hands.¡± Lenna told him.


    Edward raised his eyebrows for a moment in surprise before grabbing his sword with both hands and nodding to her.


    Lenna crossed the ten feet between them in two quick steps then a lunge. She brought the dulled longsword down in a vertical chop like a machete. Her whole weight was behind it and he moved to block. In his arrogance he assumed that he, being a higher level than her, could simply block her attack.


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    A moment before impact her blade ignited and she slammed her aura down on him. The combined weight of her aura and her flame enhanced strike pushed him back a few inches in the sand. His knees almost gave out. His sword had only managed to almost stop her strike. Her blade hit his toga at the shoulder and then it was stopped by some invisible force. The flames didn¡¯t even burn the cloth even though they were obviously close enough.


    Lenna followed her strike up by transitioning into a quick stab. He parried her attack and went in for his own. She hacked into his sword instead of simply blocking it. The blades recoiled and then met again. After four more exchanges Edward disengaged.


    ¡°You are quite good, elf.¡± Edward told her.


    ¡°Let my flames consume all before me.¡± Was Lenna¡¯s reply as her cone of fire flew at him. He dodged to the side and sliced hard at the edge of the cone. The little bit of flames that would have hit him were smothered by his strike. The sand directly under his swing was disturbed by the wind pressure of his blade.


    Lenna didn¡¯t wait and closed the distance again. ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡± She asked as he was forced to block another one of her heavy strikes.


    ¡°Your swordsmanship is too good for a human paladin.¡± He replied and swung at her only for her to chop into his sword again. ¡°Too much time to train. Not enough real combat.¡±


    He spun with the recoil and drove a lightning quick slash toward her helmet on her off hand side. His eyebrows shot up as she uppercutted his sword with her free hand. Her hand was coated in fire for only half a second before it went back out. She needed to conserve mana. Lenna brought her blade down in a heavy diagonal strike towards Edward¡¯s shoulder where he had been hit before.


    He struck her blade with his to knock it off course. He quickly turned his blade around and swung for her head. She leaned back and it skipped off her faceplate. ¡®It better not break again.¡¯ She thought. She stepped back and he pressed the fact that she was now on the back foot. His first strike was powerful but fast. He was planning to use it to keep the momentum in his favor.


    Lenna had other ideas. She slammed her blade into his as hard as she could. Her blade bit deep into his. Every attack that she had made had always been aimed at his sword. The same place on its blade in fact. She had made sure to spread out the punishment on her own blade but concentrate it on the same place on his.


    She yanked hard and his blade snapped. He stumbled from the jolt and she stumbled from how hard she yanked. The two met eyes with only five feet between them as they regained their footing. ¡°I have trained for two hundred and fifty years. What about you?¡± Lenna asked.


    He lunged at her with his broken sword. She ignored it and swung at his face. He parried her flaming blade with his bare hand and stabbed the broken edge of his sword into the weak part of her armor around her armpit. It didn¡¯t faze her and she drove her fist towards his elbow.


    In a blindingly fast movement he parried her fist then drove the hilt of his sword into the side of her helmet. She swung with her sword. He parried and hit her again, this time with his broken blade. Lenna was heavily winded and running low on mana at this point but she was not one to lose quietly. ¡°Come forth,¡± Another parry and counter attack. This one Lenna blocked with her forearm. ¡°Ember of a dying star.¡±


    Isaac watched in awe as Lenna blew both herself and the Guild Master up. She went flying ten feet back before impacting the sand. Edward slid seven feet back with his knees bent and his arms crossed in front of his face. His toga was gone and in its place was a set of full-plate that shone in the arena¡¯s torch light, only on the back though. The front of his armor was blackened and he coughed.


    Isaac jogged over to Lenna as she struggled to push herself up onto her elbows. ¡°You are freakin¡¯ crazy.¡±


    She looked up at him and took his extended hand. ¡°I am freakin¡¯ exhausted.¡± She replied, borrowing his word.


    Edward shook his head to try and clear it. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± He groaned out. ¡°Alice. Give her level ten and whenever she says she leveled up just mark it down.¡± He staggered over to the receptionist who handed him a vial of red liquid. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°What if she lies about it?¡± Alice asked.


    ¡°Then she lies. I¡¯m not getting fireballed every time she says she leveled up.¡± Edward replied. He looked down at his armor and sighed. ¡°Bedazzle¡± He said and the armor changed back into his toga and pants.


    ¡°Wait. What was that?¡± Isaac asked.


    Alice looked over at him with a defeated look on her face. ¡°An enchantment for those with too much money to waste.¡± She replied.


    ¡°It was NOT a waste.¡± Edward replied. ¡°Imagine if I would have tried to fight her while actually wearing a toga.¡± Alice just shook her head wearily in response. ¡°Give me a minute and then I¡¯ll be ready to get blown up again, mister shadow sorcerer.¡± Edward told Isaac and sat down in the sand.

 Chapter 51 I Was About To Run Out Of Mana.

    Chapter 51 I Was About To Run Out Of Mana.


    Isaac helped Lenna to her feet. ¡°How much does that armor weigh?¡± He asked. She had almost tipped him over while he was helping her stand.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t ask a woman her weight.¡± Lenna replied.


    Isaac rolled his eyes. ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I meant. You flew like ten feet from your own fireball. How?¡±


    ¡°I jumped.¡± Lenna replied.


    Isaac thought for a moment. ¡°Yeah that makes sense. Rolling with a punch but with an explosion. That totally works the same.¡± He was only being slightly sarcastic. In theory it would slightly help the blast to not hit her as hard but instead throw her farther.


    Lenna shook her head at his antics. ¡°You should find a sword.¡± She told him.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Hold on.¡± He surrounded them both in an orb of shadows to obscure any watchful eyes. He then poured some death mana into and over her for a moment. When it felt like his mana had taken a noticeable hit he stopped and then let the shadows fade.


    Lenna rolled her shoulders. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Now you can come help me find a sword. Preferably long and light.¡± Isaac told her.


    ¡°Like a rapier? Don¡¯t you slash a lot? You¡¯ll break it.¡± She replied and the two of them headed off to find a training sword.


    A few minutes later they returned. Isaac had settled on a hand and a half thrusting sword. It was too heavy to be called a rapier as it had a thicker blade and a longer hilt. It was also too thin and light to be called a conventional longsword. It had a squared cross guard with no embellishments. The blade was about three and a half feet long and the hilt another six inches. The cross guard and pommel each added an inch to the overall length of the sword.


    Isaac took a few practice swings and stabs with it before nodding in acceptance of his new weapon. The weight was perfect and it solved his main problems with both the longsword and his shortsword. It was both light enough to one hand and long enough to hit without getting hit back.


    He was standing a few feet away from Edward and Alice. Lenna was standing right beside him and he turned to look her in the eye. ¡°You were going to teach me right?¡± He asked her.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She replied. ¡°First I will tell you why Edward turned the tables on me so fast.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Isaac said and walked a few feet away from her and then squared off against her.


    She rolled her shoulders and neck then continued her lecture. ¡°There are three types of power. Skill, might, and magic. As a paladin I am balanced between all three. That means that any rogue worth the name should be better than me. Any barbarian, stronger. Any wizard, more mana and larger spells.¡±


    ¡°So you can¡¯t be great at all of them?¡± Isaac asked and took a slow swing at her. She parried it and countered with her own slow stab.


    ¡°No. The gods limit us.¡± She replied. Isaac transitioned into a parry himself and then into a slash.


    Edward chimed in from his seat in the sand. ¡°It¡¯s more nuanced than that.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Why don¡¯t you know this anyway?¡± Lenna parried Isaac¡¯s slash and moved to slash him back.


    ¡°Amnesia.¡± Isaac replied. It was a comfortable lie that actually made sense. Just claiming to be a noble wouldn¡¯t get him out of asking a question like that. He and Lenna exchanged parries and slashes or stabs again. ¡°So what are these limits?¡± Lenna upped the tempo.


    ¡°Sure¡­¡± Edward replied to Isaac¡¯s first statement. He didn¡¯t fully believe Isaac but was willing to let it go for now. ¡°Imagine you have six points. You have three options like your paladin over there said. Each class has those points allocated differently. I, as a warrior, specifically one who focused solely on the blade, have mine split between physical power and skill. Probably more towards the skill.¡±


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    ¡°Our physical power was similar. As long as I used my magic anyway.¡± Lenna interjected to keep the conversation on target while she continued to help Isaac get used to his sword.


    ¡°Once I got serious, I stopped trying to meet her on her terms and abused my superior skill and speed. Fighting an opponent that is both faster and more skilled is a death sentence.¡± Edward continued.


    ¡°His level advantage was the greatest problem. My magic would have been enough.¡± Lenna explained.


    ¡°I¡¯m level seventeen. You are level ten. If I lost I wouldn¡¯t be able to call myself the Guild Master.¡± Edward retorted.


    ¡°So Lenna has her six points split evenly between all three but she used her magic to up her physical power to match or even exceed yours?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Edward replied. ¡°Some classes are super lopsided. Paladins, some rangers, some magical warriors, all are pretty balanced. Magical rogues and most rangers are an even split between skill and magic but tend to be more towards the skill end. Mages¡­ like you, tend to just have everything into magic. The scary ones anyway. I can fight a spellblade. Dodge a few spells and power through their magical tricks or out skill their buff spells and it¡¯s a win.¡± He shook his head defeatedly. ¡°Can¡¯t do anything against Time Stop, or forced teleportation to another plane. Flight is just unfair. How am I supposed to parry a fireball?¡± He threw his hands up in defeat.


    ¡°I believe you are all in.¡± Lenna told Isaac.


    ¡°My class puts all my points into magic is what you are saying?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She affirmed. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t get good at swordsmanship.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­ What does it mean then?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Lenna thought for a moment on how to explain it before Edward cut in. ¡°It means that your level won¡¯t really come into account when you are fighting with a sword. There will be no boost from the universe. The system that governs magic won¡¯t help you like it does her and I. You will be on your own.¡± Edward told him.


    Isaac thought for a moment. ¡°Hard work beats talent when talent doesn¡¯t work hard. All I have to do is try harder than anybody else and I¡¯ll still beat them is what I am hearing. I¡¯m just not talented.¡±


    Edward contemplated Isaac¡¯s words for a little while. ¡°That¡¯s not entirely right but it gets the point across well enough.¡± He stood and stretched. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s get this over with.¡±


    Isaac and Lenna disengaged from each other. Isaac and Edward walked out a few paces so they had room to fight. ¡°You are sure somebody can¡¯t just resurrect him so I can use my instant kill move?¡± Isaac asked Alice. Her eyes went wide and she shook her head quickly multiple times.


    Edward ignored him and asked his questions. ¡°Name, class, and level?¡±


    ¡°Lord Isaac Wexler. Mage. One level under Lenna at all times.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°You are one unhelpful bastard.¡± Edward replied. ¡°Ready when you are.¡±


    Isaac disappeared and walked a few steps farther away. ¡°I have an idea.¡± Isaac said to himself. He could now think out loud because nothing could hear him. He created a pair of rods, half an inch around and as long as his hand, out of shadows. He threw them at Edward. Once they were a foot away from his hand Edward saw them and easily parried both rods.


    ¡°Conjured thrown weapons? That¡¯s a new one.¡± Edward said and continued scanning the sand for any trace of Isaac.


    In his shadow cloak Isaac didn¡¯t even disturb the sand that he walked on. He started running around the side of Edward and threw another dozen rods in quick succession. Edward parried them all with ease. ¡°Well, it¡¯s cool at least.¡± He said to himself.


    ¡°Invisibility is a fourth level spell. That puts you at at least level seven. That¡¯s assuming you haven¡¯t picked up a second class. That would drastically lower your maximum potential. There is a level cap of twenty so keep that in mind.¡± Edward told him. Unlike Edward and Lenna¡¯s fight this one was more of a teaching moment. Edward was teaching Isaac about the world and he was learning about shadow sorcerers. At least that¡¯s what he thought.


    Isaac reappeared fifteen feet away from Edward. He only removed the shadows from in front of his eyes and made a little hole near his mouth so Edward could hear him. ¡°So I need to show you something bigger than going invisible and becoming completely silent at the same time?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°If it¡¯s all one spell and not an item making you silent then I could see you being level nine and that being a fifth level spell.¡± Edward conceded.


    ¡°So are we done?¡± Isaac asked.


    Edward smiled and shook his head. ¡°We could be. But I want to see what you can do.¡± He told him.


    Isaac disappeared and took a few steps to the side. He started circling Edward. He reappeared. His voice deepened and got gravely as he started chuckling darkly. He disappeared again. Two seconds later he reappeared and continued. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t survive.¡± Then he disappeared again. He continued vanishing and reappearing in between each sentence. ¡°I would kill you.¡± Gone and then back. ¡°In a single touch.¡± Gone then back. ¡°Turn you into ash.¡± Again. ¡°All from your shadow.¡±


    Edward¡¯s smile faded as he counted the amount of times Isaac had disappeared. Invisibility wasn¡¯t a toggle spell. It was either on or off. If he really was casting it silently over and over again his mana pool had to be enormous. Edward had fought mages plenty of times but this was getting ridiculous.


    Isaac vanished and reappeared again. ¡°Do you think¡­¡± Gone and back again. ¡°that there is¡­¡± Again. ¡°a shadow sorcerer¡­¡± Again. ¡°who could best me?¡± Isaac asked. This time he stayed visible to wait for Edward¡¯s reply.


    ¡°No. Twelve casts of Invisibility is ridiculous. That¡¯s not counting the conjured thrown weapons, whatever you did to heal Lenna after our fight, the display at the Guild Hall, and the ball of shadows.¡± Edward thought for a moment. ¡°I also haven¡¯t heard you cast a single spell which means you¡¯ve been quiet casting this entire time. That alone is unheard of. The amount of mental drain to do that must be insane.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Isaac made more shadows and spread them thickly across the ground. ¡°Does that mean, that I, can claim the title, of Lord of Darkness itself?¡±


    Edward chuckled darkly to himself. ¡°I doubt anyone that isn¡¯t a demigod could take that title from you.¡± His face relaxed and his eyes opened wide in realization. ¡°Have you actually cast a spell at all?¡± He asked.


    Isaac just laughed deeply and darkly before disappearing again.


    Edward turned to look at Alice who was frozen, wide eyed, she was trembling slightly. ¡°Put whatever he wants on his card. This test is over.¡± He said.


    Isaac reappeared and started breathing hard. ¡°Thank the gods.¡± He said and put his hands on his knees. ¡°I was about to run out of mana.¡±

 Chapter 52 Alright. I’ll Trust You Two.

    Chapter 52 Alright. I¡¯ll Trust You Two.


    Edward led Isaac and Lenna back to the Adventurers'' Guild. Alice was lagging behind and making sure to give Isaac a wide berth. They walked in silence until they were in front of the Guild Hall. ¡°You two. In my office. We have some things to talk about away from listening ears.¡± Edward told Isaac and Lenna.


    Isaac and Lenna shared a look. The question of whether or not this was some kind of trap passed between them. They decided that even if it was, the odds of them surviving were actually quite high. They followed Edward inside and through the door in the back. The door led to a stairwell up to the second floor. At the top of the stairs was another flight and a hallway.


    There were a dozen doors that lined the walls of the wide and long hallway. Edward led them to the end where he opened the door with a key that was hidden and tied around his wrist. He didn¡¯t wait for them and walked up to a liquor cabinet.


    Inside the room was a large wooden desk, a few magical glowing stones inside paper lanterns, four chairs arranged in a line on their side of the desk, a larger chair on the opposite side, a wide and tall bookshelf across one wall, and the liquor cabinet. ¡°Brandy?¡± Edward asked as he poured himself a glass.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Isaac replied as he carefully entered the room. Once he and Lenna were inside Edward turned around and gestured to the door.


    ¡°Close and lock that. We need the privacy.¡± He said, seemingly unaware of the other two¡¯s worry.


    Isaac looked at Lenna and nodded. She walked over to the door and closed it. Nothing happened. She turned the lock. A light pulse of mana went out around the room and across the walls where it seemed to just hang in place. ¡°What was that?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°A silence enchantment.¡± Edward told him. ¡°Now nobody will hear what is said in here.¡± He gestured to the chairs that were close together. ¡°Sit. We have a lot to talk about.¡±


    Isaac tentatively took a seat and Edward sat on his desk a few feet away with his brandy in hand. He took a sip and Lenna took up her position right behind Isaac¡¯s right shoulder.


    ¡°Alright. Give it to me straight. What is actually going on? I gave you what you want now I need you to do the same.¡± He told them.


    Isaac and Lenna were stunned at how sincere and straightforward he was. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Isaac said. ¡°Here is what I¡¯m willing to give you.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°Izen, the duke, approved of us being here under a few conditions.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Edward took another sip.


    ¡°Basically we stay out of trouble and stay where he wants us to stay.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°In exchange he pays for our lodging and lets the guards know that if they¡­ look at Lenna¡­ there is a chance that I will kill them.¡±


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    ¡°Kill them? Look at her? Explain.¡± Edward told him.


    Isaac glanced over his shoulder to Lenna and then back at Edward. ¡°Lenna is a drow.¡± Isaac told him.


    Edward just stared at the floor for a moment in thought. ¡°The vest is proof then?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yeah¡± Isaac answered.


    ¡°What will I find out if I ask him about you?¡± Edward questioned.


    ¡°Three dead guards that were all basically unrecognizable and obviously got one hit killed.¡± Isaac started with a deep breath. ¡°The agreement of basically mutual understanding and cooperation.¡±


    ¡°Nothing else?¡± Edward continued his questioning.


    Isaac thought for a moment. ¡°Sera invited us over for tea.¡± He thought for a moment more. ¡°There are some things he will probably uncover eventually but nothing that is really that important.¡± Isaac told him.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Edward sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll trust you two.¡± Edward said after taking another sip. ¡°I¡¯m still going to go talk to him.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Trust but verify.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for this.¡± Edward told them. ¡°Like I said before, I am Edward, the Blade Master, Guild Master, and seventeenth level warrior. I hope that this will, at the very least, be a relationship I don¡¯t hate.¡± He offered his hand to Isaac.


    Isaac stood and took it. ¡°Well, I am Lord Isaac Wexler, Dark Mage. I''m thinking about adding the ¡®Lord of Darkness¡¯ title but I¡¯ll wait a little while on that one. I also hope this, at the very least, is not an unpleasant relationship.¡±


    Edward offered his hand to Lenna as well. She took it. ¡°Lady Lenna V¡¯Nova, Oathbreaker, Guardian of Lord Isaac Wexler, tenth level paladin.¡±


    Edward froze. ¡°V¡¯Nova?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Lord Izen knows?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yeah and everyone else that was in the hall when he met with him.¡± Isaac answered for her.


    ¡°That¡¯s good enough for me.¡± Edward replied. ¡°Now if you don¡¯t mind I think I¡¯m going to get another drink.¡±


    ¡°Then we will leave you to it.¡± Isaac told him and started toward the door. He unlocked it and Lenna followed him out. ¡°See ya around.¡±


    ¡°Guild Master.¡± Lenna said farewell with a nod of respect.


    He waved to them with his drink hand. ¡°Later.¡±


    Lenna closed the door and she and Isaac started walking down the hallway. ¡°Well that went well.¡± Isaac said.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied.


    The two of them walked down to the receptionist¡¯s desk and met Alice. The woman was still shaken by Isaac¡¯s display from earlier and wouldn¡¯t meet his gaze. ¡°What can I do for you?¡± She asked quietly.


    ¡°Badges?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Oh¡­ I apologize but they will not be ready until tomorrow.¡± She replied like a servant who was afraid to get hit for delivering bad news.


    Isaac frowned. ¡°Alice?¡± He said sweetly.


    ¡°Y-Yes?¡± She replied.


    ¡°Just treat me like a normal adventurer. You¡¯re making this awkward.¡± He explained.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± She said, he raised his eyebrow at her. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± That time she said it with some resolve in her voice. She still wouldn¡¯t meet his gaze but it was progress.


    ¡°That¡¯s all I ask.¡± Isaac told her with kindness in his voice. ¡°We¡¯ll be back tomorrow. How late?¡±


    ¡°Mid day.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Okay. Have a good rest of your day Alice.¡± Isaac bid his farewell and left with Lenna in tow.


    ¡°You as well.¡± Alice called after them.


    Outside the guild Isaac stopped. ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on her getting so scared. I hope it doesn¡¯t make anything more difficult.¡± He said to both Lenna and himself.


    ¡°You can be quite scary.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m not used to that reaction though. Usually people are wary or feel threatened. Sometimes they are afraid but that was only really that one guard and he was the next in line to get disintegrated.¡± Isaac went on as they walked down the street towards the Silverstrand Seamstress.


    ¡°Normal people are weak.¡± Lenna told him.


    Isaac frowned. ¡°I know¡­ at least I think I do¡­ It¡¯s hard to really understand. Like why don¡¯t they get stronger?¡±


    ¡°Not everyone wants to fight. Many hope guards will fight for them.¡± Lenna explained.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Isaac¡¯s voice trailed off in thought. ¡°What about when guards aren¡¯t around? Then what?¡±


    ¡°They die.¡± Lenna said matter of factly.

 Chapter 53 Oh To Be Young Again.

    Chapter 53 Oh To Be Young Again.


    Isaac stopped and looked up at a wooden sign. ¡°The Silverstrand Seamstress.¡± He read aloud. ¡°Well, this is the place.¡±


    The shop was unlike most of the other stores and shops around in that it actually had display windows. The entire front of the building was full of windows showing expensive dresses and suits. Most of them in varying shades of gray.


    Lenna walked up and pulled the glass door open. A little bell chimed. She held the door and looked at Isaac. ¡°After you, my Lord.¡±


    Isaac broke out of his inspection of the clothes in the window and looked at her. ¡°Oh, uh, thanks.¡± He stammered out and walked inside.


    A short woman with wide shoulders, gray eyes, khaki skin, and ginger hair, that was halfway through its transition to gray, walked out of a back room. ¡°What can I help¡­¡± Her voice trailed off. ¡°The Lord and his Lady I presume?¡± She asked.


    The inside of the shop was full of manikins that each wore some expensive set of attire or another. ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied and met her gaze with an easy smile. ¡°Sera said that you would be able to help us, miss¡­¡±


    She smiled in return. ¡°Jessica, Jessica Silverstrand.¡± She answered. ¡°Please, come to the back and I can get your measurements. While I do that we can talk about what would look best on you and what kind of attire you are looking for.¡±


    ¡°Straight to business. I like it.¡± Isaac replied and let Jessica lead them into a back room.


    As Jessica led them into the back she continued talking. ¡°Sera told me to expect the unexpected with you.¡± She told them.


    ¡°Oh? And what were you expecting?¡± Isaac asked with a grin on his face and amusement in his voice.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± She replied.


    Isaac laughed and Lenna grinned under her helmet. ¡°Fair enough.¡± He said. ¡°So¡­ I had some ideas for Lenna¡¯s dress.¡±


    Lenna froze mid step and then continued into the side room. ¡°Should I be worried?¡± She asked Isaac.


    The room that the two of them were led into was mostly empty with a bench that had a variety of measuring equipment and a notepad on it. There were two wooden chairs against the wall and another door against the opposing wall. Isaac smiled to himself from Lenna¡¯s question as he took a seat. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    Jessica laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry my Lady, I¡¯m sure we can find something you both will like.¡±


    Lenna closed the door behind her as she was the last one in. She took off her helmet and tucked it under her arm. ¡°Him first.¡± She told the shorter woman.


    ¡°Black, form fitting but breathable and unrestrictive.¡± Isaac said as he stood back up from his chair.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Jessica eyed them both. ¡°Sera also told me that you both would clean up nicely.¡± She smiled and grabbed a measuring tape. ¡°I think she is right.¡±


    ¡ª


    Two hours after entering, Isaac and a now rearmored Lenna exited the Silverstrand Seamstress. ¡°I am really liking not having to hide you.¡± Isaac told Lenna as they headed to a nearby smithy.


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°A one piece dress?¡± She asked after a moment of silence.


    ¡°Yes. You will look stunning.¡± Isaac assured her.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Lenna tried to argue but was having trouble finding an excuse that hadn¡¯t already been shut down by Isaac and then Jessica who had taken his side. ¡°It¡¯s scandalous.¡±


    ¡°It is not. There is still going to be that wire and padding on the inside.¡± He assured her while rolling his eyes. ¡°Now let¡¯s go get those throwing spikes so you can put your hair up.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± She tried again to argue but fell silent and followed him to the smithy a street over that specialized in the more ¡®unique¡¯ weapons. Lenna had finally stopped mentioning her lack of weapon concealment options with Isaac¡¯s dress choice when Jessica had mentioned putting her hair up with throwing spikes. Shining steel ones would do for now but Jessica was adamant that Lenna would need to get enchanted silver ones for the future.


    They had passed a handful of guards on their trip through town and only one had even given them a look of curiosity. The rest either pretended not to notice them, didn¡¯t notice them, or simply gave a polite nod and then ignored them. As they passed another guard Isaac smiled to himself. ¡®Good. Izen got the word out.¡¯


    Lenna was very easy to spot. She was in her burnt, singed, scraped, and weathered full-plate with only a little of the purple paint still on, mostly on her back, and the guardsman vest. She was glad that it seemed to have some kind of enchantment on it otherwise it would have been shredded from her fireball earlier.


    The two of them both came to the same conclusion. If no guards stopped them to ask about the vest then that meant that the duke had made sure the word got out to avoid them. They stopped at the entrance to the smithy.


    The wooden sign that hung in front of the solid wood door was dusty but otherwise mostly unweathered, due to the lack of actual weather underground. The two of them entered and were met by a boy no older than Gregory and even thinner. The blonde, green eyed boy that worked the counter in this smithy smiled at them. ¡°How do ya do?¡± He asked.


    Isaac nodded at him. ¡°Fine. Can you help us get a pair of throwing spikes?¡± He asked.


    The boy nodded and walked out from behind the counter. He walked over to a display cabinet. ¡°Like these?¡± He asked while gesturing at a pair of shining steel rods that gradually thinned into a point. They were each seven inches long and a quarter of an inch at their thickest. In the cabinet there were eight more of them.


    ¡°Exactly like those.¡± Isaac replied and walked over to the cabinet. ¡°How much?¡± He asked.


    ¡°A silver each or eight silvers for the whole set.¡± The boy told him.


    Isaac thought for a moment. His mind went back to all those times he had left a weapon inside one of his opponents and how sharp the spikes looked. ¡°We¡¯ll take the set.¡±


    The boy nodded and retrieved them from the display case. ¡°Anything else you need? Maybe a bandolier for these?¡± The boy asked.


    ¡°No need. I do need a new sword though while we¡¯re here.¡± Isaac replied. He looked around before finding one almost exactly like the one he had used in his spar with Lenna. ¡°That one.¡±


    The boy retrieved the sword and a scabbard, that it fit perfectly in, and set them on the counter with the darts. ¡°That¡¯s thirty one gold sir.¡±


    Isaac thought for a moment. ¡°We need to take a job.¡± He told Lenna and placed three platinum coins and one gold on one the counter. ¡°That¡¯s my last platinum piece.¡±


    Isaac thanked the boy and the two of them headed back to the Celestial Dawn.


    When they entered the Celestial Dawn most of the tables were full of patrons. A waitress who looked to be in her late teens wove through the maze of half drunk people, tables, and chairs with arms full of bowls and mugs. Celeste was working the bar and was somehow managing to keep up with all of her customers while carrying on a conversation with one of them.


    Isaac walked in and found a table against the wall. He sat down and Lenna hesitated. ¡°My Lord?¡± She asked.


    ¡°We aren¡¯t staying. I just want to get our food without getting in the way.¡± He told her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Lenna breathed a sigh of relief and leaned against the wall instead of sitting down. She was worried that the recent not unpleasant welcomes were going to his head. There was a reason she needed the duke¡¯s permission to even walk the streets with her face covered. She was afraid of the chaos that would ensue from her casually sitting down in an inn for dinner in the middle of the day.


    Isaac ordered the daily special, which was a beef stew this time, for the both of them and the same sweet mead they had had the day before. It had cost him another five silvers. As the two of them were about to ascend the stairs in order to get to their suite Celeste called out to them. ¡°How¡¯d it go?!¡±


    Isaac smiled at her. ¡°We get our badges tomorrow.¡±


    She smiled back at them and said something almost too quiet for Isaac to hear over the rest of the patrons: ¡°Oh to be young again.¡±

 Chapter 54 Let Me Know If It’s Any Good.

    Chapter 54 Let Me Know If It¡¯s Any Good.


    Lenna sat her empty bowl beside her and looked over towards the bathtub. Her mana reserves were only around half full after her spar with the Guild Master, Edward. ¡®I hope that¡¯s enough.¡¯ She thought while contemplating how much mana it would take to heat an entire tub¡¯s worth of water.


    ¡°I can practice with my mana if you want to take a bath. I¡¯d say that I would just go find something to do but with the magistrate out to get us¡­¡± Isaac let the implications hang.


    ¡°That¡¯ll be fine.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Do you want to use the bath first?¡±


    Isaac thought for a moment before shrugging. ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter to me.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Ground rules pertaining to the bath.¡± Lenna began. ¡°Back to the bath.¡± She said and spun her finger to show that she meant that his back was to be facing the tub. ¡°No peeking. No dirty thoughts.¡±


    Isaac was curious at first but that quickly turned to amusement. ¡°I¡¯m not that boy in Ben¡¯s End, Lenna. I won¡¯t try to peek.¡± He said with a smirk. ¡°I think the back to the bath thing is a bit much though. There is that wall thing separating it from the rest of the room. Can¡¯t I just lean against the wall over there?¡± He asked and gestured to the opposite wall to where the bath was.


    She thought for a moment. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be in here at all. It¡¯s indecent.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Listen, Lenna, we are going to be basically joined at the hip for who knows how long. At the very least until the Gio problem is taken care of. I trust you not to peek or have a vision ability that can see through walls so I think you should trust me that far too.¡± Isaac told her.


    ¡°You arguing this is not helping your case.¡± Lenna replied.


    Isaac raised his hands in a placating gesture. ¡°Fine. But I¡¯m at least taking the chair.¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡± She affirmed.


    Isaac shook his head with his amused smirk still on his face. ¡®She can be so peculiar about the strangest things sometimes.¡¯ Isaac thought to himself.


    ¡ª


    During Lenna¡¯s hour-long soak Isaac had taken to trying to perfect his ability to conjure weapons made of shadows. He hadn¡¯t even realized that she was done until she had said his name. Isaac had then also taken a bath and then the two of them, now no longer covered in sweat and grime, were sitting in the room together wondering what they were going to do with the rest of their day.


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    ¡°Playing with my mana is fun and all but I feel like we should be out doing something.¡± Isaac had told her while resting his head on his hand.


    ¡°Humans really can¡¯t just sit still.¡± Lenna commented. They only had to wait until the next day to be able to take an adventuring job.


    ¡°How long do elves live?¡± Isaac asked her incredulously


    ¡°No longer than a thousand years.¡± She replied.


    Isaac nodded his head. ¡°If you spent a tenth of your life sitting still that would be equivalent to my entire lifetime.¡± He told her.


    Lenna thought about that for a moment. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± She eventually asked.


    Isaac laid back on the floor. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Something.¡± He complained.


    Lenna thought for a moment. ¡°We could spar.¡± She told him.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m finally not sweaty and caked in grime. It¡¯s too soon to lose this boon.¡± He replied.


    She thought for another moment. ¡°Maybe there is a library.¡± She offered.


    Isaac sat upright quickly with a sparkle in his eyes. ¡°We should ask. If not¡­¡± He had an idea. A presumptuous idea, but an idea nonetheless. ¡°¡­maybe we could ask Sera to use hers. She has to have one right?¡±


    Lenna blinked at him and his audacity. ¡°We haven¡¯t even joined her for tea yet.¡± She told him.


    ¡°It¡¯s a backup plan at least.¡± Isaac countered. ¡°The backup is the backup for a reason. If it was the better plan then the other plan would be the backup.¡±


    Lenna could only shake her head. She rose to her feet and he joined her.


    ¡ª


    Isaac and Lenna stopped in front of the town library. They had gotten directions from Celeste on their way out while they were dropping off their dishes. It was a large stone brick building with no windows and only one set of large wooden double doors as the only entrance. The gray stone stood out against the red bricks of the surrounding buildings.


    ¡°Why use gray instead of red?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna looked over the building¡¯s walls. ¡°I would say conjured walls. This is quarried stone however.¡± She walked up and put her hand on the stone. ¡°It would have needed to be carted here.¡± She commented. She knocked her knuckles against it. ¡°I think it is sturdier. Denser rock.¡±


    ¡°That seems like a lot of extra work.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°Why not just conjure it like they did with the walls?¡±


    Lenna thought for a moment before remembering something she had heard a long time ago. ¡°I think conjured stone doesn¡¯t handle enchantments very well.¡± She told him.


    ¡°You think the whole building is enchanted?¡± He asked and then closed his eyes. He tried to feel the mana around him. Lenna let him find out for himself, He felt some of the mana moving in weird ways around the building. It felt like some of the ambient mana was coating the stone on the inside. ¡°Does it suppress sound?¡± He asked.


    Lenna nodded and moved to open the door so they could head inside. ¡°I believe so.¡± She replied. Only an expert mage could know for sure from only sensing it but it was good practice to feel an enchantment and then learn its function.


    ¡ª


    There was no one in the library but there was a sign. It told them that the books were not to be taken out of the library under any circumstance save for a fire. Isaac had wandered around for a while with Lenna in tow until he had found a section that was full of books about magic.


    The library had three floors and each floor was packed with bookshelves. Each floor also had an area cleared out with tables and chairs set up to read at. There were glowing stone lights placed in the ceiling of each floor that shed just enough light for most people to be able to read. Isaac and Lenna didn¡¯t need the light but it was a library in a human city after all.


    ¡°I hope these help.¡± Isaac said while placing a stack of six books on a small reading table.


    Lenna sat down next to him with a story book that had a knight fighting a dragon on the cover. ¡°A wizard would be helpful.¡± She told him.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I know. I just don¡¯t want to tell anyone anything just in case some of it could be used against me.¡± He explained.


    ¡°You told me. Have you even tried to not tell me?¡± She asked.


    Isaac thought about it for a second. ¡°Not really.¡± He conceded. ¡°But that¡¯s different. You are my guard. You should know my strengths, weaknesses, and limitations.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± She replied and opened her book.


    ¡°Let me know if it¡¯s any good.¡± Isaac said offhandedly as he opened a book on magic theory.


    Lenna nodded and replied. ¡°Alright.¡±

 Chapter 55 I Wasn’t Going To.

    Chapter 55 I Wasn¡¯t Going To.


    Isaac spent the next few hours reading for magical comprehension until his eyes went cross. The absolute worst part was that some of the things the books were telling him were simply wrong. They talked about how dark mana was only dark mana. There was no mention of sub elements or what ways mana could be broken down.


    Isaac theorized that all mana types probably had at least two different forms that they could take. His was shadow and death but red mana might break down into ¡®fire creation¡¯ and ¡®heat increase¡¯. Then there was the topic of spell chants, sigils, and runes. Isaac could not understand why they worked. Most of the books weren¡¯t very helpful on that front either. Most of them answered his barrage of questions with ¡®because that is how it works¡¯ or ¡®it¡¯s simple, just say the magic words and ta da, magic.¡¯


    Lenna on the other hand was pleasantly enjoying her book. When she had reached about the halfway point she set it down and looked at a frazzled Isaac. ¡°Perhaps, you should take a break.¡± She told him.


    He collapsed onto the open book in front of him. ¡°I want to know why, not how it works.¡± He grumbled. ¡°Three circles with a few lines carved into stone and then filled in with gold makes a force shield, okay cool, now why does it make a force shield?¡±


    ¡°Wizards and clerics have asked those same questions.¡± Lenna told him.


    He turned his head so he could see her, his ear was still resting on the open book and his eyes were red from not blinking for too long. ¡°Did they figure it out?¡± Isaac asked. He was hoping that maybe the books he had simply didn¡¯t have the answers he seeked but perhaps somewhere else someone would have the answer. He also assumed that this was not the case.


    ¡°Not that I am aware.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean their question was not answered, simply that I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°It would be nice for one of them to write a book if they did. Maybe title it something like; ¡®The six questions of magic and their answers¡¯ or something.¡± Isaac said with a groan. He pushed himself back up to a mostly upright sitting position.


    ¡°Six?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°Who, what, when, where, why, and how. I¡¯m mostly stuck on the how. Mages are the who. Spells are the what. The when is all the time. The where is any place that has mana. The why is because I said the magic words and flipped somebody off to make him explode. And the how is currently ¡®who the fuck knows¡¯.¡± Isaac ranted and then let out a deep sigh.


    Lenna couldn¡¯t help but chuckle quietly to herself at him and his melodrama. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get something to eat. Then you get some sleep.¡±


    Isaac nodded and stood up. ¡°Can we leave the books here like this?¡± No one had entered or exited the library in the few hours that they had been there.


    Lenna just shrugged. She marked her place with the ribbon that was the built in book marker for her book and set it down. ¡°No idea.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll put away the ones that I¡¯ve already read and just stack the rest here on the table. After that¡­¡± He nodded and let her assume that her suggestion was what was to follow.


    ¡ª


    Half an hour after Isaac had given up on his heavy reading the two of them were back in the Celestial Dawn. ¡°Three meals?¡± Celeste asked. ¡°Did you two eat at all in the wilderness?¡±


    ¡°Not any good food.¡± Isaac replied. He was sitting at the bar talking to her while ordering because the tavern part of her inn was mostly empty.


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    Celeste shook her head. ¡°You need to learn how to cook so you don¡¯t go hungry out there.¡± She told him.


    Isaac smiled. ¡°If I did that then I wouldn¡¯t have to stay so close to town, and that would mean I would spend less time paying you for good food.¡±


    ¡°Uh huh. Telling me not to be complaining for the business now I see.¡± She replied with a smile. Then her smile fell and she cocked her head while looking at him. ¡°You are confusing mister, I mean Lord Wexler.¡±


    ¡°I get that a lot.¡± Isaac replied with a smirk.


    ¡°Somebody told me that a light skinned human man with black hair and silver eyes turned into a shadow elemental in the Guild Hall.¡± She looked at him intently, looking for some change in expression or something that she could read. ¡°Was that you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. But I didn¡¯t turn into a shadow elemental.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Are you trying to cause a scene everywhere you go or are you trying to lay low so no one from your secret past finds you?¡± She asked.


    Isaac chuckled heartily. ¡°No, it just kind of happens. I am a firm believer that if people know that you are stronger than them that they won¡¯t go picking fights or causing trouble, so it tends to happen a lot.¡± He replied.


    ¡°You said you were getting your badges tomorrow. What coin?¡± Celeste questioned. It was really hard for her to get a feel for his power. She was Firestorm Sorcerer so she could sense mana pretty well even if she was retired from adventuring. She never felt anything from him. It was as if the mana just flowed through him and kept going but he was supposedly a really powerful mage.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°The guilds separate members by levels in brackets based on our coins. Copper, silver, electrum, gold, and platinum. There is even double platinum, but it really just feels like they panicked and had to come up with something the first time an adventurer hit level sixteen.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Whatever levels nine and ten are.¡± Isaac replied.


    Celeste seemed taken aback. ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing stories from the guard all day about some crazed mage that the duke is letting run free with a, their words not mine, ¡®pet drow¡¯ in toe.¡±


    Lenna sneered behind her faceplate at the word pet. Isaac ground his teeth, his eyes going hard. ¡°Tell them not to use that word again. I can make their shadow strangle them while they sleep.¡± Isaac told her evenly.


    Celeste¡¯s eyes went wide before she schooled herself. ¡°I think I understand. I¡¯ll tell them.¡± She assured him.


    Isaac relaxed his face and tone and brought himself back in line with both who he was talking to and the environment that they were in. ¡°What do you understand?¡± He asked curiously after a moment.


    ¡°She may follow you around like she¡¯s afraid you will turn to dust and float away but she is the reason why you don¡¯t.¡± Celeste told him. Her wisdom and accuracy caught Isaac off guard.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± He cocked his head. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°Did I know?¡± Celeste finished his sentence. ¡°I¡¯ve been around a while Lord Wexler and I know your type.¡±


    ¡°Just Isaac is fine.¡± Isaac told her and thought for a moment. ¡°What do you mean, my kind?¡±


    ¡°Let me tell you a story that happened about ten, maybe twelve, years ago.¡± Celeste began. ¡°A middle aged man came into town, under an obviously fake name, with a young lady who was probably his daughter, or at the very least he treated her like she was. They fit in alright. He got a job working the bar at the tavern on the bad side of town.


    A few months went by and there wasn¡¯t a problem. The girl worked the tables for me and she was always nice to everybody. Well, one night she was nice to the wrong guy.¡± Her eyes grew distant. ¡°He wanted more than she was willing to give and he didn¡¯t like that answer.¡±


    Isaac thought he knew where it was going and his fist clenched. Celeste took a deep breath and then continued once more. ¡°He had taught her how to defend herself and she did. She killed the man and his friend who was with him.¡± Isaac¡¯s fist loosened and his eyes raised to meet hers. ¡°He was second in command of one of the gangs on the bad side of town.¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t like that, did they?¡± Isaac asked.


    Celeste shook her head. ¡°No.¡± She took another deep breath. ¡°They caught her heading home from my place on a night when her guardian was working late. They did awful things to her before killing her and leaving her body in a ditch downtown.¡±


    ¡°I take it they got what was coming to them.¡± Isaac said, more of a statement than a question. If he heard that they hadn¡¯t then there was a possibility that they would. Quite soon in fact.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Celeste said and nodded. ¡°He tracked them all down. Killed them. Tortured them. It was a bloody mess. Afterwards he disappeared. A year later a man from the capital knocked on my door and asked about them. Apparently the man was an ex assassin who had found a little girl at the scene of one of his successful hits. He took her in and raised her as his own.¡±


    ¡°You are saying that I¡¯m an ex assassin?¡± Isaac asked.


    Celeste shrugged. ¡°There was a mercenary that had the same thing happen to her more or less. Found some little boy with nobody. She retired, took him in, and wound up here. He pissed off the wrong guy. Got killed. She massacred the entire gang. This place is dangerous for the weak.¡±


    ¡°Then why live here?¡± Isaac questioned. He also questioned the people¡¯s sanity, and if Izen was doing anything about it. ¡°Why does anyone live here?¡±


    ¡°Many are tied to the gangs for life. Maybe in debt or they grew up in them. Many were born here and simply don¡¯t want to leave where their loved ones are buried. Many reasons, none of them worth their life.¡± Celeste explained sadly.


    ¡°Lenna.¡± Isaac said.


    Lenna straightened a bit and turned to look directly at him. ¡°Yes my Lord?¡± She replied.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave my side.¡± He ordered her.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to.¡± She replied.

 Chapter 56 Thanks Alice.

    Chapter 56 Thanks Alice.


    The next morning, after breakfast, Isaac and Lenna headed to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. When they arrived a trio of familiar faces were at Alice¡¯s desk. ¡°Only six gold for the whole thing?¡± The elvish girl with ruby goggles complained.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but spider eyes are easy to come by and you didn¡¯t bring very many of them.¡± Alice explained.


    ¡°C¡¯mon sis, she¡¯s right, there¡¯s no point arguing with her.¡± Goggles¡¯ sister with the bow and arrows said.


    ¡°Aye.¡± The knight agreed and sighed. ¡°Guess we¡¯ll be huntin¡¯ a bit more.¡±


    The trio turned to leave and almost didn¡¯t notice Lenna and Isaac standing a few feet behind them. The knight¡¯s eyes went wide. Isaac smirked. ¡°Oh yay.¡± Goggles said sarcastically. ¡°It¡¯s trouble.¡±


    ¡°That may be true but you don¡¯t have to say it.¡± Her sister scolded her.


    ¡°Ah, Lord Wexler. You and your guard¡¯s badges are here.¡± Alice called.


    ¡°Damn. So much fer a bounty.¡± The knight complained.


    Isaac walked up to the counter, completely ignoring the party, and grabbed the gold and electrum guild cards from Alice. The gold one was inscribed with a few details for Lenna.


    Lenna Paladin: Oathbreaker Lvl 10 Gold


    Bounties: 0  Completed: 0 Failed: 0


    Isaac¡¯s was just as empty.


    Lord Isaac Wexler ??? Lvl 9 Electrum


    Bounties: 0 Completed: 0 Failed: 0


    ¡°Thanks Alice.¡± Isaac said to her as he looked them over. He turned to look at Lenna. ¡°Do you want yours?¡± He asked her.


    Lenna thought for a moment. ¡°No need.¡± She replied. It was probably safer with him. If she kept it on her person at all times it was probably going to get blown up at some point.


    Isaac nodded and made a show of clapping his hands together and them disappearing. ¡°Now for a job. Any rec¡­¡±


    Isaac was cut off by Goggles. ¡°What in the nine hells was that?! No mana just making it vanish?¡± Her eyes were wide.


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    ¡°What are you guys still doing here? Don¡¯t you have somewhere to go?¡± Isaac asked. He was annoyed at being cut off but he was also happy for the attention. He wanted to keep playing up his power without ever showing the limits of it.


    ¡°Watch it.¡± The knight warned.


    ¡°Uh, um, I recommend something easy for your first job so you can get a good feel for how we operate.¡± Alice cut in. She was trying to stop Isaac, who she saw as a monster beyond comparison, from turning the knight into a smear on the floor.


    Isaac¡¯s smirk turned predatory as he locked eyes with the knight. ¡°Lenna? Find something easy so we can warm up a bit.¡± Lenna walked over to the peg board and looked at the job listings. ¡°Shiny.¡± Isaac said, referring to the knight. ¡°I hear the arena hosts duels if you wanna play.¡±


    Alice¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Um, please, we don¡¯t have enough adven¡­¡±


    ¡°I think that can be¡­¡± The knight cut her off.


    Alice raised her voice, cutting the knight off. ¡°Eliot stand down!¡± She ordered.


    The knight, Eliot, froze. He turned and saw the worry, concern, anger, and terror on her face. He looked back at Isaac and his grin that reminded those who saw it of a dragon preparing a meal. ¡°Maybe some other time.¡± Eliot finished.


    Isaac¡¯s grin faded to an easy smirk. ¡°Shame. Maybe some other time then.¡± He told Eliot and then walked over to join Lenna.


    Lenna had finally found a good job for them. There were plenty of jobs but any of the ones in town were either laughably easy or involved tangling with the underground gangs and that would get messy fast. What she settled on was a bounty that didn¡¯t have a limit.


    Routine Clear: Giant Spiders: 5 gp Each


    Difficulty: Silver


    Completion Requirements: At Least 2 Kills


    ¡°Spiders huh?¡± Isaac said as the other party headed out the door. ¡°What part of them is the most valuable?¡± He looked over at Alice for an answer.


    Alice breathed out a sigh of relief as the tension had entirely dissipated. ¡°The poison sacks are worth a gold coin each. They can be distilled into a mid grade poison by an alchemist and then sold for around fifty gold. It takes between four and five poison sacks I believe.¡± She explained.


    ¡°What about the other parts?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°The eyes are used in dark vision potions and are worth three silvers each. I think it¡¯s twelve eyes per potion. If you know an alchemist you might be able to get a better rate.¡± Alice told him. ¡°Silk glands are hit or miss if you can sell them at all. They are used in making potions of wall walking but those are a very low demand potion.¡±


    Isaac nodded along. ¡°How much would they sell for?¡± He asked.


    Alice thought for a moment before grabbing a large book and flipping through the pages. ¡°A gold for a full set. Apparently all the fluid used in the potion has to be from the same spider so the sack needs to be an almost full set or from a very large spider.¡± She summarized from her reading.


    ¡°Alright. Thanks for the tips.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°Ready to head out?¡± He asked Lenna.


    Lenna nodded. Alice cleared her throat. ¡°One last thing Lord Wexler,¡±


    ¡°Isaac is fine.¡± He cut in.


    ¡°Uh, Isaac, Since you only have an electrum badge you will only be able to take gold level bounties with prior approval otherwise it will count against you.¡± Alice explained.


    ¡°What does prior approval entail?¡± Isaac asked.


    Alice replied a little more casually than she had started, there was less tension in her voice, the more she talked the more it seemed that she stopped being terrified of Isaac. ¡°Two receptionists or the Guild Master must sign stating that you are capable of completing the job.¡±


    ¡°Okay. What if we run into something that happens to be a bounty, kill it, and bring it in for parts?¡¯ Isaac questioned.


    ¡°If it is found that you did not actively hunt the creature in question it will not count as an official bounty either way for your record but you will get paid for the completion of the job.¡± Alice took a deep breath after her long explanation. ¡°If that is not the case you will still get paid but your record will gain a failed bounty mark.¡±


    ¡°Why the mark?¡± Isaac asked.


    Alice grabbed another large book. ¡°We have every adventure that has checked in with us in here.¡± She said and flipped the book, which turned out to be a binder, open. ¡°Sometimes people will check the registry for adventurers with a good track record and ask for them personally. The bad mark will make that less likely. We do it so less adventurers go and get themselves killed trying to fight something they aren¡¯t ready for.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I see. That makes sense.¡± He turned to leave. ¡®Thanks Alice. See ya.¡± He said over his shoulder as he and Lenna left to head out on their first official adventure.

 Chapter 57 Pile Them There In The Corner.

    Chapter 57 Pile Them There In The Corner.


    About a block away from the gate to leave Lenna asked a question. ¡°Did you want to fight him?¡±


    ¡°Kinda, not really, I don¡¯t know.¡± Isaac replied with a sigh. ¡°I like fighting, I really do, and it made me want to fight him just for the rush of it. The real problem is that I know he is better than me with the sword so I¡¯d end up using magic and at that point he¡¯d probably just end up dying.¡±


    ¡°Most duels end in death. Not always on purpose.¡± Lenna told him.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t deserve to die just because I wanna fight.¡± Isaac said and sighed again. ¡°I don¡¯t take pleasure in killing, only fighting, but only really know how to kill.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You killed three people because of me. I should have told you to let me handle them.¡± She explained.


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac replied with stone in his voice. ¡°They were different. They deserved it. I may not take pleasure in it but don¡¯t confuse that with sorrow or pain. It¡¯s more like complete apathy.¡±


    ¡°Most wouldn¡¯t feel that way. Have you killed mortals in the past?¡± She asked.


    He shook his head. ¡°Not that I remember.¡±


    ¡ª


    Leaving was much easier than entering. The guards asked for their names and how long they thought that they would be away for. Afterwards they sent a messenger, probably to the duke, and then bid them a good hunt. All in all it was a perfectly neutral exchange. Just the way Lenna liked it. Quiet and nonviolent. She was tired of causing trouble, but most importantly to her, she didn¡¯t want to put Isaac in any danger.


    The two of them headed into the spider tunnels and stopped a few feet inside. ¡°Let¡¯s clear a small space a bit away from the entrance where nobody will stumble across.¡± Isaac told her.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Lenna acknowledged and went to work. They took one of the side tunnels and she torched any webbing in the way. The spiders were each about five feet across here. If there were no webs in the way Isaac would disappear, go up next to them, then chop down hard right behind their head. He did this to try to keep as many of the spiders¡¯ valuable parts intact. He put the heads in his Inventory and Lenna would tie the body to her rope.


    Half an hour and six spiders in Isaac stopped. ¡°Think this is far enough?¡± He asked.


    ¡°For what?¡± Lenna responded.


    ¡°I wanna mess with the dragon skull again but I don¡¯t want anybody to feel it.¡± He told her.


    Lenna turned and looked behind them. She had been keeping track of their position fine so far. ¡°Let¡¯s head a bit deeper.¡± She replied.


    After about ten more minutes and only one spider Lenna nodded to Isaac. ¡°Here should be okay.¡± She told him.


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    ¡°Alright.¡± Isaac replied and sat cross legged in the bend of the tunnel. ¡°I don¡¯t know how the spiders will react.¡± He told her.


    Lenna smirked under her helmet and glanced sideways at Isaac. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of them.¡±


    Isaac smiled in reply and pulled Kahtesh¡¯s skull out of his shadow. It was just as he had left it. There were a few vertebrae attached and it was thicker than it had been when he first got it. He closed his eyes and poured mana into it. The skeleton drank it up. Isaac kept his eyes closed because he wanted to make sure to cut off his mana before he ran out and it was easier to sense if he wasn¡¯t distracted by whatever was happening in front of him.


    Lenna watched as Isaac¡¯s dark mana regrew bone after bone. Once each vertebrae was finished it would start to grow bony plates that wrapped around to the where the front of the dragon¡¯s throat would be. They would then get thicker and scale imprints would become visible. It was as if the bone was trying to become the dragon that it used to be but it couldn¡¯t produce flesh. Once the neck finished Lenna heard the tapping of spider legs heading their way.


    Lenna turned to face the spiders that were coming to investigate. She had only killed four by the time Isaac had almost bottomed out his mana pool and opened his eyes. What he saw was Kahtesh¡¯s head down to his shoulders regrown in bone and held together by dark mana that seemed to work as cartilage. He looked up just as Lenna asked a question. ¡°Out of mana or finished?¡± She asked while spitting a spider in two.


    ¡°Out of mana.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°We should move.¡± Lenna told him.


    Isaac got to his feet and returned the growing skeleton to his shadowy closet. ¡°Let¡¯s head back. There is a limit to how many spiders we can bring back in one trip.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Lenna replied and split another spider with her sword.


    The trip out was a lot less combat intensive than the trip in. By the time they left the spider tunnels Isaac had to drag two spiders behind him and had eight heads in his Inventory. Lenna was dragging a train of another eleven corpses, some of them in halves, that were each tied to one long rope.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad these are light enough for you to do that but I feel bad with only two of them.¡± Isaac told her as they continued their trek back to town.


    ¡°They only weigh fifteen pounds or so. Less without their blood.¡± She explained. The real problem was getting them out of the tunnels as they kept getting caught on the corners. Lenna had her end of the rope wrapped around her arm a few times and gripped in one hand as they walked. Isaac had his rope looped around his open hand and elbow to shorten it.


    ¡°Fair enough. You think they will let us just drag monster corpses through town?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ll find out soon.¡± She told him.


    The short answer to Isaac¡¯s question was a solid ¡®kind of¡¯. The guard actually had a small cart that could be used to bring monster corpses to the Guild Hall, sitting behind the wall to help keep the blood and guts from smearing across the streets. The only condition for using it was to bring it back. It reeked.


    It only took a few minutes to load all the spider corpses onto the cart and Lenna moved to pull it. ¡°Nope.¡± Isaac said, stopping her. ¡°We each grab a side.¡±


    ¡°Why? I can get it myself.¡± Lenna told him.


    Isaac grabbed the side of the cart and lifted it so the support was no longer resting on the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like dragging it the whole way there myself but I¡¯d also feel bad for making you do it. This way is both less work and doesn¡¯t make me feel like a spoiled child.¡± Isaac explained.


    Lenna just stared at him for a moment before shaking her head. ¡°You confuse me.¡± She told him and grabbed the other side of the cart.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I confuse everyone. It¡¯s part of the charm.¡± He said matter of fact.


    The two of them stopped in front of the Guild Hall a few minutes later. ¡°I¡¯ll wait here.¡± Lenna told him.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Just stand there menacingly and hopefully nobody will try anything.¡± He told her and headed inside.


    Isaac walked in and asked Alice where he should leave the spider corpses. She told him that they should go down the alley next to the guild hall and that there was a place to unload them there. While that was happening Lenna did as she was told. A few people gave her curious looks but no one would go within fifteen feet of her once she shifted to look at them.


    The pair pulled the cart around to the back where they saw a large pair of thick double doors. Alice opened it with a click and they felt unseen magic dissipate. ¡°What kind was that?¡± Isaac asked Lenna, referring to the no longer present ward.


    ¡°Probably an alarm. Maybe a magic lock. Could be both.¡± She told him.


    Alice looked at the cart. ¡°You¡¯ve been busy. Keep it up and maybe one day we can get rid of them all for good.¡±


    ¡°That might not be a good idea.¡± Lenna replied.


    Isaac tilted his head. ¡°Are they keeping something out?¡±


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°Everything is keeping something out.¡±


    Isaac thought about it. It was the nature of everything to want to thrive and that usually entailed expansion. What she said made sense. ¡°Fair enough.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Just pile them there in the corner.¡± Alice told them and gestured to an empty space off to the side.


    Isaac covered his arms in shadows from his fingertips to his elbows. ¡°Okay.¡± He replied. He and Lenna unloaded all the spiders and piled them in the corner. He then took each of the heads out of his Inventory and put them on top. ¡°How much?¡± He asked Alice.


    Alice was staring at him for a long moment before the question registered. ¡°Uh, um, I¡¯ll have to check over it all. You can wait in the hall and I¡¯ll be over in a few minutes.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Sounds good.¡± He said and gestured for Lenna to follow. ¡°Let¡¯s return the cart.¡±

 Chapter 58 I Am Not A Betting Woman.

    Chapter 58 I Am Not A Betting Woman.


    After Lenna and Isaac returned the cart, pulling it together like before, they found an empty table in the Guild Hall to wait. ¡°What do you wanna do after we get paid?¡± Isaac asked the only drow allowed in town.


    ¡°Take a bath.¡± She replied. Some spider guts had managed to work their way into her armor and the sooner that problem was resolved the better as far as she was concerned.


    Isaac chuckled and his eyes found a few places that were marred by a green liquid of spider origin. ¡°Fair enough. Maybe head back to the library after getting something to eat?¡± He asked.


    Lenna turned her gaze from taking in the other adventurers to him. ¡°My Lord.¡± She began. ¡°Where you go I will follow. If that is what you wish, then that is where we will go.¡±


    Isaac rolled his eyes. ¡°So you don¡¯t want to finish your book?¡± He retorted.


    Lenna straightened a little in surprise. ¡°I never said that.¡± She reminded him while trying to keep her voice as neutral as possible. It was a good book. One that she wished she could take out of the library.


    Isaac chuckled and shook his head. ¡°On another note, I hope we get paid more than Shiny and his team. What was his name? Eliot?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She replied. ¡°We should get at least seventy gold.¡±


    The two of them continued in light conversation for a few more minutes before Alice walked out of a back room with a pouch of coins in hand. She scanned the hall and waved the two of them over once she found them. Isaac and Lenna met her at her desk.


    ¡°So, don¡¯t keep me hangin¡¯. How is our first day¡¯s pay?¡± Isaac asked while struggling to contain his excitement.


    Alice smiled and had to try to hold in a chuckle. It wasn¡¯t very hard once his ¡®fight¡¯ with the Guild Master returned to her mind. She shook her head to clear it. ¡°Ten platinum, one gold, and three silvers. Your haul was thirteen spiders, two full and undamaged sets of web fluid glands, eighty one spider eyes, and twenty poison sacks.¡± She read off her itemized list.


    ¡°At the rate we are burning through gold that¡¯s still like a month¡¯s worth of coin.¡± Isaac said, surprised at how little work they had to do in order to survive. ¡°That¡­¡± His voice trailed off in thought. ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem fair. How much do non adventurers usually make?¡± He asked Alice.


    ¡°Um, well, it depends. Shop clerks usually make around two gold a day. More dangerous jobs pay better and most jobs in town are relatively safe.¡± She explained.


    Isaac did the quick math. ¡°We just made fifty five days of work worth of money in a few hours. How¡­ why aren¡¯t there more people out there doing that?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s dangerous work. The risk of dying out there is incredibly high compared to in town.¡± Alice replied. She was confused that the concept was so hard for Isaac to understand. ¡°Um, Lord, I mean Isaac, have you been fighting your whole life?¡± She had met an adventurer before who had a similar difficulty in understanding the common folk. This adventurer was from a nomadic tribe who had always lived in the wilderness and regularly fought monsters in order to survive. That tribe had one day been wiped out by one such monster.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Isaac was taken aback by the sudden personal question from Alice who always seemed to be terrified of him.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Alice cut in frantically before he could reply. ¡°Forget I said anything. Please.¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s alright.¡± Isaac replied calmly. ¡°Yeah. I more or less have been fighting for almost as long as I can remember.¡± What he told her was the truth even if it didn¡¯t paint the proper picture.


    ¡°I see.¡± Alice replied quietly. ¡°Most people prefer to rely on others for protection so they take up jobs in the city. Those of you who go out into the wild, to hunt those that would hunt us, are often seen as heroes by children, and, if they make a big enough difference, by many adults as well.¡± She told him.


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    ¡°It is less pronounced,¡± Lenna spoke after Alice was finished. ¡°but it is much the same where I am from. The citizenry hides behind the walls and the backs of the strong.¡±


    Alice nodded. It was not lost on her that Lenna spoke of where she was from as if Isaac hadn¡¯t been there. ¡®I wonder how they met.¡¯ Alice thought to herself.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll understand one day. I would rather not die some day because a monster showed up and it just happened to be stronger than me. I don¡¯t like trusting others with my life.¡± He said.


    Lenna¡¯s eyes fell for a moment before she composed herself as if nothing had happened. Isaac seemed to sense it however and turned to look at her. ¡°Just because I don¡¯t like it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not happy you are here. I like fighting beside you, not hiding behind you.¡± He explained.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡± She told him.


    Isaac and Lenna returned to their room in the Celestial Dawn after buying a nice warm meal and some fruity meads. After their dinner Isaac was sitting cross legged on the bed with his eyes closed but still facing the opposite direction from Lenna who was in the bath. ¡°You know? I think we are missing something.¡± He said loud enough for Lenna to hear him clearly.


    ¡°Like what?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I feel like there are things happening that I should be aware of but I¡¯m not.¡± He sighed deeply. ¡°Am I being paranoid?¡± He asked.


    ¡°No.¡± She told him. ¡°It¡¯s probably the magistrate.¡± She offered. She thought about it more for a second. Isaac had told her that he had a really strong connection to her and that dragon. What if that extended, in a weaker form, to other, stronger, dark creatures that were farther away. ¡°Or my uncle.¡± She said barely loud enough for him to hear.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡± He told her.


    Lenna changed the subject as a thought occurred to her. ¡°Why don¡¯t we ever have conversations when you¡¯re in the bath?¡±


    ¡°Because I usually start them and the warm water puts me to sleep.¡± Isaac told her as if it was just a normal thing like when he had said that guards¡¯ vests were white and red not white and gray.


    All she could do was shake her head. There really wasn¡¯t any other response she could come up with.


    ¡ª


    Evening found Lenna sitting with her feet up and a book in her hands on the second floor of the library. She looked up from her book when she heard a groan and saw Isaac face down in a book on the table. He flopped to the side dramatically. ¡°Nothing?¡± She asked.


    ¡°No, lots of things actually.¡± Isaac replied and sat back up. ¡°Everything except what I need though. I have to make spells from scratch that only use dark mana but I don¡¯t understand why incantations work in the first place to even try.¡± He complained and threw his hands up.


    ¡°Maybe a change of pace would do you good.¡± Lenna offered.


    Isaac rubbed his eyes and temples. ¡°Probably.¡± He replied. ¡°What do you have in mind?¡±


    ¡°We should grab some rations and refill our waterskins.¡± She told him.


    Isaac stretched. ¡°Yeah¡­ but that doesn¡¯t sound fun¡­ and I¡¯ve had enough ¡®not fun¡¯ for a while.¡±


    Lenna closed her book and stood up. ¡°We could work on your swordsmanship.¡± She offered.


    Isaac¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Now that, sounds like a good plan.¡±


    The two of them found their way to the arena and the rack of training swords. They each grabbed the same ones that they had used last time and walked out into the arena. No sooner had Isaac taken one step in did they notice a pair of warriors engaged in a duel.


    Isaac leaned against the side of the entrance and looked up at the stands. There were about fifty people watching. One such observer was a guard who was still on duty. It looked like he was making sure neither of them cheated and also that no one interfered.


    ¡°Sanctioned duels to the death.¡± Isaac muttered quietly. His mind was racing. These duels opened up so many possibilities. He wanted people to know who he was and that he was beyond messing with after all. He turned and looked at Lenna. A plan was starting to form. ¡®If I can get her to duel somebody, legally, in front of a ton of people, then maybe she will at least be feared instead of despised. Maybe even respected.¡¯ He thought to himself.


    The duel was over soon after and the loser was rushed to a healer. It hadn¡¯t ended in a death but the one who lost was losing blood rapidly. The winner walked past them to leave. Isaac nodded to him. The winner noticed the dulled weapons in their hands. ¡°Have fun.¡± He said in a gruff voice while he walked past.


    After most of the crowd had dispersed Isaac nodded into the arena and Lenna followed him in. The guard came to meet them. ¡°Do you have the arena reserved?¡± He asked.


    Isaac tilted his head. ¡°No. We didn¡¯t need to when we were here with Edward. Is that something we were supposed to do?¡± He asked.


    The guard seemed to notice the silver eyes and the knight with a guardsmen¡¯s vest and swallowed. ¡°Not necessarily. Official duels need to be reserved so a guard can be present to preside over it. Otherwise if someone dies it¡¯s a crime.¡± The guard explained.


    ¡°Alright. Well we are just here to spar a bit.¡± Isaac said with a smirk. ¡°I don¡¯t think Celeste would like it if we did so on her roof.¡± He added.


    The guard nodded once. ¡°If someone has the arena reserved while you are here they take priority for the field. I hope you understand.¡± The guard told them.


    Isaac smiled at him. ¡°That makes sense. Have a good day officer.¡± Isaac told him and walked past him out into the middle of the arena. Lenna nodded to the guard who nodded back in return and then hurried out in a fast walk.


    Once it was only the two of them in the arena Isaac chuckled. ¡°One gold says he¡¯s going to go tell the magistrate.¡± Isaac said and spun to face Lenna with his dulled blade at the ready.


    ¡°I am not a betting woman.¡± Lenna replied and took a casual swing at him with her own dull blade. As the two continued to talk they would swing, slash, block, and parry at a low speed. The exercise was more for Isaac to get used to using his sword than her teaching him any actual fighting style or technique.


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Wait¡­ didn¡¯t you make a bet with your life right before we met?¡±


    Lenna smiled under her helmet. ¡°That was different.¡± She replied.


    Her smile was audible and Isaac chuckled. ¡°Yeah. Sure it was.¡±

 Chapter 59 We Are Way Over Qualified

    Chapter 59 We Are Way Over Qualified


    ¡°Now is a good point to stop.¡± Lenna told Isaac who staggered back a step and put his hands on his knees while breathing deeply. ¡°You need to work on your stamina.¡± Isaac looked up at her and winked. She rolled her eyes dramatically enough that Isaac could tell even with her helmet on.


    Isaac chuckled and coughed. ¡°Yeah.¡± He took a deep breath filling his lungs as he straightened. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± He looked around the arena and the stands but couldn¡¯t see anyone. He activated his darkvision and caught sight of something hidden in the shadows. A man in a dark cloak was peering out around one of the entrances to the arena and watching them.


    ¡°We also should have brought water.¡± Lenna told him.


    Isaac nodded and then smiled devilishly. ¡°Be right back.¡± He told her and vanished. He had taken a moment to try to feel for the hidden man¡¯s shadow. Once he had found it he decided that it was time for him to introduce himself.


    Isaac hadn¡¯t really paid attention the last time he teleported but this time he really focused on understanding the process. His mana, following his will, would reach out from him and into the shadow that he wanted to come out of. Once the connection was made it would expand and envelope him. The next thing he knew he was on the other side. The entire process only took a second or two.


    ¡®Why does it pull me through space though?¡¯ Isaac thought. He got the feeling that this was just going to be another one of those questions that the books couldn¡¯t answer. He leaned in close behind the hooded man who had straightened a little when Isaac had disappeared. He cloaked himself in shadows making sure to turn off his darkvision and leave only his eyes visible. ¡°Boo.¡± He said in as deep and dark of a voice as he could muster.


    The hooded man jumped a whole foot in the air and tripped. As he fell to the ground he spun around and Isaac had such a hard time not laughing at the man¡¯s state of shock that his shadow cloak started to fall apart. Eventually Isaac couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer and just started laughing. He let the shadows fade away and Lenna started walking over to him.


    The hooded man just stayed there on the ground in a state of fear and shock. He had no idea how the pair would treat him now that he had been effectively caught. ¡°You¡­ you should have seen his face.¡± Isaac wheezed out when Lenna was within ear shot.


    Lenna shook her head and stopped on the other side of the man. She looked down at the plain man. Boring features, brown hair and eyes, medium build, pale skin, human. As generic and normal as one could find in this town.


    ¡°Now, what should we do with you?¡± Isaac asked the man with a twinkle in his eye.


    The man gulped hard. ¡°I, uh, was just following orders, it¡¯s my job ya know?¡± The man stammered out glancing back and forth between Isaac and Lenna.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°I am not the one to decide your fate.¡±


    His eyes locked onto Isaac. Isaac just laughed and waved him off. ¡°I¡¯m not going to do anything to you. This was expected and you¡¯re just a lackey. I will give you two options though.¡± Isaac¡¯s maniacal theatrics faded and he got serious with the man. ¡°The first option is the most likely. You leave and tell your boss that I caught you. Then you tell him that I told you that if I ever see you again I would leave you on Gio¡¯s desk in a mug.¡±


    The man¡¯s eyes kept getting wider the more Isaac talked. Isaac smirked. ¡°The second option is the one that I, personally, like the best. You keep tailing us until we head back to the Inn. Then you return to your boss and tell him everything that happened except for this little interaction. Afterwards you can keep getting assigned to watching us and all I ask is that you stop trying to hide.¡± Isaac straightened and looked up towards the ceiling. He took a deep breath. ¡°See I don¡¯t mind you tailing us and reporting what we do to your boss. What I do mind is not knowing. Understand?¡± He looked back down at the man and met his eyes.


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    The man thought about his options for a few moments. He could tell that Isaac was telling the truth based on his facial expressions and body language. Isaac was hard to read but the man was an experienced spy. ¡°What am I supposed to say when I inevitably lose you when you want to do something without the magistrate knowing?¡± He asked Isaac.


    Isaac raised an eyebrow and his smirk returned with a vengeance. ¡°He¡¯s thinking this through. Good. It¡¯s easy. Tell him we teleported away.¡±


    The man thought for a moment and then nodded with a frown. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m up for option two. I don¡¯t get paid enough to piss people like you off.¡±


    Isaac chuckled and offered the man his hand. ¡°A pleasure doing business with you. I¡¯m Isaac Wexler.¡±


    The man accepted Isaac¡¯s hand and Isaac helped him to his feet. ¡°I wish I could say the same Lord Wexler. You can call me Thomas. Or Tom if you would prefer.¡±


    Isaac chuckled again. ¡°Well Tom, a word to the wise, if we ditch you, don¡¯t come looking for us. I¡¯ll even tell you what we were doing if you ask but some things are not for mortal eyes to see.¡± Isaac said earnestly.


    The man, Thomas, swallowed hard. ¡°Noted.¡±


    ¡°Well then, I think this is settled.¡± Isaac said and then turned to Lenna. ¡°We have some errands to run.¡±


    Isaac and Lenna left Thomas and returned to their room for their traveling gear. Celeste told them that the water they used for bathing came from a magic item and was perfectly clean to drink. The only problem with the water was that it was bland and completely lacking any minerals. It was good enough for an emergency which is why they filled their waterskins with it.


    After that they tracked down some rations of varying types that, once out of sight, Isaac had stuffed into his Inventory to see if they would stay fresh. They then returned to the Celestial Dawn and had dinner on the roof. Lenna sat against the fence and Isaac looked out over the town. ¡°You know? I think I could get used to this.¡± He told her.


    ¡°Dinner on the roof?¡± She asked.


    Isaac smiled. ¡°Yeah. And the Celestial Dawn. This is the first place I¡¯ve stayed in that had a built-in bath. The work is easy and pays well. Our shadow, pun intended, will be somebody that we at least know what they look like and won¡¯t be stalking us anymore.¡± He looked down at her. ¡°It¡¯s actually kinda relaxing.¡± He then thought about it for a moment and the smile turned into a frown. ¡°Well, once the magistrate is dealt with.¡±


    Lenna looked up at him. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s better than I thought it would be.¡±


    Isaac gave her a smile that lacked the usual mirth and mischief. ¡°We just need to keep easing your presence into people. Eventually you¡¯ll become a part of the background and people won¡¯t be mean or freak out anymore.¡± He told her.


    ¡°Is that a bet?¡± She asked.


    This time Isaac¡¯s smile was back to its usual state as he replied: ¡°It can be. What are you betting?¡±


    She shook her head and smirked. ¡°Nothing. If it¡¯s a bet against you, I bet nothing. You will find a way to make me lose.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Damn right I will. I hate losing.¡± He told her.


    ¡ª


    The following day found them back at the Guild Hall looking at bounties. ¡°I want a good set of armor but we are still basically broke.¡± Isaac said with a frown while skimming the potential jobs.


    Isaac¡¯s eyes found a gold tier bounty and he started to read it. ¡°Not that one.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°Drider are bad news.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t any information about it. If it¡¯s a mage, we would need someone to stop her spell casting.¡± She shook her head. ¡°We need details.¡±


    ¡°Those are the spider girls right?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°A giant spider that decided to grow a drow from the waist up instead of a head?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± She replied.


    ¡°We could always go back to hunting regular spiders.¡± Isaac suggested. Lenna gave him a look that he had to imagine because her face was still hidden. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with clearing out the spiders? Whatever moves in to take their place will get a bounty on its head anyway.¡±


    Lenna sighed, he was right, if they killed all the spiders they could just kill whatever took their place to keep making money. ¡°It just seems like a waste.¡± She told him.


    ¡°Why because we are way over qualified for the job?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Okay, how about this? We do the spiders again today and then tomorrow we can do something crazier like the wraiths or whatever.¡± He offered.


    Lenna thought for a moment. ¡°Nevermind.¡± She replied. Wraiths were spectral beings and thus her sword would slice right through them unless she used the magical one. On top of that Isaac would be completely useless. His death mana would probably just heal them and he didn¡¯t have a magic sword of his own. She would just end up burning through all her mana to fight them all herself.


    Isaac smiled triumphantly. ¡°Back to spider killing we go.¡± He said and the two headed off to collect more coin. Unbeknownst to anybody but the two of them, the real reason they weren¡¯t taking any jobs in town was so Isaac could continue his little bone dragon project. Hopefully soon they would see what would happen when the skeleton was finished. Isaac had a feeling that it would be something that he would never forget.

 Chapter 60 Wanna Fight Him?

    Chapter 60 Wanna Fight Him?


    ¡°And that makes ten. I am so glad you mentioned only taking their heads. That was a pain last time and I only took a few of them.¡± Isaac told Lenna as he finished wiping his blade clean from another spider kill. ¡°I am slightly concerned about what will show up to eat their corpses though.¡±


    ¡°I thought you wanted to hunt whatever it was for coin.¡± Lenna replied. She looked around the tunnel to make sure there was nothing watching them. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t dally.¡± She whispered and nodded behind her. They had left their observer behind when they entered the spider infested tunnels. Lenna was afraid that he would show up while Isaac was playing with his skeleton.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac replied to both of her comments. ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving.¡± The pair continued for a while until they had amassed a haul of ten spider heads. Isaac had been the only one to kill any of them this time and he was getting better at working around the webs. He only needed Lenna to torch the webs of one of the spiders that he couldn¡¯t get to.


    The two stopped at a bend in one of the less used tunnels. ¡°Here should work.¡± Isaac told her and sat down. He pulled his partial dragon skeleton out of the void that was his mana infused shadow. ¡°Shadow magic is still freakin¡¯ weird. Actually no, scratch that, all magic is freakin¡¯ weird.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. That¡¯s why there are wizards.¡± Lenna replied and positioned herself in between him and the part of the tunnel they had not come from.


    Isaac focused on his little dragon and continued to help it regrow and then continue to grow into the majestic, bone, lightning, shadow, and death dragon that he knew it could become. He continued to pour mana into Kahtesh¡¯s skull until he was almost empty again. This time half of the ribs and the beginning of both the front legs and the wings we made real from his dark mana.


    Lenna had killed another five spiders while he sat. It wasn¡¯t that he was sitting any longer than the day before but the fact that they were deeper into the tunnels where more spiders were that rose the number. The ones that she killed were usually split down the middle to some extent so she just tied them together to drag them back like last time.


    Once Isaac was ready to go they headed back without incident. As they left the caverns Isaac decided to mention something that they were both thinking. ¡°He really didn¡¯t follow us.¡± He said in partial surprise.


    ¡°No, he did not.¡± Lenna confirmed. ¡°You must have really scared him.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even do anything. Nothing that he saw anyway. You don¡¯t think he saw the little test thing with Edward do you?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna just shrugged. ¡°Maybe. He may have seen the corpses.¡± She offered.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Isaac responded. ¡°Maybe.¡± The two of them finished their return in relative silence. They were let back inside without any trouble just like last time and used the cart to transport their bounty again. Just as before they collected their cash from Alice and were on their way. The day was turning out to be exactly like the day before.


    ¡°How long do you think we can keep this up?¡± Isaac asked Lenna as they were returning to their room.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± She asked.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°A normal life. I feel like something is going to keep us from enjoying it for much longer.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. You won¡¯t enjoy it at all, if you keep thinking like that.¡± She replied.


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    ¡°Yeah. You are probably right.¡± He sighed again. ¡°After lunch back to the books then some light sparring?¡± He asked in a brighter tone.


    ¡°That sounds lovely.¡± Lenna replied, which got a satisfied smile out of Isaac.


    The rest of their day went according to plan. And the next. And the next. Soon almost a week had gone by without incident and Kahtesh¡¯s body was almost finished. Only the tip of his tail and the ends of his wings needed finished.


    As the two new adventurers were leaving the Celestial Dawn Celeste called out to them. ¡°You two can take a day off ya know.¡± The tables were empty save for an older couple who always seemed to go to Celeste¡¯s for breakfast. ¡°You¡¯re not even the ones paying me.¡±


    Isaac smiled and shook his head. ¡°Magical gear is expensive. What am I supposed to do when I get stabbed again? Come back to life?¡± He smirked at his own joke and Lenna had to fight the urge to roll her eyes at how bad it was just in case someone noticed.


    Celeste shook her head. ¡°Well you two be careful out there. Who knows what might be hiding in the dark.¡± She told them.


    Isaac chuckled and waved as he walked out into the street. He said just loud enough for her to hear: ¡°I¡¯m what¡¯s hiding in the dark.¡±


    ¡ª


    A dozen spiders and an hour into their seventh spider hunt Isaac¡¯s eyes flew open. The skeleton on the ground in front of him moved its clawed bony front paws under its shoulders and turned its head to face him.


    ¡°Kahtesh.¡± Isaac whispered. The bone dragon rose onto all four of its legs and stretched out its wings before folding them back. It looked at him with what should have been empty eye sockets. Instead there were two balls of death flames, one in each eye, that seemed to be looking directly at him even though they had no discernible front.


    The dragon didn¡¯t move and only stared at him. He waved his hand in front of its face. ¡°Kahtesh?¡± He asked. ¡°Can you hear me?¡± The dragon nodded once. ¡°Can you think?¡± The dragon didn¡¯t move. ¡°Okay maybe that¡¯s a hard one. ¡°Can you shoot lightning out of your mouth?¡± He asked with his shadow covered eyes sparkling with excitement.


    The dragon nodded. Lenna looked back to see Isaac talking to his new puppy. His eleven foot long, four feet wide, solid bone, dark mana drinking, lightning, puppy. The spiders had stopped coming now that Isaac wasn¡¯t flooding the local area in dark mana which they seemed to be drawn towards.


    She walked back over to him and looked at the dragon. ¡°You can follow orders, even complex ones right?¡± Isaac asked Kahtesh. The dragon nodded. ¡°But you can¡¯t speak and have no real thoughts to speak of?¡± The dragon nodded again. Isaac turned to look at Lenna with a child-like grin on his face. ¡°Wanna fight him?¡±


    ¡ª


    Lenna swung her flame coated blade at the dragon¡¯s skull. It ducked and lunged at her midsection. She kneed it in the lower jaw with a flame coated knee causing it to slam its closed mouth into her chest with all of its momentum. The two of them tumbled to the ground. They thrashed against each other. Lenna trying to get on top of the dragon and the dragon trying to get its jaws around her head.


    Lenna eventually gave up on wrestling the bone monster and just punched it as hard as she could with the help of her flame enhanced strength. The dragon was forcefully rolled off of her and she got to her feet. The dragon had already regained its footing and now looked at her with unnatural focus.


    ¡°Do you think you could dodge his lightning?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Lenna replied while still in a fighting stance facing off against Kahtesh.


    ¡°Ready to head back?¡± Isaac questioned. He walked over to her and bathed her in death flames.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± She replied and sheathed her sword. ¡°Yeah.¡± She opened her faceplate and took a long drink out of her waterskin as Isaac walked over to Kahtesh and examined him for damage. ¡°How much control do you have?¡± She asked him.


    Isaac knelt down and looked at the ribs Lenna had punched. They were blackened and had a chip that was slowly fixing itself. He ran some death mana over it and it fixed near instantly. ¡°Basically total control. I could probably consciously have him move each bone in his legs but that would just end up giving me a headache.¡± He replied. ¡°I think he can move and fight, poorly, because those were things that he could do when he was alive. He isn¡¯t really alive anymore though.¡±


    ¡°Undead?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Isaac answered. ¡°I haven¡¯t met any undead to know for sure though. Making those usually requires spells right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The spell binds an unwilling soul to power the skeleton.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Oh. Then I don¡¯t think he is undead. I didn¡¯t bind a soul or anything. I think it¡¯s more like my magic rebuilt him as close to the original as possible without a soul.¡± He scratched his chin. ¡°Maybe the flesh and the soul are connected somehow?¡±


    ¡°Regardless. It, he, is a powerful beast.¡± Lenna told him.


    ¡°I think I like having something like him hidden in my shadow. An ability that any enemies don¡¯t know about is one thing, but a whole other party member? Imagine the look on somebody¡¯s face when a puddle of pure shadowy void opens up and a freakin¡¯ bone dragon pulls itself out to eat them.¡± Isaac seemed to get more excited by the idea the more he went on.


    ¡°If we are out too long they will wonder why.¡± Lenna reminded him, pulling him out of his thoughts of spreading terror.


    Isaac stood back up and opened the void to his new not so little friend. Kahtesh sank down into it without so much as twitching. ¡°Next time I¡¯m having you curl up or something. This is just weird.¡± Isaac told Kahtesh. He turned to Lenna and nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    They had only made it around the corner when Isaac heard footsteps. He disappeared and bolted down the tunnel after the sound. Lenna started jogging down the tunnel in the direction towards Safeharbor, which she assumed was the end destination. She couldn¡¯t track Isaac and there was no way that she would be able to hear whoever he was chasing over the sound of her armor while she was running. She could only hope that Isaac would be okay by himself. ¡®Well, he has a dragon in his shadow¡­ He¡¯ll be fine.¡¯

 Chapter 61 This Is An Investment.

    Chapter 61 This Is An Investment.


    ¡®That cloak looks familiar.¡¯ Isaac thought to himself. He had gotten a glimpse of their stalker when he rounded the most recent corner. ¡®Damn he¡¯s fast.¡¯ Isaac was breathing hard and he could hear the other man¡¯s heavy breathing as well. The other man started to slow down to a walk and Isaac gained some ground.


    ¡ª


    ¡°I hope I lost them¡­¡± The man whispered and looked behind himself. Only an empty tunnel met him and total silence. ¡°Good. I shouldn¡¯t have followed them.¡± He whispered to himself and kept walking while trying to catch his breath.


    He bumped into something and staggered back. Before his eyes a shadowy form appeared. A black void rose out of the ground in roughly the silhouette of a cloaked man. His eyes went wide. ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything I swear.¡± He told the walking shadow and started backing up. ¡°I just got curious. It won¡¯t happen again.¡± The man continued pleading.


    ¡ª


    Isaac had ended up teleporting into the darkness in front of the man because he felt like he couldn¡¯t run anymore. He had turned around just in time for the man to run into him. He opened the shadows up around his eyes so he¡¯d be visible but kept everything else closed off to hide his panting. He needed a drink, his throat was dry and his legs burned.


    He let the silence hang as he stared down the rogue. He sat down, moving all his shadows to form behind him into a stool and crossed his arms. ¡°Thomas.¡± He said to his stalker once his breath was even again. ¡°I told you not to follow when we don¡¯t want you to.¡± He pulled a waterskin out of thin air and took a swig. ¡°To make it worse, you made me run after you.¡±


    Thomas gulped. ¡°I¡­ uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. You ¡®won¡¯t do it again¡¯ right?¡± Isaac said with annoyance dripping off his words. ¡°Listen Thomas. I¡¯m tempted to stab you with a few of these¡± He pulled a steel throwing spike out of his Inventory. ¡°and leave you for the spiders. Everyone would think you got ambushed by a few creepy crawlies and got yourself killed. You understand the position you are in right?¡±


    Thomas nodded and gulped again. ¡°Y-yes sir. I do.¡±


    Isaac took a deep breath. ¡°What exactly did you see and hear? I can feel if you are lying so don¡¯t try to bullshit me.¡± Isaac lied. He also wasn¡¯t sure if bullshit was even a recognized term here but Thomas seemed to get the meaning regardless.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything. I heard some fighting and you talking about a bone dragon. I swear, nothing else.¡± Thomas told him with fear in his eyes and voice.


    ¡°Thomas, do you know what happened the last time someone pissed me off.¡± Isaac asked him with an even tone.


    Thomas stepped back half a step and nodded. ¡°They got dusted right?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah. They got dusted. I killed them by touching them. I grabbed the one around his neck and it disintegrated so quickly that his head hit the ground before the torch he was holding. Another I punched and I didn¡¯t even feel any resistance until I hit the back of his skull. The last one, he really pissed me off. Do you know what was left of him?¡± Isaac questioned. He was making sure to put the fear of angering a vengeful god into Thomas. The thicker he could lay it on the better.


    Thomas¡¯ throat was dry but he tried to swallow anyway. ¡°There was nothing left but bones.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Good.¡± Isaac nodded and stood up. ¡°Your eavesdropping hasn¡¯t made me angry. The magistrate finding out what you heard would make me angry. Remember that.¡± Isaac told him and vanished.


    Thomas collapsed onto the ground and breathed deeply. ¡°Fuck he¡¯s scary.¡± He whispered to himself. ¡°Well Thomas you really fucked yourself this time haven¡¯t you.¡± He shook his head and sighed as the tension was at least partially released. ¡°Nothing happened. I followed them into the caverns and the paladin just smited a bunch of spiders. Normal day. Nothing new.¡± He told himself and stood up with a shake of his head to clear it. Thomas began his slow walk the rest of the way out of the spider tunnels.


    Isaac had heard everything with a smile on his face. ¡°Good. He better not snitch to Gio about my pet dragon. Then I¡¯d actually do something. Probably not kill him, he seems like a nice enough guy, but definitely something he wouldn¡¯t soon forget.¡± Isaac said while watching Thomas brush himself off and start walking.


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    ¡°I better follow him. I¡¯m totally lost.¡± Isaac said into his shadows with a frown.


    ¡ª


    Lenna was getting worried. She had only been at the exit for a few minutes but that was a few minutes too long as far as she was concerned. She was tapping her foot and she kept looking back down the main path. Another minute later she saw a cloaked figure slowly walk out of one of the side tunnels and turn in her direction. He froze, she recognized him right away, it was Thomas.


    Isaac pulled himself through the darkness and out of where Lenna¡¯s shadow would be if a light was shining at her face. He emerged and dispelled his shadows. ¡°We had a talk. He should be fine.¡± Isaac told her.


    Lenna spun around and breathed a deep sigh of relief. ¡°That is not happening again.¡± She told him.


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°What isn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t like not knowing.¡± She let the rest of the statement up to his imagination.


    Isaac gave her a smile. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll try. Okay?¡±


    She met his eyes. ¡°Okay.¡± She sighed again.


    Thomas had just gotten close enough to hear them. ¡°Let¡¯s head back, you two.¡± Isaac told them and started walking down the path back to Safeharbor.


    Thomas made sure to hang back far enough that the guards wouldn¡¯t notice that he was with them and would think that he was still just tailing them. Isaac and Lenna went about things as usual, only without the cart as any halved spider corpses and the rope that they were attached to had been left in one of the tunnels.


    Back in their room Isaac sighed and threw himself backwards onto the bed. ¡°I hope leaving him alive wasn¡¯t a mistake.¡± He said to Lenna once she had closed the door behind them.


    She sat sideways on the chair and leaned against the wall next to it. ¡°I trust your judgment.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. I wish I trusted my judgment. It¡¯s kinda hard after our entry though.¡± He replied referencing the incident in the cells.


    ¡°It turned out alright.¡± She assured him. Isaac nodded solemnly. ¡°I have an idea.¡± She told him and he sat up on his elbows to see her. ¡°Let¡¯s go shopping. We have enough to get an enchanted sword. Maybe some better armor for you.¡±


    ¡°We do, don¡¯t we? I had forgotten if I¡¯m being honest.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°That sounds like a plan. A magic sword would be nice.¡±


    ¡ª


    An hour later the two of them found themselves back in the smithy where Isaac had purchased his sword and Lenna¡¯s ¡®hair pins¡¯. The boy that had been there wasn¡¯t working the counter this time but an old dwarven man was. Isaac had learned that the short and stocky people were almost always dwarves, a race of people especially accustomed to living underground.


    The old dwarf¡¯s eyes were gray and so was his hair. He had a few little burn marks on his face probably from working in the forge for the last hundred years. ¡°Are you the smith, you made all of these?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Aye. ¡®Twas I.¡± The dwarf answered.


    Isaac smiled and pulled his blade out its scabbard. ¡°I was hoping to find another one of these.¡± He said and handed the dwarf his sword.


    The old dwarf looked it over and nodded. ¡°Aye. I remember makin¡¯ this one. It wasn¡¯t bought for a long time.¡± He looked up to meet Isaac¡¯s gaze. ¡°Yah beat the hells out of it.¡±


    Isaac winced. ¡°I was actually hoping to get a brand new one to have it enchanted so that wouldn¡¯t happen again.


    The smith¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Well why didn¡¯t ya say so at the beginnin¡¯?! Leave this one here and I¡¯ll make ya one fit for a lifetime.¡±


    ¡°How much is that gonna cost me?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°I can do it for fifty gold and you¡¯ll have it back with the new one in two days.¡± The smith replied.


    Isaac thought about it. ¡°Alright.¡± He looked at Lenna who was looking over a longsword much like the one on her hip. ¡°Find one for you?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna shook her head and put it back. The dwarf scoffed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that blade laddy?¡± He asked while marching up to her and the hanging weapon.


    ¡°Your eyes are going, old dwarf.¡± She replied. ¡°Either that or you mispronounced Lady.¡±


    The dwarf stopped in his tracks and squinted at her. ¡°Apologies lass. Maybe my eyes are goin¡¯. S¡¯what¡¯s wrong with the blade?¡± He demanded.


    ¡°The cross guard is off center by a sixteenth of an inch.¡± She explained and took the sword off the rack and handed it to him. He took the sword with a frown and looked it over, twisting it this way and that before finally sighing and handing it back to her.


    ¡°Indeed it ¡®tis. I¡¯ll make another fit for an elvish princess for ya lass but it¡¯ll cost ya. That sword was only worth twenty five gold because it was made for quick sale not enchantin¡¯.¡± The smith explained.


    ¡°Fifty gold?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°Yes¡¯m.¡± He replied.


    Lenna returned the sword to the rack and drew the one at her hip before handing it to him. ¡°How much to fix this one?¡±


    He took the sword with curious eyes and the more he examined it the wider his old eyes became. ¡°Where¡¯d ya get this?¡± He asked. ¡°It¡¯s perfect.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not my story to tell.¡± She told him. ¡°Can you return this one to its former glory? I heard dwarves are the best smiths.¡± She prodded with a smirk. There was one way to always get a dwarf to work hard, fast, and cheap. That way was to poke their pride and Lenna had struck it just right.


    ¡°Aye. I¡¯ll do it for free too under a condition.¡± The dwarf replied.


    ¡°Go on.¡± Lenna told him.


    ¡°I get to keep it for a week even though it¡¯ll only take a day or two.¡± The dwarf spoke.


    Lenna looked to Isaac who nodded. ¡°I still have your spare.¡± He told her. ¡°It should be fine.¡±


    ¡°The second is to become permanent customers. This is an investment.¡± The dwarf said shrewdly.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Deal.¡± He took out five platinum pieces and set them on the counter. ¡°Finish my sword first. We¡¯ll be back in two days for it. Then you can have the other one for exactly seven more.¡±


    The old dwarf nodded and walked back to his counter to check the coins. Lenna unstrapped her scabbard and cleared her throat. ¡°Forget something?¡± She asked.


    The dwarf turned around and chuckled bashfully to himself while taking the scabbard. He sheathed the blade and counted the coins. ¡°Deal. Two days for the lads and then a week for the lass¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get a name sir smith.¡± Isaac said and reached out his hand to shake on their deal.


    ¡°Stan Ironeye.¡± He took Isaac¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Isaac Wexler.¡± Isaac replied as they shook on their deal.

 Chapter 62 That I Can Work With.

    Chapter 62 That I Can Work With.


    Isaac and Lenna walked out of the smithy. Isaac squinted trying to make out what the old worn sign said. ¡°Does that just say ¡®Stan¡¯s Smithy¡¯ and nothing else?¡± Isaac asked Lenna.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She replied and the two of them started their walk back to their room. A block into their walk Lenna stopped. ¡°We should go train.¡±


    Isaac stopped as well. He turned around, shoulders slumped, and replied: ¡°Do we have to?¡± He thought about it for a moment with a thoughtful expression on his face. ¡°Actually yeah. Let¡¯s go.¡± He said and started off towards the arena.


    Lenna followed after him. ¡°What made you change your mind?¡± She asked him.


    Isaac sighed, not at her or her question, just a general sigh about their current circumstances and having to trust in Thomas to not snitch. ¡°Using mana helps me relax. My mana pool is full almost constantly and having it not be full or at least being used lightens the weight in my chest. It¡¯s actually like a pool or a lake in that sense. Stagnant water is unpleasant but a flowing stream is nice even if the water level never goes down.¡± He explained.


    Lenna understood what he was saying, at least partly, for casters sitting on a full mana pool for too long often made one lethargic and in some cases irritable. She could only imagine how bad it could be for someone as connected to mana as Isaac. She mentioned an observation: ¡°That¡¯s why your steps are always silent.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s not really enough though, but if I do any more than coat my boots people start to notice, it¡¯s fun scaring people and all but like¡­¡± His voice trailed off as he tried to find the right words. ¡°Making people who have power feel uneasy is something I take joy in¡­ but the people who don¡¯t have power don¡¯t deserve to be frightened any more than they already are of the world ya know?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± She replied. ¡°I think, I understand.¡±


    The two of them arrived at an empty arena and grabbed their training swords. The dulled blades were collecting more and more dings as Isaac¡¯s training progressed. Each day Lenna would up the tempo a little and continue to find and capitalize on every weakness in his guard. She rarely actually hit him but instead kept a tempo where he could just barely keep up at all times.


    She was helping him make his own style with his own weapon. A weapon type that was almost never used. To many people the blade was too heavy to be wielded one handed but too light to be wielded with two. For those with high strength they often preferred a somewhat larger sword like the conventional longsword which had a wider blade making it less brittle. Isaac¡¯s sword being a mix between a thrusting sword and an allrounder made it awkward in most people¡¯s hands. Isaac loved it. Just like his unique class he would also have a unique fighting style.


    As they squared off against each other Isaac closed his eyes and coated his blade in shadows. He focused it and hardened it into the shape of the sword it was covering. The shadows were weightless so Isaac knew it wouldn¡¯t slow him down. He also knew that he would never actually end up hitting Lenna and if he did, she had magical armor. With that in mind he focused the shadows into a sharp edge of the sword.


    Isaac opened his eyes and inspected the blade. It was darker than black. The shadows ate light in its entirety. The edge was sharp but not to a degree that Isaac was happy with. He stabbed into the ground and frowned when he brought the tip back up. ¡°It¡¯s still not hard enough. I feel like I should be able to do it.¡± He said with furrowed eyebrows as his eyes bore through the blade.


    ¡°What are you doing exactly?¡± Lenna asked. She was no wizard but another mind coming at a problem from another direction was often exactly what was needed to make a breakthrough.


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    ¡°I¡¯m compressing the shadows into the blade and focusing them into the shape I want.¡± His face softened and he looked at her. ¡°Any ideas?¡±


    Lenna thought for a moment. ¡°You¡¯ve been reading about magic, yes?¡± She asked and Isaac nodded. ¡°What is the difference between a first and second level spell?¡±


    ¡°The quality of mana used to power it, but I don¡¯t see how¡­ oh I¡¯m such an idiot. Thanks. I should have realized this days ago.¡± Isaac complained and pulled all the shadows back into himself. He concentrated the dark mana inside of him and compacted it more and more. ¡®That should be good.¡¯ Isaac thought when he couldn¡¯t compress it any more.


    Isaac recoated the sword with shadows and focused them into his desired shape. The edge was perfect. He stabbed the tip into the ground and brought it back up. The tip hadn¡¯t flattened in the slightest. ¡°Qualitative increase in power.¡± He whispered more to himself than Lenna who now had a rather satisfied smile hidden away.


    ¡°You ready?¡± She asked him. Isaac nodded and entered his fighting stance. His stance was loose with his left foot half a step in front of his right. His right arm hung limply at his side with the elbow only bent a little to keep the sword¡¯s tip off the ground. His left hand was only raised to the height of his stomach. Against any other opponent he would use that hand as an opportunity for an instant kill. If he could touch a person with that open hand when it was covered in death flames they would be in for a bad day. A short day, but still a bad one.


    Lenna lunged and Isaac parried easily. The sword clash happened in total silence save for Lenna¡¯s armor rubbing against itself. Isaac smiled as his blade held up and moved to strike at her. Lenna blocked and countered. Again and again their dance of swords continued in silence as they both enjoyed each other¡¯s company.


    ¡ª


    After a rather quiet workout the two left their weapons on the rack and headed back to the inn. ¡°Be honest with me.¡± Isaac said as they walked down the street. ¡°How easy is it to kill me?¡±


    Lenna frowned and thought for a moment. ¡°A skilled assassin could finish you in one hit. Even with me here, if they are good enough.¡±


    Isaac remembered the feeling from Kahtesh¡¯s memories of his head getting chopped off. He rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°Noted. Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Be careful of wide range magics.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°They don¡¯t need to know exactly where you are, only what room you are in.¡±


    ¡°That might be a bit easier to fix.¡± Isaac said while thinking about possible counters. ¡°I can teleport while I am invisible so if I know what spell they are casting I can just move to a safer location. If there isn¡¯t one I¡¯ll need something else. I have a ton of mana. Maybe a mana shield of some kind? Shadows are super weak to a force of any kind unless I burn a shit load of mana.¡±


    ¡°Traps.¡± She continued. ¡°Wizards specifically. Wards with precast spells and ways to cut off mana and magic from the outside.¡±


    Isaac paled. ¡°That¡¯s a thing?¡± He asked worriedly. His mana and magic was the only real thing he could fall back on in an emergency. If there was a way to cut him off from that he would be fighting on borrowed time at best. At worst, entirely useless.


    ¡°Yes. Wizards are known for elaborate traps. The most notorious being the ¡®poison bubble¡¯. They aren¡¯t good at naming things.¡± She commented. She continued without Isaac having to prod for more information because she knew it was coming. ¡°It involves two spells at a minimum, Poison Cloud, and Force Bubble. The force bubble cuts off the area from all forms of travel. Teleportation doesn¡¯t even work. The poison finishes the victim.¡±


    Isaac winced. If he got caught and couldn¡¯t teleport out he would be a dead man. Once he could heal his entire body with his death mana that might change but there was no way to know for certain. ¡°You said a minimum of two spells. I take it it gets worse?¡± He asked.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Globe of Negation cuts off magic. Any magic from inside will only work inside, and vice versa. It seals the magic within, separating it from the outside entirely.¡±


    Isaac winced again. Even if he could heal himself through the poison he would end up running out of mana at some point if no new mana could get in from the outside. ¡°Don¡¯t piss off any wizards. Got it.¡± Isaac said grimly.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Wards are expensive and rely on magical senses. On one hand, low level wizards are short on both money and power. On the other, high level wizards have plenty of both. Time and preparation are their greatest strengths.¡± She explained.


    ¡°A wizard¡¯s house is a temple to them and I would be wise not to enter unannounced?¡± Isaac replied.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Anything else I should be worried about?¡± Isaac asked. His confidence was quickly dropping with each danger Lenna opened his eyes to.


    Lenna thought for a long moment as they walked. ¡°Spirits. Maybe.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Why spirits?¡±


    ¡°They might be able to track you.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°Many of them can sense souls. They wouldn¡¯t be able to see you exactly. Just know what direction and about how far away you are.¡±


    ¡°That I can work with.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Wizards and other assassins¡­ The area spell problem I can at least work with, as well as something being able to sense my soul.¡±


    ¡°Just¡­¡± Lenna¡¯s voice trailed off. ¡°Be careful.¡±

 Chapter 63 She Does Excellent Work.

    Chapter 63 She Does Excellent Work.


    ¡°Hey Celeste?¡± Isaac said as he leaned against the bar.


    ¡°Yes hun?¡± Celeste replied as she polished a glass.


    ¡°I ordered a new sword and we are going to have Lenna¡¯s touched up.¡± He explained. ¡°Once the swords are ready, then what? Where do I send them to get enchanted? How do I send them?¡±


    ¡°Ah so you didn¡¯t just order one from the general store then?¡± Celeste replied. Isaac just stared blankly for a moment. Celeste chuckled. ¡°Yes it¡¯s that easy.¡±


    Isaac sighed and rested his hand on his chin. ¡°Well, it¡¯s fine. One of the swords is better quality than they would have anyway.¡±


    ¡°Well, right next to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild there is a little building without a sign on it. Only the rich folk know where the courier¡¯s office is in any given city.¡± Celeste told him and set the glass down. ¡°Bring the sword in a box with three hundred gold packed in there along with it.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like it¡¯s waiting to get stolen.¡± Isaac replied.


    Celeste smiled. ¡°That¡¯s why you are going to pay two hundred gold to ship it there and back.¡±


    Isaac blinked a few times. ¡°I knew travel was dangerous but two hundred gold? How far am I sending it?¡± He asked incredulously.


    ¡°You are sending it to the Altia Academy of Magic and Artificery in the capital of Altia, Altesia.¡± Celeste explained and Isaac rolled his eyes at the name of the capital. ¡°I know, their naming scheme is awful.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°At least I know I¡¯m not the only one who thinks that. Who names a place Charles III? At least Ben¡¯s End rolls off the tongue.¡±


    Celeste just smiled at him before continuing. ¡°The academy will enchant it for a small fee of only fifty gold. The other two hundred and fifty that you are sending with it are to cover the costs of enchanting it in the first place. That is, of course, assuming you only want the blade sharpened and hardened with magic. Any of the crazy things cost way more.¡±


    ¡°Maybe in the future I can think about a sword that floats around and stabs people without me having to lift a finger but there is no way I have the gold for something as outlandish as that.¡± Isaac replied. Celeste just stared at him blankly for a moment. ¡°Wait, that¡¯s real?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Yes. Floating swords are common for noble swordsmen. Especially those that can¡¯t cast magic normally.¡± Celeste explained.


    Isaac beamed. ¡°That sounds so cool.¡±


    After giving Isaac a moment to imagine getting into a sword duel with himself Celeste broke him out of his thoughts. ¡°Now that you know how to get things enchanted, are you going to do something about that armor that looks ready to fall into pieces?¡±


    Isaac looked down at his armor. Most of it had held up nicely but the area where the repair was done was deteriorating especially badly. The armor was covered in nicks and gashes from many near misses and glancing blows. He really did have a talent for deflection. ¡°Maybe in a few weeks when I can afford it.¡± He said with a frown.


    Celeste shook her head and looked at Lenna. ¡°You just going to let him make a bad decision like that?¡± She asked with a raised eyebrow.


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    ¡°If he got hit at all, I would press the issue.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t want to be hit he won¡¯t be. I have faith in him.¡±


    Celeste smiled and shook her head. ¡°Ah youth.¡± She said with a contented sigh. ¡°Don¡¯t go fighting anything worse than spiders with that gear you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Yes mam.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I¡¯ve only actually been hit a few times and the armor barely helped if it even helped at all. The glancing blows could have been avoided if I was faster, which lowering my weight should do¡­ I¡¯ll need magical armor.


    ¡°Good lad.¡± Celeste replied. ¡°Now, you two here for dinner? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever had patrons eat as much as you two.¡±


    Isaac chuckled and Lenna looked down at her feet for a moment in embarrassment. A moment that fortunately Isaac hadn¡¯t noticed. ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna and Isaac said in unison.


    The next two days went by as the days prior had; breakfast, hunting, lunch, sparring and reading. Isaac had diversified his literature from magic theory to the book Lenna had been reading after she finished it and had found another to replace it. Lenna had raised an eyebrow but decided not to comment.


    The day Isaac picked up his swords from Stan they were ambushed by a messenger as they left Stan¡¯s Smithy. ¡°Ehlow mista?¡± A young boy, maybe around ten, said to Isaac. ¡°You ¡®ord Wexler?¡± He stared at Isaac¡¯s silver eyes in the street light that seemed to shine the same color as the glowing stones.


    ¡°Yes. Why?¡± Isaac asked with furrowed eyebrows.


    ¡°Gots a message for ya.¡± The boy said and handed him a piece of paper that was folded in half. The boy¡¯s brown hair had a fair amount of red stone dust in it and his face was dirty. His clothes were plain and in disrepair. Isaac couldn¡¯t tell if the boy was just poor or if he was homeless. Lenna noticed the way the boy seemed to be looking for a coin purse on Isaac and she figured the latter.


    Isaac opened the paper and read it aloud so Lenna didn¡¯t have to take her eyes off their surroundings. ¡°Your attire is completed Lord Wexler and Lady ¡­ ¡° He trailed off at her last name before just deciding to skip it and continue. ¡°Please come and have it fitted at your earliest convenience. Signed Jessica Silverstrand.¡±


    ¡°Fitting can take a while.¡± Lenna told Isaac and then nodded at the boy. ¡°I believe he is waiting for a tip.¡±


    The boy¡¯s eyes widened at the deep, smooth, and distinctly feminine voice that came from the battleworn armor in front of him. ¡°It¡¯s custom to pay upon delivery.¡± The boy replied, accentuating many of the harder syllables.


    Isaac smiled and reached behind the boy¡¯s ear quicker than he could react then yanking his hand back with a gold coin held between his thumb and index finger. ¡°Here. Don¡¯t lose it.¡± Isaac said and the boy took the coin with eyes so wide they looked like they would stay that way.


    ¡°Th-thank ya mista.¡± The boy whispered. Isaac patted him on the head and nodded towards the Silverstrand Seamstress.


    Lenna and Isaac left the bewildered boy there in the street as he bit into the coin to make sure it was real. ¡°You think a gold was a bit much? I couldn¡¯t tell if it was the magic trick or the coin that shocked him the most.¡± Isaac asked Lenna when they were out of earshot.


    ¡°Probably both.¡± Lenna replied.


    Isaac smiled. ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing wrong with over paying from time to time.¡±


    Inside the Silverstrand Seamstress Isaac and Lenna had been barred from seeing each other¡¯s outfits. ¡°No, no, no. It would ruin the surprise. Make a big reveal to each other before you leave to see Sera. I promise it¡¯ll be much better that way.¡± Jessica had assured them.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like not knowing if he is safe.¡± Lenna had protested.


    Jessica shook her head. ¡°By all that is holy girl, do you follow him into the bath?¡±


    Lenna¡¯s face reddened, or rather turned from a violet hue to more of a red wine color. ¡°No.¡± She replied after a moment.


    Jessica put the back of her hand on her forehead. ¡°I can tell you¡¯ve thought about it.¡± Lenna¡¯s face reddened even more. ¡°He¡¯ll just be in the next room, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m taking him to the capital or something. Sit and wait.¡± She commanded and pointed to a chair resting against the wall just outside the dressing room.


    Isaac had been listening to the encounter from said dressing room as he changed into his new outfit. The more their discussion went on the wider the grin on his face became.


    ¡ª


    Three whole hours later the pair left the seamstress with four boxes. Two had clothes and the other two had shoes. Jessica had instructed Lenna to find something silver, preferably with an amethyst, to wear as an accessory. Isaac noted it as something he would look for later. Lenna wouldn¡¯t. As far as she was concerned all their money was his and she wasn¡¯t going to try to spend that money on jewelry. Especially of the non magical variety.


    Back at their room Isaac pulled the boxes out of his Inventory that he had stashed them in when no one was looking. He stacked them in the closet and sat on the bed with a content sigh. ¡°Those looked expensive.¡± Lenna commented as she sat down on the chair and took off her helmet.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even want to know how much that cost. Not until getting more is an option anyway.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°It¡¯s actually really comfortable.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Lenna said and started the long process of taking off her armor. ¡°She does excellent work.¡±


    ¡°When we have more money to throw around, I¡¯m definitely filling my half of the closet with clothes from her. I¡¯ve always just thought of clothes as something to keep me warm and cover myself but I could get used to dressing like that.¡± Isaac went on.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Lenna¡¯s voice trailed off as she looked for the right way to say what she was thinking. ¡°Not being in armor frightens me.¡±


    ¡°One day it won¡¯t.¡± Isaac assured her. ¡°I promise.¡±


    She gave him a weak smile. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know any better,¡± She let the silence hang for a moment. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t believe you.¡±

 Chapter 64 Kahtesh? Come Out And Play.

    Chapter 64 Kahtesh? Come Out And Play.


    On day fourteen of the duo¡¯s adventuring life Isaac sighed at the entrance to the spider infested tunnels. ¡°I have had enough of spiders. I¡¯m tempted to just have Kahtesh clear them out.¡±


    Lenna nodded absently. ¡°Agreed.¡±


    ¡°How much of the tunnel system is even left to clear out?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°We¡¯ve killed like two hundred of them.¡±


    Lenna opened the map and looked around. Most of the tunnels ended up at the main path eventually so they hadn¡¯t really need it. ¡°We¡¯ve cleared about a third.¡± She told him.


    ¡°A third of the entire tunnel system?¡± Isaac asked skeptically.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied and put the map away.


    Isaac leaned against the wall. ¡°Something interesting is gonna show up to eat those corpses right?¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Maybe. Might be different spiders.¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡± Isaac grumbled. ¡°How different? And why?¡±


    ¡°Who knows.¡± Lenna replied with a shug. ¡°There are a lot of spider variants.¡±


    ¡°How many is a lot?¡± Isaac asked with a raised eyebrow.


    Lenna tried to count them in her head for a moment before she gave up and shook her head. ¡°Too many to count.¡±


    Isaac pushed off the wall and started down the tunnel. ¡°Today is the last spider hunt we are taking for at least a week. I need a break from eight legs and weird chittering.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Lenna responded with a sigh. Spiders had felt like a waste of time for the past thirteen days for her.


    ¡ª


    Day fifteen of their adventuring carrier found the pair staring at the bounty board. ¡°Tired of spiders?¡± Alice asked from a dozen feet away behind her counter.


    ¡°Yes.¡± The pair replied with equally weary sighs.


    Alice giggled. ¡°You two will never level that way anyway. Look for something that at least pays better.¡± She told them. She had gotten more and more comfortable around the pair after having seen them everyday for over two weeks.


    Isaac¡¯s eyes settled on a job. ¡°This would be so easy.¡±


    Lenna followed his gaze. ¡°Indeed.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Working in town is a bad idea.¡± Isaac countered.


    Lenna was getting tired of the only options being wraiths or spiders and decided to play devil¡¯s advocate. ¡°It is just information gathering.¡±


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    ¡°On a gang.¡± Isaac replied.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°Anything else?¡± She asked as she gave up. She really didn¡¯t want him to take that job but she also really didn¡¯t want to hunt spiders¡­ a thought came screaming into her mind. With wide eyes and a little excitement in her voice she grabbed the wraith contract. Eyes flying over the page. ¡°Good.¡± She said aloud.


    ¡°What?¡± Isaac asked and looked at the bounty. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want that one?¡±


    ¡°Dragon¡¯s breath.¡± She whispered.


    Isaac thought about it. Lenna had told him that they were immune to physical damage. A smile spread across his face. ¡®Good thing Kahtesh can breathe lightning.¡¯ He thought. ¡°Two hundred and fifty gold on completion isn¡¯t bad. There is the risk of running into a drow patrol¡­ How close are we to a drow city?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°About a hundred miles by tunnel.¡± Lenna replied.


    Isaac was surprised and it showed. ¡°You think that¡¯s a good idea?¡± He asked her.


    Lenna looked at him and raised an eyebrow under her helmet even though he couldn¡¯t see it. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I mean wouldn¡¯t they attack us basically on sight?¡± Isaac replied.


    Lenna thought for a moment. ¡°Probably. But a patrol is normally four men. None over level seven nor under level three.¡±


    ¡°So we just fight them if we run into them?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna was growing more and more confused. ¡°Yes? Why wouldn¡¯t we?¡±


    Alice had been watching and listening to the entire conversation with deep interest as were a few others in the Guild Hall. Isaac¡¯s face went through a few expressions like confusion, bewilderment, and finally acceptance. ¡°I mean if you don¡¯t have a problem with¡­¡± He dropped his voice. ¡°blowing up soldiers previously under your command I don¡¯t have a problem stabbing them.¡± He said with a shrug.


    Lenna pulled another bounty off the wall and handed them both to Isaac. ¡°Just in case.¡± She told him.


    Isaac read the new bounty. ¡°Two hundred and fifty gold for taking out a drow patrol. I mean I probably won¡¯t go looking for them. It sounds like a waste of time. You don¡¯t happen to know their patrol patterns do you?¡± He asked. Lenna shook her head. Isaac shrugged. ¡°Fair enough.¡± He walked over to Alice. ¡°What happens if we don¡¯t really want to take this job but stumble across them in our travels again?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll get paid but it won¡¯t count for your record.¡± Alice reminded him.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll just leave that one here then. I don¡¯t feel like camping out in the tunnels any more than I have to.¡±


    Alice nodded and marked them down as having taken the bounty to hunt the wraiths. ¡°This will actually be your first official bounty. The spiders are an open contract with the guild so that won¡¯t count on your record unless you somehow manage to clear out the entire caverns.¡± She chuckled. ¡°But that would just be silly. There has to be at least a thousand spiders in there.¡±


    Isaac thought about it. ¡°What would happen if I cleared out the whole cavern but there wasn¡¯t anything left of the spiders to bring in for proof?¡± He asked. ¡°Hypothetically.¡±


    Alice was stunned into silence and then answered slowly and slightly concerned. ¡°Well, hypothetically, you would get paid based on an estimate of how many spiders there were. If there were stronger variants, that you had the proof of you killing, then the payout would go up, but if there wasn¡¯t anything left¡­¡± She shrugged apologetically. ¡°It would be assumed they were all just cave spiders.¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°There goes that plan.¡± He grumbled. ¡°Thanks for the info.¡± He turned to leave.


    ¡°Of course. That¡¯s what I¡¯m here for.¡± Alice replied.


    ¡ª


    The pair¡¯s target was a dead end tunnel about fifteen miles away. The hike was long but they were determined to not have to sleep on the ground. The wraiths were made by a group of adventurers dying incredibly gruesome deaths at the hands of a dryder. The dryder still had a bounty on its head but Lenna didn¡¯t think they were quite ready for that.


    The hike was completely uneventful. Isaac had taken to using his new method of making shadow constructs to making a pair of hiking sticks. As they approached Isaac heard something. He stopped Lenna and put his hand on her shoulder. He dismissed his shadow sticks and focused shadows into her armor to mask her sound as well.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Lenna asked as she reached for a sword that wasn¡¯t there.


    Isaac pulled her original sword out of his Inventory and handed it to her. ¡°I thought I heard screaming.¡± He whispered. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry. Quietly.¡±


    Lenna nodded once. ¡°Agreed.¡±


    It only took them two minutes to find what Isaac had heard. As they rounded a corner they came across a scene of chaos and panic. A small group of drow were fighting off the wraiths the duo had come to kill.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a patrol.¡± Lenna whispered. There was a clear mage of some kind throwing bolts of fire and sometimes compressed marbles of magic that seemed to track the wraiths as they tried to dodge. Two guards were dead on the ground with pain on their faces and no visible injuries.


    It looked as though the group had been escorting a merchant of some kind who had been using a pair of pecurke to pull a topless wagon with some crates in it. The merchant was hiding behind the cart and one of the two remaining swordsmen was trying to keep the pecurke from ripping free of the wagon. The other guard was trying to distract the two remaining wraiths so the mage could finish them.


    ¡°They look like they might kill each other off.¡± Isaac whispered.


    Lenna glanced at him. ¡°Lightning.¡± She whispered back.


    Isaac grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s crash this little party. Kahtesh? Come out and play.¡± He said almost maniacally while a void of pure shadow opened up in front of him and a bone paw with three, three inch long, claws reached out and grabbed the stone.

 Chapter 65 How Long Can He Stay?

    Chapter 65 How Long Can He Stay?


    Kahtesh pulled himself out of the void and stood atop it. His wings opened wide and then settled neatly on his back, half draping off the side. His tail lay in an ¡®S¡¯ shape along the ground and his soulless eyes gazed forwards without a thought behind them.


    Isaac whispered to Lenna: ¡°What should we do with the merchant?¡±


    ¡°He can¡¯t survive.¡± She replied.


    Isaac thought about it for a moment. He didn¡¯t particularly like killing noncombatants but she was right. He couldn¡¯t be left alive after seeing Kahtesh and if Safeharbor found out they let him live then their loyalties would be put into question. ¡®Line the guard tending to the pecurke and the mage up then lightning bolt them both.¡¯ He mentally directed Kahtesh by simply willing the words towards his dragon.


    The pair watched with great interest and bated breaths as the bone dragon bounded forwards once covering twenty feet as mana coursed over his semi folded wings. He bounded again, this time forwards and to their right. He landed in a perfect line with his two targets.


    ¡°What in the¡­¡± The guard shouted but was cut off by a lighting bolt that flew out of Kahtesh¡¯s open mouth, through the guard¡¯s chestplate, the pecurke in front of him¡¯s kidney, and finally through the mage¡¯s chest. As the bolt pieced through the guard it slowed slightly from the resistance. The guard¡¯s heart exploded from the current vaporizing the blood inside it. His armor had two glowing orange circles. One in the middle of his chest and the other on his back.


    The pecurke¡¯s kidney exploded and its fur lit ablaze as the bolt passed through it. It collapsed in a wail of pain. Its body too slowed the bolt. As the lightning slowed the magic maintained the energy. The slower it was the hotter it would get but also the more it would transfer the energy into whatever it hit next.


    When the bolt finally made it to the mage it was still moving faster than anyone could react but compared to its original speed it had slowed considerably. The impact with his chest was much more of an impact than with the other two victims. The mage flew off his feet and was tossed towards the wall. His body absorbed most of the lightning bolt¡¯s remaining energy and much of his inside¡¯s vaporized instantly.


    The cavern fell silent. The guard who was struck stumbled back a step, then another. He hung there for a moment before his strings were cut and he crumpled to the ground. The moment was soon over and the wraiths lunged for the remaining guard intent on ripping his soul from his body.


    Their blue, glowing, silhouettes launched across the tunnel. Their spectral forms were still equipped with the visage of the gear they once wore. Its fabric, scabbards, and pouches weren¡¯t affected by their momentum nor the wind resistance in the slightest. The guard screamed as they dove into and through him.


    ¡®Finish the pecurke. Quickly. Go for their throats.¡¯ Isaac ordered Kahtesh. The dragon bound towards the standing pecurke and pawed its head backwards which opened up its throat. The dragon opened its maw and clamped down with a snap that echoed through the tunnels. Kahtesh shoved off the pecurke with its throat still in his mouth.


    A sickening tearing sound, liquid slapping against the ground, and short, pained, gurgling were what followed. Kahtesh tried to swallow the meat in his mouth but lacked the necessary organs. Isaac just stared at him for a moment as he struggled. ¡®Kahtesh, just spit it out.¡¯ He told the dragon. Swallowing whatever was in his mouth was so ingrained into the dragon, that the shadow of what he once was, that now terrorized the tunnel, had tried almost as if it were muscle memory.


    Kahtesh tried to spit it out but again he lacked the necessary organs and eventually Isaac felt that he had enough mana stored up to use his lightning breath again. ¡®Just fry it along with one of the wraiths.¡¯ He directed with a defeated sigh. ¡°We¡¯re gonna have to figure something out with the whole ¡®getting things out of his mouth¡¯ problem.¡± He told Lenna with a frown.


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    Kahtesh aimed at one of the wraiths and fired. The wraith tried to dodge the bolt but it still managed to clip it. The glancing blow still blew a chunk out of the wraith and it wailed in pain. The meat that was stuck in Kahtesh¡¯s mouth was thoroughly cooked and had shrunk a little but was still stuck in his mouth.


    Isaac groaned audibly. ¡®Finish off the other pecurke with your claws. Afterwards, lightning bolt the wraiths.¡¯ Isaac directed and looked at Lenna. ¡°He¡¯s gonna need some help or this is gonna take a while.¡±


    Lenna nodded and rose to her full height. She cracked her neck and started jogging towards the wraiths. Isaac disappeared and moved to kill the merchant before he could make a break for it. The merchant was looking around frantically trying to find an exit when he spotted the armored monster jogging towards his cart. He tripped backwards when the monster¡¯s sword caught fire.


    Kahtesh was playing cat and mouse with the wounded pecurke because he really didn¡¯t know how to fight without biting things and Isaac hadn¡¯t taken the time to teach him via overlaying complex commands. Isaac figured it was possible but hadn¡¯t gotten around to trying. The wraiths finished off the guard they were harassing and went to dive at Kahtesh when one of them was cut in half by Lenna and burst into flames.


    The merchant moved to get up but quickly halted by a blade cutting through his throat and getting lodged in his neck vertebrae. Isaac kicked the merchant off his blade while yanking his sword free. Lenna moved to finish off the other wraith but it darted away from her.


    ¡®Kahtesh, quit playing with the pecurke and fry the other wraith. I¡¯ll finish your toy.¡¯ Isaac directed and moved towards the bloodied and cut up pecurke. Kahtesh jumped back and lined up a shot at the wraith. Isaac glanced at the dragon just in time to see that Lenna was down range. ¡®Make sure you don¡¯t hit Lenna.¡¯ Isaac corrected. Kahtesh yanked his head to the side and the bolt slammed into the wall sending stone chunks flying.


    Isaac slashed the pecurke across the throat quickly before backstepping a sweeping strike. He stepped in and jabbed into its eye and ducked under another swing. He took out the other eye then transitioned into another slash across the monster¡¯s throat and backed off.


    Lenna tossed Kahtesh a quick glance when the bolt had gone wide. All she could really do was stand there and wait for the wraith to get impatient. ¡°Isaac.¡± She called.


    Isaac reappeared. ¡°Yeah.¡± He asked.


    ¡°Try throwing shadows at it.¡± She directed.


    Isaac reached out and started making a shadow version of the throwing spikes with a confused look on his face. ¡°I thought they were immune to physical damage unless it was from a magical weapon?¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°They are not immune to hostile mana.¡±


    Isaac launched the spike at the wraith with his will and the bolt lodged itself an inch deep into the ghostly being. ¡°That was underwhelming.¡±


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s something.¡±


    Isaac heard the chains holding the pecurke snap and he reengaged it. Kahtesh was ready for another bolt so he took the chance and fired. The wraith twisted at the last second and took the bolt on the arm. Much of its body was starting to disperse and float away. It looked at the bone dragon with hatred in its eyes before a sword slash finished it off in a blaze of magical flames.


    Lenna turned to see Isaac finish slicing through the final pecurke¡¯s throat. ¡°He did well. Mostly.¡± Lenna commented.


    ¡°Yeah. There is definitely plenty to work on. The scent of over cooked pecurke being one. Also teaching him to fight without trying to eat it.¡± Isaac sighed then shrugged. ¡°Win some, lose some I guess.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°How long can he stay?¡± She asked.


    Isaac thought about it. ¡°Forever. He takes about as much mana out of me to function as I use silencing my footsteps. Honestly it¡¯s kinda ridiculous. If he didn¡¯t need micro-managing I¡¯d never have to work again.¡± He explained.


    Lenna stared at the dragon for a bit examining him. ¡°He¡¯s healing.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. If he¡¯s not spending any of my mana he just starts fixing himself passively. It¡¯s really nice actually. This way I don¡¯t have to worry about healing a party member who can¡¯t tell me when he¡¯s hurt.¡± Isaac replied and started trying to pry the lid off one of the crates.


    Lenna walked around the tunnel intersection and made sure everything was dead. She looked down the one tunnel and found the remains of the adventurers. Their armor was piled off to the side and there were still blood stains and broken bones. She frowned at the sight before walking over and digging through their gear for their adventurer¡¯s badges.


    Isaac finally gave up and just forced a ton of his shadow mana into the crate and pushed half of it upwards and half downwards until the top flew off. He panted from the effort as he looked inside. ¡°What in the hells is this?¡± He asked and picked up a clear crystal of some kind.


    Lenna looked up from her somber task to see Isaac holding up one of the crystals. ¡°Quartz probably.¡± She said and returned to searching the pile.


    ¡°Why?¡± He asked. ¡°And where?¡±


    ¡°Magic rituals. I don¡¯t know.¡± She replied to his questions.


    Isaac looked down the tunnel they were headed down. ¡°What¡¯s down that way?¡±


    Lenna looked over her shoulder down the tunnel and tried to imagine the map of the area in her family¡¯s war room. ¡°Nothing?¡± She replied. ¡°A lot of tunnels. Most just end or circle back.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s worrying.¡± Isaac said and squinted his eyes trying to see through the tunnel walls and find whatever the drow were up to. ¡°I already don¡¯t like wizards.¡±


    Lenna nodded and finally stood up with all four adventurer¡¯s badges. Only one of them was still in one piece. She looked over at the fresh corpses. ¡°We need proof.¡±

 Chapter 66 That Was A Waste Of Time.

    Chapter 66 That Was A Waste Of Time.


    ¡°What kinda proof?¡± Isaac asked, glancing at one of the dead guards.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°I would prefer to not get the usual proof.¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s the usual proof?¡±


    Lenna tapped the side of her helmet towards the back. It was the only strange part of her helmet. It seemed to flatten out to allow more room on the inside for her pointed ears. ¡°Right ears.¡± She replied somberly.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t really have a problem with killing people. In fact if they deserve it then all the better. But,¡± He raised a finger for emphasis. ¡°Defiling the dead might just be a bit too far. We can at least let them rest in peace.¡±


    Lenna nodded absently. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Isaac walked over to the guard Lenna was standing over and looked down at him. ¡°How much do you think the armor weighs?¡± He asked.


    Lenna glanced at him. ¡°Forty two pounds plus a three pound sword or spear and five pounds of water.¡±


    Isaac looked at her. ¡°Fifty pounds exactly?¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Guards travel light.¡±


    ¡°Three sets of armor, the mage might have something on him,¡± Isaac looked over to the pile of adventurer gear. ¡°Anything magical over there?¡±


    ¡°Nothing worth taking.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Unless you want your own tooth brush.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s eyes went wide and leaned away from the direction of the pile. ¡°No, no I¡¯m good. They can keep it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s self cleaning.¡± Lenna replied casually.


    Isaac only looked more concerned and disgusted. ¡°It could disintegrate and summon a new one from the void and I still wouldn¡¯t use it.¡± He glanced at Lenna and saw her shoulders bounce slightly. ¡°Are you laughing at me?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Lenna squeaked out while trying to contain her laughter. The squeak was too much however and she started laughing as quietly as she could.


    Isaac couldn¡¯t help but laugh with her. ¡°I never thought¡­ you could make a noise¡­ like that.¡± Isaac eventually got out through his own laughter.


    When they both calmed down. Lenna made eye contact with him. ¡°That never happened.¡± She told him.


    Isaac, still with a smile on his face, shook his head and chuckled. ¡°Nope. Never happened.¡± Isaac looked at Kahtesh who hadn¡¯t moved an inch in the last few minutes. ¡°You think there is water in that wagon?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Start getting the guards gear together. I¡¯m gonna clean out Kahtesh¡¯s mouth and then we can figure out how much of the cargo we should bring with us.¡± He instructed. Lenna nodded and got to work.


    Isaac beckoned Kahtesh over to him when he reached the back of the wagon. Sure enough there was a barrel of water next to one filled with rations like the ones Lenna had carried when they first met. Isaac had Kahtesh open his mouth and he used shadows to make a scraper, that was always the right shape, to start chiseling chard flesh out of his mouth.


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    Lenna found exactly what she expected to find on the guards¡¯ bodies. Nothing but armor. It was regulation for guards to carry no personal effects on their persons. Their names were carved into the inside of their breastplate and helmet to differentiate them in case of death but otherwise they were all exactly identical.


    The mage was special. Mages were auxiliary units to the standard infantry division. They were not guards but considered soldiers. He had his badge of rank, which was barely over a new recruit¡¯s, his robes that were reinforced with metal ringlets, a staff made of magically reinforced and lightened stone with a quartz crystal at the end, a small coin purse, and finally, a spell book. The pages were paper like a normal book but just like the staff the spine and backs were magical stone.


    About halfway through Lenna¡¯s looting Isaac finished cleaning Kahtesh. He had used half the water in the small barrel. ¡°I am going to find a way to make you clean yourself. I do not want to do this every single time.¡± He told the dragon. Kahtesh, of course, didn¡¯t respond.


    Isaac started digging through the other crates and eventually he struck gold. Literally. ¡°What is this?¡± He asked both himself and Lenna as he picked up a small sack about the size of a coin purse. When he opened it up it was full of metallic dust of some kind. Lenna, who had just finished looting the guards and mage, walked over to him and looked into the pouch.


    She opened her faceplate and leaned in. She sniffed it twice. ¡°Gold dust.¡±


    Isaac looked at her. ¡°You can tell by smelling it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Drow are colorblind but still vain.¡± She told him.


    ¡°Huh.¡± Isaac replied and closed the sack. He set it back on the pile contained inside the crate in front of him. ¡°For magic rituals I take it?¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°How much do you think it¡¯s worth?¡± He asked, while staring at the crate.


    ¡°About a hundred gold per bag.¡± Lenna replied. She knew that most rituals worked on a base cost of a hundred per level of complexity, though she had never done one herself, she had been around for a while.


    Isaac whistled. ¡°There¡¯s like fifty bags in here¡­.¡±


    Lenna nodded. She went around and looked inside the other open crates. Four food, two quartz crystals, three barrels of water, and the one full of gold dust. The barrels of water would only be enough for the transport team. ¡®Wherever they were going must have its own water source.¡¯ Lenna thought. ¡®We can leave the food and water. Take just the gold¡­¡¯ She looked at the crate of crystals. Each of them could be worth anywhere from ten gold to two hundred depending on quality and size.


    The problem was that there was probably around five hundred pounds of quartz crystals and fifty pounds of gold dust. That and the almost two hundred pounds of gear from the guards and mage made the task of bringing it all back impossible. They already had sixty pounds of gear between them to make it even worse.


    Isaac was thinking the same thing though without the numbers to do the math. ¡°You think Kahtesh could pull the wagon?¡± He asked.


    Lenna looked at the small dragon. ¡°I doubt he can get enough traction.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Kahtesh, set your chin on the side here.¡± Isaac said and patted the wagon wall closest to the crate of gold dust. The dragon did as he was told. ¡°Open wide.¡± Kahtesh opened his mouth wide enough to fit a man¡¯s whole ribcage. He started grabbing the bags of gold dust and packing them inside of the dragon¡¯s body.


    Because of the way Kahtesh regrew, unlike other skeletons one could not just see through him. His bones had all grown plates that seemed to replace his skin and those plates had grown imprints of scales to help him look as close to how he originally did as possible. This fact made it that, although any fluid poured inside would find its way out through cracks and small gaps, most objects would be stuck inside.


    Once the crate was empty Isaac moved on to the quartz crystals. He packed as many as he could inside the dragon. ¡°Can you still walk buddy?¡± He asked and mentally directed Kahtesh to walk around the wagon once. Kahtesh did so but Isaac could tell that he wouldn¡¯t be able to carry much more.


    ¡°What about the rest?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac looked at it. ¡°Pack everything in my pack into yours. I¡¯ll fill my inventory with as much of the guard armor as I can, then we can make a sled for the rest and have you drag it along.¡±


    Lenna nodded and started on her task. Once she was done she looked up to see two of the sets of armor gone and Isaac staring down at the other set. She looked around ¡°How are we going to make a sled?¡± She asked.


    Isaac looked around. The walls on the back of the wagon weren¡¯t very tall. They had some rope but lacked something to use as the actual sled. Then his eyes settled on the mage¡¯s heavy robe. ¡°Run the rope through the sleeves, set a crate on the inside, fold the bottom of the robe up, run the rope across it to hold it in place.¡± He directed. ¡°How much can you pull?¡±


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°Three hundred pounds, maybe.¡± She looked down the tunnel they came from. The path had been relatively smooth and hadn¡¯t risen or fallen too much but it was still a lot of miles to be dragging all their loot back.


    ¡°We are sleeping out here tonight.¡± Isaac told her. He looked back at the wagon. ¡°You don¡¯t think the three of us could pull it, do you?¡±


    Lenna looked at the wagon. ¡°The guards probably helped.¡± She replied.


    ¡°What if we ditched the water and food?¡± Isaac asked hopefully.


    Lenna thought for a moment. ¡°Eight hundred pounds plus the wagon¡¯s weight.¡± She told him.


    ¡°We¡¯re gonna try. Worse case I have to repack Kahtesh.¡± Isaac replied with a sigh. The two of them got to work unloading as much of the wagon as they could and dumping the armor and quartz crystals into either the bed or their original crate respectively.


    When they finally finished Isaac sat down in the bed. ¡°That was a waste of time.¡± He said with a sigh.


    ¡°Loading Kahtesh?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°Can you have Kahtesh get in front of the wagon?¡± The dragon did so with a thought from Isaac and Lenna got to work tying the dragon to the wagon. She tied everything in such a way that one rope, that was fifty feet long, wrapped around Kahtesh, through two iron loops on the wagon that the pecurke were tied to, then forwards again. She tied both the ends of the rope into handles and tossed their backpacks into the wagon.


    Isaac hopped out and grabbed one of the handles. ¡°Well, here goes nothin¡¯.¡±

 Chapter 67 No… More… Naps…

    Chapter 67 No¡­ More¡­ Naps¡­


    The trio slowly got the wagon moving. Once it was rolling they barely had to pull at all, its own momentum and Kahtesh were enough to at least keep it from slowing down, on a flat surface. Whenever they reached an incline or decline they would stop and rest before tackling it.


    When they were about halfway back Isaac stopped them. ¡°I¡¯m dragging and my body is rebelling.¡± He told Lenna.


    She walked over to him and sent healing through his body soothing his muscles and relieving the pain. Unfortunately this also made him even more tired. He had been doing the same for her but every time he did it she was energized instead.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± He said with a yawn. ¡°Let me take a nap and then we can get moving again. If you untie Kahtesh he can be on watch with you.¡±


    Lenna nodded and got to work untying the small dragon while Isaac climbed into the wagon and used a blanket as a pillow and his cloak as a blanket.


    Lenna let him sleep and sat against the tunnel wall. ¡®Lua, please continue to bless this path, that you have set me on, with prosperity. I¡¯m sure the wealth we just acquired will be put to good use.¡¯ She prayed silently and then fell into meditation.


    ¡ª


    Lenna let Isaac sleep until she heard a sound coming from the way they had come from. She quickly got to her feet. ¡°Isaac!¡± She whispered sharply. He sat up quickly and wavered a second before shaking his head.


    He looked at her and then followed her gaze down the tunnel they had come from. He heard a heavy foot fall followed by another. He could feel whatever it was coming but something was off about it. He silenced himself with shadows and jumped out of the wagon. He walked over to Kahtesh and did the same to him.


    He realized as long as he wasn¡¯t doing anything else he could comfortably keep both of them silent even as he moved away from the dragon. The thin mana tether that formed between them to maintain his connection to the shadows seemed to be more stable due to the already existing connection the two of them had.


    Isaac directed Kahtesh to the right side of the tunnel, the wagon¡¯s left, between the wagon and the wall. He himself moved to stand next to Lenna. ¡°Something is weird about it.¡± He told her.


    ¡°How so?¡± She whispered and drew her sword.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It just feels weird.¡±


    Lenna nodded and readied herself. Isaac did the same. A moment later something grotesque rounded the corner. The pair were both taken aback by the monstrosity before them. It stood twenty feet away and stared intently at all three of them, individually, at the same time.


    One of its three heads stared at each of them. The heads were stitched together in some places and one of them was missing an eye. The three heads were all stitched onto a large torso that was a darker shade, further reinforcing the fact that it was from an entirely different type of creature.


    The four arms were stitched on as well but they at least looked like they were from the same type of creature as the torso. They weren¡¯t placed evenly however and it only aided in its disturbing appearance. The legs were from another, even bigger, creature than the torso and seemed to fit on the body poorly. Extra muscles were stitched on, connecting the limbs to the torso, with oddly shaped bulges. One of the heads opened its mouth and spoke. ¡°Found. Wagon. Bring. Back.¡±


    Isaac immediately was broken out of his stupor and mentally shouted at Kahtesh to fry the monstrosity. Lenna moved at the same time and covered ten feet before Kahtesh could fire his lightning bolt through the creature¡¯s chest. ¡®Stay there and just lighting bolt it whenever you can and have a clear shot without hitting Lenna or me.¡¯ Isaac directed.


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    He disappeared as Lenna¡¯s blade ignited. The lightning bolt caused the monstrosity to stagger back a step and let out a trio of howls of pain that made the duo¡¯s skin crawl. Lenna took the opportunity to chop hard into the creature¡¯s side where its right leg¡¯s connection to its body was reinforced.


    The flame empowered strike cut deep and severed muscle. It swung at her with one arm. She ducked under it and ran her blade along its wrist but missed seeing the second arm coming. It grabbed her across her shoulder and picked her up.


    Isaac coated his blade in shadows that were as hard as steel and held a perfect edge. He stabbed into the back of the monster¡¯s left ankle. The blade punched deep. He drove the sword in the whole way to its cross guard. The monster howled and started to squeeze Lenna. Just as it was about to take a swing at her with one of its free hands another lighting bolt lanced through it.


    It turned its full attention on Kahtesh. Its right foot stepped back half a step as its body turned. Isaac turned his sword blade into a row of razor sharp teeth and ripped it out of the monster¡¯s ankle. It yelled and threw Lenna at Kahtesh while stumbling backwards. Its tendon had been wounded but not cut.


    Lenna felt herself go from weightless in the monstrosity¡¯s grasp to weightless through the air. Isaac¡¯s attack had caused the creature to miss her intended landing point but she really wished it hadn¡¯t. Hitting the skeleton that couldn¡¯t weigh more than three hundred pounds would have been better than what she actually hit.


    She slammed into the back of the wagon. She had just barely managed to shift enough in mid air that she hit it with both her shoulder and her head at the same time instead of just her head. The back of the wagon broke and her hip impacted the back end of the wagon¡¯s floor causing her shoulder and head to impact the floor as well. The wagon rolled forward a few inches from the impact.


    Isaac transitioned from yanking his sword out into a spin. His spin ended in him hacking the saw toothed blade into the back of the monster¡¯s ankle on the other side of where he had already injured it. He ripped the sword back, shredding the flesh and more of the tendon. He jumped back just in time to miss a hammer fist that struck stone so hard both the hand and the stone cracked.


    Lenna¡¯s head was spinning horribly. Everything hurt but she couldn¡¯t tell up from down let alone where the pain was coming from. Her training took over and like muscle memory her healing flooded her system. As her head cleared she clenched her teeth. Her hip was fractured, her shoulder was dislocated and her collarbone was broken. She probably had an awful concussion before the healing set in.


    Pain lanced through her head as the sound of another lightning bolt echoed off the tunnel walls. She was surprised she was still conscious. The impact should have knocked her out. Maybe it had. She burned through almost all of her mana just healing herself enough to roll onto her back and use her one good arm to sit up.


    Isaac was pushed to his limit. He could barely dodge the flailing arms even with the monster not knowing where he was. Everytime it looked like it was about to go after Kahtesh he would hack at it again. A crackle and a clap sounded as a fifth lightning bolt punched into the monstrosity. This time Isaac had told Kahtesh to try to hit one of its heads. He had.


    The monster¡¯s rightmost head exploded from the liquids vaporizing. It staggered back and Isaac drug his blade across the tendon one last time. The tendon snapped and the monster toppled backwards. It hit the ground hard. Isaac ran back towards Lenna while letting all of his shadows go so he would have more mana to work with.


    Lenna had looked over just in time to watch the monstrosity fall. The tunnel shook from its impact with the solid stone. She winced. Her head was still pounding. Her shoulder was still dislocated. Her collarbone was at least back in one piece if only barely. Her teeth were clenched so hard she had to try to unclench them as hard as she could to keep from breaking them.


    Isaac climbed onto the wagon and knelt next to her. He closed his eyes to focus faster. ¡®Just keep shooting it from there.¡¯ He directed Kahtesh and then poured all his incoming mana into Lenna in the form of his death flames. The power washed over her and rapidly finished healing her collarbone and clearing her head. Her headache disappeared just in time for the magic to forcefully reset her shoulder.


    It caught her by surprise and she bit so hard one of her teeth cracked only for that too to be rapidly fixed. She was reeling. ¡°You alright?¡± Isaac asked with worry in his voice and he glanced back over his shoulder to make sure the monstrosity hadn¡¯t gotten back up. What he saw kept him from seeing Lenna¡¯s shallow nod.


    The monster had pushed itself up onto its knees and it was using its arms as more legs. It started crawling towards them. The heads were rocked backwards at a disturbing angle so it could still see them. Another lightning bolt punched into its shoulder and it toppled. It only took another second for it to get itself back up. It had closed almost half the distance to the wagon.


    Lenna shook her head and stood up while grabbing her sword that was embedded into the wagon. She jumped down. ¡°Focus the other two heads.¡± She told Isaac.


    Isaac still had Kahtesh doing that but he couldn¡¯t see while shooting so his accuracy was poor. Isaac disappeared and took a running leap off the wagon. He kited around the side of the monster while still in a dead sprint. Kahtesh launched another bolt but it shot high and cracked stone instead of a head.


    Isaac ran ten feet behind the monster and slid to a stop. Lenna sliced three of the monster¡¯s fingers off as it tried to grab her. It recoiled for a second in pain and then tried to slam the damaged hand into Lenna in a crushing hammer blow. Lenna barely got out of the way while trying to parry it. Which left a slice along the backside of its wrist.


    Isaac ran toward the monster. He jumped into the air and planted his boot on the base of the monster''s spine. He took one more step before falling forwards and driving his blade into and through the back of the middle head. Kahtesh didn¡¯t fire because he would hit Isaac and Isaac had told him to only fire if he wouldn¡¯t hit him or Lenna.


    The monstrosity collapsed to the ground as its entire left side stopped working at once. Lenna took the opportunity and stepped forward. She hacked downward as hard as she could and her sword cleaved through the remaining head splitting it diagonally the whole way through.


    The two mortals collapsed breathing hard. Isaac only had one thing to say between deep gasping breaths: ¡°No¡­ more¡­ naps¡­¡±

 Chapter 68 I Counted.

    Chapter 68 I Counted.


    ¡®It¡¯s dead so don¡¯t attack it.¡¯ Isaac told Kahtesh as he got off the dead monster¡¯s back. ¡°What even was that?¡±


    Lenna rose to her feet as well. ¡°A chimera.¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s the stuff of nightmares.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°How do we prove this one?¡± Isaac said, staring at it.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Toss a head in the wagon?¡±


    Isaac scrunched his nose and looked at it. She was right. That was the easiest way. The one remaining head that was mostly in one piece was stitched together and its only injury was the sword wound in the back the exited the front. Sighing, Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    He held out his hand for her sword. It was enchanted and he didn¡¯t feel like enhancing his own blade. ¡°I¡¯ll get it.¡± Lenna said and casually walked over to the corpse, cut off its head, then tossed it in the back of the wagon in one fluid motion.


    ¡°What monsters was it made of?¡± Isaac asked as he guided Kahtesh into position so he could be attached to the wagon again.


    ¡°Orc heads. Cyclops torso and arms I think. Ogre, maybe hill giant legs. They look too big to be ogre. I don¡¯t know where they found a hill giant though.¡± She explained.


    Isaac helped attach Kahtesh then asked another question: ¡°Are cyclops really that strong?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes.¡± Lenna replied and pulled the rope taught, firmly locking the dragon in place.


    Isaac grabbed his handle and they nodded to each other that they were ready and started pulling. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of things that could kill you down here. Well, I mean you as like general people, maybe not necessarily you you, ya know?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re rambling.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He admitted. ¡°I was getting to something though. You should tell me about all the dangerous things around here. I¡¯d like to know how to beat things before I find it tracking me through miles of tunnel, in the dark, over half a day.¡±


    Lenna grunted as her side ran over a rock. ¡°I¡¯ll find a monster encyclopedia.¡± She replied and decidedly did not start telling him about all the violent and deadly things in the Innerworld.


    ¡°Worth a shot.¡± Isaac said more to himself than her after a little while of silence.


    He didn¡¯t elaborate and that fact alone piqued Lenna¡¯s curiosity. She didn¡¯t want to ask him however because she felt like it was bait. After a few minutes of silence with no other noise than the rolling wagon and Kahtesh¡¯s claws digging into the stone, which Lenna didn¡¯t mind but Isaac usually did, she couldn¡¯t help herself any longer. ¡°What was?¡± She sighed.


    ¡°Huh? What?¡± Isaac replied like she had just interrupted him from some deep introspection.


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    ¡°What was worth a shot?¡± She repeated.


    Isaac smirked. ¡°Nothing.¡± He replied too innocently.


    Lenna narrowed her eyes at him but didn¡¯t push. She internally chastised herself for her lack of self control. She was better than that and she would not let her curiosity get the better of her.


    Isaac on the other hand was having just as much trouble not just blurting out what he was thinking. ¡®I just like listening to your voice.¡¯ Was on the tip of his tongue. He distracted himself by trying to figure out a way to use his mana to help him pull the wagon.


    Eventually Lenna broke the silence on an entirely different topic. ¡°It¡¯s all downhill from here.¡± She told him.


    ¡°What is?¡± He asked.


    Lenna nodded forwards down the tunnel. ¡°The path to Safeharbor is all downhill. This is the last place we can unhook Kahtesh.¡±


    ¡°Shit. It¡¯s still like an hour away.¡± He cursed. ¡°I guess it¡¯ll be just us for a while. You wanna try the sled idea?¡±


    ¡°What about when somebody finds the wagon?¡± She countered.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°This is gonna suck.¡±


    The pair spent the hour and half in front of the wagon pushing against it to keep it from running away. By the time they made it to the gate and the wagon ran out of momentum they were both completely exhausted.


    ¡°I am not going to try to drag this thing the whole way through town, down six blocks at least, with just the two of us. One of us needs to go in to get someone or something to help. Our only other option is leaving it here and hoping nobody takes anything.¡± Isaac told her.


    Lenna thought about it for a moment then spotted one of the gate guards, only about a hundred feet away from where the wagon had stopped, by the gate. ¡°We could get one of them to watch it?¡± She offered.


    ¡°Listen, I¡¯m all for bullying the guards but we can¡¯t pull them off their post. You know that better than me.¡± He chastised.


    Lenna sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll wait. But, you have to travel invisible.¡±


    Isaac smiled. ¡°Anything for you.¡± He replied and vanished.


    His response had surprised her enough that it showed in her posture for a moment before she corrected it. Isaac waited a few seconds to see if she would say anything after he had ¡®left¡¯ but she didn¡¯t so he headed off to the Guild Hall to rope Alice into helping, somehow.


    ¡®What kind of response was that?¡¯ Lenna questioned internally once he disappeared. ¡®What did he say again? Flattery and roguish charm.¡¯ She was about to shake her head but decided against it. There was no telling if he was still there, waiting to catch a reaction.


    Isaac jogged past the guards and down the street careful to not run into anyone. A few minutes later he arrived at the Guild Hall. He smiled to himself. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t. But¡­ I am.¡± He said to himself and walked inside. He walked up to the counter and unfortunately for Alice nobody else was there but her. With a little hop he sat on the counter in front of her and dispelled his shadows. ¡°Hey Alice.¡± He said casually.


    Alice squeaked like a frightened mouse. ¡°Halya save me!¡± She exclaimed as she almost fell off her stool. It took her a little while to get her breathing under control.


    Once it looked like her soul was back in her body Isaac continued like he hadn¡¯t just scared her half to death. ¡°I could use some help. See I need to sell a wagon but I don¡¯t have any way to move it. It¡¯s parked a little outside the gate.¡±


    After a few more deep breaths Alice composed herself enough to reply. ¡°We, I, can get someone with a horse to go out and help you bring it in.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Where did you even get a wagon?¡±


    ¡°Killed a merchant and took his stuff.¡± Isaac replied casually while still sitting on her counter.


    Alice looked horrified. ¡°Tha-tha-that¡¯s illegal Isaac.¡± She told him.


    Isaac waved her off. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I even brought back his drow guards¡¯ armor so we can get paid for the open bounty on patrols.¡±


    It took Alice a long moment to process what he had just said and then recover from the mental whiplash. ¡°O-Okay. Yes. I will get someone to meet you out there with a horse. Which gate?¡± She asked. To which Isaac¡¯s response was to just point in the general direction of the one they used.


    ¡°That one. I¡¯m gonna head back now. Lenna gets antsy by herself.¡± He told her.


    She nodded absently while looking for the book that had whom to contact in the current situation. She knew that the guild had enlisted people to help bring loot back in the past, she just had to find who and where. She looked up just long enough to say: ¡°Okay.¡± And watch him vanish without a sound like he was never even there.


    Isaac returned to find Lenna leaning against the wagon tapping her foot. ¡°It was only like five minutes.¡± He said by way of greeting.


    ¡°Twenty three.¡± She replied.


    ¡°How are you so accurate with that?¡± Isaac asked and walked around to the back of the wagon.


    ¡°I counted.¡± She replied evenly.


    Isaac shook his head as he sat on the back of the wagon where the back wall used to be. He brushed some shrapnel off the back from Lenna¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Alice is gonna get somebody to meet us out here and bring it inside. Until then I¡¯m taking a nap.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s morning actually. She probably just started.¡± Lenna told him and climbed up to sit on a crate while he laid back and put an arm over his eyes. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say ¡®no more naps¡¯ a few hours ago?¡±


    ¡°Oops. Well, if she wasn¡¯t awake before, she is now.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Yes, but if we get assaulted by a twenty foot tall creature of nightmares there are guards a hundred feet away.¡± He then quickly fell asleep. His four hour nap could only get him so far.

 Chapter 69 It’s Been Busier

    Chapter 69 It¡¯s Been Busier


    Lenna sat on the crate and looked around. The cavern that Safeharbor was in was mostly empty save for the city itself. The guards on the wall and at the gate would occasionally look over at them but were content to leave them be. A small group of mismatched warriors left the city and headed towards the spider tunnels.


    She simply sat and enjoyed the quiet. She could actually enjoy it now that she wasn¡¯t worrying about Isaac. Her peace lasted for the better part of an hour before a familiar face left the city and started to walk towards them. She leaned towards the sleeping Isaac and in her normal voice at her normal volume said his name.


    ¡°What?¡± He groaned and moved his arm off his eyes.


    ¡°The Guild Master is coming.¡± She told him and sat back up.


    Isaac rubbed his eyes and yawned. ¡°The way Alice was talking I figured it would just be some random guy with a horse or something.¡± He said and then sat up. He took a deep breath and hopped off the wagon. He walked around to the side and leaned against it to wait for the Guild Master.


    ¡°If you got it the whole way here why can¡¯t you take it inside?¡± Edward said by way of greeting.


    ¡°Good morning to you too.¡± Isaac replied and yawned. ¡°I hear skeletons are frowned upon.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a necromancer too?¡± Edward asked skeptically.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No. I just used a skeleton to help get it here. No more skeleton.¡±


    Edward sighted. He reached into a satchel hanging at his side and pulled out a set of horseshoes. He tossed them out to his side but they never hit the ground. The horseshoes arranged themselves as if a real horse was wearing them and floated in the air a few inches off the ground.


    A blue spectral horse slowly came into view wearing the horseshoes. It neighed and tossed its head. Edward nodded toward the wagon and the horse moved into position to be hitched. ¡°I want one.¡± Isaac said in awe of the magic item.


    Edward shook his head and chuckled. ¡°Cost me a good fortune I¡¯ll tell you that.¡± Then he continued in a more serious tone. ¡°Lost too many horses back in the day.¡±


    Lenna hopped down from the wagon and hitched the spectral horse to it with her rope. ¡°Very Rare?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Edward confirmed.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Magical items are classified as; Uncommon, Rare, Very Rare, Legendary, and Mythic.¡± Edward explained. ¡°Mythics are usually made by gods, used by them, or used on them. Legendaries are just that, from legends. Famous heroes, kings, and arch mages either made them, found them, or had them commissioned. Everything else is for people like us, adventurers.¡±


    ¡°What is your gear classified as?¡± Isaac asked Lenna.


    ¡°All of it is rare.¡± She told him.


    ¡°Even the sword?¡± Edward asked, looking at it on her hip.


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    She shook her head. ¡°Not alone, it¡¯s a set with the scabbard.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that makes sense.¡± He said more to himself than to her. ¡°Hardened and sharpened?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Anything else is impractical.¡± She replied.


    Edward chuckled and nodded toward the gate. Lenna was finished hooking the horse to the wagon and the three of them started walking with the horse pulling the wagon behind them. ¡°Maybe for you. A flaming sword is much better than a regular one for the rest of us.¡±


    ¡°Webs.¡± Isaac said dryly.


    ¡°And hydras.¡± Edward continued.


    ¡°I really need a monster encyclopedia.¡± Isaac grumbled.


    ¡°There¡¯s one in the guild library.¡± Edward commented as they walked past the guards who nodded to each of them. The pair were instantly recognized and a messenger was sent to notify someone of their arrival just as one had every time they left or returned.


    Isaac rubbed his chin. ¡°I can¡¯t take it out of the library can I?¡±


    Edward nodded. ¡°You can. But,¡± He raised a finger for emphasis. ¡°If you lose it, it¡¯ll come out of your pay.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I¡¯ll have to borrow it then.¡±


    The trio kept talking, and Edward asked about the wagon and where it came from, until they arrived behind the guild, where loot was often dropped off to be sold by the guild. ¡°Return to four, then to me.¡± Edward commanded the horse which faded away and the four horseshoes floated into his hand.


    ¡°Ask one of the girls for the book. I¡¯ll send one back when I head in.¡± He told the pair and left with a casual wave.


    ¡°Thanks for the help.¡± Isaac told him as he left.


    ¡°Yes, Thank you.¡± Lenna said. She turned to Isaac once he was gone. ¡°What about the gold dust?¡±


    ¡°Shit. Kahtesh still has it.¡± Isaac looked around and didn¡¯t see anyone. He took a few steps away from the wagon so there was enough space. He spread his shadows out in a wide sphere and made them thick enough that no one could see through them. He summoned Kahtesh and quickly started pulling the bags of gold dust out and stashing them in his Inventory because it was faster than doing anything else with them.


    Lenna watched him disappear behind a wall of shadows and kept watch. Isaac was almost done when Alice walked out. ¡°W-what¡¯s happening?¡± She asked, clearly concerned.


    ¡°My Lord misplaced something. He¡¯s retrieving it.¡± Lenna told her casually. She tried to play it off as something normal to keep from arousing any more suspicion and to ease the heart of the poor girl.


    ¡°Um, okay.¡± She replied and the two waited for Isaac to finish. It only took him another ten seconds before Kahtesh was back in his shadow and the shadows dispersed.


    ¡°Sorry. Anyway, hi Alice.¡± Isaac said casually as he walked over to where the girls were standing.


    ¡°Um, it¡¯s alright, uh, you have loot to get rid of?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Yes. The wagon, well, what¡¯s left of it, the crate of quartz crystals, and a bunch of gold dust.¡± He told her.


    ¡°Okay just leave it all here and I¡¯ll sort it out. Anything you want to keep?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Nah, I don¡¯t do the whole rituals thing.¡± He told her.


    Alice nodded. ¡°Okay. There is a slight guild tax on things. You couldn¡¯t have noticed because you were selling the monster parts to us and then we sell them to alchemists and wizards for a slight mark up. With the wagon though, it might be better if you find someone yourself. Unless of course you don¡¯t mind the guild taking a ten percent cut.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Finding somebody to buy it sounds like a hassle worth losing ten percent to have someone else do it.¡± Isaac told her.


    Alice smiled and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s just one of the reasons we are here.¡±


    ¡°They really keep you busy around here huh?¡± Isaac commented.


    Alice nodded. ¡°It¡¯s been busier since you arrived.¡± Her eyes went wide and she shook her head and waved her hands at them ¡°Not that it¡¯s a bad thing we love the business.¡±


    Isaac laughed and even Lenna shook her head at the girl. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I know what you meant.¡± Isaac assured her. ¡°Should we come back tomorrow for the gold?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Alice replied.


    ¡°The head.¡± Lenna reminded him.


    ¡°Oh yeah. There is a bunch of drow guard gear and some mage robes, as well as the head from a chimera that tried to kill us on the way back. Also, here are the guild badges from the wraiths we laid to rest.¡± Isaac told her and pulled the guild badges out of his Inventory and handed them to her, Lenna had given them to him for safe keeping.


    ¡°Oh, uh, okay.¡± Alice stammered out and took the badges slightly overwhelmed by the sudden bombardment.


    Isaac jumped into the wagon and grabbed the blanket he had used as a pillow. When he did so he also pulled the bags of gold dust out of his Inventory and set them next to the crate of quartz crystals. He hopped out the wagon and grabbed his backpack. Lenna grabbed hers as well and the two headed home with a wave and a quick thanks to Alice.


    Isaac collapsed onto the bed as soon as he was out of his armor. ¡°Finally. A bed.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re filthy.¡± Lenna reminded him.


    Isaac groaned and rolled onto his back. ¡°Yeah¡­ we also need to send the swords away today.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Lenna replied and then sighed wistfully while looking at the bath.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m also hungry for some fresh food. Let¡¯s get something to eat then head out. The quicker we get going the quicker we can both wash up and I can go back to sleep.¡± Lenna didn¡¯t need any prodding and hurried down stairs.

 Chapter 70 Do You Have A Bag?

    Chapter 70 Do You Have A Bag?


    After their warm breakfast, which felt more like dinner to the two who had barely rested in the past thirty hours, the pair left to go pick up Lenna¡¯s, formerly Isaac¡¯s, sword from Stan the blacksmith. ¡°I hope he¡¯s done, otherwise I¡¯m sleeping in his shop.¡± Isaac grumbled as they opened the door and walked inside to the sound of the small doorbell.


    They were met by the boy, the same one that had been there the first time the pair came to this shop, behind the counter giving them a wave and a smile. ¡°How do you do?¡± The boy greeted them.


    ¡°Tired.¡± Isaac replied honestly. ¡°Is Stan in?¡±


    The boy nodded and walked into the back. A minute later Stan emerged. ¡°Here fer the sword I reckon.¡± He told them by way of greeting. Stan was nothing if not direct and to the point.


    ¡°Yeah. Going to ship it off to get enchanted as soon as we leave. Actually, while on the topic, where do I get a box to ship it in?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°I can get ya a box. Folks gift swords all the time.¡± Stan answered.


    Isaac gave him a smile. ¡°That would be great. How much?¡±


    Stan grinned at another business opportunity. ¡°Two gold each. Yer sendin¡¯ two swords right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. We¡¯ll take them.¡± Isaac replied and checked his gold count. He had made sure to keep as much of it in platinum coins to save on weight. Their total savings would be enough to cover the transport and enchanting for both swords and a few meals but not much else. He was glad they were going to be getting paid the next day.


    ¡°This blade.¡± Stan began and retrieved the lent sword. He looked at it in reverence. ¡°Whoever made it was a master far beyond me.¡±


    ¡°I should hope so.¡± Isaac replied.


    The old dwarf¡¯s eyes shot Isaac¡¯s. ¡°What do ya mean?¡±


    ¡°Those boxes?¡± Isaac deflected.


    The dwarf scrutinized Isaac for a bit longer before turning and nodding to the boy who was watching from off to the side. The boy left to find the gift boxes that were going to be used for transporting the swords to the academy of magic. ¡°Who made this?¡± Stan asked suspiciously.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°The same person, people? Anyway, I got it the same place I got this sword.¡± He drew his shortsword and handed it to Stan. ¡°And my armor.¡±


    Stan¡¯s eyes went wide as he inspected the shortsword. ¡°It¡¯s the same. No flaws. Light damage. One piece o¡¯ unfolded steel. It¡¯s like i¡¯twas conjured.¡±


    ¡°That might be accurate. I don¡¯t know. It was a gift that I only received after I left. I didn¡¯t have the opportunity to ask about my gear.¡± Isaac explained in a way that he hoped would satiate the smith¡¯s curiosity but also keep from actually divulging any important information.


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    ¡°How¡¯s ya get it?¡± The smith asked.


    ¡°I woke up with it on.¡± Isaac replied honestly.


    The smith stroked his beard. ¡°I¡¯d love ta have a wizard cast some spells on it.¡± He commented.


    ¡°No. Absolutely not.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I can let you look at it but that¡¯s where it stops. Some things should stay secret.¡± Isaac warned, leaving nothing for debate.


    Stan was startled by the sudden change in attitude and decided to take the young man¡¯s word for it and leave it be. ¡°Aye, that be true.¡±


    The boy returned with the boxes for them. ¡°Anywhere I can turn a hundred platinum into gold coins?¡± Isaac asked when they were about to leave.


    ¡®The bank, up three blocks then down four.¡± The boy told them with a pair of gestures.


    ¡°Thanks. See ya around guys.¡± Isaac said with a wave as he and Lenna left the shop. Once on the street Isaac sighed.


    ¡°Another stop.¡± Lenna sighed speaking his mind.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He affirmed.


    ¡ª


    A short while later the pair arrived at the bank. It was a square building that gave off a feeling of heavy magical enchantments. There were no windows and the double doors were solid oak. Above the doors were two words. ¡°City Bank. How original.¡± Isaac said flatly.


    ¡°At least it was easy to find.¡± Lenna commented and got the door for him. On the way there they had ducked into an ally and stashed the boxes in his Inventory. The weight was noticeable at this point. He had wanted to pull all of the platinum out of his Inventory before they got there but they quickly realized a problem. They didn¡¯t have anywhere to put it.


    Lenna had a coin purse but it could only hold fifty coins at a maximum and even less if they wanted to close it. ¡°How are we gonna carry all that gold?¡± Isaac asked as they entered the bank.


    ¡°Hopefully they can help with that.¡± Lenna answered and let Isaac walk up to the desk ahead of her. The main room in the back was split by a brick wall that went the entire length of the building separating it into one third for patrons and the other two thirds for employees and the vault.


    The wall had windows with receptionists behind them and only one door to enter that was made of a heavy wooden door reinforced with iron bars. The windows had iron bars across the top three quarters of them as well. Whoever designed the bank was not messing around when it came to security.


    Isaac walked up to one of the receptionists. ¡°Hello. How can I help you?¡± The lean man with glasses asked from the other side. He, like most of the population of Safeharbor, had a light complexion and brown hair and eyes.


    ¡°I would like to do two things while I¡¯m here. One is that I need a hundred platinum turned into gold coins. The other is opening an account.¡± Isaac explained.


    The clerk nodded and pushed up his glasses. ¡°Am I correct in assuming you two are adventurers?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied.


    The clerk nodded again. ¡°Well, you should know that if anything happens to you the bank will get to keep whatever is kept here unless you specify that someone else is able to use your account. There is also a fee of one gold per week to keep your riches safe. Opening an account is easy. I''ll just need you to fill out this form.¡± He slid a paper towards Isaac. ¡°All information is confidential. Once you have an account we can exchange the coins for free. Otherwise there is a small fee of a copper per coin exchanged.


    Isaac listened and processed the information given. ¡°Alright.¡± He took the paper and read it over. It was honestly decently empty. ¡®Name, age, race, city of residence, notification that the bank keeps dead people¡¯s stuff and will withdraw the fee from what is kept here, the same for a co-owner. ¡®Shit, I want Lenna to be a co-owner but the race thing might be a problem.¡¯ Isaac thought as he read the paper over.


    He filled out the paper with a fountain pen that was sitting on the desk waiting for him. After he finished he handed it to Lenna. ¡°Are you sure?¡± She asked.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°He said it¡¯s confidential and everyone important in town already knows.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Not that.¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°Yes. Of course I¡¯m sure. If I end up dead for good this time I at least want somebody I like to get my stuff.¡±


    Lenna shook her head and took the paper. She filled out her part and handed it back to him. Isaac then handed it to the clerk who read over it and did a double take when he read Lenna¡¯s race and surname. ¡°Mam, are you sure you filled this out correctly?¡± He asked hoping it was an accident or a prank of some kind.


    ¡°Yes. I am.¡± She replied and tapped the guardsman emblem on her issued vest. She still didn¡¯t have anything less flashy to show she was allowed in town.


    The clerk swallowed. ¡°Understood. Well, let us finish the rest of what you came here for.¡±


    ¡°Please.¡± Isaac agreed and glanced around. Upon seeing no one else in the bank he leaned in. ¡°The platinum is stored in a spell at the moment. How would you like me to retrieve it?¡±


    ¡°There is a ritual room upstairs for just this situation, I can show you. If you don¡¯t need a ritual and the spell will not damage anything, then since there is no one else here, you may do it here and we can get started right away.¡± The clerk explained back to his even, business-like, tone.


    Isaac gave him a pleasant smile. ¡°Great. Do you have a bag?¡±

 Chapter 71 No. It Did Not.

    Chapter 71 No. It Did Not.


    The clerk reached under the counter and withdrew a sack made of thin leather much like a coin purse. ¡°Would this do?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Perfect.¡± Isaac replied and took the sack. ¡°Should we leave forty of it in platinum to pay him or turn it all into gold?¡± Isaac asked Lenna as he held the sack open and turned around to face her.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be lighter in platinum coins.¡± She reminded him.


    Isaac nodded as he handed the open sack towards Lenna for her to hold. She grabbed it near where his hands were and held it open for him. Isaac turned his Inventory so he could more or less shovel the coins out of it and into the sack ten at a time. ¡°There, sixty.¡± He said and took the bag back from her.


    Isaac turned around and set the bag on the counter for the clerk. The clerk had been watching intently but had not seen anything. He did hear coins being thrown into the bag but there was no fancy magic and no incantations spoken. ¡°Yes, please allow me to make sure it is all real.¡± The clerk then added: ¡°I hope it does not cause offense.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m used to it.¡± Isaac replied. The clerk took the sack and walked to somewhere the pair couldn¡¯t see, presumably to make sure the platinum coins were real. Once he was gone Isaac pulled the boxes with their swords out of his Inventory and set them on the ground. ¡°Three hundred in each right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied.


    A few moments later the clerk returned with a small cart that had six hundred gold coins on it. ¡°Six hundred gold coins for sixty platinum coins sir.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Isaac replied and the clerk started handing the coins over in stacks of ten while he counted them in front of the pair. Isaac would take a stack and hand it to Lenna who had crouched down next to the boxes and started setting the stacks into the cloth padding that surrounded the swords.


    ¡°And six hundred.¡± The clerk said as he slid the last set across. ¡°Would you like to leave anything here in the bank before you leave? We can also reserve space for you for the one gold per week price.¡±


    Isaac reached low enough that the clerk couldn¡¯t see his hand and grabbed a gold coin out of his Inventory. ¡°Here. There should be a rather large deposit tomorrow.¡± Isaac told the man and handed him the coin. Lenna stood up and stretched.


    ¡°Understood sir, and thank you for your patronage.¡± The clerk replied.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Thanks for not making me carry around thousands of gold coins.¡± He turned around and handed Lenna his coin purse out of his Inventory. He pulled the last forty platinum coins out of his Inventory and poured them into the purse. He then took it back and tossed it in his Inventory again so when they went to pay later he only had to smuggle one thing out of his Inventory instead of forty.


    He heaved one of the boxes up to carry it out. ¡°I can carry both of them.¡± Lenna commented.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get this one. Just get the door, would you?¡± He grunted in reply.


    The clerk, who Isaac couldn¡¯t see but Lenna could see clearly, looked utterly perplexed. ¡°Where did those boxes come from?¡± He asked.


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    ¡°Magic.¡± Isaac replied and started walking towards the door as Lenna grabbed the other box. ¡°See ya around.¡± He said over his shoulder as Lenna opened the door and walked out. She held the door for him with one hand as the other held the box with three hundred gold coins and a sword in it.


    The pair left the curious and confused clerk behind. They then headed to the little hole in the wall, where they could ship expensive equipment and gold over long distances, that totally didn¡¯t sound super shady.


    The building had no defining features. It was just a solid brick square with a solid oak door. Lenna knocked once and then opened it. Inside was a dusty, mostly empty room, with a desk at the end and a small silver bell sitting on it. The silver bell was the only thing in the room without a speck of dust on it and seemed to shine in the street light that poured in the open door. Isaac followed her inside. ¡°I¡¯m beginning to think this isn¡¯t the right place.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°Should I ring the bell?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I guess.¡±


    She walked over to the bell, picked it up, and rang it twice. As she was setting it down a mouth formed on the desk and spoke. It sounded like a man in his seventies who was both bored and reading off a script. ¡°Ring the bell three more times for the Couriers¡¯ Guild branch. Ring only once more if you entered accidentally. Good day.¡±


    Lenna had jumped and almost dropped the bell to reach for her sword when the mouth formed. Isaac had almost dropped the box he was holding and stumbled to keep it from crashing to the floor. ¡°I guess ring it three more times.¡± He told Lenna once he had regained his composure.


    Lenna rang the bell three times and set it down. The pair waited a few moments and then suddenly a door appeared on the back wall and a slim elvish man with their stereotypical pointy ears and lack of facial hair emerged. He had tan skin and green eyes. Isaac couldn¡¯t tell if he was one or five hundred years old because of the way elves aged.


    Lenna could feel from the way he moved and just the general feeling of the man that he was probably around her age, maybe a little older. ¡°Greetings fine customers. If you are here and with those,¡± He gestured towards their boxes. ¡°that means you have something that needs to get from here to somewhere else and don¡¯t trust a caravan.¡±


    ¡°More or less.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°We need to get these to the Altia Academy of Magic and Artificery in Altesia.¡±


    The man smiled and clapped. ¡°Magic swords then? It doesn¡¯t really matter. What does matter is their weight. We charge a flat fee of one hundred gold to get anything less than five hundred pounds from anywhere within Altia to any other place within Altia. Delivering outside of the country is also possible but the fee triples.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Isaac replied and took a step further into the room as he had still only been a step or two inside and felt like he was yelling across the room to talk to the man. ¡°This is our first time. Do we need a note or something with the swords? You seem knowledgeable in this, at least more than us.¡±


    The courier smiled. ¡°Yes and no. I¡¯ll need you to fill out this form. It states from whom, to whom, why, and what the package is. The last part is new after someone started using our services to smuggle stolen magic items out of a city on lock down.¡± He explained happily. He pulled a piece of paper and a fountain pen out of the satchel hanging at his waist.


    Isaac set the box down and took the paper and pen. The courier gestured towards the desk for Isaac to write on it. He did so and filled out the necessary information. ¡°What about bringing the swords back?¡± Isaac asked when he was done.


    ¡°Ah, simply fill out another form but switch the recipient to you and the sender to the Academy. When they are finished a courier will bring them back for you. You will have to pay both shipping costs now though. I hope you understand.¡± The man told them.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°I would prefer to pay when you return. I don¡¯t like shipping money away and praying it comes back.¡±


    The courier shrugged. ¡°Risks of sending valuables over long distances. I will tell you that we have a ninety percent success rate. I hope that eases your mind but I will need the payment before I leave.¡±


    ¡°What causes the ten percent failure?¡± Isaac asked.


    The courier chuckled. ¡°Oh lots of things. Bandits, monsters, natural disasters, and very rarely the courier takes off with the goods. They don¡¯t usually last very long afterwards, I¡¯m happy to say.¡± The courier explained with obvious cheer.


    ¡°Oh, why not?¡± Isaac continued his questioning.


    The courier got a twinkle in his eye as he responded. ¡°Because anything worth losing this job over has to be worth a king¡¯s ransom and whoever it belonged to is not going to let anyone get away with it.¡±


    Isaac shrugged ¡°I wouldn¡¯t either.¡± He returned to the box he had set down and opened it away from the courier. He acted like he pulled the coin purse out of the box but had in reality withdrew it from his Inventory. He closed the box and they finished the transaction. The courier smiled as he put the bag of coins, both delivery forms, both boxes, and the fountain pen into his satchel.


    Isaac watched intently as the boxes seemed to just slide into nothingness. ¡°Handy things aren¡¯t they?¡± The courier commented, noticing Isaac¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Yeah. I need one.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna affirmed.


    The courier chuckled and went to leave. ¡°It has been a pleasure Lord Wexler, Lady V¡¯Nova. I, Elequin Ter¡¯Tra, will return post haste.¡± He then vanished in a blur of speed. The wall returned to normal as soon as he was gone.


    ¡°Nothing had your name on it.¡± Isaac commented once he was gone.


    Lenna stared at the wall that once held a door. ¡°No. It did not.¡±

 Chapter 72 So Many Things I Don’t Understand.

    Chapter 72 So Many Things I Don¡¯t Understand.


    As the pair walked out of the inconspicuous little building that held the Couriers¡¯ Guild branch in Safeharbor Isaac remembered something. ¡°I¡¯m gonna get that monster encyclopedia while we are here.¡± He told Lenna. The Couriers¡¯ Guild was right next to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild after all.


    ¡°Alright.¡± She replied and followed him into the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. They were only a few steps inside when Isaac stopped abruptly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°Either I¡¯ve gone crazy and nobody told me or there are two Alices.¡± He replied. She looked over to the receptionists¡¯ desk and what she saw confused her. There were, in fact, sitting behind the desk, two Alices.


    ¡°Twins?¡± Lenna replied. Isaac just shrugged and walked up to the desk to find out.


    ¡°Hey Alice.¡± Isaac said by way of greeting to both of the small women sitting behind the desk.


    They both looked up and gave him and Lenna two different greetings simultaneously. ¡°Oh hey Isaac, Lenna.¡± Was one and the other: ¡°Hello, I¡¯m still working on finding a buyer for the wagon.¡±


    ¡°No worries.¡± Isaac told the one that had mentioned the wagon. ¡°Twins or magic duplicate?¡± He asked directly.


    The one Alice laughed openly and the other tried to stifle it. ¡°It¡¯s always funny the first time.¡± One of them said.


    The other nodded her head. ¡°Absolutely.¡± She chuckled. ¡°Twins. I¡¯m Alexis and she¡¯s Alecia. When we first got the job we went by Alice so we only had to work half the week each.¡±


    Isaac smirked. ¡°That¡¯s awesome. I applaud your cunning and ingenuity. That was definitely something I would try.¡± He commended them much to both of their surprise. He had never seemed the type of person to commend someone on anything, to them. He had been polite and slightly friendly but this was a bit more personal than he had ever been with them.


    ¡°Definitely something you would try.¡± Lenna agreed. She had been around him long enough and understood him well enough to know that this type of petty scheming could be a hobby of his if she didn¡¯t help him stay busy.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Alexis replied and looked a little sheepish.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Alecia agreed. ¡°Actually while I have you here. The chimera you too fought. We had it identified.¡± She told them. ¡°It was a level twelve monster. Its magical enhancements must have been incredible. Level twelve is the upper edge of gold rank. Usually we would recommend a full team of level ten to twelve adventurers be sent out to handle something like that.¡±


    ¡°So does that mean we¡¯ll get a nice bonus?¡± Isaac asked, more concerned about the money than the implications of a monstrosity like that just showing up. He knew that if they hadn¡¯t had the wagon at their backs, they could have fought it while retreating and leveraged Kahtesh¡¯s lightning and maybe a fireball or two from Lenna to slowly chip away at it. The fight would have been a chore more than a life and death battle.


    ¡°Yes. But it also means we will be launching an investigation to find out where it came from.¡± Alecia continued. ¡°Can you show me on a map exactly where its corpse should be?¡±


    Isaac looked at Lenna. She was better at not getting lost and keeping track of time and distance than he was. Part of it was from her training but most of it was really just from hundreds of years of living. Her internal clock had had centuries to hone itself and her stride hadn¡¯t changed the ground it covered in almost as long.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Great.¡± Alecia said while she dug under the desk for a map of the tunnel system they would have been in. ¡°Alexis, can you get a scout or a tracker?¡± she grunted out while half bent over and elbows deep in whatever was piled behind the desk.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Alexis replied and stood up on her stool to get a good look of the Guild Hall. She smiled when she saw someone that matched what her sister was looking for. ¡°Wo Lu!¡± (Pronounced Voe Loo). She called.


    Isaac and Lenna followed her gaze to see a massive elvish man take a swig from his tankard, set it down, and slowly, gracefully, rise and walk over to them. His steps didn¡¯t make a sound. He wore a worn pair of traveling pants and boots. Across his chest was a belt with a few pouches and glass vials on it. He had a pair of metal retractable claws hanging from a belt at his waist. They were like bracers with a slider and a hidden button or lever to deploy them.


    He had olive skin and powerful, large, and defined muscles that were clearly visible with him not wearing a shirt. His hair was a mix of brown, gray, and some white. His hair was only a few inches long and was a mess, further leaning into the wild look. Around his neck was a strip of leather with a carved wooden wolf head on it. As he approached it was clear that not only were his muscles massive but so was his height. He stood at least six foot three and towered over everyone else in the Guild Hall.


    ¡°Alexis.¡± He said with a slight smile that reminded Isaac of an uncle talking to a niece or nephew. It was clear he cared for them, just by the look in his eyes, like an older family member would. ¡°What can I do for you?¡± His voice was deep like how one would imagine a wild wolf would sound if suddenly gained a voice, which Isaac thought might not be too far off.


    ¡°These two fought a chimera out in the tunnels towards our neighbors.¡± She explained. The neighbors she spoke of were the drow cities.


    Alecia chimed in as she rose with a map and laid it on the desk. ¡°I would like you to go to where they fought it and see if anyone had come to collect the corpse.¡± She explained. ¡°If it¡¯s still there, wait and see if someone shows up. If they do, follow them and find out where they are camped. If you can, figure out what they are up to. If it looks dangerous don¡¯t engage, just come back and report what you¡¯ve seen. If nothing shows up before the wildlife gets the corpse, just let it go and come back.¡±


    ¡°What if it¡¯s gone?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Track it and follow the rest of the directives.¡± She replied.


    The large man nodded his understanding and turned to look at Isaac and Lenna. His green eyes bore into each of them before he stopped. He closed his eyes and sniffed quickly twice in rapid succession. His eyes opened and narrowed at Lenna but then his expression returned to normal like nothing had happened. ¡°What¡¯s the pay?¡± Wo Lu asked looking back at Alecia.


    ¡°Normal rate for an electrum level job. Double if you get any intel.¡± Alecia told him.


    He nodded again and reached down to one of his deployable claws. He unhooked it from his belt, slid the bracer over his hand, and cinched it tight. He then did the same for the other arm. ¡°Where?¡± He asked.


    Lenna walked up to the map and found the section of tunnel where they fought the chimera. ¡°There.¡± She told him and pointed to it.


    He took in the map and the location before nodding. He turned to leave. ¡°Fallen sister. Stay in the moon¡¯s grace.¡± He said to Lenna who was still right next to him.


    She was startled and momentarily speechless. After the brief moment of surprise she jerked her head to face him. ¡°May the moon guide you.¡± She told him. Wo Lu smiled and started walking towards the doors to leave.


    Once he was past Isaac, who was a few steps behind Lenna as she was at the desk, he leaned forwards. His body started to grow. Gray, brown, and white hair started to grow from his body. His gear was absorbed into his growing form and he quickly took on the appearance of a massive wolf. His shoulders, while on all fours, were five feet high. His steps were still silent. He shook to get his fur to settle.


    ¡°Be careful old man!¡± Alexis called out after him.


    The wolf turned his head slightly and gave the twins a toothy grin before trotting outside. Once outside the building he stretched and then dug in his claws. A moment later he was bounding down the street towards the gate facing his destination.


    ¡°I only heard legends.¡± Lenna whispered once he was gone.


    Isaac tore his eyes off the exit and looked at her. ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°A tribe of wood elven barbarians who live with wolves, worship them, and can turn into them?¡± Alexis asked. Lenna only nodded. ¡°It¡¯s true. Wo Lu said that he only left because he wanted to see the world. Apparently it¡¯s basically a paradise.¡±


    ¡°Yeah if you don¡¯t like furniture.¡± Alecia commented with a snort. ¡°They are nomads.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ how do they do that?¡± Isaac asked in bewilderment.


    Alecia looked at him quizzically. ¡°Turn into wolves?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I think they are druids as much as they are barbarians. They use nature magic to turn into animals.¡± Alexis explained. ¡°Still, he only ever turns into a wolf so maybe there is another reason. Who knows? Maybe they are all werewolves or something.¡±


    Isaac shook his head and whispered to himself: ¡°This world is full of so many things I don¡¯t understand.¡±

 Chapter 73 How Much Do You Think

    Chapter 73 How Much Do You Think


    After a moment of being lost in thought Isaac remembered why they were there. ¡°I¡¯m here to borrow the monster encyclopedia.¡± Isaac said and turned to look at the twins. ¡°Edward said it was here in the library but I don¡¯t know where that is.¡±


    Alecia looked at Alexis. ¡°The Guild Master didn¡¯t give him access to the library did he?¡±


    Alexis shook her head. ¡°No.¡± She looked at Isaac. ¡°Let me go get it for you. Only the Guild Master and management personnel are allowed to actually go into the library.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Isaac replied.


    Alexis hopped off her stool and called back over her shoulder as she headed towards the stairs. ¡°The monster encyclopedia right? Any specific volume?¡±


    Isaac called after her: ¡°Whatever one has the monsters around here!¡± She nodded and soon disappeared around the corner.


    ¡°He called you ¡®fallen sister¡¯. What did he mean?¡± Alecia asked Lenna casually. ¡°I thought that was what the other elves called drow but that would just be ridiculous.¡±


    Lenna didn¡¯t answer right away and Isaac wasn¡¯t having any luck coming up with something that made sense. They were silent for a little too long for Alecia¡¯s liking and she started to laugh worriedly. Isaac locked eyes with her and mouthed. ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡± Lenna nodded along.


    ¡°Okay, uh, um, that¡¯s nice, I guess.¡± She spoke quietly but not in a whisper. A thought came to her mind and she dropped her voice down to be barely audible. ¡°The duke knows right? That¡¯s why you have the vest?¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Alecia nodded a few times to herself. ¡°Does the Guild Master know?¡± She asked and her eyes went to Lenna¡¯s. She now saw the silver eyes that occasionally reflected light back out from the darkness inside her helmet in a new light.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna answered again.


    ¡°Okay. S-Sorry. I know it¡¯s not really my business.¡± Alice told them. It was clear that there were a lot of emotions rolling around inside the girl. ¡°Is, is that why you didn¡¯t want to get Identified?¡±


    Lenna nodded and answered again with the same answer she had given the last two times. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Around that time Alexis returned with a stack of five books. The bottom one was over an inch thick but the top was only a quarter of that. Each one had a coin painted on the spine. The largest book had a copper coin and the smallest a platinum one. ¡°Here they are. I just need you to sign that you took them for me¡­¡± She said as she set the books on the desk. Her voice trailed off when she noticed that her sister was looking a bit off.  ¡°Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll fill you in later.¡± Isaac told her casually. ¡°Behind closed doors.¡± He added in a whisper as he leaned against the desk while waiting for the paper he needed to sign. His writing was getting quicker and sloppier. When he first needed to write on something his writing was slow but precise, especially when it came to his name. It had progressively turned into squiggly lines in the rough shape of his name.


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    Alexis handed him the paper she had set in between two of the books so it wouldn¡¯t catch air and fly away on her return trip. ¡°O-Okay.¡±


    Isaac took the paper and the fountain pen from the desk and signed next to the list of books he was taking. ¡°Thanks Alexis.¡± Isaac told her and handed her back the paper. ¡°Also, sorry. I am going to mix you two up at some point so I¡¯m apologizing now.¡±


    Alexis giggled and even Alecia chuckled a little. ¡°It¡¯s fine. The Guild Master used to do it all the time. He gave up after a few weeks and just went back to calling us both Alice.¡±


    Isaac chuckled and shook his head. ¡°I might end up doing the same. Ya know, you could each at least not dress exactly the same. That would probably help.¡±


    Alexis beamed. ¡°That is why we do.¡± She said proudly. Which got a laugh from Isaac.


    ¡°Well we¡¯ll leave you two to your work. Thanks again. See ya tomorrow.¡± He said and turned to leave with the books in his hands.


    ¡°Until next time.¡± Lenna said and followed after him.


    ¡°See you!¡± Alexis called out.


    Her sister, Alecia, bid her farewell much quieter but still loud enough that the pair could hear. ¡°Bye.¡±


    Isaac and Lenna walked back to their room and finished out their day. The next few hours were relaxing and quiet much to Lenna¡¯s delight. Even Isaac didn¡¯t seem to mind the near total silence as he read through the volumes on different native and sometimes invasive creatures in the Innerworld. Even drow guards, infantrymen, magecore, and elite troop information was present.


    Lenna had glanced at some of the notes on her kin and former comrades. ¡°How accurate is it?¡± Isaac had asked.


    ¡°Close enough. There are variations from city to city. Different clans tend to add their own touch.¡± She replied.


    ¡°So are these more like baselines then?¡± He questioned.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Mostly. The guard information is only about Contantis. That is to be expected. The two cities have a long history.¡±


    Isaac turned his head to see her face. ¡°A bloody one?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She replied somberly.


    ¡ª


    The following day found the pair rested and walking into the Guild Hall. One of the twins was sitting behind the desk as always. Isaac walked up and she looked up. ¡°Good morning.¡± She told them. Her eyes settled on Lenna for a bit longer than they had Isaac which was opposite to usual.


    Lenna was more quiet and tended to blend into the ambiance. At least she tried to. This meant that Isaac and his affinity for conversation usually held people¡¯s attention and kept it off of her. Even when there wasn¡¯t a conversation going, people¡¯s eyes tended to gravitate towards the shining silver eyes and smirk and away from the knight that trailed behind him.


    ¡°Yeah I have no idea.¡± Isaac said by way of greeting.


    Alice giggled. ¡°It¡¯s going to stay that way.¡± She replied with a smile.


    ¡°Wo Lu back yet?¡± Isaac asked.


    Alice shook her head. ¡°No. I wouldn¡¯t expect him back for at least another day or two. Maybe more if he finds something interesting.¡±


    Isaac thought back to when he had asked about pay and remembered him being offered the normal pay for an electrum level bounty. ¡°What level is he anyway? It¡¯s dangerous to be alone out there. We¡¯d know.¡± Isaac said and gestured between him and Lenna with a somber look on his face.


    Alice glanced at Lenna again before answering Isaac. ¡°Level nine. He¡¯ll be fine. He¡¯s fast, quiet, and hard to kill. He¡¯s also smart enough to know when to run.¡± She assured him. ¡°He¡¯s been around a while.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll take your word for it.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°Any news about us getting paid?¡±


    Alice perked up. ¡°Yes. I have it in the back, hold on.¡± She told him and hurried into a back room. She returned with a satchel and sat back down on her stool. ¡°It¡¯s all in platinum coins. I hope you have a bank account. This might be a little too much to hide under your bed.¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is that one of those bags you can stuff half a house into?¡±


    Alice giggled. ¡°You can¡¯t put half a house in it but yes. They have a weight limit of five hundred pounds.¡±


    ¡°How much coin is that if you needed one of those to carry it?¡± Isaac asked, his shock and anticipation growing. Lenna had leaned in a little as well. This marked their first big pay out from being adventurers. It was also their pay from completing their first real bounty.


    ¡°After guild tax, ten thousand three hundred forty seven gold, two silver, and nine copper.¡± She replied with a smile. ¡°The biggest one in over a year. Congratulations. The wagon wasn¡¯t worth very much considering but the two completed bounties, the ritual grade gold dust, and the quartz crystals put you up over ten thousand. The rest is from selling the armor and wagon.¡±


    Isaac fell silent. He couldn¡¯t even wrap his head around that much gold. They had saved up a thousand over the course of almost two weeks from hunting spiders. They had hunted so many that the price for spider parts had dropped by a few coppers each. ¡°So, there¡¯s a thousand platinum coins in there?¡± He asked skeptically.


    ¡°Uhuh.¡± She replied.


    ¡°How much is the bag?¡± He asked.


    She chuckled. ¡°This one isn¡¯t for sale. There is a magic shop a few buildings down that sells potions and a few lower end magic items like this one. They usually run around six hundred gold I think.¡± She explained.


    Isaac frowned as he stared at the bag. ¡°How much do you think all that coin weighs?¡±

 Chapter 74 Deal?

    Chapter 74 Deal?


    ¡°Um, fifty coins is a pound. That¡¯s why all the coins are different sizes and thicknesses. It¡¯s a little over a thousand coins.¡± Alice said and started doing the math in her head. ¡°At least two hundred pounds.¡±


    ¡°Holy shit.¡± Isaac whispered. ¡°I can¡¯t carry that.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get a bag.¡± Lenna advised.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac¡¯s eyes left the bag moved to Alice¡¯s. ¡°Can we withdraw a hundred platinum now and get the rest later?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to.¡± Alice replied and then sighed. ¡°But if you are going to come right back and don¡¯t mind me stashing it behind the desk that¡¯s fine.¡± She relented.


    ¡°Great. Thanks Alice.¡± Isaac replied and Lenna nodded her thanks as well.


    Alice withdrew a hundred platinum coins from her bottomless bag and counted them as she handed them to Isaac. She pushed them across in sets of ten and each time he would make it look like he was pushing them off the desk into his other hand. In reality they were falling into his Inventory.


    After the third time Alice stopped. ¡°Where are they going? If you can just do that, why not take all of it?¡±


    ¡°Limited weight.¡± Isaac replied. He dropped his voice to a whisper. ¡°Like your bag but the limit is a lot lower.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡± Alice thought for a moment. ¡°Is it an item?¡± Isaac was being more and more open with her and her sister so she felt comfortable asking more questions.


    ¡°Nope.¡± Isaac replied but did not elaborate. Alice handed him the last ten platinum coins. ¡°Thanks. Be right back.¡± He told her and beckoned Lenna to follow.


    ¡ª


    The V¡¯Nova Wexler duo headed to the alchemists¡¯ store a few buildings down. ¡°Adventurous Taste? Sounds like a restaurant that serves monster meat or something.¡± Isaac commented upon seeing the sign.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Lenna replied and led the way inside without hesitation.


    Inside the shop were rows upon rows of shelves with plants, vials of mysterious liquids, scrolls, small gems with magical runes carved into them, staves, crystal balls, and all other sorts of miscellaneous trinkets. ¡°Greetings adventurers.¡± The pair heard in a voice that sounded a bit off. The voice was too high, nasally, and loud to be from a person.


    It took Lenna a moment to pinpoint where the voice had come from but when she did she pointed it out to Isaac. ¡°There. The raven.¡±


    Isaac followed her gesture to see the raven. The bird was nestled in a nest at the end of one of the rows on the highest shelf. It looked down on them like it was the lord of a castle and they were peasants who had come to seek an audience. ¡°Hello.¡± Isaac spoke to the bird.


    The raven just stared at them for a moment before a noise in the back of the store notified the bird of the clerk coming to deal with their prospective customers. ¡°Greetings.¡± A tired looking teenage boy in wizardry robes and a pair of cracked glasses said as he rounded one of the shelves to meet them. ¡°What can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°We were looking for one of those bags that you can store a bunch of stuff in at once.¡± Isaac told the boy.


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    ¡°Ah yes. A bottomless bag as you adventurers call them right?¡± The young wizard asked.


    ¡°That would be it I believe. I was told we could get one here for a reasonable price.¡± Isaac replied. He specifically didn¡¯t give a number just in case he would be able to negotiate a cheaper price. He was usually all for paying asking price for things but when the prices started getting into the hundreds haggling started to matter more and more.


    ¡°Yes yes. Follow me.¡± The wizard told them and started weaving his way through the dozens of rows of shelves. ¡°We should have one back here somewhere.¡± He said when they were deep into the store.


    Isaac was too focused on following the young wizard to notice but Lenna noticed, about the time they stopped, that they had walked further inside than the building should have been deep. There were still more shelves and a door to the back that could be seen from where they were. ¡®Magically enlarged. This is very high grade enchantment work.¡¯ She thought.


    ¡°Ah yes, here it is.¡± The young man said and pulled a satchel much like the other two they had seen out of a pile of random gear. He reached into the bag and pulled out a small slip of paper. ¡°Yes. Six hundred gold.¡±


    ¡°Do we get a discount for buying other stuff at the same time?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°No.¡± The wizard replied instantly. He turned towards them with the bag in his hands. ¡°Is there anything else you would like?¡±


    ¡°Do you have a catalog? Maybe an inventory list of all the magic items in here? I¡¯m not looking for any plants.¡± Isaac responded.


    The wizard sighed. ¡°Not yet. I¡¯ve been working on it but Eliza just throws everything wherever it¡¯ll fit.¡± He went to throw up his arms in exasperation but the bag in his hands prevented that. The motion had been started though before the bag quickly arrested that effort.


    ¡°Eliza? Did he do the enchantments here?¡± Lenna asked.


    Her voice seemed to startle the wizard and he almost dropped the bag. ¡°Uh, no, ma¡¯am.¡± He replied, obviously not used to speaking while a woman was present.


    ¡®How long has he been in here?¡¯ Both Lenna and Isaac thought at the same time. Lenna nodded in acceptance of his answer and let Isaac continue to lead the interaction.


    ¡°This¡¯ll be all for now. We might come back later though if you have any magical armor in here.¡± Isaac continued.


    The wizard tore his eyes off of Lenna and nodded to Isaac. ¡°Yes we do actually, though I couldn¡¯t tell you what enchantments are on it. I¡¯m hoping to have everything cataloged by the end of the month and I would be able to help you better then.¡±


    ¡°How many days is that? I haven¡¯t been keeping track.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Thirteen. At least I think so. I haven¡¯t slept in a while so I might be off.¡± He replied.


    Isaac nodded slowly. It did look like the poor boy needed some sleep. ¡°Alright. Do you want the coin here or¡­¡± Isaac¡¯s voice trailed off letting the wizard finish the thought on his own.


    ¡°No. There is a counter a few rows down. Please follow me.¡± The wizard replied and started speed walking down the isles again.


    The duo hurried after him. A few moments later they arrived at what looked like a bar but it was covered in potted plants. It was then that Isaac noticed some areas were brighter than others. It always seemed like whatever was lighting the place was just out of sight. The entire store had been cast in a faint shadow but it was only when they stopped at the counter that the fact that there were no lighting implements really struck him.


    ¡°What¡¯s lighting this place?¡± Isaac asked.


    The wizard pushed up his thick glasses a bit. ¡°Nothing. Well not nothing exactly. It¡¯s an illusion. It creates indirect sunlight to feed the plants.¡± He explained.


    Isaac looked around in wonder for a moment. The application of magic was truly something Isaac wished he was capable of. Being limited to only dark mana had railroaded him into only using magic the hard way. Raw mana manipulation and willpower.


    The wizard cleared his throat. He had work to do that wasn¡¯t waiting on customers. ¡°Six hundred gold for the bag please.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, sorry.¡± Isaac apologized and walked over to the counter. He reached behind himself and grabbed a handful of coins before sighing. ¡®There has to be a better way to deal with large amounts of coin than just shoveling it out of my Inventory. This is just awkward.¡¯ He thought.


    Isaac set the coins on the desk and counted them. The wizard grabbed one of the coins and whispered something. His eyes started to glow and he inspected the coin. ¡°Where are you getting these?¡± He asked.


    ¡°The, Adventurers¡¯ Guild?¡± Isaac responded tentatively.


    ¡°No. I mean where did you just take these from? You don¡¯t have a coin purse on you.¡± He clarified.


    Isaac gulped and then resigned himself for what was going to be an awkward interaction. He reached out in front of him and pulled more coins out of his Inventory and set them on the counter as the wizard watched with his breath held. Once the full sixty were on the counter Isaac stopped and waited for the wizard to say something.


    ¡°How?¡± Was all he could say as he stared at the empty space that Isaac had taken the coins from. ¡°There was no mana movement, no spatial distortion.¡± His eyes went to Isaac¡¯s. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Usually people introduce themselves first.¡± Isaac countered. ¡°Sixty platinum.¡±


    ¡°Never mind the platinum. What kind of magic is that? That¡¯s revolutionary. I can¡¯t even begin to understand how it works! This is so exciting!¡± The young wizard went on.


    ¡°Tell you what.¡± Isaac began. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this transaction. Then you can go back to cataloging this place. We¡¯ll be back in two weeks to look for armor and stuff. Don¡¯t tell anyone about this magic by the way. We can talk about my crazy magic then and maybe you can help me with a problem I¡¯m having in exchange. Deal?¡±


    The wizard¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°I would love to do so now but yes! Deal!¡±


    ¡°Great. I¡¯m Isaac Wexler. The Dark Mage everyone is talking about.¡± Isaac told him and offered his hand.


    The wizard took a moment to realize why Isaac had extended his hand and then quickly took it. ¡°Clayton Smith. Apprentice artificer and alchemist of Eliza Thane.¡±

 Chapter 75 That Is How Nobility Works

    Chapter 75 That Is How Nobility Works


    ¡°Thanks for hanging onto that for us Alice.¡± Isaac said and leaned against the receptionist desk.


    ¡°You''re welcome.¡± She replied and set her bottomless bag on the desk for him to transfer the coin.


    ¡°Now that I have one, how does it work?¡± Isaac asked.


    Alice smiled at him. ¡°The things you don¡¯t know surprise me.¡± She reached into the bag and pulled out a handful of coins. ¡°Just reach in, picture what you want, then grab it.¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. How that magic worked he couldn¡¯t even begin to understand. Mental direction without a connection being made just didn¡¯t make any sense. ¡°That simple?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Alice nodded. ¡°Now you try.¡±


    Isaac did so. He reached into the bag and thought about platinum coins. He closed his hand around them and pulled it out. ¡°This is weird.¡± He left his bag open enough so he could see what was going on inside while he stored those coins. The inside of the bag was dark and hazy. Something Isaac was not used to seeing. Darkness was his thing after all.


    Alice giggled watching him inspect the bag with trepidation. ¡°It¡¯s fine. The guild uses them, the bank uses them, merchants all around the world use them. Just don¡¯t forget about what you put in there.¡± She warned.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Isaac eventually said and started shoveling coins from one bag into the other. Once he was done he handed Alice back her bag. ¡°I think we should take a break today. We can go back to work tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°We should still spar.¡± Lenna advised.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°After we leave all this coin at the bank.¡± Lenna nodded her reply.


    ¡°See you tomorrow then.¡± Alice told them.


    Isaac gave her a smile and Lenna gave her a nod. ¡°Don¡¯t work too hard.¡± He said and waved while leaving.


    ¡ª


    The bank clerk was used to people arriving with large sums of coin and quickly withdrew the coins, counted them, marked down how much there were, and took them to the back to be stored in some undisclosed manner. ¡°Is there an easier way to pay for super expensive things than shoveling coins out of a bottomless bag for ten minutes?¡± Isaac asked the man.


    ¡°There are a few methods. Bank notes are common for merchants. We have some blank ones that you can purchase. You simply write your name as the sender on each one with our magical pen. That way it cannot be changed or tampered with.¡± He explained. ¡°When you find the need to use one simply fill out the rest and that person may bring it in to us and we will make the transfer.¡±


    ¡°What happens if there isn¡¯t enough to fulfill the bank note?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°The bank is run by the city in which it resides. A warrant would be issued to ensure payment.¡± The clerk replied matter of factly.


    ¡°Understood.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°What are the other ways?¡±


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    ¡°We have offices upstairs. A clerk like myself would join you for your discussion over payment and then we would make the transfer while both parties are still present.¡± He went on. ¡°The last option is bars. All bars are twenty pounds making them each worth exactly one thousand of whatever coin they are made from. Uniformity is key.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. That¡¯s all we needed for today.¡± Isaac thanked the man and he and Lenna left to go spar in the arena.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Should I put the bag in my Inventory? It¡¯s empty now right?¡± Isaac asked Lenna.


    ¡°No. I heard stories of people getting shunted into the astral.¡± Lenna replied quickly.


    ¡°The astral? How? Where?¡± Isaac fired off.


    ¡°The space between planes. Spatial magic doesn¡¯t play nice.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Isaac tried to understand magic again and was once more failing spectacularly. ¡°Well I already have storage. You want it?¡±


    ¡°You just don¡¯t want to carry it.¡± Lenna accused as she took the bag from him.


    ¡°No, yes, maybe. But still I have a place to throw things I don¡¯t want to carry. Now you do too.¡± He argued.


    Lenna just rolled her eyes and squared off against him with her training sword. Isaac entered his fighting stance with his own a few feet from her.


    The rest of the pair¡¯s day went pleasantly. The next day found them back at the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. ¡°Back to work already? Did you even spend all that gold?¡± Alice asked when they arrived.


    ¡°No.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Not really.¡± Isaac agreed.


    Alice shook her head. ¡°You should get some better gear.¡± She told Isaac. ¡°And you should get a new coat of paint. Maybe a steel brush and some polish.¡± She said to Lenna. ¡°You both look like you¡¯re broke.¡±


    Lenna looked down at her singed and scratched armor. Alice was right. Her armor did need some love. It had saved her enough times to warrant a coat of paint and some polish. Isaac already knew how badly he looked and sighed. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re right. What would it cost to have someone else take care of all that do you think?¡±


    Alice chuckled. ¡°You get one large payout and think about hiring a servant like you are some Lord¡­ Oh, yeah. Actually that makes sense. Do you even own a property in the city?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac replied with a frown. ¡°How much do you think that would cost?¡±


    ¡°It depends. A small house on the bad side of town is probably around five hundred gold. A middle class house like where Alexis and I live is somewhere between eight hundred and twelve hundred gold I believe.¡± Alecia went on. Isaac and Lenna now knew which sister it was since she slipped up and mentioned her sister by name.


    ¡°What about a really nice one? With a built-in library, maybe a space to train, oh, and enough space to hire a cook.¡± Isaac asked.


    Alecia laughed. ¡°More than I even want to think about. I don¡¯t know if you even have enough to buy one let alone hire staff to cook and keep the place clean.¡±


    ¡°Well, back to work with us then.¡± Isaac replied and went back to scanning the bounty board. ¡°I kind of want to take this one.¡± He stared at a bounty to ¡®deal with¡¯ a group of thugs who had been charging business in the bad part of town protection money. The protection was from said band of hooligans.


    Lenna read the bounty. ¡°It just says ¡®deal with¡¯. What does that mean exactly?¡±


    Alecia knew which bounty they were referencing and looked up from her paperwork. ¡°They aren¡¯t picky. However you see fit. As long as they aren¡¯t harassing people anymore it¡¯s fine.¡± She commented.


    ¡°What methods are off limits?¡± Isaac asked her. He needed to make sure he wasn¡¯t going to get himself in trouble by taking the job. It looked simple enough and the pay was good. It had been raised from a silver tier bounty to an electrum one since the last time they had seen it. ¡°Also, why did it get raised a difficulty?¡±


    ¡°No collateral damage, no torture or other unsavory acts of violence. If you are going to kill them make sure it is in a way that can be easily cleaned up and is off the streets. The guard only really cares about what happens on the street so oftentimes bounties like that have other consequences.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Like getting ambushed by a gang while heading home from work?¡± Isaac asked grimly.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Alecia replied.


    ¡°I see.¡± He turned to look at Lenna. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I trust your judgment.¡± She told him.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°And I trust your input.¡±


    Lenna sighed. ¡°What are the pros and cons?¡± She asked, expertly diverting the decision back towards him.


    Isaac thought for a few moments about it. ¡°Well, for pros we have money, people downtown liking us, probably, a short job we can do in a day, maybe even one we can do without fighting anyone directly. Like you said, I can be scary.¡±


    Lenna nodded along. ¡°Fair points, but mostly speculation.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac replied with a frown. ¡°For cons we have probably killing people, which isn¡¯t really a big deal if they deserve it to me personally, potential of it turning into a much bigger problem if they have a backer, potential of us getting ambushed by thugs, which really isn¡¯t a big deal either, the limitation of having to only fight indoors.¡±


    ¡°Also mostly speculation and potential trouble.¡± Lenna commented.


    ¡°What¡¯s the verdict Alecia?¡± Isaac asked the receptionist who had been watching and listening.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure the duke would like them getting removed. His hands are pretty much tied when people aren¡¯t on any property he owns.¡± She replied.


    ¡°He owns?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Yes, the roads, walls, orchestral hall, his manor, everything outside of the walls and the same for Ben¡¯s End and Charles III.¡± She explained.


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°He owns it all?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She replied. ¡°That is how nobility works here in Altia.¡±

 Chapter 76 They’ll Be Lucky If They Can Stand,

    Chapter 76 They¡¯ll Be Lucky If They Can Stand,


    Isaac and Lenna walked into a bar in the slums. They had passed a few homeless people and someone obviously eating the merchandise. Mushrooms had many uses after all. The bar was dark and a few of the tables and chairs were broken. An older man with long grayed hair was behind the bar.


    The bartender immediately noticed Lenna¡¯s guard vest and spoke up. ¡°Not many of your kind come down here.¡± He told her.


    Isaac looked around and noticed only one patron in the bar who looked to be trying to drown his demons with alcohol, literally. Isaac walked up to the bar and set Lenna¡¯s golden guild badge on it. ¡°You Chester?¡± He asked.


    The bartender¡¯s eyes went wide at the gold badge. ¡°Y-Yeah. You two took the bounty?¡± He asked.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Who are they? What do they want? When do they usually come by? Where is their home base? Why couldn¡¯t you handle this yourself? And lastly, how do you want it done?¡± Isaac interrogated.


    The bartender, Chester, took a moment to process Isaac¡¯s barrage of questions, at least most of them. ¡°Uh, younger folk, maybe a little older than you. Just showed up a few months ago demanding payment. Broke a few doors and windows of a few other places. Just demand gold every week. Usually come the first day of the week. Probably ran outta coin. What were the other questions?¡±


    ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you, and the other shop owners, handle this yourselves?¡± Isaac replied. ¡°If they haven¡¯t hurt anybody I already know how I¡¯m handling it. I¡¯m not gonna kill a few idiots trying to extort a few shops.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯d be easier just to kill ¡®em. There¡¯s six of them. Too many for us old timers to handle.¡± Chester replied.


    Isaac eyed the man. He looked no older than late fifties. Isaac doubted a handful of guys his age couldn¡¯t just scare off a few young thugs. ¡°How many shops?¡±


    ¡°¡®Don''t know. Maybe a dozen.¡± Chester replied. He watched Isaac¡¯s neutral expression turn to a scowl of obvious annoyance.


    ¡°Any gold they have I¡¯m taking as a bonus. There¡¯s no reason a dozen of you couldn¡¯t handle half that many young idiots.¡± Isaac told him. ¡°Where are they staying?¡±


    Chester looked upset at Isaac¡¯s rebuke and annoyance in his voice. ¡°Two streets down, take a left, forth house.¡± He curtly replied.


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    Isaac turned to Lenna. ¡°Let¡¯s go. You wanna handle it or should I?¡± He asked and shoved off the bar.


    As they were weaving their way through the tables Lenna replied: ¡°I might kill one of them accidentally.¡±


    Isaac noticed the door was off its hinges. At first he had just assumed it was propped open. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡± He said as they walked through the door.


    They pair headed down the street following Chester¡¯s directions. ¡°I really don¡¯t like people who are content to let others walk all over them. This isn¡¯t even about facing monsters or hiding behind guards anymore. There¡¯s at least a dozen of them. Add in a few employees, maybe some friends and family, you have what? Thirty people? Forty? Just show up and take your money back. Maybe knock some sense into the idiots on your way out!¡± Isaac ranted. The longer he went on the louder he became. Lenna was sure half the block had heard him essentially call them cowards.


    ¡°At least the odds of them having a backer are low.¡± Lenna offered.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Yeah. I guess. I have been meaning to try fist fighting.¡± He threw a few practice jabs with practiced precision and near perfect form.


    ¡°You did say you had that as a skill.¡± Lenna replied upon noticing his form.


    ¡°Yeah. Haven¡¯t really had the opportunity to fight without life and death on the line.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Are you really keeping the stolen gold?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°Oh yeah. Definitely.¡± Isaac told her with absolute certainty. ¡°If they wanted it back then they should have gotten it themselves.¡±


    ¡°Understandable.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°You know? I actually was hoping that this would be interesting. Maybe some poor shopkeepers were being harassed by a gang of former adventurers and they were beating up the people that didn¡¯t pay.¡± Isaac sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know, something¡­ something¡­¡±


    ¡°Romanticized.¡± She replied. ¡°You¡¯ve been reading too much.¡±


    Isaac laughed. ¡°Maybe. How hard do you think I should go on them?¡±


    ¡ª


    Inside the thug¡¯s ¡®hideout¡¯, if it could even be called that, half a dozen young looking men were playing cards and drinking cheap liquor. One looked to be closer to forty. He was human with the normal brown hair and eyes with a light skin tone that was prevalent all throughout the human territory Isaac had been in.


    There was a dwarf boy, Lenna and Isaac both referred to him as a boy because he looked young for a dwarf which was hard to do with a beard covering most of their faces. A half-elven man whose real age couldn¡¯t be discerned due to how elves aged. One that looked almost exactly like the older human but not a day over twenty. And lastly, two other regular looking human guys that looked to be in their mid twenties.


    After Isaac scouted it out he returned to Lenna who was leaning against the neighboring building. He reappeared and Lenna shoved off the wall. ¡°Only one of them looks like he can fight at all and I¡¯m only saying that because he has a knife on his hip. He also looks to be the oldest, subjectively speaking, and I think one of them called him boss.¡±


    ¡°Any other signs of weapons?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°A crow bar and a club were leaning against the inside of the door. I can just toss those outside. They don¡¯t look very bright if I¡¯m being honest.¡± He said with a frown. He was still hoping for at least an entertaining fight.


    ¡°Good.¡± She replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna go all scary on them, see who wants to surrender first, and send them outside to you.¡± Isaac explained the beginning of his plan. ¡°I¡¯ll take the rest of them out in the dark since they look like more of a hassle than they''re worth. Then I¡¯ll fist fight the boss.¡±


    Lenna sighed. ¡°Just, make sure no one is going to interrupt.¡±


    Isaac waved her off. ¡°They¡¯ll be lucky if they can stand, let alone interfere.¡± He took off his sword belt and held it in his hand. ¡°Once the shadows disappear, bring any that surrendered back inside so they can see me kick the shit out of their boss.¡± He said and vanished.


    ¡°Understood.¡± She replied and walked over to stand just outside the quiet building that was about to be anything but.

 Chapter 77 Weak.

    Chapter 77 Weak.


    Isaac stored his sword belt and stretched. ¡°Time to get to work.¡± He said to himself and walked in the front door. The six idiots were still playing cards. ¡°Good.¡± He grabbed the two weapons that were still sitting by the door and tossed them out into the street.


    ¡°What was that?¡± One of the average looking guys said and looked up from his hand. He looked towards the door and waited.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear nothin¡¯. You¡¯re hearin¡¯ shit.¡± The dwarf said and played a card.


    ¡°Nah, I didn¡¯t hear anything. Something moved but I don¡¯t know what.¡± The human replied.


    ¡°Definitely losin¡¯ it.¡± The boss¡¯s little brother, child maybe, replied.


    The first guy shook his head. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right¡­ somethin¡¯ don¡¯t feel right though.¡±


    Shadows exploded and covered the room. They smothered the oil lamp that was sitting on their card table. They smothered the glowing stone in the ceiling and the one by the door. The one window was gone as far as any inside were concerned. The door was now a solid wall of shadows. All light vanished in little longer than an instant.


    Isaac stood in the room and watched chaos ensue. He wasn¡¯t invisible anymore as he was using most of those shadows to help him keep the room in total darkness. Shadows were still pouring out of him down onto the ground however. It was easier to control the shadows if he came at the problem from a singular direction. In this case, the floor. The shadows poured out of him, across the floor, up the walls, and finally connected in the center of the ceiling, essentially turning the room into a dumpling made of shadows. The filling of said dumpling was about to have a very bad time.


    ¡°D-D-D-Demon!¡± The dwarf screamed and fell out of his chair. Most of his friends tripped on theirs as they all bolted to their feet. He had seen Isaac and had gotten quite the first impression.


    ¡®Shit. I forgot dwarves can see in the dark.¡¯ Isaac thought to himself. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not very nice.¡± He told the dwarf in his dark gravelly voice and flashed the dwarf a grin. His eyes were pure darkness from his vision ability and it was clear the shadows were coming from him.


    ¡°Can it Shorty!¡± The boss yelled and pulled out his knife. ¡°This is probably that shadow orb spell which means he can¡¯t see us either. Just keep calm and wait. He¡¯ll run out of mana eventually.¡±


    Isaac laughed darkly. ¡°No, no I won¡¯t.¡± His eyes looked onto the dwarf¡¯s. ¡°This is your only chance, surrender.¡±


    The dwarf nodded rapidly. ¡°I-I sur¡­¡±


    He was cut off by their boss. ¡°Can it!¡±


    ¡°Walk out the door. My, associate, will handle you.¡± Isaac told the dwarf and gestured towards the door. The dwarf hesitated for a moment, obviously wary of getting anywhere near Isaac. ¡°Go on. Before I change my mind.¡±


    The dwarf started towards the door and tripped over a chair. He hit the ground face first and scrambled to his feet. He almost tripped again on his way to the door. When he got there he looked afraid to touch the shadows. Isaac sighed and opened the door for a moment. Light poured in, illuminating him slightly.


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    The dwarf all but dove out the door. Isaac turned back towards the rest of the group and sealed the door. ¡°He really is a demon.¡± One of the average looking guys whispered. Isaac had lost track of which one was which and he honestly didn¡¯t care. He was tempted to just refer to them as idiot one and idiot two.


    ¡°Stars light my path.¡± The other average guy, idiot two, chanted and Isaac felt mana start moving towards the man¡¯s hand. He quickly smothered it with overwhelming shadow mana causing the spell to wink out just as it was forming.


    ¡°None of that.¡± He told them. He noticed the half-elf was looking at Isaac¡¯s feet. ¡®Can he see me?¡¯ He thought. Isaac smiled and teleported right in front of the elf. ¡°Boo.¡±


    The man jumped and swung at him. Isaac grabbed his wrist and twisted it while sidestepping the punch. He drove his forearm down hard on the elf¡¯s now straightened elbow. The crack was the only sound in the room for a fraction of a second. Isaac transitioned from the forearm strike into and chop and hit the elf in the throat. He let go of the elf¡¯s broken arm and drove his fist in the man¡¯s nose.


    The elf tripped as he staggered backwards. He landed on his broken arm and wheezed out a scream. Isaac walked silently over to idiot one and kicked him in the groin. The man folded like a sheet of paper. Isaac grabbed the man¡¯s hair and kneed him in the head. He heard and felt the man¡¯s nose shatter on his knee pad.


    ¡°Shit shit shit. Where is he?¡± The boss demanded.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know!¡± His younger relative yelled out in a panic.


    ¡°This¡­ is boring.¡± Isaac complained darkly. He walked over to idiot two who opened his mouth to say something just as Isaac arrived. Isaac pulled a copper coin out of his Inventory and stuffed it down the man¡¯s throat. ¡°The boy next I guess.¡± He said only slightly louder than the man choking next to him.


    ¡°Stay away from him! Fight me like a man!¡± The boss demanded and swung his knife in the direction Isaac¡¯s voice had come from.


    Isaac moved around behind the boy and put him in a headlock. He moved shadows over the boy¡¯s mouth and feet as he dragged him towards the door. The boy flailed and tried to pry Isaac¡¯s arm off of his neck but he wasn¡¯t strong enough and he couldn¡¯t get his footing to try and fight back.


    ¡°Kid!¡± The boss yelled. ¡°Lenny!¡± He was starting to sound afraid for his family member. ¡°What did you do to him, you bastard?!¡±


    The boy struggled for a few more seconds in silence. Once he was unconscious Isaac dropped him to the ground. ¡°Goodnight.¡± Isaac said with dark amusement in his voice. ¡°Lenny.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!!!¡± The boss yelled and took a step towards Isaac¡¯s voice, knocking over the table in the process.


    Isaac let the shadows fade. He was almost out of mana and he wanted to actually fist fight someone. As light started to come back into the room the boss saw the carnage around him. Idiot two had finally coughed out the coin and was gasping for air in between residual coughing. Idiot one was unconscious in a pool of blood that was still coming out of his nose. The half-elf was barely breathing through the pain and was letting out pained whimpers. It was clear he was trying not to scream.


    Finally his eyes fell on Lenny. He was unconscious. Still breathing but had saliva on the sides of his mouth. It was clear he had been choked out in total silence. The boss¡¯s eyes burned as he met Isaac¡¯s gaze. Isaac was grinning at him maniacally. ¡°I¡¯ll get you back for this. A hundred times.¡± The boss swore.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No. You won¡¯t.¡± He squared off barehanded with the boss.


    Lenna walked in the door, pushing the dwarf in front of her, with a firm grip on his shoulder. The boss scoffed. ¡°Useless. The lot of you.¡±


    Isaac made a shadow spike and threw it into the floor next to Lenny. He wanted the boss to attack and he knew how to make him. The boss snarled and lunged with his knife at Isaac. Isaac smacked the wrist of the knife hand and stepped in. He made a fist with his middle knuckle braced forwards so his entire punch would be concentrated on that one point. He drove his knuckle into the man¡¯s sternum, breaking it.


    All the air flew out of the boss¡¯s lungs before he could even scream from the pain. The man¡¯s body hit Isaac¡¯s like a wall. Isaac¡¯s stance was solid and the boss was off balance from his lunge. Isaac shoved him back and before he could fall over, followed up with a kick to the groin. The boss passed out from the double shock of pain before he hit the ground.


    The impact with the floor seemed to shock his system back awake and his mouth opened in a silent scream that was followed by him vomiting on both himself and the floor. It was around that time Lenny started to regain his consciousness.


    Isaac looked down at the older man in his sorry state on the floor. ¡°Weak.¡± He turned around and faced Lenna. The dwarf peed himself. Isaac wrinkled his nose. ¡°Let it go. You don¡¯t want to catch idiot or something.¡± He told Lenna back in his normal voice.


    Lenna released the young dwarf¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s not something you can catch. I hear one is born with it.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Fair enough. Can you make sure none of them die?¡± Isaac gestured toward the boss and the idiot with a broken nose. ¡°Those two might.¡±

 Chapter 78 Want To Make A Deal?

    Chapter 78 Want To Make A Deal?


    Lenna walked over to the boss who hadn¡¯t breathed in a little too long. He was still conscious but was fading fast. She rolled him onto his back and placed her hand on his chest. She poured healing magic into him until she heard and felt his breast bone reset. He gasped for air but was definitely out of it.


    Isaac meanwhile found an unbroken chair and brought it to a relatively open part of the room. He turned it around with a flick of his wrist and sat on it backwards. He leaned against it and tried to think up what he should do with the lot of them. He saw movement out of the corner of his eye and his head snapped to it. The dwarf had taken a small step towards the door. ¡°Sit.¡± Isaac commanded and pointed farther into the room.


    The dwarf gulped and obeyed. Lenna knelt next to the man who had barely managed to not drown in his own blood. She pushed him over and grabbed his chin. His eyes opened blearily and he groaned. She grabbed his nose with her other hand and set it straight as she healed it. He let out a scream. She held him still for a moment until her magic had done its job. ¡®Well, he¡¯s awake enough to not drown now.¡¯ She thought to herself.


    She walked over to the half-elf with the shattered elbow. He was crying from the pain. She felt a phantom pain in her own elbow from a time when she had gotten it shattered in combat practice a century ago. Back then she was crippled from the pain much like how he was now. If it happened now, however, it would hardly slow her down. Pain was something she had learned to acknowledge and then ignore. That was not a skill learned easily, nor by one''s own volition.


    The last time something had hurt bad enough to actually stop her was her collarbone getting broken by that chimera. Few broken bones hurt as bad as a broken collarbone. The sternum, or breast bone, was one such bone. She could empathize with the boss but only a little.


    After she had stared down at the half-elf for a moment she turned and looked at Isaac. ¡°My Lord, what about this one?¡± She asked. Almost every occupant of the room caught the ¡®My Lord¡¯ and many of them started sweating. Nobles had a lot more leeway with the law but most importantly they had more connections. Many of those connections were oftentimes with mob bosses or human traffickers.


    Isaac turned to look at Lenna and then the boy at her feet. ¡°If you want to. It¡¯ll at least make him shut up.¡± Isaac replied. He had some sympathy for people. He could empathize sometimes. This was not one of those times. He had given them all the opportunity to surrender and escape the situation in one piece. Any of them that didn¡¯t, deserved what they got, they were all still alive after all.


    Lenna knelt next to the boy and looked down at his arm. She frowned. It was truly destroyed which meant that it would take more mana to heal. ¡®Unless I don¡¯t completely heal it.¡¯ She thought. She grabbed a piece of broken chair and handed it to the boy, to her they were all just boys, none of them had lived over a century and it showed. Either in their obvious childishness, with Isaac, or general stupidity, with the rest of them.


    He took the piece of wood. ¡°Bite it.¡± She commanded him. He looked like he was going to pass out. He had gotten that pale. He did as he was told and as soon as it was in his mouth she grabbed his arm just above and just below his elbow. She straightened it and poured most of her dwindling mana reserves into fixing it. Once it had set and all the broken bits were fused together she stopped. It was still fractured in a few places but that was good enough to move him at least. Lenna was surprised that she didn¡¯t hear him scream from the pain and looked at his face to find him unconscious but breathing. She nodded to herself. ¡®I¡¯m surprised he lasted that long.¡¯ She thought and stood.


    Her eyes scanned the room. Isaac was lost in thought again. The boss was breathing deeply and slowly trying to power through the pain of Isaac¡¯s kick to his groin. Lenny had just sat up and was leaning against the wall, also taking in the room. The half-elf was at her feet unconscious. The dwarf was sitting a few feet from the door, his trousers were wet. ¡®Gross.¡¯ She thought and moved on. The idiot that almost choked was leaning against the wall eyeing Isaac wearily. The other was groaning on the floor in his own blood.


    Isaac sat up. ¡°Shorty, Idiot Two, grab Idiot One and the half blood. The four of you are going to do two things.¡± He ordered. The two in question paled. ¡°You four are going to go apologize to all the people you extorted. Then you are going to sign up at the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. If you don¡¯t I won¡¯t chase you down or anything. None of you are worth that. But,¡± Isaac let the silence hang in the air for a moment. ¡°if you don¡¯t and I ever see you again, I¡¯ll melt your hands off so you can never threaten anyone again.¡±


    The room stayed silent for a long minute. The two conscious ones weren¡¯t sure what to do. They were shocked and terrified. Isaac had just disassembled their entire gang in a few seconds without the help of the battle healer that called him ¡®Lord¡¯.


    Isaac cracked his neck. ¡°Now.¡± He commanded them. They sprang into action. Lenny went to get up as well. ¡°Not you.¡± He said and pointed at the boy. ¡°You and your brother? Father? Uncle?¡±


    ¡°Brother.¡± Lenny replied quietly.


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    ¡°Brother, are going to stay here. I have need of you.¡± Isaac explained evenly. Lenny swallowed hard and looked at his brother who opened his eyes to scowl at Isaac.


    Once the other four were gone Isaac got up from his chair. He walked over to the door and closed it. ¡°What do you want from us?¡± The boss demanded.


    ¡°First I have some questions. Where is the money you took?¡± Isaac interrogated.


    ¡°Gone.¡± The boss replied.


    ¡°Gone where?¡± Isaac demanded.


    The boss sighed. ¡°To paying off a loan.¡±


    ¡°Why extort for cash instead of working? A job would be more steady and less likely to get your shit rocked by an adventurer.¡± Isaac questioned.


    The boss shook his head. ¡°Interest was too high. Had to pay it off before they came looking for the money.¡±


    ¡°Who lent the money?¡± Isaac grilled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± The other man replied.


    ¡°Bull shit.¡± Isaac retorted.


    The boss sighed again. ¡°Nobody knows who Mr. Nobody is. That¡¯s the point of the name. You never see him and if you do he has a different face depending on who you ask. Hells it might not even be just one person.¡±


    Isaac thought for a moment. ¡°How much do you owe?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s it matter?¡± The boss replied.


    ¡°Answer the question.¡± Isaac calmly commanded.


    ¡°Eight hundred gold.¡± Lenny cut it.


    Isaac smiled. He just so happened to have eight hundred gold lying around. He remembered reading about warlocks and how they made deals with demons, devils, and fae for power. ¡°Want to make a deal?¡± He said with a dark grin.


    ¡°No.¡± The boss replied instantly.


    ¡°What are you offering?¡± Lenny responded. He knew they were entirely at Isaac¡¯s mercy. No one would come looking for them. Well, maybe Mr. Nobody, but that would only be to make sure they either paid, got sold, or died.


    ¡°A job.¡± Isaac replied and looked at Lenny. ¡°I¡¯ll pay your brother eight hundred gold and in exchange he will work for me as an informant. He¡¯ll be putting you up for collateral.¡±


    ¡°Fuck off.¡± The older brother cursed and struggled to try and sit up.


    ¡°What¡¯ll happen to me?¡± Lenny asked with wide eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll put a mark on your soul.¡± Isaac¡¯s eyes went black as his dark vision ability took effect. ¡°If your brother breaks the deal, I¡¯ll kill you. Once he has paid off his debt to me I¡¯ll release the mark on you.¡± Isaac lied. He had no way to mark him let alone remove such a mark.


    ¡°Either kill us or let us go.¡± The older brother demanded as he managed to push himself into a mostly sitting position. He was still nauseous so he was trying to move as slowly as possible.


    ¡°How long will it take to pay off?¡± Lenny asked.


    ¡°Eight years for eight hundred gold.¡± Isaac replied with a smile and removed the shadows from his eyes. He was really leaning into the whole demon thing but also wanted them to actually agree to it. An informant inside the criminal underground of Safeharbor could open some interesting doors.


    ¡°Deal.¡± Lenny replied.


    ¡°What?!¡± His brother yelled and then winced from the pain.


    Isaac turned his gaze to the boss. ¡°What¡¯s your name, older brother?¡±


    ¡°No, nope, no way am I telling you that. I know better than to tell a demon or whatever you are my name.¡± The boss replied with actual fright in his voice.


    Isaac rolled his eyes. ¡°What should I call you?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Nothin¡¯.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Give me something or I¡¯m just going to start calling you Failure.¡± Isaac threatened.


    ¡°It¡¯s James.¡± Lenny replied. His brother looked at him with fury in his eyes. ¡°We¡¯re at his mercy. Either we take the deal or he¡¯ll kill us anyway.¡±


    ¡°A hundred gold a year is still a good deal but if you take too long to make up your mind I¡¯m going to change it to eighty gold a year and make you work for ten.¡± Isaac threatened. ¡°I¡¯m paying you up front.¡± He reminded them.


    That seemed to sink into James¡¯ mind. It was a good deal. Almost too good of a deal. The only catch was that if they broke it Lenny was a dead man. Isaac knew exactly where to prod to get what he wanted out of them.


    Lenna watched the entire thing go down. ¡®He¡¯s extorting them.¡¯ She thought with a frown. ¡®It¡¯s a good deal at least.¡¯


    ¡°Fine. Well take your stupid deal. But, I want you to mark me instead.¡± James told Isaac with steel in his eyes. He had resolved to either follow through with the deal or die. There was no reason in his mind on why his brother had to be the one to die.


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I don¡¯t trust you enough to follow through. If your brother¡¯s life is on the line I think you will.¡±


    ¡°Take the deal James.¡± Lenny told his brother.


    James mentally debated it for a few moments before sighing. He had run out of options. He was cornered and he knew it. ¡°Fine. Eight years as an informant, eight hundred gold up front, Lenny as collateral. In exchange for you not killing us here and now.¡±


    Isaac stood up. He grabbed the chair and tossed it to the side. It vanished into his Inventory. It wasn¡¯t a heavy chair so he barely felt the weight with it evenly distributed across his body. He walked over to Lenny. He crouched next to him and put his hand over his eyes. ¡°Lenna, make sure James doesn¡¯t see. Some magic isn¡¯t for mortals to see.¡±


    When he mentioned mortals Lenna could barely keep herself from shaking her head or rolling her eyes. He was laying it on too thick. At this rate she was afraid people in town would actually start calling him a demon. She walked around James and positioned herself in between him and the other two.


    Isaac checked to make sure James couldn¡¯t see and pressed his thumb into Lenny¡¯s chest about where his heart was. ¡°Bare my mark mortal until your deal is complete.¡± Isaac pulsed a little death mana over his thumb and got a hiss of pain from Lenny. He stopped as soon as the boy started to tense. Isaac took his hand off Lenny¡¯s eyes and stood up.


    ¡°It¡¯s done?¡± Lenny asked with pain in his face and voice.


    ¡°Almost.¡± Isaac told him and then looked at Lenna and nodded towards Lenny.


    Lenna walked over to Lenny and knelt down. She put her palm on his chest and healed the damage Isaac had just done, removing any evidence. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± She told Isaac.


    ¡°Good.¡± He replied and smiled. ¡°Now, James.¡± He looked down at the man still half sprawled out on the floor. It was clear he didn¡¯t want to close his legs at all. ¡°I¡¯ll get you eighty platinum coins by the end of the day. Don¡¯t leave this place until I return.¡± He then looked at Lenny. ¡°You are free to do whatever you want. I already got what I needed from you.¡±


    He walked over to Lenna and stood in her shadow that was cast from the glowing stone in the ceiling. He smiled at nobody in particular and vanished.

 Chapter 79 As Per The Deal.

    Chapter 79 As Per The Deal.


    Lenna took a step towards the door and felt a minute amount of resistance on her shoulder. She stopped and waited for a moment. ¡°Keep going. Just outside.¡± She heard Isaac whisper in her ear. Her next step was silent as shadows had started to wash over her allowing her to hear Isaac even though he had used his shadow cloak to disappear.


    Isaac closed the door behind them and then reappeared. He looked around. ¡°Where is he?¡± He asked nobody in particular. His eyes scanned the shops and stalls along the street until he found the familiar face he was looking for. ¡°I¡¯m getting hungry. Let¡¯s get some skewers.¡±


    Lenna followed his gaze and found who he was looking for. Thomas was standing a few feet from a food stall that was grilling up skewers of some kind. The pair walked over and Isaac ordered two skewers. After receiving them the pair stepped off to the side near Thomas. Isaac stored the one and winked at Lenna. ¡°Thank you.¡± She replied. They did smell good even if she didn¡¯t know what kind of meat it was.


    Isaac took a bite and almost burned his mouth. ¡°Ouch.¡± He said and Lenna shook her head at his impatience. Thomas just kept standing there casually eating his skewer. ¡°Any of your friends around?¡± Isaac said casually without looking at Thomas.


    ¡°Not that I know of. Doesn¡¯t mean they aren¡¯t there.¡± He replied and continued eating.


    ¡°Good enough for a quick chat. In that building are two brothers. The older one is my new informant. The younger one is the one I¡¯m worried about.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be shadowing you, not shadowing people for you.¡± Thomas reminded him.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± Isaac assured him. ¡°I just want you to get a good look at him and let me know anything you happen to hear about him.¡±


    Thomas nodded and replied: ¡°If that¡¯s all you need I don¡¯t mind. What¡¯s the deal with him?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s collateral on a loan. He agreed to it way before his brother did. I don¡¯t like how ready he was to make a deal like that. Something doesn¡¯t sit right.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°A loan?¡± Thomas raised an eyebrow. ¡°You a loan shark now?¡±


    ¡°No. There¡¯s no interest. The loan is eight years of the older brother being my informant in exchange for eight hundred gold. I¡¯m paying them up front, hence the collateral.¡± Isaac went on. ¡°Apparently they are in deep with this guy called Mr. Nobody.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of them.¡± Thomas replied.


    ¡°Them?¡± Isaac asked.


    Thomas nodded. ¡°Yeah it¡¯s a small organization with a lot of gold and magic items I hear. Loan sharks and mortal traffickers. Default on the loan, get sold to the highest bidder type people. Reports are all over the place about them though. I¡¯d keep my distance¡± He warned.


    ¡°All the more reason to know what they are up to.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°What¡¯s weird about the reports?¡±


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    Thomas sighed and dropped his empty skewer in a bin next to the stall. ¡°Either shape shifters or magic that makes it look like it.¡± He explained. ¡°The guys at the top are concerned. There¡¯s a chance, a small chance mind you, but a chance that it, they, are a doppelganger.¡±


    ¡°You think a shape changing monster that likes to kill people and take their place is running a mortal trafficking and loan shark ring under everyone¡¯s noses?¡± Isaac asked incredulously.


    Thomas shook his head. ¡°Not just me. I told you this goes to the top. No one has been able to track them down. No one can find their base of operations.¡±


    ¡°Who''s at the top?¡± Isaac asked about Thomas¡¯ organization.


    Thomas shook his head. ¡°Nope. I¡¯m staying out of that. There is no way I¡¯m gonna get stuck in between you and my boss.¡± He answered firmly.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Worth a shot.¡± He wasn¡¯t going to press. Having a good relationship with this spy was worth more than some information about who he answered to. Isaac was pretty sure it was Gio but there was always the chance that he was using someone else¡¯s spies to keep an eye on them. ¡°Thanks for the info.¡±


    ¡°You''re welcome. Please don¡¯t make it a habit. You¡¯ll blow my cover.¡± Thomas replied.


    Isaac smirked. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± He told him then turned to Lenna. ¡°Let¡¯s head back. We have stuff to do.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Lenna replied and fell in next to but a little behind Isaac.


    ¡ª


    Back in their room Isaac pulled the chair out of Inventory and placed it against the wall. Lenna took off her helmet and raised an eyebrow skeptically at him. ¡°What? Now we just need a little two person table.¡±


    Lenna shook her head and then took the skewer that Isaac offered her. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Isaac nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°After you¡¯re done we need to get that eighty platinum to James. The question is how?¡± Isaac stated. He sat down on their new chair and tried to think up a plan. ¡°We can go get the coin easily enough. No one would ask questions or anything. The real problem would be getting it from the bank to James without anyone seeing enough to put the pieces together that he is working for us.¡±


    Lenna paused her snack when she had an idea. ¡°We could leave from here invisible. You can make me invisible too, right?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Yeah but only for a little while. Not nearly long enough to get downtown. Long enough that no one would see us leave here though.¡± He replied still deep in thought. ¡°My cloak. You could use my cloak to hide who you are, I¡¯ll follow behind you invisible and with your vest in my Inventory. There are a ton of people walking around in plate armor. With the cloak it would be harder to distinguish you from any of the other warriors walking around.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± Lenna replied. The problem with the cloak as well as her armor was that damage was unique. If someone noticed a specific tear or singe they might be able to put it together. That was of course assuming that someone cared enough.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think it¡¯ll work?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°It should. Unless someone is already tailing us. Is there any visible damage on your cloak?¡±


    Isaac held it out in front of him and looked it over. There were a few battle scars on it but not many thankfully. ¡°A few.¡±


    ¡°How lucky are you?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac flashed her a grin. ¡°I met you. Extremely.¡±


    Lenna just shook her head. ¡°We should be fine.¡±


    ¡°But still be careful. Got it.¡± He replied. Lenna nodded and finished her skewer. She put her helmet back on and got ready to leave. Isaac put his cloak back on and the two headed out to retrieve the promised payment.


    ¡ª


    An hour later they were back in their room. Isaac took the coins out of the bottomless bag and stored them in his Inventory. One less thing to be recognized was worth him carrying the extra weight. Lenna handed him her vest and he stored that too. She donned on his cloak and put the hood up. ¡°Ready?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Ready.¡± She replied. The pair exited their room and locked the door. Isaac put his hand on her shoulder and focused. Shadows engulfed both of them.


    Once the circuit was completed Isaac gave her a nudge. ¡°We need to hurry.¡± She nodded and they made their way outside and down an alley a few buildings down from the Celestial Dawn. Isaac took a few deep breaths when they arrived after he let their invisibility fade. ¡°Give me a minute.¡± He wheezed.


    Lenna turned from him and looked down the alley. The plan could be ruined if someone saw them together like that. After Isaac¡¯s break to recover some of his mana he gave her a nod and disappeared. She finished heading through the alley and took a slightly different path to get to James¡¯ house downtown.


    By the time they got there and went inside it was getting late. Walking across town took a while especially when trying to make sure no one was following them. Once inside Lenna tossed the hood back as Isaac closed the door.


    James was sitting at the table with Lenny eating food from one of the shops the pair had passed on their way there. The brothers looked up from their food and James sighed as Isaac appeared while standing in Lenna¡¯s shadow.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that.¡± Isaac told him and walked over to the table. James flinched when he got close. Isaac just shook his head and started dropping platinum coins onto the table. ¡°Eighty platinum coins before the end of the day. As per the deal.¡±

 Chapter 80 That’s The Job.

    Chapter 80 That¡¯s The Job.


    ¡°By all that is holy¡­¡± Lenny whispered wide eyed at the coins.


    ¡°Make sure to hold up your end.¡± Isaac reminded them coldly.


    ¡°I will.¡± James replied. ¡°I don¡¯t have much of a choice.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your plan?¡± Isaac asked and leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.


    ¡°There¡¯s a drop box behind the brothel on fourteenth. We¡¯ll leave a note with the coins saying who it¡¯s from then he¡¯ll pay us a visit.¡± James explained.


    ¡°What if he says it¡¯s not enough?¡± Isaac asked.


    James shook his head. ¡°Then we¡¯re screwed.¡±


    Isaac sighed and a frown found its way onto his face. He didn¡¯t like the uncertainty and he really didn¡¯t like how one sided all of this was. It would be easier to work with his informant if he didn¡¯t owe someone else money. ¡°If there¡¯s a problem, pay one of the kids to leave a note at Celestial Dawn. Don¡¯t write anything on it, just leave it blank.¡± Isaac told them.


    ¡°You¡¯ll help us?¡± Lenny asked and finally tore his eyes off the coins.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t take this the wrong way. I don¡¯t want you owing someone else. I¡¯m also not going to go to war with Mr. Nobody. At least not without a bounty getting put on their heads.¡±


    ¡°Their?¡± James asked.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Another informant I know has heard some things about Mr. Nobody and he gave me a warning.¡± He let that last part sink in for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m going to stay out of their business but I need someone downtown all the time to help me get the lay of the land. I need a list of all the active gangs, how many members each has, and what type of business they do. I don¡¯t care if you have to join one of them, just make sure whatever you¡¯re doing doesn''t involve kids.¡± He warned.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be an issue. There¡¯s a gang that operates a street over that sells drugs to anybody who¡¯ll ask and has a few coins. I¡¯ll see if I can join them.¡± James explained his plan. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t sell any to kids.¡±


    ¡°Good. For now just pay off your debt, write up that list, and get integrated.¡± Isaac instructed. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in three weeks for the list. Don¡¯t forget. A blank note to the Celestial Dawn if the money isn¡¯t enough.¡±


    ¡°Understood boss.¡± James replied and started stacking the coins into eight neat stacks of ten.


    ¡°Lenna. Time to go.¡± Isaac said and took a few steps towards Lenna.


    ¡°Understood.¡± She replied and put up her hood. Isaac stepped into her shadow and vanished.


    ¡ª


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    The pair returned to their room in the Celestial Dawn via a third path. Once inside Lenna took off the cloak and handed it to Isaac. He pulled her vest out of his Inventory and handed it to her in return. ¡°Time for dinner. I¡¯m starving.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡ª


    The next day found the pair back in the Adventurer¡¯s guild. ¡°Jobs done. Now what?¡± Isaac asked Alice.


    ¡°The gang job?¡± She answered his question with a question.


    ¡°Yeah. They won¡¯t be a problem anymore.¡± He replied.


    ¡°You have to have the client sign the bounty on the back and bring it back.¡± Alice explained. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I thought you were aware.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve only done bounties for the city until now.¡± Isaac told her.


    ¡°I see. Well I¡¯ll need you to go back to the client and just have them sign it.¡± Alice directed. ¡°If there is a problem let me know and I¡¯ll have the Guild Master go and straighten things out.¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Understood.¡± He pushed off the receptionist¡¯s desk and led Lenna downtown for the third time in two days.


    ¡ª


    ¡°I need you to sign so I can get paid.¡± Isaac told Chester as he put the bounty paper on the bar in front of him.


    ¡°You got paid from the gold they stole.¡± Chester argued.


    ¡°They spent it all already. I¡¯m here to get paid. I¡¯m not leaving until I get paid.¡± Isaac demanded. He didn¡¯t like the man to begin with and his current attitude wasn¡¯t helping.


    ¡°Tsk.¡± Chester grabbed the bounty and the pen from behind the bar and put an ¡®X¡¯ on the line.


    ¡°They better accept this. I won¡¯t be back. It¡¯ll be Edward.¡± Isaac said and took the paper back.


    ¡°Am I supposed to know who that is?¡± Chester prodded.


    Isaac turned around and headed toward the door. ¡°The Blade Master. Guild Master of Safeharbor.¡± He replied while leaving.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Chester called after them. Isaac stopped at the threshold.


    ¡°What?¡± He demanded.


    Chester grabbed the pen and ink well and met Isaac at the door. He took the bounty paper from him and set it on a nearby table. He signed his name and handed it back. ¡°There. I hope next time I get an adventurer who isn¡¯t a dickhead.¡±


    ¡°I hope next time I get a client worth helping.¡± Isaac retorted and took the bounty back. Apparently Chester was getting on his nerves more than he thought because the man stepped back and Lenna put her hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°My Lord.¡± She said evenly.


    Isaac then noticed that he was giving off shadows and hadn¡¯t realized it. When his temper started to flare, so would his magic. The shadows he gave off were not pure shadow like those he used on purpose but dark mana that started to enter physicality. He reigned them back in. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡ª


    The two returned to the Guild Hall and met Alice. ¡°Got it.¡± Isaac said and set the bounty on her desk.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± She said and looked at it. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back with your payment.¡± She hopped off her stool and disappeared into the back room that seemed to have limitless gold and only the gods knew what else stashed in there.


    A minute later Alice returned. ¡°Twenty five platinum.¡± She handed them a small leather bag with the coins in it.


    ¡°That was not worth the trouble.¡± Isaac said to Lenna. He made eye contact with Alice. ¡°Thanks Alice. Also, next time I have the bright idea to take a job intown, I want you to remind me of this job.¡±


    Alice giggled. ¡°That bad?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡± Isaac replied with a sigh. ¡°Client was annoying. There was no reason for that bounty at all.¡± He grumbled. ¡°They could have handled it in a few hours.¡±


    Alice shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s the job. It happens a lot.¡±


    ¡°Can you warn me about those next time?¡± Isaac pleaded.


    Alice giggled again. ¡°I can try. There¡¯s no real way to know unfortunately. Unless you only want to take bounties from the city or the guild itself?¡±


    Isaac straightened and turned to Lenna. ¡°That sounds like an idea.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± She replied.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s stick to that. Only monsters and returning bodies. No annoying clients.¡±


    Alice shook her head. ¡°We don¡¯t have very many of those. Most of them are escort missions to other places.¡±


    Isaac walked over to the bounty board. ¡°What do you have now?¡±


    Alice looked at the board to refresh her memory. ¡°Escorts to Ben¡¯s End, Sapphire Stone, one to the capital. Kill targets for shadow-wolves, Ori-Masa, drow scouts, spiders, the drider bounty. Wo Lu should be back within the next few days so there might be something new then.¡± She offered.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Let me guess, the spiders are the only ones we could do and be back for dinner?¡±


    Alice gave him a smile. ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°Back to spider hunting.¡± He grumbled. He had a thought: ¡°Alice what would happen to a spider if it was struck by lightning?¡±


    Alice thought for a moment. ¡°It would probably explode. It¡¯ll be hard to bring it back to get paid if that¡¯s what you are thinking.¡±


    Isaac sighed again. ¡°So much for that idea. Well, let¡¯s go.¡± He told Lenna and the pair headed out for more pest control.

 Chapter 81 I Got Something For You.

    Chapter 81 I Got Something For You.


    Isaac and Lenna headed out to kill more spiders much to both of their indignation. ¡°I hope we find something other than spiders. Something had to have shown up to eat the corpses right?¡± Isaac asked as they entered the spider tunnels for what felt like the hundredth time.


    ¡°Hopefully not more spiders.¡± Lenna commented.


    Isaac sighed. He had read that there was a huge list of things that could cause creatures to mutate and cannibalism was one such factor. ¡°If we go from spiders to super magic spiders I might just give up on this and let Kahtesh wipe the whole place clean.¡±


    ¡°I would not be opposed.¡± Lenna replied.


    An hour into their spider hunting stroll through the tunnels Lenna thought she saw something slightly glowing. ¡°Hold.¡± She whispered.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Isaac asked equally as quietly.


    Lenna¡¯s eyes scanned the tunnel wearily. One of the more common mutations down there was affectionately called a ¡®Jumping Spider¡¯. A spider that could teleport, effectively jumping directly onto its target. The tell tale sign of one such spider was the eerie glow they gave off from being too full of mana. Once they teleported a few times the glow would start to dim. That was the easiest way to tell that it was getting tired.


    The pair saw a spider walk around the corner towards them. It stopped and stared at them, obviously caught off guard. A moment later it took two steps forward before it was executed. Not by a mortal but another spider. A spider with a soft, irie, glow appeared on top of it with its fangs quickly sinking into the head of the normal giant spider.


    ¡°Shit.¡± Isaac said under his breath and vanished. Lenna launched herself at the spiders. She wanted to kill the teleporter before it got a chance to move. She made it almost the entire way there before it disappeared. She planted her feet and swung backwards attempting to catch it with her blind swing.


    The blow connected but not very well. She cut off two of its rear legs. She spun to face it as the legs hit the ground but the spider was gone again. She turned and threw her back against the wall. She looked around frantically. It was gone. A minute later she stopped leaning against the wall. ¡°It¡¯s gone.¡±


    ¡°That was insane. It teleported and then teleported again before it hit the ground.¡± Isaac commented as he appeared a few feet from her near the other spider¡¯s corpse. He tossed her the cloth to clean her sword and she deftly caught it as she moved to meet him.


    ¡°If there is one then there are ten.¡± Lenna replied with a frown. ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡±


    Isaac walked over and scooped up the Jumping Spider¡¯s legs. ¡°Keep going until we hit our usual ten regulars, then we head back. If we find another one. face off with it, when it teleports behind you don¡¯t do anything. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± She acknowledged.


    The pair continued for a while longer without seeing a single teleporter. It even took them three times as long to find the rest of the regular spiders that they needed. They headed back without a Jumping Spider corpse to show as proof and Isaac hoped the severed legs would be enough.


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    ¡ª


    ¡°That¡¯s worrisome.¡± Alice said to no one in particular while staring at the spider legs. ¡°You¡¯re a hundred percent sure it was a Jumping Spider?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Both Isaac and Lenna replied at the same time.


    Alice frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll let the Guild Master and the Guard Captain know. There is a chance the bounty will change but it¡¯s unlikely until a few corpses have been brought in. One sighting is enough that they¡¯ll brush it under the rug but a handful will actually get some attention.¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Do their parts sell for more?¡± He asked.


    Alice smiled and shook her head. ¡°Always about the money huh? I guess they aren¡¯t really dangerous to you two.¡± She commented off handedly. ¡°Yes. There is an organ in their body a bit behind their head that stores mana. Another next to it that lets them teleport. Both of those organs are worth a lot.¡±


    ¡°How much are we talking?¡± Isaac asked and leaned in.


    Alice dug for her binder with prices for monster parts, sorted by creature type, and flipped to spiders and then to the Jumping Spider entry. She whistled. ¡°The teleporting organ almost always explodes when the creature dies but if it doesn¡¯t it can sell for as much as five hundred gold. Apparently there is about a one percent chance of it not exploding.¡±


    ¡°Those odds suck.¡± Isaac commented.


    Alice nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± She replied and moved on. ¡°The storage organ sells for a gold per percent that it is full. They use them for mana potions.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t drink those.¡± She advised.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Isaac asked. Alice looked up in curiosity as well.


    ¡°Chance of mana poisoning isn¡¯t worth it.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Mana poisoning?¡± Isaac asked.


    Alice tilted her head. ¡°I thought that only happened when mages tried to share their mana while they were alive.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°That too. Mana with intent will poison another¡¯s mana pool and damage their mana pathways.¡±


    Alice nodded as well. ¡°Yeah but a potion shouldn¡¯t have any intent or direction left.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t.¡± Lenna repeated.


    ¡°Not very many people have enough gold to buy them around here, even if they did they would only keep it as an emergency measure, so I didn''t have a large enough sample size to even know that was a thing that could happen.¡± Alice explained more to herself than to Lenna. She met Lenna¡¯s eyes. ¡°How often does it happen?¡±


    Lenna shugged. ¡°Depends on a lot of things. Maybe one in twenty.¡± She offered.


    Alice nodded to herself. ¡°High enough to be careful but still worth carrying one for an emergency.¡± She said aloud to burn it into her memory.


    Lenna shrugged again. ¡°It could cause permanent damage.¡± She commented.


    ¡°If it¡¯s that or die it¡¯s still worth it.¡± Alice argued.


    She was right but it still wasn¡¯t something Isaac or Lenna would spend money on. ¡°What¡¯s mana poisoning like?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Like your mana is running backwards. Whenever you try to cast, those pathways will explode instead.¡± Lenna explained.


    Isaac¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°That might just kill me outright. I have way too much mana flowing through me to risk that.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Well on that note, how much did we make today?¡± Isaac asked Alice, pulling the conversation back to the topic at hand.


    ¡°Seventy eight gold.¡± Alice replied. ¡°You are driving the price of spider parts down.¡±


    Isaac scratched the back of his neck. ¡°Well, maybe there should be bounties closer to town that don¡¯t involve speaking to clients.¡±


    Alice just laughed lightly at him and shook her head as she handed him their earnings. ¡°Private bounties usually pay better.¡± She reminded him.


    ¡°Not worth it.¡± Isaac replied and took the money. ¡°Anyway, see ya tomorrow.¡± He told her and waved.


    ¡°Good night.¡± Lenna told Alice and joined Isaac.


    ¡°Bye bye.¡± Alice said cheerily.


    Once outside Isaac stopped and looked at Lenna. ¡°Any idea which one that was?¡±


    Lenna thought for a moment before she gave up. ¡°No.¡± She sighed defeatedly.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Me neither. Spar?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Lenna replied and the two of them headed to the arena for their daily spar. Isaac had been getting better by the day and Lenna was sure that given another week or two he would get ¡®One Handed Swords¡¯ as a skill on his character sheet the next time he was Identified.


    ¡ª


    The next morning Isaac walked down to get their breakfast with Lenna in tow. ¡°Morning you two.¡± Celeste called out to them as they descended the stairs.


    ¡°Good morning Celeste.¡± Isaac replied with a smile and Lenna gave her a polite nod.


    ¡°I got something for you.¡± Celeste told them and placed two fruit drinks, with just enough alcohol to make sure they wouldn¡¯t spoil in them, on the bar for them.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac asked and leaned against the bar.


    Celeste reached under the bar and pulled out an envelope. Isaac¡¯s stomach dropped. He really didn¡¯t want to have to deal with Mr. Nobody already.

 Chapter 82 Can I See?

    Chapter 82 Can I See?


    Isaac took the extended letter and turned it over. It was sealed with a red wax seal with the initials ¡®S.A.¡¯ in the middle of a crown of flowers. Isaac¡¯s face went from worried to curious. He broke the seal and pulled out a folded sheet of paper. ¡°Okay I need help.¡± Isaac eventually said to Lenna. ¡°When is this?¡± He asked and pointed at a part of the letter specifying when Sera Arbencroft was expecting them for tea.


    ¡°Eight days from now at ten bells.¡± Lenna replied after reading it. The letter was a formal invitation to tea hosted by the esteemed Duchess Serentia Von Arbencroft.


    Isaac handed Lenna the letter and turned to Celeste. ¡°You know Sera right?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yes. I wouldn¡¯t say we are very close though. She¡¯s an old friend¡¯s wife so it¡¯s usually best to stay on her good side.¡± Celeste answered with a smile.


    ¡°Do we just show up? Do we bring something? I¡¯m going to be honest, I didn¡¯t think she would actually invite us for tea after she found out about the guards.¡± Isaac confessed. He had completely put the tea party out of his mind even after they had picked up the clothes.


    Celeste laughed warmly. ¡°No, no dear. Just bring yourself but make a good show of it. What you do on your way there will reflect on her so be nice but try to exude as much wealth and power as you can.¡± She explained and then thought for a moment. ¡°Maybe be careful with the power on second thought.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Alright. How?¡± He was at a complete loss. He basically was improvising everything or coming up with plans based on what he understood of mortal psychology. Matters of court were completely different from his usual antics and he was completely out of his depth. He usually defaulted to over the top, friendly, with a heavy dose of barely concealed violence but he wasn¡¯t sure if that was the way to go in this case.


    Celeste laughed again. ¡°I thought you were a noble?¡±


    Isaac leaned in and whispered after looking around and making sure no one was within ear shot. ¡°I¡¯m going to level with you Celeste, I¡¯m missing a lot of memories.¡± He whispered seriously.


    Celeste started. Her mouth opened and closed a few times as she tried to process what he had just said and all the stories she had heard since he had arrived. ¡°I think¡­ that makes sense.¡± She eventually settled on.


    ¡°So¡­ court help?¡± Isaac asked again.


    ¡°Ah yes.¡± Celeste said and shook her head to get focused back on the task at hand. ¡°Usually you would wear your most expensive jewelry and be escorted by your most handsome guards. Basically try to show off as much as you can without making a fool of yourself.¡±


    ¡°What about magically?¡± Isaac asked. That he had plenty of but he wasn¡¯t sure how well that would go over with everyone else involved, especially the guard.


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    ¡°Sometimes.¡± Celeste replied. ¡°One time a noble wizard cast flight on him and two of his guards. They walked a foot off the ground until they reached the host¡¯s front door.¡±


    Isaac looked around. There were still a few people in Celeste¡¯s tavern area. ¡°Me showing off might put some people on edge.¡± Isaac replied quietly.


    ¡°Maybe tone it down a bit then hun.¡± Celeste advised. ¡°Show off a little magic that you can comfortably sustain the entire walk there. It should be about a fifteen minute walk.¡±


    Isaac closed his eyes and focused his mana. He released some shadow mana out of his body almost everywhere that couldn¡¯t normally be seen. After he had steadied the mana leakage he opened his eyes and stepped back. Black fog was left in his wake that soon fully dispersed back into the ambient mana. ¡°Like this?¡± Isaac asked.


    Celeste¡¯s eyes were wide. She usually had a hard time feeling Isaac¡¯s mana at all but now she realized it was because the ambient mana poured through him so fast that he barely interfered with it. ¡°Arcane secrets, be laid bare before me.¡± Celeste spoke and made a ¡®V¡¯ shape with her index and middle finger. She put the ¡®V¡¯ up to her eye and looked through it. A red semi transparent screen appeared between her fingers.


    She looked at Isaac and her eyes just kept getting wider. She was seeing the mana instead of only sensing it like normal. The spell also told her how much mana was being used, which was great for understanding enchantment and hostile spell casting, and it was low but the constant draw would empty her own mana pool in a few minutes. What really shocked her wasn¡¯t the amount of mana but the fact that it was raw. There was no spell array, just Isaac¡¯s pure mana manipulation.


    ¡°Celeste?¡± Isaac asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°How¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°Perfect if you can keep that up for the whole walk there.¡± She said and finally blinked a few times.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem. This is hardly a drain but if I turn it up anymore it¡¯ll hide the fancy clothes and give children nightmares.¡± He answered casually with a wave.


    Celeste dropped her hand. ¡°Can I see?¡±


    Isaac chuckled. He looked around and nodded towards the other patrons. ¡°Not here.¡± He replied.


    Celeste nodded. ¡°Some other time then?¡±


    Isaac smirked. ¡°Sure.¡± He looked toward the kitchen. ¡°What¡¯s for breakfast?¡±


    ¡°Oh yes.¡± Celeste said again, getting herself back to business. ¡°We just got some eggs from a neighboring village. We have ham and eggs today.¡±


    ¡°That sounds lovely.¡± Isaac told her with a smile.


    ¡°Oh, before I forget again.¡± Celeste said and reached under the bar a second time. She pulled up a wooden box a few inches tall, half a foot deep, and a foot wide. She set it on the bar. ¡°This came with the letter.¡±


    Isaac opened the box curiously. Inside was a small note that read. ¡®For Lenna so she can get rid of that awful vest.¡¯ Isaac smirked upon reading it. Set in violet silk padding was a pair of earrings, a pendant, and two bracelets. All of it was adorned with the Altia crest of a bird of prey flying over and in front of a mountain.


    Lenna looked at them for a long moment. The one bracelet was large enough to go on her wrist over her armor and was made of steel. The rest of the jewelry was made of silver. She could feel a faint amount of magic coming from the steel bracelet. She reached out and turned it over. Sure enough on the back was an enchantment rune.


    Celeste eyed it. ¡°Durability I think.¡± She said.


    Lenna nodded in agreement. ¡°I think so as well.¡± She grabbed it and put it on. At least she tried to. Her armored hands were not dexterous enough to do the tiny clasp.


    ¡°Here.¡± Isaac said after a moment of her struggling. He reached over and clasped it for her. ¡°Give me the vest and I¡¯ll stash it for now.¡±


    Lenna took the vest off and handed it to him. Isaac folded it a few times until it was small enough that only Celeste could see what he was about to do with it. He covered it in shadows and it disappeared into his Inventory that he had moved to accept its new occupant. The shadows served to hide what exactly had happened from Celeste¡¯s mana senses. He had started to catch on that those with mana senses would react a lot more animatedly to his Inventory than those without them.


    ¡°My ears aren¡¯t pierced.¡± Lenna said with a frown while looking at the set of earrings.


    Celeste tore her eyes off of Isaac and looked at Lenna with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry dear. You aren¡¯t supposed to wear them all at once. There are multiple so you can pick which one you want to wear. Options are almost always good.¡± She said and winked at her then flicked her eyes towards Isaac quickly enough that Isaac didn¡¯t see.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Lenna replied and ignored Celeste¡¯s prod.


    ¡°We have coin now.¡± Isaac said like it was a revelation. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He told Lenna. He took one step away from the bar then turned around at the sound of his own stomach grumbling. ¡°After breakfast.¡±

 Chapter 83 You Could Take It Off.

    Chapter 83 You Could Take It Off.


    Isaac looked up at the sign of the only jewelry store in Safeharbor. ¡°I¡¯m kind of surprised there is still one of these here. How many times do you think it¡¯s been robbed?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Not recently.¡± Lenna commented.


    ¡°No kidding. The mana is all weird around this place. How many enchantments do you think are packed into this building?¡± Isaac wondered.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Enough.¡± She answered. The mana was a complicated web that would take a wizard to decipher.


    Isaac walked in and Lenna followed in after him. A small bell rang when the door opened and again when it closed. An old man met them just inside the door. His gray hair and well trimmed beard only accentuated the wrinkles around his eyes giving him a ¡®I may be old but I¡¯m still spry¡¯ look that seemed to twinkle in his eyes. His warm smile met them and he spoke: ¡°Greetings¡­¡± His smile started to slip for a second as his eyes darted to the side in thought then back to Isaac. ¡°What can I do for you?¡± He asked with his smile back on as if nothing had happened.


    Isaac offered his hand. ¡°I¡¯m Isaac Wexler and we are here looking for a necklace. I believe silver would accentuate a certain lovely Lady¡¯s silver hair and eyes nicely.¡±


    The jeweler shook Isaac¡¯s hand. ¡°I see. We have quite a few pieces on display.¡± He said and guided them over to a display cabinet full of silver necklaces and pendants. The prices ranged from four hundred gold to almost a thousand.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Isaac asked Lenna after a short moment of taking in the necklaces.


    ¡°Whichever you choose, my Lord.¡± Lenna answered unhelpfully.


    ¡°Pardon me, but that would make you the Duke¡¯s guest correct?¡± The jeweler asked.


    Isaac caught the jeweler¡¯s wife, who was at a counter a short distance from them, flinch at the question. ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac answered truthfully. ¡°If I may ask, where did you hear about me?¡± He asked casually.


    The jeweler hesitated to answer but seemed to think better of dodging the question. ¡°My son is in the guard.¡±


    Isaac nodded and smiled. ¡°I hope he is doing well.¡± He replied then added: ¡°Actually, this is a great opportunity. I was wondering what exactly the guard was told and how much they were allowed to talk about.¡±


    ¡°Um, well¡­¡± The older man hesitated.


    ¡°Oh don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t tell Izen any of this.¡± Isaac waved the man off. ¡°This is just to satiate my curiosity. We both know that he told you more than he is technically allowed to but I don¡¯t fault him for that and I won¡¯t snitch on him.¡± Isaac went on. ¡°If for no other reason than it¡¯s not worth the effort. I know that countless other guards have over shared with their family. It¡¯s normal.¡± He assured the man.


    The jeweler nodded and seemed a little worried but decided to take Isaac at his word. He swallowed before answering. ¡°I believe he was told explicitly to act like you and your Lady were normal citizens no matter the circumstance and to be on his best behavior whenever you were around.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± He acknowledged and thought for a moment. ¡°I kind of assumed they would tell the guard more.¡± He said to Lenna.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°It may cause¡­ complications.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac said with a frown. He looked back to the jeweler. ¡°You are sure he wasn¡¯t told anything else? Maybe something he didn¡¯t tell you but you have a feeling is there?¡±


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    The jeweler thought for a few moments. ¡°Perhaps, but I was not exactly interrogating him, my Lord.¡± He replied.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Well, you will be in for a surprise then.¡± Isaac looked around and again made sure no one but the jeweler and his wife were there other than Lenna and himself. ¡°Since the Lady in question isn¡¯t being helpful we will need to consult your expert opinion on her jewelry choice.¡±


    Lenna inhaled sharply. ¡°I¡­¡± She started. ¡°Are you sure?¡± She asked.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I was kind of hoping it would be more of an open secret by now actually. I was wondering why we hadn¡¯t had any trouble, at all.¡± He shared.


    The jeweler looked quizzically at Lenna. ¡°If it makes the Lady uncomfortable perhaps my wife would be of better service. I know not of the customs from the land of which you hail my Lady.¡± He said to Lenna with a slight bow.


    Lenna shook her head and reached up to undo her helmet strap. ¡°That isn¡¯t it.¡± She told him. After undoing the strap she took off her helmet and tucked it under her arm. Her silver eyes met the wide brown ones of the jeweler who seemed too stunned to speak or even breathe.


    ¡°Now.¡± Isaac said, attempting to arrest the attention of the jeweler in front of him, and brought his hands together. ¡°Her dress is simple and silver.¡±


    The jeweler¡¯s eyes slowly broke off of Lenna and to Isaac as he struggled to hold his practiced composure. ¡°How low is the dress cut? How much space is available around the base of her neck? You said simple, how so?¡± He asked getting down to business in an attempt to distract himself from the drow woman standing a few feet from him.


    Isaac looked to Lenna. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen it on you.¡± He told her.


    Lenna inhaled to speak and the jeweler turned to look at her. They both hesitated for a moment. She raised her free hand and drew the edge of her collarbone down the one side to just under her armpit on the other. ¡°It¡¯s all one piece with no frills, tassels, buttons, or bows visible. It¡¯s smooth silk over a hidden corset.¡± She explained.


    The jeweler took a moment but eventually nodded and turned to look at the display cabinet thoughtfully. ¡°Do you prefer simple or more elaborate designs?¡± The jeweler asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t worn jewelry in at least a hundred years.¡± She said and stared at the cabinet.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± The jeweler looked from one piece to the next. Some had gems, some did not. The necklaces inlaid with amethyst and diamonds stuck out to him.


    Isaac followed his gaze. ¡°I was thinking about the amethysts too.¡± He told the jeweler. ¡°It¡¯s a shame she can¡¯t see the colors.¡±


    The jeweler turned and asked: ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°True dark vision.¡± Lenna answered. When the jeweler didn¡¯t seem to catch her meaning she continued. ¡°If a creature has true dark vision they can never see in color. It is the natural price for properly seeing in the dark.¡± She explained.


    The jeweler rubbed his chin and turned back to the display cabinet. ¡°That does make it difficult. Are there any gems that stand out to you anyway?¡± He asked her.


    Lenna had been looking at all the expensive necklaces almost the entire time but none of them had seemed like more than just an accessory. She really didn¡¯t care as long as it was pretty and matched. ¡°Whatever my Lord decides, will look better than any I would choose based on a guess.¡± She told them after her eyes swept the display again.


    ¡°Unhelpful. Understandable, but still unhelpful.¡± Isaac replied without turning to see her rolled eyes and the smirk that flashed across her face. ¡°What about that one?¡± He asked and pointed at one of the necklaces. It was a simple chain whose links were a bit larger than the rest and attached on opposing sides of an amethyst that was cut like a diamond with the bottom tip cut off. The gem was the better part of an inch across. The silver that it was set into completely covered the back and its perfect, mirror, finish helped the light of the room reflect off the backing and back out of the gem.


    The jeweler smiled. ¡°Would you like to try it on?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I-I couldn¡¯t.¡± Lenna replied now suddenly back on the spot. ¡°I¡¯m still in my armor.¡± Her breastplate went the whole way around her neck which made it impossible to put on something like that.


    ¡°You could take it off.¡± Isaac offered.


    ¡°It¡¯s bad enough when you see me without my armor.¡± She countered with slightly wide eyes.


    Isaac couldn¡¯t help but smirk. She was actually getting flustered. A rare sight that he was making sure to enjoy while he could. ¡°You¡¯re wearing clothes under it.¡± He replied as if he couldn¡¯t understand what the problem was. ¡°Also, when we had to leave our gear with the guard it didn¡¯t look like you had a problem.¡±


    ¡°That was out of necessity.¡± She argued. She narrowed her eyes at him.


    ¡°What?¡± Isaac asked at her glare.


    She huffed. ¡°You are enjoying this too much.¡±


    Isaac smirk turned into a full on smile. ¡°Probably.¡± He agreed. ¡°But seriously, you should try it on before we buy it.¡±


    ¡°I agree with the Lord my Lady.¡± The jeweler cut in. ¡°If it is too large I will have to remove some of the links and if it is too small I would have to add some.¡± He explained.


    Lenna¡¯s face softened into a frown. She sighed. ¡°Do you have a back room?¡± She asked. She really didn¡¯t like being exposed at all let alone in the middle of the store. With Jessica, the Silverstrand Seamstress, it was different. They were in a back room and it was a tailor. Her underarmor was tight fitting. Too tight fitting. She didn¡¯t like how clear her curves were in it.


    The jeweler¡¯s wife smiled. ¡°Yes we do. Follow me.¡± She told her and beckoned for Lenna to follow.


    Lenna gave one last look at Isaac who nodded her on. ¡°I¡¯ll be right here. I promise.¡± He told her as the jeweler removed the necklace from the display and handed it to her on a velvet pad.


    She took it with a nod but didn¡¯t take her eyes off of Isaac. ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Go. I won¡¯t melt if you take your eyes off of me.¡±


    She nodded and followed the jeweler¡¯s wife. One of the reasons she didn¡¯t like this was the time it would take. When Isaac invaded James¡¯ hideout and bullied the small gang of thugs she was right outside and could be there in two seconds at a maximum. This new endeavor would take a few minutes with her out of clear ear shot. It made her anxious.

 Chapter 84 The Armor Please.

    Chapter 84 The Armor Please.


    Lenna followed the jeweler¡¯s wife behind the counter and in the first door on the left. It was a break room of sorts with a table, a few chairs, and a standing cabinet. The door was a curtain that was mostly there to keep noise out rather than people. ¡°Is this alright?¡± The woman asked.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡± She replied absently. She was staring through the wall towards where Isaac was supposed to be.


    ¡°Dear?¡± The woman said, trying to get Lenna¡¯s attention. When Lenna didn¡¯t respond she spoke her mind. ¡°You look like an abandoned puppy. He¡¯s not going to run away or turn to dust because you aren¡¯t there.¡±


    The frankness of the woman snapped Lenna out of her own head. She looked at the woman with slightly wide eyes and was temporarily taken aback. Lenna closed her eyes and took in one long breath in her nose and out her mouth. She opened her eyes and looked at the younger woman who at that moment seemed to be a few times her senior. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    The woman shook her head with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s fine dear.¡± She replied and set the necklace and the cushion it was on onto the table. Lenna reached to take her bracelet off so she could remove her gauntlet. After the third attempt the other woman walked up to her and grabbed it. ¡°Let me help you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Lenna whispered.


    ¡°This is an interesting piece.¡± The jeweler¡¯s wife commented as she set the bracelet on the table.


    ¡°It¡¯s proof.¡± Lenna told her and set her helmet on the table.


    ¡°Of what?¡± The woman asked.


    Lenna started to take off her gauntlets and the other woman helped her doff the upper half of her armor so she could try on the necklace. ¡°That I¡¯m allowed in the city.¡±


    The woman nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a drow in town before.¡± She said absently in an attempt to continue the conversation.


    ¡°I¡¯m not surprised. There is no good blood between your kin and mine.¡± Lenna commented.


    ¡°On to a better topic.¡± The old woman said abruptly. ¡°How did you two meet?¡±


    Lenna figured it wouldn¡¯t hurt to tell her as long as she left out any important details, people were already looking into the two of them after all. ¡°Lua told me to run away from home.¡± Lenna began. ¡°I left my family and headed into the wilderness to meet someone. Lua told me that my life would change for the better. That I would leave behind the suffering of my home for something better.¡±


    ¡°Lua is a moon goddess right?¡± The woman asked.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°And beauty in all its forms.¡± She replied.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know there was a drow goddess like that.¡± The jeweler¡¯s wife commented and eyed Lenna with a slight smirk.


    ¡°She¡¯s the only good one.¡± Lenna said and after a moment of silence continued her story. ¡°When I got to where I was supposed to meet him there were two dozen shadow-wolves waiting for me.¡±


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    The old woman froze. ¡°Two dozen?¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°It was the largest pack I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± She went on. ¡°I was out of mana. My hand could barely hold my sword. There were still a lot of them left. I should¡¯ve died.¡±


    The old woman¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°He swept in to save you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna affirmed. ¡°He was a shadow flickering through the pack until he was suddenly behind me. I felt his hand on my back and his magic flow into me.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a mage?¡± The woman asked. She had seen Isaac in his leather armor with a sword at his hip and assumed he was any number of things, none of which was a mage.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°He gave me the power to continue fighting.¡±


    The old woman smiled. ¡°It sounds like a bard¡¯s story.¡±


    ¡°The hero almost died immediately after.¡± Lenna said dryly. ¡°Once the last wolf was dead I turned to see him. He was standing there with an easy smile and said something that haunts me.¡±


    ¡°What did he say?¡± The woman asked with raised eyebrows. She was entirely hooked on the story of violence and mostly imagined romance.


    ¡°¡®I appear to have been injured.¡¯¡± Lenna quoted. ¡°He collapsed immediately afterwards from blood loss.¡± Lenna swallowed. ¡°He had a gash in his side from moving through the pack to get to me. He ignored the injury until it couldn¡¯t be ignored any longer.¡±


    The old woman shook her head. ¡°Boys will be boys. Always trying to be tough. It¡¯s a wonder any of them are still alive if you ask me.¡±


    That got a smile out of Lenna. ¡°Truer words have never been spoken.¡± She commented.


    ¡°So¡­ what happened next?¡± The woman asked.


    ¡°Once he was conscious and able to move around I swore my loyalty to him. I owe him my life and his. I would have died if he hadn¡¯t intervened and he almost did because he did.¡± She replied.


    The woman smiled. ¡°Loyalty is something every man and every woman wants. Make sure to remember that he isn¡¯t just someone to look after but a handsome young man with most of his life ahead of him.¡± She told Lenna with a wink.


    Lenna finally had enough of her armor piled on the table to put on the necklace and reached to put it on. ¡°He makes sure to remind me.¡± She replied.


    The woman chuckled and moved Lenna¡¯s hair out of the way so she could fasten the necklace. ¡°Let me get him.¡± She said and headed off to fetch Isaac as soon as the necklace was on.


    Isaac headed to the back. When he got there Lenna turned to face him. His breath caught. Silence hung in the air. The magical lighting illuminated the gem that sat where Lenna¡¯s collarbones met. It¡¯s deep purple shown with reflected light. The silver chain gleamed with the same shine as her eyes. The sharp edges of the gem accented the sharp edges of her face. Rarely had he seen her and the reality that she was truly a woman of incredible beauty thrown in his face to such a degree.


    ¡°How does it look?¡± She asked after silence had hung for a few seconds. The jeweler¡¯s wife was smiling conspiratorially at Isaac¡¯s reaction.


    Isaac swallowed. ¡°Beautiful, elegant, and strong.¡± He said quietly.


    Lenna looked down as if to see but then looked back up to meet his eyes after that was proven impossible. ¡°It is.¡± She replied.


    ¡°You are.¡± Isaac added. He was afraid to blink lest this moment disappear.


    ¡°Flattery, my Lord?¡± She asked rhetorically.


    ¡°The truth.¡± He replied almost absently. His thoughts and thus his voice were not completely in the conversation as he was still completely transfixed on her.


    After a moment Lenna commented: ¡°When you say it like that,¡± She let the silence hang as she found her words. ¡°it¡¯s hard to tell when you are lying.¡±


    Isaac snapped himself back into reality with a blink and a light shake of his head. ¡°Lenna. I don¡¯t lie to you. Here is the truth and nothing but the absolute truth.¡± He said seriously. Lenna¡¯s eyes widened at the sudden ernesty. ¡°I can¡¯t flatter you because any words I try to think up fail to compare to the real thing. I have to keep telling myself to not stare at you. Whenever you put on your helmet I breathe a sigh of relief because I can finally think straight again.¡± He paused for a moment. ¡°If you want I can try to flatter you?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary.¡± Lenna replied. She felt her collar start to get hot and her face flush even as she tried to school her face back into her practiced neutrality.


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely necessary.¡± The other woman said quietly.


    Isaac couldn¡¯t help but smile and try to hold back a laugh at the older woman¡¯s comment. After a moment of thought Isaac shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t think of anything better than the truth.¡± He conceded. ¡°When I first laid eyes on you the rest of the world fell away. I assumed that a goddess had descended and I was the only witness. Any thought of any other woman even existing instantly left my mind as even then I knew that no one else would ever be able to compare to you. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. My favorite color is your skin. My favorite sound is your voice. I keep suppressing how I feel because it¡¯s not fair to you so, once we leave, forget this ever happened.¡± He ended abruptly and turned around. ¡°Get dressed, I¡¯m buying that necklace.¡± He ordered and walked back out to the front of the store. He took a few deep breaths and shook his head.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have said that last part.¡± The old woman chastised him. She had left with him after winking at Lenna. ¡°I¡¯m not saying to rush things too fast but that last part is just going to slow things down needlessly.¡±


    Isaac chuckled as he leaned against the counter. He shook his head. ¡°Can you help her?¡±


    ¡°Open up about her feelings or putting her armor on?¡± The woman asked with a mischievous grin.


    Isaac laughed. ¡°The armor please.¡±

 Chapter 85 We Need To Go.

    Chapter 85 We Need To Go.


    ¡°Thank you Samuel.¡± Isaac told the jeweler. He had gotten the man and his wife¡¯s names while waiting for Lenna. ¡°Tell Samantha thank you as well for me.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my Lord.¡± Samuel replied. He thought for a moment about the thanks and got the feeling that the thank you was a bit too sincere for doing light business. ¡°May I ask what for?¡±


    Isaac smiled and looked up to meet his eyes. ¡°We have been really lucky recently. People like you, Jessica at the Silverstrand Seamstress, Alice at the Guild Hall, Sera Von Arbencroft, and Celeste at the Celestial Dawn. You have all been surprised but still accepted Lenna as just another resident.¡± Isaac sighed. ¡°After the first few catastrophes I was afraid that the only way I would be able to bring her into a town was through the threat of violence.¡±


    ¡°I must admit my Lord that I was incredibly surprised to see her.¡± Samuel took a moment to sort out his next words. ¡°I was also worried at first. Seeing her acting so¡­ normal, put much of my worry at ease.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°She is very earnest and can be quite shy sometimes. I don¡¯t know what most people¡¯s expectations of a drow noblewoman are but I¡¯m glad that she is different enough to fit in.¡±


    Samuel smiled. ¡°Not at all like her.¡± He replied referencing Isaac¡¯s comment about expectations. ¡°If this isn¡¯t too rude my Lord, might I ask which family she hails from?¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°What if you don¡¯t like the answer?¡± He asked. He now knew how tense the relationship between Safeharbor and the V¡¯Nova family was. The V¡¯Nova¡¯s intercepted supplies, raided, and even had once launched a full scale assault on Safeharbor.


    Samuel thought for a moment on his response. ¡°She¡¯s a V¡¯Nova then?¡± He asked.


    Isaac smiled. ¡°Yes. She ran away from home and now gets dragged into all the trouble I can¡¯t help but find myself in.¡±


    The knowledge of Lenna running away from her family put Samuel¡¯s mind at ease somewhat. He nodded. ¡°Thank you my Lord.¡±


    ¡ª


    Lenna had just stood there staring at the doorway for a long moment after Isaac had left. ¡®Who just dumps that and leaves?¡¯ She screamed internally. ¡®He even told me to forget about it.¡¯ She sighed and closed her eyes in thought. ¡®Even if I admit that I have feelings for him then what?¡¯ She opened her eyes to see the jeweler¡¯s wife standing in the doorway with a wide grin.


    ¡°Sooo???¡± The woman asked, drawing it out. ¡°What¡¯s your response going to be? He just confessed.¡±


    Lenna sighed again. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She replied and rubbed her temples, she could feel a headache coming on.


    ¡°Why not?¡± The other woman asked. ¡°I saw your face. It¡¯s clear you have feelings for him too.¡±


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    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know if I can go through that¡­¡± Lenna replied. Her voice had caught halfway through. She had been thinking about it a lot recently. The more time they had spent together the more he grew on her until eventually she realized her feelings for him. That had gotten her thinking about the future and, honestly, it made her depressed.


    The old woman looked slightly concerned. ¡°Through what, dear?¡±


    Lenna swallowed dryly. The more she thought about it, the more she could feel the pain preemptively. ¡°If I marry him, he¡¯ll make me a widow in what? Sixty? Seventy years?¡± She could feel the water start to collect in her eyes and blinked it away. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a widow for four centuries.¡±


    The jeweler¡¯s wife walked over and put her hand on Lenna¡¯s arm. ¡°I¡¯m sorry dear.¡± Was all she could say. Lenna¡¯s elvish perspective was not something she could easily understand.


    ¡ª


    Lenna walked out of the back with the jeweler¡¯s wife in tow. She was back in her full armor with her helmet on and the other woman had the necklace in hand.


    ¡°Ready?¡± Isaac asked Samuel and Lenna.


    Lenna nodded. Samuel smiled and motioned towards the door. ¡°After you my Lord.¡±


    ¡ª


    Isaac and Lenna went back to work after purchasing Lenna¡¯s accessory. Isaac stored it in his Inventory for safekeeping until they returned to their room. After bidding the jeweler and his wife a good day the pair headed to the Guild Hall. Isaac gave Lenna a few glances along the way. He could tell that something was off about her. He understood that he was likely the reason but he still didn¡¯t like not knowing what was wrong.


    Isaac decided that she would tell him when she felt like it. They had built up enough trust that they both knew the other would speak their mind to each other when the time came regardless of the topic. Lenna caught Isaac¡¯s glances but couldn¡¯t place their purpose. She wasn¡¯t sure if he could see through her and knew that her head and heart were fighting to the death or not but the concerned glances weren¡¯t helping.


    She needed a distraction and Isaac hated sitting still so she was glad when he had said about heading to the Guild Hall to get some more work. Unfortunately the only new job from the city was another caravan escort. They decided on more spiders. Partly because they wanted to bring back a Jumping Spider in hopes of increasing the base pay out of killing spiders and partly because the only other real option was a three day trip to hunt a drider.


    Once in the spider infested tunnels Lenna spoke. She hadn¡¯t said very much after they had left the jeweler¡¯s so Isaac was glad she was at least starting to get out of her own head. ¡°Let me go first.¡± She requested.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll cover you like we planned.¡± He agreed and moved in behind her. He followed behind a few steps so if they came across a Jumping Spider he would be able to cut it down before it got a chance to do anything. Lenna nodded and led the way through tunnel after tunnel.


    ¡ª


    All thoughts of romance aside, their day was getting more and more annoying. The pair had found a dozen dead spiders. All drained of fluids with two puncture marks at the base of their heads. They had been walking through the tunnels for over an hour and hadn¡¯t seen a single living thing. Isaac had cut off the spider¡¯s heads and stored them to bring back but the fact that they had yet to engage anything was getting on Lenna¡¯s nerves.


    She had wanted to give into the rush of battle and adrenaline to clear her head, at least for a while, but apparently the spiders had other ideas. The corpse count was worrying. Spiders didn¡¯t eat very much for their size as a general rule and Jumping Spiders were no different. A dozen corpses meant a dozen hunters. If the Jumping Spider population had grown as quickly as it appeared then that meant there was something weird going on.


    Usually mutations into known variants happen at a regular pace. Doubling their numbers by the day was the fastest recorded mass natural mutation. If the spiders had somehow managed to grow tenfold in a day then something must have caused it.


    ¡°Another freaking corpse. This makes thirteen.¡± Isaac groaned as they came upon another victim. ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡± He said and stopped to cut off its head. He froze as a chill went up his spine. The feeling was odd. It was both frightening and comforting at the same time. He thought on the feeling and its slight familiarity.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Lenna sighed. She then seemed to notice Isaac. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Something big is out there.¡± He said ominously. He finished cutting off the spider¡¯s head and quickly threw it in his Inventory. ¡°We need to go.¡± He told her. The chill had turned into a constant feeling. Something stronger than him, darker than him, was out there and he could feel it. The feeling had been incredibly subtle with both of the chimeras he had fought. Either this was the strongest chimera in the world or something even worse.


    Lenna nodded and moved closer to Isaac. ¡°You lead.¡±


    Isaac summoned Kahtesh and gave him the gift of silence courtesy of his shadows. He then put a hand on Lenna¡¯s shoulder and did the same for her. ¡°As long as I¡¯m not doing anything else I can keep this up.¡± He told her. ¡°I¡¯ll have to keep contact though so let¡¯s go together.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Lenna acknowledged. Kahtesh moved in behind them and looked over his shoulder towards the direction Isaac felt the presence. He hadn¡¯t told the dragon to do that. A different type of chill went up Isaac¡¯s spine.

 Chapter 86 We Have Work To Do.

    Chapter 86 We Have Work To Do.


    Isaac had Lenna¡¯s shoulder in a death grip as they jogged down tunnel after tunnel in an attempt to get as far away, from whatever Isaac had felt, as possible. Kahtesh was trotting behind them but would occasionally stop and look behind them. Isaac hadn¡¯t told the dragon to do so and he wasn¡¯t sure if Kahtesh was getting some amount of sentience or if the presence was messing with him.


    ¡°How close is it?¡± Lenna asked. Her breathing was heavy but even. Her centuries of training were showing in her perfectly even stride and breaths.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s not that accurate. I just know, it¡¯s out there.¡± He got out in between breaths. ¡°Not close.¡± A few minutes later they made it to the main path and continued their flight in a straight line on an even path. As their progress increased Isaac started to feel the presence less and less. He slowed and then stopped. He turned around and looked towards where they had come from. Kahtesh was still right there but he was also looking behind them. ¡°Alright buddy. Go back to sleep. We should be good.¡± Isaac told the dragon.


    The dragon curled up like a dog and sank into the void. ¡°Was it following?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He sighed. ¡°We need to let the guild know about this as soon as possible.¡± His breathing was labored as he tried to calm his beating heart to some degree. He started walking down the path towards Safeharbor and Lenna joined him.


    ¡°Can you still feel it?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac glanced back over his shoulder. ¡°Kind of¡­ I don¡¯t know why I couldn¡¯t feel it before if it¡¯s this strong.¡± He shook his head again. ¡°I can only think of a few reasons and none of them are good.¡±


    Lenna nodded in agreement. ¡°Which do you think is most likely?¡±


    ¡°Either it can hide its presence or it was just created. Nothing else really seems plausible.¡± Isaac replied with a frown.


    ¡°When you are ready, let¡¯s pick up the pace.¡± Lenna advised. The sooner the guild knew about whatever it was the better.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Alice!¡± Isaac called out while jogging into the Guild Hall. She was sitting at her desk talking to Wo Lu. ¡°We have a problem.¡±


    Wo Lu turned to look at them and Alice sat up a bit straighter to see over her desk and mound of books and paperwork. ¡°What is it?¡± She asked worriedly.


    Isaac leaned against the desk breathing heavily. Lenna stopped a few feet behind him. ¡°Something is out there.¡± Isaac eventually got out.


    ¡°Like what? What kind of something?¡± Alice demanded.


    Isaac leaned in and dropped his voice. ¡°Something stronger than me.¡± He told her earnestly.


    ¡°How-how so?¡± Alice stammered. She had a hard time picturing what could be stronger than Isaac that wasn¡¯t a dragon or some other ancient evil.


    ¡°Whatever it was, its connection to the dark is stronger than mine. It gave me chills.¡± Isaac said with his eyes losing focus for a moment as he recalled the feeling. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it sensed me too.¡±


    ¡°There are a lot of dark things down here.¡± Wo Lu cut in. ¡°How strong are you?¡± He asked Isaac.


    ¡°Strong enough to assassinate the Guild Master.¡± Isaac replied matter of factly.


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    Wo Lu raised an eyebrow. It was an odd metric for strength but one able to be understood. ¡°That doesn¡¯t bode well.¡± Wo Lu replied. ¡°I found something else just as troubling.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac asked.


    Wo Lu nodded. ¡°A mage came to pick up the remains of that chimera. He was flanked by two more.¡± He said grimly. ¡°Whoever that fallen brother was, he had plenty of resources at his disposal.¡±


    ¡°So a drow mage has been making chimera like he¡¯s planning to fight a god and something at least demigod level is hanging out on the other side of the spider tunnels. To top it all off the Jumping Spider population has spiked. We saw our first one yesterday and today we found over a dozen spider corpses that were clearly their doing.¡± Isaac summarized.


    Alice had started taking notes and writing letters. ¡°Isaac I need you to deliver this to the duke and Wo Lu I need you to track down the Guild Master and give him this one.¡± She said and passed them both sheets of paper. ¡°Be careful they are still wet.¡±


    Isaac tossed his in his Inventory for safekeeping and nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± He said and started towards the door.


    ¡°Got it.¡± Wo Lu told her and joined Lenna and Isaac.


    Once outside Isaac asked Wo Lu: ¡°He¡¯s not inside?¡±


    Wo Lu shook his head and sniffed the air. ¡°No. He was walking out as I was walking in.¡± He sniffed a few more times before picking a direction. ¡°Godspeed.¡±


    Isaac gave him a nod and headed towards the duke¡¯s mansion with Lenna in tow. The pair crossed the town at a brisk walk. They had run enough for the day and Izen getting the information a few minutes earlier wasn¡¯t likely to make a huge difference. Whatever was out there on the other side of the tunnels wasn¡¯t close by and if the drow mage had taken his creation back to wherever his lab was he wasn¡¯t likely to be ready to launch an invasion soon.


    The pair stopped outside of the duke¡¯s mansion. The guards shared a look. ¡°Sir? Do you have an appointment with the duke?¡± One of them asked Isaac.


    Isaac pulled the note out of his Inventory. ¡°No. I have urgent information from the Adventurers¡¯ Guild for him.¡± The guards didn¡¯t react right away so he continued. ¡°One of you take this to him. I¡¯m not getting paid to break in and hand it to him personally.¡± He ordered and held out the paper. They both flinched. One of them grabbed the paper and gave Isaac a nod before disappearing into the mansion.


    ¡°Would, would you have done that? If you were getting paid to.¡± The other guard asked.


    Isaac shrugged and turned around. ¡°Depends on the money.¡± He told the man and the pair began their leisurely walk back to the guild to see if Alice had any updates.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Something scary in the dark isn¡¯t helpful Alice.¡± Edward complained.


    Alice noticed Isaac and Lenna walking in. ¡°That¡¯s what he told me.¡± She replied exasperatedly and gestured towards Isaac.


    Edward turned to look at Isaac. ¡°I need more to go on than something ¡®darker¡¯ than you, whatever that means.¡±


    Isaac leaned on the desk. ¡°Okay, I can feel how dark something is. I have a skill called polarity sense. Lenna is dark enough for me to notice but not ridiculous or anything. A chimera is comparative I think. There was one that was a shadow-wolf, dragon, stone tentacle monster hybrid that felt darker than her but that was because of its connection to shadows from the shadow-wolf.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°So whatever it is has shadow magic.¡± Edward sighed. ¡°That¡¯s still not very helpful.¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. Either it has stronger shadow magic than me or it is way stronger than anything I have ever seen. Maybe a mix of both.¡±


    Edward gave him a deadpan look. ¡°This is what you get for talking about calling yourself the Lord of Darkness.¡± He accused.


    Isaac flinched. ¡°I did kinda tempt fate didn¡¯t I?¡±


    Edward and Lenna both nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± They both replied.


    Edward sighed and turned to look at Alice. ¡°Make a gold level bounty to scout the area where mister Lord of Darkness felt something. I want to know what¡¯s out there.¡±


    Isaac gave Edward a side-long look. ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s high enough. Make sure that whoever it is can hide their mana completely. I don¡¯t know about whatever it is¡¯s physical abilities but it sensed me through at least a thousand feet of rock and Celeste told me she can barely feel me when I¡¯m standing in front of her.¡±


    Edward nodded. ¡°Add a recommendation for true stealth.¡± He told Alice.


    ¡°True stealth?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Complete nondetection. Being fully hidden from all senses including magical ones.¡± Edward explained.


    ¡°There are other people who can do that?¡± Isaac asked.


    Edward raised an eyebrow. ¡°I should be sending you to go see what it is if you can do that.¡±


    Isaac raised his hands in a placating gesture. ¡°I can only do it for myself. I don¡¯t have enough mana regeneration to do it for Lenna too.¡±


    ¡°Mana regeneration? The required spells don¡¯t take continual mana expenditure.¡± Edward narrowed his eyes at Isaac. ¡°How do you do it?¡±


    Isaac shrugged. He looked around the mostly empty guild hall. ¡°I guess others seeing it happen doesn¡¯t really matter. Just, don¡¯t tell anyone how it works if you figure it out.¡± He told Edward and put his hand on the larger man¡¯s arm. Isaac poured shadows out and around him and Edward. He made the shadows as thin as they could be and still make a stable circuit to make them both disappear. The whole process only took about two seconds.


    ¡°What in the nine hells?¡± Edward spoke as he looked at the shadows covering his arm.


    ¡°I can¡¯t keep this up with another person for very long. I can do it by myself indefinitely but I won¡¯t leave Lenna behind to go get myself killed by something that may or may not be able to sense me through this. Nothing and no one else that I¡¯ve met have been able to sense my presence through this but whatever that is, it worries me.¡± Isaac confided.


    Edward nodded his understanding. ¡°This is what you did when we were in the arena?¡± He asked rhetorically.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Edward nodded. ¡°Bring us back. We have work to do.¡±

 Chapter 87 Show Me Where.

    Chapter 87 Show Me Where.


    ¡°What¡¯d Wo Lu find out?¡± Edward asked as he and Isaac reappeared exactly where they had left.


    ¡°He followed the mage back to a warded section of tunnel and stopped there. He wasn¡¯t completely sure on what the wards did but here is a sketch of them.¡± Alice told him and handed him a sheet of parchment that Wo Lu had used to sketch out the runes.


    Edward frowned. ¡°I think this is the counter invisibility rune. This one is definitely teleportation negation. I have no idea what the last two are.¡±


    Lenna took a step towards him and he showed her the sketches. ¡°That one does the same thing as your moon talismans.¡± She explained and pointed to the fourth one.


    ¡°What about the other one?¡± Edward asked.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Something about divination. It¡¯s really complex.¡±


    ¡°Like multiple spells layered on top of each other?¡± Edward questioned.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Probably.¡±


    Edward turned to Alice. ¡°Find Con¡­ Azazel¡­ and have him scout out the miscellaneous monster¡¯s location first, report back, then do the same for the tunnel Wo Lu found.¡±


    Alice scrunched her nose. ¡°Conrad? Really?¡±


    Edward pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°He¡¯s the only one in town with the right spell list for the job.¡±


    ¡°Which is it? Conrad or Azazel?¡± Isaac asked.


    Edward sighed. ¡°His real name is Conrad but he dresses in all black, wears black makeup, and calls himself Azazel because he thinks going by the name of a fallen angel is cool or something¡­¡± Edward narrowed his eyes at Isaac. ¡°He¡¯s probably the only person in town who is more edgy than you.¡±


    Isaac recoiled. ¡°I¡¯m not that bad¡­ I swear I just have dark powers. I didn¡¯t even get to pick.¡± He replied defensively.


    Edward shook his head. ¡°Alice, you said you sent a letter to the duke?¡±


    Alice nodded. ¡°Isaac took it there.¡±


    Edward raised an eyebrow at Isaac. ¡°What?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°It got delivered without incident. I hope. I gave it to a guard and told him that it was urgent. He left right away.¡±


    Edward shrugged. ¡°Where¡¯s Wo Lu? He disappeared after he found me.¡±


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    Alice looked at Edward with a deadpan look. ¡°Probably asleep. He hasn¡¯t slept in days from the last mission he was on.¡±


    Edward sighed and looked around the Guild Hall. ¡°Eliot!¡± He called out to a familiar knight sitting and enjoying a dark drink.


    ¡°Boss?¡± He replied and stood up but made no motion to approach.


    ¡°Five gold to find Azazel and drag his ass here.¡± Edward ordered more than asked the man.


    Eliot looked down at his drink. ¡°Understood.¡± He sighed.


    ¡°For the love of the gods just slam the damn thing!¡± Edward told him from across the Guild Hall. Eliot did as he was told after a shrug. He downed the last of it in seven gulps and wobbled slightly. ¡°Hurry!¡±


    ¡°Yes boss.¡± Eliot replied and headed out of the Guild Hall at a brisk pace.


    ¡°Now what?¡± Isaac asked.


    Edward walked a few steps to an unoccupied chair and grabbed it. He drug it over to Alice¡¯s desk and sat it in with his arms crossed. ¡°We wait.¡±


    ¡°For what in particular?¡± Isaac pressed.


    ¡°The messenger from the duke to arrive.¡± Edward explained. ¡°He should be calling for me soon.¡±


    ¡°So we can get paid for these in the meantime right?¡± Isaac asked and pulled a spider head out of a ball of shadows that he made in his hand.


    ¡°How many?¡± Alice asked.


    ¡°Thirteen.¡± Isaac replied.


    Alice looked up from her work. ¡°What condition?¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Pretty good I think. Jumping Spiders don¡¯t do that much damage to their prey before they die.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you five gold each. Just put them in the back where you usually unload. I¡¯ll get you your money later.¡± Alice told him and went back to her ninth form she had filled out in rapid succession.


    ¡°Okay¡­ We¡¯ll go do that¡­ then head to the Celestial Dawn.¡± He mentioned the Celestial Dawn so Edward could find them in the event they were needed for something. He hoped that they wouldn¡¯t.


    Edward shook his head. ¡°After you unload, come and wait with me. I¡¯m not explaining ¡®darker than your crazy guest¡¯ to the duke.¡±


    Isaac sighed. He was really hoping to not have to deal with all the extra crap surrounding a potential catastrophe. He would rather just get told to go fight it. Preferably with just enough help to guarantee victory but not too much to make the fight not fun. ¡°Fine.¡± He grumbled.


    Lenna got the door and the two of them headed to the back and dropped off the baker¡¯s dozen spider heads in a corner. After unloading their haul, the pair found a table in the Guild Hall to wait at.


    Fifteen minutes or so later a guard burst into the Guild Hall. ¡°Guild Master.¡± He said when he saw Edward sitting next to the desk with his foot tapping. ¡°The Duke, requests, your presence, immediately.¡± He got out in between labored breaths. It was clear the guard had run most, if not the entire, way to the Guild Hall from the duke¡¯s mansion.


    Edward got to his feet, grabbed his sword that he had leaned against the wall close by, and beckoned Isaac and Lenna to follow. ¡°Let¡¯s go you two.¡± He ordered and headed out at a brisk walk.


    Isaac got to his feet and stretched. ¡°This is quickly turning into more trouble than I bargained for.¡± He told Lenna.


    Lenna stood and pushed her chair back in. ¡°It¡¯s just as necessary as it is annoying my Lord.¡± She replied and the two followed after Edward.


    ¡ª


    The trio were led inside the duke¡¯s mansion, down a handful of hallways, then finally inside a large stone room with a singular massive table in the middle of it. On the table was a map of the surrounding area. Izen, Gio, and the captain of the guard were all standing looking down at the map.


    ¡°Good. You are here.¡± Izen said and then looked up. His eyes widened momentarily at Isaac and Lenna who had entered behind Edward. ¡°Explain.¡± Izen ordered.


    ¡ª


    Edward explained everything he knew and made Isaac fill in on the parts pertaining to the sensing of the monster on the other side of the spider infested tunnels, as well as the Jumping Spider problem.


    Izen pointed at the map. ¡°Show me where.¡± He ordered.


    Edward pulled out a sketched map from his tunic and pointed at a section of tunnel. ¡°That is where Wo Lu found the corpse.¡± He pointed up the tunnel a ways. ¡°Here is where these two encountered the drow escort.¡± He pointed even farther up the tunnel system, this time closer to the tangled mess that was the spider¡¯s playground. ¡°And here is where Wo Lu ran into the wards.¡±


    Isaac walked over to the map and beckoned Lenna to do the same. ¡°Here is where we were when my Lord felt the monster.¡± Lenna pointed at a bend in one of the tunnels on the side of the spider¡¯s nests closest to where Wo Lu had found the wards.


    Isaac closed his eyes and pictured the tunnel in his mind. He pointed forwards and opened his eyes looking at the tunnels again. ¡°Here.¡± He said and put his finger on the map. It was a few miles from where Wo Lu ran into the wards and about a mile from where he had felt the monster. ¡°Holy shit¡­¡± He whispered. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt something from so far away.¡±

 Chapter 88 Only One Way To Find Out.

    Chapter 88 Only One Way To Find Out.


    ¡°How are you sure that is where it was?¡± Edward asked with furrowed brows.


    ¡°It¡¯s the only open tunnel on the map in that direction.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Any closer and it would have to be in this tunnel here.¡± He pointed at a tunnel in the negative of a ball of yarn that was the spider infested tunnels. ¡°If it was there it would have fallen on top of us.¡± He then pointed even farther out at the next available tunnel past the original location. ¡°I can¡¯t even picture that distance properly in my head. If it was that far away it would have to be several magnitudes stronger. In that case just abandon the city.¡±


    Edward nodded. ¡°Lady V¡¯Nova, is there anything out there?¡± He asked. He was hoping her prior knowledge as a V¡¯Nova would help them.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Not that I am aware.¡± She replied. She looked over the map and found two locations marked as hidden drow outposts. She started pointing at new locations on the map and even one in a previously unexplored area. ¡°There are more hidden outposts here, here, here, and here. There is another one here but it is shared with Neckeden.¡±


    ¡°Neckeden?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Contantis¡¯ closest sister city.¡± Lenna explained.


    ¡°Tim, mark those locations.¡± Izen ordered.


    ¡°Yes sir.¡± The captain of the guard, Tim, replied and grabbed a handful of wooden disks. He wrote ¡®hidden outpost¡¯ on each of them and placed them where Lenna hand pointed.


    ¡°How are you sure you can trust her?¡± Gio argued.


    Izen sighed and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not but doubting her won¡¯t do us any good. She has offered information freely and although I may have some reservations I will take her at her word.¡± He replied. His tone was final.


    Gio scoffed. He had been glaring daggers at Lenna the entire time. Everyone, save for the oblivious Edward, had been surprised that he had managed to hold his tongue as long as he had. ¡°We¡¯ve reported everything we¡¯ve seen. Trust or don¡¯t. If it looks like the city is going to fall, especially if it¡¯s your fault in any way, we are out of here. Deal or no.¡± Isaac said evenly while locking eyes with Gio.


    Edward caught the tension and changed the subject as best as he could. ¡°I have a man searching for the best,¡± He glanced at Isaac. ¡°maybe second best, scout in town. He is going to go try to figure out what Lord Wexler here felt. He¡¯s going to start here.¡± He explained and pointed at the closest point on the main path to where Isaac had felt the monster. ¡°Then head roughly this direction.¡± He pointed to where Isaac had been when he felt the monster. ¡°From there he will most likely continue on that heading.¡±


    ¡°Most likely?¡± Izen asked.


    Edward frowned. ¡°Yeah¡­ he¡¯s¡­ a character. He¡¯s good at his job though, he¡¯ll get us results either way.¡±


    Izen nodded. ¡°I trust your judgment Edward.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Edward replied and then continued with his explanation. ¡°After he figures out what is hiding in the dark over here,¡± He gestured at the map again where Isaac felt the monster. ¡°he will head back this way and sneak through these wards to find what the drow are hiding back there.¡± He said and pointed at the wards Wo Lu had found.


    ¡°We should send a team that way first.¡± Gio argued.


    Edward looked up from the map and met his eyes. ¡°If the magistrate wishes to lead his own team that way without it first being scouted out he is more than free to do so. I run the Adventurers¡¯ Guild, not the city garrison.¡± Edward told him evenly. Edward was a proud warrior and survivor of many harrowing battles. He had led men and been led by them. He knew who to trust and when. He could feel it in his gut.


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    Edward also felt that if the drow mage who had made the chimera wanted to recover its corpse then that meant that the mage still had use for it. If that was the case then the mage would be tied up with that little project for a time. Whether that time was a day or a week he wasn¡¯t sure but he preferred threats that they at least had a proper idea about rather than complete unknowns.


    Gio scoffed. ¡°The nerve.¡± He grumbled.


    ¡°Edward is right. Information is the most important thing right now.¡± Izen spoke, mirroring Edwards internal thoughts. ¡°Make sure someone reports to me the instant there is any new information. I don¡¯t care what time it is.¡± He ordered Edward.


    ¡°Yes my Lord.¡± Edward replied with a slight bow.


    ¡°If that is all, you are dismissed.¡± Izen told him, Isaac and Lenna.


    ¡°It is.¡± Edward replied with a nod.


    ¡°Very well. Continue the good work.¡± Izen replied and looked back down at the map. ¡°What are they planning?¡± He asked himself.


    ¡ª


    Edward stopped to stretch just outside the duke¡¯s mansion. ¡°Sir Gio really doesn¡¯t like you.¡± He commented.


    Isaac pulled a piece of jerky out of his Inventory. ¡°Nope.¡± He replied and took a bite. The pair had put off their after work meal due to the current craziness.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send a messenger to you as well. I might have need of you.¡± Edward said the pair and started his trek back to the Guild Hall.


    ¡°What are we supposed to do in the meantime?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Edward replied without turning around.


    After Edward had gained some distance Isaac turned to Lenna. ¡°I hate waiting.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± She replied and then seemed to remember the guards standing a few feet behind them on either side of the front door to the duke¡¯s mansion. ¡°My Lord.¡±


    Isaac cracked a smirk. ¡°Let¡¯s go get something to eat. I¡¯m starving.¡±


    ¡ª


    The rest of the day was spent as it normally would be. They sparred, read, and rested. The following day when they went to the guild Alice had some choice words for them.


    ¡°Edward told you to wait, so no jobs for you.¡± She scolded. It was more comical than threatening as she was barely over half the pair¡¯s height.


    ¡°I can¡¯t just sit on my hands all day.¡± Isaac complained.


    ¡°It won¡¯t kill you two to take a day off anyway. You are taking jobs and killing spiders like it¡¯s going out of style. Which, to be fair, it never really was in style but that doesn¡¯t matter.¡± She rambled on. ¡°Take a day or two to rest.¡±


    ¡°Please Alice, there must be something.¡± Lenna pleaded. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t have something to keep him busy, he¡¯ll drive me crazy.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡± Isaac interjected with his hand on his chest like he¡¯d been shot.


    Alice sighed. ¡°Fine.¡± She grumbled. She leaned in and dropped her voice. ¡°Don¡¯t tell Edward or I¡¯m going to get in trouble. He really wants you two to lock yourselves in your room until he needs you. Walk around town, get some food at the local shops, if you see anyone on this list tie them up and drop them at the guard station next to the cells.¡± She opened one of her binders and took out a small stack of papers about two dozen deep.


    ¡°What are these?¡± Isaac asked while taking the papers. They had a sketch of a person, their name, and ¡°a bounty? Five silver, a gold, five gold¡­ what is this exactly?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°A copy of all the people with active warrants. That is how much the guard will pay for them to be brought in. That is usually what the new adventurers start with. Most of the other bounties are too dangerous.¡± Alice explained. ¡°These are easy but tedious.¡± She leaned in closer to Isaac and whispered as quietly as she could while hiding her mouth from Lenna with her hand. ¡°It¡¯ll also give you an excuse to go on a date around the town.¡±


    Isaac smiled. ¡°Your manipulation attempt is commendable.¡± He told her. ¡°We¡¯ll take it. If for no other reason than for something to do.¡±


    ¡ª


    The pair¡¯s first stop was an affordable tailor settled in between downtown and the more middle class area of town. ¡°You need day clothes.¡± Isaac told Lenna while looking through casual clothes for himself.


    ¡°Why?¡± She questioned.


    ¡°Because if we are going to go wandering around downtown you¡¯ll scare the locals.¡± He answered.


    Lenna just stared at him for a moment before blinking a few times. ¡°Without my armor?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Yeah. We¡¯ll be fine. Gio won¡¯t make a move until at least after this mess blows over.¡± He reasoned.


    Lenna covered her chest with her arms as if she was completely exposed. ¡°You want me to go walking around without my armor? In the open? Right now?¡±


    Isaac chuckled at the display. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°My Lord.¡± She said, slightly concerned. ¡°Are you¡­ did you hit your head?¡±


    Isaac burst out laughing and took a moment to calm down. ¡°No.¡± He got out with a chuckle. ¡°I think it¡¯s about time you stop hiding from everyone.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°I just think, maybe full exposure is a little¡­¡±


    ¡°Dangerous?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Isaac said and thought for a moment. ¡°How about you just take off your helmet for today.¡± He offered. ¡°What¡¯s the term¡­ baby steps?¡± He said with a contemplative look on his face.


    ¡°That is the term.¡± She assured him. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac replied with a smirk. ¡°But there¡¯s only one way to find out.¡±

 Chapter 89 Tell The Next Guard You See

    Chapter 89 Tell The Next Guard You See


    Lenna took off her helmet slowly and put it under her arm. ¡°Now what?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Just act like nothing is different. Pretend that everyone has always known and if anyone questions it act like you had no idea they didn¡¯t know.¡± Isaac explained his brilliant plan with a smile and barely contained amusement. He knew that this was either going to go really poorly or kind of well. His bar was not set very high. He did know one thing for certain, hoodwinking people would be entertaining at the very least.


    Lenna sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± She promised.


    Isaac slung the clothes he had picked out under his arm and guided her towards the woman¡¯s clothes. She took one step and stopped. All of the women¡¯s clothes were dresses or shirts and skirts. ¡°What?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°I prefer pants.¡± She replied.


    Isaac looked at the pants folded on a shelf next to them. He glanced down at Lenna¡¯s butt. ¡°I think¡­¡± His eyes moved up to meet hers and her very unamused look. ¡°The proportions might be slightly off.¡±


    ¡°My butt isn¡¯t that big.¡± Lenna replied evenly. Her stoney look not having left her face.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Isaac attempted to dig himself out of the hole he had quickly found himself in. ¡°It¡¯s more of a waist to butt and thighs ratio problem.¡± Lenna remained silent and continued to stare at him. ¡°What?¡± Isaac asked. The silence was unnerving. He felt like he was playing with a delayed blast fireball.


    Lenna finally sighed. ¡°They¡¯ll have to fit them.¡± She said with resignation in her voice. She decided to let Isaac off the hook, this time, and she searched for a pair that looked like she would fit properly in them. Well, like Isaac had said, except for the waist.


    ¡°Still, a pretty blouse would look good on you even if you want to wear pants.¡± Isaac argued and took a step towards the women¡¯s clothes.


    It was Lenna¡¯s turn to glance down. Unlike Isaac she did not look at another¡¯s rear but at her own chest. Her breastplate was shaped opposite to most men¡¯s. Usually the breastplate bulged out relatively low on the torso. The bulge helped to deflect incoming stabs aimed at center mass. In Lenna¡¯s case, as well as with many other female knights, the bulge was positioned up a few inches to allow for more chest room.


    Lenna sighed and followed Isaac towards the women¡¯s clothes. She much preferred the simple pull over design that apparently Safeharbor¡¯s women didn¡¯t wear. That style was mostly reserved for working men as it was not very fabric intensive and thus tended to cost less. After picking out some clothes Isaac stopped.


    ¡°Lenna?¡± He said and turned to face her.


    ¡°Yes?¡± She answered.


    ¡°When we got clothes last time, where did you get them from?¡± He questioned. Lenna averted her gaze. She looked like a child who had just gotten caught stealing a cookie before dinner or a puppy who had just gotten busted chewing on boot. It was adorable but Isaac didn¡¯t let that distract him. ¡°Were they all men¡¯s clothes?¡± He pressed. ¡°Do the pant¡¯s even fit?¡± He thought back on the last few weeks. ¡°Have you even worn them?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She replied sheepishly and turned to browse more clothes that she had no intention of buying.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Next time we¡¯ll bring those pants with us and they can size them too.¡±


    After finding everything they were looking for Isaac led Lenna up to the clerk, who was reading a book via glowing stone light. He looked up from his book. ¡°Is that all¡­¡± His voice trailed off. He blinked a few times then rubbed his eyes and tried again.


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    ¡°Mostly.¡± Isaac interjected into the man¡¯s state of shock. ¡°She¡¯ll need some of her clothes fitted and I¡¯d like to make sure mine fit right.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± The clerk¡¯s eyes went from Isaac to Lenna a few more times. ¡°Al-alright.¡± He turned his head towards the back, barely taking his eyes off the two in front of him. ¡°Ma!¡± He yelled.


    ¡°What?!¡± A woman yelled from deep within the back of the shop.


    ¡°A!¡± He stopped for a moment and glanced at Lenna again. ¡°A lady needs a fitting!¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Isaac said with a smile.


    Lenna gave the clerk a nod. ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡± She told him.


    He still was in too much shock to respond to her consciously and simply nodded back and whispered: ¡°Your welcome.¡±


    An older woman arrived from the back and did a double, then a triple take at Lenna. ¡°By all that is holy and just.¡± She swore. ¡°How?¡± Was all she could ask.


    ¡°Am I allowed in the city?¡± Lenna asked. She glanced sidelong at Isaac. ¡°I thought everyone knew by now.¡±


    Isaac couldn¡¯t keep his grin off his face. ¡°Sera even sent over the bracelet and stuff as proof. Why would she have sent over a necklace if you weren¡¯t supposed to wear it without your armor?¡± Isaac asked Lenna, further pushing the idea that maybe the tailors were simply out of the loop.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s get you sized then¡­¡± The clerk¡¯s mother¡¯s voice trailed off as she motioned towards a back room that had a thick curtain as a door. Lenna nodded and followed.


    ¡°Can I try these on?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°Some of them might need to be fitted as well.¡±


    The clerk tore his eyes off of Lenna to nod to Isaac. ¡°It¡¯s a silver a piece to fit clothing.¡± He told Isaac. It was a little late for Isaac and Lenna to back out now but a few extra silvers wasn¡¯t going to break their bank.


    ¡°No worries. I set aside a few gold for this.¡± Isaac told the clerk and followed him into another back room.


    ¡ª


    An hour later Isaac and Lenna left the tailor¡¯s with a stack of neatly folded clothes. ¡°That was fun.¡± Isaac said and started walking towards the Celestial Dawn so he could change out of his armor and into his freshly fitted clothes.


    Lenna shook her head. She still had her helmet tucked under her arm. ¡°Those poor people.¡± She told him.


    ¡°Oh it¡¯s not that bad.¡± Isaac defended. ¡°Honestly it probably made the whole thing go smoother. If they realized that most people didn¡¯t know, especially if they realized most of the guards didn¡¯t know, I doubt it would have been as pleasant.¡± Isaac voiced the reasoning he used to justify his fun.


    ¡°Perhaps.¡± Lenna conceded.


    ¡°Social pressure is an incredible tool.¡± He commented.


    The pair had walked past a few people already and every one of them seemed to have a different reaction. One woman took her child to the other side of the street. One man dropped his drink and the bottle broke on the stone ground. Another man looked as if his jaw was going to hit the floor. A guard had to stop a man who looked ready to come to blows with Lenna from across the street. Thankfully that guard seemed to realize who they were and remembered the warning he had gotten.


    ¡°We are causing trouble.¡± Lenna commented.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°It was bound to happen eventually.¡±


    ¡°This may be bad timing.¡± She replied.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Probably.¡±


    ¡°Was that the plan?¡± Lenna asked.


    He shook his head. ¡°No.¡± He let silence hang for a moment before expanding. ¡°If this wasn¡¯t a future Izen saw coming then he isn¡¯t very good at predicting it. He is a leader, a ruler, he needs to be able to see what will happen before it does.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re testing him?¡± Lenna questioned and turned her head to get a good look at Isaac¡¯s face.


    ¡°Partly.¡± He acknowledged. ¡°Also hiding your pretty face all the time was getting annoying.¡±


    Lenna blinked at him. ¡°Your reasoning¡­¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t as complex as you thought?¡± Isaac finished for her.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°The duke must hate you my Lord.¡±


    Isaac laughed. ¡°Probably. I can¡¯t imagine I have ever made anything easier for him.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Izen you had one job.¡± Isaac complained in front of the third guard to lower his weapon at Lenna before realizing who Isaac was. The surprise was entertaining, the rest of the reactions had been much less so. So far there had been no violence but it had come close on a few occasions. Thankfully most of those occasions were with normal people and not guards.


    ¡°Apologies my Lord.¡± The guard replied. The pair could hear the sweat coming down his brow in his voice. He, and every other guard they had talked to, seemed to be very aware of the danger he was in. Whatever Izen had told them had worked.


    Isaac waved him off. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault no one told you.¡± Isaac replied off handedly. The guard had immediately raised his spear back to its vertical position as soon as he realized his mistake. ¡°I really wish he would have given you all more than ¡®don¡¯t piss him off¡¯ as orders. Like how hard was it really to say ¡®there is a foreign noble in town with a drow bodyguard, be nice¡¯?¡± He grumbled.


    ¡°Again, apologies my Lord.¡± The guard repeated and gave Isaac and Lenna a short bow.


    Isaac just waved him off again. ¡°Just,¡± He sighed. ¡°Tell the next guard you see so this stops happening.¡±


    ¡°As you say.¡± The guard replied and Isaac heard him swallow.


    A few steps away from the guard Lenna turned to the now plainclothes Isaac. ¡°My Lord,¡± Lenna spoke then paused for a moment. The moment was long enough for Isaac to turn to look at her but not long enough for him to say anything in return. ¡°thank you.¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°For what?¡±


    Lenna just shook her head and continued in silence. ¡®For not killing any of them. For making it possible for me to walk the streets without feeling like a criminal hiding my face. For taking me for a walk around town like a normal person.¡¯ She answered him in her head. The words sounded right as thoughts but she wasn¡¯t sure if she should say them aloud. For now, all Isaac needed to know was that she was thankful.

 Chapter 90 Finally Showing The World

    Chapter 90 Finally Showing The World


    Just when Isaac had gotten used to the stares, avoidance, rude looks and gestures thrown their way when someone thought nobody was looking it happened.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± An older man yelled as a guard held him back from going after Lenna. ¡°I will not stand here, while a dark skinned pointy eared, slaver bitch like that¡¯s walkin¡¯ the streets!¡±


    Isaac had heard comments similar before but at least those were said under a person¡¯s breath or when Isaac and Lenna were far enough away that one could assume they weren¡¯t likely to hear. Isaac stopped and turned towards the commotion. He was about to take a step toward them when a hand fell on his shoulder. He turned to see Lenna looking at him with pleading eyes. ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡± She whispered.


    Isaac¡¯s eyes softened but his jaw set. ¡°I¡¯ve let the past thirty go. I¡¯m running out of patience.¡±


    Lenna sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not the worst said to me today.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make it right.¡± Isaac countered.


    Lenna paused to pick her words. ¡°I am a traitor for leaving my country, a liar for breaking my oath, a murderer for cutting down people of all races in service to my family. I¡¯m a child of spider worshiping slavers, there is no reason to not expect me to be the same.¡± She took a deep breath and sighed. ¡°Please, let them vent. Their words aren¡¯t hurting anyone.¡±


    Isaac stared into her eyes for a long moment before loosening his jaw. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ try.¡± Isaac promised.


    Lenna gave him a smile that soon faded. She looked at the man that was still causing a scene. Her eyes grew sad and distant. ¡°There¡¯s no way to know if I¡¯ve killed someone important to him.¡±


    Isaac grabbed her hand and removed it from his shoulder gently. He put his hand on the back of her shoulder and guided her forwards. ¡°No. There isn¡¯t.¡± He told her. ¡°But, even if you did, it¡¯s no different from someone getting killed by a monster. This world is deadly. In the end, does it really matter who dealt the final blow?¡±


    Lenna thought on his words as they walked. ¡°It does to me.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Four skewers please.¡± Isaac said and placed four silver coins on the table set up in front of a grill being run by a middle aged woman. She had a sign that was simply a picture of a skewer with a silver coin painted next to it.


    She looked up from her grill. A few slabs of meat, probably some kind of monster, hung behind her. ¡°Just a¡­¡± Her voice trailed off as she saw Lenna. After the usual double and triple take her face turned sour. ¡°Did the duke really let one of your kind wander around?¡±


    Lenna shook her wrist with the bracelet bearing the symbol of the Kingdom of Altia on it. ¡°Yes.¡± She replied kindly.


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    Isaac could only stare in awe at Lenna¡¯s tone. Her patience was incredible.  He had no idea how she could still be pleasant after the past hour. He did feel a little bad for making her go through it but mostly he was just angry at the people around them. He very nearly almost killed three people within the previous hour. Only one of them had come close enough that Lenna had to stop him.


    The woman¡¯s face didn¡¯t lose its sour look but she saw the coins on the table. ¡°Two more silver.¡± She told the pair.


    Isaac gave an annoyed look. ¡°That¡¯s not what the sign says.¡±


    ¡°The sign¡¯s not for drow.¡± She countered and flipped the skewers on her grill to keep them from burning.


    Isaac reached out and took the silver coins back. ¡°I¡¯ll get us something at Celeste¡¯s.¡± He told Lenna.


    A disappointed look flashed across Lenna¡¯s face for a brief moment before she schooled her expression. Isaac turned to leave and Lenna moved to follow.


    ¡°Wait.¡± The woman said. She sighed. ¡°Fine. Four fer four.¡±


    Isaac stopped. He looked over his shoulder at her. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°No reason.¡± The woman snapped. ¡°Do ya want them or not?¡±


    Isaac shrugged and turned around. He set the coins on the table and the woman handed him the skewers. ¡°Thank you.¡± Lenna told the woman and took a skewer from Isaac¡¯s outstretched hand.


    ¡°Just make sure ya toss the sticks in the bin.¡± She grumbled without looking at Lenna.


    Lenna smirked at the small victory. ¡°Alright.¡±


    After finishing their snack and depositing the sticks into said bin, Lenna gave the woman a smile. ¡°They were delicious.¡± She told the woman.


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡± The woman replied.


    ¡°My Lord?¡± Lenna said to Isaac.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Would it be possible to return to the inn?¡± Lenna requested. She was hoping to end their outing on a high note. A small victory was still a victory. She just hoped the places they frequented wouldn¡¯t be too upset at the realization. Mostly she was thinking about Stan Ironeye, the smith. He was a dwarf after all and their people had never been on nonviolent terms.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Isaac replied with a smile. He recognized the victory almost as much as Lenna. ¡°Want to walk back quietly?¡± He asked.


    Lenna sighed in relief. ¡°Yes, please.¡±


    Isaac offered her his hand. She reached for it but hesitated for a moment. ¡®Does he really want to hold my hand the whole way back?¡¯ She thought. Isaac seemed to see the thought written on her face and smiled like an idiot. He grabbed her hand and made her disappear. He started leading her back by the hand like a lost child. As romantic as walking home together holding hands after a walk around town might sound, all romance was lost in the awkwardness and the childishness felt by Lenna.


    Isaac had to focus his breathing to try to make his mana pool last as long as possible. They only had to stop once for him to rest. He had gotten some looks, most of them scowls, on the way back but his solo reception was far better than the one they had gotten when Lenna could be seen.


    Arriving back at the Celestial Dawn Isaac dropped the invisibility and breathed heavily. ¡°That, was difficult.¡± He said in between deep breaths. He was scraping the bottom of the bucket for the mana needed to cover the last two blocks.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Lenna told him earnestly.


    Isaac flashed her a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet. You are walking in there without your helmet.¡± He told her and thumbed towards the entrance to the Celestial Dawn that was a few feet away.


    Lenna¡¯s heart sank. She swallowed and steeled herself once more like she had when they had originally set out. She walked in and got the door for Isaac.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± He told her and walked in like nothing was different. He walked up to the bar and took a seat.


    Lenna followed him across the room and stood behind him and off to the side a little. Neither of them had even glanced at the rest of the room. Celeste turned from the person she had just finished pouring a drink for and saw Lenna standing there without her helmet on. Celeste gave her a warm smile. ¡°Hello dear. What¡¯ll it be?¡±


    Lenna gave her a slight smile back. ¡°The usual please.¡±


    Celeste looked at Isaac and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Me too.¡± He told her.


    She nodded and got them a pair of apple cherry meads and some water. ¡°Actually I have something special for you.¡± She said to Lenna after giving them their usual order.


    ¡°For, me?¡± Lenna questioned.


    Celeste gave Lenna a big smile and pulled a bottle of wine out from behind the bar. She grabbed three small glasses and poured some in each. She picked up hers and held it in front of her. Isaac and Lenna did the same without even thinking about it. ¡°Here¡¯s to you finally showing the world your lovely face.¡± She toasted.


    Isaac grinned. ¡°Here here.¡± And clinked his glass against hers.


    Lenna gave an awkward smile and Celeste and Isaac could see the blood rush to her face a little. She clinked her glass against theirs. She replied quietly, barely louder than a whisper. ¡°Thanks.¡±

 Chapter 91 It Probably Wasn’t You

    Chapter 91 It Probably Wasn¡¯t You


    ¡°I have an idea. Want to come with or stay here?¡± Isaac asked Lenna after he had finished his drink.


    Lenna turned on her bar stool to face him and got a glance at the room. A few patrons were glancing at them but trying not to be noticed. One table in particular didn¡¯t look very pleased to see her. One of them wrinkled his nose at her and then his eyes darted to something above and behind her and he immediately looked back down at his drink.


    ¡°Can I¡­¡± Lenna started to ask before Isaac answered her question.


    ¡°Sure.¡± He replied. ¡°I think I¡¯ve tortured you enough today. Even if it was for the best I do feel kind of bad about it.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Thanks Celeste. How much?¡± He asked the woman behind the bar.


    At that moment she looked as though she was lording over the establishment as her eyes swept the room. She glanced down at him and smiled, all sternness fading. ¡°This one¡¯s on me dear.¡± She told him.


    Isaac returned her smile and Lenna turned to look at her. ¡°Thanks. We¡¯ll be back. If Edward sends anyone for us can you let them know we¡¯ll be at Stan¡¯s.¡± Isaac explained.


    Celeste chuckled. ¡°That old dimwit needs to retire. He¡¯s got grandchildren to visit while he can still see.¡±


    ¡°You know him?¡± Isaac asked.


    Celeste chuckled again and nodded. ¡°He¡¯s my father-in-law.¡±


    Isaac smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll let him know.¡± He replied with a wink.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Hey Stan!¡± Isaac called when he and Lenna entered the smith¡¯s shop. The boy was behind the counter again and Isaac assumed Stan was somewhere in the back, probably pounding away at something.


    A minute later Stan walked out of the back with a new longsword in hand. ¡°Aye, just who I wanted to see.¡± He told them and beckoned them towards the counter. He set the sword down on the towel he had previously tossed onto his shoulder.


    The pair walked over and eyed the sword. Lenna leaned in and moved to pick it up. She glanced up at Stan. ¡°Can I?¡± She asked.


    The smith nodded. ¡°Go ¡®head.¡± He told her.


    Lenna picked the sword up and eyed it. The proportions were perfect. As far as she could tell it was a masterpiece. She knew what he was looking for however. This wasn¡¯t just a normal steel blade from a dwarven smith but his attempt at recreating the one she had sent to get enchanted. After a long moment she set it down. ¡°The steel isn¡¯t right.¡± She told the smith.


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    The dwarf furrowed his brow and picked it up again. ¡°Ya don¡¯t have it back yet do ya?¡± He asked.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Actually.¡± Isaac cut in and pulled the shortsword out of his Inventory and set it on the table next to the new longsword. ¡°I do have this one.¡±


    Stan¡¯s eyes went wide and he picked up both swords and started visually comparing the steel they were made of. The more he did so the deeper his frown. ¡°Aye, the steel¡¯s not right.¡± He agreed. ¡°I¡¯d need a wizard methinks.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°The carbon in the steel, can¡¯t mix it like this by hand. It¡¯s too even.¡± Stan explained. ¡°It might be possible¡­¡± His voice trailed off for a moment. He shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯ve got the patience for that.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Making it like an elf.¡± Lenna answered with a hidden grin.


    ¡°Aye.¡± Stan grumbled. ¡°I ain¡¯t foldin¡¯ it a hundred thousand times.¡±


    ¡°Celeste doesn¡¯t seem to think you have enough years left for that.¡± Isaac interjected with a grin. Stan looked up at him with an unamused look but Isaac continued before he could reply. ¡°She said something about you seeing your grandchildren while you can still see.¡±


    ¡°Now you tell that little lass that I ain¡¯t that bloody old. I¡¯ll probably still outlive ¡®er.¡± He snapped but Isaac could see the mirth buried under the pretend annoyance.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let her know.¡± Isaac told him with a grin. ¡°We are actually here for business though.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah.¡± Stan said and tried to tear the rest of his focus off of the sword on the counter.


    Isaac pulled Lenna¡¯s adventurer¡¯s badge out of his Inventory and set it on the counter. Stan¡¯s attention caught on the magic trick but focused on the object after a slight delay. ¡°I want this on a necklace for Lenna.¡±


    Stan frowned and picked it up. ¡°Won¡¯t take too long.¡± He replied. ¡°Why not a jeweler?¡± He asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s going to wear it over her armor when we are in town.¡± Isaac explained.


    Stan looked up with a confused look on his face. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°A deterrent.¡± Isaac replied evenly.


    Stan glanced at Lenna. ¡°You been havin¡¯ trouble lass?¡± He asked.


    Lenna wasn¡¯t sure how to answer so she just glanced at Isaac. ¡°He¡¯s gonna find out sooner or later.¡± He offered.


    Lenna sighed and undid her helmet strap. She pulled off her helmet and set it on the counter. ¡°No unexpected trouble.¡± She told him.


    Stan nodded. ¡°Aye, I thought as much.¡± He said and tapped the guild badge. ¡°Silver hair is rare, even fer drow.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Many don¡¯t like it. They say we look too much like Lua.¡± She replied.


    Isaac smiled. ¡°If you look like Lua, I want to meet her.¡±


    Lenna gave him a cold look. ¡°Would you start flirting with my goddess too?¡± She asked accusingly.


    Isaac raised his hands and took half a step back. ¡°Hey now,¡± He said and glanced at Stan. Stan cracked a smirk and shook his head. ¡°No.¡± He said. It was probably the truth and that seemed to be what got across too.


    Lenna shook her head at him. She sighed and looked back at Stan. ¡°Thank you.¡± She told him.


    Stan seemed to get the meaning behind her thanks and gave her a nod. ¡°My son¡¯s killed by drow. Know it probably wasn¡¯t you, but many stories like that ¡®round town. Don¡¯t take it personal.¡± He told Lenna and headed into the back where his smithy was and began work on a steel frame and necklace to hold Lenna¡¯s badge.


    Lenna stared after him. ¡°Do you think?¡± She asked Isaac.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Who knows.¡± He answered. He knew she was asking if Stan¡¯s son that was killed was Celeste¡¯s husband. ¡°Like he said, ¡®it probably wasn¡¯t you¡¯.¡± He reminded her. ¡°Celeste seems to think you are alright and if that¡¯s good enough for Stan we should take the blessings when they come.¡±


    Lenna nodded absently. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡ª


    An hour later the pair were back in the Celestial Dawn for lunch. Lenna wanted to eat in their room so they did. Afterwards Isaac told Celeste that they would be either in the library on the arena for the rest of the day and the two headed out for their favorite, and only, past times.


    While sparring Lenna remembered something that she had completely forgotten in all the ¡®excitement¡¯ of her unmasking. ¡°We never looked for any of those bounty targets.¡± She told Isaac while parrying another blow.


    ¡°Nope.¡± He replied and countered her followup.


    ¡°You are getting better.¡± She complimented.


    Isaac smiled. He was sweating much more than she was even though she was in heavy armor. ¡°I should hope so.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Are we going to look for them?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Tomorrow.¡± He said and disengaged. He pulled a waterskin out of his Inventory and tossed it to Lenna. She caught it and set the dull training sword on the ground. ¡°If Edward doesn¡¯t send for us anyway.¡± He pulled his own waterskin out and took a sip.


    ¡°I should keep my helmet on then.¡± Lenna advised. She was hoping to not have the entire city¡¯s attention on her again if possible.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Your choice. People already know so it doesn¡¯t really matter if you wear it or not now.¡±

 Chapter 92 Guesswork From An Experienced Local

    Chapter 92 Guesswork From An Experienced Local


    Isaac and Lenna walked side by side towards downtown while passing the bounty posters back and forth. Each trying to memorize the potential targets¡¯ faces as well as reading what their crimes were.


    ¡°Why is this one even on here?¡± Isaac asked and showed the sketch of a man¡¯s face to Lenna. ¡°Public urination and ¡®disorderly conduct¡¯. Sounds like someone drank too much.¡±


    ¡°Probably.¡± Lenna agreed.


    ¡°He has a five silver bounty on his head for this? It¡¯s a waste of time.¡± Isaac complained.


    ¡°We can ignore him.¡± Lenna reminded him. They didn¡¯t have to bring any of them in if they didn¡¯t want to.


    ¡°What do you think the punishment is for that anyway?¡± He asked her.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°Probably a small fine.¡±


    Isaac gave her a deadpan look. ¡°Like a five silver fine?¡±


    Lenna shrugged again. She looked at the next bounty target. As she read it she felt her body temperature rise as if the wrathful flames inside her were trying to be let loose. She handed it to Isaac. ¡°I want this one.¡± She said with tension in her voice from her trying to stamp down her emotions.


    Isaac took the paper and read it. ¡°Wanted for sexual assault, aggravated assault, and petty theft.¡± He read evenly. He looked at her and could feel the heat coming off of her from a foot away. ¡°Alright. When, not if, when we find him, you can have him.¡±


    Lenna burned the man¡¯s face into her mind. ¡°Only a five gold bounty?¡± She asked with barely contained fury.


    ¡°The laws in this city need rebuilt from the ground up.¡± Isaac said, his voice monotone. ¡°Any information on him?¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Just the usual.¡± She replied. Every bounty had the name, race, estimated height, age, and weight of the target on it. Some had a location like where someone had said the target frequented.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop for tea.¡± Isaac told Lenna and motioned towards a small stand that sold a type of mushroom tea. They hadn¡¯t tried it yet and Isaac wanted to talk to Thomas.


    The pair got their mushroom tea in ceramic cups that looked like they had been made to be cheap and fast to produce but sturdy enough to be used for daily use. They were plain like the stand itself, the woman running it, the street they were on, and most of the people walking by. Isaac and Lenna stood out, Isaac¡¯s midnight black cloak with his piercing silver eyes and Lenna¡¯s battle marked armor and gold adventurer¡¯s badge hanging from her neck made quite the scene.


    Isaac caught Thomas¡¯s eyes and held out his hand for Lenna¡¯s bounty. Lenna gave it to him and he held it facing Thomas in his hand that limply hung at his side. He stood casually while sipping at the bitter, earthy tea. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ interesting.¡± Isaac commented on it after finishing about a quarter of it. He had to keep drinking it to make staying there look natural whether he liked it or not.


    Lenna had removed her faceplate to drink it in an effort to keep the attention lower than last time. ¡°It¡¯s popular among the lower class in drow territory as well.¡± She explained. ¡°It¡¯s a stimulant.¡±


    ¡°I think I can tell, I feel too awake if you know what I mean.¡± Isaac replied. He noticed Thomas casually walking closer to the stand without looking at them. Once Thomas got close enough to hear a casual conversation clearly he spoke again. ¡°This bounty target, he¡¯s the type of person you want to hunt like a falling shadow I think.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lenna asked.


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    ¡°Well,¡± Isaac began. ¡°If we knew where he lived we could just wait for him there. When he gets home, I black out the room, then we tear him apart.¡±


    ¡°The bounty, requires him alive.¡± Lenna said coldly.


    ¡°It¡¯s five gold. I¡¯d rather send a message.¡± Isaac replied.


    Thomas got a good look at the bounty while waiting for his own tea to cool enough to drink it. ¡°I remember hearing about that one.¡± He said, casually starting conversation. ¡°Terrible mess.¡±


    ¡°I know a guy downtown that I hope knows where he lives. Unfortunately my friend might not be home for me to ask.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°I have a few friends nearby too. They are really shy though. I did hear something about the incident happening on seventeenth down by the abandoned clinic. I hope that helps.¡± Thomas went on.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a place to start at least. Why is there an abandoned clinic?¡± Isaac asked. He was confused as to how a place like that could close in a city like this. The guard rarely if ever went downtown as was expressed by the stack of bounties in the pair¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Break-ins mostly.¡± Thomas replied. ¡°They couldn¡¯t keep the doors open without any money. Everything from medical drugs to coins would get cleaned out regularly. Eventually the city stopped funding it.¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°This city is a mess. Thanks for the tip. I¡¯d say to tell your friends I said hi but if they really are that shy I¡¯ll save everyone the awkwardness.¡±


    Thomas nodded and took a sip of his tea. ¡°Have a good rest of your day adventurers.¡±


    ¡ª


    Isaac and Lenna left their empty cups at the stand and headed to seventeenth street. Isaac asked directions to the abandoned clinic and the pair were there after only a short walk. They both started to keep an eye out for more tails than just their friend Thomas. Sure enough they counted three more.


    ¡°Magistrate¡¯s men?¡± Isaac asked quietly.


    ¡°Probably.¡± Lenna replied.


    When they got to the clinic Isaac asked around if anyone knew the man on the poster. A few no¡¯s soon led to a yes. An old woman who sat on her steps and people watched most of the day said that he lived a few streets down. She also said that said street was run entirely by a gang. She didn¡¯t know where his house was but that was the main place she had seen him come and go from. After thanking the old woman and Isaac handing her two silver pieces the pair headed to a different street.


    This street was familiar to both of them. It was the street James, Isaac¡¯s informant, lived on. They ducked into an alley and Isaac made both of them disappear. They hurried into James¡¯ house. James wasn¡¯t there but his brother was. ¡°Hey Lenny.¡± Isaac said as they appeared.


    The boy jumped out of his skin and spilled half of his drink. ¡°Hells,¡± He panted. ¡°Was that necessary boss?¡±


    Isaac tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Only your brother works for me. I¡¯m not paying you too.¡± He told the young man.


    Lenny nodded. ¡°I know.¡± He tried to clean up some of his drink but mostly he just moved the liquid and it fell through the floorboards. ¡°It¡¯s not time for the list yet is it?¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No. I¡¯m here for something else. Actual informant work.¡± He explained.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Lenny asked. ¡°About who?¡±


    ¡°This guy.¡± Isaac told him and set the poster on the dry part of the table.


    Lenny looked at the poster and thought for a bit. ¡°I think this guy is in the Crimson Coins. A real bastard by the looks of it.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°What can you tell me about this gang, the Crimson Coins right?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Not much that you can¡¯t find from anyone else around here. Drugs, prostitution, gambling, a few rumors of people who cross them disappearing, and heavy extortion in the area around where they operate.¡± Lenny rattled off.


    Isaac put a silver coin on the table to spur the boy on. ¡°Go on.¡±


    Lenny shook his head. ¡°I think the housing on their street is set up with the most important members in the center to prevent the guard or rival gangs from killing anyone important. From what I¡¯ve seen he always walks around alone so I doubt he¡¯s high ranking.¡± He continued. ¡°This is mostly guesswork though.¡±


    Isaac put another silver coin on the table. ¡°Guesswork from an experienced local is why I hired your brother.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s always got a few knives on him. He¡¯s not light on his feet at all. Maybe a warrior class?¡± Lenny guessed. ¡°The few times I¡¯ve seen him he has come from this side of their territory. He probably lives on this end of the street.¡±


    Isaac set a third coin on the table. ¡°Anything else?¡±


    Lenny shook his head. ¡°No, sorry boss. James is trying to get in with one of their rivals right now. They might know more but who knows when he¡¯ll be back.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Alright. How¡¯d Mr. Nobody go?¡±


    Lenny¡¯s face brightened. ¡°Great actually. He came by yesterday and said our debt was paid. Just like that.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s he look like?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenny¡¯s smile faded. ¡°I swear I saw him working a food stand an hour before. There¡¯s no way he isn¡¯t a shapeshifter.¡±


    ¡°Or a mage.¡± Lenna cut in. ¡°There¡¯s a spell for that.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°I don¡¯t know which is worse, honestly. If there¡¯s another higher level mage running around he has to be prepared for trouble. A shapeshifter is slippery but if we can track them down it should be as simple as a sword in the back.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Ward¡¯s would make things difficult.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, thanks Lenny.¡± Isaac said and turned to leave.


    ¡°Anytime boss.¡± Lenny replied and scooped up the coins and stuffed them in his pocket. ¡°One thing though boss before you leave.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Isaac asked and looked over his shoulder.


    ¡°Most people pay better.¡± Lenny said with a grin and a wink.


    Isaac threw him another silver and, along with Lenna, vanished into thin air. The combination of attention grabbing effects caused Lenny to focus on both of them poorly. He fumbled the coin and it fell to the ground and got wedged in between two of the floorboards. ¡°Ah hells.¡± He grumbled.

 Chapter 93 How Much Is Your Life Worth?

    Chapter 93 How Much Is Your Life Worth?


    ¡°How do you want to do this?¡± Isaac asked Lenna while they walked towards what would one day be known as Crimson Boulevard.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lenna answered his question with a question.


    ¡°Well, I figured you could take point on this one. It¡¯s really hard to plan an assassination without being able to keep you invisible with me for hours at a time.¡± Isaac explained.


    Lenna frowned. Her idea of a plan was to abuse the old adage; no plan survives first contact. She was usually the ¡®first contact¡¯ that broke other people¡¯s plans. Like Isaac had said, ¡®the shortest distance between two points is a straight line¡¯. She would just walk in and tell whoever was running the place to throw out the guy she was after or she would start going through people until she found him. That might not be the best plan when trying to avoid getting a rather large gang to have a vendetta against them.


    ¡°Lenna?¡± Isaac asked after she had been silent for a while.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± She replied and shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t have a good plan.¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°But you do have a plan?¡±


    Lenna sighed. ¡°If walking in, telling their boss to throw him out, when he doesn¡¯t, start breaking down doors looking for him, counts?¡±


    Isaac cracked a grin. ¡°It most certainly does my¡­¡± Isaac cleared his throat. ¡°It does.¡± He nodded.


    ¡ª


    Lenna walked down the center of the street towards the middle of the Crimson Coins¡¯ little row of ¡®paradise¡¯. She got halfway there when a few tough guys with sledge hammers on their hips stopped her. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, adventurer?¡± One of them said and the pair positioned themselves in front but slightly off to the side of her.


    Lenna slowly looked at each one of them. They felt and looked strong for regular thugs. ¡®Level six, seven maybe.¡¯ She thought. She could take them both, maybe even quickly if she hit fast enough. Paladin¡¯s were known for ridiculous amounts of short burst power and she was an expert at using it. Lenna opened the bounty that was rolled up in her hand and showed it to them.


    ¡°Never seen ¡®im.¡± One of them replied. The other shooed her like someone trying to get a pup to go look for its pack.


    Lenna cracked her neck but remained silent. The pair pulled their hammers out of the loops they were in. Lenna didn¡¯t make a move to draw her sword. ¡°Tell your boss, I have a deal for him.¡± She commanded the duo.


    The one looked down at her badge with a frown. ¡°Should we?¡± He asked his partner.


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    ¡°If she really is gold¡­ we should.¡± The other replied.


    ¡°Wait here.¡± The first one told her and backed away slowly before turning to jog down the street.


    Isaac appeared behind her with his back to hers. ¡°Smart ones this time.¡± He said with a dark grin in his voice and on his face. Like usual, when he wanted to terrify people, only his eyes were visible from outside of his shadow cloak.


    The remaining thug jumped. ¡°Fuck! There¡¯s another one.¡± He exclaimed. ¡°How many more of you are there?¡± He demanded.


    Isaac decided to stretch the truth a bit, after all, all the best lies are rooted in truths. ¡°Nine.¡± He answered. Not only was nine one of those numbers that people often used to just mean a lot but he decided that today he would count a few extra people as part of their party. People like Edward, Wo Lu, Claus, Aria, Celeste, Eliot and the sisters that were always with him, and Kahtesh. Celeste had told them that she not only was a sorcerer but a former adventurer afterall.


    The thug¡¯s eyes went wide. He started frantically looking around for more people hidden in the shadows. He spotted two people lurking a distance away watching the encounter. He didn¡¯t know that those people were spies sent to tail the pair in front of him which only served to solidify Isaac¡¯s statement. Then, much to the thug¡¯s, and everyone on the street who had stopped to watch, horror, Isaac vanished just as quickly as he had arrived.


    The thug continued to back off a few steps and then turned and yelled at one of the bystanders. ¡°Tell the boss he needs the full escort!¡± He commanded.


    Lenna didn¡¯t move an inch from her spot. She took comfort in knowing that Isaac had her back but also that the malicious attention was directed at her instead of him. This was the exact opposite of walking down the street without her helmet the day before. This time she was out for blood and the less attention on Isaac meant the less she had to worry about him.


    A few minutes later Isaac stood up from sitting cross legged in the street behind Lenna. He had long grown bored and had decided to start looking through the rest of the bounties to see if any other targets were in the crowd that had gathered to see what all the commotion was about. The longer they waited the more the crowd fed into itself. By the time the boss and his posse had arrived the crowd had reached well over a hundred.


    ¡°Who are you to demand my presence!¡± A fat dwarvish man with a few gold teeth bellowed. He was hobbling towards them and was flanked by a dozen guards. He didn¡¯t seem to care about the gold adventurer¡¯s badge hanging from Lenna¡¯s neck in the slightest.


    ¡®Each of those bodyguards is around my level.¡¯ Lenna thought. As she scanned over them a few stood out. ¡®The two closest are probably level eleven. I knew this wasn¡¯t a great plan.¡¯ She held the open bounty out to him once he had stopped. He was about thirty feet away. A little too far for Lenna¡¯s liking.


    ¡°Speak girl!¡± The dwarf commanded.


    Lenna took a step closer and then guards around the man moved closer and towards the front of him. She took one more and then stopped just as the squad started to go for their weapons. Some of them were in heavy armor, some in light, and a few in none. All of them had weapons on them. Two had crossbows, one had a knife and a staff, another had a massive hammer, one had a pair of small hammers, one had a pair of shortswords, one a mace and shield, a rapier wielder, some guy licking one of his seven knives, a man with a greatsword, a guy with an ugly grin and a whip, and a woman with a longsword.


    ¡°Give him to me.¡± Lenna commanded the kingpin of the Crimson Coins.


    ¡°What¡¯re ya going to pay for him?¡± The dwarf replied without even looking at the bounty. ¡°If it ain¡¯t enough I¡¯ll sell you for wasting my time.¡±


    Lenna felt the bounty get tugged from her hand and let go. It vanished as Isaac took it and walked over to the boss. He made sure it was open and pressed it against the fat dwarf¡¯s face, almost making the man fall over. Staggering back a step the dwarf cursed and grabbed the paper that had just appeared in his face just as he was breathing in.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take my time with you before I sell you for that you retch!¡± The dwarf yelled. Lenna didn¡¯t so much as move. She just waited and waited. No one else made a move. The dwarf¡¯s guards were waiting to see what their boss wanted them to do and Lenna was giving them an opportunity to get out of this unscathed.


    ¡°I will pay you.¡± Lenna said once the dwarf had mostly regained his composure. It was clear he hadn¡¯t made a move for one reason or another. Lenna assumed it was from fear of the hidden force he believed to be at her back.


    ¡°How much?¡± The dwarf grumbled out with a sneer.


    ¡°How much is your life worth?¡± Lenna asked. She spoke in her normal, even, tone. She had buried the anger for the time being. It could come out when she found the man they were looking for.


    ¡°A hundred gold to whoever kills her. Two hundred if you capture her alive.¡± The dwarf replied through gritted teeth.


    Everyone watching was about to witness Isaac¡¯s favorite weapon in action, an immortal Lenna V¡¯Nova.

 Chapter 94 Bravo. Bravo!

    Chapter 94 Bravo. Bravo!


    Isaac pressed his hand against Lenna¡¯s back and focused his shadows back into dark mana. He poured the dark mana into and over Lenna¡¯s body inside her armor. With his eyes still closed he started to turn the dark mana into death flames. Once the transition was completed he stepped back. His hand lingering on her back for an extra moment. A thin thread of mana flowed from Isaac¡¯s hand to Lenna¡¯s back. All of this had happened in the moment it took for the dwarf to throw his little tantrum.


    Isaac stepped around to the side of Lenna and put on his best fake smile. ¡°Hold on now friend, I¡¯ll make you a bet. Say, a hundred gold?¡± Isaac offered.


    The dwarf started. He hadn¡¯t noticed Isaac until he stepped out from behind Lenna. ¡°Psh, a hundred gold to put up with you lot longer than necessary.¡± The dwarf countered but hadn¡¯t given the go ahead his minions were waiting for. The bounty he had just put on Lenna¡¯s head apparently not being the green flag.


    ¡°Now, now, you haven¡¯t even heard what the bet is on.¡± Isaac returned without dropping the smile on his face nor the one in his voice. There was a twinkle in his eye that some of the more perceptive among the onlookers caught. Those that did felt a shiver run down their spine. ¡°I¡¯ll bet you that my favorite champion will beat each of yours in a one on one battle, right here, in the street.¡±


    ¡°My Lord,¡± Lenna cut in before the dwarf could return fire. ¡°One on one is insulting.¡± She could feel the power flooding her body. Each muscle had near limitless stamina, every wound would be healed near instantly, she felt like she could take on an army without breaking a sweat. She felt, invincible.


    ¡°A hundred gold is pocket change.¡± The dwarf spat. He had taken the bait. Lenna¡¯s perceived arrogance was enough to push him to action. If he didn¡¯t take the challenge it would make it look like he didn¡¯t have any faith in the one¡¯s he trusted with his life. That would not be a good look for a noble, for a gang leader, a kingpin, it would be like blowing out a wall of a building and hoping the roof wouldn¡¯t sag.


    Isaac¡¯s grin turned predatory. ¡°Well then, if a hundred is pocket change, and Lenna here thinks a one on one is insulting, how about this?¡± Isaac offered. ¡°Lenna will fight one of your minions in a one on one, then she will fight two at once, followed by three, then finally the remaining six. If she fails I¡¯ll give you twelve hundred gold, it is a one versus twelve after all. If she wins then you owe me twelve hundred gold and the man we came here for.¡± Isaac then gestured at the mage in the back who was the closest one to the dwarf. ¡°The last battle will need to be a six versus one because I doubt that mage and the two crossbowmen would last more than a few seconds.¡±


    All the red flags were up. Any onlooker knew that this was bait. The entire situation felt rigged. Even the dwarf knew as much but the gold was starting to blind him. Twelve hundred gold, even for him, was a lot. Was it enough to warrant stepping into an obvious trap? Not really but his pride was put on the line and the gold was too shiny to ignore, especially when Isaac pulled a platinum coin out of thin air and started flipping it.


    The dwarf looked to the side and saw a young gang member watching from the sidelines. ¡°Fetch me a chair and some wine boy.¡± He ordered. He turned his head back to face Isaac. ¡°Twelve hundred to the winner. If I don¡¯t get it by the end of today I will hunt you down.¡± The shorter man threatened.


    Isaac grinned. The entire time they were talking he had been moving the mana thread connecting him to Lenna. He had moved it down to the ground along with where they were tethered together. The mana left his foot in a tight line and connected to Lenna¡¯s heel. He covered it in shadow mana completely as if he was trying to make himself disappear. The tether disappeared to all but Isaac and Lenna. He was feeding her as much as he could keep up with. Some of it was lost on covering the distance between them but Isaac figured it would still be enough.


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    His main concern was other magic disrupting it somehow. A fireball might send his mana scattering, he didn¡¯t know. Isaac knocked on Lenna¡¯s pauldron once and gave her a genuine smile. ¡°Don¡¯t take it easy on them, I put a lot of money on you.¡± He advised.


    ¡°What if one of them dies?¡± She asked. Her question was honest but she hadn¡¯t whispered it. Her opponents gave each other looks, one of them sneered, one of the crossbowmen swallowed hard. The large man with the greathammer cracked his neck.


    ¡°Then they die.¡± Isaac said with a shrug. ¡°Just go for victory. Victory means they either surrender or can¡¯t fight anymore. Take that as you wish.¡±


    Lenna nodded to him. ¡°Understood.¡± After a moment Lenna took her eyes off of her opponents and glanced at Isaac. ¡°My Lord, not going to wish me luck?¡± She teased.


    The light teasing caught Isaac off guard and he got a good laugh at it. ¡°You, you don¡¯t need it.¡± He replied in between bouts of laughter. ¡°Do you want a flower or something?¡± He joked.


    Now it was Lenna¡¯s turn to be caught off guard. She blinked at him and was extremely glad to have her helmet on at that moment. ¡°Um, no, that wasn¡¯t, that won¡¯t be necessary.¡± She stammered.


    Isaac¡¯s smirk couldn¡¯t have been taken from his face at that moment. ¡°Just, focus on the task at hand, my Lady.¡± He advised and gave her a respectful nod.


    ¡°Understood.¡± Lenna replied and grounded herself with a few steady breaths. It was almost time to engage in some good old fashioned bloodshed. This was the easiest way to solve problems. She never liked politics. Despite the V¡¯Nova clan being full of idiots and meatheads it still had its fair share of politics. All of which Lenna had always ignored completely. That was one of the reasons her mother had told her to stop going to the balls and soirees.


    A few lower ranked gang members soon arrived with a chair, a glass, and a bottle of wine for their boss. ¡°Who¡¯s the strongest among you?¡± He asked his guards. The fact that he didn¡¯t know was not a good sign, for him anyway.


    The woman with the longsword and leather armor walked out to meet Lenna. ¡°I¡¯ll fight her.¡± She told her boss and the rest of her fellow bodyguards.


    Lenna smiled under her helmet. The woman in front of her was one of the two that she felt were the strongest in the group. The two women drew their swords and faced off against each other. Neither moved a muscle afterwards. Both of their forms were perfect, practiced, trained. Lenna was too focused on the battle that was already underway to think about anything else but Isaac wondered how a warrior of that caliber was in the employ of someone like the gang leader a few yards away from him.


    ¡°Your move.¡± The woman told Lenna. Lenna inched closer until they were only a few feet apart. ¡°Not going to use all that bravado?¡± She taunted.


    ¡°It¡¯s not bravado.¡± Lenna replied. In a split second her blade was already most of the distance to the other fighter. The other woman parried it with ease but the illusion on her sword dropped from the impact. Her blade was also magically enhanced. Lenna had already assumed as much and was ready to parry the other woman¡¯s counter attack. They traded blows and parries a few more times but it was clear that the other woman was faster.


    Lenna knew her armor, she knew herself, and she knew how strong Isaac¡¯s healing was in the event she underestimated her opponent and her blade. She waited until her enemy attacked horizontally from Lenna¡¯s left. Instead of blocking or parrying with her sword Lenna raised both hands. She let go of her sword with her offhand and blocked the incoming blow with her forearm and bicep. She chopped downwards with all her strength in her main hand right towards her opponent¡¯s head.


    The other woman¡¯s eyes went wide and she struggled to get her sword into position to block the incoming attack. Because of the speed, she hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to parry the attack and instead had to block it blade to blade just above her head. Lenna stepped in and drove her left fist into the other woman¡¯s gut with fire enhanced force and concentrated aura pressure. The woman¡¯s feet left the ground a good three inches as she was forcefully doubled over around Lenna¡¯s fist.


    Lenna drove her hilt down onto the woman¡¯s head giving her an instant skull fracture and concussion. Her face was launched at the ground. Her nose hit first and broke on the stone street. Lenna reached down and grabbed the woman by the back of her collar. She stepped and spun, flinging her out of the way. The woman covered around six feet before hitting the ground again and rolling on her side.


    Isaac winced at the potentially triple concussed woman. He could tell she was still breathing but he couldn¡¯t have helped her even if he wanted to. He looked up at Lenna and gave her a smile. He clapped a few times slowly. ¡°Bravo. Bravo!¡± He told her. ¡°A classic performance. I expected nothing less.¡±


    The dwarf watched on in mild shock. One fight was not the end. There were three more to go and each one was stacked more in his favor. ¡°You won¡¯t be so lucky next time.¡± The dwarf spat and took a long pull from his wine bottle, completely forgetting the glass.

 Chapter 95 Never Cease To Amaze

    Chapter 95 Never Cease To Amaze


    ¡°How was she?¡± Isaac asked Lenna, referring to her previous opponent.


    Lenna gave the unconscious woman a nod. ¡°Decent.¡±


    ¡°But?¡± Isaac asked. He could tell that, as usual, there was a lot left unsaid with Lenna¡¯s answer.


    ¡°She¡¯s inexperienced, poorly trained. A lot of potential though.¡± Lenna complimented, at least Isaac felt like it was intended as a compliment.


    Isaac looked at the woman on the ground a few feet from him and frowned. ¡°You think there is a healer close enough to fix her?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied and nodded down the street.


    Half a block away a disheveled middle aged man, who looked as though his work alone had aged him a few dozen years, was hurrying down the street in their direction in heavily worn priestly robes with a large leather bag in hand. He was being led by a younger man who, considering where they were, was probably a gang member.


    ¡°Who¡¯s hurt?¡± He asked quickly and glanced around. Isaac gestured towards the woman on the ground.


    The healer¡¯s eyes went wide and he rushed to the down woman. He quickly chanted the same healing spell Aria had used on Isaac the better part of two months ago. Once he was content that her injuries would heal fine by themselves over time he bandaged her bleeding head wound. When he had healed her he had expertly directed the healing directly to where the important damage had been done, her brain.


    After the spectacle was finished Isaac and Lenna both turned towards the ring leader and his remaining minions. Two of them had come forth to challenge Lenna. One was wearing heavy armor like hers and wielded two small hammers. The other was wearing light leather armor like the unconscious woman and drew two shortswords. The hammer wielder¡¯s face couldn¡¯t be seen due to his helmet but the twin swordsman was an average looking human man who looked to be in his late twenties. His hair and facial hair was cut poorly. His brown eyes focused.


    ¡°Be careful.¡± The hammer wielding warrior, a man by his voice, told the other warrior.


    ¡°I know brother. After that show, I¡¯m not going easy on her.¡± The swordsman replied.


    Lenna¡¯s eyes went back and forth between them. Isaac took a few steps away to give them more space. Lenna got into a fighting position. ¡°I hope your armor is magical.¡± She told the hammer wielder.


    With that the battle launched into being. The brothers ran at Lenna, each taking a side. The hammer wielder on her left to punish her as much as possible. The swordsman on her right to keep her sword busy. The pair engaged her at the same time. Lenna swung for the swordsman, trying to remove him as quickly as possible. She was worried about his blades finding openings in her armor more than she was worried about the pair of hammers bearing down on her.


    The swordsman parried her blow with both swords and moved to attack. She ignored the lunge and went to cleave him in two but a hammer hit her in the back of the head, ringing her helmet like a bell. She staggered and took a few more hits to the ribs and left arm from the hammer wielder. The swordsman was looking for an opening to make his attack count. Lenna dropped to one knee and tucked her sword in close. She had its hilt near her waist and pointed the tip in the direction of the hammer wielder.


    Her timing was accidental but perfect. Her head was spinning from the rapid blows and she was moving on instinct and muscle memory. She rose, pushing her sword¡¯s tip into the hammer wielder¡¯s breastplate with everything she had. There was a scrape of metal before the tip found purchase. Her blade punched into the hammer wielder¡¯s chest with only slight resistance. At the same time she threw every ounce of aura she had at the swordsman to slow him down long enough to remove herself from the hammer wielder.


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    As she was rising, the hammer wielder¡¯s final two attacks came down from above. One hammer struck her pauldron with enough force to fracture bone. Bone that was immediately repaired by Isaac¡¯s death mana flowing through her. The other¡¯s distancing was off due to her leaning in his direction. His other hand¡¯s elbow struck her head. The armored limb ringing her helmet again. Even with Isaac continuously healing her, each time she got hit in the head was another few moments of losing clarity.


    The twin swordsman had dropped to one knee under the pressure of Lenna¡¯s aura. The fear was so powerful, so concentrated, that it slightly overrode motor function. His teeth were grit and his grip on his swords was great enough to make the leather gloves creak against the leather wrapped hilts.


    Lenna finished her accent and shouldered the armored man off of her blade. Blood poured from the wound and he gasped for air in between pained coughs. She turned to face the swordsman and had to take a step back to balance herself. It was hard for her eyes to focus. A few seconds later she could see and think clearly again.


    The swordsman had not been entirely idle during that time however and had managed to get back to his feet. His brow was sweating but he raised his swords with a growl and he took a step towards her. He was weak, far weaker than Lenna, weaker than the woman she had just defeated, and even weaker than his own brother who had just fallen at Lenna¡¯s hand. Her aura shouldn¡¯t have had that great of an effect on him. His willpower was lacking. His combat experience was as well. He had never felt true fear before and thus couldn¡¯t know that dragon fear wasn¡¯t real. Not truly. It could be powered through with nothing but willpower. It could be cleansed with magic. There was even a paladin spell that Lenna used to be able to cast that completely prevented any affected by it to even feel fear.


    ¡°You¡­¡± He strained out through grit teeth. ¡°What are you?¡± He demanded with hatred in his eyes.


    Lenna stepped toward him and swung hard. He blocked with his own swords and staggered. She moved in and shoulder checked him, tossing him to the ground. ¡°Yield.¡± She ordered calmly. She continued to pressure him as much as she could with her aura but she knew she wouldn¡¯t be able to keep the concentrated barrage up for much longer. It was easy to blanket an area with her aura, especially in a circle around herself. That was how she had been trained. Her old aura interfered with mana coming from those she deemed ¡®not friendly¡¯, which had caused some issues when she needed to use it in training with another trainee she didn¡¯t like. Her current aura needed to be used in the opposite manner.


    The swordsman looked at his fallen brother who was still barely clinging on to life. ¡°Fine. I yield.¡± He told her.


    Lenna released her aura and stepped back. She looked over at the healer. ¡°Heal him.¡± She ordered.


    The healer ran and dropped to the ground next to his second patient. ¡°Help me get his armor off!¡± He yelled at no one in particular. The other brother hurried to his side and together they ripped the fallen one¡¯s breastplate off. The healer poured healing into the fallen brother at an alarming rate. Everyone present knew that this healer was no grand priest. He had his limits and if those limits were hit now, on only the second wounded warrior, the injured in the final round were going to have to deal with whatever came to them themselves.


    Lenna looked at Isaac and turned her offhand palm up in his direction. Isaac raised an eyebrow for a moment and then got what she meant. He pulled her self cleaning cloth out of his inventory and tossed it to her. She caught it effortlessly and cleaned her blade of the blood it had recently gathered even though it was bound to gather more soon. ¡°Once again, you never cease to amaze me.¡± Isaac told her with a grin after he was sure the fallen brother wouldn¡¯t die a few feet from his feet.


    There was a commotion as the other side seemed to be arguing among themselves. ¡°Thank you my Lord.¡± Lenna told him with a bow. ¡°Your blessing is¡­ convenient.¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow with a smirk on his face. ¡°Only convenient?¡±


    ¡°I would have won without it.¡± She replied and turned to look at the brothers on the ground.


    ¡°That, I do not doubt.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°You finish every fight so fast. The only fight I¡¯ve ever seen you take more than a few seconds was the Guild Master.¡± It was clear those close by had heard what Isaac had just said and a commotion among the onlookers began in earnest.


    ¡°If I recall, I lost that fight.¡± She returned, attempting to stifle some of the rumors already being spread among the crowd.


    ¡°Sure, but you did break his sword first.¡± Isaac countered, much enjoying the people talking around them.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°If he had been serious at the beginning, that wouldn¡¯t¡¯ve happened.¡± Isaac just smiled and shrugged. ¡°Also, the speed of the fight means little.¡± She corrected.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°¡®Every fight between mortals is decided in a single instant.¡¯¡± Lenna quoted. ¡°My instructor beat that into us.¡±


    ¡°One fuck up means instant death unless you have a contingency for that particular fuck up. Even then if there is something preventing your contingency from working correctly you could still die. That¡¯s what he meant right?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna nodded again. ¡°Indeed, my Lord.¡± She was often quite casual with Isaac, as that is what he preferred, but when they were around a large crowd like they were at that time, it was necessary to reinforce that hierarchy between them to any and all onlookers.


    ¡°Lenna?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Yes my Lord?¡± She replied. They could continue talking as the dwarf¡¯s minions had decided on drawing straws to see who would face her in the three on one.


    ¡°What do you want me to buy you with that twelve hundred gold I am about to make?¡± He asked with a grin.


    ¡°Anything you wish my Lord.¡± She replied and shook her head. It was not lost on Isaac that she hadn¡¯t told him not to buy anything for her but simply that it was up to him to decide.


    ¡°Well, I will think about it when the time arrives. It looks like your opponents are finished deciding who is going to get their asses kicked first, or, well, third.¡± Isaac told her and gestured towards the team of three that had gotten into position across from Lenna.


    Lenna gave Isaac a short bow and turned to face the three warriors. She rolled her shoulders and eyed her competition. There was no way she would be able to handle all three without killing one of them. She decided to give them, and the crowd, a warning. ¡°At least one of you will die.¡±

 Chapter 96 The Risk Of Death Is Always There

    Chapter 96 The Risk Of Death Is Always There


    Three warriors faced off against the living weapon known as Lenna V¡¯Nova. Isaac Wexler had given her as much space as he could and was now standing on the sidelines near her latest victims and the healer that had saved their lives. Lenna gave him a quick glance and he crouched down next to the healer.


    ¡°Can you move them back any farther?¡± He whispered to the weary cleric of Halya.


    The other man shook his head. ¡°Not without risking reopening their wounds.¡± He looked up from one of his patients at Lenna. ¡°Why?¡± He asked and then looked over at Isaac.


    Isaac gave the man a nod with a frown and glanced at Lenna. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine here¡­ probably.¡±


    Lenna eyed her opponents. The large man with a greathammer in thick leather armor, the lithe man covered in daggers without any armor on at all, and the man with a whip who was also in leather armor. None of them seemed to take their lives very seriously with the combination of armor and weapon choices. ¡®Hammer and leather armor is objectively wrong.¡¯ Lenna thought to herself. The setup lacked good armor to protect the wielder of such a heavy and slow weapon.


    ¡®Who doesn¡¯t wear armor?¡¯ She asked herself while eyeing the rogue with all the daggers. ¡®Someone with a deathwish. He¡¯s going to get his wish. I can¡¯t focus on all of them at once.¡¯ Her eyes drifted to the man with the whip. ¡®If that¡¯s magical it might be a problem, otherwise I might be able to ignore him.¡¯


    Her opponents nodded at each other and the man with the whip started to move off to her right side. ¡®Their plan is simple and effective, against another warrior.¡¯ She thought. She wasn¡¯t used to having so much time to observe while in combat. It was making her nervous more than anything else.


    The man with the whip got around to her two o¡¯clock position and stopped. Lenna pretended not to see through their plan. She took a deep breath and took one step forwards. The whip flew at her at blinding speed. It cracked and coiled around her hand and sword hilt. The other two sprung into action, they charged straight at her with the larger man moving to her offhand flank. The rogue came straight at her, head low, ready for what was bound to be some acrobatic maneuvering in an attempt to get to an opening in her armor.


    Lenna turned and tried to cut the whip. Her blade couldn¡¯t cut it. ¡®Just as I thought, the same as that longsword earlier.¡¯ There was a spell that could be used to hide the magical signature of magic items and it appeared that some of the gang members had indulged themselves. ¡°Come forth,¡± Lenna began. All watching watched with wide eyes. Isaac with a grin. The gang members in horror. Fireball was the most widely known spell in the world. Everyone knew its incantation by heart. Children played wizards and warriors and yelled it at each other.


    The rogue and greathammer warrior were still twenty feet away from her, almost perfect distance. She knew exactly where to place the center point of the most famous third level spell. ¡°Ember of a dying star.¡± She pointed at the rogue, just above his head to be precise. An orange dot formed for but a moment before almost instantly expanding to a twenty foot radius. The dot formed a few inches in front of and above the rogue¡¯s head.


    The explosion threw his head backwards, breaking his neck instantly, and slamming his body against the ground so hard it bounced. One down. The large warrior got his arm up in time to guard his face and staggered a few feet to the side from the blast but seemed to weather it with relative ease. The man with the whip was tossed to the ground a few feet from where he had once been standing. He still had a firm grip on the whip and was already shaking his head to clear it as he tried to stand.


    Lenna had simply turned away from the blast and had barely shifted despite being two whole feet within its radius. It was hot, it burned, but only for a moment as Isaac¡¯s death flames killed the after effects the fireball had on her body. She didn¡¯t waste any time. She yanked the whip free of her hand, yanking it out of its owner¡¯s hand and tossed her sword up, keeping it parallel with the ground while it was in mid air. She caught it in a grip taught to her a century ago. Two fingers on either side of the hilt, each wrapped lightly around the underside of the crossguard, her thumb on the flat of the blade an inch in front of the crossguard.


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    She stepped forward while keeping the sword in its same location in relation to everything except her. Lenna launched her sword with fire enhanced strength like a javelin at the whip wielder. He looked up just in time for the blade to punch through his armor like it was paper. Her aim had been slightly off at that distance but it did the job of removing him from combat as it took his right arm off halfway in between his elbow and shoulder. The bone severed completely but some of the flesh and muscle still remained as the crossguard slammed into whatever the blade hadn¡¯t cut.


    The man let out a blood curdling scream from the pain and fell with the momentum of the sword. Lenna¡¯s blade clanged against the ground a few feet from her target. She turned to face the hammer wielder, now without her own weapon, and raised her hands, balling them into fists. She didn¡¯t need a weapon to win a one on one. She was a V¡¯Nova. A warrior whose name itself was legend and she was showing Safeharbor¡¯s citizens why.


    The larger warrior covered the last of the gap between them with a growl and finished it in a heavy overhead slam. Lenna reached up and caught the hammer by its head. Her bones creaked. Some fractured in her wrists and it felt as though her forearms were about to fold in half. Isaac¡¯s flames healed to bones quickly but not instantly. Luckily for Lenna the moment the flames needed to work was given to her by the shocked warrior who had, in all likelihood, never had someone catch an attack like that.


    Lenna¡¯s knees had threatened to buckle but her body held firm. She shoved the hammer sideways and grabbed it with her offhand. She swung her right fist directly into the warrior¡¯s chin with a quick burst of crimson flames and her aura coating it. The fist collided. The goliath had leaned into the strike and his head had jolted to the side only a few degrees. His jaw held firm. Lenna¡¯s eyes widened at the absurdity, not that she was one to talk, and she yanked her hand back.


    The larger warrior had released the hammer with his left hand and moved to grab Lenna¡¯s right. ¡°Let my flames,¡± She started and the warrior moved with more speed than she thought possible. He grabbed her hand and tried to crush it beneath the metal gauntlet. It was working but Lenna wasn¡¯t about to stop her chant. ¡°Consume all before me.¡± She ordered mana itself. She released the hammer with her left hand and rotated her hand so its palm was pointed towards the large man¡¯s face.


    He released the hammer as well and got his hand in between his face and the flames a second after they had started boiling his skin. He staggered back while releasing her hand and crossing his arms in front of his face. The hammer fell to the ground with a thud. Lenna quickly ducked low and grabbed the hammer¡¯s shaft with both hands as soon as her fire had stopped.


    She stepped and spun, building as much momentum as possible. Fire burned across her hands and the hammer. Her flames and aura pushed the attack to its maximum. With her own growl and all of her strength she finished the spin and slammed the head of the hammer into the goliath¡¯s left side. His armor did little to help. His ribs caved in. His left hand shot down and grabbed the hammer even as he staggered a few steps to the side from the impact.


    ¡®The highest level here doesn¡¯t disappoint.¡¯ Lenna thought. Her opponent stepped towards her even as his left lung was filling with blood from his shattered ribs. He lifted his right hand and drove it towards Lenna¡¯s face with everything he had. She turned and stepped in under it. She grabbed his wrist, pulled and ducked her shoulder low. His own momentum and her throw rolled him over her and onto his back on the hard stone.


    He hit the stone hard. A wet groan of pain escaped his mouth along with the air that was knocked out of him. Lenna backed off, breathing heavily for the first time. ¡°Yield.¡± She told him. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to die here.¡±


    He rolled onto his good side and tried to stand. Lenna shook her head. She let him struggle to his feet. He towered over her a whole foot and a half. ¡°Good¡­ fight¡­¡± The warrior wheezed out.


    Lenna nodded to him. ¡°Yes. You¡¯re tough.¡± She complimented. Her breathing was quickly returning to normal. Soon the only thing different about her from before the battle to now was her halved mana reserves.


    After a long, tense moment, the goliath gave her a nod. ¡°You¡­ win¡­ this time.¡± He told her.


    Lenna smiled inside her helmet. ¡°This time.¡± She echoed. He turned and started walking slowly towards the healer who was looking at him with undisguised horror. The warrior coughed and blood came out. Lenna shook her head. It was only then that she noticed the healer had moved to the other side of the makeshift arena and had finished amputating the whip wielder¡¯s arm. ¡®He works quick.¡¯ She thought.


    She looked at Isaac who was standing on the sidelines with a wide grin. ¡°That has to be the first time I¡¯ve seen you hit something and it ignore it.¡± He commented.


    Lenna chuckled quietly and shook her head while taking a few steps towards him. ¡°The first time in a long time.¡± She replied. ¡°Goliaths are legendary. He didn¡¯t disappoint.¡±


    Isaac laughed and his grin widened. ¡°I¡¯m glad you enjoyed yourself.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°The rogue¡­¡± Her voice trailed off.


    Isaac shrugged and his grin turned into an understanding frown. ¡°He wasn¡¯t wearing armor. The odds of him dying were always high. If you would have hit him with the same punch you hit the big guy with, it would have folded him like a pretzel if not outright killed him.¡± He offered.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Lenna replied. She wasn¡¯t averse to killing, that much was obvious, but it would have been better if everyone involved could have survived. She didn¡¯t know if the rogue deserved what he got. Maybe she was lucky and he was as bad as their target, the reason they were there in the first place. But maybe, maybe she wasn¡¯t. Maybe he was a good man who just worked for a bad boss. She doubted she would ever know.


    ¡°Try not to worry about it alright.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°The risk of death is always there when¡­¡± Isaac¡¯s voice trailed off. His brows furrowed in pain. Lenna¡¯s eyes went wide. He looked down to see a crossbow bolt had  buried itself in his chest.

 Chapter 97 Command: Negation

    Chapter 97 Command: Negation


    The pain burning through Isaac¡¯s chest was both new and familiar. He knew instinctively that this wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d been shot. He held his breath as the bolt had punctured his right lung only three inches from his heart. He slowly but firmly pulled the bolt out while gritting his teeth. His death flames poured straight from his reserves into the wound and it closed only a fraction of an inch behind the bolt as he withdrew it.


    The pain was intense but the adrenalin rush dulled it enough that he could finish his task without even breaking his connection to Lenna. The world around him had gone still as the sudden attack registered to all who¡¯d seen it and slowly even with those that hadn¡¯t. Once the bolt was out of his chest he let himself breath and immediately began coughing like he had just almost drowned.


    ¡°Isaac!¡± Lenna yelled and took two quick steps towards him before his raised hand stopped her.


    ¡°I¡­ okay¡­¡± He coughed out. A few seconds of trying to cough his lung out later and he finally managed to hack up the blood that made its way into somewhere it didn¡¯t belong. Isaac straightened and looked around. He saw the crossbowman who was trying to stealthily reload his crossbow. It was one of the gang members that Lenna was about to take on.


    Lenna eyed Isaac for a long moment before launching into action. She ran and slid along the stone ground towards her previously thrown sword. She scooped it up and shoved off the ground back onto her feet. The healer and the armless man were behind her. Isaac was off to her side a good twenty feet and the remaining gang members were about forty feet in front. Her eyes burned with fury. She had been only a few feet from him yet she hadn¡¯t been able to stop that attack. If it had landed a few inches to the side she would have been burning all of her remaining mana on trying to bring him back to life instead of using it to end the cowards in front of her.


    A warrior in light armor with a mace and shield moved in between Lenna and the back line, the two crossbowmen and the mage, he was flanked by a warrior in heavy armor with a greatsword and another warrior in light armor with a rapier. ¡°Wait.¡± Isaac ordered the entire battlefield. All eyes shot to him. In one hand was the bolt that had buried itself in his chest and in the other a black void in the same shape and size. ¡°One bolt for another sounds fair. It was an accident after all, right?¡± Isaac said and launched the shadow bolt with all the speed, power, and control he could muster.


    The black void shot across the distance in between Isaac and the man who had shot him. The man tried to dodge but he couldn¡¯t get completely out of the way in time. Isaac¡¯s bolt cut deep into the crossbowman¡¯s shoulder and stayed there for a few short seconds before losing its integrity and floating away. The man dropped his crossbow and his hand shot to his now open wound.


    The enemy mage hadn¡¯t taken his eyes off of Isaac since he had been shot. The mage could feel the mana coming from the silver eyed man and he knew that he was interfering with the makeshift tournament somehow. He couldn¡¯t figure out how, however, so he stayed quiet. Watching what had just occurred caused something to dawn on the wizard. Isaac didn¡¯t say spell chants for magic to happen around him. His eyes darted to Lenna and the memory of a thin black line connecting them for a few moments returned to his mind.


    The wizard started the fight with a spell. ¡°Command: Removal: Dispel¡± He ordered and mana listened. His mana lashed out at Lenna in an attempt to remove whatever spell had been cast on her. Nothing seemed to happen but that didn¡¯t mean that nothing had happened.


    Lenna charged, the dispel had caused her aura to flicker but nothing else. She was glad that Isaac¡¯s magics were not spells at all but magical skills like wielding a sword. She knew the chant for dispel magic as it was one of the ones that every caster needed to be wary of but she couldn¡¯t cast it herself. She used to be able to but her broken oath once again railroaded her options.


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    ¡°Let my flames,¡± Lenna began mid stride.


    ¡°Command:¡± The wizard started.


    ¡°Consume all¡± Lenna went on while covering another few feet in a single lunging stride.


    ¡°Nega¡­¡± The wizard continued.


    ¡°Before me.¡± Lenna finished. Her hand started to heat up.


    Right as flames were about to start pouring out of her open hand the wizard finished. ¡°. . . tion.¡± Her spell fizzled.


    ¡®Dispels and counters. Dammit.¡¯ Lenna swore internally. She went for the weakest link in their front line and planned to plow through the rapier wielder in one or two strong attacks. A bolt bounced off her armor. The mace and shield warrior moved to intercept her.


    ¡°Stars of doom heed my call.¡± The wizard chanted. Lenna changed course, trying to use the mace wielder as a shield against the wizard. She covered her face with her off hand, started to repeat her cone of flames spell, and began a powerful horizontal swing all at the same time.


    Four small marbles of reality magic dove around the mace wielder and slammed into Lenna¡¯s armor. The magic was only mostly stopped by her armor and she felt small wounds open up only to be quickly resealed by Isaac. She enhanced her horizontal swing with her aura and flames again. The magical blade was blocked by the man¡¯s shield. Her sword cut deep, only stopping halfway through the warrior¡¯s forearm, a full seven inches into the shield.


    The warrior howled in pain and tried to back off. He turned right as Lenna was about to finish her chant again. ¡°:Negation¡± She heard the wizard cast again and her flames died out in her hand.


    ¡®Better that than him attacking I guess.¡¯ Lenna thought and closed her fist before smashing the warrior¡¯s chest with a left hook that took him two inches off the ground and six backwards. She spun and yanked. Her sword came free and the warrior¡¯s arm poured blood like a fountain.


    She shouldered the rapier wielder who had tried to get close to get a good hit in while she was distracted with his teammate. Another bolt bounced off her armor. She was about to begin her chant again when she heard something she really didn¡¯t want to hear. ¡°What I seek is thunder!¡± The wizard shouted and lowered his staff at her.


    Lenna turned and raised her sword slightly just in time as a lightning bolt lanced out of the wizard¡¯s staff, slammed into her sword, shifted direction slightly, punched into her shoulder, and then singed a line across the ground forty feet behind her. The roll of thunder echoing down the street. She felt her blood boil. Her armor heated up. Isaac¡¯s death flames ran damage control but they needed time and that was something she didn¡¯t have.


    Her burst blood vessels were healing quickly but her arm was still in excruciating pain. The inside of her armor was painted red and felt wet. Her arm twitched as the nerves were rebuilt. Her vision blurred from the pain but she refused to let it slow her. She moved through the rapier wielder as if he wasn¡¯t there. She uppercutted him in the stomach straight through his feeble attempts at blocking it. She grabbed his face and through gritted teeth started her spell again. ¡°Let my flames¡±


    ¡°Command:¡± The wizard started his counter.


    ¡°Consume all before me.¡± She finished even as she regained control over her right arm.


    ¡°Negation¡± The wizard finished. Once again fizzling Lenna¡¯s spell.


    That was fine. That was part of the plan. Counterspell was a third level spell, as was lightning bolt, and dispel magic. The wizard had been burning through mana like there was no tomorrow and if he kept countering her first level spell he would run out of mana about the same time she did. A wizard without mana was a dead man.


    She stabbed her longsword into the rapier wielder¡¯s chest and turned, using him as a shield against the next crossbow bolt. The greatsword warrior was almost on top of her and was already bringing his sword down when she had turned. Instead of hitting her head his strike missed and caught her arm that was holding his companion by the face, then her cross guard of the sword that was now buried in the other man¡¯s chest.


    Lenna felt her forearm fracture, Isaac¡¯s mana couldn¡¯t keep up with the damage she was taking but she just needed a little more time. Her sword was forced downward with so much force that it cut another two inches directly downward through the rapier wielder¡¯s armor and forced him to his knees, a second or two longer and his legs would have given out from the wound instead.


    Lenna stepped back and started her spell again. She raised her sword just in time to deflect another heavy swing from the larger warrior with the larger sword. Again the wizard countered her spell even as she forced her aura out over the entire area. The wizard¡¯s knees began to shake. The wounded crossbowman started stumbling away from her. The other crossbowman powered through it, as did the two still surviving warriors. The one with the shield was trying to get said shield off of his arm before he bled out.


    The greatsword didn¡¯t slow and its wielder continued to press the attack. Lenna was on the back foot as his strength rivaled her own, even when she was using her aura to enhance her attacks, with the added bonus of a larger weapon that he, unlike her, was two handing.


    Lenna¡¯s eyes went wide, as she parried the large man¡¯s next attack, from the spell she heard next come from the wizard. She hadn¡¯t started her next spell quick enough to force him to counter it and now she could only hope her will was stronger than however much mana the wizard had left.

 Chapter 98 Can I Punch Him?

    Chapter 98 Can I Punch Him?


    ¡°Reality, bind my foe!¡± The wizard yelled. Lenna felt space itself constrict around her like a snake.


    ¡°Heh, you¡¯re mine.¡± She heard the greatsword wielding knight in front of her say as he turned and prepared to hit her with the most powerful horizontal strike he could. Considering his weight and the weight of the weapon Lenna doubted her armor would be enough. Even if the sword couldn¡¯t cut through her magical armor the impact force was bound to do considerable damage.


    ¡°EEYAH!¡± Lenna screamed and forced her body to move despite the magic. She flexed all her muscles and blasted her aura out with as much power as she had left. The continual aura use was wearing on her. Usually she only ever needed to use it for a few seconds at a time. In short bursts the spiritual strain wasn¡¯t even noticeable. Now however, she felt worn down deep in her chest and bones. The type of tired Isaac couldn¡¯t heal away.


    Her muscles bulged, her armor creaked from the strain as both its wearer and the space around it fought for control. The spell finally gave out after what, to Lenna, felt like minutes but was in all reality hardly over a second. Lenna barely had enough time to block the incoming strike with her forearms. She pushed up onto her toes to limit her contact with the ground. The impact shoved her back a few feet and she staggered back a few steps farther. Her left arm broke from the impact, not having been able to fully heal while suffering constant abuse, her right arm bruised but was mostly okay thanks to her left arm taking most of the blow.


    Lenna¡¯s left arm hung limp at her side. She rested the flat of her blade on her shoulder and locked eyes with the other knight. She heard a twang and turned her head slightly. The crossbow bolt skipped off of her faceplate and bounced off the ground. She glanced to her right and saw the wizard on his knees panting, the injured crossbowman was trying to reload his crossbow with one arm as the other was now bandaged and in a sling that looked to be made of his own shirt. The uninjured one was loading what must have been his dozenth bolt to fire at her. He only needed to get lucky once. One bolt, in just the wrong place, could be the end of her fight if not her life.


    She felt Isaac¡¯s magic reset the broken bone and could only pray that the other warrior would give her more time to heal. He moved. ¡°Let my flames consume all before me.¡± Lenna chanted as she tried to turn her broken arm so its palm would face him.


    ¡°Command: Negation¡± She heard from the wizard who she heard collapse completely onto the ground just as her fires fizzled again.


    ¡®Damn it!¡¯ She cursed internally. That wizard was really pissing her off. Her plan had been to allow him to keep countering her so he couldn¡¯t cast anything else but once that Reality Bind spell had been used, which resulted in her broken arm, all bets were off. In other life she would have thrown her sword at him to make a point. Now however, she needed to win.


    Her opponent¡¯s greatsword came down in a diagonal arc from her bad side. She swung her sword up in a clockwise direction with her aura pushing the blade as much as her arm was. She fought back a wince from the sudden movement even as her arm bones returned to being mostly intact. Her blade caught his and she leaned backwards allowing the blade to be redirected just over her face. The blade had passed so close that she could smell the oil used to polish it.


    The other knight stopped his swing once it had pathed the entire way back to his left hip. Lenna stepped forwards and raised her blade¡¯s tip to face the larger warrior¡¯s chest. She grunted from the effort and drove it forwards. Fire coated her blade, her frayed aura pushed with everything it had left, her muscles drank up Isaac¡¯s mana to allow them to keep working at a hundred percent.


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    Her opponent swung back the way his sword had previously come. He trusted his armor against her sword. If Lenna would have been in the right headspace to notice, her eyes would have gone wide at the realization. Her blade carved a vertical gash along his breastplate as it was deflected by the magically reinforced plate armor. Its magic having been hidden by the same spell as Lenna¡¯s first opponent¡¯s sword.


    Lenna kept pushing with everything she had and then some. Her blade finished carving a vertical line from the man¡¯s stomach to his neck on his armor before skipping off his collar and getting stuck four inches into his helmet. If her angle had been off by even a degree her sword would have skipped off the side of his helmet instead of entering it from just behind the chin. She hadn¡¯t even been aiming for this outcome. Luck, or maybe fate decided this victory. Her opponent¡¯s attack lost most of its power as it bounced off her pauldron.


    The knight collapsed at her feet. Lenna staggered back a step as she tried to yank her sword out of the magical armor it was now firmly lodged in. She was breathing heavily. She was tired to her core. Her injuries were mostly healed but she was still bruised all over. She turned and got her hand up in time to block a crossbow bolt aimed for her head. She staggered back again before solidifying her footing and taking a deep breath to ground herself.


    ¡®Almost done. Hard part is over.¡¯ She told herself. Lenna gave up on her sword and retrieved the fallen knight¡¯s greatsword. She rested the flat of its blade on her shoulder as she held it with one hand. ¡°Concede.¡± She ordered her remaining opponents. Her voice was barely audible even across the twenty foot gap separating her from that damned wizard.


    The crossbowmen shared a glance before the wizard, who had pushed himself back into a sitting position and looked at her with anger in his eyes but no energy left to direct it. He raised his staff so the tip was pointing at Lenna. ¡°Frost coalesce, impede those who stand against winter.¡± He chanted barely louder than a whisper. A light blue, to everyone watching, except Lenna who couldn¡¯t see color, sparkling beam of light struck Lenna in the chest.


    Ice formed where the beam made contact before the beam died, only a second after it had begun. Lenna took a few steps forwards. The cold feeling better than not. She was hot, sweaty, covered in mostly her own blood under her armor, and overall just done with this whole mess. She slowly closed the distance to the wizard who looked up at her. The crossbowmen hadn¡¯t fired in over ten seconds. They hadn¡¯t moved. They simply watched as Lenna stalked towards their teammate.


    ¡°I¡­ surrender.¡± The wizard told her through quiet but deep breaths.


    Lenna turned to ask Isaac a question when she saw the mace and shield wielder from earlier strap his partly broken shield back on and cinch it tight. He looked up and met her eye. ¡°Oh I¡¯m not done. Now that your magic sword isn¡¯t a problem it is on girly.¡± His arm was covered in blood but the wound had closed.


    ¡®Potion or he has his own healing.¡¯ Lenna thought and took two steps towards him before stopping. She stood casually with the greatsword still resting half on her shoulder. ¡°Make it quick.¡± She told him. Her left foot was half a step forwards so she could easily switch into a fighting stance but for now she was just taking a break. She didn¡¯t know what kind of tricks this man had up his sleeve.


    He chuckled. ¡°Never heard that one before.¡± He said with a smirk and charged her.


    ¡®If he didn¡¯t use any magic earlier I doubt he has any now. Probably potions.¡¯ Lenna reasoned. She waited until he was about ten feet away to make her move. She whipped the greatsword at him like a throwing ax with only her natural strength and took two quick steps forward.


    The greatsword was blocked by the other warrior¡¯s shield who ducked behind it just in time. He raised his head and lowered his shield just in time to see Lenna grab his shield. His eyes went wide as Lenna yanked and twisted. His arm was locked straight and she spun, twirling under his arm without loosening her grip on the shield. Since the shield was locked onto his arm his arm was pulled along for the ride which included a full forced rotation. His hand, which was locked into the handle on the inside of his shield, turned like a waterwheel.


    The man let out a cry of pain as his wrist was sprained, his elbow hyperextended, and his shoulder was sprained in turn. Lenna skirted around him while still holding onto his injured arm. She kicked his knee out and slammed him onto the ground face first.


    ¡°I concede!¡± He yelled through the pain ¡°Just let me go!¡± He cried.


    Lenna shoved his shield as she released it. His arm bouncing off the ground. Nothing broken but plenty of joint damage. Lenna continued with what she was going to do before he so rudely interrupted her. Lenna asked a question while weakly pointing at the wizard who was still on his knees a few yards away: ¡°Can I punch him?¡±

 Chapter 99 I’m No Hero,

    Chapter 99 I¡¯m No Hero,


    Isaac just chuckled and shook his head. ¡°Sure, just try not to kill him.¡±


    Lenna walked over to the wizard who¡¯s eyes were so wide it looked like they would fall out of his head and roll across the ground. She bent down and grabbed him by the collar. ¡°Wa-wa-wait. I surrendered!¡± The wizard reminded her while his legs were kicking from her lifting him off the ground.


    ¡°I, hate, wizards.¡± Lenna told him, accentuating each word. She reared back and punched him in the cheek bone as hard as she could with her armored first. No magic or aura was used but she still managed to hit him so hard that he slipped from her grasp and had rotated a full forty five degrees before his feet made contact with the ground. The rest of him quickly followed.


    Isaac gestured at the two crossbowmen who had obviously given up. ¡°What about them?¡± He asked.


    The one audibly gulped. The other responded quickly: ¡°We surrender too, and we aren¡¯t wizards!¡± He argued for their safety.


    Lenna took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She turned to see Isaac who was walking casually towards her, chuckling at the crossbowmen. ¡°They aren¡¯t wizards.¡± She told him.


    Isaac laughed even as a dark orb appeared in his hand and he pulled her magical cloth out of it, once again using shadows for cover of what he was actually doing. He held it between two fingers as he undid her helmet strap. ¡°You did great.¡± He told her with a smile. His smile turned sad as he raised her helmet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t expect them to be as strong as they were.¡±


    Lenna let him remove her helmet. ¡°Water?¡± She asked once her face was in the open air. She felt Isaac¡¯s mana leave her face just before he started taking her helmet off. Her eyes were heavy.


    He nodded and pulled a waterskin out of a ball of shadows and handed it to her. She poured some of it on her face and then took a few sips. It wasn¡¯t good to drink too much after a workout. It was then, when the cold water had hit her face and throat, that she processed her surroundings in their entirety. She had completely tunnel visioned during the fight once she had known that Isaac was alright.


    The crowd had cheered louder and louder for each gang member that she had taken out like it was a blood sport in a colosseum. Once she had gotten the last two to surrender there was cheering and jeering alike. Likely from bets won and lost. When Isaac had removed her helmet they had almost completely gone quiet. Some of them already knew from seeing her walking through town recently without her helmet but most did not. Someone whipped an apple at her. Moving completely on instinct she caught it. She turned it over in her hand, sniffed it once and then took a bite out of it.


    Isaac chuckled at the odd display. ¡°A gift from one of your admirers I guess.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. She nodded towards the dwarf kingpin who looked to be having a breakdown. He was yelling obscenities at his still conscious and living lackeys. He threw his wine glass and it broke on the goliath¡¯s face. His closed eyes prevented any damage but he did not look amused.


    Isaac followed her gaze. ¡°Right. I have a dwarf to get money and a man out of. My blessing will run out soon. You look like you should sit down.¡± Isaac told her.


    Lenna nodded and looked around for somewhere to sit. ¡°I can feel it running out already.¡± She replied, playing along.


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    Isaac looked around as well and didn¡¯t see anywhere close by. He sighed and moved to her side. He put her arm around his shoulders. ¡°Ready?¡± He asked.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°I should be fine.¡± She told him. She wasn¡¯t sure why he was acting like she was going to fall over. Her legs almost gave out as his magic was no longer energizing her. The full exhaustion of her aura and the weight of coming down off an adrenaline high almost brought her to her knees even though she was in perfect physical health.


    Isaac sat her down and used the mana he no longer had to hide to form a chair out of hardened shadows for her. She let him guide her down onto it and nodded appreciatively. ¡°You alright?¡± Isaac asked. He could tell that there were some things he couldn¡¯t heal even if he didn¡¯t know why or even how his magic healed in the first place.


    ¡°Yes. Thank you, my Lord.¡± Lenna replied and closed her eyes for a moment before taking another bite of the apple. Another apple was launched at her, presumably by the same person, and this time Isaac caught it.


    Isaac turned to look at the man whose face wore both shock and fury. ¡°If you want to give the Lady an apple, do so like a normal person. Throw one at her head again and I¡¯ll do this to you.¡± Isaac threatened and a near invisible blade of shadows, barely strong enough to cut the apple, split it in two in his hand. He rotated his fingers slightly and the halves slid apart. For any onlooker who didn¡¯t have mana senses it looked as though he cut the apple in half by simply moving his thumb and index fingers slightly in different directions. He coated the one half in shadows and made it vanish into his Inventory then took a bite out of the other half.


    The onlooker in question backed off and Isaac decided it was time to deal with the raving lunatic twenty feet away from him. He started listening to the dwarf¡¯s ranting and rambling just in time to hear the words ¡°Drow whore.¡± Isaac patted Lenna¡¯s brow and cheek with the cloth that was still in his hand after handing Lenna back her helmet. He gave her a smile and vanished.


    Isaac appeared right in front of the dwarf. So close that his presence caused the dwarf to stumble backwards and almost trip. ¡°Don¡¯t call her that.¡± Isaac told him coldly and lightly punched him in the mouth. The impact was enough to send him staggering back a step but not hard enough to take any teeth from their resting places. Before the dwarf could regain his bearings Isaac launched into demands and monologuing. ¡°I¡¯m here for three more reasons than to reprimand you for being a sore loser. One, to kick the shit out of you for having one of your guys shoot me in the fucking chest.¡± Isaac began while counting on his fingers. ¡°Two, to get that gold you owe me for losing. And three, to collect this guy.¡± Isaac explained and shoved the wanted poster for the guy they were originally after in the dwarf¡¯s face.


    The dwarf snatched the paper out of his hand and looked up at Isaac defiantly. His face was burning red, it looked like he was about to explode like an over pressurized boiler. ¡°You don¡¯t get to order me ¡®round in me own gods damned turf!¡± He yelled at Isaac. His eyes were bloodshot. The scent of alcohol already strong on his breath that carried way too far in Isaac¡¯s opinion.


    Isaac didn¡¯t have the incoming mana for a good show because he was using it to support Lenna so he decided on something a little more direct. Isaac reached out and punched him lightly in the mouth again. ¡°I can, and I will. You have three seconds before I decide to start with beating the shit out of you.¡±


    The dwarf dabbed his mouth with his hand and it came off a little bloody. He looked at Isaac with unrestrained hatred. ¡°You¡¯ll die fer that.¡± He threatened and took a step back while pointing two fingers at Isaac. ¡°What I seek is¡­ ARG!¡± He yelled as Isaac closed the distance in an instant, grabbed the shorter man¡¯s fingers and yanked. He pulled the dwarf off balance as he rotated the short man¡¯s hand by the fingers. With the arm fully extended and the arm rotated he was in perfect position to have his elbow added to the list.


    ¡°Times up.¡± Isaac told him calmly and proceeded to break the dwarf¡¯s elbow, followed by a back fist to his nose which broke that as well. Isaac was met by vulgarity and weak punches from the dwarf. ¡°I tend to get distracted by money.¡± Isaac told him while teleporting to his other side and quickly breaking that elbow as well. The dwarf tried to speak another spell through gritted teeth but Isaac grabbed the back of his head and forced his jaw into Isaac¡¯s incoming knee. Isaac was merciless in his thorough beating. Even though it only lasted about thirty seconds by the time he was done the dwarf had a broken nose and a few broken ribs added to the list and was unconscious on the ground in a heap.


    Isaac gave the dwarf one last kick and looked around. ¡°Who¡¯s second in command?¡± He asked. The crowd had gone from ogling Lenna to watching Isaac tear the boss of the street apart, while said boss¡¯s guards stood by and watched with bored expressions.


    The crossbowman who had shot Isaac cleared his throat. ¡°Sorry mister, he didn¡¯t really have a second in command. He just ordered us around mostly. The one closest to that would be him.¡± The man said, trying to win favor with Isaac, in hopes of not getting the shit beaten out of him like what had happened to his boss. He gestured with his good arm at the corpse of the rapier wielder.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Whatever, I just need this guy and the twelve hundred gold this piece of shit owes me.¡± He explained and kicked the dwarf who was collapsed at his feet. Isaac showed the surviving gang leaders the bounty.


    ¡°Why go after him? That bounty isn¡¯t worth it for gold rankers.¡± The crossbowman from before asked.


    ¡°His crime.¡± Isaac said coldly. ¡°It¡¯s about sending a message. We aren¡¯t bringing him in.¡±


    A few of the gang members around audibly gulped. Two in particular paled. Isaac took notice. He looked at each of them in turn. ¡°Something I should know?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°It¡¯ll be way, and I mean way worse if I find out later.¡± They both shook their heads. Isaac sighed. ¡°I¡¯m no hero, but there are lines that shouldn¡¯t be crossed.¡±

 Chapter 100 Lord of Darkness Itself

    Chapter 100 Lord of Darkness Itself


    The ¡®I¡¯m no hero line¡¯ was punctuated by a moan from the unconscious dwarf at Isaac¡¯s feet. ¡°I might know where to find him.¡± The woman who Lenna had taken out in the first round said as she joined the group. Her steps were a little wobbly but she seemed fine otherwise.


    ¡°Great. What about this one¡¯s gold?¡± Isaac asked.


    She shrugged. ¡°Probably the brothel.¡± Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°He basically lives there. Runs the whole street out of a back room.¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Why work for someone like this?¡± He asked, looking down at the bloodied and broken mess at his feet.


    ¡°Pays good.¡± She answered. A few others nodded along.


    ¡°How much is good?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Why?¡± The woman asked. ¡°You hiring?¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Not right now. Besides, Lenna just took out the whole lot of you.¡± He shook his head before looking at the swordswoman. ¡°She said you had promise but lacked experience.¡± He looked at the goliath who was walking over slowly. ¡°She said you did not disappoint. That¡¯s the best compliment I¡¯ve ever heard from her.¡± He told the massive man.


    The big guy smiled and nodded. ¡°She didn¡¯t either.¡±


    Isaac chuckled and shook his head. ¡°She went toe to toe with the Guild Master not too long ago, if anyone thinks she¡¯s disappointing they need a reality check.¡±


    ¡°The Guild Master of where?¡± The swordswoman asked.


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°Safeharbor?¡± He replied questioning why she asked in the first place.


    ¡°The Blade Master? That Guild Master?¡± The woman continued with wide eyes.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± He saw Lenna out of the corner of his eye walking over slowly and he dismissed her chair.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised I¡¯m alive.¡± The swordswoman said quietly, mostly to herself, and rubbed her neck.


    ¡°I lost that fight.¡± Lenna cut in once she was close enough for those present to hear her. She didn¡¯t have enough energy to yell.


    ¡°How long did you last?¡± The human woman asked.


    ¡°I broke his sword, he got serious, I fireballed both of us.¡± Lenna replied in as much detail as most of her stories. Isaac would have spun some grand battle describing parries and counter attacks but Lenna liked her bullet points.


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    ¡°Wait.¡± The swordswoman said and held up her hands. ¡°You can cast fireball?¡±


    Lenna looked at Isaac then back at the woman. ¡°She just woke up.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°She missed the whole killing a man in a single spell, walking off a lightning bolt, and breaking the big guy¡¯s ribs stuff.¡±


    Lenna only nodded but the other woman looked like her still recovering head couldn¡¯t process what Isaac had just explained. ¡°I¡­ I, knew you won. But I honestly couldn¡¯t see how.¡±


    Lenna looked down at the dwarf at Isaac¡¯s feet. ¡°My Lord, did you remember to get the money first?¡± She asked.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No, he pissed me off.¡± Lenna shook her head back in admonishment.


    ¡°I know that loser has a bounty on his head or whatever but is that really why you are here?¡± The swordswoman asked. ¡°You guys seem kind of overkill for him don¡¯t ya think?¡±


    ¡°Something big is happening outside of town and Edward, the Guild Master, wanted us on standby.¡± Isaac began. ¡°We got a stack of easy bounties in town to keep me from going stir crazy. He was on it. His crime is the real reason we are here.¡±


    The swordswoman looked at the bounty again and read it. She nodded. ¡°I see. Fair enough then. You passed his apartment. It¡¯s that one.¡± She explained and pointed at a door to a building that looked to have six or so apartments packed inside it. ¡°Have at it.¡±


    Isaac looked at Lenna who was watching the apartment with a set jaw. Her helmet was tucked under her arm. She needed air more than she felt the need to cover her face. ¡°You or me?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°I feel like we have different styles.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m exhausted.¡± Lenna told him but her eyes still burned with fury in the direction of where their target lived.


    ¡°How long should I take?¡± Isaac asked her.


    She finally broke off her stare that looked as though it would set the building alight to look at Isaac. The anger was gone completely as if it was never there. ¡°I¡¯m not a woman of torture.¡± She told him.


    Isaac gave her a smirk. ¡°Me neither. With the woman or the torture part. I get bored after about,¡± He looked at the dwarf who tried to move only to be assaulted by so much pain that he passed out again. ¡°Thirty seconds.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Thirty seconds seems fair. I doubt he lasted any longer.¡±


    Isaac just stared at her. His jaw almost fell open. ¡°Was¡­ was that a vulgar joke? From you?¡± His brows furrowed in thought. He shook his head to clear it.


    ¡°I¡¯ve spent too much time with you.¡± Lenna replied evenly.


    Isaac smiled. ¡°There is no such thing.¡± He took a step towards the building. ¡°Wait here and keep an eye on that one would you?¡± He asked while looking half over his shoulder at her.


    Lenna sighed. ¡°I would rather go with you.¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°To watch or to keep me safe?¡±


    Lenna averted her eyes. ¡°Not to watch.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°If he is even there I won¡¯t be long. I might just feed him to someone else.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Who knows what hides in the dark?¡± He said and vanished.


    Lenna watched after him even though she couldn¡¯t see him. ¡°You are what hides in the dark.¡± She whispered. She wasn¡¯t as quiet as she thought as the swordswoman, who had been pretty friendly after her beat down, was standing close enough to just barely make out what Lenna had said.


    Lenna had been answering some of the other woman¡¯s questions for about a minute before screaming could be heard from the building Isaac had supposedly entered. A man¡¯s scream. Lenna knew it wasn¡¯t Isaac. Most of it was yells of pain with words like demon getting cut off with more blood curdling cries of pain. Isaac reappeared a minute later without a single speck of blood on him and a smirk on his face.


    Lenna could tell the smirk was fake, she doubted anyone else would be able to tell. ¡°All done.¡± He told her.


    The gang leaders all eyed him with caution and a few with visual fear. ¡°Thirty two seconds.¡± Lenna told him. That was how long the man had been screaming.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°The little guy was hungry. He¡¯s probably going to need a bath at some point.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°He called you a demon.¡± She told him.


    ¡°You could hear him that clearly from here?¡± Isaac asked with raised eyebrows. The context for all the looks of terror he was getting was now revealed to him.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°If this continues, people are going to start believing it.¡± She warned.


    Isaac looked at her skeptically. ¡°When has a demon ever been this handsome?¡±


    Lenna couldn¡¯t help but crack a smirk at Isaac and his antics. ¡°Maybe you should clarify, at least to those present, my Lord.¡± Lenna advised.


    Isaac shrugged and turned to look at the gang leaders still present, which was most of them. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a demon?¡±


    The wizard, who was now sitting on the ground on the outskirts of the group nodded. ¡°Definitely a devil of some kind. I¡¯ve never seen magic like yours.¡±


    Isaac smirked for real this time. His silver eyes twinkled before shadows turned his brown leather armor into a void. His hood rose to rest on his head, shrouding his face in darkness. His voice deepened but only a little. ¡°Oh, is that all? That¡¯s an easy one. It¡¯s because I¡¯m a demigod. I am the Lord of Darkness itself.¡±

 Chapter 101 Our Humble Home.

    Chapter 101 Our Humble Home.


    A few glances were thrown back and forth between the gang members. ¡°I¡¯ve never met a demigod. You aren¡¯t exactly what I was picturing.¡± The swordswoman told Isaac casually. Apparently not worried about possibly offending one.


    ¡°Looks can be deceiving, expectations are delusions, reality is rarely what it seems.¡± Isaac replied and let his shadows fade. He tossed his hood back again.


    ¡°I shot him in the chest.¡± The crossbowman who had done so told the swordswoman.


    Isaac had completely forgotten at that point and looked down at his armor to find the hole. ¡°Yeah.¡± He said with a frown. ¡°This armor was already falling apart.¡± He continued while running his finger over the small round hole that still had a little blood on it. Isaac¡¯s frown deepened ¡°The shirt is ruined now too.¡± He complained.


    Lenna just shook her head. ¡°I forgot you were immortal for a moment.¡± She told him, reinforcing his previous statement about demigodhood.


    The swordswoman leaned in and poked the hole. Some blood came off on her finger, barely dried. ¡°Huh.¡± She rubbed it between her fingers


    Lenna had taken half a step towards Isaac when the other woman had moved. ¡°Immortal or not, he is still my charge.¡± Lenna warned the woman and raised her hand in between them.


    The swordswoman looked at her and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Don¡¯t like me getting close to your demigod boyfriend?¡± The swordswoman asked.


    Lenna didn¡¯t respond. Isaac looked between them with a smirk. ¡°I believe some introductions are in order.¡± He told them both. ¡°As you know I am the Lord of Darkness itself, my name is Lord Isaac Wexler of ¡­¡± His voice trailed off as a headache assaulted him and he shook his head. The swordswoman looked concerned at him.


    Lenna set her hand on his shoulder. ¡°You know better.¡± She told him.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Yeah. Memories taken shouldn¡¯t be remembered¡­¡± He whispered. ¡°Anyway, introduce yourself to our new friends.¡±


    Lenna turned and set her hand on her hilt, just in case. ¡°I am Lady Lenna V¡¯Nova, formerly of Contantis, ower of a life debt to the Lord of Darkness.¡±


    The mixed reaction from hearing her name was expected. Some cared and were angry but too afraid to do anything about it, some didn¡¯t care. Those that were angry probably had lost someone to the drow military presence in the region. This was normal even if it was unfortunate.


    The swordswoman put her hand on her chest and gave a low exaggerated bow. ¡°I am Eleonora Espina, sword master in training, sword for hire.¡± She rose from her bow with an easy smile on her face.


    ¡°What about you big man?¡± Isaac asked the goliath who was still hanging out. Some of the others looked like they didn¡¯t want to stick around but felt like they shouldn¡¯t leave for one reason or another. One of those reasons being that their boss was still on the ground. The healer had gotten around to him but didn¡¯t look sure enough to approach the man. Isaac¡¯s presence carried some weight now that people had heard the screams of his most recent victim.


    ¡°Brick, son of Oak.¡± He replied and nodded in finality. Isaac waited for any exposition but got none so he looked around at the others.


    Only the wizard felt like answering. ¡°Bartholomew Erikson, Altesia Academy graduate. Caster for coin as it goes.¡± He looked up at Lenna and rubbed his chin. ¡°I might have to rethink my line of work.¡±


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    When none of the others felt inclined to introduce themselves Isaac shooed them away. ¡°The rest of you may go. But,¡± He raised a finger in emphasis. ¡°You better not touch my gold.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of it.¡± One of the crossbowmen said after swallowing hard. The screams of pain and terror were still fresh in his mind.


    Most of the group broke up but the goliath, Brick, the swordswoman, Eleonora, and the wizard, Bartholomew, decided to stick around. Isaac gave the healer some space to look over the downed kingpin. ¡°I would offer you three jobs but I don¡¯t have anything for you to do to make it worth my while. I would recommend getting out of this business while you can though.¡±


    ¡°You know somethin¡¯ we don¡¯t mister god man?¡± Eleonora asked.


    Isaac chuckled at her designation of him. ¡°Just a feeling.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°Things are going to get real interesting at the Adventurers¡¯ Guild real soon and a small change in leadership in the Duke¡¯s cabinet is likely as well.¡±


    ¡°You certainly know what¡¯s up with the powerful folks huh?¡± Eleonora asked rhetorically.


    Isaac gave her a smirk. ¡°I could tell you my own schedule and that would still count.¡±


    She gave him a teasing smile. ¡°Well, if you ever have time, you could add me to your¡­ schedule.¡± She offered with a wink.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m really busy.¡± He shot her down. ¡°You¡¯re cute though.¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°Today is my day for losses I guess.¡± She turned and looked at the wizard and goliath. ¡°What do you think boys? We would make an alright adventuring team.¡±


    Brick shrugged. ¡°If there are good fights.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°There can be. You just need to find the right jobs.¡± He assured the goliath.


    Bartholomew sighed. ¡°It¡¯s gotta be better than getting yelled at by that prick right?¡± He answered and gestured towards the crumpled dwarf.


    ¡°Probably.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Great, then it¡¯s settled. Com¡¯on boys.¡± She directed her companions.


    ¡°Right now?¡± The wizard asked.


    ¡°Yeah. Why not?¡± The woman asked with her head cocked in question.


    The wizard and swordswoman continued bickering as they left in the direction of Safeharbor¡¯s Adventurers¡¯ Guild. Isaac turned to Lenna. ¡°They were fun.¡±


    Lenna met his eyes. ¡°You mean she.¡± She accused.


    Isaac put his hands up. ¡°My heart remains yours Lady V¡¯Nova. The interaction may have been fun but it was still just some idle banter.¡± He defended.


    Lenna rolled her eyes and put her helmet back on. ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡±


    ¡°I bet.¡± He agreed. ¡°Let¡¯s get the gold and get out of here.¡± He told her and started walking down the street towards where the dwarf and his party had come from.


    Lenna followed behind him quietly the entire way to the brothel. ¡°Ever been in one before?¡± Isaac asked her. The entrance was covered in pink paint and had a very detailed painting of a scantily dressed woman on the front.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No.¡± Was her only reply.


    Isaac walked in like he owned the place. He tossed the double batwing doors open and strode in. The music stopped for a moment before picking up where it had left off as if nothing had happened. An older woman in a corset and frilly skirt but presumably nothing else on sauntered over to him as Lenna walked up and stopped behind him.


    ¡°What can I do for you fine¡­¡± She eyed Lenna for a moment. ¡°Folks.¡±


    ¡°The dwarf owes me money.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°He¡¯s still unconscious so I came to get it myself.¡±


    Her eyes widened momentarily. ¡°Well, mayhaps, if you would allow it, I could host you in a back room for a short while? On the house of course.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac replied with total confidence. ¡°Either you help me get the twelve hundred gold he owes me, plus the three hundred for the offense of shooting me, or I turn this building upside down and pick it out of the wreckage.¡±


    ¡°My Lord, if I may?¡± Lenna asked, getting a look of horror from the woman. Downtown people could just go missing, even decently well known merchants, maybe in a rare case even an adventurer, and no one of any importance would come looking for them. Lenna dropping the Lord title proved that Isaac belonged to the one group of people that absolutely, under no circumstances ever, could go missing downtown. A lord going missing was basically sending the guard, garrison, magistrate, and the duke himself a personal letter asking to be searched, tried, and hanged for any and all offence.


    ¡°Yes Lenna?¡± Isaac replied but didn¡¯t take his eyes off the Madam of the brothel.


    ¡°I could burn it down instead.¡± Lenna offered. ¡°There would be less to sift through.¡±


    Isaac smiled. ¡°I like that idea.¡± He thought about it for a moment while the Madam tried to gain her bearings and find something to say to save her brothel and hopefully her position as well. ¡°Izen might not though.¡± He continued with a frown. ¡°Breaking things is fine but I don¡¯t want to start a block fire by accident. Izen has been very courteous to us and I wouldn¡¯t want to pay back his hospitality with wanton destruction.¡±


    Lenna gave him a short bow befitting a knight to her Lord and replied: ¡°It is as you say my Lord.¡±


    Isaac referencing the duke by his first name not once but twice just kept hammering home the fact that this woman, the Madam, was not only entirely out classed, both literally and figuratively, but if she misspoke, losing her job could be the least of her worries.


    ¡°My Lord, my Lord, please. I will take you to it, there is no reason to resort to destruction or violence. I had only wished to give you the best experience since you came to our humble home.¡± The Madam went on with a deep curtsy and as radiant of a smile as she could muster given the circumstance.


    Isaac looked down at her with a bored expression. He knew he was a good actor but the more he played the ¡®above the law¡¯, ¡®holier than thou¡¯, nobleman with enough power to get away with it role, the more he liked it. It was fun. He looked down his nose at her, bringing his chin up slightly. ¡°Well go on then, lead the way.¡±

 Chapter 102 To Be Conscious

    Chapter 102 To Be Conscious


    The Madam of the brothel led Isaac and Lenna down a hall to a backroom door. ¡°My Lord,¡± The Madam said with another low curtsy. ¡°I believe this is the room you are looking for.¡±


    Isaac eyed the door with an annoyed look plastered onto his face. In reality he was both enjoying himself and was curious to tackle whatever challenges the dwarf wizard had erected to prevent theft. ¡°Wards.¡± He said as if he had just eaten something bland.


    ¡°Magical locks and hardening, I believe my Lord.¡± Lenna replied with a short bow.


    Isaac gave the Madam a sidelong glance. ¡°Key?¡± He asked. The door was iron with a complex keyhole marking their main obstacle.


    ¡°Apologies my Lord, I am afraid only the owner knows where that might be. Perhaps we could ask him once he¡­ arrives.¡± She offered. It was clear she was trying to play her own little game but Isaac was having none of it.


    He blew over her suggestion by taking a step towards the door and raising his right hand palm up to about the height of his shoulder. Shadows poured out of him and coalesced into a spear about as long as Isaac was tall and an inch thick. The spear was as strong as he could make it. So strong in fact that it had taken him a whole ten seconds to form it so he could make sure that the shadows were as dense as possible.


    Isaac grabbed the spear, he pulled his hand back and threw it with everything he had at the door. He threw it not just with his arm but also his mind using his control over the mana. The spear lanced into the door but didn¡¯t quite penetrate it. He pulled his arm back and the spear yanked itself out of the door and found its way back into his hand. He threw it again, carefully guiding it to hit the same place as before.


    The void colored rod punched the rest of the way through the door. Isaac was sweating from the effort. Shadows lost to iron unless the wielder of said shadows was a madman with too much mana. He let the shadows disperse. ¡°Now he owes me another three hundred gold for making me work.¡± Isaac commented.


    Isaac walked up to the newly formed hole and peered inside. His dark vision ability came on as his eye approached the hole. Inside he saw a safe, a few shelves with scrolls, fancy inks, and woven covered books. There was no gold out in the open much to Isaac¡¯s annoyance. ¡°He better have the damn gold.¡± He mumbled under his breath. ¡°I don¡¯t see any wards inside.¡± He told Lenna and took a step back.


    Lenna walked up to the door and observed all of the room that she could through the small hole. ¡°I don¡¯t either.¡± She affirmed.


    ¡°Good. I¡¯ll teleport in then and open it from the inside.¡± Isaac told her and put his hand on her shoulder.


    Lenna pulled back but shook her head. ¡°He is a wizard.¡± She reminded him.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°He didn¡¯t seem like a high level one.¡±


    ¡°Poison bubble.¡± Was her response.


    Isaac cringed. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll have my familiar handle it.¡± He told her.


    Lenna raised an eyebrow even though Isaac couldn¡¯t see her face. ¡°As you wish.¡± She told him and backed off. Using Kahtesh there seemed to be a good way to lose the element of surprise when they needed him the most.


    Isaac put his hand over the hole and focused. He started to pull on Kahtesh to get him out of his shadow. When the lake of void started to form he mentally directed it into the hole and out on the floor inside the locked room. Isaac felt the void open up and Kahtesh pulled himself the rest of the way out of it. The little bone dragon stretched, like Isaac had told him too whenever he was summoned to make him seem more alive, and looked through the door at Isaac.


    ¡®There should be a metal stick right here.¡¯ Isaac told Kahtesh mentally and put his hand on the door handle on their side of the door. ¡®Press the part of it that isn¡¯t touching the door downwards.¡¯


    The little dragon did as he was told but the lever wouldn¡¯t budge. The mortals all heard claws tapping on stone and then scraping on metal. Kahtesh tried to bite the handle to pull it down with a better grip but it still refused to move. Isaac shook his head. ¡®New plan. Line yourself up so you can fire a lightning bolt right here.¡¯ Isaac directed and poked the part of the door in between the lock and the deadbolt.


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    Kahtesh took a step back and looked up at it. He was only a few inches lower than the lock as the owner of said lock was only four feet six inches tall. ¡®Make the bolt fly parallel to the floor and wait until I tell you to fire.¡¯ The little dragon did as he was told and waited. Isaac nodded and stepped to the side. Lenna did so as well.


    The Madam¡¯s eyes went wide when she realized that the pair were getting out of the way of something and she all but jumped into the wall that she pressed herself against. Luckily for her she was out of the way of Kahtesh¡¯s signature attack.


    ¡®Go ahead.¡¯ Isaac directed and turned his face away from the lock. A loud crack resounded. The metal door muffled it slightly but it still left their ears ringing in such a tight corridor. Kahtesh¡¯s lightning punched into the door. The magical enchantments tried desperately to fight against the powerful lightning but all they could do was make it worse. In slowing the lightning bolt it gave it more time to heat up the metal.


    A small lightning sprite zapped out of the door. The lock and its connection to the deadbolt were molten. ¡®Hide.¡¯ Isaac directed Kahtesh. He gave Lenna a nod and she took a step back before running shoulder first into the door. The door opened inwards to keep the hinges hidden from the outside so any potential burglar wouldn¡¯t be able to simply take the door off the hinges to get inside. Lenna¡¯s full weight crashed into the door and the whole thing shifted. She backed up and tried again. This time lock remnants gave out and the door flew open.


    Isaac had meanwhile sent Kahtesh back to bed in his shadow through the door in order to continue to hide his true nature. Once Lenna was inside a glow stone lit up, bathing the room in a bluish white light. There was a torch on a sconce and a few candles but none of them were lit. Isaac followed Lenna inside. ¡°Thanks.¡± He told her.


    Lenna gave him a bow and replied: ¡°It¡¯s my honor to serve my Lord.¡± Lenna was laying it on too thick for Isaac¡¯s taste. He didn¡¯t really like her active subservience at all and it was getting to be too much for him. She was his equal in his eyes and even though it was an act, her acting like little more than a servant just didn¡¯t sit right with him. It wasn¡¯t the ¡®my Lord¡¯ thing that got to him but the ¡®it¡¯s my honor to serve¡¯ part that was the problem.


    ¡°Now, where is the gold?¡± Isaac asked and strode over to the safe. The safe was a small, two foot by two foot by two foot cube with a dial lock and a thick lever as a handle. This lock was bound to be even harder to pick, if either of them knew how, but Isaac had another idea. His shadows were strong, maybe even stronger than little internal lock components.


    ¡°That looks too small for the gold.¡± Lenna whispered with a frown. She looked around but there didn¡¯t seem to be anywhere else that it could be. ¡°Dimensional storage?¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Only one way to find out.¡± He put his fingers on the safe. Each finger making a point of a star around the dial. He focused his shadows into the lock and worked to fill every internal space with them. He had made them as solid as possible and could only hope that it was enough. The shadows poured out of and around the lock and into his hand. He then made a long lever to help him try to twist the internals into pieces.


    Lenna set down another book on the book shelf. The bookshelf was real as far as she could tell. She expected to find a secret closet or compartment somewhere in the room but had found nothing. She turned in time to see Isaac stand up with the shadow lever in his hands. She walked over and set her hand on it. Isaac looked at her and gave her a nod. They both grabbed on with both hands and pulled.


    Isaac was pulling so hard with both his body and mind that he started to get a headache. Lenna¡¯s muscles bulged in her armor. The shadows started to bend. ¡°Stop¡­ stop.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°The lock is too strong.¡±


    They stopped and Isaac leaned on the wall panting. Lenna looked down at the safe with a frown. ¡°I could burn it open.¡± Lenna offered. She had only regained a little bit of mana but she hoped it would be enough to melt the lock.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°He probably has the deeds to all his properties in there.¡± He took another deep breath, continuing to get his breathing back under control. ¡°They might be ruined and I want what he owes.¡±


    Lenna nodded in understanding. ¡°I could hit him with it.¡± She continued offering suggestions. This one got a laugh out of Isaac who didn¡¯t really take it as seriously as Lenna had meant it.


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac chuckled. ¡°He¡¯d probably die.¡± He sighed and looked around.


    Lenna followed his gaze and then her eyes shot to one of the shelves piled high with scrolls. She walked over and started rooting through them. Isaac walked over to her and gave her a questioning look. ¡°There is a spell that unlocks things.¡± She explained while looking at scroll after scroll. Most of them were failed attempts at first level spells of varying kinds but none of them were of the one she was looking for.


    ¡°Not even he is that stupid.¡± Isaac told her. He walked over and started looking at the books. The Madam had been watching them the entire time from the doorway. She looked as though she didn¡¯t want to enter for fear of her boss but also didn¡¯t want to let Isaac and Lenna run free inside the dwarf¡¯s private vault, not that she could do much to stop them.


    Isaac was on his seventh book when a small slip of paper slid out and drifted down to the ground. He bent down and picked it up. The book was on the history of telling the weather via magic, one that many would find utterly boring, and looked as though it hadn¡¯t been opened in half a century. The paper had some scribbling on it that was slightly faded. Isaac rotated it in his hand until the scribbles started to resemble numbers. He set the book down. ¡°No fucking way.¡± He whispered.


    Lenna walked over and looked at the paper in his hand. ¡°He is indeed, ¡®that stupid¡¯.¡± She commented.


    Isaac chuckled and walked over to the safe. ¡°Two times around to the right, stop on twenty five.¡± He did as the note said with his ear close to the lock. He heard the slightest click and smiled. Reading the next line he continued. ¡°One time around to the left, stop on sixty.¡± He did so and heard another click. ¡°To the right until seventeen.¡± A final click. Isaac pushed the lever down and the door came open.


    The pair peered into the now open safe and could only frown. It was full of property deeds. ¡°I have no idea how much property is worth.¡± Isaac complained.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Me neither.¡±


    Isaac pulled them out and started looking through them. ¡°Most of these are houses which Alice said are a few hundred gold but I don¡¯t want any of these.¡± He pulled a few of them out. ¡°These are businesses, this one is the brothel.¡± He said and handed it to Lenna.


    Lenna sighed and rolled it up. ¡°It is probably worth the most.¡±


    Isaac sat on the floor and his frown deepened. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to deal with owning it. Or any other business for that matter. It¡¯s all taverns, bars, an inn, and this brothel. He has to be raking in the gold so where is it?¡±


    Lenna¡¯s face took on a deadpan look as she stared at nothing. ¡°The bank.¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡± Isaac groaned and threw his hands up. ¡°He has to be conscious for that.¡±

 Chapter 103 Conveniently Forgot

    Chapter 103 Conveniently Forgot


    Lenna handed Isaac the brothel¡¯s deed and he stood up without using his hands. His shadows moved behind and under him and he used his mana control to push himself up into a standing position. Lenna gave him a look he could feel more than see. ¡°What? My arms are tired.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± She replied and took a step back towards the scrolls. ¡°Should I grab these?¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°How much do you think those are worth?¡± He asked.


    Lenna sifted through them again. ¡°A few of them are decent. Maybe how much he owes in total.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather get it in gold. We aren¡¯t robbing him so take whatever looks useful and we¡¯ll deduct that from what he owes.¡± Isaac offered and leaned against the doorway to wait for Lenna to find which ones she wanted.


    A minute later Lenna handed Isaac three scrolls. One of stars of doom, one of cone of flame, and one of mark of the hunter. The last one was something Isaac hadn¡¯t heard of but resolved to have Lenna explain it later. The pair left the brothel and the befuddled Madam behind and headed back towards where they had left the broken dwarf.


    The dwarf was standing up and yelling at the healer with both of his arms in splints. ¡°I told you five times already, Mr. Goldtooth, I do not have enough mana to finish healing you. You will need to either wait or find a healer not on your payroll to finish healing you.¡±


    ¡°Useless useless useless! I paid all of you good coin just fer a crock of failures!¡± The dwarf ranted on.


    Isaac coated the deeds in shadows and stuffed them into his Inventory. He took a step and appeared right behind the dwarf. ¡°You still owe me.¡± Isaac told him from two feet away. ¡°Some of your ¡®good coin¡¯.¡±


    The dwarf¡¯s ears reddened even as he jumped from the start. He spun around and went to shake his fist at Isaac but he winced as the splint did its job. ¡°Yer not gettin¡¯ shite!¡± The dwarf yelled, spittle flying, his face losing all color save for red.


    Isaac pulled the stack of deeds out of his Inventory in a cloud of shadows. He sifted through them in front of the dwarf. ¡°Oh this one is just a house.¡± He said and crumbled it up in his free hand and tossed it to Lenna. Lenna caught it easily and tilted her head at him. ¡°Torch it.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡± Lenna replied and summoned some flames in her hand with some of her dwindling mana reserves. The paper went up like a torch. A few seconds later there was nothing but ashes.


    ¡°What?!¡± The dwarf screamed and tried to use his solidified arms to grab for the stack of papers in Isaac¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I can go through them cheapest to most expensive or top to bottom. Your choice.¡± Isaac told him evenly.


    The kingpin, now reduced to a semi broken mess, was filled with so much fury that he couldn¡¯t even speak. Isaac raised an eyebrow and pulled another sheet out of the stack. ¡°Fine.¡± The dwarf replied through his teeth.


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    ¡°Good. Now that that¡¯s settled. Let¡¯s go to the bank.¡± Isaac told him and started walking in the direction of the bank. Lenna pushed the dwarf¡¯s shoulder as she walked to join Isaac. The dwarf stumbled and cursed. He didn¡¯t move to follow so Isaac handed Lenna another deed.


    ¡°Fine!¡± The dwarf yelled and hobbled after them. The trio walked in near total silence the entire way to the bank. Once inside Isaac pushed the dwarf towards the counter.


    The clerk watched them come in with caution and curiosity. ¡°Hello.¡± The clerk greeted them.


    Isaac continued to push the dwarf towards the counter until they reached it. ¡°Hi.¡± Isaac returned the greeting.


    ¡°Help me.¡± The dwarf told the clerk. ¡°I¡¯m being held against my will.¡±


    ¡°You still owe me money.¡± Isaac told him coolly.


    ¡°I¡¯m being extorted!¡± The kingpin yelled.


    ¡°Yes. Yes you are.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Unless you want me to take you to Tim, the Captain of the Guard, and tell him that you had one of your men shoot me, a noble, in the middle of the street.¡± He threatened. The dwarf gulped hard. ¡°Now for the total.¡± Isaac began. ¡°Twelve hundred gold for the bet, three hundred for shooting me, three hundred for making me break into your vault to find the money you owe me, and another two hundred for making me deal with this.¡± He finished and gestured around them.


    ¡°The bet was only for twelve hundred. I can¡¯t pay that!¡± The shorter man cried.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Not my problem. Pay up or I take you to the Guard Captain.¡±


    A few minutes of shouting and Isaac getting a headache, fifteen hundred gold was transferred into Isaac¡¯s account. The dwarf physically didn¡¯t have the other five hundred and Isaac had had enough of dealing with him so he left him with a warning. ¡°The next time I see you, you will either pay me the five hundred gold you still owe or I will take your arm as payment.¡± Isaac had conveniently forgotten to deduct the worth of the spell scrolls from the amount.


    They left the bank with Isaac and Lenna going towards the Celestial Dawn for something to eat and the dwarf hobling back towards his little slice of Safeharbor.


    ¡ª


    The following day found Isaac and Lenna walking back into the Guild Hall to hand Alice back the bounties she had given them. The walk was pleasant and gave Isaac time to ask a few questions. ¡°You did something new with your aura didn¡¯t you?¡± He asked Lenna.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied as they continued towards the Guild Hall.


    ¡°What exactly? It was weird. I couldn¡¯t tell exactly what you were doing but I could tell something was off.¡± He explained.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you could tell. Only paladins should have aura senses.¡± She eyed Isaac for a moment. ¡°Unless you have an aura that is?¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Not that I know of.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°I finally leveled up. I figured out how to infuse my aura into my attacks to make them stronger.¡±


    Isaac put his hand on his chin in thought and nodded. ¡°That makes sense.¡± He eyed her. ¡°How did you level up?¡±


    ¡°That was the last thing I needed. I was struggling with the technique. I felt it activate on its own when I was thinking about that man.¡± She explained. ¡°Anger was the key.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Think it has something to do with the anger of your ancestors then?¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Probably.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Isaac said but after a moment more of contemplation he dove into the next question. ¡°You didn¡¯t actually think there was anything going on with Eleonora did you?¡±


    Lenna only shrugged in response and decidedly did not elaborate.


    ¡°Because there wasn¡¯t. It¡¯s just not often I find someone with the same¡­¡± His voice trailed off as he attempted to find the words he needed to explain himself without putting his foot too far into his mouth. ¡°attitude as me I guess.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°You don¡¯t need to explain yourself to me my Lord.¡±


    ¡°Oh come on. Don¡¯t give me that.¡± Isaac pleaded. ¡°I just wanted you to know that there wasn¡¯t anything there and that I¡¯m not the type of person to get swayed that easily.¡±


    Lenna nodded once. ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡ª


    When they arrived, what they got was an angry Edward. ¡°You two can¡¯t be left alone for two fucking minutes can you?!¡± He scolded. ¡°You are grounded since you want to act like children and cause trouble as soon as there isn¡¯t a noise maker in your hands. Do you have any idea the work you just piled on my desk?¡±


    Isaac just shrugged. ¡°For what exactly?¡±


    ¡°Murder of a bounty target, dueling in the street, harassment, burglary, and assault. The charges don¡¯t mean anything because the man who submitted them is a known crime lord but that doesn¡¯t change all the paperwork I have to deal with on top of everything else going on right now.¡± Edward finally calmed down a bit and took a deep breath.


    ¡°He deserved everything he got.¡± Isaac replied with another shrug.


    Edward sighed. ¡°Alice, give them access to the library and free food until they get in trouble again. Or until they take another bounty. And don¡¯t think I¡¯m done with you either young lady. You facilitated this.¡±


    Alice replied like a scolded child, her eyes down; ¡°Yes Guild Master.¡±

 Chapter 104 Just Jinxed Us.

    Chapter 104 Just Jinxed Us.


    Isaac and Lenna had taken the deal they were offered and spent the next two days going in between the Celestial Dawn, the arena, the library, and the Guild Hall. Finally after Isaac had finished his fourth book since their grounding Edward walked into the guild library. ¡°I have bad news. We¡¯re going looking for Azazel. His guild card disconnected.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean it disconnected?¡± Isaac asked and closed his book after marking his spot.


    ¡°All of your badges have a matched pair. When something happens to one of them the other will lose connection and the magic will fade. Either his badge is destroyed or he is dead as they are linked to your mana signature.¡± Edward explained.


    Isaac tilted his head as he stood up. ¡°Ours weren¡¯t attuned to us.¡± He stated.


    Edward nodded in affirmation. ¡°It¡¯s a complex ritual that requires Identify to be cast on you. Basically it uses the Identify to save an imprint of you on the badge. The more you level up, the weaker the connection will be and the badges will visibly fade. Usually after three levels or so the ritual would need to be done again.¡± He explained.


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°Makes sense from what I¡¯ve read about magic.¡± He commented. ¡°So something happened to either his card or him so we need to figure out who did it, with what, where he got in a fight, and how they found him in the first place right?¡±


    Edward raised an eyebrow at Isaac¡¯s immediate willingness to go look for someone he didn¡¯t know who had probably died tracking down something that Isaac had previously not wanted to tangle with. ¡°You have the gist of it.¡±


    Lenna rose from her chair and stretched as well. She put her helmet back on and strapped it in place. Isaac gave her a look that asked if she was ready to go and she gave him a nod. ¡°We¡¯re ready when you are.¡± Isaac told Edward. They had been ready to go for the last three days. Lenna had managed to put off thinking about the impending danger as she knew that there was nothing that she could do about it but Isaac had always had the feeling of that monster in the back of his mind. He had been distracting himself with books, poorly, in order to keep from going stir crazy.


    Isaac pulled his cloak out of his Inventory and buttoned it. Edward gave the pair a nod and turned to leave with the two foreign adventurers in tow. The trio walked down the stairs and towards the exit, not even pausing as they passed Alice¡¯s desk. Alice gave them a nod with a stern look on her face. ¡°Good luck. Be safe. Don¡¯t die.¡± She bid them as a farewell.


    Isaac gave her a smile and shook his head. ¡°We won¡¯t need the luck.¡±


    Lenna gave her a nod and answered: ¡°It won¡¯t be.¡± She replied to Alice¡¯s comment about safety.


    Edward shook his head. ¡°Promises like those are death flags if I¡¯ve ever seen them. You two better not have just jinxed us.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Either of you two ride?¡± Edward asked as they approached the gate on the side of Safeharbor facing the path into the spider infested tunnels.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°I did, a century ago.¡± Lenna replied.


    Edward sighed. ¡°I guess we are running.¡± Edward knew the rough path that Azazel was supposed to take and he knew that trying to get Isaac and Lenna there on horseback would either get them there an hour earlier or an hour later. It was better to go for the idea that would work poorly rather than hope that the pair could pick up horsemanship in fifteen minutes. That wasn¡¯t even taking into account that they wouldn¡¯t be able to go very fast on them anyway as the horses were entirely dependent on their riders for lighting.


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    The trio left the safety of the tall walls of Safeharbor and set off into the darkness at a jog. Edward drank a potion of darkvision as they were walking through the checkpoint so none of them needed any torch light to see.


    ¡ª


    An hour and a half later Edward stopped them. ¡°From here he was supposed to mark which way he went on the tunnel walls. Look for an arrow on the right hand side. If the arrow is pointing forwards and up then that is the way he went to go in. If it is pointing forwards and down then that was his path out.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Lenna replied with a nod, her soldier background kicking in again.


    ¡°Let me go first.¡± Isaac told the other two and moved to the front of the group. His silent footsteps leading them farther down the tunnel. He could feel the creature though it felt weaker than it had before. Either something happened to it post summoning? Creation? He didn¡¯t know. Or something had fought it and managed to weaken it substantially.


    Edward fell in next to Lenna. ¡°You feel anything?¡± He asked Isaac.


    Isaac gave him a silent nod while looking around for an arrow. He eventually found one and it was pointing forwards and upwards. He tapped the wall near the arrow and continued on. ¡°It feels weaker.¡± He whispered.


    ¡°Is it close?¡± Edward asked, his entire being on full alert.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Not really. We are heading towards it though.¡± Edward gave him a nod that he couldn¡¯t see but seemed to feel. The trio continued on in silence as time stretched on. One arrow became two, then three, and was soon twelve. Eventually they found it.


    ¡°Shit.¡± Edward cursed as he knelt down next to a served third of Azazel. His right shoulder, collar, and head were still connected to each other but not the rest of his body. The entire area was splattered with dried blood. Looking around one of Azazel¡¯s arms wasn¡¯t accounted for. His body looked like two massive cleavers had tried to turn him into triangles of people meat like how one would cube chicken to be stirfried.


    Isaac only glanced at the poor man and tried to find some sign of what kind of creature had done him in. There were a few scuff marks on the tunnel floor and one massive gash in the wall. ¡°Whatever did this was huge and precise.¡± He commented.


    Lenna was inspecting the corpse as a whole when she noticed something. ¡°Only his arm is missing. If it was huge it wasn¡¯t hungry.¡± She said and picked up one of the rogue¡¯s daggers. It was magically reinforced but looked to be mostly for show as the blade was made in such a way to resemble flowing water.


    Edward frowned and took out his map. He marked where they were then stowed it once more. ¡°We¡¯ll bring back what we can on our way back. I want to find what killed him. If it really is weaker than it was before then we can¡¯t pass up this opportunity to end it.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Did Azazel have any gear that might help?¡± He asked. Which got a flat look from Edward. ¡°What? You think he wouldn¡¯t want us to use his gear to kill whatever killed him? I know I would.¡± He turned to look at Lenna. ¡°If something ever kills me for good I want you to beat it to death with a sack of platinum coins for me.¡±


    Lenna held back a laugh well enough that no sound came out but her shoulders visibly bounced. Edward sighed and shook his head. ¡°That has to be the most nobleman thing I have ever heard.¡± He commented and looked through the bits of Azazel¡¯s gear that were still intact.


    Azazel¡¯s bottomless bag was cleaved in two and its contents had been blasted out all over a section of the tunnel. Most of it was camping and climbing gear. There were a few healing potions that unfortunately  hadn¡¯t gotten to be used by the poor man. Isaac took one, Lenna took one, and Edward took two. A potion of wallwalking that Isaac took. And enough water and rations to last one person a month at least.


    Azazel¡¯s magical dagger was left back in its scabbard as the trio moved on. None of them needed a magical dagger as Edward had, only he knew how many, swords in his scabbard, Lenna had her magical longsword, and Isaac could make a dagger out of shadows that would be more effective than the wave shaped blade.


    Another half an hour went by before Isaac stopped. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± He whispered back to his companions.


    The other two moved to join him and Edward spoke up before Lenna had the chance. ¡°Magical trap. It hasn¡¯t been set off yet.¡±


    Lenna stared at the runes for a long moment. ¡°Fireball.¡± She whispered.


    Isaac¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°In a tunnel?!¡± He all shouted in a whisper.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll need to get rid of it before we move on.¡±


    Edward reached into his own bottomless bag and pulled out a silver chime with runes engraved and filled in gold all across it. He moved the instrument towards the rune. He flicked the instrument in the direction of the rune and a small pulse of magic went forwards. The magic poured into the rune and corrupted it until the magic rune cracked and started leaking mana out into the air around them.


    Isaac watched the entire thing with great interest. Once the chime was put away Isaac asked a question. ¡°How long will it take?¡±


    Edward shrugged. ¡°No idea. Usually you wait ten minutes to be safe but it takes about a minute per spell level. If it was at base level fireball then three minutes. If it was a ninth level fireball I don¡¯t want to walk forwards and get blasted back to the stone age.¡± He explained.


    Isaac nodded before looking at Lenna. ¡°What level do you think?¡± He asked.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°Just wait until it stops bleeding.¡± She recommended. As Edward couldn¡¯t feel the mana leaving the rune he just had to wait and hope that he had waited long enough but as Isaac and Lenna could both feel the mana leaking out of the trap all they had to do was wait until the mana bleed stopped.


    The trio waited for five minutes before the rune finally stopped leaking mana. The rune noticeably felt different. Before the rune¡¯s mana had blended seamlessly into the ambient mana, now the rune felt like a dead spot. A small piece of space that mana didn¡¯t travel through. The rune was still in effect but it had no power left to activate so its very presence caused the ambient mana to divert around it.


    Once it was safe they continued on their quest to find what had killed the lone edgy warlock.

 Chapter 105 We’ll Get Him Buddy.

    Chapter 105 We¡¯ll Get Him Buddy.


    The farther they went the more runes they found. Some of them they let go. Those were in place to counter invisibility and as that didn¡¯t affect them at the moment, getting rid of them would have been a waste of time. For others they had to wait for Edward¡¯s chime to break them.


    ¡°We¡¯re getting close.¡± Isaac whispered as they came upon a ring of runes around the entire circumference of the tunnel. Some of them had already been triggered and were now dormant.


    ¡°How close?¡± Edward asked.


    Isaac pointed through the doorway that was the ring of runes. ¡°It¡¯s right over there. No way to tell exactly where it is but somewhere between a hundred and a thousand feet I¡¯d say.¡±


    Edward nodded and started inspecting the runes. As he approached one of them flashed and then went dormant. ¡°Shit.¡± Edward swore quietly.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°An alarm. Nothing else happened.¡± Edward explained.


    ¡°Then we need to either hurry up and deal with it or hurry up and leave.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I don¡¯t want to give them any more time to get ready for us.¡±


    Edward nodded. ¡°We need to clear out these wards. No telling what they¡¯ll do.¡±


    ¡°Come here for a moment.¡± Isaac told the other two and beckoned them closer.


    ¡°You can do three people?¡± Edward asked.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No, so let''s make this quick.¡± He pushed the other two so they were facing where they needed to go and put his hands on their backs. He pushed out with everything he had and tried to cover all three of them. He felt the strain building on his mana pathways. As soon as the circuit was complete he ordered them through gritted teeth: ¡°Move.¡±


    The three of them ran through the ring of runes and Isaac¡¯s will power and mana gave out only a few seconds later. He dropped to his knees panting. Lenna was on one knee with her hand on his shoulder near instantly. ¡°Are you alright?¡± She asked worriedly.


    It took a moment for Isaac to answer but he eventually nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± He took a few more deep breaths. ¡°Just¡­ Give me¡­ a moment.¡±


    Lenna nodded but didn¡¯t leave his side. Edward stood over them, his eyes looking around for any sign of trouble. ¡°What level are you, really?¡± He asked Isaac.


    Once Isaac had gotten his breathing under control he, with the help of Lenna, got back to his feet. ¡°High enough to know my limits but too low to take on an army.¡± He cheekily replied with a smirk on his face.


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    Edward shook his head. ¡°Any mage at level nine should be able to cast Shroud on three people at once if they know how to cast the spell. You claim to be level nine but you struggle with something like that. Why? Even if it is a better version of the spell it shouldn¡¯t tire you out after a few seconds.¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not a spell, remember.¡±


    ¡°I know but¡­¡± Edward was cut off by loud scraping and heavy footfalls echoing down the tunnel. Whatever it was didn¡¯t seem to be going towards them but it sounded like it was ready for a fight.


    Isaac took a step forward. ¡°Edward, anything you see until we are out of here never happened.¡± He ordered the man who was technically his boss. ¡°Kahtesh, someone big wants to play with you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Edward asked as he watched a black void that defied his darkvision spread out across the ground in front of Isaac. A boney claw reached out of the void and dug into the stone. Then another. And soon a small dragon skull was pulled out of the inky darkness. Eventually an entire small dragon made of elongated bones stretched like a cat and flapped its wings once like a bird before settling them neatly behind it.


    Isaac walked over and patted the bone dragon¡¯s head. Shadows poured out of Isaac as the black void faded away. His shadows moved in between each of the dragon¡¯s bones and contact points with the ground. ¡°Lenna and Edward in the front, I¡¯ll be in the middle, Kahtesh will play damage support. Whatever that thing is will tear him apart in one hit.¡± Isaac ordered.


    Lenna did as she was directed and moved to the front. Her sword was drawn and at the ready. Edward hesitated a moment before doing the same. ¡°Who put you in charge?¡± He grumbled under his breath.


    Isaac placed a hand on each of them and focused shadows to do the same to them as he had to Kahtesh. He could feel the strain on his mana already. It was just a little too much for him so he dialed Edward¡¯s back to the point where only the man¡¯s boots were gifted with silence. At that ratio Isaac could keep up their relative silence almost indefinitely which was hopefully enough for them to get the drop on whatever was waiting for them up ahead. ¡°Go.¡± Isaac whispered.


    The small party continued through the dark tunnel. Edward kept a hand on his hilt ready to draw it at a moment¡¯s notice. Kahtesh was staring through the wall as they continued, his ability to feel the other monster apparently stronger than Isaac¡¯s.


    ¡°Another ward.¡± Edward whispered and pointed at the wall.


    Lenna squinted at it, trying to make out the complex rune. ¡°Divination, protection, negation, dispel, motion.¡± She listed off quietly.


    Isaac noticed the sand covering the area of the tunnel starting from a few feet before the rune and continuing as far past it as they could see. ¡°The sand is the trigger. If it just negates divination or protection from it we should be fine.¡± He commented.


    Edward nodded and swallowed. ¡°Alright. We need to move. I¡¯ll trigger it.¡± He told the pair, and Kahtesh. He moved ahead of the rest of the team and as soon as he stepped on the sand the rune flashed but nothing happened. He nodded in understanding. ¡°This is what got Azazel. If his divination protection was negated then the rest of the runes would have steadily removed all of his concealment measures on the way out.¡±


    The team continued around another bend and stopped. Azazel¡¯s missing arm wasn¡¯t missing any longer. It was just sitting there on the ground in near perfect condition. It looked as though the monster hadn¡¯t even stepped on it while traversing the tunnel. Edward sighed. ¡°Damn it.¡± He whispered under his breath. Azazel was weird but he was a good kid. Edward had sent him to his death because he overestimated the boy¡¯s ability to navigate dangerous environments.


    The scraping and stomping continued from just around the corner. ¡°This is it.¡± Isaac whispered. ¡°It¡¯s all but on top of us. But why hasn¡¯t it attacked yet?¡±


    The team decided to rush around the next corner. It was better to lead with pressure that could be backed off than let their opponent seize the momentum. Around the corner Lenna ignited her sword. Edward pulled his out an inch before slamming it back down, the hilt changing colors to an ice blue as a cold mist wafted off of it. Isaac tapped Lenna on the back and turned all his shadows into death flames while cutting off the shadows silencing Edward to conserve mana.


    What the party saw before them was a monster unlike any other. A chimera of monstrous proportions yes but the real marvel was the number of creatures used in its construction. Normally a chimera was limited to three different creatures of origin due to issues with synchronizing mana flow and the general expense of the ritual. This monstrosity was not a hybrid of three monsters, not four monsters, but five.


    It had the skeleton of a basilisk, complete with claws and teeth. Some, of only its creator knew how many, shadow-wolf internals that coated it in an eerie black fog. Falling shadow hide stretched across the skeleton to protect it from poisons and acid. Long insectile armblades that looked as though they were pulled from a praying mantis the size of a small house. And finally, the part that boiled Isaac¡¯s blood and most likely the reason Kahtesh had been acting so strange, the eyes of a young blue dragon and a thousand of its little scales stitched into the hide covering important organs.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get him buddy.¡± Isaac promised in a whisper to Kahtesh. ¡°No one gets to use your eyes and scales like that.¡±

 Chapter 106 Perdition.

    Chapter 106 Perdition.


    Edward launched forwards with near blinding speed and moved to land the opening strike. The monstrosity reacted just as fast and attempted to cut through him with its right handed armblade. Edward turned his swing to meet the attack blade on blade. The monster¡¯s attack was arrested by the meeting of forces. Edward¡¯s arm almost buckled under the strain but his seventeen levels and nearly thirty years of experience and training prevailed.


    The monster pulled its right blade back to strike with its left causing Edward to half spin to catch it with his own. Lenna moved in and attempted to sever the armblade that was retreating from its exchange with Edward while the second was being busied. Her strike came down as hard as she could. The armblade was forced low and the monster shifted from the impact but its armor was too tough for even her magical sword to cut through.


    ¡°Reinforced defenses!¡± Lenna called after the exchange. She could tell from the lack of substantial damage that the creature was using some kind of internal magic to make itself more durable. If the defenses spread to more than just the insectile parts she had no idea.


    Edward had to jump back after the monster tried to take a bite out of him. It was then that he realized what the black fog was doing. ¡°Slow field!¡± He called. Even though his voice was heard by the other three it sounded muffled as the shadow fog muted all sound. He had managed to escape the potential instant death of getting caught in a basilisk¡¯s jaws but only by a hair¡¯s breadth. The fog had slowed his movements. The longer he was near the monster the more it slowed him. At his current level of suppression he could still fight relatively fine but if the suppression continued to ramp it would become a problem very quickly.


    As he jumped back he realized that the shadow fog continued to cling to him meaning he wouldn¡¯t get to simply dive out and back in repeatedly to bypass the negative effect. ¡°Slow persists!¡± He informed. His voice was less muted because he was no longer in the field directly.


    As soon as Edward had jumped back Kahtesh had opened his mouth and lanced a lightning bolt into the monster¡¯s head. The bolt would have simply punched through the falling shadow hide and fried the creature¡¯s brain but the small blue scales redirected the lightning bolt in every direction except towards the eyes. The scent of burning flesh quickly drowned out any other smell in the small cavern of which they fought.


    The monster hadn¡¯t even reacted to the blow which was a bad sign. Somehow the mad wizard, who had created the monstrosity, had found a way to allow it to maintain a connection to the entire body, while simultaneously preventing the feeling of pain from being transmitted through its nervous system. Isaac had vanished and was running along the side of the monster trying to find a good place to strike. He eventually decided on the side, right next to some blue scales that were likely there to protect some kind of important internal organs, and lunged.


    Isaac drove his shadow enhanced blade into the creature¡¯s thick hide and pressed with his entire weight. His angle was off and he got his blade wedged almost half a foot into the monster¡¯s side. Its ribs had bound up his blade. The monster seemed to realize that it had taken an attack even if didn¡¯t feel pain and kicked at Isaac. Isaac jumped backwards, leaving his blade in the monster¡¯s side, narrowly avoiding getting another long gash.


    Lenna danced with the armblade on her side and continually tried to cut through the joint on the insectile limb. She was making progress but as soon as the monstrosity had realized that fact it turned its full attention on her. She was immediately put on the defensive. The slow field had slowed her enough that she could only block with her flame and aura enhanced strength, meeting each attack with one of her own.


    After every exchange the window of error shrunk. By the fifth blocked attack she realized that she was about to start taking hits. Edward appeared a few feet to her right and landed three quick hits on the creature¡¯s front left knee. The cuts weren¡¯t as deep as he would have liked but the move had succeeded in making the monster split its attention.


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    One blade whipped out at Edward, the other at Lenna, the monstrosity¡¯s mouth taking turns forcing them back with a snap of bone breaking jaws. Isaac jumped back in and yanked his sword free immediately before Kahtesh attempted to fry the creature again. This time the lightning bolt hit an unscaled part of the monster and its muscles started to twitch in odd ways.


    Isaac dove back in and tried again. Once again his angle was off. He knew from experience that getting through Kahtesh¡¯s scales wasn¡¯t easy so he had been trying to circumvent them but after the second failed attempt he needed a new plan. ¡®Should I go through its stolen eyes and scales?¡¯ He asked Kahtesh but there was no answer. The little bone dragon hadn¡¯t moved to answer at all. ¡®I guess it doesn¡¯t really matter now that they¡¯ve been defiled.¡¯ He thought.


    Isaac, still basically impossible to perceive, moved around to the front of the monster where Edward and Lenna were barely keeping up as the fog continued to cling to them. Isaac touched Lenna¡¯s back and took a step forward when she had and then a step back as she retreated. His hand never left her back as if they were doing some strange dance. He had been watching her move, watching her fight, for around a month now. After an untold number of hours of sparring together and the countless hours of staring at her, he knew instinctively what she would do and how.


    Lenna felt the shadows that were clinging to her start to get burned away as Isaac poured death mana over her skin. His magic was more powerful than their foes as it was focused instead of being blasted out in all directions. As her speed increased she could tell that Isaac had pulled back from her but his magic¡¯s intensity hadn¡¯t diminished. She started counter attacking in between blocks and the monster started to get more and more cuts and gashes on its face.


    Edward noticed out the corner of his eye Lenna speeding back up. ¡°How?¡± He asked with some struggle as his body was being pushed to the limit to force its way through the thick layer of fog covering it. Lenna didn¡¯t answer but simply started to press the attack even harder.


    Isaac moved around Edward and towards the creature¡¯s already damaged knee. He jumped to the side and mentally directed Kahtesh to target it with a lightning bolt. The little dragon complied. The lightning bolt punched through the monster¡¯s knee, skipped off the scales on its chest and slammed into the wall. The knee buckled, granting the rest of the team an opportunity that none of them were willing to pass up on.


    Lenna landed another powerful blow on the monster¡¯s armblade joint, where its elbow would be, and followed it up with a slash across its right eye parting it in two. Edward only had enough time to make his own strike towards the armblade¡¯s elbow on his side due to how slow he was at that point. Isaac moved quickly, his own shadows were too powerful for the monster¡¯s fog so it merely rolled off him as if it were rain on off a duck¡¯s back. He pulled a throwing spike out of his Inventory and drove it as hard as he could into the stolen dragon eye.


    In less than two seconds the monster had been taken to a knee, taken a solid amount of damage to its main weapons, and lost both eyes. The trio¡¯s, Isaac, Lenna, and Kahtesh, teamwork had meshed with Edward¡¯s perfectly, most likely due to the high leveled warrior¡¯s years of working with many different teams.


    The monster didn¡¯t howl in pain, nor did it flinch or whimper. Instead it struck out with all its strength in a paired attack. Its armblades moved outwards to their maximum reach and then snapped closed. Edward barely got his sword up in time to catch the attack. Lenna would have dodged and parried the attack but instead she moved into it and took it with her own sword. She knew that if she would have dodged then the armblade on her side would have struck Edward on the back.


    Even though both warriors had blocked the attacks with all their strength they were still tossed into each other. Their backs slamming together with a loud clang of metal on metal as Edward¡¯s illusion on his armor was forcefully dispelled from the impact. The monster struggled to regain its footing while continually pushing Edward and Lenna into each other with all of its strength. The only thing preventing Edward from getting dusted by Isaac¡¯s death mana was the distance between them caused by their armors.


    Isaac moved to the side and tried chopping into the armblade¡¯s elbow like how Edward and Lenna had, on Edward¡¯s side as that was the side he was on. He had gotten another two chops in before the monster made its next move. It shoved itself forward and pulled its armblades towards its mouth in an attempt to force the two warriors stuck in its grasp into its gaping maw.


    Lenna turned and raised her feet. One foot was planted on the monster¡¯s lower jaw and the other barely found purchase on its upper teeth. The shift in weight caused Edward to be forced downwards and the armblades scraped off his armor before firmly wedging themselves onto Lenna¡¯s pauldrons. Edward rolled to the side as quickly as he was able. He wanted to get to his feet as soon as he could and cut off the armblade that Lenna had been hacking into but with the fog slowing him down he knew it wouldn¡¯t be quick.


    Lenna could feel her knees buckling under the massive strain and she knew that it was only a matter of time before the monster¡¯s top row of teeth gave out under the force of its own armblades. ¡°I seek atonement for my sins, I embrace perdition.¡± She grunted out and then tucked her arms and slammed her heels together.

 Chapter 107 Someone Made That.

    Chapter 107 Someone Made That.


    Pain. Pure agony shot through her. Her skin was being melted and reformed over and over again. Healed even as it was destroyed, destroyed even as it was healed. If her armor hadn¡¯t been magically reinforced she doubted that even the solid steel would have survived completely intact. She couldn¡¯t even scream in pain as her teeth were cracking under the strain of her jaw muscles. Once the pain had hit she lost all sense of where she was or what else was happening to her. One thought kept her grounded and only one. ¡®He hasn¡¯t abandoned me.¡¯ The thought¡¯s only backing being the fact that her flesh was still trying to knit itself back together faster than it was being burned apart.


    Lenna had never used this spell before for a reason. It was the final parting gift from her ancestors as they ripped their blessings from her. A spell with two goals. One, to cause the caster incredible pain. Two, to burn the world. She knew instinctively that the flames that poured out of her were also pouring out of her armor in equal intensity. Everything within half a dozen feet of her would be set alight near instantly. Everything past that would still feel the incredible heat pouring off of her. The monstrosity that had the displeasure of trying to eat her was now experiencing the exact opposite of what Lenna herself was. Immolation from the inside out.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Isaac yelled even though no one could hear his curse. ¡°Kahtesh!¡± He yelled and mentally directed the dragon to yank one of the armblades out of the way. He had just witnessed Lenna get launched at an incredible speed down the chimera¡¯s throat. He ramped up the mana flow going to the flames he had left clinging to her as much as he could. He was now pulling from his reserves to stay invisible. As soon as she had made it into the monster¡¯s mouth she had ignited in a blaze of yellow-orange fire and the very air around her seemed to scream.


    Once she had finished her spell chant everyone present, save for maybe Kahtesh, was hit with this overwhelming feeling of having wronged something or someone. The two humans and the bone dragon pushed through it but the chimera did not. It tried to howl but its voice was too busy burning to make an audible sound.


    Edward dove under the armblade he had been hacking at previously. He rolled to his feet and slammed his shoulder against the inside of the armblade to force it as far open as he could.


    Kahtesh took a flying leap that covered the entire distance in one bound. His open jaws caught the armblade near the elbow and forced it the rest of the way open. His momentum was arrested once the armblade was fully extended causing his backside to whip around to the side narrowly going over Isaac¡¯s ducked head.


    Isaac dove forwards bringing his hilt up to his shoulder and grabbing the blade with his other hand about halfway down its length. He angled the tip towards the monster¡¯s eye that he previously lodged a throwing spike in.


    Edward sliced downwards, his blade catching the inside of the creature¡¯s eye socket as it parted its already bisected eye in four. He rotated his blade so its curvature would guide the tip directly towards the monstrosity¡¯s brain.


    Both humans stepped forwards, their blades gliding in through the chimera¡¯s eye sockets and into where its brain should be. Their blades scraped against each other as they finished their plunge. Both tips found themselves wedged into the inside of the monster¡¯s skull a full two and a half feet deep.


    ¡ª


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    Lenna couldn¡¯t hold on any longer. All she could do was hope, pray to Lua, that the monster was dead. She broke off her spell. It felt like an eternity had passed but in reality it had only been around ten seconds. Her head swam even as Isaac¡¯s magic tried to fight through her exhaustion. Her body could finally be healed in its entirety but her mind refused. Something pulled on her helmet, then something else on each pauldron. She felt herself being pulled out of the monster and the grip that had been on her helmet lessened just long enough for it to get a hold on her chestplate.


    ¡ª


    Kahtesh shifted his grip from loosely biting Lenna¡¯s helmet to clamping down on her chestplate with her head firmly in place halfway down his boney throat. Isaac and Edward each had a hand on the, now dead, chimera¡¯s jaws holding them open and their other hands were pulling Lenna out by her pauldrons. With a great heave they got her most of the way out and lost their grips on her. Kahtesh pulled her the rest of the way out and unceremoniously dumped her onto the ground like a cat throwing up a hairball.


    Isaac had to run death mana over his hands as they burned from both Lenna armor and the monster¡¯s teeth. Once Lenna was out he let go of the chimera¡¯s jaw as did Edward. Isaac ran over to Lenna and slid onto his knees. ¡°Lenna. Lenna! Speak to me!¡± He ordered and fumbled with the clasp holding her helmet in place. His black flames were pouring off of her two whole inches past her armor in each direction.


    Lenna could only manage a groan. ¡°Let me see.¡± Edward said and stepped up next to her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Isaac yelled, causing the larger man to freeze in place. ¡°The flames will kill you. Just tell me what to do.¡±


    Edward nodded slowly. ¡°We need to get her out of her armor so I can hose it down. I have an ocean in a bottle and we can use it to get her washed off and cooled down at least.¡± He was looking at Isaac and cut back in when it looked like Isaac was going to say something. ¡°If I do it while she is inside it¡¯ll make her condition worse.¡±


    Isaac frowned and nodded curtly as he pulled her helmet off. Her eyes were closed and her jaw was flexed. ¡°Do it. Now.¡± She whispered and cracked her eyes open just wide enough to glare at Edward. The black flames pouring off of her made her look like a specter of death trapped inside a suit of armor, not like a warrior who had just put herself through all nine hells just to kill her foe, again.


    Edward stood up. He pulled a clear glass bottle that looked like it could hold two cups of water in it out of his satchel. He pulled off the cork and tipped it towards her, plugging half of the mouth with his thumb. Water geysered out of the small bottle with enough force to blast the charred monster bits off of her armor. The water level in the bottle never sank below three quarters and Isaac could feel the mana in the air being slowly pulled in to keep generating more water.


    Steam wafted off Lenna¡¯s armor as the steel was rapidly cooled. Edward even washed off her helmet for her before removing his thumb from the end to lower the water flow to a gentle stream. ¡°Hold your breath.¡± He told her. He gave her two seconds before pouring water over her face. Once he was done he gestured to Isaac. ¡°Roll her over.¡±


    Isaac did so as gently as he could and Edward went back to pressure washing Lenna¡¯s armor while she was in it. Once he was done Lenna put her hands under her shoulders and started trying to get up. ¡°Do you still need water? Are you cooled down?¡± Isaac asked worriedly.


    Lenna shook her head and then nodded wearily. Isaac helped her up into a sitting position. ¡°Never¡­ again.¡± She said quietly, her voice barely louder than a whisper.


    ¡°Yes. Please don¡¯t do that again.¡± Isaac told her with a stern look as his hand found its way to her cheek, guiding her eyes to his. ¡°It¡¯s pretty hard to worry about you but you¡¯ve been making me worry recently.¡±


    Her head tilted to the side slightly. ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°When you were thrown twenty feet through the back of the wagon, caught a greatsword with your forearm causing an audible crack by the way, and now when you were turned into a hu¡­ elvish ballista bolt down that thing¡¯s throat.¡± He explained admonishingly.


    ¡°They were hard fights.¡± Was her only reply like that somehow made any worry moot.


    Isaac sighed and helped her over to the wall so she could sit against it. He dialed back her flames until they were barely visible across her skin. His mana started to slowly regenerate as he rose and met Edward¡¯s eyes. ¡°Someone made that.¡± He said, nodding at the corpse.


    Edward nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± He agreed. Chimera were not a naturally forming monster after all. ¡°I have questions.¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Death flames dust anything that¡¯s not a monster or Lenna. Kahtesh is more or less my familiar if I¡¯m understanding what a familiar is properly.¡± Isaac answered Edward¡¯s questions before he could ask them.


    Edward nodded slowly. ¡°Alright.¡± He was trying to process and understand what Isaac had just said but, although he was mildly versed in magic as a whole, he was not a mage. He was still having trouble trying to figure out how something could dust a human but heal a dark elf when Isaac pulled him from his thoughts.


    ¡°My turn.¡± Isaac told him. ¡°How did that thing find your scout? What monster were those armblades from? Why did it not feel pain? And do you think the drow military is behind all these chimera that have been milling about?¡±

 Chapter 108 I Wouldn’t Trade This For The World.

    Chapter 108 I Wouldn¡¯t Trade This For The World.


    ¡°Slow down.¡± Edward chastised. ¡°Let¡¯s work backwards. I think that the drow military being behind this is our best bet.¡± He looked at the monster and nodded sagely. ¡°Only way to figure out why a creature is the way it is is to cut it open and see what¡¯s inside. The armblades are from a giant mantis I believe. Who knows how far they had to drag that corpse to get it here.¡± He shook his head.


    After a long moment of silence Lenna started to get up. ¡°Well, let¡¯s cut it open. You know anything about monster physiology?¡± Isaac asked and moved to help Lenna stand.


    Edward nodded and pulled a skinning knife out of his bottomless bag. ¡°A bit. I think I should know enough about the monsters that this¡­ thing¡­ is made of.¡±


    The trio spent the next hour taking the monster apart. Isaac stored all of the blue dragon scales in his Inventory but otherwise the hour was mostly a biology lesson. The creature had not one, not two, but four brains inside its head. Three of them had been stabbed and/or slashed through. The last one had ¡®died¡¯ when the creature''s heart had stopped supplying it with oxygen.


    From what Edward could understand one brain was for motor function. One filtered external stimuli, leaving out all pain so the monster wouldn¡¯t be distracted in combat. One was entirely dedicated to processing the information from its nostrils, which were filled with the scent receptors of a shadow-wolf as well as pheromone receptors from the giant mantis. It appeared that if you gave off a scent of any kind the monster would be able to track you. It didn¡¯t need to see or hear its opponent at all to fight. Isaac must have been a nightmare for the monstrosity.


    The last one was a bit strange. It had been so heavily modified that Edward could do little more than guess at what it was for. ¡°Something had to be controlling the shadows¡­¡± He said with a frown while staring at the final brain. ¡°The problem is that I don¡¯t know what most of this is supposed to do. My fear is that it was sending and receiving information magically via this fourth brain.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a thing?¡± Isaac asked worriedly.


    Edward nodded. ¡°Some creatures are naturally telepathic. Whoever made this is a master of physiology to a degree I can¡¯t even begin to understand. I learned a bit back in my adventuring days so I could get better loot money but this requires someone who really knows what they are doing.¡± He sighed and stood up. He stretched before continuing. ¡°Let¡¯s check out the guts I guess. I doubt there is much left.¡±


    Edward was right. Most of the insides had been melted by Lenna. They found what looked like the remains of a few hearts and remnants of some mana related organs from shadow-wolves and falling shadows. Everything else was unrecognizable.


    ¡°So¡­ who actually killed it?¡± Isaac asked when the monster¡¯s guts had been thoroughly spread across the ground.


    ¡°Does it matter?¡± Lenna asked.


    Edward shook his head. ¡°Honestly, we did. It would have died a few seconds later by the looks of it but it dropped right after we stabbed it in the brains.¡± Lenna just shook her head at the boys.


    ¡°Anything worth taking back?¡± Isaac questioned. He doubted that anything that was left was actually worthwhile but it was free to ask.


    Edward only confirmed what Isaac had thought. ¡°No. We should bring back that weird brain though. Alexander can have it and maybe he or one of his wizard friends can learn something.¡±


    ¡°Alexander?¡± Isaac had to think a bit too hard to remember who Alexander was. ¡°Wait¡­ the court mage, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna answered simply. Edward nodded in affirmation.


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    ¡°Well I¡¯m not touching it.¡± Isaac said after a few moments of the three of them just looking at the exposed brain.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Edward grumbled and finished cutting it free so he could stick it in his bottomless bag. He rinsed himself and the pair of active adventurers¡¯ off as best he could before looking at the bone dragon. ¡°It¡¯s him. He¡¯s what reeks.¡±


    Isaac tilted his head with a frown. ¡°How can you tell?¡±


    Edward gestured to the dragon. ¡°It¡¯s all the dried blood and who knows what else that is caked on him. This thing hasn¡¯t been dead long enough to rot.¡± He answered and kicked the chimera¡¯s corpse.


    Upon inspection it was evident that Isaac had neglected to clean Kahtesh after he ate the bounty target. ¡°Oops.¡± Isaac said quietly. Edward gave him an annoyed look. ¡°What? He was hungry.¡± Now it was Lenna¡¯s turn to give Isaac the same. ¡°Fine, can I borrow that?¡± Isaac asked and gestured for the ocean in a bottle.


    Edward shook his head but tossed Isaac the bottle anyway. It took a bit longer than Isaac would have liked to get all the human bits out of Kahtesh¡¯s teeth and throat as the dragon had actually tried to eat the man. Once they were finished Isaac asked a question he had been wondering about for a while: ¡°Are we going to continue forwards or head back?¡±


    Edward looked at him like he was crazy. ¡°We head back. I am not going to get caught in some wizard trap without a wizard along to fix it. The only reason we went this far was because we needed to know what killed Azazel. I¡¯ll make a bounty for a team of gold rank adventurers, with a magical trap master, to see what¡¯s at the end of this tunnel system when we get back.¡± He turned back the way they had come and motioned for them to follow. ¡°Remember the trap gate. I¡¯ll need you to stealth us out again.¡± He said to Isaac who nodded his consent.


    Kahtesh was sent back into the void as he was no longer needed and the trio began their long trek back to Safeharbor. As they traveled Edward and Isaac filled the void with idle conversation.


    ¡°Your girlfriend has a death wish.¡± Edward said with a sigh.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know the half of it.¡± Isaac replied with his own sigh and a slight shake of his head.


    ¡°I do not and I am not his girlfriend. I am his guard.¡± Lenna cut in with mild indignation. ¡°I have done the objectively best thing, almost every time.¡±


    ¡°It just so happens that the objectively best thing involves you blowing yourself up,¡± Isaac continued for her. ¡°charging head long into danger without blinking, or, as of a few hours ago, LIGHTING YOURSELF ON FUCKING FIRE!¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Isaac smacked himself in the face before dragging his hand off of it in an exaggerated manner. ¡°You are bad for my heart.¡± He eventually said with another sigh.


    Edward just chuckled and shook his head. ¡°Are all V¡¯Nova¡¯s like you? I haven¡¯t fought any. I¡¯ve fought plenty of your, their, men but never a V¡¯Nova personally. At least not until you blew us both up with a fireball.¡±


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°We are taught to make do with what we have. I no longer have my support magics. What I do have is fireball. It hurts but hasn¡¯t let me down yet.¡±


    Edward chuckled at her mentioning of it hurting as he knew that she meant it hurt her to use not that it did damage to her opponents. ¡°So it¡¯s more of a conviction thing than something that is taught?¡± He asked rhetorically.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna affirmed with a nod.


    The trio continued on in silence for a while before Isaac suddenly exclaimed: ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Lenna looked at him and raised an eyebrow even though he couldn¡¯t see it. ¡°What?¡± She asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s been too long.¡± Isaac grumbled.


    Lenna waited a moment before indulging him. ¡°What has?¡± She asked with a sigh.


    ¡°For Gio to be the third act villain.¡± Isaac told her like it was something they both should have noticed a while ago.


    ¡°What?¡± She asked. She was sure he had finally lost it. ¡°Third act? You aren¡¯t in a storybook Isaac.¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No, listen. Act one is obviously the time from when I woke up down here until I met you. Mostly introduction and getting a direction to head, right?¡± He argued.


    Lenna sighed and shook her head before looking at Edward. ¡°My charge has lost his sanity.¡±


    Isaac just continued as if he hadn¡¯t heard her. ¡°Act two would be our journey to Safeharbor, that whole mess at the beginning, and meeting the prick himself.¡± At that Edward chuckled. He didn¡¯t really like Sir Gio either.


    Lenna gave up and just looked at Isaac. ¡°So when is the end of act three, oh hero of myth and legend?¡± She asked with sarcasm so clear it could have been used as a window.


    Isaac chuckled before answering her question. ¡°That¡¯s the problem. It would have made sense if Gio made a move during the first two weeks or so that we were living here. We beat him or take him out or whatever and then call it a day. Nice three acts with a bow on the end. Instead, nothing happened but giant spiders for two weeks. He missed his deadline and I hadn¡¯t even realized it. I¡¯m going to punch him in the face for this.¡± He finished with a frown and audible resolve.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s because life isn¡¯t a storybook.¡± After a moment she added a question: ¡°Why two weeks?¡±


    ¡°Because it was like a week or two between each of the other important points.¡± Isaac answered simply.


    Lenna thought for a moment and realized he was right. They had been together, living in Safeharbor, for longer than the rest of the time that Isaac remembered. She didn¡¯t know how to feel about that. For her it was a small, if eventful, dot on the timeline of her life but for him it was most of what he knew. ¡®Human lives are too short.¡¯ She grumbled internally.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Lenna.¡± Edward eventually said after it looked like Isaac was done ranting. ¡°I do not envy your position.¡± He told her with a grin. He had tried to frown solemnly but had immediately failed.


    Lenna shook her head and chuckled. ¡°He may be a bit difficult, but¡­ I wouldn¡¯t trade this for the world.¡±

 Interlude 1

    Interlude 1


    Amaranth set her pen down. ¡°Now that I am done writing whatever that was. There is no way in all the nine hells that you actually had that conversation.¡± She accused the man with pitch black hair and silver eyes smirking at her from a sofa chair a few feet away.


    ¡°On my name, that happened.¡± He assured her but his smirk never left.


    She narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°Father, I still do not believe you.¡±


    Isaac chuckled and leaned back with a smile on his face. ¡°Believe it or not, as long as it is written, I am happy.¡±


    Amaranth shook her head. ¡°Fine.¡± She sighed. ¡°Now, father, I need sleep. You have kept me awake for¡­¡± Her voice trailed off in thought as she tried to count the number of breakfasts that had been brought in for them. ¡°Almost two weeks straight, without sleep, I believe the chair officially merged with me a few days ago.¡± Isaac went to reply but she raised her hand to stop him. ¡°Bathroom brakes, showers, and eating aside. I have not had a break and my brain is mush.¡±


    ¡°Sorry daughter, sometimes I forget mortals need proper rest.¡± He stood and walked over to her. He bent down and kissed her on the top of the head while resting a hand on her shoulder. ¡°My magic is more than enough for your mother and I but yes, you do need to rest.¡±


    Amaranth looked up and smiled at him. ¡°Thank you.¡± She took a deep breath and her face fell. With a long sigh she continued. ¡°I have also neglected my official duties for far too long. Can I call for you when I am ready to continue?¡±


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    Isaac smiled and nodded. ¡°Of course Ama. Now, what to do?¡± He asked himself while stepping through his shadow.


    Amaranth sighed and stretched. ¡°Love you old man.¡± She whispered knowing that he could still hear her, they were in his divine domain and he had a direct connection to her shadow after all.


    ¡ª


    Amaranth had no way of knowing at the time but Isaac had stopped three kidnapings, an attempt at sexual assault, attempted murder of a child below the age of thirteen, and aided in the murder of two adults for one reason or another. The murders that Isaac helped with all always had a bit in common. Someone would pray to the Lord of Darkness and ask for him to kill someone who had wronged them in some way to a degree that they would ask a demigod for help personally.


    Isaac, of course, got the prayer and then decided, basically on a whim, if the targets were worth keeping alive. If they weren¡¯t, he would have his shadows track down the person in question. Bind and gag them, pull them through shadows into the person who prayed to him¡¯s bedroom and wait. When the faithful, vengeful, one would return, what they would see were two silhouettes standing on either side of a person bound and gagged, on their knees, with a cheap sword or dagger stabbed into the ground in front of them.


    Isaac then left the final decision up to the one who had been wronged. If they couldn¡¯t take the life themselves then Isaac¡¯s shadows would return the person back to where they had found them, taking a few gold on their way out. If the wrongdoer was killed then one of the shadows would flip a coin made of shadows a few times, making it known that the work of a god never came for free. Tithe was a thing after all.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Finally decide to let sis sleep?¡± A young man with skin even paler than Amaranth¡¯s, pitch black eyes, and black hair asked.


    Isaac smiled at his eldest son. ¡°Yes. Wanna spar?¡± He asked and then added cheekily: ¡°Captain.¡±


    The younger man rolled his eyes. ¡°Alright you lot!¡± He yelled to all the guardsmen who had been training in their training yard. ¡°Hopefully some of you dimwits can learn something from this. The rest of you had better learn something. There will be questions.¡± With a step he appeared twenty feet away into the dirt yard.


    Isaac appeared twenty feet further in, already facing his son. ¡°Rules?¡±


    The guard captain chuckled. ¡°Since when do you care about rules dad?¡±


    Isaac smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t usually like bullying my kids but if you insist.¡±

 Darkness and Hellfire Volume Two: Interlude 2

    Interlude 2


    ¡°Hells dad¡­¡± The young captain of Safeharbor¡¯s guard said while shaking his head. He reached up and took the offered hand. His pure black eyes met his father¡¯s silver ones. Their pitch black hair identical in the white magical light. His father¡¯s features were sharp for a human, so much so that he had even been asked if he was a half-elf. The guard captain was a half-elf. His sharp features and slightly pointed ears made that clear to everyone who saw him.


    The older man felt the cold almost lifeless grip of his son¡¯s hand and pulled him to his feet. His son had always felt deathly cold to the touch. A curse of the magic that flowed through his veins. ¡°You¡¯re getting better Claus.¡± The demigod of Darkness said to his son and patted him on the shoulder.


    Claus shook his head. ¡°You went easy on me.¡±


    Darkness shook his head in reply and gave the young man a smile. ¡°Not using domain powers on you isn¡¯t the same as going easy on you.¡± Claus returned an incredulous look. ¡°I¡¯m serious. There aren¡¯t many demigods who can beat each other in the other¡¯s divine domain. I wanted to spar not crush you under the weight of the darkness within your own heart.¡±


    Claus sighed. ¡°Still, you didn¡¯t disappear once.¡±


    Darkness shrugged. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t have been a spar. You are getting a lot better. Level seventeen right?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Claus replied in affirmation.


    ¡°Going to take the platinum test?¡± Darkness asked. The test that he had made to see if an adventurer was worthy of calling themselves platinum grade, the best of the best, was to fight him in the arena for a minute straight without needing to be resurrected. Isaac didn¡¯t go easy on them.


    ¡°Oh hells no.¡± Claus raised his hands in protest. ¡°My men watching me get thrashed is bad enough, if the citizenry see that we¡¯ll lose all credibility.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Fine, fine.¡± After a moment of silence Isaac moved on to something else that was on his mind. ¡°Your sister needs to hurry up and become a demigod already. She¡¯s close. She needs a push but I¡¯m not sure how.¡±


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    Claus raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is this something we should be talking about in the middle of the training yard?¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Probably not but it doesn¡¯t really matter. You can¡¯t become a demigod without proving that you are capable of it. Most people are not even capable of such a feat in a thousand years. Your sister could do it in a month if she pushed herself.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Claus asked. ¡°What does she need to do?¡±


    Isaac smiled with a dark glint in his eyes. ¡°Make a spell,¡± He let silence hang for a moment. Right before Claus was about to ask him to elaborate he went on. ¡°mid combat.¡±


    Claus could only blink at him a few times while he tried to process what he had just heard. ¡°Like, a brand new one?¡± He asked incredulously.


    Isaac¡¯s smile only grew. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied. His Lord of Darkness voice seeping out. The word was dripping with dark amusement. Making spells took months of trial and error, note books piled to the ceiling, a whole team of wizards or a life¡¯s worth of luck. To make a spell while fighting someone was not possible. Not by mortals anyway.


    ¡°You think she can do it?¡± Claus asked. The guards had been hanging on every word even if they tried to hide it.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°She can. When you reach level twenty I¡¯ll start paying more attention to your skills and fighting style. I won¡¯t be able to tell if you have it in you to become a demigod until then. Anyone who hasn¡¯t reached the top can not even fathom what it takes to go beyond it afterwards.¡±


    Claus nodded his understanding. ¡°Thanks old man.¡± He flashed Isaac a grin that looked all too much like the one Isaac himself had given so many people over the years. ¡°I gotta get back to whipping these idiots into shape.¡± He nodded towards a specific group of guards.


    Isaac chuckled and patted his son on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡± And with that he was gone as if he had never been there.


    ¡ª


    Isaac spent the next few weeks playing with his youngest daughter and spending time with his wife in their manor. The Lord of Darkness and his wife, The Lady of Hellfire, had begun training the little girl. She had been born with a class. The class in question was Mage - Fire. She had already burned her crib to the ground twice before they could have a special fireproof one made and now that she knew her alphabet it was time to get her flames under control. The little girl had caused more fires and she had soiled diapers.


    Isaac finally got a break from herding a flaming toddler when his oldest daughter called for him.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Father, I am ready to continue if you are.¡± Amaranth said while looking at her own shadow. A few moments later her father stepped out of it and put his hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°After we are done we should talk about you becoming a demigod.¡± Isaac said to her by way of greeting. It was difficult for him to differentiate being with someone and being apart from them as he was technically always with them. Anyone whose shadow he had claimed was always under his watch whether they liked it or not. Yes, he did have boundary issues.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Amaranth replied. She sincerely hoped he would forget about it by the time they finished this writing session. One thing he had never been able to fix was how easily he got distracted. ¡°Where did we leave off again?¡±

 Chapter 1 Old Friend.

    Chapter 1 Old Friend.


    Isaac Wexler, the very mortal man who was claiming to be the demigod of darkness, Lenna V¡¯Nova, the self exiled paladin who broke her oath and stabbed her uncle in the throat on her way out, and Edward von Sasston, the man known to many as ¡®The Blade Master¡¯, were headed back from their first adventure together.


    ¡°All I am saying is that if Gio had made his move when he was supposed to it would have made for a much better story.¡± Isaac argued.


    ¡°And all I am saying, is that life should not be thought about as if it were a storybook. It is going to get us killed.¡± Lenna retorted.


    ¡°Us?¡± Isaac asked, slightly thrown off guard.


    Lenna gave him a flat look. ¡°Yes. Us. You know I won¡¯t just let you die.¡± She explained. ¡®Because I am most likely going to die first defending you.¡¯ went unspoken.


    ¡°Fine, fine.¡± Isaac waved her off.


    ¡°I feel like the third horse.¡± Edward told them when they had finally stopped bickering. ¡°It¡¯s like going on a picnic with an old married couple.¡±


    Lenna turned her flat look to Edward. Isaac tried to fight back his laugh but snorted instead which caused him to lose his battle and fill the tunnel with laughter. At Isaac¡¯s outburst Lenna turned to face forwards so the other two couldn¡¯t see her face. What they could see was her shoulders bouncing slightly as she laughed quiet enough that her own sounds were completely buried under Isaac¡¯s.


    Edward shook his head. ¡°I am definitely the third horse.¡±


    After Isaac had regained his composure he looked at Edward with an amused grin still on his face. ¡°This never happened.¡± He told the older man.


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna added.


    ¡°We have an image to keep.¡± Isaac cut Edward off as he was about to reply.


    ¡°Maybe if you two acted more like this you would have more friends in town.¡± Edward countered.


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°You are a smart man Edward. Think that one through. I am a mage with a class I can¡¯t talk about, a past I either don¡¯t remember or can¡¯t talk about, with a drow noblewoman as a bodyguard. Me being friendly and trying to not come off as a wagon load of blasting jelly ready to go off will only lead to more people getting hurt. If people think that they can mess with us without getting torn to pieces in the middle of the street then I will actually have to do it to prove a point. It¡¯s better this way. Besides, we have enough friends in town.¡± He argued.


    Edward sighed. ¡°It makes working with you more complicated than it has to be.¡± After a moment he continued. ¡°But I understand.¡± Another moment passed before he asked a question: ¡°Who are your friends in town other than Celeste and me?¡±


    Isaac put his hand on his chest in mock hurt. ¡°Stan Ironeye,¡±


    ¡°Celeste¡¯s father-in-law.¡± Edward added.


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    Isaac squinted at him. ¡°Sera Von Arbencroft,¡±


    ¡°The duchess?¡± Edward asked, surprised.


    ¡°Yes. She¡¯s a lot less tightly wound than her husband.¡± Isaac expanded. ¡°And Jessica Silverstrand.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget about Thomas.¡± Lenna added.


    Edward raised an eyebrow. ¡°Thomas who?¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°It pays to be friends with your stalker, also I didn¡¯t ask.¡±


    Edward looked extremely confused for a moment before he realized what Isaac meant by ¡®Stalker¡¯. ¡°One of the spies that are supposed to be keeping tabs on you? How did you manage that?¡±


    Isaac gave him a smirk. ¡°The same way I always do; be scary, prove that I can kill them if they double-cross me, then turn out to be a reasonable person who just happens to have a lot of unknown power and slight paranoia.¡± He explained as if this was something Edward should know from experience.


    Edward looked lost in thought for a moment. ¡°I hate you.¡± He told the younger man.


    Isaac laughed. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because it worked on me too.¡± Edward grumbled which only made Isaac laugh again.


    ¡ª


    The trio finished their walk back to Safeharbor. The walk took more than twice as long as the run out. By the time they had crossed under the gate back into Safeharbor it was already dinner time. They walked down the street towards the Duke¡¯s mansion when suddenly Lenna turned down a side street and Isaac followed.


    ¡°Where are you two going?¡± Edward asked. ¡°We need to debrief with Duke Arbencroft.¡±


    Isaac waved him off. ¡°Izen can wait until after dinner.¡±


    ¡°And I need a bath.¡± Lenna added.


    ¡°And new clothes.¡± Isaac added onto her addition.


    ¡°Clothes?¡± Edward asked with confusion, disappointment, and a sad understanding that he was at their mercy as a few delays were not worth fighting over.


    Isaac looked over his shoulder at Edward. ¡°She lit herself on fire, remember.¡±


    Edward frowned. ¡°That can¡¯t be comfortable.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t. All of my under armor is ash.¡± Lenna replied with clear annoyance.


    Edward sighed. ¡°Fine.¡± He acquiesced and followed after them. Isaac raised an eyebrow in question. ¡°I haven¡¯t had Leo¡¯s food in a while.¡±


    ¡°Leo?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Celeste¡¯s son. He wasn¡¯t always a shut-in chef.¡± Edward explained.


    ¡°I still haven¡¯t met him.¡± Isaac confessed.


    Edward nodded. ¡°That¡¯s not surprising. After John, his father, died, Leo decided that he was going to clean up his act and has been a full-time chef at the Dawn ever since.¡±


    ¡ª


    Two hours later Edward and Isaac with a now clean and properly outfitted Lenna walked up to the Arbencroft Estate. Two guards stood on either side of the massive oak doors as always. ¡°Sirs, Madam.¡± One of the guards greeted them. The three returned a nod in greeting.


    ¡°Tell Duke Arbencroft that we are here to debrief.¡± Edward ordered the guard who had greeted them.


    ¡°Right away sir.¡± The guard replied and quickly left his post to carry out the Guild Master¡¯s order.


    A few minutes later the guard returned and led them inside. ¡°Right this way. His grace is waiting for you in the war room.¡± The trio followed the guard down a few hallways and eventually into a room with a massive maptable as the centerpiece. Izen Von Arbencroft was scanning the map for what had to have been the billionth time but looked up at their arrival.


    ¡°Thank you. You may go.¡± Izen told the guard who bowed and returned to his post. ¡°You have news?¡± He asked Edward.


    ¡°Not even a ¡®glad you didn¡¯t die¡¯ old friend?¡± Edward asked with a smile and walked in right up to the Duke¡¯s liquor cabinet.


    Izen sighed and shook his head. ¡°I got a report when you three returned and expected you around two hours ago.¡±


    ¡°Your guests needed to freshen up after our grueling battle, your grace.¡± Edward replied with a smirk while pouring himself a glass of the duke¡¯s expensive brandy.


    Izen sighed again. He looked as if he had aged half a dozen years since they had last seen him a few days prior. ¡°Report please. Sera is waiting for me.¡±


    ¡ª


    Edward explained what the trio had done and where they had gone, he left out the part where Isaac had made all of them undetectable by the wards which Isaac appreciated. When the mention of Isaac¡¯s ¡®Familiar¡¯ came up Isaac stopped Edward and just shook his head. Izen had looked curious but didn¡¯t press. Eventually Edward had finished his glass and retelling of their adventure with only mild input from Isaac and was ready to leave.


    ¡°Thank you. What is your plan to handle the other path now that your scout is dead?¡± Izen asked Edward once the story was finished.


    Edward shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know yet. We need to get that thing''s brain to a wizard before it decomposes too much so we¡¯re heading over to Alexander¡¯s tower once we leave. I¡¯ll send you a message once I¡¯ve figured out what our next step should be.¡±


    Izen nodded with furrowed brows. ¡°Alright. That is all, you may go.¡± The trio turned to leave but Izen stopped them. ¡°Not you, Lord Wexler, I have some questions.¡±

 Chapter 2 A Demigod?

    Chapter 2 A Demigod?


    Isaac stopped and half turned to look over his shoulder at Izen. He met the older man¡¯s firm, assessing gaze. He looked forward again to see Edward looking at him. ¡°Go on ahead. It shouldn¡¯t take long.¡± Isaac told the Blade Master.


    Edward nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll wait at the end of the hall.¡± He told him. ¡®You probably shouldn¡¯t be left to wander the halls¡¯ was left unsaid.


    Isaac turned to fully face Izen and Lenna got the door behind Edward. She had directly ignored the implication that she should also leave so Isaac and Izen could speak privately. Izen threw her a glance and then sighed. He resigned himself to her presence. He couldn¡¯t fault either of them for being careful. The pair seemed to have a talent for making just as many enemies as friends if not more.


    ¡°Well, the night won¡¯t be young forever.¡± Isaac told the Duke in order to get him to hurry up with his questions.


    ¡°Will you answer my questions?¡± Izen asked and stood up straight from his position of leaning forwards on the map table.


    ¡°Asking them costs only the time it took to ask.¡± Isaac replied with a smirk.


    Izen nodded. ¡°Who is Zei?¡± He asked directly with as much subtlety as an assassination attempt with a sledge hammer.


    Isaac¡¯s eyebrow rose and his smirk disappeared. ¡°Someone you should not not even know the name of. Lenna and I were careless as we were not yet used to being around people again.¡± Isaac replied honestly without divulging any real information. Lenna moved to apologize but Izen either ignored her or didn¡¯t notice.


    Izen sighed. ¡°Can I at least know why I shouldn¡¯t know?¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No. Some things are best left alone. This is one such thing.¡± He replied adamantly. Zei being a divinity of reincarnation for humans was something that under no circumstances could be leaked. If humans knew that if they died then they could simply start over somewhere else then only the gods knew how large the mass suicides numbers would be.


    Izen pursed his lips and nodded. He understood what Isaac was saying but he definitely didn¡¯t like it. ¡°Next question then.¡± He said and Isaac nodded that he was ready for it. ¡°Are you actually a demigod?¡±


    ¡°You have as much subtlety as an earthquake.¡± Isaac commented before looking up to the ceiling in thought. He could lie and Izen would probably never know but what if his lie was actually the truth. ¡®I traded my memories for the power of dark mana. They gave me a class that doesn¡¯t exist. What if they did make me a demigod? Would I know? How could I find out without people asking too many questions?¡¯ Those thoughts ran through Isaac¡¯s head in rapid succession over the span of but a few seconds.


    Isaac sat down on a chair made of solidified shadows and looked directly into Izen¡¯s eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He told the Duke.


    Izen blinked in surprise. He was taken aback by both the answer and that he had even gotten one. ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t know?¡± He asked.


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    Isaac nodded. ¡°I have a class that shouldn¡¯t exist. Power beyond what most could dream of and I¡¯m not even level twenty yet. I am built, from the core, to be different from any other mage in the world. Does that make me a demigod? Do I just need to hit level twenty to know for sure? I could kill most mortals with a touch just like the rest of the demigods. You tell me Izen. Do you think I am a demigod?¡±


    Izen staggered back a step and half fell into his chair. ¡°I¡­ I wasn¡¯t expecting an answer¡­¡± He replied, his voice trailing off.


    ¡°And now that you have one it is worse than if you hadn¡¯t asked at all. I told you that asking costs you nothing but I didn¡¯t finish the saying. ¡®A question costs nothing but the time it took to ask it, the answer is where the price is paid.¡¯ It is a warning to young wizards that I read in a book a few weeks ago. A warning about seeking answers that one is not ready for.¡± Isaac monologued and then let silence hang in the air.


    Izen nodded his head. The implications of him actually being in a room with a demigod were bad enough. Thinking about how Isaac could be a demigod in the making was something else entirely. No one who was willing to talk about it knew how a demigod was made or what set them apart from mortals. Everything about them other than their domains were usually left unspoken. He wondered why but his curiosity had never led him to go on a true quest for answers. Maybe Isaac was right. Maybe some answers were best left unknown. Ignorance could be a shield against powers that one was not ready to contend with after all.


    Isaac gave the older man time to think but he did still have more things to do before they turned in for the night. ¡°Any more questions? Edward is waiting for us.¡±


    Izen nodded absently. He had gone over the questions he had wanted to ask a dozen times before they had arrived. He didn¡¯t know when the next time he would be able to ask them would be. Implications could be thought about later. ¡°Lady V¡¯Nova¡¯s subclass. I know she is a paladin but what kind? Is it some type that the V¡¯Nova clan cultivates?¡± He asked, his voice near monotone as if he was reading from a script.


    Isaac looked at Lenna. ¡°You may answer as you see fit though I recommend some level of discretion.¡± He told her. She had turned to look at him when the question had been answered and Isaac had wasted no time answering her unspoken question.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°It is not something the V¡¯Nova clan cultivates your grace.¡± Lenna answered with a nod but did not follow up with answers to any other of the duke¡¯s questions.


    Izen nodded. At that moment he was trying to absorb as much of what they were saying both audibly and not as he could. He would leave contemplating for a later time. ¡°Last question if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Isaac nodded and rose from his chair. ¡°Go ahead.¡± He told the older man as his darker than black chair drifted away in a breeze that wasn¡¯t felt by any without an incredible connection to mana itself.


    Izen swallowed. ¡°Are you actually nobility?¡± He asked.


    Isaac¡¯s smirk returned with a vengeance. ¡°Ask El¡¯No.¡± He answered with his grin clear in his voice. He then turned around to leave and Lenna got the door for him.


    ¡°The elvish goddess of knowledge?¡± Izen asked Isaac¡¯s back. Isaac only nodded. ¡°Does this have something to do with her cleric in Outpost Charles?¡± He called as Isaac was walking through the threshold out into the hallway.


    ¡°Does it?¡± Isaac asked in return but only continued walking to meet with Edward. Lenna, always a step and a half behind him.


    ¡ª


    Edward hadn¡¯t said anything in regard to Isaac and Izen¡¯s chat but had simply led them the rest of the way out of the mansion and out into the street. He turned and walked a few buildings down to an old looking stone shack without any windows and only one heavy oak door.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to be meeting the court mage?¡± Isaac asked once they had stopped in front of the unassuming building.


    ¡°Wizard towers are an eyesore.¡± Edward responded and knocked on the door hard a few times. Isaac just looked at him in confusion for a moment before the door opened by itself.


    Inside was an elaborate entryway into what looked to be a library with a few tables sitting out. One of them had a mound of books, one was empty, and the last had a silver serving tray with a tea kettle and half a dozen teacups sitting on it. Edward walked in and the other two followed him. Once inside they realized that along the side was a massive spiral staircase that rode the inside of the exterior walls. The staircase went up and up for well over a hundred feet. The little shack wasn¡¯t any taller than twenty.


    The tea kettle started to steam and then poured itself into four of the sitting cups before resting back down into the middle of the tray. One by one the cups were set out in front of the chairs that were surrounding the wooden table. Isaac and Lenna stared in wonder at the millions of books that rode the walls almost the entire way to the top. They watched as a man walked off one of the upper floors and began to plummet. He pulled a feather out of his pocket and spoke a few words that none on the ground could hear and soon his plummet turned into a gentle glide to the floor.


    The man¡¯s blue mage¡¯s robes were slightly disheveled from the fall but his black hair at least looked better taken care of since the last time the pair had seen him. His emerald eyes took them in. ¡°Guild Master, Darkness, Lady V¡¯Nova.¡± He greeted them each in turn with a nod. ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure?¡±

 Chapter 3 Master Alexander.

    Chapter 3 Master Alexander.


    ¡°We have something that needs Identified that I think you will like.¡± Edward explained, getting straight to business.


    ¡°Darkness?¡± Isaac asked at the same time.


    Alexander looked between both of them, giving Edward a raised eyebrow but addressing Isaac first. ¡°It is customary to refer to demigods by their domains is it not?¡± He asked almost rhetorically.


    It took Isaac a second before he nodded. ¡°I suppose.¡± He answered.


    Alexander then turned to Edward. ¡°Are you in a rush or can we talk about it over tea?¡± He asked.


    Edward looked at the fresh, hot, tea. ¡°We should be quick about it. It died eight hours ago or so.¡±


    Alexander nodded and beckoned them to follow him. He led them up seven floors to a ritual circle nestled in a small landing that looked almost as if it had been carved into the stone wall. If those present didn¡¯t know any better they would think that it was a natural cave attached to the side of the tower. The cave was fifteen feet across in each direction and once there Alexander gestured towards a small open space in the center of the ritual. ¡°Place whatever it is there please.¡± He directed.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know anything about it beforehand?¡± Isaac asked as Edward did as he was told.


    Alexander shook his head. ¡°It¡¯ll be faster to find out with the spell. This ritual is a combination of a few different spells that should tell me more about it than any of you could.¡± He wasn¡¯t being demeaning but simply stating a fact of the magics that would soon be at work. Isaac nodded and then continued to watch from just outside of the ritual.


    Alexander took a blank sheet of parchment, a quill, and an inkwell and placed them each at a different point in the ritual. Once completed he too moved out of the ritual circle. He regarded the heavily modified brain sitting on his floor for a moment before he shook his head. He would find out about it soon enough. ¡°All that is left is to power the ritual. Lord Darkness, would it be possible for you to power it?¡± Alexander asked, curiosity clear in his tone.


    Isaac furrowed his brow in thought for a long moment. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He eventually said honestly. Alexander raised an eyebrow in question. ¡°What would happen if it was only powered by dark mana?¡±


    Alexander paused for a moment before his eyes went wide. ¡°It would probably fail. I could set up a mana transmutation circle to change it from dark to neutral element mana to power the ritual. It would be quite inefficient but it would work fine. Would you mind?¡± He asked with hope in his voice and eyes.


    Edward cleared his throat. ¡°We should get on with the ritual Master Alexander. It is actively losing its residual mana is it not?¡± He spoke, pulling attention back to the decaying brain sitting on the floor.


    Alexander was pulled out of his excitement back to the reality of why they were all there. ¡°Yes, of course. I will get right to it then.¡± He said with a hint of disappointment. He walked over to a specific part of the ritual circle and outstretched both his hands. Mana poured out of him but he spoke no words. He simply kept funneling mana to the ritual until it had had its fill. His emerald eyes flared brightly and his robes rippled in a nonphysical wind. The parchment dissolved into nothing as did the quill and inkwell. Eventually the ritual finished and he dropped his hands to his sides. His robes ceased their billowing and his eyes dimmed. He closed his eyes and simply stood there in silence for a long moment before Isaac interrupted him.


    ¡°No projection?¡± Isaac asked. The only other time he had seen an Identify spell activate he had been its target and his first friend had been the one to cast it on him. Aria had her spell set up in a way that the information would be projected for all to see but it appeared that this one was set up to send the information directly into the caster¡¯s mind.


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    Alexander shook his head. His eyes were still closed as if he was reading off the inside of his eyelids. ¡°No need. I have a perfect memory. There is a lot here. Do you want the long or the short of it?¡± He asked.


    Edward spoke up before Isaac or Lenna could answer: ¡°Only what we need to know. None of us plan on building a chimera.¡±


    Alexander nodded. ¡°The creation was level nineteen, made of giant mantis, falling shadow, basilisk, and shadow-wolf parts. The blue dragon scales were sown on as an afterthought as they were already using its eyes. The falling shadow hide was resistant to temperature in both directions giving the creature resistance to both ice and fire. The blue dragon scales were placed to direct lightning away from vital areas giving it a resistance to lightning magic as well. The basilisk skeleton was reinforced in a way to give it resistance to blunt impacts. The four brains caused it to be immune to pain related attacks and have an incredible resistance to mind magics of any kind. The monster would have to fail to resist a spell either four times in a row or be affected by a specific spell four times for any effect to be noticeable.¡± Alexander stopped to breathe and piece through more of the information.


    ¡°We gathered much of that from fighting it. The information about its level and magic resistance is worrying however.¡± Edward spoke. ¡°If its creator was capable of making one of these then there is a high chance that they could make more.¡±


    Alexander shook his head. ¡°Creators. There were two. I do not know if one of them was only used as a power source for the ritual however. Also, it is safe to assume that the creators are both over level eighteen.¡±


    Isaac furrowed his brow. ¡°Level nineteen seems a bit high for this monster. It was tough, sure, but its offense was poor.¡±


    Alexander nodded in understanding and then addressed Isaac¡¯s issue. ¡°The shadow field that it gave off. I imagine that it wasn¡¯t a problem for you but it was a shadow based curse. The curse would continue to ramp up until either party was killed. The more levels of the curse the slower the recipient would become and the harder it would be to move until eventually even breathing would be impossible. It was guaranteed to win any engagement eventually. With its high durability and lateral movement it would simply brawl with its target until the curse killed them. It appears that the creators did not think the curse could be avoided nor negated. I am curious as to how you did so. At least until it was killed anyway.¡±


    ¡°How are you getting this much information? This is way more than any Identify spell I have ever seen.¡± Isaac questioned.


    Alexander smirked before opening his eyes, he had finished looking through all of the information and could now recite any of it from memory. ¡°The ritual I used pulls from the history of the object in question as well as any information within this library that could be useful to expand on what Identify would show me. Using the collective knowledge of millennia that is stored within these walls and the residual mana, intent, and mana signatures within the object as well as the mana scan from Identify, the ritual will tell me almost anything and everything that could be learned from the object.¡±


    Isaac whistled. ¡°That is quite the spell. What else should we know about our recently deceased monstrosity?¡± He asked.


    Alexander frowned and shook his head. ¡°Unfortunately the rest of the information I have is pertaining to its creation process and its final fight. Nothing left would be of any use nor interest to you.¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°What kind of information about its final fight?¡± He pressed.


    ¡°Well,¡± Alexander began. ¡°I know that there were four of you who brought it down but I do not know who the fourth one was. That is most likely because there is no information about them in either my mind or the library. Lightning, fire, cold, shadow, and steel were used to kill it.¡± Alexander thought for a moment. ¡°Everything else is fuzzy. This brain was not in charge of memories so I can¡¯t get much.¡± He explained honestly. Isaac frowned. ¡°Do you know anything about this fourth individual?¡± Alexander asked.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied.


    Alexander looked at him hopefully but Isaac did not elaborate. After a moment Alexander¡¯s eyes fell, crestfallen. ¡°Anything else I can help you all with while you are here?¡± He asked earnestly.


    Isaac looked to Edward who shook his head. Lenna hesitated a moment. ¡°What do you know about soul magic?¡± She asked tentatively.


    All eyes turned to Lenna. Alexander thought for a moment and then frowned. ¡°Not much I¡¯m afraid. I would have to read up on some necromancy tomes or use this ritual on something related to it. Why do you ask?¡±


    Lenna nodded her thanks. ¡°It is nothing necromancy related. Not really. It is a rather complicated question for another time. Thank you.¡± She told the wizard and then nodded to Isaac that she was ready to go.


    Isaac nodded in return and then turned to Alexander. ¡°If you are not opposed we may request your assistance in the future.¡±


    Alexander smiled and nodded. ¡°Of course. I am here to serve the court and as guests of Duke and Duchess Arbencroft you follow under that purview. I would recommend knocking as the Guild Master did and not entering unannounced however. Many of the defensive scripts require no mortal input and would activate automatically.¡±


    ¡°Understood. We will stand on common courtesy should we return. Thank you for your hospitality Alexander¡­¡± Isaac¡¯s voice trailed off to infer that he was waiting for the wizard¡¯s surname.


    Alexander shook his head. ¡°I have no surname Lord Wexler. In court I am simply Alexander to those of higher station and Master Alexander to those of a lower station, politically speaking.¡± He informed.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Thank you. I believe we should be off.¡± Isaac replied. He deliberately didn¡¯t mention the wizard by name as he was not sure if he was above or below the man in the political hierarchy. That was a question for Lenna, later.


    Alexander nodded and led them to the door. He bid them all a goodnight and with that the trio were finally given leave to do something that all of them desired: Sleep.

 Chapter 4 Why The Gold Paint?

    Chapter 4 Why The Gold Paint?


    Isaac got out of bed and stretched. ¡°Morning.¡± He said with a yawn.


    ¡°Good morning.¡± Lenna replied and rose to her feet from the chair she had placed in the corner of the room.


    ¡°Something good happen while I was asleep?¡± Isaac asked. Usually he only got a grunt or a quiet ¡®morning¡¯ in return in the morning.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°I leveled up.¡±


    Isaac eyed her with a raised eyebrow. ¡°How can you tell?¡±


    Lenna tilted her head to the side as she regarded him. ¡°I can feel it. A slight increase in the quality of my mana. Can you not?¡± She asked.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It seems like it is getting harder and harder to tell. Like every time I level up I am getting the same amount of increased mana regeneration as well as the maximum that I can hold in my body but¡­¡± His voice trailed off as he tried to find a way to say what he was feeling.


    ¡°Adding one to one is a hundred percent increase.¡± Lenna began for him.


    ¡°But adding one to ten is only a ten percent increase.¡± He finished. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s like that.¡±


    Lenna nodded her head in understanding. ¡°We could ask the Court Mage to make a scroll of Identify that you could cast on yourself.¡± Lenna offered.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Does it really matter what level I am?¡±


    Lenna thought for a long moment. ¡°I guess not.¡± She thought for a little longer. ¡°If you stagnate then we should check.¡± She advised.


    Isaac raised an eyebrow in question. ¡°Why would I stagnate?¡±


    ¡°As a paladin, I, am supposed to, get stronger by following my oath. Even so, there are certain levels that can¡¯t be breached this way. Level eleven is one such level. I needed to figure out how to use my aura to strengthen my strikes. Once I figured that out I leveled up.¡± Lenna explained.


    ¡°So you are saying that, if I stagnate then that means that there is something special I need to do to level up but I will have no idea what that is until it happens because there is no one else in the world with my class?¡± Isaac summarized. Lenna nodded in affirmation. ¡°Great.¡± Isaac said with a sigh.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°You may not have a level lock like that.¡± She offered. ¡°Like you said, no one else has your class.¡±


    ¡°Do all classes have a ¡®level lock¡¯ like that?¡± Isaac asked.


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    Lenna thought for a moment and went through everything she knew about the other classes. After a long moment she nodded slowly. ¡°I believe so.¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°My class is most like a sorcerer from what I can tell. What is theirs like?¡±


    ¡°Level fourteen, they cement their power into their body properly. It is often painful as their body ceases to truly be like their kin¡¯s. Shadow sorcerers¡¯ are usually able to turn their entire form into semi-hardened shadows.¡± She explained.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°If the same holds true for me then I might not even get stuck there. At the rate that I have been converting my mana pathways I should be done in another two months or so. I doubt I am level ten yet so I have plenty of time.¡±


    Lenna nodded and then motioned towards his armor. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± She told him.


    Isaac chuckled and started to change into day clothes. Lenna turned her back to him but otherwise didn¡¯t react. ¡°Tomorrow is the tea party with Sera right?¡± He asked.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°No matter what, we can''t get roped into something crazy until after tea tomorrow.¡± He told her.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Not only did you just jinx us, you are the reason we get into crazy things, most of the time.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°True enough.¡± He replied. ¡°Let¡¯s go get your badge updated and get me a fancy gold one. You are level twelve now right?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°What pushed you over from eleven to twelve?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°Fighting against my ancestors wishes.¡± Lenna not so helpfully explained.


    Isaac thought for a moment. ¡°The chimera?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I am now certain it was created by a drow wizard in the employ of my uncle.¡± She replied.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°That is certainly an interesting way to level.¡± Lenna grunted in agreement but did not say more.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Hello Alice.¡± Isaac greeted the small woman behind the Adventurers¡¯ Guild receptionist desk.


    Her large blue eyes took them both in. ¡°We were worried about you. You never came to check in when you got back.¡± She greeted them.


    Isaac gave her a smile. ¡°It was a long day.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡± She replied evenly. ¡°I have your money. The Guild Master said that you two should get three quarters of the platinum tier bounty. Three thousand, seven hundred, and fifty gold. Now that you have a bank account would you like me to have it transferred?¡± She asked with a smile.


    Isaac returned a flat look. ¡°You mean we could have had that big payout from before directly deposited?¡± He asked her incredulously.


    Alice returned an even more innocent smile. ¡°The bank sends a list of all adventurers with an account there once a week. We didn¡¯t have your account on file so no.¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Yes, can you please just have it deposited?¡±


    Alice nodded. ¡°It¡¯ll take a few days as the deposit, withdrawals, and updated account list all happen at the same time.¡± She explained.


    Isaac waved her off. ¡°That¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t plan on burning through the ten thousand gold that¡¯s already in there before the end of the week.¡±


    Alice¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°You have ten thousand gold and are still wearing that?!¡± She asked animatedly while gesturing towards Isaac¡¯s ragged leather armor.


    Isaac was taken aback for a moment before he looked down at his armor and honestly had to agree with her. He sighed. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll go to the general store and order some magical armor.¡± He acquiesced. ¡°It¡¯s not going to cost me my entire savings will it?¡±


    Alice shook her head. ¡°If all you want is a simple magically reinforced set of studded leather armor it will only cost you like six hundred gold. If you want anything fancy it¡¯ll cost more but six hundred should be pocket change for you.¡± She chastised even while answering his question.


    Isaac stared at her and blinked a few times. ¡°It¡¯s really that cheap?¡± He asked.


    Alice nodded a few times. ¡°Yes. Yes it is.¡±


    Isaac waved her off. ¡°Okay, okay. That¡¯ll be today¡¯s second stop. Right now we need updated badges. Lenna is level twelve now so I¡¯ll need a gold badge that says I¡¯m level eleven and hers needs an update.¡±


    Alice¡¯s eyes went wide again. ¡°You leveled up twice from one mission?¡± She questioned. ¡°It was a platinum technically a double platinum tier monster but still¡­¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No¡­ I forgot to have it updated last time.¡± She confessed.


    Alice nodded sagely. ¡°Yes, that makes more sense.¡± She held out both of her hands to receive their badges. ¡°Okay, give them here. It¡¯s actually pretty easy to update yours.¡± She told Lenna. ¡°I will need to make a copy of yours so we can make a gold one though.¡± She explained to Isaac. The pair handed over their badges and Alice returned with them a few minutes later. Lenna¡¯s now had her level updated and Isaac¡¯s had a stripe of gold paint across the front.


    ¡°Why the gold paint?¡± He asked.


    Alice gave him a smile. ¡°You are gold now. Wouldn¡¯t want anyone to think that you were still electrum before you get your new badge do we?¡±

 Chapter 5 Do You Have A Bucket?

    Chapter 5 Do You Have A Bucket?


    ¡°Welcome to the Safeharbor branch of Alan¡¯s General Goods and Gear.¡± A young woman in her mid twenties, with light brown hair tied back in a ponytail, and deep brown eyes said with absolutely no enthusiasm, greeted them. The door had barely opened and the bell had just rung before she had started her well rehearsed spiel. Her eyes had a dead look to them, her head that was lazily resting on her hand whose elbow was propped on the counter, which did nothing but help her obvious lack of enthusiasm.


    Isaac gave Lenna a sidelong glance as the pair finished entering the store. Lenna just shrugged. Isaac shrugged in return. The nonverbal communication went unnoticed by the clerk as she was busy inspecting her nails lazily. Isaac approached the counter. ¡°Hello, I heard you sell magical armor here?¡± He told her with a friendly smile on his face.


    The young woman eyed him up and down then handed a binder with their entire catalog inside. Isaac took the binder and, using the table of contents, flipped to the section with magical armor. Everything was clearly and neatly labeled. Anything that wasn¡¯t in stock had a note that said so. Studded Leather, magically reinforced, and with a sizing enchantment was in stock. ¡°Twelve hundred gold is a bit much don¡¯t you think?¡± Isaac told her.


    She gave him a deadpan look with the same dead look in her eyes. ¡°If you want to negotiate you are going to have to talk to the manager.¡± She explained.


    Isaac nodded slowly. ¡°Okay then, where is this manager you speak of.¡±


    The young woman sighed, sat up straight, took a deep breath, then screamed at the top of her lungs: ¡°MANAGER!¡±


    Isaac winced at the auditory attack that left his one ear ringing. A few moments later a middle aged man with disheveled brown hair appeared and greeted them with a smile. ¡°Hello, Hello. What can I do for you?¡± He asked politely. He looked tired, worn down like only a man who worked at a job he hated for at least a decade could be.


    Isaac returned the man¡¯s smile and explained his problem. ¡°It says here that magical studded leather should only be six hundred and forty five gold but right here this set is twelve hundred. The protection offered even appears to be the same. The cheaper one is, of course, out of stock.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± The manager began answering what he assumed was Isaac¡¯s question and/or problem. ¡°The enchantment for automatic sizing of the armor is worth just as much as the hardening enchantment which increases its price accordingly. I do not see what the problem is, mister¡­¡±


    ¡°Isaac Wexler.¡± Isaac replied. He specifically didn¡¯t mention his ¡®Lord¡¯ title because he was definitely not going to get a bargain if the man thought that he was a noble. ¡°I don¡¯t need magic to make it fit me before and after a growth spurt like some adventurer¡¯s child. I just want a set with some protection that will last longer than one job.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ see.¡± The manager replied and thought for a moment. ¡°Unfortunately the prices are not really negotiable. We could put a set on back order for you of the cheaper one?¡± He offered.


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    Isaac shook his head. ¡°If I¡¯m not getting it today then I¡¯ll just go and get a custom set made from someone in town so I know it¡¯ll fit well then ship it to the magic academy to get enchanted. It¡¯ll be cheaper.¡± Isaac countered.


    The manager sighed. ¡°Listen, I can probably get it down to eleven hundred but that¡¯s it.¡± He offered.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Eight hundred. That¡¯s almost two hundred more than I was expecting to pay.¡± He countered.


    The manager balked. ¡°We¡¯ll be losing money. Ten fifty.¡± He begrudgingly returned.


    Isaac turned to look at the bottomless bag on Lenna¡¯s hip. ¡°We only have a thousand with us and were planning on picking up potions too.¡± He lied.


    The manager sighed defeatedly. ¡°I guess¡­ we can do a thousand.¡± He sighed again then added in a grumble: ¡°We won¡¯t even be making a profit.¡±


    Isaac made a show of sighing as if in defeat too then nodded. ¡°A thousand.¡± He agreed.


    With the transaction finished Isaac and Lenna headed to Stan¡¯s to track down someone who would be able to help Isaac with a similar project.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Are those?¡± Stan asked in awe.


    ¡°Young blue dragon scales.¡± Isaac answered. ¡°Yes. And I want armor made with them.¡±


    Stan looked up from the handful of small blue scales, each one smaller than his thumbnail. ¡°You¡¯ll need o¡¯er a thousand of ¡®em.¡± The old smith replied.


    ¡°Good thing I have over a thousand then.¡± Isaac replied with a grin.


    Stan shook his head and chuckled. ¡°Aye.¡± He thought for but a singular moment before answering Isaac¡¯s unspoken question. ¡°Next door. The Tanner¡¯s. Known ¡®em for three generations. Good people, better crafters. Most o¡¯ the high end leather work in town comes from ¡®ier shop.¡±


    Isaac smiled. ¡°Thanks Stan.¡± He scooped up the little blue scales and made them disappear in a ball of shadows. He motioned towards the door while looking at Lenna who nodded in thanks to Stan and then started for the door.


    Stan grumbled and shook his head. ¡°Youngsters, always in a hurry.¡±


    Isaac and Lenna walked into the shop right next to Stan¡¯s Smithy. The Tanner Family Leatherwork was an old, worn, but well kept shop much like Stan¡¯s but with far less dust. Two human men were inside. Both with brown hair, brown eyes, and pale skin. The older of the two had his slightly long hair brushed back and it looked well kept. His beard not so much. It looked as though he had shaved a week ago and hadn¡¯t bothered since. Both his beard and hair were flecked with gray. The younger man¡¯s beard was less grown but it still looked a week old. His hair was pulled back in a low ponytail and he was hard at work trimming a long leather strap, most likely a belt from the look of it, and only tossed the newcomers a quick glance.


    The older man greeted them with a smile and a warm voice. ¡°Welcome to the Tanners, what can we help you with?¡±


    Isaac returned his smile and looked around. Inside was a large collection of belts, pouches, satchels, and armors of varying types and sizes. ¡°Stan said you might be able to help me with something.¡± Isaac explained while approaching the counter that the older man was standing behind.


    ¡°One of old Stan¡¯s customers huh? You know how to pick a good smith.¡± Mr. Tanner replied with clear warmth and fondness in his voice and face.


    ¡°Referrals are always the best way to do business. Jessica Silverstrand sent us to him a while ago and he just sent us to you.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Mr. Tanner agreed.


    Isaac made a ball of shadows in his hand and used it as cover to pull out a handful of blue dragon scales. He set the handful on the counter. The older man¡¯s eyes had gone wide at the magic and then wider at the sight of the scales. Isaac flashed the man a smirk. ¡°Think you can help?¡±


    ¡°Dragon scales.¡± The man whispered. His eyes left the scales to meet Isaac¡¯s. ¡°How many do you have? What sizes? What type of gear?¡± He asked rapid fire.


    Isaac¡¯s grin was now permanent. He had the leatherworker¡¯s full attention. ¡°A full set of armor. Neck down at least.¡±


    The older man had a glint in his eyes. ¡°How many do you have?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I should have enough. Do you have a bucket?¡± Isaac asked.

 Chapter 6 Own Personal Library

    Chapter 6 Own Personal Library


    Isaac unloaded all of his scales into two wicker baskets. He had almost all of Kahtesh¡¯s scales. The only ones that were missing were the ones he had sold in Outpost Charles and a few from around Kahtesh¡¯s neck, that were too damaged to be used on the chimera, from his beheading. The two men went over armor design after armor design for well over an hour. Lenna occasionally commented on the ones that were simply not practical but otherwise simply watched and stood guard.


    By the time Isaac and Lenna left, a final decision had been reached and a price tag had been put on the project. The armor would be a vest with attached flaps that would cover the front and back of Isaac¡¯s thighs. There would also be a set of greaves, bracers, and pauldrons. All of the armor would be as small and light as possible while still providing good coverage. Isaac didn¡¯t need full coverage as he was usually invisible while fighting so maneuverability and surface area were the two most important factors. There weren¡¯t enough scales for a helmet which Isaac didn¡¯t really mind but Lenna very much did.


    The whole set was going to cost him three hundred gold to have made as he already had the most expensive pieces. The reason for the cost was because each scale needed to be sewn onto a light, flexible, and resilient leather. Ironically enough, the leather Mr. Tanner decided to use was from a falling shadow. His leather was treated and the stony surface removed so in the end it looked nothing like the monster¡¯s skin but still had the acid resistance and was even more resilient than the monster had been. The leather would help against heat and cold but not as well due to the stony, temperature resistant, surface being removed but it was worth it for the decreased weight and increased flexibility.


    The real cost would be getting it enchanted. Mr. Tanner often worked with an enchanter who lived in Sapphire Stone. Thankfully Sapphire Stone was the closest city to Safeharbor so it would only be a three day trip by caravan. The route was mostly safe as it was the only route to or from Safeharbor. Mr. Tanner had agreed to get in contact with the enchanter and get a quote for Isaac on getting a full suite of enchantments put on the armor but in the meantime he would begin crafting the blue scaled masterpiece.


    ¡°We need more gold.¡± Isaac told Lenna on their way back to the Guild Hall.


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Somewhere between ten and twenty thousand.¡± Isaac said almost in disbelief.


    ¡°Enchanting a set like that? It¡¯ll be worth it.¡± She assured him.


    ¡°The problem is that he¡¯s right, I can¡¯t skimp on any of the enchantments. It¡¯ll need hardened, pressure distribution, and heat protection. I need to be able to be caught in your fire spells on occasion.¡± He explained.


    ¡°I hope you won¡¯t be.¡± Lenna replied.


    Isaac nodded. He hoped he wouldn¡¯t be as well but it was better to be prepared. ¡°The metal cleats to direct incoming lighting down into the ground was a good idea if I do say so myself.¡± Isaac complimented himself. He was very humble after all.


    Lenna rolled her eyes but agreed. ¡°Yes. Otherwise the lightning would arc across the scales into your face.¡±


    Isaac winced. ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯m glad you brought that up.¡± He thanked her. ¡°Thadd¡¯s idea to connect each piece to the other with copper was a good idea too.¡± Thadd was Mr. Tanner¡¯s son who had jumped in towards the end more out of fascination than a desire to help but had ended up helping anyway.


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    Isaac and Lenna continued to talk about the armor and how Isaac was probably going to paint over the pretty blue scales to match his cloak and magic until they reached the Guild Hall. ¡°Alice! I¡¯m gonna use the back room to change.¡± He told her with a wave as they walked in.


    Alice sighed. ¡°You aren¡¯t the Guild Master you know. The back rooms are for staff, not adventurers.¡± She replied.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Noted,¡± He replied. ¡®and ignored.¡¯ He finished in his head as he did just that.


    A few minutes later Isaac walked out in his new magical armor. The leather plates and pads were studded with iron to help prevent some attacks from punching through the leather or slicing it open. The round studs also caused many attacks to simply ricochet off of them. Much to Lenna¡¯s annoyance, the set lacked a helmet.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why humans hate helmets so much.¡± Lenna complained.


    ¡°They make it harder to see and hear. Also, they are hot.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°They also don¡¯t usually look cool.¡± Alice added. ¡°None of the heroes in paintings have their helmets on.¡±


    Isaac nodded in agreement. ¡°That too.¡±


    Lenna sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a wonder there are any of you still alive.¡± She grumbled.


    ¡°So?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look poor anymore.¡± Alice commented.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°It should hold up a lot better than your last set.¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Good enough I guess.¡±


    ¡°Are you here to take a job or just to treat the Guild Hall like it¡¯s your house?¡± Alice asked.


    ¡°To treat the Guild Hall as my own personal library and mess hall.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to have tea with Sera tomorrow so I want to try to stay out of trouble until then.¡±


    ¡°Sera?¡± Alice asked.


    ¡°Duchess Arbencroft.¡± Lenna answered.


    Alice¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°You are close with the duchess?¡± She questioned with stars in her eyes.


    ¡°Not yet.¡± Isaac replied. He got the feeling Alice looked up to the woman for some reason. ¡°That is kind of the point of talking over tea isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Alice deflated a little. ¡°Oh, okay.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Why?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°You want us to deliver a message?¡±


    Alice shook her head. ¡°No, nothing like that. She was the person who tried to have a clinic maintained downtown and she had two orphanages built. One of them my sister and I were at for a while. There are a lot of us who owe her a lot.¡± She explained somewhat solemnly.


    Isaac gave her a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll let her know. I¡¯m sure she will appreciate it.¡±


    Alice smiled back. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Isaac and Lenna spent the rest of the day reading and running errands. They tried their best to stay out of trouble and for once they managed to do so. That evening found the pair back in their room, reading in the dark as neither of them needed light to see, letting their hair dry from their after spar baths.


    ¡°I¡¯ll finally get to see you in that dress.¡± Isaac commented.


    Lenna sighed. ¡°Unfortunately.¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°You don¡¯t think Gio would be bold enough to attack us on our way to or from the duke¡¯s manor do you?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°Who knows. If he is sure he can kill us both, he might.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s not the reason you don¡¯t want to wear the dress?¡± Isaac asked but in all honestly it was more of an observation.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°It is¡­ a lot.¡± Isaac let the silence fill the room until Lenna felt like continuing. ¡°Of exposure, I mean.¡± Slice again filled the room. Unlike Isaac who would just blurt out whatever he was feeling most of the time, Lenna had to work through what words she needed to express herself, no doubt partially due to her upbringing.


    ¡°You¡¯re concerned about people¡¯s reactions?¡± Isaac prodded after Lenna had been silent for the better part of a minute.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe.¡± She confessed. ¡°The entire thing just makes me feel uneasy.¡±


    ¡°Is there any part of it that you can put a finger on?¡± Isaac asked. He wanted to make sure it was just her head getting the better of her and not her instincts telling her something that his weren¡¯t.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No. It¡¯s probably nothing.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll keep our guard up anyway. If something weird is going on I would rather be expecting the unexpected than be caught in a daydream.¡± Isaac told her.


    Lenna gave him a rare, honest, smile. ¡°Thank you.¡±

 Chapter 7 Stunning.

    Chapter 7 Stunning.


    ¡°She¡¯s not expecting us for four more hours. Are you sure we need to start getting ready now?¡± Isaac complained. He was three chapters away from finishing the book he was reading.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied with a tinge of worry in her voice. ¡°You have no idea how long it takes to get ready for these things. It¡¯s a process.¡±


    Isaac sighed and placed his bookmark. He set the book down on nothing and it disappeared into his Inventory. ¡°Fine.¡± He relented and started getting his nice clothes out for the tea party with the duchess. He started to undress in the middle of the room.


    ¡°Isaac!¡± Lenna snapped.


    ¡°What?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°Have some modesty.¡± She chastised.


    ¡°No.¡± He replied and gestured towards his sculpted abs that were now visible. ¡°Have you seen these? I don¡¯t even have to work to keep them. If it wasn¡¯t so damn cold I¡¯d be tempted to walk around town without a shirt too.¡±


    Lenna sighed and rubbed her forehead with her palm. ¡°Ugh.¡± She sighed again. ¡°At least let me get my clothes so I can change behind the screen like a normal person.¡±


    Isaac shrugged and continued changing. Lenna specifically did not look in his direction. Ten minutes later Isaac was dressed and looking at himself in the mirror. ¡°Not too bad.¡± He said to himself. His tossed back hair was perfect as ever. His silver eyes looked back at him. ¡°Wait. What?¡± He said aloud. The room was still dark as neither of them needed light to see. In Isaac¡¯s case it had always been his darkvision ability that relieved the need for light but that had always come with the price of leaving shadows over his eyes.


    His eyes lost focus for a moment as he turned his attention inwards. His eyes were still using a miniscule amount of mana to allow him to see in the dark but he couldn¡¯t see the shadows. ¡°Lenna?¡± He called across the room.


    ¡°Yes?¡± She replied.


    ¡°Come look at this.¡± He told her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not dressed¡­ I can¡¯t do the last two buttons¡­¡± She confessed.


    Isaac looked over at the screen that she was behind. ¡°Buttons on your dress?¡± He asked for clarification.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna spoke defeatedly.


    Isaac walked over and around the screen to see her. ¡°Let me help you.¡± He told her.


    She looked up from trying to do the buttons under her armpit. ¡°Privacy¡­¡± She took in her charge. His black button-down long sleeved shirt, black hair, black pants and boots brought out how bright his eyes were and his pale skin. ¡®Has he gotten paler?¡¯ She questioned. His clothes were all cotton harvested from another part of the world and looked both soft and comfortable. His shirt wasn¡¯t tucked in and hung just below where a belt should be. He had his sleeves rolled up showing off some of his muscles and he had the top two buttons of his shirt undone. One too many for Lenna¡¯s taste.


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    Isaac noticed Lenna¡¯s eyes take him in and then return to his own. ¡°Notice anything?¡± He asked. Lenna tilted her head to the side in question and her silver hair fell from her shoulder, leaving it bare. Isaac couldn¡¯t keep his eyes from tracing her collarbone and then sweeping over her dress. The silver silk dress hugged her figure in such a way that it was flattering without revealing anything. He knew that there was a corset under the dress that was built in to allow it to always fit properly as well as be invisible from the outside. The dress was smooth, with no embellishments, a slit up the right leg that ended just above her knee, and looked as though it was meant to be strapless but a three inch thick strap went from under her left armpit up and over her right shoulder.


    ¡°Can¡­ you see?¡± She asked once she realized that she shouldn¡¯t be able to see his silver eyes.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He whispered. ¡°You look stunning.¡±


    Lenna¡¯s face flushed slightly but she refused to acknowledge it. ¡°You look good as well. You should do the second button.¡±


    Isaac smirked. ¡°No.¡± He replied to her recommendation which got a flat look in return. ¡°But back on topic, turn so I can do your buttons. Where are they?¡± Lenna rolled her eyes and turned. She raised her right arm and Isaac saw the buttons were hidden under a flap that ran down her side to just above her waist. The two right under her armpit were the ones she couldn¡¯t get. He did the buttons while talking. ¡°I think the reason I can still see is that whatever effect the shadow mana usually had on my eyes to let me see in the dark has become imprinted into the mana pathways in my eyes. Have you ever heard of something happening like that?¡±


    Lenna thought for a long moment. ¡°Yes actually.¡± Isaac gave her time to expand on her answer and after a moment she did so. ¡°That is how shadow sorcerers become semi-ethereal. It is necessary for them to pass their level fourteen level lock.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s normal?¡± Isaac asked and stepped back as he had just finished doing the second button and smoothing out the flap to hide them.


    ¡°Not for all sorcerers but I believe it is similar for most.¡± She replied.


    Isaac sighed in relief. ¡°At least that¡¯s something. Do you know how it happens?¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No.¡± She replied simply. Her slightly heeled slippers were resting on the chair next to her so she walked over to the mirror barefoot. She looked at her hair and sighed. ¡°This is the hard part.¡±


    Isaac joined her and looked her over again with a question in his eyes until he got what she meant. ¡°Your hair?¡± He asked.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes. I only know how to braid it.¡± She confessed.


    ¡°You only learned how to braid it in how many centuries?¡± Isaac asked incredulously.


    ¡°Nearly three¡­¡± She replied sheepishly.


    ¡°Jessica said to put it in a bun and pin it up with the spikes right?¡± Isaac tried to recall what the seamstress had told them so long ago.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± She started with brushing her hair and once she was done Isaac gave her a questioning look.


    ¡°You want help?¡± He asked.


    Lenna gave him an incredulous look. ¡°Can you help?¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Probably not.¡± He returned.


    She shook her head. ¡°No. I¡¯ll figure it out.¡± She told him. He shrugged again and then got his book back out. He had hours to kill as they weren¡¯t in a rush.


    Isaac finished his book and got up with a stretch. He looked over and saw Lenna still trying to get her hair right. She finally sat on the bed and sighed. ¡°Can¡¯t do it?¡± He asked rhetorically.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Not within the next two hours.¡± She resigned.


    Isaac gave her hair a long look. He sat on the bed behind her and ran his fingers through her hair to get it to fall straight again. There were some lingering waves from her hair being in a braid for so long but it was otherwise completely straight. Her hair was smoother than her silk dress and he quickly forgot about trying to put it up in a bun.


    Lenna cleared her throat. ¡°My Lord, do you intend to try to do my hair or are your perverted thoughts getting the better of you?¡±


    Isaac sat up a little straighter. ¡°There were no perverted thoughts thank you.¡± He defended. ¡°I was just admiring your hair.¡±


    She sighed. ¡°So?¡± She questioned.


    After a long moment of him tilting his head back and forth while looking at it he gave up. ¡°I have no idea.¡± He confessed. She leaned back and tilted her head back to get a look at him. His eyes found her lips and the world disappeared. For a long moment only she existed in his mind. He wondered how her lips tasted.


    She noticed his gaze and felt her face flush. She sat back up quickly and cleared her throat. ¡°Now what?¡± She asked in an attempt to move on from how close they were to sharing a kiss. She could see it in his eyes, he was about to go for it. ¡®I should not have done that.¡¯ She chastised herself internally.


    Isaac shook his head to clear it. ¡°Plan C.¡± He told her and stood up.


    ¡°Which is?¡± She questioned as he walked towards the door.


    ¡°I get Celeste to help.¡± He told her and left to do just that.

 Chapter 8 Only A Mortal Wizard.

    Chapter 8 Only A Mortal Wizard.


    Isaac poked his head out and looked over at Celeste who was working the bar as usual. ¡°Hey Celeste?¡± He greeted her.


    The older woman looked up from the glass she had just finished pouring for a patron and found Isaac. ¡°Yes?¡± She replied.


    ¡°Can you help Lenna with her hair?¡± He asked honestly.


    The older woman¡¯s smile was radiant. ¡°I always wanted a daughter. I¡¯ll be right up.¡± She told him then called into the back for her son. ¡°Leo! I need you to run the bar for a bit!¡±


    A gruff voice returned barely loud enough for Isaac to hear. ¡°I¡¯ll be right out.¡± It was Isaac¡¯s first time even hearing the cook¡¯s voice. He knew that there had to be someone in the back and Edward had told him a little about the man but even after all the time Isaac and Lenna had spent in the Celestial Dawn, he had never seen Celeste¡¯s son.


    Celeste served another patron then ushered Isaac back upstairs. ¡°I¡¯d get my makeup but I doubt I have the right colors.¡± She told him. ¡°Also, it would probably do more harm than good.¡± She continued with a wink.


    Half an hour later Lenna¡¯s hair was up in a bun with an X made of gleaming steel holding it in place. The steel was polished to look as close to silver as possible but it only took more than a quick glance to know that that was not the case. Her silver colored slippers only raised her height by less than half an inch, in order to keep her on the same height as Isaac, even though his boots raised his height by a whole inch.


    Isaac couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of Lenna once Celeste had clasped the necklace around Lenna¡¯s neck. The amethyst sparkled in magical lighting an almost identical shade to Lenna¡¯s skin. The main difference being the gray color that was the base for all drow skin tones. After a long moment of staring which got a confused and then a sheepish look from Lenna, Isaac blinked himself back into reality and looked at Celeste ¡°Now what?¡± He asked.


    Celeste looked at him with a question on her face as she stepped back to get a proper look at Lenna with the necklace and her hair done properly. Lenna asked a question in return. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°We have over two hours to kill.¡± He explained.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°I guess¡­ we didn¡¯t need four hours¡­¡±


    Celeste giggled. ¡°Better to be early than late but did you two eat? You are only going for tea right?¡± She asked.


    Isaac shared a look with Lenna. ¡°No.¡± He replied sheepishly.


    Celeste gave them a motherly smile. ¡°Let me get you something.¡± She stopped at the door and turned around to give Isaac a wink. ¡°I always wanted more kids.¡± She told him with a grin then left before he could respond.


    Isaac shook his head with a smile on his face. ¡°Well she has two more now.¡± He chuckled.


    ¡°I feel like we are imposing.¡± Lenna confessed.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Probably a little but you can¡¯t tell me she isn¡¯t enjoying herself with a smile like that. I doubt Leo has gone out on a date recently.¡±


    ¡°A date?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac met her eyes. ¡°I mean, think about it how you like but that is what it looks like. Sera definitely did this on purpose.¡± He explained.


    Lenna hadn¡¯t thought about it at all. She had been focused on making sure Sera didn¡¯t lose any face from their visit as that could be catastrophic. If the person who vouched for them in the beginning ended up looking worse for doing so then it was all but a guarantee that it wouldn¡¯t happen again.


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    Isaac gave Lenna time to sort her thoughts out. ¡°You don¡¯t have to think about it like it¡¯s a date Lenna.¡± He told her. ¡°Either way you are my escort. You are my guard so you would be brought along in proper attire anyway.¡±


    Lenna nodded but otherwise didn¡¯t answer before Celeste returned with two plates of sandwiches and a pair of drinks for them. ¡°Alright you two.¡± She addressed them. ¡°Make sure not to get anything on those. We won¡¯t have enough time to wash and dry them.¡±


    ¡°Yes mom.¡± Isaac replied with a grin and barely contained mirth.


    She gave him a flat look that quickly broke and she chuckled. ¡°Good.¡± She pulled a watch out of her apron. It was on a chain but the watch was the size on her palm, much too large to be a pocketwatch. ¡°You have two hours before you should leave. Make sure to only look straight ahead or at each other, no swearing, keep your shadow magic up the whole way or don¡¯t do it at all.¡± She advised. ¡°I would tell you to remember to keep your chins up but I don¡¯t think either of you need the reminder.¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± He asked.


    Celeste gave him a flat look. ¡°The, most likely, most powerful mage in the city and a proud warrior princess from a proud warrior culture. If either of you stop walking down the street bleeding power all over the place we are in trouble.¡±


    Isaac chuckled and scratched the back of his head. ¡°Fair point.¡±


    ¡°Also, don¡¯t do that.¡± Celeste chastised. ¡°I know you two prefer to be adventurers but today you are nobles. Remember to act like it.¡±


    Isaac straightened a bit, Lenna¡¯s posture rarely ever slouched so she didn¡¯t. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Good.¡± Celeste replied. ¡°I need to get back to the bar.¡± She said as a temporary farewell. Isaac gave her a nod.


    ¡°Thank you, again, Celeste.¡± Lenna told her with an appreciative smile which got a motherly one in return.


    ¡°Anytime dear.¡± Celeste replied and hurried back downstairs to continue her work.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Ready to go?¡± Isaac asked as he rose from his seat.


    Lenna mentally checked over everything. ¡°Yes. I think so.¡±


    Isaac got the door for her and the pair walked arm in arm down stairs. As they descended more and more patrons saw them and stopped talking until there was only a quiet murmur. A shadowy fog trailed behind Isaac and his face was in a half smirk as he reveled in the patron¡¯s reactions. Celeste looked over and met them with a wide smile. ¡°Lord Wexler, Lady V¡¯Nova.¡± She greeted them each with a short bow. ¡°Give my best wishes to Lady Arbencroft would you?¡±


    The pair returned her smile even if theirs were much more muted. ¡°Of course.¡± Isaac assured her with a nod. The pair continued until they reached the batwing doors. Isaac looked over his shoulder and gave Celeste a smirk. ¡°We¡¯re off.¡±


    Celeste returned a smile and gave them another short bow. ¡°Enjoy your visit.¡± She told them as a farewell and the pair exited the Celestial Dawn for the first time without any armor.


    Two steps out the pair were met by a somewhat familiar face and an unfamiliar one. ¡°Lord Wexler, Lady V¡¯Nova.¡± The Captain of the Guard greeted them each with a short bow as Celeste had. ¡°My Lady instructed me to offer you both an escort.¡±


    Isaac showed only the barest hint of surprise at his words and then nodded to the Captain. ¡°Hello Guard Captain, your Lady¡¯s compassion, grace, and foresight show no bounds. We would be delighted to have you accompany us.¡± He told the man. Isaac hadn¡¯t given the other guard more than a passing glance as he was not important enough for a noble to greet.


    The Captain gave Isaac another bow, this time a little bit deeper than the last. ¡°Your words honor both her and myself.¡± He told Isaac. ¡°Thank you.¡± Isaac gave him a smile but did not otherwise reply. The Captain, who was well versed in noble etiquette continued after a slight pause. ¡°Shall we?¡± He said and motioned onwards.


    Isaac gave the man a nod. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s.¡±


    The Guard Captain walked in front of the pair and the other guard trailed behind at an equal distance. With the two of them present to run interference no one even bothered to make trouble. The Captain of the Guard personally escorting someone was no small matter and that alone sent a message that the two he was escorting were not to be taken lightly. After a bit of walking Tim, the Guard Captain, decided to make pleasant conversation. In circumstances such as those any important individuals were more than free to have conversation as long as it remained on respectful topics and at a respectful volume. The trailing guard was not permitted to speak however.


    ¡°Lord Wexler, I do not believe I have seen that enchantment before. It suits you.¡± Tim complimented while asking a question in between the lines.


    Isaac answered him truthfully: ¡°It is no enchantment Captain, but thank you.¡±


    As the small party rounded a corner Tim took a moment to steal a glance back at Isaac. Noting the black fog still trailing behind he inclined an eyebrow when their eyes met then refocused his attention forwards. ¡°A spell then?¡± He asked.


    Isaac shook his head slightly even though the Captain could not see him. ¡°No.¡± He replied. ¡°It is merely excess mana bleeding off. I usually keep tighter control on it but Celeste recommended I show a small amount of power on our walk.¡±


    Tim gulped. ¡°Excess mana, Lord Wexler? I am afraid I am not well versed in magecraft.¡± He confessed.


    As far as Isaac was concerned this conversation only existed as a way for Tim to collect information on him. That did not stop Isaac from sharing however as the truth would be far scarier than a lie in this circumstance. ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac began. ¡°All beings with magic will naturally regenerate it at a rate proportional to the maximum that they can hold. The proportions vary from creature to creature but tend to be roughly the same among creatures of the same species as far as I am aware. Granted this field of study is not one I have delved very deep into. As far as I understand it a wizard like your Court Mage should be regenerating about a fourth level spell¡¯s worth of mana per hour, unless, of course, he was specifically trying to regenerate more as there are techniques to do so I believe.¡± Isaac took a breath to focus his next few thoughts.


    Tim nodded along even if he couldn¡¯t look at Isaac while he was talking due to their formation. ¡°A fourth level spell per hour is still incredible for someone like me who cannot even manage a first level one.¡± Tim replied to confirm that he was paying attention.


    Isaac was internally cheering at being able to finally put some of his countless hours of reading about magic and magic theory to use. ¡°If I regenerated that little mana I would probably feel like I was suffocating.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°Do not misunderstand, Captain, I am in no way dismissing the Court Mage¡¯s achievements. He is a fine, powerful, and learned wizard. In the end, however, he is still only a mortal wizard.¡±


    The Guard Captain was quiet for a time but had nodded along with Isaac as he was talking. The Captain eventually cleared his throat. ¡°I see.¡± He said quietly but did not speak again until they arrived at the Duke¡¯s manor.

 Chapter 9 Rose In The Garden

    Chapter 9 Rose In The Garden


    The Guard Captain stopped at the door and turned to face Isaac and Lenna. ¡°If you will excuse me Lord Wexler, Lady V¡¯Nova,¡± He gave each of them another bow in turn. ¡°I must be off to see to my duties.¡±


    Isaac nodded to him. ¡°Thank you Captain for seeing us this far. Good day to you.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Good day.¡± Lenna echoed.


    Tim gave each of them another bow and then was off along with the other guard that he had brought. The two guards at the entrance to the Arbencroft estate gave them each shallow bows and each one got one of the double doors for them. The pair walked inside and were met by a servant who greeted them with another bow and then gestured further inside. The three of them walked silently down a few halls until all of a sudden they were out in an open air garden.


    Flowers of yellows, reds, and pinks were all blooming despite them all being underground and far away from sunlight. The entire garden seemed to radiate a pleasant, soft, yellowish light. There was a small gazebo with a glass table, four chairs, a tea set, a servant standing off to the side, and a certain duchess inside it. The duchess was sipping from a small teacup and had been looking out over the garden until she heard the doors open. She turned to see Isaac and Lenna standing in the doorway with barely contained awe in their eyes. The garden was walled off from the outside world by a ten foot high stone wall that left the garden an impressive forty foot by sixty foot rectangle. There were a few flowering trees close to the walls but the center, near the gazebo, was nothing but low to the ground brilliantly bright flowers.


    The servant who had led the pair to the garden bowed to the duchess who smiled at them. ¡°Welcome.¡± She greeted them. ¡°Come, join me for tea.¡±


    Isaac and Lenna walked carefully along the path to the pleasant spot the duchess had chosen to have her tea. ¡°Thank you for having us.¡± Isaac replied and Lenna gave the woman a deep nod as a greeting. The servant that had led them bowed again and closed the doors behind them. Isaac pulled a chair out for Lenna and then helped her slide it in before taking his own.


    ¡°My Lord,¡± Lenna chastised quietly. ¡°I should be the one to get the chair for you.¡±


    Isaac smiled but otherwise ignored the comment. ¡°This is a lovely garden you have here Lady Arbencroft.¡± He praised.


    The lady in question smiled warmly. ¡°Just Sera here please. The over-politeness of ¡®polite society¡¯ grates me.¡±


    Isaac returned her smile and let out a breath, slightly visibly relaxing. ¡°Likewise.¡± He agreed. ¡°Illusion magic to create sunlight, correct?¡± He asked.


    Sera nodded. ¡°Yes. My husband¡¯s great grandfather had it made. His wife had never had a good constitution and wished to be able to see the flowers regularly.¡±


    Isaac looked around. ¡°The wonders and potential of magic never cease to amaze me.¡± He commented. The servant standing off to the side stepped in and poured Isaac and Lenna some tea and then refilled Sera¡¯s.


    ¡°I must say, you both look amazing.¡± Sera complimented.


    ¡°And you as well.¡± Lenna replied. The Duchess¡¯s multilayered red, yellow, and pink gown matched the flowers all around them and only served to highlight her brilliant blue eyes.


    Sera smiled and nodded in appreciation towards Lenna before asking Isaac a question: ¡°Those shadows?¡±


    Isaac glanced down at the shadowy fog still seeping out of his clothes. ¡°I can get rid of them if you would like.¡± He offered without directly answering her question.


    She shook her head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t mind, I was just wondering if they were from you or an enchantment.¡± She replied.


    Isaac smirked in reply before speaking: ¡°They are from me, Celeste advised something of the sort. She also asked us to give you her best wishes.¡±


    Sera nodded. ¡°I will have to send her a letter later. She offered good advice as long as you are not running yourself dry.¡±


    Isaac waved her off. ¡°I¡¯m regenerating more than this takes so there¡¯s no need to worry.¡±


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    Sera smiled. ¡°Good.¡± She replied then turned to Lenna. ¡°So? How has the young lord been treating you?¡± She asked directly with Isaac right next to her.


    Lenna started at the sudden attention and the very direct question. ¡°Uh, um, well, very well.¡± Lenna floundered a bit before getting her proverbial feet back under her. ¡°He has taken very good care of me.¡± She didn¡¯t risk a glance at Isaac and decided to focus completely on the woman in front of her. ¡°Better than I deserve honestly.¡±


    Isaac was about to argue when Sera raised an eyebrow at him, shutting him up before he even started. She looked back at Lenna and motioned for her to continue. ¡°Go on.¡± She prodded.


    ¡°He is a handful to try and protect. I think he enjoys making enemies as much as he enjoys staring at me.¡± She continued, which got a giggle out of Sera. ¡°He looks out for me. He has been trying to get people in town to accept me as a person.¡±


    Sera smiled and grabbed Lenna¡¯s hand. ¡°Good, I am happy for you Lenna.¡±


    Lenna smiled in return. ¡°Thank you. You started this, I believe.¡± She thanked the much younger woman.


    ¡°I think you did more of it than you think dear.¡± Sera told her. ¡°If you were any less you then I doubt as many people would be open to you being here. You have a kind heart, especially for one raised in the environment that you no doubt were.¡±


    Isaac smiled at the fact that someone could see what he had known for some time now. He took a sip of his tea, only then noticing the rose and raspberry scent. The tea was naturally sweet and pleasant much like the duchess. To him the duchess was the garden and the garden was her. The walls were hidden behind flowering trees, the ground covered in brilliant colors and at the center was a pleasant place to rest and take in one¡¯s surroundings. He wondered how much the garden affected the duchess and how much the garden may have been changed to match her.


    The next two hours were filled with snacks, tea, and pleasant conversation. The tea had never gone cold and the teapot had never needed refilling. Isaac could feel a small pull of the ambient mana towards the teapot at all times, likely keeping the water hot and refilling whatever had been drained. The duke never joined them, which Sera had said was normal as he was usually busy with paperwork of some kind or a meeting with one of his advisors on some problem or another.


    Before they left Sera sent away the servant to have a conspiratorial talk with the pair. ¡°You two are still armed, correct?¡± She asked.


    Isaac watched her for a moment before nodding. ¡°Yes. Why?¡± He asked with furrowed brows.


    ¡°Good, good.¡± Sera replied. ¡°If Sir Gio was going to make a move it would have been when you were on your way here or while you were on your way back.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I doubted that he would be that bold though. Having us ambushed coming to or from the Duke¡¯s manor sounds like a really bad look for all parties involved.¡±


    Sera nodded. ¡°If that is what you care about then yes. Sir Gio cares little for such things. Especially considering his fanatical hatred for drow and his general dislike of you, Isaac.¡± She explained.


    ¡°You are always incredibly informed aren¡¯t you?¡± Isaac commented.


    Sera smiled proudly before continuing. ¡°I can have someone I trust shadow you on your way home if you would like or I can have Timothy escort you back again.¡± She took a sip of her tea. ¡°I trust in both of your combat abilities which is why I am even offering this advice; If you elect to travel home without escort or with only my trusted individual shadowing you, Sir Gio will be pressured into making his move. You two are never outside without your armor which, in and of itself, makes you an incredibly tempting target but the lack of visible weapons on either of you will cause him to make his move. That is, of course, if he is even planning on making a move in the first place.¡±


    Isaac was nodding along. ¡°So you are recommending that we bait him out now instead of waiting for him to make a move while we are still armed and armored. Then once he does, we turn the tables because we are actually armed, your friend helps us if we need it, and then expose Gio.¡±


    Sera nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes. It won¡¯t be very hard to have whoever he hires rat him out when they are faced with either that or the death penalty. The attempted assassination of a noble is basically guaranteed execution. They will take whatever they can get.¡± She explained.


    ¡°For a rose in the garden you sure have deadly hidden thorns, Sera.¡± Isaac commented.


    Sera giggled and covered her mouth with the back of her hand. ¡°I haven¡¯t been a duchess for over twenty years for nothing.¡±


    ¡°What do you think, Lenna?¡± Isaac asked and looked at his protector.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t like it. I don¡¯t like either of us being exposed, you more than I.¡± She replied.


    ¡°But?¡± Isaac asked, sensing there was more left unsaid.


    ¡°It is the best way to force his hand. If he doesn''t take the bait then we will know that there is a low chance of him trying it at all.¡± She continued.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem like a very subtle guy. Is it a paladin thing?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Conviction and subtlety rarely go hand in hand.¡±


    ¡°What about the conviction to assassinate all of the crown¡¯s enemies? Paladin assassins?¡± Isaac asked.


    Sera nodded. ¡°The Crown Inquisitors of Altesia. They exist and are under the direct control of the king.¡± She explained.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think Gio would have someone like that trying to assassinate us do you?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Sera shook her head. ¡°No, if they were after you they would not care about catching you out in the open. They would have gone after you in your sleep.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Then whoever he is sending is either a spy or a hired assassin. Either way I like our odds. If they haven¡¯t gone after us yet then that means they aren¡¯t very confident in the first place.¡± Isaac spoke his mind.


    ¡°My thoughts as well.¡± Sera added.


    Lenna sighed. ¡°This is probably the best plan. Our only other option is continuing to look over our shoulder every waking moment.¡± She resigned.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s agreed. We see if Gio takes the bait.¡± Isaac said then looked at Sera. ¡°How will he know?¡±


    ¡°There is a desert parlor only a block out of the way on your way home. Stop there for a bit before heading back. While you are there whoever is shadowing you will have enough time to report back to Sir Gio and receive orders.¡± Sera advised.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°That should work. So, who is your friend?¡± He asked Sera.


    She shook her head. ¡°She will only show herself if it looks like you need help. She is my bodyguard and it would be best if she wasn¡¯t seen at all.¡± She replied.


    Isaac frowned. ¡°I understand that but I would at least like to know who to look for so I know that she is on our side.¡± He told her.


    Sera sighed. ¡°She will be in a maid outfit.¡± She knew he was right and the last thing she wanted was for Isaac to kill her dear friend thinking that she was with their attackers. Sera doubted Lenna, with all her combat experience, would make the mistake but Isaac seemed like the type of person to turn into a demon if something happened to Lenna before the ¡®maid¡¯ could intervene.


    Isaac smiled. ¡°With that the plan has been made.¡± He said. ¡°Time to set the trap.¡±

 Chapter 10 Twelve Seconds

    Chapter 10 Twelve Seconds


    ¡°Frozen deserts were a wonder that I did not realize I was missing until now.¡± Isaac commented as the pair left the desert parlor. They had all sorts of frozen creams topped with various fruits and many of them were set on little sweet cakes. The sweets were expensive, two to seven silvers each but it was worth the small expense.


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna replied smiling. She was enjoying herself but she still kept an eye and ear out for their potential assailants.


    ¡°Which one was your fa¡­¡± Isaac¡¯s voice died mid word. He felt a sharp pain and saw a flash of browns and blacks appear just in front and to the right of him. His throat felt wrong. His word had just stopped regardless of his will. Why couldn¡¯t he finish the word? Why did it feel like something was¡­


    Lenna heard Isaac¡¯s voice cut out and glanced at him. A man had appeared just in front and to the right of her charge with a dagger already fully planted in the young mage¡¯s throat. It all happened so fast that there was barely any blood visible.


    One second had passed.


    Lenna took a step towards Isaac¡¯s assailant. Her fist started gathering energy. Mana, aura, fury, desperation, and muscle memory all came together as she¡­ she¡­ felt something slide in her back, between her ribs, and bury itself inside her heart. Her heart cut off mid beat. A thought flew through her mind as her fist connected with the first man¡¯s cheekbone. ¡®Even if I die, Isaac must live.¡¯ Her fingers in her left hand shattered from the impact. The man¡¯s head snapped back and a sickening crunch was heard as his neck vertebrae were crushed under the force and with them his brainstem. He was dead in an instant.


    Isaac¡¯s attention snapped onto Lenna. Her blazing fist pulling him back to reality. The knife was still in his throat. He had at best seven seconds of consciousness with the artery in his neck severed and a steel blade blocking his airway. He saw blood from the dagger that had stabbed her in the back as it was left behind by her sudden step towards his attacker. Another man had appeared behind Lenna, likely waiting for the first one to make his move. Isaac started to step behind Lenna and raised one hand towards her attacker and the other towards her back. ¡®Seven seconds to save her life¡¯ was the only thought going through his mind.


    Two seconds had passed.


    Lenna knew she was already dead. Her heart had stopped. Her brain still had enough oxygen to function for at most four seconds. She needed to use them wisely. Isaac had a dagger in his throat, that was her only priority now that his assailant was taken care of. She turned her head to look at him and her eyes went wide as the dagger that was in his throat was pulled out by his assailant starting to fall. She reached her right hand out towards his neck. Her mana started flowing around her heart on its own, trying to bring her back while she was still conscious but she doubted it could heal her fast enough. She focused as much healing as she could towards her outstretched hand.


    Isaac felt the need to cough as the dagger slipped out of the hole it had made in his throat. He forced the feeling down. Either Lenna survived and could save him or he would drown in his own blood while his brain died from lack of oxygen. He poured a third of his mana reserves into each hand in an instant, he felt half of the veins in his arms burst and instantly heal from the death flames that came into being as soon as the dark mana came into contact with his altered mana pathways. Lenna¡¯s attacker had stepped in after her and was preparing to stab again, Isaac wouldn¡¯t give him the chance. Both of his hands found their targets. One met Lenna¡¯s back at an awkward angle as she was trying to turn to face him, it didn¡¯t matter. The other caught her attacker¡¯s arm just under the shoulder.


    Three seconds had passed.


    Lenna¡¯s hand met Isaac¡¯s neck and she dumped healing into him at a dangerous rate. Her healing was not normal healing after the breaking of her oath. It carried with it heat. Heat that her body was used to. Heat that Isaac¡¯s was not. Her healing also took more mana than it used to. She felt the back of Isaac¡¯s hand hit her back near where she had been stabbed but she didn¡¯t have time to think about why. She was running on borrowed time and she could already feel her grip on her body loosening. Her eyes had started to go dim. She needed more time, just a few seconds more to make sure that he would survive. After that Lua could take her but not a second sooner.


    Isaac focused all of the gathered mana, turned death flames, into the two people he had contact with. The attacker was met with instant cellular death at a rate akin to instant disintegration. With that, all of the ¡®living¡¯ parts of his cells were burned away leaving only dust of carbon and a few other trace elements. Not even bones remained. He was gone, the only remnants being leather armor and a cloak infested with the stench of death and black dust. Lenna¡¯s body was hit with a wave of power far beyond anything it had ever experienced before. Her heart was instantly put back together and began beating. The power rush was so intense that veins and mana pathways around where Isaac had touched her burst but were nearly instantly repaired by the lingering power. Isaac coughed.


    Four seconds had passed.


    Lenna felt a rush far beyond her most intense adrenaline rush. Her body needed to burn off all the extra power. Her pupils dilated to take in the world with greater detail. Time almost seemed to slow. She felt her heart beat again but barely registered it. She felt Isaac¡¯s throat and artery seal up in her palm. He was healed, good, that meant she could handle whoever stabbed her in the back. She finished turning just in time to see an empty set of armor, still burning with death flames, start to fall towards the ground.


    Isaac¡¯s knees gave out. He started to drop towards the ground while coughing his lungs out. Who knew how much blood had pulled in them in those few seconds. He couldn¡¯t breathe. He knew that with how much power he had thrown into Lenna she would survive whatever injury she had sustained and once that realization had hit, his mind had gone blank. He needed air but there was so much blood in the way. He was lightheaded. His vision dimmed. A thought ran through his mind. ¡®There has to be more than two.¡¯


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    Five seconds had passed.


    Lenna followed Isaac to the ground on instinct. He was coughing which meant he was still alive. That was all that mattered to her. Her eyes swept the area around them. ¡®Where are the rest of them?¡¯ She thought. ¡®Fireball?¡¯


    Isaac remembered something he had heard long, long ago. ¡°Shroud makes you invisible but only until you make contact with another living creature or mess with mana of any kind.¡± Aria had told him. He blasted outwards with mana in every direction. He went for distance over power so the density was far too low to have any real effect. A black wave went out in all directions for nearly thirty feet before it died out. His eyes grew dimmer. He was still coughing, struggling to breathe. He needed air.


    Six seconds had passed.


    Lenna¡¯s vision was clearing up just as a black wave blasted out from Isaac causing her to shield her eyes reflexively. She heard a swear and some boots on the ground close by. She rose to her feet as she pulled the throwing spikes from her hair. Her eyes swept around them again.


    Isaac was about to lose consciousness. He could feel it. There were two things he could leave Lenna with before he passed out. He hoped they would serve her well. He also hoped that he would live long enough to wake up again. A certain magical sword clanged to the ground next to him as a black void opened up underneath him. He sent a thought into the void. ¡®Help Lenna.¡¯


    Seven seconds had passed.


    Lenna noted four more assailants. They were in pairs coming from either side of the street. On her right there was one almost on top of her at a mere five feet away and another trailing behind him by only a few steps. On her left the other two were ten and fifteen feet away from her. If she was by herself she would have blown all five of them up but with Isaac coughing at her feet she needed to be careful. She threw the spike in her right hand at the farther man on her right. No one expected her to go for the man in the back so he went to dodge too late. Every attack Lenna made had everything she could put into it so the spike was ablaze as it covered the ten feet in a blink. The man tried to dodge but the spike still caught him on the inside of the outside edge of his left eye socket. The spike, still on fire, went straight through his head after accepting a slight redirection courtesy of the inside of his skull.


    Isaac felt a bony head slam into his chest as Kahtesh tried to leap out of the shadows. The impact fractured one of Isaac¡¯s ribs and forcefully emptied his lungs in their entirety as it felt like his torso was being flattened like a billows in Stan¡¯s smithy. The impact sent Isaac up and to the side a whole foot before he crashed back down. The dragon was not gentle. He gasped for air and then began coughing again. The mass influx of air and the sudden pain helped keep him conscious but he was effectively useless and would remain so for quite some time.


    Eight seconds had passed.


    Lenna dodged the sword swing of the man closest to her and did a half spin. She made sure to keep her front facing him even as she threw the second spike at one of the two assailants that were now on her right. He deflected it with his sword but slowed as his eyes went wide. The man, now on Lenna¡¯s left, who had received a spike to the eye was crumpling like a puppet without any strings. The man she was currently engaged with disengaged and jumped backwards away from her. Her eyes caught Isaac being tossed out of the way of Kahtesh. Her eyes then caught her sword laying on the ground. She grinned. They could win this.


    Isaac¡¯s only focus was clinging to consciousness. If he could keep from passing out then he would be able to recover quicker and help Lenna. The darkness was his to command and he refused to let it take him. He forced his eyes to stay open as he clung to the hazy lights and quick orange flashes going on around him. The sounds were dimmed and muffled but as long as he could still hear them he could power through the lack of oxygen in his brain by pure willpower.


    Kahtesh looked around. He noted two enemies on either side. One had a bow and was thirty feet away. He knew that Lenna hadn¡¯t noticed it as her eyes had never lingered on its presence. Kahtesh could feel the enemy more than see it as his vision was poor from his lack of eyes. He could sense souls though and that seemed to be what most perceived this seventh enemy. Kahtesh jumped in front of the arrow that was fired towards Lenna. The arrow wedged itself in between two of Kahtesh¡¯s bone plates that made up his torso.


    Nine Seconds had passed.


    Lenna watched Kahtesh jump in between her and an arrow that appeared out of nowhere. She scooped up her sword and dove towards her right. She swung hard, flames overtaking and trailing her blade. The assailant tried to parry her attack with his shortsword. She changed the angle of attack slightly, turning his parry forcefully into a block. His strength crumpled under Lenna¡¯s power. Her magical, aura, and physical strength were far too much for the man and her sword cut halfway through his own magical sword, his arm, and halfway through his torso.


    Isaac¡¯s vision was starting to clear but he was still gasping in between coughing fits. He cursed his inability to help. His altered mana pathways encompassed almost his entire torso, the whole way up to his neck, a half inch under where he was stabbed. His irritation at his slow progress only grew. His arms were altered almost to his shoulders but there was still a four inch gap from the altered pathways in his torso to the ones in his arms.


    Kahtesh dove for the closest meal¡­ enemy. That was the one that had almost slashed Lenna with his sword. The man screamed and struck Kahtesh in the side of the head causing him to miss and tumble across the ground. That was not preferred but there were two targets on that side so Kahtesh didn¡¯t really mind. He started building power in his lightning rune.


    Ten seconds had passed.


    Lenna raised her leg to kick the assailant off her blade. Her dress, which was split on her right leg up to just above her knee, tore. The split continued upwards almost the whole way to her hip as she kicked the man in front of her off of her blade. As he fell she noticed the man behind him turn to run. She wouldn¡¯t let him. She tossed her sword up, making sure to keep the weapon parallel to the ground. She caught it in a practiced hold. Two fingers coiled around each side of the back of the crossguard, her thumb on the blade just past the crossguard.


    Isaac swore at his uselessness. ¡®Curse involuntary action¡¯ He thought as he tried to push himself up through the residual coughing.


    Kahtesh opened his mouth towards the invisible archer. Thunder rolled. Lightning crackled. A bolt of power, vengeance, and pain launched out of the dragon¡¯s mouth. The archer¡¯s eyes went wide as he tried to dodge the lightning bolt. He barely got most of the way out of its path. His body was spared from the main bolt but arcs of electricity still reached out to rake his arm and side. His cloak burst into flames as the lightning passed through it and slammed into the wall of a building sending rocks flying. His invisibility was gone.


    Eleven seconds had passed.


    Lenna stepped forwards and launched her sword with well trained power and accuracy. The blade flew true. The assailant was about to turn to see if he was being pursued when the blade traveling at over half the speed of a crossbow bolt punched through his magical armor with ease. All three feet of magically enhanced steel went through his heart. The crossguard stopped the sword from going the whole way through his torso and transferred the rest of the momentum into the man. He was mid stride so the attack tossed him forwards causing him to receive a sudden increase in speed. He didn¡¯t stop for over ten feet from the original point of impact.


    Isaac looked up to see Lenna finish off the last attacker from that side. His head was still spinning but at least his hands and knees were under him now.


    Kahtesh dove for the enemy that had hit him with a sword as the man tried to back away. The sudden burst of speed immediately following the lightning bolt caught the man by surprise and he couldn¡¯t get his arms up in time to protect his face from the dragon. Kahtesh¡¯s teeth dug into the man¡¯s neck as the two of them crashed into the ground.


    Twelve seconds had passed.

 Chapter 11 Left To His Doom.

    Chapter 11 Left To His Doom.


    Isaac and Lenna both looked over in time to see Kahtesh rip a man¡¯s head off of his body with the sound of tearing flesh, gurgled screaming, splashing, and the sound of claws on stone accompanying the gruesome sight. The dragon didn¡¯t seem done as there was still another enemy who was trying to rid himself of his cloak that was currently ablaze while babying his left arm.


    Kahtesh turned, the man¡¯s head still in his mouth and he lined up with the archer. ¡®I want the last one alive.¡¯ Isaac ordered mentally through the still clearing fog and lightheadedness. Kahtesh had already started charging his lighting rune so he angled his head downwards before firing. The lighting vaporized most of the insides of the head that was in the dragon¡¯s mouth and the head exploded like a tomato under a wagon wheel. Fragments of skull, one of Katesh¡¯s teeth, some hair, and bits of flesh were blasted out in a roughly forwards direction.


    Some of the onlookers lost their lunches. Kahtesh was anything but subtle. In fact, Isaac, the egomaniac drama queen, was the most subtle among them. It was no wonder they always found themselves in trouble. Kahtesh bounded towards the final enemy. He covered the thirty feet to his target in one leep, gliding most of the way. The man threw the flaming cloak at the dragon as he jumped away. Kahtesh wasn¡¯t hindered in the slightest and simply jumped again with his jaws open wide.


    Kahtesh clamped down on the man¡¯s right arm and whipped his head to the side like a dog trying to tear meat off a corpse. The man¡¯s shoulder dislocated, his elbow broke, half the flesh on his forearm was shredded and he was tossed to the ground face first. The dragon let go of the man¡¯s arm and walked around to the other side of him effectively cutting off his escape route. ¡®Good dragon.¡¯ Isaac sent Kahtesh mentally.


    Isaac sat in the street still trying to catch his breath as he looked around. There had only been about a dozen people there to witness the event but Kahtesh was no longer a secret. He looked up to Lenna. ¡°You okay?¡± He asked breathlessly.


    Lenna dropped to her knees next to him and checked him over. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She demanded.


    Isaac nodded. After a moment he gave her a grin. ¡°I¡¯m immortal, remember?¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°I forget sometimes my Lord.¡± She replied loud enough for anyone who was listening to hear before adding quietly: ¡°I have never been so afraid.¡± Tears were visible in the corners of her eyes but she quickly blinked them away and rose to her feet. She offered him a hand.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°I need another minute to catch my breath. Make sure our prisoner doesn¡¯t bleed out would you?¡± He directed.


    Lenna nodded and after a long look at Isaac she turned to Kahtesh. ¡°Kahtesh, switch.¡± She ordered the dragon. The dragon tilted its head to the side not completely understanding the command as it could not feel the intent behind it. Kahtesh could always feel Isaac¡¯s intent through their connection but orders from Lenna were not always as easy to understand. ¡°Protect your master and I will handle the prisoner.¡± She commanded.


    The dragon understood that time and trotted over to Isaac as Lenna walked over to the prisoner. The prisoner had taken out a healing potion and downed it as soon as the dragon wasn¡¯t looking. Lenna ran towards him as he tried to get up. He saw her and dropped back down onto the ground. ¡°I surrender.¡± He replied to her incoming fury.


    Lenna slowed down her approach. ¡°Good.¡± She told him. Once she was close enough she hauled him to his feet. His steps were unsteady. The healing potion had healed many of the injuries but not all of them. His shoulder was still dislocated and much of his arm was still raw from the recently closed holes. She sat him on the ground about seven feet from Isaac. The guard arrived a few seconds later. More and more armed and armored men came from different directions. They took in the scene with a mix of horror, concern, and awe.


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    Isaac took a deep breath and winced. His rib was still fractured from Kahtesh¡¯s violent exit. He closed his eyes and ran death mana through his fractured rib, in line with the bone, through the bone, over the bone. The injury was gone a moment later as if it had never existed. He cycled some more of his death mana through his torso just to make sure there were no unknown injuries remaining. He opened his eyes to see Lenna standing over him. She extended a hand and helped him to his feet.


    Isaac¡¯s world started to spin and his knees felt weak. ¡°Take your time. My healing probably gave you a fever.¡± Lenna told him as she steadied him by the elbow and shoulder. Isaac nodded and focused on just breathing for a moment.


    A guard approached them. ¡°Lord Wexler, Lady V¡¯Nova, are you both alright? Should I call a cleric?¡± He asked worriedly.


    Isaac nodded to Lenna that he was good and straightened. ¡°We are fine.¡± He told the guard. ¡°Have two of you bring that man with us.¡± He ordered and gestured towards the only living attacker. ¡°The rest of you can clean up and run damage control. A fight in the noble district is bound to cause a panic. Ensure no one uninvolved was injured. And lastly, send a messenger to Lady Arbencroft explaining what happened.¡±


    The guard nodded after a second of processing his orders from someone who was definitely not his supervisor. ¡°What should I tell Lady Arbencroft?¡± He asked and then gestured towards the bone dragon who was a few feet away. ¡°And what of that?¡±


    ¡°Tell her seven people attacked us on our way home. They were dealt with. We are taking the only survivor into custody.¡± Isaac commanded and then looked at Kahtesh. ¡°Go back to sleep, little one.¡± He ordered and Kahtesh coiled up on the ground and then sunk into the shadowy void that opened up beneath him. ¡°What of what, guardsman?¡±


    The guard audibly gulped and then nodded his understanding. He turned and ordered two of the other guards to help take the prisoner to wherever Isaac was planning to go. He then told the rest of the guards to do as Isaac had said before taking the job as messenger for himself. The two new guards hauled the archer to his feet and nodded towards Isaac that they were ready to head out. ¡°Take him to the cells.¡± Isaac ordered.


    While Isaac was dealing with the guards Lenna started retrieving her thrown weapons. Even though she was the one to advise Isaac against throwing his weapons, she was beginning to make it a habit. Unfortunately she did not have any good spells for attacking enemies at range and not causing a large amount of collateral damage. Isaac waited for her and then the pair began following the guards that were escorting the archer.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Lenna asked after they had been walking for a short while.


    ¡°A little lightheaded but fine otherwise. It¡¯s clearing up quickly enough.¡± He replied without looking at her. Jerking his head to the side too quickly or too often still caused him to grow dizzy. He was drinking water which was helping him to cool off and he could tell that his body was almost back to normal operating temperatures. ¡°You?¡± He asked.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Fine.¡± She replied. After a moment of silence she continued. ¡°Annoyed.¡±


    Isaac smirked. ¡°At the clothes being ruined or that they actually got the drop on us?¡± He questioned jokingly.


    Lenna turned to look at him and gave him a flat look. ¡°At you being stabbed in the throat my Lord.¡± She replied directly.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I won¡¯t say that it was a pleasant experience but it wasn¡¯t the first time I was getting ready to greet the reaper.¡± He turned his head slowly to look at her while they walked. ¡°I¡¯m more concerned with your severed heart.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°My Lord, you are more important, remember that.¡± She told him. Her tone did not leave anything up for debate but that didn¡¯t stop Isaac from trying.


    ¡°Not to me.¡± He retorted. ¡°You¡­ you can bring me back, I don¡¯t know if I can do the same for you. If I can then only one of us ever needs to survive an encounter, I understand that that will almost always be me, but I still don¡¯t want to have to bring you back if I can help it.¡±


    Lenna searched his eyes and face for a long moment before sighing in defeat. ¡°Why do you always have a counter?¡± She asked.


    Isaac smirked. ¡°Because I have already thought through both sides of the argument and I know you. I know how you think and what points you are most likely to argue.¡± He replied. ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s almost like reading from a script.¡± He confessed.


    Lenna¡¯s look turned flat. ¡°You are¡­ difficult.¡±


    Isaac laughed. ¡°That¡¯s a word for it.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I think what term you were looking for is ¡®a pain in the ass¡¯.¡±


    Lenna shook her head and then turned back to face forwards. Isaac could see the slight smirk pulling at the corner of her mouth. His eyes lingered for a moment too long before he blinked a few times to clear his head. Turning back to look forwards again he realized that they were almost to the cells. The guards that they had been following had been pleasantly quiet the entire time and the prisoner was trying to, at the very least, not make his situation worse, and thus was being completely silent.


    Once inside the small holding prison, that they had a singular unpleasant memory of, Isaac gestured towards the back. ¡°Lock him up in one of the magic suppression cells. Leave the door open and then you two can be on your way.¡± He told the guards. The guards did as they were told and shared a look before giving Isaac and Lenna short bows and then leaving them alone with the prisoner.


    The unspoken message was clear. ¡®No one wanted to be the man they had just shackled and left to his doom.¡¯

 Chapter 12 I See The Monsters

    Chapter 12 I See The Monsters


    The archer was thrown into a damp and mostly dark cell. The pair of guards had been rough but not maliciously so. His wrists were cuffed with antimagic cuffs and chains. The antimagic was unfortunate. He had some spell casting ability, not very much, but enough to get him out of a normal cell. He had only been left to stew for just over a minute. ¡®That¡¯s not how an interrogation is supposed to go.¡¯ He thought to himself.


    The guards had left the cell door open as if taunting him with freedom and he had expected to be left to rot for at least a few hours before anyone came to interrogate him. That was standard procedure, this wasn¡¯t his first time behind bars. Hells, this wasn¡¯t even his first time behind bars in Safeharbor. His assassination targets walked in without a care in the world. He looked up to meet the woman¡¯s eyes and then the man¡¯s in turn. The blood stains on his shirt were hidden behind a dark fog that seemed to eat the light it came into contact with.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Who sent you?¡± Isaac asked calmly.


    ¡°You¡¯re bad at this.¡± The archer replied.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°I know who hired you. I want to know who the middleman is.¡± He clarified.


    The archer shook his head. ¡°Again, you¡¯re bad at this.¡±


    ¡°Lenna, his hand please.¡± Isaac directed.


    The archer looked up at him questioningly. ¡°Straight to the threat of torture huh?¡±


    Isaac shook his head as Lenna grabbed the archer¡¯s wrist and pulled it as close to Isaac as she could. The jolt slammed the man¡¯s other hand into the wall and twisted him into a slightly awkward position. ¡°Not a threat.¡± Isaac clarified.


    ¡°That¡¯s what they all- AAHHH!¡± The archer was cut off mid sentence by Isaac shrinking his pinky finger by half an inch via death flames.


    ¡°I¡¯m in a bad mood.¡± Isaac told the man who was at their mercy. ¡°I could let you go or kill you and no one would question me. Give me a name or pass out from the pain.¡± He burned away his pinky back another knuckle resulting in another agonized scream.


    ¡°Fine!¡± The archer got out once he had gotten a brief reprieve. ¡°I¡¯ll talk.¡± He got out between deep breaths once Isaac and made clear that he was willing to wait a bit before continuing his subtraction of digits. ¡°It was a guild request. Our team¡¯s manager was in contact with the client. I don¡¯t know if there was another middleman or not. Our manager talked to him via magic. We never saw him. I heard his voice once. Gruff, middle aged, I think. That¡¯s all I know. I swear.¡±


    Isaac searched the archer¡¯s face for a long moment. ¡°What¡¯s your manager¡¯s name?¡± He asked.


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    The archer paled even more. He swallowed hard. ¡°Do you know what they¡¯ll do to me if I talk about a guildie? Listen man, we¡¯ve been following you for a while. I know you can kill me and make it hurt the whole time but those guys won¡¯t let me die.¡± The archer took a deep breath to build resolve. ¡°Do what you have to but I can¡¯t tell you that.¡±


    Isaac just stared silently into the other man¡¯s eyes for a few long seconds. The man had broken like a dropped teacup. His refusal to answer the last question meant that his excuses were probably true. Isaac wasn¡¯t a big fan of torture. For him it wasn¡¯t worth the time nor the effort. Like most unsavory things it was a tool to be used and then put away. If short term torture wasn¡¯t going to work then Isaac wouldn¡¯t waste the effort trying it over long term.


    Isaac turned to Lenna. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He told her and then looked back at the archer. ¡°Sit tight. If you escape I¡¯ll burn off both your arms and leave you in the slums.¡±


    The archer had apparently fully given in to his current situation and simply nodded resolutely. ¡°I¡¯ll do a job for free if you put in a good word for me with the magistrate.¡± He offered.


    Isaac chuckled darkly. ¡°That¡¯s who hired you.¡±


    ¡ª


    Isaac and Lenna returned to their room, got cleaned up, had a nice filling dinner and then ended their day with some light reading at the Guild Hall before returning back to the Celestial Dawn. They made sure the rest of the day had gone as though nothing had happened. Celeste and Alice had both tried to bring up what had happened but Isaac had simply shook his head and then changed the subject.


    There was a reasoning behind Isaac¡¯s apparent madness. Silence was far, far, worse than action. The calm before the storm could be far scarier than the storm itself under the right circumstances. Isaac knew that Gio knew that Isaac knew it was him who sent the assassins after him. Gio would have set up some sort of contingency in the event that the assassination attempt failed. Only Gio knew what that contingency was but Isaac was going to make him jump at shadows for a while just because he could. If he was going to have vengeance then it was going to have a good bit of Isaac Wexler flair involved.


    Lenna opened her eyes and yawned. Isaac had wanted to go before even Celeste got up so she had only gotten to meditate for four hours. She could have slept but she wasn¡¯t going to join Isaac on the bed and falling asleep in a chair always gave her a kink in her neck. She walked over to Isaac and sat on the bed next to him. ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± She told him. No answer. She sighed and rested her hand on his back near his shoulder. ¡°Isaac. It¡¯s time.¡±


    He groaned and shifted slightly. ¡°Just five more minutes.¡± He replied in a whisper.


    ¡°You were the one who wanted to get going at this godsforsaken hour.¡± She reminded him which caused him to slowly start to open his eyes.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He agreed. ¡°It was a bad idea.¡± He shook his head and then rubbed his eyes. He sat up with a yawn. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡ª


    Gio walked into his office with a morning mug of mushroom tea. The stimulant was just starting to work its way into his system. He didn¡¯t bother closing the door as he didn¡¯t have any classified documents out in the open. He walked past his bookshelf and around his desk. His eyes lingered on his nation¡¯s flag that was pinned behind the desk on the back wall. He let out a long sigh. ¡°I wonder if his majesty will see it.¡± He whispered to himself. He frowned and then nodded resolutely. ¡°I should get everything in order.¡± He said to himself. The ¡®For my replacement.¡¯ had gone unsaid.


    Gio knew that Isaac wouldn¡¯t let him live. He also knew that Duke Arbencroft would do nothing to stop the monster in human skin. It was insulting. Insulting to the nation and the crown that they both served. Monsters like those two needed to be cut down before they could breed chaos, not given the key to the city. Gio had, of course, ignored the Duchess¡¯s request to not notify the king unless the ¡®guests¡¯ had become a problem. The chancellor had, ignorantly, agreed with the duchess. Gio had been told to simply wait and watch. If the newcomers were against them then it would be revealed in due time but if they were not then it wasn¡¯t worth making an enemy out of an ally.


    He pulled his chair out and turned to sink into the hundred year old chair¡¯s comfortable embrace. His eyes caught something where nothing should be a moment before he sat down. He bolted upright and sat his mug on the desk. His chair pushed back another few inches by his legs¡¯ sudden straightening. A suit of armor stood behind his opened door. The armor was leaning against the wall with arms crossed. Black scorch marks and shallow cuts and scrapes were visible all across its surface. The armor pushed off the wall and its arms dropped to its sides, the left hand finding a resting place on the pommel of its sword.


    The door closed on its own causing the only light in the room to be from a glowstone lamp on his desk. The armor took a step out from the corner in near total silence. A black haze was working its way through the armor¡¯s plates. A silhouette of a cloaked figure appeared next to it in a blink. No fanfare, no warning, it just appeared as if it had always been there. Gio spoke a command phrase to activate a magical recording device. The command phrase had been chosen just for this moment. ¡°I see the monsters have graced me with their presence.¡±

 Chapter 13 Unfun.

    Chapter 13 Unfun.


    Lenna could feel Isaac¡¯s frown from two feet away. His eccentricities had been stifled as he did not have the first word. Gio had started too quickly. He truly was an awful villain. How was Isaac supposed to monologue or say something dark to open the confrontation like ¡®I¡¯m here to collect.¡¯ or ¡®You signed your death warrant.¡¯ when Gio started early. She could barely keep herself from rolling her eyes as she knew exactly what was going on inside Isaac¡¯s head.


    Isaac was fuming. Not only was this man two weeks late on making his move but now he spoke out of turn. Everyone knew the ambusher got the first word. It was common courtesy. Even through the thoughts flying through Isaac¡¯s head he noticed some of the ambient mana being drawn upwards. His eyes followed what he felt until they found what looked like a crystal ball set into the ceiling. ¡°You had me assassinated.¡± Isaac spoke deeply and darkly, his general irritation towards Gio seeped through. Gio looked at him quizzically and went to speak but Isaac cut him off. ¡°Lenna died. A knife through the heart.¡±


    Gio took his moment to say what was on his mind. ¡°If you are here then you weren¡¯t assassinated.¡± He spoke calmly.


    Isaac¡¯s eye twitched. ¡®Damn he pisses me off.¡¯ Isaac thought to himself. He took a step forward and Lenna joined him. The void opened up behind him and Kahtesh crawled out lazily. The dragon stretched and then moved to Isaac¡¯s free side. Kahtesh was still a little behind him so he peaked his little bone dragon head out around Isaac¡¯s side to get a clear line of sight towards his master¡¯s enemy.


    Gio took the silence as an opportunity to keep talking. ¡°What proof do you have that it was me? You¡¯ve no doubt made plenty of other enemies.¡±


    ¡°I can feel it, in your heart.¡± Isaac lied with enough dark conviction to make it almost true. ¡°What are your last words before you meet the reaper?¡± Isaac asked, giving the man the common courtesy that he had withheld from Isaac by speaking out of turn.


    Gio shook his head and drew his sword from his hip. ¡°I did what was right for this country. You do not belong here. Go back to where you came, devil.¡±


    ¡°Devil? That¡¯s insulting.¡± Isaac replied and appeared behind Gio standing in the larger man¡¯s shadow.


    Gio spun, leading with his elbow, sweeping his sword behind him. He knew that there was only one place Isaac would go. Isaac vanished again and walked out from behind Lenna. ¡°Be seen my conviction,¡± Gio started.


    ¡°Let my flames¡± Lenna began. Kahtesh opened his mouth and started to charge.


    The door flew open and slammed against the inside wall. Silence reigned for one whole second before a thunderclap resounded. The lighting bolt was mostly dispersed off of the large paladin¡¯s armor but enough got through that he was clearly in pain. Gio did not make a sound but visibly grit his teeth as his own healing washed away any lingering damage.


    Isaac turned slowly to see who had burst in during their conflict¡¯s climax and was not amused by what he saw. Sera Von Arbencroft stood in the doorway with a maid and the Guard Captain, Tim, flanking her. The room was silent again. No one dared to breathe.


    ¡°Awe, it¡¯s cute.¡± Sera said and tilted her head while looking at Kahtesh.


    ¡°What?¡± Isaac, Tim, and Gio all said at the same time. The maid seemed used to Sera being odd and Lenna, after seeing who had arrived, had her full attention locked onto Gio.


    ¡°The tension is so thick I could cut it with a knife.¡± Sera spoke again, rapidly changing topics.


    ¡°I was about to kill him.¡± Isaac replied, his voice was still almost as deep as he could make it, his unamusement was clear in his voice.


    ¡°Good thing I got here in time then.¡± Sera responded cheerily. ¡°I would like you to reconsider.¡±


    Isaac was silent as he stared at her for a moment. ¡°No.¡± He replied and turned back to face Gio. ¡°Kahtesh, eat him.¡±


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    Sera huffed as the bone dragon crouched low. Power built in the little dragon¡¯s lightning rune as he prepared to pounce. Gio started his spell again. Lenna lunged forwards. Kahtesh launched himself at Gio. It looked as though the dragon would arrive before Lenna so Gio turned slightly to intercept him with his sword while he tried to finish his spell.


    Gio¡¯s sword helped eat up some of the lightning bolt that flew from Kahtesh¡¯s mouth just before his sword would have met the dragon¡¯s face. He finished his spell through gritted teeth even as Kahtesh clamped down on his sword. ¡°, burn like the sun.¡±


    A near blinding light erupted from just in front of and above Gio. Lenna Finished her attack with her eyes closed. Her flame covered sword dug deep into Gio pauldron. His own sword blazed with radiant power in an attempt to burn the dragon off of it. Isaac¡¯s shadows started to smoke and steam as the summoned orb of radiating sunlight tried to banish the shadows. Isaac instinctively shielded his eyes. He was forced to see in color as the shadows in his eyes were burned away.


    Gio was brought to a knee from the trio of impacts in rapid succession. Nothing seemed to happen for a moment as everyone tried to get their bearings. Isaac quickly realized that Kahtesh¡¯s face was melting under the blazing radiance of Gio¡¯s sword. ¡®Shit. Kahtesh, jump back.¡¯ Isaac ordered. Lenna, instead of withdrawing her sword and striking again, decided to double down. She continued pouring mana and aura into her sword as she tried to force it through Gio¡¯s shoulder.


    Gio hissed in pain even as the dragon let go of his sword. Isaac appeared so close behind him that Gio felt like a demon was trying to become his cape. ¡°You¡¯ve made this unfun.¡± Isaac told the man darkly as he positioned his hands on either side of the paladin¡¯s head.


    ¡°Go back to the hells.¡± Gio spat and Isaac poured proverbial buckets of death flames out of his hands and into Gio¡¯s head. For a long few seconds Gio¡¯s healing mana rebelled against the intruding tsunami of pure death. All the mana in the paladin¡¯s body was gone before his skull turned to dust. Lenna¡¯s sword was ninety percent of the way through his shoulder before the blinding light went out allowing her to see.


    Sera was still standing in the doorway, now with her arms crossed, and she shook her head disappointedly. ¡°This is going to cause problems for you.¡± She told her favorite guests.


    Isaac didn¡¯t respond but simply walked over to the poor dragon with a half melted face. His skull looked droopy like how lava dried. Most of his teeth were gone. He looked pitiful. Isaac¡¯s Lord of Darkness persona crumbled at the sight of his little friend. He knelt down in front of the dragon and released his shadows to allow them to fade away. ¡°Awe, you poor baby. Look what he did to you.¡± Isaac said to the little dragon like he was talking to a newborn puppy.


    Lenna kicked Gio¡¯s corpse off of her sword and turned to watch the spectacle. ¡®No one who sees that will ever be afraid of him.¡¯ She thought to herself.


    Isaac cradled the lower jaw of his dragon in his hands and then blasted enough death mana into the dragon¡¯s head to turn an average guard to dust. Kahtesh¡¯s face and teeth started to reform and after a few seconds he was completely back to normal. Lenna was at their side by then and held her hand out to Isaac. Isaac took it and she helped him rise back into a standing position. ¡°That¡¯s not¡­¡± Her voice trailed off. ¡°the rag?¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow in question before he realized what she meant. He pulled her self cleaning rag out of his Inventory and handed it to her while scratching the back of his head absently. ¡°Oh.¡± He replied.


    Lenna shook her head and cleaned her sword. Sera tapped her foot. ¡°There are other people here.¡± She told them indignantly.


    Isaac finally gave her the time of day. ¡°Sera,¡± Isaac began. ¡°I know that killing him will get your king involved or at least curious about us.¡± He shrugged and pointed to the ceiling. ¡°He probably already knows.¡±


    Sera looked up and saw the crystal ball embedded in the ceiling. She sighed. ¡°Sir Gio planned for this it seems.¡±


    ¡°Gio knew that if the assassination attempt failed I would kill him. He set up what I am assuming to be either a recording device or a scrying tool of some kind ahead of time so the king or someone else who¡¯s important could see his last moments.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°All of this is according to both of our plans. What Gio didn¡¯t realize is that I don¡¯t care if the king knows we are here. Either he will let us stay here in peace or he will have to try to remove us.¡± Isaac took a breath to think about how to word his next thought. ¡°I believe your king, or at least his advisors, are smart men. If they are then they will sweep this event under the rug and pretend nothing happened. As long as Lenna and I continue to cooperate with you and Izen all is well. Gio picked a fight he couldn¡¯t win and died for it. That is all.¡±


    Sera shook her head. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have let him live? Maybe taken an arm or something?¡± She asked.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t respond with less darkness than I received.¡± He worded what he meant in a misleading and convoluted way to get the understanding he wanted even if it wasn''t the correct one. What Isaac really meant was: ¡®It doesn¡¯t feel right to not hit back harder. An eye for both eyes. One tooth for two.¡¯ Isaac could let things go. There wasn¡¯t some law of nature preventing him from doing so but if he did that then he would feel like he let someone walk all over him.


    Sera sighed again. ¡°It¡¯s far too early for all of this. Join us for breakfast?¡± She asked.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No, we snuck in here, we need to sneak back into our room in the Dawn and then come out as if nothing happened. If anyone sees us leaving here on the same day that the Magistrate is found dead it will cause a riot.¡± He explained.


    Sera nodded in agreement. ¡°Can you make it back? The morning rush is starting.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll make do.¡± Isaac told her and then looked down at Kahtesh. ¡°Go back to sleep.¡± He directed the little dragon who curled up in a ball on the ground before sinking into the void that opened up beneath him.


    Sera watched the dragon with a mixture of fascination, awe, and surprise as he was swallowed up by pure blackness that simply faded away once he was gone. ¡°Has it always been there?¡± She asked curiously.


    Isaac smirked. ¡°Maybe he has, maybe he hasn¡¯t.¡± He told her and then looked at the two who had accompanied her. ¡°Remember, you can at most have suspicions that we killed him. You didn¡¯t see us here.¡±


    The maid could have been a statue as she hadn¡¯t so much as twitched since their arrival but Tim looked to Sera for guidance. She nodded. ¡°As he says, Tim, we must hide this information from the public for a while.¡±


    Tim nodded. ¡°As you say.¡± He said to both Isaac and Sera.


    ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse us, we have an illusion to finish weaving.¡± Isaac told Sera and grabbed onto Lenna¡¯s shoulder.


    Sera nodded and stepped to the side so she was no longer blocking the doorway and the pair of intruders vanished. Sera stared at the corpse of the Magistrate who had served them for a decade and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Gio. I tried to warn you. I can only hope that your replacement has a bit more of an open mind.¡±

 Chapter 14 Alright?

    Chapter 14 Alright?


    Isaac sat his empty plate on the floor next to him. He was sitting cross legged while leaning against the side of the bed to eat his breakfast. Lenna was sitting in a chair finishing up her own a few feet away. ¡°I¡¯m tired. We got up way too early for that.¡± Isaac complained.


    ¡°It was your idea.¡± Lenna reminded him.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Yeah¡­ That doesn¡¯t change the fact that it was too damn early.¡± He grumbled. Lenna shook her head while taking another bite. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll take a nap.¡±


    Lenna swallowed down her food and then countered that idea. ¡°You won¡¯t sleep tonight.¡± She told him. He squinted at her, annoyed that she was right. She thought for a moment and then had an idea. ¡°I can teach you how to meditate.¡±


    Isaac tilted his head to the side. ¡°I thought only elves meditated instead of sleeping.¡± He questioned.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes, we can enter a deeper state that, actually allows rest, while semiconscious.¡± She explained.


    ¡°But you think meditating will still help me feel less tired?¡± Isaac extrapolated. Lenna nodded in affirmation. ¡°It¡¯s worth a shot. Not like we had anything planned for the day anyway.¡±


    Lenna finished her food and then sat down across from him matching his sitting position. ¡°I¡¯ll lead you through it.¡± She began.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Lenna closed her eyes and took a deep breath. ¡°Close your eyes.¡± He did so and also took a deep breath as she had. ¡°Meditation works in three stages. Elves, once finished with the third stage, will naturally slip into the fourth.¡± She continued, making sure to take plenty of long and deep breaths. Isaac could hear her breathing and followed along at his own pace. He felt his body start to relax and his heartbeat slow.


    After a long moment of silence Lenna continued again. ¡°Continue to let your body go. Let it relax. Relinquish control.¡± She told him.


    The last part was very difficult for Isaac. She could feel him despite the few feet between them and she could tell where he was at in her instruction. After an incredibly long length of time Isaac got it. He slowly relinquished more and more control over his body to his body. He had to tell himself that just because he wasn¡¯t in control that that did not mean that someone else was. His body could simply exist on its own. That was what happened when he was asleep and he always woke up the next morning. He just had to let the same thing happen while he was awake.


    Lenna smiled when she felt the tension finish releasing from Isaac. Her aura made her very in tune with other people on a soul deep level but with most people she didn¡¯t know how to read the feelings she got from them. With Isaac it was an entirely different story. They had spent so long together that she could probably have a conversation with herself, extrapolating Isaac¡¯s responses just from how he felt in her aura.


    ¡°Next is the mind. Be still. Think of nothing. Be nothing. As you release your grip on your own consciousness, you will start to feel one with your mana.¡± She explained and continued to wait patiently for Isaac to follow her instructions. This also took Isaac a very long time. Lenna knew instinctively how long it had been since they had returned and thus knew what time it was by the clocktower she had seen four and half hours prior on their trip back from Gio¡¯s office. They had started meditating a little over three hours before her most recent direction.


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    By the time Isaac had managed to let his mind be at peace it had been seven hours since they had started. He felt more than thought. Just as Lenna had said, he felt one with his mana. He knew where every mana pathway was and which way the mana preferred to flow. He discovered that like veins and arteries his mana had paths that it preferred to take to and from his core which was located in the exact same place as his heart. Two things existed in the same place. His heart, the center of his bloodstream, the focal point of life inside his body. And his core, the place of concentrated power that held all of his mana, the beginning of his power and the place where the power of the world, mana, poured in like a broken dam.


    As he was then, his mana pool, which was more like an ocean compared to most people, was filled to the brim. It couldn¡¯t hold any more mana so the mana of the world simply washed over it almost as if it wasn¡¯t even there. He noticed something else during his introspection, the mana of the world actually washed over his mana pool. He could feel it going over, under, and around it like a smooth stone in a river. Where most people¡¯s mana pool was like a cup that once full would spill out any extra that it absorbed into the surrounding area, Isaac¡¯s mana pool just stopped taking any more in. Any wizard worth the name would have been frothing at the mouth if they had been given any of this information. Isaac simply looked at the information like another curiosity.


    He was so deep into the third level of meditation that he didn¡¯t even hear Lenna¡¯s voice directing him towards its zenith. ¡°Let your mana cycle, as new mana comes in, expel the old instead of letting it sit.¡± She told him.


    Even without hearing her he was already on the path to doing just that. His curiosity was getting the better of him and he decided, without even having a proper thought, to relinquish his control over his own mana. Slowly but surely the mana began to flow. Down the arteries and back the veins. His body began drinking in the power as it flowed through him. He felt lighter and his fatigue melted away. He was so relaxed at that moment that he accidentally slipped into the very thing Lenna had told him to do.


    The dam burst. It started slowly but soon became a torrent of power. Ten percent of Isaac¡¯s reserves were leaving him per second and he was regenerating just as much. He began to feel energized but without the need to move. He felt as if he was existing on a different plane from his own body, that he could still feel like it was in a place not far nor near. A loud noise punched him back to reality like the feeling of falling while trying to fall asleep.


    ¡ª


    Celeste had been cleaning a mug from one of the patrons who had just left. It was that awkward time in between lunch and dinner where only the lonely, jobless, or guards with odd schedules were her customers. She was absently wondering why Isaac and Lenna had been locked in their room all day. A smirk came across her lips. ¡®Maybe.¡¯ She chuckled to herself.


    She turned to place the now clean mug back in its resting place when it dropped from her hand. The wooden mug bounced and clanged against the old wooden floor. A few of her patrons shot to their feet. Chairs fell and silence reigned. Anyone with any amount of mana senses was hit with a feeling of incredible danger. The closest the feeling can be described with words is as one patron described it in a letter to the duke. ¡®It felt as though a caged dragon was staring down at me as if I was the one who had put it there.¡¯


    They all looked to the ceiling, all eyes seeming to stare through to Isaac and Lenna¡¯s bedroom. Celeste was the first to break free of her stupor and ran up the stairs towards the duo¡¯s room. She didn¡¯t bother knocking and simply threw the door open. The room was dark, as always because its primary residents didn¡¯t need light to see, but what struck her was that once she had opened the door even the hallway was cast in darkness.


    ¡ª


    Lenna¡¯s eyes flew open when she felt Isaac¡¯s proverbial dam break. The power was far beyond anything she had ever felt from him. When he used his shadows the feeling she got from them was weird. It was, quite literally, a shadow of the feeling she got now. She could feel that he was using an incredible amount of power but she could not feel the power itself. It was like witnessing a volcanic eruption versus standing next to it. She swallowed hard. Her throat was dry. Even his death mana didn¡¯t leave this kind of impression. His death mana and by extension his death flames made any who witnessed it keenly aware of their own mortality. Everyone who saw them knew instinctively that the power that they were seeing was the same power that the Reaper himself used. The black flames felt like they were just a nudge in just the wrong direction from burning away a person¡¯s strand of fate that tied them to the mortal realm.


    Lenna was locked in awe at the spectacle even if she could not see very clearly through the massive amount of dark mana that was being cycled out into the room. The mana was so dense that it became visible to the naked eye. ¡®He looks so peaceful.¡¯ She thought to herself as Isaac sat there, completely relaxed, inside a cyclone of dark mana. He looked as though he could have been asleep.


    The door slammed open and Lenna¡¯s head jerked from Isaac to the door where she saw Celeste standing, panting, with her eyes so wide they looked as though they would fall out of her head.


    ¡ª


    Isaac¡¯s eyes flew open from the loud bang that reverberated off the hard wood and stone walls. He had to blink a few times to get his eyes to work properly and then he realized that the problem was all the black mana in the way. He flexed his will and directed all the mana back towards him. The area surrounding him got darker and darker until not even he could see through it so he moved it to the sides. Sitting on the floor on either side of him was a ball of dark mana about the size of his head. He didn¡¯t feel the need to compress it as hard as he could as he was simply moving it out of the way.


    His eyes took in Celeste¡¯s mix of awe and horror and he tilted his head in question. ¡°Celeste? Is everything alright?¡±

 Chapter 15 A Two Person Room.

    Chapter 15 A Two Person Room.


    ¡°I-I-Is EVERYTHING ALRIGHT?!¡± Celeste sputtered into a yell. ¡°I thought¡­ I thought¡­ I don¡¯t even know! What was that?!¡±


    Isaac just continued to tilt his head. He was getting confused. ¡°What was what?¡± He asked with furrowed brows.


    Celeste just blinked at him. ¡®What is he not getting?!¡¯ Was all that was flowing through her mind.


    Lenna cleared her throat. ¡°Your mana was¡­¡± She was silent for a moment as she tried to find the right verb. ¡°Blasting. Yes, blasting out like a tsunami.¡±


    Isaac straightened a bit as he understood. ¡°Oh¡­ I was just meditating.¡± He looked at Lenna. ¡°Was I doing something wrong?¡± He asked and let go of his control of the dark mana around him so it would disperse back into the abeyance. He stopped pouring mana out and immediately felt some stiffness return.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No.¡± She turned to face Celeste. ¡°Apologies Celeste, I did not think about the consequences of Isaac learning meditation in town.¡±


    Celeste was dumbfounded. ¡®Meditating. Meditating! How does that happen while meditating?!¡¯ She screamed internally. She took a few long and deep breaths. ¡°I¡­ see.¡± She eventually got out. ¡°You are aware that you are not supposed to empty your reserves while meditating, correct?¡± She asked Isaac.


    Isaac¡¯s brow furrowed again and he tilted his head slightly. ¡°I wasn¡¯t.¡± He explained. ¡°I was just cycling mana.¡± He turned to look at Lenna again. ¡°Was I not supposed to do that?¡±


    Lenna cracked a smirk. ¡°You did everything right. Towards the end I didn¡¯t even need to guide you.¡± She explained.


    Celeste grabbed the doorframe for support and then half stumbled inside to sit on a free chair. It took her a long moment to collect herself. ¡°That¡­ that was your throughput?¡± She asked tentatively.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah. It went up a bit while meditating but I was just letting it flow.¡± He thought on the term she had used. ¡°Throughput?¡±


    Lenna nodded and answered as Celeste was still reeling. ¡°It is used to describe the rate that mana comes in naturally, while meditating, as that mana is only passing through you. Throughput is higher than input, always.¡± She explained.


    Isaac nodded in understanding. The mana wanted to flow. It wanted to flow through everything, not be used or be stationary. It was like a stream that existed parallel to physicality. If his core was a lake then the ambient mana was the river that flowed into it. The river¡¯s flow would slow as the lake¡¯s water level began to match that of the river hence slowing the lake¡¯s input. It wasn¡¯t an exact analogy but it was close enough for him to easily wrap his mind around it.


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    ¡°So¡­¡± Isaac began. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t meditate in town?¡±


    A commotion at the end of the hall was his immediate answer. Running boots and then a familiar face appeared in the doorway. The black haired, green eyed, court mage froze in the doorway. ¡°Alexander. Something I can do for you?¡± Isaac asked as if he had no idea what might have brought the man, who lived in a wizard tower and studied magic for the duke who ruled over the city he was currently in, to his door.


    Alexander blinked and shook his head to clear it. ¡°Darkness, Lady V¡¯Nova, Madam Celeste.¡± He greeted them each in turn with a nod. ¡°What happened here?¡± He asked. ¡°I can still feel the ambient mana is¡­ wrong somehow.¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°It is going back to normal though, right?¡±


    Alexander nodded slowly. ¡°Yes, I believe it is.¡± A moment of silence passed before he asked his question again. ¡°But you still haven¡¯t answered my question Lord Wexler. What happened here?¡±


    Isaac was starting to get annoyed at the demands following people barging into their room even if he knew it was his own fault. Pure, raw, dark mana poured out of him and he layered it behind and under his arms before willing it upwards to help him stand. His legs felt weak as he had spent most of the day sitting cross legged. Once on his feet he let the mana go. The amount of mana used to use raw dark mana instead of concentrated shadows was honestly insane and not something he would normally do but it served to somewhat catch Alexander up to speed.


    Alexander¡¯s eyes widened as he felt the massive shift in mana around him. All of the untamed dark mana was rapidly sucked into Isaac to fill the void of power that opened up from him using such a preposterous amount of mana to simply help him stand. ¡°I was learning how to meditate. I now know that I should only do so outside of town. Thank you all for your concern, now please, this is a two person room.¡± Isaac told them flatly.


    Alexander took a step back. He realized that he had been rude to someone who could swat him like a fly. He had been so engrossed in the pursuit of magic that upon feeling the wave of power through his mana sensory amplification array he had dropped what he was doing and headed over immediately. He bowed. ¡°My most sincere apologies Lord Wexler, it appears I left my decorum at the door.¡± He took another step back. ¡°If there is anything I can help you with please do not hesitate to ask. Good day.¡± He straightened and whispered. ¡°Heed my command magic and space, take me to this imagined place.¡± And with a surge of mana that was worthy of a court mage he vanished.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Celeste, we¡¯ll be down for some lunch in a minute.¡±


    Celeste got the message and rose slowly to her feet. ¡°You are going to turn the rest of my hair gray.¡± She told him and left to head back to the bar. She closed the door behind her while shaking her head.


    Once they were gone Isaac sat on the bed. ¡°Oops.¡± He said to no one in particular.


    Lenna cracked a smile. ¡°Sorry, I honestly didn¡¯t think about it.¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°It happens. Now we know.¡± He thought for a long moment. ¡°What I don¡¯t understand is, I used more mana than that at one time before, why was this time different?


    Lenna rose to her feet and stretched. ¡°Your shadows don¡¯t truly feel like power and neither do your death flames.¡± She explained, poorly, but it was an explanation.


    ¡°What do they feel like? I might be desensitized to them.¡± He asked.


    ¡°The shadows feel like a shadow or a reflection of your power, it is hard to truly grasp what is going on.¡± She began. ¡°The death flames don¡¯t radiate any power really, it is more like a feeling of being mortal. Like a reminder that one day I will die. Or like the Reaper is watching me.¡±


    Isaac thought about her words for a long moment. ¡°I think I understand. I don¡¯t really get that feeling from them at all though. I know that they are mine, they do as I say, and are thus a part of me. I don¡¯t get any particular feeling from them at all.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°It is much the same as my aura. I know what I think it feels like to others but I can never feel it in that way.¡± She gave him a smile. ¡°Good job, you picked it up faster than I thought you would.¡±


    Isaac smiled at the compliment. ¡°It was nice, relaxing, energizing in a weird way, but I don¡¯t think it is something I could do every day. My butt hurts.¡±


    Lenna chuckled quietly. The sound brought warmth to Isaac¡¯s heart. He lost himself staring at her for a time. She caught his eyes and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Something on my face?¡± She asked, borrowing his words with a smirk.


    ¡°No¡­ but I wish something was.¡± He responded almost in a trance before he realized he had said it out loud. He smiled sheepishly at her. ¡°My lips by the way, not anything weird.¡±


    Lenna froze, he had once again succeeded in catching her completely off guard. She shook her head after a moment. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get lunch.¡±

 Chapter 16 Gold Bars?

    Chapter 16 Gold Bars?


    The day after the meditation incident, the pair were trying to stay busy while they waited for Edward to figure out how he was going to handle the other problem deep in the tunnels near Safeharbor. They had just finished their morning spar, they began sparring twice a day to stay in shape as they were not permitted to go out on normal jobs at the moment, when a certain Blade Master walked into the arena. ¡°Morning you two.¡± He greeted them.


    ¡°Edward.¡± Isaac replied and Lenna gave him a nod. ¡°I take it we are being ungrounded.¡±


    Edward smirked. ¡°Yeah. I have a job for you.¡± He told them.


    ¡°You want us to do the other half of Azazel¡¯s scouting.¡± Isaac replied. He had long seen that as Edward¡¯s only real option.


    Edward nodded in reply. ¡°How soon can you two head out?¡± He asked.


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°You aren¡¯t coming with us?¡±


    Edward shook his head. ¡°It¡¯ll be harder for you to sneak around if there is an extra person that you need to make invisible.¡± He commented. ¡°Also, I am the Guild Master. I shouldn¡¯t be taking jobs at all. The last one was an exception, not the norm.¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°What level is the bounty?¡± He was only really interested in the pay out.


    Edward shook his head, seeing right through Isaac, and smirked. ¡°It depends on what happens.¡±


    Isaac gave him a flat look. ¡°So it¡¯s gold if nothing happens and double platinum if we run into a lot of trouble.¡±


    Edward¡¯s eyes widened at the price tag Isaac had just put on the bounty. ¡°I was thinking it should be electrum if nothing happens with the potential for platinum if you run into too much trouble.¡±


    ¡°Not worth the trouble. Find someone else to work for cheap.¡± Isaac replied with a shake of his head. ¡°There is a high chance that we will run into the people that have been making the chimera. Alexander said that they were over level eighteen. That means stronger than you, old man.¡±


    Edward¡¯s eyes narrowed at Isaac. ¡°I am in my forties.¡± He replied indignantly. After a moment he sighed. ¡°Gold if you don¡¯t run into trouble, platinum if you do, and double platinum if you take care of the creators.¡±


    The two men locked eyes for a long moment before Isaac sighed. ¡°Fine.¡± He conceded. ¡°But I want your chime to get rid of wards.¡±


    It was Edward¡¯s turn to sigh. ¡°Can¡¯t let anyone else win can you?¡± He asked rhetorically.


    Isaac cracked a smirk in reply. ¡°We can leave the day after tomorrow, right away in the morning.¡± Isaac told the older man. ¡°Tomorrow the Adventurous Taste should have their catalog done and we can pick up some magic items and anything else we might need. I will also need to run a few errands before I¡¯m ready to leave for a few days.¡±


    Edward nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a bit later than I would like but I understand. I¡¯ll get the contract written up and leave it with Alice.¡± He turned to go and waved over his shoulder. ¡°Try not to get into any more trouble before you leave.¡± He said as a farewell.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try not to.¡± Isaac replied with a chuckle. ¡°Won¡¯t promise anything though.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to keep him out of trouble.¡± Lenna added and then looked at Isaac. ¡°I doubt I¡¯ll be able to though.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡± Isaac replied with mock hurt. ¡°I am capable of not getting myself into trouble for a day or two. I am not responsible for trouble landing on my lap however.¡±


    Lenna smirked and shook her head. ¡°Let¡¯s stock up on what we can today.¡± She advised and Isaac nodded in agreement.


    ¡ª


    The pair stocked up on generic adventuring gear like rations, rope, and water before checking up on Jessica to see how the repairs on their damaged clothes were going. They had left the clothes there the night before and Isaac had figured that they had enough money to at least order some more clothes from her. ¡°Hey Jessica.¡± Isaac greeted the older woman once they had entered the Silverstrand Seamstress.


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    She came out to meet them. ¡°Hello. I¡¯m glad the two of you are alright but was ruining your clothes truly necessary?¡± She questioned.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I think the repair bill should be sent to the duke for this one.¡±


    Jessica sighed. ¡°Well, I am glad the two of you seem fine even after all the blood that stained your clothes.¡± She looked between the two of them. ¡°I would ask how much of it was yours but I have been around long enough to know that it was all yours.¡± She shook her head. ¡°It was all too localized.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what happens when you get stabbed in the throat.¡± Isaac replied nonchalantly.


    It took Jessica a moment to acknowledge what Isaac had said and move on. The lack of apparent care Isaac had to being stabbed in the neck caught her off guard. ¡°Well¡­ your clothes should be repaired by tomorrow.¡± She informed them.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°Can you have them delivered to the Celestial Dawn?¡±


    ¡°For a small delivery fee.¡± She replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, we are also here to order more.¡± He explained.


    Jessica¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Wonderful!¡± She looked back and forth between them. ¡°What do you need?¡± Her eyes darted to Lenna. ¡°A ballroom gown? Nightgown? More party dresses?¡± She barraged Lenna with questions.


    Lenna sighed and glanced at Isaac who just smirked in return. ¡°Everything save for a nightgown.¡± She told the younger woman.


    ¡°Wonderful!¡± Jessica exclaimed and clapped her hands. ¡°What colors? What styles?¡± This went on and on until Lenna was feeling exhausted from just the social interaction. Isaac had also gotten a suit and three more sets of the clothes that he had worn to Sera¡¯s teaparty. In all, Isaac¡¯s clothes had cost them only a hundred gold but Lenna¡¯s had cost a hundred gold for just two dresses. The other party dress was much the same as the one that was currently being repaired only it was mirrored. They would still need to make sure it all fit properly but that would be a problem for later.


    The real cost would be if they wanted any of it enchanted with things like self-cleaning and repair or durability enhancements. Most high class nobles had outfits that had cost them tens of thousands of gold and many were considered heirlooms. Princesses often had the enchantment that caused the outfit to change sizes to fit the wearer put into their favorite dresses so that they would never outgrow them. High society cost more money to be seen than most commoners would see in a lifetime.


    ¡ª


    The following day found the pair inside the Adventurous Taste talking with Clayton Smith, the apprentice who ran the store and made the catalog. ¡°Before we get into my magics we are here to shop.¡± Isaac cut the young wizard off before he could smother him in questions.


    ¡°Oh, yes, of course.¡± Clayton replied and hurriedly handed Isaac the catalog. The binder was three inches thick and weighed well over five pounds.


    Isaac set the binder on an open shelf and started flipping through adventuring gear and accessories, all of it magical. A few minutes later something truly wonderful caught Isaac¡¯s eye. ¡°What is this?¡± He asked in wonder.


    Clayton peered over his shoulder. ¡°Ah yes, the ring of protection from divination. One of the more valuable pieces here in the store. The effect is always active. Identify is actually a type of divination magic so you will have to take the ring off and make sure it is a few feet away from your person before you can use the spell on yourself.¡± He nodded his head and thought for a moment. ¡°You two are adventurers, correct? It will cause your badges to become out of sync so make sure the guild knows before you put the ring on otherwise they will think you dead.¡±


    Isaac had decided that the ring would be worth every copper. The only way that anything could detect his presence was divination and even then it wasn¡¯t very accurate as long as he was in his shadowcloak. The ring should make him utterly undetectable. ¡°How effective is it at hiding a person¡¯s soul signature?¡± Isaac asked.


    Clayton looked at him questioningly. ¡°That is how divination finds the target. It should completely hide your soul¡¯s presence and signature as long as the ring is on. There is a caveat I must make sure you are aware of. Due to the nature of the magic item, all sales of it must be reported to the nobility in the area so they can report it to the crown. It is a favorite for assassins and thieves of the highest order so the crown makes sure to keep tabs on every one of these items.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Makes sense.¡± He continued to stare at the item. ¡°Six thousand gold¡­¡± He whispered. ¡°I hope our next job pays well.¡±


    Clayton nodded. ¡°I can fetch it quickly. Is there anything else that has caught your eye?¡±


    Isaac continued to search through the catalog. Most of it was potions and weird niche magic items like a torch that still needed to be lit via a flame but gave off no smoke and used up no oxygen to burn, or crystal that could summon a small elemental from one of the elemental planes to aid in combat. Much of it was interesting but Isaac didn¡¯t feel like wasting the brain power to try to find a good use for them. One item did catch Isaac¡¯s eye however. A pair of ovular stones. Each one had a side with a bunch of small holes on it and another side with only three. Any sound, not made by the stone, would be heard by the side with only three small holes and transmitted to the other stone where it would be projected out the other¡¯s opposing side. The effect would only happen as long as they were within a thousand feet of each other and things like stone walls would cause their range to shrink. If Isaac and Lenna ever got separated they would still be able to talk as long as they were not too far away from each other. The best part, they only cost six hundred gold.


    ¡°These sending stones.¡± Isaac told Clayton. ¡°Two antivenom potions and two healing potions. That should be seven thousand gold in all right?¡±


    Clayton looked over the list and nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be right back with them. How will you be paying for them?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Can the bank do a direct transfer?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Not without a bank note.¡± Clayton replied.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Was Isaac¡¯s response. ¡°Gold bars?¡±


    Clayton visibly winced. ¡°If you insist.¡±


    Isaac did insist. He didn¡¯t like how easy it would be to forge a bank note and if he had never bought any then that meant that none could be accepted by the bank. He went to the bank and got Clayton¡¯s money in bars that were stored in Lenna¡¯s bottomless bag.


    Once the monetary business was concluded it was time to get to the more interesting things. ¡°How do you make things disappear and reappear?¡± Clayton asked excitedly.


    Isaac shot him down instantly. ¡°It has come to my attention that that ability should not be discussed with anyone who is not a demigod of magic. The complexities of how and why things both cease to be and still exist are far beyond me and considering that it was a gift from a divine being I think it is a bit beyond you.¡± He explained.


    Clayton was instantly crestfallen. ¡°I see.¡± He replied meekly.


    Isaac gave him an easy smile. ¡°That is not to say that I don¡¯t have plenty of other magics that don¡¯t quite make sense to me that you may be able to help explain.¡±


    The young wizard¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°Of course! Where should we start?¡±

 Chapter 17 Mana Sensitivity

    Chapter 17 Mana Sensitivity


    ¡°I have a list¡± Isaac began and pulled a sheet of paper out of thin air. There was no point in hiding the ability from the young wizard as he had seen it before. Clayton¡¯s eyes lingered on the space where Isaac had pulled the page from for a long moment. Isaac took a look at his note. ¡°First is biology, I haven¡¯t found many books on the subject which is weird since there are monsters all over the place. Most of them are for alchemists but I have more¡­ theory, questions.¡±


    Clayton nodded. ¡°Alright, I should be able to help you with broader topics. What specifically?¡± He asked.


    ¡°What is the difference between beasts and monsters? Many texts refer to them like they are different but I don¡¯t understand how. Also, how does one become a wizard? I read somewhere that even people who can¡¯t feel mana can learn to become wizards and gain the ability later in life.¡± Isaac leaned against the clerk counter that they were all standing near. The Adventurous Taste wasn¡¯t a very busy store so they were alone and had plenty of time for deep discussion on magic, the universe, and everything.


    ¡°Did you mention those two questions together on purpose? Because they are tied together and have more or less the same answer.¡± Clayton questioned.


    Isaac¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°No I did not. How are they connected?¡± He asked.


    Clayton pushed up his glasses. ¡°Monsters are beasts who have been changed by mana and their environment. People born with the ability to feel mana are people who have been changed by mana and their environment.¡± He smiled smugly at Isaac¡¯s rapt attention. He was enjoying being the teacher for once. ¡°Some species are all always changed like falling-shadows or elves. All of them have access to mana to at least some degree whether or not they are spell casters. For humans, giants, goblins, dwarves, and a handful of other species mana sensitivity can be genetic.¡±


    Isaac nodded along. ¡°So it¡¯s like a mutation?¡± He asked.


    Clayton thought about it for a second. ¡°Yes?¡± He thought some more before nodding in agreement. ¡°Yes it is. You are familiar with shadow-wolves or jumping spiders, correct?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s hard to live down here without fighting any of them at least once.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Both are monster versions of their base species, gray wolves and cave spiders. They are an offshoot of the main genome. At some point the mana and their habitat cause them to mutate in that direction. There are other subspecies of cave spiders and gray wolves but those are the most common around here. Their species seem to be drawn towards those specific mutations.¡± Clayton explained.


    Isaac continued to nod along. ¡°So if I were to take some kind of non-magical beast and breed it down here it could evolve into a monster?¡± He asked.


    Clayton chuckled. ¡°Yes and no. Wizards have done that in many places prone to magical subspecies appearing for longer than recorded history. It works sometimes and sometimes it doesn¡¯t. It is entirely dependent on the creature and the environment. Wolves in a volcanic region can become brimstone wolves but by the sea they do not change at all. Elves used to be one species but split into two soon after coming to Primatia.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, wait. I have two questions here. One, they came here? As in they are not native? And two, Primatia?¡± Isaac asked.


    Clayton looked at Isaac quizzically. ¡°Yes. Elves all came from the fey realm many millennia ago.¡± He continued to look at Isaac with a mix of confusion, curiosity, and a feeling like Isaac was hiding something from him. ¡°This world is Primatia, that¡¯s its name.¡± He waited for Isaac to process and ask a follow-up question before continuing.


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    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°The elves coming here is something I will have to research later but that can wait. Primatia huh? What does it mean? If anything.¡±


    Clayton shook his head. ¡°There are many guesses and a lot of speculation but no one knows for sure as all records from before thirteen hundred years ago were almost completely wiped out.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Isaac asked.


    Before Clayton could answer Lenna cut in. ¡°Later, this tangent will take hours.¡±


    Clayton nodded. ¡°Yes, easily. Do you understand the difference between beasts and monsters now or do you have more questions pertaining to that?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I understand that part but mana sensitivity in people is still a bit confusing. Wouldn¡¯t the mana mutation simply create sorcerers? How can it make people be sensitive to mana without them having any control over it?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Mana sensitivity is common among people who live in mana dense zones such as Safeharbor or Altia but is less common in lower mana zones like Sapphirestone or Rivendell.¡± Clayton explained. ¡°Sorcerers are actually quite common in both of the latter cities as both are often hit by incredibly powerful storms during the rainy season. Children are often born with storm related magics if they were both conceived and born while a storm is ravaging their city.¡±


    ¡°So they are different but semi parallel mutations?¡± Isaac surmised.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Clayton agreed. ¡°As for wizards.¡± He pulled them back to part of the original set of questions. ¡°Anyone who can feel mana can become a wizard or cast spells with some time, training, and practice. If someone wants to become a wizard but is not mana sensitive there is a ritual which can awaken one¡¯s ability to feel mana.¡±


    ¡°A ritual like that exists?¡± Isaac asked, surprised but only partly. Magic had never stopped amazing him so the revelation didn¡¯t hit him very hard even if it was surprising. ¡°Why isn¡¯t everyone mana sensitive then?¡±


    Clayton smiled sadly. ¡°There is a five percent chance that the ritual will kill you. It is estimated that the reason there are more stillbirths in high mana zones is because not everyone''s bodies are meant to handle mana.¡± He took a drink from a glass resting on the counter and refilled it with water from a pitcher that was hiding behind the counter. ¡°The ritual is also painful, not enough to cause any lasting mental damage but there have been reports that some people have nightmares about it for up to a few months afterwards. I had to go through it myself. It felt like a migraine, only it was in my veins, all of them at the same time for about an hour and then it lessened into a dull ache that lasted a week.¡±


    Isaac winced. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound pleasant. I can understand why non adventurers wouldn¡¯t want to go through that but why are there adventurers who haven¡¯t at least done the ritual so they can be sensitive to some of the dangers out there?¡± He asked.


    ¡°The problem with the ritual is that it is not natural. The effects will eventually wear out if we don¡¯t continue to use mana regularly.¡± Clayton explained. ¡°If an adventurer only wanted the mana sensitivity then he would have to get the ritual done once a year and then once every eleven months and then ten and so on until the ritual would simply stop being effective. They would have to learn at least one spell and make sure to cast it everyday or risk losing the effects.¡±


    Isaac nodded with his hand on his chin in thought. ¡°The body tries to heal away the effects of the ritual unless you keep running mana through the pathways. It¡¯s like getting a piercing, you can get a hole punched in your ear but if you don¡¯t have a way to keep it from healing closed then it will do so.¡±


    Clayton nodded excitedly. ¡°That is an amazing analogy for that.¡± He complimented. ¡°Are we done with this topic?¡±


    Isaac thought for a long moment before nodding. ¡°I think so.¡± He replied.


    ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± Clayton asked excitedly with a clap of his hands.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t spells work with only one type of mana?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°I can¡¯t cast spells even though dark mana obeys my every whim. That doesn¡¯t stop me from doing things that many people think are spells via raw mana manipulation but there are shadow and death spells that I should be able to cast but can¡¯t. Why?¡±


    Clayton¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°You can¡¯t cast spells?¡± He asked in a whisper.


    Isaac appeared behind him so they were back to back. ¡°No but I can still teleport.¡± He told the wizard who jumped and spilled some of his water on the counter. Isaac walked out of Lenna¡¯s shadow as Clayton turned to try and find Isaac. ¡°I can walk through shadows.¡± He walked back over to where he had been leaning against the counter. He held out his hand, palm down with his fingers spread almost like a claw. ¡°And create death.¡± Death flames came into being and dripped towards the ground from his hand. ¡°I even have a familiar of sorts.¡± He shook his head. ¡°But none of those things are spells. They are just my magic doing what it does.¡±


    Clayton took a long moment to think about what Isaac was telling him. ¡°Spells are designed with the understanding that all types of mana will end up being used in the spell form. If you can only pour dark mana into them then they will be missing key components.¡± He began and nodded to himself. ¡°The shadowblade spell uses reality and force magic to help hold itself together. The spell form even directs light mana around the blade to keep it from weakening its integrity.¡± He nodded to himself. ¡°Yes, you would need custom spells made otherwise they would all fail.¡±


    Isaac sighed defeatedly. ¡°I thought you would say that. That¡¯s what all my research pointed to as well.¡±


    Clayton nodded and then gave Isaac a sad smile. ¡°Creating new spells is way out of my capabilities I¡¯m afraid. You could probably find someone willing and able to do so at the academy.¡± He offered. There was only one academy of magic worth talking about so which one he was referring to was obvious. The Altia Academy of Magic and Artificery in the capital of Altia, Altesia.


    Isaac sighed again before straightening. ¡°Well now that that disappointment is over, I have a few more questions.¡±

 Chapter 18 Magics

    Chapter 18 Magics


    ¡°Let¡¯s get all the easy ones out of the way first.¡± Isaac told the young wizard before him. ¡°How do sorcerers normally learn spells, why does saying weird chants and occasionally hand signs make magic happen, and where does mana come from?¡±


    Clayton gulped. ¡°Those are the easy ones?¡± He asked with eyes growing wider.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied simply.


    Clayton nodded. ¡°Okay, well mana comes from a divinity of magic who dispersed itself across all of existence in order to never truly die. They didn¡¯t want to be able to be killed by any other divinity and they also wanted to experience everything.¡± Clayton thought for a second before clarifying. ¡°I do mean everything, they exist in all things at all times.¡±


    Isaac thought about Clayton¡¯s answer for a long moment. ¡°So is mana like it¡¯s flesh and blood?¡± He asked.


    Clayton shrugged. ¡°It always seemed like more of a spiritual entity to me so I don¡¯t think it ever really had flesh and blood to begin with.¡± He theorized. ¡°Any more questions about that or can we move on to the next one?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I think we are good on that one for now.¡± He replied.


    Clayton took a deep breath before diving into the next topic. ¡°Spells are like commands to mana itself. For a lightning bolt, you tell magic what you want, envision it in your mind, direct it with your staff, all while powering it with the mana you have inside yourself, which you have some sway over, and then finally the effect happens. Every step of this process had to be discovered via trial and error, that is why the holy versions of the same spells can sometimes have different chants as the mental image as well as the power source are different.¡± He took another deep breath after finishing his summary. ¡°Some spells are much more direct, there is a whole subset of spells that always start with the word for command in the celestial language and then the desired effect being specifically stated.¡±


    Isaac tilted his head to the side. ¡°Wait, those are in a different language?¡± He asked and then looked at Lenna for answers.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She replied simply before deciding some elaboration was in order. ¡°Your all-speech was translating it for you.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Isaac replied, drawing the word out. ¡°That makes sense.¡±


    ¡°All-speech?¡± Clayton asked.


    ¡°Demigod things don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Isaac replied.


    Clayton was frozen in shock for a number of reasons for a few long moments. Eventually he got his head back together enough that his blank stare turned into a blink and then a slow nod. He swallowed and shook his head. ¡°A lot of things are starting to make sense.¡± He whispered.


    ¡°I understand the how but I don¡¯t understand the why.¡± Isaac told the young wizard to get him back on topic.


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    ¡°Uh, um, what were we talking about again?¡± Clayton stammered out. ¡°Oh yes. Spell incantations. Honestly as far as I know no one fully understands why magic listens to us in the first place. It could be that it is simply divine power as the mana that we are using is the essence of a divine being.¡±


    ¡°Like how gravity is measurable and people know that larger objects have more gravity but no one truly understands why.¡± Isaac replied. He seemed to have a much better grasp on physics than magic even after skimming dozens of books on magic and magic theory.


    Clayton looked at him dumbfounded again. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied slowly. ¡°I think so anyway, that analogy is a bit shaky for me as I never was one to study the more strange magics.¡± His face turned to one of curiosity. ¡°How do you know so much about the most random things?¡± He asked.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°No idea. Next question. How do sorcerers usually learn spells?¡±


    Clayton gave him a smile and a shrug. ¡°I only have guesses but I think they can more or less cast spells even if they are missing one of the necessary parts. Sorcerers have been known to cast spells silently and without any gestures or even cast spells while out of mana. How it works exactly I do not know but I believe they still have to learn the spell just like anyone else, at least partly.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Imagine if you were a storm sorcerer.¡± Clayton began. ¡°Lightning, thunder, and weather magics and spells would all come naturally to you. Imagine if you had never seen someone cast a lightning bolt but you knew that lightning should listen to you if you command it. The power is instinctual as it flows through your veins. You imagine lightning forming from your fingertip and flying forwards, maybe the first time you try it you are pointing upwards in a thunderstorm as if you are trying to give the heavens back their lightning. You put power into the mental image and BAM!¡± He clapped his hands together. ¡°A bolt of lightning goes flying taking a huge chunk of your mana pool with it.¡±


    Isaac nodded thoughtfully. ¡°So for sorcerers they can learn spells like wizards but they have to align with their element to some degree and in some cases can even stumble across new spells?¡±


    Clayton nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes, it is possible for sorcerers to cast spells not from their alignment though but they are often very weak in comparison.¡± He explained.


    Lenna cut in, offering second hand experience. ¡°Many shadow sorcerers learn spells like lightning bolt or fireball. Shadow magic naturally lacks proper offensive spells until at least seventh level.¡±


    Clayton nodded along. ¡°And storm sorcerers lack any non combat spells.¡± He continued.


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°So they aren¡¯t limited like I am but are more skewed towards their matching elemental alignment?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Clayton praised. ¡°They also only really need to become more in tune with their elemental alignment as you put it in order to level up where wizards need to study magic, new magic, existing magic, magic theory, magic item crafting, all forms work but it takes an incredible amount of time.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you all seem like crazed lunatics whenever I walk into a room.¡± Isaac replied with a cheeky smirk and amusement in his eyes. ¡°You are trying to use me to level up.¡±


    Clayton¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°No, that¡¯s not, I didn¡¯t mean it like, we all¡­¡± His voice trailed off as Isaac started laughing at him. ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Now for the big one.¡± Isaac said seriously after the moment of humor had passed. ¡°Concepts innate in mana.¡±


    Clayton looked at him in utter confusion. ¡°Concepts, innate in mana?¡± He parroted. ¡°What do you mean? Mana is mana. People often associate different subtypes to colors of the rainbow and damage types but it¡¯s just mana.¡±


    Isaac sighed sadly. ¡°Well,¡± He sighed again. ¡°So much for that.¡± He grumbled.


    Clayton narrowed his eyes at Isaac. ¡°I take it you understand something I don¡¯t.¡± He stated.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah but I don¡¯t feel like trying to explain it. Maybe ask your master if he knows anything about it. I might ask the Court Mage if he knows. I¡¯m no wizard, I don¡¯t feel like teaching you what I know just to get you up to speed so you can make me do a bunch of tests to collect evidence of what I just told you.¡± He explained.


    Clayton looked crestfallen. ¡°I see.¡± He replied. ¡°Well, I will see what I can get out of Master Thane. If he doesn¡¯t know anything I can always send a formal inquiry to the academy.¡± He offered.


    Isaac¡¯s face lit up a bit. ¡°Can you do that anyway?¡± He asked.


    Clayton nodded. ¡°Yes, maybe they will have some resources on the subject stashed away somewhere or some old wizard who¡¯s dedicated his life to studying it.¡± He replied. ¡°That happens more than you¡¯d think.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°I can imagine. Thank you.¡± He told the young wizard. ¡°With that I believe we need to do a last check over our gear and get to bed early. We need to go hunt a nineteenth level wizard in the morning.¡±


    Lenna nodded in reply. ¡°Agreed. Tomorrow we begin our hunt for the chimera creator.¡±

 Chapter 19 Kill The Puppy.

    Chapter 19 Kill The Puppy.


    Isaac and Lenna woke before the rest of town. Since Safeharbor was underground much of it would stay open all night but most of the more reputable establishments still followed the surface timetable. Celeste was just putting on her apron as the pair sat at the bar for their breakfasts. ¡°Morning dears.¡± Celeste greeted them.


    Isaac nodded in greeting. ¡°Morning.¡± He yawned.


    Lenna cracked a mischievous smirk and glanced quickly at Isaac without him noticing before giving Celeste a wink. ¡°Morn¡¯ keeper of the inn.¡± She told the woman behind the bar in perfect elvish.


    Isaac¡¯s foggy morning brain didn¡¯t pick up how strange the greeting was for a few seconds. He turned to look at Lenna. ¡°You just did something.¡± He accused which only caused her smirk to grow.


    Celeste looked back and forth between them before deciding to ask her question in elvish. ¡°What is going on?¡± She asked.


    Isaac narrowed his eyes at Lenna. ¡°That¡¯s what I want to¡­¡± His voice trailed off as his brain finally put the pieces together before he turned to look at Celeste. ¡°Can you go back to speaking in standard?¡± He asked her.


    Lenna chuckled and hid her mouth behind her hand while Celeste looked at him with confusion. The younger of two women nodded slowly. ¡°Sure. I still don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on though.¡±


    Isaac focused on responding to Celeste before he spoke. ¡°Am I back to standard now?¡± Celeste nodded her head again, this time even more confused. ¡°Lenna¡¯s messing with me. I tried to get her with a joke that only makes sense in my native language, which she doesn¡¯t speak, and now she¡¯s picking on me.¡± He grumbled.


    ¡°I¡¯m still confused.¡± Celeste replied.


    ¡°Isaac can¡¯t control his all-speech. He started talking to me in a language I¡¯ve never heard before, I guess the joke doesn¡¯t make sense in standard, or maybe he thought too hard about it and he switched back to that language.¡± Lenna replied and took the offered mug from Celeste.


    ¡°Your, all-speech?¡± Celeste asked Isaac.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°What language were we even just speaking?¡± He asked indignantly.


    ¡°Elvish.¡± Celeste replied. ¡°Do you hear everyone in your native language?¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I honestly have no idea. I don¡¯t even know what my native language is. There are a lot of little things I wish I still remembered.¡± He grumbled.


    Celeste shook her head. ¡°There is a lot to unpack there. Too much actually. Leo should be done making breakfast, I take it that¡¯s why you two are here?¡±


    Isaac and Lenna both nodded. Isaac replied: ¡°Yes.¡±


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    While Lenna replied: ¡°Please.¡± Because she was more polite.


    Once Celeste had left, Isaac sat his elbow on the bar and rested his chin on his hand. ¡°How often do you change the language up on me?¡± He asked Lenna.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°Everynight. I only talk to you in deep standard when we are in the room.¡± She replied.


    ¡°I still find it weird that there are two standard languages. Why are they even called standard if they aren¡¯t the standard?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°Deep standard is your first language right?¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Deep standard was originally made by my ancestors to hide what they were saying from the surface dwellers.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°The rest of the shunned and rejected races found their way down here. After a few millennia they were all speaking it. Surface standard was originally a merchant language that slowly took over the world.¡±


    Celeste returned with their breakfast. Smoked bacon, breakfast rolls, and omelets from some large bird that was native to the area around Safeharbor¡¯s neighboring city. Apparently its eggs were the size of a man¡¯s fist and their shells were incredibly durable. The pair lost their conversation and dug in. Once they were done they both got up to go.


    ¡°Have a safe trip.¡± Celeste told them.


    ¡°We won¡¯t.¡± Isaac replied with a grin.


    Celeste chuckled and shook her head. ¡°How about, don¡¯t die.¡±


    ¡°Again.¡± Lenna and Isaac both replied in unison.


    Celeste chuckled again at their antics. ¡°Yes, again.¡±


    ¡°No promises but I¡¯ll try to bring us both back in one piece.¡± Isaac told the innkeeper.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°I will do my best.¡± She told Celeste knowing that it meant more from her than Isaac.


    ¡ª


    The pair swung by the Guild Hall on their way out of town and were met by a groggy Alice who handed them the dispelling chime that Edward had left in her care to give to the duo as well as Isaac¡¯s gold adventurer¡¯s badge. Isaac thanked her and she bid them a fun adventure before going back to staring deep into her mug of mushroom tea. Everything was in order so the pair headed out on their longest adventuring job.


    ¡ª


    Twelve hours into their journey Isaac was grumbling. ¡°It¡¯s nothing but tunnels. We haven¡¯t found anything interesting since we left. This, this is unfun.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. Her steps were just as silent as his as she strode beside him due to his shadows that had worked their way in between all of the metal pieces of her armor. ¡°We are in the Innerworld, this is normal.¡± She reminded him.


    ¡°I know but¡­¡± Isaac¡¯s voice trailed off as he thought he heard something. Lenna noticed that Isaac had noticed something and stayed quiet and stopped walking as he did. ¡°Keep going, slowly.¡± He told her and the pair started creeping down the tunnel.


    Eventually they could make out what Isaac had heard. A wet, guttural language, combat, a whimper. ¡°Ori-Masa and shadow-wolves.¡± Lenna whispered. The pair crept up to an opening in the tunnel wall where some large monster looked to have fallen through it out into the open cavern where the commotion was happening. Sure enough two dozen Ori-Masa were in a half circle formation with their backs against a wall.


    Just as many shadow-wolves were circling them growling. Whenever a wolf would move to lunge a fishman would jab a bone tipped spear at it. There were a few corpses from both sides outside of the current battle line that looked to have been made during the beginning of their confrontation. The stalemate continued with neither side willing to let the other win.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t the wolves just take the corpses and run?¡± Isaac asked Lenna quietly.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°They can¡¯t. The Ori-Masa would chase them.¡±


    ¡°They have been fighting down here long enough that the wolves know that instinctually?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± She replied simply.


    ¡°Should we leave them be or get rid of them?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°They are close enough to the city that it might be a good idea to remove them.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt to kill the puppy.¡± She replied.


    Isaac turned to look at her and blinked slowly a few times. ¡°That was a drow saying wasn¡¯t it?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She replied. ¡°Did it not translate well?¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No. I think it translated fine. Killing a puppy, as in removing a shadow-wolf pup before it can grow to be a pain later right?¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± She affirmed.


    Isaac chuckled and shook his head. ¡°Only drow sayings would be that morbid. The human one is to ¡®nip it in the bud¡¯.¡± He explained.


    Lenna thought about it for a moment. ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded. ¡°That is much less morbid.¡±


    After a moment of silence Isaac gestured toward the small engaging armies. ¡°Shall we?¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s.¡±

 Chapter 20 Only Three

    Chapter 20 Only Three


    The Ori-Masa and shadow-wolf battle lines exploded into chaos as they quite literally exploded. A fireball went off exactly where it needed to in order to maximize casualties. Immediately after the fiery explosion, a thunderclap rang out and dropped a few more from each side with a lightning bolt. In a blink there were forty casualties combined from both sides. The only survivors were two Ori-Masa that were too shell shocked to do anything and eight shadow-wolves that were yipping and crying while jumping away from the extreme acts of magical violence.


    Isaac appeared behind one of the wolves and quickly stabbed the tip of his sword through its chest and into its heart before moving on to the next one. He vanished and reappeared six times before Lenna and Kahtesh had even gotten close enough to help with the rest. The Ori-Masa were the last to be dispatched as they were the slowest. The fact that they were locked in place by terror helped make that decision easier.


    ¡°Quick and dirty, just your style.¡± Isaac commented as he appeared beside Lenna with a grin.


    She gave him a sidelong glance. ¡°And what is your style? Over-dramatized with an audience?¡± She asked.


    Isaac took a step back with his hand over his heart in mock hurt. ¡°Your words, though they may be true, still wound me.¡± He replied, very much over-dramatized as Lenna had said.


    Lenna chuckled and shook her head. ¡°Want to bring anything back?¡±


    The pair looked over the carnage. ¡°There is one thing I want but¡­¡± Isaac continued to look at the shadow-wolf corpses with a conflicted look on his face. ¡°It¡¯ll be a pain to get.¡±


    Lenna raised an eyebrow in question. ¡°Oh?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°That shadow glands in the wolves. The monster biology book that Alice gave me mentioned their usage in certain magical items.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Magical items you want?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Mostly vanity but it would make taking you with me more sustainable.¡± He told her honestly. A cloak that made its own shadows was definitely only vanity nine times out of ten but if it made making them both invisible require less of Isaac¡¯s mana then it would be worth it. ¡°I¡¯ll have to put them in my Inventory or else they will be too degraded by the time we get back to be of any use.¡±


    Lenna pulled a dagger out of her bottomless bag. ¡°Next to the heart?¡± she asked. Most monsters¡¯ magical organs were located close to their heart unless it was a very specialized type of magic that they wielded.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± He replied and made a dagger out of shadows for himself.


    An hour later they had collected thirteen of the shadow organs, they were very similar to the heart of a large bird in shape and texture save for the shadows that seemed to sweat out of it on all sides. ¡°Ready to continue on our adventure?¡± Isaac asked once Lenna had handed him back the self-cleaning rag that she had been using to get most of the blood off of her.


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    ¡°Another hour and then stop for dinner?¡± She asked to which Isaac nodded in reply and with that they continued on their hunt for the chimera creator.


    ¡ª


    Lenna¡¯s eyes snapped open. They had stopped for the night and Isaac was fast asleep next to her when she thought she heard something. She strained her elvish ears as she listened for whatever had made the sound. Nothing. She heard nothing. That in and of itself wasn¡¯t unusual for the tunnels and caverns of the Innerworld but something was telling her that they were not alone. That feeling never left her. All through the night she felt like something was breathing right around the corner, waiting for her to close her eyes once more, so it could make sure they never opened again.


    Lenna had only gotten an hour and a half of meditation in by the time Isaac awoke from his slumber. He stretched and then froze most of the way through it. His eyes slowly turned to lock with Lenna¡¯s. ¡°Three, chimera, shadow-wolf and something else.¡± He whispered. He could feel them faintly in the direction they were to continue traveling in. He had also gotten very good at picking out the feeling of shadow-wolf shadows. They felt more pure, more like his own, the wolves also used their shadows much the same way Isaac did. They would coat their feet to silence them and let the rest leak out of their bodies to make it more difficult to spot them while they were waiting in ambush.


    ¡°Silence me.¡± Lenna whispered in return. Isaac nodded and silenced them both so they could start packing up without alerting the chimeras. ¡°How strong?¡± She asked.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Not very. Two, maybe three times the strength of a normal one.¡± He whispered in reply.


    ¡°Scouts for the mage.¡± She postulated to which Isaac agreed with a nod.


    Once they were packed the pair started heading towards them. Isaac stopped Lenna when he felt like they were right around the corner. ¡°Don¡¯t, move.¡± He whispered in a tone that left nothing up for debate. Lenna froze like a statue and she saw the shadows that were in her armor move away from her and collect around Isaac before he vanished.


    ¡®I really wish he would take me with him.¡¯ Lenna thought to herself.


    A minute later Isaac reappeared in front of her. ¡°Only three like I thought but there is a problem.¡± He began. ¡°Their hides are made of something similar but more stony than falling-shadows¡¯. Also, there are wards right on top of them.¡±


    ¡°What kind of wards?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No idea. Back to the wolves, they have stony tentacle looking things coming out of their backs. The first chimera I ever fought had them too and that thing was a menace.¡± Isaac explained the last problem.


    Lenna thought for a long moment. ¡°Shadow-wolf rising-shadow hybrids.¡± She postulated.


    ¡°Rising-shadows?¡± Isaac asked skeptically.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°People used to think they were falling-shadows but they are really much worse.¡± She warned. ¡°Their hides are thrice as thick and their tendrils are much stronger and more resilient.¡±


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°I can remove them but I don¡¯t know what the wards¡¯ triggers are.¡± He explained.


    ¡°Take me with you.¡± Lenna directed.


    Isaac did as she told him and the pair quickly made their way over to the wards. While they were invisible they were also silent so they were free to speak as only the other would hear them due to their shared shadowcloak. ¡°What do you think?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna looked at both of the wards. ¡°Dispel invisibility and an alarm. Both common wards, the alarm is set only to go off if¡­¡± She squinted as if it would help her brain interpret the runic symbols better. ¡°something to do with the wolves. Maybe¡­¡± She was cut off by a few quick taps on the shoulder from Isaac.


    ¡°I¡¯m almost empty.¡± He replied with strain in his voice. The pair retreated back to where they had been before and Isaac almost collapsed onto the ground, instead leaning on the wall to help him stay on his feet.


    ¡°I think,¡± Lenna began once Isaac had caught his breath magically and mentally speaking. ¡°it is either if they die or fight something. Anything else and the alarm would be wasted by the first thing to stumble across this place.¡±


    Isaac nodded in agreement. ¡°Makes sense to me. So how do we deal with them?¡± He asked.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°We might have to sneak past them. Anything else would alert the mages.¡± She replied grimly.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I know you aren¡¯t going to like this but I need to make sure we have a place to rest on the other side of them and I can¡¯t do that with you.¡± He explained.


    He was right, Lenna hated the idea even if she knew that he was right. ¡°Be careful.¡± She told him with resignation in her heart. Isaac flashed her a grin. ¡°I mean it Isaac.¡± She replied. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me.¡± She ordered.


    Isaac¡¯s playful smirk faltered. He took a step towards her and put his hand on the cheek of her helmet. ¡°I won¡¯t. I¡¯ll be careful. If I¡¯m not back in ten minutes, come and get me.¡± There was only honesty in his voice and body language. Lenna didn¡¯t know if he had gotten better at lying or if he was telling the truth about being careful but she decided to believe him, believe in him.


    ¡°Good.¡± She swallowed. ¡°I will.¡±

 Chapter 21 Did It Really Matter?

    Chapter 21 Did It Really Matter?


    Isaac frowned at the only place close enough to Lenna that he would be able to get them both there safely and without triggering any wards. By his guess it was an area of about twenty feet across and fifteen feet wide as that was how wide the tunnel itself was. All side passages had been sealed with magically conjured stone making there truly only be one way in and one way out. Whoever had made this had taken the time to do it right even if they were clearly on a budget. The wards were all low level but there were a ton of them. Every sixty to a hundred feet there was a cluster of two to three wards. Isaac knew, from Lenna, that many of them were dispels for divination protection, invisibility, sound nullification, flight, and divination itself.


    ¡®I guess they don¡¯t need damage wards when they have guards that never tire.¡¯ Isaac thought to himself. ¡®I better head back before Lenna decides to go through said guards.¡¯ He turned and jogged back down the tunnel to meet up with Lenna once again.


    ¡°You were almost out of time.¡± Lenna told him as soon as he appeared in front of her.


    ¡°But I wasn¡¯t and that¡¯s what¡¯s important.¡± Isaac countered and leaned against the tunnel wall. ¡°Good news and bad news. Which do you want first?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Bad news first, good news after makes the bad news suck less.¡± Lenna replied curtly.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Fair enough. Bad news is that there are as many wards in this tunnel as there are people in Ben¡¯s End. No, that is not an exaggeration. They are placed in small clusters just close enough together to be a pain.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°We can also assume that there will be many more guards.¡± She added.


    ¡°Most definitely.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°I think I can feel some of them already but it¡¯s hard to tell at this distance because of how weak they are.¡±


    ¡°The good news?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°The wards are useless, mostly. As far as I could tell none of them will go off without the chimeras setting them off. It¡¯s all a bunch of dispels that mean nothing to me.¡± Isaac answered with a grin. ¡°We will have to sprint from safe zone to safe zone however. I can¡¯t keep my shadowcloak up on both of us for the hours that this is going to take.¡±


    Lenna nodded in understanding. ¡°What is Plan B?¡± She asked.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Plan B will work under the assumption that we have been spotted by guards but the alarm has not been raised. In that case we fight them entirely in the safe zone between warded areas as quietly as possible and then continue on our merry way as if nothing has happened.¡± He replied, making up the plan as he was saying it.


    ¡°Understood.¡± Lenna stated. ¡°What if the wards are set off?¡±


    ¡°We can call that Plan C.¡± Isaac began. ¡°In that event we will have to make a split second decision between running, accepting the fact that we will be hunted the entire way back to Safeharbor, or taking a more V¡¯Nova route.¡±


    ¡°V¡¯Nova route?¡± Lenna asked skeptically.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°We charge through the front door and anything and everything that happens to be between us and our prey.¡±


    Lenna stared at him for a long moment. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to feel about you calling that the ¡®V¡¯Nova route¡¯.¡± She told him.


    Isaac flashed her a grin. ¡°It was mostly a compliment.¡± He told her honestly before pushing off the wall. ¡°Ready?¡± He asked before the conversation could continue and Isaac could find a way to put his foot in his mouth again.


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    Lenna nodded and walked over to stand shoulder to shoulder with him. ¡°Ready.¡±


    ¡ª


    Plan A was going very well for the first hour and a half. By Lenna¡¯s count they had traveled around three miles even with Isaac having to stop to rest, scout ahead, then come back to get her and bring her to the next safe zone only to do it again. They were making good time. They had stopped at an area that Isaac had deemed ¡®Safe enough.¡¯ to rest and refill his mana when Plan A suddenly stopped working as intended.


    Isaac¡¯s eyes shot up from the ground that he was staring at with his hands resting on his knees. The most recent pair of safe zones were a bit farther apart than Isaac had liked but they made it and that was all that counted. He felt a team of four shadow-wolf hybrids bounding down the tunnel towards them. ¡°Shit.¡± Isaac said quietly. ¡°We have incoming.¡±


    Lenna immediately drew her sword and got into position in front of Isaac. ¡°How empty are you?¡± She asked over her shoulder.


    ¡°Empty.¡± Isaac replied worriedly.


    ¡°How long can you keep us invisible?¡± Lenna questioned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, somewhere between ten seconds and a minute if I had to guess.¡± He answered honestly. It was hard for him to feel the absolute bottom of his reserves as they were constantly refilling at a rate that churned his internal mana like the bottom of a waterfall.


    Lenna motioned towards the wall and they both moved up next to it. ¡°Let¡¯s hope it is long enough.¡± Lenna told him and he grabbed onto both of her shoulders and leaned in close from behind her. The less open space between them, the less mana Isaac needed.


    He swallowed nervously as he coated them both in shadows. They disappeared only three seconds before the small pack rounded a bend in the tunnel and continued toward them in a rush. They were about to pass them when one of them skidded to a halt. Then the other three joined it. All four of them started sniffing at the air and looking around trying to find whatever had left its scent all over the place.


    ¡°Shit.¡± Isaac whispered.


    ¡°We aren¡¯t scentless while resting.¡± Lenna spoke the same thought that went through Isaac¡¯s mind.


    Isaac felt his legs start to grow weak and his head start to spin. He took a deep breath then said the words Lenna was waiting for but really wished she didn¡¯t have to hear. ¡°Fuck it. Plan B.¡±


    Lenna broke out of the shadowcloak in a blur. She launched herself at the closest monster and cut cleanly through three of its four tentacles with her first strike before transitioning from the horizontal swing into a downwards strike that lopped the creature¡¯s head off. Her flames danced across her blade as she executed the first monster and they continued to do so as she closed the distance between her and the second one.


    Isaac was having trouble standing from the mana exhaustion so he simply sat in the corner with his legs tucked in, to lower the surface area that his shadowcloak needed, to maintain his invisibility. He knew that he wasn¡¯t in any place to fight so he let Lenna do what she did best, have a glorious battle with multiple opponents while at a disadvantage. That may seem oddly specific but it was a situation that she found herself in more often than not and Isaac was always in awe at both the combat itself and the outcome.


    Lenna engaged the remaining three chimeras as violently as she could without using any area of effect spells. The only spell that was currently active was the one that she always casted silently on her sword to coat it in flames. Two of them lunged at her while the third looked around in confusion. It probably still smelled Isaac but couldn¡¯t find him and was thus waiting for a second attacker. Lenna appearing out of thin air probably didn¡¯t help the wolf feel any less paranoid.


    Lenna met the one head on and used it to block the second one¡¯s advance. She met each of its whip-like tentacles with a swift strike that rapidly shortened their reach. As small bits of tentacle went flying Lenna drove her foot into the creature¡¯s nose. Flames coated her boot as she struck with everything she had. The wolf¡¯s face immediately went from horizontal to vertical in orientation and its whole body skidded back a few feet. The monster was left in a daze and Lenna quickly finished it off before the other two could intervene.


    She turned just in time for the one that hadn¡¯t originally engaged her to finish its pounce. Both of them crashed into the ground. The back of Lenna¡¯s head bounced off the stone floor and was immediately closed in on by a mouthful of teeth. Lenna let go of her sword and grabbed the wolf by the snout and the front of its jaw. She pulled them apart with every ounce of strength that she had. The mouth opened far enough that she could have easily escaped but she had a better idea. She pulled and pulled. Flames coated her hands and part of the way up her arms as her body was pushed to its limit. She felt the moment that the chimera¡¯s jaw couldn¡¯t open any farther and she pushed on.


    A growl that turned into a whimper met her as the creature realized what she was trying to do to it. It started to thrash and try to dislodge her grip so it could escape but Lenna¡¯s gauntleted hands were a vice. The whimper intensified as she felt and heard its jaw muscles start to tear. Once they started it was over. The sudden lack of proper resistance caused its jaw to open a full one hundred and eighty degrees in an instant.


    Lenna kicked it off of her and grabbed her sword. She jumped to her feet just in time to see the last chimera drop from a sword wound in one eye and out the other. Isaac had taken the opportunity Lenna had given him to finish off the last one. The last one had been standing around trying to get an opening to attack Lenna but its companion had been in the way and the flailing tentacles had only managed to keep any help away from the monster. She quickly finished off the one with the torn open jaw and then looked around at the carnage.


    Smoking wounds and broken bodies littered the small area that the pair had stopped to rest in. The scent of cooking flesh was pungent. ¡°I love watching you fight.¡± Isaac commented while flashing her a grin.


    ¡°Glad you enjoy it.¡± She retorted.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Do you not?¡±


    She narrowed her eyes at him but did not otherwise respond. Isaac took that response to mean that he was right but Lenna¡¯s internal feelings were a bit more complicated. She knew that she had been conditioned to enjoy battle. She knew that the love of bloodshed was something that had been trained and indoctrinated into her. The problem was that she did enjoy it but she did not know if she naturally enjoyed it or not. ¡®Would I have enjoyed fighting if things had been different.¡¯ She thought. She quickly decided that those were thoughts for quieter times and steeled herself to continue on their quest. After all, in the end, did it really matter?

 Chapter 22 Say Hello.

    Chapter 22 Say Hello.


    Isaac stopped part way through his scouting. ¡°This is¡­ odd.¡± He said to himself. His shadowcloak kept him completely silent so he could talk to himself in peace. He felt the presence of three creatures up ahead. One was very similar to the chimera that had thrown Lenna into the wagon about a week prior. The other two felt a lot like Lenna but¡­ deeper. The one specifically stood out to Isaac. It felt powerful, similar to Isaac in a way that nothing else was. The only other thing that had given a feeling even a fraction of what he was feeling in that moment were shadow-wolves. Isaac stopped and basked in the feeling for a few long seconds. ¡°It¡¯s him.¡± He spoke with finality. He knew that the person he was feeling was a man, a drow, and a mage with a very high connection to shadows. Isaac was sure that the man that he was sensing was the one who had powered the ritual to make the platinum level chimera they had fought with Edward.


    Isaac turned around and jogged back to Lenna. He appeared in front of her with a grin on his face and a slightly crazed look in his eye that he hadn¡¯t even realized he had. ¡°You found them.¡± Lenna told him before he could even say anything.


    ¡°Yes. It might be a three on three.¡± Isaac replied with a widening grin.


    ¡°With odds stacked against us?¡± She surmised.


    Isaac stopped and stared at her. ¡°Am I that easy to read?¡± He asked her.


    Lenna nodded and replied simply: ¡°Yes.¡±


    Isaac chuckled and shook his head. ¡°One chimera, felt like that giant, four armed, cyclops amalgamation we fought before. One high level I didn¡¯t get a good read on, probably the creator. And finally,¡± Isaac¡¯s grin returned in force. ¡°A near maximum level shadow sorcerer.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°You are insane.¡± She told him.


    ¡°Probably.¡± Isaac agreed.


    ¡°So what¡¯s the plan?¡± She asked.


    Isaac turned to look back the way he had just come from. ¡°I don¡¯t know yet, I turned back as soon as I felt something. I need to go scout it all out first.¡± He explained.


    Lenna took a step towards him and grabbed his shoulder prompting him to turn back to look at her. ¡°I need you, to promise me, that you will not engage anything without me.¡± She told him.


    Isaac gently grabbed her hand but made no move to withdraw it from his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m not suicidal Lenna. I promise to not get into any fights without you.¡± He thought for a moment while staring into her eyes. ¡°I might ask you to let me fight the sorcerer alone though.¡±


    Lenna sighed. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± She replied. ¡°And thank you.¡±


    Isaac flashed her a grin. ¡°Anything for you.¡± He replied and then vanished.


    Lenna felt her hand still resting on something for another second after Isaac had disappeared and then it fell from him leaving. ¡®He¡¯s so dramatic.¡¯ Lenna grumbled internally. ¡®I just want him to be careful but I feel like if I¡¯m not just as dramatic as he is it won¡¯t get through to him.¡¯ She sighed. ¡®He needs to stop staring into my eyes like that. I know what he¡¯s doing.¡¯ She continued her internal conversation about Isaac using a psychological trick to enhance her feelings for him.


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    Isaac couldn¡¯t help himself, he was manipulative with everyone. Every move he made was a subconsciously directed effort to make sure he got exactly what he wanted out of everyone around him. He relaxed around Lenna but sometimes he did things without even realizing it. Even when he did realize it he rarely cared. To Isaac social interactions were like sparring. They could be fun whether he won or lost, whether he got what he wanted or not. The problem was that Isaac truly didn¡¯t feel guilty about manipulating people which only caused him to do it more. He did hope that Lenna saw through it though as he wanted her to be resistant to such things. For him, he needed her to be immovable so he had an anchor to keep him grounded and if his tricks worked on her when he wasn¡¯t even trying then that was a scary reality.


    Isaac continued his scouting until he came upon a blank wall with a giant monstrosity standing in front of it. ¡°Guarding your secret entrance makes it not a secret anymore.¡± Isaac chastised the person who had come up with the defensive plan for the chimera creators. He looked around but found no wards nearby. He continued searching for a bit longer and eventually found only two. ¡°Fireball and an alarm. Whoever made these is obsessed with alarms. Like I understand wanting to know where your attackers are at all times but this is ridiculous.¡± He said to himself before returning to Lenna.


    ¡°I have no idea what the triggers are.¡± He told her while they were on their way there.


    ¡°Try the chime out on the fireball?¡± She offered.


    ¡°Not the alarm?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna gave him a sidelong glance as they continued walking. ¡°What if it sets off the fireball?¡±


    ¡°Well the chime takes a few minutes to work anyway, if it sets off the fireball it¡¯ll set it off either way.¡± Isaac argued.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°Your call.¡±


    ¡ª


    Isaac rang the chime in the direction of the alarm. He felt and saw the ward start to break down. ¡°Good.¡± He said quietly even though Lenna was the only one with any capability to hear him.


    ¡°It¡¯s an on death trigger.¡± Lenna told him.


    Isaac felt his mana quickly getting close to empty. ¡°What about the fireball?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Seeing a creature that isn¡¯t four legged, a chimera, a drow, or a pecurke.¡± She explained.


    Isaac smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s get to work. We have to wait until the ward breaks to kill it but I don¡¯t have enough mana to get us both out of here to wait it out.¡± He explained.


    ¡°Understood.¡± Lenna replied and rolled her shoulders with her sword drawn.


    Lenna blitzed out of Isaac¡¯s shadowcloak towards the monstrosity before her. She was stronger now than she was the last time they had fought. Now she knew how to add her aura into each strike. Before, each of her strikes were powered by mana and strength alone. Now, each swing was carried by the very weight of her broken oath expressed as raw wrath and hatred, mana, and her strength. Lenna¡¯s sword cut through the tendons on the front of the creature¡¯s ankle until it hit bone.


    The creature was too stunned to make an immediate reply so Lenna took another two steps forwards and spun. Her spin pulled her sword out of the creature¡¯s ankle and helped her build momentum into her second strike. Her second strike cleaved through the tendons on the back of its ankle and cut almost completely through the monster¡¯s ankle. The giant amalgamation tried to grab at her but she continued to strafe around it causing the blind grab to get nothing but air.


    Another two steps and she hit the back of the other ankle with another two heavy strikes. Once the tendons were severed the monster started to tip. It had been trying to catch Lenna who was behind it so it started to fall backwards. Lenna barely managed to get out from under it before it dropped to the ground with enough force that Isaac felt it in the floor. Isaac could only cross his fingers that the impact wouldn¡¯t alert the casters that were somewhere between two hundred and six hundred feet away from them.


    On its way down Lenna swung in a powerful uppercut, lopping off one of its four arms at the wrist before it hit the ground. Her flames were burning with the most intensity that Isaac had ever seen. They were blasting so brilliantly that the wounds that she was making were instantly cauterized. The creature started flailing wildly trying to find Lenna but the only thing that met it was more pain as she removed the creature¡¯s second left hand. It tried to roll towards her in order to bring its other two hands to bare but Lenna simply danced backwards out of its reach.


    The monster soon found itself nearly completely immobile. It only took Lenna another twenty seconds to remove the other two hands. Once unarmed, both literally and figuratively, Lenna gave it some space and looked over at the alarm. It still had power so she began waiting. As soon as it was done she would finish off the monster. For now though she could only wait and make sure that it didn¡¯t find a way to get the jump on her.


    A little over two minutes later the ward broke and Lenna finished it off. She felt a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Surprise is a wonderful weapon.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°Also, you have gotten quite a bit stronger.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°A bit stronger, yes. The main thing was not getting thrown. Last time I felt like a ragdoll in the hands of a giant toddler.¡±


    Isaac started laughing. ¡°You did look like that, yeah.¡±


    She turned to give him a flat look. ¡°Thanks.¡± She replied.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°You said it not me.¡± He looked ahead at the obvious illusion over the ¡®secret¡¯ entrance into the monster maker¡¯s layer. ¡°Let me finish recharging and then let¡¯s go say hello.¡±

 Chapter 23 To Surrender.

    Chapter 23 To Surrender.


    Deep in a hidden compound a pair of extremely high level mages were hard at work, well, one of them was. ¡°You could help me, you know.¡± The alchemist told her companion while she was removing magical organs from the next batch of shadow-wolves and placing them into jars full of preserving agents.


    Her companion shook his head. ¡°No thank you dear. I do not feel like getting covered in monster blood.¡± He replied casually while checking his nails and leaning against a mostly clean table. The room they were in had half a dozen wooden tables scattered around and shelves on every wall. In one corner there was a dais that had an animation ritual carved into it that was only waiting on gold dust to be poured into the engraved ritual and a mostly intact amalgamation in order to create the next chimera. This room was the laboratory where most of the experiments were done and was too small to animate any of the larger chimera so the dais was only fifteen feet across.


    Countless beakers, jars of organs, small alchemical fires, and corpses littered the tables and floor of the room. The sorcerer was leaning against a table on the side with mostly dry flooring in order to not get too much blood on the bottom of his boots. The room had no scent whatsoever as there was an enchantment in place that removed all such things. That was the only reason he was even in the room with his wife in the first place.


    ¡°And here I thought you loved me.¡± The alchemist told her husband in a flat tone as she removed another organ and unceremoniously pushed the corpse off the table and onto the floor. A summoned being of pure magic, that could not be seen but somehow felt humanoid, helped her pick up the next corpse and lay it out on the table for her to work on it.


    The sorcerer sighed. ¡°It was a political marriage Jala, I won¡¯t deny that you have grown on me during the last few centuries but doubt either of us actually have,¡± He began. ¡°love,¡± He spoke the word as if it were sour. ¡°for each other.¡± He sighed again and pushed off the table. ¡°We both know that I am only here to power your insane rituals. The V¡¯Nova¡¯s are paying my family a great deal for this¡­ this¡­ inane plan so we need to make sure it at least looks like we are giving it a good attempt.¡±


    Jala, the alchemist, looked over her shoulder with a scowl. ¡°It is not an inane plan Fen.¡± She insisted. ¡°And, it will work.¡± She huffed irritably. ¡°It will work faster if you help instead of standing there trying to look pretty.¡± She chastised.


    ¡°Trying?¡± He questioned.


    Jala¡¯s retort was cut off before it even left her mouth as the iron door to the laboratory was pushed open and a knight in armor resembling the armor of the V¡¯Nova upper leadership¡¯s plate armor. The main difference was that no self respecting V¡¯Nova would let their armor be defaced in such a way. Burn marks and cuts covered it from helm to sabaton and there was no sign of paint nor plating of precious metals left on it at all. The knight walked in, leaving the door open behind them, and stopped half a dozen feet into the room. It looked from the sorcerer to the alchemist before jolting slightly as if they had been startled by something. ¡°Auntie?¡± A deep but clearly female voice was heard from the armor.


    Jala dropped the scalpel that was in her hand and froze. Her mind raced at who might be inside the armor. After a long moment she could finally place the voice. ¡°Lenna?¡± She asked.


    ¡ª


    Lenna and Isaac moved through the compound without any difficulty whatsoever. There were no more wards inside at all. They passed room after room filled with anything from ritual diagrams to corpses and even a kitchen. Finally Isaac stopped at the door where he felt the two casters were behind it. ¡°This is it.¡± He whispered to Lenna.


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    ¡°Let me try to get as close to one of them as possible.¡± Lenna whispered back. She wanted to be within melee range before spells started flying if it was at all possible. They had made sure to not set off any alarms so whoever was inside wouldn¡¯t be expecting their executioners to simply walk in as if they were supposed to be there.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Isaac replied. He gave her a nod and then vanished again. He would save Kahtesh as a trump card to be used to create an opening later so he left the little dragon to his slumber in the void.


    Lenna took a deep breath and let it out slowly to ground herself. She grabbed the door handle, pulled it open and walked inside as if she was supposed to be there. Her eyes swept the room and the occupants, clearly noting which one was the alchemist who would be her opponent. Something about the alchemist looked too familiar. ¡°Auntie?¡± Lenna asked with a start. ¡®No, it couldn¡¯t be.¡¯ She thought to herself.


    When the alchemist in question replied with: ¡°Lenna?¡± The oathbreaker couldn¡¯t believe her eyes and ears. Her and her aunt had never been on bad terms but they hadn¡¯t ever had the opportunity to be on good terms either. They both knew each other in passing but had never truly had the opportunity to spend any time getting to know one another. That being said, Lenna would prefer to not have to kill her aunt but that didn¡¯t mean that she wouldn¡¯t.


    Lenna felt a hand rest on her shoulder and shadows seeped into her armor slightly. ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± Isaac asked Lenna knowing that only she would be able to hear him.


    Lenna barely resisted the urge to glance in the direction she knew Isaac would be. ¡°We take them in if they surrender?¡± Lenna offered.


    Jala looked at her niece in confusion. ¡°Pardon?¡± She asked the younger woman.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll play it by ear.¡± Isaac told Lenna and then she felt the hand leave her and the shadows with it.


    ¡°I was talking to my Lord.¡± Lenna explained and took another slow step towards her aunt.


    ¡°Your Lord?¡± Jala asked. ¡°As in my brother? It¡¯s kind of weird to call him that.¡±


    Lenna shook her head and continued to slowly close the distance without even sparing the other mage in the room a glance. ¡°No, I left him.¡± Lenna began. ¡°I¡¯m surprised he didn¡¯t tell you.¡±


    Jala shook her head. ¡°No, he didn¡¯t say anything to me. We don¡¯t talk very much.¡± She was beginning to look at Lenna with obvious caution.


    ¡°He must have been too embarrassed. He let me stab him in the throat and get away.¡± Lenna explained and shook her head in disappointment.


    Jala took a step back and Fen took a step towards the two women. ¡°If not him then whom do you serve?¡± Jala asked with a tone full of warning. She knew that at that distance there was a good chance that she would lose to her niece if the other woman became violent and was hoping that the warning would cause her to stop. It did no such thing.


    ¡°The demigod of darkness. He is in this room right now.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°He is willing to capture you because you are family. He is kind like that.¡± She continued. ¡°If you resist however¡­¡± She let the word hang. ¡°I do not know if he will decide your life is not worth the trouble.¡± She finished with a shake of her head.


    ¡°There is no one else in this room.¡± Fen replied and raised his hand towards Lenna. ¡°Stop or I will remove you, niece or not.¡± He threatened.


    Lenna finally looked at him. ¡°Who are you again?¡± She asked. She honestly didn¡¯t know.


    The man bristled. ¡°Fen L¡¯Vore, your uncle by marriage.¡± He replied with irritation clear in his voice.


    Lenna for her part did stop her slow advance on her aunt. ¡°I see.¡± She replied. Just then a beaker fell off a table and crashed onto the ground. It burst and its contents were scattered across the bloody stone. Lenna¡¯s were the only pair of eyes that did not snap to the sudden sound.


    ¡°Be seen all who believe themselves hidden.¡± Fen spoke and his black eyes began to glow a soft blue. His eyes swept the room but he found nothing. ¡°Arcane secrets, be laid bare before me.¡± He chanted and made a ¡®V¡¯ shape with his index and middle finger. He put the ¡®V¡¯ up to his eye and looked through it. A black semi transparent screen appeared between his fingers. He swept the room but found nothing that he didn¡¯t expect to see.


    As he swept the room another beaker was pushed off a table and sent crashing to the ground as if an unseen cat was menacing the laboratory. Jala jumped. ¡°What? Who?¡± She asked.


    Lenna chuckled. She actually chuckled out loud. ¡°He¡¯s playing with you.¡± She told her aunt and uncle. ¡°He¡¯s giving you an opportunity.¡±


    Isaac appeared, covered in his shadowcloak with only his eyes visible, standing in the middle of the room staring down Fen. ¡°An opportunity,¡± Isaac began with his voice dropped like a stone in a bucket. ¡°to surrender.¡± He drug out the last word with clear, dark, amusement in his voice and followed it up with an even darker laugh that sent chills down Jala¡¯s spine and spread a grin across Lenna¡¯s face. Isaac was enjoying himself.

 Chapter 24 Good.

    Chapter 24 Good.


    Fen raised his right hand and pointed two outstretched fingers at Isaac. Flames of varying colors caused shadows to dance across the dimly lit room. Lenna and Jala were frozen in anticipation at what was to come. Isaac was ready to act on a moment¡¯s notice. The world stood still. ¡°What I seek is thunder.¡± Fen chanted quickly and a lightning bolt screamed across the thirty foot gap between the two masters of shadows.


    Isaac¡¯s right hand shot up and he tried to backhand the lightning bolt with five times the amount of mana that Fen had used to cast the spell, the leather covering the back of his hand, and his hand itself. The mana that exploded out of the back of Isaac¡¯s hand and forearm was enough to cast a spell of ninth level but to Isaac it was simply the most he could pull on in the split second he had to react. The lighting bolt impacted the small compressed wall of power at a harsh angle and pushed through it even as it was deflected off to the side.


    The bolt crashed into the stone wall a dozen feet from Isaac after exploding a jar of eyes on the closest table to the dark mage. Isaac¡¯s bracer steamed and the muscles in his forearm and hand twitched before death flames removed any evidence of the recent encounter. ¡°No banter?¡± Isaac purred darkly. ¡°How rude.¡±


    ¡°I will not play your games.¡± The dark elvish shadow sorcerer replied while looking down his nose at the younger mage. He raised his left hand palm up.


    ¡°How¡± Isaac began.


    ¡°Stars of doom¡± Fen started to chant.


    ¡°disappointing.¡± Isaac finished.


    ¡°heed my call.¡± Fen finished and three small marbles that looked as though rainbows were trapped inside a hall of mirrors formed floating over his open hand.


    Despite Isaac acting as though he was disappointed a grin spread across his face. It was finally time for his first duel of magic. ¡®This is going to be fun.¡¯ The young dark mage thought to himself.


    Before the marbles of reality magic even left the shadow sorcerer¡¯s open palm he began his next spell. His right hand, which had relaxed while he was casting his second spell, snapped into position once again as he repeated his first spell once more: ¡°What I seek is thunder.¡± The three orbs had crossed most of the distance between the two by the time Fen had finished his chant as they only flew at a speed akin to a thrown dagger.


    Isaac was waiting for this moment. He closed the small openings he had made in his shadowcloak and used the full coverage to teleport twenty feet out of the way and off to Fen¡¯s side. Fen couldn¡¯t see this however as his lighting bolt flashed right at the same moment. The orbs stopped at the position where Isaac had been only to be hit by the lightning bolt which caused them to detonate in small two inch explosions of rainbow light.


    Before Fen could even see if he had hit Isaac he was casting his next spell. His left hand rotated from being palm up to be fully outstretched with his palm facing where Isaac had been. ¡°Command: Be undone!¡± He ordered mana and existence itself.


    A spindly branch of reality appeared near instantly, crossing the entire length of the room from Fen to the space in between the door and the door frame which had been behind Isaac from his perspective. The branch looked much like the marbles from earlier. It looked like a straw made of glass with a prism and a rainbow trapped inside fighting to see which could cause the most spectacular spectacle. Every few inches to a foot the straw would abruptly change direction by a few degrees with no warning whatsoever. It always ended up going in the direction that Fen was aiming it but its accuracy was limited to an area about three feet across in the general direction of which it was intended to go.


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    The branch of reality froze for nearly half a second before vanishing as if it had never been there, taking a chunk of the door, doorframe, and wall with it. In that instant an area two feet across centered on its point of impact had been removed in a perfect circle. The molecules had all been reduced to their component atoms in an instant. As they tried to recombine to become stable once again the entire area around the phenomena was subjected to both extreme heat and extreme cold. Everything that had been near the affected area was instantly covered in both scorch marks and frost.


    Isaac¡¯s eyes twinkled at the sight of unrestrained power. ¡°He¡¯s serious.¡± He said to himself, thankful that his shadowcloak was completely hiding his presence. ¡®Good.¡¯ He thought with a crazed grin across his face.


    Isaac appeared behind Fen mid swing with his straight sword. The blade started to cut into the shadow sorcerer who in an instant turned into shadows himself. The sword passed through him cleanly. It did damage but hardly as much as an actual hit would have. Fen spun as a blade made of shadows appeared in his hand and he swung at where Isaac had been but the dark mage had already danced away. ¡°Where are you?¡± Fen growled, his voice now ethereal and airy but clearly annoyed.


    Isaac appeared ten feet away facing him. ¡°Having trouble finding me?¡± Isaac taunted. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what magic is for?¡±


    Fen snarled, his slightly elongated elvish canines clearly visible despite him being made of shadows. ¡°You will die sooner or later.¡± He growled.


    ¡°By what?¡± Isaac asked, his voice still almost as deep as he could make it. ¡°A poor imitation of myself?¡±


    Fen pointed a singular finger at Isaac while ordering existence to heed his whim. ¡°I command you to DIE.¡± Reality itself shook from the power. Magic quivered, the air rippled like a stone had been dropped into a still lake.


    Isaac felt his heart stop. A split second later it imploded under the weight of reality. Another split second later and the weight was gone as if it had never been there. He staggered a step before clutching at his heart. Death flames burned inside his chest more brilliantly than ever before as his heart was reformed in another fraction of a second. It didn¡¯t start beating as quickly as he would have liked so he pounded his fist against his chest as hard as he could. The impact seemed to be all that his heart was waiting for as it began beating once again.


    Lenna had taken half a step towards Isaac when Fen had used a word of power to kill him but she felt a surge of death mana and seeing as Isaac hadn¡¯t fallen, she realized what he had done. ¡®That power is truly insane.¡¯ She thought to herself upon realizing that Isaac had literally brought himself back from the dead before he could even lose consciousness.


    Isaac coughed once and then straightened. He shook his head to clear it. ¡°That was,¡± He drug the word out. ¡°rude.¡±


    Fen¡¯s eyes burned with fury. ¡°That took way less mana than it should have. You are weak.¡±


    Isaac shook his head, happy to engage in banter while his body was getting used to functioning again. ¡°Weak? No. Low leveled? Yes.¡± He corrected.


    Fen narrowed his eyes at Isaac. ¡°What level are you?¡± He ordered as much as asked.


    ¡°Six, maybe seven.¡± Isaac replied and disappeared again. A sword slash cut through Fen from behind and he swung at air again.


    Fen snarled. ¡°I offer up this contract to the spirit of Primatia.¡± He chanted and a pulse of magic went out from his feet across the ground. With every heartbeat another pulse swept the room. His eyes darted around looking for Isaac but finding nothing.


    The pulses of magic originating from Fen washed over Isaac as if he wasn¡¯t even there. Isaac grinned. He truly was a shadow on the world. He reappeared. ¡°Still can¡¯t find me?¡± He purred tauntingly.


    Fen whirled around to face him and pointed his finger at him again. ¡°I command you¡± His words turned into a growl as Isaac vanished again.


    Isaac swung at Fen¡¯s side. The blade passed through him and Fen returned a swing. This time Isaac blocked the blade and summoned another made of shadows into his offhand. Isaac teleported to the other side of Fen and brought the shadowblade in a vertical chop. He stopped the blade once it had cut deep enough to be parallel with the ground then he, keeping the tip where it was, raised the hilt of his shadowblade until the sword was nearly perfectly inline with the sorcerer¡¯s spine and then teleported away when Fen tried to spin to attack him again.


    This time something different happened. Fen staggered and coughed. The shadowblade in his body was fighting with the shadows that his body was made of, both rejecting the other¡¯s claim on the space that they shared. Fen took a deliberate step forwards and appeared a dozen feet away. He dropped to a knee and coughed up blood as he returned to his elvish form of flesh and blood. The most recent attack had succeeded in doing noticeable damage to the shadow sorcerer.


    ¡°Surrender?¡± Isaac offered from the other side of the room.


    ¡°Go to the hells.¡± Fen spat and rose to his feet. ¡°Face me like a man!¡± He growled at the younger mage.


    Isaac smirked under his shadowcloak. ¡°We are mages,¡± Isaac began. ¡°fighting fairly was never a part of the plan.¡± He spoke, his voice full of dark amusement and clear taunting.


    Fen snarled. ¡°Fine then.¡± He retorted. He pointed two of his fingers at Lenna while chanting his next spell: ¡°Thunder I order thee, lightning my foes does seek.¡±

 Chapter 25 I Swear It!

    Chapter 25 I Swear It!


    Electricity arced from Fen¡¯s outstretched fingers into Lenna who quickly grabbed onto her aunt¡¯s shoulder causing the lightning to course through her as well. Jala tried to let out a cry of pain but her body tensed so quickly that she only let out a short squeak. ¡°Stay. Invisible.¡± Lenna told Isaac through gritted teeth who had vanished before Fen had finished the spell. Lenna knew that the spell would wear out after a few seconds but until then it was primed to jump towards its next target. Fen was banking on Isaac appearing during those few seconds.


    Isaac teleported behind Fen and tried to slash at his back again but this time the sorcerer was ready. His sword had barely touched the sorcerer¡¯s robes when a shard of broken glass the size of a man¡¯s torso appeared and caught the blade. The shard had the same prismatic effect as the rest of Fen¡¯s reality spells. Isaac¡¯s sword bounced back so he withdrew a throwing spike from his Inventory with his free hand and tried to stab Fen with it. Again, as soon as the spike made contact with the sorcerer¡¯s robes the fragment of reality was there to block it.


    Isaac could feel the mana pouring from Fen. At that moment he had an invisibility detection spell, a spell that gave him a ground bound form of echolocation, chain lightning, and a shield made of a fragment of reality all draining his reserves at the same time. Fen threw his arms wide and yelled one quick burst of anger and rage only there was no sound of man heard. A roll of thunder sounded out in its place and a shockwave blasted out of him in all directions tossing tables and Isaac alike across the room.


    Fen was unlucky however as right when Isaac was about to become visible to the chain lightning spell, from his shadowcloak being blasted apart, the spell ran out of power and faded away. The reason Lenna had shared the lightning with her aunt was not so her aunt would suffer but rather to burn through the power of the spell faster. Her quick thinking paid off and most likely saved Isaac¡¯s life.


    ¡°Fen you moron!¡± Jala yelled as soon as she could breathe again. Isaac hit an overturned table flopped over it onto the cold, wet, bloody, stone floor.


    ¡°You could help me, you know!¡± Fen retorted, throwing her own words back at her. Isaac pushed himself up with a groan as his death flames reset a broken rib from his impact with the now fully upside down table.


    ¡°She will be doing no such thing.¡± Lenna replied evenly while gripping Jala¡¯s shoulder tighter.


    Isaac locked eyes with Fen and flashed him a grin. He cracked his neck. ¡°I am the Lord of Darkness itself.¡± He told the elf while shadows collected around him to reform his shadowcloak. ¡°You are but an imitation.¡± He taunted and vanished once more.


    Fen growled. ¡°I am shadows and shadows are me, seek my foes I command thee, find and bind them still, there are yet ones I must kill.¡± He chanted through gritted teeth. A dozen tendrils of shadows rose up from the ground around him and started to wave about looking for Isaac. Fen shifted his grip on his curved shadowblade.


    Isaac appeared just outside of the range of Fen¡¯s shadow tendrils and made a show of walking into them. The two closest to him reached out and tried to wrap around him but they slid off of his shadowcloak as if they were made of oil and water. ¡°A shadow spell.¡± Isaac purred. ¡°Finally.¡± He stopped walking and just let the tendrils try to get a hold of him. ¡°Let me try.¡±


    Fen lunged at Isaac and Isaac blocked the swing and followed it up with his own effortlessly. Fen wasn¡¯t nearly as good at swordplay as Lenna was despite obviously being older. The shard of reality was back to block Isaac¡¯s attack. The two continued roughly the same exchange while Isaac repeated the spell back to Fen. ¡®Chant? Check. Mental image? Check. Power? Check. Knowledge of the spell form? ¡­That¡¯s what extra power is for right?¡¯ Isaac thought to himself as he finished casting Fen¡¯s spell back at him.


    Isaac¡¯s own shadow tendrils started to form, pulling mana from him without him having to mentally direct it further, and they tried to wrap around Fen. Isaac¡¯s tendrils were noticeably weaker and Fen easily pushed through them even though they were coiling around him. ¡°You are too weak for my spell.¡± Fen mocked.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No.¡± Isaac replied while he continued to win the exchange of blades. ¡°You are cheating. There is more than just dark mana in those tendrils.¡± Isaac shot back.


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    Fen exploded with a yell again throwing Isaac backwards. Isaac quickly recoated himself in shadows while he was still in mid air and appeared behind Fen and stumbled back a few steps. Fen whirled on him and tried to press the attack. ¡°Only using dark mana would be idiotic.¡± Fen countered. ¡°It lacks any natural stability.¡±


    Isaac smirked and poured ninety percent of his regen into summoning a sword made of nothing but compressed dark mana and parried Fen¡¯s next swing with it. ¡°You just aren¡¯t using enough.¡± He replied with a grin clear in his voice and plastered across his face.


    Fen¡¯s eyes went wide at the massive surge of power and at the fact that his own blade was stopped by nothing but pure dark mana. Fen¡¯s shadowblade was reinforced with reality magic to maintain its shape and cutting edge, light magic to bend light around the blade to prevent light from weakening it, and fire and ice magic to maintain the temperature of the blade and the area around it so the molecules would always vibrate at the same frequency for extra stability. Isaac had blocked a sword made from a spell that had been specifically crafted to summon a sword stronger and sharper than any steel blade with nothing but mana.


    Isaac had never practiced with two weapon fighting so he was honestly quite bad at it but that didn¡¯t stop him from pounding on Fen¡¯s reality shield relentlessly with both of his swords. Fen was instantly put on the defensive once he realized that Isaac was starting to only attack him with both swords simultaneously. Isaac was planning to exploit the fact that the shield could only be in one place at a time and Fen was desperate to not take any more damage.


    The amount of mana that Isaac was pouring out caused Jala to drop to her knees after half a dozen seconds of watching the battle. ¡°What level is he, really?¡± She whispered.


    Lenna smirked behind her faceplate. ¡°He didn¡¯t lie.¡± She replied. ¡°Six or seven.¡±


    Jala¡¯s skin turned an ashy gray as all color drained from it. She was quickly losing faith that her husband could handle a man a third of his level. She also knew that Lenna could end her before she finished a single spell chant so there was no use in trying to resist. She understood that she was at the mercy of her niece and her niece¡¯s master. Her Lord as she called him. The Lord of Darkness itself. She did not like her odds of survival at that very moment. What made matters all the worse was that Jala knew that not a single alarm ward had been triggered on their way in, so even if she did somehow manage to escape there was no way to know when the pair would suddenly reappear. This was officially the worst job she had ever taken.


    Fen was getting desperate. His mana was continuing to drop and the man, monster, in front of him was burning through mana at a rate of a quarter of Fen¡¯s own maximum mana per second without a care in the world. Isaac had decided to keep the sword as a singular mass of dark mana just to prove his superiority instead of turning it into compressed shadows which would have been more mana efficient. He cut the power to his shadow tendrils as they were doing nothing and decided to put that mana to better use.


    Fen tried firing another lighting bolt at Isaac while they were engaged in melee but Isaac closed the distance between them and caught Fen¡¯s arm under his so the sorcerer couldn¡¯t aim the lighting bolt at him. The lightning bolt still went off but it only managed to trash more of the room. Fen felt a chill run up his spine but he didn¡¯t know why. It was then that the shadows covering Isaac¡¯s face faded away and Fen could see Isaac¡¯s predatory grin and unrestrained maniacal glee.


    A void opened up behind Fen and a moment later his shield had to block an impact on the back of his shoulder. Isaac¡¯s one sword was useless as that arm was being used to pin Fen¡¯s offhand against Isaac¡¯s body to protect him from future lightning strikes. Isaac¡¯s offhand sword was bound up in Fen¡¯s only sword causing the two men to be at a stalemate as they were both about the same strength. What Fen couldn¡¯t have expected was that Isaac hadn¡¯t been going all out from the start. Isaac had one trick left up his sleeve.


    The bone claw that slammed into Fen¡¯s left shoulder was intercepted by the reality shield which left his other shoulder wide open. A set of reptilian jaws clamped down on Fen¡¯s right shoulder he was immediately ripped to the ground under the weight and pain. Before Fen could hit the ground however he turned into shadows and twisted. He rolled through the bone dragon¡¯s skull, onto his hands and knees and then tucked his shoulder to continue rolling. He finished the rotation as he sprang to his feet.


    Fen saw his newest opponent just in time to take a lightning bolt through the chest. The fact that he was made of shadows helped dampen the damage but his insides were still ravaged. He dropped to a knee and turned back into his normal form and started coughing up blood onto the ground. He didn¡¯t stop coughing. More and more blood came out. Fen couldn¡¯t put up any resistance after that last hit. He was done. He was dying and there was nothing Jala could do about it.


    Jala and Fen¡¯s relationship was a complicated if not usual one. Politics had led them into an arranged marriage that neither of them had asked for. Fen was right, neither of them loved each other in the romantic sense. At best they were awkward friends who lived together and were expected to have at least two children. Jala could only watch as the man that she had been with for over a century was dying twenty feet in front of her in the middle of her laboratory surrounded by blood and corpses. She couldn¡¯t help but think that if they had refused her brother¡¯s request none of this would have happened.


    Isaac strode over to Fen. ¡°Surrender to your better, sorcerer.¡± He ordered the dying man.


    Jala took the lifeline Isaac had thrown and threw herself onto the ground. ¡°We surrender! Please, don¡¯t let him die!¡± She begged.


    Isaac let go of all of his mana and the shadows and dark mana surrounding him dispersed into the air. ¡°Do you swear your loyalty to the human demigod of darkness?¡± Isaac asked her while tilting his chin up and to the side to look as far down on her as he could.


    ¡°Yes! I swear it!¡± She exclaimed.


    Isaac grinned. ¡°Good.¡± He replied with that same deep, dark, amusement in his voice that promised violence and horror. Chills went down Jala¡¯s spine and she swallowed but made no move to take back her vow.


    Isaac bent down and placed a hand on Fen¡¯s back. He dumped death mana into his body and shrouded it in death flames. In a matter of moments Fen was laying face down on the bloody ground breathing deeply. Isaac withdrew his mana from Fen and used it to make a chair made of hardened shadows. He sat down and crossed his arms. He then lazily looked down at Fen who was conscious and healed but nearly out of mana. ¡°Now,¡± Isaac began. ¡°what do I do with you?¡±

 Chapter 26 What Are You?

    Chapter 26 What Are You?


    Isaac turned to face the downed Fen while remaining on his chair-shaped magic. Isaac kicked the sorcerer in the shoulder hard enough to elicit a groan but clearly lacking the intent to do any real damage. ¡®He might still get a bruise but he deserves it. Words of Power are cheating.¡¯ Isaac grumbled internally. Isaac leaned down and rested his elbows on his knees.


    Fen rolled over to face the ceiling, his straight black hair turned into a matted mess of blood reds and splashes of shadow. He turned his head to glare at Isaac. His mana reserves were the lowest they had been in a long time and he was feeling the fatigue deep in his bones. Oddly enough his body wasn¡¯t even sore from the engagement. It was as if the man who had beaten him had undone all of the damage and left Fen with nothing but his loss of mana as evidence of their engagement.


    Fen¡¯s eyes flicked in the general direction of Jala. ¡°You should have let him kill me. Who knows what layer of hell you have just condemned us to.¡± He scolded. His voice lacked any real bite and had no energy behind it but he had felt the need for his words to be heard.


    ¡°Us?¡± Jala asked defensively. ¡°I only swore my own loyalty in exchange for your life. You don¡¯t have to stick around.¡±


    Fen¡¯s eyes narrowed in annoyance. ¡°Because of the exchange, how am I supposed to leave you alone?¡± He replied coolly. ¡°That¡¯s not even considering that you¡¯ll be dead in a week from forgetting to eat you crazed, manic, old witch.¡±


    Jala scoffed. ¡°Old?!¡± She glared at him. ¡°You are over two decades older than me!¡±


    Isaac couldn¡¯t help himself and chuckled at their antics. ¡°Lenna?¡± Isaac asked without taking his eyes off of Fen.


    ¡°Yes?¡± She replied. She hadn¡¯t left Jala¡¯s side, partly to ensure that she didn¡¯t try anything and partly because she hadn¡¯t needed to.


    ¡°How much faith should I put in an oath of loyalty from your dear auntie?¡± He asked his question in total neutrality, clearly lacking any bias or assumptions. He wanted the truth and nothing else.


    Lenna leaned back against the table closest to her and Jala. ¡°She¡¯s a V¡¯Nova. Honor was beaten into her bones.¡± She took a long look at Fen L¡¯Vore. ¡°But, I cannot say the same for the L¡¯Vore¡¯s.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Trust but verify and trust but not completely.¡± He said more to himself than to her.


    ¡°It is as you say.¡± Lenna agreed.


    Isaac¡¯s eyes continued to borrow into Fen¡¯s soul. The silver eyes seemed to see through the ancient elvish sorcerer. Fen fidgeted a little under Isaac¡¯s gaze before straightening abruptly as he remembered that Isaac was around a third of his level. At the sudden movement Kahtesh jolted forwards and then abruptly stopped with his bony face a mere six inches from Fen¡¯s. If Kahtesh still breathed then Fen would have gotten a face-full of rotting meat breath.


    ¡°Kahtesh really wants to eat this one.¡± Isaac said coldly. He hadn¡¯t even flinched at the sudden movement from the two beings in front of him.


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    Fen glanced back and forth between the two of them. Jala cleared her throat. ¡°That would not be sparing his life, my Lord.¡± She reminded him cautiously.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°He is the one who cut off my poor dragon¡¯s head and you are the one that turned him into a monster.¡± He replied and leaned back in his chair. Kahtesh snapped his jaws thrice in rapid succession in Fen¡¯s face.


    Fen audibly swallowed. He glanced at Isaac. ¡°How much of this undead is still in there?¡± He asked with obvious worry in his voice. He knew that if he absolutely had to he had enough mana left for a medium range teleport but not an ounce more. He also knew that if he was going to do that then he would have done it a while ago. He just couldn¡¯t bring himself to leave Jala behind.


    ¡°Not very much but enough to hate you in particular. I saw through Kahtesh¡¯s eyes as you drug him out of his cage and cut off his head.¡± Isaac answered with just a hint of hidden wrath.


    Fen swallowed again. ¡°What are you going to do with us?¡± He asked.


    Isaac ignored him and stood up. ¡°Kahtesh, if he tries to cast a spell, escape, or enact violence against anything not trying to kill you, me, Lenna, or her,¡± Isaac gestured towards Jala. ¡°kill him.¡± The dragon hadn¡¯t moved at the command but Isaac knew that he had received the directive. He then looked at Jala. ¡°Name?¡± Isaac asked directly.


    Jala rose to her feet and bowed deeply. Some of her dark gray hair fell forwards out from behind her ears. ¡°Jala L¡¯Vore, formally Jala V¡¯Nova.¡± She raised her head. ¡°Level nineteen wizard, alchemist and necromancer.¡±


    Isaac nodded to her. ¡°How much control do you have over the currently active chimeras and the wards lining the way out?¡± He interrogated. He had switched to full business, all humor and jokes were left at the door and the sudden shift had caused Jala to partly slip back into her military mannerisms.


    ¡°I can give general commands or specific ones over any distance at a mana cost escalating according to distance and length of command.¡± She replied curtly. ¡°The wards will have to be manually deactivated as, once cast, I have no control over them.¡± She took a short, well practiced, measured breath. ¡°My Lord.¡± She finished with a nod.


    Isaac smirked slightly. ¡°Order every active chimera to do as much damage to Contantis¡¯s walls and gates as possible. Afterwards let me know how many wards you will be able to dispel before you run out of mana.¡± He ordered.


    Jala nodded and was about to comply before she stopped. She looked as though she wanted to ask a question but wasn¡¯t sure how. After about ten seconds of her looking like a fish out of water Isaac finally couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°Out with it. The more you do that the more you look like an Ori-Masa.¡± He told her. Fen snorted a laugh as he had seen a similar interaction plenty of times during his extensive time spent with her.


    ¡°Well, not that I¡¯m questioning your wisdom,¡± Jala began.


    ¡°Answer me, don¡¯t kiss my ass.¡± Isaac snapped.


    Jala swallowed. ¡°Yes my Lord.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°Why not wait as long as possible to send the attack? If the attack is sent right now then Contantis will know something has happened here immediately and you would lose any element of surprise.¡±


    Isaac grinned. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure the human noble who rules Safeharbor would much prefer I did that but I have no interest in the larger conflict between Contantis and Safeharbor.¡± His eyes almost twinkled as he made eye contact with Lenna. ¡°I just want to piss off a certain drow nobleman.¡±


    Jala looked taken aback at the reasoning behind the strategic misplay and it took her a few moments to find her next thoughts. Fen spent those moments laughing. ¡°Good. Fuck the bastard.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I always hated him.¡± He shook his head and then looked at Isaac. ¡°I hope you have more friends than just those in this room Lord of Darkness because otherwise Jallen will bury you in men, spells, and hired assassins.¡±


    Isaac looked down at the sorcerer with a raised eyebrow. ¡°I do.¡± He replied. ¡°Feel like being helpful or did you forget who you are talking to?¡±


    Fen shook his head. ¡°I could leave if I wanted to and not even you could stop me. I¡¯m a twentieth level sorcerer. I can bypass laws of spellcraft that I dislike. You just happen to have my wife as a hostage for the foreseeable future.¡± He explained. ¡°I do have some comments and questions for you, Darkness.¡±


    Isaac reraised his eyebrow that had been relaxed while Fen was talking. ¡°Your words cost only your breath but don¡¯t expect any answers.¡± He replied and then nodded to Jala. ¡°Send the order.¡± He directed.


    Jala nodded and closed her eyes. Her lips started moving without sound and mana started building inside of her as she readied the command to send forth to her minions. Fen took the time to begin talking himself into an early grave. ¡°You¡¯re not a real demigod.¡± He told Isaac simply.


    Isaac¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Are you trying to make it difficult to keep you alive?¡± He asked simply.


    Fen smirked and shook his head as he sat up. His robes peeled off the bloody floor and clung to him grossly. ¡°A demigod can¡¯t be under level twenty. That¡¯s not how it works. If you truly are level seven, which seems to be the case by how easily you were affected by a Word of Power, then you can¡¯t be a true demigod.¡± Fen narrowed his eyes at Isaac. ¡°So what are you?¡±

 Chapter 27 Your Turn.

    Chapter 27 Your Turn.


    ¡°An incomplete demigod.¡± Isaac replied with irritation in his voice and eyes.


    Fen shook his head. ¡°I¡¯d have to see it to believe it.¡± He retorted with a sly grin. Isaac¡¯s eyes narrowed at the sorcerer. ¡°Fine, fine.¡± Fen relented and raised his hands placatingly. ¡°So, oh great and mighty Lord of Darkness, what are you going to do with us?¡±


    Isaac stood up and looked around the laboratory. It looked as though a thunderstorm had spawned in the middle of the room, blew a bunch of things over, shot lightning a few times, rained blood and then left again. He looked at Jala once he felt the pulse of mana leave her going in all directions. ¡°How many dispels do you have in you?¡± He asked.


    Jala looked at him thoughtfully. The wide range command had taken a lot out of her magically speaking and her mental state was still trying to catch up to all the insanity that had just gone down. ¡°Twelve, fifteen if you don¡¯t mind carrying me.¡± She replied.


    ¡°How many wards are on our way out?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Jala tapped her finger on her chin in thought and started counting wordlessly. ¡°If they all still function, ninety seven, I think.¡±


    ¡°How much did that all cost?¡± Isaac asked curiously.


    Jala shrugged. ¡°Three to four hundred per ward I believe.¡± She answered as if that amount of money wasn¡¯t a king¡¯s ransom.


    Isaac¡¯s eyes went wide at the project¡¯s budget. ¡°What about everything else in here?¡±


    Jala continued to think and count things up for a moment before she shrugged. ¡°Somewhere between fifteen and thirty thousand more. There isn¡¯t a garrison here so they kept the outpost small.¡±


    ¡°And you said Jallen, it was Jallen right?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna nodded but Jala was the one to answer. ¡°Yes, my twin.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Your parents weren¡¯t the best at names were they?¡± Isaac asked.


    Fen chuckled but Jala looked as though she took some offense to the words. ¡°It is customary for female names to end in ¡®ah¡¯ sounds and male names to end in ¡®en¡¯. Twins are also a one in a billion chance for elves so they weren¡¯t exactly prepared but I think they did a good enough job thank you.¡±


    Isaac was smirking in amusement by the time she finished. ¡°Anyway,¡± He brought them back on track. ¡°Jallen also paid the L¡¯Vore family for this as well, right?¡±


    Fen answered for her. ¡°A hundred gold a day until the plan succeeds or a thousand days have passed. However long it takes after the thousand days comes out of the L¡¯Vore family coffers.¡± He explained the deal they had.


    ¡°So uncle V¡¯Nova was willing to spend a hundred and fifty thousand gold on this plan to what? Burry Safeharbor in chimera?¡± Isaac questioned. He just couldn¡¯t see the small odds of success being worth the price in gold.


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    Jala nodded. ¡°It might have worked too if someone hadn¡¯t killed my best hunter, thinned out the shadow-wolf pack that I had been gathering, made me rebuild my guard, killed what was supposed to be my trump card, and then wrecked my lab.¡± She accused.


    ¡°Most of that was actually accidental but it¡¯s nice to know that the strange monster movements were your doing.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°What about the sudden spike in jumping-spiders?¡±


    ¡°I was trying to breed phase widows. I guess that experiment will have to be put on hold due to my sudden new employment.¡± Jala replied half grumbling.


    Isaac looked at Fen with a raised eyebrow. Fen put his hands in the air again. ¡°She¡¯s a loaf short of a full basket.¡± He nodded. ¡°I know.¡±


    Jala grabbed the nearest broken thing, which happened to be a halved leg bone, that was on the table next to her and whipped it at Fen. Fen easily, almost lazily, swatted it to the side as, even though Jala had noticeably put most of her strength into it. There was very little actual speed or moment accompanying the projectile. ¡°Ass.¡± She called him but then immediately went back to whatever crazy idea she had been thinking up.


    ¡°I guess we are bringing you back to town with us.¡± Isaac eventually said with a sigh. ¡®I don¡¯t trust them enough to leave them to their own devices and maybe I can trade her skills for something of worth from Izen.¡¯ Isaac thought to himself.


    Fen gave him an incredulous look. ¡°You are just going to walk two dark elven archmages in through the front gate of a human city that has stood against the V¡¯Nova clan for centuries?¡± He was obviously quite skeptical of Isaac¡¯s ability to pull off such a feat.


    Isaac nodded like it was a simple matter. ¡°Of course.¡± He replied simply. ¡°I am the Lord of Darkness itself.¡±


    ¡ª


    A half hour later saw the five man band leaving the laboratory outpost with a bottomless bag full of monster parts, chemicals, alchemical concoctions, notes, and magical burners. Lenna was leading with Jala and Fen side by side in the middle and Kahtesh¡¯s teeth barely two feet behind Fen¡¯s ankle at any given time. Isaac was nowhere to be seen as there was still a fireball ward right outside the entrance. Jala had explained that Kahtesh wouldn¡¯t set off the ward because he was not bipedal. She had designed the wards in such a way to prevent her own chimera or a stray monster from setting off expensive wards.


    ¡°Command: Removal: Dispel¡± Jala said with her hand outstretched towards the fireball rune. The ward quickly faded and Isaac reappeared right next to Lenna.


    ¡°How do you do that?¡± Fen asked. ¡°I used three detection spells to find you and none of them worked. You don¡¯t use a spell chant but I¡¯m sure you have enough mana to brute force the cast anyway.¡±


    Isaac looked at him wearily. ¡°How do you turn into shadows?¡± He asked.


    Fen got the message of an information trade and happily obliged. ¡°I focus my connection to the plane of darkness into my physical body and let my cells and mana pathways absorb all of the dark mana that is flowing through me. It¡¯s still usable but doing so would steadily return me to normal.¡± He explained. ¡°Your turn.¡±


    Isaac smirked. ¡°It¡¯s not a spell. The only spell I know is the one I stole from you.¡± He replied smugly.


    Fen almost tripped. ¡°H-How?¡± Was all he could stammer out.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°My turn.¡± He corrected. ¡°What do you mean by your connection to the plane of darkness?¡±


    Fen¡¯s eyes widened slightly. ¡°You don¡¯t have a connection to the plane of darkness?¡± He asked but Isaac remained silent. Fen huffed. ¡°Fine, the plane of darkness, much like the other elemental planes, has places in the world where the barrier between Primatia and them is weaker. The Innerworld as a whole is closer to the plane of darkness and that is why dark mana is more potent down here.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I think I understand. All this other planes of existence stuff is a bit over my head but I think I have enough to get by for now.¡± He confessed. ¡°I don¡¯t need a connection to the plane of darkness as dark mana bends to my will by both its and my nature. I was made to do as I pleased with it.¡±


    Fen and Jala both latched on to one key word. ¡°Made?¡± They both asked in unison.


    Jala had to stop to cast a dispel on herself as the wards were all bombarding her with useless information as the person who was setting them all off was right in front of her. Every now and then Isaac would have to disappear because there was a violent spell stored in one of the wards so Jala would dispel those personally as well. This was one such time so their conversation was put on hold for a minute until her job was done and Isaac could reappear.


    ¡°How many shadow spells do you know and do you know how to modify them?¡± Isaac asked as he reappeared.


    Fen thought for a moment. ¡°I know shadowblade, orb of shadows, shadowbind, shadowstep and detect light. To answer your second question, no, I do not know how to modify them.¡± He replied. ¡°Now for our question, made?¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°All I will say is that this is not my original body nor did I have a choice in my mana alignment.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not very helpful.¡± Jala replied disappointedly.


    ¡°If it makes you feel any better, your husband¡¯s inability to tweak spells is also not very helpful.¡± Isaac offered.


    Jala shook her head. ¡°So, boss, what will we be doing when we get to your human city?¡± She asked with nervousness that was only mostly buried under forced neutrality.


    ¡°We¡¯ll find out when we get there.¡± Isaac replied with a smirk. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure it has at least something to do with your specific skill set.¡± He reassured her.


    ¡°That¡¯s not very reassuring if I am being honest with you.¡± Jala replied casually. Despite what she said Isaac could hear the nervousness had decreased a bit, at least the bit that was leaking out through her voice anyway.

 Chapter 28 A Long Trip.

    Chapter 28 A Long Trip.


    ¡°We have a long walk back so while I have you all here I have some Innerworld related questions. I figured between the three¡­¡± Isaac glanced at Lenna. ¡°Two, sources of ancient wisdom,¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to feel about that.¡± Lenna replied, cutting him off. On one hand not referring to her as ancient was nice but on the other he took her out of the wisdom list.


    Fen glanced between the three of them then his eyes settled on Isaac. ¡°One, one source of ancient wisdom.¡± He replied. He knew that if it wasn¡¯t directly within Jala¡¯s field of study then she was completely ignorant, if it had nothing to do with combat then Lenna was useless, and he barely paid attention to politics as he was from a branch family and his political usage stopped when he married Jala.


    ¡°you should be able to answer most of them.¡± Isaac finished with a sigh. He was starting to wonder exactly how cutthroat and violent drow society actually was if the three dark elves around him were still alive.


    ¡°How long is this walk exactly?¡± Jala asked innocently.


    Isaac looked at her cautiously. ¡°About eighteen hours if I remember right.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Twenty with these two.¡± Lenna corrected.


    ¡°We¡­ you aren¡¯t¡­ we get a break right?¡± Jala asked tentatively.


    Isaac smirked. ¡°If I was done transforming this body to match my elemental alignment, no. But as I am not, I still need to sleep.¡± He replied with a chuckle.


    Jala audibly sighed in relief. ¡°Thank you, what is your first question?¡±


    The following hours had Isaac bombarding his companions with questions about drow society and their understanding of magic, concepts, and direct mana manipulation. He learned a lot about how the dark elves functioned as a ruling class, the backbone of the drow military, and how there was a maximum number of elves that could exist at any given time.


    Apparently, unlike with non-elvish species, there was a limit to the amount of elvish souls that existed. When an elf died their soul would move on to the afterworld, either the land of sunshine and rainbows or the land of shadows and cobwebs depending on if they were light or dark elves. Forty percent of the entire elvish population were dark elves and that number fluctuated via births and deaths but always remained around the same ratio. Somehow the dark elven empire had managed to fight off the combined efforts of light elves, dwarves, and humans a few thousand years prior and that had set the tone of the Innerworld.


    Even out numbered five to one the drow military was formidable. By the end of the war the drow military was half its original strength but the empire still stood. The other nations had cut their losses and the three drow with him didn¡¯t know the extent of the damage to their military might in return. Many other exiled or tainted races flocked to the drow cities in the aftermath and were met with a¡­ interesting¡­ welcome.


    The drow never gave up power. They have always and will always rule their cities. They cannot live in a city that they do not rule as all of those are razed near instantly. Safeharbor was only built because of a joint occupying force of humans and dwarves with an entire regiment of mages casting summoning spells and conjuring walls to speed up the process. The ¡®lesser¡¯ dark races were either turned into slaves or given second class citizenship. Their taxes were higher and the laws were less lenient. Regardless of their race they were required to pray to Dri¡¯El at least twice a day and killing any type of spider or dark elf for any reason was punishable by death.


    Two thousand years prior there had been an uprising of the non dark elves against their overlords and the only ones who hadn¡¯t joined, interestingly enough, had been the dark dwarves. In exchange for their loyalty they were given almost first class citizenship. They were allowed to have any position not in government and they could have any number of non dark elves working under them without restriction. This had actually managed to boost the drow economy to a point where, if not for the wars on all sides, the drow empire would have challenged Altia for Safeharbor, once Contantis proved to be unable to remove it itself anyway.


    The three dark elves hadn¡¯t gone very deep into it but Isaac had learned that the drow empire had over a dozen factions trying its borders at any given time. This pressure was the only thing keeping the empire in check but it had the unfortunate, for everyone not in the empire, side effect of causing the empire to work like a pressure cooker churning out extremely high level combatants instead of canned tomatoes.


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    On their other topics it appeared that the drow hadn¡¯t researched very deeply into non dark mana related concepts as shadows had been their only real exposure to the phenomena. With the boundary between the plane of darkness and Primatia weaker in the Innerworld there was never a short supply of shadow sorcerers. Due to most other circumstances that could create sorcerers being incredibly scarce the study of the other colors of mana seemed moot to the drow.


    The pair did know about death and shadows and how they related to each other which gave Isaac some interesting insights. One thing was that death flames were not actually death. They were simply the expression of the opposite of life. Black was the lack of white and thus shadows were simply the opposite of light, ¡®death¡¯ was the opposite of life, and dark mana was simply the other side of the coin of light mana. The reason death flames healed dark creatures was simply because life mana healed light creatures. As Fen had put it: ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to make sense, you are trying too hard to understand something that, by its nature, can never be fully understood.¡± That had upset Isaac but he had acquiesced as his head had started to hurt from him trying to understand the physics behind something that was incorporeal.


    Unfortunately and fortunately for Isaac, raw mana manipulation was impossible for everyone else once the mana left their body. Their body was a sovereign space and thus the mana inside was theirs to command. Once it left them it became the magic of the world unless there was a spell to bind it to do their will. Fen could cause shadows to pour out of him like Isaac could, just not for very long and not very much at a time but it was possible. In fact it was a common training tool for sorcerers as repeatedly emptying and refilling their mana reserves would help their reserves increase, their regeneration increase, their ability to feel how low their reserves were would sharpen, and their ability to cast their element¡¯s spells without chants would become more natural even if it still took more mana than simply chanting the spell.


    The party had finally fallen into relative silence as Isaac was processing all of the information he had received when he suddenly stopped. His eyes shot from the ground to the wall ahead of them. The others stopped as well. Fen raised an eyebrow in question, Jala started looking around for what might have caused Isaac to stop, and Lenna drew her sword. ¡°What is it?¡± Lenna asked and closed her faceplate.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± Isaac replied. He closed his eyes and tried to feel his connection to everything. He searched out the strange feeling he felt and tried to understand what it was and what it meant. It felt fuzzy, then he felt something both smooth and rough, scales, small ones, even smaller than Kahtesh¡¯s. He tried to focus harder and right when he was about to give up he got something else, fish. Isaac opened his eyes. ¡°Ori-Masa. A lot of them.¡± He looked at Lenna. ¡°So many that I almost thought it was one strong creature.¡±


    ¡°How far?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°You know how it works. Far-ish.¡± Isaac shrugged. ¡°We should be fine if we camp out where we stopped before. They are probably where we saw that scouting party yesterday.


    ¡°You can feel them from here?¡± Lenna asked with some concern in her voice. They should have been much too far for Isaac to feel anything from that distance. He usually had trouble feeling them until he was standing almost on top of them. To feel them at what was probably between five and ten miles was worrying.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°It has to be like a million of them.¡±


    ¡°A million? Ori-Masa?¡± Fen asked skeptically.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Either that or they are all a few magnitudes stronger than usual.¡±


    ¡°How does that ability even work?¡± Fen questioned.


    Isaac shrugged again. ¡°No idea. I just have a skill called Polarity Sense which the more I think about it the less accurate the name seems.¡± He replied.


    The group continued until they reached the place that Isaac and Lenna had camped out previously. There they ate and talked for a while. Lenna was in the middle of taking a drink when Fen dropped the question he had had on his mind. ¡°How long have you two been together?¡± He asked. The word for ¡®together¡¯ that he used meant together in the romantic or at least marriage sense.


    Lenna inhaled some of her water and forced herself to swallow the rest of it that was in her mouth before she started coughing violently. Isaac started chuckling which turned into laughter that soon brought tears to his eyes as Lenna had gone from silent to choking at the question. It was the first time he had seen her so flustered that she forgot how to drink. The other two were amused by the pair¡¯s reactions but didn¡¯t understand why until they got themselves both under control.


    Lenna waved away Fen¡¯s question. ¡°We aren¡¯t.¡± She corrected him.


    ¡°Unfortunately.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Not for lack of you trying.¡± Lenna shot back.


    Isaac raised his hands. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I would call that trying. If anything I¡¯ve been trying not to pressure you.¡± He responded.


    Lenna rolled her eyes. ¡°Confessing in the jewelry shop, telling me to forget it ever happened, then bringing it up later hardly counts.¡±


    Isaac put his hand over his heart. ¡°At least I haven¡¯t been flooding the room with gifts or flirting with you,¡± He then quickly added: ¡°on purpose.¡±


    Lenna huffed. ¡°Instead you just strip in front of me like I¡¯m not even there.¡±


    ¡°Only down to my underwear I¡¯m not a pervert.¡± Isaac corrected her.


    ¡°Stare deep into my eyes whenever you get the chance.¡± She continued.


    Isaac smiled while looking into her eyes. ¡°You have beautiful eyes, I can¡¯t help myself.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re your eyes Isaac.¡± She shot back with her eyes narrowed.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°They might be the same color but the framing is much more stunning. The slant, sharp contrast, and seriousness that is always in them gives you the look of a fox or wolf spirit. It¡¯s irresistible.¡± His reply was honest even if it was still decidedly flirtatious.


    Lenna¡¯s eyes remained narrowed. ¡°This is what I¡¯m talking about. Either flirt with me or don¡¯t. At the very least stop pretending that you aren¡¯t.¡±


    Fen and Jala shared a look. ¡°We can¡­ um¡­ wait around the corner?¡± Jala offered meekly.


    Isaac and Lenna both broke eye contact to stare at Jala. ¡°No.¡± They both replied in unison.


    Jala shrunk back like she was trying to merge with the wall she was leaning against. ¡°Just offering.¡± She squeaked.


    Fen sighed and relaxed against the wall next to Jala. ¡°This is going to be a long trip.¡±

 Chapter 29 Parasite

    Chapter 29 Parasite


    Isaac was fast asleep while the three dark elves were meditating nearby. Fen and Jala were next to each other in the back of the small inlet they had decided to take refuge in for the night. Lenna was at the entrance, ever vigilant. Isaac and Kahtesh were in the middle. The little dragon¡¯s eyes had never left Fen as Isaac¡¯s order to end him should he try to cast any spells was still in place. This fact had made the first hour of meditation difficult for Fen but he made due. Around an hour before Jala would be ready to continue, Isaac was still asleep, Fen got up and quietly walked over to where Lenna was sitting and sat down across from her.


    Lenna opened her eyes slowly and looked at her uncle by marriage. ¡°Good morning, uncle.¡± She told him in a hushed tone. She also got the vague feeling that Isaac had woken up from Fen¡¯s near silent movement. ¡®Why doesn¡¯t he wake up that easily when I need him to?¡¯ She grumbled internally.


    Fen leaned back against the stone wall. His eyes searched Lenna for a long moment before he began conversation. ¡°There is quite the story behind current events. I would like to know it.¡± He told her in a quiet yet firm and controlled tone.


    Lenna got the feeling that Fen had finally figured out a plan to extradite both himself and Jala from their current situation and he wanted to know if it was worth the effort. Lenna also knew that Kahtesh was in no way strong enough to lock down Fen if the sorcerer really wanted to leave. Fen had also made it relatively clear that he had at least one real teleportation spell ready yet he had decidedly not used it. Shadowstep was more of a step from one location to another very nearby location, it could hardly be considered a teleport when compared to mages covering entire continents in a matter of seconds.


    Lenna eventually nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± She replied. ¡°But first let me explain something.¡± She began. Fen gestured for her to continue. ¡°If you do leave, I do not know if he will decide that you know too much. No one can stop him, no wards, no spells, no elaborate traps. Nothing can detect him, not even the sand he walks on moves unless he wants it to.¡± She let silence hang for a moment. ¡°And I won¡¯t argue against him removing either of you.¡± The rest of Lenna¡¯s sentiments continued internally. ¡®I will argue against him running off by himself however.¡¯


    Fen nodded. He knew that they were a security risk for her charge and in her shoes he would have already killed both of them. Potential gains were nice but the security of the charge should always come first. ¡°I understand.¡± Fen replied simply and waited for Lenna to continue.


    Lenna took a deep breath and then began her retelling of events. Her story was short and sounded almost like she was reading headlines. By the time she had caught Fen up to their current position Jala was ready for breakfast and had begun digging through Lenna¡¯s bottomless bag for food. Once she had started moving Isaac took that as his cue and got up with a stretch and a yawn.


    Fen and Lenna ignored the other two while they continued. ¡°You are making this prospect less and less agreeable.¡± Fen finally told her.


    Lenna nodded in understanding. ¡°I know.¡± She replied simply.


    Fen took in a deep breath and sighed. ¡°But that is how I know you are telling the truth.¡± He smirked. ¡°Also, you are awful at storytelling.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°You should have asked Isaac. He likes to add a lot of frivolous filling to his fantastical fables.¡± She finished with a grin.


    The alliteration and large amount of unnecessary words got Isaac¡¯s attention. ¡°Are you feeling alright?¡± He asked her.


    Lenna¡¯s reply was a soft chuckle and an outstretched hand. ¡°Water?¡± She asked and Isaac handed her the waterskin he had just taken a drink out of. She narrowed her eyes at him but otherwise didn¡¯t hesitate to take a drink. ¡°Once we are done we should get moving right away.¡± She told the party.


    Isaac nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes, I would like a bed again and a bath. Civilization has spoiled me.¡±


    While traveling Isaac took an opportunity to question Jala. ¡°You two have been very cooperative, which honestly causes me more concern than not.¡± He told her. She looked at him and tilted her head in question. For some reason Jala seemed younger than Lenna at that moment. Jala seemed to have never lost a childlike curiosity and blatant disregard for danger or right and wrong. ¡°I understand that when you swore to serve me you meant it, as it was a trade, your servitude for Fen¡¯s life, but even still you seemed to have switched sides very quickly. Why?¡± He asked directly.


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    Jala tapped her chin in thought. ¡°It is the nature of this place for the strong to rule. Power reigns supreme in this world and you have proven to be that power. Getting on your bad side now wouldn¡¯t be worth the trouble in the future. I¡¯m sure Fen is thinking the same thing.¡± She looked at him with an innocent smile. ¡°It¡¯s just the way the world works, loyalty isn¡¯t worth your life.¡±


    Isaac nodded but remained quiet for a while. ¡®It¡¯s a wonder that their society can function at all if loyalty doesn¡¯t exist. Everything is run by fear and violence. I know that I operate mostly the same way but if everyone was like that? I doubt I would have survived this long if I¡¯m being honest with myself.¡¯ He thought to himself.


    They continued on for a bit longer before Isaac stopped them. ¡°Up ahead.¡± He spoke just a bit louder than a whisper. ¡°I¡¯ve felt them building for a while now. There are actually too many to count. It¡¯s like they are piled on top of each other. Let¡¯s be careful.¡±


    Isaac moved to the front and everyone fell in behind him. He silenced Lenna¡¯s armor and Kahtesh¡¯s bony paws as those were the things making the most noise. The party crept forwards until they came across the same hole in the wall that Isaac and Lenna had spotted the smaller band of Ori-Masa fighting shadow-wolves two days prior. The large cavern that had been mostly empty upon their exit was now home to over two hundred Ori-Masa. There were bedrolls made of various animal hides, foodstuffs of questionable quality and weapons made of bone and sinew thrown about seemingly at random.


    The fishmen were all moving around and conversing with each other without a care in the world for whatever might be lurking in the dark waiting to gobble them up. ¡°They could be a problem in the future.¡± Lenna commented while inspecting the small community before them.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°Something is weird about them too.¡±


    ¡°So, what will you do?¡± Fen questioned.


    Isaac looked over at him. ¡°I could go in there and kill them all one at a time but that would take ages and I don¡¯t really feel like it.¡± He replied simply. ¡°So instead I am going to try to figure out why each of them feels like more than one creature, write it all down, then hand it in at the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. They will make a bounty for it and then if I feel like taking care of them in the future I¡¯ll at least get paid for it.¡±


    ¡°They feel like multiple creatures?¡± Jala asked.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yes. Something is weird with them.¡± He looked between his party members. ¡°You stay here. I¡¯m going to go look around.¡± Isaac was about to vanish when a hand grabbed his arm. Jala had stopped him. ¡°What is it?¡± He asked.


    She was squinting, trying to see deep into the mass of fishmen. After a moment her eyes widened so far they sparkled. ¡°A mushroomancer!¡± She exclaimed and Isaac and Fen both quickly put a hand over her mouth.


    ¡°Quiet you!¡± Fen snapped as quietly as he could. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be fish food.¡±


    She nodded slowly and a muffled: ¡°Okay¡± Could be heard. Luckily none of the Ori-Masa had seemed to hear her over their own commotion but Isaac had no idea how not even one of the outliers had heard her.


    ¡°What do you mean by mushroomancer?¡± Isaac asked.


    Her eyes twinkled again and her face broke out in a huge grin. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for one to dissect for the past three centuries. I can¡¯t believe there is one here! Can I have it?¡± She pleaded like a child asking for a toy in a shop window.


    Isaac couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°It depends on what it is, little Jala, we might have to come back for it.¡± He told her like he was talking to a three year old. Fen covered his own mouth after he snorted from the look of utter indignation that exploded over Jala¡¯s face. Lenna couldn¡¯t help but smile as she tried to keep an eye on the Ori-Masa movements.


    Jala huffed. ¡°A mushroomancer is a type of druid that is only in tune with mushrooms. Their bodies are supposedly hosts to specially cultivated mushrooms that have the ability to inhabit other lifeforms and give the mushroomancer some amount of control over them. The host is still alive and functions as normal but they are forced to do as the mushroomancer wishes.¡± She explained.


    ¡°What if there is more than one?¡± Isaac questioned. Even if each of the fishmen before him was worth two to his Polarity Sense there still wasn¡¯t anywhere near enough bodies for what he was feeling.


    Jala shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know enough about them. That¡¯s why I want to dissect one.¡± She inspected Isaac. ¡°Speaking of,¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac cut her off.


    ¡°Why not? You can heal yourself and Lenna will make sure you don¡¯t actually die.¡± She countered cheerily.


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel like getting bisected, thank you.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Back to the mushroom fish.¡±


    ¡°That is about all I know.¡± Jala answered. ¡°They most likely have some amount of control over other types of mushrooms to an extent as they are technically druids. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they have some other types of tricks but information on them is rare.¡±


    Isaac sighed and made eye contact with Jala. ¡°Okay, here¡¯s the deal. If we can find a way for you to keep being franken¡­¡± Isaac¡¯s voice trailed off as he clutched his head in pain. It took a moment for his head to clear enough that he could say what he meant to say but in different words. He swallowed down the throbbing headache he had just given himself. ¡°If we can get you a laboratory in Safeharbor, and the Ori-Masa keep moving in that direction, when they are close enough to make it a day trip, I¡¯ll capture one for you. For now though, let¡¯s keep going.¡± He told the wizard who now looked at him with concern.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Jala asked. ¡°Maybe I should cut you open to see what¡¯s inside.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac shot back.


    ¡°Are you sure there isn¡¯t something in there that shouldn¡¯t be?¡± Jala questioned. ¡°I heard about a parasite that takes over a person¡¯s brain, I could check and see.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°In fact it¡¯s the opposite. There aren¡¯t things in here that used to be and whenever I try to reference them accidentally I get rudely reminded of their absence.¡±


    ¡°How powerful was the memory manipulation magic?¡± Jala asked, even though it wasn¡¯t a parasite that she could put in a jar, new magic was still exciting.


    ¡°Divine.¡± Isaac replied with a frown. ¡°And even if you could undo it I don¡¯t want you to.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Jala said quietly then regained her curiosity. ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°I traded them and going back on a deal with a divine being is never a good idea.¡± Isaac answered. He shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s just keep moving.¡± And with that the party left the Ori-Masa school alone and resumed their journey to Safeharbor with only mild grumbling from Jala about missing out on an interesting specimen or two.

 Chapter 30 Lodging

    Chapter 30 Lodging


    ¡°This is the closest I have ever been to Safeharbor.¡± Jala told Isaac and Lenna. The team had stopped as soon as they had entered the massive cavern that Safeharbor was located in. The five of them were standing together but only four of them had eyes for the city as Kahtesh was ever vigilant in his task of keeping watch over Fen.


    ¡°You are about to get as close as it gets.¡± Isaac told her. They continued to stand and stare for a little while until they collectively decided that their rest was done and the party finished the last leg of their journey, well, the walking part at least.


    As usual they were stopped at the entrance by a guard asking to see their badges that proved that they weren¡¯t doppelgangers. This time however, they were also halted because of the extra bodies and the race of some of them. ¡°Lord Wexler, Lady V¡¯Nova.¡± The guard greeted them each with a polite nod and quickly looked over their badges. They were, of course, glowing as they were expected too. He then moved on to the next issue. ¡°Your¡­ companions¡­¡± The guard began but Isaac waved him off.


    ¡°Prisoners.¡± Isaac corrected. ¡°Send a runner to Izen and tell him that I have the architects of his most recent set of problems with me and we will be at the Guild Hall.¡±


    The guard looked past Isaac at Jala and Fen who both had their hoods up but it was clear that they were both dark elves. ¡°As, as you say.¡± The guard replied absently. ¡°Lord Wexler, if I may, where are their bindings?¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t have any.¡± He glanced back at Fen with a smirk. ¡°Not that they are likely to do much.¡± He looked back to the guard. ¡°Just send a runner and let us in. I¡¯m hungry for warm food.¡±


    ¡°You should get a cook.¡± Fen commented.


    ¡°That costs money.¡± Isaac replied with a frown and the guard hesitantly turned and started talking to one of the other guards quietly.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be someone important?¡± Fen jibbed.


    ¡°Being important doesn¡¯t mean being rich in human society.¡± Isaac explained as if he hadn¡¯t noticed Fen¡¯s prodding.


    Fen shook his head with exaggerated disappointment. ¡°The mighty Lord of Darkness relegated to doing jobs for coin.¡±


    ¡°In all likelihood I will always be doing jobs for coin. I get bored and refuse to work for free.¡± Isaac replied lazily. ¡°Right now though I need to think about getting a set of dragon scale armor enchanted but hopefully bringing you two back with me will cover that cost.¡± He grinned at Fen mischievously. ¡°I don¡¯t work for cheap.¡±


    The guard returned and gave Isaac another respectful nod. ¡°The messenger has been sent.¡± He gestured towards two of the guards that had joined him. ¡°These two will accompany you,¡± The two guards also had shackles in hand. ¡°these are antimagic cuffs as well.¡±


    Isaac waved him off. ¡°They won¡¯t be necessary.¡± He told the guards.


    ¡°My Lord, I¡¯m afraid I must insist.¡± The guard explained with weariness and concern in his face and voice.


    ¡°Insist on which part guardsman?¡± Isaac asked evenly. He didn¡¯t like getting ordered around by the guards.


    The guard swallowed. ¡°Both I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Fine,¡±


    Fen cut in: ¡°I don¡¯t like chains, Darkness.¡±


    ¡°take the chains off of the cuffs and only cuff him. Her and I have a deal.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°The guards can accompany us under the condition they can beat Kahtesh in a fight.¡± Fen and Jala shared a look and then each took a step apart to reveal the bone dragon who had his gaze still locked on Fen¡¯s heart as if he could see through the sorcerer.


    The guards paled. ¡°Lord Wexler?¡± The one guard asked. ¡°Is that yours?¡±


    Isaac grinned. ¡°Yes. Isn¡¯t he adorable?¡± He looked back to Fen. ¡°Right, Fen?¡±


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    Fen wrinkled his nose. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied with obvious distaste. ¡°Adorable.¡±


    The guard who had taken charge nodded defeatedly. ¡°As you say Lord Wexler. I hope you understand that this will all be in my report to the duke.¡±


    ¡°Naturally.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Also let him know that I was only mostly uncooperative.¡±


    The guard gulped. ¡°As you say.¡± He replied and stepped out of the way.


    Another guard walked up with the antimagic cuffs. ¡°Apologies, Lord Wexler but we are unable to remove the chains without a blacksmith.¡± He offered the cuffs to Isaac.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°We will be in the Guild Hall should you manage to get the chains off.¡± He told the guard and glanced back to the rest of his party. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Isaac led them through the gate and no one attempted to stop them. He might have felt bad for making trouble for the guards but they had ¡®insisted¡¯ which rubbed him the wrong way just enough for him to no longer care. There was a decent amount of chaos in the streets surrounding the group as they walked the few blocks to the Guild Hall. By the time they arrived Edward was already waiting for them at the entrance.


    ¡°You, a master of shadows, are incapable of not causing a scene aren¡¯t you?¡± Edward asked rhetorically.


    ¡°Oh no, I am completely capable, I just chose not to.¡± Isaac returned with an amused grin.


    Edward sighed and gestured inside. ¡°At the very least this should make for an interesting story.¡± He grumbled.


    ¡°The library?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d prefer anywhere else.¡± Edward replied.


    ¡°Your office is too small.¡± Isaac returned.


    Edward nodded. ¡°That¡¯s what the conference room is for.¡±


    Isaac motioned forwards. ¡°Lead the way Blade Master.¡±


    Edward led them through the Guild Hall and up to the door right next to the entrance to his office and opened it. He turned around just in time to see Isaac take a bite out of an apple. He narrowed his eyes. ¡°When did you get that?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Like a minute ago.¡± Isaac replied in between bites.


    ¡°Did you pay for it?¡± Edward asked.


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac replied simply and took another bite.


    ¡°This is going to be a long day.¡± Edward grumbled.


    Fen chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s what I said.¡± He told the Guild Master as they all filed into the room. ¡°Good to know he¡¯s a problem for everyone.¡±


    Shadows caught Fen¡¯s foot mid step and he stumbled. He barely got his other foot under him before he hit the ground and somehow managed to preserve his balance and dignity. ¡°Oops.¡± Isaac said and plopped into a soft cushioned chair, punctuating it with another bite of apple.


    Fen gave Isaac a withering look but took his own seat without issue. With the entire group seated, Isaac made Lenna give the report, only jumping in to explain things here and there as Lenna¡¯s version left much to be extrapolated and imagined. Halfway through Edward had dinner brought up to them by one of the waitresses. Nothing of note was left out as there was much to fill Edward in on.


    ¡°The Ori-Masa is troubling. Something has to have caused them to migrate. This ¡®mushroomancer¡¯ business also sounds like trouble.¡± Edward said once they were finished.


    ¡°An assault team could handle them within a day but I would really like to get my hands on the caster if it is at all possible.¡± Jala began. ¡°Animating via fungi could remove the requirement of killing and reanimating lesser monsters to use as grunts for an army, not to mention reinforcing the nervous system of larger creatures to an extent that might even allow them to function for a short time without a brain. It is all extremely fascinating.¡±


    Edward looked at her like she had grown a third eye. It took him a long moment to find his words before he settled on what he wanted to say. ¡°You are aware that you are in a human city right? Even if you are permitted to continue your research it would be under the condition that it would be used against your fellow drow, more specifically, Contantis, where you are from.¡± He explained.


    Jala shrugged. ¡°Can¡¯t do anything about it now. I¡¯m a researcher of the fusion of alchemy and necromancy first and foremost. Where I conduct my research means little to me. I am in service to Lord Wexler until a time when something is proven to be stronger than him. If he survives whatever it is and it doesn¡¯t want me then I will remain in his service. That is the nature of the world.¡± She explained as if all of the information was elementary and absolute fact.


    Edward¡¯s eyes searched her for any hints of anything not explicitly aligning with what she had said and he found nothing. He scratched the back of his head and then looked at Fen. ¡°What about you?¡± He asked.


    ¡°She traded her allegiance for my life, I¡¯m stuck here until I can find a way to put down Darkness over there for good or something else kills him.¡± Fen replied honestly. ¡°Having said that, I am not going to do anything that puts either Jala or myself at unnecessary risk. I also expect decent treatment and refuse chains. Constant surveillance is fine but I don¡¯t want someone hovering over me.¡±


    Edward¡¯s eyes moved from person to person before he sighed deeply. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you do it but you have managed to drop more work on my desk in the month I have known you than the rest of the guild combined has this year.¡± He told Isaac and then sat up straight. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Duke Arbencroft. For now, Fen and Jala L¡¯Vore are confined to this room, the hallway, and the bathroom at the end of the hall. We can work out permanent housing at a later date.¡±


    Isaac stood and stretched. ¡°Good enough for me.¡± He told no one in particular.


    ¡°You are just going to leave us here?¡± Jala asked.


    Isaac looked at her with a deadpan look. ¡°There¡¯s only one bed in our room and, well, two¡¯s fun, three¡¯s weird and four¡¯s an orgy.¡±


    Lenna¡¯s look could have stopped a dragon in its tracks. ¡°I¡¯ll start throwing things at you like Jala does to Fen.¡± She threatened.


    Isaac laughed and waved her off. ¡°On a serious note though, you guys can¡¯t stay with us. There really just isn¡¯t enough room and I don¡¯t want a riot in front of Celeste¡¯s Inn. People here¡­ feel a certain type of way about, drow.¡± Isaac explained to his crush¡¯s aunt and uncle.


    ¡°So we are just supposed to sit on our hands in here?¡± Jala pressed.


    Fen stretched out in one of the chairs and closed his eyes while folding his hands behind his head. ¡°Fine by me.¡± He told them.


    Isaac thought for a moment. ¡°Okay, okay, I might have an idea but Edward needs to talk with the duke first. If he doesn¡¯t have a heart attack or explode or something then I¡¯ll bring up my idea. If you two behave until then I¡¯ll find a way to get you two library access at least.¡± He offered.


    Jala sighed and collapsed in her chair defeatedly. ¡°Should¡¯ve just left me in my lab until you were ready.¡± She grumbled under her breath which brought a smile to Isaac¡¯s face.


    Edward moved to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll try to get lodging sorted out as soon as I can but if you cause any trouble whatsoever it is going to make that exponentially harder. The harder I have to work to get you lodging the worse the lodging is going to be, got it?¡±


    Fen yawned, his eyes still closed. ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± He replied but otherwise didn¡¯t react.


    Jala huffed an exaggerated sigh. ¡°Got it.¡±

 Chapter 31 Into A Corner…

    Chapter 31 Into A Corner¡­


    Isaac awoke to Lenna rising from her meditation position and stretching. He hadn¡¯t slept well and the creaking boards from Lenna moving had been enough to rouse him. Lenna looked at him and raised an eyebrow in question. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to get used to being so close to Fen.¡± Isaac explained. He could always feel Fen¡¯s presence. With Lenna he had gotten used to her quickly and he trusted her so she had never bothered him. Fen was an entirely different matter. Isaac knew that if it came to a fight that he was unlikely to lose against Fen, that wasn¡¯t the issue, but Fen was very likely to escape.


    If Fen decided to cause as much chaos as he could and then teleport away once Isaac arrived then that would be that. He was betting on Lenna and his intuition. They both agreed that Fen cared too much for Jala to leave her unless his own life was in real danger. They both also agreed that if Fen thought that he could put Isaac down for good then he would. Fen was an ancient sorcerer, he didn¡¯t need to be taught a lesson twice. He wouldn¡¯t try anything until he was sure that it would work because he would be betting his own life and most likely Jala¡¯s on his plan. Knowing these things didn¡¯t help Isaac sleep any better. Even if the logical mind knows what is true that does not mean that the very human mind, that was inside Isaac¡¯s head, wouldn¡¯t run itself ragged thinking about all of the ¡®what if¡¯s.


    Lenna nodded, seeing through him, and started putting on her armor. ¡°We should get this day started.¡± She told him. She knew that getting him moving would get him back to normal in no time and the sooner they checked in with the Guild Hall to make sure that the other two were behaving the better, for both of them.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Agreed.¡±


    ¡ª


    The V¡¯Nova Wexler duo¡¯s first stop was, of course, the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. The pair were walking up the stairs to the second floor where Edward¡¯s office and the room that Jala and Fen were using was located when they heard a familiar squeak. They shared a look and hurried up the last few stairs and rounded the corner to see Alice, one of them, backed up against the wall with a certain sorcerer leaning over her with a predatory grin.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter child?¡± Fen asked. ¡°Never seen a dark elf before? Does perfection and power scare you that much?¡± He purred and reached out towards her face.


    ¡°Fen.¡± Isaac spoke. The word was solid and unyielding but not harsh or threatening. It was spoken like a command that was to be obeyed. Isaac spoke the word with the mentality of a god creating a new law of the universe. Fen¡¯s grin faded away and he rose back to his full height which was a full two inches taller than Isaac. His gaze met Isaac¡¯s and the tension in the room spiked to a point that it could be felt through the walls. Jala soon appeared in the doorway to the conference room that they had been using.


    Alice¡¯s eyes were as wide as saucers and their brilliant blue was glossy as she ran and hid behind Isaac. Jala looked back and forth between the two grandmasters of shadows and then locked eyes with Lenna. ¡°What happened?¡± She asked noiselessly.


    Lenna shrugged and then placed a hand on Alice¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Alice.¡± She gently turned the small girl towards her. ¡°What happened?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Alecia came home late,¡± She began at the beginning. ¡°I wasn¡¯t awake for her to fill me in on what had happened.¡± Lenna nodded along so she would continue. ¡°I was coming out of the library and he was just, there.¡±


    ¡°He startled you?¡± Lenna asked.


    Alexis nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± She swallowed ¡°But then he backed me into a corner¡­¡± Her eyes started to water. It was clear that nothing had happened but that didn¡¯t mean that Fen had scared the poor girl any less. Lenna and Isaac both knew that there was more to the Alices¡¯ fear of dark elves than just the cultural one that permeated the area though neither of them knew the exact reason.


    Lenna looked at Isaac and then at Fen, neither of whom had moved and guided the receptionist around the corner so she was out of the potential line of fire. Lenna maintained her position, just behind and to the side of Isaac, there just in case he needed her but out of the way. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine.¡± Lenna told Isaac, reassuring both him and Alexis.


    ¡°Was that necessary?¡± Isaac asked rhetorically. The answer was no. No it was not necessary to frighten the little receptionist.


    Fen flashed Isaac an impish grin. ¡°Was what necessary?¡± Fen asked.


    Jala took a step forwards, a thought ran through her mind: ¡®Damn male dominance is going to get him killed!¡¯ She only got to take a single step.


    Fen was pushing his luck as far as it would go. Startling the mix breed had been an accident and after that he was just having a little fun. They had put him on house arrest with nothing to do. He simply saw an opportunity for some entertainment and took it. No one got hurt so as far as he was concerned it shouldn¡¯t have been a problem. It wasn¡¯t like he was going to do anything to her, it wasn¡¯t his fault she scared so easily. What turned a little fun into a standoff was Isaac saying his name like he owned him. To Fen, it sounded like Isaac saw himself as above everyone else. To Fen, only dark elves stood at the top. He was willing to treat Isaac like an equal due to losing a fight and Isaac having interesting magic. Now? Isaac had prodded just the wrong spot. The same spot that he had kept prodding while they were fighting. ¡°You are just a poor imitation.¡± Isaac had said and that sentence kept running through Fen¡¯s head.


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    At first Fen thought that it was just Isaac trying to get under his skin while they were trying to kill each other. That was fine, it made sense to use every tool at one¡¯s disposal while in a life or death situation. This was not a life or death situation. Fen blinked.


    Isaac wasn¡¯t having any of Fen¡¯s shit. He would have let it go if Fen had backed off but the dark elf seemed to do the exact opposite. Isaac expected some attitude from Fen but this went beyond simple attitude. This was a challenge and they both knew it. Isaac never once backed down from a challenge. The two mages were much too alike and it was already causing problems. Isaac had been slowly shifting his breathing from normal to long and deep meditative breaths. He needed his body to be ready to move at a speed that it hadn¡¯t ever consciously moved before. Jala moved, Fen blinked, Isaac took action.


    Lenna knew that this was going to end badly. How badly? She wasn¡¯t sure but to her it looked like Isaac was looking into a mirror of himself if he had been born a drow and that sounded awful in way too many ways. Isaac was a relatively neutral person on the moral spectrum and that was evil enough for Lenna¡¯s taste. Fen was the type to kick a beggar¡¯s coin cup as he walked by where Isaac would just ignore them. She saw the look in Jala¡¯s eyes. She knew that her aunt was about to try to stop them before the situation really got out of hand. She also knew that that was the worst possible thing to do. Isaac was always like a coiled snake and she could feel the tension building in him. The moment Jala moved Isaac vanished from where he was standing right next to her.


    No one even saw the shadows coat Isaac¡¯s body for the fraction of a second that it took for him to teleport right in front of Fen. In one motion Isaac pulled a throwing spike out of his Inventory and stabbed it up through the bottom of Fen¡¯s mouth. For one entire second the world froze as Isaac locked eyes with the taller man. Even though Isaac was shorter he was still looking down his nose at Fen. The message was clear. ¡®You are only alive because I let you.¡¯


    Alexis had peeked her head around the corner to see what would happen. Her eyes had just focused on Fen when all of a sudden Isaac was there. She couldn¡¯t see past him or hear if any words were spoken but she didn¡¯t need to as the next moment he was gone again.


    Isaac had the shadow mana as close to the surface of his skin as he could without broadcasting what he was doing. He would shove it out and focus on going through the shadows out to his target location at the same time. As soon as he was hidden he would teleport. The only thing left behind was some black fog in roughly the shape of a man that would fade away in less then a second. He left the throwing spike in Fen¡¯s face and teleported to behind him. Isaac immediately transitioned into a spinning back kick to the small of Fen¡¯s back, tossing him forwards to crash onto the ground.


    Fen managed to get his hands under him before he hit the ground. He was used to pain. The pain wasn¡¯t the part that was bothering him. There were two things that his mind was too busy getting hung up on to think clearly. The first was his inability to open his mouth as the throwing spike had gotten wedged in the roof of his mouth. The second was that he couldn¡¯t feel Isaac teleport even when staring right at him. He could feel the small puff of mana signaling that he had teleported but he couldn¡¯t feel anything else. There was no hint at his destination, no wind up, no flare of power as he bypassed the need for a spell chant. He was just there.


    Isaac appeared next to Fen and gave him a swift kick in the ribs to toss him to the ground. He walked over to the sorcerer and crouched down so he could look down at the man from within arms reach. ¡°Fen.¡± Isaac said like a disappointed father. ¡°All I needed you to do was stay out of trouble.¡± He sighed deeply and grabbed Fen¡¯s jaw. There was fury, confusion, and a trace of fear in Fen¡¯s eyes. Isaac ripped the throwing spike out and healed the injury with death flames in one, natural, motion.


    Fen coughed and spit the blood on the ground that had been pooling in his mouth. ¡°I didn¡¯t even do anything.¡± Fen defended while some blood dripped down his chin.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s why I was willing to let it go.¡± His eyes and focus narrowed. His attention bored into Fen¡¯s soul through his eyes. ¡°But then you challenged me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re imagining things.¡± Fen told him and tried to sit up only to be shoved back down. ¡°Bastard.¡± Fen cursed.


    ¡°You are only alive because I want to abuse Jala¡¯s skills. If she didn¡¯t have any use,¡± Isaac leaned in closer. ¡°you would be dead. Understand?¡±


    Fen¡¯s face wrinkled into a noiseless snarl. Magic started to build. He was at his limit. Either this next move was going to kill him or he would kill Isaac. It didn¡¯t matter to Fen anymore if he got out of the city. He could not, would not, let Isaac continue to act like a god. They both knew that there was no divine power flowing through his veins and Fen was going to prove it.


    Fen mentally directed the power into his vocal cords but he didn¡¯t speak. Instead he focused on saying the words in his head and poured mana into the spell form that he had made inside his throat. ¡®I command you to DIE.¡¯ Fen yelled internally at Isaac. Before Isaac could even react and before Fen could feel the backlash from trying to silent cast a ninth level spell he began forcing the next spell to be silent cast. ¡®What I¡­¡¯ The spell chant died still in his mind as he was hit with overwhelming pain and the sudden realization that his vision had gone dark.


    Isaac felt the power build and he knew that Fen was going to cast something. Isaac jumped up while summoning his sword. He slashed down across Fen¡¯s eyes and then drove the blade through the downed sorcerer¡¯s chest, pinning him to the floor. Isaac fell just as much as he stabbed downwards as he felt his heart implode again. Death mana churned in his chest like a whirlpool and his heart was put back together near instantly. What he wasn¡¯t prepared for was what Fen had planned next.


    Fen fought through the pain as his mana pathways felt like they were fraying from having so much mana ripped out of him for the spell. The mana cost had doubled. That in and of itself would have been unpleasant but bearable for Fen. The problem wasn¡¯t that the cost was doubled but that it was taken in an instant. There was no pouring forth of mana but instead it was as if half of his reserves had been removed forcefully in less then a quarter of a second. Fen knew that the word of power he had used wasn¡¯t enough to put Isaac down once let alone for good so he forced the next spell out regardless of the damage that he was about to take. He turned his body into shadows and all of a sudden he could see again.


    Isaac was leaned over, half propping himself up with his sword that was currently in the sorcerer¡¯s liver. In the first instant Fen was made of shadows and went in for the kill. ¡®Shit.¡¯ Isaac thought as he felt his heart reform.


    Fen yelled. His yell was a roll of thunder and a shockwave blasted out from him in all directions. Isaac was thrown into the wall, all of the lanterns along the hallway were blasted away from them but remained on as they were all simple magic items. The impact with the wall actually served to help Isaac¡¯s heart start beating again but that didn¡¯t matter if Fen¡¯s next attack worked.


    Fen¡¯s mana pathways were actively breaking down from the massive damage that they had received and Fen refusing to let them heal by continuing to cast spells. ¡°Command:¡± Fen spoke and pointed his open palm at Isaac whose head was spinning from the impact with the wall.


    Lenna launched towards Isaac as fast as she could. Her cry was heard from the first floor. ¡°Isaac!¡±

 Chapter 32 He Started It.

    Chapter 32 He Started It.


    Isaac had hit the wall in a roughly standing position. His head was spinning from the impact and he was disoriented enough from the hit that when his feet hit the ground his knees gave out under his own weight. He heard a word that snapped him back into reality: ¡°Command:¡± Fen had begun. Even in his semi disoriented state Isaac knew what that meant. There was only one command spell as far as either of them was concerned and Isaac was not planning on being disintegrated.


    Isaac threw his hands out and dumped as much mana as he could in Fen¡¯s direction. If his head had been just a little clearer he might have teleported away. Unfortunately for Isaac that was not the case. A wave of dark mana, already compressed to its limit as Isaac had been preparing to use it to summon a sword, pressed outward from Isaac¡¯s outstretched hands. By the time Fen had finished saying: ¡°Be undone!¡± Isaac had dumped nearly half of his own maximum mana into the wall in front of him.


    The branch of reality appeared, it launched out at the speed of reality itself making it appear as though the entire temporary construct had materialized simultaneously, it connected to Isaac¡¯s wall. Isaac braced for impact, Fen prayed to Dri¡¯El that the wall wouldn¡¯t be strong enough, Lenna¡¯s heart stopped, Jala held her breath, Alexis was frozen to the spot. Then, an instant later, it was gone.


    Isaac¡¯s shield had been deleted. It was gone along with Fen¡¯s spell, most of Isaac¡¯s bracers, and Isaac¡¯s hands the whole way up to three inches shy of his elbows. No one expected to see what they all witnessed in the aftermath. In place of Isaac¡¯s missing pieces, his mana pathways could be seen with the naked eye. Ridgid veins that seemed to bend at harsh angles to follow along the rough path that his real veins would have taken. The other main difference was that these were made of dark mana that was so compressed and so pure that it was both a solid and a liquid. It was crystalized mana that also seemed to be trying to flow out of him like water.


    Shock hit Isaac harder than it had ever hit him before. He stopped breathing, his eyes were as wide as they could be, the only thing in his focus was his missing hands. Some kind of self preservation instinct kicked in. The same instinct that had helped keep his blood in his body after he had passed out during his and Lenna¡¯s first meeting. The same instinct that forced the mana in his core to turn to death mana both times that his heart had been destroyed. This time, everyone watched it happen.


    The dark mana in Isaac¡¯s hands turned into death flames in a little longer than a blink, just enough time for everyone to burn the image into their memories. Flesh, muscle, bone, and tendons formed around and over his mana pathways. The entire process took only around a second as his body had been repaired as if nothing had ever happened. Other than the mild concussion, three quarters of his mana being gone, and the missing bracers, Isaac was completely back to normal. There was one problem however, Isaac wasn¡¯t breathing. The shock had hit him so hard that he forgot how to breathe. It was a miracle that his heart was still beating.


    Fen watched his disintegrate spell remove Isaac¡¯s hands and he cursed internally. He wanted, needed, the spell to kill Isaac outright. He had hit him with the two most disorienting spells he could think of back to back and then tried to end it all in a single hit. Now? Now Fen¡¯s mana was bleeding out in every direction and the rate was only increasing as his mana pathways continued to break down. He rolled away from the sword that was still stabbed through his mostly incorporeal body. Everything burned and ached worse than anything he had ever felt before. He tried to get up but his hands couldn¡¯t support his own weight. He knew that the end was coming. He also knew that it would be quicker than he wished but slower than he desired. The pain would drag on for what felt like an eternity but it wouldn¡¯t take nearly long enough for anyone to be able to save him. The worst part was that he had failed. Isaac was still alive. He could see his arms rebuilding. ¡®I would say it¡¯s been a good run but¡­ it really hasn¡¯t.¡¯ Fen grumbled internally through the pain.


    Lenna grabbed Isaac¡¯s hand with one of her own and his face with her other. ¡°Isaac. Isaac!¡± She yelled at him. ¡°Look at me!¡± She ordered. She needed him to power through the shock or he was going to die anyway. His face was blank and still staring at where his hands had been when they had gotten deleted. His brain was like a clock with a broken gear, clicking back a second every time it tried to go forwards. She could tell that he wasn¡¯t breathing. She let go of his face, pulled her arm back, and slammed her palm into Isaac¡¯s chest to force all the air out of his lungs.


    The impact was hard enough that Isaac¡¯s body tried to cough involuntarily but there was no air left to do so he tried to suck in a breath again only to enter a coughing fit. ¡®At least he¡¯s breathing again.¡¯ Lenna thought as Isaac rolled onto his side as his brain tried to get moving again.


    Jala was frozen in the doorway. Fen was dying and there was nothing that she could do. Once his body could no longer hold mana it would start burning the power that was in each of his cells in order to keep running. As that happened each cell would die. A high level cleric could save him with the right healing spell but after what Fen had just done, and the fact that he was a dark elf, she knew that no matter what she said, who she begged, no one would help him. Tears came to her eyes as she watched him there on the ground, still trying and failing to get up. ¡°Fen.¡± She whispered. ¡°You idiot.¡±


    Lenna looked over to Fen and she could feel the mana leaking out of him. So much was pouring out of him that the ambient mana levels weren¡¯t going back down after all the spells and dark mana that had been thrown around. She looked down at her uncle by marriage. She hadn¡¯t really known him at all but if he died then trying to get Jala to work would be impossible. After that Jala might be killed as she was no longer useful. The important thing was that Isaac would survive. It would take him a bit to get mostly back to normal but he would live. She sighed and turned back to Isaac. ¡°Isaac.¡± She said softly and started rubbing his back. ¡°Are you going to be okay?¡± She asked.


    Isaac¡¯s head was foggy, spinning, and the edges of his vision were dark. He heard Lenna¡¯s voice and felt her hand on his back and he latched on to it. He tried to focus on her as best as he could and get his breathing back under control. It took what felt like ages but eventually he could answer her with a groan.


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    ¡°Good.¡± Lenna said softly with a smile. ¡°Just rest there for a bit. Fen¡¯ll be dead by the time¡­¡± Her voice trailed off as Isaac¡¯s hand reached half behind himself to grab onto her arm. ¡°What?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Bring him here.¡± Isaac told her.


    Lenna looked back at Fen who was still incorporeal as that seemed to be slowing down the rate that his body was degrading. She looked back at Isaac. ¡°I can¡¯t. He¡¯s made of shadows.¡±


    Isaac groaned and got his hands under his shoulders to try and push himself up. ¡°Bastard.¡± He grumbled.


    Lenna grabbed his shoulder and helped him up into a sitting position. ¡°His mana pathways are breaking down.¡± She told him.


    ¡°Why?¡± Isaac asked as his eyes tried to focus on Fen from across the width of the hallway but failed.


    ¡°He tried to cheat a ninth level spell.¡± Jala explained and started to slowly walk towards Fen. ¡°Then he didn¡¯t let them heal and instead forced more mana through them. He could have survived just the first spell. The other two killed him.¡± She looked down at her husband sadly.


    Isaac felt his mana reserves and knew that he had enough to probably save Fen. The real problem was: Did he want to? The answer was a giant ¡®No¡¯. He looked up at Jala. ¡°You owe me.¡± He told her. ¡°Not one, but two life debts.¡± She looked down at him with surprise evident on her face. ¡°Until the end of time, you will serve me.¡± He explained. ¡°I own you.¡±


    Isaac didn¡¯t let her respond as he formed a ball of dark mana in his hand. He looked at Fen and sighed. He tried to get up but still ended up needing Lenna to help him over to Fen. ¡°Let me die.¡± Fen¡¯s ethereal voice spoke as he was effectively bleeding out on the ground.


    Isaac turned the ball of dark mana into death flames and pushed it into Fen. The power flowed along the skeletal remains of his mana pathways and started to repair them. Fen¡¯s mana reserves were still empty but after a few more seconds of Isaac pouring his power into him he stopped degrading. ¡°Why?¡± Jala asked in a whisper.


    Isaac sat back on his haunches and leaned against Lenna. ¡°I told you.¡± Isaac said wearily. ¡°From now henceforth, I own you. I saved him not once, but twice.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°I could have let him die both times but I didn¡¯t.¡± He turned to look at her. The world started to spin so it took him a few seconds to focus on her properly. ¡°I saved him. Twice. Because of you. Now you owe me your life. Twice.¡±


    Jala looked back and forth between Isaac and Fen. Tears started to fall down her face. She dropped to a knee and bowed her head. ¡°As you say my Lord.¡± She told him. ¡°I, Jala L¡¯Vore, owe you not one but two lives. In exchange for this great service I will serve you for as long as I am able. I will have no other loyalty. I will give you my own life if it pleases you.¡± She sniffed. The emotions flowing through her were all far too strong for her to properly sort through at that moment. Resignation to her fate, relief that Fen was alive, fear of what was to come, dread at the future wrath of her god, and resolve to follow through.


    Jala had never been one to do anything for someone else. She had never felt the need to. To her doing things for someone else was only a means to an end. Usually that end was furthering her research. Fen had been by her side for over half of her life. He had always been there, tagging along like he had nothing better to do. He was her one and only friend. When she had begged Isaac and Lenna to save him she had hoped that Lenna would do it because they were family but instead it had been him. After that she had decided that she would help Isaac as long as he would help her continue her research. Once he proved to no longer be helpful she would make a teleportation circle while no one was looking and she and Fen would disappear.


    It wasn¡¯t a great plan as she would have to always have a teleportation scroll or ritual ready in the event that he showed up again but humans lived short lives. In the event that he was truly immortal then they would just have to wait until he lost interest in them. Instead Fen had to go and try to fight him again. He almost won too. Isaac, her new master, was a monster. There was nothing mortal about that man. On the surface he seemed very much like Fen, arrogant, powerful, self centered, with a type of charisma that made you want to hit him in the face just as much as it made you want to follow his lead. In the end, Isaac proved to be more than Fen could handle. Could she have intervened on Fen¡¯s behalf? Yes. Would it have saved him? No. By the time Jala could have done anything to Isaac, Fen had already signed his death warrant.


    Jala¡¯s tears hit the hardwood floor. Lenna¡¯s hand refused to leave Isaac¡¯s shoulder as she had been so close to losing him. Fen was face down and corporeal again but drained beyond anything he had ever felt before, he quickly lost consciousness. Isaac was leaning into Lenna, taking the contact where he could get it but also using her to help ground him while he tried to sort through everything. Alexis was a statue, she hadn¡¯t moved since the first exchange. A door flew open at the bottom of the stairs causing her to jump as it banged against the wall.


    Edward took the steps two at a time until he reached Alice and then looked down the hallway. Carnage. That was what he saw. Isaac looked like he was barely still conscious with Lenna holding him upright. The new drow woman, he forgot her name, was kneeling at Isaac¡¯s side with her head down. Her husband looked like Isaac had just taken him apart and then put him back together. The thing that really ground Edward¡¯s gears was the hallway itself. Rug blasted apart, blood on the ground, a sword sticking out of the two hundred year old wooden floor, the magical lamps tossed about at each end of the hallway. Edward¡¯s eye twitched.


    ¡°I left,¡± He began through gritted teeth. ¡°For five, fucking, minutes.¡± He took a deep steadying breath. He rubbed his eyes with his fingertips. ¡°And a demigod and a grandmaster sorcerer tried to kill each other in my Guild Hall.¡± He said quietly enough that only Alexis could hear.


    Isaac took a deep breath and then opened his eyes and slowly turned to look at Edward. ¡°He started it.¡± He said simply.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care who fucking started it!¡± Edward snapped.


    Isaac winced at the volume which was definitely not helping his pounding headache. He felt some healing flow into him from Lenna. Not a lot as she didn¡¯t want to give him a fever but enough to help sooth his head. ¡°Ouch.¡± Isaac replied.


    Edward frowned at him. ¡°The duke told me to put trackers on them and keep them here until he¡¯s figured out what he wants to do with them.¡± He took a steading breath. ¡°I might just recommend execution.¡±


    ¡°Now, now.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I have a solution.¡± He sighed. ¡°I¡¯m tired of fighting this one.¡± He nodded at Fen. ¡°So he¡¯s getting as many antimagic cuffs as can fit on his damn body.¡± He then nodded at Jala. ¡°She hasn¡¯t been and won¡¯t be a problem. I¡¯ll put my reputation on it.¡±


    Edward gave Isaac a flat look. ¡°Your reputation?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac responded.


    ¡°How much do you think that is worth exactly?¡± Edward questioned.


    Isaac narrowed his eyes at the larger man. ¡°Enough.¡± He answered. ¡°I may feel and look like shit but I¡¯m still stronger than you, Guild Master.¡±


    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± Edward asked indignantly.


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Just reminding you who snuck past ninety seven wards, killed a handful of chimera, fought a twentieth level sorcerer and won, then brought them both back here as prisoners.¡± Isaac sat up a little straighter. ¡°Speaking of which. Where is my double platinum tier reward?¡±

 Chapter 33 Lesson.

    Chapter 33 Lesson.


    ¡°Alice.¡± Edward said quietly. He was trying his hardest to not let any of his current emotions out in his voice as the last thing he wanted to do was accidentally take any of his anger out on her. She looked up at him questioningly. ¡°I want two sets of antimagic cuffs, the cost of repairing this hallway, and a scheduled meeting with Duke Arbencroft. I would prefer if that was all done within the hour.¡±


    It took her a moment to commit it all to memory. ¡°Guild Master?¡± She spoke, trying to get his attention.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He replied and looked down at her. Next to him she looked like a small child even though she was in her twenties.


    ¡°He stepped in to help me. Please go easy on him.¡± She told her boss and then hurried off to complete his orders.


    Edward closed his eyes and took another deep calming breath that ended in a long sigh. ¡°Lenna, I want a description of this¡­ event.¡± He told her and walked a few steps into the hallway so it wouldn¡¯t feel like they were yelling at each other to talk. Right at that moment Alexander appeared. He quickly took in the carnage and his eyes widened to a degree that they looked as though they would fall out of his head.


    ¡°Lord Wexler,¡± Alexander ran over and knelt down next to Isaac. ¡°What could have done this to you?¡± He questioned.


    Isaac took a deep breath and used his shadows to help him stand. Once on his feet he took a few unsteady steps, to get to the wall of the hallway, and then let Lenna help him lower himself to the ground again. He took a few deep breaths and then deigned to answer the Court Mage. ¡°A power word, a concussion, and a disintegrate. I¡¯ll be fine but the room won¡¯t stop spinning.¡± He assured Alexander.


    ¡°And shock.¡± Lenna added. ¡°You probably shouldn¡¯t be alive, at the very least, not conscious.¡±


    Isaac smirked. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have been alive two months ago.¡± He told her with a knowing glint in his eye. Lenna was the only one present that knew his story enough to properly understand his attempt at humor.


    ¡°Lenna, a recap please.¡± Edward repeated.


    Lenna nodded and filled him in. Isaac closed his eyes while Lenna was talking in an attempt to keep the world from rotating but it only helped a little. Once Lenna was done Edward looked down at the two mages who had just almost killed each other and sighed. ¡°I swear I have aged ten years in the last month.¡± He said to no one in particular. ¡°Isaac, what are your plans with those two?¡± He asked.


    Isaac opened his eyes. ¡°Fen needs an antimagic collar. That is the only way to keep him from just ordering people he doesn¡¯t like to die. Again.¡± The closer Isaac got to the end of his statement the more it devolved into simple grumbling. ¡°He also needs cuffs on his wrists and ankles. If he knew a spell to shoot fire out of his eyes I¡¯m sure he would need a blindfold too.¡±


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    Edward looked at the unconscious sorcerer. ¡°He is really that dangerous?¡± He asked.


    Isaac scowled at Edward. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied simply. ¡°I have had to rebuild my heart TWICE!¡± He huffed a deep breath. ¡°And both of my arms! Granted I wasn¡¯t necessarily trying to kill him but if I get told to die one more time I am going to level a city block.¡± He held up his arms and their missing bracers for emphasis. Half of the reasoning behind the outburst was that Lenna had not explained any of the fight whatsoever as the specifics weren¡¯t important for understanding the situation.


    Alexander was in a near constant state of shock. ¡°He ¡®Power Word Kill¡¯ed you?!¡± He exclaimed.


    ¡°Twice.¡± Isaac replied with exhaustion clear in his voice. ¡°Some shockwave spell thrice, and a disintegrate that took my arms. Yes, Alex. I have taken a beating.¡±


    Alexander gulped. He looked at Fen with newfound respect and awe. ¡°What class and level is he?¡± The wizard asked.


    ¡°Twentieth, shadow sorcerer.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°What kind of defensive spells does he know?¡± Alexander asked in wonder.


    ¡°Why?¡± Isaac asked in return.


    Alexander looked at Isaac with clear confusion on his face. ¡°What do you mean? Couldn''t you have just one-shotted him?¡±


    It took Isaac a moment to understand. ¡°Oh.¡± He said and shook his head. ¡°I tend to not disclose the specifics of my magic so I can see your confusion.¡± Isaac sighed. If he was going to get Alexander to help him with magical things in the future then he was going to find out sooner or later. It totally wasn¡¯t the concussion messing with his decision making at all. Nope, not at all. ¡°My magic heals dark creatures while erasing light ones.¡±


    Alexander was confused and then deep in thought for long enough that the rest of the room started to move without him. ¡°Jala isn¡¯t going to be a problem. She hasn¡¯t been so far and as long as we keep Fen alive and at least mostly healthy she could be a great asset.¡± Isaac told the Guild Master.


    Edward nodded. ¡°Why is it that only the drow females seem reasonable?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m an outlier.¡± Lenna told him.


    ¡°My husband is a hostage and I owe my Lord his life twice over.¡± Jala explained.


    ¡°So you bullied her.¡± Edward told Isaac.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± He agreed.


    Edward sighed. ¡°Fine.¡± He conceded. ¡°We¡¯ll go with your plan.¡± He told Isaac. ¡°You said that you had an idea for their lodging, after it was proven that the duke wouldn¡¯t lose his mind, that you brought two drow archmages into his city?¡±


    Isaac sat up a little straighter and grinned. ¡°Picture this,¡± He began and both Lenna and Edward rolled their eyes at him. He pushed on as if he hadn¡¯t noticed and spread his arms like he was about to drop a huge reveal. ¡°A wizard tower, under a wizard tower.¡±


    ¡ª


    Isaac was confined to bed rest by Lenna for the next few days during which a few things happened. Edward got his chime back, Fen was thoroughly antimagiced, Isaac and Lenna¡¯s payout of forty five thousand gold hit their bank account like a runaway dragon, and Edward pitched Isaac¡¯s wizard tower under a wizard tower to Izen with a very enthusiastic Alexander in the room looking like a puppy begging for table scraps. Izen had asked why Isaac wasn¡¯t there to pitch the idea himself, after hearing about the quantity and power of the spells that he had been hit with, he understood that even Isaac needed to rest sometimes. Eventually Isaac was finally permitted to get back to light duty and Jala''s upside down wizard tower was being dug directly under Alexander¡¯s right side up one.


    ¡°Finally.¡± Isaac said while stretching.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°The horror of having to sit still for three days is over.¡± She told him dryly.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°It was truly awful.¡± He agreed as if he hadn¡¯t understood her sarcasm. ¡°Breakfast and then we have errands to run.¡± He told her. Lenna didn¡¯t think she had ever seen anyone so excited to run errands before in her entire three centuries of life.


    ¡°I hope you learned your lesson.¡± Lenna told him as she opened the door.


    Isaac raised an eyebrow in question. ¡°What lesson?¡±


    Lenna sighed exaggeratedly. ¡°To. Be. Care. ful.¡±


    Isaac smiled at her innocently. It was a look that Lenna thought should never be on his face. Innocence simply did not suit him. ¡°Whatever do you mean? I¡¯m always careful.¡±


    Lenna¡¯s eye twitched.

 Chapter 34 Twenty Thousand

    Chapter 34 Twenty Thousand


    Isaac decided to swing by the adventurer¡¯s guild last in order to make sure he actually made it to the rest of the places he needed to go. Their first stop was the Silverstrand Seamstress so they could get all of their new clothes fitted. Isaac figured that starting there would be best as that was the one that he was dreading the most. He knew that they would be there for hours and Jessica did not disappoint. It was almost time for lunch by the time they left with their new clothes stashed in Isaac¡¯s Inventory.


    ¡°Okay what¡¯s next?¡± Isaac asked Lenna.


    ¡°Your new armor should be done.¡± She reminded him. ¡°Clayton might have new information regarding concepts.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go see the armor made from the scales of my favorite dragon.¡± Isaac directed and started walking in the direction of the Tanner Family Leatherwork.


    ¡°Do you know any other dragons?¡± Lenna asked skeptically.


    ¡°No. Why?¡± Isaac returned.


    ¡°You said ¡®favorite¡¯. That implies that there are options.¡± Lenna clarified.


    ¡°Implies? Yes. Means that there actually are? No.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°He can be my favorite even if he is the only one I know.¡± He looked at her and smirked mischievously. ¡°You were my favorite dark elf before I met any others.¡±


    ¡°Were?¡± Lenna accused. Isaac¡¯s smirk turned into a full on grin but he otherwise refused to answer. Lenna¡¯s gaze was cold and flat in response to his silence which only made him have to suppress a laugh. Lenna sighed. ¡°What am I going to do with you?¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Nineteen thousand?!¡± Isaac exclaimed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Isaac but that is what he quoted it at.¡± Mr. Tanner, Hank, had explained.


    Isaac ran his hand down his face. ¡°That¡¯s half of the money from our double platinum bounty. Gone. In an instant.¡± Isaac complained. ¡°What is the shipping cost going to be like?¡±


    Hank smiled. ¡°Now that is reasonable. If you pack it all in a bottomless bag, you can get it delivered there in three to five days, with a high likelihood of it getting there for twenty gold each way.¡±


    Isaac winced. ¡°But a bottomless bag costs six hundred gold.¡± He replied.


    Hank shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s either that or a courier. A courier is going to cost you less now but if you plan on shipping more stuff out to him a bottomless bag will save you a lot in the long run.¡± He advised.


    ¡°Okay, okay.¡± Isaac complained. ¡°I might as well just make a list and see how much we can get done in one go. How long does he think it¡¯ll take to enchant the armor?¡±


    ¡°Three months for a set like that. Maybe longer.¡± Hank explained.


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    Isaac wrinkled his nose. ¡°Fine.¡± He sighed. ¡°Well, let¡¯s see it.¡±


    Hank beamed at Isaac and withdrew the armor from behind the counter and held it up for Isaac to see. The blue scales shimmered in the magical lighting, the copper connections between each piece were hidden almost entirely so they were less likely to be damaged accidentally but Isaac could still see a few small exposed sections. The leather was almost entirely hidden by the scales as well. The skirt hung to Isaac¡¯s knees in the front and just above them in the back with a slit almost the entire way up the middle in both the front and the back. The pauldrons were small enough that they would only get in the way if he tried to reach his back and the boots were as light as Hank could make them without compromising integrity too much.


    ¡°Perfect.¡± Isaac grinned back at Hank. The armor was the perfect blend of extremely light and proper coverage. He started unbuckling his armor that he had on to change into the new set right away.


    ¡°There¡¯s a room in the back.¡± Hank chuckled.


    After changing into the new set, that had already been paid for, Isaac went through a few fighting stances, practice swings, and some light shadow boxing to get a good feel for the set.  ¡°It¡¯s exactly what I wanted.¡± Isaac complimented.


    Hank smiled warmly. ¡°Good. That just means you¡¯ll come back next time you need something right?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Definitely.¡± He offered Hank his hand. ¡°Thanks for the great work.¡±


    Hank took the offered hand. ¡°Anytime.¡±


    ¡ª


    Isaac decided to send the armor off to get enchanted right away as the sooner it left the sooner it would be back. Between getting everything ready to get shipped off, finding a caravan to deliver it, and stopping for lunch, Isaac and Lenna had burned through the better part of the day. Clayton wasn¡¯t at the Adventurous Taste when they went to buy another bottomless bag so the stop was quick if a bit awkward as the new hire looked to be even younger than Clayton. ¡®Just how young are apprentice wizards?¡¯ Isaac thought to himself but knew better than to voice it aloud.


    Now short twenty thousand gold pieces and finished with their errands the pair found their way back into the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. Alice caught them as soon as they entered. ¡°I have something for you!¡± She called as soon as she noticed the two of them.


    The pair approached her receptionist desk. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Lenna asked.


    Alice tilted her head to the side for a moment in question. ¡°Oh!¡± She exclaimed once she realized why Lenna had asked. ¡°She is doing fine. She was fine by the time she got home. We have had to deal with worse adventurers than that ass upstairs.¡± She explained.


    Isaac chuckled at her explanation of Fen but Lenna only smiled slightly before responding. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± She told the girl.


    ¡°She was trying to explain the grand mage battle that went on in the hallway but I couldn¡¯t follow it.¡± Alecia said with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s a shame I wasn¡¯t there to witness it.¡± Her eyebrows shot up. ¡°Oh! Yes. That was one of the things I have for you. The receipt for the repairs.¡± She pulled out a slip of paper.


    ¡°Five thousand gold?!¡± Isaac exclaimed. ¡°For lamps!¡±


    Alecia shrugged. ¡°If it makes you feel any better it was only four thousand five hundred for the lamp repairs and replacements. The other five hundred was for the rug and repairs to the old wood floors and walls.¡±


    Isaac gave her a flat look. ¡°It does not.¡±


    She shrugged again before handing him another receipt. ¡°Well then this one is going to be worse.¡± She explained.


    Isaac stared at the paper that was now in his hands and took a few long deep breaths once he was finished reading it. ¡°Izen better know that I am going to charge him an arm and a leg for every single scrap that comes out of Jala and her research.¡± Was Isaac¡¯s response.


    Lenna looked over his shoulder and began reading. She stopped once she saw: ¡°Twenty thousand gold coins for the first level of Jala L¡¯Vore¡¯s inverted tower.¡± Lenna read aloud. ¡°So we have five thousand left from that bounty already.¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Four thousand because we had silver throwing spikes made that Stan will send to Hank¡¯s enchanter. Those were five hundred a piece, with Stan offering to send it with other stuff that he needs enchanting to ship it for free.¡±


    Lenna sighed. ¡°I guess your mansion will have to wait a bit longer.¡± She told him with a hand on his shoulder comfortingly.


    Isaac tossed the paper back onto the counter with a frown. ¡°Speaking of L¡¯Vore, how are they?¡± Isaac asked Alecia.


    She shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s chained up like a bank wagon but she seems to be doing fine. Every now and then she¡¯ll ring a bell that rings down here and makes me get her more books from the library or send up food. She has a short range telepathy spell but apparently the guards got¡­ irritable¡­ when she tried to use it yesterday.¡± Alecia explained.


    ¡°Well at least they aren¡¯t causing any more problems.¡± Isaac said more to himself than the other two. He looked over at Lenna. ¡°Should we go check on them?¡± He asked.


    Lenna gave him a long searching look. ¡°If you want to.¡± She replied.


    Isaac narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    Lenna shook her head slightly. ¡°I just don¡¯t want you getting into a fight again.¡±


    Isaac looked at her like she was crazy. ¡°Alecia just said he¡¯s all chained up. And besides, I beat him twice already, you really think he is gonna pick another fight right away?¡±

 Chapter 35 Master

    Chapter 35 Master


    ¡°Back for round three?¡± Fen asked before Isaac had even fully entered the room. Both of the guards that were standing on either side of the inside of the door tensed up and readied their weapons.


    Isaac sighed as he walked the rest of the way into the room. Lenna followed close behind and closed the door behind them. ¡°Without magic?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°Because it looks like casting might be a little difficult for you right now.¡±


    Anger flashed across Fen¡¯s face before he quickly schooled it into a challenging smirk. ¡°Sure.¡± He agreed. ¡°And if I win you have to get rid of these chains.¡±


    ¡°Just the chains?¡± Isaac asked.


    Fen obviously tried to fight back a snarl. ¡°It has to be a reward you would agree too.¡±


    Isaac grinned back at him. ¡°Fine. And if I win then you can only call me Master until the day you die.¡± Isaac¡¯s grin turned devilish at the fury that danced across Fen¡¯s face.


    ¡°No.¡± Fen replied through gritted teeth. ¡°You can take your bounty and go right to the bottom layer of hell along with it.¡±


    ¡°Afraid you¡¯ll lose?¡± Isaac prodded.


    ¡°To you? Never.¡± Fen spat.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t know how many times I will have to teach you this lesson old man, but you, cannot, beat me.¡± He then flashed a grin that somehow made it clear that he was fully expecting to get hit for his next comment. ¡°I even have the prettier V¡¯Nova.¡±


    Lenna looked at him with a scowl but didn¡¯t otherwise say anything. Jala finally looked up from her book that she had been reading while lounging in the largest sofa chair in the room. ¡°Don¡¯t you technically have us both?¡± She asked and then returned to her book. She was seemingly completely uninterested in what kind of trouble Fen was about to get himself back into.


    Isaac frowned. The reaction from Lenna was far less severe than he was expecting and Jala kind of had a point if you took away the obvious insinuation. ¡®Well that was a let down.¡¯ Isaac grumbled internally. ¡°So Fen, if you lose you have to call me Master but if you win then the chains will come off but the cuffs will stay on.¡±


    ¡°The best you will get out of me is ¡®My Lord¡¯.¡± Fen replied.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not worth it for me then. You calling me ¡®My Lord¡¯ is the same as calling me ¡®Darkness¡¯ or ¡®Lord Wexler¡¯. It happens enough that I won¡¯t even notice it.¡± He shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not worth the hassle.¡±


    Fen ground his teeth. ¡°The chains off and library access.¡± Fen bargained.


    ¡°Deal.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Isaac.¡± Lenna said evenly. ¡°If you make your concussion worse, I will tie you to your bed for the next six weeks.¡± Her tone made it clear that she was not joking nor exaggerating.


    Isaac gulped hard. ¡°I¡¯ll make this quick.¡± He told her and then turned to Fen. ¡°We can go right here and right now. No weapons, no magic, just a fist fight like men.¡±


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    Fen nodded and shoved off the wall that he had been leaning against. He cracked his neck and then his knuckles. ¡°No crotch shots or biting.¡± He added.


    Isaac smirked. ¡°Damn, I was looking forward to making your voice go up an octave.¡± He jokingly complained and rolled his shoulders before taking two steps towards Fen. He stood there lazily with his left foot a little in front of his right and his arms only slightly bent but otherwise hanging lazily at his sides. ¡°Read when you are, princeling.¡± Isaac told Fen with a twinkle in his eye.


    Fen¡¯s face turned hard as he focused in on the fight. His chains were loose enough that as long as he didn¡¯t try to kick he could otherwise move completely fine with only the extra weight to deal with. He took a few steps towards Isaac before squaring off. ¡°Jala, a countdown.¡± He told his wife.


    Jala didn¡¯t even look up from her book and lazily did as she was told. ¡°Three, two, one, don¡¯t die.¡± She counted off and then turned to the next page in her book. She had thoroughly had enough of the boys beating the shit out of each other.


    Fen didn¡¯t hesitate and launched straight into a right cross at Isaac¡¯s face. Isaac parried it, on the inside of the swing, with his left forearm before slamming his knuckles into the side of Fen¡¯s throat causing him to stagger slightly to the side. Isaac shuffled in and went to knee Fen in the gut. Fen got his left hand down in time to shove off of Isaac¡¯s knee as he tried to back off and regroup himself. Isaac didn¡¯t stop there as he spun on the ball of his left foot, as it was still firmly planted on the ground, into a spinning back kick into Fen¡¯s gut. The impact hit Fen hard enough that he was forcefully doubled over and his feet had been sent a few inches backwards. Isaac retracted his foot and then extended his leg straight up before slamming his heel down onto the back of Fen¡¯s head in an axe kick. Fen¡¯s forehead hit the rug, that saved his head from the wooden floor, with a thud. Isaac took an easy step back and looked down at Fen. ¡°Disappointing.¡± Isaac told him with the word clear in his tone.


    Fen groaned. ¡°How?¡± He asked through his now splitting headache.


    ¡°Did I beat you in four moves?¡± Isaac asked which got a nod from Fen. ¡°Unlike you I actually know how to fist fight.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Fen questioned further.


    ¡°Because I know that my magic will heal instead of kill half of the life on the planet, so I need to be ready to punch the rest of them in the throat.¡± Isaac explained casually. ¡°Your magic made you arrogant.¡± Isaac grinned from ear to ear, ¡°And now you can only refer to me as ¡®Master¡¯.¡±


    ¡°I hate you.¡± Fen replied earnestly.


    ¡°Ah ah ah.¡± Isaac replied and waved his finger at Fen. ¡°I said you can ¡®only refer to me as ¡®Master¡¯.¡± He chuckled evilly. ¡°That would make it, ¡®I hate Master¡¯.¡±


    Fen ground his teeth from his place on the ground and then started to slowly get up. ¡°No.¡± Fen replied simply. ¡°I¡¯d rather be mute.¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Your choice.¡± He looked at Jala. ¡°Anyway, the real reason that we are here is to talk about your tower.¡±


    Jala finally looked up from her book. ¡°Oh?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I just got a bill for twenty thousand gold. Apparently they have started working on it.¡± Isaac explained.


    Jala smiled. ¡°That is far less than I was expecting.¡± She looked in thought for a moment. ¡°Are they not going to ward it?¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Probably not. It will most likely just end up getting guarded for a while. If you start working on anything that the city deems classified then things might change.¡±


    Jala nodded. ¡°Understandable, start small to make sure that they are making a good investment.¡± She surmised.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No. If Izen is charging me full price for your inverted tower then I suspect that any expansions will come out of my pockets as well.¡± He walked over and took a seat across from her. ¡°If that is the case, which I¡¯m sure it is, then the only way that your tower is getting upgraded is if you give me something worth selling to the city, or at the very least to the duke.¡± He explained.


    Jala nodded. ¡°What could you sell to him?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Information would be an easy place to start.¡± He began. ¡°Make a list of what types of things you know that they don¡¯t and we can assign a price to that information. I¡¯ll offer that catalog to Izen and he can decide what he wants to pay for.¡±


    Jala nodded. ¡°I can do that. I might need you to look over it as I am not sure what kind of information their scouts wouldn¡¯t have already acquired.¡± She explained.


    ¡°I can do that.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Let¡¯s say that ninety percent of all of the income from you will get put into your tower and I¡¯ll pocket the rest. We can call the twenty thousand that I already spent an investment.¡±


    Jala nodded again. ¡°That sounds fair. What about new specimens?¡±


    ¡°You can buy them from adventurers. It is easy enough to put up a bounty for them. Take the money out of the cut that is for the tower.¡± He returned.


    Jala wrinkled her nose slightly. ¡°That probably won¡¯t leave very much for the tower.¡± She warned.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Keep me updated with what kinds of things you are looking for and if I come across them then I¡¯ll pick them up for free. That¡¯s all I can offer.¡±


    Jala nodded solemnly. ¡°I understand.¡± She replied with clear dejection.


    Jala, Isaac, and Lenna spent the next few hours making up a list and talking while Fen sulked in the corner. Dinner was brought up for them part way through and before they knew it the day was over. All in all it was a full and fruitful day even if Isaac was short forty thousand gold by the end of it.

 Chapter 36 A Hundred Gold

    Chapter 36 A Hundred Gold


    Much to Isaac¡¯s chagrin he was still confined to light duty courtesy of Lenna¡¯s field medicine training. ¡°Two weeks for a concussion seems a bit much don¡¯t you think? I feel fine.¡± Isaac complained.


    ¡°Four of the fourteen days have already passed. Stop complaining.¡± Lenna retorted and continued polishing her sword.


    ¡°What am I supposed to do for the next ten days?¡± Isaac whined.


    ¡°Read, clean your gear.¡± Lenna offered.


    Isaac got an idea. ¡°I have something better in mind.¡± He told her with a sudden burst of energy.


    Lenna stopped mid rotation and looked up slowly. ¡°I have a bad feeling about this.¡± She replied.


    Isaac waved her off. ¡°Let¡¯s get our gear painted. Your armor could use some love and I¡¯d prefer black over brown leathers.¡± He explained.


    Lenna sighed. ¡°And what am I supposed to wear while the armor is at the painter¡¯s?¡± She questioned.


    ¡°We bought street clothes. Come on, it¡¯ll be fine. Probably.¡± He assured her.


    ¡°I¡¯m still carrying my sword.¡± Lenna acquiesce.


    ¡°Good. I don¡¯t feel like carrying both.¡± He replied and tossed his armor into his Inventory. It always felt just a little lighter in his Inventory than when he was wearing it but that was to be expected as in his Inventory the weight was always completely and properly distributed.


    ¡ª


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Fen grumbled when Isaac and Lenna arrived to crash Jala and Fen¡¯s nonexistent party.


    ¡°It¡¯s ¡®Master¡¯, not ¡®you¡¯.¡± Isaac corrected. He pulled a square wooden board out of his Inventory and set it on the table in front of Fen.


    ¡°A kingsman board?¡± Fen asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I was bored and figured that you had nothing better to do.¡± He told Fen.


    ¡°What makes y¡­ why¡­ what if I don¡¯t want to play?¡± Fen asked. He had to retry his sentence multiple times to prevent himself from referring to Isaac directly.


    Isaac smirked at Fen¡¯s obvious grammatical troubles. He pulled a cloth bag, with the pieces to the game in it, out of his Inventory and then started setting up the pieces according to a diagram. ¡°Because I am willing to make a bet with you.¡± Isaac grinned at him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡± Fen replied evenly.


    ¡°You won¡¯t once you hear the bounty I¡¯m putting up.¡± Isaac began. ¡°We will do five practice games to make sure I know how to play and then the actual games will begin. If I win six out of ten then you have to answer any of Alexander¡¯s questions about anything not pertaining to me. If you win then you don¡¯t have to call me ¡®Master¡¯ anymore.¡±


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    Fen searched Isaac¡¯s face for a trap. ¡°No.¡± He said tentatively.


    Isaac knew that he could change Fen¡¯s mind if he sweetened the deal just a little more. ¡°And, while playing you won¡¯t have to refer to me as ¡®Master¡¯.¡±


    Fen sighed. ¡°Fine.¡± He grumbled and started helping Isaac set up the game. Little did Isaac know that fifteen games meant two days of playing as their shortest game was half an hour long. By dinner on their second day the victor had been decided. Isaac lost the first three games and then won the next four. Fen won the following game and then lost twice in a row.


    ¡°How much experience do you have at this game?¡± Isaac asked while packing up at the game for the final time.


    ¡°I doubt I¡¯ve played a hundred games in just as many years.¡± Fen admitted. He was annoyed that he had lost but at least answering some young wizard¡¯s questions on magic would help fight his boredom.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal.¡± Isaac told him. ¡°In exchange for relieving you of your inability to refer to me,¡± Isaac smirked. He had picked up on the grammatical gymnastics that Fen had been pulling to avoid having to speak the dreaded word. ¡°You have to promise me that you won¡¯t divulge anything related to me, my divinity, or my magics to anyone.¡±


    Fen didn¡¯t even have to think about it. ¡°Deal.¡± He said instantly.


    Isaac smirked. ¡°Game seven.¡± Isaac replied.


    Fen looked at him with a question on his face until he realized what Isaac meant. In their seventh game Isaac pressured Fen relentlessly and then gave him a way out. Right when Fen took the opening Isaac sprung the trap that he had been weaving and won the match in short order. ¡°Bastard.¡± Fen called him and shook his head. He realized that Isaac had done exactly the same thing with the whole ¡®Master¡¯ thing and used it to force a promise of silence and use of Fen as Alexander¡¯s encyclopedia of magic.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Well, that was fun.¡± He turned to Lenna who was sitting in another of the cushioned chairs with her eyes closed and in street clothes. Their armor would still be at the painter¡¯s for another three days. ¡°We have an informant to meet.¡± He told her.


    She opened her eyes and took a deep breath. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sure he has been expecting us.¡± She replied.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± He hadn¡¯t required James¡¯ service since he had acquired it so making the man wait wasn¡¯t that big of a deal to Isaac.


    ¡°Informant?¡± Fen asked.


    Isaac grinned. ¡°There are four sides to this city. I¡¯m just trying to keep all of them in mind.¡± He replied cryptically. He and Lenna shared a nod and headed out to get a list of all of the important people in the underground city¡¯s underground.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Hells!¡± James yelled as Isaac and Lenna appeared in front of him. He was pacing as Isaac had kept him waiting for the better part of the day and he had gotten restless.


    ¡°You brothers are so jumpy.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°Maybe if ya¡¯ didn¡¯t just appear out of nowhere you wouldn¡¯t startle everyone.¡± James commented, irritation clear in his voice. He finally looked at Lenna and his mind stopped working momentarily. His eyes took her in. He had never seen her in street clothes. The short sleeve shirt and pants were snug enough that her muscles and curves were obvious but still left most up to the imagination.


    ¡°Are you trying to die?¡± Isaac asked coldly and narrowed his eyes at James.


    ¡°Huh? What?¡± James stammered. ¡°No, uh, sorry.¡± He apologized.


    ¡°The list, James.¡± Isaac pushed. He was only there for one reason and completing that goal could take as short as thirty seconds or as long as Isaac wanted it to take.


    ¡°Oh! Yeah.¡± James replied and walked over to his pack that was sitting in the corner of the room. He pulled out a small stack of papers and started walking back over to Isaac and Lenna. ¡°This has everyone I could get information about without getting shanked.¡± He told the pair and handed Isaac the list. ¡°I mostly just have names, organizations, and where their organizations are based out of. Some people are known to be pretty nasty characters. Those are underlined. Some of ¡®em have the reasons. Those that don¡¯t, just assume torture, those are mostly enforcers.¡±


    Isaac had begun flipping through the pages. Short descriptions and approximate ages also accompanied the rest of the information. ¡°This is good work.¡± Isaac complimented absently. ¡°Keep it up and you will be well worth the coin.¡± He looked up from the papers. ¡°Make a second copy if you haven''t already.¡±


    James looked at him like he had three heads. ¡°Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to even have something like that?¡± He shook his head. ¡°The sooner that is out of my possession the better.¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Do you know all the names by heart?¡± He asked.


    James shook his head. ¡°Most of ¡®em sure but not all.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Whenever something changes I¡¯ll need an update. Also when you add more names to the encyclopedia of the underground.¡± Isaac explained.


    James sighed defeatedly. ¡°If someone finds out about this I¡¯ll be a dead man by morning.¡± He argued. ¡°I won¡¯t have any way to justify it.¡±


    ¡°Do one organization at a time and keep each of them in a different place. Keep the ones hostile to the organization that you are with in easier to find locations.¡± Isaac recommended. ¡°If any of those get found then you can just say that you were doing research on your gang¡¯s enemies.¡± He flipped through the pages again. ¡°It looks like most of the information about the guys in your gang is finished anyway.¡±


    James rubbed his face roughly with his hands like he was trying to wash it without any water. ¡°Fine.¡± He huffed and locked eyes with Isaac. ¡°You are the one who is going to be out eight hundred gold if I get myself killed.¡±


    Isaac smirked. ¡°Seven hundred.¡± He corrected. ¡°This,¡± He waved the list of troublemakers. ¡°is worth a hundred gold on its own.¡± Little did either of them know, it was worth far, far, more than eight hundred gold let alone one.

 Chapter 37 Faith

    Chapter 37 Faith


    Tim looked up from his desk at the sound of a knock on his door. ¡°Come in.¡± He replied with a sigh and set down the incident summary that he had been reading through. The door opened and two people that he had never expected to walk into his office did just that. ¡°Lord Wexler, Lady V¡¯Nova, what can I do for you?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Guard Captain.¡± Isaac greeted and Lenna nodded to him. ¡°I have information that I think you would like.¡± He glanced back over his shoulder and the guard that had led them there closed the door behind them. Isaac wasn¡¯t taking any chances however and blanketed the inside of the door in shadows to mute the sound.


    Tim noticed the attempt at secrecy and nodded. He moved his lamp a few inches to the side and pressed a small stone button that was hidden under it. A small pulse of mana ran out along the walls and almost seemed to solidify. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± Tim told the duo.


    ¡°The thing is,¡± Isaac began. ¡°I am a businessman.¡± He told Tim. ¡°Especially after your duke sent me a bill for twenty thousand gold for something that is going to prove to be more beneficial to him than me.¡±


    ¡°You want payment.¡± Tim replied. He had worked with sellouts and informants in the past. Most of the time they were the simple sort of people who were just looking for enough coin to get them out of town before their enemies caught up with them. He knew Isaac well enough to know that if Isaac truly had living enemies, they wouldn¡¯t stay that way for long.


    Isaac smiled and sat in the chair across the desk from Tim. ¡°Yes.¡± He shifted slightly to get more comfortable in the uncushioned chair that was lacking armrests. ¡°Usually I would say that gold is the best payment but if you have something tempting enough I might just be willing to trade.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°What information do you have? That will decide the price that we can afford.¡± Tim chose his words carefully. He had some leeway with the budget, in fact, he had an amount set aside for such occasions. An amount that he would prefer to last him more than the next ten minutes.


    ¡°One hundred and fifty nine names, seven organizations, two of which are mortal trafficking rings. Some other less important information like classes and estimated levels of some of those on the list, locations where the organizations are based, and in some cases even known crimes that were committed by certain individuals.¡± Isaac pulled the stack of paper out of a ball of shadows and started leafing through it. After a short moment he stopped and smiled again. ¡°Three of the people on this list are guards.¡± He commented and then stored the papers again.


    Tim was on the edge of his seat. ¡°How much for the information about the guards?¡± He asked quickly. He wasn¡¯t very good at negotiating once something had truly peaked his interest.


    Isaac grinned impishly. ¡°What are you offering?¡± He asked.


    Tim swallowed. He was silent for a long minute as he tried to do some mental math to figure out how much he could spend. ¡°Five hundred for each of them.¡± He told Isaac.


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    Isaac was shocked. That was way more than he was expecting to get. He, of course, didn¡¯t show any of that on his face however. His grin turned into an easy smirk. ¡°That¡¯s a bit lower than I was hoping.¡± He lied. ¡°Let¡¯s call it twenty one hundred for the set.¡±


    Tim frowned. That was a much larger chunk of the informant money than he was hoping to spend. Especially considering the size of the list in Isaac¡¯s possession. ¡°Eighteen.¡± He replied slowly.


    ¡°Two thousand and you have yourself a deal.¡± Isaac told Tim.


    Tim sighed. ¡°Alright, but only because those are guards. Don¡¯t expect anything nearly as much for the rest of the ones on that list.¡± He warned.


    Isaac smiled. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of it.¡± He replied. ¡°Now, what do you know about the Crimson Coins?¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°If he knew how much you sold that information for¡­¡± Lenna commented while shaking her head as the pair headed back to the Celestial Dawn.


    ¡°He would have a stroke.¡± Isaac finished for her. He nodded. ¡°Yeah, I would not be happy if I were him.¡± He flashed Lenna a grin. ¡°Good thing I¡¯m not him and he¡¯ll never find out.¡±


    Lenna could only shake her head again. After a bit of silence Lenna decided to bring up something that had been bothering her. ¡°You told Jala that you own her.¡± Lenna spoke.


    Isaac, unsure of where the conversation was going, nodded his head slowly. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Is that how you feel about me?¡± She asked without looking at him.


    Isaac felt a strange mixture of emotions that he shoved to the side to reply as logically and honestly as he could. ¡°Not really.¡± He replied. ¡°It is different. You chose to come with me. You chose to repay that debt.¡± He explained. ¡°To me, you are my bodyguard and friend, more than a friend honestly, and if you decided that you wanted to leave I would be sad, hurt even, but I wouldn¡¯t try to stop you. I trust you too much to do that.¡± He took a deep breath to help gather his thoughts. ¡°With Jala, she is an asset. Nothing more. With her it is almost like buying a business but not running it. It would be like if I bought Stan¡¯s Smithy or The Celestial Dawn but let the old owners keep running it however they wanted. I might put some restrictions in place or move them to a different part of town but they are, in the end, just an asset that exists to make me money.¡± He finally looked at her and tried to read her blank, expressionless, emotionless face. ¡°Does that make sense?¡±


    Lenna was silent for a long while as she sorted through everything that he had told her. It felt good to know that he trusted her unconditionally but it was also sad to hear him say that he wouldn¡¯t stop her from leaving. She didn¡¯t know how she felt about feeling that way but that was for another time. Hearing how he felt about Jala tracked with how he generally acted. Isaac was prone to using people for whatever gain he could get out of them which usually meant building a working relationship of sorts with them. Most of the time he seemed really short sighted but then he would hire an informant for eight years while paying completely up front. She wanted to believe what he said, especially the parts about her but she knew that Isaac was never as straightforward as he seemed at any given moment.


    The silence dragged on for what Isaac felt like was an eternity but he kept his mouth shut. He knew better than to interrupt her while she was trying to sort out what she was feeling. He just hoped that she would come out of her contemplation with, at the very least, not a worse view of him.


    Lenna eventually nodded once and looked at Isaac. ¡°Okay.¡± She said with more earnestness than the word alone deserved.


    Isaac just stared at her for a long moment. ¡°Okay what?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll continue to have faith in you.¡± She told him.


    Isaac sighed deeply in relief. ¡°You have to explain things sometimes.¡± He chastised with a smile. ¡°I might seem like it but I¡¯m not a mind reader, you know?¡±


    Lenna smiled. Her smile brightened the poorly lit street and the soft white light glistened off her silver eyes. ¡°Then maybe you shouldn¡¯t act like it.¡± She poked and elbowed him lightly in the arm.


    Isaac chuckled and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not just me that you talk like that to. I doubt poor Edward followed half of the story you told him after the hallway incident.¡±


    Lenna looked offended. Her next words actually took Isaac by surprise. ¡°You should have more faith in Edward.¡±

 Chapter 38 Fen Killed Him

    Chapter 38 Fen Killed Him


    The first level of Jala¡¯s tower was finally done and it was time to unload all of her ¡®research material¡¯. Thankfully her tower had a bathroom but unfortunately it lacked all other amenities. Twenty thousand gold went to digging out the space, reinforcing the walls with magic, making a bathroom, a few bookshelves, some tables, and a simple anti-teleportation enchantment. As far as Isaac was concerned it was horribly overpriced. Jala on the other hand was not concerned at all. To her money was only worth how much it could further her research so in her eyes it was money well spent.


    Isaac, Lenna, Jala, Fen, and Alexander all stood around in the middle of the mostly open space that was the first floor of her tower under a tower. ¡°This is going to need at least three more floors of equal size.¡± Jala commented.


    ¡°And a food service. I assume they don¡¯t want us walking into the closest restaurant a few times a day.¡± Fen replied. ¡°The looks we got from the walk here were bad enough.¡± He tsked. ¡°Ignorant peasants.¡± He grumbled under his breath.


    Isaac looked on in disbelief. ¡°Jala,¡± He said to get her attention. ¡°Double the prices on the list of information to sell to Izen, again.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± She replied simply and continued to inspect the solid stone tables.


    ¡°Double?¡± Alexander asked. ¡°Again?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± He confirmed. ¡°Izen had an opportunity to pay for this himself, give me a small cut for the trouble, or pay for half of this and get anything that comes out of here at little over operating cost.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Instead he stuck me with the bill. In its entirety.¡± His irritation was clear. ¡°And for that, I¡¯m going to get every single gold coin I can get out of him.¡±


    Alexander winced. ¡°Why do I feel like a lot of that is going to come out of my budget?¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Because it probably is.¡± He looked over at Alexander. ¡°Blame your boss.¡±


    Alexander¡¯s shoulders slumped and he nodded. After a moment he realized something. ¡°What about everything I¡¯ve already learned from Mr. L¡¯Vore?¡± He asked.


    Isaac smiled at him. ¡°Favors don¡¯t have to go through Izen.¡± He explained. ¡°I would like a way to cast Identify with only dark mana and have the information projected in a small illusion like the clerics to El¡¯No can.¡±


    Alexander nodded. ¡°I can have that done within a month if you don¡¯t mind how big it is.¡± He replied easily with a nod. It seemed like he already had something in mind.


    ¡°How big are you talking?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°A ritual rug, ten feet by five feet.¡± Alexander explained.


    ¡°A ritual rug?¡± Jala questioned as something had finally peaked her interest.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Alexander began. ¡°It is a simple but extremely well made tightly woven rug. The gold for the ritual is doubled then turned into thread to be woven into the mat in the pattern of the ritual. They usually last for around twenty spell levels which isn¡¯t preferred but they work well enough.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Jala nodded. ¡°That allows you to bring the rituals to any flat surface large enough for them pre-made. Is this a military invention?¡± She asked. ¡°I can see the siege applications already.¡±


    Alexander shook his head. ¡°I have heard of some of the more eccentric nobles having them made for repairing damaged walls in the event of a siege before but mostly the logistics simply aren¡¯t practical.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Isaac asked. It seemed like a great idea on the surface.


    ¡°Firstly, the surface needs to be perfectly flat which is incredibly hard to find on a battlefield unless you are the ones defending.¡± Alexander started listing off. ¡°Secondly, even for defenders, the conjured walls will be weaker than the magically reinforced ones that had just been severely damaged. Thirdly, the ritual rugs can be damaged too easily for anyone to take them anywhere without dimensional storage of some kind. And finally, they still require a mage to activate them and mages are never on the front line to begin with so they can just make the rituals on site.¡±


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    ¡°Oh.¡± Isaac replied sadly. ¡°It was a good idea until someone tried it I guess.¡±


    Alexander nodded. ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°So about all of Jala¡¯s¡­ materials¡­ where should we dump them?¡± Isaac asked. Isaac had decided to just give Jala the shadow-wolf glands as getting custom magic items made wasn¡¯t in the budget with her tower now being a concern.


    Jala shot up and looked over at him. ¡°Please do not ¡®dump¡¯ them anywhere.¡± She hurried over and held out her hand. ¡°Just give me the bag and I will take everything out one thing at a time.¡±


    Isaac shrugged and Lenna handed her the bag. ¡°Suit yourself.¡± He told her and then turned to leave. ¡°We¡¯ll be back for the bag sometime before our next bounty.¡± Jala looked at him like a child who had just been told that dinner was going to be bread and rat stew for the millionth time. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look.¡± He told her. ¡°Make some money and buy one yourself. I still have to figure out where you are going to stay and how you are going to get food. Besides, don¡¯t you already have one?¡±


    ¡°Mine is full of books.¡± Jala pouted.


    Isaac gestured at the bookshelves. ¡°Make it not full of books.¡± He told her exasperatedly. ¡®I swear she is a five hundred year old child.¡¯ He added internally.


    ¡ª


    A messenger from Izen arrived just as they were leaving with a letter. In the letter Izen had explained that they could use the first floor of a guest house a block away from the tower for fifty gold a month as long as they didn¡¯t break anything. There was also an eatery just a block further that was cheap enough that Isaac should be able to afford feeding two extra mouths.


    He learned that Izen could deduct the rent directly as the duke and owner of the bank so as long as Isaac still had money in there the lodging would be covered. In all, Isaac was really hoping that Jala¡¯s information would make him some good money. A few days later good money was made. The group had sat down with Izen and Tim to go over all of the information that they had to sell. After some tense negotiations and Izen clearly trying to lowball them, they left with a rather large sum. Enough to add another layer to Jala¡¯s tower and then some.


    Unfortunately for Isaac, all that money was spent within a day. His cut was nice but only really enough to keep him from worrying about any of their lodging for a while.


    Finally after what, to Isaac, felt like forever, but was only a little over two weeks, it was time for the pair to take another job. Walking into Adventurers¡¯ Guild The pair greeted one of their favorite receptionists. ¡°Hey Alice.¡± Isaac greeted her. ¡°Happy the L¡¯Vore¡¯s are out of your hair?¡±


    She sighed with obvious relief. ¡°You have no idea.¡± She told him. ¡°Does Jala even sleep?¡± She asked exasperatedly.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Probably not. Lenna doesn¡¯t either.¡± He replied and leaned on the counter. ¡°Speaking of my wonderful companion, she has finally given me leave to resume fighting for a living.¡± He told the pair of brilliant blue eyes that were looking up at him.


    ¡°Oh? Finally back to work?¡± Alice asked to which Isaac nodded.


    ¡°Any bounties for us?¡± He asked. He wanted something good and not just spiders so it was easier to just ask her as she always seemed to have every bounty memorized.


    She shrugged. ¡°There is one that we would really like you two¡­ three? To take care of.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Three?¡± Isaac asked with slight confusion.


    ¡°I keep hearing about a dragon.¡± She confessed. ¡°Something about it living in your shadow.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Isaac exclaimed. ¡°Yeah, want to meet him?¡±


    Alice¡¯s eyes sparkled even though there was still a hint of fear buried within. ¡°Can I?¡± She asked.


    Isaac laughed. ¡°Sure but you should come out from behind the counter so you can get the full spectacle.¡± He advised.


    Alice did just that and stood beside him and Lenna as they stared at the open area of floor in front of the bounty board and the receptionist¡¯s desk. ¡°Kahtesh.¡± Isaac spoke aloud and pulled on his connection to his own shadow and the dragon dormant within. His shadow turned pure black and moved out in front of him before changing into a circular shape.


    One bony claw and then another reached out of the void and grabbed onto the hardwood floor. A few small scrapes were added to the floor¡¯s battle scars as the talons found purchase. Soon the tip of the dragon¡¯s nose was visible as he pulled himself out of the shadows. Once he was fully out of his resting place he stretched and shook as the void returned to Isaac¡¯s normal shadow. Bone scraped and rattled as Kahtesh moved and flexed. Once settled he looked around as Isaac had commanded him to make sure that he was familiar with all of their surroundings and then slowly started walking over towards Isaac.


    Alice had looked like a ten year old watching the knights duel for the first time. Her stature didn¡¯t help her image at all at that moment. She looked so childlike and innocent that Isaac couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and Lenna couldn¡¯t keep the smile off of her own face watching to pure excitement coming off the girl.


    She backed up a step once Kahtesh started heading their way but Isaac crouched down so he was closer to both Alice¡¯s and Kahtesh¡¯s height. ¡°Hey buddy.¡± Isaac greeted the dragon as he stopped just in front of Isaac. Isaac reached out and scratched Kahtesh¡¯s head like he was a dog or a well trained cat.


    Alice looked on in wonder. Kahtesh hadn¡¯t spared more than a quick glance at Alice as he wasn¡¯t told to do anything more than look around and go to Isaac. Lenna reached down and patted his head twice but otherwise didn¡¯t interact with the dragon. She and Isaac were mostly sure that there wasn¡¯t any real consciousness inside Kahtesh but that didn¡¯t stop Isaac from treating him like a puppy.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Alice asked in wonder.


    ¡°That is a tough question to answer.¡± Isaac told her honestly. ¡°He¡¯s mostly a construct made in the image of the dragon that his skull came from. There are some residual bits of the original dragon in there somewhere but they don¡¯t come out very often. Most of what he does I told him to do ahead of time. Like stretching and looking around when I call on him.¡±


    Alice reached out and brushed the side of the dragon¡¯s face. ¡°So the original is truly gone then?¡± She asked.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Yeah. Fen killed him for one of Jala¡¯s experiments.¡±


    Alice¡¯s face took on a look of horror. ¡°The poor baby!¡± She cried and looked like she was about to hug the dragon before controlling herself.


    Isaac chuckled at her outburst. ¡°My thoughts exactly.¡± He rose back up to his normal height. ¡°But alas, there is nothing to be done about it now.¡± The void opened back up and Kahtesh curled up in the middle of it like he usually did before sinking back down into the void.


    Alice looked concerned as she looked up at Isaac. ¡°You said some of him is still in there right?¡± She asked and Isaac nodded. ¡°His soul, is it gone to wherever dragon souls are supposed to go or is it trapped in there?¡±


    Isaac smiled sadly. ¡°It¡¯s gone. I am almost completely certain that there is no soul in that body. I had to make most of the body myself and from what I can tell, anything that is left is just an impression of the original.¡± As much as he would like to have a living dragon that could make its own decisions as his familiar, it was simply not meant to be. Not yet at least.


    ¡°Good.¡± Alice added. Being stuck in a body that he couldn¡¯t control sounded like the worst nightmare imaginable.

 Chapter 39 A Real Monster.

    Chapter 39 A Real Monster.


    ¡°You said something about a job for us?¡± Isaac reminded Alice as she continued to stare at the floor where the dragon had been.


    ¡°Oh!¡± She exclaimed. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s one you both passed up a few times before.¡± She told them and walked back around her desk and climbed back up to her stool.


    ¡°Which one?¡± Lenna asked. She was afraid that she already knew the answer.


    Alice smiled and shrugged apologetically. ¡°The drider.¡±


    Lenna sighed. Isaac looked at her. ¡°I know you said that we weren¡¯t ready for it before, do you still think that?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Before you make your decision.¡± Alice cut in. ¡°The bounty has been set to platinum. She is becoming a real problem.¡±


    ¡°What information do you have about her?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°This one likes to use invisible webs and a khopesh-like weapon.¡± Alice explained. ¡°Remember that group that you two sent us from the bad side of town?¡±


    ¡°With the goliath and the swordswoman?¡± Isaac asked.


    Alice nodded. ¡°And a wizard.¡± She added for him. ¡°They took the job. That is why it was raised up to platinum.¡±


    ¡°They were wiped out?¡± Lenna asked.


    Alice shook her head in the negative. ¡°No. The big guy is missing an arm at the elbow, the wizard¡¯s staff is in five pieces last I saw, and the swordswoman¡¯s sword was bent.¡±


    ¡°Bent?¡± Lenna asked, surprised that that was even possible. ¡°It was a magic sword.¡±


    Alice nodded again. ¡°They only confronted her once and that was how they came back.¡± She warned. ¡°There isn¡¯t anyone else here right now who can handle her. The platinum tier adventurers that cover us aren¡¯t due for a while yet.¡±


    ¡°Due?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Yes. They run a circuit. There are five cities and twelve towns on their loop so it takes them a while. Since the Guild Master retired the number of active double platinums has dropped to seven in the entire kingdom.¡± She sighed. ¡°I heard something about a few human demigods stepping in to pick up the slack in some extreme cases.¡±


    One word peaked Isaac¡¯s interest. ¡°Demigods?¡± He asked. ¡°Which ones?¡±


    Alice frowned in thought. ¡°Catastrophe and Judgement I believe. It is hard to tell because many of the other ones are really hard to track. Sometimes double platinum level monsters just show up dead so we aren¡¯t sure who or what took them out.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Which ones would do that?¡± Isaac pressed.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Space, Time, Storm, and Gravity for human demigods.¡± She answered and continued to think for a bit with furrowed brows. ¡°The Wolf or Gaia¡¯s Guardian for elvish ones. Most of the others keep to themselves and are easily tracked.¡±


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    ¡°There sure are a lot of demigods just running around.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°Are you going to go say hi?¡± Alice asked. ¡°I know that sometimes you guys just start fighting for no apparent reason so, if that happens please make sure you aren¡¯t in any cities.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If anyone comes looking for me I¡¯ll politely ask them to fight outside.¡± He shook his head. ¡°But to answer your question, no, I don¡¯t plan to go looking for any of them. I¡¯m here so I¡¯ll take care of Safeharbor as long as I continue to get paid.¡± He glanced in the direction of the wizards¡¯ towers. ¡°I recently made an investment that needs to pay itself off.¡±


    ¡°So about the drider?¡± Alice asked to bring him back on topic.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should fight her without a dedicated fire mage.¡± She advised. ¡°Maybe if we could get Celeste out of retirement?¡± She offered.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to need filled in on this one.¡± Isaac told her.


    ¡°I think I know who this drider is.¡± Lenna began. ¡°Shaeo¡¯ahna the Silent Fang. She is an old drider, around a millennium if my memory serves.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°She knows drider magic and unlike most of her kin, never picked up a bow. She only kills with a sword she made herself from a dragon skeleton. She is also a master of traps. Many of them are lethal but she makes sure to kill you herself before you bleed out.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a real monster.¡± Isaac said with a grin. He was getting excited.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Fast, lethal, and silent.¡± She looked at Alice. ¡°If it is her, I¡¯m surprised those idiots are alive.¡±


    ¡°Seven healing potions.¡± Alice explained. ¡°Eleonora¡¯s wound was already healed but it looked like it had been deep. Brick¡¯s stump had also been healed over. Bartholomew looked a little fried. If I had to guess he was too close to the webs when they lit them on fire.¡±


    Isaac winced. It sounded like they really had gotten their asses handed to them. ¡°All three of them were over level ten right?¡± Isaac asked.


    Alice nodded. ¡°Yes, all of them were gold rank.¡±


    Isaac looked to Lenna. ¡°So?¡± He asked. ¡°Do you think we can kill her?¡±


    Lenna sighed. She thought long and hard about their odds and all of their abilities. Shaeo¡¯s traps were masterpieces of mechanical engineering. They were almost always invisible unless you were at the edge of her territory. Isaac could likely feel her location so that would help but Lenna never really thought the drider herself would be the problem for the three of them, she was counting Kahtesh. They needed a way to either find the traps or dispel the illusion hiding them. She remembered Isaac dispelling Shroud when they were attacked.


    ¡°Can you remove any illusion?¡± Lenna asked him.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Anything that can be dispelled by a wave of mana. I should be able to overload wards too. You said something about drider magic?¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°They use their own mana and their silk to create rituals. They are only used in securing their lairs.¡± She explained.


    ¡°It takes too long to set up?¡± Isaac surmised.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes. Also it is easily destroyed by fire.¡±


    ¡°I keep hearing about fire. Why?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Fire is the only way to destroy drider silk.¡± Lenna explained.


    ¡°The only way?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Lenna nodded firmly. ¡°Yes. Perfect mana conductivity, complete lightning insulation, cold temperature does nothing, acids and poisons roll off of it, shockwaves only make it stretch, blades can¡¯t cut it.¡± She explained.


    Isaac swallowed. ¡°Why don¡¯t the drow use it for everything?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°It¡¯s blasphemy.¡± She replied simply. ¡°Drider are as close to Dri¡¯El as anything can be. There have been times where great heroes are awarded something made of drider silk but that is it.¡±


    ¡°So the only reason the drow warriors are killable is because the miracle material that would save them is locked behind a wall of religious sacrament.¡± Isaac stated with some amusement.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± She replied simply.


    ¡°It sells for a lot too.¡± Alice chipped in which made Isaac chuckle.


    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine why.¡± He replied sarcastically. ¡°How do we go about collecting it?¡±


    Alice shook her head. ¡°It is spiderweb that is unbreakable, highly flammable, and often tangled up and stuck to itself. There is no easy way. Oil? It should help it not stick to itself at least.¡± She offered.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s get a barrel of oil and stuff it in the bag.¡± He told Lenna. ¡°You can use scrolls right? Your mana won¡¯t cause the spells to break?¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°My mana is fine. The problem with scrolls is you can¡¯t make them last longer.¡± She explained. It wasn¡¯t possible to continue pouring mana into a scroll to cause the spell to continue until the mage ran out of mana like they could with a normally case one. This meant that Isaac¡¯s plan needed a bit more gold than he would have liked but if all went well he would be making a large enough return on the investment the current monetary loss would be quickly forgotten.


    The pair got a bill for all of the food they had eaten at the Guild Hall and a mild price of ten gold a day for them taking up the conference room which was quickly paid off. After that the pair took a quick trip to the general store and Adventurous Taste to stock up for their journey, they informed Alexander that Fen and Jala were his problem for the next few days, and retrieved their bottomless bag. They stopped at Celeste¡¯s for lunch and then headed out to kill a drider. Not just any drider, Shaeo¡¯ahna the Silent Fang.

 Chapter 40 Instincts?

    Chapter 40 Instincts?


    ¡°Any fun trivia about our target?¡± Isaac asked to help fill the silence that had begun to drag on during their journey.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°There is speculation around her. Not much else. She doesn¡¯t like people.¡± She replied.


    ¡°What kind of speculation?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°She secretly hates cruelty and that¡¯s why Dri¡¯El hasn¡¯t given her a child.¡± Lenna began.


    ¡°That would explain her quick kills.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°But what about the ex-Crimson Coins?¡±


    ¡°Her nest was in danger from the fire.¡± Lenna explained and then went back onto the previous topic. ¡°Some say the reason she only uses a sword is because she is blind.¡±


    ¡°Do you think that¡¯s the case?¡± Isaac probed.


    Lenna shrugged again. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be surprising. Driders never reach old age unscarred.¡±


    ¡°An old battle injury?¡± Isaac inferred to which Lenna nodded in agreement. ¡°You don¡¯t think she can be reasoned with?¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No.¡± She replied simply. ¡°If she cooperated with either of us she would die.¡± She explained poorly.


    Isaac looked at her questioningly. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°They are the chosen of Dri¡¯El. If they went against his wishes they would stop living.¡± Lenna answered neutrally.


    ¡°He could kill her just like that? No warning or anything?¡± Isaac continued probing.


    Lenna nodded and sighed sadly. ¡°That is what it means to be chosen.¡± She looked at Isaac. ¡°If a priest of Halya decided to go on a murdering spree, she would end him in an instant. That is the power that gods have over their chosen ones. Removing that much power is not a gentle affair. Their mana pathways can¡¯t handle it and they crumble to dust.¡±


    After a long moment of silence Isaac nodded in solemn understanding. In accepting the power of a god you let their power into you but it still remains their power and they can take it away at any time. ¡°You speak as though you have seen it.¡± Isaac spoke softly.


    ¡°Yes. A long time ago. Right after I swore my oath.¡± She replied and they continued in silence for another long while.


    ¡°But you rejected it anyway.¡± Isaac said. ¡°Even knowing that something similar would happen.¡± His eyes searched her face. ¡°Why take the risk?¡±


    Lenna cracked a slight smile. ¡°Lua told me too.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s eyebrows shot up in shock. ¡°That¡¯s it? There really wasn¡¯t any other reasoning?¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Lua would never tell a dark elf to commit suicide.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°I knew that I wouldn¡¯t die.¡±


    ¡°Did you know that you would have near equivalent power afterwards?¡± He questioned further.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No. I honestly expected to be set to a low level warrior.¡± She replied with an ever widening smile. ¡°It worked out a lot better than I thought.¡±


    Isaac ran his hand down his face. ¡°Is this what it feels like when I do something stupid?¡± He asked her.


    Lenna¡¯s laughter filled the small section of the tunnel. ¡°Yes.¡± She mirthfully replied. ¡°That is probably exactly how it feels.¡±


    ¡ª


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    ¡°Ori-Masa again.¡± Isaac whispered. The farther they had gotten from Safeharbor the more of the little fishmen they ended up sneaking past.


    ¡°They might be a problem on our way back.¡± Lenna warned.


    Isaac nodded in agreement. ¡°I want to get a bounty for them before we go wiping them out.¡±


    The pair continued sneaking around most enemies, only fighting when they had too or to take another creature¡¯s den for the night. Eventually they got close enough that Isaac could feel their target. ¡°She¡¯s close.¡± Isaac whispered suddenly.


    ¡°How close?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°Half a mile maybe.¡± Isaac guessed. ¡°She feels¡­ odd.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac thought for a moment. ¡°She¡¯s about as strong as Jala I think, no dark magic so it¡¯s easier to get a read on her.¡± He began. ¡°She feels like she is a darker creature type than dark elves.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°You should know enough to know why.¡±


    Isaac hummed in thought. ¡°It¡¯s deeper somehow¡­ Also I feel like my perception of her is being dulled by something.¡±


    Lenna stopped walking. ¡°That confirms it.¡± She told him. ¡°It has to be Shaeo''ahna. No other local drider should be using concealment magic that thoroughly.¡±


    ¡°You think she has some level of soul shrouding like my ring?¡± Isaac asked to which Lenna nodded.


    ¡°If you can feel her then that means that either your ability is stronger than her magic or¡­¡± Lenna let the implication hang.


    ¡°We are inside the bounds of the ritual.¡± Isaac finished for her.


    ¡°We need to be more careful.¡± Lenna told him.


    ¡°If we are inside the ritual then that means we already passed some webs right?¡± Isaac asked. He hadn¡¯t seen any webs yet which was concerning at best. Lenna nodded in agreement. ¡°If I start blasting mana out then she will definitely know we are here.¡±


    Isaac felt a chill run down his spine and he felt like someone was staring at the back of his neck. He spun around and drew his sword but the feeling never left. Even facing the opposite way he felt like the eyes were boring into the back of his neck. ¡°What is it?¡± Lenna asked while drawing her sword and looking around.


    ¡°Something is watching me.¡± Isaac replied.


    Lenna had an idea of what might be causing the feeling. ¡°What does it feel like?¡± She asked and Isaac explained it. ¡°Focus your will on reinforcing yourself. On the you that exists in the world.¡± Lenna tried to explain.


    It took Isaac a bit to sort of get what she meant. Once Lenna felt the area that was Isaac start to solidify magically speaking she told him to relax and then throw everything he had at it. He raised an eyebrow at her but didn¡¯t ask why. He did as he was told and he felt like his will partially rebounded off of something. He shook his head and then shivered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like that.¡± He told her.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t do it hard enough.¡± She explained. ¡°Try again.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± He replied and tried again a few more times. ¡°What am I supposed to be feeling?¡± He asked, getting somewhat irritated.


    ¡°Like you are flexing and breaking out of a block of ice.¡± She thought about her analogy for a second. ¡°Maybe a suit of glass¡­¡± She was having trouble fully explaining something that was so intuitive to her.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°It feels like I keep smashing my forehead against a window that won¡¯t break.¡± He explained.


    ¡°Let me help you.¡± Lenna told him. She let her aura out and blanketed him in it. She didn¡¯t direct it at him but simply let it cover their area. ¡°Now try again.¡±


    Isaac felt an adrenaline spike as her aura covered him. The feeling he got was like staring down a volcanic eruption or a raging dragon. He pushed as much of the feeling as he could out of the way and focused. When he tried again he felt Lenna¡¯s aura join him and push outwards from inside him and solidify the edges of his person in the same motion. Combined her aura and his willpower clashed with whatever was affecting him and he felt the feeling Lenna was describing. It was like bursting out from underwater only across his whole body in equal measure. In that moment the feeling that someone was watching him disappeared.


    Isaac breathed a sigh of relief and Lenna withdrew her aura. ¡°Your aura is intense.¡± He commented. He didn¡¯t realize it but he had an almost crazed grin on his face when said it.


    Lenna noticed. She knew that he seemed to lack self preservation instincts. It always seemed like he lacked fear. Almost like it had been removed or trained or beaten out of him. Instead of fear he replied with either excitement or anger in almost every situation. The only time that she could remember that he showed actual fear was when he was handcuffed to a cell wall. Lenna simply nodded in reply to his statement about her aura.


    ¡°So what was that anyway?¡± He asked after having taken a moment to calm his breathing and beating heart from Lenna¡¯s aura.


    ¡°Scrying.¡± She replied simply. ¡°Someone was watching you via magic.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Doesn¡¯t the fact that I could feel it defeat half the purpose?¡± He asked.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°You are sensitive to it. Not everyone is.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m sensitive to it because of my own similar ability?¡± He questioned.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No.¡± She replied. ¡°You just have sharp instincts.¡±


    Isaac winced. ¡°That¡¯s the only counter to scrying? Sharp instincts?¡±


    ¡°Sharper instincts than the caster¡¯s power.¡± She explained.


    ¡°How do you even gauge that?¡± Isaac asked. Lenna just shook her head as she had no idea, she only knew how it worked not the specifics or why as that was the field of wizards. ¡°What about the thing you made me do to get rid of it?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°Basic Savings Throw use.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Savings Throw?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°That is an odd term.¡±


    ¡°You throw your will against a spell to save yourself from the effect.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°It always made sense to me.¡±


    Isaac thought about her explanation. It made enough sense but for some reason the term just felt weird. Like it was a rule in a game or something and in some way not real or realistic. He shook his head to clear it as the more he thought about the worse of a building headache he got.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Isaac tried to get back on track. ¡°Do you think that was Shaeo or someone else watching me?¡± He asked.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No idea.¡± She confessed. ¡°It could have been Jala or another high level mage.¡± She explained. ¡°There¡¯s no way to tell.¡±


    Isaac frowned in thought. ¡°Should I start blasting magic to dispel any illusions or wait?¡±


    Lenna¡¯s eyes searched the tunnel. She had no idea. There were too many people who could be trying to spy on them for her to have enough confidence in the assumption that it was the drider. The worse case was that it wasn¡¯t her and Isaac blasting mana would alert her to their presence prematurely. ¡°It¡¯s up to you.¡± She told him. ¡°It¡¯s a gamble either way.¡±


    ¡°Do you trust my luck?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna smirked at him. ¡°I told you before. Betting against you is a good way to lose.¡±

 Chapter 41 Bait.

    Chapter 41 Bait.


    ¡°Before we get to that¡­¡± Isaac said bashfully. He pulled the ring of protection from divination out of his Inventory and put it on. Lenna looked at him with clear amusement on her face though she gracefully didn¡¯t say anything about it. ¡°Thank you.¡± Isaac told her after it was clear that she wasn¡¯t going to comment on the slip up.


    Lenna nodded and hummed in agreement as a way to say ¡®Your welcome.¡¯ ¡°So?¡± She asked.


    Isaac furrowed his brows in thought. ¡°Let¡¯s go with the stealthier approach for now.¡± He told her. He summoned a long rod of shadows that was dense enough to be used as a weapon. He grabbed it with one hand and let the other end fall to the ground. He started walking, pushing the one end across the ground as he went.


    Lenna followed behind. ¡°To search for webs?¡± She asked.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°And to trigger any traps at a hopefully safe distance.¡± He explained.


    ¡°What about those scrolls of Shroud that we picked up?¡± Lenna asked. If they were going to sneak there were plenty of ways to help that.


    ¡°I have a plan.¡± Isaac told her but did not elaborate. ¡°For now, let¡¯s just see how far we can get without her coming out to meet us.¡±


    Lenna looked at Isaac sidelong. ¡°Very well.¡± She replied and the pair continued in silence as they slowly got closer to the spider¡¯s nest.


    A few minutes later Isaac¡¯s staff got stuck on seemingly nothing. Immediately after there was a snap and a light gust of wind. They couldn¡¯t see what had made the sound but something had obviously moved extremely fast while being a little too close for comfort. Isaac swallowed. ¡°That¡¯s one trap¡­¡± He commented.


    ¡°New.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°The ex-Coins would have destroyed almost all of them.¡±


    Isaac nodded in agreement. ¡°I¡¯m sur¡­ She¡¯s coming.¡± Isaac focused and pulled as much raw mana out of himself as he could and held it in front of and to the sides of himself. He took a long deep breath. He shoved forwards with all of the mana at his disposal sending a veritable tsunami of power rolling down the tunnel. Much of the mana dissipated naturally as it went but some of it was forced into the drider silk that was lining the tunnel and set up in traps. The illusion of invisibility that was making the traps deadly was quickly squashed under the immense magical weight that Isaac had brought to bear. He staggered from the exertion.


    Lenna caught his shoulder. ¡°Now what?¡± She asked. If Shaeo was already on the way then they would soon be in for the fight of their lives.


    ¡°Shroud yourself.¡± He told her while trying to regain his balance. ¡°Then wait for an opening and end her in one hit.¡± He explained.


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    ¡°What about you?¡± Lenna asked urgently. They were on a timer that Lenna herself couldn¡¯t see and Isaac could only feel.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be bait.¡± He replied with a grin that let her know that he was both serious and excited for it. Lenna opened her mouth to argue. ¡°Do it now. She is almost here.¡± He ordered and drew his sword.


    Lenna pulled out the scroll from her bottomless bag and opened it while infusing mana into the paper. The best part about scrolls was that all they were missing was mana to function so they would be cast nearly silently and they didn¡¯t require the user to understand the spell nor know the spell chant for it. One of the downsides was if someone had a scroll for something like fireball it would have a preset distance and one would have to aim the back of the scroll itself at the target and hope that it went where the user wanted it to go. With a spell like Shroud it was easy because the spell was simply set to work on the user of the scroll.


    Lenna vanished and took a few steps to the side, now careful not to step on any of the lines of silk that were strewn across the ground. She drew her sword and waited. She hoped that Isaac¡¯s plan would work but Lenna knew how well plans liked to hold up against first contact. ¡®He better not get himself killed from this.¡¯ Lenna grumbled internally.


    ¡ª


    Eight legs moved silently down the tunnel. Something had just released a massive amount of power much too close to her nest for her liking. The power was dark and she felt drawn to it as if some being had just descended, or maybe even ascended, right next to her home. Whoever this was, either they were going to make her day or regret theirs. Nothing save for Father himself could enter her territory and leave unscathed. Not even a dragon. She was sure of that.


    Soon she was drifting through the remnants of the wave of power. Her skin and exoskeleton tingled from the feeling. All of her webs were visible now which was unfortunate but in her defense she hadn¡¯t expected an explosion of power at that magnitude to even be possible by anything that might live near her. She stopped abruptly, the webbing on the tips of her feet that made her steps silent prevented her from skidding. Standing in the middle of her tunnel was a¡­ a ¡°Human¡­¡± She purred. Nothing made any sense. There was no way that a human could have the kind of power that she felt. Maybe it was the human¡¯s god¡¯s power. Yes. Yes, that made sense. The human must have called upon its god to sweep away her illusion.


    Her eyes were darting around. Something felt wrong. Her instincts never lied. Unfortunately her vision was going bad in her old age. The gray film over her retinas made picking out small details impossible. Her ears were sharp though and her legs even sharper. She shifted so she could place a leg onto each of eight different taut lines of silk. If there was something else there she would feel or hear it before it could make a move. The human spoke: ¡°You¡¯re supposed to offer me to step into your parlor.¡±


    She tilted her head abruptly in confusion. Nonsense. It had to be nonsense. It showed little fear. Amusement. Excitement. Joy? Something was wrong. The human felt much too weak to be acting in such a way. She had not lived as long as she had by being stupid. She knew that she should have moved as soon as the humans had learned of her nest¡¯s location. Her fingers flexed around the hilt of her dragon bone blade. Her shoulders shifted and with the movement she felt some of the plates of dragon bone wrapped in silk, that she had turned into her makeshift armor, shift. The air grew tense but neither side made a move.


    She sniffed the air. The scents were too complex to be from just one person. She wanted to close her eyes to help focus her hearing but she was wary of doing so with a human only twenty feet in front of her. The fact that it hadn¡¯t moved an inch only made her even more wary. ¡°Why, are, you, here?¡± She asked slowly. Speech was a tool that she rarely used but this occasion seemed to warrant it.


    ¡°Someone is paying me a lot of money¡­ well¡­ a decent sum of money to remove you.¡± The human told her.


    ¡°Why?¡± She asked. She felt drawn to the being but also felt immense danger from it. The duality only made her even more wary. If it was willing to let her go she would move nests if it asked her to. It was always better to avoid fights that one was not certain that they would win.


    ¡°They don¡¯t like how close you are to a trade route.¡± It smiled at her. ¡°And the drow seem to revere you, so for them, that is a good enough reason.¡± It explained.


    She thought about its words. ¡°Why, haven¡¯t, you, attacked?¡± She questioned. It could see all of her traps. She had only managed to get half a dozen of them back up and one was already triggered.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you?¡± The human asked in return. Answering a question with a question was not something mortals should do to a higher being like herself. The fact that this human didn¡¯t seem to understand that fact grated on her nerves but she simply lowered herself a little in preparation to lunge.


    She finally understood what the feeling she felt meant. She locked eyes with the human and voiced the answer to its question: ¡°You, are, bait.¡±

 Chapter 42 Kin.

    Chapter 42 Kin.


    Shaeo spoke her answer with such certainty that Isaac was sure that the plan had been made. ¡®Shit.¡¯ He cursed internally. ¡®Play it cool and hope for the best.¡¯ Isaac kept his face neutral. ¡°While I have you here I have some questions that only you can answer.¡± He told the creature before him.


    She was a spider the entire way until where a spider¡¯s head should be. From there the hips of a dark elf began tilted upwards at a sharp angle. Her elvish body was mostly covered in spider silk that was clearly covering something hard but it was impossible to tell what without cutting it open. Her long unkempt hair fell both in front and behind her torso. Traces of dirt and blood were evident. Her hair was pure black. Her skin, a gray of wet stone just like the color of her spider exoskeleton. Her eyes looked like they had been black at one time but were now cataract. Her sword was the same size as her torso and her muscles were obvious even through her armor.


    The thing that really set in the thought that she was merely a monster was the sudden and jerky movements that she made. Every time she moved it was like her body was trying to get into whatever the next position was at the fastest speed possible. There was no elvish grace, not even spider-like fluidity, it was uncanny. She was right about one thing, she was more than any mere mortal, at least in terms of physical power.


    Shaeo continued to look around for where the ambusher would come from. She was careful not to move more than necessary as she had no way of knowing what kind of ambusher it would be. The worst case was a mage waiting for her so it could set off some precast trap. Mortal magic was far different from drider magic. ¡°Speak.¡± She ordered Isaac.


    ¡°If I offered you to join me, would you?¡± Isaac asked. He needed to know if Dri¡¯El actually had the kind of power over the driders that Lenna thought he had. ¡°You might have to fight the drow on occasion but I guarantee it will be easier than fighting me.¡±


    Shaeo¡¯s head jerked slightly at his words and then tilted slightly again. The jerky movements were off putting. She seemed to hesitate for a long moment. ¡°No.¡± She eventually replied.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Isaac asked. The fact that she still hadn¡¯t attacked meant that he still had an opportunity to learn from this monster.


    ¡°Father, not, allow, fighting, kin.¡± She explained in her jerky speech that mimicked her body.


    ¡°Kin?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have to fight other driders.¡±


    ¡°Not, sisters. Kin.¡± She clarified.


    Isaac nodded in understanding. For the drider, dark elves were like extended family but the other driders were always siblings. He wondered if it was actually because all driders had the same father or not. ¡°What if you never had to fight dark elves either?¡± He asked.


    ¡°No, work, for, human.¡± She replied. ¡°I, no, hunt, human. You, leave?¡± She actually managed to add the inflection to the last word to make her question clear. Her speech was starting to get more fluid the more she spoke almost as if she was relearning how to talk from watching and listening to Isaac.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°That might work with someone else but you are worth a lot of money. I was expecting to leave with my body weight in your silk.¡± He exaggerated but he didn¡¯t know if she knew about weights and measures. ¡°If you stay away from humans and give me that much silk, I¡¯ll leave peacefully and never return, unless you break your part of the deal.¡± That much silk would make him enough gold to buy a small town. It was worth failing the bounty if she agreed.


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    She hesitated again. Jerking her head to the side almost as if she was listening for something or trying to remember an incredibly old memory. ¡°No.¡± She eventually said. ¡°Father said, humans, no silk.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Would he kill you if you disobeyed?¡± Isaac asked. That got a reaction out of her.


    Her face showed emotion for the first time. Fury and wrath. She showed her incisors in a snarl. ¡°You, would, have, us, disobey, Father?¡± She accused.


    Isaac barely kept his smile from his face. ¡°No.¡± He lied. ¡°I was just curious if he would kill you for doing it.¡±


    Her stance lowered again. Her hand gripped her sword tighter. ¡°Leave.¡± She ordered him.


    Isaac grinned. The interaction with the drider was far deeper than he was expecting. She was smart but everyone had triggers. Questioning Dri¡¯El was hers. He figured that he had hit the nail on the head. Dri¡¯El would kill any drider who disobeyed him. Unfortunately he would never know for sure as they were both preparing to engage.


    Lenna was sweating. She had been as still as possible. Careful not to breathe too deeply or too loudly. She was definitely going to get a level from this. There was no way that her broken oath wouldn¡¯t flare with rage from what she was about to do. She grinned at the thought. ¡®I bet Isaac wished he could level from pissing people off.¡¯ She thought to herself. ¡®Even if they are all long dead.¡¯


    Isaac shrouded himself in shadows. His voice deepened as the adventurer Isaac Wexler was replaced by the Lord of Darkness. ¡°Make me.¡± Isaac felt the webs try to suck up his shadows but he easily reined them back in. Shaeo became perfectly still. It was as if she had stopped breathing. She didn¡¯t blink. Every part of her body was ready to spring.


    ¡ª


    Shaeo¡¯ahna knew that he was prodding her to make the first move. She wanted to. She needed to. She felt the compulsion of Father to kill the blasphemer. She also knew that half measures would lead to certain death. The human turned into a shadow elemental right in front of her. It was at that moment that she realized that the power she had felt before was his and not his god¡¯s. The human in front of her was not like any of the countless other humans she had fought, killed, and eaten in her long life. She had no way to know how old she was exactly but she never really cared. She wished that she knew at that moment. She wanted to know how many days of her life had led to this confrontation. Her instincts were telling her that she wouldn¡¯t live to see the next day, not that she had ever seen the sun in the first place.


    She couldn¡¯t hold back anymore so she leaned into it. She launched at her full strength towards the human. She brought her sword down hard. The human turned to the side and her blade struck stone. It had only moved one foot to behind the other one. She had fought another with this kind of skill before. That human had cost her a leg only for him to escape. She reached forwards to grab it with her other hand while stabbing down towards its feet with her closest leg. It was at that moment that she realized the trap had been sprung.


    She had been so focused on the human that it had taken her a full second to realize that one of her kin had just appeared. What happened next surprised her even more than the human dodging her attack with ease. Her kin cast magic on her. She felt it but heard no chant. She only saw a sheet of parchment disintegrate in its hand. She instantly felt herself become more vulnerable. She knew this feeling from the same human that had taken her leg. She knew that the kin now knew all of her weak points. Every opening in her armor, both natural and made.


    The human slipped under her grasp while dancing their feet away from her stabbing leg. She thrust her sword at the human and heard the familiar sound of bone on steel but she couldn¡¯t see the sword through the shadows. She knew that the human would try to counter attack so she yanked her sword hand hard to the left to interpose the weapon between herself and the human. Sure enough his blade had tried to lash out but was instead stopped dead on contact with her larger weapon. She outclassed him in strength, resilience, experience, and speed. Unfortunately it had one of her kin working for it.


    Anger boiled up within her and she shifted focus just as the kin tried to hit her with a flaming sword. She blocked it with her blade and then shot her closest leg out towards the human to keep it at bay while she ended the traitor. She attacked the traitor relentlessly. Pushing it back along the wall only to feel an attack incoming. Her instincts were the only thing that warned her of the attack. She ducked her head behind her shoulder just as a sharp metal object impacted it.


    She felt mana move. Power built around the human and she couldn¡¯t leave it be any longer. She turned to see a void of darkness open up behind the human and a dragon made of bones leap out. The dragon was small so it didn¡¯t worry her. What worried her was the immense amount of mana that had been compressed into a spear that the human held in one hand over and behind its head. Whatever that spear was going to do it had enough mana to do it. She abruptly shifted target to the human. She took a few quick steps towards it and swung horizontally. She knew that horizontal attacks were more effective against swordsmen like the human. They lacked the strength to meet her attack and were forced to dodge backwards. Her blade passed through it. It hadn¡¯t even tried to dodge. A thought ran through her head. ¡®No resistance.¡¯

 Chapter 43 Damned Dragon

    Chapter 43 Damned Dragon


    Isaac had known that Shaeo would be fast. What he wasn¡¯t expecting was for her to cover the twenty feet between them in a hair¡¯s breadth over a second. He barely managed to twist out of the way of her first attack as Lenna cast Mark of the Hunter using one of the scrolls they had ¡®acquired¡¯ from the leader of the Crimson Coins. They had only been fighting for three seconds and he was already completely aware that he was no match for the monster before them. He knew that he was the side character of this engagement. The real players would be Lenna and Shaeo with himself and Kahtesh only really serving to distract the drider.


    Right when Isaac felt like he was about to need to teleport away Shaeo abruptly switched targets to Lenna and started pressuring her even harder than she had been pressuring him. It quickly looked like Lenna was about to get backed up the entire length of the tunnel until she would stumble into a trap when Isaac decided to go all in. Well, almost all in.


    Isaac summoned Kahtesh while pulling a large chunk of his mana out and into a massive spear like the one he had used on the previously mentioned dwarf¡¯s vault door. He knew that the odds of the spear working on the drider were low but low was not nonexistent. She felt what he was doing and turned to remove him. She once again covered the distance far faster than any being had any right to move. Isaac knew that he had no chance to dodge the wide swing. He focused on bringing the spear with him. He vanished and appeared on the other side of the drider next to Lenna and threw it with everything he had.


    The party watched Shaeo¡¯s sword cleave through Isaac¡¯s shadowcloak that had been left behind an instant after he had left. Kahtesh opened his mouth and Lenna charged. She threw the entire weight of her aura against the drider. Her aura didn¡¯t even faze the ancient being who turned to bat the spear off course. Her sword slammed into Isaac¡¯s spear and Isaac felt himself be forcefully shoved to the side. He was so anchored to his spear both mentally and magically that when it was thrown into the wall from Shaeo¡¯s swing he was pushed a whole foot in the same direction.


    Lenna¡¯s blade met Shaeo¡¯s in the next instant as the drider continued to fight both of them. The momentum was clearly in the drider¡¯s favor as she was going back and forth between pushing Isaac and then Lenna back. She couldn¡¯t land a decisive blow which was why both of them were still alive. Thunder rolled and lightning crackled. A lightning bolt from Kahtesh impacted Shaeo¡¯s back and she hissed. Her armor steamed and her face contorted in pain but she didn¡¯t slow. The odd thing was that the lightning bolt didn¡¯t pass through her. It was as if the entire thing was absorbed by her armor¡¯s silk and distributed. There was no way the feeling of a lightning bolt being distributed across one''s entire torso was a pleasant experience.


    Lenna, while continuing to barely hold her own, offered a suggestion: ¡°Her legs.¡± She grunted out while blocking a heavy horizontal swing with her entire left side and getting tossed a foot to the side with the blow.


    Isaac vanished and teleported. While invisible he directed Kahtesh to keep charging and to aim for Shaeo¡¯s spider body as it wasn¡¯t covered in silk. He swung at one of her knees but was thwarted by it suddenly moving. Her legs were all in constant motion making it impossible to purposefully hit her knees. He opted to just swing and hope he got lucky. With each swing he would hit a leg and then have to teleport out of the way of another leg¡¯s stab at where he had just been. She couldn¡¯t follow him but she always seemed to know exactly where he had attacked from.


    Fortunately Isaac¡¯s interference was keeping Lenna from being pushed back as hard and she was able to keep her distance from the traps that were on the floor. Isaac teleported away from finishing another failed attack just as Kahtesh¡¯s next lightning bolt hit Shaeo. The drider had seen it coming at the last moment and somehow managed to get her sword in the path of attack. The lightning was deflected slightly while searing a web of black scorch marks into the weapon.


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    Lenna couldn¡¯t capitalize on the opening because Shaeo was already back to attacking her relentlessly. The incredibly short reprieve had only given her enough time to get her feet back under her. Isaac took the opportunity to trigger one of the traps with a staff made of shadows. The staff was picked up and a trio of wider nooses snapped closed right in front of him. This time his staff had been caught in the full trap. The weapon was bent into a zigzag in an instant. The force was so abrupt that Isaac lost full control of the weapon and it fell apart. He gulped but quickly turned his attention back to helping Lenna fight the drider.


    The fight continued for a few more extremely similar exchanges until it was clear that Shaeo was going to hold out longer than Lenna¡¯s mana. Lenna had to use mana with each strike, block, and parry just to keep up with Shaeo¡¯s monstrous strength. Isaac appeared behind Lenna without his shadowcloak. ¡°Block her.¡± He ordered and poured death mana into Lenna with as high a density as he could manage.


    Lenna did as she was told and met each of Shaeo¡¯s attack with one of her own so the swords would clash blade to blade. She felt her body go from barely holding itself together to being energized beyond belief. Even in the middle of combat she barely contained a groan from the combination of a rush, all of her physical exhaustion vanishing, and all of her pain disappearing simultaneously.


    Isaac had meditated. He knew what proper mana flow was supposed to feel like. He also knew that mana didn¡¯t have to stay inside a person¡¯s mana pathways. If it did then he couldn¡¯t sweat shadows like he did to teleport instantly or leave a trail of shadowy fog behind himself. Rather than letting his death mana do as it pleased and flow through Lenna¡¯s pathways away from the point of contact he directed it. He could feel it move inside of her so now he just had to infuse its power into her properly.


    Isaac had had an idea. Not a very good idea but an idea. He theorized that the reason warrior¡¯s could get physically stronger than mages was because of mana. Specifically, a warrior who practiced with a light weapon like a rapier could hit harder than a smith who pounded metal all day or a logger who cut down trees for a living. That fact had never made any sense to Isaac until he had had an epiphany. What if the mana in a warrior¡¯s body simply moved with their muscles? If that was the case then every attack would carry with it the warrior¡¯s magical weight. The problem was that most warrior¡¯s couldn¡¯t feel mana. Lenna could however and she had told him that her mana did move internally when she attacked but only slightly and she often had to fight the movement in order to cast a spell while fighting. But Lenna wasn¡¯t a warrior, she was a paladin. What if for warriors it was even more extreme, so extreme in fact that it made their every attack more deadly via pure magical weight.


    Isaac had no idea how to properly test this theory until he was being pushed to his limits by the drider. He felt his heart pound in his veins. He felt his muscles contract as hard and fast as they could just so he could keep up. He also felt his mana not move at all with his movement. Unlike with Lenna, his class wasn¡¯t supposed to give him strength. For Isaac this was only more evidence towards proving his theory correct. Now? Now he was going to bet both of their lives on his theory.


    The power that Isaac poured into Lenna spread out and pressed into the same place as her muscles. It was unpleasant. She felt like she was bloated but in her muscles instead of her stomach. She felt sluggish but then she noticed that the attack that she had barely managed to meet with her own sword was stopped dead. It was harder for her to move but it was also harder for her to be moved. It wasn¡¯t an optimal position to be in but it wasn¡¯t any worse than before.


    Isaac felt her muscles, he felt the fibers and how they moved. He smiled. Death mana started to move laterally with Lenna¡¯s muscles as she moved. Slowly at first and then steadily quicker. As the mana sped up, so did Lenna¡¯s movements. Soon Lenna was meeting Shaeo¡¯s attacks with only her own physical strength and Isaac¡¯s enhancement. Shaeo was no longer winning.


    Lenna¡¯s body burned. She felt her muscles trying to tear themselves apart but Isaac¡¯s power refused to let it happen. She was stronger than any dark elf she had ever known. She felt like she could wrestle a giant. The bloated feeling had been slowly replaced with a burning pain from her muscles being forced to work well above their means. She felt her joints almost break with each clash but that was fine. As long as her body held up enough for her to hit back she could keep up their current pace until Isaac ran out of mana.


    Isaac had cut all mana expenditure not towards Lenna or keeping Kahtesh functional. Even still he felt his mana slowly dwindling. All of his mana regeneration was going towards Lenna so the little bit that his eyes and Kahtesh required was coming out of his reserves. His reserves that hadn¡¯t been refilled at all since the shadowspear. He could only hope that he could hold out longer than the drider.


    Shaeo knew what was happening. She also knew that as long as Isaac continued pouring power into Lenna neither of them could move quickly. This left their third party member open. That damned dragon that kept throwing lightning around.

 Chapter 44 Greedy.

    Chapter 44 Greedy.


    The duo watched as Shaeo jumped backwards and then whirled on Kahtesh. Isaac assumed she would go for a quick guaranteed kill via heavy overhead smash like she had tried to do to him at the beginning of the fight. ¡®Right!¡¯ Isaac yelled at Kahtesh mentally. Kahtesh understood the intent behind the word and threw his head to his right a split second before the blow came crashing down. Kahtesh¡¯s body exploded from the impact. Bones were blasted across the tunnel. Isaac focused and cut the power that was flowing into Kahtesh in hopes that Shaeo would leave what was left of him alone.


    Isaac knew instinctively that Kahtesh¡¯s skull was the only important part. The rest he had grown anyway so as long as the skull remained Kahtesh could be regrown. Kahtesh¡¯s skull was tossed across the ground but managed to avoid being blown to bits by the blow thanks to Isaac¡¯s quick thinking and the dragon¡¯s microsecond reaction time. Shaeo seemed to stare at the skeletal fragments for a moment to make sure that they weren¡¯t going to continue moving before she turned back to engage the other two. She squared off against them. Isaac diverted the slightest amount of incoming mana from the stream that was pouring into Lenna to refill his reserves. At that rate it would take Isaac an hour to refill but he couldn¡¯t risk Lenna not being at a high enough power level to trade blows with the drider.


    ¡°Kahtesh?¡± Lenna asked Isaac quietly.


    ¡°Out but not permanently.¡± Isaac whispered back.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Reserves?¡±


    Isaac could feel his focus slipping slightly. It was incredibly difficult to keep guiding the mana that was going through Lenna¡¯s body. It was like trying to write two different words at the same time with both hands. There was simply too much going on to keep it up and even when it was working he could tell that it wasn¡¯t working nearly as well as it could be. ¡°Low but stable.¡± He replied.


    ¡°How long can you keep this up?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac huffed a laugh. ¡°Longer if you stop talking to me.¡± He replied honestly. ¡°Not long.¡±


    Lenna nodded again then fully focused on Shaeo who had simply been observing them. She was taking the moment to try to figure out how Isaac was boosting Lenna¡¯s power so much. ¡°Why, no attack?¡± She asked Isaac simply. The amount of power Isaac was using was immense and Shaeo could feel it. She couldn¡¯t understand why it wasn¡¯t being used to try and overwhelm her and was instead only being poured into Lenna where it seemed to have barely any effect. The effect itself was very noticeable but was not nearly as strong as the amount of mana would indicate.


    Isaac didn¡¯t answer. Lenna could feel his intense focus and she could also feel some of the mana currents inside of her body randomly start to slow down before abruptly going back to normal. ¡°Shaeo¡¯ahna,¡± Lenna addressed. ¡°Eventually all mortal beings must die.¡± She nodded to the drider resolutely. ¡°It is your time.¡±


    Shaeo didn¡¯t move. She simply waited for Lenna¡¯s next move. ¡°Throw it.¡± Isaac whispered in Lenna¡¯s ear and vanished. He was about to do something that he knew he shouldn¡¯t have been able to do. He was sure that Lenna¡¯s body wouldn¡¯t take it very well either.


    Isaac appeared in mid air and swung at Shaeo¡¯s neck from behind. She turned and swung behind her like she could see the future. Isaac barely teleported back to behind Lenna in time to not get bisected. Meanwhile Lenna was getting ready to launch her sword at Shaeo¡¯s chest. Isaac reappeared and wrestled control over the mana that was inside of Lenna back. He forced the mana to move like he was directing a puppet on strings. Lenna¡¯s muscles tore but were quickly healed. She grit her teeth through the pain and launched her sword.


    Shaeo turned back to counter Lenna as she felt the power spike from Lenna throwing the weapon. Her own sword was raised expecting the follow-up attack to Isaac¡¯s to also be aimed at her head as the rest of her was heavily armored. Her surprise at the target being her navel caused her to barely be able to get her sword down in time to knock the other sword away. She would have let it hit but she noticed the trailing flames and instantly she knew that it would have ignited her armor while she was wearing it.


    Then, Shaeo felt it. She turned and ducked her head away from the sharp pain in her neck. She was fast enough that the sword had barely been able to cut her. The problem was that it had cut her. A thin line, an inch long, was pouring blood from the side of the drider¡¯s neck. For the first time in the entire battle she had taken damage. Her left hand reached up to cover the wound. She needed to seal the wound. Drider silk was awful at keeping liquids out due to how soft it was. It had to be woven incredibly tightly in order to seal out water and she didn¡¯t have any like that with her. She had some back in her lair for just such an occasion. The problem was that in her haste to remove the dragon she positioned the duo in between herself and her nest.


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    She was stuck fighting with one hand. That would have been bad enough if the pair had let her catch her breath after the injury. They did not. Isaac appeared in front of her face mid stab. She swung up to remove him and he was gone again. Lenna was frozen in place while the thick death mana burned itself out healing back the injuries she had just sustained. It would take a few seconds as Isaac had fully relinquished control over it. Isaac was pushing himself as hard as he could both mentally and physically. Every teleport took him to somewhere near Shaeo while he made constant swings with only the strength in his arm as he had no ground for leverage. Even with one hand Shaeo was always ready to cut him in half. Neither of them succeeded in hitting the other.


    Isaac switched tactics for his last few teleports. He was about to run completely out of mana while still fighting a literal legend. Instead of swinging his sword he started throwing the throwing spikes at her. She missed one and it scraped a line of blood across her cheekbone which only seemed to piss her off even more.


    Lenna could finally move again and she pulled out another scroll and threw mana into it. Three small prismatic marbles shot forth and slammed into Shaeo causing her to stagger and take a throwing spike through the tip of her ear. Her armor was starting to come apart from the reality magic that shot through the silk from the Stars of Doom. All of her armor seemed to shutter from the hit and some of the tightly tied knotts came undone.


    Isaac was done. He used his last teleport to fall behind Lenna. She took the moment that the stars had bought them to slide in and retrieve her sword. She started trading blows with Shaeo again. Both of them were much weaker as the more Shaeo was moving around the more blood she lost and with her one hand awkwardly on her neck she had lost a bit of dexterity. They were back to an even fight but, except for the lack of mana and tired aura, Lenna was good as new. Isaac took out his waterskin and splashed his face with it. He needed to focus.


    He shook his head and took a deep quick breath. ¡®Back to your roots Isaac.¡¯ He told himself and moved in to help Lenna. He continued to aim for Shaeo¡¯s knees but he knew that he lacked the power to really do any damage. Damage wasn¡¯t the name of the game for Isaac however. All he needed to do was help keep Lenna¡¯s momentum up. Slowly Shaeo started to slow more and more until finally she jumped back and decided to flee.


    Shaeo knew that she wasn¡¯t going to be able to get back to her nest. She also knew that her odds of surviving the neck injury were dropping quickly so she did what any logical fighter would. She tried to retreat. Lenna and Isaac weren¡¯t about to let that happen. The problem was that there wasn¡¯t really anything either of them could do to stop the drider. They both took off running down the tunnel after her. Isaac reopened his connection to Kahtesh and decided to just let the dragon slowly rebuild himself while they gave chase.


    Shaeo was fast. Far, far faster than any humanoid mortal. There was one thing that she seemed to forget however. The humanoid form was built for sustained, long distance, medium pace travel. Even worse for Shaeo was that Isaac could feel her at all times. He knew exactly which tunnel she took even without looking for the blood trail. Every time Shaeo thought she had lost them and could take a moment to rest, she heard Lenna¡¯s armor, and knew they were closing in again. This continued for three miles. Until, finally, Shaeo tripped.


    The impact was hard. All six hundred and eighty pounds of drider hit the cold stone ground. Her hand slipped off of her injury from the impact and more blood gushed out. It was then, through the fog of low blood pressure that she realized that the wound should have closed by itself after that long. Or at least it would have. A few images went through her memory. Images of Isaac¡¯s sword closing in on her face or neck from his teleporting spree. She realized that his blade was chipped and damaged across most of its length. All of the impacts with her own sword, her legs, and whatever else Isaac had fought with that sword had caused the blade to become a glorified saw.


    Isaac had made sure to take as good care of his sword as he could. He would sharpen it after every adventure but that didn¡¯t stop the notches from building up. He was brutal with his sword. The poor steel blade couldn¡¯t hold up with all the stone-like bone and exoskeletons that he slammed it against. By far the most damage it had taken in a single engagement had been with Shaeo¡¯s legs but it was about time for a new one. He had also gotten extremely lucky. When he cut into Shaeo¡¯s neck he had hit with a still mostly sharp part of his blade but when it drug across her, from her trying to get out of its way, one of the flanges, caused by an impact with Shaeo¡¯s leg, had caught and turned the wound jagged.


    For any mortal it called for stitches. For Shaeo it called for her death knell. Her inability to seal the wound along with her body not being able to keep up with the extreme endurance of Lenna, while fighting, and Isaac, while chasing her, simply stacked up until it was too much for her to bear. Isaac and Lenna eventually caught up to her. They watched her try to get up half a dozen times before her body simply stopped listening to her.


    ¡°We should, have just, lit her, on fire.¡± Lenna panted.


    Isaac swallowed dryly before taking out his water skin and lubricating his vocal cords enough to reply through his own deep breaths. ¡°It, worked out.¡± He got out.


    ¡°Greedy.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac agreed.


    The reason they hadn¡¯t was the amount of silk that was wrapped around her body and the amount that was strewn across the tunnel that they had been fighting in. Lenna wouldn''t even have thrown her flaming sword at Shaeo if she wasn¡¯t sure that the drider would attack the flying weapon causing the flames to get blasted apart by the impact. Between the silk and the dragon bone Shaeo was wearing a small fortune. If the tunnel they had been fighting in was anything to go by then she had stretched out another small fortune along a quarter of a mile of tunnel. One of those strands being lit on fire would have caused the entire thing to go up like a new year''s day bonfire complete with excessive use of lamp oil.


    The pair just stared at the dead and dying drider before them for a long moment as they caught their breath. ¡°That was an anticlimactic end.¡± Isaac commented while looking down on their quarry.


    ¡°I heard that is normal on the surface.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°It is common practice to wound prey like that.¡±


    ¡°Then they just spend the next half an hour chasing it down until it bleeds out or dies of exhaustion?¡± Isaac asked skeptically. ¡°That sounds like a massive waste of time.¡±


    Lenna looked at him with a deadpan expression. ¡°That is what your greed just made us do.¡± She reminded him coldly.


    ¡°Fair point.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°How do we get the armor off of her?¡±


    Lenna¡¯s look turned withering. ¡°We do not. I will figure it out.¡±


    Isaac turned to meet her gaze. ¡°What¡¯d I do?¡± He asked with his hands raised defensively.


    Lenna relaxed her face when she realized that Isaac actually didn¡¯t know before explaining: ¡°She¡¯s not wearing anything under it.¡±

 Chapter 45 Sorry.

    Chapter 45 Sorry.


    Lenna stabbed the drider in the back of the neck and then staggered a step. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Isaac asked and held her by the shoulder to steady her.


    ¡°I leveled up.¡± She told him through gritted teeth. She felt like her own mana was reseering its own pathways through her body. Usually a level up would wait until she was asleep. This time however she had done one of the most sacrilegious things she could think of and the power of her broken oath had flared beyond anything she had felt since she had broken it in the first place.


    Isaac just helped her stand for a long moment until the pain died down enough that she could work through it. ¡°You can take a bit to rest.¡± Isaac reminded her as she knelt down next to the fallen drider.


    ¡°I know.¡± Lenna told him. She wanted to keep the momentum going by stripping the drider and taking her head. After that they would take as much drider silk as possible and burn whatever they couldn¡¯t. It was the equivalent to raiding a temple and razing it afterwards. Dri¡¯El would not be happy. Her ancestors would be even more furious.


    Isaac nodded and picked up Shaeo¡¯s sword. ¡°Damn this thing is heavy.¡± He cursed while stashing it in Lenna¡¯s bottomless bag. The weapon, being made of solid bone, was a full twelve pounds. Considering most greatswords were around five to seven pounds it was truly monstrous. ¡°Do you remember the way back?¡± He asked Lenna.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°I think so.¡± She seemed only mostly sure which didn¡¯t inspire great confidence.


    Isaac sat down against the tunnel wall in a place where he wouldn¡¯t be able to see the front of the drider while Lenna struggled to get the armor off without being able to cut it. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for Kahtesh to heal up and come and get us.¡± He told her and decided to rest for a while.


    Eventually Kahtesh had been rebuilt enough via his passive healing from his connection to Isaac that he could walk so he found his way to the duo. Lenna had to struggle with the armor for far longer than either of them expected. It was tight. So tight in fact that Lenna ended up dislocating both of Shaeo¡¯s shoulders, complete with the sickening pop, in order to get it off.


    Once the armor was removed Lenna tossed it into the bottomless bag. She then cut off Shaeo¡¯s head and passed it to Isaac who put it in his Inventory. It was generally a better idea for Isaac to stash the messy things in there in order to make sure they didn¡¯t drip anywhere. The pair then followed Kahtesh back to where they had engaged Shaeo in their deadly battle. On the way back the duo continued talking. ¡°So?¡± Lenna asked. ¡°Want to talk about what you did?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Your mana.¡± Lenna clarified.


    ¡°Oh¡­ Sorry.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°For what?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac looked at her, searching for an emotion or expression on her face and finding nothing. ¡°That must¡¯ve hurt.¡±


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°Combat hurts. It was fine.¡± She responded.


    ¡°It must¡¯ve been uncomfortable having all that mana inside of you.¡± He continued.


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    ¡°Only at the beginning.¡± Lenna explained.


    ¡°At the end, I basically took control of your movement¡¯s. I wouldn¡¯t have wanted anyone to do that to me. It had to be incredibly disconcerting.¡± Isaac went on.


    ¡°It would have been. I was already trying to do what you made me do so it made no difference.¡± She replied.


    ¡°At the very least it was invasive.¡± Isaac shot back. He had no idea what she wanted from him. The way she had worded her initial statement sounded like she was looking for an apology and there was plenty to apologize for when it came to the technique that he had used on her but none of it seemed to matter to her.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes, I felt¡­ naked, with you guiding your mana through my entire body. It was much worse than usual.¡± She looked at Isaac. ¡°But it led to our victory so there is nothing to apologize for.¡±


    Isaac through his hands up in exasperation. ¡°Then why did you word it like that?¡±


    Lenna tilted her head in thought and then realized what Isaac had meant. She smiled at him. ¡°No reason.¡±


    Isaac almost tripped. She was being far too suspicious. He racked his brain for the rest of their trip back trying to understand her and coming up short. When she was back to normal a few minutes later Isaac finally realized that she had been messing with him from the start. ¡°You¡¯re mean.¡± Isaac grumbled.


    Lenna couldn¡¯t hold her straight face and started quietly chuckling at the comment. Once she was sure she could keep a mostly straight face she looked at him. ¡°Sorry.¡± She winked with a smile.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°You are always so serious that whenever you joke around I get blindsided.¡± He commented.


    ¡°Good.¡± Lenna replied.


    The pair spent a very long time trying to collect as much of the silk as possible. They also found that Shaeo rarely used the sticky version of her silk. Almost everything she did with it was in the thinner and less stretchy version. She only ever used sticky silk to tack the thinner version in place. They disarmed all of her traps and rolled much of it into spools around pitons using the sticky silk to help hold it in place while they wrapped it. The pair ended up spending the night in Shaeo¡¯s nest among the skeletons of her prey. They ended up just stuffing a massive tangled mess of it into the bottomless bag, as where she actually slept was a nest in the truest sense. It looked like a massive bird¡¯s nest made of silver thread and given structure with large bones of unknown monsters. They removed as many of the bones as they could and simply stuffed the rest of the nest into the bag as there was no easy way to take it apart.


    The next morning they headed home. Isaac had explained how his new skill worked to Lenna from his perspective and she explained it from hers. ¡°Do you think you could do it on yourself?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Not yet. Not all of me is converted and I don¡¯t want to melt my head off because I let some death mana get away from me.¡±


    Lenna nodded in agreement. ¡°What about afterwards?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why I couldn¡¯t.¡± He replied. ¡°I am getting worried about the rest of my pathway conversion.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m up to the top of my mouth and halfway down my thighs.¡± He tapped his temple. ¡°Messing with stuff that is inside your brain is scary.¡±


    Lenna looked at him with a raised eyebrow. ¡°You already did the base of your neck right?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah. Why?¡± He asked.


    She just blinked at him slowly. ¡°That is the most dangerous part. Any damage to your brain stem and your heart could stop. Permanently.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Oh yeah¡­ So you¡¯re telling me not to worry and just get it over with.¡± He surmised.


    ¡°Slowly and carefully. But yes.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Understood.¡± He replied with a wink.


    Lenna looked at him with confusion for a moment. ¡°Are you mocking me?¡± She asked.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.¡±


    Lenna stared at him for a long moment. ¡°I have no idea what you just said.¡± She explained.


    ¡°What?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°You switched languages again.¡± She informed.


    ¡°Was that a quote and that¡¯s why?¡± He thought aloud.


    Lenna left him to his contemplation until he inevitably clutched his head in pain. ¡°You know better.¡± She chastised.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± He grumbled but didn¡¯t argue her point.


    Most of the pair¡¯s journey back was uneventful. More dodging Ori¡¯Masa but, oddly enough, nothing went in search of the cause of the massive wave of dark mana that Isaac had made right before their big fight. It made Isaac wonder why but there was no clear answer. While walking Isaac felt Lenna¡¯s presence flare momentarily and then go back to normal. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°Scrying magic.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Again?¡± He asked.


    ¡°They probably couldn¡¯t find you.¡± She postulated.


    Isaac hummed in thought. ¡°We need to find out who is spying on us.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna replied.

 Chapter 46 Stronger Than Ever.

    Chapter 46 Stronger Than Ever.


    ¡°Isaac?¡± Lenna spoke to get his attention while they were continuing their trek back to Safeharbor, home.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He replied and glanced at her questioningly.


    ¡°What do you feel towards me?¡± She asked. It was a complex and loaded question. Lenna hadn¡¯t grown up in a place where love was a common feeling nor had she experienced it properly first hand. She knew that she felt something towards Isaac but her feelings were an unknowable tangled mess much like the drider¡¯s nest that was currently tossed into her bottomless bag. She partly wanted to know how Isaac saw love but also she wanted to make sure. She wanted to be completely sure that it wasn¡¯t just a simple attraction. That it was something deeper. ¡°Without flowery speech.¡±


    Isaac almost tripped at the question but after her follow up he smiled contentedly. ¡°Alright.¡± Their eyes met. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±


    Lenna nodded once. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Isaac took a deep breath and swallowed while trying to get his thoughts and words in order. ¡°I feel a need to be as close to you as I can be. I feel a desire to see you smile. I know that it is stupid but whenever you talk to someone else or another guy looks at you, I feel this compulsion to step between you. Being near you makes me feel warm but being away makes me feel cold, like something is missing.¡± He thought about the ¡®missing¡¯ feeling a bit longer. ¡°It is much like if you are used to wearing a pendant and then one day it is gone.¡± He nodded in agreement to his own analogy. ¡°I find myself talking less to myself and more to you even when I¡¯m alone, if that makes any sense. It¡¯s like I say it expecting you to hear even if you aren¡¯t there.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s eyes searched Lenna¡¯s face for a long moment. She nodded almost absently while processing Isaac¡¯s words. ¡°I think, I think I understand.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Those flowery words are necessary sometimes.¡± He commented. ¡°Your face brightens the room. Not literally of course but in my mind¡¯s eye you almost glow when I look at you sometimes. Those memories of your smiling face or you laughing always seem brighter than I know they are.¡± Isaac elbowed her gently. ¡°I know I¡¯m selfish so I¡¯ll just come out and say it. I want you to be happy with me. Yes, I want you to be happy¡­ but if you ever looked at someone how I want you to look at me I doubt they¡¯d survive the night.¡± Isaac was possessive. He usually tried to hide it somewhat but this was a true heart to heart so he wasn¡¯t going to hold anything back. His lack of care towards those he didn¡¯t specifically like didn¡¯t help his previous statement sound any less psychotic.


    Lenna nodded along. She had seen through him long ago. She also knew that if she wanted to have a relationship with him then it was something she would have to deal with. As things currently were she didn¡¯t have any male friends to worry about Isaac¡¯s¡­ nature¡­ but she would have to be wary in the future about getting close to any men. She had read enough romance novels to know that Isaac coming in at the wrong time and catching just the wrong look in her eyes could spell disaster even if there wasn¡¯t anything going on. If she was being honest with herself it was comforting in a way. She knew that he would always be there whenever she needed him as he wouldn¡¯t ever be far enough removed to let anyone else try to have her. For normal people in a normal relationship this probably wasn¡¯t healthy but neither of them were what anyone would call normal.


    ¡°So, if you don¡¯t choose me, you should¡­¡± Isaac felt his heart grow tight with what he was about to say. He felt his throat start to itch and breathing felt a little harder. ¡°leave my service, first.¡±


    Lenna could feel the weight of what Isaac had just told her like a backpack full of bricks. He was willing to let her go in order for her to be happy but he wouldn¡¯t be able to bear her being happy next to him. She would have to choose one day. Either be happy with him or leave him and be happy somewhere else. The only way for her to not have to choose would be to wait until Isaac lived out his natural life which, if he became a real demigod once he hit level twenty, might not ever happen. He had left her with a lot to unpack and a lot to meditate on. She doubted if she¡¯d be able to rest properly for a while but it was worth it. Hearing Isaac¡¯s true feelings, without any real attempts at flirting mixed in, was worth a few restless nights.


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    ¡ª


    The pair had finally returned to Safeharbor late into the day. They only had a few more hours before many of the shops closed up for the day so they decided to swing by the Guild Hall right away. ¡°Hey Alice.¡± Isaac greeted the receptionist in the usual way.


    The small woman looked up from her meal, she was eating at her desk as it was around dinner time, she smiled through a mouthful of food. She took a moment to swallow before greeting them in return. ¡°Hi. Finished with the drider bounty already?¡± She asked.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°It¡¯s going to be messy and expensive so we¡¯ll get something to eat too and then the three of us can sort it out. Yeah?¡± He suggested.


    Alice nodded. ¡°That works.¡± She replied and went back to digging in. A few minutes later the group found themselves in a back room a bit smaller than where they usually dumped their booty. The room was completely empty which was why Alice had chosen it. This way they could just dump everything on the floor and sort it out slowly.


    Lenna started pulling out everything that she knew of that was in the bottomless bag and handed it to Isaac who had decided to sit down against the wall. Each thing he would stash in his Inventory which quickly reached an uncomfortable weight. Once everything that was theirs was out of the bag Lenna, with the help of her boot, turned it inside out. The remaining contents were shunted out across the room and wound up in a heap that was even more tangled than when they had stuffed it all in to begin with.


    Alice staggered back a step. ¡°Is¡­ is all that drider silk?¡± She whispered.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied and started passing things back to Lenna. He had over a hundred extra pounds in his Inventory that he didn¡¯t want to be there. ¡°Unraveling it was not realistic.¡± He explained.


    Alice nodded slowly and reached for one of the spools that they had made. She ran her hand over it like it was a national treasure. She turned her head slowly to look at them. ¡°No one, and I mean no one, can know about this outside of the Guild Master and me.¡± She told them. ¡°Our security is good.¡± She panned her gaze across the king¡¯s ransom that was in the room and shook her head slowly. ¡°Not good enough to keep the type of thief that would go after this out, though.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Understood.¡± Lenna replied at the same time.


    Alice nodded in acknowledgement of their understanding. ¡°Good. We are going to have to call in a weaver or someone with the right magic for this. Maybe both. I don¡¯t foresee you getting paid for this quickly. Remember there is a ten percent cut for the guild if we do take care of everything.¡± She turned and locked eyes with Isaac. ¡°Ten percent of this is going to be a massive amount, Isaac. It might be cheaper for you to figure this out yourself.¡± She advised.


    Alice¡¯s honesty was a breath of fresh air and Isaac decided to reward it. Not because he was too lazy to figure it all out himself. Nope. Not at all. ¡°That¡¯s fine. I trust your work and connections.¡± He told her with a smile.


    Alice¡¯s eyes got a little wider and she swallowed. ¡°Alright.¡± She nodded more to herself than to anyone else. ¡°I¡¯ll get to work.¡± And get to work she did. She had a caster that was still in the guild use an Identify scroll on the drider¡¯s head for authenticity and then started tracking down contacts. Isaac and Lenna would get their bounty payout sent directly to their account the next day but the silk needed to be untangled and put onto real spools with their lengths listed and cataloged before Alice could find a good buyer. The entire process would take weeks by her estimations. Isaac and Alice had decided that it would be best to leave Kahtesh in the room with all the silk as an extra level of protection just in case any information about it got out.


    Isaac decided to keep the skull of the drider as his connection to it was far stronger than it had been to anything else¡¯s skull. He knew that this creature had been powerful on its own and that was why he felt such a strong connection to it. The stronger the creature, the stronger the connection. If the creature was dark in the first place then even more so. He wasn¡¯t sure if he had enough power to turn Shaeo into something like Kahtesh and even if he could he wasn¡¯t sure if he could have them both or not. Shaeo would be the logical choice as the power that she wielded in life was enough to push all three of them so she was bound to make a good familiar. The problem wasn¡¯t which one would be more effective, it was which one Isaac wanted. Kahtesh had grown on him. He had always liked the little dragon but the more time they spent together the more Isaac thought of him like a strange dog and less like a bone golem familiar hybrid.


    Isaac would be lacking some protection for the time being with Kahtesh guarding the silk but making sure his fortune wouldn¡¯t suddenly vanish overnight was worth it. The pair finally staggered back into the Celestial Dawn just as Celeste was closing the bar. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Celeste greeted them with a smile.


    ¡°More tired and stronger than ever.¡± Isaac replied with a yawn. He was looking forward to his soft bed.


    Celeste chuckled. ¡°Sleep well dears.¡± She bid them as farewell once they had started ascending the stairs to the second floor.

 Chapter 47 It’s True.

    Chapter 47 It¡¯s True.


    The next day came quickly for Isaac. Not so much for Lenna. There were so many feelings swirling around inside her it felt like a war of butterflies was going on, complete with blades and bloodshed. She wanted to respond to Isaac¡¯s feelings but much of what she was feeling she had never felt before and turning those feelings into words was proving to be far more difficult than she would have liked. So, instead of talking about it, she continued on, while sleep deprived, as if everything was normal. This, of course, didn¡¯t fool Isaac but he wasn¡¯t about to bring it up.


    The duo decided that it would be a good idea to leave Alice to her work and not bother her. Instead they had breakfast then went to spar. After their usual few rounds Lenna decided to enhance their training regime a bit. ¡°We should practice with you enhancing me.¡± She told him. ¡°Also, you need to become resistant to my aura.¡±


    Isaac nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. Which do you want to start with first?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Enhancement.¡± She replied and waited for him to do whatever he needed to do.


    Isaac moved around behind her and put his hand in between her shoulder blades. He took a deep breath and started working his mana into her muscles, bones, and tendons. It took him far longer than it did when they were in a life or death battle but it was also painless and there was almost none of the bloated feeling Lenna had experienced the first time. The problem was that it had taken Isaac almost thirty seconds to do it. ¡°Okay.¡± Isaac said and tried to step back. As soon as his hand left her back he felt his control slipping and he quickly replaced it.


    He tried a few more times to keep control without physical contact but with the same results. There was a large gap in his current ability compared to how skilled he needed to be to enact his skill without maintaining physical contact. After the fifteenth try Isaac let go and was breathing deeply. His brow was sweaty and his vision was blurring just from focusing too hard. ¡°Something to work towards.¡± Lenna encouraged. ¡°You¡¯ll get there soon enough.¡±


    Isaac nodded tiredly. ¡°Yeah.¡± He agreed.


    A few minutes later Isaac looked ready for whatever was next. ¡°Stand across from me and don¡¯t let my aura control you.¡± She instructed.


    Isaac did as he was told. He stood across from her and took a deep breath. ¡°Ready.¡± He told her.


    Lenna¡¯s aura blasted out and blanketed the area. She didn¡¯t focus it on Isaac but started him at about half strength. She watched as Isaac¡¯s eyes got a little wider, his casual stance lowered slightly and turned almost predatory, and worst of all his neutral face turned into a familiar grin. She could tell that he was already walking the razor¡¯s edge. ¡°Breathe.¡± She told him. ¡°Let the feeling wash over you instead of moving through you.¡± This was the real test. The first deep breath would be the most dangerous. During the first deep breath his body would relax slightly and in doing so he would be more susceptible to the fear effect.


    Isaac took a deep breath and Lenna saw something snap. It was like the Isaac she knew was quickly replaced by someone else. The casual mania she was used to was switched out for a predator¡¯s thrill of the hunt. It was like he went from mortal to tiger or dragon in an instant. His stance dropped farther and the ball of his one foot dug into the ground like he was preparing to pounce. Lenna thought about cutting off her aura right then but she wanted to know exactly how Isaac would act when completely under a magical fear effect. Usually a person was incapable of even moving towards the target of their unnatural fear. In many cases soldiers or adventurer¡¯s would train that limitation out to ensure they wouldn¡¯t get annihilated by a dragon on first contact. Even if a person was trained to resist it they would still have trouble powering through it as they advanced on the originator of the fear.


    Lenna¡¯s eyes went wide as she realized that something was actually wrong with Isaac. It wasn¡¯t that he was incapable of moving towards her under the fear effect but the opposite. He was actively holding himself back as much as he could. He completely lacked a flight response. While under a fear effect Isaac had to fight back against a fight response that wasn¡¯t dampened by a flight response whatsoever. Isaac lost his battle and lunged at Lenna. A sword made of shadows formed in his right hand and his left hand grew claws of burning void. Shadow was his weapon and death was its poison. His sword was coated in death flames a moment later. He didn¡¯t teleport or disappear. He didn¡¯t faint or try to come at her from an odd angle. There was no cunning behind his eyes.


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    Lenna cut her aura and stepped into Isaac causing their heads and chests to collide. His claws were stopped by her armor and his sword was deflected by pauldron. She hugged him and spoke quietly as his senses slowly returned. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± She told him. ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you.¡±


    He only struggled to escape her grasp for a few seconds before his brain caught up to what had happened. He took deep calming breaths in her arms and let his weapons fade away. He relaxed in her arms. ¡°Thank you.¡± He eventually got out. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ That was, difficult.¡±


    Lenna just nodded and rubbed his back. ¡°We need to be careful with training your resistance to it. If we aren¡¯t, you could forcibly gain a berserker level.¡± She explained and slowly let him go.


    Isaac leaned back to have his full weight back on his own two feet and looked into Lenna¡¯s eyes. He saw concern and thoughtfulness but nothing else. Isaac breathed a deep relaxing sigh as the tension continued to dissipate from his body. ¡°That can happen?¡± He asked.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°You are not normal.¡± She told him which received a chuckle as a response. ¡°I mean mentally. Your flight response is missing. I have heard of people receiving levels in classes forcibly in life and death situations. A powerful enough fear could make your body think it was going to die.¡±


    Isaac nodded slowly. His mind was clearing up far quicker than he expected. A strong adrenaline rush alone wasn¡¯t enough to remove his faculties but the magical fear seemed to strip him down to his core. The aftermath was unpleasant. In the moment nothing mattered except the target but after the fear wore off he felt¡­ wrong¡­ violated by his own body in a way. Like riding a runaway cart but worse because it was his own body. ¡°We need to continue working on this.¡± He told her. ¡°But gentler next time.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna replied with a curt nod.


    The pair did some more light sparring to help get the rest of the adrenaline out of his system and then returned to Celeste for lunch. They had stayed later than usual so they didn¡¯t have enough time to get cleaned up before eating. Sweat still clung to both of them heavily as they sat down at the bar. Lenna had set her helmet on the bar next to her plate so it would always be easily accessible. The pair thanked Celeste and were about to dig in when it happened.


    The day hadn¡¯t been Isaac¡¯s best day. It certainly wasn¡¯t his worst but it was far from his best. His loss of control earlier and the sweat making his clothes and armor stick to him were the two main culprits. Those two things alone weren¡¯t enough to cause Isaac to act any differently towards others but they did shorten the fuse on his temper a bit. Unfortunately.


    ¡°Look there,¡± One patron said and pointed someone out to another near him. ¡°isn¡¯t that the guy?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s him.¡± Another replied.


    Someone else close by tsked. ¡°Damn warlock bringing slavers into town.¡±


    Isaac caught the entire conversation as they weren¡¯t being very quiet and were only halfway across the room. Isaac looked up from his food and his eyes met Celeste¡¯s. ¡°There¡¯s someone else bringing dark elves into town?¡± He asked. He knew that many of the residents of Safeharbor exclusively referred to dark elves as slavers so it wasn¡¯t hard to put two and two together.


    Celeste visibly winced and then tried to play it off. ¡°Not that I¡¯m aware of hun.¡± She replied.


    Isaac¡¯s collar got hot. Being a warlock meant a few things that Isaac refused to be associated with. The main ones being getting his power from someone else and being beholden to a higher power. Isaac¡¯s power was his own and his decisions were his own too. After losing his autonomy only an hour and a half earlier Isaac wasn¡¯t about to let it slide. While he was deciding on his retort he was subconsciously bending his wooden spoon.


    Lenna caught the look in his eyes as did Celeste. Their reactions were very different. The look in his eyes was murderous, enough so that Celeste took an unconscious step backwards. Lenna on the other hand set her own spoon down and turned to face the table where the comments were coming from while rising to her feet from her bar stool. ¡°He isn¡¯t a warlock.¡± She corrected calmly but sternly.


    A few at the table snickered. ¡°Having your whore speak up for you?¡± One of the guys at the table replied. He had a bottle that was half empty in front of him but his speech wasn¡¯t slurred in the slightest. His cheeks were slightly flushed but it was obvious that his words were entirely his own.


    The spoon snapped. Isaac set the two halves of the utensil down gently and whispered. ¡°Sorry Lenna.¡± As he turned and slowly rose from his seat. ¡°Take it back.¡± Isaac ordered in the same tone that had set Fen off a few weeks prior. His words were a command to his lessers, not even an order from mortal to mortal.


    The man at the table rose as well. ¡°Or what?¡± He scoffed. ¡°You can¡¯t do shit.¡± He prodded. ¡°If you make a move on me the duke will kick your sorry asses outta town.¡±


    ¡°Last chance.¡± Isaac replied. This time he was losing his tight grip on his temper and a little of it snuck past the demeaning tone. ¡°Take. It. Back.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± The man replied and Isaac took a step towards him. Lenna tried to grab onto his shoulder but he just reached up and unclipped his cloak leaving it in her hand. ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± The man continued. Isaac took another step. Two tables were in between them but it didn¡¯t look like Isaac cared as he started to sweat what looked like ink. ¡°That¡¯s all she is.¡± The man continued digging his own grave. Isaac took another step and vanished.

 Chapter 48 Like A Dragon.

    Chapter 48 Like A Dragon.


    Isaac seemed to materialize on the other side of the table without breaking stride. ¡°Shit he¡¯s gonna do it.¡± One of the patrons that he had just teleported past whispered.


    The man whose life was on the line grabbed a bottle and broke it as Isaac vanished again only to reappear two feet in front of him. ¡°Fuck you.¡± The man told Isaac and swung at him. Isaac backhanded the man¡¯s hand with enough death mana that the broken bottle simply dropped to the floor.


    ¡°Be.¡± Isaac began with nothing but rage in his eyes. He brought his other hand up and turned it so its palm was facing the other man but he kept it close to his chest. The man looked at his missing hand in shock, too stunned to even scream. ¡°Undone.¡± Isaac finished and punched his palm into the man¡¯s chest. With the impact Isaac delivered so much death mana to the man¡¯s body that not even bones remained. In fact, the man¡¯s body wasn¡¯t enough to eat up the power and death flames continued on for three more feet before dying out.


    Isaac took a deep breath and all he could smell was the scent of death that now clung to him. He turned to look at Celeste with a blank expression. ¡°Sorry about the mess.¡± He told her and then was gone as if he had never even been there.


    ¡ª


    Lenna could only watch on as Isaac removed a man from existence for insulting her honor. She had a feeling that something would happen eventually. She had been holding him back for as long as people had known that she was a dark elf. Comments like that would probably never stop and she didn¡¯t like him killing people because of her. Every single human that Isaac had killed directly had been because of her. The guards in the cells, the rapist downtown, the assassin that stabbed her in the back, and now this guy.


    The whole room stared at the space where a man had just been in silence. Killing a man in one hit was normal, killing him so thoroughly that there was nothing left to bury and with enough power left over to give the man on the other side of the table the fright of his life was something else entirely. Even Celeste hadn¡¯t seen a death so thorough before. There wasn¡¯t even hair remaining. She swallowed hard. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ get someone to clean that up.¡± She said eventually and got one of the staff members to come out with a broom. There truly was nothing but dust left of the man and everyone in the tavern knew it.


    Lenna turned and sat back down. She began picking at her food while looking at Isaac¡¯s broken spoon. ¡°Sorry Celeste. I tried.¡± She told the younger woman.


    Celeste nodded absently. ¡°I know dear.¡± She shook her head to clear it and threw away the broken spoon. ¡°Here.¡± She said and pulled a bottle of wine out from under the bar. She grabbed two cups and poured one for each of them. ¡°I just got this in a few days ago.¡± She explained.


    Lenna took the glass and swirled it without drinking any for a long moment. Celeste slammed it like it was hard liquor and poured herself a second one to drink normally. After seeing Celeste do it Lenna did as well. ¡°Elderberry and amaranth.¡± Lenna commented. It was two flavors that most adventurers¡¯ knew only on their worst days. Both plants had healing properties and were often made into healing potions. Together the earthy taste of the elderberry was turned almost sweet by the citrusy amaranth flowers. Elderberries were known to help cure illnesses and amaranth flowers were supposedly one of the ingredients in an elixir of immortality, not that anyone actually knew the recipe.


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    Celeste nodded. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s weird tasting them together.¡± She replied. Lenna just nodded and took a sip from her second glass, Celeste had refilled it for her. Lenna continued in silence until Celeste decided to once again act like her mother. ¡°What¡¯s wrong dear?¡± She asked. They were both adventurers. Both of them had seen people die and had killed mortals as well. Celeste believed that the death itself wouldn¡¯t hit Lenna very hard let alone cause her to be almost adrift at her bar.


    Lenna took a deep breath and sighed. She set her chin on her hand and swirled her glass. ¡°I wish he would stop killing people because of me.¡± She replied.


    Celeste nodded. ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time?¡± She asked.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s the¡­ fifth. I think.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Celeste replied and took another sip. She thought for a long moment. ¡°You mean a lot to him.¡±


    Lenna nodded. It was awkward with her chin still resting on her hand. ¡°It¡¯s mutual.¡± She replied quietly.


    Celeste smiled both sadly and warmly. ¡°Your boyfriend is a dragon dear. Things like this will happen until everyone realizes that you are his hoard.¡± She explained.


    Lenna looked up to meet Celeste¡¯s eyes. ¡°Dragon? Hoard?¡± She asked.


    Celeste nodded. ¡°Yes. He is stronger than any other mortal, probably in the world, and he doesn¡¯t know what to do with all that power. Instead of finding someone to guide him he is figuring it out himself and causing trouble everywhere he goes. He is like a dragon trying to live with humans. Like a dragon there is one thing that is more important to him than the rest of the world.¡± Celeste pointed at Lenna with raised eyebrows. ¡°You.¡± She said with finality. ¡°You are his hoard. He won¡¯t let a single coin get tarnished.¡±


    ¡°My honor is a coin?¡± Lenna asked skeptically.


    Celeste nodded. ¡°Yes dear.¡± She explained patiently . ¡°You are going to have to keep that fact in mind.¡± She gestured towards where the dead man had once stood. ¡°There might be other things that are important to him but I can guarantee that he would throw those away if you were in danger.¡± Celeste thought about it for a little longer. ¡°Or die trying to save it all at once. He seems like that kind of guy.¡±


    Lenna huffed a laugh. ¡°The latter is more likely.¡± She raised her head off of her hand and shook her head in exasperation. ¡°He lacks a flight response.¡± She confided in Celeste. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to handle that.¡± Lenna thought more about Celeste calling Isaac a dragon. ¡°He really is like a dragon.¡± She commented.


    Celeste smiled. ¡°Yes dear. He is.¡±


    ¡ª


    Isaac teleported directly to their room. He hadn¡¯t even thought about it. Teleporting through multiple walls to somewhere he couldn¡¯t see didn¡¯t make any sense to Isaac if he thought about it. He didn¡¯t think about it. There was too much on his mind at that moment. He flopped back onto the bed and laid there for a long while. ¡°She¡¯s going to be mad at me.¡± He said to himself. ¡°And Izen will too¡­ he can shove it.¡±


    Isaac sighed and got a nose full of decay and his own sweat. ¡°I need a bath.¡± He got up and slowly found a change of clothes and a towel before filling the tub with hot water. He peeled off his armor and clothes, making sure to toss them away from anything that he didn¡¯t want to spread the smells too, and sank down into the near scorching water. He usually had Lenna heat the water because the magic item wasn¡¯t meant to be used by someone like Isaac but he would just reimburse Celeste when it broke. The warming stone had already started to crumble by the time Isaac was done with it but it did the job.


    He simply sat there and soaked for a long while in thought. He wondered how Izen and Sera would react. He wondered how mad Celeste was. He wondered how people would act around them after the murder in broad daylight. Well, as close to broad daylight as one could get underground. But most importantly, he wondered how angry Lenna was. He figured that if he was lucky she would just be disappointed. In a way, that still hurt him. Isaac had no idea how long he sat in the hot water but by the time there was a knock on the door the water was only warm.


    ¡°Isaac.¡± Lenna said through the door. ¡°I don¡¯t have a key.¡±


    ¡®Oh right.¡¯ Isaac thought. ¡®I teleported in.¡¯ He pulled the key out of his Inventory and used shadows to take it over to the door. He set it on the ground and pushed it under the door. ¡°I¡¯m in the bath.¡± He replied while she bent down and got the key. A moment later she was inside and the door was locked behind her.


    ¡°Where do you want the key?¡± She asked.


    ¡°In your bag is fine for now.¡± He answered. He wasn¡¯t sure how to act without seeing her face to know how she was actually feeling. It was not the most pleasant feeling.


    Lenna did as he said and then said the words that no one in the history of ever has ever wanted to hear: ¡°We need to talk.¡±

 Chapter 49 Part 1 - Interlude 3 - Chapter 49 Part 2

    Chapter 49 Part 1


    Isaac¡¯s breath caught. His blood froze. ¡®Zei please let me be overreacting.¡¯ He prayed internally.


    ¡°Isaac?¡± Lenna asked after a long moment of silence.


    ¡°Y-Yeah?¡± He stuttered for the first time that Lenna could remember.


    Lenna started taking off her armor while talking. She smiled to herself. ¡®The V¡¯Nova way huh.¡¯ She thought and decided to just go all in from the start. ¡°Isaac, you are a melodramatic, eccentric, narcissist on a power trip.¡± The shock of her words caused Isaac to recoil causing some of the water to splash out of the tub. That was not how he was expecting her to start. Her words lacked any bite which was a good sign but the words themselves were not. ¡°But,¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°You are also a kind,¡± Isaac snorted a laugh. ¡°Shut up.¡± She spoke without missing a beat. ¡°I said kind not kind hearted.¡±


    Isaac could keep himself from laughing. ¡°Fine, fine, fair enough.¡± He got out through his laughter.


    Lenna continued on: ¡°genius, demi demigod who truly cares for me.¡± Isaac was instantly silenced by the last of her words. ¡°Those feelings you described to me before,¡± She continued. Isaac all but jumped out of the tub and hurriedly grabbed his towel to quickly dry himself. He needed to see her face as she was talking. ¡°many of them, I feel as well.¡± She took a deep breath while Isaac scrambled to dry enough of himself to be able to put some clothes on. ¡°When we first met, I was more concerned with paying back my debt to you. After a while, I decided that the debt didn¡¯t matter. I would follow you regardless, until the day you died of old age. Eventually, I realized that my feelings became¡­ more.¡± She paused as she took another deep breath. ¡°But I have some warnings for you. Elves mate for life.¡± Isaac¡¯s heart felt so light that he thought it would fly out of his chest. ¡°If you are serious about this you will be stuck with me forever. Both your forever, and mine.¡± Isaac decided that clothes would take too long and just tied his towel around his waist. ¡°Also, I am still a dark elf. If you break my heart, I¡¯ll kill you.¡± Her final words were not spoken with even the slightest hint of jest. She would do it. They were punctuated by a piece of her armor dropping to the ground.


    Lenna finished taking off her last boot and tossed it onto the pile of her armor just as Isaac rounded the folding partition that separated the bath from the rest of the room. His hair was still damp and his face was flushed. His towel was tied tightly around his waist to preserve his decency but his eight-pack was clearly visible. Lenna took in his literally sculpted muscles from head to toe. ¡°Lenna, what exactly are you saying?¡± He asked, his voice a little higher than usual.


    She felt herself start and then decided not to stop herself from licking her lips while taking him in. Her eyes finally left his body after a long moment and their silver eyes locked together. ¡°That I love you, you dolt.¡±


    Isaac was too stunned to even take a step forward. It was what he wanted. What he truly wanted from the bottom of his heart. One of the few things on the list of all of existence that really mattered to him. She had just said it. Clearer than crystal, he had heard those words. Isaac¡¯s mind froze.


    Lenna leaned back in the chair but didn¡¯t cross her legs nor her arms. It was an invitation. One that if Isaac¡¯s brain was working he would have taken. Lenna smirked at him. She felt hotter than usual even though she was only in her tight under armor. Isaac might have been the culprit. His near constant indecent, for Lenna, exposure had only been building the sexual tension for over a month. She didn¡¯t know if Isaac felt that way but it was getting harder and harder to not watch him change in the morning. Lenna blinked herself out of her thoughts and finally got tired of waiting for Isaac¡¯s brain to reset. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± She asked him with a raised eyebrow. ¡°A countdown?¡±


    Those words and the insinuation behind them brought Isaac back to reality and he closed the gap between them in only a few strides. He grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and pulled her in for a deep, long, wet kiss. Her hand gently rested on the side of his face.


    Interlude 3


    ¡°No!¡± Amaranth shouted. ¡°I am cutting you off.¡± She declared, which got a deep hearty laugh from her father. ¡°I refuse to write my parents¡¯ erotica.¡±


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°I was going to stop there anyway.¡± He replied through his laughter. ¡°I want my grandkids to read this.¡±


    Amaranth huffed indignantly. ¡°I think that was more than far enough.¡± Isaac only laughed harder. After giving him time to control himself she continued. ¡°Skip ahead.¡± She ordered.


    Isaac waved her off. ¡°I will. But only about¡­¡± He thought back with a smile that Amaranth absolutely did not like seeing on his face. ¡°Two¡­ maybe three hours.¡± Amaranth covered her mouth like she was going to lose her lunch. Isaac chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t be such a prude. You¡¯re married.¡±


    ¡°Should you really be telling your daughter not to be a ¡®dignified and refined Lady¡¯?¡± She questioned.


    ¡°A prude.¡± He corrected.


    Amaranth huffed indignantly again. ¡°Father.¡± She almost growled.


    He smirked in that all too familiar almost mischievous smirk. ¡°Fine, fine.¡± He waved her off. ¡°So, a few hours later¡­¡±


    Chapter 49 Part 2


    Lenna was exhausted. So much tension and so much weight that had been resting on her heart was gone and she was struggling to keep her eyes open. She knew that if she closed them then sleep would take her. Her eyes closed for a split second too long and she sat bolt upright at the feeling of her consciousness slipping. It was then that she remembered the situation she was in and she recovered herself with the blanket while laying back down.


    Isaac smiled sweetly and brushed her hair out of her face. ¡°You can rest.¡± He assured her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll fall asleep.¡± She replied tiredly. ¡°I should get dressed and go sit in the chair.¡± After a moment she tried to push herself up only for Isaac to gently but firmly push her back down. She narrowed her eyes at him but couldn¡¯t think of a retort.


    Isaac moved his pillow so it would cushion his back against the headboard and slid up in bed. ¡°I¡¯ll stay up.¡± He smiled lovingly at her. ¡°Get some sleep.¡± She just stared at him for a long moment. He pulled a book out of thin air and turned to his bookmarked page. ¡°I won¡¯t fall asleep.¡± He promised. ¡°Sleep, Lenna. You need it.¡± He ordered and she finally gave in to the sweet embrace of a dreamless sleep.


    Isaac didn¡¯t even start reading for a long while. He was too focused on processing what had just happened and staring at her while she slept. In his mind she still looked like a goddess of war, even in her sleep. Even more so now that he knew she hid quite the pair of abbs under her under armor. How that tight shirt managed to hide them he still had no idea. Eventually he did begin reading his book and that was when he realized exactly how light of a sleeper she was. The first few times he turned the page she twitched. He ended up having to silence the book with the slightest amount of shadows so she wouldn¡¯t hear the pages turn. He had to also use a small enough amount of them that the mana use wouldn¡¯t wake her.


    He shook his head almost in disbelief. ¡®I wonder what trauma caused her to sleep so lightly?¡¯ He thought to himself. He frowned. ¡®There is so much of her past that I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know any of my past either so I guess I shouldn¡¯t complain.¡¯ He shook his head again while watching her sleep. He smiled brightly. ¡®This is truly the only time she has ever been vulnerable.¡¯


    Every time Isaac had seen her in a position of relative vulnerability she still could kill the average person in under a second. Even while cuffed in antimagic cuffs and chained to a wall she was more deadly than most guards. The knowledge that he was the only person since she left home to see her like this made his chest warm. ¡®I¡¯ll protect you.¡¯ He swore. ¡®We¡¯ll protect each other.¡¯


    ¡ª


    By the time Lenna awoke and the pair headed down for dinner the dinner rush was over. Lenna¡¯s braid was a mess and Isaac had conveniently forgotten to remind her to fix it. The pair sat down at the bar in front of Celeste whose greeting smile was both knowing and absolutely radiant. She could also tell that Lenna hadn¡¯t been awake for very long. ¡°Good morning.¡± She told Lenna cheekily with a wink.


    Lenna froze. She reached back and felt her braid. They had decided to go down to dinner in street clothes as it was just easier and they were both starving. She felt the catastrophe that was her braid and turned to glare at Isaac who refused to make eye contact but was smiling. ¡°Morning.¡± She replied irritably.


    Celeste chuckled. ¡°I remember a story.¡± She began and waved to one of the two waitresses to get them something from the kitchen. She had long learned that neither of them were picky and always just had whatever Leo happened to be cooking at the time.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac asked.


    Celeste nodded and started pouring them each the very last of the bottle she had almost completely split with Lenna that afternoon. Each of them only got about half a glass. ¡°A king once hired a bard to take care of a dragon problem.¡± She began. ¡°A few weeks later the dragon stopped coming around and the king assumed that the dragon and the bard had killed each other in a duel of the ages.¡± She leaned against the bar casually while continuing her story. ¡°Five years later the bard returned with a woman with green scales and familiar horns. Between them was a small half dragon child about the age of four.¡± Celeste was having trouble keeping the smile from her face. ¡°The king exclaimed upon seeing them ¡®I told you to slay the dragon not lay the dragon!¡¯¡± She finished with a wink at Lenna.


    Lenna¡¯s face flushed as her eyes went wide. She shot up so fast that her stool toppled to the ground. She slammed her hands onto the bar. ¡°Celeste!¡± She yelled in obvious embarrassment.


    Isaac was shocked. Not only had her voice been louder than he had ever heard it before but it was also so high that, if he didn¡¯t know any better, he would have never thought that she was the one who had yelled. Celeste only started giggling. Isaac looked back and forth between them and asked the question that was on his mind: ¡°Am I missing something?¡±

 Chapter 50 Paid The Same

    Chapter 50 Paid The Same


    That night the duo found themselves in familiar positions. Isaac in the bed and Lenna on her chair. ¡°The bed is big enough for two.¡± Isaac commented with a grin. The ¡®As we both found out.¡¯ was left unspoken.


    ¡°You need your sleep.¡± She replied, fully knowing that he wouldn¡¯t get any if she joined him.


    Isaac chuckled and laid down to sleep. A few minutes later he was staring at the ceiling unable to keep his eyes closed. ¡°Lenna?¡± He asked to get her attention.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She replied and cracked an eye open to look at him from across the room.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried?¡± He questioned.


    Lenna¡¯s other eye opened and she tilted her head in slight confusion. ¡°About what?¡±


    Isaac wasn¡¯t sure how to respond with any more subtlety than one of Kahtesh¡¯s lightning bolts so he just went with the V¡¯Nova route of straight and to the point. ¡°Getting pregnant.¡± Neither of them were exactly thinking that afternoon. At all.


    ¡°No.¡± She replied simply.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Isaac replied quietly. He was confused. Lenna seemed to be much more concerned with things like having children out of wedlock than her response implied. ¡®Unless there was some other reason.¡¯ He thought.


    Lenna seemed to pick up on his confusion even if she wasn¡¯t sure exactly what was confusing him so she just took a guess and started explaining. ¡°Elves live for up to a thousand years.¡± She stated. ¡°Do you know why we haven¡¯t taken over the planet?¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No. I never really thought about it.¡± He confessed.


    ¡°We are all almost infertile.¡± She explained. ¡°I would be the luckiest elf in the world if once was enough.¡±


    Isaac thought about what she had just told him. It made sense. If a human woman could have up to a dozen or even more children in forty years but an elf aged at a tenth of the speed there should be an almost infinite amount of elves. ¡°How many children do elves usually have?¡± He asked curiously.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°Up to around six usually.¡± She guessed.


    ¡°In how many years?¡± Isaac continued his questions.


    ¡°Three, four hundred.¡± She replied.


    Isaac was shocked. Those numbers were awful. If anything it was a wonder that there were any elves alive at all. Primatia was a dangerous place. Isaac shook his head to bring his mind back on track. ¡°But if it did happen, wouldn¡¯t having a child out of wedlock upset you?¡± He asked.


    Lenna looked at him with nothing but confusion for a long few seconds before her eyes suddenly got a little wider in realization. ¡°Isaac.¡± She spoke and he sat up to get a good look at her. ¡°I am an elf.¡± She clarified. Isaac nodded slowly, unsure of where she was going with it. ¡°We mate for life.¡±


    Isaac still looked confused. ¡°Yes.¡± He nodded slowly again. ¡°But we aren¡¯t married. There aren¡¯t any rings or anything.¡± He assumed that she would want a ceremony and a matching set of rings at least.


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    Lenna shook her head. She held up four fingers. ¡°We are a mated pair now. That only requires four things.¡± She put said four fingers back down and then raised them one at a time while she counted off the requirements. ¡°Two,¡± She raised one finger. ¡°consenting,¡± She raised a second. ¡°adults,¡± She raised a third. ¡°mated.¡± She finished. She dropped her hand back down onto her lap. ¡°You are already stuck with me.¡± She smirked at him.


    Isaac was busy trying to process elven culture so he missed the opportunity that was written in her eyes. ¡°So, there¡¯s no ceremony or anything?¡± He questioned.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°The ceremony is only there to get people, who want to suck up to you, to give you stuff.¡± She explained, obviously very disillusioned.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°So we shouldn¡¯t have one?¡± He asked. It was just now settling in how in his haste and horniness he went straight from single to married in the span of an afternoon. He really had no idea what he was getting himself into. He didn¡¯t exactly have any plans to not be with Lenna until he died but it was still a bit shocking.


    Lenna shrugged again. ¡°I know humans need them. It¡¯s up to you.¡± She replied. Lenna wasn¡¯t a fan of formal events in general and being at the center of one did not sound like a good time to her but she wasn¡¯t going to deny Isaac if it was something he wanted. Also she knew that in human lands there was a thing called a marriage registry or something that kept track of who married whom. ¡®I guess it matters when they change so much.¡¯ She thought. Humans didn¡¯t live very long and they also were prone to remarrying which was something elves never did.


    Isaac smirked mischievously. ¡°A good excuse to get a bunch of people to give us stuff right?¡± He asked. The greed was written all across his face.


    Lenna¡¯s laughter filled the room with its warmth. She got up and walked over to sit next to him on the bed. ¡°You are getting predictable.¡± She told him with a warm smile. She knew exactly what his reasoning would be for wanting a ceremony.


    ¡°When should we do it?¡± He asked.


    Lenna chuckled and shook her head. ¡°I think there is a process.¡± She replied and thought back on some of the romance novels she had read and the things that she had heard over the years. ¡°Courtship, betrothal, then marriage.¡± She tried to think up a good timeline. ¡°I think there is supposed to be a few months between them.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°That sounds familiar.¡± He agreed. ¡°So what? We tell someone we are courting, wait two months, make a show of a proposal, then two months later have a ceremony?¡±


    ¡°Three.¡± She corrected. ¡°We don¡¯t want anyone to think it rushed.¡±


    Isaac nodded along. ¡°Sounds like a plan.¡± Their eyes met and Isaac finally noticed the look in her eyes and how close she was to him. ¡°Change your mind?¡± Isaac asked. Lenna¡¯s smile told him all he needed to know.


    ¡ª


    Isaac had no idea how late into the morning he had slept but he was starving. He sat up and stretched. He rubbed his eyes with a yawn. ¡°Good morning.¡± He heard Lenna¡¯s voice from behind him.


    ¡°Is it still even morning?¡± He asked through a second yawn.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied with clear amusement in her voice.


    ¡°Good. That means we didn¡¯t miss breakfast.¡± Isaac stated and moved to stand.


    Lenna¡¯s hand caught his arm while he was trying to stand and yanked him back onto the bed. He fell onto his back and before he knew it she was looking down on him. ¡°You may be in charge outside,¡± She began. ¡°but the bedroom is the female¡¯s territory.¡± She told him. ¡°And I didn¡¯t say you could leave.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°It¡¯s almost noon.¡± Celeste said by way of greeting the pair. She seemed to notice the slight smile on Lenna¡¯s lips. It held a mix of smugness, satisfaction, genuine happiness, and apparent amusement at Isaac for some reason or another.


    ¡°Food?¡± Isaac asked like a traveler who had crossed a desert and lost his rations along the way.


    Celeste chuckled and disappeared for a moment before returning with slightly cold sausages and breakfast rolls. ¡°It¡¯s the last of it from this morning.¡± She told them as she set the food down in front of the two bar stools they had claimed.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Isaac replied and dug in with little regard for any supposed nobility that he may or may not have had.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Lenna replied immediately after and started to eat her food at a normal and measured pace.


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Celeste hummed. ¡°Now that you two love birds are here I have mail for you.¡± She told them and pulled a pair of letters out from under the bar. Where she stored all the things that seemed to just appear from behind there neither of the pair knew.


    ¡°Gom or bam mews?¡± Isaac asked while still stuffing his face.


    Celeste just looked at him like he was some street kid her son had dragged in who hadn¡¯t heard of a fork. It was a mix of motherly disappointment and amusement that only a parent could have. ¡°Probably both.¡± She replied honestly. ¡°The man you killed was a member of the duke¡¯s personal guard.¡± She set one of the letters on the bar in between Lenna and Isaac. ¡°This one is from him.¡±


    Isaac actually swallowed his food before replying. ¡°No one showed up to arrest me so that¡¯s good news at least.¡± He commented.


    Celeste shook her head. ¡°How well would that have gone?¡± She asked him, clearly expecting an honest answer.


    Isaac winced. ¡°Not well.¡± He replied honestly.


    Celeste nodded. ¡°There has been a guard waiting outside for you all morning.¡± She motioned towards the door. ¡°I took him a chair after it was clear you were¡­ running late.¡±


    Lenna just shrugged. ¡°He gets paid the same regardless.¡± She commented. Sitting at Celeste¡¯s front door was probably the easiest job he could ask for. Especially considering some of the alternatives like patrolling downtown or dealing with adventurers at the gates.


    ¡°What about the other letter?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s from the duchess.¡± Celeste explained and set it on top of the first letter. It was beginning to look like a visit to the duke¡¯s estate was in their near future.

 Chapter 51 Michael.

    Chapter 51 Michael.


    ¡°Izen¡¯s is almost definitely bad news.¡± Isaac commented and then looked at Lenna with a raised eyebrow. She nodded so Isaac grabbed that one to open first. ¡°Bad news first so the good news makes it suck less, right?¡± He asked her rhetorically.


    Lenna smiled at the fact that he remembered such a random comment of hers. ¡°Yeah.¡± She agreed.


    Isaac broke the seal on the letter from Izen and the letter itself opened into the message. The annoying part about sending messages that way was the four creases crisscrossing the page. ¡°I¡¯ve already heard the story. You are getting a one thousand gold fine for dueling outside of the arena.¡± Isaac read aloud and winced at the price of the fine. ¡°Be glad I am not charging you with murder.¡± He continued reading and shrugged at Izen being right. Isaac was glad that he wasn¡¯t being charged with murder. The reason nothing had happened when Lenna was fighting in the street was because the person who reported was ignored on the grounds of ¡®Not being fit for proper testimony.¡¯ Which was political speech for getting the case thrown out because the guards hate the victim. Nepotism at its finest. Isaac wasn¡¯t going to get out of killing a guard as easily even if he did warn them that something similar was likely to happen.


    ¡°That¡¯s double the normal fine.¡± Celeste commented during Isaac¡¯s brief silence as he frowned at the bill.


    Isaac nodded and then continued reading. ¡°The guard who is delivering this will take you to meet the new magistrate. He arrived yesterday. Be glad he was not settled in yet when this happened so I handled it. Introduce yourself and please, Lord Wexler, try to stay out of trouble.¡± Isaac sighed. He didn¡¯t like the general tone of the message but was actually glad that Izen had handled it and not whoever the new magistrate was. He tossed the letter onto the table. ¡°He didn¡¯t have to talk to me like I was his troublesome nephew.¡± Isaac grumbled.


    Lenna chuckled. ¡°That is the exact tone of that message.¡± She commented.


    Celeste nodded along. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s kind of scary how accurate that is.¡±


    Isaac shook his head and handed the other letter to Lenna. Lenna looked at him quizzically. ¡°I¡¯m still hungry.¡± He replied to her question and dug back into his ¡®breakfast¡¯ with renewed vigor.


    Lenna chuckled while shaking her head at his antics. She opened the letter from Sera and pulled out a much smaller note from the inside. ¡°It just says to not forget to come for tea tomorrow.¡± Lenna explained and then a short moment later her eyes went wide. ¡°We did forget, didn¡¯t we?¡±


    Isaac smirked through his full mouth. He swallowed his food. ¡°Yes, but I made sure to order more clothes and get our old ones repaired so we¡¯ll be fine.¡± He tilted his head in thought for a long moment. ¡°I don¡¯t remember getting invited back for tea.¡±


    ¡°I do, vaguely.¡± Lenna confessed. ¡°A lot happened right after we left. It just slipped my mind.¡±


    Isaac nodded in agreement. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d classify getting stabbed as ¡®a lot¡¯.¡± He hurriedly finished his food and paid for a sandwich as he was still hungry. After they were both done with their meal they decided to face the music and go talk to the guard that had been patiently waiting outside for the better part of the morning.


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    Isaac and Lenna followed the guard to the same office where Gio was ¡®removed¡¯. Inside was a much younger man and both Isaac and Lenna felt that he was weaker. He was a half-elf with emerald green eyes and autumn red hair. His skin was pale like birchwood but his features lacked the inhuman sharpness of an elf. His ears were slightly pointed but if it weren¡¯t for his elvish coloring he would have been able to hide his heritage easily enough. He looked to be in his twenties, young for a magistrate even if he was probably in his thirties. The office was stripped of everything save for the country flag behind him and the old hardwood desk of his predecessor. He looked up from his paperwork when Isaac casually strolled into his room with Lenna in tow.


    Isaac frowned at the lack of chairs opposite the new magistrate. ¡°You need chairs for visitors.¡± Isaac told the magistrate by way of greeting.


    ¡ª


    The young magistrate took a moment to fully take Isaac in, his pitch black leather armor and cloak, void black hair and silver eyes made an impression that he was sure the other man intended. His eyes moved to the intruder¡¯s companion. The dark elf¡¯s helmet was off and tucked under her arm. Her face was hard and her eyes sharp. Her armor looked to have a mostly fresh coat of royal purple paint but it already had scratches and it was clear that plenty of old dings and gouges were simply painted over. Her ear twitched and then a moment later he heard footsteps coming from the hall. Her eyes never left him for a moment. It was clear that these two were not going to be his easiest customers. He had been given a short briefing by the duke about the two people in front of him and had taken note of a few warnings. The first was to be polite, especially to the dark elf unless he was prepared for the human to send him to an early grave. The second was to play along unless they were being unreasonable. What that meant he wasn¡¯t entirely sure but he figured he¡¯d find out soon enough.


    ¡°Lord Wexler and Lady V¡¯Nova I presume.¡± He replied to Isaac¡¯s nonexistent greeting.


    Isaac smiled casually. ¡°Good.¡± He replied with a nod. ¡°I didn¡¯t get your name though.¡± Right after he said that his eyes caught a nameplate on the desk but he still made it a point to have the new magistrate introduce himself.


    ¡°Sir Michael, knight of his majesty the king, new magistrate of Safeharbor.¡± He introduced himself formally.


    Isaac found it interesting that there was no family name given, much like with Gio. ¡°Do none of you knights have surnames?¡± Isaac asked and sat down on the shadows that seemed to rise out of the floor to form a chair for him.


    Michael was so stunned by the feeling of magic that Isaac¡¯s casual act gave off that it took him a moment to respond. Other than slight hesitation he showed no reaction to Isaac and his antics whatsoever. ¡°Once we have sworn to the crown our surnames mean nothing. Any who insist on bringing them along are clearly knights for the wrong reasons.¡± He explained.


    Isaac thought about his answer for a moment and then nodded. He was pretty sure he had the measure of the new magistrate. ¡°Straight and narrow is fine but remember one thing, Michael.¡± Isaac spoke after his moment of contemplation. He specifically didn¡¯t call Michael ¡®Sir Michael¡¯ to gauge his reaction and got nothing out of the other man. ¡°A sword too hard is brittle and will break.¡± He rose from his chair and grabbed onto a sack of coins that seemed to materialize in his grasp and he set it on the desk. He grinned and winked at Michael. ¡°But a sword too soft is useless.¡± With those words he vanished without trace nor flourish.


    Michael stared at the empty space and then at the coins and then at Lenna. Once his eyes met hers she spoke. He was surprised at how deep and smooth her voice was. He expected more roughness and an accent but hers was only noticeable if he was looking for it. ¡°That is the payment for his fine for unlawful dueling.¡± She explained. ¡°Good day, Sir Michael.¡± She told him, turned, and walked out without waiting for a response.


    Once the pair had been gone for the better part of a minute Michael¡¯s assistant walked in. He was a young guard who had proven better at numbers than swordplay and was thus assigned to a non-combat role. ¡°Sir Michael?¡± He spoke when Michael hadn¡¯t acknowledged him entering.


    Michael nodded slowly. ¡°Have you had any dealings with those two?¡± He asked the young warrior.


    The assistant shook his head. ¡°No Sir. I have specifically avoided it on multiple occasions.¡± He took a few steps closer to his new supervisor and leaned in while dropping his voice to a whisper. ¡°Rumor has it, he killed Sir Gio.¡±


    Michael nodded. He had been informed of the entire event. ¡°He¡¯s going to be trouble. I can feel it.¡± Michael replied, more to himself than the other person in the room. ¡°Send a letter to Duke Arbencroft for me.¡± He directed. ¡°We need to talk about Isaac Wexler.¡±


    ¡ª


    Isaac heard the entire thing. He had instructed Lenna to walk out as if he was in her shadow because he wanted to snoop about a little longer. Hearing Michael¡¯s conversation with the assistant only reinforced the image of the knight that Isaac had in his mind. ¡°He should be easy enough to deal with. I just need to make sure I don¡¯t execute someone in Celeste¡¯s tavern again.¡± A smile spread across Isaac¡¯s face. ¡°But maybe a duel in the arena would be good.¡±

 Chapter 52 I’ll Be Back

    Chapter 52 I¡¯ll Be Back


    ¡°Hey Alice.¡± Isaac greeted while appearing on her desk. He was sitting with one foot on the desk and the other hanging off of it. Lenna walked into the Guild Hall a moment later. Just in time to hear Alice¡¯s yelp at Isaac¡¯s sudden appearance and a thud.


    ¡°Isaac!¡± She yelled while pulling herself up from the floor. He had startled her so much that she had actually fallen from her chair. His poor attempt at concealing his laughter wasn¡¯t helping defuse her in the slightest.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± Isaac said through his laughter. She scowled at him with an intensity that only made him laugh harder because, at her incredibly short height, she looked like an upset child.


    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth,¡± Lenna began when she reached the commotion. ¡°I am sorry. There¡¯s no stopping him.¡±


    Alice huffed and decided that she preferred dealing with Lenna. ¡°Thank you.¡± She told the older woman.


    ¡°Any progress?¡± Isaac asked though it was clear he was still only barely holding back laughter.


    Alice huffed again and turned her head away from him which only added to the comedy. ¡°Any progress?¡± Lenna asked. She was obviously the most mature one there.


    Alice took a deep breath to try and regain some professionalism. ¡°Yes and no. Trying to find a weaver that is trustworthy, capable, and has the machines to work with your,¡± She looked around the room. ¡°strange materials, is proving to be quite difficult.¡± She confessed.


    Isaac shared a look with Lenna. ¡°What about Jessica Silverstrand¡¯s daughter? Doesn¡¯t she do that kind of work?¡± Isaac asked. He had a vague memory of it coming up in conversation at one point or another.


    Alice nodded. ¡°Yes but she is lacking the proper tools and hasn¡¯t worked with the guild before.¡± She explained. ¡°If you trust her then I can meet with her about it but she is going to need new equipment. The cost of the equipment is looking to be around ten thousand gold. That¡¯s without transport costs.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I was hoping to find someone who already had that kind of equipment but there isn¡¯t anyone in Safeharbor or Sapphirestone at least.¡±


    Isaac thought about the cost for a long moment. He also thought about the drider skull that was sitting in his Inventory. Kahtesh could still make lightning bolts but he wasn¡¯t sure if Shaeo could still make silk as a bone golem. ¡°There aren¡¯t any other major cities close by are there?¡± Isaac asked which got a shake of her head from Alice. ¡°I didn¡¯t think so.¡± He replied. ¡°How long would it take to get the equipment here?¡±


    Alice shrugged. ¡°Like with most things, it would probably have to come from the capital.¡± She contemplated the travel time and estimated construction time. ¡°Two weeks if they already have it. Maybe two weeks to build it since there is already a patent for one.¡± There was an alternate form of travel but it was usually far too expensive to use unless it was an emergency. ¡°There is always a courier by teleportation circle. The only problem with that is the cost.¡±


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    ¡°How much are we talking and who runs it? I¡¯m assuming by the name that it is a teleportation network of some kind that relies on ritual circles.¡± Isaac said.


    Alice nodded. ¡°I forget how little you know sometimes. Yes.¡± She affirmed. ¡°The kingdom owns, runs, and maintains it. The circles are only technically open to the public. Something about the rituals being expensive and wearing out from use. A thousand gold each way.¡±


    Isaac winced. ¡°That¡¯s not counting the courier is it?¡± He asked. Alice just shook her head. ¡°There isn¡¯t one in Safeharbor as far as I¡¯m aware.¡± Isaac commented.


    Alice shook her head. ¡°No. It would have to go to Sapphirestone and then be taken here. Also, someone would have to put it together so a specialist might be needed. Thankfully the teleport cost wouldn¡¯t change if they arrived and left together. Everything on the plate goes from one place to the other as long as it fits. They are like twenty feet across if I remember right.¡± Alice explained.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go with that plan. I know it¡¯s expensive as all hells but it should be worth it in the end and there is always the possibility of going hunting for more.¡± He told her. His bank account wasn¡¯t going to like the massive cost. In all likelihood he was going to be barely still in the four digit amounts of gold coins by the end of it.


    Alice stared at him wide eyed. ¡°If you¡¯re sure¡­¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Alice didn¡¯t sound very convinced but it was his money not hers so she wasn¡¯t going to argue the point. ¡°I¡¯ll get on that. I¡¯ll need you to find a courier and get the money for the teleports. The problem now is how long it takes to get mail to and from the capital. Unless you know a fifth level wizard with good connections in the capital who can also cast the long range telepathic message spell?¡±


    Isaac had just the person. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do on that front. Write a letter and I¡¯ll be back later with confirmation.¡± Isaac told her and they split up to handle their respective tasks.


    Isaac went to Alexander and called in a favor. The mage was only a little reluctant to play middleman but he had someone in the capital who was willing to relay the messages to the right people for them. The biggest problem with the long range telepathic message spell, commonly referred to as Sending because its real name was far too long, was that the sender had to be familiar with the receiver¡¯s mana signature otherwise the spell would fail. This meant that Alexander couldn¡¯t just send the messages directly to who they would end up ordering the machine from. The back and forth took up much of the rest of the day and almost the entirety of Alexander¡¯s mana reserves along with a concession to treat his friend to a night on the town the next time Alexander was in the capital. Alexander told Isaac that he would be giving him the bill when that happened.


    Isaac also had to pay the courier upfront the entire thirteen thousand two hundred gold. Two hundred for the courier to take the trip there and back, one thousand to take the courier to the capital, one to take him and the specialist back to Sapphirestone, and then another to return the specialist, and finally ten thousand for the machine and its assembly in Safeharbor.


    The new courier was a normal looking human man with blonde hair and brown eyes. He had a flare of magic about him but Isaac couldn¡¯t tell what kind of caster he was. He assumed a wizard. He was in his forties and was wearing some loose traveling robes and had a glove with a gem in the middle of its palm on his right hand. The man didn¡¯t seem phased by the massive amount of money he was carrying and Isaac got the impression that he had been a courier for quite a while. Isaac wasn¡¯t sure if he should be glad or disappointed that the new courier wasn¡¯t as flamboyant and eccentric as the wood elf that had taken their swords to get enchanted. He made sure to get the courier¡¯s name and memorize his face. If something happened to that money Isaac was prepared to go on a manhunt. It wasn¡¯t that it was an impossible amount for him to make back but it was enough that Isaac would have to kill him to prove a point.


    Apparently the machinist had one already made but he would need to go over it as it had been sitting around for a small handful of years. He promised to have it in perfect condition and torn apart within a week so the timetable for getting the new loom set up in Safeharbor was looking like somewhere between eight and twelve days. Isaac told them that as long as it was done within two weeks he was happy but if it took any longer than that he would take back the money for the return teleport and make the specialist find his own way home. As it was, he wasn¡¯t comfortable sending all the money in one go but Alice and Alexander had both assured him that the machinist was well known to be the best in the kingdom so he put faith in the reputation. He was still prepared to do what it took to get his money back if it came to it.


    With all of that out of the way and Celeste getting ready to close down for the night Isaac and Lenna called it a day. They both knew that they had an important meeting to go to the next day. Well, as important as teatime with a duchess anyway.

 Chapter 53 A Scene

    Chapter 53 A Scene


    Lenna wore the inverse of the dress from their first teatime with Serentia Von Arbencroft. She was still not happy with the amount of skin that was showing but dresses were dresses so she dealt with it. Isaac at least had the luxury of wearing identical dress to their first trip. He clasped her necklace around her neck from behind her and peered over her shoulder at the mirror to get a good look at her. ¡°Isaac, stop staring.¡± Lenna scolded after Isaac hadn¡¯t moved for a few seconds. Her smile betrayed how she actually felt. Turning around she kissed him but quickly walked towards the door right as Isaac was about to do something that would cause them to be late.


    Isaac hurried after her and locked the door behind them. Once at the top of the stairs Isaac and Lenna both took deep breaths to focus and get back into their roles. Their relationship was shelved, their true personalities were shelved as well, even their status as high ranked adventurers was put on hold with their badges settled inside Isaac¡¯s Inventory. They were now only Lord Isaac Wexler, a powerful and eccentric exiled noble from a faraway place and Lady Lenna V¡¯Nova, the drow noblewoman, paladin, and soldier who turned traitor in order to serve a human of all things. Isaac nodded sharply and turned to look at Lenna. ¡°Same fog as last time or should I bring it up a notch?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna smiled. ¡°Bring it up a bit.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s grin in return to her words made Lenna feel like she was mated to a storybook villain. Power flowed out of Isaac. It turned to shadows as they walked arm in arm down the open flight of stairs to the first floor. He focused and turned the shadows into plate armor sabatons, greaves and poleyn, then demi-gauntlets and vambraces. The shadows hardened enough that they looked solid and relatively thick but they wouldn¡¯t hold up to an actual strike. Isaac summoned them more for the spectacle of conjuring armor on himself than actual protection. It took a fair bit of focus to hold them together but it was nothing Isaac couldn¡¯t handle. It did take up a substantial amount of his mana regeneration to keep everything together and still allow wisps of shadows to come off of him.


    Lenna had her own trick that she was working on. She herself was resistant to high heats but not to the point where she could grab hot coals or anything. Luckily she didn¡¯t need to go that hot, not that she had the mana to maintain that kind of temperature anyway, she only needed to go hot enough to cause a visible haze. She had done the mental guesstimation to figure that she could make it at least to the duke¡¯s manor without lowering her external temperature. She raised up to a level that she hadn¡¯t felt outside of a forge before. The heat haze was immediately noticeable as the air around her seemed to wave and tremble.


    Sera had once again made sure to pick lunchtime for their teatime in order to give Isaac and Lenna maximum public exposure. People gawked and someone even spilled something though Lenna was fairly sure that the man was a mage of some kind and simply felt the power radiating off of them. Celeste smiled at the pair. ¡°Enjoy your visit. Do tell Duchess Arbencroft that I said hello would you?¡± She spoke elegantly and with both warmth and at a slight remove, something that seemed like it had come from an amount of experience in court, and bowed to the pair slightly.


    Isaac and Lenna both returned polite smiles. ¡°We will and I will make sure to tell her.¡± Isaac returned with a nod before leaving with Lenna.


    ¡ª


    ¡°That was awful.¡± Isaac commented when it was only the three of them plus the maid that Isaac was convinced was Sera¡¯s bodyguard. She had the same height and build as the one that had accompanied her before but this time her hair was braided down to her waist and was a platinum blonde with eyes that matched. Her facial structure seemed a little different too but Isaac couldn¡¯t place how. Mostly it was just the general feel he got from the woman that keyed him into suspecting her.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Indeed.¡± She replied somewhat wearily. She had overestimated her own mana reserves and had just barely made it to Sera¡¯s garden before she had to stop bleeding heat. She was sweaty and hated it, not enough that anyone not staring at her would notice but enough that she felt it.


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    Isaac¡¯s entire side was sticky with sweat from the heat that Lenna had been radiating. That combined with the amount of focus it took him to keep all his visual effects going caused a small bead of sweat to roll down the side of his face. The maid handed him a towel. ¡°Thank you.¡± He told her and dabbed his face before offering it to Lenna. She shook her head and he returned it to the maid.


    Sera looked at them both with clear amusement. ¡°What did you two do?¡± She questioned.


    ¡°Spent almost all of my mana.¡± Lenna replied honestly.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to focus on that many constructs while walking next to a sauna.¡± Isaac answered and rubbed his temples. He was starting to feel the beginnings of a headache.


    Sera giggled at them from behind her hand. ¡°I believe you were warned about overstretching yourselves, yes?¡± She teased.


    Isaac and Lenna both nodded wearily. ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac admitted.


    After some more light teasing the trio changed to other topics. From their impressions of the new magistrate to Isaac¡¯s dragonscale armor to Sera¡¯s relentless barrage of questions about Kahtesh, most of which were deflected. After a lull Sera motioned for the maid and was handed an envelope with gold trim and her family crest stamped into a red wax seal. ¡°For you.¡± She told the duo and handed the envelope to the two of them.


    Isaac grabbed it and opened it with a flick of shadows that sliced between the paper and wax. He opened it up and withdrew an invitation, also trimmed in gold, to: ¡°One Duchess Serentia Von Arbencroft¡¯s forty third birthday ball.¡± Isaac read aloud. He looked up from the paper to meet Sera¡¯s ever sparkling brilliant blue eyes. ¡°I can hardly believe forty three, Sera.¡± He commented. ¡°What is your secret?¡±


    Sera giggled then gave Lenna a look. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t let your boyfriend flirt with other women.¡± She told her with a mischievous smile.


    Lenna looked side eyed at Isaac with a raised eyebrow. ¡°What?¡± He asked. ¡°Neither of us show our age. I¡¯m allowed to be curious.¡± He tried to defend himself which luckily for him was enough for Lenna to drop it. As soon as he looked away a smile crept across Lenna¡¯s face though she tried to hide it.


    Messing with him was fun. The only problem was that it had to be restricted to when they were alone or around a select few people otherwise there would be talk. Lenna didn¡¯t want anyone to reference the ¡®whore¡¯ comment that she had gotten in the Celestial Dawn that had caused Isaac to delete a man. She was well aware of some of the differences between elvish and human society and how some humans would perceive their relationship.


    ¡°What is the dress code?¡± Isaac asked Sera to bring them back on track.


    Sera looked at him with slight confusion for a second before she remembered Isaac¡¯s lack of knowledge about such things. She looked at Lenna. ¡°You have a ballgown from Jessica right?¡± She asked and Lenna nodded. She looked back at Isaac. ¡°Well, for you it is a bit harder.¡± She confessed. ¡°Usually there would be house colors and military tassels, maybe a medal or a coat-of-arms.¡±


    ¡°All of which I¡¯m lacking.¡± Isaac commented along the same line of thought that Sera was going.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She agreed. ¡°Do you have anything that could be used as such?¡± She asked. Isaac shook his head in the negative. ¡°Platinum.¡± She told Isaac. ¡°Platinum buttons, platinum chains, a pocket watch, silver tassels, all over black fabric. Only thick cottons. I know you don¡¯t have enough time to get any of it enchanted but it will be a good place to start.¡± She explained.


    Isaac held back a wince at the potential costs. He was quickly running out of money. ¡°Why is my stuff going to cost so much more than Lenna¡¯s?¡± He asked.


    ¡°You are the head of household.¡± Sera explained. She nodded to Lenna. ¡°She is your escort so she will be fine but your only other option is to go in the opposite direction and cause a scene at my birthday ball.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s face showed obvious intrigue. ¡°Oh?¡± He asked. ¡°A scene you say.¡±


    Sera¡¯s eyes twinkled a little brighter and her near constant smile got a little more pronounced. ¡°Well¡­¡± She drew the word out. ¡°Usually wealth is what is on display but there are other kinds of power in the upper levels of society.¡± She hinted.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°Wealth, political power, magical power, strength, and skill are the five ways to gauge how formidable a person is. Which ones should we show off?¡± He asked her.


    ¡°Wealth is not something you have at the moment.¡± Sera replied simply. She was vaguely aware that at the very least Isaac wasn¡¯t capable of buying the types of clothes that were used to show off how wealthy a family was. Isaac was hurt but had to agree. ¡°You completely lack political power.¡± She continued to dig in the knife. ¡°As far as I am aware you are not barbarians from the wildlands so strength is also out as an option.¡±


    ¡°Magical power it is then.¡± Isaac conceded.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Sera drug the word out again. ¡°If done properly, skill can be shown at a ball.¡± She told them. ¡°But, if done improperly, it will make you look like you are from the circus.¡± She warned.


    ¡°There is a ritual known as the sword dance.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°Usually the host and hostess of the event would open the dancefloor with it.¡±


    Sera¡¯s interest was officially piqued. ¡°Do tell.¡± She asked. Sera was going to show all those uptight, old-house, old-city, old coffin dodgers what a frontier city had to offer that theirs didn¡¯t. And she was more than happy to blindside her husband while planning it.

 Chapter 54 Infuriating

    Chapter 54 Infuriating


    Isaac made sure to remember to return in four weeks, one month¡¯s time, for another tea party at the same time and place. Lenna was going to remind him anyway just in case. The pair decided to stop by the desert parlor that they had the previous time as well. They decided that they would continue the tradition at least until they had tried everything on the menu at least once. There truly were few other things better than chilled desserts. Thankfully this time they were not ambushed on their return by assassins. Instead they were ambushed by someone else and Isaac received a bit of a reality check.


    ¡°You!¡± An elderly woman pointed at Isaac with barely contained emotions, all of them negative, while shaking with fury.


    Isaac and Lenna stopped walking. The smile that had found its way across both of their faces dropped. They had been enjoying themselves. Isaac raised an eyebrow in question. ¡°Yes?¡± He asked amiably.


    His attitude seemed to push her over the edge. ¡°You killed my boy!¡± She screamed.


    Isaac had to run through the list of humans he had killed in his mind to try and place one that bore any resemblance to the woman in front of them and was coming up short. On one hand he knew better than to escalate the situation but on the other he really couldn¡¯t help himself. Most people, normal people with a working conscience, would have felt some amount of guilt no matter how bad the person they killed was when confronting that person¡¯s grieving mother. For most people, even if they tried to logic the guilt away, there would still be a vague sadness for causing another person so much emotional pain and grief. Unfortunately, Isaac wasn¡¯t most people.


    ¡°You are going to have to be more specific.¡± Isaac told her coldly. Lenna had to hold back a wince and a few bystanders visibly recoiled. Isaac knew that everyone he killed either had it coming or it was simply business. To him that meant that it ended there. He didn¡¯t even care to remember most of their faces and definitely didn¡¯t remember any of their names. He knew them all by the reason they died, however, and that was something he wasn¡¯t likely to ever forget. Isaac didn¡¯t kill as lightly as it seemed to outsiders. Every kill had a real reason behind it and killing the person was the best course of action when it came to furthering his goals in one way or another. If asked he could explain each one, individually, at length. Reasons within reasons and justifications within excuses.


    The woman looked like she was going to change races her face had gotten so red. Tears pooled at the edges of her eyes. It took her a long moment to regain any amount of composure. Another older woman placed a hand on her back for comfort. ¡°The day before yesterday.¡± The second woman spat. ¡°Unless you need it narrowed down any further you, you, murderer.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s face betrayed no expression. If a person didn¡¯t want their families to grieve for them then they had plenty of options around such a fate. Not being an asshole was at the top of that list. ¡°He could have kept his mouth shut.¡± Isaac replied, his tone still cold and unrepentant. The mother of the man who died looked like she was about to say something and take a step towards Isaac but he cut her off. He took half a step towards her causing her to pause and continued with some of his own anger starting to build at the memory of the person he had killed. ¡°He also could have taken back what he said.¡±


    Lenna almost reached for one of the throwing spikes, keeping her hair up, when several of the bystanders looked like they were going to try to go to the old women¡¯s rescue. A wave of shadows rolled out from Isaac with enough force to ruffle clothes but little else. It was clear to Lenna that he had directed it downwards instead of out because it only existed to scare the rest of the civilians enough to keep them at bay. ¡®He has to escalate everything doesn¡¯t he?¡¯ She thought to herself with a barely contained sigh. She felt for the woman. Losing a loved one was never pleasant and as much as Lenna would have liked to stop Isaac from executing the man there wasn¡¯t anything she could have done. There wasn¡¯t anything she could do now either. She was just along for the ride as usual. That was one of the reasons she liked to turn the tables on Isaac whenever they were alone. Not that she would tell anyone that of course.


    ¡°But he didn¡¯t.¡± Isaac spat and took another half a step towards the woman who was starting to crumble into a breakdown. ¡°I gave him more chances than he deserved. If someone wants to fight then they will and when they come across someone stronger than them they will lose.¡± His voice was turning from ice cold to fiery hot as he went. The woman¡¯s legs finally gave out and she collapsed onto the ground in sobs and tears. Isaac bent at the hip to both get closer to her and exert even more pressure. ¡°Your son would still be alive if he hadn¡¯t gone out of his way to be an asshole.¡± He told her in a voice only a little louder than a whisper. By the end his jaw was set and his eyes were hard. He stood up straight and offered his arm to Lenna who took it with a raised eyebrow.


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    He led them along at a measured pace away from where the commotion had started. Once they were out of ear shot Lenna decided to just ask her question. ¡°Still mad about that?¡± She asked him.


    Isaac took a deep breath finally and let it out slowly. Most of the tension drifted away with his breath. ¡°Yes and no.¡± He replied. A moment later he continued. ¡°I¡¯m just generally irritated at all of it.¡± He told her. ¡°Like I said, he didn¡¯t have to die, he just needed to not be an asshole. It¡¯s not that hard.¡± Lenna raised an eyebrow with slight amusement at the final statement. ¡°Even I can avoid being an asshole to people who are stronger than me, and know it, or who simply don¡¯t deserve it.¡± Lenna ceded him the point with a nod. ¡°Also, it¡¯s a lot simpler when the person doesn¡¯t have any family, or, at the very least, I don¡¯t have to deal with said family.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Lenna said. There it was. He just didn¡¯t like dealing with people he couldn¡¯t get onto his side.


    Isaac caught the odd undertones of Lenna¡¯s word. ¡°What?¡± He asked.


    ¡°You finally got to the real problem.¡± She replied easily.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Isaac said but stayed silent for only a short moment afterwards. ¡°Still,¡± He began again. ¡°none of that needed to happen.¡±


    Lenna nodded in agreement. ¡°No, it did not.¡± She took a moment to sort out her words. ¡°But it did. There may be more in the future if you aren¡¯t careful.¡± She warned him. ¡°Not every insult deserves a reprisal.¡±


    Isaac shook his head in the negative. ¡°No, but ones done with nothing but malicious feelings and intent need to be curbed. I tried being polite, I tried threats, then I tried violence. If others don¡¯t learn from this then that is their own fault and their own urns.¡± Isaac explained. He had no delusions about any of his ¡®victims¡¯ having enough left of them for a coffin.


    Lenna sighed. ¡°Very well.¡± She understood his argument and thought process. She even acknowledged that it was probably the right course of action but that didn¡¯t mean she liked it any more. ¡°Let¡¯s change focus.¡± She offered.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± He agreed. ¡°What do you want to do after we change out of these formal clothes?¡±


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°Spar?¡± She offered and Isaac chuckled. It was her favorite pastime. She was a warrior through and through after all.


    ¡°Spar it is.¡± He replied with a nod and then his mind wandered to something adjacent. ¡°We need a bigger tub.¡± He commented.


    Lenna tilted her head slightly in question and looked at him. ¡°Why?¡± She asked.


    ¡°We always get a bath afterwards.¡± He replied, expecting her to understand where he was going with it. After a moment of her not saying anything or responding in any way he continued. ¡°We could take it together.¡±


    Lenna¡¯s eyebrows rose and her face colored a bit. ¡°Isaac!¡± She chastised in a loud whisper. ¡°We are in public.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s smirk was impish. He knew exactly how to get back at her for messing with him. He had been struggling to find a way and coming up short for a few weeks but now he had an avenue of attack. One that he would save because most things were better the first time.


    The two eventually found themselves back inside the Guild Hall around an hour before dinner. ¡°Here for a job?¡± Alice asked when she saw them. Isaac had decided to wait to startle her again for at least a few days to give her a false sense of security.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No.¡± He told her but let Lenna explain.


    Lenna walked up to the receptionist with a smile. ¡°I need a platinum one.¡± She said and placed her adventurer¡¯s badge on the desk in front of Alice.


    Alice¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Already?!¡± She couldn¡¯t believe the rate that Lenna was leveling up. Usually leveling up was a long and slow process. Adventurers tended to level faster because live combat with life and limb on the line was always more productive than sparring but Lenna¡¯s leveling rate was beyond anything that Alice had seen. ¡°How?¡± She asked in awe as she took the badge so she could copy it onto a platinum one.


    Lenna motioned Alice closer and they both leaned in towards each other so Lenna could whisper something to Alice. ¡°Acting like Isaac.¡± She whispered conspiratorially.


    Alice just looked at her in confusion. ¡°What?¡± She asked, only more dumbfounded.


    Lenna nodded sagely. ¡°It¡¯s all about infuriating the right people.¡± She offered the younger woman like it was some ancient wisdom of the gods.


    Isaac snorted a laugh. He had heard everything and was just glad that Lenna was opening up. The longer they were together the more of a mischievous streak Isaac found buried under all the ancient, righteous, knight she usually showed. He smiled at her fondly though she couldn¡¯t see as he was standing a little behind her while she messed with Alice. He caught a glimpse of her smile and could almost feel the real joy and amusement radiating off of her. ¡®Good.¡¯ Isaac thought. ¡®I hope I can keep her at least this happy.¡¯ His smile took on a hint of sadness. ¡®At least for as long as I¡¯m alive.¡¯

 Chapter 55 Elequin Ter’Tra

    Chapter 55 Elequin Ter¡¯Tra


    ¡°You know what, let¡¯s get a job while we¡¯re here.¡± Isaac told Alice and Lenna nodded her accent. ¡°Anything good?¡±


    Alice looked up in thought and chewed on her bottom lip. ¡°Not really.¡± She confessed. ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to do escorts or intown bounties so we¡¯re basically back down to just the spider quest. The difficulty of that one has gone up a bit now that it is mostly just jumping-spiders.¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s fine. We just need something to do for a few days and some spending money. I¡¯d like to take it easy for a bit after all the intensity of the last few jobs.¡± He replied. ¡°What¡¯s the price looking like?¡±


    ¡°Fifteen gold a kill, two for the poison, fifty if you can get a teleport sack.¡± She replied offhand. ¡°Some of the lower level groups are going for a kill a day so please don¡¯t kill them all off.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t killing them off the point?¡± Isaac asked incredulously.


    Alice waved her hand in a ¡®sort of¡¯ gesture. ¡°It¡¯s easy money for the lower level teams and some of them could definitely use it.¡± She replied.


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll just keep pressuring them until they turn into phase-widows.¡±


    Alice gaped. ¡°Ph-phase-widows?!¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Jala said that she was using us to breed phase-widows. Or trying to at least. I¡¯m not sure of the specifics but I know us putting pressure on them was part of it.¡± He explained. ¡°Something about thinning out the weak or something.¡±


    Alice shook her head in the negative frantically. ¡°No, nevermind, please kill them all before they turn into phase-widows.¡± She all but begged.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Phase-widows sound interesting though. I kind of want to see one.¡± He commented.


    Alice¡¯s eyes got even bigger. ¡°Please?¡± She pleaded while dragging out the word.


    Isaac just shrugged again. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± He replied noncommittally. He turned to head upstairs to the library. He stopped after a few steps and looked over his shoulder just in time to see Lenna mouth ¡®sorry¡¯ at Alice and head after him.


    While they were on their way to the guild library Lenna spoke: ¡°It might be a good idea to clear them all out before they evolve again.¡± She advised. ¡°If Jala really did find a way to force an evolution.¡±


    Isaac shrugged and then nodded conceding the point. ¡°Probably.¡± He agreed. ¡°We could take a few phase-spiders though, right?¡±


    Lenna winced. ¡°If we have too.¡± She said obviously not a fan of the prospect.


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    ¡°What makes them so much more dangerous?¡± He asked.


    ¡°They go through armor.¡± She replied with a frown. ¡°Their entire bodies are semi-corporeal. Wounds are deeper but less harsh for them unless you are using magic. The real problem is their fangs going through armor like it isn¡¯t there.¡±


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°That could be a problem.¡± He agreed.


    ¡°Also,¡± She went on. ¡°their poison is ten times as deadly.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s eyes went wide and a grin showed on his face. ¡°Ten times as expensive?¡± He asked.


    Lenna sighed. ¡°Probably more.¡± She conceded.


    ¡°Sounds fun.¡± He replied and then started looking for them in the monster encyclopedia.


    Lenna sighed. ¡®Sorry Alice.¡¯ She thought to herself. ¡®There¡¯s just no stopping him when he gets like this.¡¯


    ¡ª


    The following day the pair stopped by the Guild Hall to pick up Lenna¡¯s new shiny platinum adventurer¡¯s badge before heading out to kill some time by killing spiders. They went out the following day as well. Both days killing ten spiders before returning. The jumping-spider population had almost entirely replaced the regular spider population. If Jala was right then soon phase-widows would start replacing those. Jala had also said that there was supposed to be an even higher evolution called an ethereal-horror but she had never seen a corpse of one in person.


    Finally it was time for some of their gear to return from getting enchanted. The duo hadn¡¯t even left the Celestial Dawn after breakfast when a familiar elf all but teleported up next to them. The speed that he was traveling was fast enough to rustle clothes and leave the doors swinging in his wake.


    ¡°Greetings esteemed customers!¡± An elf with tan skin and green eyes in light traveling clothes said and leaned up against the bar just as Isaac was about to stand up after finishing his food.


    It took Isaac a moment to place who the man was before it clicked. ¡°The courier,¡± Isaac had to think for another moment to remember the man¡¯s strange name. ¡°Elequin Ter¡¯Tra? If I¡¯m not mistaken.¡±


    The man beamed but somehow the smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°The one and only.¡± He pulled his bottomless bag around so it would be in front of him and he could withdraw its contents but stopped. ¡°Here or somewhere more private?¡± He asked. It was always polite to ask. Some people were secretive about the strangest things.


    ¡°Here¡¯s fine.¡± Isaac replied and promptly received a pair of sword sized boxes. He opened them and saw both of the swords he had sent to get enchanted. They had runic filigree along their spines that seemed to pull in just the slightest amount of ambient mana and concentrate it into their blades. How exactly the enchantments worked Isaac had no idea but he didn¡¯t really have to understand as long as they did as advertised. ¡°They look good to me.¡± Isaac told Elequin who smiled and nodded.


    He was about to go when Lenna stopped him. ¡°Wait.¡± She said quickly before he could speed off. ¡°How did you know who I was?¡± She questioned.


    He just smiled innocently. ¡°I have no idea what you are talking about Lady V¡¯Nova.¡± He replied and then sped off.


    Isaac had exactly a tenth of a second to make a decision and he went for it. He chain teleported after the courier. After the second teleport he had put out enough shadows to maintain invisibility while teleporting. He followed him across town and watched as Elequin ducked into the Couriers¡¯ Guild building. The door closed before Isaac could follow him inside but doors never stopped him before. Especially now that Isaac knew he only needed the shadows to connect if he wanted to teleport to somewhere out of sight. He pulled himself through the shadows into the building and¡­ he was gone.


    ¡°What?¡± Isaac said aloud, his shadowcloak keeping him silent to the rest of the world. ¡°Where? How?¡± The dust was still all kicked up from Elequin moving so quickly. Isaac walked up to the far wall where Elequin had appeared and vanished through before and tried to sense any enchantments or runes but was coming up short. There was some kind of enchantment on the other side of the wall but Isaac had no idea what it did. It simply wasn¡¯t one that he was familiar with and there were far too many for anyone who wasn¡¯t a mage to memorize. ¡°Shit.¡± He cursed under his breath. ¡°I don¡¯t like this.¡± He sighed and turned around.


    Isaac teleported back outside of the building and then returned to the Celestial dawn via a mixture of jogging and teleporting. By the time he got back most of the way back he met Lenna and appeared a dozen feet in front of her. ¡°Lost him?¡± She asked. It was pretty obvious with the clear discontent written on his face.


    ¡°Yeah. Courier building vanishing act again.¡± He explained and Lenna nodded in understanding. ¡°I really don¡¯t like how he knew who you were before we told anyone outside of Izen¡¯s little court.¡±


    ¡°Me neither.¡± Lenna agreed. ¡°I wonder if he is a spy too.¡±


    Isaac nodded with a frown. ¡°Who runs expensive items from town to town as a means to make money while delivering information?¡± He speculated.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°It would explain things.¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Yes, yes it would.¡±

 Chapter 56 My Lady.

    Chapter 56 My Lady.


    ¡°You know what we haven¡¯t done yet?¡± Isaac asked while the pair were walking towards the arena for a good spar.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Lenna replied in question.


    ¡°Used that Identify mat scroll thing.¡± He said. Lenna nodded in agreement. ¡°After the spar?¡± He asked.


    ¡°In our room.¡± Lenna replied in the affirmative.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°The last thing I want is someone else seeing it.¡±


    The pair soon arrived at the arena and squared off. ¡°Fear resistance training first.¡± Lenna told him. Isaac took a deep breath to center himself and then nodded. Lenna gave him as little pressure from her aura as she could. The adrenaline spike hit Isaac like a runaway cart but he managed to hold himself together. Lenna could see that Isaac was keeping himself together so she simply let him get used to the feeling for as long as he could take it. A few minutes later Isaac looked like he was both about to pass out and about to rush her like a frenzied dog at the same time so she cut her aura and let him relax. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Lenna asked.


    After a few moments of Isaac catching his breath he nodded and sat on the hard packed sand. ¡°Tired.¡± He replied honestly. ¡°That is still worse than any adrenalin rush I¡¯ve ever naturally had.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°It¡¯s magically induced. It should be.¡± She sat down cross-legged in front of him and took off her helmet. ¡°You did well to last that long.¡± She complimented. ¡°How much longer do you think you could have held out?¡±


    ¡°Not long.¡± Isaac replied honestly. ¡°I was about at my limit.¡±


    ¡°Try to clear your head with your death flames.¡± She told him. He had finally finished converting all of his mana pathways above his knees to being able to handle the death mana. The progress had been and still was slow but all of his vitals were now within near instant healing range.


    Isaac¡¯s eyes went wide and he smacked himself in the forehead. ¡°I should have thought of that.¡± He replied and did just that. He felt the mental exhaustion burn away and his mind clear. He wasn¡¯t sure how that would help while fighting but a quick recovery was always good. Isaac tilted his head in thought. ¡°You know what else we haven¡¯t done?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lenna asked to humor him.


    Isaac grinned impishly. ¡°Sparred with magic.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°That is a bad idea.¡± She replied with finality.


    ¡°We can both heal back any injury that isn¡¯t instantly fatal, well, except for my legs, so the risk is actually quite low.¡± He reminded her.


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    Lenna knew he was right but she wasn¡¯t about to fireball Isaac. She did have two new spells that she wanted to test out but testing them out on Isaac seemed like a bad idea. ¡°Let me try out my new spells first.¡± She acquiesced.


    ¡°Awesome!¡± Isaac said and hopped to his feet then paused. ¡°New spells?¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Flamecloak and Gate of Flame.¡± She explained.


    ¡°How?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± She asked.


    ¡°How do you know new spells? Like why couldn¡¯t you cast them before?¡± He expanded.


    Lenna tilted her head in thought. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ complicated.¡± She replied unhelpfully. ¡°Part of it is magic itself helping me through my class.¡± She thought about how to word the next part for a moment and Isaac gave her the time to do so. ¡°Part of it is my broken oath telling me things¡­ like whispers in a dream¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°Like all spells I know from my oath, they all are related to anger or remorse. At least the spell chants are.¡±


    ¡°What are they?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna stood up and faced away from him. ¡°Open Gate to torment and fury!¡± She commanded and cut the air with two outstretched fingers. The area on the ground that she pointed at throughout the motion lit up with an orange line. Another orange line mirrored the first one only ten feet into the air. A moment later flames gushed out of both lines towards their mirror. The flames poured with such an intensity that they were hard pressed to see to the other side.


    Isaac watched on in awe. ¡°Impressive.¡± He replied after watching the fires burn for a few seconds.


    Lenna cut the power and got ready to cast her next spell. She walked a few steps away from Isaac and faced him. ¡°This one is a self buff.¡± She explained. ¡°Kind of.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Isaac said. ¡°Let¡¯s see it.¡±


    Lenna took a deep breath. Both of the spells were incredibly mana hungry and she knew that she would only be able to hold the other one for around half a minute before she would start to feel mana fatigue. ¡°Hate, my sword. Wrath, my shield. Flame, my armor. Fury, me.¡± She spoke, small amounts of those emotions were evident in her tone. Again two orange lines formed. This time in circles a few inches out from her head and feet. The flames that leapt from them were thin and sporadic. They were easy enough to see through and Lenna waved her hand through the fires as they seemed to flow in an odd arc to make an almost egg shape around her. The flames were hot but not enough to burn her as they immediately stopped wherever her hand went only to start again once her hand was no longer in the way. She took a few practice swings through the fires and she barely felt them.


    Flamecloak was like perdition only scaled down to a point where it wouldn¡¯t instantly ignite everything around her. Also it originated from outside of her to prevent her from killing herself with her own spell so that was a plus. Isaac smiled at her. ¡°It looks like you won¡¯t need a change of clothes next time you get swallowed by something.¡± He commented.


    Lenna cut the power to the spell and let it fade. She returned a flat look to him. ¡°This isn¡¯t strong enough to kill a creature that large in a reasonable amount of time.¡± She replied. ¡°I would have to resort to perdition again regardless.¡±


    Isaac winced. ¡°Then what good is the Flamecloak?¡± He asked.


    ¡°The fires only stop when I get in the way.¡± She explained. ¡°Anything trying to hit me will have to deal with them. More importantly, it keeps out the cold.¡±


    Isaac looked at her in utter confusion. It wasn¡¯t that cold where they were and at present they had no plans to head to somewhere covered in snow. A moment later he realized what she meant. Cold spells would be blunted by passing through the spell¡¯s domain. How much, he would have to see for himself but it looked like it could be helpful regardless. ¡°Okay.¡± He replied. ¡°Got enough mana for a magical spar?¡± He asked.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No. Those spells are too mana hungry.¡± She explained.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Maybe next time then.¡± He drew his practice sword and squared off against her. A moment later Lenna lunged. Usually Isaac was on the offensive but this time Lenna decided to switch it up.


    Swing after swing came at Isaac but he parried and danced away from each one. Lenna was being too aggressive for him to try to make any kind of real counter offensive so he simply let her push him back around the arena. He was in control of their direction most of the time but that didn¡¯t matter overly much when he couldn¡¯t counter attack. After five minutes Lenna stopped and frowned at him. ¡°You¡¯re cheating.¡± She told him.


    Isaac grinned. He had been using an incredibly small amount of death mana in his arms to keep them from getting tired while they fought. He was still breathing heavily but it was more like he was out for a morning run than sparring. ¡°Only a little.¡± He confessed but his grin never left his face.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Catch your breath. Do that to me and then let¡¯s go again. No magic this time.¡± She ordered.


    Isaac chuckled and rolled his eyes. ¡°Fine, fine.¡± He gave her an exaggerated bow. ¡°As you wish, my Lady.¡±

 Chapter 57 Status.

    Chapter 57 Status.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting kind of excited.¡± Isaac confessed as they rolled out the ritual rug. ¡°It¡¯s been so long since the last time I¡¯ve seen my status.¡±


    Lenna chuckled and shook her head. ¡°Likewise.¡± She agreed.


    Once the rug was rolled out completely and level on the floor Isaac looked at Lenna. ¡°Want to go first?¡± He asked.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m more patient than you.¡± She replied with a smile.


    Isaac took a deep breath and sat down in the middle of the ritual. He pushed a little dark mana out towards the designated circle for his dark mana input. A minute later the ritual flared and started sending pulses through him and recording it. ¡°This takes a hundred times longer when you¡¯re excited.¡± Isaac grumbled.


    Lenna laughed at him and joined him on the floor. ¡°It¡¯ll go faster if you stop thinking about it.¡± She told him and they started talking about what their statuses were like the last time they were checked.


    Finally the ritual was done and the pair were sitting and crouched next to the projection that showed Isaac¡¯s updated status. ¡°Wow.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°That¡¯s a lot more skills than last time.¡±


    Lenna slowly turned her head to face him. ¡°You are built like a demigod.¡± She told him in awe and then got a glint in her eye. ¡°Later.¡± She whispered to herself.


    Name: Isaac Wexler Race: Human Age: 20


    Height: 5¡¯10¡± Weight: 155 Eyes: Silver


    Skin tone: Pale Hair: Black Level: 8


    Strength: 15         Dexterity: 16   Constitution: 16


    Intelligence: 18       Wisdom: 19   Will Power: 16


    Total: 60 + 40 Polarity: Split (84% Dark)


    Class: Mage - Dark Multiclass: N/A


    Talents: Dark Mana Manipulation, Deflection


    Skills: Stealth, Deception, Persuasion, Intimidation, Performance, Unarmed Combat, One-handed Sword Combat, Polarity Sense.


    Blessings: Zei (Eternal Youth: You will still die when your natural time comes, however you will always look as you do now.)


    Curses: N/A


    ¡°Yeah. They are even higher than last time.¡± He replied with a smile. Isaac was proud of himself. After all, who doesn¡¯t like bigger numbers?


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen talents listed before.¡± Lenna confessed.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°That¡¯s what Aria said too. Also polarity is apparently not normal on a status page either.¡± He nodded towards the center of the ritual a moment later when the illusory image ran out of power and vanished. ¡°Your turn.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Lenna replied and got up, sat in the middle of the ritual, then waited patiently for her Identify to finish. Isaac had to power it again but after a few minutes she got her results back. They displayed in the same way as Isaac¡¯s but he was already there reading them before she arrived.


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    ¡°Holy skills bat-¡± Isaac¡¯s words cut off again as he grabbed his head in pain. ¡°Ow¡­¡± Isaac grumbled. ¡°I really wish that would stop happening.¡± Lenna just shook her head and continued to look for anything new on her status page.


    Name: Lenna V¡¯Nova Race: Elf (Dark) Age: 298


    Height: 5¡¯11¡± Weight: 159 Eyes: Silver


    Skin tone: Grayish Dark Purple Hair: Silver Level: 13


    Strength: 18         Dexterity: 13   Constitution: 18


    Intelligence: 14       Wisdom: 14   Will Power: 19


    Total: 60 + 36


    Class: Paladin - Oathbreaker Multiclass: N/A


    Skills: Stealth, Athletics, Insight, Survival, Perception, Arcana, Language: Innerworld Standard, Language: Elvish, Language: Dwarvish, Language: Gnomish, Language: Overworld Standard, Language: Orcish, All Weapon Combat, Unarmed Combat, Mounted Combat, Horsemanship, All Savings Throws.


    Blessings: Lua (Small healing overtime based on the phase of the moon.)


    Curses: Ancient¡¯s Revenge (Spells known through your class are both altered and reduced in number.)


    ¡°Mine didn¡¯t change very much.¡± Lenna confessed. ¡°My Willpower is up one and my level is higher. The blessing and curse are new. Mostly it¡¯s just my level and subclass that¡¯s changed.¡± She explained.


    Isaac¡¯s eyes were still glued to her status window. ¡°All Weapon Combat?¡± He asked somewhat surprised.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve had two hundred years to hone my skills.¡± She replied honestly. ¡°Most of it was spent waiting for my ancestors to decide it was time for me to level up. I had nothing better to do than train.¡±


    Isaac nodded absently in understanding. ¡°How do you get athletics, insight, survival, perception, and arcana as skills?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°Athletics is easy enough. We can start your training for that if you want?¡± She offered. ¡°We would start training each of your muscle groups. Also teaching you how to use each of them properly. In one to three months you¡¯d have it.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Okay. I don¡¯t know how necessary that is but it¡¯s something to think about.¡± He replied.


    Lenna nodded and then went on to the next one on the list. ¡°Insight is about reading people which I got from natural practice in a drow court.¡± She explained. ¡°Survival training was something that every drow military personnel are given. Basic first-aid, water purification, sourcing food, what is edible and what isn¡¯t, how to tell if water is safe to drink.¡± She took a deep breath having exhausted it all in going over what all was in survival training.


    ¡°That might take a while to learn but it is definitely something I should do at some point.¡± Isaac told her and then waited for her to continue.


    Lenna nodded in agreement. ¡°Perception can sort of be trained.¡± She began and thought about how she hadn¡¯t had any dedicated training in that area but it was simply a product of living in the deathtrap known as the Innerworld. Being paranoid about every stray sound eventually helped her subconscious pick out sounds that might belong to threats. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to teach you that.¡± She told him honestly and then moved on. ¡°Arcana is general magic knowledge. You are already well on your way.¡±


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°How many more different skills are there?¡± He asked.


    Lenna thought for a long moment. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. There are a lot of them. One thing to remember is that you won¡¯t get a skill until you have proven to be proficient in it.¡± She explained.


    ¡°So I might just randomly get more but there¡¯s no real way to know until it happens?¡± Isaac asked for clarification to which Lenna nodded. Isaac smiled. ¡°My numbers didn¡¯t go up by very much but the jump in levels and number of skills was a pleasant surprise.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna said with a nod. ¡°So¡­¡± Lenna drug the word out. ¡°A triple digit total huh?¡± She stretched out on the floor.


    Isaac raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°Yes?¡± He wasn¡¯t sure where she was going with it but he had a vague feeling. He wasn¡¯t quite that dense to not notice what she was doing.


    She flashed him a mischievous smirk and glint in her eyes. ¡°Wanna work on your constitution?¡±


    ¡ª


    The pair eventually found themselves in the back room where Kahtesh was guarding their drider silk. Alice mentioned something about letting Jilian Silverstrand in, to start untangling as much of the silk as she could before the machine arrived for her to work on it properly, so Isaac decided to just bring Kahtesh along with him rather than trying to make sure he wasn¡¯t going to fry the poor girl or Alice. Since they were there anyway they decided to take a look at Kahtesh¡¯s status as well.


    Name: Kahtesh Race: Golem (Bone - Dragon - Blue)


    Length: 9¡¯1¡± Weight: 98 Eyes: N/A


    Height: 4¡¯1¡± Scales: N/A Level: 4


    Strength: 19         Dexterity: 9   Constitution: 19


    Intelligence: 4         Wisdom: 4   Will Power: N/A


    Total: 50 + 0


    Talent: Lightning Dragon Breath, Flight


    Blessings: Familiar of Isaac Wexler (Small healing over time as long as you are receiving mana from your master.)


    Curses: Familiar¡¯s Curse. (You can only exist as long as you are receiving mana from your master.)


    ¡°That¡¯s about what I thought.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°It¡¯s pretty empty.¡±


    ¡°He is a young dragon. Low numbers are to be expected¡­ his do seem a bit low though.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Maybe it has something to do with the fact that he¡¯s not all there?¡± Isaac postulated. ¡°Like he doesn¡¯t really have a brain or anything.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°That would make sense.¡± She agreed.


    ¡°Well. This has been fun.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°What should we do next?¡±


    ¡°Stan should have my throwing spikes.¡± Lenna reminded.


    Isaac got up and sent Kahtesh into his shadow. ¡°Sounds good. Let¡¯s go.¡±

 Chapter 58 Show Him To Me.

    Chapter 58 Show Him To Me.


    With the enchanted silver throwing spikes acquired and now equipped with magical swords, Isaac and Lenna left their old weapons with Stan for some much needed maintenance. ¡°What in all hells did ye fight with dis poor blade?¡± Stan asked in horror at looking at Lenna¡¯s already enchanted sword. She had tried to take as good care of it as she could but some impacts were simply too much for any steel blade to handle no matter how much they were reinforced with magic.


    ¡°A millennia old drider.¡± Lenna replied simply. That was the enemy that had actually managed to damage the blade. It had held up wonderfully against everything else she had thrown it at but clashing blade to blade with Shaeo had proven to be too much for the poor sword.


    Stan looked up and searched her face for any sign of deceit or jest and saw none of either. He shook his head and looked back down at the blade with a frown. ¡°I can fix it, mostly.¡± He replied after a long moment of thought.


    Lenna nodded in appreciation and to give him the go ahead to work on it. ¡°Thank you.¡± She said.


    Stan just shook his head again. ¡°Only mostly though. Some o¡¯ its still gonna be serrated but I can get most o¡¯ its dents out.


    ¡°What about this one?¡± Isaac asked with a wince and handed Stan his own sword.


    Stan was silent for a long moment with only shock and horror on his face. ¡°Dis your trainin¡¯ sword laddie?¡± He asked hopefully.


    Isaac¡¯s expression was grim as he shook his head. ¡°No.¡± He replied sadly.


    ¡°I¡¯tis now.¡± Stan replied and handed him back the sword. ¡°There¡¯s no point in tryin¡¯ta fix it. Either I melt ¡®er down or she¡¯s a trainin¡¯ sword now.¡±


    Isaac winced. ¡°It served me well.¡± Isaac told no one in particular. ¡°Just lay it to rest and melt it down.¡± Isaac said with a heavy heart. That sword had been with him through many life or death situations and had always survived whatever hell he put it through. His new sword was identical in almost every way to the old one. The new one was, however, in perfect condition and magically hardened and sharpened.


    Stan nodded and kept the sword. ¡°Five gold ta fix the Lady¡¯s sword. I¡¯ll have ¡®er done by tomorrow evening.¡± He told them. Isaac paid him and the pair left their swords with Stan. One to be fixed and the other to be laid to rest.


    The following day the duo continued to clear out jumping-spiders. That evening they retrieved Lenna¡¯s old sword and she switched back to using that one. Isaac kept his old, now enchanted, longsword in his Inventory for emergencies. He still had his old shortsword as backup if he ever truly needed it but mostly he just assumed that if he needed a second sword he would just make one out of shadows and use that instead.


    The day after that something¡­ interesting, happened while the pair were walking out of the Celestial Dawn after breakfast. ¡°Spiders again?¡± Isaac asked Lenna while they walked out onto the street. Lenna¡¯s reply was cut off by something both familiar and strange. A black void opened up in front of Isaac in mid air. It was like a portal made of darkness or a wall mirror looking back at the void. Isaac tilted his head questioningly at it. ¡°What?¡± He said aloud. Lenna turned her head to ask him a question but was cut off again. This time by something emerging from the window into nothingness.


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    A black cloaked figure floated out of the void portal which then vanished without flourish. A lifeless skull could be seen from under the hood and two skeletal hands. One held an old oil lantern that looked to have been hand forged out of crude iron with tarnished bronze fittings. In the other hand a farmer¡¯s mowing scythe that looked just as old as the lantern with an old wooden handle that looked worn from ages of use and the blade looked dull with flecks of rust on it. The figure hovered there in the air a few inches off the ground. No feet could be seen as the being was not confined to walking like mortals or most demigods.


    ¡°The Reaper?¡± Isaac said questioningly. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was my time yet.¡± He told the being before him casually with a frown.


    The skeletal body seemed to jolt and then became slightly animated and shifted in the air to face its empty eye sockets at Isaac. ¡°It is not.¡± The Reaper said in a voice that seemed like its pitch was chosen simply because it lay in the middle of the average male vocal spectrum. The words were also spoken with at least four times as much air as necessary. The skeletal jaw didn¡¯t move but it was clear where the voice had come from. ¡°I am here for another reason.¡± The fact that there were no respiratory organs meant that the excessive use of air was deliberate and also conjured. The Reaper made no motion while speaking like he wasn¡¯t even trying to act like a mortal despite his roll and form.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac asked casually. Lenna looked back and forth between them like the odd woman out.


    ¡°Do not use my name.¡± The Reaper told Isaac. ¡°Your and my names are being used in concert. Make clear their false conjecture.¡± He spoke in his same monotone voice with far too much air.


    Isaac looked at him with some confusion. ¡°Are you also The Boatman?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± The Reaper replied.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I haven¡¯t used that in a long time. Why come to me now?¡±


    ¡°That has no connection to now.¡± The Reaper explained. ¡°Mortals are assuming a connection. Your power is similar to mine.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Isaac replied. It all made sense now. Isaac¡¯s death flames had the unintended effect of reminding people of their own mortality. Something that very much felt like what one would assume the presence of The Reaper would feel like. The fact that The Reaper just appeared from a portal of the darkest of shadows didn¡¯t help either. They really were far too similar. ¡°I¡¯ll correct them as best as I can. I don¡¯t want people thinking I am your cleric-¡±


    ¡°Warlock or avatar.¡± The Reaper corrected.


    ¡°Even worse.¡± Isaac commented and wrinkled his nose. ¡°But there isn¡¯t much I can do really.¡± Isaac shrugged. ¡°Unless you want me to scream it from the rooftops or something.¡±


    The Reaper was silent for a long moment. Long enough that Isaac had started to wonder if he was still there. ¡°Would you?¡± He eventually asked.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Would I get anything out of it?¡± He wasn¡¯t about to take a hit like that to his reputation without some kind of recompense.


    Somehow, even without eyes nor flesh, The Reaper seemed to give off a feeling of having narrowed his eyes at Isaac in annoyance. ¡°You will not be given a boon for something so minor.¡± He replied in the same tone that hadn¡¯t changed from the beginning of their conversation.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°It was worth a shot.¡± Isaac¡¯s face brightened a bit as he realized something. ¡°While you are here, can you answer a question for me?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Perhaps.¡± The Reaper replied after a short delay. The monotone response seemed to give off an air of caution.


    ¡°Does Kahtesh still have a soul or part of one inside of him?¡± Isaac asked.


    Another short silence later The Reaper replied: ¡°Show him to me.¡± Isaac nodded and summoned Kahtesh. The Reaper¡¯s eyeless gaze shifted to the bone dragon and he moved his lantern closer to the other animated skeleton. ¡°Interesting.¡± The Reaper spoke.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°The old soul is long gone.¡± The Reaper explained. ¡°A new, shadow of a soul, exists inside.¡± The Reaper turned back towards Isaac. ¡°It only exists while you power it. It is not real but it does exist.¡±


    Isaac nodded eventually. He wasn¡¯t sure if he completely understood the implications of the revelation he had just received but he could always mull it over later. ¡°Thank you.¡± Isaac told The Reaper.


    ¡°You can thank me by stopping the rumors.¡± The Reaper replied and then turned around. The black void opened back up and The Reaper drifted through it. A moment later the void closed in on itself and was gone as if it had never been there.


    ¡®Now I know how it feels to have someone stronger than you show up and then vanish without a trace a moment later.¡¯ Isaac grumbled internally to himself with a sigh. ¡°Well, now what?¡± Isaac said aloud.

 Chapter 59 From The Rooftops

    Chapter 59 From The Rooftops


    By the time The Reaper left there was quite the crowd. He had appeared around the time when most people were on their way to work or on their way home. The streets were busy but Safeharbor¡¯s streets were never crowded. Even so, by the time the conversation was over, more than a hundred people had seen the being responsible for taking souls from the mortal realm to the afterlife having a conversation with Isaac. Many impressions were left on the witnesses at that time. One was that Isaac hadn¡¯t bowed nor even nodded in greeting to The Reaper, proving that Isaac bore no servitude to the deity. Another was how casually Isaac had acted and talked during their interaction, even going as far as trying to extort a boon from The Reaper himself. Finally, as heard by only the closest few within earshot, Isaac had used the personage of The Boatman in the past and The Reaper hadn¡¯t even seemed to mind.


    Isaac only noticed the crowd of onlookers after a moment of contemplation and panned his gaze over those who had stopped in their tracks on their way to or from work. He was met with differing reactions. Some dumbfounded stares, some people simply looked away and tried to continue on as if they hadn¡¯t seen anything, a few rubbed their eyes as if they had been imagining the entire thing, and a few even collapsed under his gaze.


    Isaac turned to look at Lenna who was blinking quickly like her brain was trying to catch up with what had just happened. ¡°Lenna?¡± Isaac asked to get her attention.


    ¡°Y-Yes?¡± Lenna replied and blinked herself out of her own thoughts and stupor.


    ¡°Any thoughts on fulfilling the old skeleton¡¯s request?¡± He asked her.


    ¡°Uh, um, say something at the Guild Hall?¡± She offered after stammering for a moment. Rarely had she been taken so completely off guard. In fact Lenna could only think of a very select handful of times that she had been that surprised by anything before.


    ¡°The strange part is that I couldn¡¯t feel him at all.¡± Isaac said with a frown and furrowed brows.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°I could see him, I knew that he was there, but I didn¡¯t feel anything with my Polarity Sense.¡± Isaac explained and his frown only deepened. ¡°He should have been the most powerful dark being I could have felt short of maybe The Queen of Shadows.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Even then that would only be because she is connected to the entire plane of darkness.¡± He shook his head again.


    ¡°I felt him.¡± Lenna replied. Isaac¡¯s frown turned back to an almost neutral expression and he raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°He felt like he was made of your death flames. Though not very much of them.¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°I feel like the questions that can only be answered by a knowledge deity just keep increasing.¡± He shook his head to clear it. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go to the guild I guess.¡± He told her and led the way.


    By the time Isaac and Lenna arrived at the Guild Hall the news had already reached it. When they walked in, Alice¡¯s eyes grew wider than saucers. ¡°Hey Alice.¡± Isaac greeted her normally and approached her desk. She didn¡¯t respond as it seemed she was still in shock of what she had only just been told by one of the adventurers in the tavern section of the Guild Hall. ¡°Alice?¡± Isaac said, trying to break her out of her state. ¡°Alice, I need to make an announcement to the guild.¡± Still nothing. He waved his hand in front of her face. ¡°Hello, Ear¡­¡± He clutched his head in pain. ¡°Ow¡­ This sucks. I don¡¯t even do it on purpose.¡±


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    That seemed to snap Alice out of her blank state. ¡°Isaac? Isaac, what¡¯s wrong?¡± She asked, concerned.


    Isaac shook his head and tried to soothe it by running some of his death flames through it. It didn¡¯t help. ¡°Nothing.¡± He replied. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I need to make an announcement to the guild.¡± He explained again. ¡°It has come to my attention that some people seem to think that I am a warlock to The Reaper. That needs to change. Also I don¡¯t know who thinks I¡¯m an avatar to him but I guarantee that he wouldn¡¯t make an avatar this handsome or charismatic.¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh, um, okay?¡± Alice stammered. She really hadn¡¯t been trained for something like this. This was, as the saying goes, ¡®way over her pay grade¡¯. ¡°I can say something to the Guild Master.¡± She offered. ¡°Maybe put up a sign on the bounty board?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Both of those should do.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know what he expected me to do but that I¡¯m not going to yell it from the rooftops like some lunatic.¡± He said more to himself than to her.


    Alice nodded slowly. ¡°Okay¡­¡± She really had no idea how to respond.


    ¡°Well, we are here anyway so, any new interesting bounties?¡± He asked.


    Alice shook her head. ¡°No. Same ones as yesterday. The intown bounties have been rotating out quickly enough but outside of the city has been quiet. The Ori-Masa you mentioned haven¡¯t gotten close enough to cause any problems so the guys at the top said to leave them be.¡± She explained.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Spiders it is.¡±


    Lenna sighed. ¡°I would like some variety every now and then.¡± She commented.


    ¡°I hope you never say that about me.¡± Isaac replied naturally like he hadn¡¯t even thought about it, the words had simply said themselves without his input.


    Lenna just looked at him. ¡°That. Will. Never. Happen.¡± She replied seriously.


    Isaac turned to see the serious look on her face. He smiled awkwardly. ¡°Likewise.¡± He replied. His voice seemed to jump up an octave between the beginning and end of the word.


    ¡°Good.¡± Lenna replied with the same serious look and tone.


    Isaac nodded slowly and then turned back to Alice. ¡°We¡¯re just going to go kill more spiders until something interesting shows up.¡± He told the little receptionist.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Alice replied with wide eyes looking back and forth between Isaac and Lenna. ¡°Did you two finally, you know?¡± She asked quietly.


    Isaac grinned and winked at her. ¡°Perhaps.¡± He replied and turned around. Lenna followed him as he left the Guild Hall. A slack jawed Alice stared after them. Too many things had happened and it wasn¡¯t even lunchtime yet.


    The next few days were boring for the pair. A bounty paper was put up that simply explained that Isaac was not an avatar of The Reaper nor was he a warlock to the deity. The Reaper was not a god and thus he couldn¡¯t have clerics but he was a powerful enough being to bestow boons and have warlocks. A few death cults had shown up over the many millennia that mortals had existed but not only did he dislike such groups killing in his name but he had even called in a favor to have one of them smited by another god because they had gotten out of hand. There was a reason that he had never had a warlock. Mortals simply weren¡¯t trustworthy with the power over souls¡¯ passage between realms.


    Between word of mouth and the paper on the bounty board, word finally spread that Isaac was not directly connected to The Reaper. No one really knew how to deal with Isaac for a while after the incident. The reactions to his presence were a mix between pretending, poorly, that it didn¡¯t happen, reverence to some degree, or fear. Honestly it was getting annoying but Isaac knew that he would just have to deal with it until people went back to normal. The worst part was that the plan he was thinking up to play up Lenna¡¯s power in front of everyone was completely derailed by the incident.


    A few days passed like this with Alice handling everything with the drider silk from the weaver and the combination loom, spuller, and untangling machine to transporting the drider silk from the guild storage to the Jilian Silverstrand¡¯s workshop. Isaac was glad that Alice was handling it because it seemed monotonous and to be mostly busy work but at the same time spiders were getting to be just as monotonous. The pair decided to break up some of the monotony once the Arbencroft ball was only a week away. It was finally time for Isaac to learn the sword dance, as well as how to dance in general.

 Chapter 60 Silver Is Yours.

    Chapter 60 Silver Is Yours.


    ¡°The problem is that you have to lead.¡± Lenna told him when they decided to start practicing the sword dance that she had learned as a girl.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°How many moves is it? If I need to have the entire thing memorized before next weekend I need to know how much of our days I need to dedicate to this.¡± He asked.


    ¡°One hundred and twenty eight for the easiest version.¡± She told him.


    ¡°What is the difference between the versions?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°The first is simply going through the motions normally. That is most likely what we will be doing.¡± Lenna began. ¡°Up from there, we switch places and go again. Up from that, we go forwards, switch places, then start from the top only in reverse.¡± She explained.


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®in reverse¡¯?¡± Isaac asked with some concern.


    ¡°As if you were turning back time.¡± Lenna replied with a grin. ¡°It requires true mastery of the combat form it is based on or perfect memory of the dance.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­ anything else I need to know?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Our blades can never actually hit each other.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°It is a dance not true combat so it should be done in almost total silence, save for the music, of course.¡±


    Isaac paled. ¡°Can we cheat?¡± He already had an idea on how to make it easier on himself.


    ¡°How?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°If my sword blade is coated in a thin layer of shadows it should nullify any sound from them actually making contact.¡± He replied.


    Lenna looked thoughtful for a moment. ¡°Anyone watching closely would be able to tell.¡± She told him.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yes but at least they wouldn¡¯t clang.¡± He countered.


    ¡°As a safety net.¡± She replied.


    ¡°As a safety net.¡± Isaac agreed with a nod. The pair had decided to practice it in street clothes on Celeste¡¯s roof so no one would be able to watch them. Isaac pulled his sword out of his Inventory and Lenna drew her¡¯s from its scabbard on her hip. ¡°Ready.¡±


    The sword dance was difficult. Each move had to be in time with the music from a waltz meaning it was done at a speed near real combat. Two moves a second for just over a minute for just the first part. They practiced an hour everyday before they left and again when they returned from hunting spiders. By the fifth morning Isaac had the first part down near perfectly. In the entire practice they only touched swords once during the sixty four exchanges. Isaac wasn¡¯t about to try to go in reverse but he was confident enough that he could learn the other half.


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    By the morning of the ball Isaac had the other half down enough that Lenna was confident in leading him through it. They were as ready as they were going to be. The only thing left to do was get dressed and walk to Arbencroft estate. Apparently they had a ball room in the back. It had been added on as an afterthought to the original building, because the first duke to command the region had to be very resource efficient in starting the city.


    Celeste showed up an hour before they needed to leave to help Lenna into her dress and do her hair. Isaac only had to add a vest and tailcoat over his normal formal wear. He had stopped by the jeweler and had all of his silver buttons replaced with platinum ones but that was as far as he was going to go when it came to extravagance. They were effectively broke until the drider silk was processed and sold.


    ¡ª


    Isaac got up and stretched. It was almost time to leave and he had just finished reading a chapter in the latest book that he was tackling. He grabbed his tailcoat from the bed and turned to stare at the folding wall separating him from Lenna and Celeste. ¡°Almost ready?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I think we are done.¡± Celeste replied while giving Lenna her third once over. She nodded. ¡°Yes. Perfect as far as I can see, dear.¡± Her voice dropped to a whisper that Isaac still heard. ¡°Ready to show him?¡± She asked.


    Isaac didn¡¯t hear Lenna¡¯s reply but a moment later she walked out from behind the wall and their eyes met. Isaac wasn¡¯t sure exactly how to feel about her attire at that very moment. Somehow the silver, shoulderless, layered, and frilly ballgown managed to defuse some of the air of power that normally surrounded Lenna. It was replaced with an air of elegance and authority. Her amethyst necklace caught the light and sparkled. She was magnificently gorgeous in the gown but the usual image of Lenna V¡¯Nova had been flipped like the other side of a coin.


    ¡°Are you just going to stare?¡± Lenna asked. There was less confidence in her voice than usual and it startled Isaac out of his admiration.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He replied with a grin. ¡°From ancient warrior to powerful princess in an hour.¡± He commented. ¡°From strength to authority. From righteousness to elegance.¡± He shook his head to help clear it. ¡°You look¡­¡± The light caused her dress to sparkle as she turned slightly, small hidden bits of silver caught the magical light of the glow stone and scattered it across the room. ¡°Radiant.¡± He said in a quiet awe.


    Lenna felt her face heat up and she returned a smile. ¡°Thank you.¡± She told him. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure where you were going at the beginning.¡±


    Isaac shook his head slowly while continuing to stare at her. ¡°I wasn¡¯t either.¡± He replied honestly. ¡°I wasn¡¯t really thinking about what was coming out of my mouth.¡±


    Lenna chuckled and covered her mouth with the back of her hand. The light scattered again with the motion. It was then that Isaac noticed the silver silk gloves that matched the dress, her hair, and her eyes. Her hair was up in a high ponytail that was held together by two smaller braids that looped around its base and all of it was pinned in place by her silver throwing spikes. ¡°I could tell.¡± She told him honestly.


    The more of her that he noticed and more speechless he became. It took them far too long to move to leave their room because of his staring. Eventually Celeste cleared her throat. ¡°You don¡¯t want to be late. It¡¯ll look bad.¡± She told them to get them moving. She had been watching the pair with a motherly grin that was caring, proud, and smug at having called their relationship the day she met them. If her son was going to take forever to make a move on the waitress then at least she could help her adopted foreign children along. Maybe that way she would get some grandchildren before she died of old age.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac agreed, completely unaware of the direction Celeste¡¯s thoughts had gone after her comment. He crossed the room and got the door for the ladies. He closed and locked it as normal and the key vanished with a flick of his wrist. He offered Lenna his arm. ¡°Shall we, Lady V¡¯Nova?¡±


    She put her arm through his and nodded gracefully with a smile. ¡°Yes, Lord Wexler, let¡¯s.¡±


    The only thing Isaac could think about was the woman on his arm. He didn¡¯t notice the stares both good and bad they received nor did he hear any comments. He only wished he could see her properly as the lights hit her dress from all directions. He could see what looked like stars flash across the ground as they walked from the lights reflecting off of all the little mirrors Jessica had managed to hide in the gown.


    ¡°Jessica really outdid herself with that one.¡± Isaac said after a while.


    Lenna had to agree. ¡°Yes, you finally look like a nobleman.¡± She replied.


    Isaac chuckled and shook his head. ¡°I meant with your dress.¡±


    Lenna smiled. ¡°I know.¡± She glanced at him. ¡°I would say black really is your color but¡­¡± She really wished she could see more than just blacks and grays. She hadn¡¯t really minded before but the more time she spent in human territory the more she longed for color.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°It is.¡± He looked over at her and he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of her face. ¡°And silver is yours.¡±

 Chapter 61 Uncle Eddie

    Chapter 61 Uncle Eddie


    Sera was getting impatient. She didn¡¯t show it of course but as the time ticked away towards when Isaac and Lenna were to arrive her excitement only built. Another baroness came by to wish her another year of health and happiness and Sera thanked and greeted her as usual but her mind was elsewhere. Her eyes kept glancing towards the wall clock that took up an impressive ten feet by ten feet of wall space. All of the internals were visible through only the finest crystal, it had been a gift to her now deceased father-in-law from the king after all, and watched as the fifteenth hour of the day approached. She had all but jumped every time someone new arrived in hopes that it was her favorite duo even far before the agreed upon time.


    Two guards pulled open the door and Viktor, the servant in charge of coordinating the ball, walked a few steps out. ¡°Now announcing!¡± He called out to get everyone¡¯s attention. Sera¡¯s excitement was palpable, a quick glance at the clock saw fifteen hours exactly, her eyes were glued to Viktor. ¡°The Lord of Darkness, Lord Isaac Wexler and his escort Lady Lenna V¡¯Nova!¡± The entire ballroom froze for a few long seconds. Viktor turned to look back over his shoulder. No one was there, no one had followed him out, the people he had just announced had vanished at just the right time so that no one inside had seen any sign of them. ¡°Pardon?¡± He asked quietly, so quietly that the only reason Sera even knew what he said was because she had been trained on lipreading a long time ago. A grin spread across her face.


    An egg or a bud six feet high and made of a black void, that seemed to devour the light, appeared in a blink just inside the ballroom and a few feet away from poor Viktor, who nearly fell when he jumped backwards. Then it opened. The void was indeed a bud as it spiraled open like a rose in bloom. Ten petals spun and spread to reveal Isaac and Lenna at the center. Sera¡¯s eyes were too glued to the pair to notice the reactions from the mana sensitive guests or the guards who had all grabbed their weapons before realizing who it was. The petals opened until they rested on the floor. Then, in an instant, they all turned to a black fog that went rolling across the floor for another ten feet at ankle height before dissipating completely.


    ¡®Just as advertised.¡¯ Sera thought with a beaming smile. ¡®This will teach all those uppity fools to say that there was nothing interesting in a frontier city. Boring my as-¡¯ Her train of thought was cut off by Isaac and Lenna approaching arm in arm. The mix of magical lighting and firelight caught Lenna¡¯s gown and scattered stars of white and yellow across the ground around her as she walked. Isaac¡¯s smirk was controlled and breathed hidden objectives and dangers. Lenna¡¯s smile was pleasant but trained much like the one Sera had been giving the rest of the guests. The smile she gave the duo though was genuine and radiant.


    Isaac gave a deep nod to Sera and then to Izen. Something that shocked Sera only slightly but Izen seemed to take it in stride. Usually a greeting like that was reserved for a king to their subjects, especially when in a person¡¯s own home. It was a statement of authority and power reserved for one of higher station. There were only three women of higher station than Sera; the queen, crown princess, and the archduchess. The same went for Izen. Though both of these lists were only by technicality. The other dukes were often treated as being of higher station due to their wealth and the age of their noble families but by noble rank alone the list held true.


    Lenna was a far bit less brazen but still greeted them in a way that was bound to rub quite a few other nobles the wrong way. She gave them a short curtsy along with a deep nod. She greeted them like one duchess would greet another while in the other¡¯s home. A deferring of authority but a reminder of power. Sera¡¯s eyes twinkled.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Sera.¡± Isaac greeted her with a genuine smile that lost all its threat and intrigue for a moment. ¡°Happy birthday.¡± She was in a white and red ballgown that was trimmed in gold with sapphire earrings and pendant as accessories. The jewelry matched her eyes perfectly and the gold trim of it all was the same shade as her hair. She obviously knew what colors looked best on her. Izen wore the same colors though without any jewelry. His coat was adorned with a singular campaign tassel and a pair of medals. Isaac wasn¡¯t familiar with what the medals meant nor which campaign the tassel belonged to.


    ¡°Thank you, Isaac. It is always a pleasure to see you.¡± She returned the greeting. ¡°And you as well Lenna. You should come by more often.¡±


    Lenna¡¯s smile gained some genuine happiness behind it. ¡°Apologies, he keeps me very busy.¡± She glanced at Isaac. ¡°Maybe once things calm down.¡±


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    ¡°Izen.¡± Isaac shifted his focus to Izen so the Ladies could talk. A mischievous glint shown in Isaac¡¯s eye. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t talk to me like I¡¯m some troublesome nephew just because it¡¯s by letter and not to my face.¡±


    ¡°You still did what I asked of you though.¡± Izen commented. The power dynamic was shifting back and forth too quickly for Izen¡¯s liking and he was struggling to keep Isaac from going too overboard. If for no other reason than he didn¡¯t want the king or another demigod to show up because Isaac was ignoring etiquette and decorum. Worse case, Isaac acting too brazen could be seen as someone trying to claim the same authority of the king himself. The problem was that Izen was beginning to think that that was what Isaac was doing.


    ¡°It was good advice.¡± Isaac agreed, a show of being able to listen to those more experienced than him even if no context was given to any listening, most of the ballroom was listening. He turned back to Sera. ¡°Thank you for the invitation.¡± He told her and then smiled with the same smile that made the hair on the back of Izen¡¯s neck stand up. It was a smile of one who knew that they had free reign to do whatever they pleased yet chose to be amicable. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have missed your birthday regardless.¡±


    Sera was almost giddy with all the excitement and attention. Isaac had only ever played himself up one time with Sera and that was their first meeting. Every time they had seen each other since, Isaac had been completely casual with her. It was fun to see how far Isaac could go without bursting his own bubble. ¡°Anywhere in the darkness is within your reach, correct?¡± She asked him.


    ¡°Of c-¡± Isaac was cut off by an especially loud viscount.


    ¡°Arrogant bastard.¡± The man cursed. It was clear that the man wasn¡¯t mana sensitive otherwise there was no way that he would have made such a comment. ¡°Stop acting like you¡¯re better than the rest of us. No one even knows who you are.¡± Isaac turned to face the man. He was in his fifties by the look of his gray hair but relative lack of wrinkles. ¡°You are no king, you should bow to your betters, has no one taught you common etiquette?¡± He pressed. The man had been loud enough for most of the room to hear him as he was practically yelling across the dozen feet between them.


    ¡°My Lord.¡± Lenna spoke to get Isaac¡¯s attention and gave him a slight bow. ¡°It appears that some may doubt your reign.¡±


    Izen¡¯s blood ran cold. That word held far too much weight for their ballroom. Sera inhaled a sharp breath. She may have gotten more than she bargained for. Isaac¡¯s chin tilted up and he looked down his nose at the viscount like the man was a stray dog. ¡°It appears so.¡± Isaac spoke calmly and quietly.


    ¡°Reign?!¡± The viscount yelled in surprise, shock, disbelief, and horror.


    Isaac took a step towards him. The room darkened as the floor turned black. ¡°I.¡± Isaac spoke with the authority of a god looking down on mortals from the top of the tallest mountain. ¡°Am.¡± His voice deepened as shadowy tendrils snaked their way up the walls towards all of the magical lights. ¡°The lord of all that is dark.¡± All of the magical lights were smothered in shadows and all color died. The yellow candles and lamps couldn¡¯t light more than a few inches around them with the shadows sucking up the light like a man in a desert.


    What no one but Isaac and Lenna knew was that Isaac¡¯s reserves were actively plummeting from the show of force. The room was far too big for him to cover it all completely. The forty foot by forty foot ballroom was simply too much for him. ¡°I. Am. Darkness.¡± He spoke and then let go of his grip on the shadows and let them dissipate naturally.


    He turned back around to Sera. ¡°Sorry Sera, where were we?¡±


    ¡°I believe that conversation was just put on display.¡± She told him with some shock still evident.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Isaac replied simply. A sound of footsteps approaching caught Isaac¡¯s attention but just as he was turning to see who was coming the doors opened again.


    ¡°Now announcing!¡± The servant, Isaac didn¡¯t know his name, bellowed. ¡°The Blade Master, Edward Von Sasston.¡± All four of them turned to see Edward speed walking over to them.


    ¡°Duke Arbencroft,¡± He gave a shallow bow then turned to Serentia. ¡°Sera.¡± He greeted her with a smile that quickly vanished from her cold glare.


    ¡°Eddie.¡± She spoke like a mother mad at her son for stealing cookies before dinner. ¡°You are late.¡±


    He swallowed and glanced at the massive wall clock. ¡°Only by like ten minutes.¡± He tried to defend himself.


    ¡°You arrived after the guests of honor.¡± She told him and nodded towards Isaac and Lenna.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± He offered but before he could even greet Isaac or Lenna, Sera closed the distance and grabbed his collar. She straightened it and then his campaign tassel, the same one that Izen had, and moved on to try to fix his uniform. It was a deep blue with golden trim. It matched both his and Sera¡¯s eyes and hair perfectly. After a few moments of her fussing over his clothes he pushed her hand away from him. ¡°Alright mom.¡± He told her and then grumbled under his breath: ¡°There¡¯s a reason I became an adventurer.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Definitely siblings.¡± He commented.


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna added.


    ¡°Far too casual to be childhood friends, at least for the venue.¡± Isaac continued.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Sera replied. ¡°Who never comes to visit and when he does, he is only ever here for business with my husband instead of his poor sister.¡± She chastised.


    ¡°Mom, cut uncle Eddie some slack.¡± A voice of a man in his twenties who sounded like a younger version of Izen spoke from behind them. ¡°He¡¯s the Guild Master. That must keep him busy.¡±


    The footsteps from earlier had ended up being the Arbencroft heir who had been patiently waiting for his time to enter the conversation. His dirty-blonde hair was a pleasant mix of his parents¡¯ brown and golden blonde. His blue eyes shown with the same intensity of Sera¡¯s but with a bit more of the seriousness of his father. He gave Isaac and Lenna a bow of middling severity. ¡°Lord Wexler, Lady V¡¯Nova, it¡¯s a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance. Mother has told me so much about you.¡±

 Chapter 62 An Audience.

    Chapter 62 An Audience.


    Something about the young Arbencroft made Isaac feel like he was going to be the architect of years of entertainment and intrigue. ¡°I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve gotten your name, duke to be.¡±


    ¡°Lucius Serris Von Arbencroft at your service.¡± The heir to the Duchy of Safeharbor replied with another bow, this one a bit more exaggerated matching Isaac¡¯s flare almost perfectly.


    Before any further conversation could begin Sera stepped in. ¡°Isaac, Lenna, would you two please open the dance floor? The first dance is yours as the guests of honor.¡± She explained.


    Isaac glanced at Lenna. ¡°Certainly.¡± Lenna replied.


    Sera raised her wine glass and then realized that she didn¡¯t have anything to rap against it. Isaac handed her one of his throwing spikes casually. No one saw where he got it from. Sera hesitated for a moment before accepting it. ¡°T-Thank you.¡± She told him to which he just nodded and looked around. She rapped it against the side of her glass a few times. ¡°Our guests of honor, Lord Wexler and Lady V¡¯Nova are going to perform the first dance.¡± She spoke once all side conversations had died down. The servant who had been introducing the guests opened up the wall at the end of the ballroom. The center half of the wall was actually two sliding doors that pulled out of the way to reveal a small orchestra. A few different string and brass instruments along with a piano and few large drums were arranged with musicians getting ready to start playing.


    The guests pulled away from the center to give Isaac and Lenna space to have the first dance. ¡°A violent symphony is preferred but a waltz will do.¡± Isaac spoke. In the near silence of the ballroom his voice carried enough that the musicians heard him and the conductor went around turning pages to a specific song. Isaac and Lenna walked out into the center of the room and stood across from each other. ¡°It is a dance of your people, you should introduce it.¡± Isaac told her.


    Lenna barely held herself back from scowling at him. She hated the attention suddenly locked onto her. ¡°This is the sword dance known as Blades of the Night Lily.¡± She spoke clearly and then looked pointedly at Isaac.


    He looked at her with some confusion for a moment. ¡°Oh!¡± He said once he realized what her problem was. He closed the distance. ¡°You still need help drawing your blade.¡± He told her. The next string of lies was simply him setting the stage for another plan in the future. He had explained to Lenna what he needed her to do and how to act to play along but he hadn¡¯t explained to her why. Not yet anyway.


    ¡°Indeed, my Lord.¡± She replied and her gaze softened.


    He reached out and turned his hand sideways like he was about to grab the hilt of a sword only his hand was a mere inch away from Lenna¡¯s breastbone. A bit too low on her chest to be proper in any sense. Right when the onlookers were about to start whispering to each other about the indecency Isaac clamped his hand closed and the hilt of Lenna¡¯s blade appeared in it. He pulled it out with great care to not clip her with the edge of the blade and then presented her sword to her like it was a blade of legend. He held it in both hands horizontally and smiled at it and then her warmly. ¡°Your blade, my Lady.¡± He offered with great gravity and warmth.


    The ballroom was silent at the display. It looked as though Isaac had pulled the sword out of Lenna¡¯s chest. There was no place that it could have been hidden and it looked real. Isaac¡¯s hands visibly lifted when Lenna accepted the sword from them. Her one shoulder dipped slightly with the new weight in its respective hand. There was nothing that gave it away as an illusion for it was real. ¡°Thank you for the assistance, my Lord.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°I am ready when you are.¡±


    Isaac took a step back and created a sword made of shadows that was a bit larger than his real steel weapon. He grabbed the hilt but his hand seemed to sink into it slightly. He mentally moved the Inventory window away from his hand so the rest of the sword would come out and remain hidden inside of his shadows. He swung the sword hard to the side and let go of the shadows that were hiding it. Out of the black fog was a thin, shining, very real, steel straight sword. Isaac had kept some of the shadows on the sword and made them cover the weapon¡¯s edge. The result was the sword looking far thinner than it actually was and making it very easy to lose sight of it while it was moving. If it weren¡¯t for the many lights, reflecting off of the still revealed steel, the sword would be almost invisible to the eye.


    The sudden appearance of two very real blades that seemed to materialize in Isaac¡¯s hands definitely left a more tangible impression than his purely magical show of force. With most of the guests not being mana sensitive it was hard to truly express Isaac¡¯s power to them without a public execution. He glanced at the orchestra. ¡°Ready.¡± He told them. The conductor nodded and raised his hands. A long low note pulled across the strings of a few of the larger string instruments. A flick of his wand and a gesture had a few deep notes retort from the drums. Isaac smiled. ¡°Perfect.¡± He said more to himself than anyone else.


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    Isaac entered the starting position for his part of the sword dance and Lenna entered hers. They shared an almost invisible nod and then began. They slashed, parried, thrusted, and danced along with their blades. A few twirls and exaggerated cuts in perfect time with the music. Sixty four exchanges and sixty four repositions in sixty four seconds. They moved silently. The only noise being the occasional clinking of Lenna¡¯s little mirrors on her dress. The bottoms of her slippers were coated in shadows and of course the bottoms of his boots were as well. They started off serious and focused on making the right moves and keeping the proper time but by the end both of them were smiling and enjoying themselves. All conversation had remained stunted around them as the rest of the guests watched in awe at the perfectly choreographed silent battle of blades.


    The pair froze at the end of the first part for a whole second before switching stances and beginning again, this time doing the other¡¯s part. Back and forth and back again they went until the second part was over. At the end they were both breathing deeply but maintained their composure. They were standing in the exact same places that they had started in, having only covered an area of a fifteen foot diameter circle throughout their entire exchange. The music died down after a long moment. ¡°Well done.¡± Lenna complimented Isaac with a smile. He had managed to do the entire thing without messing up even once. They had moved in perfect harmony as if no one was watching them. In fact, they had both forgotten about their audience and had only then realized that others were in the room.


    Isaac gave her a shallow bow. ¡°And you as well, my Lady.¡± He told her.


    Lenna gave him a deeper curtsy than she gave Izen or Sera. ¡°Thank you, my Lord. Your words honor me.¡± She replied.


    Their final exchange was met by a round of applause led by Sera and Izen. Isaac couldn¡¯t hide his grin. He darkened his shadow and moved it to lie next to him on the ground. He casually dropped his sword over it and the shadows seemed to devour the weapon before returning to normal. He closed the distance. ¡°You are lovely.¡± He told her just loud enough for her to hear him over the applause.


    She smiled back at him somewhat bashfully. ¡°Stop flirting with me. We have an audience.¡± She chastised just as quietly and without any bite.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± He told her and held out his hands for her sword. She laid it onto his outstretched hands. ¡°Are you ready?¡± He asked. What was about to happen was the hardest part for her. She had to not react to Isaac stabbing his sword through her chest. Of course the blade wasn¡¯t supposed to actually make contact with her at all but it was still a very real sword being aimed at her heart and thrust towards it.


    She nodded. ¡°Yes. I trust you.¡± She told him. Her words warmed Isaac¡¯s heart and collar. Isaac held up her sword and pointed the tip at her heart. The room went silent again and someone gasped in horror at what was about to happen. Isaac positioned his Inventory window as close to her skin as possible. It wouldn¡¯t do for someone to see the weapon disappear with a gap in between it and her. The problem was that Isaac had to get the position exactly right. Too far away from her chest and it would be visible to the onlookers, too close and he risked cutting her.


    Isaac pushed the blade forward and downward into the Inventory window set almost flush with Lenna¡¯s breastbone. She didn¡¯t even flinch, simply accepting the weapon as if it couldn¡¯t hurt her. Once it was gone Isaac noticed a small cut right where the tip of the blade had been. She had breathed in at just the wrong time and it had pushed her chest just far enough forwards that the tip of the sword had cut her before going into Isaac¡¯s Inventory. His eyes went wide slightly but before he could slip out of character he got an idea on how to continue in a way that would still benefit them. ¡°My Lady,¡± Isaac began. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not even I am perfect.¡± He told her and looked pointedly at the small cut that was about to let a small drop of blood roll. He raised two fingers and kissed them leaving behind the smallest amount of death flames. He reached forward and placed the fingers delicately onto her cut causing it to heal over and vanish. He pulled out a black handkerchief from his coat pocket and handed it to her.


    ¡°A cut as small as that one did not require your power, my Lord.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°But thank you.¡± She wiped the blood away from her chest and handed the handkerchief back to him. He wiped the blood off of his fingers and made a show of causing it to vanish in a small puff of shadows.


    He gestured back towards the Arbencrofts. ¡°Shall we?¡± Lenna threaded her arm through his and the pair rejoined the duchess and her family.


    ¡°You two are incredible!¡± Sera told them and took a hand from each of them in her own. ¡°Thank you both so much for accepting my invitation.¡±


    ¡°Like I said before Sera,¡± Isaac replied with a smile. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have missed your birthday.¡± His smile turned apologetic. ¡°Unfortunately your birthday present isn¡¯t ready yet.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Sera asked and then looked at Lenna. ¡°You didn¡¯t say anything about a present. Your presence is more than enough.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I am sure he will still charge your husband for at least part of it.¡± Lenna replied with a smile. She knew Isaac and hit the nail on the head.


    Izen looked at Isaac pointedly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Isaac assured him. ¡°once you hear what it is, you will be more than willing to pay for the entire thing, not just manufacturing costs like I am going to charge you.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Izen asked skeptically.


    ¡°It is related to our most recent bounty.¡± Isaac replied with a grin.


    Edward gasped. ¡°That, that might have some implications.¡± He explained quietly.


    ¡°Better to not talk about it here then.¡± Sera replied and gestured towards one of the tables set against the wall of the ballroom. The music had started again only this time it was a high and light waltz that several of the nobles had begun to dance too.


    Lucius took the moment to remind everyone of his presence and also gestured towards the table. ¡°Agreed. And why speak while standing out in the open when there are perfectly comfortable chairs and delicious snacks to be had.¡±

 Chapter 63 My Love,

    Chapter 63 My Love,


    Seated around a small table were an odd collection of individuals. The first pair were the duke and duchess of the territory they were in. The second pair were the heir to the title of duke and the duchess¡¯s brother, who just so happened to also be the Guild Master of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild on the other side of town. The following pair were the guests of honor, a man claiming to be a demigod and his mate, the self exiled princess of the most ruthless and violent empire in the planet. There were many questions ready to be thrown across the table but most of those present were trying to be polite and not drown the guests of honor. Most. ¡°That power?¡± Lucius, the heir, began his questions as soon as all of them were seated but before anyone had even had the chance to grab a drink.


    Isaac held up a hand to forestall the young duke to be. He downed a glass of water before sipping at the prepared wine. ¡°Okay.¡± He told Lucius. ¡°Which power? I¡¯ve used quite a few.¡±


    ¡°Well, the most recent one, I guess, that¡­ I¡¯ve never felt that way before.¡± Lucius confessed.


    ¡°Be glad.¡± Izen, the boy¡¯s father replied.


    At the same time Lenna replied as well: ¡°Good.¡± It was not a feeling that anyone not in the deepest depths of despair and at the end of the point of a sword could feel. A harsh reminder of exactly how mortal a person was. A feeling known by few who hadn¡¯t met Isaac. A feeling no one had ever wanted to feel again.


    Lucius looked back and forth between those that had spoken and also at his uncle who only nodded solemnly. Before he could speak Isaac set his wine glass on the table. ¡°That, young Arbencroft, is what death feels like.¡± Isaac cryptically explained. ¡°Death and shadows and everything in between. That is what is at my fingertips. The extremes and the culmination are easiest to summon. You witnessed death but you did not experience it.¡±


    Lucius looked deep in thought. He was in training to be a magical knight due to his innate ability to feel mana. He was trying and failing to put his limited magical knowledge to use in understanding the self proclaimed demigod sitting across from him. Eventually he shook his head and decided to move on to the next question. His mother had been probing Lady V¡¯Nova for information about her birthday present but apparently hadn¡¯t gotten anywhere. ¡°What about the swords?¡± He asked and the Lord of Darkness¡¯s attention snapped back to him. His silver eyes were inhuman, especially in the odd mixture of white and yellow lighting in the ballroom.


    Isaac had come up with a lie so full of shit that no one would ever believe him. That was why he went with it. He wanted to see exactly how far he could push his eccentric reputation. ¡°Spirit blades.¡± Isaac began. ¡°A sword, well it doesn¡¯t have to be a sword I guess, that is forged of and stored inside a person¡¯s core.¡± He tapped the center of his chest.


    ¡°Could I have one?¡± Lucius asked excitedly.


    Isaac shook his head with a smile. ¡°Mortals shouldn¡¯t be able to have one.¡± He continued.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Lucius looked at Lenna in confusion for a long moment before his eyebrows shot up and his eyes went wide. ¡°Does that mean?¡± He asked and looked back and forth between Isaac and Lenna.


    Isaac¡¯s smile broadened. ¡°I think so. We will see.¡± He took another sip of his wine. ¡°Lenna¡¯s class is special but not unique so I¡¯m not sure yet. She is special though.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s all that really matters. I have a unique class so it¡¯s hard for me to know either way.¡± He confessed.


    Lucius¡¯s mind was all over the place trying to process everything that Isaac was telling him. ¡°Is that how you healed her with literal death?¡± He asked Isaac.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Yes and no. Most people would die when confronted with death but it heals her instead.¡± Isaac made a small ball of dark mana form over an outstretched finger. All eyes at the table eyed it save for Lenna¡¯s, who was enjoying a small pastry with a cherry on top, snapped to it. Isaac snapped his other hand¡¯s fingers. The darkness turned to shadows. He snapped again and it changed to death flames. ¡°I could have killed everyone in the room earlier with a snap of my fingers.¡± He said quietly and mostly to himself. ¡°Power like this is not what I had imagined.¡± He snapped his fingers a few more times, switching back and forth between darkness, shadows, and death. Eventually he left it on death. With a flick of his finger he sent it towards Lenna. The small ball of death flames splashed against Lenna¡¯s face. She hadn¡¯t even flinched. The flames spread out slightly and then seeped into her skin, gone in only a few seconds.


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    ¡°Was that necessary?¡± She asked him with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°You looked like you were falling asleep.¡± Isaac countered with a grin that looked slightly forced. It appeared that the realization of how many lives were always within the palm of his hand had hit him a little harder than he would have liked.


    Lenna took a deep breath and sighed. ¡°You¡¯re right. Thank you for the refreshment.¡± She told him and went back to snacking.


    ¡°Having seen what it can do first hand in both directions¡­¡± Sera entered the conversation with a shake of her head. ¡°That much would have killed me would it not?¡±


    Isaac turned to her with a thoughtful expression. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± He eyed her and got the feeling that she was a few levels lower than him but he had no idea what her class could¡¯ve been. ¡°I haven¡¯t exactly experimented with the destructive potential of it. I try to limit myself to only using it on Lenna and myself.¡± He replied.


    Izen gave him a pointed look. ¡°Really?¡± He asked.


    Isaac nodded earnestly. ¡°Yes. Really. Every other time I¡¯ve used it I was pushed to do so. The guard¡¯s in the cells, the assassins in the street, and man in the tavern. Each one was killed that way out of necessity. Desperation, retaliation, and lastly, as a deterrent.¡± He explained evenly. He didn¡¯t like to be questioned and his recent revelation hadn¡¯t left him in the best of moods.


    Izen realized he had overstepped and bowed his head slightly. ¡°Apologies Lord Wexler, I did not mean anything by it.¡±


    Isaac realized how harsh he had been with Izen and knew that he needed to change the subject and get his head back on straight. He nodded at Izen and moved on. ¡°Sera¡¯s birthday present.¡± He said to switch everyone¡¯s attention to something else entirely. ¡°Edward, you had said it might cause problems. Why?¡±


    Edward frowned. ¡°A gift like that is worthy of royalty. If you have it at your disposal and give it to a duchess before the queen then some might see it as a statement.¡± He explained. ¡°The price of such a gift is far greater than its cost in gold.¡±


    Isaac nodded slowly in realization but Lenna was the first to speak. ¡°It is worth a life. Potentially more than one.¡± She explained. The other three at the table looked between the three adventurers. ¡°The one it was taken from, and the number of assassination attempts that it could thwart, all need to be taken into account.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I understand that but what if I offer the crown the opportunity to buy the rest of it. Surely that would negate potential backlash.¡± He postulated.


    Edward¡¯s frown deepened in thought. ¡°Maybe.¡± He looked at his sister. ¡°She would know better than me but I take it you want it to stay a surprise?¡± He asked Isaac.


    Isaac nodded again. ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll have to wait and see.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Worst case we sell it to another group of royals. We are not beholden to the king and queen of Altia. We are not their subjects and down here they do not rule.¡± He explained. Everyone save for Lenna looked shocked and horrified at what he had just spoken out loud. A few of them looked around to see if anyone nearby had heard and it was evident that more than one person had. Isaac just plowed forwards. ¡°Down here the strongest rule. Down here a dragon could have a city and it would be normal. Down here a duke with an army rules over a city, a town, and an outpost but not the land between them. Down here, down here a demigod of darkness decides what rules are worth following.¡± He looked at Izen. ¡°Be glad,¡± He stole Izen¡¯s phrase. ¡°I agree with your management.¡±


    Lenna fake coughed into her closed fist. ¡°My Lord, this is a birthday party.¡± She chastised. ¡°Let us go back to more pleasant topics.¡±


    Isaac nodded and smiled apologetically at Sera. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Sera.¡± He told her with great sincerity. ¡°Why don¡¯t we talk about your wonderful son and why I haven¡¯t seen him until now?¡±


    Lucius expertly took control of the conversation. ¡°I¡¯ve been studying at the knight academy in the capital. All noble men are required to enroll either there or the magic academy. I was only allowed to come home early because I finished all of the required coursework for the rest of the semester already.¡± He began.


    Conversation continued for a while on much lighter topics for a while until Isaac and Lenna took their leave. As the guests of honor they didn¡¯t have to worry about staying until the end. The evening found the pair in normal street clothes on the roof of Celeste¡¯s tavern. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Lenna asked softly. She was sitting a few feet from where he was laying on the dusty roof.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡± He told her.


    Lenna chuckled. ¡°If something about you wasn¡¯t complicated I¡¯d worry.¡± She joked.


    ¡°My feelings for you aren¡¯t complicated.¡± Isaac replied almost absently.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°You know what I mean.¡± She said back.


    Isaac sighed again. ¡°Having this much power is¡­ heavy¡­¡± He was silent for a long moment. ¡°Realizing that the entire room could have been swept away at a thought really puts some things into perspective.¡± Lenna nodded along, listening well and in understanding. ¡°The strongest man in the world may be the kindest but the ruler of it will not be.¡± He turned his head to look at her. ¡°That is one of the few memories I have left from before. The rest are of me dying or meeting with Rei and Zei. I chose to remember that above all else.¡± He searched her eyes but only found comfort in them, not the answers to his questions. ¡°Was it a warning to myself? Was it about me or just a general statement about authority?¡±


    Lenna smiled comfortingly at him. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She told him honestly. ¡°And you may never know either.¡±


    Isaac sighed. He rubbed his face with his hands. ¡°Maybe we should leave human territory.¡± He thought aloud. ¡°I don¡¯t want to rule over it but I also don¡¯t want to be beholden to anyone.¡± His eyes searched Lenna¡¯s again. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t sound convinced.¡± Lenna pointed out. ¡°I think, you are overthinking things.¡± She got up and crossed the few steps to reach him. ¡°Do you think this kingdom is ruled by a demigod?¡± She asked while sitting down next to him and putting her hand on his chest. ¡°There are plenty of them running around yet a normal human is in command.¡± She told him. ¡°Why?¡±


    Isaac was silent for a long while. Eventually he figured out where she was going with her train of thought. ¡°They don¡¯t want to.¡± He said with realization. ¡°They just shoved the responsibility off onto someone else and then hold them accountable.¡±


    Lenna smiled at him. ¡°You¡¯ve already made it clear who has the power here.¡± She told him. ¡°The fact that you paid your fine means you are willing to let him rule.¡± She ran her fingers through his hair. ¡°Follow Izen¡¯s rules and do what he asks like a normal person if you don¡¯t want to rule it yourself.¡± She told him. ¡°Or take it all over and rule it.¡± She smiled warmly at him. ¡°I¡¯ll be beside you the entire way, no matter what you choose.¡± She chuckled. ¡°But please, Isaac, my savior and my love, stop being so melodramatic.¡±

 Chapter 64 Myth And Legend.

    Chapter 64 Myth And Legend.


    ¡°Let¡¯s relieve some of that tension.¡± Lenna told Isaac. The way she was looking downwards at him while he was laying on the dusty stone roof was suggestive to say the least. ¡°Adrenaline is the best medicine for an addict like you.¡± Her words lacked any bite and she said them with a knowing smile.


    Isaac would have been lying to himself if he said that what she was doing wasn¡¯t having an effect on him but going from melancholy to the bedroom would have been jarring to say the least. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Isaac replied but couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of her. ¡°I don¡¯t think the mood is exactly set for that.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Lenna asked. ¡°Is it because I¡¯m not in my armor?¡± She questioned innocently.


    Now Isaac was just confused. ¡°What?¡± He asked. He couldn¡¯t find any other words to expand on his question.


    ¡°You wanted to spar with magic didn¡¯t you?¡± Lenna asked. ¡°A good spar against someone you can¡¯t kill should help you in more ways than one.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Isaac asked again. He felt like his mind had taken a wrong turn at the fork in the road related to ¡®relieving tension¡¯ and ¡®adrenaline¡¯.


    Lenna rolled her eyes and got up. She offered him her hand with a grin. ¡°Just come with me.¡± She told him.


    ¡ª


    Lenna stepped away from Isaac on her tiptoes and gave a playful half spin. ¡°Ready to lose?¡± She teased. The fact that the movement had been natural enough in plate armor to still be seductive was as impressive as it was attractive. Isaac didn¡¯t notice right away, because his head still wasn¡¯t quite in the right place, but it was clear that she was trying to get the old Isaac back by leaning into his favorite things. Those things naturally being her, her body, and fighting.


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°Lose?¡± He questioned. ¡°And how, my beautiful warrior of legend, do you plan on beating me?¡±


    Her face went from playful to a look that seemed to say ¡®are you serious?¡¯ in an instant. ¡°Isaac, who, no, what, are you about to fight?¡± She asked him leadingly.


    Isaac felt like he was being led into a trap which, in and of itself, was more scary than the trap itself. ¡®Maybe she has spent too much time with me.¡¯ He thought to himself. ¡°A paladin with a few hundred years of experience.¡± He replied cautiously.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°And what is something that only a paladin has?¡± She continued.


    ¡°An aura¡­¡± Isaac said finally understanding what she meant.


    Lenna nodded again. ¡°And what does that paladin¡¯s aura do?¡± Now she was just digging in the knife.


    ¡°Inflict a potent fear effect.¡± Isaac answered with a frown.


    Lenna shook her head in the negative. ¡°No, my dear, it turns you into a wild animal.¡± She said simply.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Isaac conceded. ¡°But that¡¯s not a real spar.¡± He argued.


    Lenna nodded with a smile. ¡°True. But do you know what that means?¡± She asked.


    Isaac felt like she wasn¡¯t about to say something like ¡®I win the match whenever I felt like it¡¯ but he wasn¡¯t sure exactly where she was going with it. ¡°I¡¯m rubbing off on you too much.¡± Isaac told her without answering her question.


    Lenna chuckled. ¡°It means you are not the strongest person in Safeharbor.¡±


    The realization felt like a building had been taken off of Isaac¡¯s chest. Just the knowledge that he wasn¡¯t some unbeatable apocalypse monster would have been enough but the fact that the one person who could put him back in his place was someone that he trusted completely brought him a relief that he hadn¡¯t even thought possible. He gave her a warm smile. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± He agreed. ¡°Enough melancholy, fight me, Lenna V¡¯Nova, warrior of myth and legend.¡±


    Lenna put her helmet on and fastened it in place. She drew her sword and faced off against him. ¡°We stop on a surrender or a single drop of blood.¡± She told him. He nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°Also I¡¯m no warrior of myth or legend.¡±


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    ¡°Yet.¡± Isaac answered with a grin and vanished.


    Lenna turned her head and tucked her shoulder while swinging her sword around behind her. Isaac had to teleport away mid swing in order to avoid her swing. She had predicted all of his potential angles of attack and shifted every single weak point in her armor enough that his attack would miss even if she hadn¡¯t guessed where he would teleport to. She couldn¡¯t see or hear him but that didn¡¯t matter. To anyone watching it was as if she was fighting an imaginary enemy. She kept moving from defensive position to defensive position seemingly at random while swinging in whatever direction her defense was weakest.


    A few times Lenna felt her sword be moved slightly off course but she never hit anything solid. Just as many times Isaac¡¯s training sword skipped off of her armor because she moved just right in order to close off whatever opening he was going for. Their fight could have been choreographed. She knew every move he would make as he made them. She knew that at the rate that they were going she was going to run out of stamina before either of them won so she decided to actually start using her magic. ¡°Open gate to torment and fury.¡± She chanted as quietly as she could and spun on her toes while drawing a circle around her.


    Isaac teleported right into it and had to immediately teleport out. His shadowcloak had been overpowered in an instant and he had to pat his cloak to rid it of a few clinging flames. Lenna heard the noise and dove through the flames as if they weren¡¯t there. Her blade came down hard and fast with flame and aura enhanced strength. Isaac barely got his sword up in time to try and parry the attack. His eyes went a little wider when he pushed himself out of the way more than he changed the course of the attack. The power behind her attack was enough to split him in two but she had total faith in him being able to avoid taking it directly. She moved from the swing into a shoulder bash but got nothing but black fog as Isaac was already gone.


    She released her focus on the circle of fire as he appeared above her. He stabbed down but was met by a backwards upswing. Not only had she anticipated his next move but she had the entire combo planned out from the start. Her heavy downward strike was simply the beginning of the upwards backswing. Her shoulder bash was only there to force him to teleport as well as leaving above her open for him. He had taken the bait and felt her sword partly impact his shin before he could teleport away. He appeared a few feet from her. His shin was definitely going to bruise from the glancing blow. He smiled and ran death mana through the injured area and felt the pain vanish in an instant.


    Lenna stopped. She didn¡¯t look around but she seemed to be listening and waiting for something. ¡®How does she know?¡¯ Isaac asked himself. He teleported back in, this time right in front of her. She swung and he had to teleport away but not before he noticed that her eyes were closed. ¡®Fine.¡¯ Isaac thought to himself. ¡®I¡¯ll play her way.¡¯ He went back in for the same attack but instead of just thrusting for a weak point he covered his blade in dense shadows and attacked with his willpower as much as his muscles. Lenna¡¯s sword ignited as she made a wide sweep and stepped back. Isaac parried it and went in for another attack. After the third exchange Isaac realized something and disengaged.


    Lenna¡¯s head tilted to the side slightly like she was still listening for something when Isaac¡¯s let go of his shadowcloak. ¡°Okay, how are you predicting my every move?¡± He asked her and she opened her eyes that quickly found him a dozen feet away. ¡°At first I actually thought that you could still sense me but I am almost certain that is impossible.¡±


    Lenna smiled. ¡°Oh?¡± She asked innocently. ¡°Whatever do you mean?¡±


    Isaac narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°You know exactly what I mean. How are you countering my every move while I make it?¡±


    ¡°I just know you.¡± She replied without losing her smile.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No way. Meshing fighting styles is one thing but that was straight mind reading.¡± He argued. The only way that he had even realized that she hadn¡¯t actually been tracking him was her slightly exaggerated swings towards the end.


    Lenna chuckled. ¡°You used the same attack pattern on me that you used on Shaeo. The same attack vectors in the same order that you used on Fen as well.¡± She told him. ¡°Back, left, right, back, front, back, right, front, back, front.¡± She listed out. ¡°Always with your right hand going from the right, top left, stab, top, stab, top left, bottom right, stab, stab, top.¡±


    Isaac just stared at her in shock. ¡°How?¡± He asked her with so much shock that she would have thought it exaggerated but it was clear that it wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°I watch you.¡± She replied simply.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°I understand that I can get complacent when it comes to certain things but using a ten hit combo, what, two? Three times?¡± His eyes were blinking far more than they needed to as he tried to process what she was telling him. ¡°That¡¯s insane.¡±


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m your swordsmanship teacher. You have patterns and I¡¯ve learned them. It¡¯s not that strange.¡± She tried to explain.


    ¡°Do I use that same pattern any other time?¡± He asked her. ¡°Or only when teleporting?¡±


    Lenna held her hand out and tilted it back and forth in a ¡®sort of¡¯ gesture. ¡°You like to go, right, top left, stab, a lot.¡± She thought about it a bit longer. ¡°And top, stab, top left. Those are your two main combos. Combos are fine when fighting golems or monsters but fighting a person with them is a bad idea.¡±


    Isaac was still trying to process that she had memorized his attack patterns that he didn¡¯t even realize he had. ¡°Okay¡­ what about after that? You stopped when I stopped and moved when I moved. How did you know?¡± He questioned further.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°It just felt like the right timing. Like I said, I watch you.¡± She explained.


    Isaac tossed his sword into his Inventory and sat on the hard sand. ¡°Just felt right?¡± He asked with a shake of his head. ¡°Am I that predictable?¡±


    Lenna chuckled and took off her helmet. ¡°Yes and no. Isaac, remember, we¡¯ve been sparring almost everyday for months. We¡¯ve fought a dozen different types of opponents and hundreds of creatures together.¡± She walked over and sat down in front of him. He tossed her a waterskin without her even having to ask for it. ¡°We are basically a set of paired swords at this point.¡± Isaac was still just shaking his head. ¡°What did I do that caught you off guard?¡± She asked.


    Isaac thought about their minute long magical spar. ¡°Other than reading my mind?¡± He asked rhetorically. ¡°The ring of fire and the backswing that caught my shin after your shoulder bash attempt.¡± He replied honestly.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°So, my new spell that I haven¡¯t used in combat before, and the move that would only work on someone who can teleport above and behind me.¡± Lenna expounded. ¡°Two things that you couldn¡¯t have seen me use before. Nothing else I did could have surprised you.¡±


    Isaac had to cede the point. The fight really had felt almost practiced up until that point. ¡°Fine.¡± He replied eventually with a huff. ¡°You win.¡± He conceded. ¡°I still think that actually being able to tell me my patterns is completely insane.¡±


    ¡°There are still a few of your patterns that I don¡¯t know.¡± Lenna conceded.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°Which ones?¡±


    ¡°Unarmed and¡­¡± She seemed to debate if she was actually going to say the rest of the thought before eventually deciding on following through. ¡°undressed.¡±


    Isaac almost choked on the water he had just started drinking and sprayed some of it across the sand. It took him a good few seconds to stop coughing from the water that had almost shot out of his nose. ¡°Forward today aren¡¯t we.¡± He eventually got out between coughs.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No.¡± She replied then smiled seductively. ¡°Forward would be me saying ¡®why don¡¯t you show me the latter now.¡¯ and dragging you back to our room.¡±

 Chapter 65 Chase Happiness.

    Chapter 65 Chase Happiness.


    Thankfully nothing seemed to come of Isaac and Lenna¡¯s spectacle at Sera¡¯s birthday ball. At least not in the short term. The duo went back to killing spiders while they waited for Jilian Silverstrand to finish getting the drider silk into working amounts. A few days in, the duo got another unexpected visit. This time, however, the visitor in question at least had the tact to visit them in their room. Unfortunately this visitor didn¡¯t understand what privacy meant. At least she didn¡¯t drop by when they were¡­ busy.


    A soft white light descended and a feeling of cool warmth swept through the room. Like the pleasant chill of winter and the warmth of being under a heavy blanket or the opposite of a cool breeze on a summer¡¯s day. Isaac sat up abruptly as the shadows that brought him so much comfort were pushed aside by the soft glow that seemed to come down in rays, streaks, and glimmers. His eyes were having trouble focusing on it. Lenna got out of bed but didn¡¯t grab her sword like Isaac would have thought. She seemed to know what was going on and also seemed to not mind her current lack of clothes. Isaac was just glad he was wearing pants.


    A soft voice that was motherly and kind yet seemed to resonate with the soft white light and carry with it a power beyond anything Isaac had felt in over three months spoke: ¡°I see you have done as I asked, child.¡± A form seemed to start trying to appear inside the light. ¡°I am glad.¡± Her voice continued. Her motherly pride and joy seemed to almost force itself on those listening simply by nature of the voice¡¯s source.


    Lenna knelt down like a knight before her queen facing the shimmering light as a vague purple outline of a woman began to appear. ¡°As am I, my goddess.¡± Lenna replied. Isaac got out of bed and stood facing the visitor.


    The form seemed to nod and a sense that she was pleased seemed to sweep over the room. The form turned to face Isaac. Enough of her form was now visible to tell that her skin was a royal purple and her hair and eyes were like polished silver. Also, she was entirely clothesless, not that she seemed to mind. Isaac had to struggle for a moment to decide where to look. On one hand, looking a god in the eyes was probably a good way to get smited for disrespect and just generally came off as arrogant beyond all reason. On the other hand, his only other option was her feet which were hidden behind the footboard of the bed. Based on everything Lenna had told Isaac about the benevolent goddess of the full moon, Isaac figured he could probably get away with testing his luck and causally locked eyes with the goddess.


    She smiled warmly but it felt like a cool breeze. ¡°You, immigrant from another world,¡± She addressed him. ¡°Traveler¡¯s accident, thank you.¡± She told him.


    Isaac was taken aback. Not only had a goddess just descended, at least a projection of her, and told him which god was responsible for his death but then she immediately thanked him. He tilted his head slightly in question with slightly furrowed brows. ¡°Your welcome?¡± He replied though he had no idea what he had done to deserve her thanks.


    She chuckled in much the same way Lenna did; only hers was not a mortal sound. It was like windchimes and twinkling stars met a painting of the ocean at midnight. ¡°I sent this child to you and you have taken great care of her.¡± The goddess explained to relieve his confusion. ¡°And for that I will give you a gift. In exchange for the three cycles of companionship and care you have given, I will tell you three things.¡± She spoke naturally like talking to a friend but her words carried a power that was truly a divine decree. ¡°Four days walk, deeper into the planet, two of your friends require aid.¡±


    Isaac nodded slowly once it was clear that she had said all that she planned to. ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± Isaac replied with sincerity. He really had no idea how to act around deities. Rei and Zei had seemed fine with casual and apparently so was Lua so he was just going to hope all of them were okay with it.


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    The goddess, Lua, smiled even brighter and the moonlight that was cascading down seemed to intensify. Her skin seemed to glow with the same soft white light and glistened in it as well. She looked back at Lenna. ¡°Continue to find your own way, my child, continue to chase happiness.¡± Her words carried with them strength and hope that seemed to settle in Lenna¡¯s bones and quiet the heat that seemed ever present in her chest from her broken oath.


    Lenna¡¯s smile was pure and genuine. ¡°I will, my goddess.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°And thank you, for sending me out into the middle of nowhere.¡± A feeling of amusement and love washed over the room and then the goddess faded away without another word. It only took three seconds for the room to return to total darkness.


    The pair remained silent for a long moment, both wondering if it was a dream, until they looked at each other and locked eyes. ¡°Well, aren¡¯t we popular this month.¡± Isaac commented to which Lenna could only laugh. Only Isaac could act nonchalant at not one but two visits from deities in the span of two weeks.


    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you.¡± Lenna said abruptly.


    ¡°Thanks?¡± Isaac replied, just as confused as he was when Lua had thanked him. ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t hit on my goddess.¡± Lenna replied casually. ¡°I was sure you were going to say something and embarrass yourself.¡±


    Isaac put his hand on his chest in mock hurt but then dropped the act and decided to respond honestly. ¡°I was too shocked by everything that was happening to really realize how similar you two are. Maybe if I hadn¡¯t been half asleep when she showed up it would have been different.¡± He gave her an easy smirk. ¡°Though, the only reason I would have hit on her is because you two are so similar.¡±


    Lenna had no idea how to respond to the conversation she had just started. After a moment of staring at him she just shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ difficult.¡±


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    ¡°That is how you talk to mortals you old codger¡± A certain purple skinned goddess said to the skeleton she had just dropped in on.


    The skeleton turned towards her and the vague feeling of eyes being rolled radiated out from him. ¡°A statement needed to be made.¡± He replied airily.


    ¡°It is much more impactful when they feel your power.¡± The goddess insisted. ¡°Even more so when there isn¡¯t an audience. A visit should be personal.¡± She stated.


    ¡°All of my visits are personal.¡± The skeleton assured her.


    ¡°Except that one.¡± She countered.


    ¡°Even that one.¡± He insisted along with the vague feeling of narrowed eyes in insistence and irritation.


    ¡°Whatever you say ¡®Reaper¡¯.¡± She replied almost mockingly.


    ¡°They call you the name they gave the moon.¡± He shot back. At least he got his own name in addition to his job. No mortal even remembered their real names after so many eons and so much bloodshed.


    The goddess waved him off. ¡°You are as boring as ever. I¡¯m going to go find someone pleasant to talk to.¡± She told him and finally left him in peace.


    He shook his head. ¡°Why did she even come here?¡± He asked himself then shook his head again. ¡°Some goddesses need a hobby.¡± He said and went back to trimming the leaves on one of his baneberry bushes. ¡°Maybe more than one.¡±


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    Isaac and Lenna got ready to head out a few minutes after Lua had left. There was no telling how long Isaac¡¯s friends in need had so they decided to get ready immediately. It was pretty obvious that the path they needed to take would be towards Ben¡¯s End but the problem was which path they needed to take. In all likelihood it would be the main path that was used by wagons and not the footpath through the mushroom kingdom that Isaac and Lenna had taken. That was only speculation however so Isaac was wary to bet on it, especially if Aria and Claus¡¯s lives were on the line. Those were the only two people Isaac could think of that would be out there and he would call friends. The fact that it was a team of two removed quite a few other teams from the list.


    Isaac wouldn¡¯t call Elliot¡¯s team or the group of ex-Crimson Coins friends either but that didn¡¯t mean Lua wouldn¡¯t refer to them as such. Lenna had mentioned trying to get some sleep but they both knew neither of them were going to get any rest after a visit from a goddess. They walked into the Guild Hall to let whoever covered the night shift know that they were leaving but instead of near silence meeting them upon entry like they expected they were met with a mild amount of chaos. Isaac had a feeling that, by the end of the day, he was going to be very glad that he had just finished converting the last of his mana pathways as neither he nor Lenna were going to have time to be tired.

 Chapter 66 Dinner

    Chapter 66 Dinner


    Isaac caught Alice while she was scrambling to copy a location from one map to another. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Isaac asked with enough of a command in his voice to jerk her attention to him. ¡°We were just about to head out.¡±


    ¡°Emergency quest, the caravan from Ben¡¯s End got ambushed by an army of Ori-Masa.¡± She looked up to meet his gaze and saw furrowed brows and a frown. ¡°I can only offer a gold bounty on it at most. The caravan is basically empty.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Do you know which adventurers are guarding it?¡± Isaac questioned. There was a very high possibility that whoever Lua had called his ¡®friends¡¯ were on that job. He just needed to make sure before rushing out there.


    ¡°Hold on, I have a list.¡± Alice replied and dug under a pile of maps for a note that she looked to have scribbled herself. ¡°Keith Windright, he¡¯s the wizard who called it in. He¡¯s gold rank. Claus son of Rock, he¡¯s an electrum level warrior. Aria Tr¡¯Bore, she¡¯s a silver rank cleric. Ellem Renald, he¡¯s a silver rank ranger. And the last one is Eric Weston, a silver rank warrior.¡± She looked up from the note. ¡°There¡¯s a guard contingent with them of twenty men but none of them are over level six. The message from Keith said that there looked to be well over a hundred Ori-Masa. Worst case, you¡¯ll be recovering badges.¡±


    ¡°Map.¡± Lenna demanded and held out her hand. Alice gave her one and she looked over it. ¡°That¡¯s around forty five miles.¡± She commented and then looked at Isaac. ¡°Four days¡¯ walk.¡±


    Isaac nodded curtly. ¡°Or a six hour run.¡± His eyes met hers.


    ¡°Run?¡± Alice asked with wide eyes. ¡°No one can run that fast for that long with a hundred pounds of gear.¡± She looked at Lenna wide eyed. ¡°Can you?¡±


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°I could but I wouldn¡¯t be in any condition to fight afterward.¡± She nodded towards Isaac. ¡°Normally.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t yesterday but now my body and magic are finally aligned. I¡¯ll need to be careful so I don¡¯t push it too hard yet but I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Isaac replied. His newly converted mana pathways in his toes were still weak but he wasn¡¯t planning on blasting his entire regeneration rate of mana through them so he hoped they would be able to handle the light strain from him preventing fatigue with death flames.


    ¡°I¡¯ll join you.¡± A deep and familiar voice said while approaching on silent steps. The duo turned to see an over six foot tall elvish man with white, brown, and gray hair. His chest was bare but his arms were gauntleted with his signature retractable claws.


    ¡°Wo Lu,¡± Isaac greeted the older man. ¡°I assume you can keep up that pace.¡±


    The elf barbarian nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied simply.


    Alice swallowed hard. ¡°Okay.¡± She handed Wo Lu a map as well. ¡°Be careful you thr-four, and gods¡¯ speed.¡± She wished them and started doing whatever paperwork was needed to make and process the caravan rescue bounty. She couldn¡¯t hold back a yawn. ¡°Man, I need sleep.¡± She grumbled to herself.


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    Isaac gave Alice one last nod and then turned to leave. He started stretching while walking towards the door. ¡°No breaks.¡± He instructed. Once outside he waited for the two to get closer. He poked Lenna in the chest and a trail of death mana connected her chest to Isaac¡¯s finger. He then turned around and touched the center of his back. The thin line of death connected them to keep power flowing into Lenna. ¡°Don¡¯t go between us.¡± Isaac warned Wo Lu as he coated the connection in shadows to make it disappear and hopefully prevent Wo Lu from accidentally getting decapitated.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of it.¡± The larger man replied with a grin. Apparently he thought his joke was funny.


    ¡°Stay within ten feet.¡± Isaac told Lenna and she nodded. ¡°Is that enough power? I need to keep enough for myself.¡±


    Lenna nodded again. ¡°It¡¯ll be enough. It won¡¯t save my life but it¡¯ll keep me from getting tired.¡± She explained.


    Isaac closed his eyes and turned the mana that was flowing through his mana pathways into death flames. He felt the rush for the first time. He felt thirty pounds lighter and wide awake. His vision seemed to clear like a fog had lifted. He took a deep breath and felt the cool air enter his lungs. ¡°This is a rush.¡± He commented. He looked at Wo Lu. ¡°Ready?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Wo Lu replied simply.


    Isaac grinned at the two of them. ¡°Last one there buys dinner.¡± He told them and took off in a run.


    The trio didn¡¯t stop for the guards, they just flashed their badges while running past. The first hour was empty. The only thing of note was that they went the entire way through the cleared and straightened part of the spider infested tunnels. Once on the other side it opened up into a cavern that was too far across to see the other end. Part of that was because it wasn¡¯t level, upon questioning, Lenna revealed that it was thought to be around eighty by a hundred and fifteen miles in size. It sloped down hard at the beginning but then turned upwards gently before dipping back down.


    The team didn¡¯t really go through any of the large cavern and simply skirted its edge until they found another tunnel. That tunnel was the path that the wagons would take to Ben¡¯s End and by extension Outpost Charles. They hadn¡¯t even seen any spiders which was only slightly surprising with the obscene number of them that Isaac and Lenna had killed.


    Wo Lu had been keeping pace fine with nothing but his supernatural stamina and giant stride. Isaac needed the death flames running through his system to keep him at the pace that they had set. Lenna could have held it for a bit without the help but running in full armor, with a sword and satchel on her hips, would have caused her to be exhausted by the time they arrived. Kahtesh stayed in Isaac¡¯s shadow until they needed him. The little dragon could have kept pace with them all easily but Lenna¡¯s armor was loud enough, they didn¡¯t need the dragon¡¯s claws to add to the cacophony of clangs and scratches.


    The second hour was almost completely empty. Wo Lu had turned into a giant wolf and darted ahead at one point. A moment later Isaac and Lenna caught up just in time to see him rip the head off of a giant snake that had once been around twelve feet long. He turned to look at them as they approached with the snake¡¯s head still in his mouth. He dropped it almost comically before shifting back into his elvish form. ¡°Dinner for later.¡± He commented and quickly stuffed the whole snake into Lenna¡¯s bottomless bag much to her and Isaac¡¯s amusement. They had brought travel rations but the old wolf seemed to travel as light as possible.


    The third hour saw the group blitzing through a small cave spider nest leaving a dozen corpses in their wake. Their pace hadn¡¯t even slowed. The fourth hour was entirely quiet and so was the fifth. Eerily quiet in fact. There had been some signs of violence like dried blood and tufts of fur. Some of it seemed recent but most of it seemed old. It looked like the Ori-Masa had been hunting in the area. The only reason that the team guessed it was the Ori-Masa was because there was no evidence left. The fishmen seemed to like picking up after themselves. They had learned long ago how to use every part of every kill. They drank the blood, ate the meat, made clothes and bedding with the fur and sinew, and made weapons with the teeth and bones.


    Things finally livened up after they had covered over forty miles. A small scout team of Ori-Masa hadn¡¯t even had enough time to understand that they were under attack when Wo Lu impacted one so hard that its own ribs turned it into a pincushion. Lenna¡¯s sword quickly tore through one on flight towards another before pinning both corpses to the stone, while Isaac lodged four throwing spikes made of shadows into the last one. The team only slowed enough for Lenna to rip her sword out of the stone wall before continuing their run for the ambushed caravan.


    The closer they got the more the tension grew. By the time they were less than a mile away there was only one thing on their minds. A prayer ran through all three of their thoughts simultaneously. ¡°Please let them still be alive.¡±

 Chapter 67 Intoxicating.

    Chapter 67 Intoxicating.


    The team was still running at full speed when they came upon a group of Ori-Masa blocking the path. The fish-men¡¯s backs were to them which was a good sign. ¡°Lenna, brace. I¡¯m cutting power.¡± He told her and vanished.


    Lenna almost tripped when Isaac¡¯s power left her. Suddenly going back to normal was like the difference from having just woken up to being awake in the middle of the day only in reverse. She slowed her pace to an easy jog as she reacclimated to working under normal conditions. She drew her sword and gripped it with her offhand on the blade just past the crossguard. With the blade pointing backwards she could hold it and run easily without having to worry about drawing it from the scabbard once she was in combat.


    Isaac appeared in the middle of the group of fish-men like a demon. His sword in one hand and shadows turning his offhand into razor sharp claws. He tore through them sending blood and bodies flying. The supreme act of primal violence surprised even Lenna. There was no hint of the usual joy of combat that Isaac had. He was a monster, a predator, and the Ori-Masa were insects to be squashed. He didn¡¯t even give them the respect a predator gives to prey. To him, they were just weeds to be pulled, ants to be stepped on, dirt to be washed off. His face was a mask of seriousness with a tinge of fury. A dozen bodies had piled up before Lenna and Wo Lu even arrived. The final few fell quickly after.


    Just past the carnage, of Isaac acting more like an angry dragon than even Kahtesh could, a cavern opened up. The group came from the southeastern side of the cavern and on the southwestern side there was another opening. At said opening was a barricade of men and wagons. The lead wagon had been positioned to be used as a makeshift wall to hold back the Ori-Masa. A few men with spears were standing in it with their weapons low and shields high. Below them another group of men with weapons and shields low and tucked in close to them were jabbing at any Ori-Masa that got too close.


    The little ¡®gill-faced bastards¡¯ were throwing rocks and occasionally makeshift spears at the men but they seemed to mostly just be taunting them. A few dozen Ori-Masa bodies were scattered around with scorch marks strewn about. There were still around seventy Ori-Masa remaining. It took Isaac a moment because he had been so focused on getting there as quickly as possible but he realized that they may have gotten more than they bargained for. The amount of wheat only served to dull the scythe''s edge but the real problem was the vague sense of wrongness surrounding them. To Isaac it felt like a severely muted version of the mushroomancer powers. All of the little monster men felt fuzzy to Isaac in a way that only his Polarity Sense could understand.


    ¡°Fireball.¡± Isaac told Lenna and summoned Kahtesh to help.


    ¡°Understood.¡± Lenna replied and raised her hand. ¡°Come forth, ember of a dying star!¡± She called and a massive explosion rang out. She did so two more times before stopping. By the time her third had gone off Kahtesh had started his own assault. As soon as the Fireballs stopped the lightning began. Dozens of Ori-Masa were cut down in moments. Isaac decided that this battlefield would be the perfect place to test something he had wanted to test on himself for a while. The only reason he hadn¡¯t yet was because his mana pathways in his toes were still weak from being converted but they had been slowly healing for the past few hours now. He had finally hit the point where his death flames were healing his mana pathways so they were almost back to one hundred percent. That was good enough for Isaac.


    Power flowed through Isaac with ramping intensity. First double and then triple what he had been running through himself. When he hit four times what he had been using to sustain himself the entire cavern turned to see him. To those present it felt like a god of death had ascended to greet them. The feeling carried with it something almost akin to an aura. Everything in it felt like the world itself was whispering one word, die. The darkness around Isaac dimmed from the dark mana being sucked out of it faster than it could be replaced. Most of the cavern remained dark as it was only lit by a handful of torches but he was clearly visible regardless of the distance. Isaac felt¡­ Immortal.


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    Isaac moved his mana out into his muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, and nerves. He breathed deeply and felt the mana in the air leave without any dark mana left in it. He couldn¡¯t keep the manic grin from his face at the intoxicating power. He tossed his sword to the side, not even bothering to put it in his Inventory, and clenched his fists. He could feel every living and dead thing within a hundred feet of him and he knew which was dark and which wasn¡¯t. This, this was the power that he had traded his memories for. This wasn¡¯t the power to kill an entire room of people with a snap of his fingers. No. This was the power to manhandle a giant. To punch a dragon to death. To fight a demigod and win. And this was only level ten.


    Isaac felt his reserves dropping at a steady rate. He knew that he could only maintain the amount of power drain for around a minute but that was fine. He doubted that he would even need a minute. His death flames wanted to move with his muscles. They wanted to harden his bones. They wanted to move where he wanted to go. Time itself seemed to slow as Isaac walked toward the surviving Ori-Masa. He realized that the power flowing through his nervous system was causing his brain to work faster than normal thus making it look like time had slowed.


    Each step he took felt odd as if gravity was affecting him less but in reality it was just due to his hastened perceptions. His walk turned into a slow run and then a fast one as he darted from Ori-Masa to Ori-Masa spraying blood and gore across the cavern with each punch or kick he landed. To the onlookers it looked like a blur of death and carnage. His walk looked like a run and his run was hard to track in the darkness even with the darkness around him being lessened. Bodies flew and everyone save for Kahtesh had stopped attacking and just let Isaac tear through the enemy like the arbiter of a vengeful god.


    ¡°By all that is¡­¡± Wo Lu whispered next to Lenna. ¡°What is he?¡±


    ¡°A demigod.¡± Lenna answered with awe. She had no doubt that he could tear her apart if he came at her like that. His only problem was that every time he hit something he would get tossed backwards slightly from the impact. He simply wasn¡¯t heavy enough to counteract the force of his own punches hitting another object. Slick surfaces would be his biggest nightmare and Lenna was confident enough in being able to make Isaac impale himself on her sword if they fought. The problem for her was that even in that event she would still lose. He would be completely healed in a matter of moments once her blade had been removed. There was no winning against him. Not in her mind at least.


    Lenna was sure that it would take an army of wizards or the mythical Wish spell to take him down. Everything was vulnerable to being disintegrated or having a meteor dropped on them but actually hitting Isaac was something that only reality warping magic would allow. Either that or some very clever placement and planning. Isaac appeared before her and she felt the power start winding down. Soon there was only an echo of death left and she knew that he was still running a very small amount of death flames through his system to keep himself wide awake and alert.


    ¡°Have fun?¡± She asked.


    Isaac had burned through almost his entire reserves during his killing spree. He had to wipe blood and guts off of his face on multiple occasions just so he could see. He hadn¡¯t initially accounted for his own punches tossing him around but after a dozen exchanges he had managed to adapt to it. Mostly he would just use it as a sort of automatic disengage from each enemy. Or at least he would have if anything had survived for more than one hit. He was covered from head to toe in the guts and blood of others. He felt sticky and gross but it had been a rush beyond anything he had ever felt. Enough of a rush to make all the headaches from his missing memories worth it. Something still felt off though, even after all the Ori-Masa were supposedly dead.


    ¡°Isaac?¡± Lenna asked again to get his attention.


    ¡°Huh?¡± He blinked and his eyes snapped to hers. ¡°Uh, yeah. It was¡­ intoxicating.¡± He confessed. He looked around at the carnage left in his wake. ¡°Something still doesn¡¯t feel right though.¡± He whispered just loud enough for her to hear.


    Wo Lu¡¯s lips curled up in a snarl. ¡°I feel it too.¡± He agreed. ¡°At first I thought it was you.¡±


    Isaac shook his head slightly from side to side. ¡°It¡¯s like there is something sleeping inside the corpses. It was there when they were still alive and it¡¯s still there. ¡° Isaac explained his feeling.


    Lenna handed Isaac his discarded sword. ¡°You might need this.¡± She told him. ¡°Also, stop leaving your weapons around.¡± She chastised the man who had just shown the power of a demigod without even being twentieth level.


    Isaac nodded absently and took the sword before storing it in his Inventory. He felt tension start to build but he wasn¡¯t sure if it was just his own imagination or not. Wo Lu dipped low like he was prepared to shift into his wolf form and that was all Isaac needed to be sure that it wasn¡¯t all in his head. ¡°Something¡¯s coming.¡± Isaac said ominously.


    ¡°What?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

 Chapter 68 It Got Worse.

    Chapter 68 It Got Worse.


    The massive bloody cavern seemed to freeze in time for a long moment. The three newcomers watched over the previous massacre''s carnage with bated breaths. To Isaac¡¯s Polarity Sense it felt like the blood and gore was made up of millions of tiny dark creatures. The hair on the back of Wo Lu¡¯s neck stood on end as he felt like something was about to leap out of the darkness and swallow him whole. Lenna¡¯s sharp eyes picked up a ripple across a puddle of blood. After another long moment she realized something. ¡°Is the blood mo-¡± She was cut off by someone from the caravan approaching them.


    ¡°Isaac?!¡± An elf in worn and dirty robes called while running towards them. Isaac turned to look at her and smiled, at least he did until she stopped a dozen feet from him and pinched her nose. ¡°You smell awful.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m covered in¡­¡± His voice trailed off as he looked at the rapidly drying liquid clinging to his entire front. ¡°blood. Lots of blood.¡±


    ¡°Is this your friend?¡± Lenna asked. She noticed another adventurer following behind the elf at a more measured pace. He was walking slowly but his enormous stride still ate up ground as if a normal man were jogging. The goliath, Lenna assumed, Claus son of Rock. He felt weaker than Brick but the way he moved gave her the feeling that he was both older and had seen more combat. His lower level could be explained by him not having to push himself very often, which if he traveled with the lower leveled elf made sense, compared to Brick.


    Isaac nodded both in reply to Lenna and in a belated greeting to the elf in question. ¡°Aria, she is one of four people to have ever seen my Status screen.¡± He explained and then gave a casual wave to the approaching goliath. ¡°That¡¯s Claus.¡± He shook his head at Claus once he had gotten close enough to talk normally. ¡°What happened to keeping her out of trouble? The only reason I am even here is because Lua herself told me you two were in trouble.¡±


    Aria and Wo Lu both looked shocked, Lenna rolled her eyes, and Claus just took it in stride. ¡°She searches for it.¡± He grumbled which got a chuckle out of Isaac. ¡°Glad you survived.¡± He said with a grin clear in his bedrock deep voice. He glanced at the bone dragon hanging out slightly off to the side. ¡°That dragon?¡±


    Isaac beamed. ¡°Is the one that killed you, yeah.¡± He replied cheerily.


    Wo Lu walked up to the goliath and offered him a hand. It was the only time anyone had ever made Wo Lu look small as Claus grabbed his outstretched forearm. ¡°Fought anything strong recently, friend.¡± Wo Lu asked the massive warrior.


    Claus nodded. ¡°A few.¡± He replied. ¡°You, old wolf?¡±


    Wo Lu shook his head. ¡°No. The young ones have been taking all the good fights.¡± He said with a grin.


    A chill shot up through Isaac¡¯s spine as he felt the blood on the ground start to move and pick up speed. Everyone¡¯s eyes shot to the roiling carnage as it moved to collect itself into one large mess. It started slow at one inch per second but the speed seemed to double every second. The blood and guts of the Ori-Masa sloshed and grated against itself until it formed a roughly spherical shape. Isaac was so distracted by the moving carnage that he only then noticed the source of the chill that he had felt. Something large and powerful was moving towards them from below at an incredible speed.


    ¡°This just keeps getting worse doesn¡¯t it?¡± Aria grumbled.


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    Isaac shook his head. ¡°You have no idea.¡± He replied. ¡°Something else is on its way.¡± He tapped his foot on the ground to signal the direction it was coming from.


    ¡°Power level?¡± Lenna asked and prepared for combat.


    ¡°Jala, give or take. Nothing we can¡¯t handle.¡± He gestured towards the wagons. ¡°Aria, Claus, move those wagons back. I have a bad feeling about this.¡± Kahtesh fired a bolt of lightning into the roiling mass but it seemed to just fizzle out. There was simply too much organic material to eat the attack for it to do any damage.


    ¡°I¡¯m almost empty.¡± Lenna gave her mana status.


    ¡°Three quarters.¡± Wo Lu added his own. He had been using it to shape shift but had otherwise not touched his mana reserves.


    ¡°A quarter but rising.¡± Isaac replied with his own. He had burned through almost everything that he had while going on a rampage.


    Aria hesitated for a moment before nodding resolutely. ¡°Got it.¡± She replied to Isaac¡¯s directive and ran back to the caravan. Claus headed back as well. He knew that he was still up to fight but it was pretty obvious that none of the casters in the caravan had any mana left after a six hour siege so if anything happened he would have to take care of it. Also, who was going to keep Aria from getting herself killed if Claus wasn¡¯t there?


    ¡°Oh come on!¡± Isaac complained as the ball of guts started to roll towards them. He felt Lenna¡¯s aura harden on her like an exoskeleton that held her sword in a vice grip. Flames danced along the edges of her armor and coated her blade. Isaac grinned. ¡°The V¡¯Nova way it is.¡±


    The team knew that they needed to keep the ball from rolling over the lead wagon, that was still partially inside the cavern, for at least long enough for it to be moved back down the tunnel. The tunnel was about fifteen feet high at its highest point but the ball was approaching twenty and growing even as it began rolling.


    Lenna got into a stance with her blade low so she could uppercut the ball of carnage and Isaac copied her. Wo Lu took a few steps back and prepared to counter charge into it. Power flooded Isaac¡¯s system. He knew that he didn¡¯t have enough mana to maintain his death enhanced strength for longer than a few seconds but it would be enough, he hoped.


    The ball closed in on them and was met by all the strength the trio had at their disposal. Two uppercuts and a massive shoulder hit the monstrosity. The ball was stopped and almost lifted off of the ground from the impacts. Immediately after, it started to try to suck in the duo¡¯s swords as well as Wo Lu. The, only mostly solid, surface of the monster conformed around everything that hit it and it tried to assimilate it. Wo Lu started shifting into a wolf half the size of his usual form which pulled him back out of it enough for him to jump back and away. Isaac and Lenna were able to tear their weapons out with only a little effort.


    Wo Lu got distance and shifted into his larger wolf form and growled at the monstrosity. Isaac and Lenna dove around it on opposite sides and Kahtesh fired another lightning bolt into it. The creature from below continued to get closer. The ball started rolling towards Isaac.


    ¡°It¡¯s always me.¡± Isaac grumbled and cut the power to his self enhancement while teleporting to the other side of the cavern. Lenna attacked the ball again leaving a trail of flames across its surface. Wo Lu looked back and forth between the ball and the rest of the team. He knew that if the ball would target him he could give it a run around for a while, if it only targeted Isaac then he would be better off going in search of the wizard, that was supposed to be present, or Aria. Kahtesh shifted positions to make sure he would maintain a clear line of attack on the monster. The ball abruptly changed its target to Kahtesh right after Isaac teleported away.


    ¡°Kahtesh!¡± Lenna yelled once she noticed where the ball was trying to go. She ran after the ball, landing a few shallow strikes that left more lingering flames. Wo Lu shifted back into his elvish form and grabbed a rock. With a powerful swing he launched it into the side of the ball to little effect. Isaac called Kahtesh towards him and started opening up the void to receive the little dragon. Kahtesh dug his claws into the stone and catapulted himself towards Isaac. The dragon flew thirty feet in a single bound before doing it again to cover the final fifty. He only narrowly missed getting a wingtip stuck on the ball as it rolled after him picking up speed the entire time.


    Isaac had to jump out of the way of the rolling mass once Kahtesh was fully submerged in the void and had successfully made his escape. The ball seemed to lose track of a target for a moment and just kept rolling in the direction it was going until it smashed into the wall. The cavern shook and a chunk of stone fell from the ceiling. ¡°Isaac!¡± Lenna yelled and he teleported in her direction without hesitation. He picked himself up off the ground to see a chunk of stone burst apart where he had just been.


    ¡°It¡¯s about to get much worse.¡± He warned. The second monster was still closing in on them. He could feel that it was only about as powerful as Jala but it was easily twice the size of a wagon. The ball was impossible for him to get a good read on. It still felt like millions of smaller creatures instead of one big one. He needed to figure out how it was choosing its targets and who was controlling it.


    The ball pulled itself out of the small crater it had made in the cavern wall and started rolling towards Isaac and Lenna who were the closest to it. Orange veins started appearing across its surface only for them to break free and start slapping across the ground as it moved. Lenna sneered at the ugly and disgusting creature getting even uglier and more disgusting. ¡°It got worse.¡±

 Chapter 69 Multistage Bo-

    Chapter 69 Multistage Bo-


    Isaac and Lenna moved in opposite directions to see which one of them the ball would target. It started veering towards Isaac. ¡°Do those veins remind you of anything?¡± Isaac asked and then teleported out of the way of the rolling mass of guts, blood, and orange fleshy rope.


    Lenna slashed the side of the monster and jumped back to give it space to reposition. ¡°Yes.¡± She replied with a frown in her voice.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get a caster.¡± Wo Lu cut in and took off at full speed towards the caravan. He was now certain that the creature was focusing in on Isaac and his familiar somehow. Isaac and Lenna each gave him a nod in agreement.


    ¡°This is definitely some mushroomancer bull shit.¡± Isaac very eloquently spoke his mind and teleported out of the way again.


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna replied and cut the ball again. Every time Isaac would teleport he would position himself in a way to cause the ball to roll close to Lenna in order to get to him.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s getting smaller.¡± Isaac told her. Her fire seemed to be burning off whatever invisible colony of dark creatures were piloting the monstrosity.


    Lenna nodded in agreement. ¡°Agreed.¡± She replied and Isaac teleported again. ¡°My aura won¡¯t be able to hold up.¡± She warned and sliced again leaving more trailing flames. The veins were getting longer and started to reach out towards her whenever she attacked.


    ¡°We need someone who can actually kill this thing.¡± Isaac grumbled and threw a handful of shadow darts into it to no effect. He had to teleport away again. ¡°I hope that wizard has something useful.¡±


    Lenna barely held onto her sword after her attack as the outstretched vein-like appendages tried to wrap around it and her hand. ¡°He won¡¯t have any mana.¡± Lenna reminded him.


    Isaac nodded and teleported again. The six hour siege was bound to have wrung every once of mana out of the wizard. ¡°It¡¯s only getting faster.¡± Isaac stated the obvious. The ball was moving faster and faster but was still somehow able to take turns at the same harsh angle. Something inside of it had to be counteracting the momentum somehow. The sound of rushing water was getting louder and louder from the inside of the ball of carnage. The second monster was getting closer and closer. Isaac teleported to the far side of the cavern.


    Lenna held her ground to wait for whatever plan Isaac had just cooked up. A voice called out from the caravan. ¡°By the stars!¡± An older human man with dark brown skin called. Lenna barely heard his next words: ¡°I knew I should¡¯ve stayed on the surface.¡±


    Isaac faced down the rolling mass that could kill him easily in one hit. He felt the second monster approaching. He was trying to make them hit each other but the ball was too hard to predict which direction it would turn or how fast it would speed up. Isaac teleported back over to Lenna right before he felt the second creature would burst through the floor. It tried to change course at the same time the ball moved but then seemed to switch targets to the ball.


    The cavern shook and rocks fell from the ceiling as the ball was intercepted by a monster of legend and nightmare. A dozen rows of lamprey teeth ground through the mass of flesh, blood, and bone. The hole carved through the ball was six feet across as was the creature that made it. A worm with armor plates instead of skin and teeth as hard as diamonds had decided to join the party. The worm had chosen the ball that would give any child nightmares as its snack with no regard for what kind power the target could wield. It was clear that the worm thought itself at the top of the food chain. It was right, for it was, a Tunnel Horror.


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    The worm burst through the cavern stone and ball monster alike without slowing. It turned and arched its thirty foot long body in mid air like it was swimming through water. It looked like the worm didn¡¯t care what medium it moved through. It moved wherever it decided to go and anything in between was food. The worm slammed into and through the ball again causing the two monsters to look like a singular sickening monkey¡¯s paw knot. The worm devoured the ball monster as it passed through it time and time again. All onlookers were frozen with eyes locked onto the spectacle.


    It looked like the feeding was about over when all of a sudden the worm convulsed. Its body shook and spasmed, tearing apart the remnants of the ball and throwing them across the cavern floor only for them to start moving back towards the worm. ¡°No.¡± Isaac grumbled as the worm¡¯s body started to get pulled apart and rearranged into a roughly spherical shape. ¡°Come on.¡± He continued. ¡°This is getting ridiculous.¡±


    The worm¡¯s body and the Ori-Masa corpses smashed and sloshed together until they had returned to a ball shape. The ball didn¡¯t move but it seemed like the insides were trying to rearrange themselves. Isaac looked over at the wizard and recognized him as the wizard the receptionist in the Ben¡¯s End Adventurers¡¯ Guild had tried to get to conduct Isaac¡¯s official Identify. The older man staggered back and threw a small bolt of fire at the ball and then another and another. He fired off the small projectiles rapidly as he backpedaled towards the caravan. The lead wagon had been pulled back far enough that it would probably survive if the ball chose it as the next target.


    Lenna locked eyes with Isaac. He nodded and she nodded in return. ¡°Back to the wagons!¡± Lenna called and Isaac squared off against the problem that had just gotten even worse.


    ¡°I hate multistage bo-¡± Isaac winced as his head was assaulted. ¡°Fuck.¡± He swore as he tried to keep his focus on the monster that had just started moving towards him. ¡°That was awful timing.¡± He grunted and prepared to teleport.


    Isaac teleported out of the way of the incoming amalgamation of death, carnage, and, most likely, mushrooms. He noticed something was different when it changed directions to go after him again. Bones seemed to stick out of it and stab into the ground as it rolled to give it traction and help it change course. It turned even tighter than last time even though it had now grown to be over thirty feet tall. Isaac teleported out of the way again and again until he heard Lenna call for him. ¡°Clear!¡± She informed him and he teleported twice in rapid succession to get to her and a few feet down the tunnel.


    Lenna, Wo Lu, Claus, another warrior who had to be Eric Weston and four guards with spears prepared to take on the monster if it somehow started squeezing through the smaller tunnel entrance. Aria, Keith, the ranger Ellem Renald, and three more guards with crossbows stood behind the front line. Isaac found himself in the middle of the group and turned to watch the rolling guts monster barrel towards them. ¡°Anybody else think this is a bad idea?¡± Eric asked a few seconds before impact.


    ¡°Oh yeah, definitely.¡± Ellem added from behind them. Immediately after, the world shook.


    The monster impacted with the tunnel entrance half its size and tried to plow through regardless of the stone in the way. The stone crumbled under the assault and everyone standing struggled to keep their feet under them from the resulting ground tremors. A few weak spells and a dozen weapons attacked the monster. A few missed despite the distance simply from the ground shaking. The physical attacks seemed to do nothing and the rest seemed to have little effect. Dust rained down on the caravan. The ball didn¡¯t even try to back up and try again. Instead it started spinning in place in an attempt to force its way through.


    The front line backed up and someone called to keep the wagons moving. The entire caravan shifted back a bit more but the progress was far slower than it should have been. ¡°Status report?!¡± Isaac called out. He had a vague feeling of more infected Ori-Masa in the same direction the caravan was trying to go.


    ¡°Two dead, nine wounded, caravan undamaged. Wizard, cleric, and ranger out of mana, small hostile force at the rear.¡± Aria called out over the rest of the commotion from her place atop the lead wagon.


    Isaac teleported over to her. ¡°Empty barrels?¡± He asked.


    Aria looked confused for a moment. ¡°Yes.¡± She replied tentatively.


    ¡°Burn the Ori-Masa corpses. Fire should keep them from turning into another one of those. If you can¡¯t burn them then stuff them in barrels. I want two of them alive.¡± Isaac explained.


    Aria nodded at Isaac and then motioned for one of the guards with a crossbow to carry out Isaac¡¯s directive. ¡°What about the big one?¡± She asked.


    Isaac looked back at it over his shoulder and watched Lenna hit it with a cone of fire before staggering back a step from almost running completely out of mana. The fire continued to do the trick. ¡°We wait until the paladin and wizard can slowly burn it down.¡± Isaac replied with a frown. ¡°We¡¯re gonna be here for a while.¡±

 Chapter 70 Only One Way

    Chapter 70  Only One Way


    The ball slowly stopped spinning in place. ¡°Did it give up on us?¡± Eric asked only for Wo Lu and Lenna to give him sharp looks. ¡°What?¡± The man looked like he had some combat experience but not much. His reddish-brown hair was caked with gray stone dust and his brown eyes looked back and forth between the experienced adventurers.


    The ball of guts slowly started to force itself into the tunnel like dough through a tube. The ribs of the consumed Ori-Masa extended from the mass and dug into the floor, walls, and ceiling of the tunnel to help pull itself towards them. ¡°That¡¯s what.¡± One of the more experienced guards grumbled.


    ¡°You freaking jinxed us again!¡± Ellem yelled from his position on the lead wagon next to Isaac and Aria. ¡°I¡¯m gonna make you eat a wasp so your tongue can¡¯t make words anymore.¡± He threatened.


    Isaac reached out and summoned Kahtesh. ¡°Someone take my dragon to the back and help clean up the Ori-Masa. We¡¯re going to have to pick up the pace.¡± Isaac ordered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± Aria said. ¡°I don¡¯t really have anything that can help here. At least not until I can get more mana back.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Kahtesh. Listen to Aria and make sure to only hit Ori-Masa.¡± He told the small dragon which looked up at Aria expectantly.


    ¡°Okay¡­ Uh, Kahtesh, right?¡± She looked to Isaac for confirmation. Isaac nodded so she continued: ¡°Follow me.¡± She told the dragon and jumped down to start walking back the wagon train. The little dragon trotted along obediently.


    ¡°Lenna, come sit here and rest a bit.¡± Isaac ordered and then looked at the dark skinned human wizard. ¡°Keith, you too. We are going to need a lot of fire out of both of you so get as much mana back as you can.¡± Keith looked reluctant to follow Isaac¡¯s orders but then saw Lenna climb up onto the wagon with her platinum adventurers¡¯ badge hanging from her neck and obeyed. Isaac hopped down and walked over to Wo Lu and Claus.


    ¡°Any good ideas?¡± Wo Lu asked.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Not really.¡± He stared at the mass slowly getting closer to them. They backed up a few more steps as the wagon continued to slowly move. The horses that were pulling the wagon were turned around but it didn¡¯t look like the same was true for the rest of the wagons. That only served to make shifting the wagon train even more awkward. It did keep the horses from freaking out at the monster though so it was worth it. Isaac glanced at the guards. ¡°You all move to the back and help get these wagons moving faster.¡± Isaac directed them.


    One of the guards looked at Isaac. ¡°It looked like that thing was after you.¡± He commented.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°It¡¯s attracted to my stunning good looks.¡± He replied sarcastically.


    Another guard nodded along with the first. ¡°Seriously. That¡¯s what I saw too.¡± He argued.


    Wo Lu cut in: ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Either way we have to go this way. Either way it will be a problem.¡±


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    ¡°What if he teleported to the other side and waited in one of the other tunnels until we got past?¡± The first guard commented.


    ¡°He just showed up and bailed us out of a siege and you want him to be bait?!¡± Ellem shot back.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± An orange, vein, tentacle, thing reached out towards Isaac but he just backed up again. ¡°This thing is definitely after me.¡± He looked back at the wizard sitting cross legged in the wagon. ¡°Any ideas mister wizard?¡±


    Keith met Isaac¡¯s eyes. ¡°Tunnel Horrors are drawn towards large bursts of mana. You definitely brought it here.¡± He looked over at the monster. ¡°That,¡± He gestured at the mass trying to drag itself into the tunnel. ¡°I have no idea.¡±


    Wo Lu¡¯s eyes narrowed at the creature. ¡°Maybe a curse.¡± He guessed. ¡°You killed them now their corpses are trying to kill you?¡± He didn¡¯t sound very convinced of his own postulation.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± He replied while staring at the monster and taking another step back with the rest of them. ¡°I think it is reacting to something.¡± His gaze bore through the monster like if he stared hard enough it would give him the answer. ¡°Maybe the death mana?¡± He guessed. ¡°Mana density, divinity, death mana, Ori-Masa kill count,¡± He shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t think of any other reasons.¡± He looked between Claus, Wo Lu, Keith, and Lenna. ¡°Anyone else?¡±


    ¡°Death mana is the only option.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°It is the only thing you and Kahtesh share.¡±


    Isaac nodded in agreement. ¡°Let me try something.¡± He said and vanished.


    ¡°I-¡± Lenna began but sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t get yourself killed, again.¡±


    ¡ª


    Isaac had another one of his hair brained ideas. This time he was going to try and see if the monster that was obviously attracted to him could sense him even when he was invisible. He teleported behind it while Invisible to see if there was any change. Nothing happened so he walked closer and closer until he could almost touch it. ¡°You make no sense.¡± Isaac spoke silently to the monster. It was then that he noticed where the chitin ring-like plates of the Tunnel Horror had gone. The monster had been using them as supports to maintain its structure. Now that it was trying to squeeze through the much smaller hole the rings were being shifted back into roughly the shape they had been before the worm was devoured.


    ¡°I wonder how mobile you will be in that form.¡± He thought aloud silently. Isaac got some distance and then turned his shadows into death flames and watched the monster. It stopped. A few moments later it started trying to force itself back out of the tunnel and towards Isaac. ¡°You are a persistent bastard aren¡¯t you.¡± Isaac sighed. ¡°I could really use something flammable.¡± He looked through his Inventory while the mass of guts tried to extricate itself from the tunnel entrance. ¡°Money, weapons, a compass that always points towards civilization, lantern, clothes, food and water, some random potions¡­ wait, that might just work.¡± He pulled out a potion and read the label ¡®Wallwalking.¡¯ He nodded. ¡°Just might work indeed.¡±


    The monster was doing a much better job of withdrawing itself from the tunnel than entering it but it was still a slow process. Isaac downed the potion like a shot of awful tasting alcohol. It tasted tangy and bitter with a bite on his tongue and made his throat feel like it was lined with mucus. Isaac pulled out his waterskin and tried to wash out the taste to little effect. ¡°Never again. Next time I am going to figure out how to get Kahtesh to drink it.¡± He said with a cough.


    The magic of the potion spread and diffused across Isaac¡¯s entire body. That was when he realized a problem. The potion made him stick to even sheer surfaces. Specifically on the bottoms of his feet and his palms. The problem was his boots. With only his hands available he would have to scale the walls with nothing but the surface area of his palms as a connection. ¡°Whoever thought this potion was a good idea needs to rethink life.¡± He grumbled. He tossed the empty bottle and it vanished into his Inventory.


    Isaac walked over to the wall and tried to pull himself up with only his hands. The feeling wasn¡¯t pleasant but he powered through it. It felt like his own weight was trying to tear the skin off of his palms. He realized only once he was ten feet up, and the monster had finished extricating itself from the tunnel, that the cavern¡¯s height could only protect him if the monster didn¡¯t have any other tricks. With everything it had shown up until that point, Isaac was sure his idea was a wash. ¡°Only one way to find out I guess.¡± He grunted and pulled himself higher.


    The monster approached Isaac at a faster rate than anticipated. It was in an egg shape as it hadn¡¯t fully reformed into a sphere. It rolled sideways at him and he was forced to teleport away. The more it rolled the more spherical it became. ¡°This was a dumb idea and I regret everything.¡± Isaac spoke to himself as he teleported out of the way of the monster right up to the ceiling and tried to hold on. A piece of stone came off in his hand and the other lost its grip due to the accumulated stone dust on it. He started to fall. He could only sigh as he teleported back to Lenna and staggered from the sudden transition from falling to standing. He tried to brush his hands off on himself but he was still covered in blood. He sighed deeper than last time as the small chunk of stone that was still attached to his hand fell and broke on the ground.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t go well?¡± Lenna asked rhetorically.


    Isaac gave her a flat look as the monster slammed back into the tunnel entrance raining stone dust from the ceiling. ¡°No. No it did not.¡±

 Chapter 71 Give. It. Back.

    Chapter 71 Give. It. Back.


    ¡°This is some bullshit.¡± Isaac cursed and walked over to sit next to Lenna. ¡°I am literally the strongest being on two legs within a hundred miles and I can¡¯t kill a damn blob of leftovers.¡±


    Lenna was glad that her helmet was hiding her smile while she held back a chuckle at Isaac pouting. ¡°You¡¯re pouting.¡± She told him but some of her amusement slipped through and he scowled at her.


    ¡°I am not.¡± He countered and at that moment Lenna thought he looked twelve instead of twenty.


    ¡°Uh-hu.¡± She agreed halfheartedly. He looked like he was about to argue but realized that it would be counter intuitive so he kept his mouth shut. ¡°Isaac?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± He replied.


    ¡°What is my job?¡± She asked him leadingly.


    Isaac thought for a moment. ¡°Bodyguard¡­ I guess.¡± He answered.


    ¡°And who is my charge?¡± She questioned further.


    Isaac gave her a flat look. ¡°Me.¡± He told her just as flatly as the look on his face.


    ¡°Good.¡± She replied. ¡°Now, be a good charge and wait for your guard to fix it.¡±


    Isaac narrowed his eyes at her in annoyance. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± He replied in the same flat tone. ¡°It¡¯s only going after me and at this rate it¡¯ll catch up before you are ready to kill it.¡±


    ¡°Just be patient.¡± She told him. ¡°We¡¯ll figure something out.¡±


    Isaac huffed. ¡°This monster is obnoxious.¡± He grumbled but closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall of the wagon.


    Keith took that moment to open his eyes from his own meditation. ¡°I felt your mana from the other side of the caravan.¡± He explained. ¡°Why can¡¯t you just kill it with whatever you used to kill the Ori-Masa in the first place?¡± His eyes searched Isaac but found no badge. ¡°You are double platinum, right?¡±


    Isaac opened his eyes but only stared at the ceiling. ¡°It¡¯s immune to my magic. Otherwise it would have died before the worm showed up.¡± He stated. ¡°The worm is too but I could have torn it in half by now.¡±


    ¡°Your magic?¡± Keith asked. ¡°You only have one kind of magic? I can try to teach you something that¡¯ll work on the monster. You obviously have more mana than me.¡± He offered. The more he talked the more the scent of alcohol reached Isaac from across the wagon.


    Isaac looked down at him and noticed that although he was sober, at that moment looked disheveled in a way that only someone passed out on a barstool could. ¡°It won¡¯t work.¡± Isaac explained simply. ¡°I can only use one type of magic. That¡¯s why it¡¯s so strong.¡±


    Keith frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of anything like this.¡± He thought aloud. ¡°What class are you?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac replied simply and closed his eyes again.


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    Keith was silent and took the hint. After a long moment of staring at Isaac he closed his eyes again to continue meditating. The wagon rocked and swayed a few more times as it moved back the way it had come. After a few minutes their peace was ended by a call from Wo Lu.


    ¡°We¡¯re out of time.¡± He said loud enough for those on the wagon to hear. ¡°It¡¯s starting to¡­ wiggle.¡± A small amount of humor at his own words slipped through the serious facade that attempted to match the situation.


    Isaac took a deep breath and stood up in a huff. ¡°I need a metal ball the size of my fist. Maybe a little bigger.¡± He said and jumped down from the wagon.


    ¡°I have one.¡± One of the guards with a crossbow said. ¡°It¡¯s still attached to the chain though.¡± He reached out with a spiked flail.


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°That might work.¡± He said and accepted it. He took his magical sword and stabbed the blade into the space between the last link in the chain and the spiked iron ball. He walked over to Claus. ¡°Step on this for me would you.¡± He told the larger man. It was more of a statement than an order but Claus obliged as Isaac set the ball on the ground.


    Once the ball was firmly under the goliath¡¯s boot Isaac put his full weight behind his sword and the link popped off the ball. Isaac stumbled forwards at the sudden lack of resistance. Claus handed him the ball and they all moved back from the monster. It was starting to wiggle like a worm and the rib bones were still trying to drag it forwards. The problem was that it was working and it had reached a speed akin to a man walking. The wagon was starting to have trouble maintaining the same speed.


    Isaac took a deep breath with closed eyes. He cushioned his hand against the spikes on the iron ball, which was a little bigger than his closed fist, with hardened shadows. Death mana flowed through his body and death flames started to drip off of him. He ramped up the power flowing through his body to double what he had used to kill the Ori-Masa. He knew that he would only be able to maintain it for around fifteen seconds but that was fine. If death flames didn¡¯t work on whatever he was fighting then he just had to use them on himself and beat his opponents to death with brute strength. It was time to try and solve the problem the V¡¯Nova way, again.


    Isaac reached back and threw the ball with all of his incredibly enhanced strength. He forced it forwards even faster with the shadows. The iron ball passed the fifteen feet between Isaac and the monster in a tenth of a second. Isaac felt his arm try to burst apart under the strain but his magic repaired the damage before it even began. The spiked ball impacted the mass of flesh with so much power that it was lodged a foot and a half inside and sent ripples across its surface. The monster stopped moving for a second.


    Everyone was silent at the spectacle. The amount of strength shown was far beyond what any mortal could produce without some insane boosting magics. An iron ball moving at the speed of a crossbow bolt was not something anyone wanted to be on the receiving end of. Even more so when one realized that it was five pounds of iron with half inch spikes sticking out of it. Isaac heard the guard closest to him audibly gulp. Isaac just sighed. He could tell that he did no real damage to the monster. The brief reprieve was appreciated though.


    ¡°Now give it back.¡± Isaac ordered and gripped the ball with the shadows that had helped propel it. He pulled and pulled but the shadows weren¡¯t enough. The spiked ball was stuck inside literal tons of flesh. Isaac scowled as the monsters ¡®body¡¯ refused to give the iron ball back. ¡°I said.¡± Isaac began through gritted teeth. He let his boosting fade and instead poured more shadows out to try and grab his projectile. ¡°Give. It. Back.¡±


    After a dozen seconds of Isaac trying and failing to withdraw the iron ball the mass of flesh started to move again. The mass started to seal up around the projectile and Isaac wasn¡¯t having any of it. He poured out a massive amount of shadows and punched them into the mass around the ball. He used his shadows to reach around and behind the ball and then pulled with everything he had until finally it was dislodged. Isaac stumbled backwards as his shadows washed over him and the ball painfully impacted his hand.


    ¡°Bastard.¡± Isaac cursed and dropped the ball while healing the puncture in his hand from one of the ball¡¯s spikes. He scowled at the monster again. ¡°I don¡¯t think dropping the cave on it would kill it at this point.¡± He stated to no one in particular.


    Wo Lu, who was standing to one side of him but away a few feet, nodded in agreement. ¡°No physical attacks will work if that barely slowed it down.¡± He agreed.


    ¡°Kahtesh¡¯s lightning didn¡¯t even phase it.¡± Isaac added. ¡°The only thing we¡¯ve tried that works is fire.¡± He took a deep exasperated breath. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± He grumbled and teleported to the other side of the monster.


    Out in the main cavern Isaac watched the monster stop moving for a second as it tried to reorient on him. Once it realized he was behind it it started wiggling its way back out of the tunnel to meet him. Once it was back out it turned itself sideways and started rolling at him like a log. Isaac teleported to the other side of it with a bored look on his face. The monster slowed to a stop and then rolled at him again. Isaac teleported to the side of it to try and get the monster to turn back into a ball shape. After some more teleports Isaac was running out of mana again. The monster was back into an extended teardrop shape, as if it were falling at high speed, which was better than Isaac had hoped for.


    Reappearing with the rest of the group Isaac wearily drug himself back up onto the wagon and laid down with his feet hanging off the back. ¡°I¡¯m out of mana.¡± He told Lenna. ¡°How much longer?¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°A few hours.¡± She told him. The monster had only existed for around half an hour by that point. Lenna needed around seven hours of meditation to get all of her missing mana back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have enough to start working in another hour.¡± Keith said. He only needed enough to start attacking with some low level fire spells. Low level for him anyway. Keith, at level eleven, could cast even sixth level spells where Lenna had only just gained the ability to cast forth level spells recently.


    Isaac put his arm over his eyes. ¡°Wake me up when something else decides to go wrong.¡±

 Chapter 72 Near Infinite

    Chapter 72 Near Infinite


    The smell of charred and burning flesh mixed with the scent of blood and flaming timber. A thick smoke filled the ceiling of the tunnel. Isaac moved his arm from its place covering his face. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be suffocating?¡± Isaac asked. He wasn¡¯t sure if he could suffocate while running death flames through his system but no one else should¡¯ve been able to breathe. ¡°Now that I think about it, why is there breathable air down here in the first place? The mushrooms don¡¯t photosynthesize so they aren¡¯t making oxygen and there are only things that use oxygen down here as far as I can tell.¡± He looked up, from his perspective, towards Lenna for an answer.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised it took you this long to ask.¡± Lenna commented. ¡°A bunch of gods got along for once.¡± She began. ¡°Dri¡¯El, a bunch of dwarven gods, and some random others decided we all needed to be able to breathe. Gia consented so they cast a spell on her to make all air beneath her surface breathable.¡± Lenna shook her head. ¡°They didn¡¯t stop to think that it might¡¯ve been a bad idea.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°They didn¡¯t specify what kinds of creatures could breathe the air.¡± She let silence hang after her continuation in order to keep Isaac¡¯s brain working.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Isaac said eventually. ¡°Can a fish breathe the air down here?¡± It sounded ridiculous but the way Lenna had been leading him it was the logical conclusion. The gods simply stated something along the lines of ¡®all air beneath the surface is now breathable¡¯ but since they didn¡¯t specify what kinds of creatures could breathe it something even stranger happened. Instead of changing the air beneath the surface to have a high enough oxygen content, they caused a permanent effect to make it so that all creatures can breathe the air beneath the surface as long as they are beneath the surface. A plant could breathe pure oxygen and still be able to photosynthesize.


    Lenna smirked beneath her helmet. ¡°Yes.¡± She replied. ¡°A tree, a fox, and a fish can all breathe the same air.¡±


    ¡°Deity scale magic is insane.¡± Isaac commented. His magic was insane to most conscious beings on or in the planet but a permanent effect of the magnitude they were talking about was akin to creating a second moon.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna agreed but then fell silent as she continued meditating.


    A minute or two later Claus nudged Isaac¡¯s foot that was still hanging off the end of the wagon. ¡°It¡¯s catching up.¡± He spoke in his deep gravelly voice.


    Isaac sat up and saw that the monster was approaching them at a noticeable rate. They had gotten quite far from the original cavern but not nearly far enough. Isaac sighed and jumped down. ¡°This is annoying.¡± He commented and vanished.


    Isaac appeared behind the monster and started walking back towards the main cavern. The monster took a moment to orient itself on Isaac and then began wiggling and pulling itself back the way it came in an attempt to chase after him. Once back in the main cavern, Isaac had to teleport a few times because the monster moved faster than walking speed, Isaac repeated the same song and dance he had done with the monster earlier. It preferred to roll after him as it was faster than trying to slither and Isaac used that to his advantage as he got it to form back into a ball again before returning to the rest of the group.


    ¡°We can¡¯t keep doing this forever.¡± Isaac commented upon his return. ¡°Eventually it¡¯s going to come up with another way to come after me or it¡¯ll just start ignoring me entirely.¡±


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    ¡°What makes you say that?¡± The more experienced guard that was still with them asked. Isaac couldn¡¯t see his face behind the man¡¯s helmet but he sounded middle aged and battle worn.


    ¡°It¡¯s shifting between worm and ball forms faster than it was earlier.¡± Isaac replied and looked back over his shoulder down the tunnel. He couldn¡¯t see the monster anymore due to the gentle bend in the tunnel but he could feel it getting closer by the second. ¡°Not to mention it is moving faster than it was before too. Either it¡¯s learning or it¡¯s evolving. Both options are bad.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll move to the front with the rest of the guards.¡± The experienced guard told Isaac. ¡°There is nothing we can do back here. We¡¯ll try to get the wagons moving faster. We should be able to turn the rest of them around soon. There is another larger cavern about a mile from the one we met you in.¡± He explained.


    ¡°That¡¯s hardly soon.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°We haven¡¯t even gone half a mile yet.¡± The Ori-Masa were fighting while retreating. The wagons all needed to be pushed backwards by hand because the horses were facing the wrong direction. Isaac estimated that the current fighting force clearing the way for them was probably just Kahtesh and a handful of guards. ¡°Aria said that there were wounded.¡± Isaac began. ¡°How are they being utilized?¡±


    ¡°Utilized?¡± The experienced guard asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°If a man is missing a leg he can still shoot a crossbow. A man without an arm can hand another a fresh bolt or direct a horse.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°We don¡¯t have the luxury of dead weight. I understand if someone is unconscious or if moving them could kill them but we have a paladin, a ranger, and a cleric here. As long as they don¡¯t bleed out they¡¯ll be fine by tomorrow.¡±


    The guard nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡± He told Isaac and then waved to the other few guards that were still around. ¡°Let¡¯s move!¡± He ordered and the group headed towards the rear that was now the front of the wagon train.


    ¡°When was the last time this country has seen true desperation?¡± Isaac asked under his breath.


    ¡°A very long time ago.¡± Wo Lu said. His elvish ears had only barely understood what Isaac had said over the sound of rolling wagon wheels. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°When out of ammo beat the enemy to death, when the weapon breaks grab a stone, if there are no stones then use your fists, if your arms are broken then bite out their throats.¡± Isaac said while staring back the way the monster was approaching them from. ¡°A soldier should know that. Failure is not acceptable when your children are behind you.¡± His face was a hard frown with furrowed brows. ¡°A country¡¯s fighting spirit is expressed in its soldiers.¡±


    Wo Lu was silent for a long moment before nodding. ¡°You have seen some very unpleasant things for someone so young.¡± He eventually told Isaac. ¡°You are right, but only partly.¡± He continued. ¡°These men are guards, not soldiers, their children are behind them yes but they aren¡¯t trained for, nor do they expect to be involved in, a pitched battle.¡±


    Isaac shook his head in the negative. ¡°No.¡± He told Wo Lu. ¡°They are warriors who live in the Innerworld. They are warriors who work in the Innerworld. They are warriors whose families live in the Innerworld. They need to be stronger than the world they live in.¡±


    The experienced adventures were all silent for a few long moments. Isaac had no idea what he had seen in his past life to make him feel so strongly about what they had been talking about but he felt his own words in his bones. Some things were beaten into the soul. Some things didn¡¯t require memory to know and this was one such thing. A person cannot protect someone if they cannot protect themselves and in order to protect oneself they need to be stronger than the threats against them. Eventually the near silence was disturbed by a familiar ugly mass wiggling its way up the tunnel towards them, rib bones clinging to the walls, floor, and ceiling all the while.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Back to work.¡± He commented and repeated his baiting routine.


    The monster was definitely getting faster. It was now moving along the tunnel at running speed. If things continued at the same rate then eventually it would start moving so fast that Isaac¡¯s mana regeneration wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up. He had to teleport a lot in order to bait it away and he could feel himself cutting it closer and closer. This time he had barely managed to get it back into a ball before he teleported away. He managed to teleport the rest of the way back to the caravan but by then he was exhausted again. Even with him getting better at playing with the monster in order to force it to change shape repeatedly he wasn¡¯t gaining any kind of safety net.


    Eventually the promised time arrived and Keith rose from his sitting position. Claus and the silver rank adventurers had moved to the front to help the guards at some point so it was just Wo Lu being lookout with Keith and Lenna meditating and Isaac being bait. ¡°I would like to wait longer but it looks like you need me now.¡± Keith said and pointed the end of a length of gnarled wood with a ruby at the end towards where the monster was about to come from.


    ¡°I have near infinite mana.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°¡®Near¡¯ being the key word.¡± He was breathing heavily as he had been forced to run a bit of the way in order to not pass out from mana exhaustion.


    Keith nodded and waited. As soon as he could see the monster he began a familiar chant. ¡°Open gate to torment and fury.¡±

 Chapter 73 Leaps and Bounds.

    Chapter 73 Leaps and Bounds.


    Keith spoke his chant calmly and moved the tip of his staff in a tight circular motion. The spell created a ring of fire that shot from both the floor and ceiling. The large monster tried to barrel through it as it hadn¡¯t had any time to stop before becoming engulfed in flames and Isaac felt the swarm of dark creatures that controlled the mass lessen slightly. The smaller creatures were being cooked off and burnt flesh was left behind on the walls and floor as the monster went. The monster didn¡¯t slow so Keith cut the power to his spell after a few seconds. He assumed that the monster was about to leave its area of effect if it hadn¡¯t already and he didn¡¯t have mana left to waste.


    ¡°That could have gone better.¡± Isaac stated. The damage done was noticeable but the monster hadn¡¯t even slowed.


    Keith sighed. ¡°I would have preferred to disintegrate it but I didn¡¯t have enough mana.¡± He confessed. ¡°At best I can cast it three or four times a day.¡± He looked down at Isaac who was sitting a few feet from him. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you could keep it busy for another eight hours or so could you?¡±


    Isaac scoffed. ¡°I would just go home at that point.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Watch it smash itself against Safeharbor¡¯s walls for a while.¡± Isaac knew that it was an option but he would prefer to not have to run back to Safeharbor with a rolling and wiggling apocalypse trying to eat him the entire way. Jala and Alexander would make short work of it but that would be humiliating at best. Isaac was past the point of showing his irritation and anger at the monster. The longer it survived the closer Isaac got to going on a crusade against mushrooms, the mushroom kingdom, and mushroomancers.


    Lenna got up and hopped down from the wagon. She drew her sword. ¡°Two options.¡± She told Isaac. ¡°We continue to drag this out and hope it dies before we reach Ben¡¯s End or it eats us.¡± She lit her sword with the flames of her broken oath. ¡°Or Perdition.¡±


    ¡°The first one.¡± Isaac told her sternly. ¡°You are forbidden from using that spell.¡± He ordered.


    Lenna was taken aback. Isaac never pulled rank on her. Normally it was directives from one partner to another or requests. This time it was different. Isaac hadn¡¯t left any room to argue or even comment in response. It was clear that in that instance his words were final. Lenna didn¡¯t want to use the spell but it was something that she had at her disposal. Even if he told her that she was forbidden from using the spell she still knew that he would prefer that she used the spell over dying but from his tone and set jaw she also knew that that was the only instance that he would forgive her for using it. ¡°Understood.¡± She replied a little softer than usual.


    ¡°What is this, ¡®Perdition¡¯?¡± Keith asked.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I¡¯ll drop the tunnel on it before we resort to that.¡±


    Keith and Wo Lu shared a look. They were both curious about the spell but neither of them were brave enough to risk pissing Isaac off over some mild curiosity. ¡°How much damage has it taken at this point?¡± Wo Lu asked.


    ¡°Less than a quarter¡­ maybe fifteen percent.¡± Isaac replied.


    Lenna reached her palm out towards the monster. ¡°Let my flames consume all before me.¡± She spoke and flames poured from her hand and washed over all of the outstretched tendrils that were reaching for Isaac even though he was still fifteen feet away.


    Isaac teleported behind the monster and started pulling it away again. He came back a few minutes later. ¡°I was wrong.¡± He told them. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize that it¡¯s been dying slowly on its own.¡± He explained. ¡°It¡¯s only around twenty feet tall in ball form. It might just die on its own if we drop the tunnel on it.¡±


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    ¡°That has to be a last resort.¡± Wo Lu told him. ¡°This is the main path.¡±


    ¡°Everyone here owes me a beer for this.¡± Keith spoke as the monster approached at sprinting speed. He reached into the bag on his hip and pulled out a potion that had a soft blue glow to it. He downed it in two deep swallows. ¡°Command: Be Undone!¡± He told the monster with his staff pointing towards it. Branches of reality reached across the distance and a split second later a chunk of the monster was gone.


    The monster stopped. It froze, sliding slightly from its momentum, but maintained shape. A two foot diameter half circle had been removed from the front of the monster. Keith pulled out another potion and drank that one to its completion. ¡°Open gate to torment and fury.¡± He drew a line right in front of the monster as close to it as he could get. The front of the monster started sizzling and popping before bits of it started to slosh to the ground. It started to wiggle in place and spasm.


    ¡°It only knows how to go forwards. Retreat is not something it understands how to do yet.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°Lenna, can you use a conjured weapon?¡±


    Lenna looked back at him. ¡°Probably.¡± She replied.


    Isaac conjured a long spear out of shadows and handed it to her. ¡°Smite it.¡± He told her.


    Lenna grabbed Isaac¡¯s shadowspear and focused her aura on it in the same way that she focused it on her sword and sure enough a dim flame raced along the haft and over the spearhead. ¡°Understood.¡± She told him with her usual seriousness and determination. She started stabbing the flesh monster through the wall of flames over and over again. By the time she had stabbed it a dozen times it managed to start backing up without having to chase Isaac.


    Keith knelt down. ¡°I only had two mana potions.¡± He told Isaac. ¡°I¡¯m about to run out of mana again.¡±


    ¡°Just hold it for a little longer.¡± Isaac told the older man. The monster tried to start rolling backwards as it had lost enough of itself to form a fifteen foot tall ball and roll through the tunnel but the chitin rings from the Tunnel Horror were preventing that notion from becoming a reality. The monster shifted even as it sizzled and burned. Eventually it got the rings into a position that allowed it to roll and it started to move away. No sooner had it moved out of the wall of flames on its own accord did Keith collapse completely into the bed of the wagon.


    ¡°I need a drink.¡± He groaned with his face pressed against the cold wooden floor of the wagon..


    Isaac handed him a waterskin. ¡°Good job.¡± He told the older man.


    Keith opened an eye at the waterskin. ¡°Not that kind of drink.¡± He replied. ¡°But thanks.¡±


    The monster stopped as soon as the flames stopped like it was hesitating. With the fire gone it should have been able to chase after its meals again but the colony couldn¡¯t seem to reach a consensus on whether or not retreat was still the best option. Lenna decided for them as she continued to press the assault with Isaac¡¯s spear. She started to use her mana to leave burning wounds with each stab.


    The monster finally started retreating for real but after another dozen feet it just, stopped. It had nowhere to go as its food source was what it was retreating from. After a few minutes it started to shake and spasm before it froze again. Isaac, Lenna, and Wo Lu had decided to stay off the wagon and keep an eye on the monster. ¡°This thing is strange.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°It¡¯s unnatural.¡± Wo Lu said.


    ¡°Do we just wait and see what happens?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°I think it can run out of power. I think when it was moving around it was burning through something, whether that is nutrients or mana I have no idea, but it was slowly killing itself.¡±


    ¡°No idea.¡± Wo Lu replied.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait.¡± Lenna said with a sigh. ¡°Wo Lu, can you let the caravan know what¡¯s happening.¡±


    Wo Lu nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t think Keith is in any condition to talk.¡± He agreed and started jogging after the wagon train.


    The caravan made camp in the cavern the experienced guard had mentioned. Isaac and Lenna moved as far from the monster as they could while still being able to see it before making their own little camp. Neither of them would sleep but Isaac at least wanted to be comfortable if they were going to be staking out a disgusting ball of flesh for the rest of the day. The ball didn¡¯t move at all. A few hours later Isaac and Lenna went back to the caravan and used some of their extra water to wash Isaac¡¯s face, hair, and hands of the Ori-Masa blood.


    Luckily for Isaac he had a change of clothes. Unluckily for Isaac his armor was still covered in blood. He left it in his Inventory and hoped that he wouldn¡¯t need it. ¡°Better?¡± Lenna asked once Isaac was in clean clothes and not covered from head to toe in blood and guts anymore.


    ¡°By leaps and bounds.¡± He replied contentedly. Lenna suddenly froze and flexed her aura with extreme prejudice. ¡°What happened?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Scrying again.¡± She told him. ¡°This one felt different.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°It felt like someone else. Everyone¡¯s magic has its own feel to it.¡± She explained. ¡°This didn¡¯t feel like whoever cast it on me before.¡±


    Isaac frowned and voiced his mind: ¡°I don¡¯t know if that is a good or bad sign.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°We can worry about it when we are back in Safeharbor.¡± She told him. They were on a mission and immediate threats were more important than potential ones.

 Chapter 74 It’s Broken.

    Chapter 74 It¡¯s Broken.


    Isaac, Lenna, Claus, and Aria were sitting in one of the nearly empty wagons eating their breakfast. No one had slept all night due to the Ori-Masa attack and it was now morning, well, it was morning on the surface. ¡°So it just stopped moving?¡± Aria asked. She was taking the time to get some of her mana back so she could go back to tending to the wounded. None of them were in any danger of dying from their injuries anymore, at least as long as they stayed still, so she left them so she could eat with her friends.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I just don¡¯t understand why exactly. I get that it decided that we weren¡¯t viable targets anymore but why didn¡¯t it try to go in a different direction or something. It looked like it just short circ-¡± He clutched his head in pain and groaned. ¡°Why?¡± He whispered more to Rei and Zei than anyone actually present.


    Aria looked at him with concern. ¡°What I really want to know is why that causes you pain.¡± She told him. ¡°If the memories you were just trying to pull from weren¡¯t there then you shouldn¡¯t have even been able to try and pull from them in the first place. It¡¯s almost like they are locked but still present.¡± She looked at Isaac questioningly. ¡°Do you think that could be the case?¡±


    Isaac shook his head gently from side to side. ¡°No. The deal was to ¡®trade¡¯ them not ¡®seal¡¯ them. They shouldn¡¯t be there at all.¡± He took a drink of water from the waterskin that Lenna offered him. She hadn¡¯t taken off her helmet. No one in the caravan knew that she was a drow and the longer it stayed that way the fewer chances there were for trouble to arise. ¡°It¡¯s causing problems.¡±


    ¡°I wish I could ask them personally.¡± Aria thought aloud. ¡°I wonder if El¡¯No could ask for me?¡±


    ¡°It still hasn¡¯t moved at all.¡± Isaac told them, trying to get back on topic. ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s dying or not. It¡¯s really hard to tell. It¡¯s like boiling a frog.¡±


    ¡°Boiling a frog?¡± Aria asked. ¡°Like slowly making it hotter until the frog dies because it didn¡¯t realize you were cooking it?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah but like in reverse and about a monster dying off instead of a frog.¡±


    Aria laughed but then froze halfway through the inhale. She sniffed the air a few more times. She leaned forwards and kept sniffing. She turned towards Lenna and only stopped when she was less than a foot away from the other elf¡¯s face. With one last sniff her eyes narrowed at Lenna. ¡°Who are you?¡± She asked sternly.


    ¡°Is that just a thing wood elves can do?¡± Isaac said. ¡°How can you guys smell that?¡±


    Lenna raised her hand slowly and put it on Aria¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Personal. Space.¡± She said calmly. Aria didn¡¯t move so Lenna slowly pushed the smaller woman away from her. Aria tried to resist but it was futile. Lenna could have crushed Aria¡¯s shoulder in her hand and the smaller woman wouldn¡¯t have been able to do anything about it.


    ¡°Aria.¡± Isaac addressed her. ¡°Relax and sit back down.¡±


    Aria turned her gaze to Isaac. ¡°Hold on.¡± She told him and grabbed him by the shoulder. She turned him slightly and pulled the back of his collar down. ¡°You did!¡± She yelled. ¡°You mated with a dro-¡± Her voice was cut off by Isaac clamping a hand over her mouth.


    ¡°Keep it down.¡± He yelled in a whisper. He then looked at Lenna. ¡°I know it¡¯s a territory thing but I totally called it.¡± Isaac had a pair of incisor shaped scars on the back of his neck from a certain someone marking her territory. Elves were very animalistic at times and marking a mate was one such time. Lenna specifically forbade Isaac from healing it with magic so it would scar. He was surprised that Zei¡¯s blessing even allowed it to scar but blessings from divinities always had more to them than what was advertised.


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    Aria just stared at him in shock. A moment later Claus started chuckling which eventually turned into a full body laugh that echoed through the cavern. Isaac ran his hand down his face. ¡°Regardless,¡± Lenna began. ¡°I claimed you. Any other elf females should leave you alone now.¡± She said the last bit with a pointed look at Aria.


    Aria pulled Isaac¡¯s hand off of her mouth and sat back down in a huff. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going after him in the first place, fallen sister.¡± She spoke the last two words with more bite than Isaac liked.


    ¡°Aria.¡± Isaac spoke in warning. ¡°Her goddess is the reason we showed up. You should be thanking her, not being an ass.¡±


    Aria looked like she had eaten something sour. ¡°Thanks.¡± She grumbled. Claus had finally calmed down but looked like he was about to start again. He was obviously getting way too much enjoyment out of the whole situation. Isaac still didn¡¯t get Claus¡¯s specific brand of humor. Sometimes he laughed way too much at something that wasn¡¯t even funny and other times it could be the most comical thing and Claus wouldn¡¯t even react.


    Lenna nodded in reply to Aria¡¯s thanks. ¡°I¡¯m only here because of Isaac.¡± She replied. ¡°I don¡¯t need thanks.¡± There was no hostility in her voice but there was no friendliness either.


    Isaac sighed and looked at Claus. ¡°You should have warned me about elvish women being territorial as all hells.¡± He complained. Claus¡¯s booming laugh began again and Isaac could only cradle his head in his hands.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Ready?¡± Keith asked Lenna who was standing next to him. Isaac was right behind them and Claus was on standby to grab Keith and make a break for camp if the monster started after them.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Ready.¡± She agreed. Lenna and Keith then both knelt down so they could see farther behind the ball of flesh. The base of the tunnel was mostly flat so there were gaps under and to the sides of the monster between it and the corners of the walls and floor.


    Keith and Lenna started with casting Fireballs as far back and behind the monster as they could before Keith followed up with another wall of fire. Lenna charged the monster with a flaming long spear again. It took a long few moments for the monster to recollect itself and start moving. It tried to roll away but Isaac appeared on the other side of it and conjured a pair of massive shadow pillars that lodged themselves into the ground and against the monster to hold it in place. The monster struggled and struggled until eventually Isaac had to teleport back over to Lenna because he was about to run out of mana.


    The ball that rolled away left behind the chitin rings and most of the bones. It was only as tall as Isaac but it had hundreds of bone spikes sticking out of it making it clank against the stone as it rolled away. ¡°Damn.¡± Isaac swore with hands on his knees. He had pushed it for as long as he could. The teleport over to Lenna had dropped him so low that he had gotten light headed afterwards.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Keith agreed. He had somehow gotten ahold of someone''s alcohol and managed to reek even worse than he had the day before.


    ¡®Alcoholics find a way.¡¯ Isaac thought to himself. Isaac wasn¡¯t one to care about what people did in their spare time so he refrained from commenting on Keith directly but he preferred his party members, even temporary ones, to be sober for the entire mission. Keith was somewhat of an oddity. From what Isaac knew there weren¡¯t very many darker skinned humans in their part of the world. Keith was also an accomplished wizard. What piqued Isaac¡¯s curiosity was that no one knew what had caused an accomplished wizard from a far away land to end up sleeping on bar stools in poorly funded Adventurers¡¯ Guilds in the Innerworld of all places. The weather wasn¡¯t even nice. If Isaac was going to choose somewhere to be a washed up old mage he would have chosen a beach somewhere with a good view of the ocean or the capital which had a ton of people and money floating around to get lost in, not Ben¡¯s End.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to walk.¡± Keith grumbled and started walking after the monster. He had let his wall of flames fade after the monster had left so he could save some mana. ¡°Can you still track it?¡± He asked Isaac.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yes. It stopped a few hundred feet down the tunnel. I think it¡¯s broken.¡± He commented.


    ¡°Broken?¡± Keith asked. ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like a¡­¡± Isaac tried to find something to liken it too but was having trouble. ¡°Like a clock with a broken gear causing it to just keep ticking without moving the hands.¡±


    Keith nodded eventually. ¡°You think that something in its nature isn¡¯t working right anymore. It didn¡¯t know how to retreat and now that it has it doesn¡¯t know how to attack anymore.¡± He thought aloud.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Something like that.¡±


    The cleanup of the monster went off without a hitch. They caught it and burned it to dust without much fanfare or trouble. With the monster gone all threats had been removed save for a pair of Ori-Masa that were bound and tossed head first in an empty barrel. The group returned to the caravan and soon enough all the wagons were moving again. They were going to be cutting it close with food and water for the horses but Keith, who was the head adventurer on the mission due to his level being the highest, said that if they did end up having to ditch the horses for some reason he would just ask the Safeharbor Adventurers¡¯ Guild for help again. Isaac, Lenna, and Wo Lu had officially completed the reason they had made the six hour sprint to link up with the caravan. The Ori-Masa threat was no more. So everyone hoped.

 Chapter 75 Your Duty.

    Chapter 75 Your Duty.


    ¡°You three are riding back with us?¡± Aria asked when Wo Lu, Isaac, and Lenna piled into an empty wagon near the back of the caravan.


    Wo Lu nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a long run.¡± He told her.


    ¡°Yeah. I already did it once. I don¡¯t feel like doing it again.¡± Isaac agreed.


    ¡°It¡¯s good exercise.¡± Lenna countered. A flat look from Isaac and a soft chuckle from Wo Lu shot her down.


    ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯ll be easier for you to bring back the Tunnel-Horror rings.¡± Aria added. ¡°Actually, the whole reason Claus and I took this job was to go see you, Isaac.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Miss me already?¡± He teased. A chill ran up his spine and he turned to see Lenna glaring at him. He swallowed. ¡®Damn she is so much scarier now that she¡¯s not just my guard.¡¯ He thought to himself.


    Aria rolled her eyes. ¡°No.¡± She replied. ¡°We have something that your particular set of skills are needed for. I¡¯ll fill you in when we stop for the night. I need to move to the middle wagon in case of an emergency and empty half of my mana again to try to get the wounded back in fighting shape.¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°Now you have my curiosity.¡± He told her. ¡°If you were willing to go the whole way from Outpost Charles to Safeharbor it must be important.¡±


    Aria nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± She replied but did not elaborate. Instead she just waved and hopped down so she could jog up to the wagon with all the wounded inside.


    ¡ª


    Wo Lu left to join the younger adventurers a little while after they had stopped for the night. This left Claus, Aria, Isaac, and Lenna alone again. Wo Lu liked to take on the experienced mentor role whenever rookie adventurers were involved. He was strong in his own right and an excellent scout and tracker but mostly he just wandered from place to place. He never liked to stay in one place for long but within the last two decades he hadn¡¯t left the Kingdom of Altia. If his pattern remained then he would soon be leaving for another country to explore for a few decades before moving on again. If a human were to go on the same type of adventure they would only ever end up staying in any given city for around a month but Wo Lu had plenty of lifespan to enable him to take his time exploring the world.


    Aria had just finished polishing off her bowl of dried steak and vegetable stew when she decided to get down to business. ¡°Do you remember Lisa?¡± Aria asked Isaac.


    Isaac raised an eyebrow in question and then furrowed his brows in thought. The name was familiar but it took him a while to place it. ¡°She¡¯s the girl that tried to rob me right?¡± He eventually replied. ¡°The lightfoot girl.¡±


    Aria nodded. ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡± She confirmed.


    ¡°What about her?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°I need someone to follow her, figure out who is taking all her money, and help me fix it.¡± Aria explained.


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    ¡°Fix it? Taking her money? She tried to rob me remember? She stabbed me in the hand too.¡± Isaac barraged.


    Aria nodded. ¡°She¡¯s been stealing, a lot. Basically anything worth more than two gold that isn¡¯t nailed down. The money has to be going somewhere. Claus and I tracked one of the stolen objects the whole way back to this caravan. She sold it to the blacksmith in Ben¡¯s End who then added it to a shipment of broken weapons going to a smith in Safeharbor.¡± She explained. ¡°We¡¯re trying to figure out where it¡¯ll end up so we can try to get back some of what was stolen.¡±


    ¡°What smith?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Safeharbor General Smithy.¡± Aria answered. ¡°Do you know anyone who works there? I have no idea how big of an operation they have.¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± He replied. ¡°You are sure she isn¡¯t just hoarding the money?¡±


    Aria nodded. ¡°There isn¡¯t anywhere to hide it. That¡¯s the problem. She takes regular scouting trips alone out of Outpost Charles. There are still a lot of unexplored tunnels around there. Claus and I have been going through them because, well, that¡¯s the whole reason we are down here in the first place, but we haven¡¯t run into a secret gold stash anywhere. She has to be meeting with someone out there. Either that or there is someone else inside Outpost Charles extorting her.¡± Aria frowned and shook her head. ¡°But that wouldn¡¯t make any sense. There isn¡¯t anyone who could do that to her. There are only one, maybe two, people in the entire outpost who could handle her in a head to head fight.¡±


    Isaac hummed in thought. ¡°Who could it be inside of Outpost Charles?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Her father or Claus.¡± Aria explained deadpanned.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Isaac replied simply. ¡°Then what are our options outside of town?¡±


    ¡°Drow or doppelgangers.¡± Aria answered. ¡°There are legends around here of a secret vampire civilization which is actually what I¡¯m looking for but no one is sure they ever even existed. I guess technically a vampire could be on the list if the legends hold true.¡± She shook her head to clear it. ¡°A devil? I doubt one could even get here though. That is probably even less likely than the vampires being real.¡±


    ¡°So realistically it is either drow or doppelgangers.¡± Isaac summarized to which Aria nodded. ¡°Well, with my Polarity Sense it should be pretty easy to tell as long as I can actually tail her.¡±


    ¡°How long can you stay invisible now?¡± Aria asked.


    ¡°Indefinitely.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°That¡¯s not the problem. If she thinks that she is being tailed then she might teleport with a magic item or lead me through a bunch of traps or just in circles for hours.¡±


    Aria nodded. ¡°Yeah but she doesn¡¯t have any divination ability as far as I¡¯m aware so as long as you are careful she shouldn¡¯t ever even know you are following her.¡± She explained.


    Isaac nodded and then turned to Lenna. ¡°Let¡¯s see who all is connected to this mess in Safeharbor and then work backwards. We¡¯ll get a list of names and have Tim and Michael crack down on all of them in Safeharbor while we deal with the ones in Outpost Charles. The ones in Ben¡¯s End won¡¯t have anywhere to go so I¡¯m not worried about them.¡± He explained his plan to her.


    ¡°Are we doing this for free?¡± Lenna asked incredulously. Isaac never did anything for free so if he was actually planning on it then she had to wonder why.


    Isaac grinned impishly. ¡°Of course not.¡± He assured her. ¡°We are going to solve a problem and then send Izen a bill for the service he never even hired us for.¡±


    Lenna chuckled and shook her head. ¡°Just making sure you hadn¡¯t gone crazy.¡± She assured him.


    ¡°Izen?¡± Aria asked before her eyes went wide. ¡°Arbencroft?!¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah, who else?¡± He replied questioningly.


    ¡°You can get in serious trouble referring to a duke by first name like that.¡± Aria warned. ¡°How do you know him anyway?¡±


    ¡°Well have I got a story to tell you.¡± Isaac began. An hour into Isaac¡¯s story time Claus and Aria had to get some sleep. The next morning Isaac picked back up where he had left off while they had breakfast and the story continued again when they stopped for lunch. Finally once they were about to start moving again Isaac had caught Claus and Aria up on his adventurers with Lenna and all the trouble they had gotten into and out of.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why I thought it was a good idea to leave you alone.¡± Aria grumbled. She turned from having her head in her hands to glaring at Lenna. ¡°You were supposed to keep him out of trouble.¡± She accused. ¡°As his guard it¡¯s your duty.¡±


    ¡°I trust him.¡± Lenna answered emotionlessly. Her head snapped straight and her eyes took on a far away look. Her aura flared and then clamped back down.


    ¡°Scrying again?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna nodded in confirmation. ¡°Whoever it is is asking for trouble.¡± She replied.


    Isaac nodded in agreement. ¡°Same person as last time?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She replied simply. ¡°I might need one of those rings.¡± She told Isaac and nodded towards his hand with the ring of protection from divination. The ring shrouded Isaac¡¯s soul from magic, preventing anything from tracking him magically. It had the unfortunate effect of also preventing him from receiving telepathic communications but it was worth the trade off.


    Isaac nodded in agreement. ¡°I think so too. I don¡¯t like someone spying on us. Especially when I don¡¯t know who it is.¡±

 Chapter 76 Monster Guts

    Chapter 76 Monster Guts


    The rest of the trip was entirely uneventful. Large groups had both an advantage and a disadvantage. On one hand they wouldn¡¯t be pestered by shadow-wolves, spiders, snakes, or small bands of Ori-Masa but on the other there was a risk of drow ambushes or larger monsters like Tunnel-Horrors taking exception to their presence. The wagon train was only seven wagons and they were all mostly empty but they were skirting the line between efficiency and recklessness. The fact that the wagons were mostly empty was probably the only reason they hadn¡¯t been attacked by anything major, other than the army of Ori-Masa of course, because full wagons sound different than empty ones. Many predators in the Innerworld relied heavily on sound to find prey and the heavy rumble of a full wagon traveled far.


    Once the caravan reached the city gates of Safeharbor, Wo Lu, Isaac, and Lenna all dismounted and walked in first. The caravan would have to be checked for contraband and everyone¡¯s identification needed to be looked over. The process was a quick one in comparison to many other cities but it would still take an average of ten minutes per wagon. Seventy minutes Isaac, Lenna, and Wo Lu weren¡¯t going to wait through.


    The trio arrived back at the Adventurers¡¯ Guild and met Alice while she was in the middle of her dinner while doing paperwork. ¡°Where do you even get this much paperwork?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°You are always up to your chin in papers and maps. Granted, your chin isn¡¯t very high but still.¡±


    ¡°Hello Alice, nice to see you Alice, I finished my quest without major incident Alice, sure I wouldn¡¯t mind waiting until tomorrow for my payment because you are busy.¡± Alice went on sarcastically while giving Isaac a fake cheery smile.


    ¡°Remember to take breaks, kiddo.¡± Wo Lu told her and patted her on the shoulder with his massive hand. Half of his hand didn¡¯t fit on her shoulder and Isaac had to struggle to hold back a chuckle at the comedy of it. The extra large elf and the pint sized gnome/lightfoot girl were just such a strange sight to see. ¡°Stress will make you age faster.¡± He explained and then went to get food from the tavern section of the Guild Hall.


    Alice sighed. ¡°This job makes me age faster.¡± She grumbled. Her eyes met Isaac¡¯s and then Lenna¡¯s before her brows furrowed. ¡°What happened to your armor?¡± She said to Isaac. He wasn¡¯t about to put on the guts covered set so it was still stored in his Inventory.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ gross.¡± He explained. ¡°Both it and I need a proper bath.¡± He continued. ¡°Anyway, here¡¯s a heads up. A wagon will be by with two Ori-Masa in a barrel and a wagon load of Tunnel-Horror rings. I¡¯m selling the guild the rings and I¡¯ll send Jala down to get the¡­ research materials.¡± He said the last part like he¡¯d eaten something sour.


    ¡°Where did you get Tunnel-Horror rings?¡± Alice asked in mild shock. She was already briefed on Jala¡¯s particular field of study and wasn¡¯t about to question the eccentric wizard¡¯s choice in test subjects, especially when they were little monster fishmen who liked to prey on adventurers and caravans.


    ¡°Where do you think?¡± Isaac asked in reply with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°What? How? When?¡± Alice barraged and then just sat there silently.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a long story. The short version is the Ori-Masa turned into a blob monster and then a Tunnel Horror tried to eat it and instead got sucked into the blob monster. We killed the blob monster and the only part of it that was salvageable were the rings.¡± He explained. It sounded almost exactly how Lenna would have told the story, if Isaac wouldn¡¯t have been craving a hot bath and Leo¡¯s cooking then he would have filled her in on the entire adventure, instead of only hitting the highlights.


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    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a lot to go through. I assume there will be a report later?¡± She replied.


    Isaac nodded and then glanced at Wo Lu. The elf had heard everything from across the room and nodded. They had decided who would write the report via a game of cards. A game that Lenna had won, only because she caught Isaac cheating and that disqualified him, and Wo Lu had lost. ¡°Thanks.¡± Isaac said in the direction of Wo Lu who nodded again. ¡®His hearing is insane.¡¯ Isaac thought to himself. He was sure that Wo Lu could hear a pin drop from across the street during the morning rush.


    ¡°Okay then.¡± Alice replied. ¡°Anything else?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Not for now, no. I will leave you to your mountain of paper.¡± Isaac replied and turned to go.


    ¡°Don¡¯t work too hard.¡± Lenna offered the younger woman. ¡°The old wolf is right, stress makes you age faster.¡±


    Alice sighed. ¡°I won¡¯t, I know.¡± She replied but her eyelids hung heavily. It was clear that if she took a break then she would fall asleep. She sleepily took another bite of her food and went back to reading over the paper she had been reading when the group arrived.


    Lenna met Isaac just outside the door. ¡°Home or Jala¡¯s first?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Both?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Both?¡± Lenna replied.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I think by now you shouldn¡¯t get into too much trouble covering the handful of blocks in between the Dawn and the wizards towers. I¡¯m gonna soak for a bit.¡± He explained. Lenna looked hesitant. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go to Jala¡¯s I can go there later I just figured it would get everything done sooner that way.¡± He continued.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± She replied. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to be that far from you.¡± She spoke in little more than a whisper.


    Isaac smiled warmly. ¡°Give me your hand.¡± He told her. She offered him her hand palm up and he placed one of his under it. With the other hand he poked her palm and coated the inside of her gauntlet with shadows. He made sure that the connection was invisible to everyone but himself and now her. ¡°There.¡± He said once he was done. ¡°If it suddenly turns to death flames then I¡¯m in trouble. If it disappears then I am in a lot of trouble.¡± He explained.


    Lenna nodded and smiled under her helmet. ¡°Alright.¡± She acquiesced. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Auntie to pick up her research materials.¡±


    ¡°What should we do if you get into trouble?¡± Isaac asked with a frown.


    ¡°Trouble? Without you?¡± Lenna asked incredulously. ¡°That¡¯s possible?¡± She teased.


    Isaac chuckled and shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re right. You¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡ª


    Jala looked up from her table of strange elixirs and monster parts in jars of stranger liquids with a start. ¡°Lenna?¡± She said quickly and looked around. ¡°Where is your-our Lord?¡±


    ¡°Trying to wash monster guts out of his hair.¡± Lenna replied. It wasn¡¯t quite accurate but it was accurate enough.


    Jala¡¯s eyes got wider. ¡°You two aren¡¯t together? Why? Did something happen?¡± She asked, concerned. She was sure that there was something going on between her niece and Isaac but if they weren¡¯t together like they always were she didn¡¯t think it was a good sign.


    Lenna shook her head with an amused smirk on her face. ¡°Nothing happened. I¡¯m just here to tell you there are two¡­ specimens, that should be at the Adventurers¡¯ Guild sometime within the next hour or so.¡± She explained. ¡°I¡¯m going back to Isaac now. He just didn¡¯t want them to starve to death before you picked them up.¡±


    Jala nodded slowly as her eyes returned to normal before abruptly widening again. ¡°Oh?! What kind of specimens?!¡± She pressed in an ever escalating voice in both pitch and volume.


    Lenna winced. ¡°Mushroomancer victims, Ori-Masa.¡± She explained and then winced harder at Jala¡¯s childlike squeal. ¡°Auntie, you are much too old to be acting like a little girl on her birthday.¡±


    Jala ignored her niece¡¯s reprimand and hurried to change into clothes that weren¡¯t covered in blood up to her elbows. She apparently didn¡¯t mind waiting at the Guild Hall. ¡°Fen!¡± She called. ¡°I¡¯m going to need some help!¡±


    Lenna shook her head and turned to leave just in time to see the exasperated looks on the guards faces, who had been stationed to prevent Fen from causing havoc and anyone from entering the tower, she could only mouth ¡®Sorry¡¯ to them on her way out. She really did feel bad for whoever got stuck watching over her aunt and uncle. Lenna¡¯s mind drifted towards her destination. ¡®Maybe Isaac is right.¡¯ She thought. ¡®Maybe a two person tub would be nice.¡¯ Her face flushed as she thought about the inevitable conversation with Celeste about it. ¡®Or not.¡¯

 Chapter 77 Spider Web Conspiracy.

    Chapter 77 Spider Web Conspiracy.


    ¡°With everything, the Tunnel-Horror rings, bounty for both of you and the extra gold those in the caravan threw together as a thank you¡­¡± Alice dropped a bag of coins onto the counter with a jingling thud. ¡°Two thousand, five hundred, and seventeen gold.¡± She didn¡¯t actually give it to them all in gold coins as that would weigh far too much to lug around but it was still a lot of coins. Two hundred and fifty one platinum and seven gold coins to be exact. It was quite a hefty bag.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Isaac replied and covered it in shadows as he dropped it into his Inventory. It was about as heavy as expected. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting the bonus but it is appreciated.¡±


    ¡°Your rescue was appreciated!¡± Ellem called out from the other side of the Guild Hall.


    Isaac just chuckled. ¡°Do you know which inn Aria and Claus are staying at?¡± Isaac asked Alice but loud enough that anyone listening could hear and answer.


    Alice shook her head so Isaac looked over to Ellem with a raised eyebrow. Eric, who was sitting across from him, answered instead: ¡°Across the street.¡±


    Isaac gave him a nod. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    As Isaac turned to leave Lenna leaned in towards Alice. ¡°Make sure your sister doesn¡¯t work too hard. She looked dead on her feet last night.¡± She advised the small receptionist.


    Alice nodded. ¡°She should have come home to get me instead of trying to do it all herself.¡± She shook her head. ¡°She tries to be too independent sometimes.¡± She gave Lenna a flat look. ¡°Apparently the fact that we literally pretend to be the same person while at work hasn¡¯t gotten it through her head that maybe work can be shared sometimes.¡±


    Lenna chuckled softly. ¡°You should tell her that. Exactly the same as you just did now.¡± She recommended. ¡°Who knows, maybe it¡¯ll get through to her.¡±


    Alice nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± She looked past Lenna to see Isaac leaning against the inside of the doorway with a smirk on his face and a warm look in his eyes. Alice had absolutely no delusions of the warm look being directed at her in the slightest. ¡°You should get going before the death mage behind you gets mad at me for keeping you.¡±


    Lenna chuckled again, this time a bit more pronounced, and shook her head while pushing off the counter. ¡°He won¡¯t get mad at you.¡± She assured the smaller woman. ¡°Bye Alice.¡± She said with a wave.


    ¡°See you!¡± Alice called after her with her own wave. Isaac gave her a casual smile and a nod before leaving with Lenna. After they were gone Alice shook her head. ¡°He¡¯s so confusing.¡± She grumbled to herself. ¡°Kills some guy in cold blood one day and then rescues a caravan the next¡­¡± Her voice trailed off in thought.


    ¡°Is he a hero or a villain?¡± A familiar male voice came from behind her causing her to jump slightly. She turned around to see Edward standing with his arms crossed looking towards the door with eyes narrowed and brows furrowed in deep thought.


    Alice nodded. ¡°It sounds weird hearing it out loud. How many people are actually heroes and villains out there?¡± She wondered.


    ¡°More than you would think.¡± Edward replied. ¡°He hasn¡¯t killed any heroes yet so I¡¯m reserving my judgment. At the very least he is no hero.¡± Edward sighed. ¡°He¡¯s a battle junky with his own morals and a god complex. I have a feeling he is either going to change Safeharbor to match himself or destroy it in the process.¡± If only Edward knew how accurate his prediction would be.


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    ¡ª


    Isaac decided to wait to meet up with Aria and Claus until they had some more information about the Safeharbor General Smithy. The first place to go was the house of a certain informant. Unfortunately no one was home. ¡°Every other time we¡¯ve been here someone has been home.¡± Isaac commented as the pair stood inside James and Lenny¡¯s main room. A couch that looked at least a hundred years old with just as many stains was up against one wall and a round table with a handful of chairs around it took up the rest of the room. A deck of cards was left on the table but otherwise the rest of the place was clean, well, save for years of dust. It was clear that neither man knew how to dust.


    ¡°Wait or go?¡± Lenna asked. She knew that it was still a strain for Isaac to keep them both invisible until they got inside. Keeping eyes off of James while Isaac was the most ¡®popular¡¯ person in Safeharbor was easier said than done.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Cards?¡± He asked Lenna who shrugged and walked over to the table. ¡°Do you think he¡¯s got anything to drink in here?¡± He questioned while wandering into the brothers¡¯ kitchen. A minute later he returned with an unopened bottle of cheap wine. The label was peeled off meaning that it was probably stolen.


    The pair made themselves at home for the better part of an hour until James returned and froze a step inside the door. ¡°Wh-How? The door was still locked when I got here?¡± He stammered.


    Isaac looked up from his cards and took another sip out of the wine bottle before setting it back in the middle of the table, he and Lenna were sharing as the brothers¡¯ cups didn¡¯t look clean enough to use. ¡°I locked it once we were inside.¡± He replied casually. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand in the doorway, people will know that someone is in here with you.¡±


    James jolted at that and hurried inside. He set a sack of something down next to the door and joined them at the table. ¡°Glad you made yourselves at home.¡± He grumbled to which the duo just continued silently playing their card game. ¡°So? Who are you after this time?¡±


    ¡°What do you know about the Safeharbor General Smithy?¡± Isaac asked casually without even looking at him. He really wanted to beat Lenna at a card game, just once, without cheating.


    James scratched the back of his head. ¡°Not much. I know that they¡¯ve fenced weapons on occasion but that¡¯s about¡­ wait, no, there was something.¡± He said and jumped up from his seat. James crossed the room to the old couch and knelt down next to it. He reached his arm under and up into the inside. He searched around for a bit before withdrawing a small book. He quickly rejoined Isaac and Lenna at the table before opening the book and flipping through it for a bit. ¡°Here!¡± He said and handed the book to Isaac.


    ¡°Mr. Nobody.¡± Isaac said with a frown.


    James nodded. ¡°He¡¯s used them as money drop offs a few times. He has a dozen different places around town. The only thing any of the places have in common is that they have nothing in common.¡± He explained. ¡°All different types of businesses.¡±


    Isaac nodded. He was reading while listening to James. ¡°You have a note here.¡± Isaac said and then summarized it for Lenna. ¡°Mr. Nothing has used the appearance of one of the workers here more than once.¡± He looked up at James. ¡°You don¡¯t think that the real Mr. Nobody is one of the workers there, do you?¡±


    James shook his head. ¡°Not likely. He¡¯s too careful.¡± He replied.


    Isaac flipped through the book. Everything inside pertained to Mr. Nobody. Unfortunately none of the information was deeper than surface level but it was full of known faces he¡¯d used and information about the money drop locations. One of the mortal trafficking rings that Isaac had gotten shut down used to work with him to sell off debtors. He wondered if any of the thugs had talked about the dreaded Mr. Nobody while in Tim¡¯s custody. ¡°I really hope that this isn¡¯t one massive spider web conspiracy.¡± Isaac groaned. ¡°Do you need this?¡± He asked James while holding up the book.


    ¡°Nah boss, I figured you¡¯d go after him eventually.¡± James replied. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to get any damning information on him though.¡± He gave Isaac a nod. ¡°If you are goin¡¯ after him, good luck.¡± He said earnestly.


    Isaac nodded in return. ¡°Thanks.¡± He turned to Lenna. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He told her.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to finish the game?¡± She asked teasingly.


    Isaac frowned. ¡°No. This way I can claim I could have still won.¡±  It was clear that he wouldn¡¯t have.


    ¡ª


    ¡°I found it¡¯s easier to wait for you where I know you will eventually be than try to follow you when you get like this.¡± A familiar voice said from a chair by the door. Isaac and Lenna had just walked into the Inn where Aria and Claus were staying.


    If Isaac ever jumped while being startled then he would have. Lenna¡¯s hand shot to her sword hilt before she realized who it was and relaxed. Neither of them had noticed him while walking in.


    ¡°Thomas, it¡¯s been a while. I thought maybe you¡¯d found someone else to stalk.¡± Isaac said casually and joined the man at his empty table.


    ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡± Thomas replied. ¡°You know how it is.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac searched Thomas¡¯s eyes for the reason for his visit but found nothing. ¡°I take it this isn¡¯t a personal visit.¡±


    Thomas smiled. ¡°Actually it is. Thanks for saving my idiot little brother.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°A few days ago. He was in the caravan you two saved.¡± Thomas explained. ¡°Figured I¡¯d at least say thanks. I¡¯m still supposed to be keeping tabs on you but the pressure has lessened recently. Probably because you have gotten a lot more high profile. Anyway, it means I have a lot more free time, so, thanks for that too.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Well, do you want to fill that free time with something exciting?¡± He asked with a smirk and a glint in his eyes.


    Thomas got serious and leaned in. ¡°Why? What do you have in mind?¡±

 Chapter 78 You In?

    Chapter 78 You In?


    ¡°All of this sounds pretty normal for Safeharbor.¡± Thomas commented after Isaac filled him in on everything Aria had told him.


    Isaac nodded and grinned before leaning in conspiratorially. ¡°It does, doesn¡¯t it? The entire way up until you realize that¡¯s tied into Mr. Nobody somehow.¡± Isaac explained with a glint in his eyes.


    Thomas leaned back and frowned. ¡°That case is bad news. More than one operative has gone missing looking into him. Whoever he is, he¡¯s dangerous.¡± He warned. ¡°How much do you know?¡±


    Isaac handed Thomas the book he had gotten from James with a smile. He knew that he was winning Thomas over, slowly, but progress was progress. ¡°This has all of his money drop locations and information about known associates. It also has a list of all the faces he¡¯s used and how many times he¡¯s used them. Well, it has most of them.¡± Isaac explained.


    Thomas nodded and took the book. ¡°Why do you think they are connected?¡± He asked while flipping through the book.


    ¡°They are both connected to the Safeharbor General Smithy.¡± Isaac revealed easily.


    ¡°That¡¯s a big operation.¡± Thomas began. ¡°There are a half dozen smiths with even more assistants and staff. If there was something going on it would have gotten out by now.¡±


    ¡°You mean it should have gotten out by now.¡± Isaac corrected with a smug look.


    ¡°And how do you suppose they¡¯ve kept it from leaking?¡± Thomas asked incredulously.


    ¡°Magic.¡± Isaac replied simply.


    ¡°Magic?¡± Thomas asked, his misbelief clear in his voice.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°A combination of this list of spells and hexes.¡± Isaac began. He had been doing his research on spells and their effects after Fen had blindsided him. ¡°Mesmerize, Minor Memory Modification, and last but not least Geas.¡±


    ¡°Those are not easy spells to learn nor are they low level ones. Alexander would have noticed them from his tower.¡± Thomas explained. ¡°His magic detection array is far stronger than any of the other ones in the country save for the one in the capital. It¡¯s used as an early warning system against an attack from Contantis; it would pick up a trio of fifth level spells being cast.¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Not if they are in a Globe of Negation.¡± He countered.


    ¡°That¡¯s a seventh level spell.¡± Thomas replied incredulously. ¡°How high of a level do you think this Mr. Nobody is?¡±


    ¡°Alexander can cast all of those spells.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°You think Alexander is Mr. Nobody?!¡± Thomas replied in a loud whisper.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Probably not but the point still stands. Also, are there any times when people know that our little court mage isn¡¯t in town?¡±


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    Thomas nodded with a frown. ¡°He escorts the duke and duchess every summer for Founding Day. They go the whole way to the capital and are gone for a whole week. Also, anyone with the ability to sense mana can feel whenever he teleports out of town. Usually it¡¯s court mage duties but he can only manage it twice a day so it¡¯s guaranteed that he¡¯d be gone for longer than the ten minutes it would take to do what you are talking about.¡± Thomas conceded.


    ¡°Celeste is also around that level though, she would have felt something even if he¡¯s gone right?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°Under normal circumstances anyway. That¡¯s why I think Globe of Negation is involved.¡±


    Thomas nodded. ¡°They¡¯d be on a timer once the spell is cast. With no new mana entering the zone they would only have whatever was inside them to work with.¡± Thomas shook his head. ¡°We are talking about a fifteenth level wizard at least.¡±


    ¡°Why a wizard?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°It¡¯d be a lot easier to do it with glyphs and rituals. It would also explain where all the gold is going that Mr. Nobody is bringing in.¡± Thomas expounded.


    ¡°How dangerous do you think a fifteenth level wizard could be if caught out in the open?¡± Isaac asked. Jala hadn¡¯t even tried to fight. She was strictly a non-combat mage but that didn¡¯t mean that Mr. Nobody was the same.


    Thomas sighed and rubbed his temples. ¡°Worst case?¡± He asked to which Isaac nodded. ¡°He could level a city block before you kill him.¡±


    Isaac winced. ¡°That¡¯s worse than I expected.¡± He replied. ¡°Fen¡¯s power was much more focused than that.¡±


    Thomas nodded. ¡°Fen L¡¯Vore is a shadow sorcerer so his attack power is naturally lower than a combat wizard¡¯s. On top of that he is used to fighting in tunnels and cramped spaces where large area spells would catch him in them too.¡± His frown deepened. ¡°Surface combat mages are all taught large area spells. Nothing scatters soldiers, bandits, or beasts quicker than something large and flashy.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°That makes sense.¡± He agreed. ¡°Things tend to be less afraid of me than they should be, at least out in the wild.¡±


    ¡°If your suspicion is correct, it is imperative that you remove him in one shot and without him noticing.¡± Thomas shook his head. ¡°That might not even be possible if he has the right spells precast.¡±


    Isaac sat up a bit straighter. ¡°Can he stop five disintegrate spells at the same time with no warning?¡± He questioned.


    Thomas froze. ¡°Five?¡± He asked for clarification.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°That¡¯s the most I can hit him with at one time, I think, for now.¡± He replied.


    Thomas gulped. That was way more power than he had ever heard of someone using at one time. ¡°Maybe, it depends on how deep into dark magic they are.¡± He then realized who he was talking to. ¡°Not your kind of dark magic but demon or undead kind of dark magic.¡±


    ¡°A lich?¡± Lenna questioned.


    Thomas shrugged. ¡°At this point? It could be possible but there would have to be some deeper plan for that. No, I think they could have reverse possessed themselves. It isn¡¯t unheard of for high level wizards to fall to necromancy in order to extend their lives.¡± He looked around quickly to make sure there wasn¡¯t anyone close enough to hear. ¡°The Crown Inquisitors have hunted quite a few of them over the years.¡±


    ¡°Reverse possession?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s what it is called. I don¡¯t know any more than that though. It¡¯s way above my pay grade.¡± Thomas replied. He knew how to keep his head down and looking into dark magic was not that.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Well, we won¡¯t know until we find him so¡­¡± Isaac drug it out for effect. ¡°You in?¡±


    Thomas sighed. ¡°Let me read over this.¡± He said and waved the book at Isaac. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it with your friends upstairs when I¡¯m done. If, if I decide to help you then I want a cut of whatever you swindle out of the duke for payment.¡± He replied, seeing right through Isaac.


    Isaac laughed and reached out a hand. ¡°Deal.¡±


    Thomas took Isaac¡¯s hand and then slumped back in his chair. ¡°How did I get myself into this mess?¡± He grumbled.


    ¡ª


    ¡°So yeah, if a shady guy with brown hair and brown eyes shows up you¡¯ll know why.¡± Isaac explained to Aria while the four of them were having lunch together.


    ¡°How?¡± Aria questioned.


    ¡°There was a lot there so you¡¯re going to have to be more specific.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°Friends with the guy that¡¯s supposed to be spying on you? An informant downtown that no one knows about? An underground conspiracy?¡± Aria went one with more and more disbelief as she went. ¡°You¡¯ve only been here for a few months.¡±


    Isaac shrugged but Lenna was the one to answer. ¡°He¡¯s really good at getting into trouble.¡± She commented. ¡°And bullying people into being his friends.¡±


    ¡°Bullying them?¡± Isaac asked with mock hurt. ¡°Aggressive suggestion at worst.¡± He countered. ¡°Usually they just end up liking me once they realize how charming I am and that I won¡¯t kill them if they keep their mouths shut.¡±


    ¡°So bullying.¡± Lenna replied with a deadpan look on her face. Isaac rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Anyway, we are getting off topic.¡± Aria cut in. ¡°If it is a high level wizard then we are in way over our heads.¡± She shook her head and crossed her arms in a huff. ¡°This wasn¡¯t supposed to be this complicated.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Nothing is ever supposed to be as complicated as it ends up. Our first meeting should have drilled that into you. What were you there for again?¡±

 Chapter 79 Me Too.

    Chapter 79 Me Too.


    Isaac awoke to the gentle sound of turning pages. He opened his eyes slowly and smiled. If Lenna was up and moving before him then that meant that she actually slept. ¡°Good morning.¡± Lenna¡¯s deep and smooth voice purred from the other side of the bed.


    Isaac rolled over to face her. ¡°Good morning.¡± He gave her a warm smile. ¡°You actually slept.¡±


    Lenna nodded absently. She hadn¡¯t looked at him but simply continued reading while they conversed. ¡°Having Kahtesh watch over us was a good idea.¡± She complimented him. ¡°It¡¯s easier to sleep when I know someone is on watch.¡±


    Isaac just admired her for a long moment without replying. She let him stare as she was used to it. A smile pulled at her lips. ¡°What do you want to do today, birthday girl?¡± He asked.


    Lenna finally looked up from her book at that. She furrowed her brows in thought for a moment before surprise ran across her face. ¡°It is, isn¡¯t it.¡± She replied.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°You forgot?¡± He asked rhetorically.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°It isn¡¯t an important one.¡± She replied.


    ¡°It¡¯s your first one with me.¡± Isaac countered.


    Lenna returned his smile and marked her place in her book. ¡°You know what? You¡¯re right.¡± She agreed.


    ¡°So?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°Anything you want to do?¡±


    ¡°Surprise me.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°Just make sure it doesn¡¯t involve a lot of people.¡±


    ¡°I can do that.¡± Isaac replied with the warmest smile Lenna had ever seen from him. She couldn¡¯t help herself. She reached across the distance between them and cupped the side of his face before planting a kiss on his lips. ¡°What was that for?¡± He asked playfully.


    ¡°I love you.¡± She told him without answering his question and then left the bed to start getting ready to go out.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°I love you too.¡± He replied. ¡°You still didn¡¯t answer my question.¡±


    ¡°And I won¡¯t.¡± She said over her shoulder with a mischievous glint in her eye.


    Isaac took Lenna to the dessert parlor with the chilled sweets. They had small portions but ordered extra that Isaac put in his Inventory for later. They then took a set of Lenna¡¯s under armor with them to go see Jessica Silverstrand.


    ¡°Hello you two.¡± Jessica greeted them. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. I hope all of my clothes have been holding up.¡±


    ¡°They have.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°How is Jilian doing?¡±


    Jessica beamed. ¡°That material is simply magical. She¡¯s been doing well, getting used to the new machine and everything. Do I want to know how much it cost?¡± She asked.


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


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Probably not.¡± He motioned for Lenna to give Jessica the aforementioned apparel. ¡°The material and your daughter are why we are here.¡± He explained.


    Lenna handed Jessica her under armor but then looked at Isaac. ¡°What?¡±


    Jessica¡¯s eyes lit up when she realized what Isaac had just said. He was ordering an entire set of drider silk under armor for Lenna. That pair of garments was easily worth a small town. She swallowed. ¡°We¡¯ll do the work for free of course.¡± She told Isaac. ¡°It might be a good idea to get it treated so she can¡¯t accidentally burn it away.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a great idea.¡± Isaac replied without answering Lenna¡¯s question. ¡°Can you do it?¡±


    Jessica frowned. ¡°I can¡¯t. I can dye clothes though. As long as using the treatment is simple enough and you can get it I should be able to, but as it stands that is out of my abilities.¡± She explained.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do. Those fit her so I figured you could just use those as a base instead of having to take her measurements again.¡± He explained. When Jessica had taken Lenna¡¯s measurements before she hadn¡¯t needed to measure things like bicep or thigh circumference.


    ¡°That should be fine.¡± Jessica assured him. ¡°If there is a problem I¡¯ll let you know.¡± She cleared her throat. ¡°While we are on the topic, what should we do with all of the material? There is a lot there.¡±


    ¡°How much is there anyway?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°Around ten thousand yards of it.¡± Jessica replied and let the silence hang.


    ¡°And how much is that all worth?¡± Isaac asked with slightly wide eyes.


    Jessica¡¯s mouth got dry thinking about the amount of gold worth of drider silk that was sitting in her daughter¡¯s workshop. She had invested quite the sum on enchantments to protect the precious silk. ¡°Around a million gold if it¡¯s untreated and not made into anything.¡±


    Isaac staggered back a step and Lenna dropped her helmet that she had tucked under her arm. ¡°A million?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Unworked, yes.¡± Jessica replied.


    ¡°Do you still have Sera¡¯s measurements?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Jessica nodded with a frown. ¡°I do but why?¡±


    ¡°I sort of promised her a dress made of it as a late birthday gift.¡± Isaac confessed. ¡°Now that I think about it though, maybe whatever that thing is that usually goes under a dress would be better. Drider silk is immune to almost everything so tight coverage is more important than showing it off.¡±


    Jessica¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Petticoat and corset.¡± She corrected Isaac absently before answering him. ¡°That would be best, yes. If you actually gave her a dress made out of it the queen could get jealous.¡± She warned.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do about getting the stuff to treat it here.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°Go ahead and start the undergarments for Sera and Lenna¡¯s under armor. Let me know if there are problems with Lenna¡¯s stuff. I¡¯ll trust you to handle everything else for Sera¡¯s.¡±


    Jessica nodded. ¡°Usually there would be a fee but considering the machine you bought and all the work you are going to have done through here in the future we can say that these will be free.¡± She offered. ¡°But in the future, how about twenty five percent over cost for a maker¡¯s fee.¡±


    ¡°I was thinking ten.¡± Isaac replied easily. He had seen the negotiations coming and was hoping to not have to give them more than fifteen percent.


    ¡°Twenty is more than fair. The work must be absolutely perfect and it¡¯s a hard material to work with.¡± Jessica countered.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Fifteen and treating it is included in your fee.¡± He countered. ¡°I didn¡¯t have a special machine made and shipped here in such a rush just because I wanted the clothes done sooner rather than later.¡± He explained. ¡°I wanted you and your daughter to handle it. Everyone will know that you are the ones making things with drider silk. The advertisement alone is worth ten percent.¡±


    Jessica smiled and offered him her hand. ¡°You drive a hard bargain.¡± She told him. ¡°But a fair one.¡±


    That afternoon found the duo on the wall of Safeharbor looking out over the rest of the massive cavern that they lived in. Isaac pulled out a chocolate cake that they had ordered the first time they had gone to the dessert parlor. It was a small one, just big enough for two people to split. It was on one plate and Isaac held a pair of forks in his other hand. He set it on the wall in front and between them.


    ¡°It smells as good as the first time we had it.¡± Lenna commented. Isaac just nodded but otherwise stayed silent. They looked out over the cavern in silence and shared their cake. After the cake was long gone and the companionable silence had hung for a long while Lenna spoke up again: ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Isaac smiled at her warmly. ¡°We don¡¯t have to wait for a special occasion to do this.¡± He told her. ¡°I just tend to get caught up in everything and don¡¯t think about it.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°It was nice.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately I am running out of ideas.¡± Isaac confessed. ¡°Safeharbor has nothing but adventurers, those that service adventurers, gangs, and a single dessert parlor.¡±


    Lenna laughed and leaned against him. ¡°That is very true. This place has more whorehouses than half of the other business combined. More people in gangs than not. Don¡¯t even get me started on the majority of the people here.¡± She continued ranting but there was no anger, frustration, or bite in her words. If anything they almost sounded warm. ¡°But it is home. Most of that is you.¡± She confessed. ¡°But Celeste, Sera, and Jessica help.¡± She turned to him and kissed him on the cheek. ¡°I am so happy Lua guided me to you.¡±


    Isaac turned to her and kissed her back. ¡°Me too, my love, me too.¡±

 Chapter 80 Sword And Magic.

    Chapter 80 Sword And Magic.


    Lenna¡¯s birthday had been filled with surprises. The first surprise being that it was her birthday. Isaac had led her around the city to get chilled desserts, order some of the best protection money could buy, and eat desserts looking out over the massive cavern. After that she followed him while he hired the same courier they had used for the new loom to take the last of his money back to the capital, again. This time the courier was going to pick up a barrel of the same treatment that was used on the king¡¯s battle garments. It took a lot of money to make money it seemed. Finally they sparred and practiced the sword dance. The evening of Lenna¡¯s birthday found them back inside Celeste¡¯s tavern, sitting at her bar, sipping cheap ale and eating perfectly cooked, extra large, steaks with not nearly enough vegetables with them. The pair savored their dinner and conversed with Celeste pleasantly. Well, for a little while at least.


    The doors to the Celestial Dawn swung open and a group walked in to the murmurs of many of the patrons. ¡°Is that the Flame Ravens?¡± One patron asked.


    Another nodded. ¡°I think so.¡± A second replied.


    ¡°They weren¡¯t scheduled to return for a while yet.¡± A third cut in.


    ¡°I heard we had been taken off of their route because of those two.¡± The second replied and nodded towards Isaac and Lenna. With them in Safeharbor the local platinum team didn¡¯t have to worry about the underground city and its associated town and outpost.


    The adventurers in question all wore black and red from head to toe. A younger human man in his twenties walked in the lead with plate mail that oozed magic under a robe of black with red trim and buttons. His hair was dyed black with a bright red streak. His eyes were brown and searched the room like a hawk scouting prey. A sword that radiated heat hung at his side.


    Behind him was an elvish woman with hair and skin the color of birchwood and glistening ruby eyes. Her hair was tied back into a ponytail with a black and red ribbon. She wore a black jacket over red leather armor that looked to have been made from some exotic monster. Its texture was glossy and smooth with weird creases and pathways spread across it. She wore chaps that seemed to be made of the same material as the rest of her armor over her black pants with accompanying black boots. She had a short sword hanging in the small of her back and a blazing ruby in the palms of both of her gloved hands.


    The third adventurer stopped to lean his massive shield and spear against the inside wall. Both obviously magical and painted in black and red. The shield was adorned with the motif of a black raven burning with bright orange and red flames on a black background. He was tall but looked to be human, at least with what little could be seen of him through his plate armor, his visor was up and his features seemed too square to be elvish. His skin was a light tan and his eyes were brown so a goliath mix was unlikely but possible. He looked to be in his thirties and carried himself with the air of someone who had spent decades on the battlefield and planned on spending the next few decades there as well.


    The final adventurer walked in behind the rest with silent steps and predatory grace. Under the black cloak with a red stripe down the side it was impossible to tell anything about the person. They were an average height and had a scarf up over their mouth and nose with their hood pulled low. They almost seemed to vanish into the background if no one was paying attention to them.


    The team all took an empty table save for the one who had walked in first. His eyes had stopped on Isaac. The tension in the air began to rise. ¡°Esk, sit down and eat before you do anything stupid.¡± The elvish woman purred and waved at the waitress to come and take their orders.


    ¡°You there!¡± The young warrior, Esk, called from across the room without moving. Isaac hadn¡¯t even turned to look at the newcomers as he was engrossed in their delicious dinner. He could feel the warrior¡¯s eyes boring holes into the back of his head. Isaac decided to ignore the man. He wasn¡¯t sure what he wanted but yelling at someone from across the room while they were having dinner was not a good way to start.


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    Celeste looked between Isaac and Esk twice before her eyes went wide and she visibly tensed. ¡°Please don¡¯t fight in my tavern.¡± Celeste cut in. Her voice met no resistance as the rest of the room had fallen silent.


    ¡°Is that the man?¡± Esk questioned Celeste. When she didn¡¯t answer his eyes swept over the rest of the patrons and no one met his gaze. That was enough confirmation for him.


    ¡°Want to fill me in?¡± Isaac whispered to Celeste just barely loud enough for her to hear. He did it between bites of food so that no one not looking at his face would have been able to even tell that he had spoken.


    ¡°His brother was-¡± Celeste¡¯s voice was abruptly cut off by the warrior.


    ¡°Are you the one who killed my brother in this very tavern?¡± He questioned. ¡°Are you the Shadow Demon?¡± He demanded.


    Isaac didn¡¯t answer. He wasn¡¯t sure how to defuse the situation in a way that was acceptable. There was no way that Isaac was going to try to apologize or right any wrong. Isaac wouldn¡¯t even pretend to lower himself. He was too proud and arrogant for that. There was also his image to consider. If a mortal could wrangle Isaac then the rumor of him being a demigod would be worthless. He also didn¡¯t want bloodshed on Lenna¡¯s birthday. ¡®Why¡¯d he have to show up today of all days?¡¯ Isaac grumbled internally.


    ¡°Won¡¯t answer me?¡± The warrior mocked and began taking off his gauntlet. ¡°A coward through and through then. Just a monster in human skin hiding in plain sight.¡± Esk spat. ¡°Turn and face me, demon.¡±


    Isaac made no move but Lenna set down her fork and knife and started to get up. Isaac put a hand on her arm. ¡°Do you really want bloodshed on your birthday?¡± Isaac asked to get her to sit back down. Lenna just frowned and waited to see how Isaac would handle the situation.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Esk began in a snarl. ¡°I will show myself the bigger person and challenge you to a duel properly. Unlike you, I am not a coward who ambushes people in taverns and executes them.¡± He finished and threw his, now removed, gauntlet at Isaac¡¯s back. He didn¡¯t aim for Isaac¡¯s head as that could be seen as an actual attack before their duel. Esk had his honor and he intended to prove to everyone that, not only was he the one in the right, he was also stronger than the dark mage that everyone was talking about.


    Lenna¡¯s hand snapped out and caught the gauntlet before it hit Isaac. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill him.¡± Lenna whispered. She was getting tired of him insulting Isaac. Her honor may have been a coin in his dragon¡¯s hoard but the opposite was also true. Lenna could be a dragon if she let herself go. She was always in control. She always tried to do what was right and what Lua would have her do. This time, she was going to take her anger out on the person making her angry. She had been having an amazing birthday with the man she loved and this worm who called himself a warrior was insulting and belittling that man. She was having none of it.


    Lenna turned and got up from her bar stool. ¡°Not man enough to face me yourself?¡± Esk taunted. ¡°I¡¯m challenging you to a due-¡± His voice was cut off by his own gauntlet impacting him in the chest hard enough that he staggered backwards while catching it.


    Lenna had thrown the gauntlet with the intent to send it through the man¡¯s chest. She had even used her aura to enhance her strength when she threw it. ¡°I accept.¡± Lenna replied with fire in her eyes and flint in her voice. ¡°You are not worthy of fighting him. I will tear you apart for your insolence and insults. He is no monster, nor is he a demon.¡± Esk stared at her in surprise for a moment before going to retort. ¡°Tomorrow, at the same time, I will meet you in the arena. If you can beat me then you may challenge him.¡± He went to retort again. ¡°If you are not strong enough to beat me then he will just turn you to dust in an instant, just like your brother.¡±


    The entire tavern was so silent that the kitchen could be clearly heard. ¡°Fine.¡± Esk eventually spoke, breaking the silence. ¡°Tomorrow between the seventeenth and eighteenth bells.¡± He agreed. ¡°Choose your weapons and rules.¡±


    ¡°I will use my sword and magic. You can use whatever you want.¡± Lenna spat while looking down on him. She didn¡¯t care if he brought a damn ballista to the duel, she was going to smear his face across the packed sand. ¡°To the death.¡± She told him.


    ¡°I too will use my sword and magic.¡± He replied. ¡°And I wouldn¡¯t have let you surrender anyway.¡± With that he spun on his heel and marched out of the Celestial Dawn.


    ¡°I knew this would happen.¡± The elf that accompanied Esk grumbled with her head in her hands. ¡°Damn human children.¡± She grumbled and then got a good look at Lenna. Her nose wrinkled slightly but she refrained from stirring the pot and instead just told the waitress her order. The three remaining Flame Ravens seemed to not care about the fourth¡¯s absence further and enjoyed one of Leo¡¯s fresh cooked meals in peace. It was a good choice..


    Lenna sat back down next to Isaac. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She told Isaac. ¡°I know you were doing it for me but¡­¡± She turned her head to face him and their eyes met. ¡°I know how you felt now. I cou-¡±


    Isaac cut her off with a smile. ¡°Thank you.¡± He replied. ¡°But, finish your steak before it gets cold.¡± He told her and took another bite of his own. ¡°I already had a plan for this.¡± He whispered once the tavern had come alive again. ¡°I wish it wouldn¡¯t have happened on your birthday but it can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    ¡°A plan?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac grinned like a storybook villain and Celeste who¡¯d seen it gulped audibly. ¡°Yes.¡± He purred. ¡°A grand plan indeed.¡±

 Chapter 81 The Hells.

    Chapter 81 The Hells.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to tell me about that plan.¡± Lenna told Isaac playfully once they were back in their room.


    ¡°Oh?¡± He questioned with a smirk. ¡°Am I?¡±


    Lenna rolled her eyes and pushed him onto the bed. ¡°It¡¯s my birthday, remember.¡± She teased.


    Isaac laughed and shook his head at her. ¡°You didn¡¯t remember it was your birthday until I reminded you.¡± He countered.


    Lenna huffed. ¡°Fine then, keep your secrets.¡± She told him.


    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be like that.¡± Isaac pleaded. ¡°I need Sera¡¯s maid¡¯s help for it so I¡¯ll explain it all tomorrow.¡±


    Lenna froze. ¡°Sera¡¯s maid?¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Hello Sera, it¡¯s always a pleasure.¡± Isaac greeted the duchess as he and Lenna entered her garden arm in arm.


    Lenna smiled and nodded deeply to Sera. ¡°I hope the rest of your birthday was well.¡± She told the younger woman.


    ¡°Yours as well.¡± Sera replied to Lenna first with a nod in greeting. ¡°And hello Isaac, I heard you have been having fun.¡±


    Isaac and Lenna joined Sera in her gazebo around her tea table. ¡°A bit. I finally don¡¯t feel weak anymore.¡± Isaac confessed. ¡°I¡¯m nowhere near full power but¡­ it¡¯s hard to describe properly¡­¡± Isaac¡¯s face took on a contemplative look and the duchess gave him the time to find his words. ¡°It¡¯s like the feeling of putting on armor, the safety you feel with something between you and the world, but also the lightness of taking it off. I didn¡¯t expect it to feel this freeing.¡±


    Sera looked deeply curious. ¡°What happened?¡± She asked and leaned in.


    ¡°When I first arrived I could only use my own death flames on a small area around my heart and my hands.¡± He began. ¡°A few days ago I finally finished converting all of my body¡¯s mana pathways to match my element.¡±


    ¡°Darkness.¡± Sera added.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yes. Now, I can heal my entire body with my death flames, I can reinforce it as well. I can lose an arm and a leg and be whole again in a matter of moments.¡± He smiled. ¡°I finally feel like a demigod.¡±


    ¡°Beyond mortal reach?¡± Sera asked and leaned back to the more noble posture she usually adopted.


    Isaac frowned and thought long and hard about her question. ¡°Is anything truly outside of mortal reach?¡± He asked.


    ¡°What?¡± Lenna questioned. ¡°You¡¯ve met at least four proper deities. You think mortals can reach that?¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He replied honestly. ¡°I think that if enough dedicated wizards got together they could figure out a way to destroy the moon or prevent souls from leaving a corpse.¡± His eyes met Lenna and Sera¡¯s. ¡°Then what? The deities would weaken, maybe enough to be susceptible to a hundred simultaneous ninth level spells.¡±


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Lenna shook her head and Sera looked at him with wide eyes. ¡°I feel like this topic is heresy.¡± Lenna told him.


    ¡°Probably.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°To be fair, Sera asked.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s change the topic then.¡± Sera replied. ¡°I heard you will be taking part in a duel later today?¡± She asked Lenna.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°It was a ¡®heat of the moment¡¯ thing. He challenged Isaac, but the way he did it¡­¡± Her voice trailed off as she tried to find the right way to put it.


    ¡°Pissed you off.¡± Isaac finished her sentence for her.


    Lenna nodded again. ¡°Speaking of,¡± Lenna continued. ¡°I distinctly remember you saying you had a plan.¡± She looked pointedly at Isaac. ¡°And that you would explain it today.¡±


    ¡°A plan?¡± Sera questioned with a twinkle in her sapphire eyes and a smile on her face.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I figured we could catch up more before getting down to business but I suppose this is fine.¡± He conceded. ¡°I require the services of your maid.¡± He explained. The maid had curly orange hair that looked unruly but was pulled back into a ponytail so it wouldn¡¯t get in the way. Her eyes were a dull olive green and she had freckles across the bridge of her nose. Her cheekbones looked higher than they did the last time Isaac had seen her.


    Sera seemed genuinely surprised. ¡°Which one?¡± She asked.


    Isaac narrowed his eyes on her. ¡°Your bodyguard.¡± He told her pointedly and his eyes flicked to the ginger haired girl who barely looked a day over sixteen.


    Sera¡¯s eyes widened slightly before she smiled. Her smile was an experienced mask that she used to hide her emotions when in court. The maid looked confused but otherwise kept quiet, befitting a maid¡¯s station. A bodyguard to a noble was given much more freedom to interact in social situations than the girl relegated to refilling the tea. ¡°And why would you need her?¡± Sera questioned.


    Lenna¡¯s eyes were locked onto the maid as Isaac talked with Sera. She watched as the maid went from innocent and patient to surprised and confused. Now though, with Sera¡¯s words, the maid¡¯s posture changed to that of a coiled snake. Lenna could suddenly feel danger radiating from her even though her body had only shifted a few fractions of an inch. Her confused look turned into a blank expression that looked like it was simply taking in everything in her field of vision at once, calculating what was a threat and what could be used as a weapon.


    Isaac leaned forwards and interlocked his fingers while setting his elbows on the table. ¡°I need her to be me while Lenna is dueling.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡± Sera asked.


    Lenna¡¯s eyes left the maid and went to Isaac in surprise. ¡°What?¡±


    Isaac grinned. ¡°From here, your ¡®maid¡¯, is to follow us to our room while invisible. When Lenna and I go to the arena she will go in my place. I will be invisible and with Lenna the entire time.¡± He explained.


    ¡°Why?¡± Sera questioned. ¡°Are you going to cheat in the duel?¡± She questioned. ¡°Do you doubt Lenna¡¯s victory?¡±


    Isaac shook his head before Lenna could interject. ¡°No, I know that Lenna will tear him apart.¡± He corrected what they were thinking. ¡°What I want is to instill fear into everyone watching in a way that Lenna, herself, cannot do.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Sera asked. Lenna had forgotten about the maid entirely and was completely focused on Isaac and his plan. It was a rare thing to see inside the mind of the dark mage.


    Isaac held up his hand and created a small amount of death flames in his palm. ¡°Lenna, release your aura a little.¡± He directed her. Lenna did as she was told and Sera paled. The maid crouched down and a pair of daggers seemed to materialize in her hand. The tray that she had been holding clanged to the ground. Isaac grinned at Sera and watched a shiver run down her spine. ¡°Now tell me, duchess, what do you feel?¡±


    Sera¡¯s mouth was dry from the combined feelings assaulting her. She was able to keep herself schooled and in control even when in the presence of Isaac¡¯s death flames but she had never felt both them and Lenna¡¯s aura at the same time. The reminder of her own mortality combined with the feeling of having angered a predator, the feeling of looking down the maw of an angry dragon. It was too much. ¡°Stop, please.¡± She squeaked out and the feeling vanished. Isaac simply closed his hand around the death flames and they were gone while Lenna took a deep breath. Sera¡¯s mind was blanking after the experience.


    ¡°Sera?¡± Isaac asked a little concerned and Lenna reached out and took her hand. ¡°Have some tea.¡± He told her and she mindlessly did so.


    The hot, sweet, liquid brought her most of the way back to her senses. ¡°That was¡­ intense.¡± She thought aloud.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°That is the reaction I am going for.¡± He explained. ¡°When Lenna is about to engage with what¡¯s-his-name, I will coat her sword in death flames while she coats it in her normal fire. The combination will look strange to everyone watching, that¡¯s the point. This evening we will be birthing another legend of Safeharbor. The black and orange flames that bring forth a feeling of having stared into the depths of the hells. The true power of the Lady of Hellfire.¡±


    ¡°You want me to play you in the stands while you enact this deception.¡± The maid finally spoke. She had relaxed a bit once Lenna¡¯s aura and Isaac¡¯s flames were gone.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°No matter how hard I try I can¡¯t be both in the stands and next to her to light her sword at the same time. I also can¡¯t do it ahead of time or else everyone will feel the death flames way before her aura. The timing has to be perfect. Orange flames, death flames, and aura all need to be activated at the same time or else it won¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Sera said. She was silent for a while as she contemplated many things. On the outside she simply looked contemplative. None watching could see the war going on inside her. Isaac¡¯s plan had a high chance of success. If she agreed to help then he was more likely to keep her in the loop in the future. She would also be boosting both his and Lenna¡¯s standing in the city. Standing that was already rising at a rate that could prove dangerous when her son eventually took over the duchy. After the ¡®event¡¯ at her birthday ball there were many more eyes on Isaac than usual. Many more powerful eyes. Isaac had put her in a bad spot. She had no doubt that he had a back up plan that didn¡¯t involve her so even if she decided not to go along with them the plan would happen anyway. ¡®If you can¡¯t stop them, join them.¡¯ Sera thought with an internal sigh. ¡°Alright. I have a few conditions.¡±

 Chapter 82 Simple Or Easy

    Chapter 82 Simple Or Easy


    ¡°I figured you would.¡± Isaac replied and leaned back in his chair while taking a sip of tea.


    ¡°Firstly, you cannot ask questions about anything pertaining to Marie.¡± Sera began and nodded towards her maid. Isaac nodded for her to continue. ¡°Secondly, no one can ever know that I helped you.¡± Isaac nodded again. ¡°And thirdly, when Lucius takes power I want you to publicly say that you do not wish to run the territory and that you support him.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Those conditions are acceptable.¡± He replied slowly. ¡°You only want me to publicly support him?¡± He asked. The possibility of Isaac actually supporting Sera¡¯s son was left unsaid but implied enough for it to be recognized as something that could happen in the future.


    Sera smiled. ¡°The deal must be fair. I would prefer it of course but I have a feeling that you will request my aid again in the future.¡± She explained.


    Isaac smiled and offered Sera his hand. ¡°Lady Arbencroft, I accept your terms and look forward to working with your maid during this endeavor.¡±


    Sera took his hand much more daintily than Isaac was used to. ¡°I look forward to watching it happen, Lord Wexler.¡± She said with a mischievous grin.


    ¡°Sera!¡± Marie, the maid, said abruptly. ¡°Who will protect you if I¡¯m not there?¡±


    ¡°But you will be, old friend.¡± Sera replied. ¡°What reason do I have to not share my private box with Lord Wexler?¡± She questioned with a twinkle in her eyes. ¡°Maybe I will invite my brother and son along? Izen is much too busy but those boys do not have anything better to do.¡±


    Marie froze and then sighed. ¡°Fine.¡± She relented.


    ¡°Speaking of my husband,¡± Sera continued. ¡°I believe he wishes to speak with you.¡± She said to Isaac.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°Do you know what about?¡±


    Sera smirked. ¡°Yes.¡± She replied but did not elaborate. Her eyes focused in on Lenna like a hawk targeting a snake. ¡°A little birdie told me that Isaac made due on his promise from when we first met.¡± The words were directed only at Lenna and the paladin¡¯s face flushed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember any birds down here.¡± Lenna deflected, poorly.


    ¡°There are plenty of them if you know where to look.¡± Sera replied. It was obvious that she was having fun teasing Lenna. ¡°I thought something was up with you two the last time we had tea but watching you both at the ball confirmed my speculation.¡± She explained.


    ¡°As did, let me guess, Celeste?¡± Isaac cut in.


    Sera shook her head. ¡°A Lady must not reveal her secrets.¡± She countered. ¡°So? How did it happen? Dance practice turned hot and heavy?¡±


    ¡°Sera!¡± Lenna felt like a heat haze was going to soon be visible coming off her collar. Sera¡¯s giggle was from the heart and had the ability to remove any residual tension from their previous conversations.


    A little while later Sera had managed to get far more information about their relationship than Lenna would have liked out of her. She had this almost magical ability to cause one to open up about something that they would usually keep to themselves. At some point Marie had left to get ready. Once the conversation moved on from their relationship to other things Isaac decided it was time to give Izen a visit.


    Isaac closed his eyes and felt the shadows around him. He moved and connected them to each other until they reached the entire way from his foot to the wall of the house. He could feel where the shadows were so he could guess at where things like windows and doors were. ¡°Isaac?¡± Sera asked, almost causing him to lose focus. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Which window is Izen¡¯s study?¡± He asked with a grin. He was burning a small amount of mana to keep all the shadows connected as they went up the exterior wall.


    Sera¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Other side of the manor, third from the back, seventh from the front, top floor.¡± She told him easily. It was probably not a good idea to tell someone as violent and powerful as Isaac where her husband spent most of his time but she hadn¡¯t realized that until it was too late. ¡°You never answered my question?¡±


    Isaac was starting to sweat as he tried to find and count windows based solely on the shape of the shadows on the far exterior wall. ¡°This is a lot harder than expected.¡± He conceded.


    ¡°Are you working through the wards?!¡± She questioned in shock.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Isaac¡¯s brows furrowed as he tried to talk while not losing track of which window was most likely Izen¡¯s. ¡°No. The wards are fine. Trying to feel where the windows are, and maintain a connection, the whole way there is the problem. I think I found it. A ceiling light and a lamp on a desk with someone sitting at it?¡± Sera nodded absently. ¡°Sera?¡±


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    ¡°Um, yes.¡± She replied and was snapped out of her trance-like state of trying to comprehend the fact that her manor¡¯s wards meant nothing to Isaac. The wards alone were worth hundreds of thousands of gold. No teleportation or invisibility was allowed inside and if any of the doors were picked all hells would break loose. That wasn¡¯t even taking into account the resurrection runes that would work as long as any of the family members were brought there within a minute of their deaths.


    ¡°I¡¯m in.¡± Isaac said with a grin. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you two to have a girl talk without me.¡± And with that, Isaac was gone.


    ¡°How does he do that?¡± Sera questioned and looked at Lenna.


    Lenna smiled. ¡°I could tell you and I doubt it would matter.¡± She replied. ¡°Even so, his abilities are his to share.¡±


    Sera stared at where a black puff had been a moment ago. Every time Isaac teleported a black fog was left for only a moment as the shadows quickly dispersed. ¡°Is he entering the shadows themselves and leaving them at another location?¡± Sera questioned. ¡°That would get around the teleportation ban.¡± She looked to Lenna for answers but Lenna only smirked at her.


    ¡°He talked to The Reaper like a casual acquaintance, met my goddess and didn¡¯t bow, has never truly lost to anything,¡± Lenna went on. ¡°and you want to know how or why he does something? My guess is better than yours, but not by much.¡±


    ¡ª


    Izen was reading over a summary of the Ori-Masa incident written by the adventurer Wo Lu. Edward had put great stock in the words and advice from the elf so Izen would as well. He was approaching the end when something, someone, appeared a few feet in front of him with a thud. Izen jumped to his feet only to see a certain dark mage sitting in the middle of the floor.


    ¡°Right, same position as when I left.¡± Isaac grumbled to himself and used the shadows to push him up to his feet. He turned around to look at Izen. ¡°Izen, been a while.¡±


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t know any better I¡¯d think that you were trying to bring me to an early grave.¡± Izen replied coldly.


    ¡°Good to see you too.¡± Isaac grumbled and sat in one of the expensive velvet and oak chairs that were sitting across from Izen. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you have a job for me.¡±


    Izen sat back down. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied and grabbed a stack of papers held together with a metal clip. He handed them across the table to the waiting dark mage. ¡°With the leads acquired by you in the past we were able to crack down on a few of the more unsavory organizations. There is one that we have been having trouble with. I want you to fix that.¡±


    ¡°A few questions.¡± Isaac began while looking through the papers before he stopped on a name that looked familiar. ¡°How much are you offering? How messy do you want this? Do you want anyone to know that you put me up to it? And finally, do you want this to be a normal thing?¡±


    Izen¡¯s face looked like it was stuck in a perpetual frown. The only time Isaac had ever seen him smile was in the presence of his wife. His frown deepened. ¡°Ten thousand, no collateral damage but otherwise do what you have to do, and I¡¯m not sure yet.¡±


    It was Isaac¡¯s turn to frown. He tossed the papers to the side and they vanished in a blink. He slowly rose to his feet and put his hands on Izen¡¯s desk. He leaned over to close the distance between them and locked eyes with Izen. ¡°Izen, I think that you are a good enough man to rule this city. I like you, honestly. I want you to keep an image of a righteous ruler of an immoral city. Follow truth and justice. If I am the darkest thing in town it¡¯ll get boring but I think you know what line¡¯s I believe shouldn¡¯t be crossed. I want you to get rid of the people that have crossed those lines but I want you to do it right. Investigate and have the guard bring these people in. Have a trial with Micheal and a truth spell. By the book and proper. Understand?¡±


    Izen was silent for a long moment but he never broke eye contact with Isaac. ¡°I would prefer that too.¡± He eventually agreed. ¡°Will you take the job?¡±


    Isaac grinned and slumped back into the chair he had previously inhabited. ¡°Ten thousand would be fine if this was a normal target.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Hells, if I didn¡¯t like Edward then ten thousand would be enough for him.¡± Isaac pulled the stack of papers back out and thumped in into his other hand. ¡°But not this one.¡± He shook his head. ¡°This is way deeper than you think.¡±


    ¡°How deep and how much?¡± Izen questioned.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°This goes the whole way from Outpost Charles to wherever those mortals were getting shipped to if I¡¯m understanding the situation properly.¡± He flipped through to the page with the name he recognized on it. He set the packet on the desk facing Izen and poked the name. ¡°This is the problem.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Nobody.¡± Izen read aloud. ¡°What do you know about him?¡±


    ¡°Enough to start the job and enough to know that I need to be careful.¡± Isaac replied honestly.


    Izen¡¯s eyes went wide for a moment before he schooled his expression. ¡°How careful?¡± He wondered.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s the problem. I don¡¯t know.¡± He took the packet back and returned it to his Inventory. ¡°Fifty thousand. A hundred if my suspicions are proven correct.¡±


    ¡°What are your suspicions?¡± Izen questioned. ¡°A hundred is far too much.¡± He added.


    ¡°High level wizard. Higher than Alexander and who knows how long they have had to set up traps and rituals.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°A hundred is fair if I have to walk into a hidden wizard tower packed into a smithy downtown.¡± Isaac sighed. ¡°Or worse if it¡¯s a drow plot.¡±


    That got Izen¡¯s attention. ¡°Thirty thousand to get rid of them, another thirty if it¡¯s a high level wizard, and another thirty if it¡¯s a drow plot.¡± Izen offered.


    ¡°And an extra ten thousand up front for keeping quiet about your involvement, even to my associates, save for Lenna of course.¡± Isaac countered.


    Izen sighed. ¡°Fine.¡± He grumbled. ¡°You are going to make me sell my desk if you keep this up.¡±


    Isaac grinned. ¡°It¡¯s a nice desk. I might buy it.¡± He joked and rose to his feet. ¡°I trust you can just deposit it to my account.¡±


    Izen nodded. ¡°I can.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Actually while I¡¯m here I have something else I want you to spend money on.¡±


    Izen narrowed his eyes. ¡°What money?¡± He asked. His voice was serious but it was clearly sarcasm.


    ¡°The treatment to make drider silk fireproof is around five hundred gold for enough to treat a hundred yards. Sera¡¯s birthday present is going to require around thirteen hundred yards. You can ask Jessica Silverstrand for the exact number if you want.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Lenna¡¯s will require just as much. Drider silk runs around a hundred gold per yard so I think ordering enough of the treatment for both of their gifts is fair.¡±


    Izen eventually nodded. ¡°That is fair. Edward informed me that you had come across enough of it to buy a small country. I would recommend gifting the queen something of at least equal value once her birthday comes around. The last thing you want is the king breathing down your neck.¡± He explained.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not the king I¡¯m worried about. He may run the country but he isn¡¯t the one in charge. There are too many demigods in this country for that.¡± Isaac told him. ¡°But I will keep your advice in mind regardless.¡±


    Izen¡¯s eyes went wide at the treasonous words coming from Isaac at the beginning before he realized that there might be truth in what he said. ¡°If there is nothing else.¡± Izen said with a nod and tapped the papers that he had been reading.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Not unless you want to watch Lenna kill a platinum adventurer in the arena in a few hours.¡±


    ¡°Please tell her not to kill him.¡± Izen replied evenly. ¡°The rest of the territories need them.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac replied and vanished.


    Izen leaned back in his chair. ¡°Nothing is ever simple or easy anymore.¡± He said aloud and then chuckled. ¡°What am I saying? It¡¯s never been simple or easy.¡± He rose from his chair and walked over to his cellarette that he had been visiting more and more recently, mostly because of Isaac, and grabbed a glass.

 Chapter 83 Lady Lenna V’Nova,

    Chapter 83 Lady Lenna V¡¯Nova,


    ¡°That was fruitful.¡± Isaac said as he reappeared standing a few feet from Lenna and Sera. He walked over and took his seat.


    ¡°How much money are you extorting from my husband this time?¡± Sera asked teasingly.


    ¡°A hundred thousand gold.¡± Isaac replied honestly.


    Sera almost spilled her tea. ¡°What?!¡± She questioned. ¡°What is he having you do? I thought it was just some gang.¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s way more complicated than that. I¡¯ll tell you the story when it¡¯s all over.¡± He promised her.


    Sera schooled herself and took a sip of her tea. She had to refill her own cup and did the same for Isaac and Lenna. Marie was still gone so they talked about this and that for the better part of an hour until suddenly another Isaac walked in. Marie walked over to the gazebo and leaned against one of the columns and crossed her arms. ¡°Miss me?¡± She asked in Isaac¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Wait, how do you sound like me?¡± Isaac questioned with a worried look on his face. ¡°Do I really sound like that?¡± He eyed Marie from head to toe. ¡°I¡¯m shorter than I remember.¡±


    Marie shook her head slowly in the negative. ¡°Because I want to.¡± She replied casually but did not elaborate.


    Isaac frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t like this.¡± He said to no one in particular.


    ¡°It was your plan. You get what you ask for.¡± Marie told him with a bored look on her, Isaac¡¯s, face. ¡°I trust this is good enough.¡±


    ¡°This is eerie.¡± Lenna whispered looking between them. Every one of Isaac¡¯s mannerisms were copied perfectly. His voice and posture, phrases and micro expressions. The only thing Lenna could notice was that Marie was around an inch shorter than Isaac even with whatever she had packed in her boots to make herself taller. The armor she was wearing was the same kind that Isaac had bought from the general store and the bracers were even missing. Isaac never got replacements after Fen removed them. Upon closer inspection her hands were also smaller but only slightly. Marie had to have literal pounds of prosthetic clay on her body but it was done flawlessly.


    ¡°I knew she was good but this is ridiculous.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°Of course. Who do you think I am?¡± Marie told him and pushed off the column. ¡°Ready to go?¡± She asked with a raised eyebrow.


    Isaac looked at Sera and then Lenna. ¡°I think so.¡± He shook his head. ¡°This is strange.¡± He said and he and Lenna rose to their feet. ¡°Marie will meet you in your box at the arena, Sera.¡± He told the duchess.


    Sera smiled. ¡°I know. I¡¯ll see you in a few hours.¡± She replied.


    Isaac walked up to Marie and put his hand on her shoulder. He focused and covered her in shadows, a moment later she was gone. ¡°Marie, keep your hand on my shoulder. Direct contact makes it easier to keep this up.¡± Marie did as she was told and Isaac offered Lenna his arm.


    ¡°Wish me luck.¡± She said to Sera and took Isaac¡¯s arm.


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    ¡°You won¡¯t need it.¡± Sera said with a smile. ¡°I have faith in you.¡±


    Isaac and Lenna returned to the Celestial Dawn with Marie invisible and in tow. Isaac was able to maintain her invisibility the entire way to their room without anyone noticing. Once inside Isaac released the shadows covering Marie and started pulling his armor out of thin air and putting it on one piece at a time. Lenna grabbed her under armor and walked behind the folding wall to change. ¡°W-Where?¡± Marie stammered at the sight of Isaac¡¯s armor.


    ¡°You may be able to look like me but it is easy enough to prove who is real.¡± Isaac commented.


    Marie sighed. ¡°Fine.¡± She replied. ¡°Let¡¯s go over the plan from the moment we leave here until the time we get back.¡±


    ¡°Do you have whatever you need to go invisible by yourself with you?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Marie nodded. ¡°Yes, but it has limits.¡± She answered.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. When Sera goes to leave just go invisible and join her. I¡¯ll appear next to Lenna and the switch will be complete.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°As for the beginning¡­¡±


    ¡ª


    Lenna and Marie walked into the arena. Marie smacked Lenna¡¯s pauldron. ¡°Tear him apart for me would you.¡± Marie said and grinned at Lenna with Isaac¡¯s signature half crazed, up to no good, definitely not a villain, grin.


    ¡°As you say, my Lord.¡± Lenna replied and gave Marie a curt nod. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to leave enough to bury.¡± She added coldly.


    Marie had to suppress a shiver. Shadows overtook her and that was her signal. She sprinted and ran up the arena wall. She transitioned into a vault over the top. She then cleared the fifty feet to Sera¡¯s box in a few leaps and flips up the stands without touching anyone. The stands were fairly packed. Few people had seen Lenna fight but the stories had gotten around. Marie sat in the guest seat next to Edward and the shadows faded revealing ¡®Isaac¡¯ to the onlookers.


    ¡°Get sidetracked?¡± Edward questioned. ¡®Isaac¡¯ had disappeared a good seven seconds before ¡®he¡¯ appeared in the seat.


    Marie shrugged. ¡°Something like that.¡± She told him but did not elaborate.


    Edward gave her a sidelong glance but didn¡¯t press. ¡°I know she¡¯s gotten stronger but I can¡¯t shake the feeling she is still going to end up fireballing both of them.¡± He confessed.


    Marie smirked. ¡°The fight would end too quickly that way. She promised to tear him apart. This fight will be a statement.¡± She explained with a certainty that instilled faith in her words.


    ¡°I feel bad for their mother.¡± Sera confided in them. ¡°Both of her sons are going to have been killed to prove a point.¡± Her face was a mask but the sadness was evident. With neither the real Isaac nor Lenna being present Sera was more confident in speaking her true feelings. The box stayed silent at her words.


    A moment later the announcer spoke from the middle of the arena: ¡°Eskahno Ravenborne, the platinum adventurer and leader of the Flame Ravens has challenged Lady Lenna V¡¯Nova, the platinum adventurer and companion to the one many of you know as the Lord of Darkness!¡± He gestured to both of them at the same time and they both stepped closer together so there was only a dozen feet between them. ¡°The rules are as follows: There are no rules!¡± At that the crowd went wild.


    The anticipation of watching a pair of platinum grade adventurers duel to the death was palpable. A blood sport rarely witnessed. There were few enough platinum level individuals that duels between them were rare and duels to the death were almost unheard of. It was clear to all of those present that the duel was personal.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you and then execute your master for killing my brother.¡± Esk told Lenna loudly enough that the acoustics of the arena carried his voice the entire way to the stands.


    ¡°He is not my master.¡± Lenna clarified just as loudly and with flint in her voice. ¡°And he is a demigod. There is no reason for him to stoop to your level.¡± She drew her sword. ¡°For your insult to his name, I will end you.¡± She explained and raised the tip of her blade to point directly at his face.


    Esk drew his sword and held it limply at his side. The blade of the sword was made of confined flames in the shape of a longsword. There were bits of steel held in place by reality magic where a blade should have been. His left hand twitched with anticipation of casting a spell. The announcer stepped back and prepared to run out of the potential line of fire. ¡°Champions! Engage!¡± He called and made a sprint for safety.


    Lenna¡¯s sword blazed with fire and death. Her aura blanketed the entire arena and stretched out into the stands. Enough death flames were also running through her body to cause the feeling of their presence to be projected just as far as her aura. The feeling of staring down the gaping maw of the entrance to depths of all nine hells permeated through almost everyone present. Lenna gave the feeling two seconds to settle in before she made her move. Esk was frozen for just as long.


    Sera swallowed hard as her blood ran cold. It was far less intense then when Isaac and Lenna had shown her earlier that day but it was still a feeling that she never wanted to feel again. It made her feel small and insignificant. It made her feel like an ant, who only had a few more days to live, watching a human¡¯s boot descend towards her.


    Edward¡¯s hand gripped his armrest tight enough that the wood groaned but otherwise the only evidence of him being affected was the slight strain in his face. Lucius was actively trembling but put on a strong front regardless. He had been exposed to magical fear a few times during his magic knight training but that had only been to warn them of its existence. He was nowhere near able to power through it like his uncle. Marie had a little trouble showing Isaac¡¯s signature grin at the show but she still did it well enough that no one noticed. Not that anyone was looking at anyone other than Lenna.

 Chapter 84 Ash.

    Chapter 84 Ash.


    Sand kicked up as Lenna launched towards Esk with all the speed and power at her disposal. She was going to crush him, mercilessly, until nothing short of a grand resurrection could bring him back. Part of that was Isaac¡¯s directive but the rest was the cold fury she still had towards the man. She had taken Esk calling Isaac a coward personally. She could understand calling him a demon, even if she didn¡¯t like it. He was powerful, terrifying, and played by his own rules. In Lenna¡¯s eyes Isaac was anything but a coward. Nothing scared him save for being in chains as far as she could tell. Even that seemed more like it was a soul deep trauma and not a natural fear. In that situation he had still refrained from breaking himself out of them for the sake of his own plan. No, Isaac was anything but a coward.


    Lenna closed the distance between herself and Esk in an instant. The human barely got his sword up in time to block but it didn¡¯t help him. Lenna¡¯s sword plowed through his guard and slammed into his shoulder. Death flames singed his skin through the armor and he winced in pain as he was almost driven to a knee from the hit. He tried to step to the side and bring his own sword down on her but her sword was pulled back and her shoulder slammed into him.


    Esk stumbled backward and gasped for air. Lenna¡¯s blade was racing towards him again when he barely got out a spell chant: ¡°Deflect!¡± He spoke in the language of magic and a small shard of reality caught Lenna¡¯s blade and redirected it away from the magical knight.


    Lenna didn¡¯t let up but continued to attack. Esk saw an opening and swung at her. She took the strike on the forearm and continued her relentless barrage of lethal heavy strikes. Esk called for shard after shard of reality to keep her at bay while he tried to counter attack. Even with his magic she was forcing him back across the arena one step at a time. Each one of his own attacks was taken with little effort to lessen their impacts. The only time Lenna even bothered to block an attack was if he went for her head and even then she usually used her left arm so her right arm could continue her onslaught.


    Esk was grunting and stumbling back even while casting shield after shield. After the first hit he realized that he was a dead man if she was actually ever to land a real attack on him. The plate rounding over the top of his shoulder was dented despite the double durability enchantments that were layered on his armor. He also could feel his sword pulling in more magic than usual right after their blades collided. Her strike was heavy enough to damage his legendary sword. He could also feel that she was passively burning mana to keep the pressure up on him. He secretly hoped that she would run out of mana before he did but he had no way of knowing if that would happen or not.


    Lenna was surprised at the human¡¯s ability to keep himself alive under her attacks. His attacks were lacking but she didn¡¯t feel like getting her bell rung so she blocked any attack heading towards her head but the rest of the attacks she just let her armor take. He didn¡¯t have enough behind each strike to do more than heat up her armor and fire was her thing.


    ¡°Deflect!¡± Esk called for the dozenth time. ¡°Let my flames consume all before me!¡± He chanted while taking another attack on his shoulder despite trying to block it. The magical shield only lasted for a few seconds. One second too short for him to finish the chant for the cone of fire spell.


    Lenna ignored the flames that Esk bathed her in and cut them off by relieving Esk of his left arm. The flames that were pouring out of its palm died out as the limb was taken by gravity away from his shoulder. Esk grit his teeth through the pain and tried to counter strike but Lenna caught his flaming sword with her gloved hand and brought her sword down in a vertical chop that cut off his other arm at the elbow. She slammed her shoulder into him again, tossing him half a dozen feet back. She stalked towards him and tossed his sword to the side.


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    The announcer started running towards Lenna and Esk. ¡°I-!¡± He was cut off by Lenna plunging her sword straight down through Esk¡¯s gut, rending magically enhanced steel and flesh alike. Esk would have let out a cry of pain but he had lost the ability to breathe from the pain that he was in. Lenna yanked her sword out of him and knelt down over him.


    ¡°Come forth,¡± Lenna began and put her finger in the hole that her sword had just made. ¡°Ember of a dying star.¡± She finished coldly. The bead of fire formed inside of the magical knight and tried to expand while in an enclosed structure.


    Lenna¡¯s finger broke from the explosion and her hand was forcefully tossed up. Her ears rang and she was glad that she turned her face away from the knight before the explosion went off. When she looked at his corpse there was little left of it. Well, that¡¯s not quite accurate. There was plenty of it left but none of it was in the same place.


    His armor was in a dozen pieces that were tossed around inside a twenty foot radius of the explosion point but there was blood and bits of flesh spread out over an area ten feet wider than that. ¡°I¡¯m going to use perdition.¡± Lenna said loud enough that she hoped Isaac heard.


    A hand was on her shoulder in an instant. ¡°No! Why?!¡¯ Isaac demanded.


    ¡°Just heal me.¡± Lenna told him and rose to her feet. She was going to burn the human bits off of her armor and add onto the image Isaac was having her create. She was supposed to be the embodiment of power and fire so she was going to show Safeharbor what that meant. ¡°I seek atonement for my sins,¡± Lenna began in a whisper and she could feel Isaac¡¯s frown as he spiked the amount of death flames that he was feeding into her body and backed away. ¡°I embrace perdition.¡±


    Lenna¡¯s body locked up but she refused to scream or drop to her knees. She only held the flames for two seconds before cutting them off. Her armor was uncomfortably hot but at least it wasn¡¯t burning her. Her vision was tilting and twisting but Isaac¡¯s familiar power was quickly cleansing her of all evidence of her most recent spell. Isaac had to start lowering the power feeding into Lenna as soon as he could because if the feeling of death got too strong it would upset the balance that they were maintaining with her aura. Lenna kept her sword covered in flames to hide Isaac¡¯s magic and simply stood there for a few long seconds. The arena was silent.


    ¡ª


    Sera was watching the duel at the edge of her seat. She knew that Lenna would be aggressive but the raw aggression and power that she was seeing was far beyond what she was expecting. It wasn¡¯t even a fight. It was a futile attempt at survival against an Innerworld, born and bred, monster. Crushing blow after crushing blow rang out as Eskahno was pushed back across the arena until finally he had hit Lenna with a cone of fire. Sera inhaled sharply as Lenna was briefly covered in fire but then her jaw dropped as Eskahno¡¯s arm hit the ground and the fire vanished. What followed was the end of the fight for survival. With both arms gone it was only a matter of time before Eskahno bled out on the ground. He hadn¡¯t had the chance.


    Sera gasped in horror as she watched Lenna plunge her sword into the dying man¡¯s stomach and then replace it with her fingers. She was shocked into silence when the body exploded. She felt sick to her stomach as the flesh, guts, and steel rained back down to the ground. ¡°I¡­ I wasn¡¯t expecting this.¡± Sera whispered with a look of horror, shock, and disgust.


    Everyone in the stands were silent after watching the explosion. It was a statement that the knight wasn¡¯t allowed to be resurrected. There wasn¡¯t anyone within nearly a thousand miles capable of bringing him back to life from that. Only a pope had the ability to cast a grand resurrection of that level and that ritual required a hundred thousand gold worth of resources. The shock only compounded when Lenna burst into flames for a moment. Once the flames were gone all of the blood and guts that had covered her were burned to ash and steam rose from her armor. Sera saw Edward wince from the seat next to her at the flames.


    Sera turned to look at him, only barely tearing her eyes off of the carnage in front of her. ¡°That wasn¡¯t about the boy was it?¡± Sera asked her brother.


    Edward wrinkled his nose slightly and frowned. ¡°No. That spell actually lit her on fire. Her armor has to be hot enough to cook on and her clothes are probably ash.¡± He explained.


    Lucius¡¯ eyes snapped to his uncle. ¡°What?! How can she stand?!¡± He looked to where ¡®Isaac¡¯ was sitting only to find the seat empty. A moment later a familiar figure appeared next to Lenna with a hand on her shoulder. Lucius switched his question to be directed at his mother.


    Sera was pale. Nothing had gone as she had expected. It was far, far worse. The barbarism was beyond what she expected from the noble Lady Lenna V¡¯Nova. It was crueler than what she expected from the benevolent villain known as Isaac Wexler. Sera could only hope that this was an extreme for them and that she hadn¡¯t made too big of a mistake allying herself with them. Only time would tell.

 Chapter 85 Lady of Hellfire.

    Chapter 85 Lady of Hellfire.


    Marie was standing behind Sera watching the arena. Isaac had placed a hand on her shoulder and told her to switch places. He sounded¡­ irritated. She did as she was told and he had appeared next to Lenna. ¡®This wasn¡¯t a duel. It was a public execution.¡¯ She thought to herself but could only frown. It wasn¡¯t the worst thing that she had seen but she had hoped that she could avoid such disregard for life by being Sera¡¯s bodyguard. She glanced at her old teammate and then at his sister. ¡®I hope you two didn¡¯t make a huge mistake.¡¯


    ¡ª


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t part of the plan.¡± Isaac chastised Lenna quietly.


    ¡°It was as messy as you wanted it.¡± Lenna replied evenly.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk more about this later.¡± He whispered. He took a deep breath. ¡°Lady Lenna V¡¯Nova, my Lady of Hellfire, congratulations.¡± He spoke in a deep voice while cloaked in shadows. The fire¡¯s wreathing Lenna¡¯s sword all faded away and she stowed her blade and gave Isaac a short bow. ¡°Your flames seemed to have had an impact on the mortals.¡±


    Lenna straightened. ¡°Indeed, my Lord of Darkness.¡± She agreed.


    ¡°Hellfire may have been more than that mortal deserved.¡± He spoke.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°He insulted your honor. I could not stand for it.¡± She explained.


    Isaac turned to face the announcer who was standing a good dozen paces away. ¡°Announce the winner.¡± Isaac ordered him.


    Isaac¡¯s words snapped the man out of his shock enough for him to do his job. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen! Lady Lenna V¡¯Nova!¡± He called out.


    ¡°The Lady of Hellfire.¡± Isaac added loud enough that the announcer could hear and get the message.


    ¡°The Lady of Hellfire!¡± The announcer added. The cheers were muted. The spectacle was not quite what any present had expected but it had still been a fight of powerhouses.


    Isaac and Lenna left the arena. They even left the legendary sword lying in the sand and blood. At the very least it could be sold for the man¡¯s funeral. There was a chance that the man¡¯s party members would sell it and pull their funds and be able to afford a resurrection. In all likelihood however it would be sold and the money used to keep his mother comfortable in her final days. After the loss the odds of her living much longer were low. An entire family was destroyed at the hands of Isaac and Lenna. A family that hadn¡¯t truly deserved to die for what they had done. They deserved punishment of course but death may have been a bit harsh. Especially to the mother who hadn¡¯t been directly involved at all.


    ¡ª


    Thomas faded into the crowd and was soon walking aimlessly in the general direction of the Safeharbor General Smithy. He rubbed his neck. ¡°I was really close to dying back then huh.¡± He whispered to himself. He remembered the time that he had followed Isaac and Lenna deep into the spider tunnels and heard some things that he shouldn¡¯t have. ¡°I¡¯m surprised he didn¡¯t use me as an example for the rest of the spies.¡± He had just realized what kind of people he was working with. ¡°At least I know the target won¡¯t survive to take revenge.¡± He grumbled while trying to look on the bright side, as dim as it was.


    ¡ª


    Eleonora pushed against Brick¡¯s side but only succeeded in pushing herself the other direction. ¡°Man she has gotten so much scarier.¡± She said with an excited giggle. ¡°One of these days I¡¯ll catch up, just you watch.¡± She said more to herself than her companions.


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    ¡°Keep dreaming, it¡¯ll help your progress.¡± Bartholomew replied without looking at her. He was still trying to figure out where that magic was coming from that made her seemingly immortal. If only he could ask the Lord of Darkness directly, his curiosity was killing him, but that might actually lead to his early grave.


    ¡°Shut up, Bart.¡± Eleonora shot back. ¡°It¡¯ll happen, just wait and watch.¡± Brick never talked much but he shook his head. He knew that there was no way the little human woman next to him would be able to beat the monster they had just seen in the arena. Eleonora squinted up at Brick. ¡°Don¡¯t you go doubting me too.¡±


    Bartholomew finally registered what she called him. ¡°It¡¯s Bartholomew, Bar-thol-o-mew.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Those two aren¡¯t like you or your mother.¡± Edward told his nephew. ¡°They do whatever they feel like they need to do, damn the consequences or the pain.¡± He shook his head. ¡°He is a villain who tends to do good and she is his weapon. If you are going to remember any one thing that I tell you; Do not make an enemy of them. I don¡¯t care what you do, who you have to hurt, or what city you have to burn.¡± Edward spoke with a hard look on his face. ¡°You won¡¯t survive otherwise. We¡¯ve invited a true monster into our city.¡±


    Lucius nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± He said meekly while walking next to Edward. His eyes found the back of his mother¡¯s head. She had been silent since they had left. He wondered if she was regretting her decisions or trying to find a way to make the most of the situation. Knowing her, she was going to find a way to turn it all into a good thing, somehow.


    ¡ª


    Lenna got right into the bath as soon as they had gotten home. Isaac closed and locked the door behind them. ¡°I thought I told you not to use that spell.¡± Isaac said coldly. She knew that he was actually angry at her. It was the only time he had ever actually been angry with her.


    ¡°You did.¡± Lenna replied but otherwise stayed silent.


    Isaac sighed deeply. ¡°Listen, Lenna.¡± Isaac began. ¡°I know this sounds hypocritical, but I don¡¯t want you to get hurt.¡± He ran his hands down his face. ¡°We are elbows deep in blood and we fight for a living but there are some things that are avoidable.¡± He continued. ¡°Cone of fire would have been enough to get rid of most of his body. The fireball was overkill. The broken finger was avoidable.¡± He collapsed onto the bed and stayed silent for a long moment. ¡°Perdition to burn off the gore? Really?¡± He huffed


    Lenna didn¡¯t answer for a long moment. ¡°I understand.¡± She replied with a softer voice than usual.


    Isaac got up and walked over to her. He didn¡¯t seem to notice the fact that she was in the bath. He put a hand on her shoulder and turned her face to face him with his other hand. He smiled both lovingly and sadly. ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt yourself any more than truly necessary.¡± He pleaded. ¡°It hurts me to see you in pain. Sometimes it is necessary and I accept that but¡­¡± His voice trailed off.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± She acknowledged and put her hand over the hand that was on her cheek. ¡°I¡¯ll be more careful.¡± She promised.


    Isaac¡¯s smile lost some of its sadness and got a bit warmer. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. ¡°Thank you.¡± He told her with his lips still pressed against her. He leaned back so their eyes could meet. ¡°I love you.¡± He told her.


    Lenna smiled back. ¡°I love you too.¡±


    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª


    Inventory


    Isaac¡¯s Inventory (46.8/60)lbs


    - 100 Platinum Coins     2lbs


    - 50 Gold Coins     1lb


    - 50 Electrum/Silver/Copper Coins (Assortment)     1lb


    - Potion of Healing     0.5lbs


    - Potion of Antivenom     0.5lbs


    - 2 Days Water     9lbs


    - 2 Days Food     10lbs + 2lbs(Container)


    - 1 Change of Clothes (Isaac)     1lb


    - Weird Box     2lbs


    - Magic Lantern     2lbs


    - Compass that Always Points Towards Civilization    1lb


    - 8 Throwing Spikes     4lbs


    - Lenna¡¯s Backup Longsword     3.2lbs


    - Straight Sword (Magically enhanced)     2.6lbs


    - Backup Shortsword     2.6lbs


    - Backup Dagger     1lb


    - Self-cleaning Rag     0.2lbs


    - Toothbrush     0.2lbs


    - Vial of Soap     0.5lbs


    - Sending Stone #1 0.5lbs


    Lenna''s Bottomless Bag (139.4/500)lbs


    - 10 Of Each Coin    1lb


    - 2 Changes of Under Armor (Lenna)     1lb


    - 1 Change of Clothes (Isaac)     1lb


    - 8 Days Water     36lbs


    - 8 Days Food     40lbs + 4lbs(ContainerX2)


    - 2 Bedrolls     14lbs


    - 2 Blankets     6lbs


    - 20 Pitons     2lbs


    - 2 Throwing Spikes     1lb


    - 1 Dagger     1lb


    - 3 Potions Of Healing    1.5lbs


    - Potion of Antivenom     0.5lbs


    - Scroll of Cone of Flames     0.2lbs


    - 4 Scrolls of Shroud     0.8lbs


    - 2 Sets of Climbing Spikes     6lbs


    - 2 Lengths of Rope (50ft)     20lbs


    - Small Hammer     2lbs


    - Toothbrush     0.2lbs


    - Vial of soap     0.5lbs


    - Woman''s Products     0.2lbs


    - Sending Stone #2     0.5lbs

 Interlude 4

    Interlude 4


    ¡°This is a good place to stop.¡± The Lord of Darkness spoke calmly with a warm reminiscent smile still on his face.


    Amaranth set her pen down and rubbed her writing hand with her other one. ¡°What about Mr. Nobody?¡± She questioned.


    Isaac waved her off. ¡°That was far more complicated than what I told you when you were little.¡± He explained and then nodded towards the door. ¡°Besides, someone is here to see you.¡± His statement was punctuated by rapid small steps getting louder as they approached at what sounded like a sprint. The rapid steps suddenly tried to stop and a small weight impacted the door. The impact was followed by a little girl¡¯s giggle and another set of footsteps became audible.


    There were some muffled voices outside the door before Amaranth¡¯s door was thrown open and a blur of cherry red hair and stone gray skin in a cherry red dress threw herself at the still seated Amaranth. ¡°Sissy!¡± The little girl yelled while airborne.


    Amaranth barely caught the little bundle of giggles and despite some of the wind getting knocked out of her she was glad that she wasn¡¯t in her armor. ¡°Oof.¡± Amaranth grunted at the impact. She turned the girl and sat her on her lap so they could look eye to eye. ¡°Hello Celeste. I missed you.¡±


    The little girl¡¯s blazing red eyes widened slightly before falling along with her smile. ¡°Did, did I do something wrong?¡± She asked meekly.


    Amaranth looked at her sister with a confused look on her face. ¡°No. I do not think so. Why?¡± She questioned and gently caressed the side of the little girl¡¯s face.


    ¡°Mummy only calls me Celeste when I¡¯m in trouble.¡± The little one said in a voice barely louder than a whisper.


    Amaranth chuckled. ¡°No silly, I called you Celeste because it is your name.¡± She tickled her sister¡¯s sides and the little one started to squirm and kick while giggling. ¡°Would you prefer if I only called you Cel?¡± She asked and stopped her tickling.


    Little Celeste looked to think far too hard about her answer for a long moment. ¡°No. It¡¯s okay.¡± She eventually told her sister. ¡°You can call me Celeste.¡±


    Amaranth smiled brightly. ¡°I thank you Lady Celeste for the honor.¡± She replied and bowed her head.


    Celeste giggled and pushed her sister¡¯s head back up by her forehead. ¡°Are you done with helping daddy?¡± She asked with wide expectant eyes.


    Amaranth wrinkled her nose and poked Celeste¡¯s. ¡°For now. We will have more to write later but we found a good place to stop.¡± She explained.


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    ¡°So you can play with me?¡± Celeste asked with ever widening eyes.


    Amaranth chuckled and rose to her feet while transitioning Celeste from her lap to her hip. ¡°For a little while. I still have work to do but we can play for a while.¡± She assured the little one. She looked up and saw her mother¡¯s warm smile watching the two of them. ¡°Hello mother.¡±


    ¡°Ama, you should visit more.¡± Lenna chastised but her warm smile never dimmed. ¡°Don¡¯t let your father hold you hostage for too long at a time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not holding her hostage.¡± Isaac replied with an amused smirk. ¡°I can hold you hostage for a while though if Ama is going to watch Cel.¡±


    ¡°Father!¡± Amaranth snapped. ¡°Celeste and I are right here. Go flirt somewhere else.¡±


    Isaac rose to his feet and Lenna walked over to him. ¡°Maybe I will.¡± He replied and an orb of shadows formed around the two of them before collapsing in on itself leaving only Amaranth and Celeste in the room.


    It was then that Amaranth realized the precarious situation that she had just found herself in. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the yard to play Celeste.¡± She told her sister and left her office with haste. Once she was a few dozen steps away from the very flammable paper that she had just spent the last, far too many, days writing on she breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°You are doing good Celeste. Your practice on keeping your fire inside is going very well.¡± She complimented the little inferno sitting on her hip.


    ¡°Thanks!¡± Celeste cheered. ¡°Daddy¡¯s been teaching me.¡± She explained. Isaac had been in two places at once the entire time that they were writing down his story. He had been teaching Celeste to control the absurd amount of fire power flowing through her mana pathways and recounting old conversations and battles with Amaranth without either daughter being any wiser of his split attention.


    They were most of the way to the yard when Celeste looked like she had to sneeze. ¡®Oh no.¡¯ Amaranth thought. ¡°Hold your breath Cele-¡± Her voice was cut off by an abrupt blast of fire in her face. It was hot enough that her defensive enchantment activated and a handful of dinner plate sized shards of reality formed to direct the flames away from her.


    Celeste rubbed her nose and then noticed the reality shields. She looked around and saw the painting that had just burst into flames right next to them. ¡°Oops.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Thanks for watching Cel.¡± Isaac said as he carefully received the sleeping phoenix in half elf skin.


    Amaranth smiled as she took a step back after the trade off. ¡°She only had one accident.¡± She explained but there was a very high probability that Isaac was already aware. ¡°She fell asleep as soon as her hair turned gray, just like you said.¡±


    Isaac nodded and shifted the sleeping bundle slightly. ¡°She¡¯s just like me; mana exhaustion only lasts a few seconds, just long enough for her to pass out.¡± He explained.


    ¡°I do have a question about her biology.¡± Amaranth began. ¡°Why do her hair and eyes change color with how much mana she has in reserve?¡±


    ¡°As far as I can tell it is the simplest answer.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°She only takes in red mana so that is the only color they could change to. As to the exact reason her hair and eyes can even change color? I doubt we¡¯ll ever know.¡±


    ¡°So it really is just a magical mutation then?¡± Amaranth asked rhetorically.


    ¡°I think so.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°We are going to go on a trip for the next few weeks, visit a few of our old battlefields with Cel. If you need anything, well, I¡¯ll know.¡±


    Amaranth nodded. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll have Claus step up patrols while you are gone.¡± She responded.


    ¡°Thanks but that¡¯s not necessary. My shadows do most of the work themselves anyway.¡± Isaac reminded her and then turned to leave. As he turned shadows reached up from the ground into the rough shape of a door. Amaranth felt the ludicrous amount of power flowing through Isaac as he reached his hand into the door and pulled to the side. A sliver opened up but what could be seen was not the other side of Amaranth¡¯s yard but instead was Celeste¡¯s bedroom. He walked through the opening, through the space only shadows reside in and was gone, without saying goodbye of course.


    Amaranth stretched and headed back inside. She had a mountain of paperwork to handle, a husband to spend time with, and a new spell to make. She needed something to keep Celeste from torching another painting. ¡°Well, looks like I will be busy until father returns for volume three. I wonder what he¡¯ll name it?¡±

 Darkness and Hellfire Volume Three: Interlude 5

    Interlude 5


    ¡°Ready for round three?¡± A familiar voice resounded from a few feet behind Amaranth.


    The silver hair, silver eyed, pale skinned half elf turned around to see¡­ nothing. ¡°Yes.¡± She told the voice. Her shadow grew darker than a pool of ink for a moment before a man materialized in front of her with a step. ¡°How was your vacation?¡±


    The man turned around to face her, his void black hair not moving in the slightest with the motion, it was almost uncanny. His silver eyes met hers. ¡°More like a field trip but I think Cel had fun.¡± He replied. ¡°Rested up?¡±


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    Amaranth shook her head. ¡°There is no such thing. Always more work to do.¡± She explained. Before she had even finished a wave of power washed through her removing any exhaustion that had built up. ¡°I believe I am ready for another stint.¡±


    ¡°You need an assistant.¡± Her father told her. ¡°It¡¯s not good to work too much.¡±


    Amaranth frowned. ¡°I will not shove my duties off onto someone else.¡± She replied evenly.


    He waved her off. ¡°It¡¯s your time.¡± He conceded. ¡°Come on, we have more volumes to write.¡±


    ¡°You mean I have more volumes to write.¡± She countered.


    He waved her off again. ¡°Sure, sure.¡± He took his seat and crossed his legs so his left ankle was resting on his right knee. He leaned to the side and set his left elbow on the armrest and propped his cheek on his fist. Amaranth took her seat and readied her pen and a fresh sheet of paper. ¡°Ready, oh great writer of words?¡± He asked.


    ¡°When you are, oh great ¡®Lord of all that is dark¡¯.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Good.¡± He spoke with some of his divine right to rule leaking out in the word and a grin. ¡°Then let us begin.¡±

 Chapter 1 First?

    Chapter 1 First?


    It was late morning the day after the Lady of Hellfire¡¯s debut before any mortal living or dead witnessed either she or her lover. They were both seen together as they casually descended the stairs, into the tavern area of the Celestial Dawn, as if nothing had happened the day prior. ¡°Good morning.¡± Celeste greeted them with a deep nod and then went back to serving the patron that she was previously engaged with.


    ¡°Morning.¡± Isaac replied with a yawn while covering his mouth.


    ¡°Good morning.¡± Lenna spoke politely.


    Celeste wrapped up what she was doing and then met the duo at their seats at her bar. ¡°Congratulations.¡± She told Lenna with a smile that was only slightly forced. It was clear that she was happy that Lenna won but there were also a lot of other emotions at war behind that smile.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Lenna replied with a smile but she noticed the complex emotions hidden behind the sorceress¡¯ smile. ¡°Did you know him?¡±


    Celeste nodded to the waitress and gestured at Isaac and Lenna. The waitress nodded back and moved to bring them what was left of the breakfast from earlier that morning. ¡°I did.¡± Celeste answered honestly. ¡°His brother was always a pain, awful child. Honestly, when you killed him I was almost glad that I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with him anymore.¡± As she spoke she looked at Isaac to make it clear that she was referencing the man that Isaac had killed in her tavern. ¡°But Eskahno was a good lad.¡± She continued and looked down into the old, scared, oak bar. It looked as though she was trying to see the distant past by gazing through the old wood.


    ¡°I see.¡± Lenna eventually replied. A moment later the waitress arrived with their food so the conversation was put on hold momentarily.


    Once the waitress was gone Celeste gave Lenna a sad smile. ¡°I understand what you did and why, at least I think I do, so I will not fault you for killing the boy.¡± She told Lenna honestly. ¡°I just wish it didn¡¯t happen.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± She took a sip of her cheap mead that probably wouldn¡¯t even be considered alcoholic in most places. ¡°I wish it didn¡¯t have to happen too.¡±


    Isaac had been unusually quiet but at that he put his hand on Lenna¡¯s shoulder. ¡°He might not stay dead.¡± He told the women. ¡°Be ready for either outcome. Regardless of what happens the rumors of that fight will spread like wildfire and that is what is important. Less people will be willing to pick a fight with you after what happened. He was a sacrifice to ensure that more would learn from his mistake.¡± He explained. He didn¡¯t want either of them to be too broken up about the death of the adventurer but he didn¡¯t really know how to go about consoling them.


    Lenna took a deep breath and then huffed it out quickly with a nod. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± She replied with new found resolve. ¡°We also have a job to do that won¡¯t welcome distractions.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Celeste asked. ¡°What job?¡±


    Isaac grinned impishly. ¡°A top secret one.¡±


    ¡°Uh-hu.¡± Celeste replied like the response was well practiced from raising her own son.


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    Isaac laughed heartily. ¡°Honestly though it would be best if you waited to find out until we were done.¡± He told her. ¡°All that matters is that we are going to be very busy over the next few days.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°With everything your spy has told us I think that it might be a good idea to sit this one out.¡± Aria told Isaac honestly. ¡°I know that is pretty rude of me considering I dragged you into this mess but this became much worse much too fast.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°That is probably a good idea.¡± He told her. Conversation paused as Lenna¡¯s aura flared quickly before resettling. ¡°Scrying again?¡± He asked her. Lenna nodded in reply. ¡°I really don¡¯t like not knowing who is trying to watch you. I like it even less because they obviously don¡¯t care about being subtle about it.¡±


    ¡°You two are still being watched?¡± Aria asked and looked around. They were in Aria and Claus¡¯s room in the inn that they were staying at so there were no others present. ¡°I think that this is way beyond what Claus and I can handle.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Will you two stay here or head back with the next caravan?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll head back and wait for you at Ben¡¯s End for a while. It should be far enough from this craziness that we won¡¯t be caught in the crossfire but close enough that we can still keep an eye on the goods Lisa has been stealing.¡± Aria explained her plan.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°That works. Once we figure out this whole mess and clean it up we¡¯ll sprint to Ben¡¯s End. We are going to have to be fast if we want to catch Lisa before she knows about what is going on.¡± He frowned and rubbed his chin in thought. ¡°It would be better if some of our allies here could deal with Mr. Nobody directly while we cut off the other head of the snake.¡±


    ¡°We might not get the bonus if that is the case.¡± Lenna warned. ¡°But I agree. I do not like the idea of you walking into a hostile wizard tower.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t either but I¡¯ll reserve that choice for once we learn more about the target.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°Well, this¡¯ll be the last time we see each other until Ben¡¯s End.¡± Isaac told Aria and Claus. ¡°The less contact we have the less of a chance there is for the enemy to realize what is going on.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Aria replied. ¡°Take care of yourselves.¡± She told them before looking pointedly at Lenna. ¡°Take care of your idiot.¡± She told the other woman.


    Lenna¡¯s neutral face turned into a frown. ¡°He¡¯s not an idiot.¡± She countered. ¡°But you needn''t worry. I will ensure my mate¡¯s safety.¡±


    The two elvish women stared off against each other for a tense moment before Isaac just decided to ignore both of them and offered his hand to Claus who¡¯s grin just kept widening at the rising tension between the women. ¡°Keep her out of trouble, big guy.¡± Isaac told the massive warrior.


    ¡°No promises.¡± Claus replied with a big smile while his hand enveloped Isaac¡¯s offered one. The two men shook and that seemed to be the women¡¯s que to back off. Claus gave Lenna a nod but otherwise didn¡¯t say anything to her.


    ¡°Be careful.¡± Isaac told Claus and Aria as he headed towards the door. Lenna followed him.


    ¡°You too.¡± Aria replied.


    ¡°Unfortunately I can¡¯t teleport with Lenna so we¡¯ll be using the door.¡± Isaac finished and did just that.


    Aria rolled her eyes. ¡°Oh the horror, a normal exit.¡±


    ¡ª


    Thomas met Isaac and Lenna in an alley near James¡¯ house. Isaac then made all three of them invisible and they hurried inside before Isaac¡¯s mana ran out. Isaac¡¯s reserves were low but not empty by the time they entered so he played it off like nothing was amiss, especially in front of James. The only reason James had to stay in Isaac¡¯s service was the imaginary brand on his brother¡¯s soul. The trio appeared without fanfare and James jumped. He and his brother were in the middle of a late lunch while playing cards. ¡°Hey boss.¡± James croaked out while pounding his chest to try and dislodge the food he accidentally inhaled.


    ¡°Boys.¡± Isaac greeted them and took a seat at their table. Lenna stood behind him and nodded for Thomas to take the other seat. Usually Isaac would have just made himself a seat out of shadows to make up for the short number of chairs but he was going to start being much more cautious about when and where he used mana that others could feel. When he went invisible both he and his mana became undetectable but making a chair, which could be felt from a block away, could end up causing a problem.


    James downed his drink and finally dislodged the parcel. Lenny nodded towards Thomas. ¡°Who¡¯s the new guy?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Doesn''t matter.¡± Thomas explained. ¡°Once we leave, you never met me.¡±


    Lenny nodded. ¡°I take it this is about Mr. Nobody then?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Let¡¯s consolidate information. As of now us five are the only ones involved with this job.¡± His eyes met the three rogues at the table. ¡°You¡¯ll all get a bonus depending on how well this goes and how deep this spider web conspiracy reaches. Remember, this job is actually dangerous. As of right now you all need to be a hundred times more careful than you usually are. Now, who wants to go first?¡±

 Chapter 2 Marching Orders.

    Chapter 2 Marching Orders.


    ¡°I feel like this is going to just be me briefing the rest of you so I¡¯ll go first.¡± Thomas replied and pulled out a small pocket journal and opened it to a seemingly random page towards the middle. ¡°After the recent crackdowns the money drop locations have dropped down to ten. From what I can tell only three of them are actually connected to Mr. Nobody. The other seven are just random businesses that happen to be in a good drop location.¡± Thomas opened the book wide and set it on the table. ¡°Safeharbor General Smithy of course, Tic¡¯s Trinkets, and Westly¡¯s Westside Bar.¡±


    ¡°How can you tell?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Tic, the owner of Tic¡¯s Trinkets, is Sary Smith¡¯s cousin and Westly¡¯s brother.¡± Thomas explained. ¡°Sary Smith is the wife of Ricard Smith, the owner of Safeharbor General Smithy. None of the other places have any kind of connection. Not even similar patrons. Often workers from those businesses are patrons at the others which by itself wouldn¡¯t be that suspicious but considering the bigger picture it¡¯s enough evidence to hit all three of them at the same time. Assuming, of course, that you can get concrete evidence of organized crime.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s also assuming I don¡¯t just dismantle them myself.¡± Isaac cut in.


    ¡°Naturally.¡± Thomas replied, not at all surprised at Isaac¡¯s potential course of action. ¡°Additionally, some of the workers turned patrons will show up with a satchel and leave without it or vice versa. I have a feeling those satchels are bottomless bags.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good way to move a large amount of coin at least.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°But what about people? There is some kind of connection between Mr. Nobody and that mortal trafficking ring. One of the arrested guys from that ring confessed to doing business with him but each time he had a different face.¡± Isaac frowned. ¡°The report also said that no one else had any more information than that.¡± He pulled out the report from Izen and tossed it on the table. ¡°One of the leaders seemed to have had his memory tampered with at some point but that isn¡¯t really that strange in their line of work.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not surprising.¡± Thomas replied. ¡°As for moving people, my guess is a mixture of sleep spells and Invisibility. It makes the most sense. They aren¡¯t moving more than a few people at a time. That was what the mortal traffickers were doing. Mr. Nobody doesn¡¯t have a reason to move more than a family at a time.¡±


    ¡°How hard are magic items that can cast Invisibility to get?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Hard.¡± James finally entered the conversation. ¡°You have to steal them. The government tracks who owns them.¡±


    Isaac nodded with a contemplative look on his face. ¡°The wizard theory is holding more and more weight by the day.¡± He spoke more to himself than the rest of those present.


    ¡°So these three shops,¡± James asked. ¡°anything special about them? I recognize two of the three are fences but I''ve never heard of the bar.¡±


    ¡°You hit the nail on the head.¡± Thomas replied. ¡°The bar is a meeting place for the tired and desperate. No one of any importance goes there, ever. It¡¯s suspicious.¡± He tapped his finger on the bar¡¯s name with a frown. ¡°No gang members, no thieves¡¯ or assassins¡¯ guild members either. It¡¯s eerily quiet.¡±


    ¡°Well, we know that the smithy is working with the smithy in Ben¡¯s End to fence stolen weapons. I could interrogate someone from there and see if they spill anything juicy.¡± Isaac offered. ¡°But once that happens we¡¯ll be on a tight timer.¡± He rubbed his chin in thought. ¡°There is also the decision of whether to handle it with or without Izen.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Thomas asked. ¡°I thought you were going to get money out of the duke for this?¡±


    ¡°Oh I will, but cleaning it up without him and then sending him the bill would be much more satisfying.¡± Isaac explained.


    James looked between them. ¡°We could stake out each place and see what we find. Meet back up somewhere afterwards?¡± He offered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take Westly¡¯s.¡± Thomas agreed. ¡°I am best at working alone and blending in with the common folk.¡± He nodded towards James. ¡°You are obviously a gang member so showing up at Tic¡¯s to try and fence some random ¡®acquired¡¯ treasures would be normal.¡±


    ¡°The real question is how heavy handed I should be for information with the Smiths.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°I¡¯m also afraid of one of these locations having a whole wizard tower packed inside of it. I¡¯m not a fan of my odds if I get caught in some elaborate trap array let alone you guys.¡±


    Thomas nodded. ¡°I won¡¯t be going any deeper than a stool at the bar.¡± He assured him.


    ¡°Lenny can hang around outside and I¡¯ll go in to check it out by getting rid of some, shall we say, ¡®discarded¡¯ jewelry I¡¯ve come across.¡± James added.


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    ¡°Lenna, I¡¯ll send you in to order some caltrops and maybe a ranged weapon.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°What kind do you want?¡±


    ¡°I prefer a recurve bow. I doubt they¡¯d have those.¡± She replied. ¡°Maybe specialty arrowheads?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Good enough.¡± He looked between everyone at the table. ¡°You have your marching orders. Let¡¯s get to work.¡±


    ¡ª


    Lenny watched his brother slink into Tic¡¯s Trinkets from an alley across the street. It was dark enough that no one would notice him and even if they did it wouldn¡¯t matter. Not only was the area too dark to make out any details but even if they did he had no delusions of having an outstanding face. Once inside the pawn shop Lenny lost sight of James. There was an area just inside the door that couldn¡¯t be seen from the street. The streetside wall of the shop was a series of large windows that tried to give the illusion of one massive one. It was cheaper to order smaller windows and arrange them in such a manner. Lenny had seen it countless times before.


    He watched as his brother walked up to the counter and met an older man. He looked human but it was hard to tell at that distance. His graying brown hair put him around forty to fifty and his build was nothing worth remembering. Even from across the street Lenny felt he was slimy. Once the transaction was done and James had pocketed the coin he leaned up against the counter and started chatting with the clerk. ¡°Shit, James, just leave. The longer you are there the higher the chance he figures out something is wrong.¡± Lenny whispered to himself.


    He continued to watch for a few minutes until James turned to leave. He walked to the door and Lenny lost sight of him. A few seconds went by and Lenny didn¡¯t see anything. ¡°Did he get caught talking again? Damn old men.¡± He grumbled and waited. Ten seconds turned to twenty and then a minute. ¡°Come on you bastard.¡± A minute turned to two. A bad feeling started creeping up inside of Lenny¡¯s chest. ¡°I¡¯ll give him two more minutes and then I¡¯ll go look.¡± He whispered to himself. ¡°He better not have gotten caught.¡±


    ¡ª


    Thomas walked into the old hole-in-the-wall known as Westly¡¯s Westside Bar. The door he entered through was old and thick. The iron hinges creaked like they were trying to announce his presence to the entire neighborhood. The bar only had one exterior window and it was made of four one foot by one foot panels, only large enough to prove that they were open via the soft glow from the lights inside. Half a dozen pairs of eyes locked onto him as he entered and let the door close behind him. The door was mounted at a slight angle so gravity would help it close. Gravity only helped so much. Thomas had to nudge it in the right direction for it to start closing.


    The door closed and half of the onlookers turned back to their drinks. The bar was eerily quiet. Not a soul was seated close to another save for the pair sitting at the bar who had most likely been in conversation with the bar keep before Thomas arrived. Thomas¡¯s face was a mask of depression and weariness. His posture mirrored this as he moved towards the bar. His feet dragged slightly as he shuffled up to the bar. He collapsed into an open barstool four stools away from the nearest other patron. He stuffed his hand in his pocket and his expression only saddened further. He pulled out a few coins and set them on the bar. He moved them into two piles. One silver coin and three copper ones. He sighed deeply and then finally looked up to the bar keep who had moved to be equidistant from both him and the pair sitting on the other side of the bar from him.


    ¡°Something strong and¡­¡± He glanced down at his meager amount of coinage resting in front of him. ¡°Cheap.¡±


    The bartender nodded and reached under the bar for a bottle that looked a little old and was half empty. He set the glass that he had been polishing next to Thomas and rested the bottle next to it. He took the silver coin and nodded to Thomas. ¡°Cheap and strong.¡± He told Thomas. The barkeep was around ten years older than Thomas and had a full beard that was nearly as gray as his hair. The beard had managed to maintain a few brown squiggles here and there. His hair was thinning on top but that only made him look more scraggly. He was a bit thicker built than Thomas but he didn¡¯t look like a proper fighter, it was more like he had experience being his own bouncer.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Thomas replied and seemed to focus his full attention on the bottle as he poured enough into his glass that it nearly overflowed. He picked up, only splashing a little off the rim, and gulped it down like it was water. He, not so gently, set the glass back on the table and refilled it just as much.


    ¡°Slow down friend.¡± The barkeep told him. ¡°I don¡¯t want you losing it all on my bar.¡± The words were a little harsh but there was no bite in his gruff voice. Thomas nodded absently and took a more measured mouthful of his drink. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you around before.¡±


    Thomas wearily shook his head. ¡°No.¡± He spoke only a little louder than a whisper. That was loud enough that everyone in the bar heard him as the place was still eerily quiet.


    ¡°Down on your luck?¡± The barkeep asked.


    Thomas noticed the barkeep''s hand twitch slightly and fingers tap on the fresh glass in his hand at an irregular rhythm. He pretended not to notice. ¡°Somethin¡¯ like that.¡± He conceded with a slight nod. Thomas could feel the alcohol loosening him up and let himself sink even deeper into the bar. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do anymore.¡± He opened up. ¡°I¡¯ve got nobody after¡­ after¡­¡± His voice started to strain and he gave up on finishing his sentence. He drained the rest of his glass before pushing it away from him and just grabbing the bottle.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen that look before.¡± The barkeep told him sympathetically. ¡°Listen friend, as long as you¡¯re alive it ain¡¯t over.¡± He encouraged the drunken wanderer at his bar.


    ¡°What do I do now?¡± He asked almost pleadingly. ¡°No more job, no more family, maybe I should just let the rats have me.¡± He spoke in a voice that seemed more to himself than anyone else. ¡°Then at least I¡¯d be useful to somethin¡¯.¡±


    The barkeep leaned on the bar close to Thomas. ¡°If it¡¯s bein¡¯ useful you need, friend, there is plenty of work to be had.¡± He explained. ¡°Plenty of people need runners or lookouts downtown. No one would fault you for livin a life like that and it¡¯d be helpin¡¯ folks.¡±


    Thomas didn¡¯t look convinced. ¡°Only thing I was good at was drivin¡¯ a carriage.¡± He stared deep into the bottle. ¡°Can¡¯t even do that anymore.¡± He grumbled in a whisper loud enough for the barkeep to hear.


    ¡°I know someone who could use a carriage driver.¡± The barkeep replied. ¡°They don¡¯t ask questions as long as you can drive.¡± He gave Thomas a smile that was obviously faked but tried to come off as well intentioned. ¡°It¡¯d be doin¡¯ my friend a great service.¡± He assured Thomas. ¡°What¡¯s your name, friend?¡±


    ¡°Edger.¡± Thomas replied naturally and looked up at the barkeep with the slightest sliver of hope in his eyes. ¡°Would it really help your friend?¡± He asked like a man who just needed to be needed by someone.


    The barkeep nodded. ¡°If you come by tomorrow I¡¯ll introduce you.¡± He assured Thomas.


    Thomas nodded with a smidgin of enthusiasm but plenty of lethargy and a bit of a drunken sway. He moved to get up and staggered. He gripped the bar with one hand and used the bottle to press against a nearby barstool to keep himself from falling over. ¡°I¡¯ll be ¡®ere.¡± He promised. ¡°Thanks Jim.¡± He told the barkeep with a slightly slurred and a bit muted smile.


    The barkeep raised an eyebrow. ¡°My name¡¯s not Jim.¡± He told the drunken man. ¡°It¡¯s Westly. Didn¡¯t you read the sign before you came in?¡±


    Thomas looked at him with some confusion and a slight sway. ¡°What sign?¡± He asked and tipped backwards slightly. He shuffled his one foot back a bit to keep himself from falling over.


    The barkeep shook his head. ¡°Maybe you should rest in the corner for a bit.¡± He offered Thomas.


    Thomas shook his head a bit too much and staggered again. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± He said and drug out the final word with an exaggerated wave of his hand with the bottle in it. He started staggering, swaying, and shuffling his way towards the door.


    ¡°No friend.¡± The barkeep said. ¡°I insist you sleep some of this off.¡±


    At the barkeep¡¯s words Thomas felt himself getting drowsy. ¡®Shit.¡¯ He swore internally. ¡®Sleeping magic.¡¯

 Chapter 3 An Awful Idea.

    Chapter 3 An Awful Idea.


    Thomas had a choice to make. Let the sleeping magic take him and hope they didn¡¯t search him while he was asleep or down the Wakening potion he had hidden in his coat. He had a split second to decide before the spell made the decision for him. He knew that someone would try to at least find a form of identification on him once he was out cold. He also knew that if they went searching through his clothes they would find a lot of things that no caravanner would have on their person. ¡®Well, that makes that decision for me.¡¯ He grumbled internally and lurched forwards drunkenly and ¡®spilled¡¯ the contents of the bottle on the floor.


    In one quick and smooth motion Thomas slipped the Wakening potion out of the pocket on the inside of his coat and flicked the cap off. He took a large step forwards while tipping it back and swallowing it. All signs of drunkenness were gone. The potion of poison resistance he drank before entering had made sure the drunkenness would be purely a show. The drink he spilled on himself before entering made sure that he wouldn¡¯t need to drink too much before a truly drunken state would seem realistic. ¡°Get him!¡± A voice yelled from behind Thomas.


    ¡®Time to play.¡¯ Thomas thought to himself and threw the now empty bottle at the first of the patrons to move. Thomas lunged and jumped on top of the table that was between him and the door. He made it across two more tables before he ducked to the side. He heard a sound that reminded him of someone bracing a crossbow. The sound of wood sliding on cloth into place and slight clink of gravity affecting the internal metal parts tipped him off. The slight rattle of wood in a metal track only assured him of its presence. The fletching of the crossbow bolt left a tiny cut on the edge of Thomas¡¯s ear as it flew past him before lodging itself in the old wooden door. ¡®That was close.¡¯


    Him ducking to the side to avoid the bolt made the table he was on tip to the side. He deftly shoved off the still falling table and landed on his feet in a run. He was almost to the door. Once outside they wouldn¡¯t be able to chase him. One ¡®patron¡¯ made it to the door before him. Thomas ducked under the man¡¯s right hook and shouldered him into the door before grabbing his shirt and shoving him out of the way. Thomas could hear the rest of the ¡®patrons¡¯ chasing after him. He grabbed the door handle and pushed. The door didn¡¯t budge. ¡®Shit.¡¯ He grumbled internally.


    Thomas reached into his coat with his left hand and turned to face the incoming gang while throwing the three throwing spikes that were hidden inside. One would have struck true but the burly man it was aimed at ended up catching it with his palm. The spike almost passed completely through, almost. The second missed everyone and lodged itself into the bar while the third punched into a smaller man¡¯s shoulder. Thomas now faced the gang with his back to door and held up his hands. ¡°Now just wait a moment fellas.¡± He spoke and swallowed hard. The odds were not in his favor. One against eight. One of the eight had a spike in his hand, one had a spike in his shoulder, one was pushing himself up off the ground a few feet to Thomas¡¯s side, the barkeep was reloading his crossbow and the others formed a ring around him. ¡®Why did I sign up for this?¡¯ Thomas grumbled internally.


    ¡°Just come quietly Edger.¡± One of the closest men told Thomas. ¡°We just want to know who sent you.¡± He was lying. Thomas could read everyone he met like a book. Even Isaac to some extent. The man that spoke had every intention of killing him once he wrung out any information the spy had.


    ¡°The guy that hired me will know it was you that got me regardless. Just let me go and you all can get going before he shows up. You¡¯ll have a nice head start.¡± Thomas promised. ¡°Killing me won¡¯t make a difference either way.¡± He assured them. ¡°All of us can walk out of this.¡±


    The barkeep finished reloading his crossbow and leveled it at Thomas. The man that Thomas had knocked down had joined the ring forming around him along with the two with throwing spikes sticking out of them. The fact that neither of the injured men removed the spikes spoke volumes of their training. The crossbow twanged and Thomas shifted to the side. The bolt hit his vest and ricocheted off the magically reinforced fabric and hit the door. ¡®I¡¯ll take that as a no.¡¯ Thomas thought to himself and took the group¡¯s moment of surprise to reach into his right sleeve with his left hand and draw his push dagger. He grabbed another set of three throwing spikes out of the left side of his coat with his right hand and met the first guy to lunge with his push dagger.


    Stolen story; please report.


    ¡ª


    ¡°We¡­ could have¡­ all¡­ walked out of this.¡± Thomas told the remaining gang members between deep labored breaths. He had a bolt sticking through his left forearm. It managed to miss the bones but was slowed by the magical reinforcements in his coat. All of the money spent on hiding the enchantments was worth it. He had his second push dagger still in his right hand but had managed to use up all of the throwing spikes before losing the ability to use his left hand. One dagger, two enemies.


    ¡°You won¡¯t leave here alive.¡± The barkeep replied coldly as he walked out from behind the bar with a club the size of Thomas¡¯s arm. The other remaining gang member pushed himself up off the ground and shook his head to clear it. Thomas hadn¡¯t been able to kill that one because both of his hands were busy when he came at him. Thomas had kicked the man in the head and taken him out of commission for long enough to get rid of the rest of the melee combatants.


    Thomas¡¯s entire body hurt. He had half a dozen minor cuts across his arms and face, a bolt sticking out of his arm that had severed the tendons in said forearm, and a fractured rib from a stab that was intercepted by the magically enhanced clothing he was wearing. ¡°We could call it a draw.¡± Thomas offered wearily. The barkeep and the other remaining gang member both lunged at him. ¡®Or not.¡¯ He grumbled internally.


    Thomas sidestepped the descending club from the bar keep as he met the other gang member¡¯s lunge with a push dagger to the nose. The magically enhanced blade punched through bone as if it were butter but it wasn¡¯t long enough to kill the man. Thomas quickly pulled the dagger out and stabbed him two more times before jumping back and away from the barkeep. The stabbed man dropped to the ground crying out in pain from the three stab wounds on his face. Each one was an inch wide and two and a half inches deep. There had to have been some brain damage but most of the injuries were too low on his face to properly hit his brain.


    The barkeep lunged again and swung horizontally at Thomas who took a step back up onto a chair and then again onto a table without looking. ¡°Get down here!¡± The barkeep roared and kicked the edge of the table.


    Thomas jumped backwards again as he did and landed behind the toppled table. ¡°You don¡¯t have to die, you know?¡± Thomas offered. His everything hurt and taking a prisoner was much better than killing them all anyway.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you live after everythin¡¯ you¡¯ve done.¡± The barkeep told Thomas and charged.


    Thomas kicked a chair at the barkeep¡¯s face causing him to bat it out of the way with the club and then lunged. He drove the push dagger into the larger man¡¯s hand and then leaned back to avoid the back swing of the man¡¯s club. Thomas kicked the man in the groin as he leaned back and caught himself from falling with his one good hand. The barkeep tried to fight through the pain but his right hand couldn¡¯t hold onto the club anymore and he was going to be fighting with a hunch. Thomas rolled backwards onto his feet and jumped up with a wince. The fractured rib wasn¡¯t pleasant.


    ¡°Last chance.¡± Thomas offered. ¡°I¡¯m not really one for wholesale slaughter.¡±


    With only his left hand holding the club and rage in his eyes the barkeep jabbed the club at Thomas¡¯s chest to make it harder to dodge. Thomas parried it with his injured arm and drove his push dagger into the barkeep¡¯s forehead while stepping into the attack. Thomas whimpered from the pain in his arm even as his final opponent dropped to the ground with eyes rolled back. There was no saving him but his brain hadn¡¯t shut down from the injury, yet. Thomas staggered over to the door and tried to open it again but it was still sealed. Thomas looked around at the crumpled and bloody bodies littered around the bar. Most of them were dead but a few were still actively dying. Two of them could have been saved by a healer but as it stood they were all locked inside the bar.


    Thomas sunk to the ground and leaned against the door. He rested his head on the hard wood and tried to catch his breath. ¡°This was an awful idea. I¡¯m charging him double.¡± He grumbled and closed his eyes to rest while his opponents finished bleeding out. Thomas hoped the magical seal on the door would break after a while but he wasn¡¯t going to bet on it. As it stood he figured he would have to get out through the window but that would take far more energy than he had left. ¡®That¡¯s a problem for later me.¡¯ Thomas thought to himself and tried to tune out the dying whimpers of those around him. ¡®I wonder how the others are doing. Hopefully better than me.¡¯ He would have shaken his head if he had the energy left to do so. ¡®Actually, scratch that, I hope Isaac is having an awful time.¡¯

 Chapter 4 Mana Sensitive

    Chapter 4 Mana Sensitive


    Lenna walked into the Safeharbor General Smithy. The door bell clanged as she entered. Her helmet was on but everyone recognized her beat up royal purple armor. She was notorious for not only being a drow warrior who used magic but also for her absolute destruction of people that crossed her. Neither sentiment was necessarily accurate but it was what people believed. The entry room was thirty feet across in each direction with a sword rack in the middle of the room but off to one side and a spear rack mirroring it on the other side. Up the center was the clerk¡¯s counter and a middle aged human woman was running the counter.


    The woman had dirty blonde hair with some streaks of white starting to show. Her pale skin showed how long she had been underground and she had pronounced bags under her eyes. ¡°L-Lady V¡¯Nova, I presume.¡± She stammered out at Lenna¡¯s approach.


    Lenna didn¡¯t answer until she was at the counter. ¡°Yes.¡± She replied simply. ¡°I was directed to acquire a ranged weapon for our next job.¡± She explained.


    ¡°I-I see.¡± The clerk replied. ¡°What kind of ranged weapon may I ask? We do not carry bows but we do have a few crossbows. We also have javelins, spears, ball bearings for a sling, and even a trident laying around somewhere.¡±


    ¡°I will be using a hunting bow but I require specialized arrowheads.¡± Lenna answered. ¡°Hunting tips designed to make the target bleed out quicker.¡±


    ¡°Ah, flute tips.¡± The clerk replied. ¡°We do not have any ready for you but we have made them in the past and can easily make more.¡± She hesitated to continue for a moment. ¡°Forgive me for asking but don¡¯t you usually use the old dwarf?¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°I do not need high quality but high quantity.¡± She replied simply. She wasn¡¯t trying to be insulting but her words definitely came off that way. The clerk kept her face schooled but an assistant that was off to the side bristled at the comment. A slight glance from Lenna had him turned around and pretending that he hadn¡¯t heard anything. She wasn¡¯t even trying to be scary, her eyes had just been drawn to the movement.


    ¡°U-Understood.¡± The clerk replied and swallowed hard after watching Lenna glance at the clerk. ¡°We can have some for you within a few days. How many do you need?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with a dozen.¡± Lenna answered. ¡°If they prove sufficient then I will order another sixty.¡±


    The clerk smiled and nodded. ¡°They will be ten gold coins a dozen if you want us to have the fletcher down the street make the arrows but if you only need the arrowheads then it will be six gold instead.¡± She explained.


    ¡ª


    Isaac watched as Lenna¡¯s presence terrified the workers in the smithy¡¯s storefront with a smile. ¡°Reputation really is something.¡± He commented silently while invisible and standing a few feet from her. He walked behind the counter and looked around for anything out of the ordinary. The clerk had five loaded one handed crossbows tucked under the counter in case of a robbery but other than that everything seemed normal. He looked around and made sure no one was looking before he teleported to the other side of the door that led to the rest of the smithy.


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    ¡ª


    Lenna watched the clerk twitch when Isaac teleported. The tiniest amount of shadows were left behind for only a second but the clerk seemed to notice. Something was definitely up. No normal mana sensitive person would sense that. She was definitely hiding how good of a mage she was. ¡®I think I found our wizard.¡¯ Lenna thought to herself.


    ¡°Excuse me for being presumptuous but aren¡¯t you usually with Lord Wexler?¡± The clerk asked.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°I am.¡± She agreed. ¡°And you are.¡±


    The woman gulped. ¡°I see. I was just hoping to meet him is all.¡± She tried to play off how tense she was. Lenna could tell her heart rate had just spiked again.


    ¡°I also require three thousand caltrops.¡± Lenna told the clerk to get her back to business and try to distract her from potentially feeling Isaac again.


    ¡ª


    Isaac searched room after room but found nothing of note in most of them. At least he didn¡¯t until he came across a room that was packed from floor to ceiling in glyphs, runes, and magic sigils. All of them were ready and waiting to be activated. They were all made from pouring liquid gold into carved wooden panels that were then used as the room¡¯s interior walls. ¡°Jackpot.¡± Isaac said and moved on. They had all the information they needed to close down the smithy but the problem was that they didn¡¯t have a roster to make sure they got every associate of Mr. Nobody. If they missed a few of the lower ranking gang members it wouldn¡¯t be that big of a deal but if they missed the head of the operation everything they were doing would be for naught.


    He moved on but found nothing of note anywhere. ¡°I must be missing something.¡± Isaac said to himself. ¡°It¡¯s all bedrooms upstairs and the smithy looks normal. Also, that smith definitely felt odd.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Lenna about him later.¡± There was one bedroom that was a little larger than most of the others yet was clearly only for one person. Luckily that room also had a window that faced the street. If Isaac needed back inside the building he would be able to use that room as an entry point easily enough. ¡°I should get going. Lenna¡¯s probably done.¡±


    ¡ª


    Isaac met Lenna at the cafe across and down the street from the smithy. It was close enough to keep an eye on who went in and out the front door of the target building but far enough away that no one inside would be able to see them. ¡°She is definitely the wizard.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°She noticed you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Isaac was shocked. No one ever noticed him.


    ¡°You were too close to her when you teleported. She has to be more mana sensitive than me.¡± Lenna explained.


    ¡°Our high level wizard then.¡± Isaac surmised. ¡°Working as the clerk?¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°So it seems.¡±


    ¡°This whole job is getting weirder and weirder too.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°How so?¡± Lenna asked. It was pretty straightforward on her end.


    ¡°There were no ledgers anywhere to be found. I found the ritual room but I couldn¡¯t even find the business ledgers. There was no paperwork kept in the building at all.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°But that¡¯s not even the weirdest part.¡± He continued. ¡°There was a smith that felt odd.¡±


    ¡°You felt him?¡± Lenna asked, a bit surprised at the prospect of a dark creature that wasn¡¯t her or her aunt and uncle in the city..


    Isaac nodded. ¡°He felt really weird though, like I wasn¡¯t supposed to feel him. Honestly I didn¡¯t really feel him at all. It was like there was a blank spot where my Polarity Sense should have gotten something.¡± He tried to explain. ¡°Maybe he was protected from divination magic?¡± He shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think that was it though. Maybe his nature was suppressed somehow.¡± His eyes lit up. ¡°Two options: One he¡¯s a werewolf or two he¡¯s a doppelganger and their shapeshifting ability is way more in depth than I thought.¡±


    Lenna¡¯s brow furrowed as she took another sip of her mushroom tea and then a bite from the freshly baked roll on her plate. ¡°A doppelganger would be more dangerous.¡± Lenna commented. ¡°We could handle a werecreature without much issue.¡± She continued to think for a moment. ¡°How close were you before you realized anything was off?¡±


    ¡°Ten feet.¡± Isaac replied with a frown. ¡°If I¡¯m looking for it I could maybe double that distance but I don¡¯t like how close I have to be to notice anything was wrong.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Agreed.¡±


    ¡°Do you think the boys found anything worthwhile at the other locations?¡± Isaac asked, slightly off topic.


    ¡°They should be arriving soon.¡± Lenna replied. They had chosen to meet at that specific cafe to minimize traffic in and out of James and Lenny¡¯s house as well as its location. The cafe and smithy were almost exactly in between the other two locations which was another reason for Isaac and Lenna to handle that one.


    No sooner had Lenna finished her comment did Isaac spot a young man in a cloak walking towards them. He looked like he was trying not to look like he was in a hurry but was failing miserably. Lenny didn¡¯t even sit down. ¡°They got James.¡±

 Chapter 5 Found It.

    Chapter 5 Found It.


    A half an hour before Lenny¡¯s arrival, at the cafe Isaac and Lenna were waiting at, Lenny had been watching Tic¡¯s Trinkets like a hawk. He had lost sight of James four minutes before he decided to make a move. Walking up to the front door of the pawn shop Lenny pulled on the door only to find it locked. A second later the latch was undone and the middle aged clerk opened the door. ¡°Sorry about that. I had to step out for a moment.¡± The clerk said amiably. ¡°Do come in.¡± He opened the door completely and stepped out of the way.


    Lenny was rooted in place. His fear had been confirmed and he also knew that he was a worse fighter than his brother. If his brother was beaten so easily then it meant that he stood no chance. There was only one option left for the young rogue. Run. Run to Isaac. Lenny took off in a dead sprint like the archfiends were on his heels. There was no point in hiding the fact that they had been caught snooping if they already had James. He could only hope that Isaac would be able to clean everything up even with Mr. Nobody aware of their presence.


    ¡°Stop! Thief!¡± The clerk yelled after Lenny. It wouldn¡¯t have made sense for him to chase a random guy down the street. Especially considering his position as the clerk of a pawn shop. A few people turned to look at Lenny but he was already gone by the time anyone realized that he was supposedly a thief running from the victim of supposedly his most recent theft. Once he was far enough away Lenny ducked through a side street as quickly as he could before walking out the other side as if nothing had happened. He then walked as fast as he could to meet Isaac, Lenna, and presumably Thomas without drawing too much attention.


    ¡ª


    ¡°They got James.¡± Lenny told Isaac who straightened in his chair. Lenny was breathing hard but measured. ¡°They got him and I couldn¡¯t even see what happened. He went to leave but the door never opened. He was just gone.¡±


    Isaac shared a look with Lenna. ¡°It looks like we¡¯ve been made.¡± He told Lenna. ¡°If they noticed me and got James then I worry about Thomas.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s plan B?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°You won¡¯t like it.¡± He told her. She frowned. If he said that she wouldn¡¯t like it then that meant only one thing. ¡°We split up. I¡¯ll go after James and see if I can¡¯t find a trail. You go to Thomas and make sure he¡¯s alive. If he is then meet me at the trinket place.¡±


    Lenna did not look pleased but she did as directed. She put her helmet on and started off in a brisk walk towards the bar on the west side of town. ¡°Be. Careful.¡± She ordered Isaac before she left.


    ¡°You too.¡± He replied and then turned to Lenny. ¡°How¡¯s your parkour?¡±


    ¡°My what?¡± Lenny asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking the rooftops. Meet me at the trinket shop.¡± Isaac directed and teleported onto the top of a nearby building. Most of the rooftops were flat and quite a few of them were used in place of a deck. A few were even occupied. Isaac ignored them as he ran and teleported from rooftop to rooftop.


    Isaac was at the pawn shop in a little over five minutes. He had made sure not to run out of mana but was down to a quarter by the time he arrived. He teleported into the building as he hid himself in his shadowcloak. The clerk was behind the counter. There was no one else in the store so Isaac was free to do as he pleased. Isaac walked up behind the clerk and put him in a headlock while coating him in his shadowcloak. The man struggled and squirmed while trying to pry Isaac¡¯s arm off of his neck. Isaac only clamped harder. He drug the man into the back and inside one of the side rooms. Once inside he put the glowing stones that were lighting the room into his Inventory and tossed the man to the floor.


    While the clerk coughed and struggled to get enough oxygen to his brain Isaac sealed the room off in a layer of shadows. Their ¡®conversation¡¯ was going to be a quick and quiet one. ¡°Where is the man that was in here half an hour ago?¡± Isaac demanded. The man struggled to get up to his hands and knees but Isaac kicked him hard in the ribs causing him to drop back onto his face a few feet from where he originally was. ¡°I¡¯m in a rush so answer me before I start taking fingers.¡±


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    The clerk continued to cough for a few more seconds and Isaac was getting impatient. ¡°It won¡¯t matter. I won¡¯t talk.¡± He wheezed out. ¡°They¡¯ll find you.¡±


    Isaac called out Kahtesh and the dragon grabbed the man by the arm and drug him back over to Isaac. The dragon ignored the man¡¯s cries of pain and weak punches. Kahtesh held the clerk¡¯s arm in a way that raised his hand up towards Isaac. Isaac gripped the hand with one of his and then grabbed one of the clerks fingers with the other. ¡°Three seconds.¡± Isaac told the clerk. The clerk went to reply but Isaac cut him off. ¡°Three.¡± He ran death flames through the finger in his hand and then grabbed another one. The first one tumbled to the ground as nothing but a black cloud of dust.


    ¡°Fuck. You.¡± The clerk cursed him through gritted teeth and watering eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I asked.¡± Isaac replied and removed another finger. ¡°What did you do with James?¡±


    ¡°Kill yourself.¡± The clerk continued defiantly.


    Isaac removed another finger. ¡°You have until you run out of fingers before I start only burning off your skin and healing it back with potions.¡± Isaac warned. The man didn¡¯t reply so Isaac took another finger. The man¡¯s cries of pain were loud enough that without the sound dampening of Isaac¡¯s shadows he would have hurt his ears. ¡°That was my informant you abducted.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°I don¡¯t like people taking my things.¡± He removed another finger.


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk just, just stop.¡± The clerk said. It sounded like the man was delirious from the pain.


    Isaac tsked and let go of the hand. He bent down and grabbed the man¡¯s face with one hand. He pulled a glowing stone out of his Inventory with the other and held it next to the man¡¯s face so he could get a good look at Isaac. Isaac¡¯s scowl was filled with uncontrolled rage seeped in violence. ¡°Where did you take him?¡± He demanded.


    The man locked eyes with Isaac and the fear was clear in them but there was some resolve left. ¡°To¡­ the¡­ ninth¡­ layer of hell you bas-¡± He was cut off by his own scream as Isaac ran death flames along the inside of the hand that was holding the man¡¯s face.


    Isaac set the stone down and pulled his healing potion out of Inventory before pouring it onto the man¡¯s face. The decayed and rotted skin smoked and sizzled as the potion tried to do its job. The man continued to scream and writhe in agony for nearly half a minute before the potion was done trying to put his face back together. In the end, half of the clerk¡¯s face was new and raw skin while the rest was perfectly fine. ¡°I¡¯m running out of patience.¡± Isaac spoke evenly and grabbed the man¡¯s face again. ¡°Answer me.¡±


    The man¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t focusing on anything anymore and were just wandering around aimlessly. His neck was limp as was the rest of his body. Isaac took out a waterskin and dumped it on the man¡¯s face. It seemed to bring him back to his senses slightly. ¡°She¡¯ll get you.¡± He whispered out but his eyes still wouldn¡¯t focus on Isaac. Isaac¡¯s face turned up in a snarl. ¡°She¡¯ll get you.¡± The man repeated.


    Isaac threw him down and sent Kahtesh back into the void. ¡°Damnit!¡± Isaac swore and kicked the man again before collecting his shadows and shrouding himself in his shadowcloak. Isaac moved through the rest of the building like a wraith. He ignored walls and doors. He found the room with the missing paperwork but no traces of James. He threw all of the paperwork into his Inventory and paced around the bottom floor. After the few minutes to cool off he started talking to himself again: ¡°I have to be missing something. How do they get people out of here once they are in? A secret door or a teleportation circle.¡± He checked the exterior walls by dragging his sword across them but he found nothing amiss.


    He looked down at the floor. It had to be a trapdoor but where it was Isaac had no idea. ¡°Fine.¡± Isaac said and pulled all of his shadows into himself to help top off his mana reserves. No hidden wards triggered so he went along with his plan. Pure, raw, dark mana poured out of him and forced its way into the floor. He swept the entirety of the bottom floor of the building with enough mana that Alexander almost had a heart attack in his tower from the sudden ripple of power. Unfortunately for Isaac his mana didn¡¯t reveal any illusions.


    Isaac pulled as much of the mana back into himself as he could. There was always a lot of waste but some return was better than none. Right at that moment the door to the shop flew open as Lenny burst in panting. ¡°Hey, boss, find, anything?¡± He asked though deep breaths. It was clear that he had run there from where Isaac had left him. The rogue didn¡¯t have the ability to go in a straight line from point A to point B like Isaac could nor could he teleport so it had taken him a lot longer to arrive.


    Isaac frowned and shook his head. ¡°Nothing.¡± He replied with suppressed irritation. He wanted to meet up with Lenna not get stuck there turning the building upside down. ¡°There¡¯s no illusions hiding the trapdoor.¡± He explained. ¡°It has to be purely physical but I can¡¯t find it.¡±


    ¡°Trapdoor?¡± Lenny asked.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°That is the only way out of here other than the front door.¡± He replied.


    Lenny started tearing the building apart from the inside to try and find the trap door. Eventually he found his way into the room the clerk was left in. The clerk had bled out but it was clear who had attacked him. There was black dust scattered around and floating in the drying blood. The missing fingers were crusted with it as well and the man¡¯s face looked like it had been removed and healed back. No other injury looked quite like weak magical healing and the only way to heal something was if it was damaged or removed in the first place. Lenny recoiled at the confined scents of death and decay that were trapped in the sideroom. He looked over at Isaac with a wrinkled face from the smell and a raised eyebrow in question.


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t helpful.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Kept telling me to kill myself and that ¡®she¡¯ would find me.¡±


    Lenny nodded. ¡°I see.¡± He replied and moved on. When they arrived at the bathroom Lenny started tearing at the medicine cabinet. After a few rattles it popped off the wall. He pushed it to the side and revealed a wall passage. ¡°Found it.¡±

 Chapter 6 Do you mind?

    Chapter 6 Do you mind?


    ¡°How did you know it would be here?¡± Isaac asked and eyed the small cramped passageway that had just been revealed.


    ¡°It¡¯s where I woulda put it.¡± Lenny replied and looked at Isaac like he was waiting for orders.


    ¡°What building is this?¡± Isaac continued his questions. ¡°There should be a building here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the abandoned apothecary. The building¡¯s been empty for as long as I can remember.¡± Lenny explained. ¡°So what¡¯s the plan boss?¡±


    ¡°Head back out to the front and wait for Lenna. When she gets here, send her in after me.¡± Isaac ordered and pulled his sword out of his Inventory with a flare of shadows for cover.


    Lenny eyed the passageway cautiously. ¡°If you¡¯re sure¡­¡± He replied. He looked like he wanted to go with Isaac to try and find his brother but he knew that waiting for Lenna was the best course of action.


    Isaac nodded and then gestured back towards the front of the building. ¡°Make sure none of Mr. Nobody¡¯s people get in here while I¡¯m gone. They don¡¯t need to know that we found their secret passage.¡± He directed the young rogue.


    ¡°Alright boss. I¡¯ll hold down the fort.¡± Lenny acquiesced. ¡°Good luck.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need luck.¡± Isaac replied and vanished.


    ¡ª


    As soon as Lenna was out of sight of the smithy she looked around for anyone following her. ¡®Clear¡­ hopefully.¡¯ She thought to herself. She turned and started to jog towards the bar that Thomas was supposed to be at. It took her a few minutes but she eventually arrived at the old beaten up hole-in-the-wall. It was quiet. Too quiet for a bar even in the middle of the day. This was Safeharbor. A home of crime and frontiersmen. A quiet bar was more suspicious than one on fire.


    Lenna tried the door to enter but it wouldn¡¯t budge. ¡®That answers that question.¡¯ She thought and drew her sword. Lenna¡¯s aura and mana coated her blade as she rose it above her head. She took a breath and then chopped downwards with enough force to cleave through stone. Her sword met resistance the moment it came into contact with the hinge that she was aiming for. The old iron hinge shouldn¡¯t have been able to put up much of a fight but almost managed to stop her swing. ¡®Magically sealed.¡¯ She thought with a frown. ¡®This doesn¡¯t bode well.¡¯ She changed stances to perform an upwards cut with the same amount of force she used to sever the first hinge. Aura and mana flared, steel hit iron, magic shielding was sundered, and then finally the second hinge was cleaved in two. The door stayed in place.


    ¡®Whoever is inside is going to be ready for me now.¡¯ She grumbled internally. She performed her first cut again this time at the latch of the door. With all three anchor points severed the door should have just fallen away. It didn¡¯t. Lenna scowled at the door but decided trying to bust it down would be a futile endeavor. The magical seal would make the thick wooden door harder than steel and there was no way that brute strength would be enough to clear the way. Lenna pulled her sword back and stabbed it into the door. She was burning more mana than she would have liked to get through the door but there weren¡¯t any other options. She withdrew her sword and stabbed again, then again, and again. Her four stabs had been as deep as she could make them. She punched the door with her fist and a square chunk of wood flew inwards and crashed into something inside.


    Her four stabs had cut out a perfect square that was wide enough for her to get her fingers inside to get a good hold on the door. Lenna rested her sword against the wall next to the door and planted one hand right above it to use the wall as a brace. She wedged her other hand in the square cut out that she had made readied herself. She took a few deep breaths and then with aura enhanced strength she pulled and heaved. The moment the magical seal gave out was obvious as the door that Lenna had been pulling on tore free of the doorway and was promptly, accidentally, thrown across the street, narrowly missing a passerby. Lenna grabbed her sword and charged into the bar. What met her was a mess of battered bodies and broken furniture.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been so happy to see you.¡± Thomas told her from his place propped up against a felled table. ¡°Where¡¯s the boss?¡± He asked. He looked horrible. A bolt still sticking out of his arm and blood all over him. Some of it was his but from the look of the rest of the room it was clear that most of it was not.


    ¡°Going to save James.¡± Lenna told him and knelt down at his side. ¡°Give me your arm.¡± She told him. Thomas winced preemptively but did as instructed. Lenna cut off the fletching of the bolt with her sword in one quick motion that prevented the rest of the bolt from getting pushed around too much. She set her sword down and took out a healing potion and gave it to him. ¡°Don¡¯t scream. We are attracting enough attention as it is.¡± She instructed and then pulled the bolt the rest of the way through his arm.


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    Thomas¡¯s other hand clenched around the potion and his entire body tensed. ¡°Thanks.¡± He grunted out barely louder than a whisper once the bolt was gone. He took a sip from the potion and then poured the rest of it into the hole in his arm. He took a moment to just breathe while the potion did its job. The wound sealed up and he felt the tendons reconnect in his arm but he could also tell that the healing wasn¡¯t good enough. ¡°You don¡¯t happen to have another one of those do you?¡± He asked.


    Lenna nodded and handed him another one. ¡°I¡¯m saving the last one for an emergency.¡± She told him.


    He took it with a nod and drank it. He felt his fractured rib heal up and the tendons in his arm firm up again. He nodded and got to his feet with only a little more effort than usual. ¡°Okay. What¡¯s the plan?¡± Thomas asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to meet up with him at the trinket shop.¡± Lenna explained.


    Thomas looked towards the back of the bar with a frown. ¡°I¡¯m afraid of them showing up and burning down the building to hide any evidence but I¡¯m not searching the rest of this building alone. Especially without my tools.¡± He said and then looked back at Lenna. ¡°I can wait here and hopefully prevent any scuttling attempts.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°That should be fine.¡± She told him and turned to leave. ¡°Don¡¯t get shot again while I¡¯m gone.¡±


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± Thomas replied and started collecting all of his dropped weapons.


    Lenna walked out of the bar and stared down the three people that had gathered to see what all of the commotion was about. ¡°Adventurer business. Stay away from the bar.¡± She ordered and then started towards the trinket shop across town in a jog. ¡®I hope I get there before he does anything stupid.¡¯ She thought to herself.


    ¡ª


    Isaac started walking down the hidden passageway. A few steps in his foot caught on something. He heard a click and immediately teleported a dozen feet forward. He turned around to see half a dozen spikes had smashed through the wooden floor where he had been standing. ¡®Someone decided to make it fun.¡¯ He commented and turned back around to continue. A few feet ahead of him the passageway sloped downwards. Isaac noticed a few pressure plates that he obviously just stepped on. If sand didn¡¯t move under his weight then a pressure plate wouldn¡¯t either. Shadows truly worked wonders at times. At the bottom of the ramp the wooden floor turned to stone and continued in a straight line for another twenty feet before turning abruptly thirty degrees or so to the right.


    Isaac looked back at the wooden ramp with the not so hidden pressure plates. ¡®I should trigger them.¡¯ He thought to himself. ¡®I don¡¯t want Lenna¡­ she¡¯d notice, I don¡¯t want anyone else stepping on them if they come after me.¡¯ He summoned Kahtesh. ¡®Trail behind me and trigger all the pressure plates we find once you are past them.¡¯ He directed and continued on his way. The little dragon stabbed the pressure plate at the top of the ramp with his tail and then the other two as he followed along after Isaac. The first one was spikes again. The second was crossbow bolts that shot through the floor and then a poison gas balloon.


    ¡°Now that the floor is stone too¡­¡± Isaac went back to talking to himself silently and looked up at the ceiling that was wooden. ¡°From the top I guess.¡± His eyes scanned the floor for pressure plates as he walked along at a measured pace. A few steps in he saw the first pressure plate in the stone floor. The stone was just a bit looser than the rest of the stones around it. He mentally gestured at it for Kahtesh and continued. He was about twenty feet past the trap when Kahtesh hit it with his tail and three sets of five crossbow bolts fired through the ceiling. Each set was at a different angle but all of them were set up in a way to have a chance at hitting whoever was standing on the plate.


    Isaac felt an impact on his back and looked over his shoulder to see a crossbow bolt stuck in the back of his armor near his kidney. His eyes drifted up to Kahtesh. ¡°Do you mind?¡± He asked the dragon. The dragon did not answer. It appeared that one of the bolts hit the dragon¡¯s tail just right and ricocheted towards Isaac before lodging its tip into Isaac¡¯s reinforced leather armor. He swatted at the bolt and it fell onto the ground. ¡°I just got this armor too.¡± He grumbled. Isaac wasn¡¯t very happy that his newish armor was already collecting injuries. He was happy that it wasn¡¯t him who received the injury but it felt to him like neither he nor Lenna could have good looking gear. Something was bound to happen to it. ¡°I guess that¡¯s the point.¡±


    He continued on for a while before he heard another click and then a clang and a crunch. He spun around to find Kahtesh¡¯s front left paw shattered completely. He had stepped on a piece of stone floor that gave out. Under the stone there was a tripwire. Once the tripwire was triggered the walls of the small hole slammed together with enough force to pulverize Kahtesh¡¯s little dragon paw. The dragon looked down at its paw and then up at Isaac. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Isaac told the dragon and walked back to him. He placed his hand on the now broken limb and channeled death mana into it.


    In a few moments the little dragon was back to normal and they continued on their way. A short while later Isaac stopped. ¡°Kahtesh, do you hear that?¡± He asked his only companion. The little dragon looked at him and tilted its head like it didn¡¯t understand. Isaac held his breath and listened. ¡°Is that, rushing water?¡± The dragon didn¡¯t answer. Isaac walked up to the wall and put his ear against it. Sure enough the sound of rushing water could be heard. He stopped and racked his brain for a while before realizing what it was. ¡°It has to be the sewers but where are we?¡± As usual, the dragon didn¡¯t answer.

 Chapter 7 Real Power

    Chapter 7 Real Power


    Lenna was really getting tired of running across town. Going for a run wasn¡¯t the problem. Being too late to catch any of the action was what was pissing her off. First Thomas had already won his fight and she had been a glorified potion delivery service and now she found Lenny sitting behind the clerks desk drumming his fingers impatiently. Once he saw her he stood bolt upright. ¡°Hurry.¡± Lenny told her and ran towards the back. ¡°The boss already left. Told me to tell you to head in after him.¡± He explained and showed her the secret passage.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Lenna replied with a curt nod. ¡°Lock the front door and come with me.¡± She ordered him and started off down the unlit tunnel. The first thing she saw was a triggered trap. ¡®I hate traps.¡¯ She grumbled internally. ¡®He better not have gotten himself stuck.¡¯


    ¡ª


    Isaac was starting to get annoyed. The traps started to get less and less precise on their area of effect. Kahtesh ended up falling entirely through the floor on one occasion and Isaac had to unsummon and resummon him to get him out once the floor resealed over top of him. Later the dragon got sandwiched between two stone pistons and now this one had really pissed him off. This time a fireball went off on Kahtesh¡¯s face. The problem was that in a confined space the twenty foot radius had turned into a hundred feet of scorched tunnel and Isaac getting tossed thirty feet forwards, through two tripwires, and then landing on another pressure plate. Isaac had lost most of his shadows in the explosion so his own weight triggered the pressure plate. This time a dozen iron bars dropped in front and behind him effectively trapping a lesser man.


    ¡°Gods dammit Kahtesh!¡± Isaac swore as he stood up and started patting his cloak to put out the small fire. Behind him he saw a poison smoke cloud and a dozen crossbow bolts scattered around the floor of the tunnel. He easily teleported the entire distance back to the dragon and found a mess of bones collapsed on the floor. ¡°Stay still.¡± He ordered the dragon who had just tried to stand only for his leg to shatter under his own weight. Most of the dragon¡¯s bones were fractured and many of them were shattered entirely. After fixing up Kahtesh Isaac sent the dragon home. ¡°Lenna is going to have to figure out her own way through the rest of the traps.¡± Isaac thought aloud. ¡°These are getting too risky to trigger on purpose.¡±


    Isaac teleported to the other side of the iron cage and vanished back into his shadowcloak. He had no idea how long he had been walking but it felt like too long. The sound of rushing water got louder and then quieter again multiple times. The sound meant that they were still under the city but the fact that the tunnel had never intersected the sewers was odd at best. The only reason that Isaac could think of for that was if the sewers had been made with the secret passageway in mind. ¡°Either that or someone went through a lot of trouble to redirect the sewers to hide this passage. There¡¯s no way that the sewers conveniently don¡¯t cross this way¡­ unless.¡± Isaac looked up at the ceiling. He had a vague recollection of something about the city being made in segments. ¡°Each section could have its own sewer system.¡± He postulated. ¡°That seems incredibly inefficient.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Whatever, it doesn¡¯t really affect me at all.¡± He thought aloud and continued on his way.


    Isaac had been doing well for a while. He found a few more tripwires and pressure plates but he either didn¡¯t trigger them or triggered them with a throwing knife made of shadows from a few dozen feet away while preparing to teleport. Finally the tunnel made a sharp turn again. This time he could see a door at the other end. Isaac teleported up to the door and stopped. Something felt odd about it and the area behind it. The shadows felt, wrong. ¡°There¡¯s powerful sorcery at work.¡± Isaac said with a grin quoting a book he had read a few days prior. He pressed down on the door handle but it didn¡¯t budge.


    Isaac eventually decided that the only way forward was to pick the lock on the door. He wasn¡¯t about to try and teleport into shadows that felt all fuzzy like when he sat on his foot for too long and the door was the only way forward. He placed his hand against the keyhole in the large iron door. He closed his eyes to get a better feel for his shadows as they seeped into the keyhole. Isaac moved the shadows up into the columns inside the lock and moved the pins up one at a time until they stuck while putting pressure on the lock like he was trying to turn it. Eventually the last pin moved into place and the lock turned. Isaac¡¯s grin turned smug as the lock clicked open.


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    Then it hit him. The world started to spin and his shadows fell away from his body and dispersed. He staggered back a step and clutched his head. ¡®I need to get out of here.¡¯ He thought and tried to teleport but found that he couldn¡¯t feel the shadows around himself well enough to form a connection. He took two steps back and hit his head on something. Turning around he saw a semitransparent prismatic wall of reality magic blocking his path. He spun around and saw that the same wall of reality was covering the door and was most likely embedded in the walls as well. Isaac felt like he needed to sit down. The dizziness was getting to him. The dizziness wasn¡¯t the worst of it.


    Isaac¡¯s mana reserves had been full when the trap was sprung. The shadows that he had been using for his shadowcloak and to pick the lock on the door had been powered by his regeneration not his reserves but even so he was no longer completely full of mana. He was at ninety nine percent. Isaac placed a hand on the reality wall to help him stay balanced, his palm tingled. He took a deep breath and felt almost like he was suffocating. No new mana entered his body. His reserves dropped to ninety eight percent. ¡®Shit. My eyes are still drawing power.¡¯ He cursed internally. It was then that the door opened. It swung away from the prismatic shield of reality and revealed a familiar face.


    ¡°I never thought the all powerful demigod of darkness would be the rat setting off all the traps in my basement.¡± The clerk from the smithy said smugly. ¡°I guess not even you are immune to a Globe of Negation.¡± Her dirty blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail and the streaks of white were reflecting the yellow light from her lantern. She raised the lantern up to be just under eye level. ¡°Any last words, Darkness?¡± She asked with a grin.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll think of something when the time comes.¡± Isaac told her and straightened himself up a bit. The world was still spinning but he felt like he was somehow getting used to it. ¡°Let me guess something quick.¡± He told the woman. She raised an eyebrow in question. ¡°You do know that one of your smiths is a shapechanger right?¡±


    Her grin vanished in an instant. ¡°Who have you told?¡± She demanded.


    It was Isaac¡¯s turn to grin. ¡°Doppelganger, changeling, or drow mage?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°Fairy.¡± She replied dryly.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No. It¡¯s a creature of the dark.¡± He corrected. ¡°You think I wouldn¡¯t notice?¡±


    She swallowed hard. ¡°Who did you tell?¡± She demanded again.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Get rid of the globe and I¡¯ll tell you.¡± He offered.


    The woman scoffed. ¡°Like hells.¡± She replied. ¡°I¡¯ll just kill you now and hope you were too arrogant to tell anyone.¡± She reached into her pocket for something. ¡°Curse of being too powerful, you get complacent.¡± She explained and pulled out a small piece of obsidian wrapped in a cloth. She took the obsidian and cut her hand with it. ¡°That¡¯s the trigger in case you were wondering.¡± She monologued. ¡°Have fun.¡±


    A thick green cloud started to form inside the bubble with Isaac. ¡®That bitch!¡¯ Isaac swore internally. ¡®She did not just poison bubble me.¡¯ Isaac reached into his Inventory and pulled out a purple vial. He popped the top off and drank the shot glass worth of bitter liquid.


    ¡°An antitoxin won¡¯t save you for long.¡± The woman prodded while watching him stagger towards her.


    Isaac placed his hand against the wall and closed his eyes. They were burning from the poison and his nostrils were as well. He was holding his breath but that was only making his dizziness worse. He took a deep breath regardless of the poison. ¡°Let me show you what real power looks like.¡± He told her. Either this was going to work or he was going to die. It had been a while since he was in any real danger of dying. Usually he had the ability to flee if things got too bad but this time was different. Either his plan was going to work or this would be the end of the self proclaimed demigod of Darkness. ¡®Here goes nothing.¡¯


    Isaac blazed with power. His reserves were plummeting at a dangerous rate as he poured dark mana into the reality bubble. Power clashed with power. Mana fought against mana. Reality met darkness itself. Raw unaligned dark mana forced itself into the wall of reality magic. The Globe of Negation had made the mana inside of it work on a different frequency than the mana inside Isaac¡¯s body or outside of the globe but that didn¡¯t matter. Mana was mana and mana had its own rules. Once mana was given form rules similar to physics started to take effect. Magic could clash against magic like a sword against a shield. Natural mana would flow through itself. It was truly incorporeal even to itself, at least usually, there were always exceptions. Now Isaac was bringing almost all of his reserves to bear at once and the density alone was causing it to become corporeal. The wall of reality started to ripple.


    Ripple after ripple ran across the surface of the bubble. The ripples hit each other and turned into waves as the bubble softened under the superior mana pressure. The surface darkened until it was as black as Isaac¡¯s mana. He felt his reserves hit twenty percent and knew that he had to move immediately. He stabbed his free hand into the wall of reality and it punched part way through. He did the same with his other hand. Both of his hands were turned so their backs were facing each other. He pulled. His hands pressed apart and with them the reality bubble opened up. He pressed and pried as his reserves hit ten percent. The opening was big enough that he could fit through it now. One step through and then the other. He cut his power output as it was about to bottom out. He staggered forwards a step and then took one big inhale as the reality bubble struggled to reform itself behind him. Mana poured into him and he devoured it like a starving man being given a piece of bread. He opened his eyes and grinned.

 Chapter 8 An Obsession

    Chapter 8 An Obsession


    Sary Smith had had better days. Earlier today she was visited by the scariest woman in town. Some drow monster that was supposedly a knight and supposedly in the service of an even scarier monster. Sary had been one of the few people to actually see what Isaac had done to people that crossed him. She had been minding her own business, walking down the street, when two men appeared out of nowhere and tried to assassinate the previously mentioned monsters. The first one was killed in one punch by the drow but the other, the other had disappeared. Not disappeared in the way that invisibility spells or even Disintegrate make things vanish from sight. No, this was different in the worst way possible. The magic used only hurt the assassin. The man¡¯s body turned to dust in the street like a god had decided that he didn¡¯t need to live any longer. That was the day that Sary realized she needed to find a way to move their operation to a different city. There were just a few problems with that.


    The first of Sary¡¯s many problems was that the person dearest to her would get executed by the guards the moment one of their infernal moon talismans got within five feet of him. The second was the distinct lack of clients in any other cities. The third was her inability to properly use her higher tier magic without that stupid court mage and his annoying detection array finding out. Her fourth and final problem was that she had no way to move the money that they had been raking in. There was simply too much of it. Sure she had spent an insane amount already but there was still almost a ton of precious metals in storage. She had made traps, set up glyphs, carved wards, and made a ritual room that still needed to be refreshed regularly. Memory modification magic needed to be done in a place where the court mage couldn¡¯t sense it and that meant Globes of Negation which was an expensive spell to turn into a glyph. She thought that those problems were bad enough. This had been a major hit to their finances when they had just started out but that was a very long time ago.


    Today her problems just kept getting worse. Right after the drow had left her store she got a message that two suspicious individuals had been spotted entering her other two locations. One of them had been apprehended but there had been no word back from the bar after the initial message was sent. Like it or not it was time to pack up and get the hells out of Safeharbor, at least, that was the plan. A few of Sary¡¯s alarm spells had been triggered notifying her that someone was tearing their way through the secret passage connecting Tic¡¯s to their warehouse. The warehouse was used as a storage and holding area for everything from drugs to people and gold. She had to step up her time table. They had gone from having at least an hour to get out of town to five minutes. She left her subordinates to pack up everything they could and start loading wagons while she went to deal with the intruder. She hoped that the traps would get rid of them when suddenly she stopped getting new alarm messages.


    Sary hoped that the intruder had gotten themselves killed but right when she was going to check she got another alarm. This time her bubble and globe had gotten triggered from someone trying to unlock the door without an enchanted key. She breathed a sigh of relief. That trap was her most expensive but it was also the hardest to get out of. It required a mage on the outside to break the bubble and that was unlikely but not impossible. She had opened the door to find the man that she was most afraid of looking like he was about to pass out. He didn¡¯t have anyone behind him so she figured she could take a few seconds to mess with him before she activated the poison gas spell. Once she was done with him she activated the spell and waited to make sure that it would kill him. One could never be too thorough.


    When he started to break down her spell with raw mana output she realized that he didn¡¯t seem to play by the same rules as her or any other mage in the world. When he pulled apart the bubble of reality magic with his hands she hadn¡¯t even known what to do. She was too shocked by the spectacle to even react. When he had stepped through and almost fell she had a sliver of hope that maybe he would still die to the poison. When he took a deep breath, opened his eyes, and grinned at her she realized that her hope was a fool¡¯s dream. She only had one thing that she could do. Run.


    ¡ª


    Isaac started burning half of his mana regeneration rate to cleanse his body of the poison. He realized almost immediately that his death flames had no effect on it. His body was healing but the poison was only fighting against the antitoxin and not his own power. That meant that his lungs, eyes, and sinuses would continue to feel like they were on fire for a while. That put him in a bad mood. The fact that he had survived an unsurvivable trap had put him in a good mood. In the end it sort of balanced out. His eyes focused on the clerk who was frozen in place in front of him just long enough for him to feel a surge of mana and watch her vanish in front of him. ¡®Did that bitch just silent cast a teleportation spell?!¡¯ He swore internally. ¡®Recurring villains are the worst.¡¯ He grumbled and took a few unsteady steps forwards. The bubble had sealed itself back up and the poison was locked inside so no more was leaking out in his direction.


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    Isaac took a few more steps forward and leaned against the wall. He slid down and sat leaning against the wall. ¡®I think I¡¯ll just wait for Lenna. She is going to kill me as it is. I don¡¯t need to make it any worse.¡¯ He thought and looked around. The odd feeling he had had about that side of the door was gone. ¡®She must¡¯ve gotten rid of it so she could cast spells.¡¯ He shrugged. ¡®At least that¡¯s better than sitting here and suffering.¡¯ He thought while his eyes, nose, and lungs were burning from the airborne poison.


    ¡ª


    Lenna moved at a fast walk down the secret tunnel with Lenny in toe. Her eyes scanned the ground for any untriggered traps. ¡°Looks like the boss made it easy for us.¡± Her companion said from behind her. His eyes were darting around at all the projectiles and poison residue. Lenna had cut through triggered spike traps on multiple occasions already.


    ¡°There.¡± Lenna said and pointed at one of the paving stones making up the tunnel¡¯s floor. They both made sure to stay well away from it as they passed. Isaac had missed a trap. If Lenna could have been sure that Isaac had cleared all of them then she would be running and not speed walking down the tunnel. They continued for a while until something caught her eye. ¡°Bone chips.¡± She said and bent down to pick one of them up. The chip had a weird impression of a scale on it. The tunnel around them was blackened from fire and still wreaked of sulfur. ¡°Fireball trap. We need to be more careful. You won¡¯t survive one of those.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just keep following your lead.¡± Lenny replied and started only stepping where Lenna stepped to be safe. Up ahead was an iron cage that blocked the path.


    ¡°Such a waste.¡± Lenna grumped as she used her aura and mana to empower her swing to cleave through four bars at once at head height and then again and knee height. The four bars slid away and clanged onto the ground.


    ¡°You¡¯re freaking scary, you know that?¡± Lenny commented and eyed the smoking pipe.


    Lenna ignored him and continued. Once they were through they both realized something. ¡°He stopped triggering the pressure plates.¡± Lenna voiced their shared thoughts. From then on they moved at a slow but steady walk going over and around pressure plate after pressure plate.


    ¡°Whoever made these has both too much time on their hands and an obsession with traps. Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to just have a few that were super amazing instead of hundreds of shitty ones?¡± Lenny questioned while stepping over another uneven stone.


    ¡°The first dozen were just a warning.¡± Lenna explained. Those ones hadn¡¯t had a high likelihood of killing most people. ¡°The next dozen were to prove a point.¡± There needed to be a reinforcement to the idea that the tunnel would be dangerous. ¡°The hundred or so between them and the fireball trap weren¡¯t necessary. The iron cage was to be petty.¡± She continued her breakdown of the impromptu dungeon. ¡°The rest of these are to-¡± Her voice was cut off by an orange ball forming in the air two feet in front of her. Lenna only had a fraction of a second to move and her body moved on its own.


    Lenna¡¯s hand shot out and smacked the orb before it could explode naturally. It went off. An explosion of heat and fire blasted out. Lenna¡¯s arm was flung away and she was met by a force about a third as strong as a normal fireball. She staggered back and shook her head to try and clear it. Her ears were ringing and her wrist was sprained but she was otherwise fine. She turned to look back at Lenny. He was as pale as a ghost but otherwise fine. ¡°Thanks.¡± He squeaked.


    Lenna nodded and continued on. Her body had taken the part of the fireball that was meant for the lad and the rest had been directed away from them further down the tunnel. ¡°Keep this distance.¡± She ordered him. Lenna really hoped that whoever set up the glyphs really liked fireballs and not something worse. There was just one problem. She hadn¡¯t seen where the glyph was that had just gone off and that was a bad precedent to set.


    The next trap was worse, much, much worse. They hadn¡¯t been ambushed by another magical trap for quite a while until suddenly prismatic sheen appeared in front of Lenna. She turned around to see the sheen behind her too. It had almost trapped Lenny in with her. ¡°Uh, lady boss? What am I supposed to do?¡± Lenny asked from his side of the barrier.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Lenna told him. Before she could tell him how glyphs could only hold so much power in them so eventually the barrier would fade away the situation got worse. A thick green fog started to form in the bubble with her. Lenna¡¯s first thought upon seeing the poison cloud was: ¡®I hope I have enough mana to heal through this.¡¯ Her second thought was: ¡®Isaac. Isaac please be okay.¡¯ She felt a knot forming in her stomach. ¡®Please be okay.¡¯

 Chapter 9 Too Close.

    Chapter 9 Too Close.


    ¡®Focus! Focus Lenna. I can¡¯t do anything for him if I die here.¡¯ Lenna scolded herself with her eyes clamped shut to keep the poison gas out. She slowly lowered herself to the ground and sat on her heels with only her knees and the toes of her boots touching the ground. Her hands cradled in her lap as she tried to calm herself. She slowly wrestled her mind into the beginnings of meditation. Soon all of her being relaxed save for her held breath. Like this Lenna waited. Minutes ticked by. First one, then two, then five. Lenna felt like her lungs were about to explode and like she was about to pass out. She cycled a small amount of healing through her lungs to lessen the distracting pain and let meditation take her as far as it could.


    ¡®Why am I holding my breath?¡¯ Lenna¡¯s oxygen deprived brain tried to ask. ¡®I should just breathe. It¡¯ll feel nice.¡¯ Seconds continued to tick by. Lenna started to tip towards the sweet embrace of unconsciousness. Her head rocking forwards jolted her back to her senses. ¡®This is as far as I can go.¡¯ Lenna thought with a mixture of annoyance, trepidation, and hope. Her hand shot into her bottomless bag and pulled out an antitoxin potion. The magical potion was designed to fight anything that the consumer¡¯s body considered foreign and toxic so it would work no matter the poison. She popped the top off with the hand that grabbed it as her other hand opened her visor. She downed the potion and then had to take a deep gasping breath. She barely kept herself from descending into a coughing fit. That wouldn¡¯t help her oxygen levels.


    With deep and steady breaths of magically conjured poison Lenna sat there. Her eyes were still sealed shut so she couldn¡¯t see the look of horror and worry on her companion¡¯s face. Six minutes down, four to go. Once Lenna felt like she wasn¡¯t suffocating anymore she took one last deep breath and held it. Lenna¡¯s healing was not very efficient. Much of its power was wasted on producing unnecessary heat. Heat that would often do more harm than good when used on someone else. Lenna¡¯s body however had been through the crucible. When her oath had been broken her old power had tried to burn its way out of her. The power left in its wake had changed her. She was much more resilient against heat than normal people. This didn¡¯t mean that she could grab a chunk of iron out of the furnace with her bare hand but it did mean that she could still function when running a hundred and ten degree fever.


    Lenna¡¯s healing burned through her system targeting all of the smallest holdouts of the poison before focusing on the larger ones. The poison burned away as Lenna¡¯s body temperature continued to rise. Lenna was about to run out of mana when she decided that the rest of the poison would get to stay. It wasn¡¯t pleasant but she would survive. At least she would if she could continue to hold her breath and she didn¡¯t inhale anymore poison. Eventually she heard a sound like cracking glass. Soon after she heard a hiss and then the whole prison shattered like a dropped crystal goblet. Lenna got to her feet and ran forwards half a dozen steps before she opened her eyes and started gasping for breath. The poison was rolling across the ground at knee and then ankle height.


    ¡°You did it! You survived!¡± Lenny cheered. ¡°You are going to survive right?¡± He immediately asked worriedly. ¡°If anything happens to you while I¡¯m here the boss¡¯ll kill me.¡±


    Lenna flashed him a smile, that he couldn¡¯t see, through deep breaths. ¡°Yeah.¡± She eventually got out. ¡°I¡¯ll survive.¡±


    ¡°Good, because you had me worried there for a while.¡± Lenny continued his excited yammering.


    The paladin shook her head. ¡°Let¡¯s go. If there is another one of those traps we¡¯re done for¡­ I have an idea.¡± She told the lad and pulled out a pair of scrolls from her bottomless bag.


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    ¡°Oh?¡± Lenny walked over and peered at the scrolls. ¡°What are those?¡±


    ¡°Can you use mana at all?¡± Lenna asked.


    Lenny shook his head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so.¡± He replied.


    The paladin frowned. ¡°Then this is going to hurt.¡± She told him. The boy gulped. ¡°Hold this open and as flat as you can.¡± She ordered and handed him a scroll.


    He did as instructed. ¡°Now what?¡± The thief asked worriedly.


    Lenna placed her hands over both of Lenny¡¯s. ¡°These scrolls only cast the spell on the caster. We are going to make it think you casted it.¡± She explained.


    ¡°H-How?¡± Lenny asked. He was getting more and more nervous.


    ¡°Just keep the scroll steady and relax.¡± Lenna ordered him. ¡°Deep breaths.¡±


    Lenny did as he was told and as soon as his mind was on his breathing she forced her own mana through her palms, through his hands, and into the scroll. Lenny clenched his teeth but held steady for the second it took to start the scroll activating. As soon as it started Lenna cut the power. She almost staggered from the lightheadedness that she was assaulted with. She was scraping the bottom of the barrel. She let go of his hands and a moment later the scroll disintegrated and Lenny was gone. ¡°Damn lady-boss you weren¡¯t kidding about it hurting. I feel like you just burned my damn hands off.¡± He complained.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch anything!¡± Lenna ordered before the boy could move. ¡°It¡¯s just Shroud. If you touch me it¡¯ll break and I¡¯ll leave you here.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes ma¡¯am.¡± Lenny stammered out.


    ¡°It¡¯s only half charged so it¡¯ll only last half an hour.¡± She explained and got ready to cast her own. ¡®Lua, please let me have enough mana.¡¯ She prayed silently and started feeding the scroll the last dregs of her mana reserves. Dizziness and lethargy assaulted her but she pressed on until she couldn¡¯t press on any more. Right when she was about to drop the scroll and her vision was starting to darken around the edges she could have sworn she saw another hand join hers and feed just the slightest amount of mana into the scroll. The scroll started to glow and then a moment later it disintegrated and Lenna too vanished from sight. She staggered, barely staying on her feet. ¡®Thank you.¡¯ She sent Lua¡¯s way. She wasn¡¯t sure if what she saw was real or not but it was real to her and that¡¯s what mattered.


    ¡°Now what?¡± Lenny asked, completely unaware at how close Lenna¡¯s plan was to not working.


    ¡°Give me a minute.¡± Lenna said wearily. ¡°I¡¯m out of mana.¡±


    ¡°O-Okay¡­ but I¡¯m afraid to move because I have no idea where you are.¡± Lenny protested meekly.


    Lenna huffed. ¡°Damn impatient kids.¡± She mumbled under her breath.


    ¡°What was that lady-boss?¡± Lenny asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t catch it.¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Lenna replied and straightened. ¡°Now comes the hard part.¡± She told him. ¡°Don¡¯t step on any traps and don¡¯t touch me either. We are betting on the wards needing visual confirmation before going off.¡±


    ¡°How do you figure?¡± Lenny asked.


    ¡°Their organization is too big for them to not recruit people from time to time right?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Lenny agreed.


    ¡°Then traps can¡¯t be keyed onto specific people.¡± Lenna surmised. ¡°They have to have a badge or something.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense.¡± Lenny agreed. ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything on that Tic guy though. I didn¡¯t search him either. Maybe the boss did?¡±


    ¡°Who knows.¡± Lenna replied and started on their way. ¡°Be careful of traps. It¡¯ll be harder to point them out to you.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± Lenny replied and started following after her.


    ¡°Too close.¡± She chastised him.


    ¡°R-Right, sorry.¡± The boy replied. The silence stretched on for a whole thirty seconds before Lenny asked another question: ¡°How can you tell how close I am?¡±


    ¡°Your footsteps.¡± Lenna replied like a tired mom answering her child asking ¡®what is that?¡¯ at every new thing at a store they hadn¡¯t been to before.


    ¡°Right, but like, you seem too acc-¡± He was cut off by Lenna.


    ¡°Wait.¡± She told him. Just ahead she saw poison residue spread across a large area of tunnel, a massive iron door was swung open and a cloaked figure was sitting just inside with their back against the tunnel wall. They weren¡¯t moving. Lenna¡¯s heart sank. Her stomach twisted into knots. She recognized that cloak. Lenna started forward in a dead sprint, briefly forgetting about any traps that might still be there. ¡®Isaac, you better still be alive.¡¯ She swore at him mentally. She called out as she approached: ¡°Isaac!¡±

 Chapter 10 He’ll Live

    Chapter 10 He¡¯ll Live


    Isaac opened his eyes. They stung and watered but weren¡¯t really taking any damage. He tried to blink away the tears that were forming but it only seemed to make it worse. He caught the familiar armor of his love and smiled. ¡°Took you lon-oof¡± He was cut off by Lenna dropping to her knees and all but tackling him in a hug. The hug was short as Lenna recollected herself almost instantly. She sat back on her heels and grabbed him by the face with both hands.


    ¡°You reckless, ignorant¡­ do you know how worried I was once I got caught in a poison bubble?!¡± Lenna scolded him.


    Isaac¡¯s slightly squished face started to smile a little bashfully. ¡°Yeah the poison bubble wasn¡¯t fun.¡±


    Lenna froze. She finally got a good look at Isaac and noticed the bloodshot eyes and the fact that he kept trying to blink away tears that wouldn¡¯t stop. ¡°How did you even get caught?¡± She asked quietly.


    Isaac placed a hand on one of her hands that were cupping his face. ¡°The door was boobytrapped.¡± He explained. ¡°I tried to open it because there was an active Globe of Negation on the other side so I couldn¡¯t teleport. It must¡¯ve needed a special key or a passphrase to open it.¡± He squinted at her and ran death flames through her body. His face fell. Her lungs were shredded. They didn¡¯t stay that way for long. ¡°How were you still functioning?¡± He asked her with furrowed brows. ¡°Wait.¡± He finally realized what she had said earlier. ¡°You got caught too? How did you survive?¡±


    Lenny cleared his throat, he was still invisible so neither of them could see him and thus he was forgotten about. ¡°Not to interrupt the boss and lady-boss¡¯s reunion but where is my brother?¡± He asked to get the pair back on track.


    ¡°Probably further down the tunnel.¡± Isaac explained. The tunnel turned sharply a bit ahead of them so they had no idea how much further it went.


    ¡°We must¡¯ve crossed half of town by now.¡± Lenny complained. ¡°I¡¯m gonna check it out.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Be careful. We¡¯ll catch up in a minute.¡± He replied and turned back to Lenna. ¡°Now, how did you survive?¡±


    Lenna gave Isaac the short and sweet version before he did the same with his experience. When he was done Lenna just stared at him in silence for a long moment. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you could surprise me anymore with your ridiculous power and abilities.¡± She commented.


    Isaac grinned at her. ¡°And I didn¡¯t realize my image of you could get any more unassailable but here we are.¡± He said as he rose to his feet and offered her his hand. ¡°Come on, we need to catch up to Lenny before he gets himself killed.¡± His eyes were still burning but not as badly as before. Lenna had told him how she was completely out of mana so he couldn¡¯t ask her for help. He just had to wait until his body and the potion finished expelling the poison. Every now and then Isaac would cough a cloud of green gas that would quickly disperse. His insides still hurt and a good bit of his regeneration was going to dealing with the poison but his reserves were nearly back to full by the time Lenna had shown up.


    Lenna took the offered hand and rose to join him. ¡°Thanks.¡± She said but held his hand for a moment longer. ¡°We aren¡¯t splitting up again.¡± Her comment was a statement, like saying the sky was blue or grass was green. She brokered no argument. Isaac smiled and gave her a curt nod. He wasn¡¯t sure how else to reply. He knew that at some point they would have to for one reason or another but he would cross that bridge when they got to it. For now, they had a rogue to save.


    The pair headed down the tunnel carefully and then rounded the corner. What they saw was a ladder that led to a closed trapdoor. Isaac walked up to it and started climbing. He lent Lenna the rest of his mana regeneration to silence her armor and she followed after him. Once at the top of the ladder Isaac slowly pushed the trapdoor open a bit so he could peer out. ¡°Clear.¡± Isaac whispered and opened the door the rest of the way before pulling himself out into the large warehouse they found themselves in. There were thick shelves full of boxes surrounding them so they could only see a small area of the building. Lenny was nowhere to be found. Isaac offered Lenna a hand again and helped her out of the hatch.


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    They snuck over the edge off the row of shelves. Isaac vanished before peering around the corner. What he saw was much worse than he hoped but better than he feared. James was chained to a chair and bloodied beyond reason. They had only had him for around an hour and it looked like he had been beaten half to death and half to death again. He was still breathing from the look of it but it looked labored. Before Isaac could say anything to Lenna or do anything at all the man standing over James arched back and Lenny appeared behind him with his dagger in both hands pressing into the man¡¯s back. Past Lenny, his victim, and James was a section of stacked cages large enough to hold a few people each. Inside one of them a small family of three gasped in surprise and the father wrapped his arms around the mother and child. In another cage a dehydrated and starved old man was staring at the ceiling and rocking back and forth. The other three were empty.


    Isaac reappeared next to Lenna. ¡°Lenny just engaged. Move.¡± He told her and vanished again. Lenna ran out from behind the shelves and bolted down the middle aisle. Isaac teleported next to Lenny while still invisible and looked around. A guard was standing a dozen paces away and had been looking out the door. His head had snapped around at the noise of his companion getting stabbed. Isaac teleported behind him and grabbed him by the back of the neck while reappearing. ¡°Move and you die.¡± Isaac purred deeply with threat and death dripping off every word. The man froze. ¡°Good.¡± He drug out the word but didn¡¯t otherwise move.


    Lenna looked around and realized that they were the only ones in the building. ¡°Where is everyone else?¡± She asked. ¡°They had to know we were coming.¡±


    Lenny was hovering around his brother fiddling with a key that he had taken off of the man he had just killed. His hands were shaking too much to get the key in the lock. James was still unconscious and the rest of the prisoners looked like they were trying to both go unnoticed and severely hoped that they were going to be freed. Lenna¡¯s gaze settled on the man in Isaac¡¯s grasp and they met eyes. ¡°I ain¡¯t tellin¡¯ you shite.¡± He told her. His tone was a mix of fear and defiance.


    ¡°I met your boss.¡± Isaac told him. ¡°She ran away.¡± His grip tightened. ¡°Tell me where she went.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± The man said and swallowed.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°You don¡¯t want to trade information that leads to the death of Mr. Nobody for your life?¡±


    The man tried to shake his head but Isaac¡¯s grip was firm. ¡°It¡¯s not that. I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t know and I¡¯m not allowed to think too hard about it.¡± He tried to explain.


    ¡°Then you¡¯re useless to me.¡± Isaac replied coldly and closed his hand while coating it in death flames. The man dropped, with the back half of his neck missing, to the ground in a heap. His eyes met Lenna¡¯s. ¡°Free the prisoners. I¡¯ll take a quick look around the building and then we are heading to the smithy. Hopefully we aren¡¯t too late.¡±


    Lenna nodded and got to work. She enhanced her strength with her aura and cleaved through the locks on the cages. ¡°Take the old man and find the nearest guard. Tell them some random adventurers just rescued you and tell them where this warehouse is.¡± She ordered the family. She got a bunch of hasty nods in return but it seemed like none of them were quite up for talking. Their lips were chapped and it looked like no one had given them water in a while. Lenna reached into her bottomless bag and tossed them a waterskin to share. ¡°Small sips.¡± She explained and moved on.


    In the meantime Lenny had finally gotten his brother out of the chains. ¡°Come on you fossil, don''t go dying on me like this. Wake up damn it!¡± He swore. He was about to get up and find Isaac or Lenna when Lenna arrived next to him. She handed him her last healing potion. ¡°Thank you.¡± He told her with great sincerity. He knew that she was out of mana so this was all she could do for his brother. He hoped that it would be enough. He carefully opened his brother¡¯s mouth and poured the red liquid in. Some of it dripped down James¡¯s chin but he swallowed the rest unconsciously. Some of the wounds on his face started to close up and some of the bruises started to lighten. They both knew that the potion would not be near enough to get James back on his feet but it would hopefully be enough to be able to move him safely.


    Isaac was opening crate after crate. Some had gold coins, some platinum ones, some gold dust, some quartz crystals, some a fine white powder, and five were full of mushrooms. ¡°Money, drugs, and ritual materials. About what I expected.¡± Isaac thought aloud. He finally got to a section of nothing but random metalwear. Rings, daggers, goblets, armor, necklaces, broken guild badges. Anything and everything of value that was made of metal was tossed into the crates. It looked like the warehouse was where they stored all the fenced items that they hadn¡¯t gotten to yet. The items had likely started to pile up after the recent crackdowns. ¡°We are going to make a fortune.¡± He said with greed in his eyes. He teleported back over to Lenna and the brothers. ¡°How¡¯s he doing?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Not great.¡± Lenna replied honestly. ¡°I think he¡¯ll live but we shouldn¡¯t move him yet.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Do you have anything in your bag that you absolutely need right now?¡± He asked.


    Lenna pulled out a blanket and wrapped it around James. She shook her head. ¡°No. Throwing spikes I guess.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Great.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Give Lenny your bag.¡± He told her and then turned to the boy. ¡°Those two crates there are full of coins.¡± He told Lenny and pointed out two crates he had opened. ¡°Stuff as many in the bag as it¡¯ll take. Don¡¯t touch anything else and be done before the guard arrive.¡± He pulled his badge out of his Inventory and handed it to Lenny. ¡°When they get here, tell them you are working with me and were left to hold down the building until they could arrive¡­ and that your brother needs a healer.¡±


    Lenny¡¯s eyes went wide as he took the bag and badge. ¡°You got it boss.¡± He replied. ¡°Do I get a cut?¡±


    Isaac smirked. ¡°Of course. I told you guys I was going to pay you big time for this job. Now I have money to make good on my word.¡± He clapped the boy on the arm. ¡°Be careful and hurry up.¡± He turned to Lenna. ¡°Ready to track down Mr. Nobody and end this?¡±


    Lenna cracked her knuckles. She spoke only one word but it was enough: ¡°Yes.¡±

 Chapter 11 I Can Tell.

    Chapter 11 I Can Tell.


    Isaac and Lenna took off in a dead sprint towards the smithy Mr. Nobody was using as a base. Both of them had death flames running through their systems to both keep up their endurance and continue fighting off the last remnants of the poison. They shoved past a few people along the way but the streets weren¡¯t so full that most couldn¡¯t just move out of the way of the charging mage and paladin. They both rounded the last corner before they would arrive at the smithy. What they saw surprised them.


    Alexander was squaring off against the female wizard that was the magical half of Mr. Nobody. Three guards were getting absolutely destroyed by a group of five smiths and a clerk who all had large weapons from inside the shop. Alexander and the woman were continuously trying to cast spells only for them to be countered before they could fire. Spell after spell fizzled as the air became more and more charged with frenzied mana from the continuous clashing. Alexander may have been a lower level than the woman but he was a court mage and a prodigy at that. The fact that the woman had used a powerful teleportation spell to escape Isaac also served to balance out their available mana.


    Isaac teleported behind one of the smiths and put his sword through the man¡¯s back before teleporting again and hacking into another smith. His next teleport found his blade covered in death flames easily cleaving through another man. In a moment all of the smiths but one was dead and gone. The one smith that Isaac knew wasn¡¯t really a smith. Isaac could feel the lack of presence the man had. The blank spot in his senses that unnerved him. They locked eyes. ¡°Doppelganger, changeling, or drow with an item?¡± Isaac asked.


    The man blinked and then tossed his smith¡¯s hammer at Alexander. Lenna was there just in time to block the thrown weapon with her shoulder. The clash startled Alexander just enough that he failed to counter the next spell the other wizard cast. Her and the smith vanished in a quick and dirty teleport. There was a whoosh of air from the places they had both been. Alexander gestured to the roof of the smithy. ¡°Up there!¡± He called.


    Isaac¡¯s mana senses had felt the teleport but he hadn¡¯t spent nearly enough time training to be able to tell where they had gone. He did notice a slight drag in the mana in the direction that they had gone but it wasn¡¯t clear if that was only because of the slightly botched teleport. Teleportation wasn¡¯t supposed to have any interaction with the space involved. Most teleportation spells were very particular about only switching places and not just shunting one thing from point A to point B without refilling the space that something once inhabited. Something about the teleportation spell didn¡¯t quite sit right with Isaac even as he started infusing his body with his entire regeneration rate¡¯s worth of death flames. He took a quick step towards the building and turned to Lenna while interlocking his fingers and preparing to give her a boost.


    Lenna caught the movement and lined herself up. She sprinted towards him and planted her boot in his hands. With a heave she was tossed most of the way to the roof. Her knee very nearly gave out under the strain. She realized quickly that she wouldn¡¯t make it the entire way to the roof. With one perfectly timed motion she stabbed her sword into the stone wall. The stab helped slow her forward momentum so she didn¡¯t slam into the wall and her aim was true. Her sword found the place where two stones met and forced its way between them. She was only a handful of feet from the edge of the roof but would still need Isaac to help her the rest of the way up.


    Alexander lifted into the air as he cast a flight spell on himself and took off after the fleeing wizard and smith. Once he reached the height of the roof he pointed two of his fingers at the fleeing pair. ¡°What I seek is thunder.¡± He chanted evenly. A thunderclap rang out as the lightning bolt streaked after his targets.


    Isaac teleported to the roof and reached down to take Lenna¡¯s outstretched hand. It was then that he realized the problem with their opponent¡¯s teleport. Teleportation spells required direct contact to work. As far as he knew there wasn¡¯t a way to teleport someone with you without being in physical contact with them. Something about the creature¡¯s mana currents messing with the spell in some way or another. Isaac only skimmed the section about teleportation as the way he did it had nothing to do with proper space magic. His had everything to do with how weird shadows were and how esoteric dark mana could be instead. Isaac grabbed Lenna¡¯s hand by the wrist and she did the same to him as he hoisted her the rest of the way up to the roof. They both turned just in time to see a fireball get snuffed out mid air by Alexander.


    ¡°Hurry, I¡¯m running out of mana.¡± Alexander told them and then quickly threw a trio of red bolts of fire at the other wizard who deflected them with a small reality shield that vanished a moment later. She returned fire by casting a spell that summoned a floating sword that streaked at Alexander.


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    ¡°On it.¡± Isaac replied and the duo started to run after their targets. The other wizard and the smith had reached the end of their rooftop. She reached out and grabbed the shoulder of her companion before they both teleported the dozen feet to the next rooftop. The conjured sword abruptly changed direction to go after Isaac who effortlessly dodged the attack while sprinting. An orb of fire started to form in front of him a moment later. The distance was too far for him to grab it but close enough that he would take the resulting explosion to face. His enhanced perception from the large amount of death mana flowing through his nervous system let him know exactly how unpleasant the explosion would be. Isaac pulled his sword back out of his Inventory and dropped to his knees while stabbing the blade into the rooftop.


    Lenna saw the orb start to form and knew that there was nothing she could do about it. Isaac was closer to the explosion than she was and she hoped that he would be able to weather it. She had faith in the power flowing through him but she was still worried. She tucked her shoulder just as the orb expanded to full size.


    Alexander was flying after the rest of the combatants when the sword that was aiming for him went after Isaac instead. He wasn¡¯t sure if he should be insulted that the other wizard had deemed Isaac more of a threat than the one who had been countering almost every one of her spells or he should be glad that he didn¡¯t have to deal the summoned weapon. He hadn¡¯t been prepared for the fireball. It looked like both of his companions would be caught in it. ¡®That doesn¡¯t bode well.¡¯ He thought as he changed his flight path to keep him well above the explosion. He lined up a lightning bolt in retaliation. The fireball washed the rooftop in orange light and heat.


    Isaac hadn¡¯t been hit by a fireball directly before. It wasn¡¯t something he would recommend either. His favorite cloak was blasted clean off of him even as it burned to ash. His armor got uncomfortably hot. The almost nonexistent hairs on Isaac¡¯s exposed forearms were burned off along with his eyebrows, eyelashes, and hair. The pain was deep and raw but not the most excruciating he had felt to date. Unpleasant but not debilitating. By the time he opened his eyes his hair had all grown back from the power flowing through him. He looked up to see the pair reaching the end of another rooftop. He rose to his feet.


    Lenna¡¯s momentum was arrested violently by the explosion of magical fire that washed across the rooftop. She staggered but quickly regained her footing and looked at Isaac as he rose from the kneeling position he had taken to weather the explosion. She noticed a change in his body language as she watched his hair regrow within the span of a second. ¡®So much for taking them alive.¡¯ Was the one thought that went through her head immediately after she was sure he was alright.


    Alexander was starting to actually run out of mana. He had been engaged with this other wizard for nearly a minute before Isaac and Lenna arrived. He knew that she had to be scraping the bottom of the barrel as well. His plan was just to keep pressuring her until Isaac and Lenna could catch up to deal with them properly. At least that had been his plan until he watched Isaac appear right in front of the wizard and grab her by the face. He could see the flaring reality shield between Isaac¡¯s hand and her skin and he watched with wide eyes as the prismatic pane of reality turned black under an absolutely insane amount of mana pressure.


    Isaac summoned Kahtesh right next to him and ordered the dragon to tear the shapeshifter¡¯s throat out. His hand clamped down as hard as it could as he poured his reserves into the reality shield. He picked the woman off the ground by her face before turning and slamming her down onto the rooftop. The back of her head hit first and he thought he heard a crack. It could have been any number of things, the reality shield, the roof, the woman¡¯s skull, hells even Isaac¡¯s wrist. He turned in time to see Kahtesh getting tossed across the rooftop by the smith. ¡®He¡¯s stronger than I thought.¡¯ Isaac thought while standing back to his full height. The smith let out a cry of rage at what Isaac had just done to his companion and charged at Isaac.


    Lenna planted her foot on the edge of the rooftop mid sprint. She sprinting long jumped the gap between the two buildings before landing in a roll just as Kahtesh rolled to a stop next to her.


    Alexander watched in shock and horror as the reality shield fell away from the other wizard¡¯s face in five pieces before fading away. ¡®That shouldn¡¯t be possible.¡¯ His mind stuttered to itself. He had forgotten about the battle itself as his mind tried to understand how a wall of reality magic could be destroyed with anything other than disintegration magic.


    Isaac rolled under the smith¡¯s punch before returning his own at full force into the man¡¯s stomach. The six foot tall, two hundred and fifty pound smith folded like a sheet of paper. His spine was shattered from Isaac¡¯s knuckles hitting it through all the gooey bits that were in between them. Isaac¡¯s shoulder tried to dislocate and every joint in between his shoulder and the point of impact was compressed to a painful degree before they could be returned to normal. The larger man left the ground before crashing back to the rooftop in a heap.


    The smith¡¯s form started to warp and shift and his body tried to rearrange itself. He shrunk slightly and got a little wider to compensate. His skin turned stony gray and looked like it hardened slightly. Isaac was on top of him before he could move. Isaac¡¯s fist cocked back as the man¡¯s eyes started to flutter back open. They widened just in time for Isaac to bounce the man¡¯s head off the stone roof via a punch to the nose. Isaac almost fell over from his own impact force. He quickly reoriented and grabbed the smith by his shirt for stability before pounding his head back into the stone again. Then again and again before Lenna got to his side.


    Isaac finally stopped and straightened. He looked back at the fallen wizard and then at Lenna. ¡°They pissed me off.¡± He offered his excuse.


    ¡°I can tell.¡± Lenna replied evenly. She looked over at the fallen wizard. ¡°Her traps pissed me off too.¡±

 Chapter 12 Trust

    Chapter 12 Trust


    Alexander gently touched down next to the bloodied cadaver that was Sary Smith, the wizard he had just been engaging with and the magical half of Mr. Nobody. He peered down at her looking for any sign of life but found none. Her eyes were open and staring blankly into the ceiling of the large cavern Safeharbor was situated in. Blood leaked from the back of her head. Not enough for her cause of death to be a shattered skull. He poked the side of her head with his boot and her head rocked to the side limply. ¡°Broken neck.¡± He said aloud and turned to see Isaac and Lenna standing over the other half of the Mr. Nobody problem.


    ¡°Definitely a doppelganger.¡± Lenna told the boys. ¡°Skin isn¡¯t right for anything else.¡±


    ¡°Not to mention it keeps trying to put itself back together. That¡¯s not something that a creature with a defined skeleton can do.¡± Isaac added. The smith opened his eyes but they looked unfocused as they rolled around aimlessly. ¡°Should I hit him again?¡± He asked.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Every hit is probably taking memories away.¡± She explained.


    Isaac looked over to Alexander and saw him staring at them. ¡°Got any way to keep this one from being a problem later?¡± He asked the wizard.


    Alexander looked down at the smith and watched his arm twitch. ¡°Not really. There is a reason their kind are killed on sight.¡± The wizard explained. ¡°You can try interrogating him now and if you don¡¯t get anything good just kill him. He¡¯s a security risk regardless.¡± He gestured towards the dead wizard at his feet. ¡°It would have been better to take this one alive.¡±


    ¡°She fireballed me.¡± Isaac replied as his excuse for what he had done. ¡°Twice now that I think about it.¡± He nodded sagely with his hand on his chin. ¡°Then there was the poison bubble trap, that sucked by the way, and she almost broke my dragon. She should be glad that she lived as long as she did.¡±


    Lenna shook her head at Isaac before turning her attention back to the doppelganger. She planted her boot on its chest and stared down at it. Its eyes looked like they tried to focus on her but kept slipping off. ¡°Were you working with drow insurgents?¡± Lenna questioned directly. The doppelganger just stared at her blankly. It was regaining focus by the second as its body was burning its own biomass to repair the damage Isaac had inflicted. ¡°Do you have more than one warehouse?¡± She continued. Still nothing.


    ¡°Alexander,¡± Isaac began. ¡°can you use memory magic on him to find anything useful?¡±


    Alexander shook his head. ¡°In a few hours maybe but not right now. That fight took a lot out of me.¡± He explained. ¡°Maybe Lady L¡¯Vore?¡±


    Isaac cracked a smirk and raised an eyebrow in amused question. ¡°Lady?¡± He asked. ¡°Not just Jala?¡±


    Alexander shook his head. ¡°No. She is still a noblewoman and I do not want to be on a first name basis with the mad witch you have living in my basement, Lord Wexler.¡± He explained evenly.


    Isaac laughed. ¡°Yeah she is pretty crazy.¡± He looked down at the doppelganger. ¡°I guess we can give Jala a new toy for her experiments. I hope she can get something useful out of him before she turns him into whatever it is she does to the rest of the poor creatures that end up in her lab.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to call a cleric.¡± Alexander told the duo. ¡°The guards will need treatment and I want to ask our wizard friend some questions.¡±


    ¡°Ask her if she was working with any drow.¡± Lenna chimed in. ¡°If so we¡¯ll need a location at least.¡±


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    Alexander nodded. ¡°As you say Lady V¡¯Nova.¡± He replied.


    ¡°How are you going to ask her if she¡¯s dead?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°There¡¯s magic to consult the dead. It isn¡¯t very effective most of the time but we might get something good out of her.¡± Alexander explained.


    ¡°What are the limitations?¡± Isaac continued his questions.


    ¡°The information the soul has collected during life is constantly being lost. The sooner the ritual can take place the more accurate and complete the memories. We¡¯ll only have her soul here to question for around a minute before it won¡¯t be recognizable anymore. The ritual has the side effect of degrading the soul much faster than it would naturally.¡± Alexander lectured. ¡°The ritual also only works on souls that weren¡¯t taken in by a deity. Those souls are safe from tampering or degradation but I doubt Sary Smith was very devout.¡±


    ¡°Why does it only work on the non devout?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°Those souls end up either in the hells, the heavens, or purgatory. All of those places are easy enough to plunder for the souls within. A god¡¯s domain is impenetrable to the level of spells we are capable of.¡± Alexander finished. ¡°Now if you¡¯ll excuse me, we are burning memories.¡± He gave Isaac and Lenna a nod before taking out a sending stone that was easily the size of his hand and started talking into it. ¡°Captain, it¡¯s Alexander. I need a cleric and a few guards at¡­¡± Isaac stopped paying attention at that point and his focus was completely on Lenna and their prisoner.


    ¡°I guess we can just haul him there the hard way.¡± Isaac grumbled.


    Lenna really wished she had some of the rope in her bottomless bag at that moment. ¡°He looks heavy.¡± She commented.


    Isaac kicked the man in the side. ¡°Hey, make yourself easier to carry.¡± He ordered.


    The man narrowed his eyes at Isaac. ¡°No. I heard what you¡¯re going to do to me.¡± He replied. His eyes then started darting around like he was looking for a weapon he could use.


    ¡°How resistant are you to lightning?¡± Isaac questioned and Kahtesh walked up next to them. ¡°Unless you wanna walk? That can be arranged too.¡±


    ¡°Just kill me. It¡¯s got to be better than whatever horrors that drow will think up.¡± He told Isaac defiantly.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not dealing with this.¡± Isaac said and stomped on the man¡¯s head knocking him unconscious again. He reached down and grabbed the man. He had to dial back his boosting as he was slowly running out of mana. This meant that the man was heavy and the deadweight was awful to carry but it was the best option. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Isaac told Lenna.


    The duo crossed town with the doppelganger. Every now and then their prisoner would start moving and Isaac would smash his head into the street. After the fifth time Lenna started to wince. By the twelfth she was glad that they were almost at Jala¡¯s. The fourteenth time was into one of the stone tables in Jala¡¯s laboratory.


    ¡°And what do we have here?¡± Jala asked as she walked over to her new toy. ¡°A doppelganger?¡± She looked up at Lenna for confirmation and the younger woman nodded. ¡°With how rough you are being with it I assume you just captured it?¡± Lenna nodded again. Jala grabbed the subject by the chin and looked into its face. She opened one of its eyes and watched as it tried to focus but failed. ¡°Brain function is restoring nicely.¡± She quickly crossed the room to one of her cabinets and pulled out a small jar and a syringe. ¡°I¡¯ll need to sedate it so it doesn¡¯t cause any problems.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°But first I need some information out of it. Information that you¡¯ll have to pry out of its mind.¡± He explained.


    Jala nodded slowly. ¡°I am aware of memory magic but I have only ever used it to implant memories not retrieve them. It is useful for programming chimeras but that is the extent that I have had need of it.¡± She explained. ¡°What information were you looking for?¡±


    Isaac and Lenna shared a look. ¡°If he had any drow contacts.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°You think my brother is behind this?¡± Jala asked rhetorically.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I think there¡¯s a chance he is and that¡¯s enough to look into it.¡± He explained.


    Jala nodded slowly. ¡°He was never one to put all his money on one gladiator.¡± She frowned at the doppelganger. ¡°I can try to check for you but you¡¯d have better luck with a mage who specializes in it or has at least had formal training in the subject.¡±


    ¡°Just give it a try. If you don¡¯t find anything then that¡¯s that. I¡¯ll see if Alexander can come by later to give it a go but if not feel free to dissect him.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°I¡¯ll leave him in your care. If you find out anything, send Lenna a message.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± Jala promised. ¡°How long should I wait for the young wizard?¡±


    ¡°Give him a day.¡± Isaac replied and turned to leave. ¡°Don¡¯t have too much fun.¡± He told her with a wave over his shoulder as he headed towards the exit.


    Lenna gave Jala a long searching look. ¡°We are putting our trust in you auntie.¡± She reminded the older woman whose eyes got a little wider before she nodded slowly in understanding. ¡°Good.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Enjoy.¡± She said and joined Isaac outside.


    Once the pair were alone again and walking towards the bar that Lenna had left Thomas at, Isaac asked a question that was also on Lenna¡¯s mind: ¡°Do you think we can trust her?¡±


    Lenna frowned. She sighed deeply. ¡°I hope so but I¡¯m not sure.¡± She eventually replied. ¡°Jallen is her brother. Her twin.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Jala is not known for her loyalty, but if there was ever someone to make her do something stupid for loyalty¡¯s sake¡­¡±


    Isaac nodded and then finished her sentence for her: ¡°It would be either Fen or her twin.¡±

 Chapter 13 Lucky To Be Alive.

    Chapter 13 Lucky To Be Alive.


    The V¡¯Nova Wexler duo arrived at Westly¡¯s Westside Bar almost two hours after Lenna had left it. The front door was wedged back into the doorway and eight corpses were lined up in a row right outside the building. They stank, not like death but of feces, it was no wonder they were moved outside. Lenna grabbed the door and yanked it free of the doorway. Behind it was a small tower of chairs. ¡°Thomas?¡± Lenna called only a little louder than she usually talked. Isaac wasn¡¯t sure if Lenna was even capable of properly yelling. The most he had ever heard from her was more akin to talking loudly.


    There was a commotion somewhere in the bar and then the chairs started moving. ¡°Took you two long enough.¡± Thomas said as he started moving the chairs out of the way. ¡°I went and got my tools, there¡¯s some interesting things here I think you¡¯d like to see.¡±


    ¡°Your tools?¡± Isaac asked as he and Lenna entered the bar. There was blood on the ground and broken tables and chairs tossed to the side. Isaac noticed a few crossbow bolts stuck in the wall.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Thomas replied but did not elaborate. ¡°Come with me.¡± He told them and led them towards the back. ¡°Apparently Mr. Nobody was quite the trap enthusiast.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Isaac said flatly. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re alive if you found that out.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what my tools are for.¡± Thomas replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t go very far down the secret passage but it looks like it¡¯s going in the general direction of Tic¡¯s Trinkets.¡±


    ¡°They meet in the middle.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°There¡¯s a warehouse roughly centered between the three locations. We already raided it.¡±


    Thomas nodded. ¡°How bad were the traps?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Bad.¡± Isaac replied simply before deciding to elaborate. ¡°Fireball runes, complete poison bubble traps, spikes, lots of spikes, crossbow bolt traps, iron cage, the floor fell out at one point.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°It was obnoxious.¡±


    Thomas¡¯s eyes had gotten wider at the mention of magical traps. ¡°I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t try to explore down the tunnel.¡± He grinned at Isaac. ¡°There¡¯s more interesting things here anyway.¡± He said and opened the door they had just arrived at. Inside was a massive ritual circle ten feet across with seven quartz crystals the size of a tankard placed at equidistant points from the center.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Isaac asked while trying to get a read on the ritual but failing.


    ¡°Teleportation circle.¡± Lenna and Thomas said at the same time. ¡°We should find out where this leads.¡± Lenna continued.


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Thomas replied. ¡°But we need a wizard for that.¡± He walked over to one of the walls. The wall had a cabinet built into it. He pulled open one of the large doors and revealed a pair of safes each three feet cubed. One of them was slightly ajar. ¡°I was in the middle of unlocking the second one when you arrived.¡±


    ¡°Anything good in the first one?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Deeds to all of their properties.¡± Thomas replied. ¡°It¡¯s kind of weird that they are all here and not one in each of their respective buildings but I guess it makes sense.¡±


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    ¡°How so?¡± Lenna asked with furrowed brows. ¡°The money was in the warehouse.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Thomas agreed. ¡°But if they needed to make a quick escape then the deeds to their properties would be worth more than however much gold they could stuff in their pockets. This way they could quickly empty the safes and teleport out.¡±


    ¡°They were engaging with Alexander when we arrived at the smithy. I wonder why they didn¡¯t all rush here when I spooked her earlier?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°They were probably trying to get everyone together to leave first.¡± Thomas surmised. ¡°The ritual is only set up to be cast once. They would¡¯ve only had one shot to leave with as many people and as much capital as possible.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense.¡± Isaac replied and started looking through the deeds to the properties. ¡°Want one?¡± Isaac asked Thomas and handed him the deed to the bar.


    Thomas took it with a frown. ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s a good idea.¡± He replied honestly. ¡°Knowing where to find a spy defeats half the point of being a spy. At that point I¡¯d just be an information broker. The job is safer, sure, but I doubt my boss would be very happy about it.¡±


    ¡°Who is your boss anyway?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Thomas shook his head. ¡°No thanks.¡± Thomas replied. ¡°I¡¯m staying out of that one. If you find out on your own then good on you but I like my life how it is thanks.¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Worth a shot.¡± He gestured towards the second safe. ¡°Are you going to open the second one?¡±


    Thomas nodded and walked over to the safe before pulling out what looked like a funnel. He placed the larger end against the safe and the smaller end at his ear. He started turning the dial this way and that. ¡°Something doesn¡¯t feel right.¡± Lenna said quietly more to herself than to Isaac who was next to her.


    Isaac was quiet for a minute before nodding. ¡°Agreed.¡± He replied. ¡°Like this has all been too easy.¡±


    ¡°What are we missing?¡± Lenna questioned. Just on time she felt a tingle in the back of her mind. She was quiet for a long moment with furrowed brows.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Alexander just told me that the smithy is on fire.¡± She replied.


    ¡°On fire?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°Like they were removing evidence of something. Something I missed.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°We should check on the brothers.¡± She advised just as Thomas opened the second safe. The door swung open and his eyes went wide before he slammed it shut again. A loud boom could be heard from down the street. Thomas was tossed across the room into the wall by the door abruptly being blasted off its hinges. Fire blanketed the room for a quick moment. The pressure wave almost knocked Isaac off his feet. His ruptured eardrums brought him to his knees. Lenna staggered back as her head swam. Everything was spinning as nothing but ringing could be heard.


    Luckily the fire hadn¡¯t had enough time to ignite anything but that was only a small blessing. Isaac poured death flames into himself and Lenna until they could both see straight and hear things again. ¡°Thomas!¡± Isaac exclaimed as his mind finally caught up to what had just happened. He and Lenna hurried over to the rogue who was crumpled in the corner with the door to the blown up safe in his lap.


    Lenna placed her hand on his shoulder and ran some healing mana through him to get an idea of his situation. ¡°Not great, could be worse.¡± Lenna told Isaac. ¡°I don¡¯t have enough mana yet to heal him properly.¡±


    ¡°How bad is it?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Five broken ribs, two fractured ones, concussion, minor skull fracture, ruptured eardrums, broken wrist.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Hells.¡± Isaac swore. ¡°He¡¯s lucky to be alive.¡±


    Lenna nodded in agreement. ¡°He needs a healer. He could still die without proper healing.¡± She explained and picked up the safe door and tossed in across the room. ¡°Help me lay him down.¡±


    Isaac did as he was told and the pair gently placed him flat on his back. ¡°I¡¯ll get a healer.¡± Isaac told Lenna. ¡°Wait here with him.¡±


    Lenna glared at Isaac. She was silent for a long moment. ¡°Stay out of trouble.¡± She ordered.


    Isaac knew better than to joke with her this time. He gave her a curt nod. ¡°I will. I promise.¡± He replied and hurried off to find a guard who could get them a healer.


    Lenna used some of the mana she had regenerated to lower the swelling in Thomas¡¯s brain. That was what worried her the most about his condition. The broken bones could be healed anytime within the next few hours and he would be fine but brain damage was finicky at best to deal with. There was a reason she made Isaac wait out his concussion. His healing was special as it more removed the injury than healed it. Brain damage fell into one of two categories. Either it needed immediate magical healing or it needed to heal by itself. The problem was that Lenna¡¯s field training when it came to brain injuries was rudimentary at best. It all boiled down to; leave it to a cleric, if no cleric was available then magically heal it regardless of the consequences. This was because there were always healers in any military engagement. Her healing was only supposed to be used when the alternative was death so if she needed to be the one healing someone¡¯s brain injury then that meant that they needed to be up and moving immediately regardless of any future consequences. ¡®Is it healing if it¡¯s in front or let it heal?¡¯ Lenna questioned herself. ¡®Isaac, hurry, and be safe.¡¯ Her brows furrowed harder. ¡®I don¡¯t want someone to die in my hands, again.¡¯

 Chapter 14 I’ll Live.

    Chapter 14 I¡¯ll Live.


    Isaac ran down the street checking street signs. There was one specific street he was looking for. ¡®Found it!¡¯ He exclaimed internally as he found the street the Crimson Coins were based out of. He turned onto that street and continued for a few blocks before he came across one of the gang members. It was a lithe man without an arm. ¡°I need your healer.¡± Isaac told the man as he slowed to a stop.


    The gang member looked at him in confusion for a second before realizing who Isaac was. His face paled. ¡°I-I don¡¯t think I should be talking to you.¡± He stammered out.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice.¡± Isaac replied and started bleeding shadows. ¡°One of my men is in critical condition and if he dies because of you I¡¯ll take your other arm.¡± Isaac threatened. ¡°Now, I need to borrow your healer. Where is he?¡±


    The gang member gulped. ¡°Th-this way.¡± He told Isaac and started heading down the street at a fast walk.


    ¡°Faster.¡± Isaac ordered and the man picked up the pace.


    A few blocks later they were at a rundown clinic. The gang member took Isaac inside. ¡°Hey, healer!¡± The gang member called out.


    There was a crash and what sounded like bottles rolling around before a disheveled man staggered out from one of the rooms. ¡°You guys getting into fights again?¡± He asked with some irritation and sleep in his voice.


    ¡°One of my men needs healing.¡± Isaac replied simply. ¡°Come with me.¡±


    The healer started blinking away sleepiness and looked around for his bag. He found it resting by the door. ¡°How badly?¡± The healer asked while following Isaac out of the building. ¡°Wait, I know you.¡± He finally recognized Isaac. ¡°I could get in trouble if the boss knows I helped you.¡±


    ¡°Tell him I threatened your life.¡± Isaac replied coldly. ¡°Hurry up.¡±


    ¡°Are you?¡± The healer asked as he tried to keep up with Isaac¡¯s steadily increasing speed.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied simply.


    The unlikely pair continued hurrying in the direction of Westly¡¯s, where Thomas was still suffering with Lenna watching over him, for a short while in silence. Eventually the healer was awake enough and had his thoughts enough in order to do his job. ¡°How injured is the patient?¡± He asked Isaac.


    ¡°A bunch of broken bones, skull fracture and brain damage.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you based on how good of a job you do.¡± Isaac told the man. ¡°So make sure you do it right.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± The healer promised. ¡°I¡¯m still a healer.¡± Regardless of how disheveled the man seemed he appeared to take his job and the title that went along with it very seriously.


    A few minutes later Isaac and the healer were in the room where Thomas was sprawled out in pain. Lenna was kneeling over him with a bucket of cold water and towel. She was replacing the towel that was on Thomas¡¯s head with a new one. ¡°He¡¯s burning up.¡± Lenna told them. ¡°The brain swelling is getting worse and I¡¯m out of mana.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± The healer replied. ¡°Give me some space.¡± He told Lenna who moved out of the way. The healer knelt down next to Thomas and quickly got to work. He started with Thomas¡¯s head and then moved to his ribs. He ignored the spy¡¯s broken wrist and only focused on serious injuries. Broken ribs could become a real problem very quickly. The room was silent for a few minutes while the healer worked. Eventually he sat back on his heels and wiped some sweat from his brow. ¡°His life isn¡¯t in danger anymore.¡±


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    Isaac and Lenna both let out the breaths that they had been unknowingly holding in. ¡°Good. Thank you.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°What happened to him?¡± The healer asked and looked up to Isaac and Lenna who were standing a few feet away.


    ¡°He got blown up.¡± Isaac replied simply. He nodded towards the wall. ¡°He was tossed into the wall by that.¡± He gestured at the safe door that was tossed a few feet away.


    The healer nodded. ¡°Let his body settle for a while. His wrist still needs healing and three of his ribs are still fractured but that¡¯s all I can do for now. The rest of the damage is gone but he¡¯ll have major bruising across his chest, back, and wrist.¡± He explained to the duo.


    ¡°You¡¯re out of mana already?¡± Isaac asked.


    The doctor¡¯s mouth was a thin line. ¡°I have some left but if I use it now then I won¡¯t have anything left in the event of another emergency.¡± He explained.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Can the rest be healed with potions?¡±


    The doctor nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll put his arm in a splint so you can move him when he wakes up. As long as he gets the potions within the next twelve hours the healing should be perfect.¡± He told Isaac and then got to work pulling out a series of different sized and shaped sticks as well as cloth padding and string. He splinted Thomas¡¯s arm and then rose to his feet while grabbing his bag.


    ¡°What do you normally get paid for something like this?¡± Isaac asked the healer.


    The healer looked down at Thomas and seemed to do some math. ¡°A hundred gold plus ten more for the splint. I healed him as much as half a dozen potions and splinted his arm.¡± He nodded to himself. ¡°A hundred and ten gold would be the normal rate but you drug me the whole way out here so, a hundred and fifty.¡±


    Isaac pulled twenty platinum coins out of a ball of shadows and handed them to the healer. ¡°Thanks.¡± He told the man. ¡°I trust you can find your own way back?¡±


    The healer looked at the coins in his hand with surprise. It was rare that he got overpaid. ¡°Yes. I can find my way back.¡± The healer replied with a nod. He started towards the door. ¡°If you need anything else, you know where to find me.¡± He said and walked out.


    Isaac looked at Lenna. ¡°I take it we are out of healing potions?¡± He asked.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°He drank two of mine already, James got the other one.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll need to pick up some more for next time.¡± Isaac thought aloud. ¡°I hate not being able to heal them.¡± Their allies, friends. Isaac wouldn¡¯t say it out loud but that is what he thought of them. Sure, James and Lenny were subordinates and not exactly willing ones at that but Isaac was still fond of them. Thomas had been more than cooperative when he was tasked with keeping tabs on them and now that they had done, most of, a job together Isaac was more than willing to work with the spy again.


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna replied and took a seat leaning against the wall a few feet from Thomas.


    ¡°We can¡¯t wait here too long.¡± Isaac told her as he walked over to the blown up safe. ¡°We still need to check on the brothers.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Agreed. We should wait until he wakes up.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac replied and picked up a platinum bar that was sitting in the bottom of the blown out safe, it was warped slightly from the explosion but still usable without needing to be melted down. He tossed it into his Inventory and felt the weight come down on him across his body. ¡°I¡¯m getting a drink.¡± He said to Lenna as he rose to his feet. ¡°Want anything?¡±


    ¡ª


    Eventually Thomas started to stir. Isaac handed him a mug of water. ¡°What happened?¡± Thomas groaned out and then his face contorted in pain. His eyes slowly found Isaac sitting next to him. ¡°I feel like a building got dropped on me.¡±


    ¡°The safe blew up in your face.¡± Isaac replied honestly. ¡°You¡¯re lucky to be alive.¡±


    Thomas groaned in pain again. ¡°I don¡¯t feel that lucky.¡± He said and coughed before wincing in pain again. He tried to sit up and Isaac helped him. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°The healer ran out of mana before he could completely fix you up.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°You won¡¯t die but you should visit a healer once you are good enough to walk.¡±


    Thomas nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± He drank some of his water and then looked around. ¡°You had a healer here?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yes. The one from the Crimson Coins. He didn¡¯t ask too many questions.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Thomas said again.


    ¡°Well, now that you¡¯re awake, we need to check on the brothers.¡± Isaac told the spy and rose to his feet. ¡°James was beaten to the hells and back.¡±


    ¡°Were you two the only team that didn¡¯t get ambushed?¡± Thomas questioned.


    Isaac smirked. ¡°What? You think they have a dragon hidden in one of their buildings or something? Who¡¯s going to ambush me or Lenna?¡±


    Thomas shook his head. ¡°This shit¡¯s unfair.¡± Thomas grumbled under his breath. ¡°I¡¯ll live.¡± He told Isaac. ¡°Go make sure those kids are alright.¡±


    ¡°Glad you¡¯re alive Thomas.¡± Lenna said from a few feet away. ¡°Keep it that way.¡±


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± Thomas told her with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s the plan.¡±


    Isaac shook his head and started walking towards the door. ¡°Is this what I sound like?¡± He asked Lenna as he walked past her.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She replied evenly.


    Isaac scratched the back of his head. ¡°I think I understand why you¡¯re shaking your head at me all the time.¡± He confessed.


    Lenna shook her head at him. ¡°You don¡¯t know that half of it.¡±

 Chapter 15 Loot Goblin

    Chapter 15 Loot Goblin


    Isaac and Lenna arrived at the warehouse they had left Lenny and James at to the sight of a dozen guards and the brothers trying to blend into the warehouse wall. James was still wrapped in the blanket Lenna had given him but was looking much better than he had been. He was still covered in blood, most if not all of it his own, but the swelling was down and some of his bruises had completely disappeared. Lenny was clutching Lenna''s bottomless bag like it was a life raft in a thunderstorm as he tried to hide under his hooded cloak.


    The guards had the entire building on lockdown. One of the men who looked to be in charge approached Isaac and Lenna as the pair arrived. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but this area is off limits.¡± The guard said to the duo.


    ¡°I know.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Those two are my men.¡± Isaac told the guard and gestured towards James and Lenny. ¡°We¡¯re the ones who found the warehouse and¡­ liberated it, in the first place.¡±


    The guard noticed Lenna¡¯s badge and Isaac¡¯s silver eyes. He managed to hide his surprise well enough under his helmet that the only reason the duo knew that he had finally realized who they were was because he admitted it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t recognize you Lord Wexler, Lady V¡¯Nova, I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve met.¡± He gave them both a deep nod of respect before continuing. ¡°I¡¯m Sergeant Avory Williams, it¡¯s a pleasure.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to meet you too, Sergeant.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Likewise.¡± Lenna added with a brief nod before her attention turned elsewhere.


    ¡°Are you aware that this warehouse is involved in an ongoing investigation?¡± Isaac asked the Sergeant.


    The role reversal seemed to catch the man off guard for a moment. ¡°Um, yes sir, I am.¡± Avory replied. ¡°Are you working with Court Mage Alexander?¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Not directly. He stumbled into our investigation on account of our lead suspect using a high level teleportation spell in town.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°We have loose ends to clean up that will be more difficult if we are tripping over each other.¡±


    ¡°I understand sir but we can¡¯t just drop an investigation part way through.¡± Sergeant Williams replied. ¡°If you would be willing to cooperate with us I believe we would be able to wrap this whole mess up quicker.¡±


    Isaac nodded and smiled at the man. ¡°I am not opposed to that. Firstly, what are you doing with the contents of that warehouse?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°At present, we¡¯re only cataloging it.¡± Sergeant Williams answered. ¡°Once it has been cataloged we will be transporting it to evidence and eventually, hopefully, back to the original owners.¡± He looked at Isaac quizzically. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good enough for me.¡± Isaac replied and looked to Lenna for any objections.


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    ¡°You¡¯re the decision guy, I¡¯m the, cut things in half, lady.¡± She replied simply and continued scanning the guards. ¡°There, him.¡± She told Isaac and Avory while pointing at a guard.


    Isaac appeared behind the guard with his hand on the man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Something you want to share with the class?¡± Isaac asked.


    Two of the nearby guards reached for their weapons upon Isaac¡¯s abrupt entrance. The guard he had grabbed froze. Sergeant Williams started heading towards them in a jog with Lenna walking casually behind him while still observing the rest of the guards. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, Lord Wexler, sir.¡± The guard stammered out. ¡°I¡¯m just doing my job.¡±


    ¡°Lord Wexler,¡± Avory began when he arrived before looking back over his shoulder at Lenna. ¡°Lady V¡¯Nova, what is the meaning of this?¡±


    ¡°You have a goblin problem.¡± Isaac replied casually without removing his hand from the guard¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°A goblin problem?¡± Avory questioned.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m no goblin sirs.¡± The guard in question tried to interject.


    ¡°Let the grown ups talk.¡± Isaac told the man before returning his focus to Avory and Lenna who had just arrived. ¡°A loot goblin problem to be precise.¡±


    Lenna walked over to the guard and ripped his coin purse off of his belt before dumping it out on the ground. A cascade of platinum coins clanged against the cold stone beneath them. Avory¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°Thank you for bringing this to my attention.¡± He told the duo while the ¡®loot goblin¡¯ looked like he wished he was anywhere but where he was. ¡°My job is bad enough without me having to doubt my own men.¡± Avory continued and glanced over to one of the other guards who had stopped to watch the comotion. ¡°Take him to the cells, I¡¯ll deal with him later.¡±


    ¡°W-Wait sir, please.¡± The culprit pleaded. ¡°It was just once, plenty of others have done it before, it was just a few coins.¡±


    ¡°Get a move on.¡± Avory told the guard who had come to collect the pleading man. ¡°I will make sure the Captain is aware of this incident.¡± He turned back to Isaac and Lenna. ¡°How did you know?¡± He asked Lenna curiously.


    ¡°I want to know too.¡± Isaac added.


    ¡°He looked antsy.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°There was no reason for it. There was no danger.¡±


    ¡°How did you even know to look?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°It¡¯s a problem in drow cities too. Guards left unsupervised tend to get sticky fingers.¡± She explained.


    ¡°I see.¡± Avory replied. ¡°Thank you again for catching it. Now, where were we?¡±


    ¡°Our collaboration on this case.¡± Isaac answered. ¡°I have a list of known employees and contacts. I would like you to acquire every individual on the list. I haven¡¯t had a chance to go through it yet.¡±


    ¡°Employees and contacts of whom?¡± Avory asked. ¡°How is this connected to the incident at the smithy?¡±


    ¡°They are the same incident Sergeant.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°The only reason you or Alexander are even aware of any of this is because it got messy. You are moving in on our job, not the other way around. I thought that was clear.¡±


    Avory nodded slowly. ¡°Alright, I think we can help you with your quest, Lord Wexler. Tell me more about this incident and those involved.¡± And so Isaac did. He gave Avory a quick rundown on Mr. Nobody and the scale of their operation. He also explained to the Sergeant that the other two buildings were not to be touched as Isaac had already taken everything of importance out of them and he had a plan for the buildings in the future. A plan that having a dozen guards turning the places upside down wouldn¡¯t help. Eventually Isaac handed over the stack of papers, he had taken from Tic¡¯s Trinkets, to Sergeant Williams to be sorted through. ¡°I will do my best to arrest those specified but I doubt I¡¯ll be able to get them all.¡± Avory told Isaac while accepting the paperwork. ¡°Safeharbor is both bigger and smaller than it seems.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I am aware.¡± He replied. ¡°It is a huge place full of hidden corners when you are searching for something even though the population and physical size of the city aren¡¯t that large.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Avory agreed. ¡°Where can I reach you? I will let you know who we are unable to get within the next few days. Those people are unlikely to be caught at all.¡±


    ¡°Have Alexander send Lenna a message telepathically.¡± Isaac told the Sergeant. ¡°We have more loose ends to wrap up in Ben¡¯s End. I¡¯ll need the names and descriptions of any of their associates that are specified to be in Ben¡¯s End or Outpost Charles. If you can get that to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild by the end of the day then we won¡¯t have to use Alexander as a messenger. Lenna and I will be gone by morning.¡±


    ¡°Understood. I will inform the Captain and get right on it.¡± Sergeant Williams replied. He gave Isaac and Lenna a nod before heading off to find someone to leave in charge of the clean up and transport.


    Isaac and Lenna walked over to their favorite thieves. ¡°Hey boys.¡± Isaac greeted them. ¡°Let¡¯s get you home.¡±

 Chapter 16 Good Question.

    Chapter 16 Good Question.


    ¡°Hey boss.¡± James greeted Isaac wearily. ¡°Thanks for the save.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, thanks again for going after this idiot.¡± Lenny added.


    ¡°I take care of my own.¡± Isaac replied and offered James a hand to help him to his feet.


    ¡°Um, here, miss lady-boss.¡± Lenny said to Lenna while handing her the bottomless bag. ¡°It¡¯s full.¡± He added in a whisper.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Lenna replied and threw the strap over her shoulder.


    James took Isaac¡¯s offered hand and was drug to his feet. It looked like the rogue was still in pain and quite stiff. ¡°Thanks boss.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got something I want to run by you.¡± Isaac said to James and started walking in the direction of the brothers¡¯ house.


    ¡°Oh?¡± James asked. He was genuinely surprised that Isaac was asking him for his input. ¡°What do ya need?¡±


    ¡°Well, I have come across the deeds to all of Mr. Nobody¡¯s properties in town.¡± Isaac began. ¡°I was thinking of having Lenny reopen Tic¡¯s.¡± Isaac offered. ¡°Change the name of course. He¡¯d need to figure out his own network and how to get rid of fenced items but I think it could prove beneficial. For all of us.¡±


    James was silent for a long moment while he thought about the offer. Having a location that was frequented by thieves was always good on the information gathering front but there was always a risk of someone important tracking down something that had been ¡®lost¡¯. Fences tended to make a good amount of money so the offer was tempting but there was a certain risk involved. ¡°Can I think about it? Talk it over with the kid?¡± James asked.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll leave the deed with you when we leave. If you decide you don¡¯t want it just return it when we return.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I¡¯d prefer it if you made your decision within a few weeks though. If you end up not wanting it, I¡¯ll need to sell it and the longer it¡¯s closed the less valuable it¡¯ll be.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have an answer for you by the time you get back.¡± James assured him. ¡°Where are you goin¡¯ anyway?¡±


    ¡°The five of us hit all four of Mr. Nobody¡¯s locations in town. I stuck the guards on cleanup duty for the missing personnel, again, in town.¡± Isaac gave James a look that seemed to say: ¡®Use your brain and figure it out.¡¯


    James nodded slowly. ¡°They have other locations and more people then?¡± He inferred. ¡°Where? Sapphirestone?¡±


    ¡°Probably.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°But those aren¡¯t my problem.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Ben¡¯s End and Outpost Charles are my problem.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going deeper eh.¡± James replied. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest boss, this place creeps me out enough. Being under a few million tons of rock is bad enough when I can see the exit.¡± He nodded in the general direction of the dwarven fortress that was the exit to the Outerworld.


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    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I just try not to think about it.¡± He said noncommittally. ¡°I¡¯ve been deeper than either of those places before and wasn¡¯t crushed under the surface of the planet. I won¡¯t say we¡¯ll be fine because that¡¯s tempting fate but the drow cities have stood for thousands of years down here.¡±


    ¡°Whatever works for you boss.¡± James replied. ¡°You don¡¯t happen to have another healing potion do you?¡±


    Isaac chuckled and shook his head. ¡°No, you and Thomas drank them all. I still don¡¯t know what they taste like.¡±


    ¡°Lucky you.¡± James grumbled. ¡°Not all of us are immortal.¡±


    ¡°Mortality isn¡¯t that bad.¡± Isaac replied with an easy smile. ¡°As long as you have better luck than I did, you¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    James¡¯s face contorted in a thoughtful and confused expression. ¡°Then you did?¡± He repeated. ¡°Were you mortal once and died boss?¡±


    Isaac nodded and looked up towards the ceiling of the massive cavern. ¡°Yeah. I was killed by a god messing with things they weren¡¯t supposed to be messing with. I was accidental collateral damage at best.¡± He sighed. ¡°But honestly, I think that was the best thing to have ever happened to me.¡±


    ¡°Dying?¡± James asked incredulously.


    ¡°A lot of things happened and I ended up here.¡± Isaac replied and then nodded towards Lenna. ¡°With her.¡± He flashed James a grin.


    James looked over his shoulder at Lenna and then back to Isaac. ¡°I don¡¯t know which one of you is crazier.¡± He commented. Isaac didn¡¯t reply but smiled a little wider. ¡°We can make it the rest of the way, boss.¡± James told Isaac. They were only a few blocks away from his house.


    ¡°Here, before I forget and lose it.¡± Lenny said and handed Isaac back his badge. ¡°It worked wonders.¡±


    Isaac nodded and grabbed the badge before tossing it to the side. The badge vanished immediately. ¡°Good.¡± He looked between the brothers. ¡°Do you have a bank account?¡±


    The brothers looked between each other. ¡°No.¡± Lenny replied.


    ¡°Then how do you want paid?¡± Isaac questioned.


    The brothers¡¯ eyes went wide. ¡°How much are we getting?¡± Lenny questioned excitedly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go figure it out.¡± Isaac replied with a grin. ¡°We¡¯ll meet you two in your dining room.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± James squeaked out. He had been informed that Lenny had raided the coin stash in the warehouse and could only imagine how much money he had ¡®liberated¡¯.


    Isaac put his hand on Lenna¡¯s shoulder and the two of them vanished leaving the brothers in a stupor as they tried to imagine how large their payout would be.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Ninety nine, one hundred.¡± Isaac counted and moved the pile of gold coins onto the pile sitting next to him. He leaned back and stretched his back out. His eyes panned the room and he could only grin at the obscene amount of coins piled up around them. Three hundred and seventy pounds of coins to be exact. Lenny had been smart while looting. He hit both the gold and platinum coin stores just as hard to keep it from looking too suspicious. It came out to a hundred and eighty three pounds of platinum coins and a hundred and eighty seven pounds of gold ones. It was worth over a hundred thousand gold in total. That wasn¡¯t even counting the platinum bar from Westly¡¯s or whatever was behind the counters at both Westly¡¯s and Tic¡¯s.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever see this much money again in my entire life.¡± James said in awe at the spectacle.


    ¡°Let¡¯s split it four ways.¡± Isaac said. ¡°A quarter for you and Lenny. Thomas, Lenna, and I¡¯ll each get our own shares. I think that¡¯s fair, all things considered.¡±


    James wanted to protest but couldn¡¯t. He and his brother had been helpful but they hadn¡¯t contributed as much individually as the rest of the team. That¡¯s not even taking into account the fact that James needed to be rescued which was never a good look. He sighed. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s fair.¡±


    Lenny grinned. ¡°So how much is a quarter of it?¡± He asked excitedly.


    ¡°Well, if we do some rounding, and assume you two get whatever money is left at Tic¡¯s, Thomas gets whatever¡¯s left at Westly¡¯s then¡­¡± Isaac¡¯s voice trailed off as he did the mental math. ¡°Twenty five thousand four hundred and twenty five.¡±


    ¡°How much would you and the lady-boss get then?¡± James asked.


    ¡°An even thirty thousand each.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I¡¯ve decided that you guys can keep the deed to Tic¡¯s regardless. If you don¡¯t want it then you can sell it.¡±


    James nodded. ¡°Sounds fair enough.¡± He agreed.


    ¡°How will we get Thomas his share?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac chuckled and looked around at the mounds of coins. ¡°That is a very good question.¡± He looked up at the ceiling in thought. ¡°We could put it in the safe at Westly¡¯s, the one that didn¡¯t blow up.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°That¡¯s as good an idea as any.¡± She agreed. ¡°He¡¯s broken into it before.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s give Thomas the bar for ten thousand of it.¡± Isaac replied with a grin.


    ¡°The bar from the safe that blew up in his face.¡± Lenna said flatly.


    ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡± Isaac agreed.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°That poor man.¡±

 Chapter 17 I’ll Treasure It.

    Chapter 17 I¡¯ll Treasure It.


    Isaac and Lenna were getting ready to leave the brothers¡¯ house with almost ninety thousand gold worth of coinage. The brothers had been left with almost all of the gold considering it would be easier for them to spend it than platinum coins. A pair of thieves walking around throwing platinum around was a good way to rouse suspicion. James had assured Isaac that a decent chunk of it was going to get spent on things that people weren¡¯t likely to notice. The rest they would leave in a bank account for a rainy day.


    ¡°Boss¡­ I don¡¯t know how to go about this but¡­¡± James began. He had a very serious look on his face and he looked a bit nervous.


    Isaac raised an eyebrow in question. ¡°Well, just say whatever is on your mind.¡± He told the rogue. ¡°As long as it¡¯s not about Lenna it isn¡¯t likely to get you killed.¡± He was only half joking.


    ¡°Heh heh¡­¡± James chuckled fakely. ¡°I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re joking.¡±


    Isaac motioned for him to continue. ¡°Just speak man.¡±


    James coughed and seemed to steel his nerves. ¡°Well, boss, ya see, I was um,¡± He swallowed hard. He was starting to give Isaac the impression that he was about to ask for the moon to explode or tell him that there was a team of demigods after his life or something. ¡°I want to buy out our contract.¡± He finally blurted out.


    Isaac let out a breath he didn¡¯t realize he was holding in. ¡°Is that all?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°You were making it sound like you wanted me to fight a god for you or something.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Sure. I¡¯m charging you the full eight hundred though, for early termination.¡±


    James relaxed and looked like he was about to collapse from relief alone. ¡°Yeah, sure, that¡¯s fine.¡± He said in little more than a whisper and with an absent minded nod. He dropped into their old beat up couch. ¡°So you¡¯ll take the brand off my brother now?¡±


    Isaac tilted his head in confusion for a moment before his eyes went wide and a grin spread across his face. He started chuckling because he couldn¡¯t completely hold back his laughter that was building. ¡°I, I can¡¯t brand a person¡¯s soul James.¡± He confessed through giggles. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you fell for it in the first place.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± James asked. His brain wasn¡¯t keeping up with what was happening.


    ¡°Huh.¡± Lenny replied nonchalantly. ¡°I had my suspicions, if I¡¯m being honest, but I wasn¡¯t going to risk it, ya know?¡±


    James slowly turned to his brother. ¡°And you didn¡¯t think to say anything about it?!¡± His voice was full of accusation. ¡°Do you have any idea how worried I was?¡±


    Lenny just shrugged. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure of it or anything. Didn¡¯t want to give you false hope if I was wrong.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Well, we are going to go.¡± Isaac said and pulled twenty platinum coins away from a pile of a hundred before scooping the rest into his Inventory. He headed towards the door.


    ¡°Wait, wait, wait.¡± James began.


    ¡°Good luck with,¡± Isaac gestured in James¡¯ general direction. ¡°that.¡± He said to Lenny and vanished along with Lenna.


    The pair were out the door and down the street before Lenna said anything. ¡°He took that better than I thought.¡± She confessed.


    ¡°I thought there would be a lot more screaming, yes.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I completely forgot that it was even a thing though after like the first week.¡±


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    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Your memory is¡­ selective, at best.¡± She commented.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°It happens.¡± He replied. ¡°I¡¯m not apologizing.¡±


    Lenna shook her head again. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t forget anything important I don¡¯t care.¡± She replied honestly.


    ¡°Like what?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°You¡¯ll know.¡± She told him but did not elaborate.


    ¡°That is ridiculously unhelpful.¡± Isaac retorted.


    Lenna gave him a mischievous and bright smile. ¡°I know.¡±


    The duo arrived at Westly¡¯s to an empty bar. The bodies had been removed from in front of the building. The old door had been wedged back into the doorway and a note was nailed to it. ¡°A good old fashioned ¡®keep out¡¯ sign.¡± Isaac commented and looked around for any witnesses.


    ¡°Knowing Thomas it¡¯s probably trapped.¡± Lenna commented.


    Isaac frowned. ¡°Give me the bag. I¡¯ll just teleport in and stuff the money in the safe for him.¡±


    Lenna handed him the bag. ¡°You should leave him a note.¡± She advised him.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I have no idea where though.¡±


    ¡°Leave me a note for what?¡± Thomas asked from a few feet behind them.


    The pair whirled around. Lenna¡¯s hand had shot to her hilt faster than she could think. ¡°Hells man.¡± Isaac swore. ¡°How do you keep doing that?¡±


    Thomas shrugged. ¡°I usually purposefully stand out enough that you notice me.¡± He confessed. ¡°I was trained properly. Going unnoticed is kind of my job.¡±


    Isaac gestured towards the bar. ¡°I was going to leave your share of the loot in there.¡± He told the spy.


    ¡°Got paid by the duke already?¡± Thomas asked.


    Isaac shook his head in the negative. ¡°No. Raided Mr. Nobody¡¯s stash.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°How much?¡± Thomas asked curiously.


    Isaac looked around. ¡°Enough that you¡¯ll be happy if I keep everything I¡¯m getting from the duke.¡± Isaac assured him. ¡°Unless you want to tag along for the rest of the adventure?¡±


    Thomas walked over to the door and opened it, as if the hinges still worked, enough to get his fingers inside. He bent down to knee height and fiddled with something before opening the door the rest of the way open. ¡°Look out for that one.¡± He told the duo and gestured down at an almost invisible thread at ankle height. He stepped over it while entering.


    Isaac and Lenna followed him inside. They observed the pair of traps he had set up. One was a vial set to fall, only Thomas knew what was in the vial. The second was a metal can with a tab attached to something inside of it that stuck out of the side from under the lid. The tab was tied to the string that reached across the doorway. ¡°How lethal are those?¡± Isaac questioned while walking over to the bar to join Thomas.


    ¡°Not at all.¡± The spy replied. ¡°Whoever trips them might wish they were lethal though.¡± Isaac nodded slowly and joined Thomas at the bar with Lenna. Thomas was behind the bar grabbing glasses and a bottle that had the label peeled off. ¡°So, what¡¯s my cut?¡±


    ¡°Twenty five, four, twenty five.¡± Isaac answered and gave Thomas a moment to register the number.


    ¡°Decent.¡± The spy replied. ¡°More than the job was worth but it was a rush job so I guess it¡¯s fair.¡±


    Isaac deflated a little. ¡°That was the polar opposite of the brothers¡¯ reactions.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna agreed. ¡°I¡¯m not that surprised.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a professional spy.¡± Thomas replied. ¡°How much do you think I get paid to keep an eye on you?¡±


    Isaac¡¯s brows furrowed in thought. ¡°Per what time frame?¡±


    ¡°Monthly.¡± Thomas answered.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°A thousand? You still do other things while keeping tabs on us right?¡± He guessed.


    Thomas smirked. ¡°I do, sometimes. But I get paid a bit more than that. You two are dangerous. There¡¯s a reason I was willing to work with you at all.¡± He explained.


    ¡°How did we even find you the first time?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°I wanted to get a read on you.¡± Thomas confessed. ¡°I needed to know how careful I need to be around you and you obviously already knew that you were being spied on.¡±


    Lenna nodded and set her helmet on the bar. ¡°You didn¡¯t answer Isaac¡¯s other question.¡± She interjected. ¡°Do you want to come with us?¡±


    Thomas sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t really have a choice. If you are going to a different town than I have to go too.¡± He confessed. ¡°How long do you think it¡¯s going to take?¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°No idea. A few days in each location maybe. If Lenna and I run it then we¡¯ll be back within two weeks I¡¯d think.¡± He explained.


    ¡°If you run it? As in the entire way in one shot like you did with the caravan that got ambushed?¡± Thomas questioned.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yes. We could make it to Ben¡¯s End in a day. The trip from Ben¡¯s End to Outpost Charles would only take a few hours.¡±


    Thomas smirked. ¡°You know? I don¡¯t think I can keep up with that pace. Also, the risk of running into you on your return trip is too high to risk following you in the first place. I don¡¯t think I have any other option than to wait near your base of operations for your return.¡± He shook his head in mock disappointment. ¡°What a shame.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Fair enough. The bar is yours by the way. Keep it or sell it. Doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± He pulled the platinum bar out of Lenna¡¯s bag and set it on the bar. ¡°I think it¡¯s only fitting you get to keep this.¡±


    Thomas looked down at the bar with confusion for a long moment before he put the scorch marks and mild deformities together with the exploding safe. He scowled at Isaac. ¡°Thanks.¡± He said flatly. ¡°I¡¯ll treasure it.¡±

 Chapter 18 Don’t Ruin It.

    Chapter 18 Don¡¯t Ruin It.


    Isaac and Lenna had left Thomas to his own devices once he had gotten paid and moved on to the rest of their preparations before they departed for Ben¡¯s End. They deposited most of the ridiculous amount of money they had acquired before stopping by the general store and replacing the blanket and waterskin that they had given away before returning to the Celestial Dawn for dinner. ¡°There¡¯s been a lot of commotion about today.¡± Celeste commented while filling their mugs. ¡°How much of it was your doing?¡± She asked with a grin. She knew that most if not all of it was their doing.


    ¡°We did not burn down the smithy.¡± Isaac replied honestly.


    ¡°Commotion is his thing.¡± Lenna commented with a smirk. ¡°He can¡¯t help himself.¡±


    ¡°Okay most of it wasn¡¯t my fault.¡± Isaac tried to defend himself. ¡°I was a catalyst. The rest just happened naturally.¡±


    Lenna gave him an amused look while Celeste looked at him like a mother who knew her child was blatantly lying and was deciding whether or not to let him get away with it. ¡°Uh huh. Naturally.¡± Celeste agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll believe that the day Izen puts on a dress.¡±


    Lenna had been taking a drink when Celeste had spoken and she almost inhaled it. Her face was scrunched while she held in the cough until she set her drink down. As soon as the mug was back on the bar she started coughing. Isaac started laughing, more at Lenna than at the image of Izen in a dress. ¡°Someone was going to pick a fight with them eventually. I just helped.¡± Isaac eventually said.


    ¡°Well if you don¡¯t want to tell me I won¡¯t pry.¡± Celeste motherly replied. ¡°I was just looking for a first hand account instead of just rumors all the time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when we get back.¡± Isaac promised.


    ¡°You should get half the city together.¡± Lenna added dryly.


    Isaac rolled his eyes so hard Lenna thought they would fall out of his skull. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Celeste and Sera. If I promised to fill in anyone else then I¡¯ve already forgotten.¡± Isaac replied honestly. ¡°If anyone really wants to know that badly they can come find me. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to vanish into the night or anything.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s basically always night down here.¡± Celeste interjected. ¡°Every time you vanish it is more or less ¡®into the night¡¯.¡± A thought seemed to dawn on her and her eyes widened slightly. ¡°Just how much trouble can you two get into in a day. You were dueling at this time yesterday.¡± She said that last part to Lenna.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure there are multiple sayings about bad things being grouped together.¡± He replied. ¡°But today¡¯s fortune was building before we even knew about the duel.¡±


    ¡°Fortune?¡± Celeste asked. ¡°Usually people call trouble misfortune.¡±


    ¡°It is only misfortune if you come out of it worse than how you entered.¡± Isaac replied with a grin. ¡°And to that, I think I¡¯m allergic.¡±


    Lenna rolled her eyes. ¡°Or lucky.¡± She nodded more to herself than to them. ¡°I would bet on lucky but with your luck I¡¯d still end up losing.¡±


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    ¡ª


    ¡°We¡¯ll be gone for the next week or two.¡± Isaac told Alice while leaning against her counter. ¡°Did the guard leave anything with you yet?¡±


    Alice nodded slowly. She looked like she was confused but wasn¡¯t sure if she should ask questions or not. She handed Isaac an envelope that had a few papers folded to fit inside it. ¡°A guard dropped by a few minutes ago and left this for you. He didn¡¯t say why, just that I was supposed to only give it to you two.¡± She replied slowly.


    ¡°Perfect.¡± Isaac said. ¡°That means we can leave whenever.¡± He looked at Lenna. ¡°You ready?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Are you sure you want to run the whole way?¡± She asked him.


    Isaac frowned. ¡°No, but it¡¯s our best bet to catch them before they all scatter.¡±


    ¡°Can I ask what¡¯s going on?¡± Alice asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll fill you in when we get back.¡± Isaac replied. Lenna rolled her eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯d better.¡± Alice demanded. ¡°You¡¯d better bring back a birthday present for me too while you¡¯re at it.¡± She added with a smug smile.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°I won¡¯t promise anything but I¡¯ll try.¡± He assured her. ¡°When is it?¡±


    ¡°The fifteenth.¡± Alice replied. ¡°So four days, well, three and half at this point.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be in Ben¡¯s End, maybe Outpost Charles by then.¡± Isaac replied with an apologetic smile. ¡°I¡¯ll try to find you something.¡± A flash of inspiration hit him and he grinned evilly. ¡°What if I got you two different color ribbons, or necklaces with different stones in them?¡±


    Alice looked at him with pure horror in her eyes. ¡°Never mind, you don¡¯t have to get us anything.¡± She countered.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Isaac said and pushed off her desk. ¡°Bye Alice!¡± Isaac called over his shoulder with a wave while heading towards the door.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to keep him from doing something like that.¡± Lenna promised Alice in a whisper. She glanced towards Isaac and then back to Alice. ¡°But if he knows then he¡¯ll just pick things that are different colors but look the same to me so I can¡¯t stop him.¡±


    ¡°You think he¡¯d go that far?¡± Alice asked.


    Lenna nodded solemnly. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Alice gulped. ¡°I think, I made a mistake.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Can we take our time on our way back?¡± Lenna asked while the duo were heading towards Ben¡¯s End in a run. Death flames were pouring through them to keep away fatigue and ensure that they could keep up a steady pace even with the occasional monster getting in the way.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m level locked.¡± Lenna confessed. ¡°The only way to break through is to keep my aura active for a full day. Exactly twenty four hours.¡±


    ¡°Your aura is rarely ever active. How have you been training your endurance?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been using it a lot lately.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Probably not enough but I¡¯d like to give it a try. It¡¯s hard to train it in town.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah. Shouldn¡¯t go around spooking the locals right?¡± He asked her with a smirk.


    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be telling you that.¡± Lenna replied with her own grin.


    ¡°Maybe when we explore the surface.¡± Isaac replied.


    Lenna looked sidelong at him, trusting her mental image of the path forwards to keep her from tripping, and raised an eyebrow in question. ¡°When are we doing that?¡± She asked.


    ¡°When I¡¯m strong enough to fight demigods.¡± Isaac replied with a grin. He was excited to fight someone strong enough that they became more than mortal. ¡°That way if any of them start shit about the whole Lord of Darkness thing then I can just hit them until they change their mind.¡± He chuckled to himself. ¡°The V¡¯Nova way.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡± Lenna tried to argue. ¡°I don¡¯t hit people until they agree with me.¡±


    That only made Isaac chuckle harder. ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re too nice for that. You can¡¯t tell me that none of your family members haven¡¯t done that at some point.¡±


    ¡°Point taken.¡± Lenna replied flatly. ¡°And I¡¯m not that nice. They are just unnecessarily mean.¡±


    ¡°Might makes right.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°That kind of culture tends to feed ¡®unnecessary meanness¡¯.¡±


    Lenna sighed. ¡°Yes it does.¡± They continued on in silence for a long moment. ¡°Is it wrong for me to want to change it?¡± She asked. ¡°I ran away from it. Do I have the right to wish I could change it?¡±


    Isaac didn¡¯t answer for a while. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He replied honestly. ¡°But I do know that most people wouldn¡¯t think like that about it. Most people would just try to force their views on others. They wouldn¡¯t stop to think about whether it was right for them to do so or not.¡± Lenna didn¡¯t reply so Isaac was left with more time to gather his thoughts. ¡°I don¡¯t think there is anything wrong with wishing that the village you fled from wouldn¡¯t starve when you left because of a famine. I think it¡¯s the same thing, more or less.¡±


    Lenna nodded and the pair continued in near silence. The sound of Lenna¡¯s clanking armor and solid footfalls were all that could be heard while she processed what he had said. ¡°Thank you.¡± She eventually told him. ¡°You can be pretty wise sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Only sometimes?¡± Isaac asked with a grin.


    Lenna gave him a flat look. ¡°Don¡¯t ruin it.¡±

 Chapter 19 Sit Still

    Chapter 19 Sit Still


    ¡°How¡¯s your aura holding up?¡± Isaac asked while the duo continued their trek to Ben¡¯s End. It was taking a bit longer than initially estimated courtesy of Isaac wanting to stop for a midnight snack and then pre-breakfast four hours later. Lenna had been holding her aura at a radius of ten feet for the past seven hours.


    ¡°This is, a lot harder, than it used to be.¡± Lenna got out with obvious strain in her voice.


    ¡°Could you have held it for the full day before?¡± Isaac wondered. He had never seen her powerset before her oathbreaking and was curious.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°For three full days, once.¡± Her changed aura was much more suited for lancing strikes at a person¡¯s psyche or quick blasts of power to throw off an opponent''s magic than blanketing an area. Her old aura was best used to weaken enemy magic while keeping her allies calm and focused. It was like a hot spring instead of an active volcano. Her aura soothed her allies¡¯ nerves and made the enemies¡¯ magic feel like it was fighting through water. Now it was explosive power and was only good at destroying things like people¡¯s resolve and barriers that tried to hold her in.


    ¡°When you said it was harder, I didn¡¯t realize how much harder.¡± Isaac said with some concern in his face. ¡°Are you going to be in any shape to fight when we get to Ben¡¯s End?¡±


    ¡°One more hour.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Then I¡¯ll rest.¡±


    Isaac stared at her for a long moment out of the corner of his eye. ¡°Okay.¡± He said and slowed his pace a bit. Lenna slowed as well and seemed to get some mental energy back from not having to push her body. Isaac¡¯s power was washing away mental fatigue as well as physical fatigue but the more strained Lenna¡¯s aura the more effort it took to keep it active. At some point the mental effort necessary would exceed what Lenna was capable of. When that happened she would either pull her aura back in or it would collapse along with her consciousness. Five minutes short of the hour Lenna was going for, the latter happened.


    Lenna¡¯s foot didn¡¯t move the whole way forwards and caught on a crack in the ground. Her arms didn¡¯t even try to break her fall. She hit the stone ground like a sack of scrap metal. A slightly muffled clanging rang out down the tunnel and Isaac winced as he stopped next to her. Isaac knelt down next to his fallen mate and gently turned her over onto her back. The death flames still running through her system fixed her bloodied nose and he wiped the blood away. Isaac sat next to her and frowned while shaking his head. ¡°And you say I¡¯m crazy.¡± He spoke towards her unconscious form. He smiled and caressed her cheek. ¡°I wish I had the willpower you do.¡± He said before adding in a whisper: ¡°And not just the stat.¡±


    ¡ª


    Lenna groaned and opened her eyes. The stone tunnel¡¯s ceiling met her gaze. She looked to the side and saw Isaac leaning against the wall next to her with his eyes closed and she could tell he was a few levels deep into meditating. She felt like her head should have been swimming but wasn¡¯t and her nose was stuffy. She sat up and grabbed the self-cleaning rag that Isaac had rested on her bottomless bag for her. She looked back and saw that he had given her a folded blanket as a pillow. She looked over at him and smiled before turning back to her bag. She grabbed the rag and blew her nose, noticing it was mostly dried blood. ¡®What happened?¡¯ She asked herself internally. Her memory was foggy. A moment later a flash of realization crossed her face before a frown set in. ¡® ¡­damnit.¡¯ She grumbled internally. ¡®I couldn¡¯t even make it eight hours.¡¯ She looked around and noticed the blood on the stone floor before wrinkling her nose. ¡®That was embarrassing.¡¯


    ¡ª


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    Isaac was floating. Not in the literal sense but in the spiritual sense. He felt the disconnect of his physical senses and his mind. He felt the lake of nigh unimaginable power that was his mana reserves. He felt the flow of the mana around him as it rolled off of his reserves and not his body. They were almost one in the same but not quite. He couldn¡¯t tell which extended farther, his skin or his mana, but he knew that they were not perfectly aligned. He let go of his control and let the massive lake turn into a powerful river. The mana poured out of him and new mana poured in. He could tell that after a few seconds the mana he had expelled had started to be sucked in again. The mana was pouring out of his back and in his chest with his core acting like a tunnel. The rest of the mana in his body was churning like river rapids as it was constantly being replaced as well. He stopped breathing.


    He felt like he didn¡¯t need to breathe anymore. Mana would be enough for him. The world would sustain him if he let it. He just had to stay where he was and relax. It was very relaxing despite the churning and gushing mana inside and around him. He felt like he could stay like that forever. It was like all the pleasure of a good sleep while still being aware of it. A flash of annoyance came out of nowhere as the mana stream was altered slightly. A ripple was felt from below and behind him. He could tell that the source was far closer than it should have been. His own massive outpour of mana was the reason he hadn¡¯t felt it earlier. A shock of adrenaline was accompanied by a resounding sense of danger. Isaac¡¯s eyes shot open and he pulled on all the mana around him.


    ¨C


    Lenna was watching Isaac meditate when he hit the final stage and the tunnel darkened. It darkened even to her perfect darkvision. The mana in the air became visible as it poured through Isaac. The current kept picking up until Isaac himself lifted off the ground. His body was completely relaxed as it rose. His eyes were closed and his arms and legs hung limply as he was picked up by nothing but pure mana pressure. The mana cycled through and around him in a way that brought back a memory from long ago.


    Many, many decades ago, probably somewhere around two and three quarters centuries ago, a young Lenna was learning about the world. She had quite a few tutors, as befitted a scion of one of the great noble houses, and she didn¡¯t like most of them. One of her tutors that she specifically hated was the one that taught her about the physical world. He taught her many things that she had forgotten over time as most of it was useless to her but at that moment one of the condescending bastard¡¯s lessons came to mind.


    ¡°This is a magnetic field, child. Do you know why it exists?¡± He had asked her while looking down his nose in her general direction and tapping on a pair of squished ovals he had drawn on the wall of her study in chalk. Lenna shook her head with the most bored expression she could muster on her face. ¡°Of course you don¡¯t, child. That is why we are here.¡± He tapped the drawing harder. She could still picture his very punchable face.


    Lenna didn¡¯t remember the rest of the lesson but the magnetic field he had drawn was now being expressed in a very real, very visible sense as the mana cycled through Isaac. She was in awe at the power cycling when all of a sudden the wall behind Isaac vanished. ¡®What?¡¯ Her mind couldn¡¯t wrap around why the wall was gone. Her eyes went wide as rows upon rows of lamprey teeth opened wide around Isaac.


    ¡ª


    Isaac turned in midair and braced for impact as all the dark mana around him crashed into his full mana reserves. He felt an odd resistance from the mana coming from the direction of the horror that was closing in on him. The Tunnel Horror to be precise. ¡®Oh yeah, they hunt mages.¡¯ Isaac grumbled. He wasn¡¯t looking for a fight. In fact he was incredibly angry at having been pulled out of his meditation. He now understood why dragons were always so angry when someone invaded their lair. It wasn¡¯t that the dragons were all bad tempered necessarily but simply the irritation that comes from being yanked out of a good nap by a worm. In Isaac¡¯s case a very real, very large, very armored, heavily toothed, worm.


    The dark mana around him turned to shadow as the dark mana inside of him turned to death. He compressed the shadows as hard as he could before impact. He felt the shadows being ground apart even before the worm¡¯s teeth touched them. The mana of the monster tried to grind through Isaac and his mana but his control held firm. The result was him getting stuck just outside of the creature¡¯s gaping maw. The only problem with that was that the worm didn¡¯t slow down. He was smashed into the opposing tunnel wall and the stone around him started to crumble and turn to dust. The monster didn¡¯t even have to touch it. The magic of the Tunnel Horror¡¯s burrowing power was beyond anything Isaac was capable of understanding. It reminded him of a theory about how certain monsters came to be. Apparently¡­ ¡®No. Focus Isaac. There is a giant worm trying to eat me because it thinks I¡¯m a walking nucl- ouch.¡¯


    ¡ª


    Lenna¡¯s sword was in her hand in a flash and as she jumped to her feet. She watched in horror as the Tunnel Horror tried to devour Isaac. Her horror turned to confusion as the two forces never directly collided. It seemed to hold Isaac in an invisible grasp as it slammed him into the wall. Lenna¡¯s body was already moving, her aura solidified around her and along her blade, her sword was a torch in the dark tunnel as she closed the gap between herself and the worm. She heard the sound of grinding stone and noticed that although the worm had slowed it was still moving. ¡®You have got to be joking.¡¯ She grumbled internally. ¡®He can¡¯t even sit still without getting into trouble.¡¯

 Chapter 20 Over With.

    Chapter 20 Over With.


    Lenna punched the tip of her sword through the Tunnel Horror¡¯s hard chitinous exoskeletal rings. She made sure to keep the blade horizontal when she did so as she was about to try and filet a monster that could shrug off siege weapons. She dumped power into her sword and pushed as hard as she could until her crossguard was about to make contact with the monster. She shifted her stance and pulled with everything she had in the opposite direction that the worm was moving. Her boots slid across the ground, dragging her towards the wall of the tunnel. She picked up one foot and placed it on the wall and then the other so she was standing horizontally. She planted the edge of her blade, just past the crossguard, on her pauldron and shoved with everything she had.


    Lenna felt the pressure lighten ever so lightly and noticed that the monster had slowed down almost to a stop. Her blade was ever so slowly melting its way through the chitin. One inch, then two, then she was on to the second ring as it continued to try and push on. ¡®It would rather cut itself in half than stop trying to eat him!¡¯ She mentally exclaimed. Her teeth were clenched as the second ring was gone and she was on to the third. An awful stench of acidic blood filled her lungs as she took forceful breaths to keep her muscles working. Finally the monster stopped moving forward. She managed to extend her legs completely and finish cutting through the third ring before she was forced to drop to the ground.


    Lenna took a few gasping breaths before she started to try and saw her way into the fourth ring. The area where they overlapped was too thick to cut through without proper leverage. ¡®Damnit.¡¯ Lenna swore mentally. ¡°Isaac!¡± She called out. ¡°Can you hear me?¡± She listened as hard as she could but couldn¡¯t hear anything. ¡®Wait! The sending stone!¡¯ She ran over to her bag and pulled out the stone. She held the ¡®in¡¯ side to her mouth. ¡°Isaac!¡± She called out again. ¡°Isaac! Can you hear me?!¡±


    ¡ª


    Being sandwiched between a million tons of solid stone and a monster that turned said solid stone into a fine dust with nothing but some type of corrosive magical effect that was projected a few inches in front of it was¡­ unpleasant. Isaac would rate it a solid three out of ten for the worst experiences he had ever had. That didn¡¯t sound very high but when things like, breathing in lethal amounts of poison, bleeding almost to death, feeling his heart implode, and watching his arms stop existing and then regrow were on the list it was hard to get to the top. Even then he had this odd feeling that none of those things were truly the worst things that he had experienced. They were just the worst things that he remembered.


    The shadows surrounding his body were steadily being devoured as he was getting pushed backwards through solid stone. The only reason he hadn¡¯t been crushed to death was that, in the monster¡¯s attempt at consuming him, its corrosive effect was being projected forwards. He ate most of the power but enough still got through to the stone behind him, mostly from the area around him and not by going through him, that the stone behind him was still crumbling into dust. ¡®This is bad.¡¯ Isaac thought. There was no way to teleport out. He needed space to teleport out. Any amount of space was acceptable. The problem was that the worm was fatter in the middle so the hole it was making was smaller than its widest part. This is what formed the scuffed up surface of the tunnels so they weren¡¯t all perfectly smooth right after a Tunnel Horror had made them.


    Without the space for shadows to exist Isaac was stuck staring down a thousand teeth in eight concentric circles. Then just as suddenly as the monster came, it stopped. The magic didn¡¯t and he could tell that the shadows were beginning to run out. Soon he would be the one getting devoured. His head ached. Not just from the mental strain of controlling more than his maximum mana capacity of mana but also from whatever it was he was trying to compare himself too causing his head to get hit with a psychic sledgehammer. He thought he heard his name being called. He strained to listen but couldn¡¯t hear more. Then he heard it again. ¡®Lenna?¡¯ Isaac¡¯s severely mentally strained mind pieced together. It took him a moment to realize he had the perfect item for their situation.


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    Isaac reached into his Inventory and grabbed the sending stone. Sound immediately blasted out at him so loudly that his control over the shadows momentarily slipped. Half of the remaining shadows were gone before he could wrestle back control over them. ¡°Shit.¡± Isaac swore aloud.


    ¡°Isaac?¡± Lenna asked through the stones. The audio quality was awful. The sounds were too sharp and echoey.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I can hear you. I¡¯m running out of time.¡± He confessed. ¡°Do you think you can kill it at least?¡± He asked. ¡°If it dies then I can punch my way through it but as long as this mana consuming shit is still active it¡¯s going to eat me!¡±


    ¡°Brace.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°Come forth, ember of a dying star.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s shadows were blasted away as the worm ballooned from the fourteen thousand cubic feet of fire that tried to exist inside of it. Isaac¡¯s arms and knees started to burn. His feet were planted against the wall he was laying on so his knees and arms had been what the monster was trying to devour first. The pain started to die down and slowly, over the course of nearly a minute, the corrosive effect vanished. The monster was completely still. Isaac was now standing half inside of its mouth with a wrinkled nose. ¡°This smells awful.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°Yes. It does.¡± Lenna agreed.


    ¡°Now how am I supposed to get out?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°I made a hole in the monster.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°You should be fine.¡±


    Isaac focused and found the open darkness inside the monster and moved his focus deep into it. Eventually he found a massive open section and teleported out next to Lenna. He turned around and his eyes went wide. There was a massive hole wide enough for Alice to walk through, without bending down or touching the sides, blasted out of the side of the monster. Its blood was still steaming and coated the floor and walls. He looked at Lenna and his wide eyes from shock turned into wide eyes of horror. ¡°You need a bath.¡± He told her.


    Lenna was covered across her entire left side in a thick coating of Tunnel Horror blood. Her aura burst out of her before returning to normal. ¡°Now they are just pissing me off.¡± She said coldly to no one in particular. Whoever had been spying on them picked that exact moment to take a peek.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we have enough water for that.¡± Isaac said and dug out one of the waterskins from her bag and started trying to wash some of the sticky acidic blood off of her. His nose was wrinkled the entire time at the smell. Lenna was scowling.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Oh this is going to be fun.¡± Isaac grumbled sarcastically.


    ¡°This might be a bad idea.¡± Lenna added.


    ¡°No, what could go wrong? We¡¯re just going to walk into the town that chased us out with pitchforks like we were witches in Sale- ow, damn.¡± Isaac rubbed the side of his head in pain.


    Lenna rolled her eyes. ¡°They didn¡¯t chase us out with farming implements.¡± She corrected him. ¡°It was the smith, the one we¡¯re after, and some entitled hag.¡±


    Isaac chuckled and raised an eyebrow in question. ¡°Hag?¡± He asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you like seven times her age or something?¡±


    ¡°She can still be a hag.¡± Lenna retorted. ¡°A hag is a type of monster, you know?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s it like?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a witch that took it too far.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Isaac said. ¡°That was not nearly as interesting as I was hoping it would be.¡±


    ¡°The world isn¡¯t all grand adventures and mythical monsters.¡± Lenna reminded him.


    Isaac raised an eyebrow in question. ¡°It sure seems that way to me.¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡± Lenna whispered. ¡°We are here.¡±


    Sure enough the gate to Ben¡¯s end stood blocking their path a few dozen feet in front of them. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°Bracelet?¡± Lenna shook her wrist with the bracelet she had gotten from Sera that showed that she was allowed in Safeharbor. ¡°Badge?¡± Lenna flicked the platinum badge hanging around her neck and it let out a ringing sound before it clanked back down onto her breastplate. ¡°Other badge?¡±


    ¡°You have them.¡± She replied.


    Isaac smirked and pulled both of their badges, which proved that they weren¡¯t doppelgangers, out of his Inventory. ¡°Just making sure you were paying attention.¡±


    ¡°Uh huh.¡± Lenna half heartedly agreed. ¡°Let¡¯s just get this over with.¡±


    Isaac took a deep breath and walked up to the door. ¡°Ahoy!¡± He called. ¡°Open up!¡±

 Chapter 21 Don’t Cross Me

    Chapter 21 Don¡¯t Cross Me


    ¡°Who goes there?!¡± A muffled voice called through the heavy gate. A slit opened up and a man peered through. The flickering firelight cast by the torch hung next to the gate cast the duo in yellows and oranges. Isaac¡¯s black armor was now missing its knee guards after the encounter with the Tunnel Horror and Lenna¡¯s royal purple armor was scuffed and scorched, taking away from its once prestigious appearance. The pair held themselves casually yet powerfully side by side in the light so the guard could get a good look. Lenna¡¯s helmet was on and Isaac¡¯s hood was up, something he rarely did as there wasn¡¯t a need for it most of the time.


    The pair held out a pair of softly glowing badges showing that they weren¡¯t doppelgangers. ¡°Adventurers, from Safeharbor.¡± Isaac said loud enough that his voice carried back down the tunnel they had come from and hopefully pierced through the thick wood-like gate.


    ¡°Names and ranks!¡± The guard demanded.


    Isaac pulled out his platinum badge from somewhere inside of his cloak and Lenna held hers out towards the guard from its position hanging around her neck. ¡°I¡¯m Isaac, that¡¯s Lenna. Platinum. Open up.¡± Isaac replied curtly. Platinum level adventurers were basically celebrities, sometimes even treated like nobility, and Isaac figured it might be a good idea to act the part.


    The guard quickly vanished and the pair heard the bar holding the gate closed be removed from its resting place. ¡°How long?¡± Lenna whispered.


    ¡°Ten minutes?¡± Isaac offered. The pair were placing nonexistent bets on how long it would be until someone recognized them from the last time they were there.


    ¡°I give it three.¡± Lenna replied as the gate was pulled open.


    A pair of guards met them with spears in hand but held casually at their sides. ¡°Adventurers.¡± One of the guards greeted them. Isaac couldn¡¯t tell if it was the same one who had interrogated them through the gate as his voice wasn¡¯t muffled.


    ¡°We need to speak with your sergeant.¡± Isaac told the guard as he walked through the gate with Lenna casually trailing behind. ¡°Where is he?¡± He asked while coating his platinum badge in shadows and then flicking it with his other hand. The shadows dispersed in poof and the badge was gone. Lenna had let hers fall back to her chest as soon as the gate was being opened.


    ¡°Y-Yes sir,¡± The guard began, pulling his eyes away from where Isaac¡¯s badge had been. ¡°Take this street to the end then turn left. When you are almost at the end of that street it¡¯ll be on your left.¡± He directed Isaac down one of the three streets that opened up by the exit.


    Isaac stopped and looked back over his shoulder slightly towards Lenna. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with. I don¡¯t want to be here any longer than necessary.¡± He told her and then headed off in the direction the guard had shown them without any further words for the guards.


    Lenna gave him a curt nod and picked up her pace from a casual stroll to a purposeful walk. ¡°Agreed.¡± She replied in a voice that was infused with might and status. Not the status of her noble lineage but the status of a platinum level adventurer who had put creatures that most could only have nightmares about in the ground. The guards just stared after them in silence.


    Isaac and Lenna were half a block away before the gate started to be closed behind them. ¡°Still think three minutes?¡± Isaac asked once they were out of earshot.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have bet against you.¡± Lenna replied flatly.


    ¡°You could duck into that smithy or take off your helmet.¡± Isaac joked. ¡°Just wait two more minutes.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll take the loss, thanks.¡± She said. Isaac chuckled quietly in reply.


    The streets were mostly empty. The few passersby eyed the duo with a mix of curiosity and trepidation. There weren¡¯t many newcomers to a place like Ben¡¯s End. The small town only really existed as a relay point for trips to the outpost and collecting mushrooms from the nearby mushroom forest. Most of the residents were the families of the guards or adventurers who worked there so they knew everyone else who was supposed to be walking their streets. The fact that Isaac and Lenna had arrived early in the morning and not late into the evening was also a cause for the residents to eye them curiously. Usually caravans would pace themselves so that they would arrive at their destination around mid to late evening. They did this so that they weren¡¯t pushing themselves any harder than necessary and were thus better prepared for any complications.


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    The duo arrived at the guard station. A guard was leaning against the wall just outside of it nodding off. ¡°Switch.¡± Isaac whispered and hung back to let Lenna take the lead.


    Lenna barely kept herself from scowling at him for making her take charge in a social interaction as she walked past him. She held out her badge at the guard. ¡°Wake up soldier.¡± She ordered him.


    The guard startled and almost dropped his spear. He fumbled for it a few times before finally grabbing it securely. He straightened up and looked at her. His face went from embarrassment to confusion when he realized that she wasn¡¯t a member of the guard or military. It then went to surprise at the platinum badge held a few feet from his face. His gaze shot from the badge to Lenna and then to Isaac who was busy cleaning the underside of his nails with a wicked looking dagger made of an impenetrable blackness. ¡°Wh-What can I do for you?¡± The guard stammered and then swallowed hard.


    ¡°Get your sergeant.¡± Lenna ordered him.


    The guard nodded quickly before ducking into the guard station. ¡°You¡¯re a lot better at this than you think.¡± Isaac said quietly without even turning towards her.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I like it.¡± Lenna replied in much the same manner.


    A set of armor with presumably a man inside walked out of the guard station to meet them. ¡°I heard you are asking for¡­ me.¡± The guard¡¯s voice trailed off before finishing his sentence. ¡°Do I know you?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Does it matter?¡± Lenna asked and shifted her weight. The platinum badge hanging over her chest shifted and caught the light. ¡°We¡¯re here on a job.¡± She told him. ¡°We require your cooperation.¡±


    The sergeant looked down at Lenna¡¯s badge and then up to meet her eyes. He couldn¡¯t see hers due to the poor lighting but Lenna could see his perfectly fine. He looked wary of them but acquiesced. He nodded and then motioned them inside. ¡°This way.¡± He said and led the way. The inside of the guard station was just as bland as the rest of the town. There was a stone desk with a middle aged human woman behind it who eyed the newcomers curiously. The rest of the room was empty. There were five doors leading away from the main room. Two of them were metal gates and the other three were the same mushroom wood that seemed to permeate through Ben¡¯s End.


    The sergeant led them through one of the mushroom wood doors into his office. His office was almost as plain as the entry room with the main difference being that the walls were lined with filing cabinets. His desk was also stone and the chairs sitting opposite it were stone as well. ¡®Comfy.¡¯ Isaac grumbled sarcastically internally. ¡®Two more minutes and I¡¯ll be right.¡¯ He added with a hint of anxiousness and smugness wrapped into one. At the very least his guess would be closer than Lenna¡¯s.


    The sergeant sat at his desk. ¡°What can I do for you?¡± He asked. He didn¡¯t bother offering them to sit even though there were chairs right across from them.


    Lenna glanced at Isaac and tapped him on the shoulder and then the side of her helmet twice. He nodded and stepped forwards while she stepped towards the now closed door to focus. She had been contacted by someone telepathically so Isaac was going to take over talking to the guard. ¡°There was a gang causing issues in Safeharbor.¡± Isaac began. ¡°They aren¡¯t causing issues anymore.¡± He walked over to one of the chairs and leaned against the side of the backrest. ¡°Some of their members are here. We are going to clean them out. We just need a place to stash them until they can get taken back to Safeharbor for whatever the new magistrate wants to do with them.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ see.¡± The sergeant replied slowly and nodded even slower. ¡°Is this an official job?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°I can¡¯t answer that.¡± Isaac replied simply. ¡°I have a list of names and descriptions. If you would cooperate with us we can be out of here by lunchtime. If not¡­ my companion isn¡¯t known for her subtlety.¡±


    ¡°Is that a threat?¡± The sergeant asked with narrowed eyes at Isaac.


    ¡®Touchy touchy.¡¯ Isaac thought to himself and then smirked. ¡°It was more of a friendly warning but I can make it a threat.¡± He replied casually. ¡°I just figured you didn¡¯t want to have to clean up any more of a mess than necessary.¡±


    The guard stood up and slammed his hands down onto his desk. ¡°I won¡¯t be threatened in my own town by some adventurer.¡± He spat out the final word like it was a mouthful of sand. ¡°Unless I see an official bounty then I am going to assume that you are attempting to abduct the residents of my town.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s smirk never left his face. With his hood pulled low the guard couldn¡¯t see his silver eyes and Isaac decided that now was as good a time as any to win the nonexistent bet he had made with Lenna. He took a step towards the guard and his desk. He put his boot on the edge of the desk and leaned in. The glowing stone on the sergeant¡¯s desk caught Isaac¡¯s eyes as he got closer. The two of them met gazes. ¡°I¡¯m either going to arrest the people on this list or kill them, Sergeant. Your choice.¡± He countered the guard¡¯s ultimatum with his own. Isaac¡¯s entire form started to be coated in a thin veil of impenetrable shadow that seemed to devour the light cast against it. The room darkened just from the lack of another object for the light to reflect off of.


    ¡°Show me a bounty or I am throwing you out of my town.¡± The guard countered and leaned in. It was then that he realized where he had seen those silver eyes before. ¡°Wait. You were here a few months ago.¡±


    ¡°Was I?¡± Isaac asked with his casual smirk.


    The guard¡¯s eyes snapped to Lenna. ¡°With a slaver.¡±


    The inside of Isaac¡¯s body was flowing with death flames in a moment. He had enough control to be able to boost himself with roughly double his normal strength in only around two seconds. Any more than that would take longer but that was enough for what he was going to do. Isaac reached out and grabbed the guard by the faceplate. He pulled the guard¡¯s face closer to his own and his casual smirk and slightly amused demeanor vanished. ¡°I don¡¯t like it when people call her that.¡± He told the guard coldly. ¡°She isn¡¯t a slaver just because she has purple skin and silver hair.¡± He explained with a voice that made the sergeant feel like he had a pair of daggers pressed against his throat.


    The sergeant tried to pull away but couldn¡¯t, Isaac¡¯s grip was a vice. ¡°Let. Go. Of. Me.¡± The guard ordered. ¡°Or I will have you arrested for assaulting a guard.¡±


    ¡°I was hired to ¡®take care of¡¯ the problem.¡± Isaac replied evenly. ¡°Don¡¯t cross me Sergeant, unless you want to find your name and description conveniently added to the list.¡± He threatened. ¡°The only reason I¡¯m giving you this warning is because of the help you gave us the first time we were here.¡±


    The guard reached up and grabbed Isaac¡¯s wrist. He didn¡¯t pull but simply held the wrist of the hand that was still clamped onto his faceplate. ¡°Let. Go.¡± He ordered quietly. Isaac did so, slowly, and withdrew his hand. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Now.¡± Isaac said with some of his casual demeanor back. ¡°Are you going to help us round up the people on this list or do I need to go door to door to find them?¡±


    The guard scowled at Isaac for a long moment. ¡°Give me the list.¡±

 Chapter 22 On The Way Out.

    Chapter 22 On The Way Out.


    The sergeant was deep into the handful of papers Isaac had given him by the time Lenna was done talking with her aunt. ¡°Jala gave up.¡± Lenna told her mate. ¡°She said it was, and I quote: ¡®like swimming through a pool of mucus and trying to find the coin someone threw in.¡¯ end quote.¡±


    Isaac wrinkled his nose at the thought. ¡°She has some colorful analogies.¡± He commented.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Apparently his short term memory was damaged beyond anything she could handle. She was also having trouble digging deep enough to find anything good.¡± She continued. ¡°Alexander had just walked in to give it a try himself.¡±


    Isaac just stared at her blankly for a moment. ¡°I completely forgot to ask him to do that.¡± He confessed.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it mattered.¡± She comforted him.


    ¡°I would have liked if-¡± Isaac was cut off by Lenna¡¯s aura flaring again and then settling down. ¡°¡­ if we could have gotten something out of him by now.¡± He frowned and furrowed his brows in thought. ¡°I guess that answers that.¡± He thought aloud. ¡°If it was Jala or Alexander they wouldn¡¯t be doing it now.¡± His eyes met hers. ¡°You think it¡¯s your uncle?¡±


    Lenna was quiet for a long moment in thought. ¡°I think the odds are high that it is.¡± She agreed.


    ¡°There is no way that this one is accurate.¡± The sergeant argued and tossed one of the sheets of paper back onto his desk. ¡°I¡¯ve known him for as long as he¡¯s been alive. He¡¯s a good kid.¡±


    Isaac shifted his attention back to the sergeant. ¡°Then he won¡¯t have anything to worry about when the magistrate questions him with a truth spell.¡± He replied simply. ¡°This isn¡¯t a list I pulled out of my ass Sergeant. I¡¯m just here to do a job.¡±


    The sergeant eyed Isaac for a long moment. His gaze only briefly flicked to Lenna before returning to the papers in front of him. ¡°Fine, but the captain will be hearing about this.¡± He assured them.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Do what you want.¡± He replied. ¡°Lenna and I already know where the smith is and I¡¯m assuming his apprentice is there with him at this time of day. We can get those two if you want to coordinate with your men to get the other five.¡±


    The sergeant nodded. ¡°That¡¯s fine. Give me an hour.¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°You can take your time. We need breakfast and Lenna needs a bath.¡± He looked over at her and chuckled. ¡°After getting a bath in Tunnel Horror blood on our way over.¡±


    ¡°Tunnel Horror?¡± The sergeant asked with slight disbelief.


    ¡°Oh yeah, that might be important. There is a Tunnel Horror corpse blocking one of the tunnels along the path here.¡± Isaac replied casually. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ve got things to do.¡± He said and turned to leave. ¡°Just make sure no one can make a break for it before we are all ready to strike.¡± Isaac told the sergeant while opening the door to leave.


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    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to tell me how to do my job.¡± The guard countered. ¡°Damn adventurers.¡± He added in a grumble.


    ¡ª


    The lady running the bathhouse looked on in shock. There usually wasn¡¯t very much commotion in her bathhouse. In fact the last time there was something major was the last time the man and woman standing in front of her were in. ¡°No.¡± She said simply.


    ¡°No?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°I ain¡¯t serving you.¡± She continued.


    ¡°Listen lady,¡± Isaac began. He should have been used to people¡¯s prejudice towards Lenna but he wasn¡¯t. She always took it better than he did. ¡°we just want to use some hot water for a bit.¡±


    ¡°None of mine.¡± She continued.


    Isaac sighed deeply and ran his hand down his face. ¡°Really?¡± He asked. ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°My husband was killed by one of¡­¡± She wrinkled her nose at Lenna. ¡°them.¡±


    Isaac just sighed again. ¡°Sorry Lenna.¡± He said to his mate. ¡°If I would have known that they would be like this I would have just let the Tunnel Horror go instead of killing it before it got to town.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Lenna said. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect any hospitality anyway.¡±


    ¡°But now you¡¯re stuck smelling Tunnel Horror blood until we get to Outpost Charles. At least there they¡¯ll let you wash up because they are folks with some common decency.¡± Isaac continued. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it¡¯ll be cold water though.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll survive. It¡¯s better than nothing.¡±


    ¡°Is that true?¡± The bathhouse owner asked. ¡°That bit about a Tunnel Horror.¡±


    Isaac looked over at her with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be? You can ask the sergeant. We just came from giving him a report on it.¡± He only sort of told the truth.


    The woman frowned and looked heavily conflicted. ¡°I¡¯m not giving you a discount and nobody will be doin¡¯ your wash but ya can use one of the private rooms.¡± She told the duo. ¡°Only one of ¡®em. I got other customers.¡±


    Isaac smirked. ¡°Thanks.¡± He said and handed the woman the payment for the room. ¡°The water¡¯ll be hot right?¡±


    The woman nodded. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯ll be hot.¡± She grumbled. ¡°Boy!¡± She called towards the back. The same boy that had met the duo last time arrived and looked at Isaac and Lenna with ever widening eyes. ¡°They get one room with one tub o¡¯ hot water.¡± She told him. ¡°Get on with it.¡±


    The boy just stood there frozen for a long moment. ¡°You sure caused us a lot of trouble last time.¡± Isaac said while walking past the boy in the direction of the private rooms. ¡°Hurry up, we have places to be.¡±


    Lenna stopped next to the boy and looked down at him. He paled and staggered back a step. ¡°You think I¡¯m scary.¡± Lenna told the boy and then nodded in Isaac¡¯s direction. ¡°I¡¯m surprised he didn¡¯t kill you for trying to peek at me. You shouldn¡¯t keep him waiting.¡±


    The boy nodded quickly and took off down the hall to show Isaac and Lenna to the room they would use. Once inside, the duo waited for the boy to fill the tub before they closed the door behind him. Isaac leaned against the wall and watched as Lenna peeled off her armor. ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m happy to be back here.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°I might have to steal the thing that makes this water so nice though.¡±


    ¡°Please wait.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°How long?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Until we are planning to be away from Safeharbor for a while.¡±


    ¡°We are away from Safeharbor now.¡± Isaac retorted with a mischievous smirk.


    Lenna narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°At least wait until we are on our return trip.¡±


    ¡°You gave in to that idea a lot easier than I thought you would.¡± Isaac confessed.


    Lenna sighed. ¡°As long as it¡¯s on our way out we won¡¯t have to deal with the guards.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°On the way out.¡± He agreed. He probably wasn¡¯t going to steal the item. It had been left there by a king in the past after all and that could cause more problems than he bargained for. It was tempting though. Worst case he could just buy it at some point in the future. Isaac wasn¡¯t stupid. He knew that if things continued, at the rate and in the direction that they were going, he would be able to afford all of Ben¡¯s End at some point.


    Isaac more or less just stood guard while Lenna scrubbed both herself and her armor clean of the monster blood. He definitely didn¡¯t stare at her for most of the time they spent alone in the room. Definitely not. Eventually they were ready to go and they met a bit of a commotion, as expected, when they went to leave. The boy¡¯s mother had once again arrived to cause trouble and she wasn¡¯t the only one. A full eleven people were waiting just outside the bathhouse for the duo. As irritated as Isaac wanted to be he couldn¡¯t help but have to hide a smirk. Two of the people on the list were among the small crowd. The duo hadn¡¯t met them before and it looked like the stage had been set for one hell of a first impression.

 Chapter 23 Annoying to Obnoxious.

    Chapter 23 Annoying to Obnoxious.


    A small posse of townsfolk were clustered just outside of the bathhouse waiting for Isaac and Lenna to leave. More for Lenna than Isaac. They were all armed. Not all of them looked like they could use the weapons they had but they had them nonetheless. Isaac frowned at the sight. ¡°Get out before we make you, dark elf scum!¡± One of the people yelled.


    ¡°Yeah! Get out!¡± Another geared.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just kill her now!¡± Another prodded. At that Isaac was done messing around.


    Isaac put a hand on Lenna¡¯s shoulder and pulled her back behind him as he stepped forwards. ¡°Silence!¡± He ordered with enough volume that it was probably heard at the guard station a few blocks away due to the acoustics of the town built into the stone. The group clammed up at the sudden outburst. Isaac¡¯s voice had brokered no questions. It had been a proper command coming from a person with authority. ¡°Get out of the way unless you want to fight two platinum adventurers in the middle of the street.¡± Isaac told them all.


    The mentioning of platinum adventurers seemed to cause some of them to lose heart and a few looked like they were ready to leave. A few looked entirely unfazed and a few looked to still be on the fence. ¡°Just get out and we won¡¯t have any trouble.¡± One of the bulkier guys spoke up. ¡°We don¡¯t want her kind around here.¡±


    Isaac frowned at the man. ¡°If the duke allows her in his territory then your words mean nothing to me.¡± He replied honestly. ¡°We have business in town. When we are done, we will move on. For now, get out of our damn way.¡± Isaac¡¯s voice was measured but held a level of animosity that couldn¡¯t be mistaken.


    ¡°What business?¡± One of the other group members pressed.


    Isaac looked back over his shoulder at Lenna. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯m hungry.¡± He told her and moved to leave. The group didn¡¯t disperse. ¡°I will go through you.¡± He said evenly.


    A few of the group members got out of the way and then the rest started losing heart. Eventually the path was clear and Isaac continued forwards with Lenna right behind him. They were almost through the group when one of them made a swing for Lenna¡¯s head with his sword. Lenna effortlessly tilted her head to the side and shifted her weight in the same direction. The attack missed by the smallest fraction of an inch and Lenna was willing to continue on without making a big deal of it. A person of that skill level couldn¡¯t kill her. She could be drunk and blindfolded and still win in a duel against that man. Isaac, however, wasn¡¯t one to let things slide. He had heard the attack but hadn¡¯t seen it directly. He turned around to see the man in an awkward position from his failed attack and Lenna a half step off to the side of where she should have been.


    Isaac appeared next to the man and grabbed his wrist. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Isaac asked coldly.


    The man¡¯s eyes went wide as they met Isaac¡¯s. ¡°N-Nothing.¡± He lied.


    The entire group, both sides, froze with bated breaths. ¡°If any of you, so much as think, about doing anything to her, I will remove the offending appendage.¡± Isaac told them. His tone had started off with barely contained anger and moved into complete apathy. The shift was bone chilling to the man that had his wrist firmly locked in place within Isaac¡¯s grasp. ¡°Do I make myself clear?¡± Isaac asked with eyes locked onto the man in his grasp.


    The man nodded quickly. He had tried to withdraw his hand as soon as Isaac had appeared but failed and now felt like he was completely at Isaac¡¯s mercy, which he was. ¡°My Lord.¡± Lenna spoke quietly but loud enough that everyone around them could hear. ¡°Please, let us continue.¡±


    ¡°Tsk.¡± Isaac tsked and let go of the man¡¯s wrist while turning to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll let you go this time because I¡¯m more interested in breakfast than dealing with the guard.¡± Isaac told the man. ¡°Be glad you didn¡¯t end up being the example to others.¡±


    The duo arrived at the inn where they had stayed the last time they were in Ben¡¯s End without further incident. They walked over to the bar and Isaac sat on a barstool with Lenna standing behind him. ¡°Hey barkeep. Been a while.¡± He greeted the man behind the bar.


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    The man looked at Isaac and then Lenna with a confused look on his face. ¡°I apologize but my memory isn¡¯t the best. Could you remind me of your names? I¡¯m Abe Edwards.¡± The man told Isaac with a pleasant smile and apologetic eyes.


    ¡°Isaac,¡± Isaac replied and then gestured back to Lenna. ¡°and that¡¯s Lenna.¡± He finished. ¡°We just need breakfast and then we¡¯re back to work. What do you have that¡¯s hot and ready?¡±


    ¡°Just the bottomless stew I¡¯m afraid.¡± Abe replied. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you again.¡± He said with a chuckle. ¡°Gonna be in town a while?¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No.¡± He replied and then continued with small talk while Abe got the duo a pair of bowls of stew and some water to drink. The tavern was mostly empty. Mostly. There was a pair of adventurers sitting together and a table of other residents.


    ¡°I can eat later.¡± Lenna told Isaac just loud enough that he could hear her.


    Isaac looked back over his shoulder at her. ¡°If that¡¯s how you want to do it, I won¡¯t object, but just know that I don¡¯t like it.¡± He told her. He really didn¡¯t like how Lenna walked on eggshells all the time with the people who hated her for no other reason than what race she was born as.


    Lenna nodded in response. ¡°It is.¡± She assured him.


    Isaac sighed but quickly dug into his food. ¡°How much for the bowl and spoon?¡± Isaac asked Abe.


    ¡°You mean the actual bowl and the spoon?¡± Abe asked. He was confused because no one had ever asked how much his utensils cost.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied simply.


    Abe tapped his chin in thought. ¡°Five silver for the bowl and two silver for the spoon.¡± He enlightened Isaac.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a gold coin for them.¡± Isaac told the man.


    He looked at Isaac with confusion written all over his face. ¡°I have plenty so that¡¯s fine.¡± He agreed. ¡°I just can¡¯t see why you¡¯d want them.¡±


    Isaac smirked and waved his hand over the second bowl of stew and a small wave of shadows followed behind his hand. The bowl was gone a moment later and in its place was a gold coin. ¡°Lenna would prefer to save it for later and this was the best way.¡± Isaac told the man.


    Abe looked on in bewilderment before eventually just accepting it. ¡°Alright then.¡± He eventually said. ¡°Well I hope you enjoy it later, miss.¡± Lenna just nodded in thanks but otherwise remained silent. Once the pair was done with Abe and the inn they moved on to the real reason they were in Ben¡¯s End. It was time to get ready for the operation and to do that they needed to regroup with the sergeant. The duo bid a quick farewell to Abe and headed towards the guard station. Once they were close they saw the crowd from before all bunched up around and inside the door to the main room of the guard station.


    ¡°Well,¡± Isaac began. ¡°this¡¯ll be fun.¡±


    ¡°Why are they allowed in town?!¡± One of the gathered citizens called into the building.


    ¡°Yeah! Kick them out!¡± Another called.


    ¡°This went from annoying to obnoxious.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°This is worse than Safeharbor was.¡± Lenna agreed.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready to just go through them.¡± Isaac replied calmly. He wasn¡¯t going to actually kill anyone, probably. The duo was more than capable of just shouldering their way inside.


    ¡°The guard looks overwhelmed.¡± Lenna commented, ignoring Isaac¡¯s statement.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°Let me check something quick. Don¡¯t move.¡± He told her and vanished.


    ¡ª


    The sergeant of the guard stationed in Ben¡¯s End was not having a great day. First the Aaronson boy was caught stealing coins from behind the counter at the general store and then a pair of ¡®interesting¡¯ individuals showed up demanding his presence. His eye twitched at simply recalling them. The pair in question had then accused multiple people, all of which he knew personally, of working with a gang based out of the nearest city. After a rather unpleasant conversation with them he was then stuck trying to organize multiple simultaneous arrests without tipping off the people in question. He had been almost ready to send the order to go after the suspects when a rather disgruntled crowd arrived at his doorstep.


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t want them here and believe me, I don¡¯t either, but just deal with it for a few hours. Please.¡± He tried to placate the small mob to no avail. ¡°Once their job is done they have assured me that they will leave peacefully and quickly. Just go back to your homes for now.¡± It didn¡¯t appear as if his words were helping or hindering the situation either way. The group was still crowding his lobby and complaining loudly. He sighed and was about to get one of his men to help him push through the crowd when one of the members of the problematic duo appeared next to him. He barely kept himself from jumping at the sudden presence.


    ¡°Sergeant.¡± Isaac said in a voice that was pure business and none of his usual casual amusement nor his fierce anger.


    ¡°Adventurer.¡± The sergeant replied in greeting.


    ¡°I can disperse them all but I¡¯ll need your men ready to bag the ones in the crowd that we are after.¡± Isaac told the man.


    ¡°How would you disperse them?¡± The sergeant asked.


    ¡°Dragonfear.¡± Isaac replied simply.


    The sergeant¡¯s gaze snapped to Isaac. ¡°That really happened?¡± He questioned. An empty bottle came flying from the crowd at Isaac¡¯s face. It was cleaved in two by a thin line of pure shadows without the mage even moving a muscle.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I¡¯ll give you thirty seconds. Any longer and this will get too out of hand.¡± Isaac finished and then vanished again.


    The sergeant sighed. ¡°Hells, this day just keeps getting worse.¡± He said to himself and then looked to the side at one of his men. ¡°Get ready. We are starting the operation. Now.¡±


    ¡°Now sir?¡± The guard questioned and looked at the crowd blocking their way out.


    ¡°Yes.¡± The sergeant replied. ¡°Now.¡±

 Chapter 24 Fast and Light.

    Chapter 24 Fast and Light.


    Isaac reappeared next to Lenna right as a large man was squaring off against her. ¡°Back up.¡± Isaac said without sparing the man more than a glance. He didn¡¯t.


    Lenna took her eyes off the man and looked at Isaac. ¡°What did he say?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I gave him thirty seconds.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Just make sure to avoid the guards.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Understood.¡± She replied. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± The big man in front of Lenna yelled even though they were only a few feet apart. ¡°Don¡¯t just ignore me, wench.¡±


    Lenna¡¯s cold gaze swept back to the man. She slammed the full weight of her aura down onto just him. ¡°If you want my attention so badly.¡± She began as his knees started to wobble. ¡°Then you can have it.¡± She reached out and poked his chest. His legs crumpled under his own weight and he went down on his ass, hard.


    Isaac stepped behind Lenna. ¡°It¡¯s been thirty seconds, probably.¡± He told her. ¡°Let them have it.¡±


    Lenna nodded and took a deep focusing breath. Her aura reached out and seemed to clamp down on each of the civilians one at a time as she deftly ignored the guards. One after another they each showed the effects of Lenna¡¯s monstrous aura. A few collapsed on the spot. A few stumbled away. One woman¡¯s bladder couldn¡¯t contain the strain. Only three members of the crowd held their ground at all. One of which was a target but the rest looked like they were probably off duty guards.


    The sergeant and two of his men came out of the building and grabbed the two people in the group that Isaac and Lenna were after. They hauled them inside and into a backroom to be detained. A minute later the sergeant returned with the same two guards. ¡°We are beginning the operation now.¡± The sergeant told Isaac and Lenna.


    Lenna pulled back in her aura and let the crowd regain their faculties. Isaac stepped up beside her. ¡°We¡¯ll take the smith and his apprentice.¡±


    The sergeant nodded. ¡°The other three should all be at the general goods store.¡± He explained and waved for his two men to follow him. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with.¡± He said to no one in particular and headed out with his men trailing behind him.


    The crowd was starting to reorganize and they looked both a bit shaken up and in a much worse mood than they had been before. Whether their residual fear of Lenna would prevent them from doing anything stupid or not had yet to be seen. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry.¡± Isaac told Lenna and started in the direction of the smithy in a job. ¡°The sooner we are out of here the better.¡±


    Lenna took off after him. ¡°Agreed.¡±


    ¡ª


    Isaac and Lenna stopped outside of the smithy that two of their targets were presumably inside. ¡°V¡¯Nova way?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°I think¡­¡± Lenna began before stopping to gather her thoughts. ¡°The V¡¯Nova way is best. The Wexler way tends to make me age a few centuries.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°How so?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Worrying about you.¡± She replied simply.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Was Isaac¡¯s response. ¡°Well, uh, the V¡¯Nova way it is!¡± He agreed and exaggeratedly pointed at the door like he was signaling artillery.


    Lenna rolled her eyes. ¡°Stand back.¡± She told him and took a few steps back and to the side to line herself up with the door properly. ¡°Ready?¡±


    Isaac did as he was told and pulled his sword out of his Inventory. ¡°Ready.¡± He agreed.


    Lenna ran forwards. Her aura coated her body. Dim, small, orange flames danced along the edges of her armor causing her silhouette to glow faintly. She tucked her shoulder and plowed through the door blasting it off its hinges. The mushroom wood door blew apart as it was forced the wrong way through the doorway. Lenna quickly found the dwarven smith as she continued inside without even slowing down. She vaulted over the counter he was standing behind in shock. Her knees met his chest and chin as she took him violently to the ground.


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    Isaac teleported inside and then again to stand beside the smith¡¯s apprentice who had been in the middle of trying to hang a freshly polished sword. Isaac¡¯s blade pressed firmly against the boy¡¯s neck who looked to be in his late teens. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Isaac ordered the apprentice.


    Lenna rose from the ground with the smith in her grasp. She had both of his hands behind his back with his wrists clasped in her hands. She forced him forward and around the counter. ¡°Get off me ye wretch!¡± The dwarf cried. He hadn¡¯t had enough time to recognize the duo so his insults weren¡¯t very specific.


    ¡°Hands behind your head.¡± Isaac told the apprentice who hurriedly did as he was told. Shadows reached out from Isaac and clasped around the apprentice¡¯s wrists holding his arms in place. Isaac gestured towards the door with his sword. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Unhand me!¡± The smith ordered. ¡°If¡¯in ya don¡¯t I¡¯ll skin ye and feed ye ta the forge!¡±


    ¡°You can hit him to shut him up.¡± Isaac told Lenna as he followed the apprentice out the door with the tip of his blade pressed against the middle of the boy¡¯s back.


    Lenna slammed the dwarf against the counter before dragging him towards the door. He yanked and struggled between a hail of curses and swears that were both colorful and promising every type of pain he could come up with. The V¡¯Nova Wexler duo escorted their prisoners back to the guard station and were met by a handful of the citizens that had been involved with the mob previously.


    ¡°¡±What¡¯s going on?!¡± One of them cried out. ¡°That¡¯s my boy! Unhand him! Let him go!¡±


    Isaac¡¯s answer was a gaze that could have killed a weaker man. The flare of death flames inside of Isaac¡¯s chest only helped his gaze promise extreme violence if the man didn¡¯t withdraw. ¡°He¡¯s being arrested on suspicion of smuggling stolen goods.¡± Isaac replied simply. ¡°If you interfere I¡¯ll throw you in the cell with him.¡± The man looked like he wanted to interject but he couldn¡¯t think of anything to say that had a chance at helping his son and not just getting them both thrown in the cells.


    Once inside, the group met the receptionist. ¡°That was fast.¡± She commented upon seeing them enter. ¡°The boss ain¡¯t even back yet.¡±


    ¡°Lead the way.¡± Isaac replied professionally. He just wanted to get this part of the job over and done with. The sooner everything was wrapped up the sooner he could get paid and the sooner he could be away from all the prejudiced people in Ben¡¯s End. That wasn¡¯t even mentioning the fact that he just genuinely enjoyed fighting monsters or powerful people and disliked bullying pathetic thieves and weaklings.


    The receptionist did as requested and led them back to the only trio of cells in the entire town. One of the cells had the two arrestees from earlier. Another had some kid who looked utterly miserable. And the last one was empty. The receptionist had the keys to the cells and unlocked the only open one. ¡°Just toss ¡®em in there.¡± She said and held the gate open for them.


    Isaac poked the apprentice in the back with his sword and the boy staggered into the cell. Isaac¡¯s shadows dispersed soon after and Lenna, quite literally, tossed the smith into the cell after him. The dwarf hadn¡¯t stopped cursing her soul and her family for the next hundred generations the entire time. Not even after he landed on his face. Isaac was surprised his voice hadn¡¯t gone hoarse. ¡°Now we just wait for the sergeant I guess.¡± Isaac said to no one in particular.


    The receptionist closed and locked the cell before leading the duo back out into the lobby. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t be too long.¡± She said and took her seat.


    ¡°It was three on three though wasn¡¯t it?¡± Isaac asked.


    She shrugged. ¡°Somethin¡¯ like that.¡± She agreed.


    Isaac looked at Lenna. ¡°Do you want to wait or go after them?¡± He asked her.


    Lenna glanced back over her shoulder in the direction of the cells. ¡°We should stay here, just in case.¡± She told Isaac. ¡°I don¡¯t want to chase down a runner.¡±


    Isaac nodded in agreement. ¡°Me neither.¡± He agreed and took a seat against the wall. He had made a bench made of hardened shadows that was big enough for Lenna to join him if she wanted too. She hung around for a bit before deciding to join him and continue waiting.


    A few more minutes passed before five living and one dead person entered the lobby. One of the guard¡¯s had a bad dent in his breastplate that at the very least had to make the armor uncomfortable. The other guard and the sergeant looked fine save for maybe a new scratch or two on their mostly polished armor. The prisoners were a girl in her late teens, a young man in his mid twenties, and a middle aged man who was obviously dead and tossed over the undamaged guard¡¯s shoulder.


    The sergeant noticed Isaac and Lenna immediately. ¡°Were you successful?¡± He asked the pair.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°They are already locked up.¡±


    The sergeant nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll join you in a minute.¡±


    A few minutes later Isaac and Lenna were back inside the sergeant¡¯s office. ¡°You are sure that was all of them in Ben¡¯s End?¡± He asked Isaac.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I hope so but unless the magistrate comes down here himself and interrogates everyone we¡¯ll probably never know.¡± He replied truthfully. ¡°There are a few in Outpost Charles that we¡¯ll be going after next. For now I¡¯ll leave the prisoners to you.¡±


    The sergeant sighed. ¡°Alright.¡± He reached up and undid the strap on his helmet before taking it off and setting it on the desk. His brown hair was half gray and his well trimmed beard was much the same. His brown eyes were tired but sharp. ¡°Do you have arrangements for bringing the prisoners back with you?¡±


    Isaac shook his head in the negative. ¡°No. I was hoping to leave that to you. We travel fast and light.¡± Isaac replied.


    The sergeant nodded. ¡°What about the prisoners from Outpost Charles?¡± He asked.


    Isaac wrinkled his nose. ¡°I really don¡¯t want to deal with them.¡± He answered truthfully. ¡°When would you need them here by so you could send them back with the others?¡±


    ¡°The next caravan should be here in ten to fourteen days. They¡¯ll then continue on to Outpost Charles before turning around.¡± He explained. ¡°They are on a five week rotation.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure the others are ready by then.¡± Isaac promised. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do about getting them out of your hair sooner but no promises.¡±


    The sergeant nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± He replied with a sigh. ¡°This is such a mess.¡±


    Isaac ignored his comment and rose to his feet. ¡°We¡¯ll just leave this all in your very capable hands.¡± He told the older man. ¡°The sooner we get to Outpost Charles the better our chances are of catching the rest of the gang.¡±


    ¡°Where would they even run to?¡± The sergeant asked incredulously. ¡°There¡¯s nothing out here but tunnels and monsters.¡±


    ¡°And drow.¡± Lenna added as she rose to her feet to follow after Isaac.


    The sergeant paused. ¡°You don¡¯t think?¡± He didn¡¯t even dare finish his own question.


    ¡°Only one way to find out.¡± Isaac replied and opened the door to leave. ¡°See ya around Sergeant.¡± Isaac said over his shoulder. ¡°And make sure you don¡¯t lose those prisoners.¡±


    The sergeant¡¯s face went from surprised to a scowl. ¡°I don¡¯t need some adventurer telling me how to do my job.¡± He told Isaac again.


    Isaac just waved over his shoulder as he walked out. Lenna gave the sergeant a curt nod. ¡°I would be extra careful.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°If any of them escape it won¡¯t be us you have to worry about. It¡¯ll be your captain and the magistrate.¡±

 Chapter 25 Curse

    Chapter 25 Curse


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lenna questioned Isaac. They had left Ben¡¯s End half an hour prior and had been walking towards Outpost Charles. The fact that Isaac hadn¡¯t led them to sprint for the outpost was only the first hint that Lenna had to the fact that something was on Isaac¡¯s mind. He had been unusually silent for almost their entire walk. His face had shifted through a few emotions over their walk as well. From quiet contemplation to uncertainty to dread and finally to malaise. The fact that he hadn¡¯t spoken a word about whatever was on his mind was starting to worry Lenna. ¡°Isaac?¡± Lenna continued when he didn¡¯t seem to notice her question.


    ¡°Huh? What?¡± Isaac asked as he was pulled from his thoughts.


    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Lenna asked again.


    Isaac frowned. ¡°This is going to be¡­ awkward.¡± He told her. ¡°Also, I¡¯m trying to figure out exactly how we are going to shadow Lisa without her noticing. Your armor isn¡¯t exactly quiet and I can¡¯t keep us both invisible forever.¡±


    ¡°What is going to be awkward?¡± Lenna questioned.


    Isaac swallowed and averted his gaze. ¡°Meeting the innkeeper.¡± He answered quietly.


    Lenna frowned and narrowed her gaze at him. ¡°Why Isaac? You said that you hadn¡¯t had any relations with anyone before me.¡± She accused.


    ¡°And I wasn¡¯t lying. In this world, I have not been with anyone other than you.¡± Isaac defended. ¡°But there was definitely some tension and words exchanged with the woman who runs the only inn in Outpost Charles.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll fight her.¡± Lenna replied evenly.


    ¡°No no no.¡± Isaac said abruptly and put his hands out in a placating gesture. ¡°Your aura could kill her if you tried too hard.¡±


    ¡°Why does it matter if you have me?¡± Lenna retorted.


    ¡°Because even if there isn¡¯t anyone else in my heart, which there isn¡¯t, that doesn¡¯t mean I want you killing any woman who has ever or will ever flirt with me.¡± Isaac argued.


    Lenna¡¯s eyes narrowed further at him. ¡°Then what is going to be so awkward about this meeting?¡± She interrogated evenly.


    Isaac unconsciously gulped under the pressure of her gaze. ¡°When I had last seen her I may have said something about choosing to stay if I ever came back.¡± He got out quickly and quietly and maybe an octave higher than usual.


    Lenna was silent for long enough that Isaac was forced to take a breath. He hadn¡¯t even noticed that he was holding his breath until his chest started to feel tight. Her gaze never left him. ¡°I trust you will let her down directly and promptly.¡± She eventually told him. ¡°Unless you want me to.¡± Her final statement seemed to Isaac to be more of a threat than an offer.


    Isaac swallowed dryly. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. It¡¯ll be better that way.¡± He replied.


    ¡°I can do it.¡± Lenna offered a little less threatening than last time.


    Isaac shook his head side to side rapidly. ¡°No no. I can do it.¡± He assured her.


    Lenna stared at him for another long moment. ¡°Good.¡± Was all she said.


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    The pair continued in silence for a long few minutes before Isaac decided to just hurry up to Outpost Charles and get it over with. He¡¯d figure out how to shadow Lisa on the fly. Anything was better than the silent tension he had made for himself with Lenna. ¡°Let¡¯s step up the pace.¡± Isaac told Lenna as he started to speed up. ¡°The sooner we get there the sooner we can get home.¡± Lenna eyed him for a moment before nodding and picking up the pace as well.


    Luckily for Isaac, Lenna didn¡¯t mind the silence, they had an interruption a short time later. ¡°It¡¯s Alexander.¡± Lenna said and slowed to a stop.


    Isaac stopped as well and waited patiently for her to finish talking telepathically with the court mage. ¡°Anything useful?¡± Isaac asked after a while.


    Lenna frowned then seemed to turn her attention back to Isaac. ¡°Yes and no.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°They were aware of the fact that drow were involved at some point.¡± Lenna shook her head. ¡°He never met them but the wizard did.¡±


    ¡°Do we have a description?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No.¡± Lenna¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°We can¡¯t even be sure that they are the only drow involved.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac prodded.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°They were given funding in exchange for helping smuggle in spies, once. The spies were caught and the drow never tried to work directly with them again.¡± She continued recounting the information Alexander had relayed to her. ¡°They did sell things like guard patrol patterns and estimated military power. We don¡¯t know who introduced the wizard to the drow. That is the main issue right now.¡±


    ¡°We need to figure out who her accomplice was.¡± Isaac reiterated. ¡°Do you think it could be our little thief in Outpost Charles?¡±


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never met her.¡± She replied.


    ¡°But?¡± Isaac asked. He had the feeling that Lenna had more to comment, knowing her it was likely to be more based on a hunch than anything else if she hadn¡¯t just said it in the first place.


    ¡°Aria seemed to think that there was something going on with her.¡± Lenna began. ¡°A wood elf¡¯s intuition shouldn¡¯t be ignored.¡±


    ¡°Especially when you are getting the same feeling?¡± Isaac prodded.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    A dark elf a bit into his sixth century sat on his throne. His posture was perfect and he breathed power and authority. There was a sorceress, that he had paid good favors for, kneeling at his feet. She was one of his better investments over the centuries. His throne was solid gold the entire way through. The platinum engravings across the back rest and back of the throne showed a glorious battle of he himself battling a blue dragon to a standstill. He was a lot younger then but then again, so was the dragon. He wondered who would come out on top if they ever met again.


    ¡°She is moving very quickly, my Lord.¡± The sorceress told him, pulling him out of his nostalgic memories.


    His gaze narrowed as it lowered from the stained glass window, that depicted the glorious Dri¡¯El locked in deific combat with El¡¯Gra, to the sorceress. ¡°Where is she now?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°Half between the human outpost and their smaller settlement.¡± She answered directly. She knew that he hated it when his minions minced words. She also knew that that is exactly what she was, a minion, and nothing more.


    ¡°Give the order to Drider¡¯s Sons. Catch them on their return from the small settlement to the larger one. I do not care how long they must wait.¡± He ordered and then felt the ripple of mana from her as she immediately carried out his order. ¡°Keep tracking her.¡± He told the sorceress. ¡°Make sure those assassins do not miss their mark. I do not accept failure.¡±


    ¡°As you say, my Lord.¡± She replied. Her eyes had never left the ground before his feet. She remained silent as she waited for her dismissal.


    A long moment passed. Long enough for her to wonder if he had forgotten about her. ¡°You may go.¡± He eventually told her. Her knee hurt and her back ached from kneeling so low on the marble floor for so long. She bowed lower before raising but kept her gaze low. She bowed and turned to leave. As soon as she was close to the door he watched her pace quicken and the corner of his mouth quirked upwards. He took a deep breath and relaxed slightly once she was out of sight. His gaze returned to the image of Dri¡¯El that had been destroyed those handful of months ago. ¡°Just what game are you playing?¡± He asked someone who couldn¡¯t hear him. ¡°If you were truly running from me then you would be much farther away.¡± His brows furrowed in deep contemplation. ¡°Are you taunting me, girl? Me?¡± As he reached that conclusion he ground his teeth. ¡°The only one who will mourn your loss will be me, only for all the resources that you wasted.¡± If he had the power to curse her then his words would have served as the incantation. Instead he just wished to his god that she would somehow hear them through the hundreds of miles distance between.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    ¡°Achoo!¡± Lenna sneezed. It was loud. Even louder to her due to her equipped helmet.


    ¡°You feeling alright?¡± Isaac asked. He had never heard her sneeze before. She always had this air of unassailability to her, like illnesses just simply weren¡¯t powerful enough to challenge her.


    Lenna shook her head to clear it. ¡°Yes. Someone must be talking shit about me.¡± She replied.


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be good things?¡± Isaac asked with a chuckle.


    Lenna gave Isaac a flat look. ¡°And who would that be?¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Maybe Sera and Jessica are sitting down for tea and you came up in conversation.¡± He offered.


    Lenna rolled her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s more likely that my uncle is trying to curse me or something.¡± She replied.


    Isaac¡¯s amusement vanished. ¡°He can do that?¡± He questioned.


    Lenna shook her head with a chuckle. ¡°No. But it never stopped him from trying before.¡±

 Chapter 26 Too Territorial.

    Chapter 26 Too Territorial.


    ¡°Ahoy!¡± Isaac called out as he and Lenna stopped just outside of the gate to Outpost Charles. It had been quite a while since Isaac had last been there. Back then he was still alone. Aria and Claus helped him get on his feet but after that he was left to his own devices, free to make his own mistakes that only affected him, lacking a safety net. Now he had Lenna. She was his anchor. She kept him grounded. With her around he thought about long term consequences and not just about what he was going to do the next day. More than that though, she made him feel safe. There was a certain unease that never left a person who traveled alone or only with people they didn¡¯t trust. With Lenna around he could sleep peacefully, he could relax his weary muscles from a long day¡¯s travel or a hundred battles. Thinking back on how he felt before he met her and even for a little while afterwards he had to suppress a shiver. ¡®I don¡¯t know if I could survive going back to that.¡¯ He thought to himself.


    A slit opened up in the gate and a pair of soft green eyes peered through. ¡°Badges and names?¡± A voice called out from the other side of the gate. The voice was muffled but Isaac felt like the boy¡¯s voice sounded familiar.


    ¡°Long time no see kiddo.¡± Isaac replied and the pair pushed mana into their badges causing them to emit their signature soft blue glow.


    The eyes squinted harder at Isaac but the boy was silent for a long moment like he was trying to place who was on the other side of the gate. ¡°It¡¯s hard to see who you are. It¡¯s really dark out there.¡± The boy said to Isaac.


    Isaac rolled his eyes. ¡°Gregory Windwalker, open the gate. If you don¡¯t recognize these amazing silver eyes I¡¯ll ask if you hit your head on something.¡± He returned.


    Gregory¡¯s eyes went wide as he finally placed the voice and the difficult to make out features with the silver eyes. ¡°Isa- Lord Wexler?!¡± He seemed like he wasn¡¯t sure if he was supposed to be formal or not. It had been a few months since they had seen each other and even though Isaac was friendly he was still supposedly a noble so the safest thing for Gregory to do was to be formal. If Isaac told him to stop being so formal then he would but as it stood he could use being on duty as an excuse.


    ¡°The one and only.¡± Isaac replied with a grin. ¡°Now open the damn gate.¡±


    The slit slammed shut and the bar behind the door was heaved out of the way. A moment later the gate was pulled open wide enough for three people to walk shoulder to shoulder. ¡°Welcome back.¡± Gregory said with a huge grin. ¡°Chris and mom¡¯ll be glad to see you.¡±


    ¡°But not you?¡± Isaac teased as he walked through with Lenna right behind him.


    Gregory shook his head. ¡°Nope.¡± He replied sarcastically without dimming his grin. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Lenna V¡¯Nova, meet Gregory Windwalker. Gregory, this is Lady V¡¯Nova.¡± Isaac introduced them honestly. He wasn¡¯t sure how people in the outpost would react to Lenna¡¯s surname so he figured he¡¯d test the waters with the boy in front of him.


    ¡°Nice to- wait.¡± Gregory began towards Lenna and then abruptly shifted his focus back to Isaac. ¡°Did you say¡­ V¡¯Nova?¡± He added her surname in a loud whisper.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied honestly and rapped a knuckle on Lenna¡¯s adventurer¡¯s badge. ¡°And she¡¯s with me.¡±


    Gregory took a moment to fully take in Lenna. Her battle worn armor and platinum adventurer¡¯s badge made him wary of her. He knew at a glance that it would take the entire garrison to put her down if she decided to remove the outpost from the map. He swallowed hard. ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea?¡± He asked Isaac.


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    Isaac nodded resolutely. ¡°Absolutely. Trust anything she says more than something I say.¡± He couldn¡¯t keep himself from giving Lenna a warm smile before quickly returning to the air of nobility he tried to hold. ¡°She¡¯s a better person than me.¡±


    Gregory watched Isaac like a hawk. He was looking for any signs of magical compulsion or lies in his words. He felt like he was making a mistake letting the woman inside their home. ¡°Does the professor know she¡¯s here?¡± Gregory eventually asked. If there was anyone he trusted unconditionally it was Aria. She had taught him his numbers and fixed, most of, his spelling problems. She had brought his brother back even when it would¡¯ve been safer for her to leave him.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah. We had to save her and Claus from all kinds of trouble a bit ago.¡± He explained. ¡°I won¡¯t lie to you and say that she likes Lenna but after a few days traveling together I think she warmed up to her.¡±


    ¡°She tolerates me. It¡¯s mutual.¡± Lenna added and continued looking around and taking in the outpost. The exposed glowing stones always hurt her eyes to look at. ¡®Whoever chose to build here picked a good spot.¡¯ Lenna thought to herself. The type of stone surrounding them was known to the drow to be just the right kind for building under. The stone was a bit less brittle than the red stone that Safeharbor was built in. This meant that there was less stone dust and also that if there was a tremor the odds of falling debris was lower.


    Gregory seemed stunned upon hearing Lenna¡¯s deep and smooth voice. ¡°Like a lion¡¯s purr.¡± He whispered. Lenna pretended not to notice.


    Isaac smirked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Back off kid, she¡¯s mine.¡± He retorted half jokingly.


    ¡°What?¡± Gregory asked, refocusing on Isaac.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s a good one though, I¡¯ll have to use it at some point.¡±


    ¡°Use what?¡± Gregory asked.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Isaac lied. ¡°We¡¯re gonna go see your mom.¡± Isaac told the boy and took a step away before stopping. ¡°Actually, before that, you know everyone that is out there right now right?¡±


    Gregory nodded slowly. ¡°If they¡¯ve left within the last eleven hours and I didn¡¯t miss them over lunch or anything.¡± He agreed.


    ¡°Is Lisa out or in?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Lisa?¡± Gregory asked. ¡°What do you need Lisa for? Aren¡¯t you better at the whole sneaking around thing anyway?¡±


    ¡°Is she in or out?¡± Isaac pressed.


    ¡°Uh, in, I think.¡± Gregory replied. ¡°I saw her return this morning but I haven¡¯t seen her leave.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Thanks, don¡¯t let her know I was asking about her. Also, let me know every time she leaves and comes back.¡± He told the boy.


    ¡°Why?¡± Gregory asked. He sounded honestly confused. ¡°You sound like a stalker.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Lenna added.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Isaac dramatically exclaimed with his hand over his heart on his chest while looking at Lenna. ¡°Ouch.¡± He added and then became serious again and looked at Gregory. ¡°She tried to rob me when I was here the first time, remember?¡±


    Gregory nodded. ¡°Yeah, something about you getting stabbed. Mom said that between you and Chris she was going to have a heart attack.¡±


    Isaac ignored the comment about Jennie and moved on. He wasn¡¯t about to tempt Lenna¡¯s jealous wrath any more than necessary. ¡°Aria said that there have been a lot more thefts recently and she wanted me to take a look. Lisa is the prime suspect.¡±


    Gregory nodded. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll let you know when I see her.¡± He agreed.


    ¡°Make sure she doesn¡¯t know that you are doing it.¡± Isaac reminded the boy. ¡°If she really is the culprit then I don¡¯t want anything tipping her off before we get evidence.¡±


    The young guard nodded again. ¡°Understood sir.¡± He replied like he was receiving orders from his sergeant.


    ¡°Good.¡± Isaac said with a smile and turned to leave again. ¡°Keep up the good work, kid.¡±


    Gregory closed the gate and replaced the bar with a grunt. ¡°I¡¯m, an, adult.¡± He grunted out while wrestling with the heavy bar.


    Once Isaac and Lenna were far enough away that they could whisper privately Lenna spoke up. ¡°He seems like a good kid.¡± She commented.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°He is, so is his brother. His brother lost his legs due to a collection of unfortunate events. Most of them were probably Jala¡¯s fault.¡± He explained.


    ¡°So his mother is the innkeeper.¡± Lenna postulated.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°The one that likes you.¡± She continued.


    ¡°Last I heard.¡± Isaac agreed.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to let her down right away, right?¡± She questioned. It was phrased like a question, sounded like a question, and Isaac knew that it was an honest question. That didn¡¯t change the feeling he got that if he didn¡¯t say something to Jennie than Lenna would, promptly, directly, and in an aggressively territorial fashion.


    Isaac glanced sidelong at her. ¡°Yes, my dear, my mate and one true love, I will inform her of my relationship status so you can stop being jealous of something that has never and will never be.¡± He promised her with a slight smirk.


    Lenna stopped and Isaac stopped a step later. ¡°I¡­ may be acting a bit too territorial.¡± Lenna conceded.


    Isaac just chuckled and gave her a look that said ¡®I know but I still love you.¡¯


    Lenna sighed. ¡°I will try to do better.¡± She promised. ¡°But I will promise nothing.¡±


    Isaac kept chuckling. ¡°That, my dear, is all I can ever ask for.¡±

 Chapter 27 She Devil

    Chapter 27 She Devil


    ¡°This is going to be so boring now.¡± Isaac grumbled under his breath.


    Lenna gave him a sidelong glance. ¡°Why?¡± She wearily took the bait.


    ¡°Maybe I should leave you somewhere for a month or so? I¡¯d finally get a proper dramatic reunion.¡± Isaac continued thinking aloud.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you.¡± Lenna replied evenly. Isaac wasn¡¯t sure if she was joking or not.


    ¡°When I left here I had this whole dramatic reunion planned out.¡± Isaac pressed on. ¡°I¡¯d walk in with my hood up and then wait until I got to the bar to throw it off and say some cheesy line.¡± He sighed dramatically and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s one of those things I wanted to experience at least once.¡± Lenna¡¯s cold gaze bore into him as he continued. ¡°But alas I will have to miss this golden opportunity for a proper storybook moment.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna agreed. ¡°You will miss it. I hope you never get it.¡± She was not falling for his act nor accepting of his theatrics. The pair were almost to the inn and she waved towards it. ¡°Just get this over with like a normal person.¡±


    Isaac huffed. ¡°Fine.¡± He pouted.


    ¡°You¡¯re pouting.¡± Lenna pointed out.


    Isaac didn¡¯t verbally respond but he did fix his face. His casual smirk came back as he walked into the inn that he hadn¡¯t seen in the better part of four months. There were two guardsmen there for dinner. They had most likely just gotten off their shift. Jennie was busying herself adding new ingredients to the large pot of stew she was making. Her lithe figure looked a little thinner than the last time Isaac had seen her. He thought he caught a gray hair in the firelight mixed into her long brown hair that she had up in a bun to keep it out of the way while she worked. She heard them enter but didn¡¯t look back. ¡°Be with ya in a minute.¡± She called over her shoulder without taking her eyes off of what she was doing.


    ¡°Take your time.¡± Isaac replied and casually strode towards the bar. He had his hood down and Lenna was walking behind him. She checked out the guards and noticed that they were getting ready to leave.


    Jennie finished adding the garlic she was peeling and turned to see who had entered. She froze when she saw it was Isaac. Her breath caught. She didn¡¯t even notice Lenna. ¡°I-Isaac? Is it really you?¡± She questioned.


    ¡°Last I checked.¡± Isaac replied casually. ¡°Been a while.¡± Lenna reached up and straightened her hand before chopping it down onto Isaac¡¯s head. She made sure to do it lightly but her hand was still quite heavy considering all the steel her arm was wrapped in. ¡°Ow!¡± Isaac said and leaned forwards slightly while rubbing the top of his head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t flirt with other women.¡± Lenna told him evenly.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t.¡± Isaac defended himself.


    ¡°Her face says otherwise.¡± Lenna countered.


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    Isaac took in Jennie and noticed what Lenna meant. Her face had flushed slightly before turning to shock at what Lenna had done to Isaac. Some of the color still remained in her cheeks and there was a certain look in her eyes that was hard for Isaac to properly place. Something like relief and the joy of seeing someone she missed after a long time. ¡°S¡¯cuse me, who¡¯s this?¡± Jennie asked Isaac now that she finally realized that Lenna existed.


    Isaac looked back at Lenna and then noticed the other two patrons walking up to the bar with their dishes stacked. ¡°Thanks Jen.¡± The one said.


    ¡°Yeah, thanks.¡± The other one agreed before they both noticed that the ongoing conversation was probably a little more personal than their current location inferred. ¡°Uh, see ya.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome boys.¡± Jennie replied and gave them both a nod. They hurried out whispering to each other. It wouldn¡¯t be long before half of the Outpost knew that someone new was there. Gossip travels faster the less people there are in one place.


    Once the guards were out the door Isaac turned back to Jennie. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to say this not bluntly.¡± Isaac told Jennie honestly with a sudden seriousness. ¡°She¡¯s my mate.¡±


    Jennie froze. She just stared at Isaac for a long moment. He noticed her deflate a little and her emerald eyes seemed to dim. ¡°I see.¡± She said quietly before brightening. She was an adult and could handle rejection even if she had felt like there was a real connection in the past. People changed, some faster than others, and she couldn¡¯t expect Isaac to settle down with her in the middle of nowhere just because they had some chemistry. Her face brightened a bit and she smiled. It was faked so well that it was almost impossible to tell that it was forced. ¡°Congratulations.¡± She said with a bit of less well hidden fake cheer. ¡°I take it ya ain¡¯t here just to see little old me then.¡± She inferred.


    Isaac smiled apologetically. ¡°No. Sorry.¡± He replied and she waved him off. ¡°Aria asked me to come around and look into some things.¡±


    ¡°Will you be staying long?¡± She asked.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Maybe, probably not.¡± He looked around to make sure they were alone. ¡°Just until we catch little miss sticky fingers.¡±


    Jennie¡¯s eyes widened a bit at that. ¡°It must be more serious than I thought if she tracked ya down for it.¡± She commented. ¡°I got a pair a single rooms. One is the one ya used last time.¡± She told Isaac.


    ¡°Just one is fine.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°Lenna doesn¡¯t like to sleep in unfamiliar places.¡±


    Jennie eyed Lenna. ¡°When you said ¡®mate¡¯ I figured she was an elf.¡± She offered her hand to Lenna. ¡°Jennie Windwalker.¡± She introduced herself. Lenna eyed her hand for only a second before taking it. ¡°Got a surname sweetheart?¡± She questioned.


    ¡°V¡¯Nova.¡± Lenna purred.


    Jennie¡¯s eyes got wider and wider until it looked like they were going to roll out of their sockets. Her hand started to tremble and shake in Lenna¡¯s. She swallowed hard. Her eyes narrowed and her jaw set as she took her hand back and wiped it on her apron. ¡°Find some alley to rest in. I won¡¯t have you in my inn.¡± She told Lenna coldly.


    ¡°Jennie?¡± Isaac asked. He hadn¡¯t expected such a harsh reaction after seeing how Gregory reacted to her name.


    ¡°I woulda been fine with any other drow from any other place but not her.¡± She told Isaac with a building fire roaring to life in her chest. ¡°I know they ain¡¯t all bad. They¡¯re people like us but I ain¡¯t dealing with no V¡¯Nova. Not now. Not ever.¡±


    Lenna seemed to shrink back slightly. Isaac felt more than saw her withdraw. To him it felt like she was trying to hide in her armor. Usually he would have jumped right to Lenna¡¯s defense but it was clear that it wasn¡¯t just the normal level of bigotry and racism Lenna received in places. ¡°Jennie.¡± Isaac said her name again. ¡°What happened?¡± He asked. There was no heat in his voice like there normally was when people were rude to Lenna but in its place was concern.


    Jennie finally tore her eyes away from Lenna and looked at Isaac with a tinge of anger hidden behind resolve and immobility. ¡°A V¡¯Nova took my husband from me. A V¡¯Nova left my boys without a father. A V¡¯Nova is the reason I have to run this inn alone in the middle a nowhere.¡± She ranted. ¡°Where did ya even find one a her kind anyway?¡± Jennie pressed Isaac. ¡°Weren¡¯t ya trying to get outta underground?¡±


    It was Isaac¡¯s turn to shrink back slightly. Jennie went at them with an intensity that stripped any ability to argue. ¡°Let¡¯s just all sit down and I¡¯ll tell you about everything that¡¯s happened since I left.¡± Isaac told Jennie in an attempt to get her to calm down.


    ¡°Half the garrison''ll be in here within the next hour.¡± She told Isaac calmly.


    Isaac set a platinum coin on the bar between them. ¡°Can we get something to eat too?¡± He asked gently like he was afraid of stepping on a lion¡¯s tail.


    She quickly swiped and pocketed the platinum coin. ¡°Both of ya?¡± She questioned. It was clear that she didn¡¯t want to give Lenna anything but she would because Isaac had paid, a lot.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Jennie replied and then turned to get them bowls. ¡°No food upstairs.¡± She told them. ¡°If anyone finds out about yer little she devil that¡¯s on you.¡±


    ¡°Her name¡¯s Lenna.¡± Isaac corrected. His voice was a mix of understanding and firmness. Jennie handed them their bowls but didn¡¯t reply to what Isaac had said. ¡°But thank you.¡±

 Chapter 28 A Runaway

    Chapter 28 A Runaway


    Isaac and Lenna sat side by side eating their food while hoping that no one took a good look at Lenna. They had pushed one of the tables the entire way into the corner and Lenna sat against the wall so Isaac could, hopefully, shield her from wandering eyes or curious gazes. Her faceplate was open so she could eat but she wasn¡¯t about to take off her helmet in a place like that. Once the pair had finished Lenna had quickly closed her faceplate. They took their dishes back up to Jennie and then retreated to the corner table. Once people had started coming Isaac had made sure to put his hood up. The last thing he needed was Lisa knowing that it was him. Sure, everyone would gossip about a pair of strange wanderers hiding out in Jennie¡¯s inn, but if they didn¡¯t notice his silver eyes then this identity wouldn¡¯t get back to Lisa.


    Time ticked by and Isaac and Lenna tried to pass it quicker by engaging in quiet conversation. Isaac described Lisa the best he could to Lenna and filled her in on the little bit of internal politics that he was aware of. He knew that Lisa was the only daughter of the Guild Master of the local branch of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. The guild master¡¯s level was estimated at sixteen but Isaac wasn¡¯t sure how accurate that information really was. He did know that only double platinum level adventurers could become Guild Masters. Double platinum started at level sixteen and Aria had said that she didn¡¯t remember a time where the Guild Master actually set out to do a job or train. That didn¡¯t mean that he hadn¡¯t been training the entire time in private however so it was still a good idea to be careful.


    ¡°I just realized something.¡± Isaac commented once he finished explaining everything he knew about the Guild Master.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Lenna prodded.


    ¡°What if the Guild Master is in on it?¡± He questioned. They had been quiet enough that no one should have overheard them but Isaac asked the question even quieter than he had been talking.


    Lenna¡¯s elven hearing barely picked up on it. She was quiet for a moment in contemplation. ¡°This could get ugly if that¡¯s the case.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand what they would get out of it.¡±


    ¡°Working with the drow you mean?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes. She¡¯s been stealing right?¡± Isaac nodded in confirmation. ¡°Then they aren¡¯t paying her in gold.¡± She shook her head. ¡°She must be getting something else out of it. Aria said that she is getting paid for the stolen stuff but there is no evidence of the gold afterwards.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°Something isn¡¯t adding up. Why would she go through all the trouble of stealing stuff to get money to give to the drow of all people?¡± Isaac shook his head. ¡°The one thing your kin aren¡¯t lacking is gold.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Agreed. What is her motive? Where is the gold going?¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Well, we won¡¯t know until we track her down and see for ourselves.¡± He conceded. ¡°Speaking of which, I figured out a way for us both to shadow her.¡±


    Lenna narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°Was that pun intentional?¡± She asked but Isaac just smirked at her. ¡°Why do I feel like I am not going to like your plan?¡±


    Isaac¡¯s smirk turned into a full on grin. ¡°Because you are definitely going to hate it.¡± He confirmed. Lenna wrinkled her nose. Isaac couldn¡¯t see her face but he could read her reaction from the subtle shift in her body language. ¡°Remember those scrolls of Shroud?¡± He asked.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes, but that doesn¡¯t fix the noise problem.¡±


    ¡°Then we just need to get rid of what¡¯s making the noise.¡± He replied simply.


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    Lenna froze. ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡± She begged.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Sorry Lenna, I can¡¯t think of another way. Unless you want to stay here?¡± He asked.


    ¡°No. Absolutely not.¡± She replied immediately.


    ¡°Then you are going to have to stuff your armor in the bottomless bag.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°There just isn¡¯t another way. We lack a proper spell caster and we don¡¯t have the magic items to work around that fact. Once we get back to Safeharbor we need to raid Adventurous Tastes for some good gear.¡±


    ¡ª


    Jennie was getting ready to close up for the night as the final few patrons trickled out. Isaac and Lenna had been waiting patiently at the corner table for around three hours by that point. Once the last patron was gone Jennie called out to them from across the room. ¡°Alright. Come on over.¡± She told them and the pair did as requested.


    Isaac leaned against the bar and Lenna stood next to him. She glanced back towards the door. ¡°Will anyone be entering?¡± Lenna asked the innkeeper.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be. No.¡± Jennie replied simply.


    Lenna looked to Isaac for confirmation. ¡°Go ahead.¡± He told her.


    Lenna took off her helmet and tucked it into the bottomless bag. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m merging with the armor.¡± She commented. ¡°You¡¯ve spoiled me.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have to live in it in the first place.¡± he told her.


    Jennie turned around from doing the dishes to get a good look at Lenna. The first thing she noticed was the silver eyes that were the exact same shade as Isaac¡¯s. She then noticed silver hair that reminded her of the moonlight that she hadn¡¯t seen in nearly two decades. Lenna¡¯s sharp features were striking and Jennie could see why Isaac had fallen for her. When their eyes met Jennie¡¯s hair stood on end. She got the feeling that Lenna was subconsciously sizing her up. ¡°Thank you for the food.¡± Lenna broke the short silence that had formed. ¡°It was good.¡±


    Jennie snapped back to her old self and huffed. ¡°Glad it was to the Lady¡¯s liking.¡± She said sarcastically.


    ¡°Before we get into my whole story, I have a question.¡± Isaac spoke.


    Jennie nodded to him. ¡°Alright.¡± She agreed to answer.


    ¡°How long ago did he die?¡± Isaac asked.


    Jennie seemed to recoil like she had been hit in the chest. She turned around and went back to doing the dishes. Water ran and wooden bowls, cups, and spoons rattled against each other. ¡°Eleven years ago last month.¡± She answered honestly. ¡°Chris barely remembers him and Gregory doesn¡¯t remember him at all.¡± Her voice was quiet but loud enough that the pair could still hear her over the rattling dishes.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Isaac replied.


    Jennie nodded. ¡°Now tell me what led to all this.¡± She told the mage.


    Isaac nodded even though she couldn¡¯t see him. ¡°Alright. It all started when I was on my way to Ben¡¯s End.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°A runaway huh?¡± Jennie eventually said after Isaac was finished recounting a heavily abridged version of what had happened to him during the time he had been away.


    ¡°More or less.¡± Lenna agreed.


    ¡°How many raids have ya been on?¡± Jennie questioned.


    ¡°Ten.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Why?¡± Jennie asked. Isaac wasn¡¯t sure if it was a rhetorical question or not.


    Lenna answered anyway: ¡°It was the minimum requirement to be knighted in Contantis.¡±


    ¡°Did ya kill any guards during those raids?¡± Jennie continued her questioning.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied.


    Jennie was silent for a while. ¡°What are ya going to do to make up for it?¡± She asked the older woman.


    Lenna seemed taken aback. ¡°No one has ever asked that before.¡± She eventually replied. ¡°What do you wish for me to do? I will not die nor will I disgrace myself but I will do what I can.¡±


    Jennie laughed. It was clear that it was devoid of all humor. ¡°Then what do ya think the families of those ya¡¯ve killed are going to want from ya?¡± She questioned.


    ¡°I have lost people close to me because of your people as well.¡± Lenna replied. Isaac¡¯s eyes went wide in surprise. That was the first time he was hearing about it. ¡°If I find the man responsible, I will challenge him to a duel. If I lose then so be it. I was too weak to save him then and I would be too weak to avenge him as well. If any of the families that I have wronged seek retribution then let them do so with their own strength.¡± Lenna wasn¡¯t sure how to handle the situation that she was in. Who could know how to handle a situation like that? So she just said what she felt. She spoke from the heart and answered honestly. If that caused more problems then all she could do was apologize to Isaac. She just hoped that the woman in front of her would be able to understand her feelings. Lenna knew that she wasn¡¯t the best at expressing herself. She also knew that the only reason her and Isaac could even work was because he was good enough at reading her to be able to fill in the blanks that she left.


    Jennie searched Lenna¡¯s face for a long moment before sighing. ¡°You can stay in the same room as that one.¡± She said and gestured with her thumb towards Isaac. ¡°But I better not hear you two. The walls are thin.¡±


    Lenna¡¯s face flushed. She was completely blindsided by the comment. ¡°W-What?¡± Lenna stammered. ¡°I, no, you won¡¯t.¡±


    Jennie seemed genuinely surprised by Lenna¡¯s reaction and she looked at Isaac with a questioning gaze. ¡°Huh?¡± She asked.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°She¡¯s always like this. It¡¯s the only thing I can tease her about so don¡¯t push it too far and ruin it for me.¡±

 Chapter 29 My Attention.

    Chapter 29 My Attention.


    Isaac¡¯s plan was simple enough. The problem was how much of it was up to luck. He needed to catch Lisa as she was leaving, slip through the gate behind her while getting Lenna to do the same, without either of them making contact with each other or making any noise. If they made contact then her Shroud would break and reveal her to both Lisa and the guard at the gate. If they made noise then Lisa would be tipped off to someone following her. Isaac and Lenna spent a few minutes, after finishing their talk with Jennie, scouting out the area around the gate to figure out how and when they would move.


    Another problem was that Lenna didn¡¯t know how to cast the Shroud spell. In fact she was almost certain that with her mana being changed, because of her broken oath, she would never be able to cast the spell. Because she didn¡¯t know how to cast the spell, she was limited by the built in duration of the scroll. The one hour time limit caused real problems for the plan.


    Lenna was leaning against the side of one of the three buildings with a clear view of the gate. She was wearing Isaac¡¯s cloak and she held it closed with one hand. The dusty black cloak turned an almost identical shade of gray as the wall she was leaning against. Shadows slipped and wove through her armor making her every movement silent. She watched the gate like a viper waiting to strike. ¡°I¡¯m bored.¡± A voice came from behind her. She watched a book get tossed to the side only for it to vanish into thin air. She sighed.


    ¡°We¡¯ve only been here for an hour.¡± She replied to her mate who was sitting on the ground leaning against the same wall that she was. His eyes were closed and his arms and legs were crossed. Shadows hid him from everything save for her. ¡°The Windwalker boy didn¡¯t know when she normally left.¡± She reminded him.


    ¡°Stake outs are the worst.¡± Isaac continued. ¡°I am all for setting traps, planning ambushes, political maneuvering, assassinations, assassination attempts, robberies, and raids, but sitting here waiting for something to happen is downright awful.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Patience, Isaac.¡± She told him. ¡°Just let the anticipation build. Plan out every step we¡¯ll take and be ready to take them as soon as the opportunity arises.¡±


    ¡°I did that fifty minutes ago.¡± Isaac commented dryly. ¡°Now it¡¯s just making this take even longer.¡±


    Lenna shook her head again. ¡°Are you a child who needs a toy to play with or else you can¡¯t sit still?¡± Lenna questioned. She could have found a nicer way to get her point across but Isaac was really acting like a child. He was always impatient but now it felt like he was a child asking his parents when they would arrive every five minutes of the journey.


    Isaac finally shut up and took a deep breath to ground himself. He knew that she was right and he also knew better than to pick a fight just because he wanted something to do. He turned his focus inwards and started to meditate. As long as he didn¡¯t let himself go completely it would be good practice. He wanted to unlock the level of mana flow that he had while meditating for use all the time. It felt almost like his normal mana pathways were constricted like a muscle and when he reached the final level of meditation that muscle would relax. With the massive inflow of mana that that would unlock he was sure that pesky things like reality shields wouldn¡¯t be a problem for him anymore.


    ¡°Isaac.¡± Lenna whispered and nudged his knee with her foot.


    Isaac¡¯s eyes shot open and he scanned the area. There she was, brown hair braided back tight to her skull to keep it out of the way. She was four feet tall and gave a cheery wave to the guard on duty as he opened the gate for her. ¡°Heading out again huh?¡± The guard asked. ¡°That makes every day this week.¡±


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    Lisa smiled at him. ¡°Yeah, some people like people, some people like tunnels and maps and alone time.¡± She replied cheerily.


    The guard chuckled. ¡°And some of us like sitting around and getting paid.¡± He winked at her. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anybody I said that though.¡±


    Lisa giggled. ¡°No worries Fred. I know how to keep a secret.¡± She told him and winked back before disappearing around the other side of the gate and off into the deep tunnels around the outpost.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡± Isaac told Lenna and rose to his feet while pulling out a map he had gotten from Jennie that showed where Lisa lived. Lenna gave him a curt nod and started down the street in the direction of the objective. She moved at a steady pace in total silence. She only stopped once to duck around the side of a building. Outpost Charles was dead at that time of night. It was clear that Lisa had chosen that time for a reason. She didn¡¯t want anyone to know that she had been sneaking out every night. There was nothing that she could do about the night guard but that was probably why she was so cheery with him. The pair finally found her building and Isaac teleported inside.


    Isaac looked around for any traps or anything that would show when someone used the door. Sure enough there was a small rock resting just behind the door. If the door was only opened a quarter of the way then the rock wouldn¡¯t be moved but only someone as small as Lisa could have squeezed through the gap. Behind him was the stairs that led to the second floor where she lived. Isaac took a quick look and then teleported back out to Lenna. ¡°Traps?¡± Lenna asked. They had talked about Isaac just opening the door for Lenna if there weren¡¯t any traps so she wouldn¡¯t have to hide next to the building where she was more likely to be spotted.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I¡¯m gonna take a quick look around. I¡¯m afraid to touch anything though. She had something set up to show if anyone other than her used the door.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Be careful.¡± She told him and he teleported back inside.


    Isaac walked up the stairs slowly while being careful not to trigger some hidden trap or move something by accident. Once at the top of the steps he looked around Lisa¡¯s tiny apartment. It was a small place for an even smaller girl. There was one room with what looked like a closet with a toilet inside. The place was meticulously clean even though most of it was exposed stone. There was almost nothing in her apartment. It was almost like she was planning to be able to leave at a moment¡¯s notice. Isaac couldn¡¯t help but crack a smile at her tiny bed. ¡®It¡¯s only five feet long and three feet wide.¡¯ He chuckled internally. ¡®There are children¡¯s beds bigger than that.¡¯ He shook his head and continued to look around. There were a few cupboards and a small table pushed up against the wall with a single chair.


    Walking up to the cupboards Isaac inspected them to try and find something that might prove that someone opened it. He didn¡¯t find anything and that only made him more nervous. If he found something simple like a small tab of something sticking out the cupboard door then he would be able to just replace it but if it was something that he didn¡¯t see until he opened it there was a high likelihood of it being a problem. Isaac didn¡¯t have large hands but they weren¡¯t child sized like Lisa¡¯s. If she wanted to set a trap in a tiny space there was no way that Isaac would be able to reset it after he triggered it. At least not properly. He wasn¡¯t even going to try because an improperly reset trap was even more suspicious than a trap that wasn¡¯t reset at all. If the trap wasn¡¯t reset then there was the chance that she would just assume that she didn¡¯t reset it when she was done. If the trap was reset wrong then that meant that someone else had triggered it and tried to cover their tracks.


    Isaac teleported back out to Lenna. ¡°She looks like she could disappear into thin air at the drop of a hat.¡± He told her. ¡°I think that we are running out of time to catch her.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s head back for now.¡± She told him. ¡°The last patrol almost spotted me.¡± The patrol in question was a pair of guards that seemed to wander more than patrol the outpost. Their irregular patterns made it harder to work around them but it also meant that sometimes they would leave an area completely unchecked for an extended amount of time.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°The last thing we need is the guard breathing down our necks.¡±


    The pair made it back to Jennie¡¯s inn without incident and snuck up to their room. At the top of the stairs was a familiar face, at least for Isaac. The face bore the same emerald eyes of Jennie but his hair had some light highlights of blonde that tried to sneak through. He was sitting in a wheelchair by the door to their room. He gave them a smile and a nod before gesturing towards their door. Isaac nodded and led them all inside. ¡°The walls are thin so keep it down.¡± The boy in his late teens said.


    Isaac nodded and sat on the bed. Lenna leaned against the wall. ¡°Hey Chris, how are you holding up?¡± Isaac asked the older of the two Windwalker boys.


    Chris shrugged. ¡°Been better, been worse.¡± He replied honestly. ¡°I have some information that I think you might like.¡± His eyes glanced towards Lenna but then quickly settled back on Isaac. ¡°It¡¯s about Lisa and the thefts.¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°You have my attention.¡± He told the wheelchair bound scout.


    ¡°I know who knows and who¡¯s helping her. Who¡¯s doing it on purpose and who¡¯s getting played.¡± Chris went on. He smirked at Isaac. ¡°Not to be ungrateful or anything but what can I get for this information?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay you for it, don¡¯t worry.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I¡¯ll be making good money off this if it all works out so I don¡¯t mind sharing some.¡±


    Chris grinned. ¡°Is it alright if I charge you an arm and a leg? Well, a leg and a leg, I guess?¡±

 Chapter 30 The Mythic Melon

    Chapter 30 The Mythic Melon


    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡± Isaac promised. ¡°I can¡¯t fix your legs myself but at the very least I can try to get you some prosthetics and the training to walk on them.¡±


    Chris grinned. ¡°Deal.¡± He agreed.


    ¡°Good. Now that that¡¯s settled, what do you know?¡± Isaac pressed. He had no idea how much he didn¡¯t know and that made him uneasy. It made him feel exposed like someone was building a trap around him that had yet to be sprung.


    ¡°There are three guards that Lisa is extra friendly with. One of them is actively accepting bribes. I¡¯ve seen it.¡± Chris began. ¡°Her father knows that she¡¯s up to something shady. He is aware that she is the ¡®Charles Clepto¡¯.¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow in question and tried to suppress a smirk. The name was awful. ¡°¡®Charles Clepto¡¯?¡± He asked.


    Chris nodded. ¡°It¡¯s what people have been calling the mystery thief. The problem is that people are starting to collectively believe that it is her. She¡¯s going to make a move, soon.¡± He explained.


    ¡°How do you know all of this?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Chris gave him a sad smile and then scratched the back of his head bashfully. ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡± Isaac gave him a flat look but his eyes bored into Chris like they were trying to read his past written on his soul. ¡°Okay fine, it¡¯s not complicated.¡± Chris conceded. ¡°She was the person who taught me to be a scout. She¡¯s also my first crush.¡± He added the last in a whisper. ¡°I keep an eye on her, ya know? Especially when people started whispering about her being the mystery thief. I wanted to prove that it wasn¡¯t true.¡±


    ¡°You sure are getting around a lot for someone stuck in a wheelchair.¡± Isaac commented. He wasn¡¯t trying to be rude but it looked suspicious as all hells.


    Chris nodded. ¡°Mom or Greg help me up and down the stairs. It¡¯s nice that the roads are flat and level for the most part. I¡¯ve been picking up odd jobs here and there to try and make back some of what mom spent on the wheelchair. She didn¡¯t have the money to spend in the first place.¡± He explained.


    ¡°What kind of odd jobs?¡± Isaac questioned further.


    ¡°I fill in as needed at the armory, guild, guardpost, and I do monster processing.¡± He explained. ¡°Every copper counts.¡± He gave Isaac a self satisfied grin. ¡°I also hear a lot at all those different places. That¡¯s not even mentioning the things you see when you aren¡¯t running on the same schedule as everyone else.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°If all of this is true then I might have a job for you in Safeharbor if you want it.¡± Isaac told the scout. If he was to be believed then he made a better spy than a scout.


    Chris seemed taken aback. ¡°What?¡± He asked. ¡°I-I don¡¯t think I heard you right?¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°We¡¯ll cross that bridge when we get to it.¡± He said to help bring them back on track. ¡°For now, how much do you think her father knows?¡±


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    ¡°Enough that he should have stopped it.¡± Chris replied. ¡°I don¡¯t know if he is in on whatever she is doing though. Some of the guys were gossiping at the Guild Hall and when he caught them he gave them the evil eye like I¡¯ve never seen before. It shut them up real quick but he seemed a little¡­ off, ya know?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Alright. When does she usually leave? Is it always the same time? Is there any type of regularity to her schedule?¡± Isaac pressed.


    ¡°Woah, woah there.¡± Chris said with his hands out in a placating gesture. ¡°I¡¯m not a stalker. I just keep my eyes and ears open.¡±


    Isaac frowned. ¡°Honestly it¡¯d be a lot more helpful if you were a stalker.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°I need to know exactly when she is going to be leaving the outpost. We need to tail her when she leaves and I don¡¯t like the odds of finding her once she is outside.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just go invisible and follow her around or something?¡± Chris questioned.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I could, alone, yes.¡± He agreed.


    Chris glanced at Lenna again. ¡°Why don¡¯t you?¡± He asked. ¡°She can just stay here until you come back. No one will know. We are good at keeping secrets.¡± They were obviously not good at keeping secrets from each other but Isaac had never expected them to so it wasn¡¯t very surprising that Chris already knew about Lenna.


    ¡°If I leave her to go after someone and almost get myself killed again she¡¯ll kill me for real when I get back.¡± Isaac replied only half jokingly. He looked over at Lenna. ¡°I¡¯m her lifeline. If I was in her shoes I wouldn¡¯t let me go anywhere alone either.¡± Isaac shook his head as he turned back to Chris. ¡°It would be a lot easier if the roles were switched.¡±


    ¡°Drow society is awful.¡± Lenna commented. It was the first time she had spoken up with Chris. His eyes got a little wider. Her voice always tended to have that effect on younger men. Specifically single, unromantically involved, younger men. She still didn¡¯t know why. Isaac refused to tell her.


    ¡°No argument there.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°Still, it would be easier if you were the one who could move around freely without needing someone to vouch for you. If you were the one accepted by everyone and I was the ostracized one then I could just spend most of the time invisible and being annoying to the only person who could see me.¡±


    Lenna turned her head slightly to face Isaac directly. ¡°I thank all of the deities involved in our lives and meeting that that isn¡¯t the case.¡± She replied smoothly. ¡°Back on target, Isaac.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°Her and I will be going together. I¡¯ll need to borrow some of your mom¡¯s baggier clothes, something that¡¯ll fit Lenna, even if the legs and arms are too short. Also, her and I will need to be at the gate waiting for Lisa to leave so we can slink out behind her without alerting either her or the guard.¡± He explained. ¡°Actually, it would be great if you distracted the guard so he didn¡¯t close the gate right away. That would widen our window a bit.¡±


    Chris shook his head. ¡°Why do I feel like you are roping me into some conspiracy to steal the mythic melon or something?¡±


    ¡°Mythic melon?¡± Isaac questioned in a barely contained giggle.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a children¡¯s story.¡± Chris explained. ¡°You¡¯ve never heard of the mythic melon?¡±


    ¡°Boys.¡± Lenna stopped them before they got sidetracked any further. ¡°Let¡¯s finish the plan in the morning.¡± She told them. ¡°We all need rest.¡±


    Isaac stretched and then laid back on the bed. He groaned as he sunk into it. ¡°I hadn¡¯t realized how much my body needed a bed.¡± He commented. ¡°It¡¯s been days.¡±


    Lenna walked over and got the door for Chris. ¡°Thank you.¡± She told the boy honestly. ¡°I know it probably doesn¡¯t mean much coming from me, but I am sorry that your father was taken from you.¡±


    Chris rolled his wheelchair into the doorway and stopped to look up at her. ¡°Thank you.¡± He told her sincerely. ¡°It means more than you think, but probably less than you hope.¡± Lenna gave him a nod and he returned it. ¡°Goodnight.¡± He told her.


    ¡°Goodnight.¡± Lenna replied. She looked over at Isaac who was pretending to be asleep already. Lenna could tell at a glance that his breathing was different then it was when he was sleeping but Chris definitely couldn¡¯t. She gave Chris one last nod as he left and she closed the door behind him. She walked over to the bed and sat down against the footboard. The wood was softer than the wall to lean against. ¡°Thank you.¡± Lenna whispered.


    Isaac smirked. ¡°You both needed that.¡± He whispered back. ¡°You need to be able to move on with your second life and he needs to let go of any resentment he has built up.¡± Isaac¡¯s eyes were still closed and he felt unconsciousness trying to creep in. ¡°It¡¯s not good for either of you to be too stuck in the past.¡±


    Lenna took off her helmet and set it next to her on the floor. ¡°Yeah.¡± She replied softly. She was going to make a comment about his wisdom coming out again but she knew that he would ruin the moment with some childish comment again so she refrained. She smiled and shook her head. ¡®What a wise fool I¡¯ve found myself.¡¯ She thought to herself. ¡®Okay Lenna, don¡¯t fall asleep. Just meditate. Focus.¡¯ She ordered her body and mind. It was going to be either a long night or a very short one.


    ¡°Rest well, my Lady.¡± Isaac whispered as sleep took him.


    Lenna smiled. ¡°And you as well, my Lord.¡±

 Chapter 31 Thirst For Adventure

    Chapter 31 Thirst For Adventure


    Isaac and Lenna¡¯s first full day in Outpost Charles was spent hiding in their room in the inn. They went down for meals in between the times when other patrons would be there. Gregory told them when Lisa usually returned in the morning and Chris gave them descriptions for the guards that worked with her. They had a loose timeline based on a sample size of one. They had only witnessed her leaving at night once themselves. Chris had seen her leave late once before as well but he had no idea how late it was when that happened so his data point was nonexistent. She always seemed to return around the changing of the guard in the morning. More than a few times Gregory had seen her as he was taking over for the day. All of this meant that she was spending around nine hours out in the tunnels every night.


    Chris had stopped by the Adventurers¡¯ Guild around lunch to take over for the receptionist like he had been for the past two weeks. While there he took the time to go over all of the maps that Lisa had sold them. When he returned, in the afternoon, he had a late lunch with the duo. ¡°It¡¯s just as I thought.¡± Chris began as soon as his wheelchair had stopped next to Isaac. There wasn¡¯t another patron in the inn so they could talk freely. ¡°She¡¯s covering less ground than I could and I¡¯m, well,¡± He gestured downwards to his wheelchair and missing limbs. ¡°ya know, a bit slower than I used to be.¡±


    ¡°That bad huh?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Chris nodded grimly. ¡°The receptionists have to be aware. Unless she is only ever working with one of them.¡± His frown deepened.


    Jennie set a full bowl and mug in front of Chris at the table Isaac and Lenna were using. ¡°Eat. You¡¯re losing weight.¡± Jennie told him.


    Chris rolled his eyes. ¡°I am not.¡± He argued. ¡°Thanks mom.¡± He added as she turned to leave while shaking her head. It was clear that she didn¡¯t believe him but wasn¡¯t going to fight with him about it. At least not while other people were around.


    ¡°Mhm, finish it before it gets cold.¡± Jennie acknowledged without looking back.


    ¡°A drop in efficiency as large as what I saw wouldn¡¯t go unnoticed. She kept sighting stray monsters around a few specific areas.¡± Chris explained and then tsked. ¡°I wish I could go out and check myself.¡± He grumbled. ¡°There isn¡¯t a pattern that I could see but when you are out there you should check out the locations.¡±


    ¡°Sure, we can do that.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°You have the maps?¡±


    Chris grinned and reached into his shirt before pulling out a stack of a dozen maps and tossed them out into the middle of the table. ¡°Just who do you take me for?¡± Chris asked smugly.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°There¡¯s two of them.¡± Lenna grumbled under her breath. Isaac was the only one that caught it but he could hear the smile in her voice.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll look over the maps and then after the guard change we¡¯ll meet between the monster guts shed and the showers.¡± Isaac told Chris.


    ¡°We usually just call it the storage building.¡± Chris clarified. ¡°Though ¡®monster guts shed¡¯ is probably more accurate.¡± He started digging into his food. ¡°But yeah, I¡¯ll meet you there.¡±


    Isaac nodded and got up from his seat. ¡°Good. See you then.¡± Lenna gave Chris a nod as she passed to follow after Isaac and he returned it.


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    The pair were almost to the bottom of the steps when Jennie stopped them. ¡°Isaac.¡± She said quietly enough that Chris couldn¡¯t hear. Isaac stopped and looked at her with a quizzical look. ¡°Please don¡¯t lead my son in¡¯ta any more danger. We all know where that thirst for adventure got him last time.¡±


    Isaac gave her a reassuring smile. ¡°He¡¯ll be safe. No one is going to go after him for helping us. No one even knows that he is helping us and even if they did, what are they going to do? Yell at him for distracting a guard that was already compromised?¡± He went to leave before stopping. ¡°Jennie, have you ever thought about leaving here? I can have a job lined up for Chris by the time you guys get to Safeharbor. Gregory is already trained as a guard. A friend of mine has a bar and no one to run it.¡±


    Jennie¡¯s face was shadowed in sadness. ¡°I have.¡± She replied and then was silent for a while. ¡°Can I have some time ta think about it?¡±


    Isaac gave her an understanding smile. ¡°Take as long as you need. It would be nice if I had an answer before we leave though.¡± He assured her.


    Jennie nodded a few times absently. It was clear that whatever was on her mind was tinged in sadness and a heavy topic. Isaac and Lenna left her to it and retreated to their room to wait out the rest of the day.


    ¡ª


    Lisa was strolling towards the gate at a quick but leisurely pace. She needed to look natural. Her bag was packed a little heavier than usual and she could only hope that no one noticed. It was Fred again at the gate and that threatened to bring a frown to her face. He was friendly, probably a bit too friendly, but he was also sharp. She could tell that he knew that something was up but she couldn¡¯t risk moving back the timeline any more than was absolutely necessary. She was barely in line of sight with the gate and Fred when she heard wooden wheels on stone. She turned her head to see her ex-student wheeling himself towards Fred with a lunch basket on his lap. He didn¡¯t seem to notice her. The thought of waiting until he was gone crossed her mind but if anyone saw her waiting for him to leave then that would raise even more questions. Questions she could no longer afford. She was starting to run out of goodwill in town.


    ¡°Hey Fred!¡± Chris said brightly and wheeled to a stop a few feet from the guard. Lisa was a dozen paces behind him walking leisurely.


    ¡°Oh hey you two!¡± He replied with his own bright smile.


    ¡°You two?¡± Chris asked and looked back over his shoulder at Lisa. ¡°Oh hey, I haven¡¯t seen you in a while.¡± He commented.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been busy.¡± Lisa replied with the most generic response she could think of. She just wanted to get whatever pleasantries out of the way so she could get going. ¡°I¡¯m glad you are getting around alright.¡± She added with a smile.


    Chris shrugged. ¡°I try.¡± He replied. ¡°But don¡¯t let me hold ya up. I just have this here for Fred.¡± He said and held up the lunch basket.


    Lisa smiled. This time it was genuine. If he had no intention of holding her hostage with conversation then she wasn¡¯t about to complain about it. ¡°Thanks.¡± She replied.


    Fred jumped to do his job and moved the bar out of the way so he could get the gate for her. ¡°I bet you¡¯ll have the whole of the Innerworld mapped out soon at this rate.¡± Fred commented. ¡°You¡¯ve really been going at it recently.¡±


    Lisa felt a shiver but had no idea why. She forced herself to act naturally and keep her attention on the person talking to her. She shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing better to do down here.¡± She commented and then waved to the boys as she headed out. ¡°Have a good night boys!¡± She called out over her shoulder.


    ¡°Be careful!¡± Chris called after her before returning his focus to Fred. The boys continued talking as she walked swiftly down the tunnel away from them.


    Lisa¡¯s eyes were slowly getting used to the dark again. It was taking a bit longer than usual because light was still pouring down the tunnel from the open gate. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She felt like a predator was watching her but she couldn¡¯t see it. She thought she heard something behind her and whipped her head around. All she was met with was a dimly lit tunnel and silence. After a long moment she turned back around and started walking again, albeit a bit slower than last time. ¡°The stress must be getting to me.¡± She whispered to herself. The gate finally closed and the tunnel was now completely black.


    She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. This was always the scariest part. The lightfoot and half-elf blood in her worked wonders for her darkvision but she knew that it was just a pale imitation of what the drow or any of the other natives had. She had to be twice as careful and twice as quiet if she wanted to survive alone in the tunnels. Thankfully she didn¡¯t need to be alone the entire time. She took another deep breath and opened her eyes. The vague shapes of the tunnel were visible to her. In time the picture would get clearer but it would always be hard to see through. ¡°Time to get to work.¡±


    She continued down the path that she had memorized long ago. Her uneasiness never lessened. She felt like she was walking inside of a dragon¡¯s mouth. Her instincts were screaming at her but no matter how many times she stopped and looked behind her, she saw nothing. Every now and then she thought she heard a scraping sound of something hard on stone but it was always just a bit too far behind her to be certain that it wasn¡¯t her imagination playing tricks on her. The tension rose and rose until she felt like just running towards her destination. Little did she know that it was already too late.

 Chapter 32 Two Swords

    Chapter 32 Two Swords


    Lenna moved as fast as she dared as soon as Lisa was through the gate. She was glad to be wearing Chris¡¯s boots. She had borrowed his boots because they had leather bottoms to help keep his steps silent while scouting. She had stuffed all of her armor inside of her bottomless bag and borrowed one of Jennie¡¯s dresses. The dress was a simple, brown, one piece, with a pocket in the front and a sinch around the waist. If Lenna would have known that she would need to ditch her armor she would have brought her own clothes. She was honestly glad that the dress was too small for her. Two inches of her under armor¡¯s sleeves were exposed and the dress stopped at her knees. The bottom was open enough that she had complete freedom of movement in it as long as she didn¡¯t go for a high kick. It was made of wool so it was warm in the cool tunnels and best of all, it was silent to move in.


    As Lenna moved through the open gate after Lisa she felt exposed. Her lack of armor and the fact that her sword was in the bottomless bag instead of on her hip made her uneasy. She knew that Isaac was behind her but she couldn¡¯t see, sense, or hear him and that only added to her anxiety. Even so she kept her breathing steady, calm, and quiet. She watched as Lisa kept looking back over her shoulder like she was looking for something. Every time she did Lenna stopped. Lenna thought she had been caught a few times. Chris¡¯s boots were quiet but not perfect. Uneven footing or small rock chips would occasionally make noise. Lenna hoped that the anxiousness that Lisa was showing was normal for the girl but she doubted it. Lisa definitely knew that something was up but it didn¡¯t look like she knew what exactly. For now, it would have to be good enough. Lenna just hoped that her presence wouldn¡¯t keep Lisa from meeting up with whoever she was meeting up with. The small woman¡¯s heavy travel bag hadn¡¯t gone unnoticed. Lenna wasn¡¯t sure if it was full of gold or other supplies but in the end, did it really matter?


    ¡ª


    Isaac followed behind Lenna at a casual walk. He could feel her presence perfectly fine so he was easily able to keep enough distance between them that there wasn¡¯t a risk of her bumping into him and dispelling her Shroud. He could feel the tension in the air as a wolf stalked a rabbit through the dark tunnels of the Innerworld. It was fun to be a spectator sometimes. He honestly wished that he had a better snack than jerky. He was starting to get tired of walking though so he hoped that Lisa would get to her destination soon. He shrugged to himself. ¡°We¡¯ll get there when we get there, I guess.¡± He said aloud even though no one else could hear him.


    ¡ª


    Lenna was mentally counting down to the end of the Shroud. She had around eleven or twelve minutes left before it ran out naturally. They had been walking for quite a while. Lenna was starting to really hope that Lisa would reach her destination soon when finally they reached a small cavern. The cavern was only fifteen feet high at its highest point and was oblong. It was only about twenty feet deep but it was around fifty feet wide. Inside was a small campsite with a lone individual sitting on a rock with a cloak wrapped around themselves and their hood up. A bedroll was laid out and there were camping supplies strewn about next to it. Lenna saw a magical cooking slate and some dishware as well as the bones of what Lenna assumed was a shadow-wolf.


    ¡°Brennen!¡± Lisa called and jogged over to him. The man turned to face her and Lenna got a clear look at his face. He was a drow just like they had feared.


    ¡°Lisa,¡± He replied and rose to his feet before freezing in place. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He noticed her pale complexion and obvious anxiety immediately.


    ¡°I, there¡¯s something out there.¡± Lisa said and hurried to his side. She clutched his shirt affectionately and looked behind her but still saw nothing. He gently rested a hand on her shoulder and cupped her face with the other as she turned back to face him. He towered over her at a bit over five and a half feet tall. Lenna could tell at a glance that those arms of his were not used to swinging a sword. His build looked weak just from the way he moved. His cloak hid everything well though so she couldn¡¯t be sure he wasn¡¯t just hiding it.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± He asked gently.


    ¡°Something¡¯s watching us.¡± She whispered in reply. ¡°I kept hearing movement behind me but I couldn¡¯t see anything.¡±


    Brennen frowned. ¡°Do you think it could be something invisible?¡± He asked. ¡°When did you first start to feel it?¡±


    ¡°As I was leaving town.¡± Lisa replied and kept glancing back behind her. ¡°It¡¯s here, I can feel it.¡± She whispered.


    Brennen took a step back from her causing her grip on his shirt to slip. He reached into his robe and pulled out a wand. ¡°Get behind me.¡± He told her and held the wand out.


    ¡°Wh-what are you going to do?¡± Lisa asked as she did as she was told. She hid behind him and peaked around him like a child hiding behind their parent.


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    ¡°Just wait and see.¡± He told her and trickled mana into the wand. The small crystal on the end shone with a cool light that bathed the area around them in soft light blue hews. He drew a circle and then an upside down triangle inside it in one fluid motion. The symbol shifted in the air abruptly as it seemed to latch its center onto the tip of the crystal as power built around it.


    Lenna¡¯s eyes went wide as she realized what it was. ¡°Let my flames consume all before me.¡± Lenna spoke as quickly as she could. Her Shroud broke just as a torrent of ice cold mist blasted out in her direction. Her own flames met it at just over five feet away from her. She poured power into her spell as the stream of blasting frigid mist attempted to swallow her whole. Her flames surged as her open hand started to burn. Her feet were getting cold even through the boots as ice formed across the ground. Right when her hand was about to start blistering from the heat the icy torrent stopped. Lenna lowered her steaming hand and locked eyes with the other drow. ¡°We can do this the easy way,¡± She began.


    ¡°Or the hard way.¡± Isaac finished as he appeared behind Lisa with his sword held against her neck. ¡°Your choice.¡±


    Lenna strode towards them as she pulled her sword out of her bottomless bag. ¡°I for one, am fine with either.¡± She told them.


    Lisa was too scared to move with the cold steel pressed firmly against her throat. She had no idea when Isaac had gotten there. She knew just from looking at Lenna that she was the one that she had felt following her. The fact that the man with a sword to her neck had gone completely unnoticed until the moment he decided to reveal himself drove a lance of fear the entire way to her core. She had prided herself in her ability as a scout. Nothing had ever successfully snuck up on her before. She had always had this uncanny ability to tell when she was being watched. No matter how good the ambush predator was, she always knew that they were there.


    Brennen looked back to see a cloaked figure bleeding shadows with his sword pressed up against Lisa¡¯s neck. ¡°Who are you?¡± He asked. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Lenna shook her head slowly as she continued her approach. ¡°Stop right there!¡± He ordered her. ¡°Any closer and I¡¯ll take us all out.¡± He swore.


    Lenna stopped. She was only ten feet away from him. One quick lunge and she could have her sword embedded in his throat. ¡°We will be the ones asking questions.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Who hired you? Why are you here?¡± Isaac questioned the other mage. He was glad that Lisa had been smart enough to not try and escape. He didn¡¯t really have a way of handling her without the high chance of her death.


    ¡°N-No one hired me.¡± The drow caster replied. ¡°I was exiled and I¡¯m just trying to survive.¡± Lenna didn¡¯t believe a word he said.


    ¡°What have you done with all the gold Lisa has been bringing you?¡± Isaac pressed.


    ¡°Wh-What gold?¡± Brennen replied. He was still trying to play dumb. He kept glancing back and forth between everyone else present.


    ¡°How do you know about that?¡± Lisa questioned. She finally had her mind working properly again. She was trying to find a way out of their current situation but was coming up short.


    ¡°Answer the question or the little one is going to start losing limbs.¡± Isaac threatened. His voice was casual. He said it like he was telling someone that he was going to get another drink or like he was going to go for a walk. Something buried deep inside his voice seemed to carry along the feeling that he was completely serious. That fact sent shivers down Lisa¡¯s spine.


    ¡°Please,¡± Lisa begged. ¡°just let us go.¡± She pleaded. ¡°We haven¡¯t done anything.¡±


    Isaac grabbed her by the hair and turned her face to face him. Shadows were rolling off of him and billowing out of his sleeves and cloak. He had his hood up and even his eyes were hidden behind the rolling black fog. ¡°Answer.¡± He told her. His voice deepened in an instant. It was almost as deep as he could go. It promised a dark amusement in the violence that he would enact upon her.


    Lisa shivered violently in Isaac¡¯s grasp. ¡°Please.¡± She begged. Her eyes flicked to Brennen. ¡°Brennen, please.¡±


    Brennen glanced back and saw how completely at Isaac¡¯s mercy she was. At that moment he made his decision. He turned back to face Lenna. He took a step towards her and vanished. ¡°Damnit.¡± Isaac swore.


    ¡°Brennen!¡± Lisa cried out.


    Lenna turned and her aura started to coat her entire form in dim orange flames. She spotted Brennen in an instant. Isaac¡¯s eyes latched onto the movement of Brennen appearing at the other end of the small cavern. ¡°Heed my command magic and space,¡± Brennen began as soon as he was done teleporting.


    Isaac yanked Lisa¡¯s head to the side to throw her off balance as he started to teleport in Brennen¡¯s direction. Lenna switched her grip on her sword so she could throw it at him. ¡°No.¡± Lisa cried as she fell. Her voice seemed to lack all hope as tears started to form in her eyes as she watched Brennen abandon her.


    Isaac appeared behind him. Lenna threw her sword with mana and aura enhanced strength. ¡°take me to this imagined-¡± He tried to finish as Isaac¡¯s sword pierced his back and Lenna¡¯s sword was mere inches away. ¡°-place.¡± He finished as Lenna¡¯s blade pierced his chest. He vanished along with it.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Isaac swore.


    ¡°My sword.¡± Lenna said indignantly. They both felt the general direction that he had teleported in but without someone like Alexander there they had no idea how far he had gone. The tunnels were too convoluted and maze-like for them to find Lenna¡¯s sword. It was as gone as the mage that had taken it was.


    Lisa was collapsed on the ground sobbing. She had been left for dead by someone she cared about and if her eyes were to be believed then he was most likely dead as well. Everything had collapsed so fast. Her world had shattered in a matter of seconds. She didn¡¯t know what to do. The only thing she could do was cry.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get you a new one.¡± Isaac told Lenna and appeared in front of her. He pulled out her spare and handed it to her.


    Lenna took it with a frown. ¡°I liked that sword.¡± She said to no one in particular.


    ¡°I know.¡± Isaac agreed and placed his hand on her shoulder consolingly. ¡°You win some, you lose some.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Do you think he¡¯s dead?¡± She asked.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I doubt he could survive two swords through the chest. He didn¡¯t feel that strong.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Lenna agreed and turned around to look at the crumpled girl in the corner. ¡°I doubt she knows anything.¡±


    Isaac nodded in agreement. ¡°Remind me next time to hit first and ask questions later.¡± He told her. ¡°If I would have knocked him out first this would have gone so much better.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°We should probably do something about her.¡±


    Isaac frowned at the sobbing girl who was a few years older than him. He had a hard time not seeing her as a child, especially while she was sobbing into her arm on the floor, due to her small stature. He sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s pack everything up first. Give her some time to collect herself.¡±

 Chapter 33 Reeducated, Fined, Or Killed.

    Chapter 33 Reeducated, Fined, Or Killed.


    ¡°That¡¯s the last of it.¡± Isaac commented as he rose to his feet. They had just finished stuffing almost all of Brennen¡¯s campsite into Lenna¡¯s bottomless bag. Part of the reason was for evidence but the rest was because magic items were neat. There was a ball of wool that was always wet and soapy. There was also a bucket with the self cleaning enchantment that didn¡¯t seem to work on water but would remove any impurities from it. They were good utility items but with the way Isaac and Lenna traveled they were all but useless. Isaac turned just in time to see an airborne Lisa with a dagger aiming for his neck. Her cheeks were tearstained and her eyes were puffy. There was nothing but hatred and sadness in her eyes. He hadn¡¯t even heard her move. The last he saw she was a dozen feet away and still sobbing on the ground. If he had gotten up a second later then he wouldn¡¯t have even seen her coming. He barely had enough time for his eyes to go wide and tilt his head to the side before the blade struck true.


    Isaac¡¯s carotid artery was perfectly cut the entire way through. He had barely managed to keep her from burying her dagger in his esophagus. She twisted in mid air and another dagger flashed from under her cloak towards his face. Isaac jerked his head to the other side and blasted death mana through his entire system. It would still take him a few seconds to get his boosting ability properly up and running but as it was he was effectively immortal. Her dagger cut into his cheekbone as it passed. The blade went through his bone like it wasn¡¯t even there. His fist came up in an uppercut but instead of meeting her side like he expected, it met her boot.


    Lisa used his uppercut to launch herself into the air. She turned midair and hit the ceiling with her feet. She launched off of it back down at him. Lenna moved to intercept her with a powerful upwards swing but Lisa caught it with both of her daggers. She used the incoming force to spin her end over end into an ax kick aimed at Isaac¡¯s face. Isaac blocked her kick with both of his forearms. The impact was way harder than he was expecting based on her size and the fact that she was airborne. She had actually managed to conserve almost all of the momentum from Lenna¡¯s strike and transferred it into Isaac¡¯s forearms with her boot.


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle her.¡± Isaac told Lenna as he turned and grabbed her ankle before throwing her towards the wall next to him. Lenna took a step back with a raised eyebrow.


    Lisa hit the wall hard. There hadn¡¯t been enough distance between them and the wall for her to shift properly. She barely managed to not hit the wall headfirst but instead she had to take it between her shoulder blades. She fell to the ground on her hands and knees. She coughed as she rose to her feet.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you.¡± She swore to Isaac just barely loud enough for him to hear. ¡°I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s the last thing I do.¡± Fresh tears were forming in her eyes. ¡°I loved him!¡± She yelled as she launched at him again. Isaac had finally gotten to a point where his strength and speed were approaching double what they usually were. He parried and deflected each of her dagger swings and stabs one after another. ¡°And you took him from me!¡±


    Isaac¡¯s power continued to rise but he didn¡¯t go on the offensive. He noticed after the fifth launch towards his face that she was babying the ankle that he had grabbed. The death flames that had coated his skin had seared through her skin despite the pant leg, boot, and sock in the way. That ankle had also been what impacted his forearms when he blocked her kick. He was surprised that it still worked at all. ¡°He tried to run.¡± Isaac defended himself before catching her dagger stab with his palm. The blade went through his hand and he grabbed it. His fingers brushed against her hand and he saw her face contort in pain as she let go of the weapon.


    ¡°You!¡± She screamed in recognition even as she went for another attack with her other hand. She learned from the most recent attack to avoid stabs as Isaac was more likely to take it if it meant that he could disarm her at the same time. Isaac easily bent out of the way. He was now far faster than her and from her perspective it looked like he could see the future. He dodged every attack that he didn¡¯t want to take by a hair¡¯s breadth without blocking or counter attacking.


    Isaac danced backwards as she chased him across the room. He pulled the dagger out of his hand with a wince and tossed it to the side. It vanished into thin air. Lisa noticed that it happened but she was too focused on killing him to process what she had just seen. ¡°Stop before you really get hurt.¡± Isaac told her.


    ¡°Just, die!¡± She cried. She was starting to slow down. Her body was not used to going at a hundred percent for so long. She wasn¡¯t getting enough oxygen for how hard her body was working. Every breath was her gulping air between strikes.


    Isaac¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡®Fine.¡¯ He thought to himself. He stepped back from her to dodge another strike and then in a blink he had planted a spinning back kick into her stomach. He heard something break as she was thrown across the cavern. She had left some of her breakfast behind as she flew. Isaac was moving so fast that he was able to dodge the leftovers without getting any of it on him. He willed the death flames on his skin to turn to shadows and teleported to the other side of her as she hit the ground. He planted his feet and she slammed into his shin like it was a fencepost. He heard something else crack. He glanced at Lenna and then down to the broken and battered scout at his feet.


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    Lenna was there in an instant pouring healing into her. Isaac¡¯s power wound down until it eventually vanished entirely. Lenna was focused as she poured massive amounts of healing into the small scout. Isaac had almost killed her from those two hits. She had five shattered ribs and a broken breastbone. Almost all of her organs were shutting down from extensive damage. Luckily her heart had gotten away with almost no damage.


    ¡°How is she?¡± Isaac asked once Lenna had finally stopped pouring healing into Lisa and sat back on her heels.


    Lenna looked up at him. There was sweat on her face from how much effort it took to keep the woman alive. ¡°She¡¯ll live.¡± She replied wearily. ¡°You almost killed her. She should have died.¡±


    Isaac winced. ¡°I¡¯m not used to holding back. Especially with that much power flowing through me.¡± His eyes went wide before he slammed them shut. He took a deep breath to focus and tried to sense any dark creatures around. He felt something small moving around a good distance away but he couldn¡¯t tell what it was or how far away it was. He let out a heavy sigh of relief. ¡°I keep forgetting about Tunnel Horrors.¡±


    ¡°I take it we are safe?¡± Lenna asked. If Isaac wasn¡¯t preparing for combat then that was a safe assumption but she had to be sure.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah. At least for now.¡± He told her. He squatted down next to her and looked at the unconscious rogue. ¡°Is she safe to be moved?¡±


    Lenna tilted her hand back and forth in a ¡®sort of¡¯ gesture. ¡°Her bones and organs are back in one piece.¡± She said simply.


    ¡°But only barely.¡± Isaac presumed.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna agreed. She was almost completely out of mana so that was the best she could do.


    ¡°We need a stretcher or to wait until you can heal her more.¡± Isaac commented.


    Lenna nodded in agreement. ¡°The latter will take a few hours.¡±


    ¡°I could make a stretcher but the slightest lapse in concentration would drop her.¡± He explained. ¡°I don¡¯t want to risk it.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna replied.


    Isaac shrugged and laid back on the cold stone. He looked up towards the ceiling. ¡°We really are under a shit load of rock aren¡¯t we?¡±


    Lenna chuckled. ¡°You are just now realizing this?¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No.¡± He replied. ¡°But it¡¯s a lot more¡­ real, I guess, in a cavern like this.¡± He turned his head to look at her. ¡°Does that make sense?¡±


    Lenna looked up for a long moment before nodding. ¡°Yes.¡± She answered. ¡°In a tunnel it is more of a mystery and in a city size cavern it is hard to imagine.¡±


    ¡°But when all you can see is a massive slab of stone overhead, then the mind starts to make up images of hundreds of feet of stone falling down on you.¡± Isaac finished for her.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have put it that way.¡± She replied. ¡°But yes.¡±


    After a while of Isaac and Lenna just relaxing in companionable silence Lenna took a rope out of her bottomless bag and firmly tied Lisa¡¯s ankles together. She also made sure the scout didn¡¯t have any more hidden weapons. The only thing she found was a skinning knife which was promptly taken. Lenna then sat cross legged and began meditating.


    After almost an hour Lisa stirred. She let out a groan of pain and tried to move. Her face scrunched in pain before her eyes slowly fluttered open. ¡°Ugh,¡± She groaned again. ¡°what happened?¡± She blinked a few more times before turning her head to look around. It was then that everything that had happened slammed back into her. She froze as she tried to process everything. She saw Isaac casually reading a book while snacking on some jerky and an absolutely gorgeous dark elven woman meditating a few feet from her. She finally got a proper look at the woman. Her clothes looked too small at first before she noticed that they were over something else. The clothes that she had on under the dress were snug against her skin which explained why she was wearing something over top of it. Clothes that tight wouldn¡¯t leave much to the imagination.


    She tried to move but quickly realized that her feet were bound together. Her everything hurt. Her hand tried to sneakily grab her skinning knife only for her to find the sheath empty. ¡°This didn¡¯t have to go this way.¡± Isaac commented as he turned a page and placed his bookmark inside before closing the book. He looked up from it and met her gaze. ¡°We would have just taken you two in for questioning. If I really wanted to kill you two I would have done it immediately.¡± He explained.


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you just let him go?¡± She questioned. She looked like she was on the verge of tears again. She was more sad than angry but her complete resentment of Isaac was still there, it was just muted at the moment.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t have him reporting back on anything.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°To who?!¡± Lisa cried. ¡°There wasn¡¯t anyone for him to report back to!¡±


    ¡°He lied to you.¡± Lenna said, finally speaking up.


    ¡°No he didn¡¯t!¡± Lisa shot back. ¡°He was using the money to bribe one of the guards to let him in for supplies! That was it! I swear! And you killed him¡­¡±


    Lenna shook her head without opening her eyes. ¡°Exile is not something drow do.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°Especially not to dark elves. It is better to kill them so they can reincarnate without their memories.¡± Lisa just stared at Lenna. ¡°He would have either been reeducated, fined, or killed.¡± She continued. ¡°Anything else is a waste of resources.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Lisa whispered. ¡°No, he was exiled. He told me. You¡¯re lying!¡±


    ¡°I have no reason to lie to you.¡± Lenna replied calmly.


    ¡°I guess that answers that.¡± Isaac grumbled. ¡°She really doesn¡¯t know anything.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± Lisa whispered again. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡±

 Chapter 34 The Only One Who Works

    Chapter 34 The Only One Who Works


    It took Lenna the better part of the rest of the night to finish healing Lisa to a point where they didn¡¯t need to be careful transporting her back to Outpost Charles. Lenna also took off all of her borrowed clothes and put her armor back on. ¡°That¡¯s better.¡± She said as she strapped on Isaac¡¯s scabbard with the spare longsword. ¡°I¡¯m still mad about losing my sword.¡±


    ¡°At least-¡± Isaac was cut off by Lenna¡¯s aura flaring. ¡°Never mind.¡±


    Lenna picked up Lisa and threw her over her shoulder like a sack of flour. ¡°Ow!¡± Lisa yelled indignantly. ¡°I can walk myself you brute!¡±


    ¡°Keep it down before I gag you.¡± Isaac replied coldly. ¡°It was that or I drug you behind me by your ankles.¡± Lisa bit back her reply and instead just tried to kill Isaac via the sheer intensity of her scowl.


    The return trip was much longer than the trip out. The pair decided to swing by most of the locations Chris had told them about to check and see if there were actually monsters there. Around half of them were real reports but the rest had remnants of a campsite. It appeared that Brennen had been around for a while and had been moving campsites to stay undiscovered. Lisa had stayed quiet for the first two hours before she said that she was going to be sick.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Isaac said. ¡°Let her down.¡± He told Lenna. Lenna reached up and grabbed Lisa by the back of her shirt and just picked her up and set her on the ground.


    ¡°What are you made of, monster?¡± Lisa grumbled at being manhandled.


    ¡°I¡¯m not above smacking you around.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to Lenna unless you have something nice to say. Put your hands behind your back.¡±


    Lisa¡¯s eyes burned with hatred at Isaac. She also had no doubt that he would definitely smack her around if she kept being impolite to the death machine that had been manhandling her. ¡°Fine.¡± Lisa spat. ¡°At least let me walk on my own.¡±


    ¡°Then, put, your, hands, behind, your, back.¡± Isaac spoke each word as clearly as he could. Lisa continued scowling at him but did as she was told. Lenna took out the other rope and tied Lisa¡¯s arms together. The rope wrapped around her wrists and between each finger to keep them from moving at all. It was fifty feet of rope and Lenna was intent on using all of it. She then untied Lisa¡¯s legs and used that rope to make a tether. One end was tied to Lisa¡¯s bindings and Lenna held the rest of it in a few loops. She gave Lisa half a dozen feet of slack so she wouldn¡¯t be getting tossed around but she also couldn¡¯t do anything funny with the extra slack.


    ¡°I hope you die and freeze in the hells for all of time.¡± Lisa cursed Isaac.


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Isaac replied just like he had the last few times she had tried to curse him to death and an eternity of pain and torment.


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s not today, one day, I¡¯ll find a way to kill you.¡± Lisa continued.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Isaac replied again while looking at the map. ¡°This way right?¡± He asked Lenna.


    ¡°Hey! Pay attention to me you bastard!¡± Lisa swore at him.


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    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°I believe so.¡±


    ¡°Damned demon.¡± Lisa swore under her breath.


    Lenna closed the gap between them in two steps before picking up the smaller woman by her bound hands. The scout¡¯s own weight threatened to pop her shoulders out of their sockets. Lisa whimpered in pain as her muscles flexed to try and keep her arms in place. ¡°I¡¯m not above smacking you around either.¡± Lenna said coldly. ¡°And my hands are wrapped in steel.¡± She let go of Lisa and the scout fell the three feet to the ground face and knees first.


    Lisa whimpered and groaned before deciding to just lay there and cry. ¡°I hate you.¡± She sobbed. ¡°I hate you so much.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Lenna said and grabbed both of Lisa¡¯s shoulders to haul her to her feet. ¡°And it¡¯s perfectly fine to hate us.¡± She consoled her. ¡°But we are also the ones with all the power. Remember that.¡± She nudged Lisa forwards and the smaller woman started walking again. She was silent for the rest of the trip back.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Ahoy!¡± Isaac called out as they reached the gate to Outpost Charles once more.


    The slit in the gate opened up. ¡°Names and badges?¡± Gregory asked.


    ¡°Isaac Wexler.¡± Isaac replied simply.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Gregory exclaimed and hurried to open the gate.


    ¡°Thanks kid.¡± Isaac said as the gate opened up to reveal Gregory. ¡°Are you the only one who works the gate during the day?¡±


    Gregory shrugged. He gestured towards the guard shack a dozen feet from the gate. ¡°The old timers are in there playing poker with copper coins or dozing the whole time. Something about their old backs not being able to handle standing all day or something. It¡¯s a load of shit if you ask me.¡± He explained.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m inclined to agree.¡± He replied. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing for us though because explaining this would be more of a hassle than it¡¯s worth.¡± He gestured back to a tied up Lisa.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Gregory exclaimed with wide eyes. ¡°What happened? Was she really the culprit? How did you find out? Where did all the gold go? What happened to her?¡±


    ¡°Hold your horses there kiddo.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Get one of the old timers to do their job and come with us to get your sergeant.¡±


    Gregory nodded quickly and ran into the guard shack. Isaac, Lenna, and Lisa entered the outpost and Isaac closed the gate behind them. He was about to replace the bar when Gregory ran back out of the guard shack and grabbed the other end to help him put it back in place. ¡°What in Halya¡¯s name?!¡± An older gentleman exclaimed upon seeing Lisa all tied up.


    ¡°Just take over, gramps.¡± Gregory told the older guard. He looked to be in his fifties, maybe a little older. Isaac doubted if he was really still qualified to be a guard with his slight limp and obviously aging body.


    ¡°Wait just a moment youngun!¡± He looked between everyone present. ¡°Who are they and what¡¯s goin¡¯ on?¡±


    ¡°Ask your sergeant later.¡± Isaac told him before turning to Gregory. ¡°I changed my mind. Tell the sergeant that two platinum level adventurers are requesting his presence at the Guild Hall. Immediately.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡± Gregory asked.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yes. It¡¯ll be best if we get this all out of the way at the same time.¡± He explained and nodded down the street. ¡°Lisa, walk.¡±


    Lisa by this point looked completely exhausted. She looked defeated and worn down beyond anything anyone had ever seen in her before. There were still tear stains on her face as her tears had washed away some of the dirt that had been caked on. She started walking before she stumbled and dropped to her knees. She just sat there pitifully. Lenna picked her up and laid her on her shoulder a bit more gently than the first time. ¡°I¡¯m starting to feel bad.¡± Lenna whispered to Isaac while they walked towards the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. Gregory had done as requested and headed off towards the guard barracks in a jog.


    ¡°I feel like I kicked a puppy that bit me.¡± Isaac said with a frown. ¡°She deserved it but I¡¯m not happy about it.¡± He explained. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d go so far as to say I feel bad about it though.¡±


    ¡°Monster.¡± Lisa whispered. Both Isaac and Lenna pretended not to hear her.


    A small crowd was starting to form as people filled in behind them as they made their way to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. ¡°Hey! Make way!¡± They heard Chris yell from behind them. The pair stopped to wait for Chris to catch up. Chris soon caught up but stopped before he could say anything once he saw the pitiful state that Lisa was in. ¡°Oh.¡± He said quietly.


    ¡°Just come with us.¡± Isaac told him. ¡°A lot happened and it¡¯s best to tell everyone at once.¡±


    A minute later Isaac tossed the Adventurers¡¯ Guild Hall door open and held it for Lenna to enter with Lisa. Chris followed behind and then Isaac let go of the door. The rest of the crowd could handle it themselves. As soon as they entered a middle aged man took off in a sprint towards the back and then up the stairs to get the Guild Master. A moment later a guard in plate armor, the only one properly armored in the entire outpost as the rest of the guards were in half plate at best, with gray hair walked in. Before he could say anything the door to the stairwell flew open so hard it slammed against the wall and the door latch almost broke off of the door. ¡®One way or another this ends here.¡¯ Isaac thought to himself and mentally prepared for the battle that was about to begin.

 Chapter 35 Take Me.

    Chapter 35 Take Me.


    Lenna sat Lisa on a bench next to her. She was being extra gentle now that there were a lot of witnesses. She also made sure that Lisa was sitting upright so everyone would be able to get a good look at her. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Lenna whispered to Lisa as she rose back to her full height.


    ¡°Get your- untie my daughter!¡± A lithe, middle aged looking, half elf, man with sharp elven features and olive green eyes and hair ordered the duo. He crossed the distance between them quickly as his long stride ate up the distance. He was around Isaac¡¯s height, maybe a little taller, but his stride seemed to cross an unnatural amount of ground. His eyes were a mix of emotions, none of them pleasant ones, that quickly found every face in the Guild Hall like he was making a mental list of all of those present. He quickly realized that Lisa wasn¡¯t in a very good state mentally but she did look mostly alright physically speaking. He marched up to Lenna who was closer to Lisa and stared daggers at her.


    Lenna casually turned to face him head on. Their eyes met and just a bit of her aura leaked out. She didn¡¯t blink as her silver eyes fixed their unnatural intensity on his olive ones. His momentum died as his bravado and anger was met by a wall that seemed more insurmountable than the largest mountain in Primatia. He knew that the feeling he got from her was unnatural but it was still enough for him to slow down enough to properly grasp the situation. He took a deep breath as his mind started piecing the situation. The two platinum level adventurers with his daughter tied up meant that she had been caught doing something that she shouldn¡¯t have. The sergeant being present meant that they were prepared for the confrontation ahead of time. He could hear all the people gathering outside and he could see the two guards keeping everyone out. The door was held open by their bodies however so everything that happened inside the Guild Hall would be known to the world. He took another calming breath.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you have a seat?¡± Isaac purred and sat down on his shadow that rose into the shape of a throne-like chair. The spectacle seemed to have an effect on those present and a bit of the tension bled away and a mix of fear, awe, and caution filled its place.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡± The sergeant said from behind Isaac.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Suit yourself.¡± He replied and eyed the Guild Master. ¡°I don¡¯t think I ever got your name.¡± He interlaced his fingers as he crossed his legs.


    ¡°Just Guild Master is fine.¡± The half elven man replied.


    Isaac shook his head and sighed. ¡°Listen, I was hired for two separate jobs. Both of them began and ended with your daughter. She is going to stand trial in Safeharbor.¡± He explained.


    ¡°What evidence do you have?¡± The Guild Master questioned.


    ¡°Her contacts in Ben¡¯s End have already been captured. I caught her trying to steal from me the last time I was here. We followed her to a meet up with a drow male deep into the tunnels. We have a witness for multiple accounts of bribery as well.¡± Isaac went on. ¡°At present her charges are as follows: Theft, collusion with the enemy, bribing a public official, breaking and entering. I¡¯ll forget about the attempted murder as it happened while apprehending her. She should get off relatively lightly. Especially if she volunteers any and all information pertaining to her associates.¡±


    The Guild Master didn¡¯t have a proper counter to the list of charges. He knew that Isaac was right. She hadn¡¯t done anything that would get her killed but the fines would be astronomically huge. She would also most likely be exiled from the duchy. ¡°Who are the witnesses?¡± The Guild Master questioned.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. The magistrate in Safeharbor will question her personally. She will tell him all of her crimes herself. This is just an arrest.¡± He explained. ¡°The reason we didn¡¯t just leave with her is because we wanted to catch everyone involved with her at the same time.¡± Isaac turned to look at Lisa. ¡°I¡¯ll put in a good word for you with Sir Michael and Duke Arbencroft if you make this part easier for me.¡± He told the defeated rogue.


    She slowly turned to look at him and then her father. He frowned deeply and then nodded resolutely to her. ¡°Even if I were to free you, you would be an outlaw. You¡¯d have to spend the rest of your life in solitude or constantly looking over your shoulder.¡± He explained to her. ¡°I¡¯ll petition the duke to lighten your sentence.¡±


    Lisa nodded. ¡°Lary and Gibby accepted bribes. Jim covered for me with the guild records¡­¡± Lisa continued to go on in a monotone voice like she was reading off an invisible paper. She was staring off into the distance as she spoke. All in all she had seven accomplices. Only four were currently in Outpost Charles as the rest were in Ben¡¯s End. That was, of course, not counting her drow boyfriend who was almost certainly dead in a tunnel somewhere.


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    The sergeant had his men apprehend the four accomplices that were in the outpost and round them up. They had exactly one cell to lock someone in and all four of them were tossed inside it together. None of them were dumb enough to pick a fight with the guards that came to get them. ¡°Lisa, I¡¯ll do as I promised. We¡¯ll get you a light sentence.¡± Isaac told her. He turned to face her father. ¡°You will stand trial as well.¡± He told the Guild Master.


    ¡°What? Why?¡± He questioned aggressively.


    ¡°You were aware of what was going on and did nothing about it. You are an accomplice.¡± Isaac explained simply. ¡°Double platinum or not, I am arresting you.¡±


    ¡°No one is going to prosecute a Guild Master for petty crimes.¡± He scoffed. ¡°I am the only person who¡¯ll take this job out here.¡±


    ¡°Then maybe King Charles was too arrogant to set up a human outpost this far away from civilization.¡± Isaac countered. ¡°This outpost should be shut down.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a staging area for the exploration of the Innerworld.¡± Chris explained. ¡°It¡¯s kind of important.¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No Chris, it isn¡¯t. Humanity is not ready to explore the Innerworld. Outpost Charles and Ben¡¯s End are monuments to the arrogance of man. This land belongs to real monsters. Not men in tin suits or arrogant kings. Safeharbor exists to keep the drow in check. That is logical and is worth the massive resource drain of having a city underground.¡± He shook his head again. ¡°The other two are just arrogance. If I were in charge of any of the drow cities around I would have gutted both locations on the principle of it. The reason they haven¡¯t is because they know that it is a massive resource drain and the caravans make good targets.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ but what have we been spending our lives down here for?¡± Chris questioned again. ¡°What did my father lose his life for? Why did I lose my legs?¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°The mistakes of the powerful, the wish to be a part of something bigger.¡± He explained.


    ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t accept that.¡± Chris replied.


    ¡°Then don¡¯t.¡± Isaac said and rose to his feet. ¡°It¡¯s your life. I won¡¯t tell you how to spend it.¡± He looked around at the few people still present. Most of the crowd had dispersed so there were only a dozen of them now in the Guild Hall; The Guild Master, Isaac, Lenna, Chris, Lisa, Gregory, the Sergeant, another guard, a cartographer who had just happened to be there, and three others who were hanging around for curiosity and gossip¡¯s sake. ¡°Sergeant, I¡¯ll leave everything in your care. If any of them try to escape, let Safeharbor know. I¡¯ll find them.¡± Isaac glanced at Lisa before deciding that she wasn¡¯t even really a flight risk anymore so he focused his attention on the Guild Master. ¡°If I have to hunt you, I¡¯ll be bringing back a corpse.¡± He told the older man who was at least half a dozen levels higher than himself.


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t take me.¡± The Guild Master replied with narrowed eyes. He had lived through countless battles to reach his current strength and he took exception to a lower leveled adventurer threatening him. He blinked. Isaac was gone. In the mage¡¯s place was a quickly fading black mist. He felt a warm hand wrap around the back of his neck.


    ¡°I could take your head off in less time than it would take you to turn around.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°I almost killed your daughter accidentally because I¡¯m not used to being less than lethal.¡± He cycled death flames through his own chest to give the Guild Master the feeling that those witnessing his death flames felt. He felt the older man shiver before he let go. He appeared next to Lenna. ¡°I could use something warm to eat.¡± He told her and strode out the door.


    Lenna nodded to the sergeant before turning to the brothers. ¡°Chris, do you want me to wheel you back?¡± She offered.


    Chris shook his head. ¡°No thanks. I think I¡¯ll hang around for a bit longer.¡± He replied.


    ¡°I¡¯d best get back to my post.¡± Gregory added.


    Lenna nodded to Chris. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m sure Isaac will tell you the whole story. If you catch him before he decides it¡¯s time to leave, that is.¡± She headed out after Isaac with Gregory close behind.


    ¡°Can you wait to tell the story until my shift is done?¡± Gregory asked the duo while walking back towards the gate. Jennie¡¯s inn wasn¡¯t very far from the gate so they would be walking together for almost the entire way.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Probably.¡± He replied. ¡°I kind of want some food and a nap.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been cheating a lot recently.¡± Lenna commented.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac agreed. Isaac¡¯s death flames had been killing their fatigue a lot recently. They weren¡¯t entirely sure if it was healthy or not yet. ¡°I wonder if Jennie made up her mind yet.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡± Gregory questioned.


    ¡°Ask your mother.¡± Isaac replied. He didn¡¯t want the boy to pressure his mother into a decision either way. If she felt like telling him then she would.


    Gregory wracked his brain for most of the rest of their walk together. His face finally showed a look of realization and then he frowned and it looked like he had tasted something mildly sour. ¡°I don¡¯t need another mom.¡± He eventually said. ¡°Polygamy is weird.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Isaac questioned. He was absolutely perplexed on where the topic was even coming from.


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying, I know mom likes you and all but she also told me about how you two are together.¡± Gregory said and gestured between Isaac and Lenna. ¡°I¡¯m just saying that it¡¯d be weird.¡±


    Isaac and Lenna both stopped walking. Gregory saw them stop and stopped himself. ¡°I have a question and a statement.¡± Isaac began. ¡°The statement is; that was not the offer I gave your mother. I agree that polygamy is weird. The question is; how in the name of all that is holy did you come to that conclusion?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Gregory looked uncomfortable at both his own mistake and the fact that he was now put on the spot. ¡°I¡¯m just, gonna, go now.¡±


    Isaac sighed as the boy took off in a jog towards his post. ¡°I regret thinking out loud again.¡± He told Lenna.


    ¡°I regret that you were thinking out loud too.¡± She added.


    Isaac frowned as he looked at her. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    She smiled back from under her helmet. ¡°You are welcome.¡±

 Chapter 36 Full Support

    Chapter 36 Full Support


    ¡°So ya just tossed everythin¡¯ on old Roger¡¯s lap?¡± Jennie asked incredulously.


    Isaac nodded while shoveling another spoonful of stew into his mouth. ¡°Mhm.¡± He hummed in agreement.


    ¡°It¡¯s what he does.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°He is an expert at making things ¡®someone else¡¯s problem¡¯.¡±


    Isaac swallowed his mouthful of stew. Lenna wasn¡¯t sure if he chewed any of it. It was good stew and she was a bit hungry but Isaac looked like he hadn¡¯t eaten in days. ¡°It¡¯s a talent.¡± He added.


    Jennie chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ve sure got a lot a those.¡± She took a deep breath to focus on the question she was planning on asking. ¡°Now that it¡¯s over, what are your plans?¡±


    Isaac looked up from his nearly empty bowl. ¡°Head back to Safeharbor and get paid.¡± He replied honestly. ¡°We¡¯ll get some rest, rinse ourselves off, grab dinner, then hit the road.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re leavin¡¯ tonight?¡± Jennie questioned. ¡°Ya just got here.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Something is making me-¡± He was cut off by Lenna¡¯s aura flexing momentarily again. ¡°They are really good at cutting me off mid sentence.¡± He commented.


    ¡°Who? What?¡± Jennie asked.


    ¡°Someone had been spying on us.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°We think it¡¯s the Sovereign of Contantis, Lenna¡¯s uncle. We keep foiling his storybook villain plans so he¡¯s spying on us until a time when we can have a dramatic confrontation inside of an erupting volcano.¡±


    Lenna rolled her eyes. ¡°If it is him, he is more likely to send assassins after us first. He¡¯s done it before.¡± She explained.


    ¡°So this one¡¯s uncle is the bastard who¡¯s been causing us trouble?¡± Jennie asked.


    ¡°For the last three hundred years, yes.¡± Lenna explained. He had taken power a few years before Lenna was born when the last ruler died.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t afraid of bringing assassins here?¡± Jennie questioned.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I¡¯d feel them coming.¡± He assured her. ¡°They also aren¡¯t going to attack us while we are in town. The risk of unforeseen circumstances leading to a capture of a drow assassin are too high. We also spend enough time out in the open that they can just wait for us somewhere.¡±


    Jennie eyed him skeptically. ¡°If ya say so.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Have you given my offer any more thought?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°I have.¡± Jennie replied.


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    ¡°And?¡± Isaac pressed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Jennie said with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll have ta talk it over with the boys.¡±


    ¡°Get Aria and Claus to escort you if you do decide to come.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I can¡¯t promise the bar will still need help by then. The boys will have jobs as soon as they arrive though. That I can promise you.¡±


    Jennie nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± She told him with genuine sincerity.


    Isaac held his bowl out towards her. ¡°You can thank me with another bowl.¡± He replied with a grin.


    Lenna held hers out too. ¡°Mine as well, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± She said quietly. Lenna¡¯s voice always got a little quieter when she was asking for something. Isaac got the feeling that asking for things was still a little foreign to her. At least when it came to her asking for things from anyone who wasn¡¯t Isaac. Isaac got the true Lenna with no masks or politeness. That didn¡¯t mean she was rude to him of course but it did mean that she was completely unapologetic for being as subtle as a sledge hammer.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Then I jumped back and spinning back kicked her in the chest.¡± Isaac finished recounting the capture of Lisa to Chris and Gregory. Jennie had been listening but she was also busy washing up after dinner.


    Chris grabbed his and his brother¡¯s empty dishware and set it on his lap. ¡°That had to hurt.¡± He commented. He had been in a few fights but never against a martial artist like Isaac. He turned and started wheeling himself over to his mother so he could help her with the rest of the dishes from the dinner rush.


    ¡°He almost killed her.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°I had to spend most of the night healing her.¡±


    ¡°From one kick?¡± Gregory asked. He had been on the edge of his seat the entire time.


    ¡°I¡¯m not used to holding back.¡± Isaac replied. He wasn¡¯t being apologetic or making excuses but simply giving a reason for the result.


    ¡°Do you think any of them are going to make an escape?¡± Gregory questioned.


    ¡°If they do, they won¡¯t again.¡± Isaac answered simply. He rose to his feet and took his and Lenna¡¯s empty dishes to Jennie and Chris. ¡°Thanks again.¡± Isaac told Jennie.


    ¡°I have ta get your coins.¡± Jennie replied. ¡°Ya overpaid.¡±


    ¡°Give it to Chris.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Speaking of,¡± He looked down at the boy in a wheelchair who looked up to meet his gaze. ¡°I¡¯ll have a thousand gold for you in Safeharbor for your help in wrapping up this job.¡±


    Chris¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°How much?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°One hundred platinum coins. Or one thousand gold ones if you prefer. I don¡¯t think the bank would like me if I gave you ten thousand silver ones though, I could probably still do it but the clerk would hate me.¡± Isaac went on. ¡°You helped wrap up a double platinum tier bounty. It spanned three locations, two wizards, a mid level scout, a doppelganger, and over forty other accomplices. Trap rooms, treasure chests, conspiracies, traitors, thieves and spies. It really was a grand adventure.¡±


    ¡°I, uh, thank you.¡± Chris replied.


    ¡°If you come work for me in Safeharbor I¡¯ll give you another thousand as a sign on bonus and get you a day job for cover.¡± Isaac continued. He looked over at Jennie. ¡°Talk it over with your mom.¡± Chris was in shock watching Isaac walk back over to Lenna. ¡°Hey kid.¡± Isaac said to Gregory. ¡°Remember that dragon skull?¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°You were right.¡± Lenna said to Isaac as they walked out of Outpost Charles back into the dark tunnels of the Innerworld.


    ¡°I know.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°About what?¡±


    Lenna chuckled and shook her head at him. ¡°They are a nice family. Good kids.¡± She told him. Isaac smiled and nudged her side. He gave her a questioning look. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be opposed.¡± She replied. ¡°I think it would be nice.¡± A sad look crossed her face. ¡°I¡¯m worried about outliving them.¡±


    Isaac didn¡¯t know what to say for a long time. ¡°If I am actually a demigod, or if I become one I guess, I would outlive them too.¡± He said quietly. ¡°I haven¡¯t really been around long enough to properly understand how that feels.¡±


    ¡°It aches.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Less sharply over time, but it still aches.¡±


    The pair moved through the tunnels between Outpost Charles and Ben¡¯s End without much issue. They stopped at where they had first met for a drink and some reminiscing but only for an hour. When they arrived at Ben¡¯s End they informed the sergeant there that the number of prisoners was larger than they were anticipating so they left them all at the outpost until a caravan could arrive and retrieve them. They refilled their water and double checked their rations before heading off for Safeharbor. It was time to head home.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    ¡°My Lord, they are on the move.¡± The sorceress said to the ancient paladin sitting regally in his throne. ¡°I have informed the Drider¡¯s Sons.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± The ruler of Contantis replied. His tone showed none of his pleasure or excitement. ¡°Make sure they are successful.¡±


    ¡°Do you wish for me to join them, my Lord?¡± The sorceress questioned. She rarely engaged in violence and when she did it was always at as far of a distance as she could. She disliked the feel of drying blood. It was sticky and the scent of iron always made her nose itch.


    ¡°No.¡± He replied. ¡°Give them your full support from the array room.¡±


    Her eyebrows rose in shock before she quickly schooled her face. ¡°As you say, my Lord.¡±

 Chapter 37 Last Time.

    Chapter 37 Last Time.


    ¡°Have I ever told you that I hate long distance running?¡± Isaac asked Lenna. They had only been running for fifteen minutes.


    ¡°Every time I made you run laps.¡± Lenna replied. Her aura flared again as she shrugged off the incoming scrying attempt.


    ¡°Just making sure.¡± Isaac said casually. He was on high alert. He could feel the drow assassins up ahead. He had informed Lenna of their presence a while ago.


    ¡°If you ran more, you would hate it less.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Like eating vegetables?¡± Isaac asked with a chuckle.


    Lenna frowned. ¡°I thought you liked vegetables?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the-¡± Isaac cut his own voice off as he teleported behind the first assassin that started to move. Two crossbow bolts punched through the space that he had just been. Lenna barely managed to tilt her head to the side in time to prevent another bolt from hitting her in the eye. It skipped off her faceplate and shattered on the stone ceiling. Lenna¡¯s sword was out and aflame just in time to cut two throwing spikes out of the air. She felt a tingle on the back of her neck and ducked while sweeping her sword in a wide arc behind her. She knew that there were invisible assassins mixed in with the visible ones. This was going to be a hard fight, even for her and Isaac.


    Isaac swung with his sword at the back of the assassin¡¯s neck. The assassin ducked and spun just in time to avoid losing his head. A few strands of his dark gray hair were sheared off. He threw a knife at Isaac. Isaac hadn¡¯t even seen where the blade had come from. He knocked it out of the air with his sword and covered himself completely in his shadowcloak. The assassin¡¯s eyes went wide as he jumped back and threw another knife at where Isaac had been. The knife clanged uselessly against the stone wall. He heard a cry from behind him and turned to see one of the other archers collapse to the ground.


    Lenna had no delusions that she wasn¡¯t the main target. In fact, their plan relied on it. She swept the area around her with her cone of flames and blanketed everything within a dozen feet in her aura. Two assassins were revealed as they were momentarily caught in her flames. The one tore off his cloak and then vanished again. She heard ethereal whispers coming from across the small cavern they were in and she felt some of her strength slip away and her knees momentarily feel wobbly. The cavern was not beneficial to the duo. It was the lair of some burrowing monster at some point so there were a dozen side tunnels leading out of the egg shaped space. Chunks of stone had fallen from the ceiling over the years and they had all just been pushed out of the way so the wagons could still take the path that cut through it.


    Lenna would have just fireballed the cavern if Isaac had been sure that she could catch more than two of the assassins but they were using every corner, every side tunnel, and every pile of stones as cover. A dagger coated in lightning scraped across her back and her muscles threatened to seize up. She swung at the revealed assassin that she had been focusing on but he stepped into her attack. He vanished as his teleport took him to the other side of her and he went for her neck with his stiletto. The knife was designed to slip through small gaps in armor. One of the assassins whistled and clicked. A moment later the entire cavern was filled with fog.


    ¡°What I seek is thunder.¡± A voice came from her side. Lightning punched into her. Her right elbow was fried as all the blood vessels exploded from the vaporized blood. The rest of the lighting bolt impacted her side and she felt a burning pain spread from around her right kidney. She could hear assassins dropping one after another as Isaac ignored the fog and their invisibility. He drifted through their ranks like a vengeful spirit. Lenna found the assassin she had been tangling with again and started pressuring him again. Her right arm hung limply at her side but her left arm worked perfectly well. She was right handed but that didn¡¯t mean she hadn¡¯t been trained to fight without it.


    Her target caught her sword swing with a shard of reality as he ducked inside of her guard. She brought her knee up with flame and aura enhanced strength. He hadn¡¯t realized the trap until it was too late. Her knee broke his left arm as he tried to block it and her pommel came down hard on his spine. He ignored the pain and drove his knife towards her armpit. She clamped down her arm and caught his blade. He released it and pulled another out of seemingly thin air. His second blade was driving up towards the gap under her chin between her helmet and breastplate. Lenna tilted her head to the side at the last second and felt the blade slice her cheek open as it slipped between her jaw and the inside of her helmet. She let go of her sword and grabbed the side of his head. ¡°Let my flames consume all before me.¡± She said with mild annoyance and disdain in her voice. She hadn¡¯t been properly hit in the face for a long time. Sure her faceplate took plenty of damage but that was very different from taking a blade to the cheek.


    The man in her grasp tried to shove off of her as his skin melted. She ignored the pain from her palm burning as she made sure to put the assassin out of commission. She was about to let go when a lightning covered dagger slipped down the side of her helmet and got caught between the helmet and collar. Lightning continued arcing through her armor as her entire body tensed. Her hand clamped down on the assassin in her grasp so hard her thumb slipped off his nose and punched through his liquified eye. Lenna knew that if she moved too much the dagger bearing down at the side of her neck would slip through and that would be the end of her. At least it would be if Isaac didn¡¯t finish up quickly enough.


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    Lenna felt the dagger get yanked away and she heard the man that was behind her get tossed to the ground while gurgling his own blood. The fog was starting to settle as she felt death flames pour into her. She looked around while dropping the assassin in her grasp to the ground. Three of them still stood. One had a pair of curved swords and looked like a coiled snake. One had a limp arm and held a dagger in his other arm and the last had a nocked arrow. All three of them had their backs against a wall and were waiting for Isaac to make a move.


    ¡°I know when to call it a draw.¡± The twinswordsman said. ¡°Even if we could finish you off Lady V¡¯Nova, I know that we won¡¯t make it out of here.¡± He kept glancing around as if looking for shadows in the dark.


    Lenna flexed her arm and winced at the pain. She reached up and removed the knife from its place wedged between her helmet and cheek. She felt the wound close up almost instantly. Her aura flared as she rebuffed another scrying attempt. ¡°My uncle sent you, correct?¡± She questioned.


    ¡°Do we have a deal?¡± He asked. ¡°All five of us can walk away from here.¡±


    ¡°I thought so.¡± Lenna continued. ¡°Which band are you?¡±


    ¡°Drider¡¯s Sons.¡± The assassin replied.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Lenna said with some surprise and amusement in her voice. She felt the scrying land on her again. She let it stay this time. ¡°Sorceress, tell my uncle this verbatim: If I had known that you were this good at making expensive mistakes, I would have killed you instead of slitting your throat.¡± She wasn¡¯t just egging him on. She was being honest. If she had known how little he cared for the budget then she would have killed him just to make the cleric burn a hundred thousand gold worth of resources to revive him. Now that she actually thought about it she realized that she couldn¡¯t have killed him anyway. He had an item that prevented a lethal attack once a day. She was surprised that the stab to the neck hadn¡¯t triggered it. Then again, a stab to the neck wasn¡¯t going to kill him. He was a maximum level paladin. Nothing short of cleanly removing his head would kill him in a reasonable amount of time. Lenna was slowly approaching that level of power but she felt like she still had a long way to go.


    Lenna flexed her aura and shrugged off the scrying so she could focus back on the topic at hand. The assassins had all grouped up close to one of the exits. ¡°Good fight, Lady V¡¯Nova, we¡¯ll take our leave now.¡± The lead assassin said.


    The feeling of staring down the Reaper¡¯s scythe intensified and Lenna felt the inflow of power from Isaac disappear. Isaac appeared as he walked out of his shadowcloak. The shadows dissipated behind him. ¡°But I haven¡¯t gotten a good fight yet.¡± Isaac complained and grinned like a devil getting asked to make a deal. ¡°If you can survive against me for one minute I won¡¯t hunt you down.¡± Isaac offered the assassins.


    Isaac¡¯s features were obscured by the death flames rolling off of his skin. He looked like a death flame elemental as the area around him seemed to get less dark simply from the lack of dark mana. He was burning it up at the same rate that he fought the Ori-Masa with. ¡°Thirty seconds?¡± The assassin offered.


    Isaac launched at them at full speed. The stone he had pushed off of was tossed away as if it were an empty wooden box. ¡°No.¡± Isaac replied with a dark chuckle. The stone was the size of his torso. It shouldn¡¯t have gone flying like a child¡¯s kickball. Isaac went for the weakest link first. The archer was thrown into the wall with enough force that his ribs turned him into a pincushion. Isaac¡¯s flying kick had threatened to send his boot through the man¡¯s chest cavity.


    The swordsman moved to cut off Isaac¡¯s leg but Isaac was gone already. He danced away and then launched off of another large rock towards the one armed assassin. Isaac had specifically left those three for last. He had done so for a few reasons. One reason was that none of them were casters. That didn¡¯t mean that they couldn¡¯t cast any extremely low level spells but Isaac could tell that they didn¡¯t have the mana capacity to cast a teleportation spell. The second reason was that all three of them had managed to not get killed in one hit while Isaac was completely undetectable. Their instincts were so sharp that even the smallest shadow of Isaac¡¯s presence or killing intent was noticeable to them. He wondered how well they would be able to keep up when he was going all out. The archer had disappointed him. The third reason was the swordsman was the highest leveled assassin of the group. That didn¡¯t necessarily mean that he was the leader but the odds were that that was the case. Isaac wasn¡¯t sure if they would get any information out of him but it was worth a shot. Now that Lenna was done talking to him, Isaac could get a good fight.


    The one armed assassin dove behind the swordsman as the swordsman tried to meet Isaac¡¯s attack with his blades. Isaac twisted in midair as he parried one of the blades with his own that appeared in his hand. The second blade shaved a small piece of leather off of Isaac¡¯s shin guard and elbow pad as he passed. Isaac¡¯s boots shoved off the wall again and he rolled into a spinning ax kick without any obvious target. He teleported mid attack and drove his heel down towards the swordsman¡¯s head. Two swords tried to meet the kick. One blade wasn¡¯t properly aligned and the other was completely flat against Isaac¡¯s attack. The first blade cut almost completely through Isaac¡¯s calf before his heel hit the assassin¡¯s collarbone. The assassin¡¯s entire body was launched into the ground as Isaac was sent into a backflip from the counterforce. Isaac landed squarely on both feet as if he hadn¡¯t just almost lost one of them to a magically enhanced curved sword.


    Isaac threw six throwing spikes at the one armed assassin faster than the man could properly react. He deflected one of them but the rest went straight through his magically enhanced leather armor and embedded themselves in his back. He looked down at the five holes in chest and his knees gave out. Isaac strode over to the leader. ¡°Any last words?¡± Isaac questioned. There was no answer. He shrugged and stood over the man. Shadows covered his blade and he swung down at the assassin¡¯s neck. At the last moment the assassin twisted and cleanly sliced through Isaac¡¯s ankle. Isaac¡¯s blade still met flesh however and the assassin¡¯s life was ended. Isaac¡¯s vision blurred from losing a limb again. His enhanced faculties allowed him to keep himself from moving at all after being hit. He just froze there for the second it took for his ankle to knit itself back together.


    Isaac started to wind down his boosting skill a moment later. ¡°Ow.¡± He said and reached down to rub his ankle. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t have been able to move after that kick.¡±


    ¡°He was a sixteenth level assassin.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Still.¡± Isaac grumbled. ¡°Doesn¡¯t make it hurt any less.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Just be glad you can heal.¡± She told him and rebuffed another scrying attempt.


    ¡°How much mana are they wasting?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°She has to be using the array.¡± Lenna explained and braced for another scrying attempt that didn¡¯t come.


    ¡°The array?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°It is a room full of wards and magic items for observing a battlefield and giving commands at a distance.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°Wizard stuff.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± Isaac replied. Wizard stuff was pretty self explanatory. He stretched. ¡°Well, now that that¡¯s¡­ you have got to be joking.¡± Isaac grumbled.


    Lenna turned to see his face. The dread and weariness told her everything she needed to know. ¡°Just don¡¯t get eaten this time.¡± She told him.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Isaac shot back. ¡°I only almost got eaten last time.¡±

 Chapter 38 Platinum’s Are Odd.

    Chapter 38 Platinum¡¯s Are Odd.


    A soft deep rumble reverberated through the ground. Isaac felt the ancient monster of bedtime stories and legends approach. He jumped to the side right before it reached him. He felt it change course to devour him regardless of his change in position. He teleported to the other side of the monster as it broke the surface like a breaching whale. It turned and twisted in mid air to reorient itself on its prey. Isaac launched himself at the monster before it could properly face him with its thousands of teeth and corrosive innate magic.


    Isaac punched the side of the Tunnel Horror with all of the force he could muster. His boosting ability was back on at its highest sustainable level. The Tunnel Horror rippled from the impact. Its mouth was tossed upwards and its momentum was halted but it wasn¡¯t disoriented in the slightest. Tunnel Horrors were considered smart but not conscious creatures. It used the momentum from Isaac¡¯s impact to the best of its ability. It rotated towards the opposite direction and swirled back around into a circle in order to orient back at Isaac. Tunnel Horrors did have one main problem. They couldn¡¯t go backwards. The reason why the first one the duo fought had to sit still and take Lenna¡¯s attacks was because of this unfortunate fact. It could. however, twist, turn, arc, and aim to its five hearts¡¯ content.


    The dark mage dug his fingers into the closest piece of the armored worm¡¯s chitin and yanked himself out of the way as its mouth end went barreling through the space he had just occupied. ¡®I have never been so glad that I can¡¯t get tired when I¡¯m like this.¡¯ Isaac thought. After the battle they were just engaged in he was glad that he could still be wide awake, not sore at all, and ready to go for round two. Lenna was still not in perfect condition as they had only had a handful of seconds of reprieve. She didn¡¯t hold back however and took the opportunity Isaac had just created to thrust her sword into the creature¡¯s side. Mana, aura, and muscle came together to help her magically enhanced blade piece the monster¡¯s rockhard shell.


    The monster jolted at the sudden influx of damage but its focus remained true. It twirled around itself as it went after Isaac. Isaac for his part danced around it as its body tied into loose knots that could never tighten. Lenna¡¯s sword threatened to rip out of her grasp as it moved. She clamped down on the hilt harder and the worm drug her up into the air as it moved. She planted her boot on its shell and shoved off leaving a spraying trail of acidic blood arcing across the air. Lenna landed gracefully despite her heavy armor and awkward footing. She dove back in to do it again.


    Isaac continued to punch the Tunnel Horror as he danced around it. ¡®This would be a lot easier if it could actually tie itself up.¡¯ He grumbled internally. The pair continued this way until their quarry decided to switch targets. It abruptly changed direction to go after Lenna. The damage she had inflicted had caused its focus to shift to the less dense meal. ¡®Shit!¡¯ Isaac swore as he teleported next to its mouth end and spinning back kicked it in the side. The impact tossed him away from it even as it threw the monster¡¯s gaping maw off course.


    The side of its mouth slammed into Lenna and she staggered away from the impact. She quickly found her footing and stepped closer towards the middle of the creature so it would have a harder time targeting her. ¡°This could be going better.¡± She told Isaac. ¡°I¡¯m almost out of mana.¡±


    ¡°It should be dying soon, right?¡± Isaac questioned and hit the worm again. It had been slowing down and Isaac could tell that it had taken far more internal damage than he thought it could survive.


    ¡°You would know better than me.¡± Lenna retorted and planted her feet before slamming her fist into the side of the monster with only her natural strength and aura behind the hit. The worm lurched to the side and then began to fall.


    Isaac felt its presence finally diminish to almost nothing. The lingering feeling coming from the worm was simply from the fact that it was a dark creature¡¯s corpse. It hit the stone ground with a thud that shook loose stones and dust from the cavern ceiling. The duo stared at it for a long moment. It twitched once and then laid dormant. ¡°Huh.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°That was¡­¡± Lenna¡¯s voice trailed off as she tried to find the proper adjective.


    ¡°Anticlimactic, underwhelming, expected yet unexpected.¡± Isaac finished for her.


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    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna agreed.


    Isaac sighed as he lowered his boosting skill down to barely a trickle of power. He reached out his hand and set it on Lenna¡¯s shoulder. He fed her power to remove her exhaustion and any remaining injuries. ¡°Let¡¯s loot the assassins and then get on our way.¡± He told her and looked around. One of the corpses had lost its legs from the Tunnel Horror and another was reduced to only a hand, a foot, and the top half of a head.


    Lenna nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes. Some of them had good gear.¡±


    The duo looted the assassins and made out with enough gear to fully outfit half a dozen silver or electrum rank adventurers. The gear was functional and high quality but it lacked any added effects. Isaac and Lenna were under equipped compared to most platinum adventurers by a large margin. When completing one job would net each member of a team of four twelve thousand gold they tended to be well equipped.


    The new gear was a mix of magically strengthened weapons and armor. The only special gear looted were their boots and cloaks save for a golden circlet that the leader had been wearing. The boots were silent and the cloaks changed color to match their surroundings. Nice gear but mostly useless for Isaac and Lenna. Lenna generally disliked cloaks and Isaac didn¡¯t like to wear anything that wasn¡¯t black. The boots weren¡¯t useful for them either. Isaac¡¯s steps were always silent and Lenna¡¯s armor made more noise than her footfalls if she was trying to be quiet.


    ¡°It would sell for a lot but I think we have some rogues that would make better use of the gear.¡± Isaac commented as they finished tossing the last of their loot into the bottomless bag.


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°What about the circlet?¡±


    ¡°What do you think it does?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°Long range telepathy if I had to guess.¡± She told him. ¡°It would make contacting his employer easier.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Makes sense.¡± He agreed. ¡°We can find out back in Safeharbor.¡± He looked around at the completely destroyed cavern. The pathway had a massive gaping hole in the middle of it and there was blood and corpses scattered about. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes. We aren¡¯t very far from Ben¡¯s End.¡± She was about to start leaving when she stopped. ¡°Do you want to tell them about the mess?¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°We probably should, shouldn¡¯t we.¡± He grumbled.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°Probably.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± Isaac continued grumbling and turned back the way they had come from. They ran the few miles back to Ben¡¯s End and informed the sergeant.


    ¡°A bunch of drow assassins and a Tunnel Horror.¡± The sergeant repeated. ¡°A second Tunnel Horror for you two.¡± He added. He looked like he didn¡¯t want to believe them but didn¡¯t really have a choice. He sighed. ¡°Show me.¡± He told them and informed his second in command that he would be away for around an hour or two and if he was gone for any longer that they were to inform the Adventurers¡¯ Guild and Safeharbor. He turned back to Isaac and Lenna. ¡°After you.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°By all that is holy.¡± The sergeant swore as he took in the carnage. ¡°Is this what platinum adventurers can do?¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I doubt most platinum teams could handle this.¡± He told the sergeant honestly. ¡°I have the right skills and abilities to deal with counter assassination. The Tunnel Horror was a Tunnel Horror. I¡¯m sure there are plenty of platinum teams who can handle it. The assassins were way more risky.¡±


    ¡°Their levels ranged from eleven to sixteen.¡± Lenna informed the sergeant.


    ¡°There¡¯s almost a dozen of them.¡± The sergeant replied in disbelief.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac replied nonchalantly. ¡°So, can you make it back on your own?¡±


    The sergeant nodded. ¡°I should be fine.¡± He replied. ¡°Thank you for informing me of this. We¡¯ll need to let the incoming caravan know about the¡­ damaged¡­ road.¡±


    ¡°How far out are they?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°They should be about halfway.¡± The sergeant replied.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll want to meet up with them for a bit so let them know they¡¯ll be seeing us within the next few hours.¡±


    ¡°Few hours?¡± The sergeant asked skeptically.


    ¡°In an hour and a half we cover a day¡¯s worth of traveling for a caravan.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°If they are half way then it should be like four or five hours.¡±


    The sergeant nodded slowly. ¡°How are you traveling so fast?¡± He had to ask. It just didn¡¯t seem reasonable to be able to cover that much ground for that long of a period of time.


    ¡°We run.¡± Isaac said simply.


    ¡°You run?¡± The sergeant asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°You don¡¯t get tired or need to rest?¡± The sergeant questioned further.


    ¡°Not unless I get hungry.¡± Isaac continued to reply like the sergeant was asking him if the sky was really blue.


    ¡°I see.¡± The sergeant replied.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He told Lenna and turned to leave. ¡°Don¡¯t get lost Sergeant.¡± Isaac said without looking back. Lenna nodded to the sergeant and continued after Isaac.


    ¡°Platinum¡¯s are odd.¡± Isaac heard the sergeant whisper under his breath.


    Isaac shook his head as he picked up speed. Lenna followed suit and as soon as they were a good distance away from the sergeant, Isaac started feeding them both death flames so they could keep up their high speed travel. ¡°You were having fun weren¡¯t you?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Isaac replied with an absolutely shit eating grin.


    Lenna rolled her eyes but smiled anyway. ¡°You¡¯re such a child.¡±

 Chapter 39 Finally Back.

    Chapter 39 Finally Back.


    ¡°Contact!¡± One of the guards walking in front of the caravan called out. Organized chaos ensued as the guards resting in the wagons disembarked and split up to cover both the front and rear of the caravan. One third went to the rear and the rest went to the front where the call had come from. Aria and Claus moved to the front as well. They had been lucky enough to get the same adventuring team together on their way back. Keith was a bit slow on the draw but Aria heard him starting to stir. He had been snoring from the back of the rear wagon. Ellem and Eric moved to the rear just in case something was ambushing them.


    Claus arrived at the lead wagon just in time to hear: ¡°Damn, do you all have to be so loud?¡± It was a voice that was all too familiar.


    ¡°And bright.¡± Another voice added. Claus squinted down the tunnel and saw a pair that he hadn¡¯t expected to see yet.


    ¡°Claus, can you get these guys to lower their weapons?¡± Isaac said. His face was wrinkled in a squint against the bright torch light of the front two guards. ¡°Stop waving your torches around.¡± Isaac ordered the guards. ¡°Let my eyes adjust a bit.¡±


    ¡°Stand down.¡± Claus told the guards.


    Aria stopped next to him and then turned around to call down the caravan. ¡°False alarm!¡± She called and there was a series of grumbling and swearing as everyone returned to their posts. She waved towards the side of the tunnel and stepped against the wall. Claus joined her and the lead wagon started to move again.


    Isaac and Lenna joined them. ¡°Did you get the message from Ben¡¯s End?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°I was talking to them when I heard the alarm.¡± Aria replied.


    ¡°They sure took their sweet time.¡± Isaac grumbled.


    Aria nodded. ¡°Agreed.¡± She looked between the pair. ¡°Are you going to ride with us for a bit?¡± She asked.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Sure. I have to fill you in on what¡¯s been going on. I think most of this incident is wrapped up. At least as wrapped up as it can be.¡±


    Aria took a few quick steps forwards and jumped. She hauled herself into the moving wagon she had disembarked from previously. ¡°Come on. We can talk in here.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Do you know why Tunnel Horrors are called Tunnel Horrors and not something more descriptive like Giant Stone Leeches or something?¡± Aria asked after Isaac had told her about the duo¡¯s first encounter with one of the legendary mage eaters.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No idea. Honestly I didn¡¯t even think about it having a weird name.¡± He confessed.


    ¡°The first few written accounts of explorers encountering Tunnel Horrors were terrifying to read.¡± Aria cleared her throat like she was preparing to read from some ancient text and then put on a scholarly air. ¡°¡®A void of death filled with teeth opened from the wall next to us. Our conjured light went out immediately before the gaping maw of nightmares given form reached him. In the blackness all we heard was a scream being abruptly cut off. The grinding of something hard on stone filled the tunnels for a long time after. That sound still haunts my dreams. Often, when we would stop to rest one of us would stop as if listening for something. No one ever said why but we all knew. Our minds were conjuring that sound out of the blackness. We never should have gone down there.¡±


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    Isaac was grinning. Ghost stories had the opposite of the intended effect on him. He was the type of person to find a haunted house and move in just to piss off the spirits so he could fight them. Well, he would if his magic worked on them. ¡°That is way scarier than they actually are.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°It makes me want to find one. It¡¯s a shame they are just normal monsters.¡±


    Aria gaped at him. ¡°They are a double platinum level threat.¡± She told him. ¡°Normal monsters my ass.¡± She huffed. ¡°The one you fought must have been a small one or something.¡±


    ¡°The other one was a bit bigger.¡± Lenna commented.


    Isaac nodded in agreement. ¡°Yeah but not by that much. It was only a little over six feet across. I think the first one was closer to five feet.¡±


    ¡°Other one?¡± Aria questioned.


    ¡°Yeah we fought a second one after the drow ambush.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°Drow ambush?¡± Aria questioned further.


    Isaac rolled his eyes. ¡°I was getting there when you interrupted to give me monster fun facts.¡± He explained. ¡°Now, back to the story.¡±


    Aria nodded. ¡°Right, go ahead.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°So you will need to take a detour at some point.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°That whole section of the tunnel is riddled with holes.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why.¡± Aria said. ¡°I was only informed about the need for a detour before you two showed up.¡± She shook her head in disbelief. ¡°We should check your Status for a curse that attracts danger or something.¡± She told him. ¡°Maybe a hidden ¡®Bad Luck¡¯ stat.¡± She went on. ¡°This is getting out of hand. And you think I get myself into too much trouble.¡±


    ¡°Usually I would agree.¡± Lenna cut in. ¡°But this time we did go looking for it.¡±


    Aria sighed. ¡°I feel like our odds of getting attacked have quintupled just because you two are here.¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Free experience.¡± Isaac commented and laid back in the wagon. ¡°You guys are going to stop soon right?¡±


    ¡°Another hour or so.¡± Aria explained.


    Isaac sighed and sat back up. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose that much more ground.¡± He stretched and stood up on the moving wagon. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to bring the Windwalkers back with you to Safeharbor.¡±


    ¡°Along with all the prisoners?¡± Aria questioned. ¡°Are you crazy?¡±


    ¡°Use the prisoners as bait or sacrifice them to the monsters if you guys get attacked.¡± Isaac replied pragmatically. If the three other adventurers didn¡¯t know any better they would think that Isaac was joking. They were all aware that he was not.


    Aria sighed. ¡°You know I can¡¯t do that.¡± She replied. ¡°Just get a move on before you decide to stay for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Isaac replied and Lenna got up to leave with him.


    ¡°Thanks, you two, really.¡± Aria told them sincerely.


    Isaac shrugged and then jumped down from the wagon. ¡°It was fun.¡± Isaac said. He wasn¡¯t entirely sure if he thought it was fun or not. There were definitely some fun moments but all in all the job kind of sucked. There was a lot of running, boring stake outs, and getting trapped in ultra lethal magical traps, but there were a few interesting fights along the way. ¡°I might¡¯ve complained about it if we weren¡¯t getting paid though.¡± He commented and waved at Aria and Claus.


    ¡°Keep your battle junky out of trouble.¡± Aria told Lenna.


    ¡°Impossible.¡± Lenna replied and hopped down from the wagon. She threw Claus a glance. ¡°Keep your priestess alive, warrior.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s harder than you think.¡± Claus replied and waved at her.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Aria yelled at Claus while Isaac and Lenna disappeared down the caravan. ¡°When was the last time you had to save me from a mimic?!¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Finally back.¡± Isaac said with a sigh as he and Lenna walked out into the large cavern Safeharbor was in. They still had a long way to go but it was worth it to walk the rest of the way. The view of the city lights casting soft illumination on the red stone of the cavern was an image that neither of them would ever forget. It was also a view that they had seen countless times already and would see countless more times in their lifetimes.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna agreed. She was glad to be back. She was glad to be home. Yes there were problems, and yes there were those that still hated and occasionally swore at her for no other reason than the race she was born as, but it was home. A human city that many would refer to as a bowl of roaches, a horde of mice in a box, or a hive of scum and villainy. It had its charms though. There were plenty of good people but there were just as many bad ones and just like most of the rest of the world, there was a silent majority. She had fought and bled, killed and lived in that city for but a drop in the bucket of time that was her long elvish life, but, it had become home. Maybe that was because that was where Isaac wanted it to be, but maybe, it was because of all of the people there that had welcomed her. She smiled unconsciously at the high walls with their evenly spaced torches.


    Isaac stole a glance at Lenna and saw her smile. ¡°It feels like we¡¯ve been gone for a long time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still Alice¡¯s birthday.¡± Lenna commented.


    ¡°Wait really?¡± Isaac questioned. There was no way that it had only been four days.


    ¡°For two more hours. I doubt either of them are still at the Guild Hall.¡± She explained.


    ¡°And all the shops are closed.¡± Isaac grumbled.


    ¡°And all the shops are closed.¡± Lenna agreed.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Well, better late than never?¡± He shrugged. ¡°We can get them something tomorrow. What do you think; Sam¡¯s or The Adventurous Tastes?¡±

 Chapter 40 Cool Magic Toys.

    Chapter 40 Cool Magic Toys.


    ¡°Why do I feel like a kid sneaking back in after a night out?¡± Isaac asked Lenna in a whisper. The shadows woven through her armor made her just as silent as he was.


    ¡°Celeste has decent soundproofing.¡± Lenna commented. ¡°I doubt we have to be this quiet.¡±


    Isaac grinned. ¡°It¡¯s fun though.¡±


    Lenna chuckled quietly. ¡°I love you.¡± She told him. Isaac giggled warmly at her comment and Lenna had to resist pulling him in for a kiss right there in the middle of the hallway.


    ¡°I love you too.¡± He replied and quietly unlocked their door. The two of them slinked inside and Isaac closed the door behind them. He turned around to face her and grinned. He had been enjoying himself. Lenna was already taking off her armor. He didn¡¯t blame her. They had hardly spent any time not geared up for battle. It was good to be home. Lenna threw him a suggestive look. ¡°It is really good to be home.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°How was your trip?¡± Celeste asked the duo when they arrived at her bar for breakfast.


    ¡°Eventful.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Boring.¡± Isaac said at the same time.


    Celeste laughed. ¡°Well? Which was it?¡± She questioned.


    Isaac and Lenna shared a look before they both nodded. ¡°Both.¡± The duo said in unison.


    Celeste laughed and set her elbows on the bar as she leaned in. ¡°It sounds like you have a story for me.¡± She said and the duo began their recounting the adventures of the past five days. Everything from the raid on Mr. Nobody to the Tunnel Horrors that really seemed to like Isaac. By the time the duo had finished it the beginning of the lunch rush was trickling in through the door. ¡°You need to find a good bard to tell all your adventures to. You¡¯d make good money.¡±


    Isaac chuckled but then seemed to really contemplate it. ¡°How much do you think?¡± He asked.


    Celeste shrugged. ¡°Depends on the bard.¡± She replied honestly. ¡°A few hundred gold I¡¯d say.¡±


    Isaac looked surprised. ¡°That¡¯s more than I thought.¡± He confessed.


    ¡°You just need to find a good one. Preferably an elf. Though there aren¡¯t very many of them in the human territories. Most elvish bards wander between elvish cities where they can build up a good clientele.¡± Celeste explained.


    Isaac nodded along. ¡°On a completely unrelated note; What should we get for Alecia and Alexis¡¯s birthdays?¡± He questioned.


    Celeste chuckled. ¡°They go to you too huh?¡± She questioned with obvious mirth. ¡°Those two are shameless when it comes to getting gifts.¡±


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    Isaac shrugged with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m not going to spend a fortune on them but they¡¯ve always taken good care of us.¡± He told her. ¡°I don¡¯t exactly know what girls my age like.¡± He glanced at Lenna. ¡°And the woman I am closest to is not exactly normal.¡±


    Lenna just shrugged. She knew that even among dark elven women she was not exactly normal. She had stopped pretending otherwise two centuries ago. ¡°Jewelry?¡± Lenna offered. ¡®Other girls like shiny things right?¡¯ She thought to herself. She could admit that the necklace that Isaac had gotten her was pretty but the real reason she liked it was that he had gotten it for her. That and the confession that came along with it.


    Celeste just shook her head and looked at the two helpless oddballs in front of her with a warm smile. ¡°Jewelry works. Or something useful. Perfume is a good idea too, something sweet smelling. Try to get something in a pair or set. Those two are glued to each other beyond any other set of twins I have ever seen. I bet if you only got them one of something they would find a way to cut it in half instead of just sharing it between them.¡± She advised the pair.


    ¡°Useful and in a pair or set.¡± Isaac wondered aloud. ¡°Like sending stones?¡±


    Celeste raised an eyebrow in surprise. ¡°Along those lines.¡± She agreed. ¡°You can go see if that crazy old artificer has anything that fits.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°My thoughts exactly.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Clayton.¡± Isaac greeted the young wizard who met them a moment after they entered the magic item shop. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    ¡°Yes it has.¡± Clayton agreed. ¡°I requested the information regarding colors of mana from the academy. They are going to send a copy of the research notes. There isn¡¯t a living expert I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Well, that¡¯s better than nothing. When do you think it¡¯ll arrive?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea.¡± Clayton replied honestly. ¡°They could send it with Magus Alexander the next time he is in the capital or they could ship it in a bottomless bag overland. I could see it within a week or month from now.¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere. Let me know when it comes in and we can compare the notes to what we can prove. With a solid baseline we can make some inferences about the rest of the colors. I have a much better grasp of my magic now than when I first asked you about it.¡± He told the young wizard. ¡°But my magic aside, that¡¯s not why we¡¯re here.¡±


    Clayton nodded. ¡°Alright, what can I help you with?¡±


    ¡°Paired magic items.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Things that come in a set for two people to use together. Start on the cheaper end if you can.¡±


    Clayton frowned in thought for a moment. ¡°I think I have some ideas.¡± He told them. He led them down one of the isles and stopped before a shelf full of pairs of rings. ¡°Wearing one of these will make the other feel warm to the touch as long as you are within five miles of the other one.¡± He gestured at a plain looking pair of silver rings with golden runic engravings on the inside of them. ¡°These are the same but the ring will feel cold. The range is actually increased to seven miles because cooling something with magic is less power intensive than heating it up.¡± He continued down the line. ¡°If the wearer of one of these is in pain the other ring will start to glow. These are a bit more complex so the range is down to two miles.¡±


    ¡°These all look like wedding rings.¡± Isaac commented.


    Clayton turned to look at him and pushed up his glasses. ¡°Yes.¡± He agreed.


    Isaac glanced at Lenna and she caught his glance. She gave him a questioning look and he cleared his throat. ¡°I think I¡¯ll be ordering something custom when the time comes.¡± He commented. ¡°This isn¡¯t for us.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Clayton replied and looked a bit embarrassed. ¡°My apologies.¡±


    Isaac just nodded. ¡°So¡­ other paired items?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Clayton jolted and led them down a bit further. ¡°What about these?¡±


    ¡°Sending Stones.¡± Isaac said aloud. ¡°I thought about that already but I¡¯m not entirely sure.¡±


    ¡°Each set is different from the last.¡± Clayton explained and started going down the list. ¡°These are seventeen times the strength of the base version, they are also seventy times the cost.¡± He added the last part quietly before moving on. ¡°These plates each have the entire Outerworld Standard alphabet on them. When one letter is pressed on one of the plates the corresponding letter on the other will start to glow. Because the information being transmitted between them is less complex the range is increased to one mile.¡± He picked up a pair of stone disks the size of his palm. Each disk had a button in the middle the size of a coin. ¡°These are even more minimalistic. When one button is pressed the other button will light up. These have a range of two miles.¡±


    Isaac looked to Lenna for help. ¡°At first I thought Sending Stones would be a bit too pragmatic for a birthday present but¡­¡± He let her finish the thought for him.


    ¡°You can imagine them talking all day instead of getting work done.¡± Lenna finished.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°The button or the keyboa-¡± Isaac winced. ¡°The button or the other one?¡± He asked.


    ¡°The other one.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Otherwise they would need to come up with a code.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll take those.¡± Isaac told Clayton. ¡°And while we¡¯re here, I have a bunch of money to spend and a tragic lack of cool magic toys.¡±


    Clayton positively beamed at Isaac. ¡°Well, when it comes to ¡®toys¡¯ as you put it. I have some recommendations.¡±

 Chapter 41 Happy Birthday.

    Chapter 41 Happy Birthday.


    ¡°Magically reinforced light armor, Cloak of Shadows, Paired compasses, two Scabbards of Cleaning and Oiling, seven healing potions, Ocean in a Bottle, Orb of Shadow Projection, a medium grade mana stone, and the Sending Slates.¡± Clayton summarized. ¡°Thirty seven thousand gold exactly.¡±


    ¡°Now for the important part.¡± Isaac replied in agreement to Clayton¡¯s confirmation of their shopping cart that was sprawled on the counter between them. ¡°Custom rings.¡±


    Clayton nodded to signal Isaac to speak. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± He added with a pen and paper in his hands.


    ¡°I want the ¡®glowing when in pain¡¯ function with a maximum range of at least ten miles. I want another pair with the ¡®protection from divination¡¯ ability.¡± Isaac told the wizard and gestured for the paper and pen. ¡°I want them to look like this.¡± Over the course of the next few minutes Isaac drew out a pair of interlocking rings.


    The rings would be his and Lenna¡¯s engagement and wedding rings. When the two rings would be slotted together they would become inseparable as the magic runes would weld themselves together via the magic flowing through them. The Protection From Divination rings would be their engagement rings which was a good thing because they actually had the more complicated enchantment on them. The rings would be made entirely out of onyx and diamond as crystals held and conducted mana better than metals. They would be covered in the golden threads of their enchantments and the gold would give off an almost imperceptible glow from the large amount of mana they would be consuming. Isaac¡¯s request for ten miles of range was not going to be efficient in the slightest.


    Clayton was no jeweler but he knew that his master was well versed in magic that could manipulate different mediums. Usually making the rings entirely out of crystal would be almost impossible but with magic the impossible because a mere mild annoyance. The runic engravings would all need to be done by hand however so the creation process would not be quick. Usually he would tell people who arrived for custom enchantments to find a different artificer as his master refused to ever take commissions but he had a feeling that Eliza would like Isaac¡¯s idea of fusing the rings together. His brows were furrowed in thought for a long time as he made note after note on Isaac¡¯s drawing while trying to add up potential expenses. ¡°I can¡¯t see these costing anything less than ninety thousand.¡± He told Isaac honestly. ¡°If there are any problems at all in the crafting process it could be closer to one hundred and forty thousand.¡±


    Isaac visibly winced at the cost. That was as much as they had ¡®liberated¡¯ from Mr. Nobody. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ doable.¡± Isaac replied.


    Clayton nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to the old man for you.¡± He promised Isaac. ¡°He¡¯ll need a down payment if he agrees to do it. Crystal is expensive. Most of the cost for most of our magic items is labor and gold for the runes. For your rings it¡¯ll be split even at best between labor and resource cost.¡±


    ¡°So he¡¯ll need forty five thousand up front.¡± Isaac surmised.


    Clayton gave Isaac an apologetic look. ¡°Fifty thousand based on what I¡¯m seeing. And that¡¯s if it goes well.¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Let me know and I¡¯ll get you the money. How long do you think it¡¯d take him to make them?¡± He questioned. At the very least they would need to be done by the wedding. The wedding that didn¡¯t have a set date yet. The wedding that Isaac had been specifically not thinking about because it made him nervous. He wasn¡¯t even sure why it made him nervous as he and Lenna were already a mated pair but something about an actual ceremony gave him the jitters even if he knew that it was all just in his head.


    Clayton eyed the concept sheet in front of him. ¡°Best case, five weeks. Not a day sooner.¡± He told the duo. Five weeks for magic items of the caliber that Isaac was asking for was a positively insane rate of production. Eliza was known for his odd experimental magic items that seemed to be limitless. The reason for their seemingly unending supply was that the man was an absolute genius in the art of magic item creation. There wasn¡¯t a better artificer within almost a thousand miles. There wasn¡¯t a faster artificer known on the continent. The closest artificer that a customer could meet and actually make requests of was in Sapphirestone.


    ¡°Worst case?¡± Isaac questioned.


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    Clayton shrugged. ¡°Worst case would be that it was impossible.¡± He told Isaac honestly. ¡°If it¡¯s possible he¡¯ll get it done in six months or less.¡± Clayton shivered. ¡°I hope it doesn¡¯t take him that long.¡± He added in a whisper. Only Clayton and Eliza knew what went on in the crazy artificer¡¯s lab but whatever it was seemed to unnerve Clayton.


    ¡ª


    ¡°I know it¡¯s a day late,¡± Isaac began as his way of greeting when he arrived at the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. ¡°but Happy Birthday.¡± He told the small woman behind the receptionist desk.


    Alice looked up and smiled while giving Isaac and Lenna a wave. ¡°Welcome back!¡± She told them. ¡°How was the trip? Where did you go? What cool things did you fight? Did you get us a present?¡± She barraged the duo with questions.


    ¡°Thanks, both interesting and boring, Ben¡¯s End and Outpost Charles, Tunnel Horrors and assassins mostly, and yes.¡± Isaac answered all of her questions in the order that she asked them.


    ¡°Oh? What¡¯d you get us?¡± Alice pressed. It was clear that only one of the answers actually registered.


    Isaac chuckled and shook his head. He looked at Lenna and nodded towards Alice. ¡°Don¡¯t keep the kid waiting.¡± He told his mate. ¡°She looks like she¡¯s ready to vibrate through the chair.¡±


    Lenna chuckled and pulled the Sending Slates out of her Bottomless Bag. She showed them both to Alice but only handed her one of them. ¡°Now you and your sister can talk all day instead of working.¡± She told the twin. She pressed her thumb on one of the letters towards the middle of the slate and the corresponding letter on the other one lit up. She shifted to another letter and the old one went dim again as the other lit up. ¡°Have fun.¡±


    Alice¡¯s eyes kept getting wider as all kinds of horrible ideas started flowing through her head. ¡°Thanks!¡± She replied and took the other one from Lenna as the older woman offered it to her. ¡°These are going to be so much fun!¡±


    ¡°And get you both in so much trouble.¡± Isaac added.


    Alice looked at him and beamed. ¡°Yeah.¡± She agreed with excitement that looked like it was threatening to burst out of her.


    The Guild Hall was mostly empty so Isaac had an idea. ¡°Go.¡± He told her and nodded towards the door. ¡°We¡¯ll hold down the fort. Just make it quick.¡±


    Alice stared at him for a long moment. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± She asked.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah, hurry up, I¡¯ll have work for you when you get back.¡± He assured her.


    Alice hopped down from her stool and ran around to the other side of her desk. She eyed Isaac for a quick moment with a fair degree of hesitation before deciding that she could get away with it. She took a quick step towards him and gave him an extremely brief, extremely light, hug before darting over to Lenna to do the same. ¡°Thanks!¡± She called back at them as she took off in a run out the door.


    Isaac was chuckling and smiling towards the door. ¡°Are we sure they aren¡¯t twelve?¡± He asked Lenna.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°They look their age.¡± She countered. ¡°They act their height.¡± The twins did have appropriate proportions for gnomes their age even if they were still the height of human or elf children. Their faces were round but not quite childlike which always gave them an air of being incredibly young yet showed that they weren¡¯t.


    A few minutes later Alice returned out of breath with a huge grin on her face. She was already pressing letters on the slate in her hand and giggling. She hurried over to her desk and hopped back up onto her stool. ¡°Okay, what can I help you with?¡± She asked while trying to look professional. Her hair was disheveled and she was still out of breath from running so any professionalism was long gone.


    ¡°You can get confirmation on two Tunnel Horror kills from Ben¡¯s End. I¡¯m hoping we can get some kind of payout for the kills.¡± Isaac told her.


    ¡°Okay, I can do that. Yes, there is an outstanding bounty of sorts for killing them but it¡¯s more of a consolation prize than anything.¡± Alice explained. ¡°Wait. You killed two Tunnel Horrors?!¡±


    Isaac looked extremely annoyed. ¡°They think I¡¯m tasty.¡± He grumbled. ¡°I can¡¯t go all out without drawing them in from a mile away.¡±


    Alice shook her head. ¡°You attracting them isn¡¯t what¡¯s surprising.¡± She told him. ¡°You killing two of them is.¡± She shook her head as if to clear it. ¡°You didn¡¯t bring back any part of them?¡± She questioned. ¡°Most of their internal organs are very valuable to certain mages.¡±


    Isaac shook his head in the negative. ¡°Too much acid, too gooey.¡± He replied.


    Alice sighed. ¡°I saw a report that the academy is willing to buy a properly contained living specimen for three hundred thousand gold.¡±


    Isaac whistled. ¡°Can¡¯t a wizard just catch it with reality spells and telekinesis?¡± He questioned.


    Alice shook her head but it was Lenna who answered. ¡°They are immune. They devour mana. They¡¯ll eat through it.¡± She explained.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°That actually makes a lot of sense, yeah.¡± He agreed. ¡°On to the next topic, all this drow assassin gear we have laying around.¡± Isaac didn¡¯t want to keep most of the gear save for the magic circlet and some stuff that he wanted to pass on to James and Lenny. It turned out that Lenna was correct on the circlet¡¯s function. Isaac would have gotten stuck with it even though the gold didn¡¯t go with his monochromatic aesthetic but his mana would have fried the thing after three seconds of use. Instead, Lenna got it. Her mana would still cause the item to degrade quicker than it normally would have. Her mana was close enough to normal that it could still handle hundreds of minutes of telepathic communication though so she begrudgingly agreed to wear it. She wouldn¡¯t have complained at all if she was able to use it to talk to Isaac but because of his ring he was immune to even positive magical targeting.


    In the end Isaac and Lenna ended up only down a few thousand gold by the end of the day but the day was far from over. They still had at least three stops before they could rest. One of them was bound to be very interesting.

 Chapter 42 Six Days Of Work.

    Chapter 42 Six Days Of Work.


    Isaac left Lenna in an alley a block away from the Arbencroft estate so he could sneak into Izen¡¯s office. The job they had taken wasn¡¯t technically official so Isaac figured it would be best if the act of turning in the bounty was kept unofficial as well. An ornate compass hung from a strap at his waist as he strode towards the side of the manor. He was invisible, of course, so he was taking his time. The compass always pointed towards its matched pair. Well it would as long as they were within ten miles of each other. If for some reason they lost connection the hand would spin once in each direction before pointing back in the direction it had felt its pair in most recently. The pattern would continue indefinitely. If Isaac was in danger his compass would vanish into his Inventory and Lenna would come running to his last known location. The same was also true as Lenna could toss hers into her Bottomless Bag in order to purposefully break the lock.


    The dark mage appreciated his new armor as he walked. The light armor was not made of leather like his previous sets but was instead made of a woody leaf-like material. One of Eliza¡¯s experiments had been attempting to grow armor using plant magic and it had been both a success and a failure. The armor had been grown over the course of five months which was far too slow for mass production but it had in fact been grown. Clayton had explained that if a druid was involved it could be done in only a few weeks but trying to get a druid to sit down and do nothing but grow suits of armor for extended periods of time was like trying to pull dragon teeth, very difficult and ill advised. It was a hard yet flexible material. The minor enchantments spread across the armor made it resistant to most forms of damage but Clayton did remind Isaac that there were certain types of acids and poisons that would be extra effective against the plant material.


    Isaac¡¯s sword actually hung at his hip as it was being cared for by his new scabbard. The scabbard would continually keep the surface of the blade oiled while cleaning it of any other material that attempted to stick to it. Isaac wasn¡¯t known for taking the best care of his blade even if he did try, Lenna had assured that. The new scabbard would hopefully keep his blade in the best condition it could be in until the day he broke the magically enhanced steel. Anyone who had spent more than a few days with Isaac knew that he could go through gear like a princess went through her jewelry if he wasn¡¯t careful. He hoped that his new gear could hold up.


    His new cloak was the one he was the most concerned about. The black wool was actually shadow-wolf fur that had been somehow turned into thread and woven into a very normal looking wool cloak. At least it looked normal when in bright lighting. The darker the area he was in the more the true nature of the cloak was revealed. The essence of a shadow-wolf would come out as the fur turned silky and then oily under the lack of light. It continually pulled in an incredibly small amount of dark mana and used it to give off shadows. The shadows silenced movement and helped to hide Isaac even without him needing to spend any of his own mana. With the cloak lightening the burden of maintaining his nondetection it would be easier for him to bring Lenna along on his stealth missions. The reason he didn¡¯t bring her along this time was because he needed to teleport and he couldn¡¯t do that with her no matter how much he wished he could.


    Isaac was afraid that his cloak would be the first casualty while engaged in his next fight. He had already gone through a few cloaks and they had all been reduced to ash. As much as he liked Lenna¡¯s fire, he had a general hatred of facing open flames of any kind. Burns were painful and took longer to heal but the real reason was the damage his gear would take.


    The Lord of Darkness stopped under the window to the Lord of Safeharbor¡¯s office and closed his eyes. He felt his connection to the shadows in the small courtyard. He reached out and up the wall until he came to the window. His power snaked in and then a moment later he was standing in front of Izen Arbencroft¡¯s desk. Izen wasn¡¯t in. Isaac frowned and looked around. The office was exactly the same as it had been the last time he was there which wasn¡¯t surprising as it hadn¡¯t even been a week since then.


    Isaac wandered around looking through the papers on Izen¡¯s desk and inspecting the row of swords hung across one of the walls. Each sword had a name on a plaque. As Isaac read down the list of names he realized that each one had belonged to a former duke of Safeharbor. After his snooping was done Isaac had gotten bored. He walked over and plopped down in Izen¡¯s chair and put his feet on the desk. He wished he had a good way to talk to Lenna while he waited but they were too far away for the Sending Stones and they hadn¡¯t come up with a code to use with the compasses. He took out the compass and stared at the needle pointing to where he knew Lenna to be. ¡°I hope the disappointed uncle shows up soon.¡± Isaac grumbled to himself, his shadowcloak ability muting his voice to the world all the while.


    ¡ª


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    Lenna leaned against the wall in the alley Isaac had left her in. She was a bit more calm than she usually was when Isaac was away. The compass in her hand pointed towards Izen¡¯s office. Between the compass and her knowledge that Sera was on their side and their working relationship with Izen she knew that her mate was safe. As safe as he could ever be anyway. She rubbed her thumb across the mana stone Isaac had bought her while staring blankly at the compass. She continued to trickle mana into the stone to recharge it while she waited. She knew that one day the mana stone could mean the difference between life and death so the sooner it was charged and ready the better. The ability to pull her own mana back out of the stone was what had attracted her to it in the first place. All that was needed now was to fill it up and keep it in her pocket for an emergency. She sighed and looked around. ¡®We should¡¯ve picked somewhere with a bench. I hope they don¡¯t talk all afternoon.¡¯ She grumbled internally.


    ¡ª


    Izen had just finished eating lunch with his wife and son. His son would be heading back to the capital soon so he needed to make the most of the time they had together while he was there. Unfortunately his work couldn¡¯t be put off forever so he was on his way back to his office. As he walked he thought about all the things piled on his proverbial plate and couldn¡¯t hold back a sigh. Between the tension with his family and the Heindenburgs, and the increase in bandit activity outside of the dwarven fortress, he could have been kept busy for months. The Mr. Nobody incident that was still being cleaned up caused the stack of paperwork on his desk to double and he knew that it would only get worse as soon as news from the waystation and outpost arrived.


    He sighed again as he put the key into the lock of the ancient oak door to his office. The lock clicked as the magical key turned off the wards protecting all the sensitive information inside. He opened the door and walked in. He closed the door and then turned around to face his desk and the pile of work waiting for him. He froze in his tracks as he saw someone sitting in his two hundred year old chair with his feet up on his two hundred year old desk. Izen¡¯s eye twitched.


    ¡ª


    ¡°You might want to latch the door.¡± Isaac told the duke while lounging in his chair. Izen pushed the door the last half an inch so it would latch. Isaac grinned and hopped up from Izen¡¯s chair. ¡°So? Who are the Heindenburgs again?¡±


    Izen ignored Isaac¡¯s question and walked around the desk to sit in his chair. Isaac took a step and appeared on the other side of the desk while falling into one of the chairs opposite the duke. ¡°Did you run into a problem?¡± Izen asked.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Quite a few actually but my job is done, at least for now, hopefully.¡± He explained.


    ¡°Explain.¡± Izen replied wearily as he sat in his chair.


    A bit of the gentle amusement on Isaac¡¯s face lessened at the demand. Isaac knew that he was too touchy when it came to people ordering him around but he just couldn¡¯t help himself most of the time. He knew that Izen didn¡¯t mean anything by it and that the duke was technically his employer at the moment so he mentally shrugged it off and got down to business. ¡°As I am sure you are aware, Mr. Nobody was actually a pair. A wizard and a doppelganger. I have witnessed and experienced being caught in more traps that day than I had ever before combined. I believe it is fair to say that I did, in fact, assault a wizard tower. If all of that wasn¡¯t enough, the doppelganger refused to talk and I had to wait for any helpful information to come from extreme mental probing from our resident arch wizards.¡± Isaac went on. ¡°One of my spies was almost tortured to death and a temporary hire was nearly killed, twice. That was all before we left Safeharbor.¡±


    Izen nodded along. ¡°I was informed on much of that by Tim and Alexander.¡± He replied. ¡°I take it the rest of your job was just as eventful.¡±


    ¡°Two Tunnel Horrors, a dozen drow assassins, a turncoat scout in Outpost Charles that was working with a drow spy and a dozen accomplices later we are back.¡± Isaac confirmed. ¡°That¡¯s not even taking into account the other shitty things we had to deal with like the rampant racism against Lenna and having to actually perform a stakeout in order to catch the turncoat scout.¡±


    ¡°A lot has happened for it only being six days of work.¡± Izen replied.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°It was only six days of work in one go.¡± He corrected him. ¡°My information network had already spent innumerable hours preparing for this eventuality. I believe we have earned our pay.¡±


    Izen nodded slowly. ¡°I believe you have as well. Where are the prisoners from Ben¡¯s End and Outpost Charles?¡± He questioned. He really hoped that there were prisoners and Isaac hadn¡¯t just executed everyone. Both were an equal possibility in his eyes.


    ¡°Awaiting transport in their respective locations.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I made the local guards take care of them as best as they could. They never would have caught anyone without us though. I hope they can at least hold the prisoners.¡± He shook his head before leaning in and tossing his hood back so Izen could get a good look at his face. ¡°Izen, the Guild Master of the Outpost Charles branch knew what was going on but didn¡¯t do anything about it. His daughter was the scout that had been working with the drow spy. I promised that I would try to get her a lighter sentence but what you do with her is all on you. The spy had truly been manipulating her. She thought that she was stealing her fellow¡¯s gear in exchange for gold so she could keep the one she loved fed. I don¡¯t know if he used magic on her or not but he was a wizard with moderate skills. A poor lonely girl in the dark met a handsome elf who listened to her. Try not to go too hard on her, okay?¡±


    Izen¡¯s eyes went wide at Isaac actually advocating for someone. ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡± He promised. ¡°I will also have all of what is owed directly deposited to your account at the bank.¡±


    Isaac nodded and got up. ¡°Good.¡± He told the duke. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I should go check on my men and make sure they are all healing properly.¡±


    Izen nodded. ¡°Thank you, Isaac.¡±


    Isaac flashed him a smirk. ¡°If it¡¯s going to pay this well every time, don¡¯t hesitate to call on me again.¡± He told him and disappeared leaving nothing but a quickly vanishing silhouette of shadows in his wake.

 Chapter 43 Someone Else’s Job.

    Chapter 43 Someone Else¡¯s Job.


    ¡°That took a while.¡± Lenna commented as Isaac appeared in front of her.


    ¡°I had to wait for him. He wasn¡¯t in his office.¡± Isaac explained.


    Lenna nodded in understanding. ¡°Where to next?¡± She asked.


    ¡°The brothers.¡± Isaac told her. His stomach audibly gurgled. ¡°After lunch.¡±


    Lenna chuckled and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll let you off today, because we just got back, but tomorrow we are back to sparring.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that have to do with getting lunch?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Keeping you from getting fat.¡± She told him.


    Isaac looked at her incredulously. ¡°Are you projecting?¡± He asked. ¡°I can¡¯t get fat, remember?¡±


    Lenna stared at him for a moment. ¡°Oh, I forgot.¡± She turned away and started walking. ¡°Never mind then.¡±


    Isaac trailed after her. ¡°So¡­ were you projecting?¡± He questioned again.


    ¡°Stress causes you to lose weight.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°I¡¯m mated to you. I don¡¯t think I can get fat either.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you get enough stress relief?¡± Isaac questioned with a smirk.


    Lenna flashed him a suggestive grin. ¡°There is no such thing.¡±


    A while later the duo were sitting around the brother¡¯s dining table playing cards with Lenny. ¡°Why are there seven tens out at once?¡± Lenna questioned as she eyed both of the boys she was playing with. She was only completely sure that two of the tens were supposed to be there but she assumed that four of them were not pulled in from another deck.


    ¡°You¡¯re imagining it.¡± Isaac replied without making eye contact.


    Lenny coughed. ¡°Is the light too bright, lady-boss?¡± He questioned.


    Lenna scowled at both of them. ¡°I win because you both caught each other cheating. Again.¡± Isaac sighed and both he and Lenny pushed the coins over to Lenna¡¯s side. She shook her head in disappointment at both of them.


    ¡°When is your brother going to be back?¡± Isaac asked his fellow cheat.


    ¡°Probably not until late.¡± Lenny replied. ¡°Do you need him specifically?¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I guess not.¡± He said and nodded towards Lenna. She started pulling gear out of her Bottomless Bag. Two pairs of boots, two cloaks, the pair of curved swords, and five daggers were set on the table. ¡°This stuff is for you.¡± He explained. ¡°Any of it that you won¡¯t use I am taking back but I think most of it will prove useful.¡±


    Lenny eyed that magical gear with awe. He picked up one of the curved swords and ran his hand over the ornately gilded hilt. He let out a low whistle. ¡°Where¡¯d ya get this?¡± He asked in a whisper.


    ¡°High end drow assassins.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Those swords were from their leader. Be careful with them. They cut through my old armor like it wasn¡¯t even there.¡±


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    Lenny¡¯s eyes left the sword in his hand to look at Isaac. ¡°Was it not magical?¡± He questioned.


    Isaac nodded with a serious look on his face. ¡°It was magical armor. That¡¯s what¡¯s scary about them.¡± He explained. ¡°Have you ever used swords before?¡±


    Lenny shook his head in the negative. ¡°No, but I always wanted to use a pair of curved swords like these. It just doesn¡¯t make sense for someone low leveled like me to go walking around with swords on their hips.¡± He explained and went back to inspecting the sword. He pulled it a few inches out of the scabbard and got a good look at the thin blade. ¡°A pair of willow leaf sabers¡­ like a dream come true.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ll need to find someone to teach you or else they will be useless.¡± He told the young rogue.


    Lenny looked up at Isaac with wide, puppy-like eyes. ¡°Can you?¡± He asked.


    Isaac stared at him and then slowly turned to look at Lenna. ¡°I¡­ help?¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Isaac is not fit to teach you swordsmanship.¡± She told Lenny. ¡°You should find another rogue to teach you.¡±


    ¡°I became a rogue because it was the only path that was open to me.¡± Lenny explained. ¡°I¡¯ll take levels into whatever I need to in order to use these swords.¡±


    Lenna chuckled. ¡°If Isaac is serious about helping you,¡± She began and gave Isaac a sidelong look. ¡°Edward Sasston would be a good person to ask. Also, Marie.¡±


    Isaac nodded along. ¡°Both are good picks but very difficult people to get a hold of. I doubt either of them would be up for it but we can ask at least.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Absolute worst case, I can spar with you from time to time.¡±


    Lenny¡¯s eyes looked like they were casting their own light from the amount of stars that were packed inside. ¡°Can you?¡± He asked.


    ¡°To which?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenny replied. ¡°All of it.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°We¡¯ll see. Don¡¯t get your hopes up too high.¡± He shook his head. ¡°On to a different topic. Blackmarket goods.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Lenny questioned. ¡°What do you need off the blackmarket? The one in Safeharbor isn¡¯t that great. I heard that the one in Sapphirestone was really well stocked but I haven¡¯t been there.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been to the one in Safeharbor?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Lenny nodded. ¡°Yes, it was pretty normal. Stolen jewelry, some magic items that were ¡®misplaced¡¯, drugs, a few people. Nothing unusual.¡± He explained.


    Isaac frowned. ¡°There are still people getting put up on the blackmarket?¡± He questioned. ¡°How long ago was this?¡±


    ¡°Two days ago.¡± Lenny explained. ¡°James and I were spending some of the money we got so it wasn¡¯t just getting stuffed under the floorboards.¡±


    ¡°You were careful not to stand out right?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Lenny nodded. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a masquerade. Cold coins only.¡± He explained.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°But to answer your question, yeah. There are still people that end up on the blackmarket and there probably always will be. Just because it is more difficult to get them out of town now than it used to be doesn¡¯t mean there isn¡¯t still a way.¡± Lenny explained. ¡°Also, not everyone bought on the blackmarket leaves the city.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°I see.¡± He said more to himself than to Lenny. He shook his head and took a deep breath to get back on track with what he was originally trying to talk about. ¡°Can you get magic items to change your appearance at the blackmarket here?¡±


    Lenny frowned in thought. ¡°Maybe, like I said, this blackmarket isn¡¯t that good.¡± He went on. ¡°I would try Sapphirestone.¡±


    ¡°Keep an eye on this blackmarket.¡± Isaac told the rogue. ¡°Whenever an item comes up to obscure your appearance or change it in general just buy it. I¡¯ll come up with the money.¡±


    Lenny nodded. ¡°I can do that.¡± He assured the dark mage. ¡°How many do you need?¡±


    ¡°A minimum of one, no more than five.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°Do you have the money for that boss?¡± Lenny questioned. ¡°Depending on how the item works and how rare it is it could be anywhere from ten to a hundred thousand.¡±


    Isaac winced. ¡°A hundred thousand is a bit much for us right now.¡± Isaac replied honestly. ¡°When is the next blackmarket?¡±


    Lenny shrugged. ¡°Who knows.¡± He replied. ¡°Once The Guild collects enough treasures the word just gets spread through word of mouth.¡±


    ¡°Guild?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°The Guild.¡± Lenny replied. ¡°Thieves, assassins, smugglers, mortal traffickers, anyone and everyone that can¡¯t do business on the surface has met with a Guild rep at some point.¡± He explained.


    ¡°Any way that you or your brother could get a job there?¡± Isaac wondered.


    Lenny shook his head. ¡°Not for another forty years at least.¡± He replied.


    ¡°They¡¯re all old men?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Lenny nodded. ¡°Something like that. You have to be a retiree with good references to get a job in the Guild. All of them are scary legends, boss. I¡¯d be careful if you ever meet one.¡±


    ¡°Noted.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Let me know if you need more money for the items when the time comes.¡±


    ¡°Will do, boss.¡± Lenny replied. ¡°Now, who¡¯s up for another round?¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°We have another stop before we are done for the day.¡± He told Lenny and rose to his feet along with Lenna. ¡°Actually, speaking of stops, are you keeping Tic¡¯s?¡±


    Lenny tilted his hand back and forth in a so-so gesture. ¡°Yes and no. We are keeping it but neither of us will be working in it. There are a few people we have met over the years who would be good fits for that kind of thing and James decided to take a page out of your book.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°He made it someone else¡¯s job.¡± Lenna answered for him with a smirk.


    Isaac looked surprised and then contemplative. ¡°Huh. I do do that a lot don¡¯t I?¡±

 Chapter 44 Win Some,

    Chapter 44 Win Some,


    ¡°You want me to train one of your spies on dual sword combat?¡± Edward questioned Isaac incredulously. The duo had decided to have dinner at the Guild Hall so they could discuss the prospect with Edward. The pair had just come from ordering the rest of the drider silk treatment and were now on to less urgent matters. The sooner the treatment arrived the sooner the finished drider silk products could be sold after all.


    ¡°There are only three people I would trust to train him.¡± Isaac insisted.


    ¡°I would be the worst option.¡± Lenna added.


    ¡°Who is the other one?¡± Edward asked. He really didn¡¯t want to add anything else to his mountain of work. Granted, half of his work could be pushed onto one of the twins in the event of an emergency requiring his direct attention but this was definitely not an emergency.


    Isaac took a sip of his drink to hide his mouth from anyone who might happen to be watching them. ¡°Marie.¡± He whispered and then moved on to taking another bite of his food. He spoke just loud enough for Edward to hear but there was always a risk of someone with exceptional hearing listening. They were in the downstairs of the Guild Hall after all.


    Edward¡¯s look of surprise was noticeable from across the room before he schooled his expression. ¡°I see.¡± He replied. Edward remained quiet in thought for a few long moments as his interlocutors continued eating. He sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll meet him.¡± Edward conceded. ¡°I won¡¯t promise anything until I¡¯ve actually met the boy.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Fair enough.¡± He replied. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet.¡± Edward said in return. ¡°Even if I can train him it would be an hour a day at the absolute maximum. Most of the time he¡¯d be lucky to get a few hours a week out of me.¡±


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°You¡¯re a busy guy, I know. Any help would be nice. If he has potential I wouldn¡¯t mind bringing him along on some of our missions so he could get some hands-on experience.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°It¡¯ll all depend on how talented he ends up being and how much work he is willing to put in.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Edward began. ¡°You like him that much?¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s easy enough to get along with, smart, and can follow orders well enough. The only thing I¡¯m concerned about is him being dead weight in a fight.¡±


    ¡°Which he is.¡± Lenna added.


    ¡°For now.¡± Isaac added onto her addition. ¡°Hopefully.¡±


    Edward sighed. ¡°Have him meet me on the roof at noon tomorrow. If he¡¯s a spy then you don¡¯t want anyone seeing him waltz in here or meet up with me in the arena.¡± He conceded.


    Isaac grinned and Lenna smiled appreciatively. ¡°Thanks again, Edward.¡± Isaac told the older man.


    ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Lenna added.


    ¡°There is no way that I am not going to regret this.¡± Edward grumbled before downing the rest of his drink. ¡°Of that I am sure.¡±


    ¡ª


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    ¡°He seemed happy.¡± Lenna commented as the duo walked towards Westly¡¯s Westside Bar after informing Lenny of his lunch date with the Guild Master.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen a grown man act that giddy before.¡± He replied.


    ¡°I¡¯d hardly call him a grown man.¡± Lenna said with an amused smirk.


    ¡°We are the same age.¡± Isaac replied with a straight face.


    Lenna wasn¡¯t sure how to respond for a long moment. ¡°No.¡± She eventually told him.


    ¡°No?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°You¡¯re lying to me.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°How?¡± Isaac questioned further. ¡°You know how old both of us are.¡±


    ¡°You could be two hundred and the Identify missed a zero.¡± Lenna countered.


    ¡°You can¡¯t apply elven ages to humans and expect it to make sense.¡± Isaac corrected with a chuckle. ¡°Ten times the lifespan, remember.¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t act two hundred. You do.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°He acts forty.¡±


    Isaac threw up his hands in exasperation. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what that means.¡±


    ¡°We are here.¡± Lenna told him in order to distract him from their argument. She had long accepted the fact that Isaac had been right from the beginning and that people could have drastically different maturity levels even if they were the same age. That hadn¡¯t stopped her for more than a second from doubling down just to mess with Isaac however. ¡®Someone has too because Lua knows everyone else is too afraid to.¡¯ She thought to herself. She was right.


    Isaac sighed in defeat as he noticed the rundown bar half a block away. He smirked and huffed a chuckle. ¡°Did you have fun?¡± He asked her.


    Lenna smiled back. ¡°Yes.¡± She told him. ¡°Someone has to keep you from getting all broody. You get like that if I let you think for too long.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Introspection is a bitch.¡± He agreed.


    Lenna laughed. ¡°Those are not the words I would have used.¡± The pair stopped in front of the closed door. There was a sign on it that read ¡®closed for remodeling¡¯ and a slip of folded paper barely visible wedged between the door and its frame.


    Isaac grabbed the folded paper and opened it up. ¡°Actual contact information.¡± He commented. ¡°This is the inn across from the Adventurers¡¯ Guild isn¡¯t it?¡± He asked and showed the note to Lenna.


    Lenna read over it. ¡°Yes. It is.¡± She agreed. ¡°This¡¯ll be our third trip to the Guild Hall.¡±


    ¡°I distinctly remember you saying something about exercise earlier.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°I guess this counts.¡± Lenna conceded.


    ¡°It¡¯d better.¡± Isaac countered. ¡°We¡¯ve walked like ten miles today already.¡±


    ¡°That hardly counts as exercise.¡± Lenna retorted. ¡°I can show you exercise later though.¡± She added with a smirk.


    ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it.¡± Isaac replied with a smirk of his own.


    Lenna¡¯s quick glance made Isaac want to return to the Celestial Dawn instead of meeting up with Thomas. ¡°You¡¯d better.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Thanks for the daggers.¡± Thomas told the duo after being handed three pairs of ornate elven magical daggers. The reason they were ornate was due to the five layers of enchantments on them. They passed through the air silently while having two layers of hardening and sharpening enchantments. The daggers could cut through non-magical steel as if it were paper. The blades on two of the daggers hooked back like skinning knives. If Thomas ever needed to fight off an entire bar of gangsters again he would be properly equipped. If he ever found himself strapped for coins he could fix that very quickly as well.


    ¡°Figured we could equip our spies with drow assassin gear so we don¡¯t get a repeat of last time.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°You and James really got the shit beaten out of you.¡±


    Thomas winced. ¡°Don¡¯t remind me. It was embarrassing.¡± He replied. ¡°As for the bar, I like the idea but finding someone I trust to run it is proving difficult. I really don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea for me to be working out in the open like that.¡±


    ¡°We meet out in the open plenty.¡± Isaac countered. ¡°I don¡¯t see the difference.¡±


    ¡°The difference is that ambushing me is a lot more difficult when I am following you two around instead of camping out in a run down bar at the edge of town.¡± Thomas explained. ¡°Your schedules are regular but not identical day to day. Those minor differences are my safety net.¡±


    Isaac could only nod in resignation. He understood where Thomas was coming from. If someone knew that he would be at one location every day at the same time without fail then setting up an ambush would be child¡¯s play. Isaac and Lenna were prone to abruptly changing their schedules and taking missions or getting into trouble seemingly at random. It made spying on them a fulltime job but it also made the spy¡¯s job a bit safer. ¡°Fair enough.¡± Isaac conceded. ¡°So how long do you think the bar will be closed for?¡±


    Thomas shrugged. ¡°Who knows. I hope it¡¯s not closed for too long but I won¡¯t know until I¡¯ve found someone to run it.¡± He explained.


    ¡°I have someone who I would like to run it.¡± Isaac informed the spy. ¡°But I have no idea if she¡¯ll actually move to Safeharbor. Her eldest son is a natural at spy and detective work.¡±


    ¡°Someone I don¡¯t know about?¡± Thomas questioned.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°For now. Do you want to hear about Lenna and my grand adventure over the past few days?¡±


    Thomas settled back into his chair. ¡°Of course. Let me know what parts you don¡¯t want me to tell my boss.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯d be a lot easier to know what parts to cut out if I knew who your boss was.¡± Isaac complained.


    Thomas shrugged. ¡°You win some, you lose some.¡±

 Chapter 45 Building.

    Chapter 45 Building.


    ¡°Time is a fickle thing.¡± Isaac commented while he reclined on the roof of the Safeharbor Adventurers¡¯ Guild. Edward and Lenny were sparring a dozen feet away. The clang of metal on metal echoed off the stone roof.


    Lenna rolled her eyes. The chair she had brought along sat upright unlike Isaac¡¯s shadow beach chair, her armored form barely fit between the armrests but she didn¡¯t seem to mind. ¡°You are far too young to be talking like that.¡± She chastised him. The last few days had gone by in a slow blur. Edward had decided to teach Lenny under the condition that he could also make use of the fact that Lenny didn¡¯t actually exist on any legal documents. That wasn¡¯t to say that Edward had any grand plans involving an off the books rogue but it paid to have friends in low places from time to time. At Edward¡¯s level, people were the best tools one could have in their toolbelt. Any other tools could be purchased without so much as a second thought.


    Isaac ignored her and continued. ¡°Days pass by faster and faster until a time comes when they go slower than ever.¡± He continued his nonsensical wisdom. The pair still hadn¡¯t had an opportunity to chat with Marie about potentially training Lenny but that wasn¡¯t exactly surprising. The only time when they would get to see her would be when they went to Sera¡¯s for tea and that was still a few weeks away. The V¡¯Nova Wexler bank account had also gotten both an influx and a few large deductions of coins. Between the magic items and drider silk treatment they would have gone bankrupt. It was a good thing they also got paid by the duke for all of their hard work. Now, however, the duo lacked a proper objective.


    ¡°It¡¯s all in your head.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Every day goes by at the same speed.¡± She stated the obvious. She raised her eyebrow in surprise as she watched Lenny parry a blow from Edward. The lad had been getting better and better. They were watching him improve in real time. This wasn¡¯t the first training session, not even counting the ones without Edward, for the young rogue but Lenna had no doubt that he was now stronger than his brother. ¡®Some people just need a good teacher and reason to push themselves.¡¯ She thought to herself.


    ¡°Maybe if you¡¯re a rob-¡± Isaac winced. ¡°Never mind.¡± He watched Lenny turn a parry into a perfect counter attack while fainting with his second sword. Edward had to step back to avoid the strike. Edward could have still blocked it with ease but he was scaling down his own speed to match the rogue. The fact that Lenny had made the Blade Master take a step back was still impressive for someone so low leveled. ¡°That was a good one.¡± He thought aloud.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Agreed.¡± She replied. ¡°We should find something constructive to do.¡± She told her mate. ¡°We¡¯ve rested long enough.¡±


    Isaac knew she was right. He sighed as he rose to his feet. He leaned back into a long stretch. He bent backwards far enough that he needed to use the shadows of his chair to keep himself from falling over. ¡°Yeah.¡± He agreed with a grunt while in the deepest part of his stretch. He straightened back up. ¡°Do you have anything in mind?¡±


    Lenna shook her head and stood up as well. ¡°Bounties?¡± She questioned.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Nothing better to do.¡± He agreed and then turned to face the pair still engaged in an exchange of blades a dozen feet from them. ¡°Keep up the good work.¡± He told Lenny. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt yourself old man.¡± He added for Edward.


    Edward turned his head to look at Isaac with a scowl. His speed almost doubled as his feet locked in place. He locked eyes with Isaac while parrying, blocking, and counter attacking Lenny¡¯s paired swords. ¡°I¡¯m not that old.¡± He told Isaac evenly. ¡°Your girlfriend over there is ancient history if I¡¯m considered old.¡±


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    ¡°Both are true.¡± Isaac agreed with a shit eating grin.


    It was Lenna¡¯s turn to scowl at him. ¡°Being called an ancient warrior is one thing.¡± She warned him. ¡°Being called ancient history is something else entirely.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go see what Alice has for us.¡± Isaac escaped and quickly appeared a few floors below the rest of the group.


    Edward¡¯s speed slowed back down as he returned his full focus to Lenny. ¡°Your boss is a pain in my ass.¡± He told the rogue.


    Lenny laughed even though he was out of breath. ¡°You¡¯re tellin¡¯ me.¡± He agreed before tossing Lenna a quick glance.


    ¡°Oh no, I agree.¡± Lenna replied to his silent inquiry. ¡°But I¡¯m the only one allowed to say that.¡± She told the boys without a hint of any emotion in her voice. She turned and started striding towards the door that led back into the building.


    Lenny and Edward were silent as they sparred until they were both completely sure that Lenna had left. ¡°Lenard, explain to me why you didn¡¯t make a break for it once they gave you those swords?¡± Edward questioned.


    ¡°Uh,¡± Lenny began between deep panting breaths. ¡°I owe them, a lot.¡± He replied. ¡°Like, a lot, a lot.¡±


    Edward shook his head. ¡°You have my sympathy.¡± He told his trainee.


    Lenny chuckled and backed away so he could catch his breath. ¡°You have, mine, as well, teach.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°I have good news and bad news.¡± Isaac told Lenna once she had finally joined him in front of Alice¡¯s desk. ¡°They are kind of the same thing so you are getting them both together.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Lenna replied. She was ready to get back to work but with the way Isaac was talking it was bound to be hunting-


    ¡°Spiders.¡± Isaac finished the thought that was running through her head. ¡°A phase-widow was spotted. There was a lower level party that lost a member to one yesterday. We¡¯ve been mostly focusing on the one side of the tunnels so we¡¯ve sort of created a difficulty gradient. There are still some normal cave spiders in a few locations but it¡¯s estimated that a little over half of the population is jumping-spiders. Now there are phase-widows. It¡¯ll be good money but, well, it¡¯s more spiders.¡± Isaac shrugged.


    ¡°Anything else?¡± Lenna questioned.


    ¡°Not close by.¡± Alice cut in. ¡°A dusk ranger dropped by earlier and informed us of a few other problems.¡±


    ¡°Dusk ranger?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Think of them like scouts that have magic specialized in stealth and monster tracking. They will occasionally handle the problems themselves but they get paid for information so mostly they are just an early warning system.¡± Alice explained.


    ¡°What are the other problems?¡± Lenna questioned.


    ¡°Pecurke, falling and raising shadows, shadow-wolves, basilisks, and snakes have all been on the move. There seems to be a rather large area that they are avoiding.¡± Alice explained. ¡°The Ori-Masa are causing an ecological nightmare and sending the monsters into a panic. Most of them are still outside of our local threat area so there aren¡¯t any bounties on them yet.¡±


    ¡°Nothing to wipe out the Ori-Masa?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Alice shook her head. ¡°No, they haven¡¯t pushed into our territory since the attack you ended.¡± She explained. ¡°The odd part is the fact that their territory is right up against the mushroom kingdom but apparently they aren¡¯t causing each other any problems.¡±


    ¡°Something is definitely up with that.¡± Isaac added. ¡°I wonder if their mushroomancer is in cahoots with the mushroom king or whatever he¡¯s called.¡±


    ¡°In the other direction, there have been more bandits than usual between Sapphirestone and us. I have a few bounties for them.¡± Alice added. ¡°None of this is day trip stuff though. Unless you guys want to take a job or two in town?¡± Alice questioned brightly.


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac replied firmly. ¡°Not unless it¡¯s something like ¡®read a book on the roof so it looks guarded¡¯ or something.¡±


    Alice laughed. ¡°If I find one of those I¡¯ll get my own badge and take the bounty.¡± She joked. ¡°So are you guys really going back to spider hunting?¡±


    ¡°I would prefer to hunt a spider with two eyes and two arms.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°To piss off her uncle, just so I¡¯m being clear.¡± Isaac frowned in thought. ¡°Speaking of, he¡¯s been oddly quiet since the failed assassination attempt.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll stay that way for long.¡± Lenna warned. ¡°I can feel his anger from here. It¡¯s been building. I am just afraid of how he is planning to relieve it.¡±

 Chapter 46 Ecological Hazards

    Chapter 46 Ecological Hazards


    ¡°These aren¡¯t that much harder to kill than jumping-spiders.¡± Isaac commented as he cut down another of the semi-ethereal assassin spiders. His sword was coated in compressed dark mana along the entire length of its blade due to the spiders¡¯ resistance to physical damage. Sometimes it took more than one swing to kill the monsters. Their ethereal nature made killing them in one slice difficult, especially when Isaac was trying to keep most of their corpses intact. Phase-widows were very valuable to more than just their resident crazed wizard.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t the one who was bitten.¡± Lenna commented. One of the spiders had managed to survive Isaac¡¯s first swing and got a mouthful of Lenna¡¯s shoulder. Her shoulder still ached. The poison had been almost completely burned away by her own healing and Isaac had kept a gentle stream of death flames flowing into her shoulder but some remnants of the hyper lethal poison still remained though they would soon be completely purged.


    ¡°I said I was sorry.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°My sword went right through it. It should¡¯ve died.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Lenna agreed. ¡°Why don¡¯t you fight the next few blindfolded?¡±


    Isaac stopped and actually started to give it some serious thought. ¡°I probab-¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Lenna cut him off. ¡°It was a joke. Let¡¯s just keep going.¡±


    ¡°I think I could actually pull it off though.¡± Isaac grumbled as he followed her down yet another tunnel. The tunnel system was utterly massive. Whenever he felt like he had seen most of it, the tunnels would just keep going. It didn¡¯t help that the spiders would repopulate empty areas if left unchecked. ¡°Where are they getting all the food necessary for survival?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°The ecosystem down here always feels like it¡¯s a net negative.¡±


    ¡°The drow cities, surface streams that lead underground, monster territory wars.¡± Lenna listed off the reasons.


    ¡°Ah, drow cities bringing in more organic material from the surface. That makes sense. The rest of it I had already taken into account but I still feel like there should be a massive lack of food in the Innerworld.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°There are plenty of farms.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°Mushroom farms mostly, some magical plants, livestock.¡±


    ¡°Livestock?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°I understand using city waste for mushroom fields, magic plants sort of make sense to me but I¡¯m curious as to where they get their physical matter from in order to grow, but what kind of livestock?¡±


    ¡°Nightboars.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°I think.¡±


    ¡°You think?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°That might not be what they¡¯re called in Overworld Standard.¡± She explained.


    ¡°What are they called in Innerworld Standard?¡± Isaac questioned further.


    ¡°Driderfood.¡± Lenna replied with a straight face.


    ¡°Drider food?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No. It¡¯s one word. Driderfood.¡±


    Isaac snorted a laugh. ¡°You¡¯re messing with me again.¡± He accused her with a chuckle.


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    Lenna shook her head again. ¡°I really wish I was.¡± She replied. ¡°Let¡¯s stick to calling them nightboars.¡±


    Isaac chuckled again. ¡°The other name is funnier.¡± Lenna just shook her head again. ¡°What do they look like?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a boar.¡± Lenna replied simply. ¡°Little beady eyes, long snout, longer whiskers, mostly naked.¡±


    ¡°So a five hundred pound mole.¡± Isaac surmised.


    ¡°Built like a house.¡± Lenna added. ¡°With hooves.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s disgusting.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°You seemed to like eating them for breakfast.¡± Lenna countered.


    ¡°Breakfast?¡± Isaac asked, his voice was almost pleading. ¡°You don¡¯t mean?¡±


    ¡°All of your bacon, ham, and sausage. Your favorite stew too I think.¡± Lenna mercilessly crushed Isaac¡¯s cherished menu.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve done this to me.¡± Isaac told her with a thousand yard stare.


    ¡°You asked.¡± Lenna reminded him.


    ¡ª


    ¡°The Ori-Masa are on the move.¡± Alice told the duo when they returned to the Guild Hall to turn in their spider corpses. ¡°We are completely cut off from Ben¡¯s End.¡±


    ¡°What about the caravan that was supposed to be returning right now?¡± Isaac questioned her urgently. Aria and Claus were supposed to be back in Safeharbor in around seven days by that point which meant that they were supposed to be three days into their return trip.


    ¡°Stranded in Ben¡¯s End.¡± Alice replied. ¡°There are enough surplus resources that we won¡¯t have to worry about it causing an issue for a few weeks but they will need to be dealt with.¡±


    ¡°An official bounty?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Alice nodded. ¡°Two gold for each Ori-Masa killed, one gold for each displaced monster causing issues.¡± She explained.


    ¡°What about the mushroomancer?¡± Isaac probed further. ¡°That¡¯s not an ordinary ugly fish.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have a good enough idea of what is actually going on on that front.¡± Alice explained. ¡°According to Court Mage Alexander there was mushroom magic involved but we can¡¯t be sure that it isn¡¯t coming from the forest nearby.¡±


    ¡°They are fundamentally different kinds of mushrooms though.¡± Isaac protested. ¡°Mushroomancer mushrooms are dark mushrooms, the mushroom kingdom mushrooms are light mushrooms.¡±


    ¡°I hope you know that that doesn¡¯t make any sense to me.¡± Alice replied. ¡°I don¡¯t think that makes any sense to anyone but you for that matter. We had this problem before, remember?¡±


    Isaac sighed in frustration. ¡°Listen, all that matters is that I am one hundred percent sure that they are different. They fish people and the mushroom people aren¡¯t overlapping at all right? That should make it clear enough.¡± He argued.


    ¡°If you can bring back the mushroomancer corpse then we can evaluate the threat level and pay you accordingly. That¡¯s the best I can do Isaac. Everything else is way above me.¡± Alice explained. ¡°Most of this is protocol and threat assessment from the duke¡¯s cabinet.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s all on the cabinet?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°The Guard Captain, Guild Master, Magistrate, Court Mage, and in some cases the Garrison Commander, and Duchess.¡± Alice explained.


    ¡°So a bunch of bureaucratic nonsense.¡± Isaac summarized.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know all of those people?¡± Alice questioned.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Yes. Which makes it worse, honestly.¡± He replied. ¡°Now if I complain about the bounty it¡¯ll be like I¡¯m asking for a favor rather than someone just complaining about an unfair wage.¡±


    Alice shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m just the guildie.¡± She told him.


    ¡°I know.¡± Isaac replied. He turned to look at Lenna. ¡°What do you want to do?¡±


    Lenna looked put on the spot for a moment. ¡°We¡¯ll finally get paid to get rid of the Ori-Masa.¡± She replied. ¡°Isn¡¯t this what you were waiting for?¡±


    ¡°Yeah but how much do you think we are actually going to make doing this? The price on this is awful. It¡¯s almost like they don¡¯t want it done.¡± Isaac replied.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°Then wait until they raise the bounty.¡± She advised him.


    ¡°Ugh.¡± A familiar voice sounded from behind them. ¡°If you complained any louder my sister would hear you.¡± Edward told the duo, mostly Isaac. He sighed. ¡°Raise it to five gold per Ori-Masa or displaced monster.¡± He told Alice and she quickly started drawing up a new bounty.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Isaac replied with a genuine smile. ¡°What about the mushroomancer? What if there¡¯s more than one?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll assign them a bounty level based on half of their Identified level.¡± Edward explained. ¡°So bring back part of their corpses.¡±


    Isaac gave Edward a mildly sarcastic salute. ¡°Understood.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Happy now?¡± Edward asked.


    Isaac continued with his genuine smile. ¡°I will be until I am covered in monster guts again.¡± His smile faded. ¡°What about those flesh ball things?¡±


    ¡°They are classified as ecological hazards until you can figure out what is causing them.¡± Edward replied. ¡°If they are created by the mushroomancer then we can talk about upping their bounty cost. If not then we¡¯ll talk when you get back.¡±


    Isaac shared a look with Lenna. ¡°We¡¯ll leave in the morning.¡± He told Edward and Lenna nodded her assent.


    ¡°Good. You should think about bringing rookies with you.¡± Edward added.


    ¡°Rookies are slow.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I don¡¯t want this to take all week.¡±


    Edward could only sigh. This was the price of having platinum grade adventurers living in his city. This was also the reason platinum grade teams were kept on a constant schedule. ¡°I would lik-¡± Edward¡¯s voice was cut off by the door being thrown open and a person Edward really didn¡¯t want to see again walked in.

 Chapter 47 Wanted To Kill

    Chapter 47 Wanted To Kill


    ¡°Edward! Where is she?!¡± The newcomer demanded. He was a bit taller than Isaac but not quite as tall as Edward. His presence felt heavy. It was immediately clear that he was a higher level than even Edward. He felt more dangerous than Fen but just as strong. Like a greatsword honed to a razor¡¯s edge. His hair was a dark graying brown that seemed to tint the light that touched it blue. His eyes almost seemed to glow with power and focus. Their deep blue was too dark to be natural. Something must have caused their change, most likely from a deep brown, to blue. He wore a deep blue tailcoat that was missing its entire right sleeve. The buttons were cheap silver and it lacked any special adornments. His right arm was deformed in a way that Isaac had never seen before. From his fingertips to just above his elbow was made of wood that seemed to be growing sapphire stones. Around his elbow was where the roots began. The very top of his exposed shoulder was perfectly normal but the farther down the arm the more dense roots became until they blended together. He had a longsword on his left hip and a rapier on his right.


    ¡°Master, please.¡± A familiar voice pleaded from behind. A certain human magical swordsman was trailing behind the first newcomer. It was a man that Isaac and Lenna doubted they would see again. The possibility was always present but it was more possible than probable. Afterall, the second newcomer was Eskahno Ravenborne.


    The man in question ignored his apprentice and marched up to Edward. ¡°Tell me where she is, Sasston!¡± He demanded of the Guild Master.


    ¡°Fable!¡± Edward issued the man¡¯s name like a command. ¡°This is my Guild Hall and I will have order. Do I make myself clear?¡±


    The man, Fable, stopped and took a deep breath. ¡°Yes.¡± He told Edward after a moment to clear his head. ¡°Yes. You will have your order.¡± He continued. ¡°Now, where is the woman who blasted my apprentice¡¯s body across the arena like a demon?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Edward asked.


    ¡°Because I am going to teach her a lesson. There is proper etiquette for dueling. I am going to enlighten her before setting her up with a date with the Reaper.¡± Fable explained with heavily restrained fury.


    Lenna was frozen. Her blood ran cold the moment she saw the half-elf man that had barged inside. Memories from half a century ago flooded her mind. It was her last raid. She hadn¡¯t gone on another since then and now she was on that man¡¯s side. Fable was exactly that, a fable. A story that proved that the drow military was not invulnerable. Half a century ago, a half-elven magical swordsman had taken on an entire drow raiding party almost single handedly. His wooden arm was harder than steel and if it actually took damage it would heal itself with nothing but ambient mana. Those that fought him would have to watch as any damage they had dealt vanished in a matter of moments. His speed was blinding and his magic was fierce. He wore no armor because the chainmail woven into the inside of his tailcoat was enough. No attack ever landed squarely on him. He was a wraith of magic and pain.


    Lenna knew him well. She was there that day. Her squad had been the one that he had torn through. The entire team had been between the levels of eight and thirteen. There had been nine of them, now there were only two. In order to resurrect someone the cleric would need to be able to perform the ritual in the location that the person died. Jallen wouldn¡¯t risk sending a high level cleric out into the deep tunnels to perform the ritual to bring back her fallen companions. The thing that most of those who knew of the story seemed to forget was that they had managed to repel Fable in the end. They had succeeded in completing the raid. Fable had made a tactical retreat with a few of the remaining members of the caravan. Fable had beaten them all mercilessly. Lenna had held the man that would have been her mate in her arms as he bled out on the cold stone ground. Neither she nor the man¡¯s brother could save her fianc¨¦. They were both completely out of mana by the time Fable had been driven off.


    Lenna had finally managed to start getting along with her arranged partner when he died. She had always found his brother to be more agreeable but he was not the one with the higher stats. V¡¯Nova¡¯s married to make strong offspring not for love or even comfortable companionship. When her squad had been annihilated Lenna had been devastated. Not because she loved any of them but because they had been the only people that didn¡¯t try to butter her up. To them she was just the person who directed the team. To them she wasn¡¯t the heir apparent of Contantis, she was just Lenna. Thinking back, they might have been Lenna¡¯s first friends.


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    Fable may have looked to be in his late forties but in reality he was in his eighties. He had started to take apprentices after a dozen years of being at the absolute pinnacle of what a mortal warrior could accomplish. At level twenty, he had stagnated a long time ago. He cared for his apprentices as if they were his grandchildren. He had never married. Some would say that he was married to the battlefield. It was where he had spent half of his life. That was no exaggeration either. Out of all of the hours that he had been alive, he had spent half of them with a sword in his hand. He was a hero, a living legend, and a fiery old man.


    Edward had been exchanging glances with Isaac as the Guild Master wasn¡¯t sure how to handle the situation. Normally he would have just thrown Lenna under the wagon. What she had done to Eskahno was unnecessary and if Edward didn¡¯t know any better he would have said that she deserved to go a few rounds with Fable.


    Isaac was still trying to come up with a plan of action while Edward took the brunt of the maximum level warrior in front of them. Right when he was about to speak up, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.


    Lenna¡¯s blood may have run cold but her core was the opposite. Deep in her chest, her heart, her core, her soul, the center of her very being was burning like a raging furnace. It wasn¡¯t a fresh anger. It wasn¡¯t a nurtured anger either. No, it was like the hot orange coals in the bottom of a furnace that had been burning nonstop for half a century. Maybe it was her broken oath or maybe it was an old unresolved grudge but Lenna¡¯s aura refused to be contained any longer. Her aura rolled out across the room and everyone stopped in their tracks. Esk tripped over his own foot as he backed away from her. He went down hard even as Isaac involuntarily lowered slightly into a stance that was a bit more primally aggressive. Edward tensed slightly but otherwise had no reaction. Alice fell off her stool. The other three members of the Flame Ravens had been sitting in the dining area of the Guild Hall and had long since stopped to watch the commotion. Now they were all standing with hands on their weapons, though none of them made a move to actually draw them.


    ¡°It was me.¡± Lenna replied. Her voice shook a little. Maybe it was from a long buried fear and anger, maybe it was from the massive dump of adrenaline that was forced into her system upon seeing the man, maybe it was in anticipation of what was going to happen next, or maybe it was a mix of all of the above. Lenna wasn¡¯t sure. What she was sure of was that she was going to fight Fable the Glinting Blade. Win or lose there would be debts settled that day.


    Fable pushed past Edward and stopped in front of Lenna. ¡°Do y-¡± He began but Lenna cut him off.


    ¡°I challenge you to a duel, Fable, for my fallen brothers. For my friends.¡± She told him. ¡°I¡¯ll meet you in the arena in half an hour. Write your will.¡± Her aura slammed back onto her like crashing waves. It hardened around her body, giving off a soft orange glow, as small flames danced across her silhouette.


    Fable stopped in place. His momentum had been completely taken from him by her statement. ¡°Very well.¡± He agreed. ¡°Half an hour, girl.¡± He turned and shouldered past Edward on his way out the door. ¡°Come child.¡± He ordered Esk as the young warrior was getting back up to his feet. Esk looked around. He saw Isaac¡¯s concerned confused face, Edward¡¯s annoyed one, his party members¡¯ interested looks, and he could feel Lenna¡¯s hateful gaze following his master¡¯s every move. He swallowed hard before hurrying after his master.


    Eskahno was equipped with normal civilian street clothes as all of his armor was in pieces. The money he had saved up was gone and now he owed his master twenty thousand gold. The resurrection hadn¡¯t been cheap. He still felt weak. His knees wobbled as he hurried after the old man that trained him. He had a thought while trailing behind the living legend: ¡®What am I going to do if he gets himself killed by those monsters?¡¯


    Isaac gave Fable and Esk a bit of a head start before turning to Lenna. ¡°Let¡¯s talk on our way to the arena.¡± He told his mate.


    Lenna nodded as her aura fully dissipated. ¡°Alright.¡± She glanced at Isaac but didn¡¯t meet his gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She told him in little more than a whisper.


    ¡°What?¡± Isaac asked, taken off guard by her apology.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She repeated a little louder.


    ¡°No, I heard you right.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°But what are you sorry for?¡±


    Lenna finally completely faced Isaac. ¡°I let my temper get the better of me.¡± She explained.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t care about that.¡± He told her honestly. ¡°I am more concerned as to why. What is your connection to him?¡±


    ¡°He is not someone I would want to be mortal enemies with.¡± Edward commented. ¡°Especially at your level.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to kill him for a very long time.¡± Lenna said aloud. That was closest to an answer Edward was going to get to the question Isaac had offered.


    Isaac nodded towards the door. ¡°Let¡¯s talk and walk.¡± He told Lenna. ¡°If you are really going to do this then you will need to have a clear head on your shoulders.¡±


    Lenna nodded and started wandering towards the door. Isaac walked up next to her and grabbed her hand. Her walking became more focused and steady in an instant. ¡°Thanks.¡± She whispered to her mate. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±

 Chapter 48 It’s Starting.

    Chapter 48 It¡¯s Starting.


    ¡°You never told me you had a fianc¨¦.¡± Isaac commented after Lenna had finished her story of how she knew Fable.


    ¡°We only ever fought. He was more like an enemy that I had to tolerate. We had finally reached a point where violence was unlikely between us when he died.¡± She explained. ¡°There was a lot of real animosity there, for a long time.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied simply but did not elaborate. ¡°I actually liked most of my other squad members.¡± Her voice was melancholic. It carried a deep, old, sadness. ¡°I would not go as far as to say that they were good people. But¡­ they were my friends, I think. I don¡¯t know if they considered me their friend. I didn¡¯t consider them, not until after they died.¡± Isaac squeezed Lenna¡¯s hand reassuringly. This was the most public affection he had ever given her. She had realized that fact halfway to the arena and decided that it was too late to be embarrassed about it now.


    ¡°Now, I know that you want to fight him yourself.¡± Isaac began. ¡°But, Eskahno will start asking questions if there is no hellfire involved.¡± He waited for a response but received none. ¡°I will leave it up to you as it is your duel but it might make things more difficult down the line if I don¡¯t give you a little help.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Is that an ¡®alright, I understand¡¯ or an ¡®alright, buff me up¡¯?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°This is already causing problems.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°We have other more important things to do than deal with my old grudge. If you helping me will lessen the trouble this duel is causing then I will not object.¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°That was an expertly worded answer.¡± He told her. ¡°Do you want the bare minimum to cause the intended effect or should I give you as much as possible without raising suspicion?¡±


    ¡°Whatever you feel is best.¡± Lenna answered unhelpfully.


    ¡°You are being difficult.¡± Isaac told her simply.


    ¡°I am trying to be the opposite.¡± She retorted.


    ¡°Lenna, how often do I ask you what you want?¡± He questioned.


    Lenna stopped in thought. She was silent for nearly a full minute. ¡°Only when it isn¡¯t something important or you are doubting yourself.¡± She answered.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put it like that.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I think¡­¡± His voice trailed off as he realized she was right. He really did make all of the important decisions without talking them over with her first. ¡®I guess that is how our relationship really started. But still, I feel like I¡¯ve just been dragging her around everywhere now.¡¯ He thought to himself. He shook his head to clear it as he jumped to another train of thought. ¡®She picks out her own clothes and meals which she would say isn¡¯t important but helps me pick out gear when I am having trouble deciding what would be worthwhile. That could be seen as me doubting myself.¡¯ He scratched his cheek absently. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He told her.


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    Lenna cocked her head to the side slightly. ¡°For what?¡± She questioned.


    ¡°For not talking important decisions through with you unless I am doubting myself. They involve you s-¡± Isaac¡¯s was cut off by Lenna.


    She shook her head. ¡°I told you before. You make the decisions. I cut things in half. I hated being squad leader. I have faith in you.¡± Lenna¡¯s voice had a bit more of its natural firmness back in it. She was looking better already just from having a good conversation with Isaac while they walked.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Isaac replied a little bashfully. Any bashfulness was gone in the blink of an eye though. It wouldn¡¯t do for anyone on the street to see him acting like a schoolboy getting a compliment from his crush.


    ¡°Give me as much of a boost as you see fit.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°My mind will be solely on the fight. I leave everything else to you. It¡¯s better that way.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± He consented. ¡°Also, I want you to know that this is important. It¡¯s more important than us rushing over to hunt Ori-Masa. Alice told us they weren¡¯t in any real danger at the moment. As long as we clear the path for them in the next few weeks everything¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Lenna nodded in understanding of his words. She still felt¡­ selfish. She felt like she was putting something as petty as revenge in front of the needs of hundreds of people. Revenge that was misplaced. She knew, in her mind, that they were just enemies who met on a battlefield. Some win, some lose. Some survive, some die. Thus is war. Fable hadn¡¯t targeted her team. He hadn¡¯t inflicted unnecessary suffering upon them. He was just doing his job as a caravan guard. They had just gotten unlucky. Just like how Aiden had just gotten lucky when he managed to break Fable¡¯s good elbow in exchange for his life. Even with knowing all of this, there was a thirst for vengeance that needed to be quenched. The door to the furnace of a grudge from years long passed had been thrown open and there was no closing it.


    Maybe, just maybe, the real reason for her anger was that she hadn¡¯t been strong enough to save them from him. Maybe, she had realized this fact a long time ago but had never accepted it. Maybe, she wouldn¡¯t actually try to kill Fable in the arena. Maybe, she just needed to be stronger than him. Maybe then she would be able to put the past behind her.


    Isaac and Lenna stopped just outside of the arena. Isaac let go of her hand as he turned to face her. ¡°Get out of your own head.¡± Isaac told her. He never thought he would be the one telling her that. ¡°Breathe. Focus. Fight. It doesn¡¯t matter who the opponent is. You are Lenna V¡¯Nova, my mate. You don¡¯t lose. You don¡¯t retreat. You only advance.¡± The serious look on his face faded away and he gave her a warm smile. ¡°I love you. Kick his ass.¡±


    Lenna nodded in reply and swallowed down every emotion she felt. She took one deep steadying breath and let everything fade away. ¡°I love you too.¡± She told Isaac and turned towards the arena. ¡°The V¡¯Nova way.¡± She whispered to herself. ¡°If force isn¡¯t working, you aren¡¯t using enough of it.¡±


    ¡ª


    Eskahno was watching the arena in anticipation. His palms were sweaty as he gripped the railing. His master stood in the arena with his good hand resting on the pommel of one of his swords. His eyes were closed and his breathing was steady. Esk wished that he could mirror his master¡¯s state. He knew that the woman who had bullied him was far stronger than someone at her level should¡¯ve been. He also knew that his master was at the pinnacle of mortal power. He was a maximum level warrior who hadn¡¯t lost a fight in decades. In Esk¡¯s mind, the old swordsman should be able to easily sweep the floor with the paladin. In his heart, he was afraid. Lenna had put a fear into him that refused to fade or be released. He knew that one day he would have to get over his fear of the woman. They were both platinum level adventurers after all. There was a decently high chance that they would end up working together at least once during their careers. He took a deep breath to steady himself. He wasn¡¯t even the one in the arena and he was covered in cold sweat.


    The paladin strode into the arena. Her royal purple armor was proof of the battles she found herself in. The paint was peeling or blasted off entirely in many places across her front. The magically enhanced steel was scorched black so deeply that no amount of soap or polish would be able to get rid of it. She drew her sword and it danced with orange and black fire. Esk¡¯s blood froze as that terrifying presence descended once again. The feeling of staring deep into the gates of hell seeped deep into his soul. ¡°Pay attention.¡± A voice said from beside him. Esk jumped a full two inches into the air. He thought his heart had stopped.


    ¡°Leave the poor boy alone. Your girlfriend traumatized him.¡± Another voice said a bit further back. Esk whirled around to see the Guild Master descending the stairs to stand in between the man who killed his brother and himself. Esk still wanted to stab Isaac in the throat but he now knew that his wish would never be fulfilled. Now that he really took notice, Isaac felt more dangerous than the Guild Master. Esk was never the best at telling what level someone was but the feeling he got from Isaac was like staring into a deep abyss and hoping that the abyss wouldn¡¯t look back.


    ¡°He picked a fight on her birthday.¡± Isaac told the Guild Master. ¡°He deserved what he got. It was also a good message for everyone else. No one has picked a fight with her since.¡± Esk swallowed hard hearing about his own death. Isaac made it sound like it was nothing more than a minor inconvenience. Like Esk¡¯s life and death was determined by his usefulness.


    Edward sighed as he stopped between the two younger adventurers. ¡°It¡¯s starting.¡± He told them and all side conversation stopped.

 Chapter 49 Limit Break.

    Chapter 49 Limit Break.


    Lenna strode into the arena and drew her sword. Isaac¡¯s death flames seeped into her even as they covered her blade. Her own mana and aura coated her sword in dancing orange flames. The death flames always seemed apathetic to Lenna where her flames seemed angry. Today her flames felt hungry. She stopped ten feet in front of her opponent. ¡°You kept me waiting.¡± Fable told her.


    ¡°We are two minutes early.¡± Lenna replied simply. ¡°You are impatient.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you used to bully my apprentice?¡± Fable interrogated her.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Do you remember me?¡±


    Fable shook his head slightly. ¡°No.¡± He told her. ¡°Should I?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± She said and stepped into a fighting stance. ¡°What matters is that I remember you.¡±


    ¡°Did you target Eskahno because he was my apprentice?¡± Fable asked as he drew his longsword from his left hip with his left hand.


    ¡°No.¡± Lenna replied simply.


    ¡°Are you always that cruel to your enemies?¡± Fable continued to interrogate her while clamping his wooden fingers around the hilt of his sword with his other hand.


    ¡°No.¡± She answered.


    ¡°Then why?¡± He asked his final question.


    ¡°Because I needed to set a precedent.¡± Lenna replied and launched towards the old swordsman.


    Fable jumped back while bringing his left hand close to his chest. ¡°Quicken.¡± Lenna heard him whisper as his speed seemed to double. Fable immediately went on the attack. Lenna predicted as such. Her sword swept in a tight arc that parried his first attack before she abruptly shifted her wrist to point the blade straight down. His second attack was blocked by what must¡¯ve felt to him like a brick wall. Lenna¡¯s strength was enhanced by mana and aura like. Her muscles were working at one hundred percent without fear of exhaustion or damage. His sword stopped cold.


    Lenna drove her pommel towards his chest but fable caught her wrist with his good hand while jumping back. Lenna¡¯s arm was so much like a structure that Fable was able to shove off of it to move himself out of the way. He was moving at over double her speed as he was already faster than her, yet somehow she had managed to intercept both of his first two attacks and make a counter attack of her own. Fable was instantly aware of the reason his apprentice had been tossed around like a ragdoll.


    Fable touched one of the sapphires growing out of his arm and his fingers started to glow. He slid his fingers down the spine of his sword and the blade started to glow a soft blue. A frosty mist started trailing behind his sword as he danced around Lenna. One, two, three, then four attacks were all intercepted with near precognitive accuracy. Lenna hadn¡¯t been able to launch another counter attack but she was blocking and parrying multiple attacks with one swing of her sword. It was as if she knew what move Fable was going to make before he made it. Five, six, seven, then eight. Now Fable was sure of the fact that Lenna knew what he was going to do before he even did it.


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    ¡ª


    Isaac watched the duel like a hawk. He didn¡¯t dare blink. Once the sixth one of Fable¡¯s attacks was blocked Isaac realized something. Lenna¡¯s movements looked familiar. He had been training alongside her for long enough to know all of the sword forms she practiced. There was one that had never made any sense to him. It made sense now. She had been practicing for this fight for fifty years. She had created a sword form that was unique to her. It wasn¡¯t a way to practice different attacks and how they flowed from one to another. No, it was her fighting Fable¡¯s shadow. She had memorized the magical swordsman¡¯s patterns during their first ever engagement. That day was seared into her memory and every move Fable had made had been logged and evaluated. Lenna truly was a different breed.


    ¡ª


    Fable realized that the only way that someone could fight him like Lenna, was if they actually knew what he was going to do ahead of time. There were two options: The first was that Lenna could actually see the future, the second was that she had memorized his patterns. The second option was less likely when divination magic existed but it was still possible. It was also the easier option to test. Fable abruptly switched fighting styles. He started feinting more and more and his attacks became more and more erratic. He stopped caring about efficiency and instead abused his massive speed advantage. Hit after hit got through Lenna¡¯s defenses. Out of fifteen attacks, nine were feints, two were blocked, four added new cuts in her armor. His sword couldn¡¯t cut her armor easily but it could still cut it which was a testament to its better enchantments.


    Fable disengaged and jumped away from Lenna. Lenna was surprised enough at his disengage that she didn¡¯t immediately chase after him. ¡°How many times have we met before?¡± Fable questioned her. ¡°How did you know my patterns?¡±


    Lenna launched after him and he dodged the attack by a hair¡¯s breadth. ¡°Once.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°I never forgot them.¡± She replied and continued to press the attack. She stopped blocking entirely and let Fable¡¯s sword carve new marks into her armor. She tried her best to make sure that none of his attacks would hit the same place more than once but it was a losing battle. Lenna knew this but she also knew that their mana reserves were about equal. Magical knights had less available mana than paladins by the nature of their classes but he was a higher level. Magical knights used magic to augment their swordsmanship. Paladins used magic with their swordsmanship. She also knew that the spells that Fable was using were far more efficient than her just burning mana to keep her strength advantage.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame you weren¡¯t one of my students.¡± Fable told her. ¡°You¡¯d be level twenty by now.¡±


    ¡°Come forth, ember of a dying star.¡± Was Lenna¡¯s response. Fable took a step and teleported to the other side of Lenna. Her fireball went off and threw burning sand in every direction. Fable was perfectly fine as he positioned Lenna between him and the explosion. What he hadn¡¯t accounted for was Lenna hopping backwards just as the explosion reached her. Her shoulder slammed into his chest as she flew into him from the force of the blast.


    Fable¡¯s incredible speed allowed him to go with Lenna¡¯s momentum and he shifted before Lenna could get a hold of him. Her hand caught air as he shoved off of her. Lenna stumbled as her feet touched the ground again and Fable stumbled back away from her. There was once again ten feet between them. ¡°You are by far, the strongest platinum I have ever met.¡± Fable told her as he drew his second sword. ¡°But it¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡°Hate, my sword.¡± Lenna began. ¡°Wrath, my shield.¡± She squared off against Fable once again. ¡°Flame, my armor.¡± They locked eyes. ¡°Fury, me.¡± Two rings of fire appeared above and below Lenna as she launched after him.


    ¡°Limit break.¡± Fable spoke and became a blur. He sidestepped Lenna¡¯s attack then drove the point of his rapier into the eyehole of her helmet while sliding the tip of his longsword up under her chin. Both blades scraped against each other before impacting the back and top of the inside of her helmet respectively. She hadn¡¯t even had time to react. It ended in an instant. One move at an unimaginable speed. In that one moment he surpassed even Isaac when he was burning through his reserves at five percent per second.


    Lenna felt the blades enter her. The pain was familiar yet strange. She had been stabbed, bitten, crushed, tossed, bashed, and even impaled. She knew what losing an arm felt like. She had broken more bones than she cared to remember. A dozen concussions and a hundred sprains had come and gone. Magic fixed the injuries but the memory of the pain remained. At least it was supposed to. She was having trouble remembering it. ¡®What am I doing?¡¯ She asked herself. ¡®Where am I? Why does my head hurt?¡¯ Her thoughts were strange and somehow they didn¡¯t feel like her own. ¡®Where did half my vision go?¡¯


    Fable ripped the swords out of Lenna¡¯s head and let her collapse limply to the ground. He stepped back and stared down at her. ¡°What a shame.¡± He said aloud.


    ¨C


    Isaac¡¯s eyes went wide as he watched the love of his life be overpowered in a blink. His heart stopped as two swords found their way into Lenna¡¯s helmet. The world went dark as she fell limply to the ground.

 Chapter 50 A Lucky Man,

    Chapter 50 A Lucky Man,


    Darkness and shadow exploded from Isaac in all directions. The shock of what had happened almost caused him to lose his connection with the death flames he was feeding Lenna. He appeared next to her in one breath as the shadows took him to where he needed to be. ¡°Lenna. Lenna!¡± Isaac called out as soon as he arrived. She felt mostly intact. Her body hadn¡¯t received that much damage overall but the area that had received the damage was the problem. Before he could even kneel down next to her, she started to stir. Isaac froze in place as a thought crossed his mind. ¡®If I feed her too much power now then the illusion of hellfire will shatter.¡¯ He glanced around. ¡®Fuck it.¡¯ Shadows exploded out of Isaac and formed a dome around him and Lenna as he knelt down next to her. He ramped up the power he was feeding her as her sword¡¯s fire finally went out.


    ¡ª


    ¡®Why did the world suddenly tumble?¡¯ Lenna¡¯s severely damaged brain questioned as her body dropped to the ground like a marionette with its strings cut. She felt funny. Something was inside of her and it felt nice. Like a warm blanket. Her body felt kind of cold so the warm feeling was appreciated. She tried to shift positions as she felt her fingers wiggle on their own. ¡®Ow.¡¯ Lenna thought as she tried to grab her head. The world suddenly went dark. That was new. The world shouldn¡¯t be able to go dark. She was a dark elf after all. She felt her armor start to pull her over. She let it roll her so she was facing up. The left half of her vision was all blurry. She heard someone saying her name. ¡®What? Who¡¯s there?¡¯ She questioned. Then all of a sudden, like a damn breaking, her consciousness came back in full. Lenna gasped for breath as she sat bolt upright.


    ¡°Lenna. Lenna talk to me.¡± Isaac said from beside her. His hand was on her back and his other hand was holding her shoulder. ¡°Can you speak? How are you feeling?¡±


    Lenna held up a hand. ¡°Wait.¡± She told him as she tried to get her bearings. ¡°Hold on.¡± Everything came back to her all at once. ¡®Limit Break.¡¯ She thought. She remembered the moment Fable showed her exactly how big the power gap was between them. All of her training. Five decades of fighting his shadow. It all meant nothing. He was just too strong. She was running out of time. She only had twenty more years at the maximum before fighting him would just be bullying the elderly. She needed to get stronger. She felt the strong grip on her shoulder and back. She turned to face Isaac, her vision in both eyes going blurry again. ¡°I lost.¡± Her voice squeaked.


    ¡°I know.¡± Isaac told her and let go of her shoulder so he could take off her helmet. She reached up with her free hand and helped him take it off. Her other hand still had a deathgrip on her sword but her chinstrap was cut in two so the helmet slid right off. He set her helmet on her lap and brushed away a tear. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± He told her. ¡°You¡¯ll get him next time.¡±


    The weight of the loss of her friends slammed back down onto her heart and it brought with it five decades of buried pain. The feeling of inadequacy at having lost a fight even though Isaac was helping her didn¡¯t help. She felt like her heart was going to flatten under the weight. Her throat hurt but she didn¡¯t know why. She hadn¡¯t even started crying, yet. She looked down at her helmet as a tear fell from her chin and splashed onto the sand caked steel. The paint was gone from where it had landed. She double inhaled sharply. ¡®No Lenna.¡¯ She told herself. ¡®Not here.¡¯ She let go of her sword and grabbed her helmet with both hands.


    ¡°Lenna?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with.¡± She told him as she slid her helmet back on. She sealed everything back up for later. She could feel all of those feelings later. Hopefully never but she knew that was wishful thinking. She felt weak. Her arms felt like they were made of lead. ¡°Can you, help me up?¡±


    Isaac nodded and helped her to her feet. He put her sword back in her scabbard and looked at her with concern plastered across his face. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He asked her.


    ¡°No.¡± Lenna replied simply. His concern was not helping her stay together. ¡°Get this over with so we can go home.¡± She told him.


    Isaac nodded. He took a deep breath and clapped his face. ¡°Focus.¡± He whispered to himself. He had been absolutely terrified when Lenna had collapsed. Once she started to stir he realized that there was no reason for it. As soon as they were out of sight he grabbed her and started dumping power into her to speed up the healing that was already going on. It was then that he realized that she might have survived even if he hadn¡¯t healed her at all. Her own healing had kicked in with even more fervor than its owner. His death flames had helped of course and with them they could be sure that she had healed up properly. He cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders as he let go of his control over the shadows surrounding them.


    ¡ª


    To say that Edward was concerned would be the understatement of the year. When Isaac had erupted like a shadow volcano he was afraid that Fable was about to be removed from the face of Primatia. The amount of power at the mage¡¯s disposal was beyond all reason and logic. Thankfully Isaac had just cut himself and Lenna off from the rest of the world. The cleric that had been on standby was waiting patiently from fifty feet or so away from the dark orb that hid the mage and his paladin. ¡°That could have gone worse.¡± Edward said aloud.


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    ¡°It could¡¯ve?¡± A voice asked from beside him. Edward jolted and looked over to see the adventure that had started this whole mess.


    ¡°I forgot you were here.¡± He told the magical knight honestly. ¡°But yes. Isaac¡¯s reaction could have been much, much, worse.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Esk questioned.


    ¡°Your master is still alive isn¡¯t he?¡± Edward questioned in return.


    Esk¡¯s eyes went wide and he swallowed hard. ¡®For the Blade Master to say that the Glinting Blade couldn¡¯t stand up to him¡­¡¯ Esk¡¯s mind trailed off as it tried to understand the implications. ¡°Just, how strong is he?¡±


    Edward watched as the dark orb broke apart and the shadows dispersed. ¡°Ask him yourself.¡± Edward replied and vaulted over the railing. He landed gracefully but his knees still hurt. He may have looked like he was wearing a toga but he was in fact still wearing his armor and the extra weight had not been kind to his no longer young knees. ¡®Maybe I am getting old.¡¯


    ¡ª


    Shadows drifted away as Isaac stood almost directly in between Lenna and Fable. ¡°I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve met.¡± Fable said calmly. ¡°But you interrupted her punishment.¡±


    That was not the way to start a conversation. Isaac¡¯s face went from a schooled neutrality to a barely contained snarl. ¡°I am the Lord of Darkness itself. She, is mine. You have won the duel. Leave it at that.¡± Isaac replied with a calmness that he didn¡¯t feel.


    ¡°She should experience resurrection for herself.¡± Fable pressed with his same perfected calmness. ¡°Now you¡¯ve just made it more painful for her.¡±


    Isaac was taken aback. People had talked back to him before, recently even, but he couldn¡¯t remember the last time someone had actually threatened him like that. It hasn¡¯t some drunken nonsense or someone¡¯s anger boiling over. No, this was a calculated threat from someone who thought that they were better than him. ¡°Sorry Len-¡± Isaac¡¯s voice was cut off by Edward and his eyes snapped to the Guild Master with a look that could¡¯ve wilted flowers.


    ¡°Now, now. The duel is over. We¡¯ve had enough excitement for one day. Let¡¯s all just call it a day and go our separate ways.¡± Edward told the two powerhouses that looked ready to tear each other in half. ¡°Right?¡± He asked and then looked to Lenna and Esk, who was trailing behind him, for support. ¡°Right?¡±


    ¡°He stopped the duel before it could be properly concluded.¡± Fable told Edward coldly. ¡°Now it must be done again.¡±


    ¡°I-¡± It was Edward¡¯s turn to be cut off by Isaac.


    ¡°If you want another duel then I will fight you.¡± Isaac told the legendary swordsman.


    ¡°No.¡± Lenna said barely louder than a whisper. ¡°Let it go Isaac.¡± She told him.


    ¡°Five seconds.¡± Isaac said coldly. ¡°It¡¯ll be over in five seconds and we can go home.¡± Isaac had no delusions about being able to win against someone like Fable the Glinting Blade without fighting quick and dirty. Isaac liked to play at being a swordsman. He liked to play at being an assassin too. It liked his role of being the demigod of darkness as well. There was just one thing that no one but Isaac and Lenna truly understood. None of those things were Isaac. Isaac was a dark mage. He had the power of death and shadow seared into his mana pathways. A power that was lethal to humans, most elves, most dwarves, most gnomes, lightfoot, half of the dragonkin, and so on. He wasn¡¯t going to fight Fable in a fair one on one. He was going to throw everything he had at the man in a display of power that would go down in infamy.


    Fable¡¯s jaw set at Isaac¡¯s declaration. ¡°If I have to go through you to get t-¡± He was cut off by the Guild Master. Edward was really starting to get on his nerves.


    ¡°Both of you. Go home. I am the one that is going to have to deal with the fallout of you two fighting.¡± He explained to two men. They didn¡¯t feel like men to Edward. He felt like he was watching a standoff between two dragons over something that he didn¡¯t even properly understand. Edward felt like the animosity was blown way out of proportion. He felt like both of them needed a cold shower and a nap. He knew that if the two of them went at it then Alexander would show up and it would be a whole mess. ¡°Please. Just go home.¡±


    ¡°I am willing to let it go.¡± Isaac said. Edward could hear the strain in his voice. It was clear that Isaac really didn¡¯t want to let it go but he was willing to because Lenna asked him. ¡°But he needs to back off.¡±


    ¡°I am willing to back off if you pay for my apprentices revival cost.¡± Fable replied. ¡°We can call this whole event a learning experience.¡±


    ¡°Like hells.¡± Isaac countered. ¡°I¡¯m giving you an opportunity to not meet the Reaper. I hope your pope is still here because no fledgling cleric is going to be able to bring you back.¡±


    ¡°Enough of this! Both of you!¡± Edward yelled at the pair.


    ¡°Please, Isaac. I just want to go home.¡± Lenna told him.


    Isaac took a deep breath and turned around to leave. He took one step towards Lenna before he noticed her eyes go wide. He knew immediately that it wasn¡¯t from surprise at him relenting. ¡®Fine.¡¯ Isaac thought. ¡®Have it your way.¡¯ He teleported backwards to the other side of Fable and then his own eyes went wide in surprise. Fable hadn¡¯t been going for him.


    Edward felt the tension snap as soon as Isaac turned around. He lunged towards Lenna while drawing his sword. His quickdraw technique carried his sword out and up where it intercepted both of Fable¡¯s attacks that were going towards Lenna. The two high level warriors seemed to freeze in place like one of the paintings hanging in the halls of the Arbencroft estate.


    Fable was shocked that Edward had stopped the attack. He hadn¡¯t realized that the younger warrior had gotten that fast. He noticed at the same time that the Lord of Darkness was gone. He felt pain in his arm similar to that time he was bitten by a snake in the jungles of¡­ He was getting off track. He felt an odd shift and looked down at his biceps just in time to see his good arm fall away and out of his sleeve. ¡°What?¡± Fable asked. His eyes moved over farther as they traced the hand that had grabbed his arm back towards its source. What he was met with was a pair of blazing silver eyes that seemed to bore into his soul.


    ¡°You are a lucky man, Fable.¡± Isaac said quietly. It was loud enough that everyone could hear it in the near total silence that was the arena. ¡°Lenna asked me to let it go. That is why it was your arm and not your neck.¡± Isaac waited until Fable blinked to teleport again. He appeared beside Lenna. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Before I change my mind.¡±


    Lenna nodded and started walking away with him. They could hear the cleric running up to Fable and fussing over his lack of an arm. ¡°Thank you.¡± Lenna whispered to Isaac.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why you didn¡¯t let me just get rid of him, but, you''re welcome.¡±

 Chapter 51 Take Them.

    Chapter 51 Take Them.


    ¡°I tried to save you.¡± Edward told the older warrior who was actively bleeding out without reacting. ¡°If you would have hit her with that he would have killed the pope to keep her from resurrecting you.¡± The poor acolyte who was trying to save Fable was shaking as she tried to close the open wound so that Fable wouldn¡¯t die while she listened to their conversation.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Fable questioned as Isaac and Lenna finally walked around the corner and out of sight.


    ¡°Death flames and shadows, I believe, that¡¯s what I have been told anyway.¡± Edward enlightened him. ¡°You would have a better idea of it than me. You¡¯re the spellblade.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t the court mage show up?¡± Fable continued interrogating Edward.


    ¡°He¡¯s used to it. I am almost certain that he has that man¡¯s mana signature marked as a natural event in the detection array.¡± Edward explained. Fable slowly sat down on the bloody sand. The blood loss was taking its toll but at least it wasn¡¯t pouring out all over the place anymore. ¡°Sit tight. I¡¯ll go get her.¡± Edward told Fable and left to go find the maximum level cleric Fable had brought along. Most of those at the top knew each other quite well. There were those who decided to settle down and become Guild Masters and there were those who chased after demigods as if it was an attainable goal.


    Esk watched as the Guild Master left before approaching his master. ¡°Master, what happened?¡± He questioned. He had never seen Fable get injured. He couldn¡¯t remember ever seeing the old man¡¯s blood before and he had sparred with people like the Blade Master. None of them had ever landed a hit and in an instant, one of the old man¡¯s arms was sliding out of his sleeve to whack limply onto the sand.


    ¡°Eskahno, stay away from them.¡± Fable told his apprentice. ¡°I won¡¯t be resurrecting you again if you get killed by them.¡±


    Esk swallowed hard. To be fair, he hadn¡¯t expected to get resurrected in the first place. He had never really considered dying. He had survived hundreds of battles and plenty of those had been near death experiences but Esk had never stopped feeling immortal. He didn¡¯t feel immortal anymore. ¡°Yes sir. You still didn¡¯t explain what happened. What did he do to you?¡±


    Fable shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± His focused expression softened slightly as he had an idea. A horrible idea but an idea. He smirked. ¡°But I might know how to find out.¡±


    ¡ª


    Isaac closed the door to their room behind Lenna and turned around. She was already struggling with all the straps and buttons holding her armor together. Isaac decided to try something he had thought about but never really tried. He grabbed onto his armor and pushed it forwards even though it was still on him. He walked forward through the invisible Inventory screen and the armor piece he was holding onto vanished. ¡®That could have been better.¡¯ He thought. He was really hoping that the entire set would vanish as he was imagining it as one piece but his demi-gauntlets and shin-guards were not connected to the rest of it directly. He took the rest of his armor off regularly before turning to look at Lenna. They hadn¡¯t said a word in the time that they had been back.


    Lenna dropped the last piece of her armor into the pile on the floor. She felt more tired than she had ever felt before. It was a tiredness that wasn¡¯t natural and it wasn¡¯t something Isaac¡¯s magic could wash away. She just wanted to sleep, maybe for days, maybe for years. She flopped face first onto bed longways. Her boots were still on and her legs from the knees down were hanging off the side of the bed. ¡°Isaac.¡± She whispered his name.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He replied and walked over to her. He grabbed one of her feet and bent her leg completely so he could see the laces of her boot. He slowly started taking them off while waiting for her to respond.


    ¡°Am I¡­ weak?¡± She asked him. She sounded like she felt small. She suddenly didn¡¯t feel like a three century old ancient warrior anymore. She felt like a lost princess in a foreign land who was just beaten at the thing that she was best at.


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac replied simply. When she didn¡¯t reply for a long few seconds he continued: ¡°Is a horse weak just because an ox can pull more weight?¡± He questioned her. ¡°Is the ox small because a bison is bigger?¡± He shook his head. He could see her one eye looking at him from its half buried position in the soft blankets. ¡°It¡¯s all just perspective, Lenna. You have seven more levels to go. Fight him again then.¡±


    ¡°I tried so hard.¡± Lenna whispered.


    ¡°I know.¡± Isaac comforted her. He tossed both of her boots into the corner of the room and sat on the bed next to her. He put a hand on her back.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t strong enough.¡± She continued. It was now time to let out all of those feelings she had bottled up and buried.


    ¡°I know.¡± Isaac said again and rubbed her back as he felt her shudder. ¡°Let it out, Lenna. You are allowed to cry.¡± With those words the final dregs of whatever was still holding Lenna together snapped.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Do you feel better?¡± Isaac asked Lenna when she woke up. Her eyes were itchy and she was still laying on the bottom half of the bed with bloody clothes on and blood on her face and neck.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She replied hoarsely. ¡°I think.¡± She said while sitting up. Her head was pounding from the movement. The blanket Isaac had thrown over her fell as she looked around the room. She finally got her bearings and decided that she needed a bath. ¡°That was embarrassing.¡±


    Isaac shook his head and looked up from his book at her. ¡°No it wasn¡¯t.¡± He told her. ¡°It was natural. It was something you needed to do fifty years ago.¡± He said, seeing right through her. ¡°You put it off for too long and it tried to devour you from the inside out.¡±


    Lenna nodded as she slowly got to her feet. ¡°Should I, have just forgiven him and move on?¡± Lenna asked. She felt like she should have. She knew that they were just on opposing sides of a war. Casualties happen in war. She also knew that it was half of a human¡¯s lifetime ago. It wasn¡¯t surprising that he didn¡¯t remember her. They were both very different people back then anyway.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Isaac replied honestly. ¡°Maybe, probably, but I can¡¯t tell you for sure either way.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unhelpful.¡± Lenna told him. She cracked a smirk at using what he said to her back at him. She knew that she deserved the comment most of the time when he said it but it still felt good to use it on him.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°I know.¡± He gave her a warm smile. ¡°Lenna,¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± She responded.


    ¡°We are all just people finding our own path through the journey of life. What may be a right decision for you could be a wrong one for me.¡± He began. ¡°I know that I wouldn¡¯t have forgiven him but I am an unsympathetic, cold hearted, petty bastard. I probably would have killed him in his sleep if I knew that he was stronger than me.¡± He shook his head. ¡°But you are not me. You have a warm heart that is capable of forgiveness. For you, it would probably be for the best if you forgave him and moved on. If you let the memories of your fallen friends stay bittersweet in your mind instead of painting over them with pain and bloodshed. But again, I am not you. The choice of what to do is ultimately yours and we may never know what the right choice is.¡±


    Lenna¡¯s eyes hadn¡¯t left him as he spoke even though his eyes were looking up in thought. ¡°I¡¯ll think on it.¡± She promised him.


    Isaac looked down and met her gaze. He gave her a warm smile. ¡°Alright. Let me know what you decide in the end.¡± He told her.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°I will.¡± She assured him. ¡°But right now I need to get rid of all this blood.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Okay Alice we¡¯re lea¡­ v¡­ ing.¡± Isaac slowly drug out the final word as he noticed the small army gathered in the area just in front of and off to the side of Alice¡¯s desk. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± He questioned. Esk and his entire team as well as Edward and Fable were gathered. Fable had his arm reattached, no small thanks to Isaac removing a chunk of it the size of his fist, and was resting his hand on his sword¡¯s pommel.


    ¡°They want to go with you.¡± Edward told Isaac. Isaac just blinked at him and then slowly panned his gaze over the rest of the room. Every face he met nodded as their eyes met save for two. Esk averted his gaze and Fable just locked eyes with him, neither one wanted to be the first to blink or look away. ¡°And I want you to take them.¡±

 Chapter 52 Get Ready.

    Chapter 52 Get Ready.


    Isaac looked at Edward like he was waiting for the punchline of his joke. ¡°He¡¯s serious.¡± The warrior with the tower shield and spear from the Flame Ravens said. ¡°We want to join you for the subjugation quest.¡±


    ¡°And you are?¡± Isaac questioned. The raven motif had tipped him off on why he was there but they had never been introduced.


    ¡°Mark, warrior, platinum grade adventurer with the Flame Ravens.¡± The warrior replied curtly.


    ¡°Just Mark?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Just Mark.¡± The warrior agreed. ¡°No fancy family name. I¡¯m just a freelance soldier.¡±


    Isaac nodded and then shifted his attention back to Edward. ¡°You are aware of the tension between most of those present.¡± Isaac told the Guild Master. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you are asking a little much this time, Edward?¡±


    Edward nodded. ¡°I am aware. I would greatly appreciate it if you took them along.¡± He told the dark mage.


    Isaac looked at Lenna and waited for her input. ¡°I¡¯ll survive. Business is business.¡± Lenna told Isaac. Something in her voice let Isaac know that she was being honest. There wasn¡¯t any false bravado to be heard. She might not have forgiven Fable but she could put that aside for the sake of the bounty. At least for now.


    Isaac nodded in response to Lenna and then turned his full attention onto Esk. ¡°What about you?¡± He questioned. ¡°You would be working with the man who killed your brother and the woman who scattered your body across the arena.¡±


    Esk looked like he wanted to explode and kill Isaac on the spot but at the same time he was too afraid to even meet Isaac¡¯s gaze or look at Lenna. He took a deep breath and steeled himself. He met Isaac¡¯s gaze for long enough to answer before his eyes darted to anything else: ¡°I won¡¯t cause problems.¡± He assured them.


    Isaac nodded again and looked at Edward. ¡°Do you think they can keep up? We set an extreme pace.¡± He asked the Guild Master.


    ¡°That is their problem.¡± Edward replied. ¡°They are the ones that want to join you. I won¡¯t ask you to babysit them. I would appreciate it if you could work with them, if they are able to keep up with you.¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Fine, but you owe me one.¡±


    Edward winced and glanced at Fable. ¡°Right, I¡¯ll owe you one.¡± He said to Isaac while still looking at Fable. Some unheard message passed between them and Fable nodded.


    ¡°Alice, maps?¡± Isaac said and strode up to the receptionist who was now put on the spot.


    ¡°Uh, yes, here.¡± She hurriedly replied and handed him a small stack of maps that could all be laid out to form a mostly cohesive map of the region infested with Ori-Masa.


    Isaac leafed through them and then handed them to Lenna. ¡°Thanks.¡± He told the receptionist. ¡°See you in a day or two.¡± He flashed her a grin. ¡°Don¡¯t work too hard while we¡¯re gone.¡±


    ¡°See you!¡± She replied and gave them a wave. ¡°Take care!¡± She told Lenna.


    Lenna gave her a small wave and smiled behind her helmet. ¡°You too.¡± The V¡¯Nova Wexler duo headed towards the door without looking back.


    ¡°That¡¯s our que.¡± Esk told his team. He was wearing a cheap set of platemail that automatically sized to fit him from the general store. His once boastable armor was destroyed beyond repair. At least he still had his flaming sword at his hip otherwise he would lose his self-made title of the ¡®Flame Raven¡¯. ¡°Everyone ready?¡± He received a mix of nods and verbal agreement. ¡°Then let¡¯s go. Make sure not to fall behind and embarrass yourself.¡± He headed towards the door and the rest of his team fell in behind him with Fable bringing up the rear.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Isaac touched Lenna¡¯s shoulder and then his own. A thin line of death flames connected them before it was shrouded in shadow and vanished from sight. He gave her a nod and they started towards the gate in a jog. The Flame Ravens and Fable followed behind. Isaac was nervous about letting Fable come along. Even ignoring his own feelings about the man, he was a security risk. A man that strong was not to be trifled with and there was no way that Isaac could trust him to watch their backs. To that end, Isaac wasn¡¯t planning on taking it easy with the Flame Raven¡¯s in tow. He was going to push them to their absolute limits and try to clear the mission area in as little time as possible. If he could make them be a burden for Fable that would be ideal. That was the plan anyway but whether or not that would be optimal was still to be seen.


    The team of seven left Safeharbor and headed towards the mass of tunnels that still had a rather large spider presence. That spider presence was much smaller than it had been but there were still enough of them for the area to be seen as a training ground of sorts for the local adventurers. Halfway through the tunnels they took a side tunnel and were met by a phase widow. The spider had died in an instant as Isaac appeared behind it already swinging his mana covered blade. With Isaac making sure that Lenna¡¯s armor was silent, the spider hadn¡¯t even heard them coming. The duo had been almost sprinting as soon as they had left Safeharbor and the Flame Ravens had already started to fall behind. Soon they would have to resort to magic in order to keep up.


    No sooner had Isaac finished cutting off the spider¡¯s head and tossing it into his Inventory had the rest of the group caught up. Isaac gave them a nod and continued on their way at the same breakneck pace. Lenna had no trouble keeping up with him as his magic maintained both of them at peak condition. Isaac and Lenna felt magic surrounding the rest of the team¡¯s boots during their brief interaction. It was clear that they were already using magic to keep up. Now, at least, they could hear their temporary companions a few dozen yards behind them.


    ¡°They are keeping up well.¡± Lenna commented. Her breaths were deep but not labored in the slightest as they ran.


    ¡°Better than I thought.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°Let¡¯s see if they can keep it up.¡±


    A few hours later Isaac slowed to a stop. He had been feeling the ¡®fuzzy¡¯ Ori-Masa for a little while. Lenna had been periodically checking the maps while they ran and sure enough they were on the edge of the Ori-Masa territory where it bordered the Mushroom Kingdom. ¡°Up ahead there is a small cavern. Water has been known to pool here but it is listed as toxic on the map.¡± Lenna explained to Isaac.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait for the tag-alongs.¡± He told her and started stretching. ¡°They feel fuzzy.¡±


    ¡°Flesh ball part two?¡± Lenna questioned.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Most likely.¡± He agreed. ¡°We have four casters with fire magic this time so it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    ¡°Some of them have been burning mana to keep up.¡± Lenna reminded him as the rest of the team slowed to a stop behind them.


    ¡°That¡¯s a them problem.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°If we run out of firepower I¡¯ll just move on to the next area and drag it along through the rest of the encampments. Worst case there is an apocalypse level monster that I can lead to Contantis¡¯s doorstep.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°What about me?¡± She questioned.


    ¡°We both know that it¡¯ll go after me. I¡¯m the king of monsters and it¡¯ll want the title.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°I thought you were the Lord of Darkness?¡± Lenna questioned playfully.


    ¡°The king of monsters bit is a side gig, Lady of Hellfire.¡± He replied with a smirk and wink. ¡°For now just sit back and let me warm up. Save your mana for part two.¡± Isaac looked back at the rest of the team. ¡°The same goes for you lot. Save your mana until the monstrosity shows up. Fire is the only thing that¡¯ll work on it so rest up while you can.¡±


    ¡°What kind of monstrosity is it?¡± Fable questioned. He was going to let Esk do the talking, as he was the leader of the Flame Ravens and he was just tagging along, but it was obvious that Esk wanted as little interaction with Isaac and Lenna as possible. If Fable hadn¡¯t talked the boy into joining Isaac and Lenna on the mission then he wouldn¡¯t have. Fable had argued that it would be a good opportunity to see the duo in action and get a proper read on their skills and abilities.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Just stay out of the way until it shows up. When it does, kill it with fire.¡± He said and started striding down the tunnel. The power he was feeding Lenna faded away as he gave himself a bit of a boost. Nowhere near his maximum but it was enough that he felt like a different person. He spent as much mana as he was generating on his boosting ability and drew his sword. Usually when he boosted himself he would be afraid of damaging the magically reinforced steel, but this time not only was he attacking soft targets but he also wasn¡¯t pushing himself at all.


    Fable frowned at Isaac while watching him start to leave. Lenna gave Isaac a twenty foot lead before she started following after him. The rest of the group took that as a sign that it would be fine to do so as well. They stopped at the edge of the entrance to the cavern just in time to see Isaac start to get to work. ¡°No further.¡± Lenna told them and they all packed into the mouth of the cavern to watch the carnage.


    Isaac was a machine of death. He moved like the Reaper¡¯s scythe. He only targeted their heads and hearts. Every attack was a sharp stab that ended an Ori-Masa''s life. He could tell that he wasn¡¯t really killing them. It was more like he was cutting the strings holding up their puppetted corpses. A dozen corpses were scattered around in just as many seconds. Soon enough there were a hundred bodies bleeding all over the once gray stone. ¡°Where is all of his mana coming from?¡± The elf sorceress, who hadn¡¯t spoken a word yet, questioned. Her pale skin and hair all but glowed in the pitch darkness. The human¡¯s present had all used potions or magic in order to see in the dark without the need for lighting. She could feel the amount of power Isaac was burning while weaving through the Ori-Masa¡¯s numbers and almost couldn¡¯t believe her own mana senses.


    ¡°He is the Lord of Darkness.¡± Lenna explained simply. ¡°It¡¯s dark.¡±


    ¡°That is a lie and you know it.¡± Fable interjected. ¡°I have met enough demigods to know that he isn¡¯t one.¡±


    ¡°Then explain what you are seeing?¡± Lenna retorted. There was a slight harshness in her voice that no one else ever received.


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Fable replied after a long moment. ¡°But there is no divinity in him. Maybe he is a monster that just looks human.¡± He said as the final Ori-Masa fell dead. ¡°Maybe a devil or a demon.¡± He postulated.


    Lenna¡¯s gaze snapped to him. ¡°He¡¯s human. I¡¯ve seen his Status.¡± She told him. ¡°He isn¡¯t a monster let alone a devil or demon.¡±


    To punctuate her point Isaac teleported back over to them. His sleeves and cloak were splattered with blood. He whipped his sword to the side and blood painted the ground next to him. ¡°Get ready.¡±

 Chapter 53 A Second One.

    Chapter 53 A Second One.


    ¡°Tunnel Horror?¡± Lenna questioned.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No. We got lucky this time.¡± He explained and looked back at the field of bodies and blood he had left in his wake. Some of the blood started to ripple. ¡°Wait until it starts grouping up and Wall of Flames around the gathering point.¡±


    ¡°Grouping up?¡± The sorceress asked.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± Isaac replied and crossed his arms as he waited for the mass of blood and bodies to start to move. The group waited with a mix of curiosity and trepidation for the dozen seconds it took for the blood to start noticeably moving towards a specific point. ¡°There.¡± Isaac pointed. ¡°Ring of fire, now.¡±


    The sorceress nodded and quickly cast her spell. A circular wall of fire erupted around the area the mass of blood was flowing towards. The lifeless bodies of the Ori-Masa were just starting to shift and roll in the same direction. The blood waves crashed against the barrier of brilliant heat and combustion only to vaporize almost immediately. ¡°How long do I have to hold this?¡± The sorceress questioned.


    ¡°Until it stops working.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°This is not a monster you want to fight. If it can be dealt with before it becomes a problem then I call that a win. I¡¯m not baiting it around for hours again.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just kill it?¡± Fable questioned. He was obviously fishing for information about Isaac and his skills but Isaac didn¡¯t care. Even if Fable knew that his power wouldn¡¯t work on dark creatures the spellblade had his reputation to consider. He couldn¡¯t just hire drow assassins or summon some monstrosity to kill Isaac. That would just be him admitting that he couldn¡¯t kill someone who was a lower level than himself in a direct conflict.


    ¡°I can heal it.¡± Isaac replied simply. ¡°If I didn¡¯t want it to die then no amount of your little group¡¯s fire spells would kill it. The same goes for Lenna. If I hit you with the same ability I am using on myself right now there wouldn¡¯t even be bones left. Want to test it? I¡¯ll hit Lenna with it first.¡± He offered.


    Fable was silent as he stared at Isaac for a long moment. The only sounds were sloshing blood, rolling bodies, and vaporizing fluids. ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡± Fable eventually relented. He flexed his left hand subconsciously as he remembered losing it the day before.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Worth a shot.¡± He said and turned around to watch the monster continue to kill itself on the elf¡¯s flames.


    The group continued watching for well over a minute before there was nothing left. Right when the sorceress was about to let the Wall of Flames fizzle out a small ball of flesh, bone, and blood rolled out of the torrent of flames. It went straight for Isaac. ¡°What in the nine hells is that ugly thing?¡± Esk asked.


    ¡°Lenna, burn it until it¡¯ll fit in a lunch box.¡± Isaac instructed and Lenna stepped forwards.


    Isaac tapped her on the shoulder to make contact so he could start healing her before she started burning her hand. ¡°Let my flames consume all before me.¡± Lenna said and held her hand out facing the rolling monster. Once it got within five feet of her she stepped forwards and kicked it. The ball was tossed a dozen feet back before landing with a sickening squelch. Most of its outer layers had flown off between the impact with Lenna¡¯s foot and the ground. By now it was less than six inches across from its starting two feet.


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    ¡°That¡¯s good enough.¡± Isaac told her and she cut the power to her Cone of Flames. He stepped towards it and crouched down while holding an empty ration container between himself and the monstrosity. It started rolling towards him and eventually impacted the inside of the container. Isaac quickly closed it and latched it shut before handing it to Lenna.


    ¡°Where did that come from?¡± The sorceress asked while eyeing the ration container. She hadn¡¯t seen Isaac get it from anywhere.


    Lenna put the container in her Bottomless Bag and took in their surroundings. ¡°Thin air.¡± Isaac replied and took one last look at the carnage. ¡°We¡¯ll repeat this in each location.¡± He instructed the Flame Ravens. ¡°This strategy will work until another Tunnel Horror decides to try and take a bite out of me. When that happens the rest of you will gank it while I keep it busy. My mana output alone will ensure it only targets me. Questions?¡±


    ¡°How did you know this would happen?¡± Esk questioned.


    ¡°It¡¯s happened before.¡± Isaac replied simply. ¡°I can feel the tiny dark mushroom spores inside of the Ori-Masa. They are infected by them and someone or something is controlling them through the spores. They will assimilate you too if you aren¡¯t careful.¡±


    Esk gulped, the sorceress paled, which was hard to do considering her skin tone, Mark frowned, and Fable looked at Isaac incredulously. ¡°And you just left monsters like this alone?¡± Fable questioned Isaac.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Isaac questioned back. ¡°I¡¯m only doing this because I am getting paid.¡±


    Fable¡¯s near constant frown deepened. ¡°What about protecting the innocent? What about the lives that could¡¯ve been lost?¡± He interrogated the dark mage.


    ¡°What about them?¡± Isaac retorted.


    ¡°Do you not have a shred of honor in your body?¡± Fable began.


    ¡°Not really.¡± Isaac cut in.


    ¡°What about your duty as an adventurer to humanity?¡± Fable continued.


    ¡°To get paid?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Or sympathy for the families of those that died fighting these monsters?¡± Fable pressed.


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t have that.¡± Isaac answered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t have what?¡± Fable questioned.


    ¡°Sympathy.¡± Isaac replied simply. ¡°Most of what you just said means nothing to me. You¡¯d have better luck talking to Lenna about honor, duty, sympathy and all that.¡± He explained and started walking towards the next area where he felt a group of infested Ori-Masa.


    Fable just stared after him. He had run out of things to say. Isaac¡¯s nonchalant attitude about people¡¯s lives and duty was something that he had experienced before but never with the same amount of severity. Isaac wasn¡¯t some random thief or mercenary who never would have amounted to anything anyway. Isaac was a man with enough power to be a real threat to humanity if given the chance. Fable was sure that one of the demigods would step in to get rid of him if he really did become a problem at some point but he was also sure that the casualties would be immense before they could show up.


    The group as a whole followed Isaac to the next area where they repeated the same strategy almost to a tee. This time however Lenna completely finished off the monster. Esk had been tasked with writing down the approximate number of Ori-Masa Isaac was killing. Lenna was giving him the estimations, so long as no one complained about that fact it would be fine, no one was complaining. Once the third section was over the sorceress stopped Isaac. ¡°Please, I need a break. We don¡¯t all have a bottomless mana pool.¡± She told the dark mage.


    Isaac shrugged and gestured towards Esk and Fable. ¡°You two are up. Switch with the girls.¡± He told them.


    Fable scowled but Esk nodded. ¡°Seems fair.¡± Esk replied. Fire was the name of the game so Isaac, Mark, and the rogue that always seemed to be forgotten about were useless once stage two started. Those three would only be useful in the initial engagement but as it was, Isaac was hogging all of the spotlight.


    Isaac stopped just outside of the fourth target location and frowned. ¡°Prepare for contact.¡± He told the group. ¡°Tunnel Horror. Back up and I¡¯ll drag it out into the cavern we just came from.¡±


    ¡°How can you tell?¡± Esk questioned.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t we been over this?¡± Isaac questioned back. ¡°I am the Lord of all that is Dark. I can feel their presence. It¡¯s close enough that it¡¯ll feel me when I start killing the ugly fish and I don¡¯t want to deal with both at the same ti¡­ shit.¡±


    ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Esk questioned quickly.


    Isaac frowned deeply. ¡°There¡¯s a second one.¡±

 Chapter 54 An Awful Idea.

    Chapter 54 An Awful Idea.


    ¡°Why do we need to fight them?¡± Esk put forth a very valid question. Tunnel Horrors were only a problem if someone did something to draw their attention. There was a reason most Innerworld residents went their entire lives without so much as hearing one.


    Isaac tried to come up with a valid reason a few times before stopping himself each time. Eventually he found one: ¡°Our whole battle strategy revolves around excessive mana use. How are we going to deal with the flesh monster without mid level fire spells?¡± He asked back.


    ¡°Oil.¡± Esk replied. ¡°We could just go back and stock up. When we get back we could just kill them all together and then spread a bunch of oil around and drop a match.¡±


    ¡°This is conventional adventurer tactics.¡± Fable explained.


    The sorceress looked at Isaac and Lenna incredulously. ¡°Have you just been solving every problem by throwing mana at it?¡± She questioned. ¡°I¡¯m a sorceress and even I know that that only works most of the time.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve used different tactics before.¡± Isaac replied defensively. ¡°Like when¡­¡± He was struggling to find an example. ¡°We¡¯ve had to do plenty of spy work recently and I have abused my ability to teleport and go invisible in the past.¡±


    ¡°How did you survive to get to platinum?¡± The sorceress questioned incredulously.


    ¡°I learned to go invisible at level two.¡± Isaac told her honestly. ¡°I can heal from any injury.¡± He lied. He knew that he could only heal from most injuries. He was completely sure that getting completely disintegrated was something that he would never be able to come back from by himself. He also doubted if he¡¯d survive getting beheaded while unconscious, or while he was conscious for that matter. ¡°We haven¡¯t exactly come across anything that can¡¯t just be cut or burned to death.¡±


    ¡°No one can go invisible at level two.¡± The sorceress replied. ¡°And, even if you could heal from any injury, what does it cost? How are you regenerating so much mana, really? Are you actually human?¡± Her barrage of questions caught everyone, including her teammates, off guard. She was generally a more reserved person. No one, that actually knew her, would call her quiet but she was rarely that talkative.


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel like explaining.¡± Isaac replied and waved her off. ¡°Also, set up in the cavern we were just in because I am going to lure them. There is no reason to let a monster like that run free according to our local double platinum hero of the people.¡± Isaac said in an increasingly sarcastic tone. In truth, Isaac just wanted to fight them because he really liked fighting. It was a hobby that he got to do for a job. He really had no reason to pass up a good brawl with a legendary monster let alone two at once. He was not however going to tell the rest of the team that and decided to throw all of the blame on Fable.


    Fable scowled at Isaac but complied. The Flame Ravens started grumbling but realized that Isaac was probably going to draw out the Tunnel Horrors regardless of their input. Lenna glanced at Isaac and shook her head almost imperceptibly. ¡°Battle junkie.¡± She whispered.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°You aren¡¯t trying to stop me.¡± Isaac commented with a grin.


    ¡°Could I?¡± Lenna questioned.


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    Isaac faced her properly and gave her a semi-serious look, there was still a hint of his recent playfulness but it was clear to Lenna that what he was about to say was not to be taken as a joke. ¡°Yes.¡± He told her. ¡°With one word. If you said no then I wouldn¡¯t and I know that you would tell me if you thought that it was actually an awful idea.¡±


    Lenna looked away. She was glad that her visor was closed so Isaac couldn¡¯t see her cheeks. His pure and total trust was worth more than any amount of pretty words to her. She felt her neck and face heat up and she was pretty sure that she was blushing slightly. She reached over to him and pulled his hood down over his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t say stuff like that with other people around.¡± She told him. The entire team had stopped a bit inside of a mostly empty cavern. There was plenty of dried blood and the scent of iron and burnt flesh was overpowering but they would make due. If any of the team had noticed their side conversation they pretended not to notice.


    Isaac chuckled as he shook his head. He fixed his hood and eyed the party. ¡°Mark, what weapons do you have on you?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Four spears including this one, two shortswords, four grappling hooks with iron chains, a spare tower, and a round shield.¡± Mark replied. The fact that he had added the shields to his list of weapons meant that he was more than confident in using them as such.


    ¡°Are they all enchanted?¡± Isaac questioned further.


    Mark nodded. ¡°Normal low level enhancements only.¡± He explained. That meant that the most Isaac could hope for was hardening and sharpening enchantments; he doubted if they would be enough for the Tunnel Horrors.


    ¡°Do you think you could wrestle a Tunnel Horror with me?¡± Isaac continued questioning. For the first time Isaac actually noticed genuine shock and bewilderment on the warrior¡¯s face. ¡°Do you think your spears will survive getting stuck halfway through them when they try to burrow?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Mark replied. ¡°To both.¡± He glanced at Lenna and then met Isaac¡¯s gaze again. ¡°She might be able to but I know I¡¯m not strong enough.¡± He shook his head. ¡°The haft on my spears would get crushed as soon as they tried to burrow, enchantments or not, they are made of wood.¡±


    ¡°Should we just try to pop the first one and then beat the second one to death like last time?¡± Isaac asked Lenna.


    She shook her head. ¡°We can bleed them out like the drider.¡± She told him.


    ¡°Tunnel Horrors are smart enough to run though aren¡¯t they? The first two didn¡¯t have much of a chance and the third one probably didn¡¯t realize it was dying to internal injuries until it fell over.¡± Isaac countered.


    Fable sighed. ¡°Tunnel Horrors are weak to cold.¡± He explained. ¡°When their blood freezes, their organs burst.¡±


    Isaac looked at Fable like he had grown a second head. ¡°So what, are you going to kill them yourself while I keep them busy?¡± He questioned the older adventurer. ¡°In case you forgot, you are here with a paladin who can only use fire magic, a fire sorceress, and a magic knight who exclusively uses a flaming sword. I don¡¯t think there are very many ice casters around.¡±


    ¡°I know an ice spell.¡± Esk cut in.


    ¡°I do too.¡± The sorceress added.


    ¡°Which one?¡± Isaac questioned like he already knew the answer.


    ¡°Ice arrow.¡± They both said in tandem.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°See, you¡¯d be doing it yourself.¡±


    Fable nodded. ¡°That¡¯s fine. My mana pool is full and it will be easy if I don¡¯t have to dodge them.¡±


    ¡°What spell are you going to use?¡± Isaac questioned. He really didn¡¯t want to have to use the Tunnel Horrors as cover so his ¡®teammate¡¯ wouldn¡¯t turn him into an ice sculpture.


    ¡°Final Frost.¡± Fable replied.


    ¡°You¡¯ll catch Isaac in it.¡± Lenna argued immediately after the words had left Fable¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°He can heal from anything, right?¡± Fable countered. He was starting to get an accurate idea of how to counter Isaac. Granted, he still wasn¡¯t confident in surviving a duel to the death with him but he definitely now had an idea on how to make sure Isaac didn¡¯t win. In fact he was almost certain that the duel would end in both of them dead if he played his cards right, not a preferable outcome but worth considering.


    ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± He assured Lenna. If Fable wanted to play games then Isaac would play them. Isaac just had to make sure he was better at said games than the old bastard whose name was literally Fable. ¡°Give me the Ocean in a Bottle. I¡¯ll douse them in water while I keep them busy. It should make this go faster.¡± The fact that Isaac called Fable¡¯s call of Isaac¡¯s bluff and then raised it actually took the old warrior by surprise.


    ¡°Good idea.¡± Fable replied after a moment.


    Lenna looked hesitant but gave Isaac the Ocean in a Bottle anyway. She tried to play off her worry with a joke: ¡°Just yell if you want me to Fireball you.¡± She told him. Isaac just smirked in reply and gave her a wink.


    ¡°Okay, give me some space. I¡¯m going to call them over and then we can get started.¡± Isaac instructed the team. ¡°I need at least twenty feet in each direction and make sure you are all behind me.¡± He sat cross legged facing where he had felt the Tunnel Horrors. ¡®This is actually an awful idea.¡¯ Isaac thought to himself. ¡®I know I put on a brave face for Lenna but I really don¡¯t want to lose a limb because it got frozen solid, or worse.¡¯ He rolled his shoulders as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. ¡®Here goes nothing.¡¯

 Chapter 55 Brace!

    Chapter 55 Brace!


    ¡°How long is this going to take?¡± Esk questioned aloud to anyone who would answer. They had been waiting for a few minutes already and Isaac still wasn¡¯t moving.


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be much longer.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°I¡¯m sure it would be easier for him to meditate if you stopped tapping your foot.¡±


    Esk froze and looked down at his feet. ¡°Sorry.¡± He whispered. It was times like then that Lenna was reminded of exactly how young most of the humans surrounding her were.


    ¡°Just be ready.¡± Lenna told him. No sooner had she finished her words did Isaac reach the final stage of meditation. The dark mana poured in his chest and out his back as his body became more and more like a mere vessel for mana instead of a human body. They lost sight of Isaac around the time he started to rise up off the ground from the pressure of the forming mana fields.


    ¡°What in all that lives?¡± The sorceress questioned in a whisper. She felt her knees grow weak. Isaac had seemed like an eccentric, prone to outburst, sociopathic, powerhouse who was obviously pretending to be a lower level than he was. What she was seeing and feeling at that moment shattered that notion entirely. She had been in the presence of meditating archmages before. They were like children compared to Isaac. It was the difference between a small brook and a river. She had thought that the archmages were the pinnacle of what could be achieved. She had learned from them and mastered a dozen fire spells and a handful of additional utility ones but she felt like the most she could do was pretend to be a mage. What Isaac was showing her was what true mastery of one¡¯s element looked like. She was a sorcerer blessed with a strong connection to fire and heat but he was truly in command of death and shadow. ¡°He wasn¡¯t kidding.¡± She whispered as his self proclaimed title rang out in her mind.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I wanted to fight that.¡± Esk added.


    ¡°He¡¯s going to be calling them from miles around!¡± Fable yelled to snap everyone out of their stupor and/or reverence. ¡°Prepare for contact!¡±


    ¡ª


    The blank canvas of mana was as comforting as it was all encompassing. The cool breeze on a hot day and the warm blanket on a cold night. The comfort of a familiar embrace. This is what Isaac was so completely absorbed in that he forgot the reason why he was meditating in the first place. A muffled voice prodded the edges of his consciousness. He had the vague feeling of something important going on but the mana felt too nice. The voice continued and then he felt the familiar and irritating sense of something approaching him. It was dark but not nearly as dark as him. It was also¡­ wrong. It was devouring mana on its way to him. Isaac wouldn¡¯t have cared if it had left the dark mana alone. That was his and it wasn¡¯t allowed to eat it. A tinge of childlike irritation quickly grew into an overwhelming indignant fury. He felt like a child and someone had just yanked his favorite toy out of his hands. His eyes flew open not at the realization of the planned fight, nor from Fable¡¯s yelling and ordering the Flame Ravens around, but instead from the sheer irritation of having something taken from him.


    The mana continued flowing through Isaac for a few seconds after his eyes had opened. His mind was still trying to turn back on as his eyes were fed nothing but blackness as sensory input. It took a moment for him to fully reawaken from his meditation. A moment that the Tunnel Horror used to get as close as possible to the biggest feast it had ever felt.


    ¡ª


    The team watched as all of the flowing dark mana abruptly turned into hardened shadows and flew forwards. What it revealed was a levitating Isaac who was being held up by the shadows still clinging to him. He was yanked to the side by the shadows as a gaping maw of thousands of teeth became visible. Isaac was controlling enough shadows to pack their room at the Celestial Dawn full to the ceiling. They had latched onto his quarry and used the monster as an anchor point to move their master out of harm¡¯s way. ¡°Esk, Fina, fire!¡± Fable ordered as he held his ground. He had to wait until both of the Tunnel Horrors were together to start casting but the other two could start slowing down the first one in the meantime.


    ¡ª


    Isaac heaved with everything he had. His head was already hurting from controlling so much power at once but he couldn¡¯t keep the grin from his face. His feet planted on the back of the Tunnel Horror as its head was forced up into the air from the shadows clamped around it like a fat collar. ¡®Who collars a worm?¡¯ Isaac jokingly questioned himself. The worm had come from almost directly in front of him. It had been traveling at a slight incline but now its head was pointing straight up. Its momentum halted as its trajectory was no longer its own to decide.


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    Isaac felt the second one coming at him at almost the same angle that the first one had come from. ¡®I wonder if they can eat each other?¡¯ He questioned and jumped up into the air right as the second one passed through the space he had just occupied. The second one was far smaller than the first. The first one was an impressive eight feet wide at the mouth where the second was only four. The second one impacted the first perpendicularly and its moment was instantly halted. The world seemed to freeze in place as Isaac took in the moment. His feet were only two feet above the smaller Tunnel Horror¡¯s back and his face was five feet away from the larger one. It was at that moment that Isaac had another one of his famously awful ideas.


    ¡ª


    Lenna watched in horror as her favorite mage in the entire world landed on the back of a monster known for devouring mages. Not only did he land on its back but he was also grinning like a madman. When the shadows that had been manhandling the first Tunnel Horror moved and wrapped around the smaller one she realized exactly what was going through his head. She didn¡¯t know if she should yell at him, cry, or laugh at the insanity. Sometimes he really did have the worst ideas. If she didn¡¯t know any better she would think he was trying to make her age as fast as he was. Her mind was made up for her a moment later.


    The Tunnel Horrors started to flail and wiggle as they tried to orient on Isaac. Much to their annoyance he was at an impossible angle for both of them. The larger of the two decided that it would just finish its forced rotation and come down at him from above. The smaller of the two tried to shake from side to side in order to knock Isaac free of its back. Lenna couldn¡¯t help but chuckle along with Isaac¡¯s laughter that broke out as he yanked the smaller one to the side hard enough that the larger one skipped off its other side. It had missed Isaac by a foot at best but he looked like he was having the time of his life.


    ¡ª


    ¡®What in all of the hells am I watching?¡¯ Esk mentally questioned as he fired off his second Ice Arrow. The projectile impacted the larger worm and forced all of its heat lowering magic into the monster with little fanfare. Isaac¡¯s laugh sounded like it came from a mad wizard who had just created a world ending spell. It was deep and dark and full of an elation that didn¡¯t match their current circumstances. ¡®There is no way that he is human.¡¯


    ¡ª


    Isaac got a good look at the damage one Tunnel Horror could do to another one on their third collision. The chitinous plating on the smaller Tunnel Horror was worn completely through at one specific point. It was the place where the larger one¡¯s mouth had directly made contact. They seemed to have an incredibly high resistance to their own disintegration magics but they were not quite immune. This meant that the smaller one was bound to die first as Isaac tried to tie them into knots with each other¡¯s bodies but it was unlikely that the large one was going to die as well. There would be plenty of places with weakened armor that could be exploited though so maybe they wouldn¡¯t need Fable to freeze them both to death. ¡®Wait, wasn¡¯t I supposed to be doing something to help him?¡¯ Isaac questioned himself. ¡®Oh yeah, I forgot about that.¡¯ He thought as he pulled the Ocean in a Bottle out and turned it upside down.


    Water glugged out of the Ocean in a Bottle at an astonishing rate. The water rolled off of the shadows and chitin alike but the ground that they kept carving through was quickly covered in it. ¡°Ready when you are!¡± Isaac called out to Fable. The old man was sure taking his sweet time getting ready to cast his spell.


    ¡°Brace!¡± Isaac heard Lenna yell right before the temperature dropped. A freezing fog passed right by him.


    Isaac¡¯s mount continued on its course and Isaac got a quick look at the spell Fable was using. There was a massive glowing light blue sigil floating in the air in front of the spellblade. It was the most flashy starting point for any spell Isaac had seen to date. Behind the four concentric circles that each held a square perfectly within their borders there were four balls of magic. One was a green orb of air that focused air through the middle of the sigil. One was a Blue orb of water that sent a jetstream into the middle of the sigil as well only for it to be blasted into a focused mist by the first orb. The third was a green orb that Isaac felt the color of more than saw it and it seemed to send some kind of energy into the mist stream. That was probably why the mist wasn¡¯t slowing regardless of how much ground it covered as Fable was twenty feet away and the mist was still going strong. The fourth was similar to the third but it was blue instead of green. This one¡¯s effect was obvious. It stole the heat from the mist instantly. Inside of the mist small ice shards formed and were blasted forwards at the same speed as the frozen mist.


    Isaac finally had to let go of his unwilling mount as he teleported to the opposite side of the larger Tunnel Horror. The brief bit of cold he had received from just being close to the mist had left his joints aching and teeth chattering. Isaac danced, wove, and teleported around the Tunnel Horrors for around two dozen seconds before the smaller one snapped and shuttered before collapsing to the ground with a resounding thud. It continued twitching as Fable continued to pour on the cold. The larger one realized what was happening to them and tried to orient itself on Fable to get rid of him when all of a sudden a massive surge of power drew its attention.


    Isaac realized that they were close to the end so he wasn¡¯t going to hold back. He focused all of his power inwards as he started boosting himself as much as he could. It was just in time too because he watched as the larger Tunnel Horror switched focus to Fable and then abruptly back to him. It was only a matter of time before Fable¡¯s magic finished off the larger worm as well. Isaac jumped back as the Tunnel Horror¡¯s maw tore through the stone he had just been standing on. He had to teleport back unto the ground directly under the monster¡¯s gaping maw or else he would have been devoured by it. The monster¡¯s reaction time was truly insane for something so large. It had immediately locked onto him once his first teleport was over. Isaac braced as best as he could and uppercutted the underside of the monster. He heard something crack and something else shatter as his boost reached its climax. He was on a thirty second timer and he was going to try and make the most of it.


    Isaac followed his uppercut up with two more as the monster¡¯s momentum was interrupted by the force of Isaac¡¯s punches rippling through its body. After the seventh hit the monster stopped struggling and Isaac teleported away to get a good look at the situation. It¡¯s massive frame slammed onto the ground hard enough to knock stone dust from the ceiling and shatter the ice that was covering half of the cavern¡¯s floor. Isaac felt the smaller Tunnel Horror finally perish and he could feel the larger one following suit.


    While burning with more power than any mortal sorcerer or wizard would ever be able to wield, Isaac took in the battlefield. Half of the cavern was covered in a thick layer of ice. The only reason he wasn¡¯t covered in ice as well was because of the shadows covering most of him. The Tunnel Horrors looked like they had been pulled out of a snowstorm as the frozen mist continued to collect on them in the form of a mix of ice and snow. Fable finally cut the power to his spell and the two shared a nod. Neither particularly liked each other but they had done good work all in all. Who knew if it would continue. Some hoped it would while others wished it wouldn¡¯t. Only time would tell which would be the case.

 Chapter 56 Traveling Magic

    Chapter 56 Traveling Magic


    ¡°Isaac!¡± Lenna called while jogging over to him. ¡°Are you alright?¡± She questioned quietly. She could see the ice coating his boots and he was unconsciously flexing his fingers like he was trying to regain feeling in them. His nose and hands were bright red from his body trying its best to keep them from getting frostbite. She grabbed his hands in hers and started feeding him a gentle trickle of her healing magic. The taint of her broken oath made it actually hot instead of just feeling warm like most healers.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He replied and both of them watched his foggy breath fade away. ¡°Just a bit cold. Nothing I can¡¯t handle. I can heal from anything, remember.¡±


    Lenna shook her head almost imperceptibly. ¡°How are you, really?¡± She asked in a whisper that she knew even he would have trouble hearing let alone anyone else in the cavern.


    ¡°Hypothermia is almost gone. Just keep warming me up and my magic will do the rest.¡± He told her. ¡°All of my exposed skin feels like it¡¯s on fire but I¡¯ll survive. My head was getting a little foggy there at the end.¡±


    ¡°Through your healing?¡± Lenna questioned and Isaac replied with a quick nod. Lenna fixed him with her intense gaze with enough severity that his eyes subconsciously locked with hers. He had been glancing around at the battlefield while talking to her but not anymore. ¡°You knew this would happen.¡± She told him. It wasn¡¯t an accusation but a statement. She knew that Isaac had foreseen the risk of actually getting frozen to death as soon as Fable had mentioned using ice magic. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you offer another solution?¡± She asked but she already knew the answer. The answer to her question was that Isaac was too stubborn to back down from anything. He always had to feel like he was the strongest person in the world. The hypocritical part was that the one time he had truly believed that he was, he had gotten all broody and melodramatic on her. It seemed to Lenna that he was afraid of actually attaining what he claimed and strove for.


    Fable ended up saving Isaac as he approached and eyed Isaac skeptically. ¡°Cold?¡± He questioned. The temperature in the cavern had dropped to below freezing but was steadily warming back up. The surge of wind and cold air courtesy of Fable¡¯s spell had started a draft that was bringing in warm air from the tunnel ahead of them as it was on a slight incline.


    ¡°A bit.¡± Isaac told Fable honestly and then immediately changed the subject: ¡°That spell, I had only heard about it in passing before, what level was it?¡±


    ¡°Fourth.¡± Fable answered.


    ¡°There is no way that a spell that powerful is only on par with Wall of Flames.¡± Isaac replied skeptically.


    Fable nodded. ¡°You are right.¡± He agreed. ¡°The drawbacks are why no one uses it.¡±


    ¡°Drawbacks?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°If I moved even an inch the spell would¡¯ve broken. Usually spells are designed to use up more power than strictly necessary to help them maintain form and function in combat.¡± Fable began. His decades of being an instructor temporarily overriding his memory of who he was talking to. ¡°Without any of the bits that keep the spell stable, Final Frost can be disrupted or even dispelled entirely by a kid with a rock. Every part of the spell is out in the open and vulnerable. Truly a useless and impractical spell.¡±


    ¡°That you just happened to have on hand?¡± Isaac prodded.


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    Fable actually smirked at Isaac without trying to be demeaning or pick a fight. ¡°It was the spell that made me want to learn magic. I was so excited once I was finally able to cast it that I didn¡¯t care about how impractical it is.¡± He explained and then seemed to remember he was talking to Isaac and not one of his students or his apprentice. ¡°We should rest.¡± He told Isaac, back to business with no room for pleasantries. ¡°Fina and Lenna are almost empty. I am down to half and Esk is not much better. Mark and Shy are fine but, according to you, you three are not capable of handling the flesh monster.¡±


    Isaac nodded in agreement. ¡°We need to back up farther though.¡± He began. ¡°The Ori-Masa are on the move. There is no way that whoever is controlling them is just going to keep sitting by while we wipe out his army.¡±


    ¡°On the move, how?¡± Fable questioned.


    ¡°It feels like they are congregating in the next cavern that we were going to hit. They have been trickling in from almost every direction for the past few minutes. If we go now then we can catch them before they are properly prepared.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°From what you told me though, we won¡¯t have enough fire to deal with them.¡±


    Fable nodded. ¡°If there is more than double what was in the last cavern then it would be a recipe for disaster.¡± Fable agreed.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°If only it was triple what was in the last cavern.¡± He laughed. ¡°It¡¯s a gods damned new years festival.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°There has to be over three hundred of them already and the number just keeps rising.¡±


    ¡°Do you know if their leader is there?¡± Fable questioned.


    Isaac looked like he wanted to say yes but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to actually say it. If Lenna hadn¡¯t been still holding his hands he would have tilted one of them back and forth in the ¡®so-so¡¯ gesture. ¡°It¡¯s a whole mess over there. When we were closer I thought I felt an area that was more¡­ dense, I guess. Yeah, let¡¯s call it ¡®dense¡¯.¡± Isaac continued. ¡°It could have been the leader or it could have been three kobolds in a trenchcoat. There¡¯s just too much input to get a good reading.¡±


    Fable nodded in understanding. ¡°Edward told me your senses were accurate but odd. I am glad to see that he was right.¡± Fable gave Isaac the closest thing to a compliment Isaac figured he would ever receive from the man.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Isaac replied. He knew when to take a win when he got it. ¡°How long will the casters need to rest?¡± He asked Fable.


    ¡°As long as possible.¡± Fable replied. ¡°Five hours of deep meditation would be preferred.¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Out of the question.¡± He told Fable bluntly. ¡°The Ori-Masa could start moving in five seconds or five minutes. We might be lucky and they¡¯ll try to play defense.¡± He offered. ¡°But that will make taking them out all the harder.¡± He shook his head. ¡°And that is assuming they don¡¯t get impatient and just come after us anyway.¡±


    Fable frowned, he knew that Isaac was right, he also knew what the right course of action was in that situation. ¡°We should head back to Safeharbor and come at it again tomorrow, preferably with more people.¡± Fable advised. ¡°Continuing on like this is too risky.¡±


    Isaac sighed and looked around the cavern and focused in on the sorceress, Fina according to Fable, and Esk. ¡°Do you think your aura would hold out for plan ¡®make it Jallen¡¯s problem¡¯?¡± Isaac asked Lenna.


    She gave him a look that even through her closed faceplate screamed: ¡®If I could beat the insanity out of your head, I would.¡¯ Isaac¡¯s eyes went wide and he went to raise his hands in defense but they were still in her grasp. ¡°You should be warmed up enough now.¡± She told him without answering his question. ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t overheat you.¡± She let go of his hands and shook her head at him.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s pull out.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°We can take another crack at this tomorrow. We are far enough from Ben¡¯s End that it shouldn¡¯t be an issue.¡± Isaac frowned as he realized something. ¡°Fable, how did those kids keep up with us?¡±


    Fable looked at Isaac quizzically with a hint of surprise. ¡°Kids?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°Esk and¡­ Fina, I think you called her.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Mark looks like the kind of guy who goes on fifty mile runs in full gear to stay in shape. The rogue, whatever their name is, is a complete unknown so who¡¯s to say either way. You are too old and stubborn to let a long run slow you down.¡± Isaac shook his head while still staring at Esk. ¡°But no matter how I think about it, he should have run out of¡­ I don¡¯t know, mana? Stamina?¡±


    ¡°When we arrived at the first location he was quite worn out, as was Fina.¡± Fable agreed. ¡°We used traveling magic to keep up with you. It was more like a slow run than a sprint for the entire time.¡±


    ¡°How does that work exactly?¡± Isaac questioned. Magic that made traveling long distances easier was something Isaac dearly wished he could use.


    ¡°I am not explaining the spatial distortion and magically forced applications of physics to you.¡± Fable replied. ¡°Can we go now?¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t see why not. I kind of feel bad for the non-magical folks though.¡± He added and nodded towards Mark and the rogue, Shy as Fable referred to them.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t been an adventurer for very long.¡± Fable commented. ¡°Doing a lot of nothing is normal.¡±

 Chapter 57 Just A Mage.

    Chapter 57 Just A Mage.


    Isaac, Lenna, Fable, and the Flame Ravens headed back towards Safeharbor at much more measured pace than their trip out. They still hadn¡¯t decided if they were actually going to go the whole way back or just find a good place to rest for a few hours. As such they were just going back the way they had come from in what amounted to a fast walk. ¡°Isaac.¡± Lenna said to get his attention. ¡°Your boost is still active.¡± She reminded him.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to see where my mental limit is. It takes some amount of concentration to keep it active but most of the mental load is only while I¡¯m moving.¡± He explained. ¡°Actually thinking about every muscle as I am moving is a pain but it¡¯s doable for a while. I am also kind of hoping that maybe eventually I¡¯ll be able to do this without paying attention to it directly.¡±


    ¡°Like muscle memory?¡± Lenna questioned.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°Why did you bring it up though?¡± He asked.


    Lenna nodded back over her shoulder and Isaac stole a glance to see what she meant. ¡°They¡¯ve been giving you a wide berth.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Does it really feel that disconcerting?¡± Isaac wondered.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Imagine you are standing on the edge of a cliff.¡± She began. ¡°Now, while you are there peering down into the bottomless abyss, close your eyes.¡±


    Isaac shivered. ¡°I see.¡± He replied. ¡°Should I stop?¡±


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m used to it. The first time I felt it was when you saved me, it is kind of nostalgic.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°That makes me feel better.¡± He confessed. ¡°Is there a good place to stop, close by?¡± He asked her, abruptly changing topics.


    Lenna pulled out the map of the section of tunnel that they were in. After a moment she nodded and pressed on a small inlet that didn¡¯t appear to lead anywhere. ¡°Another mile or so.¡± She told him.


    Isaac nodded and stopped walking. He turned to watch the rest of the group closing in. ¡°We¡¯re camping out.¡± Isaac told them. ¡°There is a decent spot in about a mile.¡± He panned his gaze over them. ¡°You are welcome to stay with us but I don¡¯t feel like making the five to seven hour run both ways again. It was bad enough getting out here.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll join you.¡± Esk spoke up. He looked a little antsy. ¡°Is there any way that you could turn off the murder aura?¡±


    Isaac smirked and relaxed his control over his death flames. He took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. By the time his exhale was done all traces of his death flames were gone as they had been turned back into dark mana. His exhale let out a black fog much like the mist that was on his breath after Fable¡¯s spell only the opposite color. It vanished just as quickly. ¡°Better?¡± Isaac asked.


    Esk nodded. ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡± He looked like a massive weight had just been taken off his shoulders. Fina straightened up a bit and Mark¡¯s steps seemed to get a bit steadier. Shy was too hard to read for Isaac to notice anything. He needed to see them in combat. With their body completely hidden Isaac wasn¡¯t even confident in guessing their gender. The slight sway while walking led him to lean towards Shy being a female but a male could be walking that way on purpose just to throw people like Isaac off.


    ¡°Okay, keep moving.¡± Isaac told them and continued on their way. Fifteen minutes later found the group stopping in front of what had once been a tunnel. It had collapsed at some point, a thousand years prior by the look of it. The group made camp which consisted of a handful of blankets and bedrolls tossed about to make their rest more comfortable. Mark and Shy would take watch while the casters meditated. Well, most of the casters anyway. Isaac wasn¡¯t going to. The risk of him calling over another Tunnel Horror was too high.


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    After a dinner of bread and jerky, Lenna, Fable, Fina, and Esk all began meditating. Isaac laid down on his bedroll and used his rolled up blanket as a pillow. With his hands interlocked behind his head and his cloak covering him from ankles to armpits he started dozing off. Whether or not Isaac actually got any sleep, only Lenna knew for sure. Isaac felt like the hours had gone by quickly but he couldn¡¯t remember ever actually falling asleep or waking up. Regardless of whether or not the dark mage got any sleep while surrounded by four people, that each thought about him with conflicting views and opinions, the few hours were over and it was once again time to move.


    Isaac stretched as he got up. It wasn¡¯t until he started moving that he felt like he had actually fallen asleep on the hard stone. His body ached so he washed away the pain and stiffness with his death flames and then turned to Lenna. He caught a glance at Esk and Fina¡¯s widened eyes. ¡°What?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°I thought you were going to stop with that?¡± Esk questioned. Isaac tilted his head in confusion and a silent question. ¡°You know, the whole death aura thing.¡±


    A look of realization crossed over Isaac¡¯s face. ¡°I see. There seems to be a misunderstanding.¡± Isaac began. ¡°That is just what my magic feels like. I used it to loosen and wake me up.¡± He took a step towards Lenna and held out his hand palm up. He focused as he formed an orb of shadows just above his hand. ¡°This is what my shadows feel like,¡± Isaac shifted the shadows back into dark mana without slipping in concentration. ¡°This is the mana¡¯s default state, what you are more likely familiar with,¡± He shifted all of the mana in his hand into death flames. ¡°This is what my death flames feel like. This¡¯ll kill you.¡± He punctuated it by tossing the ball of death flames into Lenna¡¯s chest. Some of the flames splashed across her breastplate while others found their way through the magical armor.


    Lenna stretched. ¡°Thanks.¡± She told Isaac. ¡°I was getting stiff.¡±


    ¡°Are we all ready?¡± Fable cut in.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting on all of you so I assume so.¡± Isaac replied.


    Fable ignored Isaac and went to join the two on watch. Esk joined him with only a quick glance back at Fina who looked like she was trying to figure out how to ask something she probably shouldn¡¯t. ¡°Can you really only use dark mana?¡± Fina finally asked while stuffing her bedroll, that she had used as a meditation mat, into her Bottomless Bag.


    Isaac side-eyed her while he shook the stone dust out of his own bedroll. ¡°Yeah. Why?¡± Isaac questioned in return. He wasn¡¯t going to start lying about his biggest limitation now. That cat was let out of the bag a long time ago.


    ¡°I noticed that you are constantly taking in mana. It¡¯s not very much so it took me a while to notice, but it is all dark mana isn¡¯t it?¡± Fina continued her questioning without properly answering Isaac. ¡°Is your connection to the plane of shadows really that strong that your body simply doesn¡¯t accept any other kind of mana?¡±


    Isaac shook his head in the negative, made a circle of shadows on the ground next to him, and dropped his bedroll and blanket. They vanished without ever touching the stone beneath their feet and Isaac fixed his gaze on her. ¡°You seem to have made a very large assumption.¡± Isaac began. ¡°I do not have a connection to the plane of shadows, or any other plane for that matter. With the little bit of research I have done on the subject I have come to a few conclusions about it though. If I were to ever go there, either I would be consumed by the pressure of an entire plane worth of dark mana trying to reach equilibrium with my body, or the plane itself would bend to my will. I don¡¯t think there can be an in between in this case. I don¡¯t just call myself the Lord of Darkness for no reason. It is my domain, even more so than Safeharbor is Izen Arbencroft¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡± Fina began before trailing off. ¡°Is a lot more information than I was expecting.¡± She replied honestly. ¡°I have been studying sorcerers for centuries and this is the first time I have¡­¡± Her voice trailed off again in thought.


    ¡°You made another incorrect assumption, sorceress.¡± Isaac cut into her contemplation. Her eyes snapped back to him. ¡°I am no sorcerer.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ what are you?¡± She questioned.


    Isaac smirked. ¡°Just a mage.¡± Isaac replied with a wink and headed towards the rest of the group. Lenna was waiting for him halfway between where they were resting and where the watch had been posted.


    Lenna shook her head at him and then started walking alongside him. ¡°You can¡¯t help yourself can you?¡± She questioned but she already knew the answer. ¡°You are going to end up giving out a real secret one of these days.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°You are probably right.¡± He agreed. ¡°If only there was a way to only keep a secret from people in power. I don¡¯t really care if some random adventurer knows my limitations, hells it could make working together easier, but I really don¡¯t want anyone with real power finding out.¡± The Flame Ravens had heard the entirety of Isaac¡¯s response to Lenna and they eyed him both skeptically and curiously. He really was just acting like they weren¡¯t even there. Isaac and Lenna continued on towards the Ori-Masa¡¯s last known location without preamble.


    A little while into their walk something unexpected happened. ¡°Lord Wexler, could I talk to you for a bit.¡± Esk said from a step behind them. He had left the rest of the group to join them. The rest of the group tended to keep a distance of a dozen paces or so. This was both a strategic decision as well as a personal one. They hadn¡¯t said anything to either of the pair about it but there was something about adventuring with them that gave normal adventures the creeps. Maybe it was Isaac¡¯s mana. Maybe it was the fact that the pair always seemed like walking through one of the most dangerous parts of the world was just a casual stroll through town. Or maybe it was their instincts keying them in on the unnatural grace and predatory feel of the two, that seemed to come out of nowhere as soon as a threat was sighted. Maybe it was a mix of all three.


    Lenna moved closer to the wall while walking and Isaac moved into the center so Esk had enough room to join him. ¡°I don¡¯t see why not.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°We have some time yet.¡±


    Esk nodded his thanks, without thinking about the fact that Isaac couldn¡¯t see him, and then joined him. There was a long moment of silence. Isaac gave it to him freely as the conversation they were going to have felt heavy even before they had begun. ¡°My brother and I were never what you would call close.¡± Esk began after a deep breath. ¡°But I can¡¯t say I won¡¯t hate you for taking him from me. Did you know that, with what you did to him, he could never be resurrected.¡±


    Isaac almost tripped and Lenna froze mid step. They both turned to face him and said the same thing in unison, of course Isaac was a bit more animated in doing so than Lenna: ¡°What?!¡±

 Chapter 58 Insanity.

    Chapter 58 Insanity.


    ¡°How can that even be possible?¡± Lenna questioned immediately. If they had a way to keep someone down for good, regardless of the resources at that person¡¯s disposal, then the prospect of putting down Jallen would become much more doable.


    ¡°I know some of the theory behind it but that¡¯s not why I am here.¡± Esk replied politely. ¡°You did answer my question though. Would you have killed him in a different way or not killed him at all if you knew this would happen?¡±


    Isaac was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that he prevented a resurrection. He wanted to know the hows and whys. He shook his head to clear it and focus back on the question Esk had posited. ¡°Listen Esk, I wasn¡¯t thinking about how I was going to kill your brother. I wasn¡¯t thinking about the consequences of doing so either. I understand that there are many people who harbor ill will towards Lenna just because she is a dark elf but he took it too far. I even gave him a chance to take it back and stand down but he threw it away.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°The thought of him ever being resurrected never crossed my mind. If you really want to get into it, looking back, my temper had gotten the better of me. But, due to that fact, some other things happened that I wouldn¡¯t trade for your brother¡¯s eternal soul let alone his life.¡±


    Esk nodded solemnly. ¡°I understand.¡± He told Isaac. ¡°Once this is over, I would like to fight you.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°Are you looking to die again?¡±


    Esk shook his head. ¡°No, not to the death. I just need to cement in my mind that you are a natural disaster and not a human. That is the only way I think I can move past this.¡± Esk explained.


    Isaac studied the young man next to him. He had changed a great deal from the hot tempered adventurer who challenged him to a duel on their first meeting. ¡°Alright. When we return.¡± Isaac agreed. Isaac had no way of knowing what Esk had truly been through in the time since his resurrection. From the sounds of it he had received some counseling and mellowed out quite a bit. The meeting with the Reaper must have been quite the ordeal.


    Esk nodded in understanding and thanks. ¡°Thank you.¡± He told Isaac and then rejoined his group.


    After a moment of silence as Esk fell into step with the rest of his party Isaac turned to Lenna. ¡°We really need to figure out why his brother can¡¯t be resurrected. There is one person specifically I want to use it on and at least one other that needs to be threatened by it.¡± He told one of his only two true companions, the other one couldn¡¯t talk so Isaac barely counted him even if he was adorable.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Agreed.¡± She replied. After a moment of thought she looked over at Isaac. ¡°Who needs to be threatened by it?¡± She questioned.


    ¡°Elequin.¡± Isaac replied simply.


    Lenna wanted to tease Isaac about his dislike of the courier but she really couldn¡¯t. She didn¡¯t like him either. He was far too chipper and seemed to know more than he should. His blinding speed also raised some questions. If he could complete deliveries at that speed then why did it always take him the estimated time to complete them. He had to be up to something in all that extra time. Lenna sighed. ¡°Yes, Elequin.¡±


    ¡°I can explain the theory.¡± Fina said as she appeared next to Isaac. Isaac and Lenna had been too engrossed in their conversation to really take notice of the fact that she had sped up to catch them. Subconsciously they were always aware of their surroundings so her presence hadn¡¯t startled either of them. It was more akin to noticing something that had always been there only because someone pointed it out. ¡°I would like recompense however.¡±


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    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°I am curious but my curiosity can wait until we can get back and I can ask someone else.¡±


    ¡°My fee isn¡¯t very large.¡± Fina replied. ¡°I would just like to know how your boosting spell works. Getting into a melee is disadvantageous to us mages so I would like some guidance in exchange for the information.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ is actually fair.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°How good is your internal mana control?¡± He questioned. Part of the reason that he was telling her was because he wanted to know if it was even possible for someone other than him to boost themselves physically with their own mana. Another reason was that he was almost completely sure that even if she did figure it out, using it would burn through all of her mana in a few seconds.


    ¡°Amazing for my level, average for a mage of age.¡± Fina replied somewhat ashamed that she wasn¡¯t a prodigy or something.


    ¡°Then I will explain it as directly as possible, as soon as you tell me why my magic keeps the dead dead.¡± Isaac told her. He left her dangling off the worst cliffhanger of her life.


    She looked heart broken before schooling herself. ¡°Your mana was too pure. When you pushed your power into his chest it smothered all of the other types of mana while isolating his core from the rest of his mana pathways. The core and soul overlap in multiple metrics. Damage to the soul can result in lower maximum mana capacity and damage to the core can often result in soul damage. You purged his core of every part of existence save for death, darkness, and shadow. His soul still exists but it was too damaged and disfigured to willingly accept the resurrection.¡± She explained and then took a deep breath. ¡°Now, boosting spells?¡±


    Isaac raised a finger for her to wait while he processed what she had told him. Lenna was silent as she came to a conclusion a bit before Isaac. She was more focused on the application while Isaac was getting distracted by concepts. ¡°It probably won¡¯t work on Jallen.¡± Lenna said eventually.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Isaac asked after getting pulled out of his thoughts on what color of mana was responsible for the soul. ¡°Why not?¡± He questioned before realizing why she had said that. ¡°Oh.¡± He replied to his own question. ¡°He¡¯s too dense.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°You would have to completely overpower the will, mana, and oath of a maximum level, six hundred year old, born and bred, paladin with the backing of all of his ancestors.¡± She spoke his thoughts. ¡°Even if it was possible,¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be healing him the entire time.¡± Isaac finished for her.


    ¡°His aura is also best at countering hostile mana.¡± Lenna finished nailing shut the coffin on their plan to end Jallen for good. Lenna nodded towards Fina. ¡°She¡¯s still waiting.¡± Lenna reminded Isaac.


    ¡°Oh, yes, boosting.¡± Isaac said and focused back on Fina¡¯s difficulty. ¡°I run pure death flames through every muscle fiber, ligament, tendon, and bone at the same time. The mana must be kept in line with your body¡¯s natural flow. The mana has to overlap directly with your body and do exactly what your body is doing while it is doing it. When you take a step all of the mana in each of those muscles needs to move and contract at the exact same time as the muscles otherwise you will be fighting against yourself. I also don¡¯t use spells. Everything I do is raw mana manipulation. I hope that helps.¡±


    Fina looked at him slack jawed. After a moment she closed her mouth and shook her head. ¡°You are just messing with me. Please, I answered your quarry, now answer mine.¡± She replied.


    Isaac looked directly into her eyes. ¡°Sorceress, that is how I box Tunnel Horrors. When the power boost hits a high enough density and fluidity I can feel the world start to slow down as even my nervous system starts to get enhanced.¡± He explained to her as seriously as he could. He truly wasn¡¯t messing with her even if she had given him the perfect opportunity to do so.


    ¡°I¡­ what? How?¡± Fina questioned. ¡°That mental load alone is enough to kill someone. That isn¡¯t even taking into account the absolutely ridiculous amount of mana it would take. My pathways would burst if I tried that. My blood would start being burned for mana.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if your mana pathways would burst.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°The beginning stage of it is learning how to disperse the mana from your pathways into the surrounding tissue. I actually got some of the inspiration for it from a shadow sorcerer¡¯s transformation.¡±


    ¡°This is insanity. I don¡¯t know if an archmage could do that, let alone me.¡± Fina said exasperatedly. ¡°Well, thank you for the honesty, I guess.¡± Fina said and slowed to rejoin her team while trying to figure out how to mimic what Isaac did but with a normal person¡¯s amount of mana. What Isaac did was far more thorough than the Quicken spell. That spell was already as complicated as it could be for its level. It sped up a person¡¯s progress through time while enhancing their gravity by the same amount. The effect was that a person seemed faster and more affected by gravity from the outside but from within the spell it appeared to slow down the world around the recipient.


    Soon the group was close enough to the Ori-Masa that Isaac stopped them. ¡°Their numbers are through the roof. I can¡¯t even get a rough estimate.¡± He told the temporary team. ¡°I think the best course of action is to split up into two teams. One team will confront the army directly at a choke point so they won¡¯t be overrun. The second group will assassinate the one controlling them. Hopefully that will kill off the rest of them. If it doesn¡¯t then we are in for a slog.¡± Isaac panned his gaze over all of those gathered. ¡°Now, who can cast flight or Invisibility on Shy?¡±

 Chapter 59 Skeleton!

    Chapter 59 Skeleton!


    Lenna scowled at Isaac as Esk made his complaints known. ¡°Splitting the party is the number one thing not to do.¡± He told Isaac. ¡°That is literally the first thing the older adventurers beat into us.¡±


    Isaac raised his hands placatingly. ¡°We won¡¯t be far. A few hundred feet at the maximum. Shy with the Invisibility spell is almost as stealthy as me. We¡¯ll be able to just appear right behind the mushroomancer and take care of it. It would be best if Shy could also fly as I can tell from here that their cavern is packed to the brim.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°The rest of you couldn¡¯t sneak your way into a whorehouse let alone a room packed with enemies.¡±


    Lenna cleared her throat. ¡°And what do you know about that?¡± She questioned.


    ¡°It was an expression.¡± Isaac replied so quickly it sounded like one word instead of four. ¡°But my point still stands.¡± He added.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just take me with you?¡± Lenna questioned.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be hard enough for me to shoulder through and teleport across the cavern as it is.¡± Isaac argued. ¡°Trying to maintain physical contact the entire time would be impossible. A few Ori-Masa getting shoved around might not make too much of a fuss but if we are both doing it in the same place they are bound to realize something is up.¡±


    ¡°What does it matter if they know?¡± Esk questioned. ¡°Can¡¯t you just punch your way through?¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who said we shouldn¡¯t split the party?¡± Isaac shot back. ¡°What am I supposed to do when he makes a break for it? If you guys are keeping his army busy and holding his attention then I can sneak up behind him and turn him into fish paste.¡±


    ¡°Then why do you need Shy?¡± Fina questioned, even she was protective of their rogue.


    ¡°Because it would be nice to not go alone.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Do you really think the mushroomancer¡¯s death will stop the horde?¡± Fable asked.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve never fought one before.¡± He replied honestly. ¡°For all we know it could cause them all to go berserk.¡±


    ¡°Another reason to not send Shy with you.¡± Fina added. ¡°She needs cover and teamwork to really shine, not to be stuck out in the open with a partner she has never worked with and can¡¯t see.¡±


    ¡°I can make it so that she can see me.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to see her though which could cause some problems I guess.¡±


    ¡°If I cast flight magic on you and Lenna can¡¯t you two just do it?¡± Fina questioned.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never flown before. What¡¯s it like?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Fina looked crestfallen. ¡°It takes a bit to get used to. We could start now if you want?¡±


    ¡°You want me to learn how to fly, right outside of the enemy camp, right before the mission.¡± Isaac stated. ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡± He wasn¡¯t a fan of relying on another mage like that. One lapse in concentration and he would be sent plummeting. The fall wouldn¡¯t kill him. It probably wouldn¡¯t hurt him either as he could just teleport to the ground. It would however keep him from properly focusing on the job at hand and that wasn¡¯t even taking into account Isaac¡¯s general distrust of spells being cast on him. He didn¡¯t know enough about them to be completely sure that the spell only did what it said on the tin.


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    ¡°Do you think they even have ranged attacks?¡± Esk asked. ¡°Couldn¡¯t we all just fly in there and slam into the leader?¡± He punctuated his question by punching his hand.


    ¡°That is a great plan.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°The entire way up until my theory about the mushroom-fish-sort-of-undead guys going out like a candle with the wick cut is proven wrong. Then we would all be stuck in the middle of a rampaging army that would be trying to assimilate us. The exits would all still be packed with Ori-Masa and we would have nowhere to go.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a pet skeleton or something?¡± Mark interjected for the first time. ¡°Just make it do it.¡±


    Isaac stopped. ¡°Mark, that is actually the first good alternate plan yet.¡± Isaac congratulated him. ¡°I should be able to keep Kahtesh invisible for most if not all of his trip to the mage. The best part is that he isn¡¯t fleshy so we won¡¯t run the risk of the away team getting turned into mushroom food.¡±


    Lenna let out a sigh of relief as did Fina and Esk. Mark just shrugged. ¡°Our lineup should be like this to maximize survivability¡­¡± Fable began. Less than half an hour later the team was charging into one of the tunnels that lead to the cavern. The cavern that would be one of the longest battles Isaac had been in in a while.


    ¡ª


    Mark slammed his shield into three Ori-Masa, tossing them back into the rest of the horde, and stabbed through another with his spear. To his right Lenna cut through two more with one flaming swing, leaving their sizzling corpses to start forming the wall in front of them. To her right Isaac was easily dicing fish brains and spinal cords. Two more dropped at his feet. To Mark¡¯s left Esk was quickly cutting down Ori-Masa of his own, though with less power than Lenna and less grace than Isaac. The one matching both Lenna¡¯s power and Isaac¡¯s grace yet eclipsing them both in speed was Fable who had taken up the left flank. Everyone was using as little power as they could because they all knew that this would be an endurance run and not a race. Fina was waiting in the back for Isaac¡¯s signal and Shy was standing beside her. In the event that something came around from behind them it was Shy who would have to fight it. Shy also had the job of taking care of any Ori-Masa who somehow slipped through the frontline.


    ¡°Ready?¡± Isaac questioned while adding another corpse to the pile.


    ¡°Whenever.¡± Fina replied and raised her hand. The ruby in her palm blazed with power as she readied herself to cast her spells.


    ¡°Kahtesh, it¡¯s time for work.¡± Isaac told the little dragon as a void opened up behind him and the bone dragon pulled itself out. The little dragon looked around and then stretched before waiting patiently for further orders. ¡°Fire!¡± Isaac called out and Fina began her chant.


    ¡°Come forth, Ember of a dying star!¡± Fina ordered magic itself once, twice, thrice, and then finally a fourth time. She cast her spells back far enough that the frontline had barely felt a wave of hot air. The explosions had done their job however as Kahtesh was already gone. The invisible dragon had begun his hunt.


    Kahtesh jumped forwards and clamped his feet onto Lenna¡¯s pauldrons causing her to stagger forwards from the sudden weight and impact. Immediately afterwards he used her as a launching point as he flung himself forwards with wings open wide. Lenna staggered backwards from his launch and scowled at Isaac as she regained her footing and pushed back the mob that tried to overtake her position. ¡°I swear I didn¡¯t tell him to do that.¡± Isaac defended himself. He had barely managed to make the dragon invisible before he finished launching off of Lenna¡¯s shoulders. ¡®Maybe I¡¯m imagining it but he seemed excited.¡¯ Isaac thought to himself.


    ¡°I know.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°But he¡¯s your dragon and you trained him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fair.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°But look at him go.¡± Isaac was watching Kahtesh soar across the cavern into the open area Fina¡¯s final Fireball had created.


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Lenna reminded him.


    ¡°Oh yeah.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°I forgot.¡± Lenna just shook her head at him without slowing her relentless counter assault in the slightest. ¡°Now, we wait and hope he can take care of it himself.¡±


    ¡°I am beginning to doubt this plan with how little faith you seem to have in your skeleton!¡± Esk called out from the other side of Mark.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine!¡± Isaac called back. ¡°Probably.¡± He added. Esk might not have heard him but Lenna, Fina, Shy, and Mark most definitely did. Thankfully none of them voiced that fact and just silently prayed for the little dragon¡¯s success.


    ¡ª


    Kahtesh was happy. He hadn¡¯t had a job in a while but now he was free to spread his wings and he was even wrapped in his master¡¯s power. Even if Kahtesh could speak he wouldn¡¯t know what to call the man who made and owned him. Was the dark mage his creator, his reviver, his owner, his master? Kahtesh seemed to think that in some weird way he was all of the above and he wished that there was one word that meant what Isaac was to him. . Kahtesh launched off the ground again as he flew towards the back of the cavern. He did have to wonder though, how long had he been able to think? He also wondered what the black place that he slept in was. He had never heard of a nest made of shadows. He liked it but he also didn¡¯t. It was comfortable but he always felt like he was missing a lot of important things while he was forced to rest in the blackness. Well, none of that mattered now because Kahtesh had found one very special looking ugly guy with a big stick in his hands. Kahtesh was sure that the ugly guy with the stick was the one his master wanted him to fry. It was time to remind the world what Kahtesh was; A lightning dragon.

 Chapter 60 Uh-oh.

    Chapter 60 Uh-oh.


    Isaac burned through his reserves as he kept Kahtesh cloaked in his shadowcloak while using his death flames to keep fatigue away from himself and Lenna. If they were going to be in for the long hall then Isaac wanted to put off exhaustion for as long as possible. He just hoped that the dragon would succeed and not fall prey to whatever tricks and traps the enemy mushroomancer might have up their scaly sleeve. ¡®Good luck little buddy.¡¯ Isaac silently wished his familiar.


    ¡ª


    Kahtesh dove in towards the ugly guy with the big stick and opened his mouth right before they would have collided. Thunder rolled and the part of Isaac¡¯s shadowcloak that covered the head of the little dragon was blown away. Light flashed as a lightning bolt covered the handful of feet between Kahtesh and the mushroomancer in an instant. The lightning kept going until it hit the stone behind the mushroomancer and sent stone shrapnel flying in every direction while scorching the area black.


    The dragon¡¯s open maw clamped onto the fishman¡¯s head and his momentum took both of them to the ground in a tumble of bone and scales. Kahtesh rolled and flipped using his wings to make sure he ended up on top of the tasteless meal. Kahtesh usually wished he could taste things but this time he was glad that he couldn¡¯t. Something about the ugly guy made him think that he probably tasted bad. That wouldn¡¯t matter though as Kahtesh was already trying to gather enough mana in his rune to fire another lightning bolt into the not tasty meal.


    Kahtesh¡¯s vision was unlike most creatures as he no longer had real eyes. Instead he had these two small orbs of death flames that seemed to take their place and attempt to fulfill their function. Kahtesh saw everything in rough outlines and sometimes that led to him being unable to properly perceive things. This had no effect on him when it came to living creatures however as he could see their souls. He could see their shape and he could see their core. He could see their mana pathways to some extent as well and that was how he was sure that he had clamped down on the ugly guy¡¯s head. Kahtesh was starting to get confused however because usually when something¡¯s head was being crushed by a dragon¡¯s jaws there would be thrashing and screaming. Not this time.


    The power building in Kahtesh¡¯s rune had almost reached its climax when suddenly the dragon was ripped from the mushroomancer and held aloft half a dozen feet back. He still had half of the ugly guy¡¯s face in his mouth but there wasn¡¯t any blood anywhere. Kahtesh opened his mouth towards the ugly guy to launch his lightning bolt at it when suddenly, a rope with a mana pathway through it wrapped around his face and forced his mouth closed. ¡®Uh-oh.¡¯ The little dragon thought immediately before his own lightning bolt blew out his front teeth and some of his jaw. Lightning and bone shrapnel fired out from the dragon in a hail of death that would have killed half a dozen normal Ori-Masa.


    Kahtesh felt his face being put back together by his master¡¯s magic but the progress was slow. His master didn¡¯t know that he was hurt so he wouldn¡¯t give Kahtesh more of his death flames to heal him. Kahtesh realized as the battered, broken, fired, and shredded body of the ugly guy started to twitch and snap back in place that he may have messed up. In the little dragon¡¯s defense he had only ever encountered enemies that could be bitten or fried. The last time he had come up against something that neither would work on his master had sent him back to the shadowy nest. Kahtesh struggled and thrashed in an attempt to free himself of the weird rope with mana pathways in it to no avail. After a half a dozen seconds of thrashing he realized what the problem was. The rope was not really rope. It was connected to the ugly guy and seemed to be reaching out from his feet. The ugly guy¡¯s not-rope had stabbed into all of the surrounding ugly guys and was draining some kind of energy from them.


    Kahtesh realized exactly how bad his situation was when he watched the ugly guy regrow everything that had been destroyed. His bones reformed and scaly skin grew back to cover the exposed muscles and bones. The lack of blood was strange but Kahtesh had no idea why the ugly guy didn¡¯t have any blood. For all Kahtesh knew, some people might not have blood. If Kahtesh would have had a throat that worked and saliva in his mouth he would have swallowed hard but as it stood he could only stop in place in horror as he accepted the fact that he was completely helpless. There was only one place left for Kahtesh to turn to but he had no idea if it would work. ¡®HELP!¡¯ Kahtesh tried sending back through the invisible mana tether that connected him to his master. ¡®MASTER HELP!¡¯ He pushed with all of his little consciousness. ¡®STUCK!¡¯


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    ¡ª


    Isaac staggered back as a feeling slammed into his chest unlike anything he had ever felt before. A feeling of helplessness and terror and a desire to be saved. He unconsciously grabbed his chest and his face contorted under the emotional assault. ¡°Isaac?¡± Lenna called from beside him. ¡°Isaac! Are you alright?¡±


    Isaac was assaulted by the feelings again but this time the desire for him specifically to save someone hit him harder than the rest. ¡°Cover for me.¡± Isaac told her and stepped back so she could work. Isaac was taking deep breaths as foreign feelings reigned in his heart. The feelings hit him again but with the phantom feeling of being tied up, bound in place, hopeless and alone. Isaac had to fight down the emotions as he felt himself start wanting to hyperventilate. He could feel the direction that the emotions and feelings were coming from. ¡°Kahtesh.¡± Isaac said through gritted teeth. ¡°Fina!¡± Isaac called to ensure he had her attention. ¡°Take my spot!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Esk shouted from the battle line.


    ¡°Why?¡± Lenna questioned. Fina, who saw what state Isaac was in, nodded and moved to fill his spot while drawing her sword and slamming her free hand onto the spine of it.


    Lenna made space as Fina spoke a quick chant. ¡°Blaze, blaze like a moth in a flame.¡± Fina¡¯s sword erupted in flames and she cut down an Ori-Masa. ¡°Ancient embers alight anew.¡± She followed up her attack with another spell chant and gestured forwards like she was commanding an army. A dozen small embers appeared around her before shooting forwards into the Ori-Masa horde.


    While Fina was chanting, Isaac said only one thing before disappearing in a quick burst of shadows: ¡°I need to save my dragon.¡± He followed it by sending a thought to his dragon: ¡®I¡¯m on my way.¡¯


    Isaac appeared above the horde of fishmen and started falling. His height advantage gave him a quick look at the oncoming horde and the state that his dragon was in. The mushroomancer had an entire network of hyphae reaching out from him and connecting him to every other Ori-Masa within almost thirty feet. He was sucking the nutrients out of his own men to fuel his mycelium growth. The hyphae grew stronger and thicker as they wrapped around Kahtesh and tried to pull him apart.


    Isaac teleported again and appeared right behind the mushroomancer. ¡°Trash corpse pieces scatter.¡± Isaac heard the fishman say. Isaac winced at the horrid raspy voice and wretched speech pattern.


    Isaac swung with all his strength in an attempt to cleave the little fishman in half. His sword stopped halfway through and Isaac had to yank it out while jumping back. A dozen hyphae snapped and wrapped around the area he had just inhabited. ¡°This would be a lot easier-¡± Isaac began and teleported in front of but slightly off to the side of the mushroomancer and hacked through his exposed arm. ¡°-if you just died for me.¡± The arm fell free before a strand of hyphae shot out of the severed arm and latched onto the stump it had just fallen from. Isaac carved through the mushroomancer another half a dozen times while teleporting around him but all his efforts were amounting to nothing. Hyphae kept endlessly reaching out to pull the fishman back together.


    Kahtesh started squirming again to get free but the hyphae weren¡¯t budging. The noise did give Isaac an idea. An idea that he generally avoided. Mostly because he hated to lose. Isaac teleported around Kahtesh and sliced through the hyphae holding him in place. Isaac didn¡¯t care if his blade scratched Kahtesh. He didn¡¯t have time to be careful. They needed to leave before the mushroomancer could finish putting himself back together. Kahtesh didn¡¯t care if his master cut him either. The dragon felt no pain and he knew that any injuries he had would be burned away in a matter of moments.


    Isaac started boosting himself and appeared behind the dragon. The mushroomancer started shaking his head to clear it after Isaac had shredded his brain and eyes multiple times over. Isaac grabbed his dragon by the tail and took a step while swinging with all of his might. ¡®Go to Lenna!¡¯ Isaac sent the dragon as it was tossed into the air.


    The entire cavern stopped for a moment before every single Ori-Masa turned to face Isaac regardless of what they were doing. The feeling of death energy wafting off of him painted him as a target. Every dark creature wanted to bathe in the power that they instinctively knew would heal and strengthen them. The hyphae around Isaac¡¯s feet moved in a blink and started wrapping themselves around his ankles.


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac ordered the mushroomancer. ¡°You don¡¯t get to feed on me.¡± He knew that his words would reach the fishman as he had focused specifically on conversing with it. The mushroomancer staggered back in surprise as shadows pushed out of Isaac¡¯s pores and shoved the hyphae away from him enough that he could teleport away. Isaac appeared back with the rest of the team and turned around to catch a gliding Kahtesh as the little dragon threaded the gap between the tops of Lenna and Mark¡¯s heads and the ceiling. The little dragon slammed into him and they both fell backwards. Isaac hit the ground hard and Kahtesh looked down at him. ¡°Yeah, yeah. You¡¯re welcome.¡±

 Chapter 61 Lenna And The Fish

    Chapter 61 Lenna And The Fish


    ¡°If you didn¡¯t have their attention before, you have it now.¡± Fable called over his shoulder as the entire cavern of Ori-Masa reoriented back on Isaac and then readied to charge. ¡°Brace!¡±


    All of the Ori-Masa in the cavern save for the mushroomancer redoubled their charge. ¡°Darkness!¡± Fina called from her position next to Lenna. ¡°I am going to run out of mana if this keeps up!¡± She punctuated it by scattering another dozen streaking embers into the Ori-Masa ranks.


    ¡°Fire wall!¡± Isaac called and pushed the little dragon off of him. Fina did as instructed and the entire team stepped back as a wall of dancing flames formed between them and the encroaching horde. Isaac hopped to his feet and then looked down at the little dragon. Isaac grinned as he had an idea. Kahtesh looked at him expectantly like he was awaiting his orders or begging for a treat. Isaac still had his boost active so he easily reached down and grabbed the dragon by the base of his wings before hoisting him above his head. He turned so the dragon was facing towards the horde and then pressed Kahtesh¡¯s feet against the ceiling. The dragon¡¯s claws bit into the stone above them. Two of his feet had to try multiple times to get proper purchase but in the span of a few seconds there was an automatic lightning bolt cannon hanging above their heads. ¡°Have fun.¡± Isaac told his dragon with a wink.


    ¡°What in all the hells?¡± Esk questioned when he looked back to see what Isaac was up to.


    ¡°Fina, drop the wall.¡± Isaac ordered. Fina did as she was told and stepped back out of the way as Isaac retook his spot next to Lenna. Isaac let his boost fade at the same time so it would be harder for the monsters to pinpoint which one of them was the supposed feast.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Fina told Isaac as the flames on her sword winked out and she was able to take in the entire situation again.


    Where Fina¡¯s wall had once been, a scorched line of ash and brittle bones remained. The scent of cooked river fish fought to overpower the general scent of red blood that pervaded the area. ¡°I take it-¡± Thunder rolled from Kahtesh firing a lightning bolt into the crowd of enemies in the general direction of the mushroomancer. ¡°-e commander isn¡¯t an option!¡± Esk called from the other side of their battle line.


    ¡°No!¡± Isaac called back. ¡°Damn thing is almost as immortal as me!¡± Kahtesh¡¯s thunder rolled out again. Isaac dropped his voice low. ¡°Maybe more so.¡± He said quietly to Lenna.


    ¡°What¡¯s the plan then?!¡± Esk questioned. ¡°We are going to get overrun eventually!¡±


    ¡°Get good!¡± Isaac replied as he continued cutting down Ori-Masa after Ori-Masa.


    ¡°What does that-¡± Kahtesh¡¯s thunder cut off Esk¡¯s question again while he was still fighting for his life against the seemingly endless horde.


    ¡°It means,¡± Mark began. ¡°just don¡¯t get overrun.¡± His statement was punctuated by Kahtesh. The little dragon was exclusively firing the lightning bolts in a straight line towards where the mushroomancer used to be. This was actually helping Mark as the enemies directly in front of him kept getting electrocuted so he wasn¡¯t going to start complaining about the thunder rolls coming from just above and behind his head. As long as Kahtesh didn¡¯t hit him he would be happy.


    Kahtesh¡¯s thunder rolled again. ¡°-time I go to speak?!¡± Esk demanded an answer to an unheard question from the dragon. ¡°This is getting ridiculo-¡± Esk¡¯s face now wore a permanent frown as he began fighting in silence. It seemed like Kahtesh didn¡¯t want him to get a single full sentence out.


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    ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Fable said in a voice that seemed to carry across and over the sounds of conflict without needing to be yelled. ¡°Just hold the line. They will run out of reinforcements eventually.¡± Kahtesh seemed to wait until Fable was done to fire his next lightning bolt which just made Esk scowl harder.


    ¡°Kahtesh, be nice.¡± Isaac told the dragon loud enough for everyone to hear. ¡°If you feel like you are getting overrun, say so!¡± Isaac ordered the group. ¡°We can drop back and switch to a four man frontline if we have to!¡±


    Isaac received a round of acknowledgement from the group but no one took the offer, yet. They continued on for minute after minute as Ori-Masa after Ori-Masa fell. Every minute, on the dot, Fina would clear the space in front of them with a Wall of Flames for a few seconds to keep the biomass down. This served two purposes. The first was to lessen the available resources for the mushroomancer to feed upon. The second was just in case, after the commander died, the mushrooms didn¡¯t all go inert. If the corpses from the entire battle started to roll up in one massive apocalypse monster of roiling flesh, bone, and blood then they wanted as few bodies left over as possible.


    Body after body fell and burned away. Spell after spell was thrown into the relentless horde. Slash after slash cut through vital points. Lightning bolt after lightning bolt fried fishman after fishman. By the fifth solid minute of fighting the group had dropped back to the thinnest choke point in the tunnel. Lenna stood in the center, fighting with spite and aura alone, she had long run out of mana. Fable was on her left, the blue glow from the spell cast on his longsword was starting to dim, as even his magical arm began to run out of mana. Isaac was completely normal more or less. Kahtesh was in front of the group, still hanging on the ceiling, without a scratch on him. The Ori-Masa only seemed to care about the consumable biomass in front of them. The ¡®little dragon that tried¡¯ did not appear to be as appetizing as the elves, humans, and half elves in front of them.


    ¡°They are starting to thin.¡± Lenna enlightened the two people flanking her. One was her mate and the other her mortal enemy.


    ¡°Ready!¡± Isaac called out to get the entire group¡¯s attention. ¡°Counter push in ten! Nine! Eight!¡± He continued counting down as he heard the rest of the team properly fall in behind him, Lenna, and Fable. ¡°Six! Five! Four!¡± Isaac fed Lenna just a little more death flames than he had been just in case a stray attack got through her armor. The Ori-Masa stopped charging and started running away from them. ¡°One!¡± Isaac finished and the group counter charged.


    They ran through ash and blood, bone and body. They charged through the few Ori-Masa who couldn¡¯t get out of the way in time. They easily broke through the Ori-Masa line and charged towards the mushroomancer. The middle of the cavern was open and clear of Ori-Masa. Another hundred or so Ori-Masa lined the walls of the cavern and watched them with focused eyes. The mushroomancer squared off against the party leaving a gap of seventy feet between them. His mycelium reached across the entire cavern and connected him to all of the Ori-Masa lining the walls.


    ¡°He wants a proper fight after all that?!¡± Esk yelled in exasperation.


    ¡°Fina, can you cast Wall of Flames again?¡± Isaac questioned only a little louder than a whisper.


    ¡°For a few seconds, ten tops.¡± Fina replied.


    ¡°Esk, give Lenna your sword. Lenna, challenge the fish to mortal combat.¡± Isaac instructed.


    ¡°What?¡± Esk questioned. He sounded heartbroken at the idea. Lenna stowed her sword and walked over to Esk. She held out her hand and he begrudgingly bestowed it upon her. ¡°I better get this back.¡± He grumbled.


    Lenna gave him a curt nod and turned to face the mushroomancer. She took two steps forwards so she was a whole step in front of the rest of the party and pointed her sword at her opponent. ¡°Everyone step back and lower your weapons, don¡¯t drop them.¡± Isaac whispered and did as he himself directed. The rest of the group followed suit. ¡°As soon as you can surround Lenna and the fish with a Wall of Flames, do it.¡± Isaac instructed the sorceress.


    ¡°Ready.¡± Fina replied.


    Lenna slashed at the air twice before she started striding towards the mushroomancer. It was then that everyone seemed to notice one of the entryways to the cavern that they were in. That new tunnel was releasing a soft blue glow. A blue glow from countless mushrooms. It was the border to the mushroom kingdom and right there in the entryway was a mushroom soldier unlike any, any of those present, had ever seen.


    The mushroom soldier was far more humanoid than they usually were. It was seven feet tall and lanky with long sharp claws on both its hands and feet. It¡¯s face had one eye that took up the entire front of its head. It took in the scene in total passiveness. It was waiting for something though no one knew what. Maybe it was waiting for the mushroomancer to make a move into their territory, maybe it was waiting for the mushroomancer to die so it could extend the kingdom¡¯s territory a bit farther, maybe it had been conversing with the mushroomancer before the adventurers arrived and it was simply waiting for the mushroomancer to finish, or maybe it was waiting for the perfect time to make a move and kill everyone present.


    It was too late now for Lenna to back down from her challenge of the mushroomancer so she rolled her shoulders and cracked her neck before getting ready to launch into a sprint at her target. The Ori-Masa mushroomancer lowered his staff at her in preparation to cast his first spell. Everyone present, human, elf, or otherwise, knew in their gut that the following engagement would be anything but straightforward. Only time would tell why.

 Chapter 62 Out Of Spite.

    Chapter 62 Out Of Spite.


    The Ori-Masa mushroomancer, leader of what was once a thousand corrupted kin, focused his two beady, onyx black, bulging eyes on the approaching paladin. Lenna stopped and switched grip on the flaming sword held together with reality magic. Her thumb rested just beyond the crossguard against the spine of the blade. She felt the intense heat of the weapon start to burn her thumbprint off but that was a problem for later. She took another step forwards and launched the blade at the Ori-Masa with aura and mana enhanced strength. She barely had enough mana left to keep from getting too light headed to fight. Her four fingers that were wrapped around the back and bottom of the crossguard put every ounce of strength she had into that one fateful throw.


    The Ori-Masa didn¡¯t even have time to properly react. If he had known what she was doing then he would have started moving earlier but he assumed that he was the stronger combatant. If Lenna had been almost anyone else then he could have just waited for them to make their move and then he could have countered it, leaving them on the back foot. Unfortunately for the mushroomancer, Lenna¡¯s sword throwing technique was unique. It wasn¡¯t something someone like the Ori-Masa would have ever seen before. The sword came at him so quickly that he barely had enough time to interpose his staff between the sword and his face. Not that it helped.


    Esk¡¯s flaming sword punched through the mushroomancer¡¯s staff like a hot knife through butter. The sword was knocked a mere inch and a half off course. That did nothing to help the Ori-Masa who just received a flaming longsword that had just covered the forty feet between them in half a second. The flaming blade went right through the Ori-Masa with little resistance the entire way up until the crossguard. The crossguard wasn¡¯t overly large but it was a relatively flat surface that absolutely did not want to cut through the creature it had just impacted. The fishman was thrown a few feet back while the sword continued its path. It stopped with the crossguard embedded in the fishman¡¯s head.


    Lenna hadn¡¯t waited to see if her attack would land properly, not that she would¡¯ve had to wait long, and simply bolted towards her target. Her heavy steel steps thundered across the distance. She was only halfway there before the sword was ejected from the mushroomancer¡¯s head. The flaming sword hadn¡¯t had the chance to reach the ground however because Isaac was there to catch it. Isaac made a few quick stabs and cleaves through the mushroomancer¡¯s head before he tossed the blade a few feet into the air and vanished.


    Lenna caught the falling flaming sword and continued where Isaac had left off. The main difference was that her aura was adding more flames to the blade and imparting more heat than Isaac could have. She was also stronger as Isaac wasn¡¯t properly boosted, but even if he was, her aura¡¯s flames made sure she still would have done more damage.


    A blazing curtain of flames poured out from above and below Lenna in a circle around herself and the target. The flames burned away the hyphae that were collecting around the mushroomancer¡¯s feet. The Ori-Masa tried to scream but it was cut off by Lenna¡¯s relentless assault. She continued cleaving and dicing the fishman into the world¡¯s most disgusting sushi. Lenna could hear yelling from her teammates but she couldn¡¯t make out what they were saying over the roaring flames. Her own heartbeat pounding in her ears and her deep breaths inside a confined space while her armor clanged and screeched didn¡¯t help. Her armor wasn¡¯t usually very loud but it had too much blood, stone dust, and ash caked into it for the pieces to move quietly.


    Lenna heard an explosion and then felt Isaac¡¯s power spike. She realized something was definitely going wrong outside of the curtain of flames. The flames surrounding her went out just as she felt something grab onto her from behind and yank her backwards with inhuman strength.


    ¡ª


    Isaac reappeared with the rest of the team as the curtain of flames wrapped around Lenna and the mushroomancer. He was keeping an eye on the mushroom kingdom soldier that was still watching them almost lifelessly. His focus was arrested by the other problem that had just arisen. The entirety of the mycelium was flailing and snapping in random directions as it lost its connection to the main body. The infected Ori-Masa surrounding the party all started spazzing and twitching before their bodies burst apart into a shower of blood and gore. The blood was instantly absorbed by the mycelium. The network of hyphae drank up the crimson essence of life like a starving man in a desert. The vine-like appendages swelled slightly before they started to roll up towards Lenna and the mushroomancer.


    Isaac whirled around to see Shy airborne with Fable and Fina already extending their arms towards the wall of hyphae that was trying to take them with it towards the mushroomancer. While Fina and Fable burned through the last of their mana in Cones of Flames, Shy¡¯s cloak opened wide facing the incoming disaster. Half a dozen daggers shot out from behind the wall of cloak that seemed to be suspended in mid air. Each dagger trailed burning embers behind it before they impacted the hyphae. The daggers all exploded simultaneously. The small wall of explosions blasted apart the imminent danger.


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    Isaac started powering up his boost as fast as he could. He knew that it might cause him to become a target but he also knew that he needed more time to think and that was the only way. Isaac watched as one of Shy¡¯s boots hit the ground before she turned and jumped again. The toe of only one of her boots was enough to launch her another ten feet up into the air. Isaac didn¡¯t get a chance to see her face while she twirled as her hood was in the way but he did catch a feminine figure under the cloak.


    As much as Isaac wanted to see her face he realized that there was someone who needed him. Well, Lenna needed him in other ways than the way he was thinking but that train of thought was just getting him sidetracked. Isaac teleported into the Wall of Flames as it finished breaking down from Fina¡¯s lack of mana. He grabbed onto Lenna¡¯s backplate and heaved.


    ¡ª


    Lenna was yanked back just in time to avoid getting crushed under hundreds of pounds of hyphae and Ori-Masa guts. The mushroomancer was crushed under the weight. A second set of explosions went off and bits of hyphae flew past her in all directions. ¡°Damn you¡¯re heavier than Kahtesh.¡± She heard Isaac grumble from behind her.


    ¡°Wha-¡± Lenna¡¯s voice was cut off as a nearly fully boosted Isaac took a step and swung. Lenna was picked up off the ground and tossed. Lenna instinctively tucked into a ball until she could figure out how to land properly. She was yanked and thrown again immediately. It felt almost like two people had done it in tandem but she knew that it was just Isaac. Isaac had tossed her, teleported while repositioning, and then tossed her again while he too was in mid air. As she rotated in mid air she watched as another section of hyphae plowed through where she had just been. Isaac was nowhere to be seen. It was then that Lenna realized that she was going to fall a whole twelve feet to the stone ground and with her current orientation she would land on her shoulder.


    ¡°I got you.¡± Isaac said at almost double speed. It was so fast that Lenna almost didn¡¯t catch what he had said. He pushed up on her shoulder to both orient her properly and help slow her descent. By the time Lenna hit the ground Isaac was already there. Her knees almost gave out completely from the impact but she managed to keep from falling over. Her knees protested quite loudly but she was fine.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Lenna said while finally breathing. She hadn¡¯t been expecting to fly that day.


    ¡°Hurry and regroup.¡± Isaac told her and half drug her in the direction of the rest of the party. There was an area twenty feet across in every direction that was covered in rotting mushrooms and an acrid smell permeated the air. There were another half dozen daggers scattered around the area. The rest of the group was standing in a circle with their backs to each other. Unfortunately Shy was on the far side from Isaac and Lenna. The mystery was killing him but they had more important things to deal with.


    ¡°Holy Halya¡­¡± Esk said with a hard swallow while looking past Isaac and Lenna who were sprinting at them. ¡°Master, I think we fucked up.¡±


    Fable was staring at it as well. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have put it like that, but yeah, we fucked up.¡±


    Isaac and Lenna didn¡¯t dare turn around but a lightning bolt streaked overhead so they didn¡¯t have to. The lightning bolt was a full ten feet over their heads as they ran. The sound it made on impact was not the sound of lightning on stone but more like it hit a tree. The Flame Ravens and Fable held their ground against the building threat behind Isaac and Lenna until the duo arrived. Isaac and Lenna whirled around to face the enemy and finally got a good look at it.


    The old mushroomancer was nowhere to be found. In his place was an Ori-Masa that stood seventeen feet tall and was made out of mushrooms. To be more specific it was made by the hyphae binding and braiding themselves together to make a giant fishman made of large wood-like muscles. Its body rippled as the hyphae continued to settle into their new form. ¡°Something is wrong.¡± Isaac said as he truly took in their opponent. He felt the tiny blips of dark creatures vanishing en masse. ¡°It¡¯s devouring itself.¡± Isaac told the team before correcting himself: ¡°No, it¡¯s consolidating its strength.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?!¡± Esk demanded with a bit of hysteria in his voice.


    ¡°That it just got a whole lot stronger.¡± Fable explained.


    ¡°But also easier to kill.¡± Lenna added. If it was becoming only one creature then it only needed to be killed. There was no need to burn away every scrap in a vain extinction attempt.


    Kahtesh¡¯s lightning hit the monster again but it only left a sizzling black mark on its tough exposed musculature. ¡°Lady V¡¯Nova, can I have my sword back?¡± Esk asked before swallowing hard.


    Lenna tossed him his sword and drew her own. ¡°If you are going to run, give it back.¡± She told him.


    Esk shook his head and steeled his nerves. ¡°No. We started this as a team, we will finish it as a team.¡±


    ¡°Verywell.¡± Fable agreed and readied himself to engage the enemy.


    ¡°It¡¯s just another monster.¡± Mark commented and dropped his spear to pull out a broadsword. The thick shortsword would be better than most at hacking into the monster and he knew that stabbing it wasn¡¯t likely to have much effect so it was worth the lack of reach.


    ¡°If I die here I am killing your reincarnations out of spite.¡± Fina swore and hopped back to leave the frontline to those properly suited for it.


    ¡°But, humans don¡¯t reincarnate.¡± A soft and quiet feminine voice came from the cloaked figure immediately behind the frontlines. Isaac shook his head as he held back the desire to correct her. Humans did reincarnate, sometimes.

 Chapter 63 Surren-

    Chapter 63 Surren-


    The massive, seventeen foot tall, fishman shaped abomination leaned forwards and dug its clawed lizard-like feet into the ground as it prepared to charge. ¡°Shy, acid knives!¡± Esk yelled and the rogue did as she was directed. With a quick hop her feet were five feet into the air. Her cloak expanded as she seemed to levitate in midair for a moment. Her hands found the two sets of three throwing knives with a pair of yellow and green ribbons on each of them. The half dozen knives flew towards the monster in a long arc. The knives bit into the hard musculature of the monstrosity even though they weren¡¯t traveling very fast.


    The monster began its sprint towards the group right as the knives impacted. It had barely taken one step when all the magic stored inside the knives erupted in a directed geyser of magically corrosive acid. The acid was made and fired out of the tip of the daggers which only served to increase the depth of the damage that they would bring.


    ¡°Scatter!¡± Isaac ordered. There was no stopping the monster¡¯s charge but they could bait it around and trip it up from the sides.


    The group scattered like mice as the thundering giant ate up the distance between them. Lenna and Fable held their ground however and Isaac immediately knew what they were planning. Isaac moved a dozen feet behind the unlikely pair in an instant and waited for the mushroomancer turned mushroomonstrocity.


    ¡°Shy!¡± Esk called from just out of the path of the charging monster right before it got to Lenna and Fable. ¡°Everything but ice!¡± He ordered.


    Lenna stepped to one side and Fable turned in place so he was watching the incoming massive foot sidelong. Esk slashed across the leg the duo were aiming for but his attack only managed to dig a few inches into the monster¡¯s ankle. The monster took another step. The magic knight and the paladin moved simultaneously to cut the monstrosity¡¯s leg off at the ankle. Two swords tried to cut through the wood-like ropey tendrils that made up the form of their enemy. Lenna¡¯s aura covered sword cut half a foot into the ankle but Fable was long out of mana. Fable only managed three inches. The three spellblades cursed whether silently or aloud as they failed to cut off the monster¡¯s foot. They did manage to cause it to trip however.


    The monstrous Ori-Masa stumbled but one of its massive hands reached up and gouged a trio of grooves across the cavern ceiling to keep it from falling on its face. At the same time its other hand reached for Isaac. While the monster was trying to not fall over and also trying to turn Isaac into a take-away snack Shy was hard at work. Shy threw knife after knife into the monster. She threw them three at a time without a single one missing. Another half dozen acid knives followed by another half dozen poison ones. The damage was stacking up but it would take a while for the acid and poison to truly do their work.


    Isaac teleported behind the monster and started running away from it as fast as he could. It took him a while to reach full boosted speed and he knew the cavern wasn¡¯t long enough. His boots didn¡¯t have good enough traction. A small spike of fire shot out from Fina, who was making sure to stay out of the way, and hit the monstrosity¡¯s eye. The impact site steamed a bit but there was no other noticeable damage or reaction from the target. Kahtesh¡¯s following lightning bolt hit the same eye to much the same effect only there was a bit more steam and a small amount of the wood-like substance splintered and fell away.


    The monster whirled on Shy who had done the most damage to it. It could wait to get Isaac. It knew that if Shy was left alone she would kill it eventually. Her acid and poison was top quality. The consumables alone were probably worth hundreds of gold each. There was a reason she hadn¡¯t really been participating. She was her team¡¯s safety net, scout, and sometimes an extra stab on an enemy here and there. This was one of those times when she fulfilled her role as the safety net.


    The monster swung towards Shy to try and grab her. It¡¯s hand was open wide so she would have trouble dodging. It didn¡¯t matter to Shy. The rogue hopped ever so gracefully and rose half a dozen feet into the air only to rest the tip of one of her boots on the top of the monster¡¯s thumb. She twisted in mid air shoved off the monster with only the singular square inch of contact she had made. She almost seemed to fly a dozen feet away from the monster towards the nearest wall as five tendrils unraveled from the monster¡¯s hand and reached out towards her. She was already gone however and they got nothing but air. Shy punctuated the monster¡¯s failure by hitting its hand with a singular throwing knife. The knife glowed a soft green and passed right through the monster¡¯s hand as if it wasn¡¯t even there. The knife¡¯s momentum had been preserved from the time of throwing until it reached the full distance of thirty feet away where it finally dropped and skipped across the ground.


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    Isaac hadn¡¯t been idle. He was forced to teleport himself back to his starting point in order to give himself enough space to reach top speed. He was moving so quickly that wind resistance was his limiting factor. His boots couldn¡¯t get enough traction while he was sprinting to overcome the wind pressure he was experiencing. He was now ready to make his move.


    Lenna hacked at the monster¡¯s ankle even as she saw it start to regrow. Fable did the same while Esk and Mark took the other one. Fina and Kahtesh continued their focused bombardment on the monster¡¯s right eye. The monster took another swing at Shy but she met its hand with a different throwing knife. This time as soon as the knife hit the monster¡¯s hand both were robbed of all of their momentum. The monster¡¯s body jolted from its hand being suddenly arrested before the entire thing was hit by what might as well have been a catapult.


    Isaac teleported with all of his built up momentum while twisting his entire body into the most powerful spinning back kick he had ever done. His boot impacted the side of the monster¡¯s face at such a great speed nothing involved survived unscathed. The laces on Isaac¡¯s boot snapped, his ankle shattered and reformed in an instant, as did his knee and hip. His spine compressed hard enough that his entire body spasmed in pain immediately after impact. Isaac was barely coherent enough through the pain to teleport himself to the ground before he fell. The monster toppled as if punched in the head by an even bigger monster. As the monster fell Lenna and Fable finished chopping through its ankle and it left one of its feet behind before crashing into the ground hard enough to knock stone dust free from the ceiling.


    Isaac¡¯s mind cleared nearly instantly as his body was returned to normal in less than a second. The lingering feeling of immense pain was still there however, even with his magic trying its best to cleanse away any remnants of the damage he had suffered. The human mind was not designed to handle so much pain being pulsed through its pain receptors. Isaac shook his head to clear it as he got up.


    Before any of the melee combatants could get to the falling, and then fallen, monstrosity Shy was already stacking up more damage on it. Half a dozen daggers with soft yellow ribbons flew across the distance and impacted the monster right before it hit the ground. All six of them detonated and released an electric shock equivalent to half of one of Kahtesh¡¯s lightning bolts. The main difference was that the knives¡¯ magic was designed to spread out throughout the target instead of punching through them. Right after the monster hit the ground and before any of the melee combatants could reach it Shy hit it with the other six of her lightning knives. The twin pulses of one and half lightning bolts worth of electricity shot through the monster causing it to burst in multiple places as the bloody sap inside vaporized.


    An inhuman scream was heard from inside of the monster while it was receiving the most shocking attack of its life. Kahtesh added to it with a lightning bolt of his own. The monster¡¯s body started to writhe and the hyphae started to unravel and lash out. Everyone backed away save for Lenna and Esk. The two of them held their ground while carving through the lashing hyphae with their flaming swords. A large bundle of a few dozen hyphae shot towards Isaac but he easily danced back and away while it chased after him. After almost twenty feet the hyphae stopped dead while jolting the rest of the body. They had run out of reach and flopped to the ground before snapping out in random directions looking for food.


    ¡°Now what?!¡± Esk yelled while carving through three more hyphae that reached towards him to devour his nutrients.


    ¡°It¡¯ll run out of biomass eventually!¡± Isaac called from halfway across the cavern. ¡°Unless Shy has more fire to throw around?!¡±


    Shy shook her head. Her hood was still up and her face was still covered by her scarf. Even with all of her midair gymnastics no one had seen her eyes or hair. Her gloved hands had barely even been visible. Her black leather armor was so generic that no one would remember it even if they did see it. Everything about the woman seemed to be geared towards drawing and holding as little attention as possible.


    All of the remaining hyphae stopped moving for a second before returning to the main body. The hyphae started roiling and rolling around themselves like a ball of snakes with assumedly the mushroomancer in the middle. As they did so, dead and poisoned mushroom bits were expelled and shed around them. The ball got smaller and smaller as the true work of Shy¡¯s poison and acid was shown. The ball got smaller and smaller until finally it was barely the size of the mushroomancer if he was standing straight. The hyphae started to pull and move like they were trying to form armor over the mushroomancer only for a lightning bolt to punch through the center and fizzle a few inches out the back.


    The monster stopped and spasmed before trying to complete the armor again. More bits of mushroom fell and then another lightning bolt hit, repeating the process, then again, and again, and again. Finally there was only an Ori-Masa with only a few hyphae loosely wrapped around him. ¡°Surren-¡± The fishman began before another bolt from Kahtesh punched through him. He dropped to the ground surrounded by hundreds of pounds of discarded mushroom material and a band of merry adventurers who were just happy the battle was finally over.


    Isaac felt the monster¡¯s life finally come to end. The last dregs of its power drifted away in the never ending flow of mana through the world. He let out a sigh of relief and turned to look at his companions before his eyes caught their silent observer. ¡®Oh yeah, not out of the woods yet.¡¯ Isaac thought to himself.

 Chapter 64 Not Over Yet.

    Chapter 64 Not Over Yet.


    ¡°Fucking finally.¡± Esk swore half under his breath as he dropped to his knees exhausted. Not only was he out of mana but he had also been pushing himself to the limit just to keep up with Fable and Lenna.


    ¡°It¡¯s not over yet.¡± Fable shattered his dreams of rest and recuperation.


    Isaac took a step and appeared twenty feet away from their observer leaving behind a fading silhouette. Isaac and the mushroom man stared at each other in silence for a few long seconds. ¡°Can I trust that you aren¡¯t harboring any more of those?¡± Isaac asked and gestured towards the mushroomancer¡¯s corpse.


    The mushroom shifted, its body creaked and its one arm twisted slightly before returning to normal. Isaac got the feeling the mushroom was talking to him but his translation power didn¡¯t seem to work on body language. ¡°You can talk to them?¡± Fina questioned.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No, I have no idea what it¡¯s saying but it is saying something.¡± He explained. ¡°At the very least it isn¡¯t hostile as long as we don¡¯t try to enter its territory.¡± Isaac turned around to face the rest of the group while he lowered his boost back down to sustainable levels. ¡°Let¡¯s cle-¡± Isaac¡¯s words were cut off by a sudden feeling of imminent death. Isaac tilted his head to the side while swaying with his step. Isaac could teleport at a moment¡¯s notice when he was already expecting to teleport. The act of keeping a small amount of shadows just below the surface of his skin was what enabled near instant teleportation. Isaac had let his guard down and now he was going to pay for it.


    Esk was the only one whose focus wasn¡¯t on Isaac and the mushroom creature. The rest of the team watched in horror as the mushroom cyclops moved so quickly it almost seemed to teleport. It¡¯s clawed hand came down in a heavy overhead blow that was aimed right for Isaac¡¯s head. It was at that moment that Lenna realized something. Isaac¡¯s mana was unique and the mushroom people remembered others based on their mana. Another thought came to her mind immediately afterwards. ¡®The Ori-Masa didn¡¯t have a mushroomancer controlling them until after Isaac and I went through the mushroom kingdom and Isaac melted a few mushrooms with his death flames. Mushrooms that had already proven to be adaptable. Did we make this problem?¡¯ She had no more time to think however as she had already closed half the distance between her starting position and Isaac. Her body had been moving on its own from the start.


    Isaac¡¯s knee gave out as the clawed hand shoved his shoulder down with far more force than something of its size suggested. Isaac felt like an elephant had just stepped on his shoulder. The bones cracked and reformed as his skin and muscle was cleaved through. His armor did its best to keep the attack from simply going through him but it was not capable of keeping out the monster¡¯s claws entirely. He teleported away just in time to dodge the follow up attack. A horizontal swing cleaved through the air where Isaac had just been. The air cracked under the insane display of speed. Isaac turned to see the monster coming for his head again. It had covered the thirty feet Isaac had teleported in an instant again. Every one of its steps left behind gouges as its clawed feet dug deep into the stone for traction. Isaac was running low on mana and as long as his boost was still active he wouldn¡¯t be regenerating any. He was stuck with what he had, a bottomed out Lenna, Fina, Fable, and Esk. He also had an exhausted Mark and a rogue named Shy who seemed to have an infinite amount of magical knives.


    Isaac leaned back sharply as a clawed hand just barely missed taking the tip of his nose off. Isaac teleported behind the monster and grabbed on. The monster twirled on one leg to build up momentum. Its ankle twisted like it wasn¡¯t even attached to the main foot that was still clamped deep into the stone. The mushroom cyclops then abruptly bent and guided all of its momentum into slamming its back down onto the cold stone. Isaac felt his ribs all shatter and his consciousness wink out for the barest split second. His ribs flew back into place and his lungs reinflated. His head started to clear and that was when he realized that he was in mid air. The monster had spun again as soon as it had finished turning Isaac into a pancake. The motion caused Isaac to be flung like a rock out of a sling. He was moving too fast to risk letting himself impact anything and to make matters worse the monster was already launching itself at him.


    Isaac prepared to teleport right as the monster¡¯s clawed hand came crashing down towards him. Three swords caught the clawed hand arresting its, and the rest of the body¡¯s, motion. Isaac saw a glinting blue blade, a shimmering silver rapier, and a perfectly forged longsword wreathed in flames catch the siege engine of a clawed hand. Isaac twisted in mid air and teleported while covering his right hand in death flames.


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    Isaac teleported just behind the mushroom creature. He made sure that he was oriented properly to pull off his mugging. For the crime of ambushing the Lord of Darkness Isaac was going to charge the monster an arm and leg. Maybe the other arm and leg, along with its head and hopefully its life, too. Isaac¡¯s hand grabbed the bicep of the monster¡¯s left arm. Isaac was moving fast enough that, even though his death flames would burn through the life based creature almost instantly, he felt the  mushroom¡¯s arm in his bare hand. Isaac clamped down and was yanked in an odd direction while snapping the mushroom¡¯s arm off. As he tumbled he saw Lenna and Fable¡¯s threefold guard that had saved him from a good deal of pain if not actual death.


    Isaac was forced to teleport again as the disintegrating arm burned away in his grasp before falling and skipping across the ground. This time Isaac teleported himself to the other side of the cavern. He let gravity take him and he rolled with the fall as his still rather fast speed was dispersed by his contact with the ground. Isaac rolled and slid on his butt with one hand out to keep him balanced and both of his boots grinding on the stone to slow him down. He ended the slide by pushing up with his guiding hand letting the rest of his momentum take him up into a standing position. He looked over to see Fable and Lenna engaging the cyclops, three swords against one claw. It took everything they had to block one of its attacks but each of them was capable of parrying a blow successfully.


    Lenna and Fable¡¯s status quo held until the monster succeeded in learning while fighting them. Its leg snapped out and kicked Fable in the shoulder. The old man managed to start parrying the attack before it landed. This meant that he could push it slightly off course and use it to help push himself out of the way. The split second movement probably saved the old man¡¯s life. Fable was sent flying from the impact. His shoulder was shattered but he somehow held down a cry of pain. His rapier clanged to the ground as he lost the ability to keep his hand closed. He spun around with the impact in mid air before landing in a long slide. He dropped to a knee and grabbed his closed wooden fingers with his teeth to pry them open. He couldn¡¯t grab a healing potion with his only good hand out of commission and a sword still wedged in his bad one. Fable was effectively completely out of the fight for the foreseeable future.


    Lenna knew that she was next but in classic V¡¯Nova fashion she didn¡¯t even think about trying to block or parry the next attack that was aimed for her. No, Lenna brought her sword in close and lowered the tip of the blade while thrusting forwards with everything she had into the incoming kick. Her sword¡¯s crossguard and hilt were the only parts of it that weren¡¯t stuck inside of the monster¡¯s leg. Her aura flames were roaring with renewed fury after seeing Isaac get tossed around like a ragdoll. The kick¡¯s impact still hit her with almost full force and she felt her right wrist sprain and fracture as it absorbed a disproportionate amount of the kick. Lenna let the attack toss her back a few feet so she wouldn¡¯t get pushed over. Even with her fractured wrist she took her sword with her. She may have been in pain but her fury had not been abated, they would be done when she said that they were done.


    Esk shot to his feet and moved towards his master while keeping almost all of his attention on the monster. He had to be careful not to fall prey to what had happened to Isaac because he knew that he would not survive such an engagement. He also was wary of engaging the monster directly like his master and Lenna because he knew that he would be overpowered by it easily if both of them were having so much trouble. He wanted to run to Fable to help him down some potions but the fear of getting turned into red paste as soon as he looked away from the monster was keeping that thought from becoming a reality.


    Fina swore internally. She reached into her Bottomless Bag and grabbed a mana potion. She really didn¡¯t like drinking them. The risk of a mana reversal was too high for her liking so she just stood there, off to the side, out of the way, with a mana potion in hand and watched. She would only risk it if there were no other options. She would only drink the potentially near fatal potion if her only other option was death. She liked her party, she liked Fable, she was interested in Lenna and Isaac, but her life was more important to her. She also had a feeling that Shy would be able to escape if the worst happened and if Shy was the only member of the group to survive it would be a bad look. The rogue being the only survivor was never a good look.


    Mark launched one of his spears at the back of the monster with all of his strength before he drew a shortsword. This sword¡¯s blade was a bit thinner than his broadsword which made it a bit lighter and easier to handle. His spear hit the back of the monster and then fell to the ground. The tip of the magically enhanced spear only penetrated about an inch into the monster which was not nearly enough to keep the weapon in place. He braced for impact as he assumed the monster would want to get rid of him for dealing damage to it but only time would tell.


    Shy wasn¡¯t sure if it was the time to start throwing more magic knives or not. She had burned through most of her more straightforward ones. Acid, fire, poison, lightning, those were all standard means of killing monsters. With Orb of Shadows, Split Second Daylight, Silence, and Concussion being all of the strange ones that she had left. She gripped the handles of six of her twelve ice knives tighter. The monster that they were fighting was moving far too fast for most of them to handle so she really wanted to slow it down but like usual her ice would be counter intuitive to the fire magic getting tossed around. ¡®Unless, yes.¡¯ She thought and ran towards the monster. Twenty feet would be too far for what she was planning. If she was going to do this she needed to make sure it worked.

 Chapter 65 Mages Are Scary.

    Chapter 65 Mages Are Scary.


    Isaac took the brief moment he had to catch his breath to take in the battlefield. For the second time in two days Isaac truly felt outclassed by something. He was not a fan. He knew that he would be able to kill the mushroom if he could land a solid hit but he also knew that the mushroom wouldn¡¯t give him another opportunity. The thing was learning very, very, quickly. Isaac watched as the monster dove towards Lenna to finish her off while she was on the back foot. She was getting pushed back in the worst direction. If she continued on that course not only would her back hit the wall but Esk would be unable to get to Fable. Isaac¡¯s mana wasn¡¯t regenerating fast enough for him to go on a teleporting spree right away. He had enough for three, maybe four teleports. Given another handful of seconds he would have another but that was time that he didn¡¯t have. It was time to take that leg he was owed. He knew that if he went for the creature¡¯s head it would get him. It had been keeping its remaining arm close to its body and Isaac had seen how quickly the monster moved. Without his boost active, it would get him before he could react. Not only did he need this to work but also needed to survive it.


    Lenna was tossed back again as she felt her left elbow dislocate. She hadn¡¯t been fast enough to properly parry the monster¡¯s most recent attack. It knew that it could leave Fable for a bit as the old man was still struggling to get into his Bottomless Bag with a hand whose fingers didn¡¯t work and a broken shoulder. Esk, Mark, Fina, and Shy were lower threats for the monster after it had watched their fights. Why Shy seemed to be a lower threat Lenna had no idea. Maybe the monster thought that it would be fast enough to dodge her knives so it added her to the ¡®save for later¡¯ list. Regardless, Lenna was the monster¡¯s soul focus. After she and Fable blocked an attack for Isaac the monster seemed to think that the only way to get to Isaac was to get rid of the two of them. Another attack was about to come at her. She had noticed its pattern. She noticed the subtle shift in weight before it kicked at her. She shifted to take the hit in the chest as she started to hop up. She was going to trust her breastplate to absorb most of the attack and she was prepared to get tossed for the rest.


    Isaac burned two teleport¡¯s worth of mana on readying his next attack. He teleported behind the monster and swiped through the leg it was still standing on as its other leg snapped out towards Lenna. His hand pushed through the thick wood-like substance in around a second before he teleported away again. He felt claws scrape across his cloak as he was teleporting. ¡®That was far too close.¡¯ Isaac thought to himself. The monster started to fall backwards. As its eye looked up towards the ceiling it caught sight of Shy. She was half a dozen feet in the air with her cloak spread wide. Three knives with ice blue ribbons on them were already in mid air. The monster raised its remaining arm to block them but one got through. One hit its wrist, another its elbow, and the last where its stomach would be. All three immediately burst with biting cold and rapidly freezing water.


    Chunks of ice made of at least a gallon of water formed on two of the monster¡¯s joints and on its torso. The extra weight and the inability to move its arm properly lead to the monster toppling onto its back. Kahtesh took the moment when he was sure that the monster wouldn¡¯t be able to move right away to fire a lightning bolt. The bolt crossed the distance in a blink but instead of hitting the creature¡¯s head it hit the shoulder without an arm.


    The raven of the Flame Ravens continued to hold her pose in the air, only ten feet away from the monster, as another three knives impacted the creature. This time they hit the monster¡¯s remaining leg at each joint. She was hesitant to throw any more because she felt like the monster would block them with its already frozen arm. Instead she let herself fall back to the ground with the only sound being a slight rustling of her cloak.


    Mark had reached Fable at some point and helped the old man down a few potions. Fable wasn¡¯t going for complete healing but he needed to be able to move around without the pain threatening to knock him unconscious. That still meant that he had downed half a dozen potions before he rose back to his feet. Isaac teleported over to Lenna and started feeding her half of his regeneration rate in death flames to put the paladin back together again. Fina continued to hold her breath while staring at the struggling monster as it flailed and tried to smash the ice off of itself. Shy readied the rest of her knives and Esk stood just off to the side of the monster warily.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have enough mana to finish it off.¡± Isaac said. ¡°Give me a minute.¡±


    ¡°Stop healing me and kill the damned thing.¡± Lenna chastised him.


    ¡°I have to agree with the paladin.¡± Fable said. ¡°End the monster and then heal her.¡±


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    Isaac nodded and dropped his hands to his sides. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. He breathed in the dark mana in the air as if it was oxygen. He did it a few more times before the ice finally shattered on the monster¡¯s arm and it tried to get up even though it only had one arm and a still frozen leg. ¡°Can I save my knives?¡± Shy questioned barely loud enough to be heard by the rest of the group.


    Isaac opened his eyes and nodded. ¡°Yeah. Let me end this.¡± He said and vanished. Isaac left no trace of himself as he walked over to the monster. It stopped struggling and made itself look smaller so it could more easily reach anything that tried to touch its body. Its one eye was darting around with the help of its entire head to try and find Isaac. For some reason it really, really, wanted to kill him. Little did it know its target was standing right behind it. Isaac drained almost the entirety of his mana reserves as he punched right through the back of the monster¡¯s head. Its head turned into black dust but not before its arm started to swing towards Isaac. Before it could reach him its body stopped moving as it became rigid. The mushroom corpse toppled over with a slight thud. Isaac looked up at the rest of the beaten and battered team. ¡°This was a bit more than I signed up for.¡± He commented. ¡°Edward had better pay us triple for this.¡±


    ¡°Here, here.¡± Esk replied.


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Fable added. ¡°Stingy bastard.¡± He whispered under his breath, clearly about Edward.


    Fina dropped to the ground and leaned against the cold stone wall of the cavern. She let out a deep sigh. ¡°I could sleep for a full day.¡± She commented. Her pale elven skin looked even more pale than usual as she closed her eyes.


    Shy walked over to the corpse and nudged it with her boot before nodding to herself. Isaac continued healing Lenna and the boys eventually all joined Fina in resting against the wall. Shy stood guard at one of the side entrances that the Ori-Masa had used to get there and Kahtesh handled the one they had arrived through. ¡°It¡¯s been one hell of a day.¡± Isaac commented to Lenna.


    Lenna nodded as she felt the final dregs of weariness from battle and injury alike drift away. ¡°It was only an army of zombie fish, a twenty foot tall mushroom fish, and a ten foot tall mushroom assassin.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Just another day¡¯s work right?¡±


    Isaac let out a hearty laugh. ¡°For what, a demigod and his merry band of battle hardened adventurers?¡± He joked.


    ¡°Or an entire Adventurers¡¯ Guild branch.¡± Esk added dryly from his place a short distance away. ¡°I can¡¯t remember the last time I worked this hard for coin.¡±


    Isaac laughed and he and Lenna moved to join the rest of the group. ¡°Up until the giant fish we were pretty on track for the bull shit Edward makes us deal with.¡± He commented.


    ¡°I changed my mind.¡± Esk said. ¡°You two can keep Safeharbor.¡± He shook his head. ¡°The other cities treat us better.¡±


    Fina nodded. ¡°Yes. And I can see the sun.¡±


    ¡°I prefer fighting dragons.¡± Mark added with his own nod.


    The rest of the Flame Ravens looked at Shy. She looked back once she felt their gazes on her and shrugged. ¡°Forest or caves. Either is fine.¡± She replied to their unspoken question.


    ¡°That¡¯s fair I guess.¡± Esk grumbled. ¡°Being out in the open is dangerous for you.¡±


    Shy nodded. ¡°Mages are scary.¡± She agreed.


    ¡°Wait, is that the only reason you don¡¯t like to be out in the open?¡± Esk questioned.


    Shy stared at him for a long moment. ¡°What other reason could I have?¡± She asked in return.


    ¡°That¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ you don¡¯t like people staring at you? You¡¯re shy?¡± Esk replied but he didn¡¯t sound very convinced of his own responses.


    Shy shook her head and turned away to continue looking down the entrance she was guarding. Fina chuckled at the whole situation but Mark leaned in close to Esk and whispered something to him. ¡°You two are idiots.¡± Fina told them. It was clear that she had overheard whatever Mark was trying to tell Esk.


    ¡°Can you all shut up so this old man can meditate in peace for a few minutes? I want to have some mana if we get ambushed again.¡± Fable cut in.


    Mark, Esk, and Fina all sighed and did as requested. Isaac chuckled and sat down against the wall next to Mark. Lenna sat down on his other side. From their position they could see the entirety of the battle field they had just almost died in. None of them had been completely spared from a near death experience. Fina had been the least targeted but if it hadn¡¯t been for Shy¡¯s quick thinking she, along with the rest of the party, would have been smashed under a wave of hyphae and turned into mushroom food. Isaac nodded and closed his eyes to rest. He wasn¡¯t planning on meditating or falling asleep but he felt the need to rest after such a long and grueling battle. Some rest would give him plenty of time to refill his own reserves as well. Lenna, Esk, and Fina all soon joined Fable in meditation. The battle was finally done. There were no more enemies in sight. Their bounty was more or less completed and Lenna hadn¡¯t even been spied on recently.


    ¡®If only this peace could last.¡¯ Isaac thought to himself. ¡®But alas, peace is merely the time between battles.¡¯ He opened his eyes and looked up towards the sky he knew to be beyond hundreds if not thousands of feet of stone and dirt. ¡®I wonder how long we will have until Jallen decides to make another move. Will it be a day, a month, or a year?¡¯ He shook his head. ¡®I swear the uncertainty is worse than whatever he is planning.¡¯ Isaac huffed and got up with a stretch. ¡°I guess we can start looting.¡± He said to Mark who nodded and offered his hand. Isaac grabbed it and hauled the larger man to his feet. Isaac took another quick look at the battlefield. ¡°For all the money it¡¯s worth.¡± He grumbled. There truly was nothing that could be sold for gold by itself. The only use their loot would have would be to prove that they had killed it. Isaac sighed again and Mark nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s get to it, big guy.¡±


    Mark chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m not that big. Have you seen some of the goliaths around?¡±

 Chapter 66 Asking To Die.

    Chapter 66 Asking To Die.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to run back, I¡¯ve lost all sense of urgency now that it¡¯s dead.¡± Isaac whined.


    ¡°Then stop complaining about it taking so long to get back.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t think the rest of the team would survive a run back.¡±


    Isaac glanced back at the worn out group of adventurers behind them. They were looking a fair bit better than they had been an hour and a half ago. ¡°Let¡¯s walk for a while and then stop to sleep somewhere. When we all get up in the morning, we are running back to Safeharbor. Sleeping out here is awful.¡± Isaac told them. He received some appreciative looks and nods of assent before turning back to Lenna. ¡°The more I think about it, the more strange this whole situation is.¡± He told her.


    ¡°I know what you mean.¡± Lenna agreed.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t the mushroom assassin attack us when we were fighting the mushroomancer? Where did the mushroomancer come from? Where did so many Ori-Masa come from for that matter? Have there always been this many Tunnel Horrors around?¡± Isaac listed out the questions he had been mulling over.


    ¡°It might have needed us to kill the mushroomancer.¡± Lenna postulated. ¡°Imagine if it was taken over by the fish.¡±


    Isaac shivered thinking about the mushroom assassin with the regenerative ability and death flame immunity of the mushroomancer. ¡°No thanks.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°That is a fair point though. The thing with the mushroomancer that gets me is that I remember seeing a band of Ori-Masa a few months ago and they seemed normal then. It was just a normal band of nomadic fishpeople wandering around and causing normal amounts of trouble.¡±


    ¡°I actually had a theory about that.¡± Lenna said. ¡°I¡¯m wondering if your death flames didn¡¯t cause some of the mushrooms to mutate.¡±


    ¡°During our shortcut through the mushroom kingdom?¡± Isaac requested clarification. Lenna nodded. ¡°I won¡¯t say that it¡¯s impossible but I find it very unlikely. There shouldn¡¯t have been any parts of those mushrooms left to mutate. The black dust is just dead cells and necrosis residue. They would have to be both resilient and adaptive to an insane degree. I almost killed myself while messing around with my death flames in the beginning and I was being careful, mostly.¡±


    ¡°The mushroom kingdom has been around for thousands of years.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°If nothing had been able to kill it thus far then there must be a reason.¡±


    Isaac frowned in thought. ¡°This might be one of those questions we never get to answer.¡± He conceded.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Life likes to give us those.¡± She replied. ¡°As for the Tunnel Horrors and Ori-Masa, they have always been around but they aren¡¯t usually seen in numbers like this. The Ori-Masa travel in large bands instead of armies like what we saw. The mushroomancer had to have traveled around to gather them all up. The Tunnel Horrors have kept stray mages in check for longer than drow history. You are just a magnet so we see them more often.¡±


    ¡°So are there no more Ori-Masa around now?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Probably not in this area, no.¡± Lenna answered.


    The pair continued in silence for a while before Isaac brought up the other thing that was on his mind. ¡°When do you think Jallen is going to make his move?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°He is as old and patient as he is brash and powerful.¡± She sighed. ¡°I have no idea. He might come charging down here himself tomorrow or hire someone to run some elaborate scheme to get us kicked out of the city.¡±


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    ¡°That tracks with the mental image I had of him.¡± Isaac confessed. ¡°It also isn¡¯t helpful.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°I know.¡± After another long moment of silence Lenna offered an idea. An idea along the lines of one of Isaac¡¯s bad ideas. ¡°We could have Jala contact him if you really want to know. He might actually tell you. He¡¯s arrogant like that.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°That is some real storybook villain arrogance alright. Does he really think that he is that invincible?¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± She told him truthfully. ¡°Not only is he incredibly difficult to kill without magic items, all of his gear is made to keep him alive. The heads of each V¡¯Nova branch have roughly the same gear. Legendary armor that is immune to all physical attacks, pendants that prevent lethal damage, swords that steal the life from those they are fighting, shields that project a reality shield the size of a wagon, crown that reflects mental attacks.¡± She met Isaac¡¯s widening gaze. ¡°And that is not counting whatever extra gear he has picked up over the centuries. It would be easier to break through Safeharbor¡¯s walls than to kill Jallen V¡¯Nova while he is in full battle gear. Even if you kill him, if you aren¡¯t careful, a cleric of Dri¡¯El will bring him back to life.¡±


    ¡°This is quite the buildup.¡± Isaac commented. He wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about everything Lenna had told him. On one hand a battle with Jallen would be a truly legendary affair. On the other, the man sounded utterly unkillable. Isaac knew that he would end up fighting Jallen at some point. Either that or one of them would die of old age. Isaac had the feeling that Jallen wouldn¡¯t go to the grave with any regrets if he could help it and that meant coming after them at some point before either of them died naturally.


    ¡°The best course of action would probably be to run to the surface when he makes his move.¡± Lenna advised. Isaac could tell that her advice had come from a purely logical perspective and he could also tell that it was not something that she actually wanted to do.


    ¡°Probably.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°You know I¡¯m going to fight him anyway though.¡±


    Lenna smirked and shook her head. ¡°If it¡¯s you, I might just believe that he can be killed.¡±


    ¡ª


    Lenna and Fina were meditating while the rest of the group slept. Isaac and Fable may have been asleep but they were still on watch. Both of them had a natural ability to tell when someone was watching them even while they were asleep. Things like bloodlust or deep hunger directed towards them would wake them up especially when they were in a place that they didn¡¯t feel safe in. Only Isaac and Esk bothered to stretch out. Lenna, Fina, and Fable sat cross legged. Mark and Shy were sitting against the wall of their little alcove with one knee up and the other down in the most stereotypical soldier resting position Isaac could think of. The group was making the most of their brief reprieve and resting up while they could. Their biggest mana signature was actually the meditating Fina and even that was hard to detect from farther than a dozen feet.


    Everything was peaceful in their little alcove until a familiar feeling fell upon Lenna¡¯s shoulders. Lenna took a deep breath and sighed. It was too unrealistic for her to think that they were done with Jallen for even a little while. They had already been given almost two weeks reprieve after the assassins were wiped out. Lenna¡¯s aura flexed and the magic resting on her shattered under the superior force. Scrying magic was fragile but could only be broken with an act of opposing will, something about the soul lock needing the soul to break it, it was all magic that Lenna hadn¡¯t bothered to study. She only needed to know the effects and how to counter them when it came to magic, that didn¡¯t mean that she hadn¡¯t picked up an entire encyclopedia¡¯s worth of magical knowledge along the way, it just meant that her knowledge base was disorganized.


    Fina¡¯s eyes shot open as her head snapped to Lenna. She hadn¡¯t felt the contained aura usage but instead she felt the spell shatter even if she hadn¡¯t felt it form. Fable had much the same reaction. Both of them looked at Lenna like they were awaiting the announcement of an ambush. Isaac opened one eye and eyed his mate. ¡°Back at it again?¡± He questioned casually.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes. We need to move.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Why? What is going on?¡± Fable demanded. The other three party members started to stir at the commotion.


    ¡°Our odds of getting ambushed by something worth fighting just went from basically nonexistent to a slight probability.¡± Isaac answered and used shadows to pick him up from laying flat on his back to standing upright. The show of mana was entirely unnecessary. What was even more unnecessary was what he did afterwards. Isaac used the shadows at his command to pick up his bedroll and blanket before tossing them into his inventory. The show of extreme power abuse and laziness got an annoyed look from Fina but nothing else.


    ¡°Ambushed by what?¡± Fable furthered his questioning.


    ¡°Whatever Jallen V¡¯Nova feels like trying to kill us with this time.¡± Isaac replied simply. ¡°Esk, hurry up or I¡¯m leaving you behind.¡±


    Esk let out a groan as he slowly sat up. ¡°How much sleep did I get?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°A little over an hour.¡± Fina replied. ¡°Hurry up or I¡¯m leaving you behind too. I don¡¯t want to get caught out here with no one but you.¡±


    ¡°Ouch.¡± Esk replied and started moving not nearly fast enough. Fina grabbed his blanket and bedroll and tossed them into his face. Esk started sputtering as he tried to get stone dust off of his tongue. He didn¡¯t say anything to her though and just stuffed his things into his Bottomless Bag.


    In a matter of moments the group was on the move again. The last thing any of them wanted was to get ambushed before their whole group was recovered. Lenna, Fina, Esk, and Fable were barely at a quarter of their maximum mana. Mark was good to go after the quick power nap and so was Shy. Isaac, as usual, was the only one truly back up to one hundred percent. ¡°Are we running again?¡± Fina asked. There was a hint of dread in her voice but also the resolve to do it.


    ¡°For the first hour at least.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°If they don¡¯t tag Lenna again within that hour, we can either stop to rest again or slow our pace a bit.¡±


    ¡°You two have to deal with this regularly?¡± Esk asked with a yawn. ¡°How do you survive?¡±


    ¡°We only sleep in Safeharbor.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Sleeping in the tunnels is asking to die.¡±

 Chapter 67 Preferred, But Optional.

    Chapter 67 Preferred, But Optional.


    ¡°Has it been an hour yet?¡± Esk whined. He wasn¡¯t the only one having trouble keeping up anymore. Fina was just as exhausted and Shy had the worst stamina on their team. Fable and Mark were doing an excellent job of hiding the building exhaustion but Isaac and Lenna knew it was still getting to them, their steps were less sure and less regular even if only slightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s been an hour and a half.¡± Fina added. ¡°Can we stop yet?¡± She pleaded. ¡°Mark, carry me.¡± Mark chuckled and shook his head in the negative. He didn¡¯t bother wasting energy responding.


    ¡°Just around this corner.¡± Lenna told them and the rest of the group shut up for the final few dozen feet until their resting place. Luckily for the Flame Ravens and Fable, Lenna hadn¡¯t been spied on again. With Contantis knowing that they were a good distance away from any human settlements, Isaac and Lenna both assumed that Jallen would be sending them a surprise of some kind or at the very least keeping tabs on them. It had been eerily quiet on the Contantis end of their problems. On the Safeharbor end, the group had killed over seventy stray monsters in total from both their way out and their way back by that point. Almost everyone¡¯s Bottomless Bags were full to the brim.


    ¡°Finally, rest.¡± Esk said and dropped to his knees inside the small alcove Lenna had led them to. He didn¡¯t even bother pulling out his bed roll and just rested his face on his arm instead of the cold stone. Within minutes Esk was sound asleep. The rest of the group was a bit more measured.


    ¡ª


    Lenna sighed deeply. It had been six hours to the minute since the last scrying attempt. Luckily the group had managed four hours of good rest so they could all mostly function again. Lenna flexed her aura and shattered the spell. ¡°Everyone up.¡± Isaac said with a yawn. He was loud enough that everyone started moving, albeit a bit slower than usual. ¡°We are going to sprint the rest of the way home. Use your magic to get it done.¡± He added while stretching. ¡°If there are any problems, Lenna and I will handle it. Fable, make sure the kids get home safe.¡±


    Fable eyed Isaac for a long moment before nodding. ¡°That was the plan.¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Regardless of what problems arise, take the ravens and fly. Lenna and I will handle it.¡± He explained further.


    Fable nodded. ¡°I know, but it is good to have your assent now.¡±


    Isaac fought back the urge to wrinkle his nose at Fable. ¡®He could have at least pretended to be on our side. I thought we had become ¡®strained allies¡¯ at least by now. Damn he pisses me off.¡¯ Isaac ranted internally.


    ¡°Hurry up.¡± Lenna cut in. She could read Isaac¡¯s mind like it was her own at times so she could almost hear his internal monologue. She decided to speed things up a bit to keep him and Fable from getting into it when they were almost back. ¡°I want something warm to eat and a real bed.¡± Her words were mostly directed to the Flame Ravens and she got a mix of nods and grumbles but they did seem to pick up the pace a bit. Luckily for everyone involved they made it the rest of the way back without any major issue. The Darkness and Hellfire duo smashed through anything that happened to be in the way for the last stretch with little fanfare.


    ¡ª


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    ¡°Finally, warm food.¡± Isaac said and plopped down on one of Celeste¡¯s barstools.


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna added.


    Celeste chuckled as she handed them their breakfasts. ¡°This is certainly an experience.¡± She told them. ¡°You two are my first customers of the day.¡±


    ¡°We just got back.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°I bet the rest of the group is all face down in their pillows somewhere.¡±


    ¡°You two seem awake enough.¡± Celeste commented.


    ¡°Sleep is optional.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Preferred, but optional.¡±


    Celeste wasn¡¯t sure if she should ask him why or not and decided just to let it go. ¡°So how was your crusade against the two legged fish?¡± She guided the conversation in a safer direction.


    ¡°Awful.¡± Isaac and Lenna said in unison.


    Celeste looked shocked. Usually when she asked that kind of question their answers differed at least slightly. ¡°Because you had company?¡± Celeste wondered. She knew how much Isaac and Lenna preferred it to be just the two of them. There was a certain level of safety that came with only traveling with someone you trusted completely that the duo were apprehensive about abandoning. Adding more members to their team meant that they had to be on guard when it came to their secret abilities that they were usually free to use when alone.


    ¡°Honestly,¡± Isaac began. ¡°they were only slightly annoying compared to the rest. Have you ever heard about a mushroom assassin from the mushroom kingdom being sent after someone?¡±


    Celeste looked deep in thought for a long moment. ¡°Can you describe it for me?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Wendigo meets cyclops but it¡¯s made of mushroom.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°It moved like nothing I¡¯ve ever experienced before. Faster than Fable, stronger than Lenna, all four limbs were lethal weapons to the extreme. It ignored gravity by just clamping its claws into the stone.¡± Isaac shook his head. ¡°It was horrifying.¡±


    ¡°Have you gotten it Identified yet?¡± Celeste asked.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No.¡± He replied. ¡°We¡¯ll sort everything out with the guild and have them take care of it.¡±


    Celeste nodded. ¡°When it is Identified, let me know what it¡¯s called.¡± She instructed the duo. ¡°I have an idea but I am not entirely sure.¡±


    ¡°What do you think it is?¡± Isaac questioned. Lenna had set her fork down and leaned in.


    ¡°A Royal Executor.¡± Celeste replied. ¡°Who knows how many of them actually exist but they are the reason we are so sure that there truly is a mushroom king. Every now and again someone successfully pisses off the mushrooms and ends up getting torn to pieces. I used to know this crazy wizard who was obsessed with studying the mushroom forests and all of their mysteries. He told me about them.¡±


    ¡°Used to?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Killed by mushrooms.¡± Celeste explained simply.


    ¡°Understandable. I should have seen that coming.¡± Isaac replied.


    Celeste nodded. ¡°As far as he told me, they are grown within close proximity to the ¡®king¡¯. He wasn¡¯t actually sure if their monarch was an actual individual or if it was something like the centerpoint or collective will of the mushrooms. Anyway, their level supposedly equates to the number of decades spent growing there. He also seemed to think that there would only ever be a few active at once. He also said that as soon as one was killed another would take its place and continue its mission. The main difference being the higher level.¡± She finished explaining.


    ¡°That sounds like as much of a horror story as potential fact.¡± Isaac commented with a frown. ¡°But if he was right then we may have just made our problem a lot worse. That one was hard enough to fight.¡±


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    Jallen V¡¯Nova sat in his throne and listened to the report from his third advisor. Some Captain McNobody as far as he was concerned. The man had only gotten the position because he had high enough stats to be introduced to the V¡¯Nova women of marriageable age. The man was as bright as a freshly snuffed candle. What Jallen was interested in was the information he was conveying. Troop numbers, pecurke numbers, auxiliary mages, and most importantly, the number of available V¡¯Nova¡¯s. Jallen nodded to the man and waved him out as soon as he was done talking. His voice threatened to break through Jallen¡¯s delicate image control by putting him to sleep mid conversation.


    ¡°Is she back in Safeharbor?¡± Jallen questioned his sorceress.


    ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± She replied with her head down as usual.


    ¡°Good. Continue this interval. Inform me as soon as something changes.¡± He ordered her. The sorceress was instructed to check in on his niece once every six hours in perpetuity. Jallen needed to make sure she was in Safeharbor when he made his move. It wouldn¡¯t do to have a piece out of place during his first major move in over a century. He was going to remind the humans that the drow empire was not to be trifled with. He was going to kill his traitorous niece. He was going to smack his twin for getting herself captured by humans of all people. And finally, once all of that was done, he was going to beat the everhating, godsforsaken shit out of his brother-in-law for not being able to protect his sister.

 Chapter 68 Fake Tears

    Chapter 68 Fake Tears


    Isaac and Lenna entered the Adventurers¡¯ Guild Hall just in time to see a tired Mark hand Alice a small stack of papers. ¡°Hope you¡¯re happy, little lady.¡± Mark told her.


    ¡°Thanks Mark.¡± Alice replied. ¡°I¡¯ll read over this and file it. You could have gotten some sleep first.¡±


    ¡°Esk wouldn¡¯t shut up so we all worked on it together.¡± Mark explained. ¡°For being exhausted he sure had a lot of energy when we finally got back. Damn kids.¡±


    Alice giggled. ¡°You must have had quite the adventure.¡± She commented.


    ¡°We did. We¡¯ll be back with the loot at some point.¡± He promised her. ¡°I¡¯m going to bed.¡±


    Alice giggled again. ¡°Okay, pleasant dreams.¡± She wished him softly with an even softer smile.


    ¡°Only if they¡¯re of you, Alexis.¡± He replied and winked at her before turning to leave. As soon as he did so he saw Isaac and Lenna standing just inside the door and his eyes widened slightly. The Guild Hall was empty save for the four of them so Mark didn¡¯t have to worry about being quiet. He started towards the door. ¡°Can you keep a brother¡¯s secret?¡± He asked Isaac with a hint of concern in his voice.


    Isaac raised an eyebrow in question even as he tried, and failed, to suppress a smile. ¡°That you¡¯re courting half of the guild receptionists in Safeharbor or that you are acting like an old man as soon as your younger teammates are out of earshot?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Mark coughed into his hand. ¡°The former.¡± He replied.


    Isaac laughed and Lenna chuckled while shaking her head. ¡°Why keep it a secret?¡± Lenna questioned while Isaac got his laughter under control. He was having way too much fun picking on the warrior.


    ¡°Are you kidding?¡± Mark questioned. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t survive the night. Parental figures will come out of the woodwork and all the boys her age will put out a bounty on my head.¡±


    Lenna shook her head at him again. ¡°Just get stronger.¡± She told him.


    ¡°Or marry her.¡± Isaac cut in. ¡°By then it would be too late.¡±


    ¡°I, uh,¡± Mark looked back at Alexis who looked back at him with a mix of hearts in her eyes and a lingering question. ¡°I need some sleep.¡± Mark said and nodded in Isaac and Lenna¡¯s general direction before ducking out.


    Isaac and Lenna approached the receptionist. ¡°So?¡± Isaac questioned with a glint of mischievousness. ¡°How long has that been going on?¡±


    Alice looked anywhere but at Isaac. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about?¡± She replied and then got serious. ¡°But seriously, please keep it a secret for now. Receptionists aren¡¯t allowed to be involved with their adventurers. Even if Alecia would probably be fine, I would definitely get fired.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think Edward would sweep it under the rug?¡± Isaac asked.


    Alexis shrugged. ¡°Maybe.¡± She replied. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to put him in that kind of situation if I don¡¯t have to.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Understandable.¡± He said. ¡°We¡¯ll keep it a secret for you.¡± His brows then furrowed. ¡°You are aware of how old he is though, right?¡±


    Alexis rolled her eyes. ¡°He¡¯s not that much older than me.¡± She countered.


    ¡°He¡¯s almost old enough to be your father.¡± Isaac reposted.


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    ¡°You can¡¯t come at me with that Lord Wexler, your Lady V¡¯Nova over there is ten times your age at least.¡± Alexis shot back.


    ¡°She¡¯s a long-lived race. That¡¯s different. In your case it¡¯s the opposite. You are the long-lived one but he is older. Your midlife crisis will happen when you bury him of old age.¡± Isaac explained.


    Alexis winced and recoiled as if she had been physically struck. ¡°I¡­ It¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± She told Isaac.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°As long as you¡¯ve thought it through.¡± He told her. ¡°Now, we have some of our group¡¯s loot. The problem is that it needs Identified while it is still in our custody. After that is done we¡¯ll be giving it to Jalla for her horror story experiments.¡±


    Alexis nodded in understanding. ¡°If Magus Alexander sends a note down with the creature¡¯s information on it we will count that as fact. In cases like this, when the truth of the story is difficult to back up, we rely on written reports and occasionally testimony. Any information given to us by a court mage or guard captain is considered fact unless someone specifically disputes it.¡± She explained. ¡°Do you have any other loot that needs to be dealt with?¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No.¡± She answered the ¡®little lady¡¯ behind the receptionist¡¯s counter.


    ¡°The Flame Ravens have all of the sellable loot.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°We¡¯ll be back tomorrow morning for the bounty payout. If you need any more time just let us know then.¡±


    Alexis nodded. ¡°Will do.¡± She replied. ¡°Will you be back later today?¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Maybe for the library, maybe not.¡± He told her. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±


    ¡°Alright, see you tomorrow.¡± Alexis bid them farewell.


    ¡°One last thing before we go,¡± Isaac began. ¡°tell Edward that five gold each was not enough. He better approved a good payout for this. Also he better reimburse Shy for her consumables that were used. She deserves it.¡±


    Alexis nodded again. ¡°I¡¯ll let him know.¡±


    Isaac smirked and turned to leave. ¡°Oh and good luck on your courting adventure.¡± He wished her before leaving.


    ¡°Yes, may the moon guide you and fate bless you.¡± Lenna told Alexis with a warm smile before joining her mate. Alexis just looked after them unsure of what to say or how to respond.


    ¡ª


    ¡°I love you!¡± Jalla exclaimed at near ear splitting volume. ¡°You actually did it!¡± She went on. Lenna had just dumped the mushroomancer corpse onto one of Jalla¡¯s tables and Isaac handed Fen the ball of mushroom creature in a sealed box. Jalla threw her arms around her niece for a strong yet brief hug before she practically threw the younger elf away from her as she whirled on the corpse with far too much passion. She started humming while floating all of the mushroomancer¡¯s bits and pieces over to another table that had the Identify ritual already carved into the stone. The ritual may have been made but it was not filled with magical chalk nor a precious metal. Instead, Jalla dumped mana into the open carvings and her mana followed the predetermined path before enacting the ritual. She spent five times as much mana that way but it was far cheaper than filling in the ritual with gold like most mages. Stone was an even worse conductor of magic than air which was the reason for the engraved ritual instead of a raised one.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Fen grumbled offhandedly to Isaac upon taking the box from his outstretched hand. ¡°I¡¯m not going to sleep for the rest of the week now.¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°She¡¯s your wife. I¡¯m sure you could work something out.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Like what?¡± Fen questioned indignantly.


    ¡°Sleeping powder in her tea.¡± Isaac replied directly.


    Fen paused before thinking about it for a long moment. ¡°She does have sedatives in the cabinet.¡± He thought aloud. ¡°We¡¯ll see. I might have to resort to that depending on what is in this box.¡±


    ¡°A live ball of flesh mushroom monster.¡± Isaac explained. He was talking at a somewhat quiet but normal volume. Even so, Jalla heard none of it. She was far too focused on her ritual to hear them. Lenna¡¯s aura flared momentarily but only Isaac and Fen noticed.


    ¡°Someone spying on you?¡± Fen asked.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Your brother-in-law.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°I¡¯m going to put a spike in his throat if he keeps this up.¡± He punctuated the point by pulling a throwing spike out of thin air and starting to twirl it around his fingers. Isaac stopped and tossed it back in his Inventory when he heard the sound of approaching footsteps.


    Alexander walked into the room with a yawn. His dark hair was a mess and he had bags under his eyes. It looked as though he had just woken up after far too little sleep. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± He told Isaac, Lenna, and Fen. ¡°So, what did you need me for so early in the morning?¡±


    ¡°New monsters that need Identified before Jalla tears them apart. The guild needs your written testimony of their level and some basic information.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°And Lady L¡¯Vore¡¯s testimony isn¡¯t a certified source.¡± Alexander grumbled. She was a higher level wizard than he was but she was also technically a prisoner of war. No one treated her as such but one look at Fen showed exactly how the Kingdom of Altia saw the pair.


    ¡°Correct.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°She¡¯s getting a scalpel.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Alexander blinked and looked over at Jalla. She hadn¡¯t left the site of her ritual but an invisible force was bringing her what looked like surgical tools one at a time. ¡°Lady L¡¯Vore! Lady L¡¯Vore please wait until I can at least Identify it myself!¡± He called out while jogging over to her. It appeared that dealing with Jalla was quickly cleansing him of any remnants of sleep.


    ¡°It appears not only you have your hands full.¡± Isaac said to Fen while watching the spectacle unfold of Alexander trying to get Jalla to slow down long enough that he could do what was asked of him.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know half of it.¡± Fen commented and started walking towards his mate. Lenna joined him and both of them looped an arm around Jalla and drug her away from the ritual and her tools. The ritual was almost over and she had already made a connection so she didn¡¯t need to hover over the corpse like she had been. Jalla protested a bit before she realized that there was no way that she would be escaping her mate and niece¡¯s grasps.


    ¡°I don¡¯t love you anymore.¡± Jalla pouted to her niece. ¡°And why are you always so mean to me?¡± She questioned with wide eyes that looked on the verge of tears to her mate.


    ¡°If your fake tears worked on me I would have been one of your experiments by now.¡± Fen replied coldly. ¡°Just wait until the boy finishes then you can go play.¡± Jalla, for her part, shut up with a huff and just started pouting.

 Chapter 69 Four.

    Chapter 69 Four.


    ¡°So there¡¯s nothing you can do about the gashes in my shoulder?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Clayton shook his head. ¡°No. The wood is already dead, that is probably the only reason you can even use it, so I won¡¯t be able to heal it with plant magic.¡± He explained to the slightly annoyed Isaac. He was tired of tearing through armors like they were weekly fashion trends.


    ¡°We can cut out the destroyed parts and fill them in with something else.¡± Clayton offered. ¡°The easiest option would be to just cover it with normal leather.¡±


    ¡°What would you fill them with?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°There is this type of mushro-¡± Clayton was cut off by Isaac before he could even finish the word.


    ¡°No. Absolutely not.¡± Isaac cut in. ¡°No mushrooms.¡±


    ¡°What is wrong with mushrooms?¡± Clayton asked while pushing up his glasses.


    ¡°A mushroom is what did this to my shoulder. That would quite literally be ¡®injury to insult¡¯.¡± Isaac protested.


    ¡°You drink mushroom tea don¡¯t you?¡± Clayton argued back. ¡°I am not seeing the problem here.¡±


    ¡°What about a piece of the mushroom responsible?¡± Lenna asked. ¡°Then you would get some protection back. Just glue it in place or something.¡±


    ¡°I can magically bind the materials together.¡± Clayton offered. ¡°That is the best I can do.¡±


    Isaac thought about it for a long moment before conceding. ¡°Fine.¡± He replied with a liberal dose of resignation like it was something he truly didn¡¯t want to do.


    ¡°Twenty gold, the materials, and an hour is all I¡¯ll need for it.¡± Clayton replied. Isaac nodded and left his damaged armor with Clayton with the promise of the necessary mushroom parts being delivered some time before the end of the next day.


    ¡°Now, Lenna lost¡­ Lenna¡¯s sword is no longer available.¡± Isaac stopped to amend his statement at the sudden spike in pressure from his mate¡¯s gaze. ¡°I know what I want a new one to do but I don¡¯t know if Eliza is capable of it.¡±


    ¡°What did you have in mind?¡± Clayton asked. He still hadn¡¯t received the research materials about the colors of mana so at present he really was still just the clerk at the local magic shop. It was a good job that paid well and saw him exposed to many new types of magic and people but his level was starting to stagnate. He really couldn¡¯t wait for the research materials to arrive so he could start studying Isaac¡¯s magic in detail.


    ¡°A red and black sword.¡± Isaac began. ¡°The entire sword exists to exude death flames and real ones while hopefully boosting Lenna¡¯s own to some degree. Is that even possible?¡±


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    Clayton took out some paper and started scribbling down mathematic equations and weird magic symbols. After a few minutes he looked up from his work. ¡°Technically, yes.¡± Clayton replied. ¡°The sword would need to have an available surface area of almost two hundred square inches though if my math is right.¡± He looked back down at his work and shook his head. ¡°It would need to be reenchanted after a few hundred uses. I don¡¯t doubt that Eliza would be capable of making such a sword but I do doubt that he would want to. What you are asking for is a sword of legendary proportions. In order to maintain its own coating of real fire without bending, warping, or losing integrity it will need three levels of enchantments for each tier of flames. I assume you don¡¯t want it to just be hot. If you want it to burn like a torch and actually be a worthwhile source of fire damage you are looking at nine levels of enchantments.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s already more than the assassins daggers the drow use.¡± Isaac cut in.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Clayton replied. ¡°We are talking about a proper flaming sword. Unfortunately the death flames will be even more difficult. I asked Eliza what he knew about them a while ago and I assume you will be able to fill in the rest for me. Running off of the assumption that the colors of mana theory is true, your death flames are made entirely of dark or black mana, correct?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Isaac agreed.


    ¡°You would need an enchantment that processes dark mana into these ¡®death flames¡¯. An enchantment that doesn¡¯t exist yet mind you. Another to ensure their purity and finally the projection enchantment which would be different but similar to the basic one used with the normal flames.¡± Clayton explained. ¡°Now at this point we are up to nine from the normal flames and probably nine again for the death flames, with the entirety of the runes necessary for it needing to be created based on the research of a long dead wizard and a mage who¡¯s been learning magic theory in his spare time over the last month or so.¡± Isaac nodded in understanding. This sword would be no easy feat, if it was even possible. ¡°Now that we are at eighteen levels of enchantment, we still need to make sure the sword can withstand the stress of normal use. Looking at your gear we can assume that one level of hardening and one of sharpening will be far from enough. I wouldn¡¯t use less than three, preferably five of each. I know the heavy armor the dwarves are so proud of uses nine hardening enchantments and it is rumored to be completely immune to physical attacks.¡±


    ¡°So we are talking about somewhere between twenty four and thirty levels of enchantments.¡± Isaac all but whispered. He had never heard of someone packing that much magic into one item.


    ¡°We still haven¡¯t increased Lady V¡¯Nova¡¯s personal power in any way at this point. Those enchantments are always far more intricate and usually work in their own groups of three, six, eight, or nine though they are far beyond me.¡± Clayton explained. ¡°Hence the need for two hundred square inches of enchantable material.¡±


    ¡°The entire sword would be nothing but enchantments with a blade around it.¡± Isaac balked. ¡°It would just be a slab of gold. How much would something like that weigh?¡±


    ¡°Would you like to have a lightening enchantment added?¡± Clayton questioned. ¡°Oh, one more thing, the enchantments would need to be platinum and not gold or else the almost nonexistent magical friction from the enchantments will break apart the sword on the microscopic level. It would just end up falling apart in your hands after a century or so.¡±


    ¡°How much would something like that even cost?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°Isaac, Lord Wexler, Darkness, you are talking about commissioning a weapon fit only for a demigod.¡± Clayton sighed and took off his glasses. He pinched and then rubbed the bridge of his nose with his free hand. ¡°The price would be a favor owed. No one, and I mean no one, who would be willing to make something like this would charge you in gold. Probably because there isn¡¯t enough of it for it to be a fair trade.¡±


    Isaac swallowed hard. ¡°So¡­ do you think Eliza would do it?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°I can ask him but I believe he will send you to the only person who would make something like this in their right mind.¡± Clayton replied.


    ¡°And who is that?¡± Isaac wondered. Lenna leaned in as well. She had been only sort of paying attention up to that point. The sword may have been for her but Isaac was the one picking it out and she would be happy with anything he chose. She also knew that anything he chose would be for more than just cutting things but that was alright with her. She had no qualms with her or her sword being used in Isaac¡¯s mind games. Now, however, her full attention was turned towards the conversation.


    ¡°Blade.¡± Clayton replied. ¡°The demigod of Blades, forger of legendary swords, spears, axes, and arrows.¡± Clayton sighed again. ¡°Unfortunately, even if you get him to make you one, he is known for taking decades if not centuries to make it.¡±


    ¡°Eliza is the fastest artificer.¡± Isaac stated. He had heard it a few times during his time in Safeharbor and no one had ever tried to argue a counter point so he took it as fact. ¡°That¡¯s why I want him to do it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll say something to him when I see him next but I wouldn¡¯t get your hopes up.¡± Clayton resigned. ¡°Oh, as far as the cost is concerned, if I were to try and quantify something like this using conventional pricing, it would be two million gold if new enchantments didn¡¯t need to be created from scratch.¡±


    Isaac paled. ¡°That¡¯s enough to buy Safeharbor.¡± He argued.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Clayton replied. ¡°It probably is.¡±


    ¡°Safeharbor is probably more like four.¡± Lenna cut in. Both of the young men turned to her with questioning expressions. ¡°Four million gold, for Safeharbor.¡±

 Chapter 70 Another Spectacle

    Chapter 70 Another Spectacle


    The Flame Ravens, Fable, and the V¡¯Nova Wexler duo were gathered in the Guild Hall bright and early for their payout. Everyone was hopeful for a massive payout but they all knew that their hopes would probably end up dashed. Partly because there were seven of them so the payout would need to be divided by a rather large number but also because extermination quests were generally great at giving combat experience and bad at giving large amounts of coin. ¡°Don¡¯t keep us waiting, Sasston.¡± Fable told Edward directly. ¡°Building suspense is childish.¡±


    Edward cleared his throat and looked at the paper in his hands. ¡°For defeating an apocalyptic level threat in its infancy the kingdom is willing to grant you all Medals of Mercenary Merit or a payout of twenty thousand gold each. You each may pick separately.¡± Edward began.


    ¡°Classic,¡± Esk grumbled. ¡°Offering medals instead of good pay for something that could have ended the world or something.¡±


    ¡°Knowing all of you,¡± Edward continued. ¡°I already put in the request for six payouts and one medal.¡± He nodded towards Fable. ¡°Another to add to your wall.¡±


    ¡°Number seventy eight.¡± Fable replied. ¡°I¡¯m still seven behind.¡±


    Edward¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°Who has the same number of medals as the years they¡¯ve been alive?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°No one, yet.¡± Fable replied. ¡°Continue.¡±


    Edward sighed before looking at his paper again. ¡°The Royal Executor was level twenty seven. It is being assigned as a double platinum level threat.¡± Edward explained. ¡°For that you will get the standard fifty thousand gold to be split among yourselves.¡±


    ¡°That thing almost team wiped us!¡± Esk exclaimed. ¡°A direct hit from that might¡¯ve killed me THROUGH MY ARMOR!¡± He had been thoroughly traumatized after seeing the monster manhandle all three of the most powerful members of their group back to back.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything actually move that fast.¡± Isaac added. ¡°It was stronger and more resilient than Lenna, faster than Fable, it learned while fighting and the only reason we beat it was because of the dual nature of lifeforms. If it had been a dark creature, I would probably be the only one still alive.¡± Isaac¡¯s voice held no arrogance, instead it held worry and a grim acknowledgement of his own words as fact. ¡°It was way stronger than anything I¡¯ve fought thus far. Only a demigod could go toe to toe with it.¡±


    Fable sighed. ¡°Unfortunately he is right.¡± He said taking Edward¡¯s and not Isaac¡¯s side. ¡°A full team of properly equipped and fresh double platinum adventurers could have handled it. We were blindsided after a long battle with our resources drained and prevalent exhaustion.¡± He explained. ¡°However, we should get the ¡®Unknown Extreme Danger¡¯ bonus.¡±


    Edward nodded in resignation. ¡°Fine. Those come out of my pockets so be grateful at least.¡± He grumbled his reply. ¡°As for the rest, according to your report you killed one thousand one hundred and three Ori-Masa, not including the mushroomancer, nineteen giant snakes, fourteen shadow-wolves, twelve phase-widows, and twenty seven giant spiders.¡± Edward took a breath after reading off the rest of the list.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you missing something?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°You¡¯ve burned through the budget set aside for killing Tunnel Horrors.¡± Edward replied.


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    ¡°But we still killed two of them.¡± Isaac countered. ¡°Just be glad I didn¡¯t bring them back to the city so the guards could take care of them. If we don¡¯t get paid to kill monsters then I guess I¡¯ll just have to deliver them to the city walls next time.¡± Isaac said with faux reluctance.


    Edward¡¯s eye twitched again. ¡°Fine.¡± He all but whispered. ¡°That is also coming out of my pocket.¡± He grumbled to himself. The Safeharbor Adventurers¡¯ Guild was not large enough to handle the kinds of payouts they had been giving Isaac and Lenna. That was one of the many reasons why platinum and double platinum adventurers were given a rotation. If the city didn¡¯t have the budget to fulfill its open bounty rewards then the guild branch would have to foot the bill until the balance could be paid. Edward would get his money back eventually but with how negative Safeharbor¡¯s budget was at all times he doubted it would be soon.


    ¡°That¡¯s like thirty thousand a piece.¡± Isaac complained. ¡°For all the work we did, that''s highway robbery.¡±


    ¡°That is really good for a seven man split actually.¡± Fina said with a somewhat apologetic look.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± Isaac groaned. ¡°This is why doing jobs with one bank account is best.¡± He grumbled.


    ¡°You and Lenna are still getting more than a double platinum payout.¡± Edward replied flatly. ¡°The Tunnel Horror parts are still looking for a buyer but it should be a few thousand, maybe two or three for each of them.¡±


    ¡°Round Lenna and my share to ten thousand each plus the two payouts of twenty thousand from the kingdom. Give the difference to Shy, she burned through a lot of one time use items back there.¡± Isaac told those present. ¡°Just deposit it in our account, unless there is something else?¡± He questioned looking at Edward.


    ¡°There is and there isn¡¯t.¡± Edward replied. Lenna¡¯s aura flared and shattered another scrying attempt. ¡°Contantis has been moving troops around for some reason.¡±


    Lenna let out a sigh of relief. If she had been one second slower then Contantis would have known that they were talking about them. ¡®In Lua¡¯s name, that was close.¡¯ She prayed internally.


    ¡°The scout that witnessed it wasn¡¯t sure why they were moving troops around as they lack siege equipment but are armed to the teeth. Hopefully it is just a monster slaying expedition, we have seen those in the past, but I would like all of you to stay in town for a while. At least until we know what is going on.¡± Edward finished.


    ¡°He¡¯s preparing to make his move.¡± Isaac said. ¡°Jallen¡¯s not using his head. Edward, get Izen and the rest of the cabinet together after breakfast tomorrow morning. I know what Jallen is up to.¡±


    ¡°Would you mind sharing now?¡± Edward questioned.


    ¡°I would like until the morning to organize my thoughts, so yes, I would mind.¡± Isaac replied.


    Edward nodded, his curiosity could wait twenty four hours. ¡°Alright. I will let the duke know.¡± He replied. Esk¡¯s mouth was hanging open at Isaac¡¯s casual ordering around of the Guild Master and mentioning the duke by his first name alone. He knew that Isaac would be a prominent figure considering his power and supposed status as a demigod but casually referring to high nobility by first name alone was just preposterous.


    ¡°Then I will see you tomorrow morning.¡± Isaac replied and nodded towards Edward before turning to leave.


    ¡°Lord Wexler.¡± Fable cut in before Isaac could properly leave.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Isaac replied and looked over his shoulder at the older adventurer.


    ¡°I believe you and my apprentice had an agreement.¡± Fable reminded them both. ¡°After you are done instructing him, I would like to spar with you as well.¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°We can head to the arena now. Nothing I had planned was urgent.¡± He replied. ¡°You will have to forgive me for not wanting to go all out against either of you. When Jallen makes his move I would like both of you alive.¡±


    Fable nodded in agreement and grabbed the stark white Esk by the shoulder and started pushing him towards the door. ¡°Well I guess we are done.¡± Edward grumbled. ¡°Dismissed or whatever.¡± He added with an offhanded wave and turned to see Alice giving him a sympathetic look. ¡°This is why I prefer rookies.¡± He told her. ¡°I am supposed to be their boss.¡±


    Alice giggled. ¡°Try telling that to Isaac and Fable.¡± She replied in a whisper. ¡°I¡¯m sure the rest would treat you like their boss if they ever got a chance but you let those two walk all over you.¡±


    Edward narrowed his eyes on her. ¡°It¡¯s not ¡®let¡¯ and you know it.¡±


    Alice giggled again. ¡°Right you are, Guild Master.¡± She replied and then gestured to the empty room. ¡°It looks like there is going to be another spectacle in the arena today. Can Alexis and I go?¡± Alecia asked with large pleading eyes.


    Edward sighed for what felt like the millionth time that day. ¡°Fine.¡± He told her. ¡°But leave the Sending Slate behind so you can contact me if anything gets out of hand.¡± Alecia¡¯s eyes went wide at the mention of the slate. ¡°Yes, I know you and your sister spend half of the day talking to each other instead of working. As long as you get your work done I don¡¯t care.¡±


    Alecia gave him a wide and warm smile that almost seemed to radiate sunlight. ¡°Thanks boss!¡± She told him and quickly sent her sister a message before setting her Sending Slate on the desk and hurrying out.


    Edward drug over a chair with a back and set it next to the receptionists¡¯ counter before plopping into it. ¡°Maybe I need to find an apprentice so I can finally actually retire.¡±

 Chapter 71 Guidance

    Chapter 71 Guidance


    Isaac and Eskahno Ravenborne faced off in the middle of the arena that had seen countless battles and oceans of blood. Fable stood off to the side a dozen paces next to the same blonde acolyte who had kept him from bleeding out the last time they were there. Isaac slowly started taking off what was left of his armor and putting it in his inventory. Isaac didn¡¯t want what was left of it to get destroyed during a casual spar when he would probably end up needing it in the real battles to come.


    Esk was breathing measured breaths to keep his nerves in check and to help him focus. He was going to go all out on Isaac even if Isaac wasn¡¯t going to do the same to him. Even so, Esk was covered in a cold sweat. The side effect of getting disintegrated by Isaac¡¯s death mana would prevent his resurrection and the last thing he wanted was to end up like his brother. He took one final deep breath and opened his eyes just in time to see Isaac unbuttoning the last button on his shirt. ¡°Um,¡± Esk began.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired of replacing shirts.¡± Isaac replied to his unasked question while he finished taking off his shirt. He covered it in shadows and dropped it like he had with the rest of his armor.


    Fina cleared her throat and looked away which caused her to receive a scowl from Lenna. ¡°He¡¯s mine.¡± Lenna warned the other elf. Lenna looked back at Isaac and grinned. She couldn¡¯t keep her eyes from tracing his literally sculpted muscles. Isaac¡¯s body was what countless men strove for but couldn¡¯t achieve. The reason they couldn¡¯t achieve it was because they couldn¡¯t dehydrate themselves to the point where their muscles would be as pronounced as Isaac¡¯s and expect to still be able to function normally. Isaac¡¯s boon from Zei made that a thought that would never cross his mind. Isaac¡¯s body was perfect and it would always be perfect, at least until he died, maybe even after.


    ¡°Lenna dear, you¡¯re making Fable uncomfortable.¡± Isaac told his mate. If he could feel Lenna¡¯s totally not lustful gaze sizing him up then he didn¡¯t doubt that Fable could feel it too. Lenna coughed and turned away as her cheeks took on the color of fresh red wine. Fable¡¯s frown just deepened at being brought into the conversation but he didn¡¯t deign to add anything to it.


    Isaac stood twenty feet away from Esk with his hands at his sides in nothing but his pants and boots. His silver eyes narrowed on Esk. ¡°Ready when you are.¡± He told the other adventurer.


    Esk nodded and drew his sword while putting a hand up to his chest. ¡°Ready.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Begin.¡± Fable told them and Isaac vanished.


    ¡°Quicken.¡± Esk began and jumped back in anticipation of Isaac¡¯s first attack but it never came. Esk¡¯s movement speed and perception speed both nearly doubled but even so he wasn¡¯t able to find Isaac anywhere. A spike materialized in mid air with a rapidly dispersing silhouette behind it. It was already flying at Esk¡¯s face at high speed and he moved his sword to intercept it. ¡°Deflect.¡± Esk chanted quickly as he expected Isaac to capitalize on his momentary distraction to counter the first throwing spike.


    Isaac appeared with the back of his dagger pressed up against Esk¡¯s neck. Esk¡¯s reality shield moved in an instant to position itself between his throat and the weapon. Unfortunately for Esk the automatic defensive measure proved almost fatal and a split second later another throwing spike impacted the side of his head. Isaac had thrown a spike, teleported, thrown another spike, teleported, and then pressed the back of his dagger against Esk¡¯s throat. He had done all of it in barely over a second as that had always been his plan of attack. Isaac had unfortunately messed up the timing slightly. If everything would have gone to plan the second spike would have taken the reality shield so Isaac¡¯s dagger could rest against the magic knight¡¯s throat instead of the other way around.


    Esk¡¯s head rocked to the side slightly before his legs gave out. Isaac backed away quickly and raised his hands with a frown. The young priestess ran over to Esk and was at his side in an instant healing him and removing the spike from his temple. ¡°Oops.¡± Isaac said aloud.


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    ¡°Was that truly an accident?¡± Fable questioned, not taking his eyes off of his apprentice and the acolyte healing him.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac confessed. ¡°The timing was too tight for me to hesitate and I didn¡¯t want to just throw him around the arena until he gave up. He wanted me to dehumanize myself for him so I did. This was an unintended side effect.¡±


    Fable nodded as Esk let the healer help him sit back up. Isaac walked over to him and offered him a hand. Esk looked up at the shirtless mage who had just ended their fight in a hair¡¯s breadth over a second. ¡°Thanks.¡± Esk replied as he took the outstretched hand.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think-¡± The healer began but Esk was already getting pulled to his feet. ¡°-that¡¯s a good idea.¡± She finished, somewhat dejectedly.


    ¡°Everything you did was correct except for one small thing.¡± Isaac began. ¡°You had a speed boost on yourself but you didn¡¯t use it effectively. You should have been on the move the entire time even if you didn¡¯t know where I was. Precasting the reality shield was a good idea but only one shield is easy enough to work around. The spell is good but not perfect and anyone who¡¯s gotten into a knife fight with someone who has the spell can tell you that you just have to hit two places at once.¡±


    Esk nodded in understanding and appreciation. ¡°I will keep your guidance in mind.¡± He told the mage. ¡°Thank you for humoring my request.¡±


    Isaac nodded and picked up both of his throwing spikes with tendrils of dark mana. He grabbed them and tossed them back into his Inventory after coating them in shadows. Isaac looked around and saw Fina, Shy, and Mark relax in their seats. He blinked as he felt a sudden surge of mana from nearby and in an instant Alexander was there. Isaac raised an eyebrow quizzically and then his eyes caught movement at the top of the stairs to the stands. Alexis and Alecia hurried over to Lenna and sat down. Isaac smirked at them and shook his head before turning to Fable. Esk and the healer quickly made space as the two powerhouses stood watching each other.


    ¡ª


    ¡°What did we miss?¡± Alexis asked Lenna.


    ¡°Is it over already?¡± Alecia questioned as well.


    Lenna didn¡¯t look over at them. ¡°He took out Esk already. You didn¡¯t miss much.¡± Lenna explained.


    ¡°What? But you just got here!¡± Alexis exclaimed.


    ¡°Isaac attacked him from three directions at once. He couldn¡¯t react to everything at the same time.¡± Mark explained from a few seats away.


    ¡°He could have if he thought more like a spellblade and less like just a blade.¡± Fina commented. ¡°Darkness is right, if he had been properly using the Quicken spell then he would have had a much better chance. At the very least he wouldn¡¯t have been taken out in one move.¡±


    Alecia and Alexis winced in the exact same way at the exact same time. ¡°Poor Esk.¡± Both girls said together before looking at each other and grinning.


    ¡°Alexander.¡± Lenna greeted the court mage as he sat down in the seat behind and slightly above her. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you are here already.¡±


    ¡°Fina called me.¡± Alexander replied and nodded to the sorceress in thanks. ¡°I don¡¯t usually watch these types of things but I believe it will be a good learning experience.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that.¡± She warned. ¡°Isaac still hasn¡¯t truly settled into a fighting style.¡±


    ¡°With that much mana, how many different styles can he have?¡± Alexander questioned. ¡°He could drown an elemental with pure mana.¡±


    ¡°Just wait and see.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°Though I doubt you¡¯ll get to see that. Isaac is afraid of accidentally permanently killing a future asset. He probably won¡¯t attack with his death flames at all.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t that put him at an incredible disadvantage?¡± Alexander questioned.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°That¡¯s what worries me.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°If it¡¯s just us down here who will say go?¡± Isaac questioned with his classic casual grin.


    ¡°The first one to move will be the one who starts.¡± Fable replied.


    ¡°You should at least draw your sword first.¡± Isaac recommended. ¡°It won¡¯t be a proper spar unless you are trying at least a little.¡±


    Fable nodded and pulled his longsword out of its scabbard and started clamping his wooden fingers around its hilt. ¡°When you said you won¡¯t go all out, what did you mean?¡± Fable asked.


    ¡°I won¡¯t crush you under a dozen wizards worth of dark mana in the form of death flames.¡± Isaac replied casually. ¡°That would defeat the purpose of the spar and also kill you for good.¡±


    ¡°I can teleport.¡± Fable replied evenly.


    ¡°I know.¡± Isaac shot back in the same tone which got a raised eyebrow from Fable.


    ¡°You think you can keep me from teleporting?¡± Fable asked rhetorically.


    Isaac smirked. ¡°Only one way to find out.¡±

 Chapter 72 Bad Blood

    Chapter 72 Bad Blood


    Isaac started ramping his buff up while simultaneously cloaking himself in shadows. As the dark mage was vanishing from sight the magic knight was casting buff spells on himself. First Quicken, then the frozen blue glow from the sapphire on his arm coated his sword, then two light blue lines formed above and below him blowing frozen mist towards each other, and finally a soft green glow enveloped his boots.


    Isaac wasn¡¯t completely idle while Fable was finishing his entire party¡¯s worth of buff spells. Utilizing his increased speed and invisibility he launched at the magic knight. Fable jumped back without even being able to see Isaac just from the sudden feeling of imminent danger. As he jumped backwards his final buff appeared, the green glow on his boots, and three throwing spikes came at his face. The spikes had appeared from a mere three feet away but that meant nothing to Fable as he easily side stepped them instead of deflecting the throwing spikes.


    Isaac abruptly changed directions as soon as the last throwing spike left his hand and threw two more spikes before teleporting fifteen feet forwards and throwing three more at him. Fable changed directions again to avoid the pair and then he noticed the other three cutting off his escape vector. He drew his second sword while knocking the pair of spikes out of the way and dodging the second volley of three in the direction the pair of spikes had come from. A fading silhouette appeared a dozen feet in front of him and he spun while sweeping his longsword behind him. He kept his rapier close to his body just in case he needed it, which he did, as he immediately watched the first volley of three vanish from mid air as if they had never existed.


    Three fading silhouettes appeared along with spikes in mid air flying at him in a triangular pattern around him with only a quarter of a second between them. Fable knocked one of them aside and dodged into the second, letting it bounce off of his wooden arm, to avoid the third and sudden sense of impending death from the direction of the first. The frost coming from above and below him received a sudden hole roughly the size of the tip of Isaac¡¯s sword and Fable¡¯s eyes got a little wider. Fable stayed light on his feet as he glided across the sand on boots that seemed to find perfect traction a quarter of an inch above the sand. Suddenly the only action in the arena was the throwing spikes disappearing one after another. Fable waited and caught his breath while moving and changing his direction seemingly at random. There was no way to know when Isaac would attack again.


    Suddenly Isaac appeared thirty feet away from Fable and the older combatant stopped moving. ¡°Done hiding?¡± Fable questioned.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Going unseen is kind of my thing but you are an anomaly. Even though I make no sound, move no air or sand, and am completely unseen, you somehow always know right before I am going to hit you.¡± Isaac looked at the knight quizzically. ¡°I am forced to question, how?¡± Little did Fable know, Isaac was taking the momentary pause in the fight to regenerate some of his mana. Isaac¡¯s boost was only at half power because he had been maintaining his invisibility at the same time so even if he still felt like a threat, and he was, he was still able to catch his magical breath while they conversed.


    ¡°I can feel your bloodlust. You are dangerous, Lord Wexler, and I haven¡¯t lived this long because of luck and strength alone.¡± Fable grinned, which was incredibly unnerving on the normally stoic knight¡¯s face, and then he launched towards Isaac. ¡°It helps that I¡¯ve killed a black dragon before.¡±


    Isaac ramped up his boost as Fable closed the distance. Isaac parried the incoming longsword with his own shadow coated blade that had materialized in his offhand. Isaac had no faith whatsoever in his backup shortsword¡¯s ability to survive the clash without his shadows and he wasn¡¯t willing to risk his favorite sword in the clash either. He felt the shadows get frozen by the glinting longsword in the brief moment the swords were touching each other. Fable¡¯s rapier shot towards Isaac¡¯s face but instead of dodging away from it, parrying it, or teleporting away, Isaac put his right hand in the sword¡¯s path while his own sword vanished into his Inventory.


    Fable¡¯s longsword strike had left Isaac¡¯s parrying blade in a somewhat awkward position with its crossguard pointing at Fable¡¯s chest and its blade pointing towards the stands. The moment Fable¡¯s rapier blade pieced into Isaac¡¯s palm Isaac started moving his hand to the side. This caused the rapier to miss Isaac¡¯s face by such a small margin that his ear received a nice gash that would have scarred if it was let to heal naturally. Fable¡¯s eyes went wide as, in the moment where both of his swords were away from his body, Isaac stepped forwards and drove his left hand towards Fable¡¯s heart. The movement caused Isaac¡¯s blade to be pushed farther back towards his side and the pommel of his sword to point directly at Fable. Isaac shifted into a reverse grip mid swing and changed the punch into a forward stab as if he was trying to stab his pommel through Fable¡¯s chest.


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    Fable tried to jump back but Isaac pushed his right hand further down the rapier¡¯s blade and latched onto the handguard. ¡°Running?¡± Isaac questioned even as frost started to collect on his arms from the torrent of cold being blasted down from above and up from below.


    Fable managed to lighten the blow substantially between his attempted retreat and a last moment twist of his torso but the pommel strike to his breastbone still hit as hard as a normal person¡¯s strike would have. Fable was glad that his armor absorbed a bit of it as well because if it hadn¡¯t then there was no doubt in his mind that his breastbone would have broken from the attack. Isaac dropped the sword immediately after the attack stopped and swung his fist up towards Fable¡¯s face. ¡°Limit Break.¡± Fable said and moved in a blur.


    In movements that were hard for even super enhanced Isaac to track Fable let go of his rapier and grabbed Isaac¡¯s shortsword out of midair while leaning back out of the way of Isaac¡¯s punch and bringing his longsword back up in a reverse edge cut.


    Isaac leaned away from the reverse cut just far enough that he only lost his arm at the elbow instead of before the shoulder and turned his dodge into a spinning back kick. Fable barely got his longsword in position so Isaac would kick into the blade before Isaac¡¯s kick arrived. Isaac was prepared for it already and teleported behind Fable to finish the kick but Fable was prepared for Isaac¡¯s teleport kick as well. ¡°Deflect.¡± Fable chanted in an instant and a reality shield appeared to block Isaac¡¯s kick. The shield tried to stop the incoming attack cold but the first level spell could only do so much.


    Fable was tossed a few feet forwards as Isaac was tossed half a dozen feet back from the impact of his own kick against the reality shield. Fable recovered and turned around to see Isaac sliding to a stop. He watched as Isaac¡¯s arm finished reforming and Isaac straightened back to his full height while flexing his new fingers. ¡°You¡¯re pretty good, old man.¡± Isaac commented before shivering, his teeth clattering. ¡°I¡¯m glad I took off my shirt, I would¡¯ve lost another one but damn it¡¯s cold.¡± He added and pulled Fable¡¯s rapier out of his right hand with his left and tossed it to the side where it vanished before touching the sand.


    ¡°What level are you, really?¡± Fable questioned.


    Isaac grinned. ¡°Ten.¡± He replied honestly before teleporting behind Fable and driving a right cross into the middle of the old man¡¯s spine. Again, right before impact, a reality shield appeared to block the attack. Fable whirled on Isaac from a different direction than he was expecting. Usually when someone turned they would lead with their dominant hand. Fable turned left instead of right even though he usually only used a sword in his right hand. This meant that his more normal arm was most likely his actual dominant hand and not his wooden one like it appeared to be. Isaac¡¯s shortsword, that was still in Fable¡¯s left hand, came down fast towards Isaac¡¯s still outstretched right arm.


    Fable¡¯s attack met nothing but air as Isaac teleported a few feet to the side while pulling his right arm back, bringing with it his straightsword from his Inventory which caught Fable¡¯s backswing arresting his movement and opening up his side. Isaac pressed the opening with an uppercut to the older adventurer¡¯s kidney which was blocked by the reality shield which Fable had opted to continue channeling mana into. Isaac and Fable clashed another half a dozen times before they both jumped back and stood staring at each other. Fable was breathing hard and his spells started winking out one after another.


    ¡°If I was a dozen years younger I might¡¯ve had you.¡± Fable told Isaac eventually.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± He asked with pure curiosity.


    ¡°I¡¯m too old to handle Limit Break.¡± Fable confessed.


    ¡°I thought you slowed down a bit after you used it.¡± Isaac commented.


    Fable nodded. ¡°Thirty years ago, I would have used it on you twice back to back.¡± Fable explained.


    Isaac¡¯s eyes went wide for a moment before he grinned. ¡°You probably would have had me if Limit Break lasted twice as long. I knew you could do it but it still caught me a little off guard.¡± Isaac confessed.


    Fable smirked at the compliment. ¡°If you are going to lie about your level you should have made it more convincing.¡± He told the younger adventurer. ¡°If you would have said fifteen it might¡¯ve given me pause.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s grin only got wider. ¡°What if it wasn¡¯t a lie?¡± He asked the older adventurer.


    Fable shook his head. ¡°What if¡¯s only matter if they are possible.¡± He replied.


    Isaac chuckled and shook his head before he tossed his sword back into his Inventory and withdrew Fable¡¯s rapier. ¡°Trade?¡± He asked while he wound down his boost and casually closed the distance between them.


    Fable nodded and the pair traded each other¡¯s weapons back to their rightful owners. ¡°You¡¯re better at hand to hand than blade fighting.¡± Fable told Isaac.


    Isaac nodded with a frown. ¡°I know, I¡¯m trying to bridge the gap but it¡¯s going to take a while. Fist fighting is just more natural for me.¡± He explained.


    ¡°Well,¡± Fable began and offered Isaac his good hand which Isaac took. ¡°good fight.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Thanks for the spar. You are the first real person to have ever kept up with me when I¡¯m boosted like that.¡± He confessed.


    Fable nodded. ¡°Bad blood under the bridge?¡± He asked.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I think our bad blood has always been by proxy anyway. Having said that, make sure it stays that way.¡±


    Fable started prying his wooden fingers open so he could stow his longsword. ¡°Agreed.¡±

 Chapter 73 Getting Old.

    Chapter 73 Getting Old.


    ¡°That, was, awesome!¡± Alexis yelled in a whisper upon the conclusion of Isaac and Fable¡¯s spar.


    ¡°Did Fable actually lose?!¡± Mark questioned from the edge of his seat. He had met Esk while training in the Glinting Blade¡¯s warrior school after he quit the military. He was not the old man¡¯s apprentice but he had still received some personal instruction from time to time. Seeing Fable lose was just as big a shock for him as it was for Esk.


    ¡°They were evenly matched.¡± Alexander said in a whisper.


    ¡°The Glinting Blade really is getting old.¡± Fina added. ¡°I think we are seeing the beginning of the decline of a legend.¡±


    ¡°It could have gone on forever if my master hadn¡¯t run out of mana.¡± Esk stated.


    ¡°He looks exhausted.¡± Lenna articulated. ¡°I don¡¯t think Fable could have kept it up for much longer regardless.¡±


    Esk looked over at her and saw her cold calculating gaze focused on his master. He realized that she wasn¡¯t trying to belittle his master in any way but it was more like she was just compiling information on a future target. Esk swallowed hard as he realized that Lenna might be the one to put his master down for good. Oddly enough, there weren¡¯t any hard feelings. Esk had learned something over the course of his journey to platinum. Something that Fable had figuratively beaten into him every time the old man had too much to drink: ¡®Those who live by the sword, die by the sword.¡¯ None of them expected to die their final death of old age. That was not a luxury that adventurers often received. One day or another they would fight something that they used to be able to kill but their aging bodies wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up anymore and they would end up as monster food. It was a tale that had been repeated thousands of times by aging adventurers. A tale that would one day be repeated by Fable the Glinting Blade, the greatest spellblade of the thirteenth century, a world renowned hero of countries and continents. A feeling of melancholy pervaded through the young spellblade at his predecessor¡¯s eventual decline into obscurity.


    ¡°I should get down there.¡± Lenna said and rose to her feet. ¡°Isaac can¡¯t die of hypothermia but that doesn¡¯t make it a pleasant experience.¡± She hopped over the railing down into the arena and walked over to her mate and the man she still hadn¡¯t decided to forgive. Maybe she would forgive him one day but she had centuries to figure that out.


    Isaac was brushing frost off of himself when Lenna arrived. Fable had finally managed to stow his longsword after prying it out of his wooden fingers. ¡°You¡¯re left handed aren¡¯t you?¡± Isaac questioned Fable.


    ¡°Yes. Most people assume the opposite.¡± Fable replied. ¡°With this arm, I can¡¯t exactly cast spells anymore so it became my sword arm.¡± He added tapping his wooden arm with his good hand.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°What kind of magic items do you use?¡± Isaac seemed to be actually asking Fable for advice in a roundabout kind of way.


    ¡°My coat has impact dispersion, cut, and tear resistance as well as a heating and cooling function. My under armor has a wound sealing function and self repair that affects itself, my coat, and my pants which have the same enchantments as my coat.¡± Fable explained. ¡°I have an Amulet of Survival, Bottomless Bag, and enchanted swords. I prefer to keep things simple if I can.¡±


    ¡°What enchantments do you have on your swords? It was hard to tell with all of the buffs you keep layered on yourself.¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°The rapier has seven levels of sharpening and two levels of hardening. If you hadn¡¯t grabbed the guard I would have sliced through your hand.¡± Fable explained. ¡°The longsword has increased mana conductivity, two levels of sharpening, and five hardening.¡±


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    Isaac nodded in understanding and appreciation. Fable had the swords tailored to fit his style. The rapier rarely went up against anything that it couldn¡¯t just slice through and he wasn¡¯t strong enough to butcher the blade through normal use. This meant that it needed less hardening enchantments compared to the longsword, which was designed to take the weapon buff he applied to it and survive as much punishment as possible while still being effective on its own. ¡°I¡¯m still having trouble finding good magic items for myself.¡± Isaac confessed as he put on his Cloak of Shadows. ¡°This is helpful on occasion but it¡¯s mostly just for the aesthetic honestly.¡±


    ¡°The enchantments on my armor are standard for double platinum adventurers.¡± Fable explained. ¡°They aren¡¯t built for anything specific but they are always useful.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind. I have a set of dragon scale armor coming with impact dispersion and hardening enchantments on it but I didn¡¯t have the money to push it much farther than that.¡± He confessed.


    ¡°That should work well for you until you can get something more¡­ mythical.¡± Fable added with a smirk. ¡°The chainmail on the inside of my coat is mythril, flexible but strong and silent. Both of my swords are adamantine coated steel.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s eyes got a little wider in surprise. ¡°Are the hardening enchantments even necessary at that point?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Fable nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t used to think so. I fought a greater gia elemental on Mount Eddenton once and it chewed up my rapier before spitting it out like a hairball.¡± Fable was smirking at the memory. ¡°It was an  adamantine coated blade but I had passed up on hardening enchantments because I thought it was overkill. Adamantine is hard to break but I underestimated the strength of some monsters.¡±


    Isaac nodded in appreciation. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as too much overkill in our line of work.¡± He added.


    Fable chuckled. ¡°No, there is not.¡± He agreed.


    ¡°Any quirky magic item recommendations?¡± Isaac asked.


    Fable looked over towards Shy. ¡°If you can afford them, with your fighting style, everything Shy owns and then some.¡± Fable replied before turning back to Isaac. ¡°You have a problem killing ¡®dark¡¯ creatures as you put it, yes?¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I can still fight them like I fought you just now but I can¡¯t just crush them with overwhelming death flames like I could a human.¡± He explained. Isaac would say that he was less overpowered against dark creatures but he had traded his first life¡¯s memories for power and the twin divinities of reincarnation hadn¡¯t let him down.


    ¡°There is a high elven sorcerer blessed by sunlight. I would ask him for a way to deal with those. He is known as the Fate Breaker, Cainen Su¡¯Sol. He was eight hundred years old when I was a boy.¡± Fable explained. ¡°If anyone has a way to specifically deal with your kind it would be him.¡±


    Isaac nodded in thanks. ¡°You¡¯ve helped a lot, thanks Fable.¡± Isaac told his senior adventurer.


    Fable gave Isaac a genuine light smile for the first time. ¡°I just want one thing in return.¡± Fable replied. ¡°Wherever you end up, do what you can to protect the innocents around you.¡±


    Isaac was visibly surprised at the pure sincerity coming from Fable. It was so clearly and directly from the older man¡¯s soul that it caught Isaac off guard. It felt like a dying wish from an ancient hero even though Fable should have had another forty to sixty years of life left in his half elven body. Isaac nodded. ¡°I will.¡± He replied. ¡°I can¡¯t promise anything else though, my methods tend to get bloody.¡±


    Fable nodded. ¡°That¡¯s the most I can reasonably ask for.¡± He said in return and turned to leave. ¡°Thanks again for the spar, kid.¡± He told Isaac while walking away.


    ¡°Fable is¡­ very different from my first impression of him.¡± Isaac confessed barely louder than a whisper to Lenna.


    Lenna stared after Fable. ¡°Yeah.¡± She agreed. ¡°Did you enjoy your fight?¡±


    Isaac smirked and nodded. ¡°Yeah. It was a completely different experience to fighting you. Fighting you is more fighting against the feeling of futility as everything I do gets countered before it even happens. Fighting him was like fighting myself, only different.¡±


    ¡°I knew it would be close but I didn¡¯t expect you to be evenly matched.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Limit Break is terrifying.¡± Isaac told her while they were walking out of the arena. ¡°For that split second he was moving more than twice as fast as me.¡±  Isaac shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he used to be able to do that twice back to back.¡±


    ¡°It has its limits.¡± Lenna explained. She had been watching Fable like a hawk every moment that they had been together. ¡°His body still receives the strain from performing those movements. That¡¯s why it¡¯s called Limit Break.¡±


    ¡°Could the strain be healed away if he had a healer babysitting him?¡± Isaac wondered.


    Lenna tilted her head in thought for a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t see why not.¡±


    ¡°So if he had a dedicated healer behind him he could be Limit Breaking every other second.¡± Isaac surmised.


    Lenna stopped walking. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard of him fighting alongside a healer. Combat healers are rare.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s traveling with a healer right now isn¡¯t he?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°He needed one to bring Eskahno back to life.¡±


    ¡°What if we threw him and his healer at Jallen?¡± Isaac offered.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Jallen would kill the healer. Fable wouldn¡¯t be able to stop my uncle from tearing her in half regardless of her level. He¡¯s one of the strongest paladins in the world. Fable might be able to kill him after the fact but fighting my uncle with that strategy would quickly devolve into a pitched battle.¡± She explained.


    ¡°What if I fight him, one on one?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Lenna¡¯s face was impossible to read as she stared at Isaac. ¡°Let¡¯s cross that bridge when we get to it.¡±

 Chapter 74 Ten

    Chapter 74 Ten


    Isaac and Lenna purchased a handful of Shadow Orb spawning throwing darts from the Adventurous Tastes under the recommendation from Fable. They would have purchased more but Shy had already cleaned the rest out. Shy preferred knives but darts would work until she got back to the artificer she usually frequented. While they were there they dropped off some parts of the Royal Executor so Alexander could finally get to work on Isaac¡¯s armor. With that errand out of the way, Isaac and Lenna found themselves in the Adventurers¡¯ Guild Library talking over his fights with both Esk and Fable.


    ¡°I think, for your level, you did far better than anyone could expect.¡± Lenna told him.


    ¡°I know.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I just feel like I could have done better.¡±


    ¡°You could have.¡± Lenna acknowledged. ¡°But not realistically. You are young Isaac, cut yourself some slack.¡±


    ¡°But if I had remembered he could use Limit Break I could have saved my arm.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°In the heat of combat I completely forgot about it.¡±


    ¡°I am not telling you to forget about your failures but there is no reason to be angry with yourself about it now.¡± Lenna chastised. ¡°Mark it down for the future and move on. If it¡¯s bothering you so much, ask Fable to spar again.¡±


    ¡°I get the feeling he won¡¯t want to.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Something about what he asked of me makes me think he is going to die soon. It was an obvious death flag.¡±


    Lenna rolled her eyes. ¡°He¡¯s an aging hero, of course he is going to be thinking about the future.¡± She told him. ¡°If anything, I think it was more an acknowledgement that he wouldn¡¯t be able to stop you if you turned on humanity.¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Isaac questioned. Lenna paused at the question. ¡°Sure, I like Izen, Sera, Celeste, and Edward; I¡¯ve made investments here in Safeharbor too but I don¡¯t have some speciesist loyalty to humans like everyone else seems to have.¡±


    ¡°I think Fable realized that. That is why he asked what he did of you.¡± Lenna explained.


    Isaac hummed in thought. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right.¡± Isaac conceded. ¡°But back to the fight, after that seventh throw I should have¡­¡± Isaac and Lenna¡¯s discussion of his fights continued well into the evening


    ¡ª


    Isaac and Lenna walked into Izen¡¯s war room and panned their gazes over everyone present. The room was not meant to house so many people at once. Duke and Duchess Arbencroft, Sir Michael, Magus Alexander, Captain Tim, Edward the Blade Master, and Fable the Glinting Blade looked back at them. There were also half a dozen adjuncts and assistants trying their best to stay out of the way. ¡°Good, everyone is here.¡± Izen began. ¡°Guild Master, what new information do you have?¡±


    ¡°The Contantis military garrison is organizing and readying at the moment.¡± Edward began. ¡°From what we can tell it is a massive percentage of their total military power. Under normal circumstances we would be forced to call for support from the capital. The odd thing is that none of the other drow cities are mobilizing. This appears to be completely isolated.¡±


    ¡°Do you think they could be mobilizing in secret?¡± Izen questioned.


    ¡°No.¡± Lenna spoke up. ¡°Contantis is the only one with a proper military. The V¡¯Nova clan is the backbone of the drow military. If the other cities decided to help they would just send reinforcements. Jallen V¡¯Nova wouldn¡¯t let anyone share command with him during a conflict and none of the other clans would stand to be ordered around by my uncle.¡±


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    ¡°That¡¯s not even considering the personal nature of his current actions.¡± Isaac added. ¡°He would be wary of trading favors for something like this, especially when he doesn¡¯t think he¡¯ll need any help.¡±


    ¡°And what exactly is he doing?¡± Edward questioned before Izen could.


    ¡°He¡¯s coming to take his twin sister back, kill his estranged niece, and remove a city that is blocking their raiding parties from taking on the outside world.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Two of his three reasons are personal. Jala may be a L¡¯Vore in name but in the end she is the twin sister of the branch family patriarch of the V¡¯Nova clan in this region.¡± Isaac continued. ¡°Also, Lenna stabbed him in the throat and said he was bad at balancing the budget.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s final thought seemed to catch everyone in the room off guard. ¡°Bad at¡­ balancing the budget?¡± Sera spoke the question on everyone¡¯s mind.


    ¡°That part doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Isaac tried to get them back onto the topic at hand. ¡°What does matter is that Lenna has a target on her back and I probably do as well. I have no idea if Jala has been in contact with her brother while she¡¯s been here. There was a time when she was in the Guild Hall where it would have been easy enough for her to send him a mental message or two.¡± Isaac panned his gaze across all of those present again. ¡°So, what is your response to this?¡±


    After a long moment of silence Izen raised an eyebrow. ¡°To what exactly?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°To the fact that Jala, Lenna, and possibly me are Jallen¡¯s targets. How are you planning on handling this situation?¡± Isaac answered.


    The leaders of Safeharbor looked back and forth at each other. Fable respectfully maintained a neutral demeanor and simply waited. ¡°If Contantis is going to come to us, organize the majority of their troops out in the open, and challenge us then so be it.¡± Izen stated. ¡°If Jallen V¡¯Nova wants to skirmish outside of my walls then he is more than welcome to. I just hope he isn¡¯t a sore loser when I target him with a ballista.¡±


    Isaac grinned. ¡°I knew I liked you for a reason.¡± He told the duke of the city he was living in. ¡°Now, I have an idea of how to end this once and for all.¡± Isaac¡¯s face turned devilish. ¡°We are going to bait, trap, and kill, Jallen V¡¯Nova.¡±


    ¡°And how do you plan on doing that?¡± Tim questioned. He rarely spoke out of turn but he was invested in the death of Jallen V¡¯Nova and he had worked with Isaac in the past. He knew that if Isaac had a plan it had a high chance of success. Unfortunately he hadn¡¯t worked with Isaac enough to understand that Isaac¡¯s plans were always a touch insane and most people would call them borderline suicidal.


    ¡°The specifics will need to be ironed out once I learn how sieges work when magic is involved.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°But the gist of it is, Lenna will be bait for the majority of their forces under the condition that Fable, Edward, and Michael are nearby to cover her at all times. Lenna is already a target and I might have a way to cause her area to become an even bigger target, I¡¯ll need some time to work on it though. While the actual military force is concentrating on one location it¡¯ll be easier to suppress them with area spells and artillery. Once the battle is in full swing I¡¯ll sneak behind enemy lines and fight the strongest paladin within a few hundred miles while being half his level.¡± Isaac had been keeping his level hidden up until this point because he wasn¡¯t sure if he fully trusted those in power yet. Izen¡¯s comment about taking Jallen on regardless of the reasons and Sera¡¯s consistent support proved to him that he could trust them. If they broke that trust in the future there would be hells to pay but as it stood he felt like they truly had his back. They had proven themselves time and again and it was time that he rewarded that trust with some truth.


    ¡°Half his level?¡± Edward asked with confusion on his face.


    ¡°No,¡± Fable whispered with widening eyes. ¡°you weren¡¯t lying?¡¯


    ¡°Is Lord V¡¯Nova a demigod?¡± Alexander questioned. In the mage¡¯s mind the only way for Isaac to be half of Jallen¡¯s level would be if Jallen was over level twenty. None of the living demigods had made any sort of comments on whether or not they could level beyond the level twenty level cap but following Alexander¡¯s train of thought the theory had just been proven to be true.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No, Alexander, Jallen is level twenty.¡± He explained.


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± Edward stated. ¡°I¡¯ve fought alongside you. There is no way that you are anything less than level seventeen.¡±


    ¡°If you are only level ten then that means that you are only at half of your potential strength at the very most.¡± Alexander stated. ¡°I want to believe you, but I can¡¯t wrap my head around that kind of power.¡±


    ¡°I can.¡± Fable cut in. ¡°I¡¯ve fought alongside Catastrophe and Judgement.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± Izen questioned. ¡°Is he as strong as a tenth level demigod?¡± Izen had slowly passed the point of doubting Isaac¡¯s claim of demigodhood, especially after Isaac had told him that he honestly didn¡¯t know if he was a demigod or not. That bit of truth from the dark mage had actually led Izen to believe the claim even more.


    Fable slowly nodded his head. ¡°He might be. I¡¯ve never heard of them leveling like this though. Usually it is a very abrupt power spike.¡± He explained. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it. A strong sense of divinity washes over the area and the area becomes their divine domain.¡± His gaze never left Isaac. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have a divine domain or any feeling of divinity so I assumed that he was not a demigod.¡±


    ¡°But if their twentieth level up is what causes the feeling of divinity and the creation of their divine domain then he wouldn¡¯t feel like a demigod until then even if he was one.¡± Alexander finished for him.


    ¡°As amazing as all of this is,¡± Sera joined in with a raised hand that commanded attention. ¡°are you all just going to let this young man fight that ancient monster alone?¡±

 Chapter 75 Flagbearer.

    Chapter 75 Flagbearer.


    ¡°I¡¯m with Sera on this.¡± Lenna whirled on Isaac now that her mind had finally caught up with the absurdity that had come out of her mate¡¯s mouth. ¡°You are not fighting my nearly immortal uncle, behind enemy lines, without support, while he¡¯s surrounded by his advisors.¡± She chastised Isaac. ¡°You once told me that with one word you would give up on an idiotic plan. Here it is: No.¡±


    ¡°I know it sounds insane at first but I have plans for most of it.¡± Isaac tried to placate her. ¡°I can turn it into a one-on-one easily enough and there is no way that he would pull his army back to defend himself from just little old me.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°His pride wouldn¡¯t allow it. He would look weak in front of all of his men.¡± Isaac¡¯s hands were raised as if they could protect him from the intensity of Lenna¡¯s glare. ¡°Even if it goes sideways, I can teleport and he can¡¯t. I¡¯ll just leave and we can just focus on winning the siege.¡±


    ¡°Unless he kills you in one hit Isaac!¡± Lenna actually raised her voice at him a bit. She wasn¡¯t quite yelling but it was definitely the loudest most of those in the room had heard her. ¡°What are you going to do when he nicks you with the tip of his sword and half of your body gets eviscerated?!¡±


    ¡°Not get hit.¡± Isaac replied like his smart ass comment wasn¡¯t about to get him hit at that very moment. Lenna took a deep breath like she was about to yell at him and then opted to just let it out slowly before doing it again.


    ¡°We have resources that could make your plan more doable.¡± Izen explained which got him a scowl from his own wife.


    Fable nodded. ¡°In this kind of situation, opening the vaults is a viable option to ensure success.¡± He explained.


    ¡°Safeharbor doesn¡¯t have a treasure trove of legendary items that a city like the capital has but we have enough that his plan might work.¡± Izen continued.


    ¡°The Vampiric Blade, Amulet of the Hero, Gambeson of the Guarded Soul, and Lets of Quickness should even the playing field by a lot.¡± Edward explained. ¡°Add a Ten Men Potion and he should be able to handle an unequipped properly leveled demigod, or Jallen V¡¯Nova in this case.¡±


    ¡°A dozen or so throwing spikes with the strongest poisons you can buy as well. They won¡¯t be enough to kill him but the poison will help me drain his mana. I won¡¯t be able to kill him quickly but if it is just him and me, with all of those items you mentioned, I should be able to bully him until he runs out of mana and finally croaks.¡± Isaac added and then turned to Lenna. ¡°See, it¡¯s doable.¡± He told her. ¡°It¡¯ll be even more doable with a pair of high level rogues watching my back and keeping any stragglers out of the fight while maintaining true invisibility so no one realizes it isn¡¯t just me.¡±


    ¡°Marie and Shy.¡± Lenna said evenly and then sighed. She hated that his reckless plan was looking more and more possible.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°With all of these things stacked in my favor, I am going to be more worried about you than myself.¡±


    ¡°If you are actually going to go through with this,¡± Edward began. ¡°I will make sure she is alright in your absence.¡±


    ¡°And I as well.¡± Fable added. He knew that Lenna still wanted to kill him but he also knew that if Jallen V¡¯Nova was dead then many more would be saved in the future. He was also confident enough that Lenna wouldn¡¯t turn on him in the middle of combat, even if she did, Fable was confident in an acceptable outcome of the overall battle. Even if his story was cut short, many more would have a better chance at greatness.


    ¡°If Duke Arbencroft is safe, I will stand by Lady V¡¯Nova¡¯s side as well.¡± Michael agreed to Isaac¡¯s plan.


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain the plan to the Flame Ravens.¡± Edward said and nodded towards Isaac.


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    Sera sighed and shared a look of surrender with Lenna. ¡°We are out voted.¡± She told the elf.


    ¡°I know.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°I would still be fighting it if it didn¡¯t sound like it would work.¡± She conceded.


    Sera nodded. ¡°I will talk to Marie.¡± She agreed.


    ¡°Great.¡± Isaac said and clapped. ¡°Now that that is settled. How do sieges work?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Izen questioned.


    ¡°Explain to me how a siege normally plays out, what kinds of troops do what and how, what countermeasures are usually taken and why, how long do they usually last, those kinds of things.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Right, you wouldn¡¯t know.¡± Edward said and gestured towards the map table. Izen pressed a button on his side of the table. A mostly see-through illusion of Safeharbor appeared over the map complete with the surrounding terrain and little blue sticks in place of where guards were usually stationed.


    Izen gestured to an area two hundred yards in front of the northern gate. The gate was actually in the north by northwest direction so the map wasn¡¯t quite in line with the table in the room. ¡°This is where the real battle will take place. We will bleed them for every inch the entire way until this point.¡± He gestured again, this time at an area only a hundred yards away from the gate. ¡°Once the battle line hits this point, retreat will no longer be permitted. Under no circumstances can we allow any part of their army to touch the walls.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Why?¡± He questioned. ¡°Isn¡¯t the whole point of walls to keep the enemy army out? Why would we fight them out in the open like that?¡±


    ¡°It takes between one and ten minutes for a mid to high level wizard to breach the walls.¡± Edward enlightened him. ¡°That is accounting for the wards and runes on the inside of the walls. Fortunately all of the spells used to breach walls require close contact with them. Unfortunately there is a limit to the amount of wards and runes that can be reasonably applied to the inside of the walls.¡±


    Isaac nodded slowly. ¡°Why can¡¯t an invisible wizard just walk up to the walls and make a hole while the battle is going on then?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°Again, wards are in place to protect against such things. All invisibility of any kind will be forcibly dispelled.¡± Edward answered simply.


    Isaac nodded and continued looking at the illusion of the future battlefield. ¡°Why don¡¯t we just shoot them once their invisibility is dispelled from the top of the wall?¡± He continued his questions.


    ¡°Reality shields and walls would make that an impossibility. As soon as their invisibility would be dispelled they would simply create their own cover for each other.¡± Edward replied.


    ¡°What about digging?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°That is the most successful strategy for taking cities and fortresses.¡± Edward agreed. ¡°It is also the most time consuming. If Jallen wants to raid the city that plan would take too long. It would work if he was planning on taking over the city but Contantis doesn¡¯t have a big enough standing army to hold Safeharbor for more than a month. Altia would come down on him like the hammer of Judgement, assuming the man doesn¡¯t do it himself.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°So a pitched field battle will take place just inside of Safeharbor¡¯s artillery range and Jallen will purposefully engage in this?¡± Isaac thought it was a ridiculously stupid idea. He didn¡¯t think that Jallen would actually do something so risky even with his six centuries of arrogance.


    ¡°The melee will be small.¡± Edward explained. ¡°With only a few hundred on each side there won¡¯t be enough clearance to actually use the artillery on his troops once both sides have made contact. This is one of the reasons the drow military is so hard to deal with. Their forces strength is too compressed to deal with effectively. With an average combatant level of ten we will be out leveled two to one.¡±


    ¡°What about the adventurers in town?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Their average level, not including those in this room, is eight. Out of all of them I will only be asking for a handful of them to help. The rest are too low leveled to engage in a real battle. They¡¯d be overwhelmed immediately.¡± Edward replied.


    ¡°This looks like an instant loss on our end.¡± Isaac stated simply.


    Edward shook his head but it was Izen who answered. ¡°From our position we should have enough advantages on our side to bridge the level gap. We will soften them up with ballista before either side clashes. Afterwards our troops will have archer support while theirs will not. I will also be pulling in an old friend out of retirement who might be able to tip the scales of the battle by herself.¡± Izen explained. ¡°This fight will be far more even than Jallen V¡¯Nova is expecting it to be. We have taken great care to hide many of our strengths from him.¡±


    Isaac nodded slowly. ¡°If you say so.¡± He said in return. ¡°Who is this friend of yours?¡±


    Izen smirked. ¡°Someone you are very familiar with.¡± He answered cryptically.


    ¡°Well, guessing games aside, what do you think our odds are?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Sixty-forty.¡± Edward replied before anyone else could. It was clear that he was experienced in the art of open warfare which was only surprising until Isaac remembered the military tassels on his dress coat that he had worn for Sera¡¯s birthday. ¡°In our favor. Our biggest problem is our weaker members getting overrun and the rest of us being surrounded.¡± He nodded towards Isaac. ¡°If you can actually concentrate their forces even thirty percent more in the middle of our formation then our odds will jump by ten percent. Our center, with myself, Fable, Lenna, Michael, and the Flame Ravens will have a much higher combat strength than the two flanks of normal guards and garrison. Our average level will be higher than theirs and we should have just as much healing behind us.¡±


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°My plan should work at least that well. If anything I am afraid of it working too well.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°There are few things that I can imagine that will piss off a bunch of drow more than seeing a drider corpse used as a flagbearer.¡±

 Chapter 76 Marie.

    Chapter 76 Marie.


    In the days following the cabinet meeting of Duke Arbencroft, subtle preparations were made. There would be no large troop movements and no missives sent to any of the surrounding cities. Alexander had telepathically informed the leader of the nearby dwarven fortress of the impending attack but had specifically told him to be patient. Alexander informed the old dwarf that if he could wait until after Jallen V¡¯Nova had fully committed to the attack to start gathering troops to assist them then it would be too late for Jallen to retreat successfully. Unfortunately there were only a few dozen dwarven troops actually capable of fighting and of those only a small handful were on level for the impending engagement. At best they would be used to help clean up after the battle had been won, at worst they would give Jallen pause long enough to get the duke and duchess to a safe place while their city was sacked.


    Alexander¡¯s preparations consisted of only sending that singular message. He was forced to pretend that nothing was going on while subtly watching the residents of Safeharbor with scrying magic to make sure no knowledge of the impending attack was spreading. So far he had only seen and heard rumors of something ¡®important¡¯ happening but even that made him uneasy. Jallen V¡¯Nova was not personally known for having a spy network but the drow empire had a very large one. Towards the end of the meeting Lenna and Izen both agreed that Jallen was not a complete idiot. If the ancient paladin knew that he was going to lose then he wouldn¡¯t even try to assault Safeharbor. As it stood he believed that it would be a quick and crushing victory but if a thousand troops suddenly appeared on and in front of the walls then he would change his mind and return home. The drow standing army was better at tunnel defense than open offense due to their superior individual power but lower overall numbers after all.


    ¡ª


    Captain Tim¡¯s preparations were nonexistent. No matter what, he could not make a single move. If there were spies in the city, which he doubted but it was technically possible, then he couldn¡¯t so much as change guard rotations without looking suspicious. In the end it meant that Tim was left to stew in anxiety of the coming battle in his office without being able to tell a soul. His two assistants who had been in the meeting with him were much the same. They couldn¡¯t risk talking about it outside of Tim¡¯s office just in case someone overheard but the simple act of pulling one or both of them into his office and turning on the soundproofing enchantments was suspicious.


    ¡ª


    Sir Michael was in command of the garrison as there wasn¡¯t a proper garrison commander in Safeharbor. There had been at one point but it had been so long since the last real attack on the city that the position had been vacated. Recently too, which really irritated Michael. He was a magistrate not a garrison commander but he would have to make do. Or he would have had to if Duke Arbencroft had not planned to assume command of both the guard and the garrison as soon as the battle was about to start. Thankfully, unlike Captain Tim, Michael was a man who was cool under pressure. Instead of suffering in ever rising anxiety like the Guard Captain, Michael was happy to go about his daily work as if nothing was about to happen. His assistant, however, was not holding up quite as well.


    ¡ª


    Edward and Fable sat down with the Flame Ravens in Edward¡¯s office with the full suite of counter intelligence enchantments active. There weren¡¯t quite as many as there were in Izen¡¯s war room but there were probably enough that no one under level seventeen would be able to sneak a scrying spell of any kind into the room. They were brand new enchantments. ¡°So that¡¯s the plan.¡± Edward said as he finished explaining the situation to the Flame Ravens.


    ¡°You want to split the party and take Fina completely out of combat?¡± Esk questioned in a voice barely quieter than a yell.


    ¡°There are other mages in the city.¡± Fina protested.


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    Edward shook his head but it was Fable who spoke up. ¡°With smaller mana pools, yes. What would you do if they ran out of mana and Shy¡¯s Invisibility dropped?¡± He demanded.


    Fina shut up and shrank back into her chair. ¡°The risk to a member of my team is too high.¡± Esk continued his attempts at resistance against his master and the local Guild Master.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Shy said in a voice barely louder than a whisper that silenced the entire room. ¡°It needs to be done and Darkness will have all of the attention on him once it starts. Me and this other rogue will have the easy part.¡± She nodded under her hood once. It was a nod that brokered no argument. ¡°I¡¯m going.¡±


    Edward gave her a half smile. ¡°Thanks, Shy, I¡¯ll make sure to give you extra healing potions to bring along. Don¡¯t waste them on Isaac if he is conscious, no matter how bad the injury is, he¡¯ll survive. The duke and I are making sure of that. Those potions will be for you and your companion.¡± He explained.


    ¡°What is their name?¡± Shy asked. There was no way that she would actually ask the person the first time they met, and she hoped that she wouldn¡¯t have to use their name, but just in case she needed it, she wanted to know.


    ¡°Marie.¡± Edward replied simply.


    No one could tell because no one could see Shy¡¯s eyes but they had gone wider than she thought they had ever gone before. There was only one person that she thought it could be considering the circumstances. Only one rogue that Edward would know personally, who vanished without a trace the day Sera Arbencroft announced that she was pregnant, who was a high enough level to be trusted with the mission alongside her. The Assassin of a Thousand Faces.


    ¡ª


    Marie had been inside of the war room when the plan had been created though only Izen and Sera were aware that it was her. Not even Edward was informed, nor did he notice, and he was her old party member. She was fairly sure that Isaac and Lenna hadn¡¯t noticed either. After being exposed during tea time not that long ago Marie had stopped messing around. She was known as the Assassin of a Thousand Faces not because she used to impersonate different people all the time but rather because she simply enjoyed changing. To her it was like changing characters in a boardgame. She would switch which piece represented her every few minutes as long as there were spares whenever she played. She liked to switch what color she used too. It wasn¡¯t always to mess with whoever she was playing with but simply because she got bored of the one she had chosen. While she was guarding Sera, however, things were different. She needed to keep her presence hidden in order to properly protect her. Isaac had relit the proverbial fire under her when he called her out.


    There hadn¡¯t been very many instances of Marie settling for something. The first time had been when she settled on the name Marie. The second was when she accepted an aging duke¡¯s offer to be trained as an assassin in secret. The third was when she accepted the last order he would ever give her: ¡®Protect my son.¡¯ He had ordered her. She joined the boy¡¯s adventuring party while he traveled and experienced the world. She pretended to be the same level as him and the rest of his companions. She did her job as their team¡¯s rogue well but not too well. The only thing that she continued doing despite her better judgment was changing faces.


    During Marie¡¯s time with the duke¡¯s son and his party she received the nickname ¡®Assassin of a Thousand Faces¡¯. A title that she hadn¡¯t disputed in the slightest.


    On the day the old duke died she felt lost. Her mission had been completed. She protected the boy until he had become a man, until he had taken over the dukedom, until he could protect himself. She decided that she would continue adventuring with the rest of the group until she could find something else she wanted to do. Party member after party member retired or, in one case, died. Eventually it was just her and Edward. It stayed that way until the day Edward¡¯s sister, and the boy that she had once been tasked with protecting, announced that they had a child on the way. On that day, Marie decided that she would settle for the fourth time. This time instead of settling on the hand she had been dealt or the offer she had received, she would be settling down.


    The child from the slums became the Assassin of a Thousand Faces and then eventually she became just a maid. She slowly became attached to Serentia Von Arbencroft, formally Von Sasston, and eventually she told the woman who she really was. Marie then decided that she would tell the boy, who was no longer a boy, and Edward that she had been there all along. Marie leaned back in the chair in her dressing room and sighed. ¡°And now I am becoming the assassin again.¡±


    ¡ª


    Aria sat on the lead wagon and watched as Safeharbor slowly got larger and larger. ¡°We finally made it!¡± Aria called out.


    Claus chuckled almost silently. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to thank Isaac for clearing the path for us.¡± Aria continued. ¡°He¡¯s been doing that a lot for us recently.¡± She glanced over her shoulder at the prisoners tied up behind her. ¡°I hope they are ready for us. The sooner they aren¡¯t our problem anymore the happier I¡¯ll be.¡±


    Claus nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± He agreed. ¡°Hope Lisa gets off easy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s on Isaac and the duke, I think.¡± Aria replied and then shrugged while turning back towards the city. ¡°I can¡¯t say this is my favorite place to be but Ben¡¯s End was getting a bit cramped so, uh, it¡¯s good to be back, I guess.¡±

 Chapter 77 Soul

    Chapter 77 Soul


    Lenna sat on the roof of the Celestial Dawn. Celeste had been willing to let the two of them train their nondestructive abilities up there instead of in their room. There was one very good reason for this; Isaac and Lenna scared people. The feeling of Isaac¡¯s magic and Lenna¡¯s aura was simply too much for most people to deal with for extended periods of time.


    Lenna hadn¡¯t opened her eyes in hours, maybe days at that point. It was very difficult for her to lose track of time but she had successfully done it. As she sat there with eyes closed and steady breathing she felt something subtly shift. This time it wasn¡¯t her losing consciousness, no, this time it was what she had been after. She felt her aura shift slightly. The mana in the air started to resonate with her but not quite in the way that she had expected. Her aura was causing specifically fire and death aspects of the mana in the air within it to resonate with her more than the rest. She had only been expecting the fire aspect to resonate. If she wasn¡¯t only barely hanging on to consciousness then she might¡¯ve been able to consider why. Lenna let herself fall backwards from her sitting position to sprawl out on the stone-dust covered roof. She had barely stopped falling when sleep took her. Not even Isaac¡¯s death flames could keep her awake anymore but she had done it. Finally, Lenna had leveled up.


    ¡ª


    Isaac sat on the floor, on a rather comfy rug, in Alexander¡¯s tower. Jala sat at a nearby desk with a previously blank book and a Never Ending Pen. Alexander had used some kind of spell on himself to record the memory of what was going on so he could go over it again later. Clayton had been invited as well but the younger wizard was way out of his depth, at least for now. Clayton was making sure to stay out of the way, not touch anything, and commit as much of what was going on to memory as possible.


    Isaac¡¯s head jerked to the side slightly as something happened inside the memories of Shaeo¡¯ahna the Silent Fang. The skeleton was so close to being finished but Isaac was nearing his limit. They had been at it for hours and almost every drop of mana he had was being ripped out of him to fuel the recreation process of the formerly alive drider. It had been a struggle but he had somehow managed to keep the smallest trickle heading towards Lenna. He hoped it helped.


    ¡ª


    Isaac felt the blood run through her hands as the gash in her neck only got wider from the intense attempt at flight from her lost battle. The world was slowly getting darker around the edges as long chitinous legs silently ate up ground. The sound of metal on stone and clanking armor was never ending. A rock caught her leg and the ground came up to meet her. ¡®My punishment.¡¯ Shaeo thought to herself. ¡®Should have been more dedicated to Father? Would have lived long? Doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ The world finally drifted into total darkness. Shaeo felt a wave of relief in the sweet embrace of death. It was finally time for the ancient drider to get her due rest.


    ¡ª


    Isaac rocked slightly before taking in a massive breath. He hadn¡¯t realized that he hadn¡¯t been breathing. That explained the lightheadedness. He looked up while opening his eyes and locked eyes with the skeletal drider before him. The connection he felt with it was different from the one he felt with Kahtesh. The little dragon was tied to his shadow. Isaac thought that the reason Kahtesh could have a shadow of a soul was because he was the shadow of Isaac¡¯s soul that was limited to the knowledge and experiences of the little dragon.


    The small black orbs of death flames locked onto Isaac¡¯s silver eyes as the remaker and remade seemed to size each other up. ¡°You¡¯re just as big as I remember.¡± Isaac told the skeletal half woman half spider in front of him. Some things were very different from the original. Shaeo¡¯s ribs had flattened into platemail armor. They were a bit thicker around her chest as if they were attempting to fill out her old silhouette. Bone grew out of the sides of her head into the rough shape of her pointy ears. Her cheekbones grew downward and forward to cover her top teeth and her jaw bone grew a bone plate that moved upwards to cover her bottom teeth. Her old nose was back but this time it was entirely made of bone. Everywhere that was once chitin was now bone though Isaac wasn¡¯t sure why. The two materials weren¡¯t exactly similar even if they did have a similar function. Isaac figured it was probably because everything grew from the skull downwards and the skull was only bone. The entirety of the spider body was back including the spinnerets. The top of what used to be the chitinous section had grown upwards to cover the large gap between Shaeo¡¯s bottom ribs and itself where it took the place of her hip bones.


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    Isaac received no reply to his comment so he offered the drider a hand. It took it and rose to its full height carrying Isaac to his feet. ¡°Thanks.¡± He told the drider and then frowned. ¡°Something is¡­ wrong.¡± He told the three wizards watching him.


    Worry flashed across Clayton and Alexander¡¯s faces but Jala only looked curious. ¡°What is it?¡± Alexander asked.


    ¡°She feels¡­ I don¡¯t know, off, somehow.¡± Isaac replied and then closed his eyes and focused solely on feeling the creature that he was now connected to. ¡°She¡¯s¡­ incomplete, missing something, empty, hollow.¡± He spoke about the odd feeling he was getting from her.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because it doesn¡¯t have a soul anymore?¡± Clayton postulated.


    ¡°But neither does the dragon.¡± Alexander replied.


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I think Clayton is right. Kahtesh does have a soul, kind of, partly.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Jala exclaimed. ¡°How?¡± She demanded and closed the distance between Isaac and herself in little more than an instant. Curiosity, intrigue, longing, and a bit of insanity seemed to be painted across her face in shades of purple, gray, and black.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Isaac told her calmly before putting both of his hands on her shoulders and pushing her back a foot so he could see her entire face again. ¡°That was the whole point of this ¡®gathering¡¯ in Alexander¡¯s¡­¡± He looked around a bit. ¡°Living room?¡±


    ¡°More or less.¡± Alexander replied.


    ¡°Jala, I know that you are basically my aunt-in-law but please, I am not your niece nor your husband, stay out of my personal space.¡± Isaac told her and took half a step back while letting go of the ancient wizard.


    Jala nodded a few times in thought though it was clear that almost everything Isaac had just said had already gone in one ear and out the other. ¡°It was the same process right?¡± She asked Isaac. ¡°There weren¡¯t any differences?¡±


    Isaac shook his head slowly. ¡°Not quite. I didn¡¯t form the same connection to her as I did with Kahtesh and my shadow. I get the feeling that I can only truly have one creature that lives in, is, I guess, my shadow.¡± Isaac shook his head to clear it of most of the side tunnels of thoughts forming in it. ¡°You know how it looks like you have a bunch of shadows if there are multiple light sources?¡± He asked the group of wizards.


    Clayton and Alexander nodded but Jala seemed to be inspecting the drider as much as she was listening. ¡°Yes.¡± Clayton replied.


    ¡°But even with a dozen different silhouettes of yourself sprawled out around you there is still one place that they connect.¡± Isaac continued and Clayton nodded along while Alexander just watched and tried to take in every detail for future study of both the conversation and the bone creature standing a half dozen feet in front of him. ¡°All of those shadows are just different expressions of the one true shadow that exists. It¡¯s like how under your feet there is an area trapped in total darkness. The anchor point for all of those other shadows is still right there. That is where your true shadow exists. I feel like I could keep creating and feeding mana to a few more creatures like Shaeo but they wouldn¡¯t be complete because they wouldn¡¯t be the true shadow. Kahtesh is my true shadow and, unless I decide to change that somehow, that is how it will stay.¡±


    ¡°I think there are a few leaps in logic there that I don¡¯t think really apply to mana or magic as a whole.¡± Alexander replied incredulously.


    ¡°I am too far out of my depth to argue or agree with either of you.¡± Clayton said before nodding towards Isaac. ¡°But it is your magic so I will defer to you.¡±


    ¡°Wrong.¡± Jala said after pulling her finger back out of Shaeo¡¯s eye socket without immediately specifying who she was talking about. ¡°Magic has a way of defying even its own logic and rules. As long as witchcraft exists that fact cannot be proven untrue. Draconic magic was much the same for thousands of years. Even now, to some extent.¡± She shook her finger to make sure that there weren¡¯t any death flames still clinging to it.


    ¡°Magic can be studied and understood. That is the point of our class.¡± Alexander countered. ¡°That is how we level, we master higher tier spells and we learn.¡± He shook his head. ¡°There should be some level of quantifiable effects and logic to this.¡±


    ¡°Boy, do not try to lecture me on magic.¡± Jala told Alexander sternly. ¡°I was learning magic before your great great great grandfather was more than a thought in his parent¡¯s mind.¡± Her ancient gaze fixed on Alexander. ¡°Magic is not science. I use chemistry and magic to produce alchemy. Spellcrafters use physics and magic to make spells like Flight and Quicken. He,¡± She gestured towards Isaac. ¡°only has a conceptual color of mana to work with. Two times two doesn¡¯t equal four when both of the twos only exist when they feel like it.¡±


    ¡°Conceptual color of mana?¡± Alexander parroted in a question. ¡°If it is merely a concept then how can spellcrafters make spellforms with mathematical values of the expressions of the effects of mana?¡± He demanded. ¡°If magic was just arbitrary and whimsical then spells wouldn¡¯t exist. Even witchcraft has some form of logic to it even if we don¡¯t properly understand it yet.¡±


    The debate between Jala and Alexander continued for well over an hour until both of their voices were hoarse. Clayton leveled up simply from being in the presence of an ancient wizard and a wizard prodigy bickering about magic. If either of them heard someone refer to what they were doing as bickering they both would have corrected the speaker by saying that they were debating. Isaac and eventually even Clayton knew the truth, the two just couldn¡¯t accept being wrong.

 Chapter 78 Flaming Iron Skillet.

    Chapter 78 Flaming Iron Skillet.


    ¡°Lady L¡¯Vore struck me as¡­ rather odd.¡± Clayton told Isaac while the pair walked towards their respective destinations. Isaac was in search of his bed or Lenna, while Clayton was going back to work but they were heading in the same direction for a few blocks before they had to go their separate ways.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Odd is a word for her, yes.¡± He replied.


    Clayton cracked a smile at Isaac¡¯s response. ¡°I thought dark elves hated drider being defiled. Isn¡¯t that what you were doing?¡± He asked curiously.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah but, as you said, Jala is odd.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Not very many things matter to her. She is obsessed with her work and research into chimeras and artificial life. Both things are taboo, so I¡¯ve been told, though, so don¡¯t go spreading it around.¡± There weren¡¯t very many people walking the streets around that time and those that were had places to go and people to see that weren¡¯t either of the two mages. ¡°I get the feeling that Jala would dissect her god¡¯s body if given the chance. If Fen dies of old age before she does then I wouldn¡¯t be surprised to see even her own husband on the table in front of her. Though, I really hope she dies first. I can deal with a depressed and aimless shadow sorcerer, I can¡¯t deal with a grief stricken, mad, totally-not-a-necromancer.¡±


    Clayton swallowed hard. ¡°You don¡¯t think she would try to become a lich or something do you?¡± He asked nervously.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No.¡± He replied honestly. ¡°I can see her trying to bring Fen back as one though. That¡¯s what scares me.¡±


    Clayton¡¯s mouth was dry. ¡°Is it really alright to let her live here, in the city?¡± Clayton wondered aloud.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°It should be fine. Alexander lives above her and as long as Fen¡¯s around he¡¯ll at least keep her from ending the world or something, probably. Worst case, Alexander calls for me and I punch her in the head or Lenna burns her creation to ash.¡± He explained.


    Clayton didn¡¯t look like he completely believed Isaac but decided that it was a problem for people in higher stations than ¡®magic shop clerk¡¯. ¡°Here¡¯s my turn.¡± He told the dark mage accompanying him. ¡°Thank you, again, for inviting me along.¡±


    Isaac gave Clayton a smile and nodded. ¡°It¡¯ll help if I don¡¯t have to fill you in on those kinds of things once you become well versed in mana colors and all that. Who knows, maybe the research notes will have something truly helpful in them.¡±


    Clayton nodded. ¡°I hope so.¡± He told Isaac. ¡°The anticipation is ruining my sleep.¡±


    Isaac laughed and waved while walking in the direction of his warm bed. ¡°See ya around Clayton.¡± He told the wizard and vanished. Isaac was nothing if not dramatic.


    ¡°Uh, yes, bye.¡± Clayton stammered in the direction of the already disintegrating silhouette Isaac had left behind.


    ¡ª


    Isaac arrived on the rooftop just in time to see Lenna push herself back up into a sitting position. She gave him a tired smile. The glint in her eyes betrayed her secret before she could reveal it to him. ¡°You did it then?¡± He asked with a smile of his own.


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    ¡°Yes.¡± She replied with a widening grin. ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°Same.¡± Isaac replied with a widening grin of his own.


    ¡°How long has it been?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac looked down at the pocket watch he had purchased with some of their excess coin. ¡°It¡¯s almost time for breakfast.¡± He told her. ¡°The bell should be ringing soon.¡± He nodded towards the clocktower. Lenna couldn¡¯t see it over the fence that crowned the top of the Celestial Dawn. Isaac could see the tower but the clock¡¯s face wasn¡¯t facing them directly so he had a hard time seeing it. ¡°Hungry?¡±


    Lenna nodded and reached out a hand. Isaac crossed the distance and hauled her to her feet. ¡°Any news?¡± She questioned.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No. Just tea time with Sera in a few hours.¡± The ¡®As much as I would love to cancel it would be even more suspicious.¡¯ went unsaid. He leaned in and cupped her face like he was going to kiss her. Shadows danced around them as if Isaac was simply trying to ensure they could have a private romantic moment. ¡°If there are drow spies in town then they are definitely keeping an eye on us.¡± He told her before actually planting his lips on hers.


    Lenna shook her head once Isaac had pulled back enough for her to speak. ¡°I feel like they would have made a move by now.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Like poisoning our food?¡± Isaac wondered.


    Lenna chuckled. ¡°Could you imagine Celeste catching someone trying to slip something into the food her son made?¡± She asked.


    Isaac started to laugh and they broke apart along with his shadows. ¡°I¡¯m imagining her hitting someone upside the head with a flaming iron skillet.¡± He replied and Lenna couldn¡¯t hold back her laughter at the thought.


    The pair were sitting down at Celeste¡¯s bar before Lenna got her laughter under control. Isaac was still occasionally chuckling at the mental image. ¡°Back to what we were talking about.¡± Lenna eventually told him. ¡°No, defamation of character is more likely.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think someone is already doing that?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No.¡± She replied simply. ¡°Some people just don¡¯t like us. That¡¯s understandable.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about pamphlets and someone trying to stir up a crowd or something.¡± Isaac surmised to which Lenna nodded. ¡°I guess we have gotten off pretty lightly, all things considered.¡±


    ¡°Most people who actually hate either of us enough to do something like that are also smart enough to see the folly of it.¡± Lenna continued. ¡°You aren¡¯t the type of person to back down and you have too good of a reputation with those that keep the people safe. Many of the guards might not like you personally but your bounty record and capturing Jala and Fen put you in a good position.¡±


    ¡°Us.¡± Isaac cut in.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Lenna hummed in question.


    ¡°The good reputation isn¡¯t just mine. In fact I think you have a better reputation than I do with everyone who isn¡¯t a normal civilian.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°The common folks might be wary of me because I am dangerous and have proven to be willing to kill someone outright for trying to bully either of us but they hate you simply because of the color of your skin, and your name, I guess.¡± He added. ¡°Everyone of any import knows that you are the more reasonable one of us. The only reason they don¡¯t go to you instead of me is because they know that you always defer to me anyway. Trying to go to you about something only to have you go to me about it will just look bad for them.¡±


    Lenna nodded with a thoughtful expression on her face before shaking her head. ¡°It¡¯s too early in the day for this.¡± She told him just as Celeste walked around the corner with a yawn.


    ¡°Morning Celeste.¡± Isaac greeted the sorceress. Lenna gave the woman a warm smile.


    Celeste returned Lenna¡¯s smile. ¡°Good morning you two. You are up early again. Something going on?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Just training.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°We were both up all night working on getting stronger. Having to rely on Fable and the Flame Ravens really put our power back into perspective.¡± Isaac explained. It wasn¡¯t a lie but that wasn¡¯t the real reason they were pushing to finish their different projects. Neither Isaac nor Lenna knew if Celeste had been told anything or not yet so they opted to not talk about it, not that they would¡¯ve without ensuring that no one was listening in.


    Celeste gave them a warm but weary smile. ¡°That takes me back. I haven¡¯t fought or traveled with a party in a long time.¡± She explained.


    Isaac gave her a fake smile and tilted his head to the side slightly, seeming to say: ¡®That comment won¡¯t hold up for long.¡¯ Celeste¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly but a subtle shake of Isaac¡¯s head kept her quiet ¡°What¡¯s for breakfast?¡± Isaac asked to brush their silent conversation under the rug. He had just proven that Celeste didn¡¯t know what was going on and he wasn¡¯t about to enlighten her. If her old party members wanted to tell her then they would.


    Time ticked by as Isaac, Lenna, and Celeste conversed about this and that before the breakfast rush arrived. Eventually it was time to leave and see Sera and, maybe more importantly, Marie. It was time for Isaac to get his final confirmation on the plan. He was excited to see Marie in combat but he doubted that he would get to see her at all once the operation started. Only time would tell though, plan¡¯s didn¡¯t tend to survive first contact.

 Chapter 79 Train The Children.

    Chapter 79 Train The Children.


    Flowers of yellows, reds, and pinks met Isaac and Lenna as they entered the duchess¡¯s garden. They were all blooming despite them all being underground and far away from sunlight. The entire garden was bathed in a radiant, pleasant, soft, yellowish light as the decades old illusion magic maintained a fake sunlight to help the flowers grow. There was a small gazebo with a glass table, four chairs, and a tea set. A servant stood off to the side of the duchess who was perched pleasantly on one of the four chairs. The duchess was sipping from a small teacup and had been looking out over the garden until she heard the doors open. She turned to see Isaac and Lenna standing in the doorway and gave them a warm smile. The garden was walled off from the outside world by a ten foot high stone wall that left the garden an impressive forty foot by sixty foot rectangle. There were flowering trees close to the walls but they were all positioned in a way so they wouldn¡¯t hide any of the flowers from the gazebo¡¯s view.


    ¡°Sera.¡± Isaac greeted the duchess with a nod and a smile of his own. Lenna mirrored his action and the doors closed behind them.


    ¡°Isaac, Lenna, I am glad you could make it.¡± Sera replied and gestured towards the seats across from her. ¡°I heard you have been quite busy as of late.¡±


    Lenna sighed. Her exhale was full of weariness but also relief. ¡°Yes, very.¡± She replied to the duchess.


    The pair took their seats and then Isaac gestured towards the open seat. ¡°Marie.¡± He greeted the servant. Marie¡¯s violet eyes and sunlight colored hair cut a striking figure with her tanned skin.


    Marie gave Isaac a polite smile. ¡°No thank you.¡± She replied. ¡°I am on duty.¡± She explained. A duty that was also her hobby.


    ¡°Marie, I am sure there is something Isaac wishes to speak with you about.¡± Sera cut in. ¡°You may sit. No one who is capable of fighting through the three of you is going to want to kill little old me, even if you are all sitting down.¡±


    Marie turned to Sera and bowed slightly. ¡°As you say.¡± She told the duchess and took her own seat. She poured everyone¡¯s tea and settled in for tea time with the other three. ¡°Well, Lord Wexler, I am listening.¡± Marie said to Isaac in a perfectly polite tone that betrayed no emotion, positive or negative.


    ¡°I take it you are aware of the plan.¡± Isaac began to which Marie nodded. ¡°What items will you be bringing along? What items should Shy and I make sure we have?¡± He questioned. Isaac was slowly getting better at asking for advice, from those that he knew without a shadow of a doubt could give him good advice, that was actually worth listening to.


    Marie looked slightly surprised for a second before her face took on a contemplative look. ¡°Oil,¡± She said eventually. ¡°fire resistance potions, a fireproof cloak, a smoke screen of both the physical and magical varieties or at least something of that effect, spare knives, some way to make lightning, something to keep you quiet, poisons of both the necrotic and paralytic varieties, a way to make yourself invisible regardless of the duration or conditions, potions of water breathing and dark vision, a teleportation option if you have the funds for it,¡± She went silent in further thought. ¡°and maybe armor?¡± She finished. The fact that she only added on armor as an afterthought let everyone know how much she seemed to value it.


    Isaac was silent for a long moment. ¡°Was that the list of what you have or what Shy and I should have?¡± Isaac requested clarification.


    ¡°Both.¡± Marie replied simply.


    Isaac nodded slowly. ¡°I will pass as much as I can along to Shy but I don¡¯t know how much we¡¯ll be able to get in time.¡± He said and glanced at Lenna. ¡°Did you get all of that?¡± He asked. ¡°It wasn¡¯t exactly organized.¡±


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    Lenna nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to pass it along when we meet up with the Flame Ravens for training this evening.¡± She assured him.


    Isaac nodded once and gave Lenna a smile in thanks before turning back to Marie. ¡°So I take it you are in?¡± He asked.


    Marie nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± She replied. ¡°Was that all you needed?¡± She asked quizzically.


    ¡°That was most of it.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°There was something I wanted to ask of you. If you can¡¯t or simply don¡¯t want to, I understand.¡± He prefaced his request. Marie nodded for him to continue. ¡°Edward is currently training a rogue for me.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°That rogue and Shy could both benefit greatly from your tutelage.¡± He continued. ¡°I was wondering if you would be up for that from time to time.¡±


    Marie creased her brows in thought. ¡°I am kept quite busy.¡± She began.


    ¡°She would love to.¡± Sera cut in. ¡°She has not left my side in twenty years and could use some friends.¡±


    Marie looked mortified and the sudden outburst from Sera that got a look of surprise from Isaac and Lenna. ¡°Sera, but who¡¯ll-¡± Marie tried to argue.


    ¡°There are seventeen guards on the premises day and night.¡± Sera explained. ¡°They can protect me, as is their job, for a few hours a day.¡±


    ¡°They are in their twenties, at least as far as I can tell.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°One is a platinum grade adventurer and the other is a thief turned¡­ operative, I think operative is the right word for him.¡±


    Sera raised her eyebrows towards Marie and tilted her chin down slightly as she pressured the other woman. ¡°Who knows, maybe they will have a handsome middle aged male family member to introduce you to since you cannot seem to work up the nerve to talk to my brother properly.¡±


    ¡°Edward and I aren¡¯t like that.¡± Marie tried to protest.


    ¡°Like what? Hmm?¡± Sera demanded. ¡°A man and a woman who have spent half of their lives together without falling for anyone else. A pair that works better together than icing and cake?¡±


    ¡°Sera, we are just old friends.¡± Marie continued her futile attempts at resistance.


    ¡°If you two are really just old friends than you wouldn¡¯t mind me introducing him to the widow of Barron Telious¡¯s little brother. She is a nice woman and could use someone who will actually care for her.¡± Sera prodded. Isaac and Lenna were starting to feel like the duchess and maid had completely forgotten they existed.


    A look of sadness flashed across Marie¡¯s face but it was gone in an instant. ¡°He deserves to be happy so if that is what it ta-¡± Marie was cut off again by Sera.


    ¡°You would make him happy if you would just take the leap. I know for a fact that if that dunce realized how you felt about him he would have asked for your hand by now.¡± Sera continued to mercilessly beat down Marie¡¯s figurative walls. She was utterly ruthless. ¡°You have no excuses left, young lady.¡±


    Marie balked. ¡°I¡¯m older than you.¡± She countered.


    ¡°That is entirely besides the point.¡± Sera cut Marie¡¯s attempted counterattack off before it could even properly begin. ¡°Either tell my brother how you feel or help train your juniors.¡± She ordered her guard.


    Marie shrunk back, utterly crushed and defeated. ¡°Fine.¡± She whispered.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Sera pressed.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll help train the children.¡± Marie said exasperatedly.


    Sera looked taken aback. ¡°But¡­ but you hate people you do not know.¡±


    Marie sighed. ¡°Yes, I do.¡± She replied to her duchess.


    Sera cupped her head in her hands. ¡°Then just tell my brother how you feel.¡± She all but pleaded with her friend. ¡°Do you want me to help you? Neither of you are getting any younger.¡± Her final comment struck like a hidden dagger and Marie visibly recoiled as if struck.


    ¡°I¡¯m, we aren¡¯t that old.¡± Marie tried to counter but it came out limp and weak.


    ¡°Can you even still have children?¡± Sera struck again. Isaac thought he heard the boxing bells ring as the match was called. He watched as Marie slumped onto the table, defeated.


    ¡°Probably.¡± Marie mumbled.


    Sera shook her head before turning back to Isaac and Lenna and sighing. ¡°She will help train them¡­ I guess.¡± She told the duo.


    Isaac shook his head and Lenna gave Sera a look of shock with a very slight amount of genuine fear. Sera had gone for the throat with Marie time and time again. Neither Isaac nor Lenna thought that they would survive an encounter like that with Sera. ¡°Thanks.¡± Isaac eventually told her. ¡°I think you killed Marie though, I hope she can be revived before the mission.¡±


    ¡°You do not have to worry about that.¡± Sera assured him. ¡°She has come back from worse in less time.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should be glad or feel sorry for her.¡± He told the duchess honestly.


    ¡°Both.¡± Lenna replied for her. ¡°I¡¯m glad I¡¯m not in her shoes.¡±


    The group enjoyed their tea for a while before the duo left to continue on with their day. They still hadn¡¯t caught up with Aria and Claus. Isaac hadn¡¯t been informed on the status of the prisoners from Ben¡¯s End or Outpost Charles. He was also wondering if the Windwalkers had come along or not. He hadn¡¯t heard anything so he assumed that they hadn¡¯t but he still had some hope that they would. Isaac had a bad feeling about Outpost Charles and he really didn¡¯t want anyone he liked to be there if/when his bad feeling came to fruition.

 Chapter 80 Witchcraft.

    Chapter 80 Witchcraft.


    Isaac rapped his knuckles on the plain wooden door in front of him. A thud followed by what sounded like cloth being shaken out was the retort. ¡°Just a minute!¡± Aria yelled from inside. Isaac chuckled and Lenna shook her head at the continued commotion on the other side of the door. ¡°Yes, I know that¡¯s mine. No. Just put it over there.¡± Aria went on to someone whose voice had yet to be heard but it was safe to assume that her interlocutor was Claus.


    ¡°It sounds like a catastrophe in there.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°They¡¯ve been here for what, two days?¡± Isaac wondered.


    The door opened to reveal a mildly disheveled Aria. The candlelight that caught her frizzy reddish brown hair brought out the red and drowned the brown. Her emerald eyes looked up to meet the two people waiting just outside her door. ¡°Isaac.¡± She greeted him with a pleasant smile. ¡°Hi.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Hi.¡± He said in return. ¡°Are we interrupting something?¡± He asked, trying to look past her into the room but the door was only half open and she was standing in the other half.


    ¡°I think we are.¡± Lenna added with an amused look on her face that tried to hide the second hand embarrassment.


    Aria glanced over her shoulder so quickly if either of them had blinked they probably would¡¯ve missed it. ¡°No. Of course not.¡± The cleric of knowledge replied and opened the door the rest of the way before gesturing for them to enter. ¡°I was just studying and you startled me. Please, take a seat and I¡¯ll get some tea.¡±


    Isaac and Lenna shared a look that seemed to say ¡®Studying Claus more likely¡¯ before they walked in and met Claus. The large bald man was wearing a pair of casual pants and a short sleeve shirt that Isaac thought both he and Lenna could have fit in together. ¡°Claus.¡± Isaac greeted the goliath with a nod. ¡°Keeping out of trouble?¡± He asked with a wink.


    Claus grinned back. ¡°Sometimes.¡± He replied and Isaac was sure that his and Lenna¡¯s assumptions over what had been going on were correct.


    The room in the inn that Aria and Claus were staying in was open with its own small table and two beds. The one bed was noticeably larger than the other. A glance between Claus and the larger bed showed Isaac that the large man still probably barely fit on the bed that was clearly designed for couples. The smaller bed was the same size as every other single person bed Isaac had seen thus far. The smaller bed was done so well that it looked like it hadn¡¯t even been used but the larger bed had the blankets thrown on them haphazardly. ¡®At least they aren¡¯t on the floor.¡¯ Isaac thought to himself before continuing to scan the room. There was a small magical stove that consisted of an iron plate held a few inches above the counter by a dozen spikes of iron that seemed to cradle it. The underside of the plate was glowing softly and pulling in mana while the top started getting hot.


    Aria was setting a recently filled teapot on the hotplate. She was wearing a casual dress much like the one Lenna had borrowed from Jennie. The dress was tied around her waist and fell down to her shins exposing her bare feet. Her sleeves were rolled up so they were out of the way and she brushed some hair out of her face as she turned around to face them. ¡°Give it a few minutes.¡± She stated and slid into a chair next to Claus.


    Isaac and Lenna joined Aria and Claus at the table. Isaac made sure to position himself across, and not next to, Claus so the elvish women would be separated. Isaac hoped that if they weren¡¯t next to each other then their cat versus dog act would at least be muted slightly. ¡°How was the trip here? I know you¡¯ve been back for a little while but we¡¯ve been busy.¡± Isaac queried.


    ¡°Empty.¡± Claus replied.


    Aria nodded. ¡°I think you guys cleared out half of the monsters in the region. There was this absolutely awful smell coming from some of the side tunnels though.¡± She complained.


    ¡°Rotting and overcooked fish?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Aria wrinkled her nose. ¡°Yes.¡± She replied curtly. ¡°I take it that was your doing?¡±


    ¡°More and less.¡± Isaac replied but got a confused look from Aria.


    ¡°More and less?¡± Aria questioned incredulously.


    ¡°Yeah, we killed them all, had to cook up a few of the flesh monsters. We got lucky though at the end. I don¡¯t think we all would¡¯ve survived another one after we finished off the mushroomancer. That did mean that there were still some corpses left lying around.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°We used fire to get rid of the spore infested corpses while we fought and made the entire place smell like a seafood grill gone horribly wrong, so, ¡®more¡¯.¡± He punctuated the word by making air quotes with his fingers. ¡°We cleaned up most of the corpses using said fire, which kept most of them from being able to rot, so in a way we also made it better.¡±


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    ¡°As in less bad.¡± Aria finished dryly.


    Isaac nodded once and looked way too proud of himself for turning an idiom on its head. ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Aria sighed but then cracked a smile before chuckling. ¡°You¡¯re an idiot.¡± She teased.


    ¡°I have to get my bad jokes in now.¡± Isaac said somberly which sobered up the table in an instant.


    Lenna punched Isaac in the arm so fast that no one at the table could react. ¡°I¡¯ll knock you out, keep you sedated for a few days, and hide you until it all blows over.¡± Lenna threatened. She was dead serious. There wasn¡¯t a doubt in Isaac¡¯s mind that she would do it. He swallowed hard.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°No more morbid jokes until afterwards.¡±


    Lenna¡¯s intense gaze bore so deep into Isaac¡¯s eyes he felt like she was reading and inspecting his very soul for falsehoods. ¡°Good.¡± She replied and then turned back to the others at the table. ¡°Have you been informed?¡± She asked Aria and Claus.


    ¡°Informed about what?¡± Aria questioned worriedly. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Shadows danced around them and one after another the candles and lamps were snuffed out until the room was in total darkness. Without the light, covering them all in an orb of shadows that silenced their conversation to the outside world was easier and more sustainable. Once sealed off from the rest of the world Isaac and Lenna began filling in Aria and Claus on the perilous future Safeharbor had. He made sure to inform them that the Arbencrofts seemed decently confident in their plan working and that was why they were even risking baiting in Jallen in the first place. If the Arbencrofts thought that they would lose then they would have called for reinforcements from the capital or at least Sapphirestone but as far as Isaac and Lenna were aware they hadn¡¯t.


    ¡°So that¡¯s why the Guild Master asked us to stick around.¡± Aria said once the duo were finished. ¡°Usually adventurers aren¡¯t necessary in court proceedings because truth spells are used so personal testimony isn¡¯t required. At least, not here, in other frontier towns testimonies are basically a necessity to convict anyone of anything.¡± She rambled a bit. ¡°The Guild Master asked us to stick around until after the trials were done, which was odd but not odd enough to raise any real questions. Is he doing the same for all of the adventurers in town? Making up reasons for them to stay, I mean.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d assume so.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°We¡¯ll need all of you who are strong enough to hold your own. Aria, I assume you won¡¯t be fighting at all if we can help it. Battlefield healers are hard to come by.¡±


    Aria nodded more to herself than to Isaac. ¡°Claus will be on the front line though.¡± She said and her face took on the countenance of someone who was overlooking a battlefield. It looked to Isaac like Aria was building the entire future battle in her mind and splaying it out on the table in front of them. ¡°I¡¯m going to do a divination.¡± Aria said abruptly and sat bolt upright. ¡°I need light.¡±


    Isaac nodded and his shadows drifted away. Lenna got up from her seat and went around lighting the candles with a flame that danced above her thumb and index finger. Lenna had summoned the small flame with a snap of her fingers and froze her hand in place immediately after the snap as if she was holding onto the stem of a flower but the flower was a small candle sized flame that danced as she moved. By the time the room was alight again Aria had a handful of things tossed about on the table. ¡°What¡¯s all this for?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°El¡¯No can¡¯t intervene as directly as we wish she could. She is a goddess of knowledge though so she can help us out in that sense to some degree. If I asked her to come down and smite Jallen V¡¯Nova she would probably scold me for being sarcastic to my goddess¡­ again.¡± Aria shook her head to get back on track. ¡°Trying to hear her voice directly while awake is almost impossible so she gave us a ritual to contact her and ask for knowledge.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you just sleep on it then?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°Because she isn¡¯t babysitting all of us at the same time.¡± Aria explained. She winced. ¡°And scheduling an appointment with a goddess who is notorious for losing track of time is an awful way to get advice.¡±


    ¡°Scheduling an appointment?¡± Isaac asked with a chuckle.


    ¡°Yes, we would send her a prayer and when we did we would let her know when we would be asleep and for how long so she could talk to us in our dreams. Apparently it works with some other gods and goddesses.¡± Aria explained. ¡°Those that don¡¯t get angry with a mortal trying to set their schedule anyway. That number is surprisingly large, all things considered.¡±


    ¡°Large as in?¡± Isaac continued.


    ¡°Four.¡± Aria said simply. ¡°Now, back to the ritual and my time blind goddess.¡± Aria refocused. ¡°Her domains are knowledge, secrets, the pursuit and hiding of information, passwords, codes, curiosity, riddles, puzzles, penmanship, and finally, scrolls and books.¡±


    Isaac and Lenna inspected the table full of seemingly random things. ¡°What is this?¡± Isaac asked and picked up a cylinder that had rows and rows of letters up and down its length.


    Aria sighed. ¡°The problem with the ritual is that it has to include a representation of each of her domains.¡± Aria explained. ¡°That is an encoded puzzle box. The password is a riddle and there is a scroll hidden inside with a secret penned on it.¡± She cracked a weary smile. ¡°It¡¯s quite the curious trinket isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°That is most of them in one item.¡± He stated the obvious. ¡°What¡¯s with the rest of this stuff? You are only missing books and the pursuit of information and I see the book.¡±


    ¡°Loot.¡± Aria replied simply.


    ¡°Loot?¡± Lenna asked incredulously. Isaac¡¯s face showed as much confusion as she felt.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been looking for the secret vampire civilization, remember?¡± Aria asked to which Isaac nodded slowly for her to continue. ¡°Everything laid out in front of you has some kind of connection to it, I think.¡±


    Isaac picked up what looked like a discarded knife. The blade was short and dull and there were flakes of rust along its length. ¡°A junk knife?¡± He asked and set it down before picking up the next thing. ¡°An arrowhead, I assume you found this in a skeleton somewhere.¡± Aria nodded. Isaac set it down and picked up the next thing. ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°A broken piece of pottery.¡± Aria explained to him.


    ¡°So this is your pursuit of knowledge given form huh?¡± Isaac asked with a raised eyebrow.


    Aria nodded and opened the book in the middle of the table. She turned to a blank page which wasn¡¯t hard as only the first dozen or so pages were filled with anything but she paged past them too fast for Isaac or Lenna to see anything that was written on them. She arranged the items on the table so they formed a circle around the book with no discernible order to their placements. It seemed as though it didn¡¯t matter as long as it was in a circle. ¡°Witchcraft.¡± Lenna spoke quietly.


    Aria stopped and turned sharply to her. She scowled at the dark elf for a long moment but didn¡¯t comment. She took a deep breath to steady herself and then spoke.

 Chapter 81 Abuse Of Power,

    Chapter 81 Abuse Of Power,


    ¡°My goddess, Lishtina, El¡¯No, your mortal eyes require guidance. Please grace me with your knowledge.¡± Aria prayed aloud with her head bowed but her eyes fully locked onto the book laid out in front of her. Letters started to appear on the page after a small handful of seconds. They came from nowhere and were written in bright golden ink that darkened the entire way to black before each letter was even finished being written.


    I am listening, I know what answers you seek and what questions you have. They come, be ready, death accompanies them, watch, commit history to memory, be careful.


    With the final punctuation the book slammed closed. Aria sighed and slumped onto the table. ¡°I¡¯m exhausted.¡± She said and closed her eyes.


    ¡°That looked like it took a lot out of you.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°Why can Lua and the Reaper just stop by for a visit but El¡¯No can¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°A few things.¡± Aria replied but didn¡¯t elaborate for a long moment. She took a deep breath and pushed herself back up. The puzzle box caught on her shirt and tumbled to the floor with a thud. She didn¡¯t make a move to get it. ¡°The first is that El¡¯No isn¡¯t that strong compared to deities like Lua and the Reaper. Those are truly ancient beings. They both predate sentient life by so incredibly long that I doubt the barrier really matters very much to them.¡±


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°But a human god of strength or something wouldn¡¯t even be able to contact their followers like El¡¯No just did to you right?¡± He queried.


    Aria nodded. ¡°Yes. Either way, we acolytes, priests and priestesses bear the brunt of the burden for things like this. The barrier makes travel between the upper and lower planes basically impossible and communication is heavily hindered too.¡± She finished explaining and nodded towards the teapot that was blasting steam into the air. ¡°Can one of you get that?¡±


    Isaac nodded and stood up. Lenna caught his hand. ¡°He can¡¯t turn it off.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°He destroyed our heating rock after one use.¡±


    Aria groaned. ¡°Fine.¡± She sighed and started struggling to her feet. The slight shake to her movements proved that she wasn¡¯t exaggerating her weariness.


    ¡°I can do it but it might take a few uses off of it.¡± Lenna said with a hand out to stop Aria from getting up.


    Aria dropped back down into her chair. ¡°It¡¯s not mine. Usually I try to take better care of things that aren¡¯t mine but this time I am willing to make an exception.¡± She replied.


    Lenna got up to help Isaac with the tea. ¡°I didn¡¯t sense any mana at all.¡± Isaac commented and started looking through the cupboards for teacups or mugs.


    ¡°Second from the left.¡± Aria told him and he found the cupboard with simple teacups in it. ¡°That¡¯s because it didn¡¯t take mana.¡± She explained. ¡°It drains lifeforce. It¡¯s a good thing us living beings make more of it after a good meal and a nap.¡±


    Isaac chuckled and turned to give her an incredulous look. ¡°Lifeforce? Really? That¡¯s a quantifiable thing?¡± He questioned.


    Aria shook her head. ¡°No. It is not. As much as all of us hate to admit it, the ritual is witchcraft. El¡¯No is the elvish goddess of knowledge, an elf witch came up with the ritual. Through a series of dreams and a witch hunt one of her clerics happened to stumble upon the basic design. Once the secret was out in the open El¡¯No continued bending some of her own non-interference rules to get us the ritual so we could talk back and forth easier.¡± Aria explained.


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    ¡°So she manipulated her followers to ¡®stumble¡¯ upon a secret unnaturally.¡± Isaac summarized. ¡°That¡­ that gives me the chills.¡± Isaac told her honestly. ¡°My favorite part about deities and gods is the rules they have to follow. Bending them like that doesn¡¯t sit right with me.¡±


    Aria gave Isaac a long searching look as he poured them their tea. ¡°They are gods Isaac, we aren¡¯t meant to understand everything.¡± She replied.


    Isaac gave her an incredulous look before retaking his seat. ¡°Isn¡¯t your whole purpose basically just you searching for knowledge and understanding?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°You of all people should want to understand the true extent of your goddess¡¯s limitations.¡±


    Aria shook her head. ¡°It isn¡¯t like that Isaac. El¡¯No wants what is best for us. There is no reason for me to doubt her, especially when in the end, everything worked out for the best.¡± She countered.


    Isaac sighed into his tea. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to get you to doubt your goddess, Aria, especially with all the help you and her have given me.¡± He explained before the conversation got out of hand. ¡°I am just voicing my concern over her abuse of power, no matter the reason, beings like her need to be very, and I mean VERY careful when it comes to things like that. If I abuse my power the number of people I can affect directly is limited to this city. With gods it¡¯s different. How many people¡¯s lives were irrevocably changed during her arranged witch hunt to get her cleric¡¯s hands on that ritual? How many people died because of it?¡±


    Aria was silent for a long while. She stared into her tea and watched as the tiny plant fiber that escaped through the sieve floated across its surface. ¡°Isaac, I remember you telling me about the one thing you wanted to remember after you came here.¡± Aria began. Isaac nodded even though she wasn¡¯t looking at him. ¡°I see where you are coming from, but I don¡¯t know if I can understand how deep your hatred is towards authority. Who knows what happened to you in the past to cause such a lasting impression but that is neither here nor there. These gods and goddesses have existed for tens of thousands of years on the low end. If they were truly bad then we wouldn¡¯t still be worshiping them. I know that El¡¯No doesn¡¯t truly care for my safety the way you or Claus would but she still wants what is best for me. I have talked with her, seen her face in my dreams, yes, some could say that she abuses her power a bit from time to time but I don''t think that is a bad thing. Not when every abuse of power is a benefit to her followers.¡±


    Isaac frowned and took a sip of his tea. It was still too hot to drink. ¡°Sometimes I wish I remembered the context to some of these feelings that didn¡¯t get left behind.¡± Isaac confessed. ¡°But even without context, I think that people need to pay more attention to what those above them do with their power.¡±


    ¡°But didn¡¯t Lua tell you where we were in the tunnels before so you could come save us?¡± Aria protested.


    ¡°Lua¡¯s job isn¡¯t very well defined.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°She is the patron goddess of misfits, outcasts, and exiles but they aren¡¯t actually in her portfolio. She has no defined domain over them but she helps them all the same. Technically speaking she is only the goddess of beauty. She is the deity of the moon but she isn¡¯t really the goddess of it.¡± Lenna explained.


    ¡°So she is a deity who just does whatever she wants without consequence.¡± Aria shot at Isaac. ¡°You didn¡¯t seem to have a problem with that.¡±


    Isaac frowned. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± He conceded. ¡°But I wasn¡¯t really thinking through the implications because I was worried about the two of you. I don¡¯t exactly have that many friends so when a deity pops into my bedroom and tells me that my friends are in danger and where to go to save them I wasn¡¯t exactly thinking through the implications of what she had done.¡± Isaac shook his head. ¡°But like Lenna said, she isn¡¯t really defined that well. El¡¯No is a different story. She is the goddess of secrets but she specifically arranged events for a secret to be exposed. That is a breach of contract if I¡¯ve ever heard one.¡±


    Aria gave Isaac a very conflicted look. ¡°You are going to make me think on this, aren¡¯t you?¡± She said more to herself than to him.


    ¡°I would like you to, yes.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°But we have gone so far off the track that the minecart was left behind and we are lost in the tunnels.¡± Isaac joked and shook his head again. ¡°There was another reason we came.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Aria asked, her face visibly brightening at the change of topics.


    ¡°What is going on with the Windwalkers?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Aria said again, her face fell slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Jennie couldn¡¯t leave behind the tavern that she and her husband built. She wants to but it¡¯s the last thing she has of him. She wanted Chris to come along with us but he wouldn¡¯t leave her alone with just Gregory to take care of her.¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°I saw this outcome coming but it was worth a shot. Maybe with some more time she¡¯ll come around.¡± He offered.


    Aria hummed in agreement. ¡°Who knows how long that will take or how bad the catalyst of that decision will be.¡± She replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s not ominous as all hells or anything.¡± Isaac shot back. ¡°Way to throw up death flags. Hand me your written will or something next why don¡¯t you.¡±


    Aria chuckled. ¡°Oh it¡¯s not that bad.¡±

 Chapter 82 Glad Or Annoyed

    Chapter 82 Glad Or Annoyed


    ¡°Ready?¡± Lenna asked the large man in front of her. She was down in a low stance with a round shield strapped firmly to her left arm facing the man. Her sword was resting against the upper right edge of the shield half a dozen inches back from its tip.


    The man shifted his tower shield a bit and rolled his shoulder causing his spear to follow the motion. ¡°Ready.¡± Mark replied.


    Lenna nodded once and launched at him with only her natural strength. She pulled the shield back right as Mark¡¯s spear was about to make contact. The shift in timing caught Mark by surprise. She kept the shield in the same position for another step so his now stationary spear would be tossed to the side due to the sharp angle that its tip hit her shield. She took one more step than Mark expected her to. The tip of her left boot made contact with Mark¡¯s shield before her entire body weight slammed into it. Lenna had used the edge of her shield as an improvised battering ram to shove Mark¡¯s shield aside. It was a move that plenty of seasoned warriors had done at least once to a door. Much like a door, Mark¡¯s shield swung inwards and almost punched him in the nose before it was forced aside by the rest of the mass behind the charging shield bash.


    Mark¡¯s eyes went wide as a longsword skipped off the side of his helmet. He hadn¡¯t even seen it coming. He stumbled and Lenna was already past him. ¡°Damn.¡± Mark swore.


    ¡°So V¡¯Nova¡¯s can use a shield.¡± Isaac teased.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No. Just me.¡± She replied. ¡°Only soldiers are specifically taught shield combat. Paladins need a free hand to focus some of our spells.¡±


    ¡°Why just you?¡± Mark asked while backing away and getting back into position.


    ¡°I was stuck at a low level for a very long time. I had a lot of time to kill.¡± Lenna replied simply and then got back into position to charge at him again.


    ¡°Where did that strike even come from?¡± Mark questioned. He couldn¡¯t figure it out even in hindsight. Her shield had blocked his vision until the blade was already skipping across the side of his helmet. The impact turned his head to the side and between his own shield and the sword in his face he hadn¡¯t been able to see anything.


    ¡°She switched to a reverse grip on the sword as soon as it was out of your sight.¡± Esk enlightened him. ¡°She spun into the strike right after she was done tossing your shield aside like a tavern door.¡±


    Mark grunted in response. ¡°Will I be able to counter that even if I know it¡¯s coming?¡± He asked the paladin in front of him.


    ¡°Do you want me to tell you how?¡± Lenna questioned in return. ¡°Or do you want to figure it out yourself?¡±


    ¡°Teach me. I¡¯m here to learn.¡± Mark replied with a nod.


    ¡°Plant the butt of your spear behind you. You only need the top two feet of it. Your right thumb and wrist are armored. Use it.¡± She ordered the warrior. ¡°Use the armor over your thumb to hold onto the right side of the shield so it won¡¯t hit you in the face and lean into it.¡± Mark did as instructed and locked in as well as he could. ¡°I advance.¡±


    Mark nodded and braced. Lenna impacted his shield so hard that his thumb was bruised through the armor. His spear was almost ripped from his hand as Lenna spun into it. He forced his spear and shield back towards each other and Lenna¡¯s momentum was completely arrested. Her reverse grip spinning attack went wide and caught nothing but air far behind Mark¡¯s body. He shoved forwards with everything he had and Lenna stumbled backwards before reorienting back onto him. Lenna nodded and straightened. ¡°You hit like a runaway cart.¡± Mark commented.


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    Lenna smirked. ¡°I¡¯m not any stronger than the drow soldiers. That technique is common for breaking through caravan guards. It doesn¡¯t work if the battle line is more than one person thick but it is perfect for getting past one person and maybe killing them at the same time.¡± Lenna explained.


    Mark nodded. ¡°Thanks. My hand is still bruised though.¡±


    ¡°We sparred barehanded before gearing up to do it again. The bruises under the armor helped get us ready for real fights. V¡¯Nova soldiers will not feel pain unless you shatter bones or gouge out eyes.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°Focus on defense but land a killing blow when you can. Glancing strikes will only leave you open for counter attacks.¡±


    Mark nodded again. ¡°Thank you, teacher.¡± He told her.


    Lenna chuckled and turned away. ¡°Um, you¡¯re welcome.¡± She replied. Isaac gave her a look that meant that he would most definitely be teasing her about that later. ¡°I¡¯ll fight you.¡± She told her mate evenly.


    Isaac chuckled and turned back to Kahtesh. ¡°Now, using what I just taught you, what is five rows of eight?¡± Isaac asked the little dragon. Kahtesh looked at Isaac quizzically for a long moment. Isaac narrowed his eyes at the dragon. ¡°Stop counting them in your head.¡± He corrected Kahtesh. ¡°This is an easy one. Five rows of eight is half of eight, which is four, then add a zero, forty.¡±


    ¡°Why are you teaching the skeleton multiplication?¡± Fina questioned with great exasperation. Alexander and Jala were there taking notes. The arena¡¯s sand pit was packed with individuals that were not usually in a place such as that, excluding Esk and Lenna.


    ¡°We are trying to see how, where, Kahtesh stores memories.¡± Alexander explained.


    ¡°He understood addition and subtraction perfectly fine.¡± Isaac said more to himself than any of those present. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s so hard about multiplication.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand what is hard about multiplication?¡± Esk asked incredulously. Isaac just shook his head with a confused look on his face. ¡°Seven times nine?¡± Esk shot at Isaac.


    ¡°Sixty three.¡± Isaac replied just as fast.


    ¡°Twelve times fifteen?¡± Esk fired at the mage.


    ¡°One hundred eighty.¡± Isaac countered just as quickly.


    ¡°Twenty seven times fifty two?¡± Esk further questioned. When Isaac took more than one whole second to reply Esk started to let out a breath of relief.


    ¡°One, four, zero, four.¡± Isaac spit out before Esk could finish his exhale.


    ¡°How?¡± Esk questioned.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple math?¡± Isaac replied somewhat confused and concerned at the looks he was getting.


    ¡°It is such a shame he isn¡¯t a wizard.¡± Alexander whispered with a shake of his head.


    Isaac shook his head to clear it and focused back on his dragon. ¡°Okay, it¡¯s easy buddy, I promise. Let¡¯s pick one you haven¡¯t heard yet.¡± The dragon just looked up at him expectantly. ¡°Six multiplied by six.¡± And so Isaac went on in an almost vain attempt at teaching a dead dragon arithmetic, all the while two wizards looked at the dragon through magic arrays and magic items. This continued on for the better part of the rest of the day until Lenna was finished teaching Esk and Mark how to handle combat with someone trained to fight for the V¡¯Nova clan.


    Before everyone split to go their separate ways Isaac stopped Shy. He handed her a folded piece of paper. ¡°Burn it when you¡¯re done.¡± He told her and then waved goodbye to the rest of the Flame Ravens.


    ¡°What was that about?¡± Esk questioned.


    Shy opened the note without letting anyone see it. A moment later the note was being burned away by a match that seemed to come out of nowhere. Only Shy knew where she kept half of her random items. ¡°A secret.¡± Shy explained.


    ¡°What about?¡± Esk pressed.


    ¡°A secret.¡± Shy replied evenly.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Esk grumbled. After a long moment he continued: ¡°You know, we shouldn¡¯t keep secrets in the te- ow!¡± His statement was cut off by Fina¡¯s fist coming down hard on the top of his head.


    ¡°If she wanted to tell you, she would.¡± Fina corrected the younger adventurer. ¡°As much as I would like to know, Shy has a right to her own secrets. Unless you want me to go telling everyone about that time in the inn in Sharsberry?¡±


    ¡°No, no, we are fine. Everything is fine. People are allowed to have their secrets. Nothing wrong with that.¡± Esk rambled on.


    Fina grinned. ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡ª


    Lenna¡¯s aura flared for the third time that day. ¡°This is beyond the point of ¡®getting old¡¯.¡± Lenna growled.


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°Every six hours on the dot for almost ten days straight?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think they are just doing it to get under your skin, do you?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Lenna replied. After a moment she continued: ¡°I doubt it. They would be much more random if that were the case. It is like they are just keeping tabs on me.¡±


    Isaac nodded in agreement. ¡°Like they are making sure you don¡¯t try to run when¡­¡± Isaac¡¯s voice trailed off as there were too many people around.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna said. ¡°My uncle thinks too little of me if he thinks I would run.¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°He has no idea how invested you are in this place. If we weren¡¯t invested in Safeharbor or the people that live here I would¡¯ve left by now.¡±


    Lenna gave him a weary smile. ¡°Should I be glad or annoyed that we made friends here?¡± She asked.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Probably a bit of both. I¡¯ll get back to you on that.¡±

 Chapter 83 Old Fool.

    Chapter 83 Old Fool.


    Two figures moved with unnatural grace, one clearly more perfect than the other. Every movement the pair made was almost perfect. Each step, stab, cut, and parry was a dance of steel that put many dancers to shame. The duo, however, were anything but pleased. ¡°I, can¡¯t, touch, her.¡± The larger of the two panted. His brown hair was caked with stone dust and sweat. His brown eyes caught the torchlight causing them to almost glow a soft orange. His beard was growing in patchy and he desperately needed to shave but he had been pushing himself far too hard as of late. He did nothing but eat, sleep, and train. The only reason he even took the time to bathe was because the hot water would relax his muscles before bed and the cold water in the morning would wake him up.


    The more lithe of the pair was heaving deep breaths. She could only nod in agreement. Her hood was down showing her braided chocolate brown hair that hung down to her shoulder blades. Her piercing black eyes showed her exhaustion over her black face mask that hung on her nose and covered down to her collar.


    The third figure on the rooftop was breathing steady but deep breaths. ¡°You two have gotten better.¡± She told the pair. ¡°Shy, you are still too dependent on your boots. The increased jump distances is nice but the longer you are in the air the more time you are vulnerable to faster things on the ground. Lenard, you need to learn four dances by next week. You are getting better but your movements still aren¡¯t properly lining up with your mind. Also, start juggling knives while someone uses you as target practice.¡±


    Lenny dropped onto the ground, exhausted. ¡°Homework, is, gonna, get me, killed.¡± He protested between gulping breaths.


    ¡°You are a rogue, be better.¡± Their teacher told him. Her entire form was an obvious illusion. She had bright green hair and royal purple eyes with dark gray skin. She had introduced herself as Teacher and nothing else.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Lenny replied with a nod.


    ¡°Shy, take off your boots and don¡¯t put them back on until your next job.¡± Teacher told her.


    Shy nodded begrudgingly. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± She accepted her fate.


    Edward clapped to get the trio¡¯s attention. ¡°I brought dinner.¡± He told them. ¡°It¡¯s more for me and Ma-Teacher,¡± He corrected himself before fully exposing her. ¡°but it would¡¯ve been rude to leave you two out so you got lucky.¡± He explained and started pulling a folding table and chairs out of his Bottomless Bag. He handed them off to Shy and Marie who started putting them together and opening them up so the group could enjoy a quiet dinner on the roof of the second largest building in the city.


    Lenny finally pulled himself off the ground and dropped into one of the chairs as Edward set a handful of bowls of vegetables, red meat, and bread out for them. ¡°Thanks, teach.¡± Lenny told the Guild Master. ¡°Still up for later?¡±


    Edward raised an eyebrow. ¡°I should be asking you that.¡± He told the young rogue.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a few hours. I¡¯ll be fine by then.¡± Lenny replied.


    Edward gave him a long look before nodding. ¡°If your body can keep up, then yes, I am up for helping you train before I head home.¡± He told the rogue. Lenny nodded in thanks while stuffing his face.


    ¡°How hard are you pushing this boy?¡± Marie asked Edward.


    Edward shook his head. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t push a kid as hard as he is pushing himself. Something is going to break at some point.¡± Edward replied. ¡°Is your boss pushing you this hard?¡± Edward pressed Lenny.


    Lenny shook his head. ¡°-O.¡± He tried to reply through a full mouth before swallowing. ¡°No.¡± He repeated. ¡°But something big is coming and he hasn¡¯t told us anything. That means that my brother¡¯s connections aren¡¯t helpful and I¡¯m not strong enough.¡± Lenny explained. ¡°I¡¯ll be strong enough next time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve gained three levels in a month from training and sparring alone.¡± Edward reminded him. ¡°You are going to stall and/or break something sooner or later. It¡¯d be better for everyone if you slowed down and went on some jobs. You would get life and death combat experience while cementing your training. You¡¯d probably jump another level or two as well.¡±


    ¡°That might be a good idea.¡± Lenny agreed. ¡°I can start tomorrow if there are any jobs that fit.¡±


    Edward paled and shook his head before swallowing hard. ¡°No, not until next week.¡± Edward told Lenny. ¡°Give it a few days.¡±


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    Lenny¡¯s eyes locked onto Edward¡¯s like a hawk on a rabbit. ¡°It¡¯s that soon then.¡± He surmised. Edward nodded shallowly before taking another bite of food to buy time before he had to respond.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Marie told him. ¡°Shy is level thirteen and they didn¡¯t want to include her.¡± She told Lenny.


    ¡°Fourteen.¡± Shy corrected quietly.


    ¡°Oh? Congratulations on being the highest leveled member of your team.¡± Marie told the younger woman.


    Shy nodded before sneaking another forkful of food into the shadow of her hood. ¡°Thanks.¡± She said in a voice barely louder than a whisper.


    ¡°You are a warrior/rogue multiclass. You¡¯re going to be a nightmare to fight in a few years but you need to pace yourself or you won¡¯t make it that long.¡± Edward told Lenny. ¡°Make sure you make it that long.¡±


    Lenny was silent for a moment before nodding. ¡°Yes, teach.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of making it that long¡­¡± Marie said with barely contained bashfulness. ¡°Sera said something about trying to hook you up with one of her friends because you haven¡¯t found anyone yet.¡± She prodded Edward who immediately spit his drink back into his cup and started a coughing fit.


    ¡°I think, it¡¯s time to take our leave.¡± Shy whispered to Lenny who was sitting next to her. Lenny looked at her and then the food pleadingly.


    ¡°I¡­ When did she¡­ tell you that?¡± Edward got out between coughs.


    Lenny hastily grabbed some meat and vegetables and crammed them into a pair of the larger rolls of bread.


    ¡°Yesterday.¡± Marie replied evenly, her emotions were completely back under control.


    ¡°Well, I will have to turn her down.¡± Edward replied as smoothly as he could considering the fact that wine almost shot out of his nose a moment prior. The wine could barely be called wine with how low the alcohol percentage was but the alcohol kept it from spoiling and that was almost necessary with Safeharbor¡¯s distinct lack of fruit trees.


    Lenny and Shy made their exit off the southern rooftop while Lenny was still stuffing his hastily made sandwiches into his Bottomless Bag for later.


    ¡°I see.¡± Marie replied non-committedly. ¡°And why is that? I hear she is a wonderful person.¡±


    ¡°A few reasons.¡± Edward replied while trying to read Marie and failing miserably.


    ¡°Like?¡± Marie pressed while taking a sip of her own wine. Her words may have been obviously probing and gave the impression that she was interested in him but her perfect neutrality that had appeared immediately after she asked the initial question was sending Edward mixed messages.


    ¡°Is this Sera¡¯s Shadow of a Thousand Faces asking or Marie?¡± Edward asked simply. He had given up on trying to read between the lines to figure out what she was after. If she didn¡¯t answer his question then he would be forced to resort to simply asking her if she was interested in him. If he was wrong then things would be a little awkward between them for a few months until Marie forgot about it and then everything would be back to normal.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Marie asked innocently.


    Edward narrowed his eyes on her. ¡°You know exactly what I mean, Marie. We¡¯ve known each other for nearly three decades.¡± He told her evenly. His suspicions were building.


    Marie winced. ¡°Don¡¯t say it like that.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Say what like what?¡± Edward asked.


    ¡°Decades. Sera keeps telling me we are getting old.¡± Marie replied. Her eyes went wide for the briefest moment before her expression returned to schooled neutrality. She just hoped Edward didn¡¯t notice.


    ¡°We?¡± Edward asked.


    ¡®Shit. He noticed.¡¯ Marie¡¯s internal monologue rang out. ¡°Yes, all of us.¡± Marie tried to play it off.


    ¡°Uh huh.¡± Edward replied. ¡°Marie,¡± Edward began.


    ¡°Yes, Edward.¡± Marie replied casually.


    ¡°Did my sister tell you to ask me on a date?¡± Edward questioned evenly.


    Marie¡¯s face couldn¡¯t visually pale, due to the insane amount of makeup on her skin to turn it gray, but her eyes couldn¡¯t hide the look of shock from Edward. Maybe from her other old party members but not from the man who had stared into them the longest. ¡°Uh¡­ uh, not exactly.¡± Marie stammered before swallowing. She looked like she was facing the executioner¡¯s ax, not her oldest party member.


    ¡°What, pray tell, were her exact words?¡± Edward requested.


    Marie looked at him with pleading eyes. ¡°No, anything but that.¡± She replied.


    Edward leaned in. ¡°Marie.¡± He said her name as if she were a child who had just gotten caught stealing cookies before dinner. ¡°Don¡¯t make me go to her myself.¡±


    ¡°She said; ¡®tell my brother how you feel. Neither of you are getting any younger.¡¯¡± Marie blurted out. The last thing she wanted was both siblings teaming up on her.


    Edward was silent for a long moment. The faux hardness that had covered his face was gone and he leaned back slightly. ¡°And?¡± Edward asked tentatively. ¡°How do you feel about me?¡±


    Marie thought that she was going to die from embarrassment alone but she refused to show it. She sat up a little straighter and upturned her nose slightly as she fell into character. ¡°I like you. Obviously.¡± She told him.


    ¡°You like me?¡± Edward requested clarification. ¡°In what way. I do not think misunderstandings are pleasant in these kinds of things.¡±


    Marie almost dropped character as her face and collar got so hot that she thought the makeup would start peeling off. ¡°In a courtship kind of way.¡± Then her character dropped. ¡°Can¡¯t you read a room Eddy?¡± She added in an embarrassed snap.


    ¡°I like you in the same way.¡± Edward replied. ¡°I always thought that you were too married to your job of protecting my sister and nephew to have time for that kind of thing.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Marie said with a huff. She was too all over the place and was switching between characters like people playing cards. ¡°Now that it¡¯s been said.¡± She took a deep breath and Edward could only brace. ¡°Some gentleman you are making the woman admit her feelings first! No wonder you¡¯ve been alone all this time! How many women walked away because you were too dense to read a room?!¡±


    ¡°I let them all leave. I wasn¡¯t interested in any of them.¡± Edward replied easily.


    ¡°What?¡± Marie stumbled.


    ¡°I was waiting for you to not be so obsessed with our bounties or my sister long enough to realize I existed.¡± Edward explained.


    ¡°Bounties?¡± Marie parroted.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Edward replied simply.


    ¡°B-But that was like¡­ half a lifetime ago.¡± Marie stammered.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Edward agreed. ¡°You sure kept me waiting.¡±


    ¡°You-you old fool.¡± Marie replied. Tears were starting to cloud her vision. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡±


    ¡°I told you already.¡± Edward replied with a smile. ¡°I was waiting for you to realize I existed.¡±

 Chapter 84 The New Moon.

    Chapter 84 The New Moon.


    Isaac raised an eyebrow in question as he received a sealed letter from Edward of all people. Edward was not the type of person to send a letter when he could use it as an excuse to leave the Guild Hall and his paperwork in the hands of the twins. What made it even more strange was that the person to deliver it was a city guard. Isaac took the letter and broke the seal with a quick slice of concentrated shadows before he unfolded the paper. He nodded to himself and passed the letter to Lenna who stared at it for a few short seconds before the letter burst into flames.


    ¡ª


    Fina was lounging in the VIP box in the arena while the rest of her team trained below. She was deep in thought trying to figure out some aspect or another of her magic when she heard the clanking of armor that didn¡¯t sound familiar. She turned to see a guard running into the arena. He handed Esk a letter and the boy¡¯s face grew grim. She jumped to her feet before taking one deliberate step forwards. She appeared a handful of feet away from her team leader and quickly covered the distance. Mark and Shy were at Esk¡¯s side as well and they all read the simple letter together. Esk nodded and handed Fina the letter. ¡°Cinders.¡± Fina spoke and the entire page turned to ash in a flash of orange light and heat.


    ¡ª


    One of Tim¡¯s men pounded on his office door. ¡°Captain! Captain!¡± The guard shouted.


    ¡°Come in.¡± Tim replied and set down the criminal profile he had been going over. It was a profile that he would consider classified as it had to do with one of Lord Wexler¡¯s people but the guard sounded frantic.


    The guard burst into the room. ¡°Captain! I have a letter from the Guild Master. Your eyes only. He told me it was urgent.¡± The guard in question told him.


    Tim reached out his hand as his brow creased in a deep frown. ¡°Well Jin, hand it over.¡± He told the guard who stood a few feet from him.


    Jin, the guard, started. He reached into his pack and withdrew a simple letter before handing it to the Guard Captain. Tim unsealed the letter with the letter opener he had been given by his duke for twenty years of service. He opened the letter and nodded once. He took a deep breath before moving the edge of the letter over the open flame of the candle on his desk. The corner of the page quickly burned away as the page began shedding more light than the candle. He set the burning letter in his ashtray. ¡°C-Captain?¡± Jin asked worriedly. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Tim shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you tomorrow.¡± He told the young guard. ¡°You are dismissed.¡±


    ¡ª


    Izen Arbencroft was enjoying tea with his wife. It had been a long time since he was last able to do so in peace. There was always far too much administrative work to do. He knew that most people of his station had a gaggle of assistants but Izen had a hard time trusting people to not embezzle funds once given the opportunity to do so. One of his guards knocked on the door twice before opening it. Twice was never a good sign. ¡°My Lord, I have an urgent message from the Guild Master. Your and the duchess¡¯s eyes only.¡±


    ¨C


    Alexander was alerted by a loud ringing and a flash of red light. ¡°Damn.¡± He swore under his breath and teleported down to the bottom floor of his tower. A guard was frozen in place with a look of pure terror plastered across his face. ¡°Reboot defense system. Tag all humanoids inside as friendly.¡± He ordered the defensive array that was preparing to reduce the guard to a vague memory. ¡°What?¡± He demanded of the guard. When the guard didn¡¯t move or say anything Alexander¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°You have all been told not to barge into my tower. Explain yourself.¡± The guard made an unintelligible sound and Alexander realized something. ¡°Command: Negation.¡± He spoke and the spell locking the guard in space shattered. The man dropped to the ground gasping for air. ¡°It had better be important.¡± The guard nodded and handed Alexander a letter from the Guild Master with a shaky hand. Alexander opened the letter quickly and read the contents. ¡°I see. You may go.¡± He told the guard who found himself outside of the tower in a blink.


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    ¡ª


    Fable was meditating on a mat he had brought for the exact purpose. He felt the mana pathways in his deformed arm as the sapphire gems siphoned off his mana to keep themselves topped off. There was a pounding on his door. One of the maids must have let the man in. The pounding fist shed sounds of clanking metal. ¡°Enter.¡± Fable ordered as he rose to his feet. His knees ached, even with the cloud cotton mat he had been using.


    A guard opened the door. He still had his dirty boots on and Fable¡¯s near permanent frown turned into a scowl. ¡°Lord Fable, I have an urgent letter from the Guild Master.¡± Fable¡¯s eye twitched at the title the guard turned messenger had given him. Fable had turned down seven offers of nobility from the Kingdom of Altia alone. The guard reached out with both hands holding a letter with his name on it. Fable took the letter and opened it with somewhat awkward movements as he broke the seal while holding it all with only his good hand.


    Fable read over the letter. ¡°You may go.¡± He told the guard simply. ¡°And apologize to the maids on your way out. Your boots are filthy.¡±


    ¡ª


    Michael was doing something that someone in his position, especially someone with his reputation, definitely shouldn¡¯t have been doing. His gaze wandered out the window across a dozen rooftops and a hundred pedestrians. The darkness of the place unnerved him. The street lights were bright and all focused downwards to maximize visibility but above the rooftops was nothing but blackness. His eyes hadn¡¯t inherited as much of the elven eyesight as he wished they had. Michael sighed and turned away from the window. It was finally time to stop engaging in what many called ¡®the slayer of genius¡¯. That¡¯s right, he was procrastinating. A few rapid hard knocks rang out from the other side of his door. Michael had to school his face as the joy of finding another distraction attempted to make itself known to whoever was about to enter his office.


    ¡°You may enter.¡± Michael said with all of the authority and dignity of his station and none of the childishness of his recent procrastination. A guard burst in and handed him a letter. Michael saw who it was from and instantly knew what the contents of the letter would be about. He nodded towards the guard who was still breathing heavily. ¡°Thank you. He won¡¯t need a reply.¡±


    The guard nodded and turned to leave. Michael opened the letter and was shocked for only a short moment before he realized something. ¡°The new moon.¡± He whispered to himself. He read over the paper one last time.


    They are on the move. Two days, maybe three at the most. It might be worse than we thought.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Hello Celeste.¡± Edward said and sat down at his old friend¡¯s bar.


    Celeste eyed him up and down and then looked past him. ¡°Comin¡¯ to see me all alone?¡± She asked. ¡°Where is she?¡±


    Edward narrowed his eyes on her. ¡°At work.¡± He replied simply. ¡°I have something I¡¯ve been asked to talk to you about.¡± He explained.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Celeste asked. ¡°From who? I hardly leave, just about anyone should know where to find me.¡±


    ¡°My brother-in-law.¡± Edward replied casually. A surprisingly small number of people actually remembered that Edward was technically nobility even if he held no grand noble titles. The only two titles he did have he had gotten from the people, not the king. He was their Guild Master and the Blade Master and to many that was all. To himself as well.


    ¡°And what does that old man want with little old me?¡± Celeste asked incredulously. ¡°Are you going to order something?¡±


    Edward had been about to reply when she had cut him off. ¡°Whisky. Half a glass.¡± He replied evenly. ¡°The Fury of the Dawn will need to be used once again.¡±


    Celeste finished pouring Edward his drink and looked up to meet the seriousness in his eyes with a sternness of her own. ¡°No.¡± She replied simply. ¡°I¡¯m retired.¡±


    Edward swirled the drink before slamming it like a shot. ¡°You won¡¯t have a choice.¡± He told her and turned to leave. ¡°It¡¯ll be best if you get ahead of what¡¯s coming. No one wants to see the Dawn get caught in the crossfire.¡±


    Celeste scowled at him as he walked away. ¡°Fine.¡± She said more to herself than him, which was good as he hadn¡¯t heard her. The hardness in her gaze fell and was replaced with resignation. ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to dust off the old staff and robes.¡± She glanced down at the letter resting on her bar. She opened it and read the contents.


    The drow are coming. Jallen V¡¯Nova is on the warpath. You have two days to decide if you want to help us stop it outside of the walls or in the streets. I already know what your choice will be.


    ¡°Bastards, the lot of them.¡± Celeste swore. Celeste didn¡¯t mean drow specifically in her side comment. No, her curse was much more broad. Everyone in charge of the whole mess, everyone who caused trouble when there didn¡¯t need to be any, everyone who made life more difficult than it already was for normal people. Those were the targets of her enmity. She sighed deeply.


    One of her patrons looked over at her. ¡°Ya¡¯ alright Cel?¡± The old miner asked. How he had ended up in Safeharbor only him and the gods knew.


    Celeste nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll live.¡± She told the man. ¡°Want another drink, Paul?¡±

 Chapter 85 The Items

    Chapter 85 The Items


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying that it¡¯s weird for the boss to tell us we can¡¯t go on a caravan run because of something made up like an audit.¡± Eleonora said to her companions. The larger of the two was flexing his new arm. He had spent almost his entire savings to have the pope, who was staying in town because of Fable, regrow it.


    ¡°Audits are real, El. I told you about them before.¡± Bartholomew, their team¡¯s wizard, explained. ¡°However, as much as I hate to agree with you, especially when your logic is as bad as a child¡¯s first painting, I think you are correct.¡±


    ¡°My paintings were always excellent.¡± Eleonora replied smugly. ¡°And of course I¡¯m correct. I¡¯m our team leader.¡±


    Bartholomew scoffed. ¡°Just because you feel the need to talk with everyone we meet and be the first through every door does not mean you are the team leader. It means you are bait, sometimes the distraction.¡±


    ¡°Brick, try out your new arm on Bart would you please.¡± Eleonora told their mostly silent towering companion. Brick turned his head slowly to look down at Bartholomew before turning back to El and shaking his head. ¡°Why not?¡± She complained.


    ¡°He¡¯ll freeze my bed, again.¡± Brick replied simply. The last time he had let her talk him into harassing their wizard he had to sleep on the floor because his entire bed was sealed in a block of ice. It took three days to melt and the musty smell still hadn¡¯t left.


    El kicked a rock. ¡°Party pooper.¡± She complained. ¡°Wait, we got distracted, why do you think G.M. is keeping us around?¡±


    ¡°G.M.?¡± Bartholomew asked.


    ¡°The Guild Master, obviously.¡± Eleonora replied.


    ¡°Something big is going down, probably.¡± The wizard replied with a shrug. ¡°When it¡¯s time for us to know, he¡¯ll tell us.¡±


    ¡ª


    Edward panned his gaze across the room. All of the aids had been cleared out of Izen¡¯s war room. It was only those specifically necessary to the command and control of the battlefield, along with the trio who would be sneaking behind enemy lines to remove Jallen V¡¯Nova. ¡°Here is the latest troop movement:¡± He began. ¡°One hundred and sixty soldiers in platemail with the V¡¯Nova crest, twenty men in plate armor who were distinctly lacking shields, twenty lightly armored robed figures, and a small group that looked to be headed by Jallen V¡¯Nova himself.¡±


    ¡°How many people were in this ¡®small group¡¯?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°Four, including Lord V¡¯Nova.¡± Edward replied. ¡°There had also been a sighting of a small recon unit leaving the city. They were only around six hours ahead of the main force. Five men strong as far as the scout could tell.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Two hundred men to breach the city walls?¡± He asked. ¡°That sounds laughably low. I don¡¯t know why but I feel like there are supposed to be tens of thousands involved in something like this.¡±


    Edward shook his head. ¡°This isn¡¯t the plains, Isaac. When we had said about there only being a few hundred people on either side we meant a few.¡± He explained.


    ¡°The plains?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°There is a large open area between a few of the major kingdoms that is referred to as the killing fields or plains. It is the land boys die for glory in and men come out terrified of blood.¡± Fable explained. ¡°The average level of the soldiers there is two. Thousands clash and water the grass with blood.¡±


    ¡°In the more powerful and civilized parts of the world,¡± Izen picked up where Fable had left off. ¡°engagements are small. Training up good soldiers takes time and resources. A single one of our guards could fight three of the soldiers sent to fight on the plains and win. I could handle four or five myself.¡±


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    ¡°That isn¡¯t even considering magic.¡± Alexander added. ¡°Those battlefields often lack mages. With the troop distribution of the V¡¯Nova contingent it is safe to assume that they will be running in twenty ten man units. They will be centered around the wizards to ensure that they can cast freely to keep our own in check. That would change once they reach the walls however.¡±


    Lenna nodded in agreement. ¡°The leaders of each group will be either a V¡¯Nova paladin or someone who just hasn¡¯t been married into the clan yet. They will all be paladins of at least tenth level but eleven to fifteen is more likely.¡± She explained. ¡°Each V¡¯Nova will fight in one of two ways. Those still looking to prove themselves will be in the front of their units while the experienced ones will be in the center.¡±


    ¡°Will their wizards be in the center or rear of their unit formations?¡± Izen asked.


    ¡°Center until first contact.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°At that point it will depend on how easy it is for them to plow through our front line. If they can continue advancing then they will stay in that formation until they hit the wall. If not then the wizards will hang back.¡±


    ¡°Have their tactics really not changed in hundreds of years?¡± Izen questioned.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°I am older than Safeharbor and he is more than twice my age.¡± Lenna replied simply. ¡°Why would the person who made those formations and strategies change them if they worked? Those are Jallen V¡¯Nova¡¯s personal battle formations. He made those.¡±


    The look on Izen¡¯s face showed that the real age and status of the one that they were going up against had finally hit him. Jallen was more of a myth than reality for all of the human¡¯s in Safeharbor. Izen¡¯s great great grandfather had once crossed swords with Jallen and he was utterly destroyed but that was a century ago. His gaze drifted to Isaac. ¡°Are you sure that you can win?¡± He asked the dark mage.


    ¡°Sure that it is possible? Yes.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I can¡¯t give you anything better than that until we are trying to tear each other¡¯s throats out.¡±


    Izen nodded. ¡°That is the best we can hope for I guess.¡± He turned slightly to look at Lenna. ¡°Do you think he will win?¡±


    Lenna was silent for a long second before nodding. ¡°I think that he has a better chance than Fable of winning the fight. He is also the only person who could probably escape if the fight goes sideways.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Isaac said dryly.


    ¡°With the magic items, potions, and poisons he will be equipped with, I think his odds are high considering who he will be going up against.¡± Lenna finished. Something seemed to dawn on her. ¡°Wait, you said two hundred men?¡± She asked Edward.


    ¡°Yes, give or take a few.¡± He replied.


    ¡°What is he thinking?¡± Lenna questioned with obvious shock. ¡°What if something attacks the city?¡±


    ¡°Why? What is it?¡± Izen questioned.


    ¡°With that much of the garrison gone an ancient dragon would level half of the city before it got put down.¡± She replied with clear concern on her face for the civilian population. Isaac was the only one in the room that didn¡¯t look at her like she was crazy.


    ¡°Lenna dear,¡± Sera cut in. Lenna¡¯s gaze found the duchess¡¯s. ¡°Most human cities can¡¯t survive an ancient dragon at all.¡±


    Lenna looked taken aback. ¡°How?¡± She questioned. ¡°How do you still have kingdoms?¡±


    ¡°How often do dragons attack drow cities?¡± Izen questioned.


    ¡°Lightning dragons like to hide their nests underground, there is one that likes to strafe Contantis every century or so. Jallen fought it a few hundred years ago and it is still holding a grudge.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°Contantis isn¡¯t the only city with a story like that either.¡±


    Izen and Sera shared a look. ¡°Are we just lucky?¡± Sera asked her husband.


    ¡°No.¡± Lenna replied for him. ¡°The dwarven fortress nearby is enough of a deterrent for dragons to go around it.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Unless they have a grudge against the city¡¯s ruler.¡± Isaac extrapolated.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°When is the next flyby from this dragon?¡± Izen questioned.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°Thirty, maybe sixty years from now.¡±


    Izen¡¯s face fell slightly before he schooled it again. There would be no dragon swooping in to help them. Not a large one anyway. Isaac¡¯s little bone dragon hardly counted.


    ¡°So why the day after tomorrow?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°I feel like the date was chosen very deliberately for some reason.¡±


    ¡°New moon.¡± Lenna and Michael said simultaneously.


    ¡°Alright¡­¡± Isaac replied tentatively. ¡°But what does that matter?¡±


    ¡°Divine intervention.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°It is the time when Lua is at her weakest and Dri¡¯El is at his strongest. Both are moon deities but only one is specifically known for it.¡±


    ¡°So he¡¯s the deity of the dark side of the moon?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°A bit on the nose for those two butting heads over dark elves don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Lenna looked at him quizzically. ¡°Isaac, on the nose is the point, I think.¡± She told him. ¡°They are both halves of the same thing and are polar opposites, literally in this case.¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I guess it isn¡¯t really important right now. What is important is how active Dri¡¯El is going to be in this mess.¡± Isaac focused back on the problem at hand. ¡°What do you think the odds are that he tries to intervene in some way?¡±


    ¡°Low but never zero.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Jallen is hoping that, in choosing to engage when the new moon is at its zenith, Dri¡¯El will aid him. It is just a blind hope however. No one can even attempt to understand the whims of that mad spider.¡±


    ¡°One last thing before we go over troop layouts and specific placements,¡± Edward cut in so they could get the meeting over with. ¡°The items for our ¡®maybe-a-demigod-eventually¡¯.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how I should feel about that comment.¡± Isaac said evenly.


    ¡°Duke Arbencroft, do you have the ones I requested?¡± Edward asked Izen.


    Izen nodded. ¡°Yes. In the chest behind you.¡± He told the Guild Master before handing him an enchanted silver key. ¡°My grandfather would be rolling in his grave if he knew I was doing this.¡±

 Chapter 86 Quickly

    Chapter 86 Quickly


    ¡°As much as I would like to stand on ceremony when bestowing legendary items, even if only temporarily, let¡¯s get this over with quickly so we can all get back to our preparations.¡± Edward said while unlocking the old oaken chest with the enchanted silver key. He heaved the heavy lid open and grabbed the first piece of gear before gesturing Isaac over.


    Isaac approached and saw a gambeson made of an indigo thread that looked almost like cotton but he was sure that it wasn¡¯t made of such a mundane material. The stitching and buttons were platinum. Not the color of platinum but real platinum thread and buttons. There were dozens of enchantment runes stitched across it made of those same platinum threads and the item seemed to devour mana as it powered its multilayered enchantments.


    ¡°The Gambeson of the Guarded Soul.¡± Edward explained. ¡°It operates much like your Ring of Protection from Divination. It will shroud your soul against magic but not raw mana. Unlike your ring that merely causes magical effects to be unable to target you properly this will block them entirely. Most magic that affects or targets your soul should be stopped cold.¡±


    ¡°Like Ancestral Guardians?¡± Lenna questioned.


    ¡°Yes. That is why I requested it.¡± Edward replied.


    ¡°What is Ancestral Guardians?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°A high level necromancy spell that calls upon the souls of the dead that have a strong attachment to the caster.¡± Michael explained. ¡°It is most often used by clerics to call upon the deceased holy warriors of their god to protect them.¡±


    ¡°In this case it will actually be our ancestors.¡± Lenna continued. ¡°They are vindictive and relentless. Their power will be extremely limited but if pressed I do not doubt that my uncle would call upon them.¡±


    Isaac nodded to Edward. ¡°Good thinking.¡± He said and took the gambeson. ¡°Anything I need to know about the armor? How¡¯s its protection? My armor isn¡¯t going to fit over it nicely, if at all.¡±


    ¡°Your armor will be useless.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°It will stop slashing attacks and should stop stabbing ones from punching through but I wouldn¡¯t trust it.¡± Edward explained. ¡°You will have to put it on last as its effect will make attuning to anything else impossible.¡±


    ¡°Attuning?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Most magic items that have specific effects that rely on the wearer will attune to the person in question.¡± Alexander explained.


    ¡°We will get to the process in a moment.¡± Edward said and pulled out another item. ¡°Let¡¯s get through the rest of these first.¡± He held out a set of jewelry. It was a pair of bracelets, a pair of anklets, and a circlet. All were made of gold and had platinum runes carved into them. ¡°The Lets of Quickness.¡± Edward explained and handed them to Isaac.


    Isaac put the gambeson in his Inventory. ¡°I take it they do something related to going fast or the Quicken spell that Fable and Esk use?¡± He asked.


    Edward nodded. ¡°Yes. These are much stronger than any other type of item that allows you to use the spell. Once attuned to them all you have to do is speak the spell¡¯s name and they will activate and power it for you for a full five minutes.¡± He explained.


    ¡°You will move through time at twice your normal speed.¡± Fable explained. ¡°Gravity will be enhanced on you as well so you can maintain traction.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean I¡¯ll age twice as fast while the spell is active?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Fable explained. ¡°For all a few minutes here and there matters.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Is there any way to stop the spell once it¡¯s active?¡±


    Edward shook his head while Alexander nodded. ¡°Not really.¡± Edward said.


    ¡°Sort of.¡± Alexander said at the same time.


    ¡°So, which is it?¡± Isaac asked and Edward nodded to Alexander so the wizard could explain.


    ¡°The spell can be dispelled like any other spell. The thing is that the item has an internal clock and if the five minutes duration has not gone by then the item will immediately recast the spell until the five minutes is up.¡± Alexander explained. ¡°The item itself can also be used every hour or so. The Lets require an hour of off time to recharge.¡±


    ¡°The duration and number of potential uses per day along with their near indestructibility are why they are classified as legendary items.¡± Izen explained. ¡°Please, do not find a way to break them.¡±


    Isaac nodded and put the Lets in his Inventory. ¡°Alright, now what?¡± He asked.


    Edward pulled out an amulet and offered it to Isaac. The amulet was on a cord of braided gold that served as its chain. The amulet itself was a simple shield that had a horizontal and a vertical line drawn across it. The shield was gold and the lines were platinum. Isaac didn¡¯t see the enchantments until he turned it over. Behind the shield was a diamond a quarter of an inch thick that fit perfectly inside the rear of the shield. Inside the diamond there was a complex lattice of platinum threads that drew out the enchantments.


    ¡°That is the Amulet of the Hero.¡± Izen explained before Edward could. ¡°It has been in my family for generations and is a national treasure. Please take care of it and return it in one piece.¡±


    ¡°What does it do?¡± Isaac asked with a hint of awe in his voice at the ridiculousness of diamond being used like a fluid medium for the enchantments.


    ¡°It will keep you from dying.¡± Edward explained simply.


    ¡°More specifically,¡± Alexander began. ¡°If it detects an attack that will kill you it will nullify the attack on contact with your skin. The number of times that it can do that is directly related to the strength of the attack it absorbed.¡±


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    ¡°If Jallen hits you with everything he¡¯s got it will only hold up against an attack or two.¡± Edward warned and Izen paled.


    ¡°That amulet can stop an ancient dragon¡¯s breath, twice.¡± Izen protested. ¡°Jallen V¡¯Nova is still a mortal, is he not?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°I have seen my uncle fight an ancient dragon. The dragon left after one exchange of blows.¡±


    Isaac couldn¡¯t keep himself from cracking a slight grin at the thought of fighting someone that strong. Especially if the items he was receiving were going to almost even the playing field. ¡°What happens when the amulet is used up?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°It will start emitting light based on the amount of damage it has absorbed. The light will look gold in color at the beginning but will steadily turn white. Once it is completely white it will not be able to absorb any more and will go inert until the absorbed power is bled off.¡± Edward explained.


    ¡°By it emitting light.¡± Isaac surmised.


    ¡°Precisely.¡± Alexander replied. With the final item in Isaac¡¯s hand the box was empty.


    ¡°I was going to requisition the Vampiric Blade but, upon further thought, I realized that the blade won¡¯t be able to draw Jallen¡¯s blood through his armor so the effect would be useless to you.¡± Edward said and reached into the satchel at his hip before pulling out a vial. ¡°Be careful with this.¡± He warned Isaac.


    Isaac put the amulet on and received the vial. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°A Ten Men potion.¡± Fable explained. ¡°He¡¯s right. It¡¯ll kill you if you aren¡¯t careful.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s eyes darted back and forth between the two high leveled warriors. ¡°Why?¡± He asked.


    ¡°The Ten Men potion is known to be too powerful for most people¡¯s bodies to handle. It will increase your strength by a flat twenty five and your constitution by just as much.¡± Alexander explained. ¡°It was made by a legendary alchemist as a proof of concept but unfortunately almost everyone who has ever drank it has died as the potion burned through their mana pathways and body alike.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t kill you.¡± Fable told Isaac with certainty. ¡°If I survived it then you will as well. That doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯ll be pleasant.¡±


    ¡°You drank one!¡± Edward whirled on the old adventurer. ¡°How did you survive?¡±


    ¡°I had Eclastia with me.¡± Fable explained. ¡°It took everything she had to keep me alive for the full minute long duration.¡±


    ¡°The Pope of the Church of War?¡± Edward questioned.


    Fable nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied. ¡°I fought off a wounded Ancient and two Adult dragons with it. I have never felt as powerful nor been in as much pain before.¡± Fabel


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Edward said and then looked back to Isaac. ¡°As I was about to explain, expect it to hurt. Even with everything you can do to heal and strengthen yourself it won¡¯t be pleasant. But,¡± He raised a finger for emphasis. ¡°under no circumstances are you to use both the potion and Lets of Quickness at the same time. The potion is nearly lethal already.¡±


    ¡°While you are moving through time at double the rate your perceived mana regeneration will be halved.¡± Alexander explained. ¡°For most people it has little effect on their combat but for you it will. The potion will also be moving at twice the rate through time which means that you will burn away into dust in a matter of moments. The worst part is that the Amulet of the Hero will not even attempt to save you as it will be from an interior source. It will kill you.¡±


    Isaac nodded gravely and stored the potion. ¡°Understood. I will only use the potion if Jallen is still alive after the Lets wear off.¡± He replied.


    Marie stepped forwards and handed Isaac a box. ¡°I am charging you for these.¡± She explained and opened the box as he took it from her. Inside were a dozen thin metal rods that were hollow and filled with a light green liquid. Their ends were tapered to allow for easy stabbing and the lot of them were arranged on velvet padding that kept them all in place. ¡°Fifty thousand gold, up front. That¡¯s what I paid for the poison alone.¡± She explained and Isaac paled at the price.


    ¡°What kind of poison is this to cost so damn much?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°Marie, is that what I think it is?¡± Edward asked.


    ¡°Maybe.¡± She replied non-committedly.


    ¡°So? What is it?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Assassin¡¯s Bane poison.¡± Marie explained. ¡°It¡¯ll kill almost anything in one dose.¡±


    ¡°The poison belongs to a type of flower that grows in a remote region.¡± Alexander began. ¡°The magical plant uses the corpses of all creatures that get too close to it as fertilizer to help its root network spread. It is sometimes referred to as the Graveyard Spawning Lilly from the number of corpses that are found around it. Eating one of its Ivy-like leaves will kill an elephant. The poison is basically its watery sap.¡±


    Edward raised an eyebrow at the court wizard. ¡°You seem to know quite a lot about it.¡±


    ¡°There is a wizard in the capital currently trying to recreate the poison using magic. He has caused quite the uproar as of late.¡± Alexander explained. ¡°On one hand it would be the creation of the most powerful form of poison magic in the world, on the other it would allow for easy access to the most dangerous poison on the planet.¡±


    Edward nodded. ¡°I see.¡± He said before turning back to Isaac. ¡°Be very careful with those as well. One drop is lethal.¡±


    ¡°Each rod has fifteen times the lethal dose in them.¡± Marie explained. ¡°I would use at least five rods on Jallen V¡¯Nova.¡±


    Isaac nodded slowly. ¡°It sounds like it won¡¯t even be a fight at this point.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°The poison alone should do the job, right?¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No.¡± She replied. ¡°Jallen has been microdosing himself with poisons of every kind since he was a child. His aura also specializes in removing and blocking foreign and hostile effects. That isn¡¯t even considering magic items and his magical healing. It¡¯ll give you an edge for sure but do not rely on it to kill him.¡± She warned.


    Isaac nodded to Lenna and then looked at Fable. ¡°Be honest with me, with all of this, could I kill Judgment or Catastrophe?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± Fable said after a moment of thought. ¡°Even if you do, they would just come back. Demigods are really hard to put down for good. Catastrophe wouldn¡¯t stand a chance but Judgement might kill you before the poison kills him.¡± He thought harder for another long moment. ¡°If poison even works on him.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Alright. Thanks.¡± He said to Fable before turning to Alexander. ¡°Now, explain attuning to me.¡±


    Alexander nodded and took a deep breath before beginning his explanation. ¡°The magic items will identify your magical signature and set themselves to only respond to it in some way or another. The Amulet of the Hero will use your mana signature to gauge how durable you are and learn your outline so it knows where to stop the attacks that would kill you. Otherwise it would waste all of its power absorbing your attacks or any attack that was directed in its general direction. The Lets of Quickness will need it so they only listen when you say the command word instead of anyone being able to trigger it and so the spell even works on you. The Gambeson of the Guarded Soul will also need it so it knows where to stop its protection field without interfering with its wearer. Even your Ring of Protection from Divination attunes to you. Because the effect isn¡¯t very strong it doesn¡¯t have to be very precise. The lack of precision means that you probably don¡¯t even notice the miniscule amount of mana that it uses to feel your magical outline and reinforce it.¡±


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°Okay, so what that means for me, right now, is that I need to put everything but the gambeson on now and let them attune. Once they are all ready I can put the gambeson on and then once it is ready I will be ready to go.¡± Isaac summarized.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Edward replied. ¡°They shouldn¡¯t take very long. A few minutes of you meditating should do it. The only problem is that you should hide the fact that you have them.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I was going to anyway but why?¡± He asked.


    ¡°If there is a thief of Marie¡¯s level in town I don¡¯t want to lose them because they got the drop on you.¡± Izen explained.


    ¡°Not only that,¡± Edward continued. ¡°but if we do have a spy in the city and they see you just suddenly got a bunch of legendary gear out of nowhere it will rouse some suspicion. Honestly though, I am more concerned if someone from the Crown¡¯s Inquisitors finds you walking around with a national treasure and two known legendary items that are supposed to be in the duke¡¯s vault.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Fair enough.¡± He told Edward before giving Izen a scowl he only half meant. ¡°You think a thief could take something from me without getting disintegrated?¡± He pressed the duke.


    ¡°It is always a possibility.¡± Izen replied calmly. ¡°Need I remind you of the time you were stabbed in the throat by a seventh level assassin in the middle of the street?¡±


    Isaac¡¯s scowl vanished. ¡°Point taken.¡± He replied and looked back over everyone gathered. ¡°Now we just have troop placement to go over right?¡± A few of those gathered nodded. ¡°Am I really necessary for that? I know that Lenna is going to be in the center with the rest of the most powerful of us, along with my drider skeleton, to draw their focus towards the middle but do I really need to know anything else?¡±


    Izen and Edward shared a look. ¡°Not really. Alexander will be in charge of keeping the leadership, Marie, Shy, and Lady V¡¯Nova in contact with each other. When everything starts happening, you, Marie, and Shy will meet by the east gate. Lady V¡¯Nova and your skeletons will join us at the north gate at the same time and then we will go from there.¡± Izen explained. ¡°If you do not wish to hear about the finer details or offer input then I won¡¯t hold you hostage.¡±


    Isaac smiled at Izen. ¡°Thanks. Aside from how boring that sounds I think it¡¯d be a good idea for Lenna and I to not stick around too long. The goal is to look as normal as possible right? Those messengers and this meeting are anything but.¡± He replied with a nod. ¡°So with that, enjoy the rest of your meeting.¡±


    ¡°Yes, they will be here in fifty to sixty hours. Rest up and be ready.¡± Izen said as a dismissal.


    Isaac turned to leave and offered Lenna his arm. ¡°Frozen chocolate cake?¡± He asked as they walked out which caused Sera to giggle behind her hand and the absurdity of the duo going straight from a meeting about the future of the entire dukedom and potentially their mortal lives to talking about frozen desserts.

 Chapter 87 Ready.

    Chapter 87 Ready.


    ¡°Drider silk treatment has all arrived and is being used, Lenny is still training with Marie, James is busy doing whatever it is he does to collect all the information we could ever need, the Windwalkers are still in Ben¡¯s End, Clayton is still waiting on the research materials, Drider skeleton is created and standing by in Alexander¡¯s tower, Izen is handling all the troop related things for the not-actually-a-siege, Edward is handling the adventurer side of it, we¡¯ve borrowed and purchased all of the gear we reasonably could, you leveled up, what are we missing?¡± Isaac summarized their preparations before ending with a question.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Nothing aside from what you are about to do.¡± She told him while leaning against the wall of their room. Isaac was standing in front of the bed and had all of the magic items sprawled across it. ¡°We already let Celeste know that you were going to be meditating up here for a bit today.¡±


    Isaac took a deep breath before putting on the Lets of Quickness and the Amulet of the Hero. ¡°Time until contact?¡± He questioned her about the V¡¯Nova army¡¯s arrival.


    ¡°Thirty seven hours according to Edward¡¯s scout¡¯s estimate.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Are you going to be able to keep that gear hidden until then?¡±


    Isaac nodded once resolutely. ¡°¡®I¡¯m experimenting with summoned shadow armor.¡¯ I¡¯ll just coat it all in shadows and run with that. It won¡¯t hold up under proper scrutiny but it¡¯ll work for a day at least.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Then by all means.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°Begin attuning to items made for and created by legends.¡±


    Isaac sat on the floor and focused his breathing. Within minutes he felt a soft thrum of power seem to lock into place across the surface of his skin and he felt a gentle, warm, touch rest along his mana pathways near all of the magical items he had just attuned to. The feeling pulled him from his meditation and he looked down at them. The Lets were all humming with magic and he knew instinctively that they were charged and ready to go at a word. The amulet was cold to the touch and lacked any luminescents but it still felt warm across his chest somehow.


    ¡°How are they?¡± Lenna asked Isaac who was still looking them over.


    ¡°They feel¡­ powerful.¡± He replied. ¡°Like the magic inside is qualitatively better than anything I have felt thus far.¡±


    Lenna raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯ve met deities.¡± She reminded him.


    ¡°They are different. I can¡¯t feel much of them at all because their power isn¡¯t mana based.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how I know that it isn¡¯t mana based but I can feel it.¡± He shook his head again, this time to clear it. ¡°Regardless, these are more dense and of a higher quality than even the wards in Alexander¡¯s tower, though in much smaller numbers, obviously.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°My uncle¡¯s gear is along the level of those items. Well, some of it is.¡± She explained.


    ¡°It brings ¡®clothes make the man¡¯ to a whole new level.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°Do you have any other secrets about Jallen¡¯s arsenal to share before our big day?¡±


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    Lenna shook her head slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. He was very careful about things like that. I remember hearing that he was thinking about challenging the clan head to take his position. He would¡¯ve needed every advantage he could get.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Why?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°So he could hold the position for a few decades? A century?¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes. Power is the path, the goal, and the reward for many people, Jallen included.¡± She explained. ¡°Now, stop dallying and put on the gambeson.¡±


    Isaac nodded and slipped into the snug fitting, thick, cotton-like, platinum thread and buttoned coat. Once it was on he frowned. ¡°It¡¯s a bit tight.¡± He told her.


    ¡°Whoever wore it last must¡¯ve been smaller than you. They always make magical armor like that with the automatic sizing enchantment.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Makes sense.¡± Isaac said and sat down. He shifted a bit and then a bit more. ¡°I can¡¯t get comfortable.¡±


    ¡°Unbutton it.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be on properly, just on.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Isaac replied and did as she said. He was finally able to enter meditation again and soon the gambeson had resized to fit him properly. It was still a snug fit but he found that it was easier to move in then its slight bulk would¡¯ve suggested. ¡°Not bad, not great, but not bad.¡± He said more to himself than to Lenna.


    ¡°It might save your life. Remember that armor will be almost useless against my uncle¡¯s sword. The armor would need to be built to repel holy light and damage. The divine oath fueled strikes that he will be making will wash through objects with little resistance.¡± Lenna warned him. ¡°The gambeson might actually help slow some of it a bit but I wouldn¡¯t bet your life on it.¡±


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°Now that I have all of this on, let¡¯s do some testing. I need to get used to moving under the Quicken¡¯s effects and with the gambeson on.¡± Lenna gave him a questioning look. ¡°I¡¯ll be able to keep the illusion of hardened shadow armor up while we train as long as I don¡¯t try to boost myself or anything.¡±


    ¡°How will we explain the effects of Quicken?¡± Lenna questioned.


    ¡°I, uh, found a new way to boost myself without scaring everyone within a hundred yards.¡± Isaac put forth an excuse.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°If you think that will suffice then I am sure it will.¡± She replied and reached for the door to leave.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine.¡± Isaac replied and pulled on his Cloak of Shadows.


    ¡ª


    Isaac felt the weight of the world bear down upon him as his gravity was increased by fifty percent. The weight increase was there exclusively to help him keep traction while moving at twice the speed. It worked. He was moving at a speed akin to his one minute duration boost but without a strength enhancement. It would be nice for quick strikes that lacked power which was exactly what he would need for their opening engagement. Isaac had poured over how he would start his battle with Jallen and he had come to a conclusion; Jallen was alive for a reason.


    Isaac knew that Jallen V¡¯Nova had survived more battles than he could properly imagine and anyone who had done something of the like wouldn¡¯t come out the other end normal. Isaac, Fable, Lenna, Edward, Marie, Lisa, and some of the drow assassins all had the same uncanny ability to know when something bad was about to happen to them. Their sixth senses had been either trained or forcibly honed to a degree where they were truly reliable. Knowing this, Isaac figured that Jallen had the same vague feeling of danger that the rest of them had. If ambushing Jallen wouldn¡¯t give Isaac the opening strike with a hundred percent certainty then he would save the main target for last. Isaac was going to remove all of the advisors first and then go for Jallen. During that opening attack he would need to remove all three of those accompanying the ancient paladin in a hair¡¯s breadth over an instant. The Quicken spell would hopefully allow him to do that.


    Something else Isaac realized while under the effects of the quicken spell was what Alexander had warned him about. His mana regeneration was slowed. It wasn¡¯t slowed quite to half of its usual rate like the Court Wizard had said but it was a noticeable decline. He quickly realized the reason why; He was moving faster through time than the mana around him. While that was happening the mana around him would need to speed up to the rate he was moving through time while it entered him. This would cause a backup of sorts as too much mana tried to get sucked through the proverbial straw. He would still be taking in more mana than usual but not nearly as much as his rate through time would¡¯ve suggested.


    The perceived mana regeneration slowdown meant that his boosting ability would be burning through more of his perceived mana regeneration rate than it usually would have but due to the properties of his shadowcloak the cloak would actually require a bit less. Time was doing odd things with his perceived balance of mana regeneration to skill cost ratio and it was a good thing that he was taking the time to understand it before crossing mana with a legendary ancient paladin.


    ¡°Ready.¡± He heard Lenna¡¯s voice in slow motion and he nodded his reply before launching at her. It was time to truly experience the Quicken spell.

 Chapter 88 I Am Here.

    Chapter 88 I Am Here.


    Isaac covered the distance between his starting position and Lenna in a dead sprint. He went straight for a head height thrust and watched as Lenna turned her head just barely enough to cause his blade to skip off her faceplate. He transitioned directly into a dragging cut that scraped along the cheek of her helmet and the collar of her armor. She brought her sword down towards his shoulder but he easily danced out of the way and wacked his dull blade against her armored armpit before drawing it back and peppering her breastplate with three quick thrusts before she could force him to retreat with her own aura enhanced strike.


    Lenna could hardly keep up with Isaac¡¯s movements. His incredible speed combined with the shadows draped over his form made following his movements almost impossible. As it was, she was making more assumptions on what he was going to do than visible deductions. He was hardly more than a silhouette with a tarnished steel blade. He slipped through her guard like water through a sieve. Once she realized that there was nothing she could do without mana and aura she decided to start using them both. A Cone of Flames poured out towards Isaac but he was already gone before it could even singe his cloak. After another dozen strikes landed on the inside of her joints she dropped to a knee panting. She was on the back foot from the start and it had taken less than a minute to bruise the inside of every single major joint on her body. He stopped in front of her.


    ¡°You alright?¡± He asked at double the speed. It took Lenna a moment to understand what he had even asked. A moment too long for the Quickened Isaac who was kneeling and pouring death flames into her system. To Isaac it was a gentle and comfortable flow, to Lenna it felt like he was trying to bring her back from the dead.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± Lenna replied. Isaac observed her for what felt like a blink to her before he rose to his feet and offered her a hand. Lenna shook her head. ¡°You¡¯ll pull my arm off.¡± She told him. A flash of confusion ran over his face before it was replaced by realization and then apologeticness.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± He said at almost normal speed. He was trying to slow down his speech to be at least easily understandable. Due to the fact that Isaac wasn¡¯t actually moving any faster, his voice wasn¡¯t any higher pitched. The sound moved at normal speed inside of him and continued to move at normal speed outside of the time-shrinking effect of the Quicken spell.


    Lenna nodded and rose to her feet. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s keep going so you can get used to it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll take him more than five minutes.¡± Fable said from the stands before he teleported half of the distance to the pair in a single step. Another step took him to the duo. ¡°I can cast most of my boosting spells on someone else, if you would like.¡± He offered the pair.


    Isaac shrugged and looked at Lenna. After a brief moment of consideration, the time was still ticking on Isaac¡¯s Quicken spell, she nodded her head. ¡°Yes, that would be appreciated.¡± Lenna told the hero.


    Fable placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Sanctioned Steady Strides.¡± He chanted and the sand around Lenna¡¯s boots collected on them and solidified to grant them extra weight and traction. ¡°Wind Blessed Steps.¡± He added another layer of boost. This time Lenna¡¯s feet felt lighter as if the first boost hadn¡¯t even been applied but she knew that they only felt light to her. Her boots still had the increased mass and inertia to all other sources. ¡°Quicken.¡± He finished and stepped back. ¡°Have fun.¡± He took another step away and appeared across the arena and then another to reappear where he had been.


    The world slowed until Isaac¡¯s breathing felt regular again from Lenna¡¯s perspective and she gave Isaac a nod. ¡°Ready.¡± She told him.


    Isaac nodded in return. ¡°Ready.¡± He replied and launched at her again. His movements were still hard to track but Lenna could at least keep up with him again. The two exchanged blows until Isaac abruptly slowed and staggered into a mostly graceful fall. He hit the ground in a roll and ended up with his legs still under him.


    Lenna stopped and suddenly her own frame of reference returned to normal. She looked at the stands and saw a bit of sweat on Fable¡¯s brow. He gave her a nod and she returned it. ¡°Thank you.¡± She said loud enough that the acoustics of the arena were easily able to carry her words to the aged warrior. The corner of his mouth turned upwards slightly but he otherwise didn¡¯t reply. Lenna turned back to Isaac who had just risen to his feet.


    ¡°That was jarring as all hells.¡± He swore.


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    Lenna nodded. ¡°You¡¯ll have to keep that in mind.¡± She advised him.


    ¡°I wish I could keep a pocketwatch on me but I am almost certain that it won¡¯t even survive the five minute spell duration.¡± Isaac complained. He nodded towards Fable and he and Lenna started walking towards the stands. ¡°The flow of mana was really strange.¡± He explained his experience to Lenna, while they approached Fable, before the pair stopped just inside the arena at its closest point to the old hero.


    ¡°You adapted quickly.¡± Fable commented.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°It was easier than the first time I used my normal boost on myself. The sudden lack of normal gravity really tossed me around. The traction was awful at those speeds.¡± He replied.


    Fable nodded. ¡°That is why the increase in gravity was added. The original spell didn¡¯t have that, according to the Guild Leader.¡± He explained.


    ¡°The Guild Leader?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Fable nodded. ¡°The monster in charge of the entire Coalition of Adventurers, Scouts, and Trackers, the Adventurers¡¯ Guild as many know it by.¡± Fable grinned slightly. ¡°Not someone you ever want to mess with if you can help it.¡± He warned Isaac. ¡°Regardless, you need a few more spars like that before a real fight. I¡¯d ask Magus Alexander for assistance, maybe the other wizards in town.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thanks for the help.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Any pointers?¡±


    The rest of Isaac and Lenna¡¯s time was spent training with the Lets of Quickness, both with Lenna boosted and without. They were only able to borrow Alexander a few times, Bartholomew wasn¡¯t worth tracking down, and Keith was four bottles deep when they finally found him in a rundown bar on the south side of town. All they could quickly find out about Bartholomew was that he was still in the city but without actually calling for him from the rooftops or sending someone to scour the city for him he was basically dust in the wind. Only his party members seemed to know what he did with his free time and they weren¡¯t anywhere to be found either.


    Another day came and went and then another until it was suddenly after dinner on the fifteenth of the month. The night of the new moon. A mental message came in from Alexander and Lenna gave Isaac a look. He nodded and the pair slowly started moving towards Alexander¡¯s tower. They were met just inside the door by Alexander. ¡°Could you bring the drider down here awhile?¡± He asked Isaac.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Shaeo, advance to this location.¡± He said at normal volume and pointed towards the open space in front of him. The sound of clanking bone on stone reverberated through the inside of the tower as her eight bone spike legs jabbed their way down the flights of steps.


    Another knock sounded and the Flame Ravens entered with Fable and Edward. Another minute behind them was a trio of hooded figures who didn¡¯t seem to care how badly their plain brown cloaks stood out in the richer side of town. They threw their hoods back revealing Izen, Tim, and Michael. Just behind them Celeste walked in.


    Celeste wore a set of red robes with gleaming chainmail stitched inside of it. She carried a perfectly cylindrical staff that was as tall as she was. The staff was topped with a ruby in the shape of a four-pointed spearhead. The entire length of the staff there were gold filled enchantment engravings and filigree until the bottom where an iron cap sealed off the end of the oaken rod. Her ruby eyes gleamed with power and her graying hair was braided back into a simple but tight braid before it was looped into a bun to keep it out of the way. Her slightly pointed ears were out for all to see and her jaw was set. ¡°I am here.¡± She told those gathered.


    ¡°As am I.¡± Another voice rang out from behind her as a figure in a black cloak, not unlike Isaac¡¯s, walked in. A pair of emerald eyes peered out from under the hood and took in all of those present. ¡°Good, we are all here.¡± She said and closed the door behind her before throwing off her hood. The woman¡¯s black hair was cropped to her shoulders and her bangs were cut at her eyebrows to ensure unobstructed vision.


    Edward smirked. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen that face,¡± He commented. ¡°Marie.¡±


    ¡°Yes, now that we are all here,¡± Alexander began. ¡°allow me to connect everyone telepathically.¡± There were a few nods so Alexander decided to begin. ¡°Duke Arbencroft, Sir Michael, Celeste the Dawnbringer, Fable the Glinting Blade, Lady of Hellfire.¡± He held out a hand towards them with his fingers splayed. Each of them touched a finger and he panned his gaze across the rest of those present. ¡°Duke Arbencroft, Shy, Marie of a Thousand Faces, Fina, Edward the Blade Master.¡± Izen took another finger on Alexander¡¯s second outstretched hand as the others took their own. ¡°I bind thine minds, for eight hours time, or until I bid unwind, from my mind¡¯s lines.¡± He chanted and there was a ripple of magic. Five threads reached out from each of his palms down his finger and connected to each hand that touched them. The threads raced up each of the nine chosen individual¡¯s arms until it reached their ears where it dove inside before pulsing once and then vanishing as if it had never existed. ¡°It is done.¡± Alexander told them.


    Izen nodded. ¡°Thank you, Alexander.¡± He told his court mage. ¡°Now, only use the telepathic connection if you really need it or if information needs to be relayed back to me.¡± He received a chorus of nods and verbal agreements. ¡°Alexander, how far out are they?¡±


    ¡°They just entered the range of the detection array.¡± Alexander explained. ¡°At their current pace, two and a half hours until they can see the city.¡±


    ¡°How long will it take them to organize before the attempt to assault the walls?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°A half an hour to an hour.¡± Izen replied.


    ¡°Twenty five minutes.¡± Lenna corrected him. ¡°Your information is old.¡±


    Izen nodded. ¡°There you have it. That¡¯s three hours to prepare.¡±


    ¡°Midnight is in four hours.¡± Michael spoke. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t they wait until then?¡±


    ¡°Relying on Dri¡¯El will wound Jallen¡¯s pride but he is willing to do it or else he wouldn¡¯t have picked tonight specifically.¡± Lenna explained.


    ¡°If he still hasn¡¯t won after an hour he¡¯ll be calling on his god then.¡± Michael surmised to which Lenna nodded.


    ¡°Then all we need to do is win before then.¡± Isaac commented with a grin.


    ¡°Or, more likely, kill his cleric before then.¡± Marie corrected him.


    ¡°So he does have a cleric with him?¡± Isaac asked for confirmation.


    Edward nodded. ¡°Yes. It was confirmed yesterday.¡±


    Isaac grinned. ¡°Well, I have my first target then.¡±

 Chapter 89 Maybe It’s Fate.

    Chapter 89 Maybe It¡¯s Fate.


    ¡°In order to conserve our mana, we will be staying here.¡± Fina said with a frown. The notoriously drunk wizard from Ben¡¯s End, Keith, was at least mostly sober next to her a hundred paces outside of the walls. ¡°I¡¯ll take Shy¡¯s, you handle Marie¡¯s.¡± She told the wizard.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± He replied and they both placed a hand on their respective rogues.


    ¡°Light bends and shadows mend, eyes deceive my vision reprieve.¡± The pair of mages chanted. Shy and Marie vanished as soon as they were done.


    ¡°Faces.¡± Isaac said and held his hands out. Both rogues grabbed one of his hands and put it over their mouth. He coated them in shadows so their voices could no longer be heard by anyone save for the other members of their trio. As soon as the shadows were in place he pulled his hands back. The shadows were hidden under the Invisibility spell but Isaac could still feel them. He flashed Fina and Keith a grin. ¡°And we are off. I¡¯d say to wish us luck but we make our own.¡± With that final one-liner he vanished.


    ¡°Sera is right, you are a drama queen.¡± Marie commented. Her every movement was silent due to the enchantments in her gear and decades of practice. She was trying to listen for Shy¡¯s movements but couldn¡¯t hear them. They both just had to trust that they wouldn¡¯t trip over each other.


    ¡°A dramatic exit is the mark of a storybook hero¡­ or villain.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I just wish I could see it from the outside.¡±


    ¡°I guarantee that it is less spectacular than you think it is.¡± Marie teased.


    ¡°Is¡­ is this okay?¡± Shy asked. She was just along for the ride as the other two joked around while on the most important and potentially deadly mission of her life.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Marie replied. ¡°Keeping the mood light helps keep the stress from getting to you.¡± She explained to the younger rogue.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Shy said slightly louder than a whisper.


    ¡°Just relax.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°We have a long jog ahead of us before we are even in position. Have faith in Fina to keep your Invisibility active and just follow the plan. You and Marie are on anti-interference duty. If you see someone coming to mess with the fight just throw some darts at them. If you see a drow scout then take them out. I¡¯m the one who is going to be trying to assassinate the strongest man within a few hundred miles.¡±


    ¡°Stronger than you?¡± Shy asked. She had seen the full potential of Isaac Wexler on more than one occasion and she was entirely sure that she never wanted to go up against it.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied honestly. ¡°But I have something he doesn¡¯t.¡±


    After Isaac hadn¡¯t elaborated for a few long seconds Shy couldn¡¯t help herself from asking: ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Enough poison to kill a hundred and eighty normal people.¡± Isaac replied simply. ¡°Granted, a decent amount of that is going to be used on the three other people with him, but he is going to get at least sixty times the lethal dose, even if I have to pry open his helmet and dump it down his throat.¡±


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    Shy swallowed hard. ¡°You¡¯d better.¡± She heard Marie say from half a dozen feet away. ¡°I paid good money for that poison.¡±


    ¡°I already paid you back for it.¡± Isaac shot back. ¡°It¡¯s mine now.¡±


    ¡°Those needles are still mine.¡± Marie retorted.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Isaac grumbled but it was half hearted. He was honestly glad that Marie had given him the poison. He had been starting to doubt his odds before she had. ¡°Any bets on how long the fight lasts?¡± He asked the girls.


    ¡°Fable put ten platinum on you having to drink the Ten Men potion.¡± Marie explained. ¡°Edward has two on the Lets of Quickness being enough.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear about that.¡± Shy commented.


    ¡°Only the coffin dodgers were betting.¡± Marie explained. ¡°Izen put his new pen on you trying to fight Jallen without the Lets or the potion for at least thirty seconds before you drink the potion. Celeste bet her newest foreign wine on you losing but surviving.¡±


    ¡°Ouch.¡± Isaac cut in. ¡°How could she?¡± He asked in mock hurt.


    ¡°Cel is the oldest of our team, she¡¯s seen some shit.¡± Marie replied. ¡°After she made that bet everyone else was scared to bet against her.¡±


    ¡°My odds are that bad huh?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say they are bad.¡± Marie replied.


    Isaac frowned. ¡°But not good either.¡±


    ¡°Now he gets it.¡± Marie replied with a chuckle. ¡°Shy, are you still there?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Shy replied breathily.


    ¡°She¡¯s trying to conserve her stamina.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on her until it¡¯s time to split up, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave her to you.¡± Marie replied. They continued on for a while until finally they came upon a ridge. ¡°By all that is holy¡­ they look way more intimidating in person.¡± She commented once they crested the slight ridge in Safeharbor¡¯s massive cavern¡¯s floor.


    Isaac stopped and took in the sight. The rogues did as well. They could see him because of the shared shadows but he could only feel where they were. A mile in front of them was a wall of enchanted steel. They were arranged in twenty groups of ten. Each group had four shieldbearers in the front, one on each side, four in the rear, and two other members in the middle. The two in the middle were a knight in plate armor with a longsword on their hip and a mage in combat robes. The mages had stone staves with quartz crown jewels and rectangular silver plates strapped to their left arms. The shieldbearers all wore platemail and had shortswords at their hips.


    Behind the small army there were four wagons pulled by pecurke in a reversed wedge formation. In the opening of the reversed wedge stood a group of four around a table that had no doubt been recently assembled. The tallest of the four was in plate armor that was covered in gold runes and filigree. Half of the gold was glowing softly from the obscene mana draw of the enchantments. The rest looked like it was just there so the armor would look pretty when stowed on an armor stand. He had a round shield, much like the ones the infantry used, on a stand half a dozen feet away from him. The biggest difference between his and the ones the small army had was the massive diamond placed in the center, that and the hundred golden lines drawn across its surface.


    To the sides of the man, who could only have been Jallen V¡¯Nova, were two lightly armored individuals. One wasn¡¯t even wearing combat robes but was wearing a cloak with a spider eating the moon motif over what looked like a casual but well made long sleeved shirt and pants. The other was wearing long black robes that fell the entire way to the ground. The robes had silver spiders woven into the fabric all across it. The last member was wearing the exact same armor as the rest of the V¡¯Nova knight-paladins save for one small detail. He had a dark cape attached to one shoulder that was adorned with silver tassels.


    ¡°That¡¯s them.¡± Marie whispered.


    ¡°Definitely.¡± Isaac agreed.


    ¡°You are sure you can handle all four of them?¡± Shy asked worriedly.


    ¡°Probably.¡± Isaac replied simply. ¡°Only one way to find out.¡± He gestured to an area behind the targets and off to the side a bit. ¡°Let¡¯s head over there and wait until the chaos begins. It should be starting soon and you girls will want a nice view.¡±


    Marie chuckled. ¡°Damn right we will.¡±


    ¡°If you say so.¡± Shy all but whispered but followed along as the other two continued on their hike to get into position. All three of them were unimaginably grateful for their gear that aided their silence. One wrong sound at just too close to the infantry and the wrong person might expect something to be up. Of course there was always the risk that the enemy might be expecting something along the lines of what they were doing. If that was the case then their sneaky plan would turn into a death trap in a matter of moments. If that happened both Shy and Marie had a mental connection to Alexander and the duke. Alexander was more than ready to teleport out to retrieve them if he had to and the pair had flares if he needed to find them.


    Isaac knew that Alexander would be willing to pick him up too if he really needed it, but they all knew that if Isaac couldn¡¯t get out of a situation than the odds of anyone getting to him to get him out were almost nonexistent, and even if they could, the odds of them getting them both out were even lower. ¡®This entire plan is feeling more and more stupid when running away had always been an option.¡¯ Isaac thought to himself. He shook his head. ¡®Who am I kidding? There was no way that Lenna wouldn¡¯t want to protect her new friends and that I wouldn¡¯t want to fight the bastard at least once. Who knows, maybe it¡¯s fate.¡¯

 Chapter 90 Boom.

    Chapter 90 Boom.


    Lenna stood just inside of the northern gate of Safeharbor with her eyes closed. She was breathing deep and rhythmically to keep her nerves down as Isaac was out of reach. ¡°Marie is with him.¡± Edward said from beside her. ¡°If there was any one person I would trust to have my back, it would be her.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°I know. Thank you.¡± She replied. ¡°I am bait and I am more worried about him.¡± She said almost bitterly. Everything would be so much easier if she only had to worry about herself.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t get yourself killed because you weren¡¯t paying attention.¡± Fable said from her other side. ¡°We don¡¯t know if the drider skeleton will be enough.¡±


    Lenna looked back over her shoulder at the towering bone drider that couldn¡¯t even be properly called a skeleton anymore. Not with the bone carapace of its spider half and its ribs that had grown into plates akin to platemail. Kahtesh was between her and Shaeo. She looked down at the little dragon. ¡°You¡¯ll tell me if something is wrong with your master, right?¡± She asked and the dragon tilted its head in confusion at her. Lenna sighed. ¡°It was worth a try at least.¡± She turned back to face the gate.


    ¡°If something happens to Shy because she is out there with those two I won¡¯t forgive you.¡± Esk told his master.


    ¡°Trust in your team.¡± Fable reminded him.


    ¡°Are adventurers always this chatty?¡± Michael asked Edward casually.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Edward replied simply. ¡°Mercs are either lucky, strong, or disciplined. Never all three.¡± He explained.


    ¡°Rarely all three.¡± Fable corrected.


    Edward eyed the hero. ¡°Point taken.¡± He replied.


    ¡®Get ready.¡¯ Izen spoke into Lenna, Fable, Michael, and Edward¡¯s minds. ¡®The Gate is opening in one minute.¡¯ The receivers didn¡¯t respond as that would just be needless mental clutter but instead triple checked their gear. The sudden synchronous movement caught the attention of the adventurers, soldiers, and guardsmen behind them and they all started doing the same.


    The gate went up slowly at a crawling one inch per second. No one moved until it stopped ten feet off the ground. ¡°Advance!¡± Izen ordered from above them on the wall. Two hundred and fifty men and women from various backgrounds poured out and lined up two hundred yards in front of the gate. They stood two men deep with shieldbearers in the front and everyone else behind them. The line was only a hundred and seventeen wide as the rest were close combat healers and mages who had opted to be outside of the walls with their party members. Those non-melee combatants were spread out behind the main line with enough distance between them to get out of the way or help if it looked like a part of the line would break.


    Almost every adventurer Isaac and Lenna knew the names of were out in front of the city walls. They were there under the promise of five hundred gold plus spoils for every V¡¯Nova soldier killed, double that for each mage, and five times that for every paladin. The garrison and guard were given the same offer. The human¡¯s battle line was in high spirits considering who they were about to go up against but there was still an ever pervasive fear that couldn¡¯t get snuffed out.


    ¡°FOR HONOR!¡± A cleric of the human god of war shouted from halfway down the battle line.


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    ¡°FOR GLORY!¡± Another shouted from the opposite direction.


    ¡°FOR MONEY!¡± An adventurer screamed which received a chorus of laughter.


    ¡°FOR WAR!¡± The last of the clerics of war called out without missing a beat. They were all used to working with adventurers and soldiers and had long accepted their antics.


    ¡°FOR KING AND COUNTRY!¡± Michael shouted from half a dozen feet away from Lenna in a voice so loud it made her ears ring.


    ¡°FOR OUR HOME!¡± Edward yelled almost as loud. A pulse of magic washed out from the war clerics and suddenly fear was a long forgotten memory. The battle line had set their resolve and magic had helped them harden their hearts for the battle to come.


    The approaching drow army stopped and a few of them pointed at Lenna and the drider behind her. She had her helmet off so they could all get a good look at her. There was some commotion in their ranks before the knight-paladins stomped it down with a few harsh words. Right when it looked like they were about to start moving again Fable handed Lenna a stone much like a sending stone. On one side it had a small hole and on the other it had a larger one. There was a simple enchantment carved and poured with gold over its surface and through the hole in its center. ¡°Make sure they know it¡¯s you.¡± Fable told her and she nodded.


    Lenna put the stone up to her mouth and pointed the larger hole towards the drow army. ¡°If my uncle wants a war, I will give him a war.¡± Her voice was stern, threatening, but measured as it rang out across the stone between the two small armies that would soon be painted red with blood. ¡°I will show no mercy to my ex-subordinates so turn back now, or die like men.¡± She ordered and passed the stone back to Fable before putting her helmet on and strapping it in place. ¡°They know.¡± She said simply to those around her and the drow battle line shifted into more of a wedge formation. The front section moved forwards first and sides moved in tighter.


    ¡°Here they come.¡± Esk whispered. The center of their formation was the only area without shieldbearers in front of them. They had a pair of mages and a cleric at their backs but no second line. Mark had a tower shield in hand and was standing in front of Esk while Claus stood in front of Michael. The middle three; Lenna, Fable, and Edward. Had no one in front of them to break the soon to be incoming charge.


    ¡°Charge!¡± They heard from one of the knight-paladins in the V¡¯Nova force before the entire mass of two hundred heavily trained and mid to high leveled combatants began building momentum in their direction.


    The V¡¯Nova¡¯s closed the distance. The pounding of boots on stone vibrated the defenders in their boots. ¡®Hold.¡¯ Lenna heard Edward¡¯s voice in her head. They continued to close the distance. ¡®Hold.¡¯ He continued.


    ¡®Any closer and they-¡¯ Izen began to protest.


    ¡®Fire.¡¯ Edward cut him off.


    ¡°Fire!¡± Izen roared from the battlements. Over a dozen clangs of ballistae firing echoed off stone before sixteen bolts closed the distance between the walls and the V¡¯Nova troops.


    ¡°Wal-¡± A V¡¯Nova knight-paladin¡¯s voice was cut off by ballista bolts slamming into massive reality shields and steel ones alike. Only six of the twenty wizards were able to get their silver plated arms up in time to deploy the massive reality shields before impact. Seven ballista bolts ricocheted off the reality shields and were sent skipping behind the force. Three more went straight through the infantry who hadn¡¯t braced properly and lodged themselves into the ground. Two were deflected by well angled and braced, magically enchanted, shields. Those two were tossed further back into the battle line, injuring but not killing a few more soldiers. The final four hit stone between and around the mass of steel and bodies.


    Edward grinned. ¡°Boom.¡± He said and the world went orange.


    Every ballista bolt was worth more than most guardsmen earned in their entire career. The bolt head was enchanted to meld into the stone and lock the bolt in place once it made contact to ensure that they didn¡¯t ricochet. Their shafts were enchanted with not one, not two, but five fireball spells that were all set to go off two seconds after the enchantment on the head activated. The plan had been dreamt up by Alexander¡¯s predecessor, a man known for his mastery of wards and array style magic. It had been almost impossible to keep the plan a secret so the drow spies couldn¡¯t learn of their incredibly overpriced ¡®level the playing field button¡¯ as the old man had put it.


    Lenna was glad that she had been looking at Edward and not their enemy when everything had exploded. As it was, she had to shield her sensitive eyes from the blinding light. She was the only one on her side that hadn¡¯t needed to drink a Dark Vision potion in order to see clearly. She had to blink away the tears that were forming from the eye searing light. By the time she could get a good look at the carnage the V¡¯Nova battle line was in pieces.


    When most of the enemy started to get back up and reform ranks a wave of panic swept down her battle line before the heroic magics of the war clerics clamped back down and reaffirmed everyone¡¯s resolve. Lenna knew why in an instant. The auras of the V¡¯Nova knight-paladins had locked into place like fortress walls right before the explosions had gone off. The fireballs had punched through their auras but not without difficulty. With a great deal of the explosive force of the fireballs directed upwards instead of outwards due to the resistance of the paladins¡¯ auras the damage was minimized.


    A soft golden glow washed out from all of the hostile paladins as healing energies bathed the injured in warmth. The battle line was already almost entirely back together before the next barrage was ready to fire. ¡°So much for an easy victory.¡± Edward grumbled from beside her. ¡°But we expected something like this.¡± He said a bit louder. ¡°READY!¡± He called out and every shieldbearer shifted slightly in anticipation of what was to come.

 Chapter 91 That Was Always The Plan.

    Chapter 91 That Was Always The Plan.


    ¡°That¡¯s the signal.¡± Marie said as they all watched the battlefield go back to normal after half of it exploded.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Should I hit the sorceress or the cleric first?¡± Isaac asked. A sorcerer was generally more dangerous than a cleric when combat was only going to last a few breaths but a cleric could bring back the dead.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get the cleric for you.¡± Marie replied. ¡°Poison probably won¡¯t work on a cleric of a spider deity anyway.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°You are probably right. Thanks.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll attack when you do. Give me sixty seconds to get into position.¡± Marie instructed him and took off in a perfectly silent run. The sound canceling enchantment in her gear was active constantly allowing her to only have to pay attention to her footing.


    Isaac followed after her and flanked around the other side. Isaac finished his count to fifty five and took a deep breath. ¡°Quicken.¡±


    ¡ª


    The drow soldiers closed the gap under a steady stream of ballista bolts raining fire and pain. The drow wizards were relegated to overhead shield duty, else a stray bolt would detonate in their midst again. The bolts came at irregular but short intervals at seemingly random parts of the formation. Based on the explosions that were sounding out behind them only around half of the incoming ballista bolts were enchanted like the original volley. Presumably to cut down on cost while still keeping the wizards pinned in place.


    Drow infantry slammed into the human battle line. Mark caught the first one just like how he and Lenna had practiced. Before he even had time to shove the soldier back Esk was in the air. Esk had one hand on Mark¡¯s shoulder and had jumped while using his teammate¡¯s shoulder to get greater height. Esk¡¯s flaming sword forced its way between the drow¡¯s helmet and collar before scorching a path through the man¡¯s chest and heart. Esk ripped the blade back out on his way back down and Mark tossed the soldier back into his unit mates.


    Claus punched forward with everything he had using the tower shield he had been lent. The massive wall of solid steel hit the incoming drow soldier like a wagonload of bricks. The drow¡¯s momentum was entirely arrested as he was tossed back into the man behind him. The drow that tried to slip around Claus¡¯s side was met by a holy sword that was glowing with barely contained radiant vengeance. Michael¡¯s sword punched straight through the drow¡¯s faceplate and dented the back of his helmet before Michael ripped the blade out spraying blood across the ground and his arm.


    Edward held his low stance. His hand was on his hilt and his blade was still in its scabbard. The infantryman in front of him looked like he was planning on running Edward over with his shield. Edward drew his long curved blade in a blink and struck the side of the soldier¡¯s shield tossing it to the side. Edward took half a step forwards and jabbed the tip of his blade through the eyehole of the man in front of him before he ripped the blade back out in one fluid motion. He changed stances as he grabbed his sword with both hands. Golden lightning danced along its edge. His blue eyes met the drow behind his first victim¡¯s black ones. The lightning of his blade reflected off of his eyes and the drow soldier knew fear.


    Fable crushed the guard of the first drow soldier and brought his other hand up with two of its fingers pointing forwards. ¡°What I seek is thunder.¡± He spoke icily. Lightning punched through the first soldier and into the one behind him before it was rebuffed by a V¡¯Nova knight-paladin¡¯s aura. His aim had been true and the two soldiers in front of him dropped as their hearts had exploded in their chests.


    Lenna slammed her sword down on the top of the shield of the soldier in front of her. The man was forced to a knee and she grabbed him by the faceplate in clear view of the man behind him and a few other drow soldiers. ¡°Let my flames consume all before me.¡± She chanted and the man in her grasp cried out in pain as his eyes popped and skin liquified under the concentrated geyser of heat and fury.


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    The lead squad¡¯s knight-paladin forced his way into engaging with Lenna directly. ¡°Lady V¡¯Nova-¡± He got out before Lenna turned to the side slightly. Kahtesh¡¯s lightning bolt punched through the man¡¯s aura before it met his sword that was raised to block. His arm seized up from the electric jolt and Lenna took the opportunity to stab at his upper chest. Her blade skipped off the steel and was forced upwards. Her aura and mana enhanced strength eclipsed his as the tip of her sword lodged itself half an inch through his faceplate while barely slowing. Her followthrough ripped the man¡¯s helmet off of his head as the leather strap couldn¡¯t survive the strain. His head was whipped back and his helmet was sent flying back into the formation behind him.


    Lenna recognized the man in front of her. He was one of her uncle¡¯s retainers. A good soldier who followed orders and took his job very seriously. Too seriously. People like him needed to let off some stress after work. Something he did very often. Unfortunately his favorite version of stress relief involved young slave girls, the younger the more he enjoyed it. Lenna felt no sympathy for what she was about to do. She brought her sword back down as he staggered backwards to keep from falling over. Her sword split the man¡¯s head down the middle and she focused more aura and mana into her blade. Her sword flared so brightly that she saw spots but it had done its job. The man¡¯s head exploded, from the sudden vaporization of brain fluids, showering his men in its contents.


    Lenna locked eyes with the wizard behind the falling corpse of the man who had once been a distant relative. The wizard¡¯s eyes went wide and she spoke a quick incantation. A small reality shield flashed into existence just in time to stop an arrow that had been fired by the bone drider behind Lenna. The wizard still had her other arm raised to maintain the overhead reality shield so the best she could do was defend against a rapid barrage of arrows from the bastardized skeleton of a divine creature. Fear, horror, and rage warred on her face but she could only back up a step and let the rest of her unit move around her to engage Lenna, and the pair of demons in human skin flanking her.


    Lenna cut down another three infantrymen, caused one to retreat with blood gushing from the side of his neck, and knocked another one out from a flame and aura empowered punch to the face before something drastically changed. ¡°LENNA!¡± A familiar voice roared as a set of plate armor with seven white stripes painted along the left cheek came into view. Lenna¡¯s eyes went wide and she couldn¡¯t keep herself from taking a step backwards.


    ¡ª


    Isaac and Marie were about to launch into their attacks when Jallen¡¯s voice trailed off. ¡°Is something wrong, my Lord?¡± The knight-paladin across from him asked. Before Jallen could respond, chaos ensued.


    Isaac drove his sword through the back of the sorceress¡¯s cloak with one hand as he slammed the lethal end of one of Marie¡¯s poison spikes into the side of her throat. His blade met a reality shield that appeared before his blade even made contact with the back of her shirt but unfortunately for her it couldn¡¯t stop the massive needle full of enough poison to kill fifteen grown, human, men.


    No sooner had the needle-like spike entered the sorceress¡¯s neck, mana started to build inside of her. Isaac didn¡¯t have the luxury of wasting anymore time on her and was already moving towards the paladin across from Jallen.


    Marie had sliced the cleric¡¯s head clean off with a black dirk that seemed to promise instant death. That promise was further emphasized by the acid trail that had been left along the entire length of her cut. She danced back while throwing two more acid vials at the back of the falling cleric. She hit them with a pair of throwing spikes before the man¡¯s corpse even hit the ground. The acid exploded before burning and eating its way through the man¡¯s robes and body alike.


    Isaac was already on top of the paladin before Marie¡¯s throwing spikes had even left her hand. He jammed a pair of poison spikes through the paladin¡¯s helmet¡¯s eye holes as deep as they could go. Before the man could even take his first staggering step back Isaac had buried another pair alongside the first. Isaac twirled around the falling, quickly dying, knight-paladin and launched himself at Jallen¡¯s legendary shield just in time to miss a flying table and catch sight of the sorceress vanishing from a teleportation spell.


    Jallen hadn¡¯t been idle while his advisors were being taken apart by invisible foes. The first thing he did was kick the table in front of him at the man across from him. The second was a quick step towards the cleric before he realized that he was already too far gone for him to save. He turned to find his shield just in time to see it move on its own.


    Isaac grabbed the shield with both hands and spun while flinging it as far as he could. The shield was launched at incredible speed for its weight away from its owner. Jallen growled. ¡°Show yourselves cowards!¡± He roared and threw his aura out before clamping it down as if it were his fist.


    Marie¡¯s Invisibility dropped as she staggered. Her and Jallen locked eyes. ¡°Darkness, I leave this to you.¡± She said and took a jumping step backwards that carried her a dozen feet before she broke out into a run away from a very angry Jallen V¡¯Nova.


    Isaac appeared for a brief moment. He had let the shadows on Marie¡¯s and Shy¡¯s faces fall away as Marie¡¯s Invisibility had dropped. She had warned him that something like what had just happened was likely based on what they knew about Jallen¡¯s aura. The plan of letting Jallen hear her voice as she told Isaac that the rest was up to him was part of the plan of informing Jallen that it was a one-on-one and any mana Isaac could save was a blessing. If Jallen believed that it was one-on-one then he was a lot less likely to try and get assistance. His pride couldn¡¯t survive losing in a duel, especially to a human. ¡°That was always the plan.¡± Isaac purred and Jallen¡¯s eyes snapped to him. Jallen was only able to see Isaac¡¯s grinning white teeth and silver eyes before Isaac was gone again as if he hadn¡¯t even been there.

 Chapter 92 Finally, Almost, Hit Me.

    Chapter 92 Finally, Almost, Hit Me.


    Jallen V¡¯Nova launched at where Isaac had been a split second too late. Isaac ducked under the diagonal sweeping strike while jamming a poison spike towards Jallen¡¯s eye socket. Jallen turned his head and closed his eyes as he felt something dangerous approaching his face. Isaac managed to correct the pathing of his strike enough, however, that the spike still ended up in one of Jallen¡¯s eyes. The spike was two inches deep before an uppercut from Jallen caused Isaac to teleport away. Jallen¡¯s fist was glowing with divine conviction as it plowed through the fading silhouette that Isaac had left behind. The shadows boiled in their brief moment of contact before they finished fading naturally. Jallen ripped the spike out of his eye with a roar and turned around with a wide sweeping strike just in time to keep Isaac from jamming his sword into the back of the larger man¡¯s knee.


    ¡°When I get my hands on you,¡± Jallen swore.


    ¡°You¡¯ll what?¡± Isaac asked while appearing in front of the paladin. This time only Isaac¡¯s silver eyes were visible. ¡°Beg for forgiveness?¡± Isaac taunted before vanishing again.


    Isaac could feel Jallen recovering despite the ultra lethal dose of poison that had been injected into the edge of his brain. The paladin in front of him didn¡¯t seem mortal in the slightest. Isaac moved in to try and stab Jallen¡¯s other eye while his first was still recovering through the poison. ¡°Why?!¡± Jallen demanded while swinging at the shadow of a feeling of imminent pain that was Isaac. He barely managed to take the second spike in the brow instead of his eye. He ripped out the spike with his free hand again and continued to be on the defensive as Isaac tried again and again to land a spike inside of his helmet. ¡°Why isn¡¯t my aura working on you?!¡± He demanded.


    Isaac appeared a dozen feet in front of the paladin and let the ancient drow see his entire face. ¡°Because you aren¡¯t strong enough.¡± Isaac purred before vanishing again. Jallen didn¡¯t know but Isaac was taking those moments of not having to keep his shadowcloak completely active to regenerate a scrap or two of mana. His cloak was helping to keep the mana cost of his shadowcloak ability down but the teleports were expensive when the time-compressing effect of the Quicken spell was messing with his regeneration to upkeep cost ratio.


    ¡°Who are you?!¡± Jallen demanded as he launched at Isaac. Isaac was gone from sight instantly and Jallen was forced to change his swing into a block in order to keep another spike out of his eyes. ¡°Human!¡± Jallen roared. ¡°WHO ARE YOU?!¡±


    Isaac¡¯s focus was honed to a razor¡¯s edge as he tried to slip through Jallen¡¯s guard to land another spike. Time after time he was thwarted and Jallen seemed to be getting better at feeling where his attacks were coming from. ¡®Fine.¡¯ Isaac thought to himself and switched tactics. He swung for Jallen¡¯s face again only for Jallen to move to block him. Isaac shot his other hand past Jallen¡¯s before turning the spike around and yanking his hand back. The spike caught the slight flange at the only opening in Jallen¡¯s gauntlet and forced itself through. The spike scraped across the top of Jallen¡¯s wrist bones before lodging itself in the back of his hand.


    Jallen growled in pain even as his eye finally finished healing. Isaac repeated the same strategy three more times before Jallen finally found a way to keep it from happening. Jallen stopped trying to defend against the spikes entirely and instead used the shadow of Isaac¡¯s bloodlust as a target for his swings. Isaac was forced to teleport out of the way of an attack again as he was caught on the back foot from the sudden change. Instead of getting space, however, Isaac did the opposite. Isaac appeared in mid air, upside down, right in front of Jallen¡¯s face with a spike already being thrust forwards. Jallen turned his face but it didn¡¯t stop Isaac from embedding the spike through his eye. Isaac teleported again so he wouldn¡¯t fall on his head right in front of the monster known as Jallen V¡¯Nova.


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    Jallen¡¯s roar was full of fury. The pain didn¡¯t seem to bother him but the fact that he was steadily getting picked apart by an unseen human assassin with poisons of all things was driving his temper through the roof. ¡°Ancestors hear my call, aid your child in crushing his enemies.¡± He ordered the spirits of the long dead V¡¯Novas.


    Four purple and golden spectral forms poured out from him and took up their positions surrounding their descendant. ¡°What enemy plagues you, child?¡± The first one demanded.


    ¡°There had better be a good reason for this.¡± The second threatened.


    The third one eyed Jallen with some concern. ¡°What did that to you?¡± It asked. Their voices were all distorted and breathy so it was hard to hear the difference in their genders. Their forms were just as hard to discern as they always seemed on the edge of fading out of reality. They flickered and pulsed. They waved and shimmered with the flow of mana as they floated around him.


    ¡°There is an assassin.¡± Jallen explained as he kept his guard up. He spun and swung causing Isaac to turn his kick to the back of Jallen¡¯s knee into a faint before switching which leg he was kicking with and driving his heel towards Jallen¡¯s face. During the brief moment when Isaac didn¡¯t have a foot on the ground Jallen swung his off hand in a fist at the incoming attack. Isaac couldn¡¯t pull back in time so he teleported to the other side of Jallen and drove his heel into the back of Jallen¡¯s knee instead. Jallen¡¯s knee slammed into the ground and he kept himself from falling forwards by bracing on his sword. He turned and swung at where Isaac should have been but Isaac was laying on the ground after falling from his awkward kick.


    ¡°Yes.¡± The first spoke and scanned the area around Jallen for the unseen assassin. ¡°It is here.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything.¡± The second replied. ¡°He is messing with us.¡±


    ¡°Why would he hurt himself so in order to prank his ancestors. Use your non-existent brain.¡± The third countered.


    ¡°Just find the bastard.¡± Jallen swore and rose to his feet again. He swung at where he felt the next attack coming from only for a blade to stab an inch into his eye before whipping out the side sending his blood splattering across the stone. Jallen¡¯s retorting roar sounded more primal than not. ¡°Do your damned jobs!¡± He ordered his summoned ancestors.


    Jallen tried to counter Isaac¡¯s next attack, this time he was expecting the increased reach, but it was moot. Isaac threw a throwing spike into Jallen¡¯s same eye before his other attack had even been properly thwarted. ¡°Wait.¡± The first spoke, drawing the attention of the other three. ¡°There.¡± It pointed directly at Isaac. ¡°I feel nothing from there.¡±


    Isaac moved and the first specter followed him with its finger. ¡®Shit.¡¯ Isaac swore internally and decided to just continue trying to deal steady damage to Jallen until his mana ran out.


    Isaac moved to attack again but was suddenly surrounded on all sides by specters. He tried to dodge Jallen¡¯s counter attack but was instead suddenly pushed forwards by one of the spirits. His armor had prevented the spirit from going through him or trying to take over his body but at a cost. The soul defense of the Gambeson of the Guarded Soul meant that the spirits impacted him as if they were physical objects. He was forced back into the path of the incoming swing just enough so that the flat of the blade grazed the tip of his nose. The massive amount of oathbound divine fury that was in Jallen¡¯s attack vanished into the amulet around Isaac¡¯s neck and it started to glow. Isaac teleported away just as the glow from the amulet started burning through the part of the shadowcloak covering it.


    Isaac stood a dozen yards away from Jallen as he let his shadowcloak fade. ¡°Good job.¡± He purred at the paladin. ¡°You finally, almost, hit me.¡±


    Jallen growled like a hungry wolf. ¡°It won¡¯t be almost next time.¡± He promised and launched himself at Isaac with all four specters.


    ¡®Kahtesh, I think I might need some help.¡¯ Isaac sent to his favorite skeleton. He felt a wave of excitement and affirmation in return and couldn¡¯t help but smile.

 Chapter 93 LET THE HEAVENS RAGE!

    Chapter 93 LET THE HEAVENS RAGE!


    Lenna retreated another step as the all too familiar knight-paladin stepped completely into view. ¡°Lenna!¡± He demanded. ¡°Explain yourself.¡± He drew his sword and stalked towards her over the bodies of drow soldiers.


    Lenna steeled her nerves and got into a defensive stance to meet him. ¡°Surrender Macken, I don¡¯t want to kill you but I will.¡± Lenna replied.


    Two drow infantrymen tried to move around Macken to engage Lenna just as Edward stepped up next to her, suddenly free from any direct opponents. ¡°She¡¯s mine.¡± Macken said and threw a hard gaze at the soldiers at his sides.


    ¡°He¡¯s mine.¡± Lenna said at the same time to Edward. In silent response to their declarations their auras surged. The two paladin¡¯s auras moved through each other as if the other wasn¡¯t even there before forming an invisible barrier around the pair as they squared off with only half a dozen feet between them.


    The drow soldiers felt like they had wronged a being of unquenchable fury upon even dipping their toes into the sectioned off area while the humans felt like the wall of aura was real. It wasn¡¯t but in their hearts that was the feeling they got. It didn¡¯t even slow them down at all but the feeling itself was disconcerting enough to stay out of it. ¡°Why, Lenna?¡± He asked and his sword started to glow a soft white-gold that left spots in their eyes if they looked at it for too long.


    Lenna positioned her flaming sword between them and it cast the pair in flickering oranges. ¡°Lua gave me a way out. I am giving you one, surrender.¡± She ordered him.


    Macken lunged and their blades met with a deep clang as the magically and aura enhanced blades tried to bite through each other with little but not non-existent success. ¡°You abandoned your post.¡± Macken accused and their blades clashed again. Each of their attacks were perfect mirrors of each other. They carried the same strength and resolve behind them as well. ¡°You abandoned your men.¡± He growled.


    ¡°For a better life.¡± Lenna retorted. ¡°Blame me if you must but I made the right choice.¡±


    ¡°You abandoned me!¡± He countered. ¡°Your only surviving unit mate! Why?!¡± He demanded. ¡°To fight alongside HIM?!¡± His gaze snapped to Fable before refocusing on her. Their blades continued to clash again and again. Neither of them even attempted to break the status quo. Neither of them used any more mana than was necessary either.


    ¡°He is here by chance!¡± Lenna argued. ¡°I will kill him myself one day.¡± She promised even though Fable could clearly hear them.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s kill him now!¡± Macken reposted. ¡°Why stomach fighting alongside him?!¡± He demanded. ¡°Why kill our men?!¡±


    ¡°They aren¡¯t mine any longer!¡± Lenna shot back. ¡°I told you all to leave!¡±


    ¡°You insulted their honor!¡± Macken yelled back at her. ¡°What did you expect to happen?!¡±


    ¡°Come forth, ember of a dying star!¡± Was Lenna reply as she lunged at him. A fireball exploded behind him and tossed him towards her. His aura absorbed the brunt of the explosion but it still knocked him off balance. Lenna infused her sword with more fire as she struck his right elbow with everything she had.


    Macken let his forward momentum take him and fought through the pain of a now heavily bruised elbow as he grabbed her faceplate with his other hand. ¡°Come back with me!¡± He instructed her while healing mana was already pooling in his injured elbow.


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    Lenna let go of her sword with her left hand and drove her closed fist into his face with everything she had. ¡°Surrender!¡± She ordered him in return. His head snapped back from the impact but he then pushed her fist backwards from neck strength alone as he tried to rip her faceplate off.


    ¡°No.¡± Macken replied and dropped his sword before he drove his fist into Lenna¡¯s side.


    ¡ª


    Behind Lenna a certain dragon received a request from his master. A request to join him in his battle. Kahtesh¡¯s bone tail whipped back and forth in excitement as he quickly retreated back behind Shaeo. He sent a feeling of what he wanted the drider to do for him and it emotionlessly obeyed. Shaeo reached back with her right hand and cupped her fingers pointing upwards. Kahtesh got a running start before he leapt into the air. His front claws caught Shaeo¡¯s fingers and she launched him forwards with all of her and his strength. The little dragon kept his wings tucked in for the first thirty feet as he was flung over the heads of the drow soldiers.


    He was a little streak of white bone until his wings opened up. The little bit of mana control he did have immediately went to running mana over his wings to try and generate lift. He glided over the battlefield towards his master with barely contained excitement. Dozens of drow soldiers, paladins, and wizards looked up as he shot over them with a mix of wariness and confusion but Kahtesh didn¡¯t even notice. None of those morsels were what he was planning on snacking on. His master had something in mind for him and he would not get distracted.


    Kahtesh touched down on the other side of the drow formation and continued bounding towards where their wagons had been parked. The rear of the drow line watched him go and didn¡¯t even try to stop him. If he wasn¡¯t going to engage them then there was no reason for them to pick a fight with an unknown entity no matter its size. Kahtesh felt a powerful surge of magic behind and above him. He glanced up to see clouds start to form over the drow formation. He had never seen clouds but Kahtesh had no idea why or even if it was weird or not that clouds were forming underground. Kahtesh also didn¡¯t notice that the ballista had stopped firing but none of that really mattered to the little dragon because his master was now almost in sight.


    ¡ª


    ¡®Do it, Celeste.¡¯ Izen ordered as the last magical ballista bolt was fired. They had finally used up their entire reserve. He saw Kahtesh go flying forwards over the drow formation and realized that Isaac was both still alive and in need of assistance. He instructed the ballista to all stop firing lest one of them hit Kahtesh by accident. With no more magical bolts remaining the general usefulness of the ballista had dropped dramatically. They were still useful but with the drow infantry¡¯s magical shields they would be able to avoid taking too many losses, even with the reality shields that they had overhead powered down. That combined with the fact that the battle lines were so thin that they had been firing with the constant risk of a stray bolt hitting their own men.


    Celeste took a deep breath and raised her hands to the sky as if she were offering a prayer to god that might not have even been listening. In a way she was offering a prayer. The main difference was that the miracle she was asking for she was going to make happen herself. ¡°Hear me Mount Celestia! Release the chains that bind your wrath! Release the shackles that hold your fury close to your heart! Let forth your ire upon those who have earned it!¡± As Celeste screamed towards the heavens mana poured from her core and solidified around her mana pathways to reinforce them for what was to come. Clouds of ash began to form, roll, and roil over the battlefield. ¡°Hear me Mount Celestia! AND LET THE HEAVENS RAGE!¡± Thunder cracked as a thousand tiny lightning bolts shot and snapped across the thunderclouds of heat and ash. Glowing embers of brimstone formed inside of the scorching tempest as the smell of burning air and sulfur pervaded the area for miles.


    Boiling, glowing, scorching balls of brimstone rained from the tempest forged of Celeste¡¯s rapidly draining mana pool. The representation of the wrath of the heavens sent dozens of lightning bolts crashing down towards the stony battlefield below with little direction. It took every ounce of control Celeste had to keep from hitting the human half of the battlefield with her army ending spell. The drow wizards mana pools were being guzzled away as their silver shield summoning artifacts ripped power from them to maintain their integrity under the assault.


    A heat haze could be seen pouring off the tops of the reality shields as the shields themselves started heating up faster than their magics could cool them. The battlefield under the shields rapidly increased in temperature from a warm summer night to a scorching summer day in barely half a minute. The reality shields could no longer be seen through as sulfur pooled on their surfaces. All twenty of the drow wizards were put in an awful position as they realized that if they dropped their shields, even after Celeste¡¯s spell was over, all they would do is drop a hundred gallons of molten sulfur on their formation. As it stood some of the sulfur was rolling off the edges of their shields and the soldiers under them were forced to dodge falling yellow globs of pain and heat.


    Celeste dropped to her knees and one of the two soldiers tasked with keeping any stray attacks from hitting her caught her. ¡°Take it easy Celeste.¡± He told her as he looped her arm over his shoulder to help guide her inside the walls to rest. His voice was familiar but she couldn¡¯t see his face so it was hard to place his name.


    ¡°I¡¯m not that old. Just give me a minute.¡± She protested as the clouds overhead stopped raining death and started breaking apart. Her mana pool was empty and her head was pounding. She could have kept going but she was getting too old, despite her own words, to be burning her blood for power.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± The soldier replied and all but drug her towards the steps down into the interior of the walls. ¡°You did your part. Let my generation finish the job.¡±


    Celeste shook her head. ¡°There are older women than me fighting out there.¡± She protested even though she had no intentions of joining them.


    The soldier just chuckled. ¡°Uh-huh.¡± He half heartedly agreed.


    Celeste huffed. ¡°Damn kids.¡±

 Chapter 94 Try It.

    Chapter 94 Try It.


    ¡°Holy Halya in the heavens on high.¡± Esk swore as the ceiling of the cavern poured fire, lightning, and brimstone down on the drow reality shields relentlessly. ¡°What is that?¡±


    Edward smirked despite the emotionally charged battle going on a dozen feet away from them. ¡°Celeste!¡± He called across the sounds of clashing steel and cries of pain.


    ¡°The Dawnbringer does not disappoint!¡± Fable called back.


    ¡°It¡¯s her specialty!¡± Edward replied while ending another drow soldier¡¯s life.


    ¡°Burning through her entire mana pool in sixty seconds or less?¡± Esk questioned as the storm broke apart from the spell ending.


    ¡°Ending armies!¡± Edward called back. ¡°It¡¯s a shame these bastards brought shield artifacts!¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Fable replied. ¡°This would be over by now otherwise.¡±


    ¡ª


    Lenna lurched to the side under the brutal impact of Macken¡¯s aura and mana empowered fist into her side. She let out no cry of pain but she did clench her teeth.


    ¡°Lenna! I will drag you back kicking and screaming if I must.¡± Macken explained as he blocked her return punch only to take a kick to the shin hard enough to lock his knee and bruise his shin bone through his armor and flesh. ¡°Damn it woman!¡±


    Lenna flipped her sword into a reverse grip and brought the pommel up into his exposed elbow. The impact knocked his hand free of her faceplate and they staggered apart. ¡°I refuse!¡± Lenna replied and leveled her sword at him. ¡°Surrender or I will be forced to kill you!¡± Her voice dropped so low that he almost missed what she said next: ¡°My first friend.¡±


    ¡°Ancestors hear my call,¡± Macken began.


    ¡°Come forth,¡± Was Lenna¡¯s retort as she dove at him.


    ¡°aid your child in crushing hi-¡± Macken¡¯s chant was cut off.


    ¡°ember of a dying star!¡± Lenna finished before he did and the fireball went off just behind his feet as her body impacted him. The force blasted them both off the ground and the air was forced out of their lungs. They twisted and flailed in mid air until they both hit the stone on their sides. Lenna kicked off the stone to end up on top of him and brought her fist down on his faceplate. ¡°I won¡¯t go back!¡± She yelled despite the two feet between their faces.


    Macken¡¯s fist impacted the side of her head as he shoved off the ground with one of his legs causing them to tumble to the side and all of a sudden their positions had switched. ¡°You are a dark elf not a human! Come home!¡± He ordered and punched her faceplate again causing the once broken rivet to break again.


    Lenna¡¯s faceplate twisted and only her one eye could still see but it was enough. ¡°Can¡¯t you see why I left?!¡± Lenna demanded and grabbed his faceplate with her free hand while she tried to swing for his neck with her sword. He caught her blade with his forearm and grabbed her other wrist with his other hand.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± He shot back.


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    ¡°Let my flames¡± Lenna began.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± He mumbled as her hand started to heat up.


    ¡°consume all before me.¡± She finished and a torrent of flames poured out of her hand and into his helmet.


    With a grunt, Macken ripped her hand free of his faceplate and flames shot into the air. His face was burned but only barely. He was missing his eyelashes, eyebrows, and some of his hair and his skin was surely going to peel later as if it had been badly sunburned, if he survived, but the flames were far from lethal under such short exposure.


    Lenna¡¯s fire cut off only for her entire body to start glowing with flickering orange flames. She let go of her sword and burned even more mana to enhance her punch as much as she could before it slammed into the side of his head, tossing him completely off of her. They both staggered to their feet. There was nothing but scorched stone and carnage around them. Anyone and anything that happened to get caught up in their fight had been blasted away or apart mercilessly. They were both breathing hard as their only visible eyes met. His faceplate had also broken at some point. Lenna reached up and ripped open the latch on her chinstrap and Macken did the same.


    They both ripped off their helmets and stared at each other with exhaustion, fury, and resolve set in their faces so thoroughly that they looked like they had been born that way. ¡°I¡¯m taking you home. It¡¯s for your own good.¡± He told her.


    ¡°Try it.¡± Lenna dared and threw her, now flaming, helmet at his face.


    ¡ª


    Isaac dodged backwards to avoid another slash from Jallen V¡¯Nova. Each of the paladin¡¯s attacks could¡¯ve ended him. Isaac had traded his invisibility for a low grade boost in strength and speed. He was finally faster than a Quickened Fable but it wasn¡¯t enough. The Quicken spell may have doubled the speed increase from his own boost but speed alone could not beat Jallen V¡¯Nova. Isaac quickly realized that the only reason he had even stood a chance was because Jallen was fighting off of intuition alone. Now that the paladin could see Isaac¡¯s every move the Mage was getting pushed back relentlessly. Isaac was forced to teleport again as he found himself completely boxed in by the spectral ancestors of the V¡¯Nova clan that Jallen had summoned.


    Jallen growled as Isaac slipped from his grasp again in a puff of black mist. The specters swore as they abruptly changed direction to continue their chase after the mage. Isaac could feel Jallen¡¯s general condition. He knew that the paladin had taken in enough poison to kill him five times over even with his near immunity to the liquid. The man¡¯s resistance had been far beyond what they had anticipated and his aura had been even worse. Jallen was so adept at controlling his aura and its effects on things that he had managed to keep the poison from spreading with willpower and aura alone. Now Jallen was almost healed completely. Isaac had an awful time getting a good read on how much mana the paladin had as the legendary grade items covering him from head to toe basically blinded the mage¡¯s mana senses.


    The cavern was alight as fire rained down over the battlefield behind the dueling monsters in mortal skin. Lightning flashed and both were washed in a watered down white light. ¡°You¡¯ll run out of mana eventually.¡± Isaac promised the paladin while maintaining distance.


    ¡°Not before you die.¡± Jallen promised and tossed his sword up before catching it in an all too familiar grip. Lightning fired and thunder rolled as two of the four specters were turned into gold and purple mist.


    Isaac grinned. ¡°I figured I should call my familiar over, if we are using summons.¡± He taunted as Jallen whirled on the skeleton dragon. Isaac immediately went on the offensive as soon as Jallen¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t entirely on him.


    Jallen launched his sword at the dragon despite the forty feet between them. Isaac¡¯s blade bounced off the side of Jallen¡¯s helmet causing him to stumble slightly before he spun around with a glowing fist that could¡¯ve killed either Isaac or Kahtesh outright. ¡°Die.¡± Jallen ordered through gritted teeth.


    Kahtesh hopped out of the way of the incoming glowing sword. He was not prepared for the weapon to be flying as fast as it had been and the sword¡¯s tip nicked the edge of his left wing. Kahtesh felt his entire left wing vaporize from the instantly imparted oathbound divine energy. He continued jumping around the outside edge of their tiny battlefield. The last two specters dove after Kahtesh as Jallen tried to finish off Isaac.


    Isaac jumped back as quickly as he could and threw all of his normal throwing spikes at Jallen at the same time to try and get some distance. He had prevented the paladin from executing Kahtesh and that would have to be enough. Jallen blocked his face with his forearm and that brief moment of being unable to see Isaac was enough for the mage to get out of the line of instant death that was the charging Jallen V¡¯Nova.


    Kahtesh didn¡¯t let any of his power flow towards his missing wing and instead directed all of it at his lightning rune. One of the specters flew through him and he felt power leave his body. His legs threatened to fall apart as he suddenly lacked enough power to move them. He turned as he fell and focused the trickle of incoming power from his master into his rune. It had almost been ready to fire before the specter had robbed him and he was going to make sure he got it off.


    Kahtesh turned his head as his legs gave out. He started toppling to the side because of the massive difference in weight. His existing wing drug him down as if it were made of lead. The little dragon opened his mouth with the last of his strength and thunder roared. Lightning split the air. The second of the pair of specters had been too slow in reaching the little dragon and had instead been positioned right in between Kahtesh and Jallen. The lightning moved through the specter as if it hadn¡¯t even been there, reducing the ancient being to a cloud of mist. The lightning continued until it closed in on Jallen and just¡­ fizzled.


    Jallen¡¯s aura stopped the incoming lightning bolt as if it were a city wall. The lightning went from nearly full power to a tiny spark over the course of a dozen feet. Jallen hadn¡¯t even felt the little dragon¡¯s strongest attack but at least he had finished off another specter. Kahtesh¡¯s eyes flickered out from the second pass of the still living specter right as he witnessed something he really wished he hadn¡¯t. Isaac had been hit by one of Jallen¡¯s attacks and it hadn¡¯t been a glancing blow.

 Chapter 95 A Dragon’s Roar.

    Chapter 95 A Dragon¡¯s Roar.


    Isaac continued kiting Jallen V¡¯Nova around the battlefield while trying to come up with a way to get through his nigh invulnerable armor and perfect defenses. Jallen¡¯s sword flew back into his hand without ever touching the ground as if it were a boomerang and Jallen used its momentum as he jumped forwards at Isaac. The sword yanked him towards the mage and Isaac was forced to teleport out of the way of the instant death that would¡¯ve been Jallen¡¯s crushing overhead blow. Jallen whirled on him and continued pressing the mage relentlessly as another thunderclap rang out and Isaac watched the lightning fizzle out a few feet from Jallen¡¯s side. He caught Kahtesh collapsing out of the corner of his eye.


    The dark mage felt the world suddenly speed up and he suddenly felt eighty pounds lighter. He tripped as he was retreating from the enraged paladin of legend that was hellsbent removing from him Primatia, permanently. Isaac¡¯s foot hit the ground with his leg entirely extended and his knee locked, throwing him off balance. Jallen¡¯s sword was flung at Isaac too quickly for him to react through his disorientation at the sudden lack of Quicken. It crossed the ten feet between them in a brilliant blink and slammed into his chest. At the same time he felt the tether between him and Kahtesh stop drawing mana. Kahtesh was dead. Isaac might¡¯ve been actually angry about that fact if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that the dragon was still mostly intact and he knew that he could just put him back together, if he survived the hit from Jallen that was.


    Jallen¡¯s sword immediately went dull as all of the radiant light was converted into searing heat and pain while being directly imparted into Isaac. The Amulet of the Hero around his neck shone with blinding white light as it tried its best to stop the attack entirely. The weapon impacted Isaac¡¯s chest sideways but the sword was not what was meant to kill him. There had been enough power in that attack to remove him from existence entirely. The Gambeson of the Guarded Soul tried its best to absorb a bit more of the lethal attack but the best it could do was keep the sword from cleaving through him. Isaac felt his entire chest and his left arm, that had been clipped by the edge of the blade near its tip, burn away to ash in an instant. The top half of his torso was mana pathways and little else.


    Isaac could almost feel his legs being left behind as his left arm was in a freefall. A chunk of his reserves were immediately consumed as a ripple of power washed out of him in a wave that forced back Jallen¡¯s aura as if it were a canoe in a thunderstorm on the ocean. Death flames extinguished themselves to ¡®kill¡¯ the damage that he had just received. Isaac¡¯s reserves were halved in that instant. As the dark mage¡¯s armor was thrown backwards, from the sword¡¯s impact with him, his legs, head, and the bottom half of his arm were tugged along by fragments of bone, muscle, tendon, and skin that had already started to reform. Isaac hit the ground hard and tumbled, feeling his healing get interrupted again and again by the hard impacts, before he finally stopped face down on the cold stone. A second later he took a deep breath in his new lungs for the first time.


    ¡°Ow.¡± Isaac breathed out while he slowly moved his hands under his shoulders to push himself up. He had almost blacked out from the sudden shock of pain but it seemed like the more times he had experienced the loss of body parts the better he was at handling it. Isaac shook his head to clear it as he pushed himself up onto his knees. He looked over at Jallen right as the paladin came back to his senses.


    Jallen had never experienced his aura being tossed back into his face like the child¡¯s sword in a sparring ring. He felt a ripple of what could have been fear resonate through his chest before his aura naturally rebuffed it. Jallen had no idea what the creature in front of him was but he did know that it wasn¡¯t human. No human had that kind of power. He felt no divinity from him either which ruled out a demigod showing up to try and bully him. His brain started working again as the creature of shadow and death locked its silver eyes with his. It was still on its knees and Jallen wasn¡¯t going to miss the opportunity to try and end it for good. He was running out of mana and could only pray to Dri¡¯El that the creature in front of him couldn¡¯t tell through his legendary armor. A thought went through Jallen¡¯s mind as he charged at Isaac: ¡®Who am I kidding? With that much power he knows exactly how empty I am.¡¯


    Jallen¡¯s sword flew into his hand and he brought it down in a quick chop towards Isaac¡¯s head but all he hit was a fading black silhouette, again. He spun around just in time to see Isaac¡¯s feet touch the ground. He had teleported thirty feet away and a few feet into the air so his legs had enough time to extend into a standing position. ¡°You know,-¡± Isaac began but was cut off.


    ¡°Send me back.¡± The last of the specters ordered Jallen. ¡°What you have angered, descendent, is not something for the living or dead to deal with.¡± Jallen threw the specter an annoyed glance. ¡°I will not aid you further.¡± Jallen cut the power flowing to maintain the summon and the specter was banished back to whence he had come.


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    ¡°Useless bastards.¡± Jallen muttered.


    ¡°As I was saying before your grandpa decided to go home and rest,¡± Isaac began again. ¡°that was the hardest I have ever been hit, bravo.¡± He said and started clapping slowly. A void opened up behind him and the unanimated bones of his favorite skeleton sank into it before vanishing beneath the surface. ¡°You are quite strong, for a mortal.¡± Isaac commented and took off the amulet of the hero and tossed it into his Inventory.


    ¡°What are you?¡± Jallen demanded and started to circle Isaac. If a spirit was afraid of what Isaac was then Jallen was going to be more careful. The feeling he got from his opponent suddenly changed. Isaac had gone from an assassin on the back foot to a god preparing to gift a mortal with the ability to witness their full power.


    ¡°That is a good question.¡± Isaac replied as Jallen continued to circle closer. ¡°The general consensus is a demigod who hasn¡¯t hit the threshold yet.¡± Isaac shrugged. ¡°I might be a dragon who likes to play at being a human though, who knows?¡±


    Jallen stopped in his tracks. Everything was starting to make sense. Way, way too much sense. Black dragons were known for being solitary and ruthless but if one decided to run against the grain, join the humans for the sake of entertainment, learn some mortal magic without ever leaving a territory he was comfortable in¡­ ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting to kill another dragon today.¡± Jallen commented and readied himself to charge at Isaac. If Isaac actually was a black dragon then he needed to end him instantly. With a dragon¡¯s level of mana regeneration he would never run out as long as he yet drew breath. Jallen would have to remove his head. The only other way he knew how to kill a black dragon was with an antimagic field but with the sorceress gone and no high level wizards around that option was out of reach.


    Isaac pulled a potion out of the air. The vial was small and he easily flicked the top off with his thumb. Jallen launched himself at Isaac but Isaac had the potion vial empty before Jallen could cover the twenty remaining feet between them. Isaac jumped back as he started to feel a burning sensation travel through him. The feeling radiated from everywhere the liquid touched. His mana pathways tingled with the strange power flowing through them but the rest of his body burned as if there was too much of something being forced inside of it. Isaac then felt his body start to break down from the strange power. ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± Isaac said as he touched the ground again and grinned at Jallen.


    Isaac¡¯s boost spiked as he cut off the flow of power going to maintain the drider skeleton back at the main battle line. All of his regeneration went into his boost which lost some power as it put his body back together but it was enough. Isaac threw a handful of his shadow orb spawning darts in front of Jallen and the paladin instinctively tried to jump back. On impact the darts exploded in shadows and Isaac launched himself through the shadows at the blinded Jallen before he could crush them with his aura. Jallen swung at Isaac but instead of dodging or blocking the attack Isaac teleported two feet further forwards. Isaac grabbed Jallen¡¯s wrist with one hand while he drove his other¡¯s fist into the paladin¡¯s head so hard a sound like shattering glass rippled across the mana in the area as the paladin¡¯s neck bent almost to an unnatural angle before abruptly stopping.


    Isaac kneed Jallen between the legs which launched him into the air but Isaac still held his wrist firmly in his grasp. Isaac turned and threw Jallen over his shoulder into the stone. That hit hadn¡¯t been hard enough to kill the paladin else the sound of breaking glass would have been heard again. ¡®Fine.¡¯ Isaac thought. ¡®If I act like a dragon, have powers like a dragon, then it¡¯s about time I start fighting like a damned dragon.¡¯ Isaac turned again and launched Jallen towards the nearest wagon a dozen yards away. ¡°HHHAAAAAAAA!¡± Isaac bellowed as he threw every ounce of inhuman strength he had into the spinning throw. Jallen¡¯s wrist, elbow, shoulder, and some of his vertebrae broke with the strain of getting spun and thrown with such force. Jallen impacted the side of the wagon and it toppled over despite the hundreds of pounds of medical gear inside.


    Isaac was tossed in the opposite direction as Jallen from his throw and his boots scraped across the stone as he tried to slow himself. He heard the sound of breaking glass again and knew what he had to do. It was time to break every one of Jallen¡¯s ¡®cheat death¡¯ items in rapid succession until the bastard finally died for real.


    ¡ª


    The massive pulse of death that rippled through the mana of the world brought every mana sensitive person in Safeharbor to a standstill and every other individual was brought to a cold sweat. The battle line seemed to hitch as the feeling of power from Isaac hit them from at least half a mile away as if they were standing next to him. Every available eye turned to face where the power had come from only for the power to vanish an instant later.


    Lenna and Macken were shocked out of their brawl by the ripple of power with a hand on each other¡¯s faces and the other raised to trade blows. ¡°Isaac.¡± Lenna spoke. They both were frozen and breathing heavily until the sound of the collapsing drider skeleton drew both of their attention. ¡°No, no, no, Isaac.¡± Lenna spoke in a panic before she turned towards where Isaac and presumably Jallen were.


    An inhuman roar resounded through the almost dead silent cavern as the faintest whisper of the wave of death from before was carried along with it. The impact of the roar hit all of those with mana pools before the sound did. The larger the mana pool the harsher the feeling of concentrated effort and bloodlust hit them. It was a feeling that only a handful of those present had experienced up close but every drow there had felt from a far at least once.


    ¡°A dragon¡¯s roar.¡± Fable spoke with worry on his face.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Edward said. ¡°It appears our demigod has had to work for his pay.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Esk¡¯s voice trailed off.


    Lenna¡¯s grin caught Macken by surprise. ¡°My mate.¡± She said and focused herself back on Macken. ¡°Last chance, old friend.¡± She offered the paladin in her grasp as another roar rang and rippled out. ¡°Surrender or die.¡±

 Chapter 96 Still Human?

    Chapter 96 Still Human?


    Isaac fell from the air directly onto Jallen as the paladin started to try and withdraw himself from the wreckage of the wagon he had impacted. Isaac¡¯s impact sent him back down into the crater of mushroom wood, cloth, and metal. Isaac grabbed Jallen by the breast plate with both hands and ripped him out of the crater and into the air with all of his strength and another primal roar of effort. The broken wagon beneath them shattered and Isaac¡¯s boots punch boot shaped holes through the mix of materials. Isaac teleported into the air above Jallen right as the paladin started to slow to a stop at the zenith of his flight. Isaac grabbed onto the paladin¡¯s helmet and planted his boots on the man¡¯s pauldrons. He used his entire body to yank Jallen¡¯s helmet off. The leather strap abruptly snapped and Isaac was tossed upwards with the helmet in hands and Jallen was forced downwards at an even faster rate.


    The snap of Jallen¡¯s helmet strap was accompanied by the sound of shattering glass, again. Jallen meteored towards the ground in a spin before he landed with a sickening crunch as dozens of his bones were broken at once. Jallen had landed on all fours and his elvish body had not been up to the challenge. He crumpled like a wasted draft of a love letter to the Reaper. Unfortunately the impact hadn¡¯t been hard enough to kill him out right, otherwise there would have been an accompanying sound of breaking glass. Isaac teleported back down to the ground, once his momentum had been sufficiently defeated by gravity, and appeared next to Jallen as the last of the paladin¡¯s mana reserves went dry while he tried to set his broken bones.


    ¡°I am going to show your men your corpse.¡± Isaac growled through the pain of the Ten Men potion trying to break his body apart. He felt like a dragon even though there was liquid fire burning through his veins. Jallen groaned and tried to move but Isaac could feel the man rapidly recovering. He had to have some kind of magic item assisting his healing and that was why it had taken so long for the man to run out of mana.


    Isaac yanked Jallen into the air again, only ten feet up this time, and dropped down to the ground while rocking back to roll into a handstand. Instead of doing a handstand Isaac kicked Jallen with the most powerful upwards attack he had. Using his entire body, Isaac spun and shoved off the ground with his hands while delivering what was effectively a stomp to Jallen¡¯s chest. The impact broke Isaac¡¯s wrists but it also would have snapped Jallen¡¯s neck if it weren¡¯t for another use of whatever had been saving his life. Jallen was catapulted up into the air again while the sound of breaking glass rippled more across the waves of mana than those in the air. He had been sent on a trajectory that would take him a hundred feet or so closer to the battle lines.


    Isaac teleported under Jallen while he was still flying in an upwards direction. He assisted the paladin¡¯s flight with another upwards kick to allow his wrists the second it took to make sure that they were completely healed. He teleported under Jallen again and used all of the momentum he had just given himself to punch straight up, from his slightly tilted perspective, into Jallen¡¯s spinning body. He teleported and kicked again before teleporting and punching again. The sound of his iron strong fist and Jallen¡¯s armored form rang out again and again until they covered three quarters of the distance to the battle line. Isaac let Jallen¡¯s momentum take him the rest of the way until the paladin started to fall but, by that point, Jallen was almost at the ceiling of the cavern.


    ¡ª


    The battle had maintained its standstill as the sound of Jallen being tossed around like a child¡¯s ball continued to ring out across the cavern. The civilians inside of the city had no idea what was causing the sounds but the fear of whatever monster it could¡¯ve been washed through them in waves. Both sides of the battlefield looked to the ceiling of the cavern as they watched a small object get hit by another one again and again in their direction. ¡°What is that?¡± Macken whispered. Lenna squinted her eyes but it was hard for her to see exactly what was happening at that distance and at that speed.


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    ¡°Jallen V¡¯Nova getting chain tossed.¡± Fable replied. He had a spyglass out and was observing the insanity going on in the air above them.


    ¡°Like what a flock of wyverns does to a stone turtle?¡± Esk asked in shock and horror. Wyverns were known to do the same thing that Isaac was doing to Jallen in order to get enough height that prey with tough shells would break apart on impact with the ground.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Fable replied simply.


    ¡ª


    Isaac planted his feet in the cavern¡¯s ceiling and launched himself downwards with everything he had. He impacted Jallen with both of his hands locked together in a downwards strike capable of breaking stone. Another of Jallen¡¯s ¡®cheat death¡¯ magic items broke with the resounding sound of breaking glass but the sound was almost entirely drowned out by the ringing steel drum that was Jallen¡¯s armor. Jallen was catapulted downwards but Isaac wasn¡¯t done. He teleported again and slammed Jallen with a stomp that further increased his speed. Isaac let himself slow to a stop in the air as he watched Jallen impact the ground right behind the drow formation. ¡®Fuck I¡¯m high.¡¯ Isaac thought before he started to fall.


    Jallen impacted the ground with so much force that the stone shattered beneath him and another one of his items broke. Isaac teleported next to the crumpled mess that was Jallen V¡¯Nova. ¡°How many of those do you have?¡± Isaac growled. Lenna had only been sure of one but this was total insanity. Jallen coughed up blood in reply. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Isaac said but was distinctly aware of the handful of seconds he had left of the Ten Men potion. Isaac grabbed Jallen by the collar and hoisted him up so his head was at Isaac¡¯s chest level. ¡°Die.¡± Isaac ordered the ancient paladin and drove his fist into the man¡¯s broken and bloodied face.


    The sound of breaking glass was followed by another powerful punch. The sound of breaking glass again, another punch that caused the nearby drow to flinch back. More breaking glass, another punch. More breaking glass, another punch. This one wasn¡¯t met with the sound of an item breaking instead of Jallen¡¯s life but rather an explosion of liquid. Jallen¡¯s head exploded from Isaac¡¯s punch. Bone was powdered while blood and brains were launched at incredible speed in all directions. Isaac dropped Jallen¡¯s corpse and looked up towards where the sky was hidden behind thousands of feet of stone as the last of the Ten Men potion wore out. ¡°YAAAAAAAA!¡± He roared towards the heavens with everything he had left. The impact of his primal roar shook the air around him and caused all of the drow nearby to take an involuntary step backwards.


    A yell of retreat rang out from somewhere among the drow formation followed by another and another. The drow formation split to go around Isaac who wasn¡¯t even paying attention to them anymore. His boost faded away as they parted to give him a wide berth. Isaac was breathing heavily as the exhaustion, from using the Ten Men potion and pushing himself to his limits and beyond, tried to force its way inside. Isaac continued to burn some of his mana regeneration to stave off the exhaustion but he knew that he really needed a good sleep. Maybe for a day or maybe for a few centuries.


    ¡ª


    ¡°I¡­ I surrender.¡± Macken said as he looked around. The drow soldiers around him were pulling back and he was still stuck in Lenna¡¯s grasp. Fable and Edward moved around the pair to cut off Macken¡¯s escape and he lowered his head. ¡°Lenna,¡± He began and she looked at him as he relaxed his posture. ¡°I won¡¯t be tortured or anything, will I?¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Not as long as you don¡¯t cause trouble.¡± She told him. ¡°Edward,¡± She said and looked towards the Guild Master. ¡°Can you take care of him?¡± She asked and Edward nodded.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He replied. ¡°Paladin, take off your armor.¡± He ordered Macken. ¡°I¡¯ll have someone bring you antimagic cuffs. As long as you cooperate we won¡¯t resort to what your people do as a pastime.¡±


    Macken nodded and slowly started fumbling for the latch to take off his gauntlets. Lenna chuckled. ¡°You still can¡¯t do it yourself?¡± She questioned. ¡°How old are you?¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡± Macken shot back but continued to fail at undoing the clip to release his first gauntlet.


    Lenna shook her head and grabbed his wrist before yanking it closer to her. With practiced ease she used the edge of one of the plates on her own gauntlet to unhook the latch. She grabbed his gauntlet and pulled it off of his hand before she stuffed it into his chest. ¡°Here,¡± She told him. ¡°I have to go make sure my mate is still human.¡± She said and started walking over the corpses of the fallen towards where she had last felt Isaac.


    ¡°Still human?¡± Macken asked after her but she either didn¡¯t hear him or didn¡¯t feel like responding.


    ¡°What is your name, paladin?¡± Edward asked. ¡°I am Edward, the Guild Master of Safeharbor.¡±


    ¡°And I am Michael, the magistrate.¡± Michael added and approached Macken while stowing his sword. ¡°You and I are going to be very well acquainted before you next see anywhere but a cell.¡± Michael sighed. ¡°However, other important drow prisoners are given what amounts to free reign in the city so if you are lucky you might get to see the outside world again.¡±


    Macken nodded at both of the men. ¡°Macken Cla¡¯Cen, just another knight.¡±

 Chapter 97 Dragon Standards.

    Chapter 97 Dragon Standards.


    Izen Arbencroft had been through his fair share of battles. Due to his position as a high noble¡¯s son, back in those days he was kept as an advisor more than anything. That didn¡¯t mean that he hadn¡¯t been forced to bloody his sword a time or two but it did mean that he had fought more assassins than soldiers on the battlefield. Most of his mortal on mortal combat experience had come when he was an adventurer. All of that was to say that he had never witnessed a retreat quite like the one that was happening at that moment. The drow soldiers were pulling back in two different directions to give the crater, where Izen could only assume Isaac and Jallen concluded their battle, a wide berth. The wizards were still being guarded by their respective knight-paladins. There were only a dozen knight-paladins remaining to the twenty wizards. Every single auxiliary wizard survived which just went to show how perfect the drow formation had been.


    The wizards were dumping the sulfur from their reality shields in the direction of his troops one at a time before they would drop the shield and retreat to the location of the next wizard behind them. In this way they could maintain protection from the ballistae in the event Izen ordered the siege weapons to re-engage. As the number of reality shields decreased the drow soldiers started to form up behind them for protection. The retreat looked like it had been drilled a few thousand times with how perfectly everyone involved executed it. ¡®They could do it once a week and have done it a thousand times by now.¡¯ Izen thought to himself. Elves had it easy as far as he was concerned. Their increased lifespan meant that their soldiers had more time to train at a more measured pace. The results were what he was watching at that exact moment. Even in the face of defeat they maintained composure and rolled like a well greased wagon wheel.


    Izen could only shake his head at the absurdity of the retreating drow military splitting into two sections in order to go around Isaac. He understood, at least he thought he did, why they were so afraid of him but it was still something that he was sure he would never see again. His eyes caught movement as Lenna strode through the field of corpses towards Isaac and he had to chuckle. ¡°Those two are going to be the death of me but, by Halya, I am glad they are on our side.¡± He said more to himself than to the Guard Captain next to him.


    Tim nodded. ¡°You and I both, my Lord.¡± He agreed.


    Izen panned his gaze over what was left of their side of the conflict. A third of those he had sent outside the walls were either dead or dying. ¡°Get the rest of the healers out there!¡± He ordered and the gate started to open again to allow clerics, to noncombat related deities, outside in an attempt to save as many lives as possible. The drow had taken roughly the same number of casualties. The difference was that three quarters of the dark elf casualties were spread out over a quarter of the line of contact. Fable and Edward alone had to have killed a dozen drow soldiers each based on their corpse distribution. Their line¡¯s casualties were opposite. The adventurers hand picked by Edward to aid them in the center had been top of the line and the soldiers on either side of them had been from his personal guard. They had received minimal casualties but the flanks hadn¡¯t been nearly as lucky.


    There were cheers ringing out through the ranks but they were muted by the very real casualty percentage. None of the drow bodies that were left behind were moving. All of them were dead as there had been enough knight-paladins spread out among them that no one was going to die from bleeding out. All of the drow casualties were deaths where around half of the human ones might still be saved with magic. Izen let out a long sigh but he couldn¡¯t keep a smile from his face despite the heavy cost of the victory. ¡°We did it.¡± He told Tim. ¡°Jallen V¡¯Nova is dead and we beat back a V¡¯Nova assault.¡± Tim was about to reply when movement caught their attention. ¡°Is that?¡±


    ¡°The dwarves.¡± Tim replied. They had finally made it to the battlefield, well, almost. They were still five minutes or so out. It also looked like they would only hit the right half of the retreating drow. ¡°Should we re-engage the artillery?¡±


    Izen shook his head. ¡°No. If any stray attacks hit Darkness then our whole city will be ashes by morning.¡± He replied. ¡°Let the dwarves have their fun. They are outnumbered two to one even after our battle but it should still be a good show.¡±


    ¡°Midget horse cavalry against V¡¯Nova shieldbearers?¡± Tim asked. ¡°Can the dwarves even do anything?¡±


    Izen chuckled and turned to head towards the steps that lead down from the wall. ¡°I will be fine alone, Tim. Take notes on the skirmish from there.¡± He told the Guard Captain and left to do his rounds. He had heroes to talk to.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Isaac?¡± Lenna said tentatively. He looked, quite honestly, like shit. His cloak had been lost at some point. His right boot was gone entirely and his left one looked like it would fall off if he took one more step in it. His leg armor was gone entirely on his right leg as was most of the pant leg leaving only ribbons of torn thread remaining. His left leg wasn¡¯t much better but at least she couldn¡¯t see his thigh. The Gambeson of the Guarded Soul, a legendary item, was entirely exposed as the few pieces of armor Isaac could find to wear over it had been completely destroyed. The gambeson itself had lost its color in a straight line from Isaac¡¯s right peck to his left elbow. The Lets of Quickness seemed fine but the Amulet of the Hero was nowhere to be found. Isaac looked exhausted as he gazed at the ceiling of the cavern.


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    Upon hearing Lenna¡¯s voice Isaac turned and gave her a genuine, if tired, smile. He raised an eyebrow. ¡°What happened to you?¡± He questioned without his smile dropping. He was aware that he also didn¡¯t exactly look presentable for polite company but Lenna¡¯s face had taken at least two good punches. The right side of her face was a bit swollen already and her right eye was bloodshot. Her braid was half undone and she had blood smeared down the right side of her face from barely sealed cuts.


    ¡°I met an old friend.¡± Lenna replied with her own tired smile. ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°My entire body was destroyed at least three times over by this mythical potion I had to drink because a certain, very dead, asshole refused to die.¡± He replied simply.


    Lenna gestured at his armor. ¡°What about the rest?¡±


    ¡°I hear uncommon gear isn¡¯t up to dragon standards.¡± He joked. ¡°Well, I see that it isn¡¯t, now. I really should¡¯ve taken them seriously.¡±


    Lenna closed the short distance between them and pulled him into a deep kiss. He returned it passionately and she felt his power start to wash into and through her. Death flames licked across her poorly healed cuts and soaked into her bruises. She melted into him while the pair stood over the corpse of the man who had haunted them for months, the man who ruled an entire city of warriors and slaves, the man known as a dragon slayer, the man responsible for tens of thousands of deaths over the course of his reign, her uncle, Jallen V¡¯Nova.


    ¡ª


    Izen had just finished thanking every single adventurer, soldier, and guard that was still conscious down their entire battle line. He stopped to talk to Edward and Fable for a few minutes and to get a read on their prisoner before he started off towards Isaac and Lenna. He waded through the drow corpses until he came upon Isaac and Lenna sitting on bloodied stone in front of a headless corpse. Isaac and Lenna were leaning against each other and they both looked exhausted from what he could see. They were facing away from him and were watching the dwarven cavalry harass the retreating drow soldiers with little success. From what he could tell the runes on the horse and dwarf armor alike had done their jobs. Every spell that was cast towards them was countered automatically while they threw vials of acid and hammers that returned to them at the soldiers. Some used crossbows from the rear and one even had his own wand to cast spells towards the drow. The most either side was doing at the moment was wasting gold and mana and that was likely to continue for at least the next ten minutes.


    ¡°Have a seat.¡± Isaac said without looking back. ¡°Standing has officially gone out of style.¡± He joked. Izen could tell that Isaac was exhausted, something that he had never seen for himself, he had to wonder how powerful Jallen had actually been.


    Izen walked around the pair and slowly lowered himself to sit a comfortable distance away from Isaac along the edge of the six inch deep, six foot wide crater. Izen groaned as he sat down. ¡°I am getting too old to sit on the ground.¡± He complained.


    Isaac chuckled and Lenna smiled. ¡°You didn¡¯t actually have to sit.¡± Isaac told him. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the duke to come the whole way out here to get us.¡±


    ¡°You killed the single greatest threat to Safeharbor. A threat that has existed since before its very founding.¡± Izen explained. ¡°It was the least I could do.¡±


    Isaac waved him off. ¡°He was going to keep targeting Lenna if we didn¡¯t take care of him when we had the chance.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Still,¡± Izen continued. ¡°you have done us a great service. A service that cannot be repaid in gold, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    Isaac finally tore his gaze away from the skirmish to look at Izen¡¯s face. The duke¡¯s face was¡­ heavy. Isaac could see the weight of the dead and the price of victory resting on his shoulders. Isaac could also see something else hiding just beneath the surface though, pride. Pride in what they had done, in their victory. ¡°A favor then?¡± Isaac asked.


    Izen nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied. ¡°A reasonable favor, please.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. After a moment he reached into his Inventory and pulled out the Amulet of the Hero that had saved his life, twice. ¡°What about this?¡± He asked.


    Izen looked at the shining amulet with a frown. ¡°I could petition to have it bestowed upon you for your service but I do not actually have the authority to give it to you permanently. As was said before, it is a national treasure.¡± Izen explained.


    Isaac tossed Izen the amulet. ¡°It was worth a try.¡± He said casually. It was something that Isaac would¡¯ve liked but with how many times Jallen had cheated death there had to be something better somewhere in the world. ¡°Actually, I have an idea.¡± Isaac said after a minute of the three of them continuing to watch the skirmish as it changed into an entirely defensive battle. The drow had formed up around their remaining wagons and the dwarves were trying to set fire to them.


    ¡°A reasonable one?¡± Izen asked. The question sounded serious but there was a small smile on the corner of his bearded face.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°That depends, it might be pushing it.¡± He replied honestly. ¡°You know that drider skeleton?¡± Isaac asked and waited for Izen to nod before continuing. ¡°I found out yesterday that it can still produce silk.¡±


    Izen turned slowly to face Isaac with genuine shock on his face. ¡°What?¡± He asked. Drider silk was the singularly most expensive, per pound, material in the world.


    Isaac grinned. ¡°So as far as favors go, I want to build a house to my own specifications, close to the dessert parlor preferably, but that is a bit out of my price range especially considering that all of the houses in that area are owned by the duke and reserved for noble visitors.¡± He finished. ¡°Of course that house will need to have a rather large workshop attached that can handle and protect all of the staff and equipment needed to make drider silk gear.¡±


    Izen was silent for a long moment as the gears started turning in his mind and numbers were crunched in record time. ¡°Counter offer,¡± Izen began. ¡°I will have all of it built and transferred into your names and take care of selling the goods in question for you, for a small cut of the profit.¡±


    Isaac frowned. ¡°The first batch is already getting taxed by the guild.¡± He countered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you sell that batch for free and pick up whatever the guild tax is for the rest of it but,¡± Izen raised a finger for emphasis. ¡°At least two thousand yards worth of material needs to be sold a year.¡±


    Isaac smiled and nodded. ¡°Deal.¡± He told the duke and offered him his hand. The duke took it. ¡°It¡¯s always a pleasure doing business with you.¡±


    Izen chuckled. ¡°I am afraid I cannot say the same. I feel like I have been robbed at least once during our deals.¡±


    Isaac laughed. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right.¡± The trio sat in silence for another minute watching the dwarves exercise in futility. ¡°Shy and Marie made it back safely, right?¡± He asked.


    Izen nodded. ¡°Yes, they even brought back Jallen¡¯s shield and killed all five of the scouts.¡± He explained.


    Isaac smiled. ¡°Good.¡± He took a deep breath and let it out in a huff. ¡°Well, we¡¯ve sat here long enough. I could use a bath and a nap, not necessarily in that order.¡±

 Interlude 6

    Interlude 6


    ¡°So the Mr. Nobody incident was one of Jallen¡¯s plots to burn Safeharbor¡¯s resources, along with great aunt Jalla¡¯s chimera, and regular raids that were incentivized by locking knighthood behind them.¡± Amaranth summarized.


    Isaac leaned back in his chair and stretched. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied. ¡°But it was more than that. They were compiling information on Safeharbor and Altia in general. Plenty of people had been taken as slaves and tortured for information. Izen, and even his father, had been using low level guards and adventurers to guard the caravans even within his own territory to keep any information regarding the real defenses of the city from getting leaked.¡± He explained. ¡°We didn¡¯t know it at the time but the empire had been stockpiling the information they had gleaned up until that point.¡±


    Amaranth frowned. ¡°The Drow Empire, right? I do not remember hearing about an invasion in recent history.¡±


    Isaac grinned. ¡°That¡¯s because we hit them first.¡± His grin faded. ¡°But that is a story for another time.¡±


    ¡°What ended up happening with the Windwalkers?¡± Amaranth asked.


    Isaac¡¯s face fell. ¡°We¡¯ll get to that. For now you should get back to your duties.¡± His expressions then flipped like a coin. ¡°I can test you for demigodhood whenever you want. I think you are ready.¡±


    Amaranth shook her head. ¡°No. I am not ready until I know the final spell.¡± She explained.


    Isaac laughed. ¡°Well I hope Lady Luck pays you a visit because I know the Fates won¡¯t be happy if you actually end up finding it.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of the greatest spell in existence, will we get to the romantic part soon?¡± She questioned with a bit of childlike brilliance in her eyes.


    Isaac laughed heartily. ¡°Yes my dear, we will get to when your mother and I broke the laws of existence to fuse our strands of fate together.¡± He got up from his chair and walked over to her before he planted a kiss on the top of her head. ¡°Now, it appears I have a visitor so I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Amaranth questioned. ¡°Who is it?¡±


    Isaac frowned. ¡°Judgment, again. It¡¯s always ¡®work this¡¯, ¡®good of humanity that¡¯, with him.¡± Isaac shook his head. ¡°Time to go see what he wants.¡± He finished and vanished without even a trace as if he had never even existed.


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    ---


    BONUS CONTENT


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    Calendar Month: 28 days Year: 12 months 336 days


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">The First of Each month is Full Moon the Fifteenth of Each month is New Moon</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Calendar Style:  Day/Month/Year</li>


    </ul>


    Current Date In Story: 15/6/1277


    <ul>


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Isaac Spawn Day: 21/1/1277</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Lenna Birthday: 9/5/978</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Amaranth VW Birthday: 25/12/1307</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Claus VW Birthday: 4/3/1334</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Cel VW Birthday 9/5/1360</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Serentia¡¯s Birthday 24/4/1234</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Izen¡¯s Birthday 10/10/1230</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Lucius¡¯ Birthday 7/2/1256</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Kingdom of Altia¡¯s Birthday 7/7/907</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">King Edwin Altia¡¯s Birthday 28/8/1245</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Queen Eris Altia¡¯s Birthday 1/9/1259</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Claus son of Rock¡¯s Birthday 27/1/1225</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Aria Tr¡¯Bore¡¯s Birthday 6/2/1002</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Celeste Ironeye¡¯s Birthday 22/2/1219 </li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Edward Sasston¡¯s Birthday 13/3/1233</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Alices Bittittel¡¯s Birthdays 15/5/1255</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Anniversary 8/4/1277</li>


    </ul>


    </ul>


    <ul>


    <li style="list-style-type: none"> </li>


    </ul>


    <ul>


    <li style="list-style-type: none"> </li>


    </ul>


    Magic!!!!


    Mana Colors


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">White(Sometimes called Light Mana(Yes it is confusing because people did not know the difference): Light/Life</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Red: Fire(Forced Combustion)/Heat(Positive Thermal)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Orange: Gia(Solid Matter Creation)/Kinetic(Negative)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Yellow: Lightning(Plasma Matter Creation)/Potential Energy(often in the form of static)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Green: Air(Gaseous Matter Creation) /Kinetic(Positive)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Blue: Water(Liquid Matter Creation)/Cold(Negative Thermal)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Indigo: Time/Soul</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Violet: Space(Holes)/Gravity(Spatial Compression) </li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Black(Sometimes called Dark): Shadow/Death</li>


    </ul>


    Dragons


    Dragons: Metallic


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Platinum Scales, White Eyes (Light/Life)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Gold Scales, Red Eyes (Fire/Heat)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Copper Scales, Yellow Eyes (Lightning/Potential Energy) </li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Silver Scales, Blue Eyes (Water/Cold)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Electrum Scales, Violet Eyes (Space/Gravity)</li>


    </ul>


    Dragons: Chromatic


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Red Scales, Red Eyes (Fire/Heat)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Blue Scales, Yellow Eyes (Lightning/Potential Energy)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">White Scales, Blue eyes (Water/Cold)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Green Scales, Indigo Eyes (Time/Soul)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Black Scales, Black Eyes (Shadow/Death)</li>


    </ul>

 Darkness and Hellfire - Volume Four: Judgment & Interlude 7

    Darkness and Hellfire


    Volume Four: Judgment


    The world looks so small from up here, and it is, but you must never forget what it is like for the mortals that have to live in our world. With the devotion and power you have comes an equal amount of duty and responsibility. Do not let them down. Do not disappoint your peers lest you be cast from our ranks like a fallen angel.


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Klein Fehnok</li>


    </ul>


    Interlude 7


    Amaranth felt like she was being watched even more than usual. ¡°Father?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Daughter.¡± Isaac replied from behind her.


    Amaranth let out a breath she hadn¡¯t realized she had been holding. ¡°I do not have eyes in the back of my head.¡± She chastised him while she began clearing her desk so the pair could get back to writing his and her mother¡¯s story.


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    ¡°You have something better.¡± Isaac countered. ¡°You are an archmage, a grandmaster of magic. I am stuck with only one color while you have free reign with all nine.¡±


    Amaranth rolled her eyes. ¡°Do not say that like you, and eventually Celeste, are not the most potent wielders of mana in the entire world.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°I almost had to correct you.¡± He told her. ¡°But you chose the right word, ¡®Potent¡¯. Time is still entirely unassailable, Granny Jikan is a monster.¡±


    Amaranth giggled. ¡°She would beat you half the way to Lua if she ever heard you call her that.¡±


    Isaac smirked. ¡°Good thing she is too cautious to enter anyone else¡¯s domain.¡± He replied. ¡°Speaking of, your mother and I will be gone for a while, again.¡±


    All humor left Amaranth¡¯s face. ¡°When? What are you fighting?¡± She questioned.


    ¡°Whenever Jeremiah is finished rounding up the gang.¡± Isaac replied casually. ¡°At the rate demigods move, a month or so.¡±


    When Isaac didn¡¯t continue, Amaranth pressed. ¡°You did not answer my other question.¡± She sternly reminded him.


    ¡°Our world is a focal point for a lot of things that are outside of your paygrade, my dear. Once you join our ranks I will explain things to you. For now, just focus on the mortal world within your reach.¡± Isaac explained gently. ¡°Now, enough talk about things that shouldn¡¯t be spoken of. Let us get back to writing.¡±


    Amaranth studied his face for a long moment before sighing. ¡°I guess that is that.¡± She conceded. ¡°If we are writing this then you should take the pen from time to time.¡±


    Isaac laughed. ¡°No one wants me to be the one writing it.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Now, where were we? Ah, yes, the battle had just ended and Izen had just joined me in a business venture of legendary proportions.¡±

 Chapter 1 Like A Turtle?

    Chapter 1 Like A Turtle?


    Isaac rose to his feet. His tattered clothes clung to his sweat, dirt, and blood covered skin. He offered Lenna a hand and gave her, bloody but healed face, a warm smile. ¡°I think a bath and a nap sounds wonderful.¡± She replied to his previous proposition.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Yeah.¡± He said and turned to offer the other person with them a hand to his feet.


    Izen took the offered hand and let Isaac pull him to his feet. ¡°I really am getting too old for that.¡± Izen complained but the smile hiding under his beard showed how serious he was being.


    The three of them all looked over the game of cat and mouse going on the better part of a mile away. ¡°Midget horses,¡± Isaac commented with a chuckle. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever get over that.¡±


    ¡°Their short legs can¡¯t reach the stirrups otherwise.¡± Lenna replied casually.


    ¡°Dwarven cavalry is certainly a sight the first few times you see them.¡± Izen agreed. ¡°Though I would be extra careful to not laugh at them. Dwarves are good at holding grudges when they want to be and the cavalry are actually quite skilled.¡±


    ¡°I can see that.¡± Isaac replied. They had been watching the dwarves, mounted on short and stocky horses, harass the drow soldiers, knight-paladins, and wizards relentlessly. The drow were still trying to save their remaining three wagons from the dwarves by the time the trio had decided to head back inside Safeharbor. Isaac looked down at the corpse in front of them. ¡°Lenna, each of us can take an arm.¡± He offered and she obliged. The pair drug the headless corpse of the tyrant of Contantis back to the gate of the city he failed to raid.


    The three living and one dead individuals passed over the corpses of fallen drow soldiers until they reached the area where the drow attack had been stopped cold. They had to pass over lines of sulfur from a certain Celeste Ironeye, also known as The Dawnbringer, who had rained literal fire and brimstone from the ceiling of the cavern onto the invading force. Izen shook his head as they stepped over more sulfur. ¡°The smell will take weeks to get rid of.¡± He complained.


    ¡°How can a level thirteen sorceress cause this much destruction?¡± Isaac questioned in awe. He had seen the spell while he was engaging with Jallen in a duel for the fates of Safeharbor and Contantis.


    ¡°You, you of all people, are asking that?¡± Lenna questioned.


    ¡°She uses a lot of spells from the Tactician archetype.¡± Izen explained. ¡°They all have an incredibly high mana control requirement, maximum mana, casting duration, and area of effect. It is a shame she can only do that once a day.¡±


    ¡°Is that how Catastrophe fights?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Izen shook his head. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know. Ask Fable, he has actually met her.¡± He replied to which Isaac nodded.


    ¡°Speaking of,¡± Isaac began as they came upon Edward and Fable who were watching the corpses of both sides as if they would soon get up and go back to war. ¡°Fable.¡± Isaac greeted the old hero. He gave Edward a nod as well but quickly turned his attention back to Fable. ¡°Does Catastrophe fight the same way as Celeste?¡± He questioned.


    Fable raised an eyebrow in question but answered anyway. ¡°Yes. She has an obsession with taking normal spells and exaggerating them until they reach cataclysmic proportions. Her Fireball is capable of annihilating a city block but it takes her a dozen seconds to cast.¡± Fable explained. He shook his head. ¡°She is the only demigod I have ever heard of who has to drink mana potions. She drinks them like water once she starts casting.¡±


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    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a chance those will be lethal?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Not if you make your own.¡± Lenna replied.


    Fable nodded in agreement. He took a breath to allow for the conversation to conclude before he changed topics. ¡°Is that him?¡± He asked while gesturing at the headless corpse Lenna and Isaac had been dragging along.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Want to peel him open like a can of spa-¡± Isaac winced. ¡°Ouch,¡± He grunted and rubbed his temples with his free hand. ¡°Crack him open like a turtle?¡± Isaac tried again and this time he didn¡¯t try to reference something he shouldn¡¯t, and still didn¡¯t, even remember.


    Fable glanced at Lenna to see her reaction but she just shook her head and sighed so he looked to Edward for an explanation of what had just happened to Isaac. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me.¡± Edward replied to his unspoken question. ¡°If they cared to explain, I¡¯d listen, but I won¡¯t press.¡±


    Fable turned back to the corpse. ¡°That is your bounty to loot so I will leave you to it.¡± Fable replied to Isaac¡¯s question and turned to leave. ¡°I should go check on my apprentice.¡±


    Isaac glanced past the departing Fable to see Esk and Mark sitting back to back with their helmets off and exhaustion on their faces. It appeared that Esk had invested in a helmet after their duel where he had lost in one move due to his exposed temples. ¡°Edward?¡± Isaac asked if the Guild Master was interested in finding all of the magic items Jallen V¡¯Nova had crammed onto himself.


    Edward shook his head. ¡°I need to see to the rest of the adventurers.¡± He frowned at the corpse. ¡°I do want to know his equipment list if you wouldn¡¯t mind, once we¡¯ve all had the chance to rest.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Sure.¡± He replied. ¡°I can do that.¡±


    Izen sighed. ¡°I would like to stay but if the duke is seen looting corpses like an adventurer then my noble reputation will fall even farther.¡± He complained.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you an adventurer for a while?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Izen nodded. ¡°Indeed.¡± He affirmed. ¡°Noble society seems to have forgotten about that, or they see it as my ¡®young and crazy days¡¯ and not as a pillar of time that has led me to where we stand today. Imagine how impossible this would have been without Edward, Celeste, and Marie.¡±


    Isaac swallowed. Those three had been anchor points for their plans. Edward had a direct line of communication with the scouts that kept an eye on places like Contantis to give them a long enough heads up as to not be blind sided by Jallen and his troops. That wasn¡¯t even considering how much of a monster the man was on the battlefield or the adventurers that he had requested join him in the center of the formation. Celeste¡¯s massive Heaven¡¯s Rage spell had kept the entirety of the V¡¯Nova¡¯s auxiliary wizards busy holding her attack at bay, even if it was only for less than a minute. The after effects of her spell even continued to keep them pinned down so the human battleline didn¡¯t have to worry about hostile magic. Marie and Shy had taken care of the V¡¯Nova scouts while Isaac was fighting Jallen, but even before that, Marie had killed the cleric to Dri¡¯El that had the ability to directly request their god for aid before he had the chance to do so.


    ¡°No thanks.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I don¡¯t want to think about how awful that would have been.¡±


    Izen chuckled. ¡°Thank you two, again, for this victory. It could not have happened without you, without most of us honestly, but you two had the largest parts to play and you played them admirably.¡± He offered each of them another handshake before he departed.


    ¡°And then there were two.¡± Isaac commented.


    Lenna pointed towards the gate where Claus could be seen leaning against a shield that was propped up by something unseen from hind. Aria was asleep with her head on his lap, clearly worn out from running out of mana. Claus had his armor off and some of his bare chest was exposed to the warm air in the cavern. The air had been cool but Celeste¡¯s spell had raised the entire ambient temperature in the cavern by a noticeable amount. Claus was bandaged heavily on his left side and his left arm was in a sling. When he saw them he gave them a big grin and jerked his head so they would approach. ¡°Three, with one more asleep.¡± She told Isaac and he chuckled.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go find out what happened to the big guy while we strip your uncle for items.¡± Isaac said and tugged on Jallen¡¯s arm that was still in his grasp. Lenna did the same and they were soon settling down to chat and loot with Claus and the sleeping Aria.


    ¡°Did you die again?¡± Isaac asked with a shit eating grin.


    Claus almost laughed but instead just winced and held his breath for a moment before he let it out slowly. He took another slow breath in before speaking. ¡°Hurts to breathe. No laughing.¡± He explained.


    Lenna reached out a hand and set it on his massive shoulder. She gave him some of her healing and focused it towards where she felt the worst of the damage was. ¡°You took a sword through your armor.¡± Lenna surmised.


    Claus nodded in both affirmation and appreciation. ¡°Paladin cut straight through.¡± He explained. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Lenna nodded in reply to his thanks. ¡°You actually died then?¡± Lenna asked. ¡°When was this?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°No, just missed my heart.¡± He replied to her first question. ¡°Right before the weird feeling.¡± He looked at Isaac with a quizzical look.


    ¡°My core was exposed to the air while I was still alive, and conscious, it was awful.¡± Isaac explained.


    Claus nodded. ¡°Makes sense.¡± He replied. Isaac wasn¡¯t sure what exactly made sense but he wasn¡¯t going to ask just for the sake of pressing the still injured man.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see why this bastard didn¡¯t die the first nine times I should¡¯ve killed him.¡± Isaac said and dropped into a crouch over the body of his assassination target. ¡°I hope it¡¯s reusable.¡±

 Chapter 2 Loot?

    Chapter 2 Loot?


    ¡°What is all this?¡± Isaac asked once they finally got Jallen¡¯s breastplate off. Pinned to his chest were eight brooches. Each had an onyx gem in the shape of the moon with gold enchantments woven through them. Connected to the back side of the gems were ribbons of various designs. They all had one very obvious thing in common, the gems had shattered.


    ¡°Medals of valor.¡± Lenna said quietly as she picked up the remnants of one of them. The gems¡¯ pieces were held together by what was left of the golden enchantments. ¡°I think I know what their enchantments do, based on what you told me of the fight, but I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    Aria groaned from her place next to Claus with her head barely taking up one of the man¡¯s thighs for use as a pillow. She sat up and rubbed her eyes before glaring at Isaac and Lenna. ¡°Can¡¯t a girl get a nap?¡± She asked and then saw the body and gear sprawled out in front of them. ¡°Oh?¡± She asked and sat up a bit straighter. ¡°What is that?¡± She eyed the equipment. ¡°Wait, is that his armor?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah, can you do the Identify ritual for these?¡± He asked and held up one of Jallen¡¯s medals.


    She reached out her hand and he tossed one to her. She peered down at it. ¡°I don¡¯t have to.¡± She replied. ¡°This is an inverted Deflect Death rune.¡± She said with furrowed brows. ¡°This spell is on the banned list.¡±


    ¡°The banned list?¡± Isaac asked.


    Aria nodded. ¡°Plenty of clerics to righteous deities, paladins of the crown or something justice related, and archmages study the list of banned spells so we know what to look out for and how to counter them. This spell trades another life for your own, though as an inverted enchantment, it trades its life for yours.¡± She hummed in thought. ¡°It is an ingenious application of a spell that usually can only be cast using a ritual, even then it only lasts for ten minutes without constant power, but with it made as an enchantment set up to use ambient mana to power itself with a range of inches instead of dozens of feet, yes, this is incredible.¡±


    ¡°He had seven more.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°They are medals for various deeds he did while in the service of the empire.¡±


    Aria looked up from it and met Isaac¡¯s eyes. ¡°You had to kill him eight times?¡± She asked incredulously.


    ¡°Nine.¡± Isaac corrected her and tossed the amulet he had just taken off of Jallen¡¯s corpse.


    ¡°A repeating Death Denial pendant.¡± She whispered in awe. ¡°Do you know how hard it is to get one of these?¡± She questioned Isaac.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No idea.¡± He replied honestly. ¡°Pretty hard if I had to guess though.¡±


    ¡°This could go for a quarter to half of a million gold at an auction.¡± Aria explained. ¡°This is a legendary item among legendary items.¡± She looked between the three other adventurers. ¡°Think about it, a pendant like this would allow you to fill a Bottomless Bag with nothing but blasting jelly, sneak into a castle or a dragon¡¯s lair, then blow all of it to Mount Celestia with the only survivor being you.¡±


    ¡°Has someone actually done something like that?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°How does the spell not get overloaded by the destructive force?¡±


    ¡°Death Denial is made to break. The spell takes all of the incoming, well, everything, and disperses it while it disperses itself.¡± Aria explained. ¡°That is why the spell will only ever work once unlike something like the Amulet of the Hero which is designed to absorb the damage, convert it to stored mana, and then release it as light, but,¡± Aria scoffed. ¡°no one has actually seen the Amulet of the Hero in use for a century.¡±


    Isaac coughed into his hand. ¡°Yes, a century.¡± He agreed.


    ¡°Wait, you had it with you? You used it?¡± Aria demanded.


    ¡°I just gave it back to Izen actually.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Thanks for the magic lesson though, I barely have to ask questions with you, unlike Alexander.¡± He grumbled.


    ¡°Anytime.¡± Aria replied. ¡°It is kind of my job, you know, as a priestess of a knowledge deity.¡±


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    ¡°Speaking of, what is the difference between things like acolyte, priest, cleric, and pope?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°An acolyte is still in training, they have not been given leave to go and do their own thing. Usually they are assistants to a priest or priestess.¡± Aria explained and handed the amulet and brooch back to Isaac. ¡°A pope is actually just someone who has reached level twenty. They have free reign over a church¡¯s resources and have to deal with a lot of high level politics. In between that is a priestess, so, me.¡±


    ¡°You are allowed to go off and get yourself into trouble without supervision but you also can¡¯t really use the church¡¯s resources unless it directly affects the church.¡± Isaac summarized.


    Aria scowled at him. ¡°I don¡¯t just go around getting myself into trouble, you know.¡± She pouted. ¡°Recently I have actually been saving others from trouble.¡±


    Isaac glanced at Claus then back at Aria but decided to hold his tongue. The only reason Claus kept getting hurt was because he was in the basement of the world protecting her. Otherwise he could have been on the surface dealing with normal surface level things. That didn¡¯t mean that everything on the surface was meadows and daisies but the level range of threats outside was much larger. Everything from a rabbit to an ancient dragon found their place under the sun but in general the danger was a lot less condensed.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Aria asked as she stared at some of the runes stitched into Jallen¡¯s under armor. She crawled a few feet over to get a better look. ¡°This is the Regenerate spell.¡± She explained while tracing one of the lines of the rune with her finger.


    ¡°That¡¯s not surprising.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I injected him with enough poison to kill all of us dozens of times over, collectively.¡± He explained. ¡°The man just wouldn¡¯t die.¡±


    ¡°These are still good.¡± Aria observed. ¡°A little worn out but they could last for another few years. They are always in use though so hiding them under something else isn¡¯t really an option unless you are wearing something twice as potent over top of it.¡± She looked at the armor that was covered in nothing but runes and patches of filigree between them. ¡°Like, well, like that.¡± She looked around. ¡°Where are his sword and helmet?¡±


    ¡°Um, about that, I have no idea.¡± Isaac replied while scratching the back of his head. ¡°Around?¡±


    ¡°Figures.¡± Aria complained. ¡°Now you don¡¯t have a-¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Marie cut her off as she appeared a dozen feet away and continued walking towards them. She tossed Isaac the helmet and started pulling the sword out of her Bottomless Bag. ¡°He has the full set because he almost hit me with the helmet.¡±


    Isaac looked at her with some confusion and then he remembered launching the helmet away accidentally. ¡°Oops. Sorry.¡± He replied.


    Marie shrugged. ¡°It scared the hells out of Shy but I saw it coming.¡± She dropped the legendary sword of the ancient paladin on the stone ground as if it were a sack of copper coins before she reached back into her bag to pull out the shield. ¡°You made me hike for this one.¡± She accused Isaac as she dropped the legendary shield onto the ground with just as little fanfare.


    ¡°Well, uh, thanks.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I heard your hunt went well.¡±


    Marie shrugged. ¡°It was fine.¡± She looked around. ¡°With that settled I should disappear before anyone starts asking questions.¡± She said and did just that. She vanished with nothing more than a smirk.


    ¡°That sounded cooler in your head!¡± Isaac called after her. The other three gave him odd looks. ¡°I had a pretty good one liner for Fina and Keith before we left and she told me it sounded better in my head.¡±


    Lenna shook her head, Aria rolled her eyes and chuckled, and Claus looked like he was about to start laughing but he reigned it in before he could reopen the wounds Lenna had barely sealed. ¡°We are going to need the ritual for the armor, sword, and shield.¡± Aria explained.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Just the sword. I can tell you what enchantments are on the armor and shield. His sword was special.¡± She explained. ¡°The armor survived Isaac throwing him from the ceiling.¡± She pointed into the air. ¡°That is all it does.¡± She looked over at the shield and picked it up gently before she gazed into the inlaid gems that stored mana for the deployable reality shield the size of a wagon. ¡°This is just a better version of what the wizards were using.¡± She explained. ¡°It powers itself.¡±


    Isaac didn¡¯t want to touch the sword but simply looked at it. ¡°That didn¡¯t try to steal my blood to heal him or anything like that.¡± He stated. ¡°It flew back to his hand when he threw it at me though.¡±


    Lenna raised an eyebrow. ¡°I thought it was new.¡± She commented. ¡°Aria, if you would.¡±


    Aria nodded and grunted as she got to her feet. She reached into her pouch and pulled out some of her magical chalk and got to work drawing out the ritual for Identify. The group continued to chat while Aria got finished working. She had just set the sword down in the middle when Edward returned. ¡°How many legendary items did you loot?¡± He questioned and leaned down to inspect the shield.


    ¡°A few.¡± Isaac replied.


    Lenna looked up towards the still standing Guild Master. ¡°Where is Macken?¡± She asked him.


    Edward raised an eyebrow. ¡°Michael is handling him.¡± He explained. ¡°As long as he doesn¡¯t try anything stupid he¡¯ll be treated well, Michael is a good person.¡± Edward assured her. Lenna looked like she was about to say something but he continued: ¡°He is in the high security cells under Michael¡¯s office.¡±


    Lenna closed her mouth and nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Your old unitmate, right?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes. We should go see him, at some point, in a day or two.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Alright. After dinner, a bath, and a nap.¡±


    ¡°Isaac, it¡¯s midnight. We had dinner six hours ago.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Second dinner.¡± Isaac replied confidently.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°After we figure out what enchantments my uncle¡¯s sword has.¡±


    ¡°Most definitely, my curiosity is killing me.¡± He replied. ¡°Speaking of,¡± He continued and handed Lenna the amulet Jallen had once worn.


    ¡°No.¡± Lenna replied and pushed his hand back.


    ¡°Why not, I can heal from almost anything.¡± He protested.


    Lenna narrowed her eyes on him. ¡°You just told me that Jallen almost killed you in one hit.¡± She reminded him. ¡°You will have that and you will wear it.¡± She ordered him. ¡°You make me worry enough that I think I deserve the peace of mind from knowing you at least have that equipped.¡±


    Isaac sighed but put the amulet around his neck. Unlike the Amulet of the Hero there was no fancy symbol depicting what it did for the wearer. It was a simple golden chain with a diamond sandwiched between two golden plates that had platinum engravings on them for the spell. ¡°Fine.¡± He grumbled. Isaac didn¡¯t want to die but he felt the same way about Lenna that she did about him. He had watched her get dropped by Fable in the arena and it had been a very stark reminder of exactly how mortal she was. He would have felt better if she had it but he did understand her point.


    A few minutes later the Identify was completed and what it showed surprised them all. It was also a huge disappointment for Isaac.

 Chapter 3 Satisfied?

    Chapter 3 Satisfied?


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ not what I was expecting.¡± Aria said while staring at the illusory panel in front of them.


    ¡°A standard returning enchantment, basic five levels of sharpening, twelve levels of hardening, and a Dawn Capacitor.¡± Edward read aloud.


    ¡°What¡¯s a Dawn Capacitor?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°A pretty standard enchantment for high level paladins. It stores the power imbued in the weapon from their aura until a time when a strike lands. What is odd is that it is only the basic variant.¡± Edward explained. ¡°He was really confident in hitting his targets reliably.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Aria agreed. ¡°As far as I am aware most high level paladins run a few Dawn Capacitors on their weapons.¡±


    Edward nodded. ¡°Yes, it almost guarantees a one hit kill on the first attack. It is really good against targets that are hard to pin down because it helps keep the paladin from wasting as much damage potential.¡± He explained.


    ¡°Will it work for Lenna?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°No.¡± Lenna, Edward, and Aria all said at the same time. Lenna looked to Aria and Edward nodded towards her as well.


    Aria cleared her throat. ¡°The Dawn Capacitor needs to be made with the user¡¯s specific aura in mind. From the ground up they need to be in sync. If they aren¡¯t then the Capacitor is likely to explode and take the weapon out with it.¡± She frowned down at the blade. ¡°It is effectively a wall ornament for any other paladin.¡±


    ¡°Damn.¡± Isaac swore. ¡°I was hoping to have fixed your weapon problem.¡± Isaac told his mate.


    ¡°It¡¯s still usable for other classes though. The Dawn Capacitor is great and all but it isn¡¯t a large part of the weapon really.¡± Aria explained.


    ¡°It is still a returning weapon with five levels of sharpening and twelve levels of hardening.¡± Edward added. ¡°It is a double platinum level sword but it isn¡¯t anything special up here.¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow at Edward. ¡°What do your swords have on them?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°I realized after our chimera incident that my weapons and armor were a bit¡­ outdated. I hadn¡¯t had a good upgrade for two decades so I decided to splurge.¡± Edward said with a grin. ¡°The sword I was using today was delivered to me yesterday morning.¡± He pulled his long curved sword out of its scabbard. The blade was five feet long and the handle was another foot and then some. Yellow lightning arched up and down the blade. ¡°Adamantine coated, five levels of hardening, nine levels of sharpening, tier two lightning enchantment. I had to be careful not to cut through their armor because I didn¡¯t want it to get stuck halfway.¡±


    Aria rolled her eyes. ¡°Boys will be boys.¡± She replied under her breath.


    Isaac chuckled and shook his head. ¡°How much did that cost you?¡± He asked.


    Edward¡¯s grin faded. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± He replied and Isaac started laughing.


    ¡°Well, with all of this out of the way, Lenna and I are going to leave.¡± Isaac informed them. ¡°Aria, Claus, if you need anything let us know.¡± He nodded towards the Guild Master. ¡°Edward, you know where to find me¡­ tomorrow.¡±


    Edward frowned. ¡°Thanks.¡± He grumbled.


    Isaac tossed Jallen¡¯s gear into his Inventory because Lenna hadn¡¯t taken her Bottomless Bag into battle with her and the duo left the paladin¡¯s corpse to be burned with the rest in front of the city. The ashes would be used as fertilizer. A fitting end for the man, who tried to raid Safeharbor, to be used as the food for the crops that would feed its citizens.


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    ¡ª


    ¡°Isaac.¡± Lenna whispered. She knew that he was awake by his breathing but she wasn¡¯t sure how close he was to falling asleep.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Isaac replied and rolled over to face her. He looked worn out but not sleepy. A type of tiredness that would take time more than actual sleep to cleanse.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel real.¡± She said quietly. ¡°Is it really over?¡±


    Isaac searched her face as her gaze looked towards a moon that was hidden behind two floors of an inn and another few thousand feet of stone. ¡°Gods I hope so.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I think, at least for now, we can relax.¡± He assured her. ¡°Jallen is dead, I killed him.¡±


    ¡°What if it was a body double?¡± Lenna questioned. ¡°You¡¯d never met him and I didn¡¯t get to see his face.¡±


    Isaac laughed. ¡°If Jallen had a body double that was that strong then he would have to be the head of the V¡¯Nova clan by now.¡± He explained. ¡°He was a monster unlike anything I have ever seen. He would have shrugged off everything Fable had to throw at him until the old man tired out, then he would have eviscerated his corpse for the fun of it.¡± Isaac continued. ¡°Without the Ten Men potion it would have taken everything Fable and I had at the same time to even have a chance at killing him and that was after I poisoned the hells out of him.¡±


    ¡°I want his corpse Identified.¡± Lenna said and sat up. The blanket fell from her bare chest and Isaac couldn¡¯t help but ogle. She put her hand on his face and turned to get up.


    ¡°Lenna,¡± Isaac began but was silent for a long moment before he sighed. ¡°if that is what you need, then so be it.¡± He said and joined her. Half an hour later they were back at the front gate, this time in street clothes, staring out at the four pyres reducing bodies to ash.


    Captain Tim walked up to them. ¡°Lord Wexler, Lady V¡¯Nova.¡± He greeted the pair. ¡°I was told you had retired for the evening.¡±


    ¡°We did.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Where is his body?¡± Lenna asked the Guard Captain.


    Tim raised an eyebrow. ¡°I take it you mean Jallen V¡¯Nova¡¯s?¡± He requested clarification.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± She replied.


    Tim nodded towards a headless body that had been placed off to the side. A team of guards stood around it to prevent anyone from getting too close. ¡°It¡¯s there. We were waiting for a priest to sanctify his body to prevent his resurrection before we burned it.¡± He explained. ¡°The problem was that all of our clerics had used up all of their mana. Most of them that are capable of performing the ritual have already left for the evening but one stayed behind specifically for our purposes. He is still resting.¡± Tim finished and gestured towards a cleric in bloodied, but still somehow shining, heavy armor with a shield and mace resting beside him. He was one of the clerics to a war god who had taken part in the battle.


    ¡°Has his corpse been Identified?¡± Isaac asked for Lenna.


    Tim shook his head. ¡°No, should it be?¡± He asked. ¡°Based on everything that had happened and some testimony, including the duke¡¯s, we were certain that it was him.¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I am certain that it is him too but it would still give some extra piece of mind if it were proven.¡± He explained to the Guard Captain.


    Tim nodded slowly and looked toward one of the wizards who were maintaining one of the pyres. ¡°Mr. Andison!¡± He called and the wizard turned to look at him.


    ¡°Yes, Captain?¡± The wizard asked.


    Tim waved him over and the wizard began to approach. ¡°I would like you to perform Identify on that corpse as soon as possible.¡± Tim told the man once he had gotten close enough that Tim could talk to him at a normal volume.


    The wizard nodded slowly and looked at the corpse Tim was gesturing towards. ¡°Isn¡¯t that supposed to be his corpse?¡± The wizard asked.


    Tim nodded. ¡°Yes. Please be quick about it.¡± He replied and the wizard gave him a worried look before he started jogging towards the small group of guards and the headless corpse. One of the guards had watched the interaction and looked to Tim for a last confirmation before he let the wizard into their open formation. Tim gave the guard a nod and he waved the wizard inside. A few minutes later and the wizard sat back. He sighed deeply and wiped sweat from his brow. By that point the trio of Tim, Isaac, and Lenna had arrived at the scene. ¡°Well?¡± Tim asked the wizard.


    The man turned back to look at the Guard Captain and grinned in relief. ¡°It is him.¡± He replied. ¡°Please don¡¯t scare me like that, Captain.¡±


    Tim looked at Isaac and then at Lenna. ¡°Satisfied?¡± He asked. He wasn¡¯t being rude as he had no way of knowing if there was some way that the Identify could have been misled so he was simply asking for clarification.


    ¡°What is his name?¡± Lenna asked the wizard. She needed him to say it out loud.


    The wizard paled slightly before he looked back at the corpse. He swallowed hard and then turned to face her. ¡°Jallen V¡¯Nova, ma¡¯am.¡± He replied.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Good. I am satisfied.¡± She replied.


    Isaac looked at the wizard incredulously. ¡°Why the reluctance to say a dead guy¡¯s name?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°He¡¯s not going to come back from the dead just because you said his name.¡±


    The wizard nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir, it¡¯s just that all of us who grew up here remember hearing stories about him.¡± He explained.


    ¡°What kind of stories?¡± Isaac asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Scary bedtime ones to keep you from leaving your bed at night?¡±


    The wizard¡¯s eyes widened slightly. ¡°Y-yes, sir.¡± He confirmed.


    Isaac wasn¡¯t sure if he wanted to cry out or laugh in surprise so he just stared at the wizard for a long moment. ¡°Oh.¡± Was his only reply after the wizard started shifting about uncomfortably under Isaac¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Well, if that is all,¡± Tim began. ¡°I must get back to work.¡±


    Lenna nodded to the Guard Captain. ¡°It is, thank you.¡± She told him and he returned her nod before he left to get back to whatever he had been doing before Isaac and Lenna had shown up.


    Isaac nodded towards the gate they had come from. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go get some sleep.¡± He told her. ¡°The relief alone looks like it¡¯s going to knock you out.¡±


    Lenna swayed her feet slightly. Her body had just gotten incredibly heavy. Her chest felt like it was heating up. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± She started to tip and Isaac hurried to catch her.


    ¡°Lenna? Lenna, what¡¯s wrong?¡± He demanded.


    Her hand clutched her chest over her core and heart as her jaw tried to set but she just felt so incredibly weak. ¡°Ancestors¡­ angry¡­¡± She got out before all the strength left her body.

 Chapter 4 Lovecraft.

    Chapter 4 Lovecraft.


    Lenna¡¯s body was threatening to burn Isaac¡¯s skin as he held her. ¡°Healer!¡± One of the nearby guards called out as Isaac focused on Lenna¡¯s condition. He sent a small trickle of death flames into her in hopes that it would help but he was at a loss. He could feel her aura lashing out wildly and he could hear the guards nearby backing away from them. The war cleric slid in across from Isaac and put a hand on Lenna¡¯s head. His own power flowed into Lenna. Isaac and the cleric realized something at the exact same time and both pulled their power back.


    ¡°More foreign power is going to make her condition worse.¡± The cleric said aloud. His voice was deep but not overly so and clear through his helmeted face. ¡°What is happening to her?¡± He asked Isaac and looked up so their gazes could meet.


    Isaac tore his gaze away from Lenna and met the cleric¡¯s soft green eyes framed in steel. ¡°I think she¡¯s leveling up.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°She¡¯s an Oathbreaker.¡± His eyes flicked towards Jallen¡¯s corpse. ¡°And her ancestors are furious.¡±


    The cleric glanced at Jallen¡¯s corpse following Isaac¡¯s motion and then his eyes widened as the entire image came to light in his mind. ¡°Got it.¡± He told Isaac and pulled his metal canteen from his belt before he poured it over her face and chest.


    ¡°What-¡± Isaac asked but cut himself off as he realized the cleric was just trying to keep her internal temperature down so she didn¡¯t die of fever. ¡°Shit, mine is at home.¡± He swore.


    The cleric shook his head. ¡°This is holy water.¡± He explained. ¡°It should help keep the spirits at bay. She had an oath to her ancestors, correct?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    The cleric nodded more to himself than to Isaac. He turned and looked around for something before shaking his head and turning back to Isaac. ¡°Help me carry her to the temple of Halya. They¡¯ll have the most holy water in the city.¡± He told Isaac and moved to loop Lenna¡¯s arm around his neck.


    Isaac got her other side and the pair started off in a fast walk. ¡°This is going to take too long.¡± Isaac asserted before they had even taken a dozen steps.


    ¡°Agreed.¡± The cleric replied. ¡°You!¡± He said while staring hard at one of the guards close by. ¡°Run to the temple of Halya and have them meet us with a few buckets of holy water. We¡¯ll head to the square and then up to them.¡± The guard nodded with wide eyes and then broke off into a run towards the temple. ¡°You!¡± He called towards another guard. ¡°Get a handcart, now!¡± The second guard did as he was told and bolted inside to find the closest cart that could be pulled by a person.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Isaac said to the cleric as they continued to haul Lenna inside. ¡°What if I healed her through the damage my mana would cause?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°I should be able to heal her through everything at once.¡±


    The cleric shook his head. ¡°No.¡± He replied. ¡°Her mana pathways are being reforged in the crucible right now. Who knows what the outcome of cooling off the sword before it¡¯s finished being forged would be?¡± He huffed and it was clear that he was still exhausted from the battle and its cleanup stage after it was over. The man truly needed some rest but had jumped to Lenna¡¯s aid in an instant anyway. ¡°It is never good to heal someone while they are leveling up and this is a dozen times more intense.¡± He explained to Isaac. ¡°We need to let her body properly adjust or it¡¯ll tear itself apart later. It isn¡¯t pretty.¡± The cleric finished. It sounded like he was talking from experience.


    ¡°Understood.¡± Isaac said with a nod. He wasn¡¯t happy about it but he wasn¡¯t going to risk anything when it came to Lenna. ¡°Why is it so bad this time?¡± Isaac asked more to himself than to the cleric.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    They continued on in silence for a short while until the second guard returned with a cart made to be pulled by a person. It was dusty and smelled of flour but it looked like it would work. ¡°It¡¯s the baker¡¯s.¡± The guard explained. ¡°He is expecting it back.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll get him a dozen of them later.¡± He said and, with the help of the cleric, laid Lenna inside the cart. Her legs dangled off the end and drug on the ground behind the cart but that was fine. Isaac ducked under the bar, picked it up so the front supports were off the ground, and then started moving. He moved slowly at first but steadily increased in pace until he was moving at a fast jog.


    ¡°The new moon.¡± The cleric said from beside Isaac. He had let Isaac pull the cart. Isaac had set a pace and even though the cleric was huffing and puffing he managed to keep up. ¡°She¡¯s drow.¡±


    Isaac thought about his answer. ¡°But this shouldn¡¯t be Dri¡¯El¡¯s doing.¡± He countered. ¡°It should only be her ancestors.¡±


    ¡°That are, existing, alongside, Dri¡¯El.¡± The cleric huffed out between deep inhales. A young woman, somewhere between the ages of twenty and thirty by Isaac¡¯s guess, met them with a bucket before Isaac could reply.


    ¡°Here.¡± She said quickly and handed the bucket to the cleric. He took it and unceremoniously splashed it across Lenna¡¯s entire front. ¡°Is that?¡± She started to ask but the cleric wasn¡¯t going to wait and answer her questions.


    ¡°There.¡± The cleric said and handed the bucket back to the acolyte. ¡°That should keep her cool enough for a minute or two.¡±


    Isaac, the cleric, and the acolyte all watched as the water steamed off of Lenna. ¡°We need to hurry.¡± Isaac said and started speeding up again. The cleric continued with him while the acolyte just stood by the side of the road dumbfounded. ¡°It¡¯s never been this bad before.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Not even when she leveled up twice at once.¡±


    ¡°Was it on a new moon?¡± The cleric questioned.


    ¡°No, but even still, this is half a dozen times worse, at least.¡± Isaac replied.


    The cleric nodded. ¡°Two, maybe three levels, at once, on a new moon, you need to be careful in the future.¡± He instructed. ¡°Expect this to happen again if you aren¡¯t careful.¡±


    ¡°I will be.¡± Isaac promised before they met another acolyte with more holy water. This time it was a young boy in his mid teens who had spilled a third of the bucket on his way there. With a quick splashed they continued on for three more buckets and six more blocks before they came upon the temple to humanity¡¯s patron goddess. The temple was made of white stone and stood twenty feet high before the flat roof began. The building was large and had large windows but it looked like it was designed to only waste vertical space. The corners were accented with columns built into them to give the building a more regal look and the double doors were propped open by a pair of bronze rods that fit perfectly into holes in the stone ground. ¡°Finally.¡± Isaac said and set the cart down to haul Lenna out of it and inside the building. The cleric had his hands on his knees panting.


    A priest met them by the door. He was middle aged and wore clean white robes. ¡°What is the matter? The guard explained nothing.¡± He questioned.


    ¡°Holy, water, bath, now.¡± The cleric replied through gulping breaths. He finally undid his faceplate but to Isaac¡¯s surprise, even with the mouth area open, the top half of the man¡¯s face was still covered. His helmet covered everything from the cheekbones up, almost like a mask.


    The priest nodded and ushered Isaac and the unconscious Lenna inside while directing acolytes to get a holy water bath ready. In a matter of minutes Isaac was finally able to rest Lenna into a stone tub ten feet long by five feet wide that was two feet deep. It looked like it had been made with goliaths like Claus in mind. Lenna¡¯s face visibly relaxed once she was submerged up to her neck in the water. Isaac and an acolyte held each of her arms under her armpits to keep her from drowning in the stone tub. Isaac brushed some of Lenna¡¯s hair out of her face and he could already tell that her temperature was dropping back down towards nonlethal levels. The risk of her organs shutting down from the heat had finally lowered enough that Isaac could breathe again. He let out a deep breath that he had been holding for only the gods knew how long.


    ¡°How is she?¡± The cleric who had helped them asked while he walked into the room.


    Isaac looked down at the, luckily still clothed, drow woman who was actively heating the entire tub of holy water. ¡°Better than she was but I don¡¯t know for how long.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°How long is this going to last?¡±


    ¡°Four to eight hours.¡± The cleric replied. ¡°I¡¯ll take over.¡± He told the acolyte who quickly handed her position away. ¡°Get another tub ready and call for a wizard to cool this one down once she has been moved. We¡¯ll be back and forth a few times before morning.¡±


    ¡°Yes, priest Lovecraft.¡± She replied and bowed on her way out.


    ¡°Lovecraft?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°Kind of ironic for a cleric of a war deity, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    The cleric chuckled. ¡°Just call me Harry.¡± He replied. ¡°Or Love, that¡¯s what they called me in the army.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stick with Harry, I can¡¯t imagine Lenna¡¯s face if she woke up and heard me call someone ¡®Love¡¯.¡± Isaac replied with a chuckle and shake of his head. ¡°Thanks for this.¡± He told Harry. ¡°I mean it. I don¡¯t know how I would¡¯ve handled it without you.¡±


    Harry nodded and leaned against the tub while he gazed at the ceiling with his eyes closed. ¡°You probably would have managed, though, for what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯m glad I got to help you two.¡± He replied. ¡°Now I won¡¯t feel indebted to you as much. I was born in this city and it was you two that led to what happened tonight.¡± Isaac was silent for a long while after hearing Harry¡¯s words and the two waited for the second tub of holy water to be ready for the Oathbreaker. Apparently all it took was genuine gratitude from a normal person to make Isaac Wexler speechless.

 Chapter 5 I Need No Shield.

    Chapter 5 I Need No Shield.


    Lenna felt almost weightless. Her shoulders and neck were sore for some reason. She felt a little cold as well but not overly so. A soft groan escaped her as she cracked open her eyes and took in the room. She was forced to squint under the glowing stone light. ¡°Where-¡± She cut her own question off once she heard how hoarse her voice was. ¡°I need water.¡± She said and turned her head to look around. The first thing she noticed was the stone tub that she was in. The second thing was a familiar arm looped under her armpit to keep her from sinking. The third, and most important in her opinion, was a pair of familiar, handsome, silver eyes. The eyes were framed in tiredness, relief, and love.


    ¡°Good morning, beautiful.¡± He said to her and kissed her forehead. ¡°How¡¯d you sleep?¡±


    ¡°Water.¡± Lenna replied in a croak. Isaac chuckled and withdrew his arm from hers and rose into a stretch.


    ¡°Okay.¡± He told her. ¡°I¡¯ll go get you some water.¡± He nodded towards her other side. ¡°That¡¯s Harry by the way. He helped a lot.¡± Isaac finished and headed out the door. Lenna thought the lack of an actual door in the doorway was odd but that thought was gone almost immediately as she realized her one side still had an arm looped through it.


    Lenna slowly turned her head the other direction to see who was still holding her. An enchanted steel form met her. The person was entirely wrapped in protection that still had blood on it in places but seemed to shine regardless of the grime. Lenna leaned back harder against the back wall of the tub to try and get a better view of the person but their helmeted head was lying on the edge of the tub facing away from her. She heard deep, rhythmic breathing coming from them and quickly realized that they were sound asleep. Lenna sighed and moved to get up.


    She slowly pried her arm out of the stranger¡¯s and rose to her feet while still in the tub. Water poured and poured off of her. Her clothes were entirely soaked. Lenna sighed as she staggered out of the stone tub and quickly had to sit on its edge. She still felt lightheaded and weak but she also felt something different. Lenna focused on the odd feeling and seemed to hear a string of words. She felt a sigil of magic. She knew the path mana would take and what it would do. She couldn¡¯t help but smile as she spoke the incantation in a whisper: ¡°The darkest depths of my rage are both sword and armor, for I need no shield.¡±


    Isaac walked in and stared with wide eyes as Lenna finished her chant. Shadows seeped out of her skin and tendrils of shadow seemed to float upwards and behind her as if they were lighter than air. Under the shadows a dull orange glow of hidden ancient embers burned. Lenna looked at him and smiled as she focused on her aura and coated herself in it. She used the increased strength from her aura to help her stand and she turned to squarely face Isaac. ¡°Hellfire.¡± He whispered.


    Lenna tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Is that really what it looks like?¡± She asked and then brought her hand up towards her face so she could get a good look. Sure enough, the flames of her aura were interposed with the shadows of her new spell. The look was ethereal and angry. The orange flames were full of blackness that promised ill and the shadows were filled with an ember of violence. ¡°Woah.¡± She added in a whisper of her own.


    ¡°How long can you keep it up?¡± Isaac asked as he reached out a cup full of water towards her.


    Lenna gladly took the extended drink and gulped it down before she handed it back to him. ¡°A while if this is all I¡¯m doing.¡± She replied. ¡°The spell is designed for efficiency it seems.¡±


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Isaac reached out and grabbed her arm. Lenna moved to flinch back so he wouldn¡¯t get hurt but stopped herself before she got very far. Isaac gave her a questioning look but didn¡¯t stop reaching for her. His hand was already on her bicep before she had enough time to shrug. Isaac¡¯s brows furrowed as he let the spell and her aura work on his hand for a moment. ¡°Ouch.¡± He said casually as he pulled his hand back and peered down at his palm. ¡°That is strange.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°The shadows, they aren¡¯t really shadows. They are some abomination of death, shadow, and a few other trace things. Something is definitely weird with the death aspect to it because it tried to kill my skin.¡± He explained. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t even be able to try to do that.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Your aura is hot as always though.¡± His eyes then narrowed on her. ¡°Should you be messing around already? I almost lost you, you know.¡± He added quietly and the sternness of his face relaxed into weary relief.


    ¡°Almost lost me?¡± Lenna questioned. ¡°What happened?¡± She asked and looked around. ¡°Where are we? Why are we here? Who is that?¡±


    Isaac chuckled and pulled her into a hug. She quickly cut the power to her new spell so it wouldn¡¯t attack him and returned the hug. ¡°You are starting to sound like me.¡± He commented and squeezed a bit harder.


    ¡°Isaac, what happened?¡± Lenna asked again with a bit of concern in her voice. ¡°I only remember¡­ Jallen¡¯s corpse was real.¡± She whispered. ¡°He¡¯s really dead.¡±


    The sound of metal on stone drew their attention and the third person in the room groaned as he sat upright. After a short moment his head snapped to the side where Lenna had been and he found the tub empty. He visibly relaxed and sighed. His gaze drifted up and he saw Lenna wrapped in Isaac¡¯s arms. ¡°Hello.¡± He greeted Lenna. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me.¡±


    Lenna nodded slowly. ¡°Isaac,¡± Lenna began in a whisper. ¡°you still didn¡¯t tell me who that is.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d leave you two lovebirds alone but I think I¡¯m going to need help getting up.¡± Harry said and wrinkled his face in pain as he shifted into a slightly less uncomfortable position.


    ¡°He helped me bring you here. He was also the one with the idea to keep you covered in holy water.¡± Isaac explained without letting go of her. The affection was starting to make her feel embarrassed with another person in the room.


    ¡°I see.¡± She replied and loosened her grip on him enough that he should have gotten the message to let her go. He did not. ¡°Thank you.¡± She said to Harry before she turned her full attention back to Isaac. ¡°Isaac, I¡¯m fine. You¡¯re embarrassing me in front of my benefactor.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate.¡± Isaac replied but didn¡¯t deign to let go.


    Lenna sighed into him and relaxed. ¡°Thank you¡­ Harry.¡± Lenna said to the cleric.


    ¡°Glad to help.¡± Harry replied. ¡°Speaking of help, Isaac, could I get a hand?¡±


    Isaac finally let go of Lenna and she gave Harry an appreciative look. The cleric just chuckled and held out his hand so Isaac could drag him to his feet. Once on his feet Harry groaned in pain again. ¡°Getting old?¡± Isaac teased the cleric who grinned in reply.


    ¡°Like my father before me.¡± Harry said and blinked sleepily a few times. ¡°Thanks.¡± He told Isaac. ¡°I¡¯m going to find a bed, I know they have empty ones here somewhere.¡± He told Isaac and moved to leave. ¡°Lady V¡¯Nova,¡± He bid adieu to the paladin. ¡°thank you for everything you did last night.¡±


    Lenna didn¡¯t get a chance to properly reply before Harry was already gone. ¡°So¡­ who was that exactly?¡± Lenna questioned Isaac again.


    ¡°Just a cleric who was born in Safeharbor and is happy that your uncle is dead.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Nice guy.¡±


    Lenna just looked at her mate and shook her head. ¡°Does everyone either love or hate you?¡± She questioned even though she already knew the answer.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a love or hate thing that you are noticing. Everyone has a natural fear of others. For most it is a one out of a hundred on the fear scale.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Some people just express their fear as anger.¡±


    Lenna hummed in thought and nodded her head slowly. ¡°Then why doesn¡¯t my aura make some people just lash out at me?¡± She questioned.


    ¡°Your aura isn¡¯t just a fear effect, my love, it is a suppression effect as well. It makes people feel like they are prey and then makes them afraid.¡± He explained. ¡°Like a dragon¡¯s presence, according to the books anyway, Kahtesh is too small for me to know for sure.¡±


    Lenna leaned into Isaac and yawned. ¡°Let¡¯s go home, so I can sleep.¡± She told him. ¡°I am too exhausted for this right now.¡± Isaac chuckled and scooped her off of her feet much to Lenna¡¯s surprise. She barely held back a yelp. ¡°Isaac! Put me down!¡± She exclaimed in a whisper only for shadows to cover them both.


    Isaac grinned and started walking towards the exit. ¡°No.¡±

 Chapter 6 Lifespan?

    Chapter 6 Lifespan?


    ¡°Isaac?¡± Lenna said with her head on his bare chest. She could tell that he was already starting to sweat from her body heat. Her own high temperature tolerance was so high that she barely felt their shared heat.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Isaac questioned and rested his hand on her head.


    ¡°Would you give me anything I wanted?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac frowned in thought. He wanted to say yes but the way she had asked it worried him. ¡°Why?¡± He questioned. ¡°This seems like a trap.¡±


    Lenna smiled but didn¡¯t reply for a long moment. ¡°Because there is something I want, though, I¡¯m not sure how you would handle the request, let alone the actual object of my desire.¡± She replied. It was clear to Isaac that every word she spoke had been carefully chosen to give as little away as possible.


    ¡°And what, my dear, is the ¡®object of your desire¡¯?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°A Wish.¡± Lenna replied simply.


    ¡°A wish?¡± Isaac said with furrowed brows. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what we are talking about?¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No. Not a wish, a Wish. The spell that remakes the world, that bends fate.¡± She explained.


    Isaac hummed in thought. ¡°Can what you wish for not be done by other means?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Lenna,¡± Isaac began. ¡°what do you want to change about reality and fate?¡±


    Lenna was quiet for a few long breaths before she shifted positions so she could look into his eyes, the eyes that mirrored her own. ¡°When I was a girl, I was sneaking around the manor, like all children do, and I found myself hiding around a corner while I listened to one of the slave women telling a story to her daughter.¡± Lenna began. ¡°The story was of a hero and a princess. The hero had just finished saving the princess¡¯s kingdom from a dozen dragons. In the end, her father bestowed her to the hero for saving their kingdom. At first the princess was resentful for being married off to, what she imagined to be, an ugly brute who only knew war. What she found instead was an elvish man who had once been handsome but was now covered in scars that magic couldn¡¯t heal. The two eventually found love, as the princess realized that the hero was a man who hated bloodshed, but had taken up the sword and the bow because he was the one who had the power to save the innocent people of the kingdom. The hero realized that the sheltered princess had an iron will and a loving heart.¡± Lenna turned and grabbed a cup of water that had been resting on the nightstand.


    ¡°It sounds like it should be a classic ¡®happily ever after¡¯ but there is more, isn¡¯t there?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna nodded after she finished her water and took a deep breath to continue. ¡°One day, long after their children had grown and moved on, a man came to their home. The princess was old and her back was bent but the hero still looked the same age as the day they had met. The man that arrived was a mage. Not just any mage, but a Fate Weaver. He told the hero that he could grant him any singular wish, for the hero had saved his life from the gaping maw of a dragon all those decades before. The hero knew immediately what he wanted his wish to be but before he could say anything his wife spoke up: ¡®You could get rid of your scars.¡¯ She offered him, for she knew how much he hated seeing them every morning in the mirror. The hero shook his head and made his request to the mage: ¡®Bind our strands of fate. Make us truly one. She is the only reason my life was worth living until our children came into this world¡­ but I do not wish to watch them all grow old and die only to end up alone for the next few centuries.¡¯¡± Lenna had to stop for more water which came in the form of her emptying Isaac¡¯s cup as well.


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    Isaac watched her with great interest. The story had pulled him in and her revealed form had as well. ¡°You¡¯re killing me.¡± He told her and she smirked before she settled in to finish the story.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t much left to finish. The mage used the power of the Wish to fuse their strands of fate into one. From that day on the hero aged at twice the speed until the day they died of old age, together, holding hands, as their strand of fate finally reached its limit.¡± Lenna finished.


    ¡°That is an incredibly heartwarming story but I¡­¡± Isaac¡¯s voice trailed off and brows furrowed. ¡°You aren¡¯t saying what I think you are saying, are you?¡± He asked her.


    Lenna climbed back into bed and rested her head on his chest again before she closed her eyes as if to sleep. ¡°What if I am?¡± She asked innocently.


    ¡°Then you are even crazier than I thought.¡± Isaac replied simply. ¡°Listen, Lenna, I¡¯m afraid of my time getting cut short as much as any other maniac who takes to the battlefield to earn a living, but this is different. Are you saying that you want to almost halve your remaining lifespan?¡± He questioned with incredulous seriousness.


    Lenna nodded lazily. ¡°I have been thinking about that story more and more recently.¡± She explained. ¡°But yes, that is what I am saying.¡±


    ¡°Lenna.¡± Isaac said her name with a seriousness that demanded attention and she opened her eyes to gaze into his. ¡°Why?¡±


    Lenna raised an eyebrow in question before she chuckled and rolled onto her back to gaze through the ceiling. ¡°What do you mean ¡®why?¡¯, Isaac?¡± She asked. ¡°I made up my mind to stay with you until the day you died of old age a while ago. The recent events have caused me to think about the time after a bit more. When you almost died in the Poison Bubble trap I was terrified. When you and Fen nearly killed each other in the Guild Hall I was terrified. When you were taken through a wall by a hungry Tunnel Horror I was terrified. When I saw the state you were in after the battle with my uncle I was worried at first, but then the more I learned about the battle the more a pit large enough to swallow me whole formed in my stomach.¡± She turned her head to look into his eyes again. ¡°If we share a strand of fate then that means we can not die alone. Neither of us. We would live and die together whether from age or injury.¡±


    Isaac''s face moved through countless emotions in moments as Lenna tried to read it. He wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about her throwing centuries of her life away to buy him just as much time. He loved her too much to take all that time from her but there were definitely some parts of the deal that he could get behind. If they were bound then he would always know what condition she was in. He also knew how she felt. The only times he could remember ever being truly terrified were the times when Lenna was truly in danger. He felt every blow he watched her take in his heart. He was very good at compartmentalizing things so it rarely ever influenced his actions directly but he still felt them. Isaac sighed heavily. ¡°I need some time to think about this.¡± He told her eventually. ¡°Do you know a Fate Weaver?¡± He asked.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°I know of one.¡± She replied. ¡°The last one alive as far as I know.¡± She explained. ¡°Fable said that we should go talk to him about what types of things you need to look out for.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s brows continued to furrow. It happened enough that Lenna was sure that if it wasn¡¯t for the blessing from Zei Isaac¡¯s brows would have stayed furrowed until the day he died. ¡°Cainen Su¡¯Sol the Fate Breaker.¡± Isaac said at last. ¡°Isn¡¯t he like, older than dirt?¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Fable said he has to be over eight hundred years old.¡± She reminded him.


    ¡°How long is the average elf lifespan?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Seven to eight hundred.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Isaac said in realization.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°As he is the only one alive, as far as I know, who could do it, I want you to agree before he dies.¡± She explained.


    Isaac nodded slowly. ¡°I see.¡± He replied slowly. ¡°But I will still need some time.¡±


    Lenna flipped over on top of him. She gazed down at him with a smirk on her lips and her intense silver eyes on full display. ¡°What can I do to help you say yes sooner?¡±


    Isaac scowled at her. ¡°I am Darkness.¡± He reminded her. ¡°I cannot be bribed for I am the one bribing.¡±


    Lenna laughed into him as she shut him up with a kiss. ¡°I don¡¯t think that is how that works.¡± She argued half heartedly. ¡°I remember hearing about the god of killing being murdered.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s brain couldn¡¯t keep up with all the different directions it was trying to go because of everything his mate had said and done. ¡°Wait, what? A god can be murdered?¡± He questioned but Lenna was having none of his curiosity.

 Chapter 7 Status

    Chapter 7 Status


    ¡°It¡¯s dinner time, you two.¡± Aria complained from a table near the stairs to the second floor in the Celestial Dawn.


    Isaac waved her off. ¡°We only got back after the breakfast rush was over.¡± He replied and sat down at their table with Lenna. Claus gave them a nod in greeting but otherwise didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Why?¡± Aria questioned, suddenly worried.


    ¡°Hellfire over here¡¯s level up almost killed her.¡± Isaac explained with a frown. ¡°We spent most of the night in the temple of Halya with Lenna unconscious in a tub of holy water.¡±


    ¡°How did they keep the water cool?¡± Lenna questioned. She hadn¡¯t thought about it until just then.


    ¡°They didn¡¯t.¡± Isaac replied dryly. ¡°Harry and I had to carry you back and forth between two tubs. Once the pyres were good on their own, one of the wizards, the one we got to do the ritual, came by and used ice magic on the water until it wasn¡¯t steaming anymore.¡±


    ¡°It was steaming?¡± Aria interjected.


    ¡°Like a good cup of tea.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°We checked her temperature and it was well over lethal, even in the holy water, so much so that her bare skin was too hot to touch.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re alive?¡± Aria questioned with a look that seemed to doubt if the Lenna in front of her was real.


    ¡°And well rested.¡± Lenna replied. She looked at Claus and nodded at him. ¡°You look better than you did yesterday.¡±


    ¡°One piece again.¡± Claus replied with a grin.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Anyway, what brings you two around here?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Have you seen your Status after the battle?¡± Aria leaned in and questioned.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°I feel pretty much the same now as I did beforehand.¡± He explained. ¡°We should look at Lenna¡¯s though.¡±


    Aria glanced at Lenna for confirmation and Lenna just shrugged. ¡°Good.¡± Aria said. ¡°Let¡¯s get right to it. I have my chalk and Celeste said we could use the roof.¡±


    ¡°You already asked her?¡± Isaac asked with a chuckle.


    ¡°Obviously.¡± Aria retorted and moved to get up.


    ¡°Hold your horses there, living library.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°We need food.¡±


    Aria plopped back down in her seat with a huff. ¡°Fine, but can you make it quick? We¡¯ve been here for like two hours.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°You could have knocked on our door.¡±


    Aria scowled. ¡°Celeste wouldn¡¯t tell me which room was yours.¡±


    Isaac laughed and looked over his shoulder towards Celeste who was at her usual place behind the bar. She noticed him and gave him a smile. ¡°Thank you!¡± Isaac called over to her with a thumbs up. Celeste just laughed and shook her head. Isaac turned back to see a very not amused look on Aria¡¯s face. ¡°What? We needed our beauty sleep.¡±


    ¡°I needed my beauty sleep, you are cheating.¡± Lenna cut in.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Are you sure we can¡¯t do yours first?¡± Aria questioned.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Mine won¡¯t be that different compared to last time.¡±


    Lenna sat down in the middle of the chalked out ritual on the roof of the Celestial Dawn. The quartet talked about the battle they had taken part in the previous night while the ritual pulsed through Lenna time and time again until finally it had finished. Once it was done, all of them, save for Claus, crowded around the illusory projection.


    Name: Lenna V¡¯Nova Race: Elf (Dark) Age: 299


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Height: 5¡¯11¡±   Weight: 158  Eyes: Silver


    Skin Tone: Grayish Dark Purple   Hair: Silver Level: 16


    Strength: 18           Dexterity: 13    Constitution: 18


    Intelligence: 14       Wisdom: 14    Will Power: 19


    Total: 60 + 36


    Class: Paladin - Oathbreaker  Multiclass: N/A


    Skills: Stealth, Athletics, Insight, Survival, Perception, Arcana, Language: Innerworld Standard, Language: Elvish, Language: Dwarvish, Language: Gnomish, Language: Overworld Standard, Language: Orcish, All Weapon Combat, Unarmed Combat, Mounted Combat, Horsemanship, All Savings Throws.


    Blessings: Lua (Small healing overtime based on the phase of the moon.)


    Curses: Ancient¡¯s Revenge (Spells known through your class are both altered and reduced in number.)


    ¡°You aren¡¯t level seventeen?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°I thought for sure, with how bad your level up was, that you would be at least that high.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°I knew I wasn¡¯t level seventeen. My mana is almost strong enough to cast a fifth level spell.¡± She explained.


    ¡°That new spell is fourth level then?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes, it really isn¡¯t that strong, just a general boost to damage resistance and a slight boost to outgoing damage.¡± She explained.


    ¡°How does it boost outgoing damage?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°It causes heat imparted by my attacks to linger longer, along with the pain of receiving the attack.¡± She explained. ¡°It is quite sinister.¡±


    ¡°And the damage resistance is just because there is another layer between you and the attack.¡± Isaac surmised to which Lenna nodded. ¡°Also, you lost weight.¡± He pointed out.


    ¡°I did not.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°And even if I did, most women would appreciate losing a pound or two.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s eyes narrowed on her. ¡°Make sure you are eating enough. We just finished dinner, you should be a pound heavier not lighter.¡±


    Lenna rolled her eyes dramatically. ¡°It¡¯s one pound Isaac.¡±


    ¡°See!¡± Isaac explained. ¡°You did notice that you were down a pound from last time.¡±


    ¡°Lenna¡¯s status is packed beyond all reason.¡± Aria cut in with a hint of awe in her voice. ¡°All weapons? Six languages? What kind of paladin has Stealth on their listed skills?¡±


    ¡°One with too much time on her hands.¡± Lenna explained and all but pushed Isaac into the middle of the ritual.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Aria stopped them. ¡°I have to reinforce the lines.¡± She hurriedly got up and started tracing over her old ritual with fresh chalk. A short while later Isaac was the one sitting in the middle of the ritual and another ten minutes later it was finally done.


    Name: Isaac Wexler  Race: Human  Age: 20


    Height: 5¡¯10¡±   Weight: 158  Eyes: Silver


    Skin Tone: Pale      Hair: Black Level: 11


    Strength: 16           Dexterity: 16    Constitution: 16


    Intelligence: 19       Wisdom: 19    Will Power: 16


    Total: 60 + 42   Polarity: Dark


    Class: Mage - Dark   Multiclass: Impossible


    Talents: Dark Mana Manipulation, Deflection


    Skills: Stealth, Deception, Persuasion, Intimidation, Insight, Performance, Unarmed Combat, One-handed Sword Combat, Polarity Sense.


    Blessings: Zei (Eternal Youth: You will still die when your natural time comes, however you will always look as you do now.)


    Curses: N/A


    ¡°That¡¯s new.¡± Lenna commented as she looked over Isaac¡¯s stats. He scrambled around to see what she was referencing.


    ¡°Oh.¡± He said upon noticing what she had. ¡°Wait, I could have multiclassed before?!¡±


    ¡°I guess so.¡± Aria replied with a frown. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone with ¡®Impossible¡¯ listed in their multiclass section.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten stronger.¡± Lenna commented with a knowing smirk.


    ¡°And gained weight accordingly.¡± Isaac¡¯s brows furrowed again. ¡°How are you stronger than me but we weigh the same?¡±


    Lenna smirked. ¡°V¡¯Nova family secrets.¡± She replied.


    Isaac rolled his eyes. ¡°Oh? And what might those be?¡± He asked.


    ¡°My muscle fibers are genetically stronger per density compared to yours.¡± She said simply. ¡°That and my class helps.¡±


    ¡°And you say I¡¯m cheating.¡± Isaac grumbled under his breath. ¡°What did they feed you as a child? Steak and iron shavings?¡±


    Aria snorted a laugh and Claus¡¯s roaring laughter echoed off the stone roof. Lenna tried to scowl at Isaac but Claus¡¯s laugh was contagious and she couldn¡¯t help herself from chuckling along with him. Once the laughter had died down Lenna made another observation: ¡°You gained Insight as a skill. I guess you hadn¡¯t proved it sufficiently before.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah, I knew that one was only a matter of time.¡± He replied. ¡°Do you think Jallen¡¯s poison resistance would have shown up on here?¡±


    Aria shook her head. ¡°No.¡± She said before anyone could make any postulations. ¡°There is a ritual that is that in depth but this one is not.¡±


    ¡°Probably the ones Alexander and Jala use.¡± Isaac commented.


    Aria nodded. ¡°From what you have told me about the crazy aunt, and with what I know about court mages, that is most likely accurate.¡± She replied. She then looked at Isaac¡¯s shadow. ¡°What about the little one?¡± She asked.


    Isaac frowned and gestured away from them, but still on the roof. A moment later a pile of bones loosely resembling a dragon were pushed out of the void that had opened up. Kahtesh¡¯s extra-lifeless body was sprawled out. Aria stared wide eyed at the dragon with her hand over her mouth. ¡°Those specters really did a number on him.¡± Isaac said and walked over to rest his hand on the top of the dragon¡¯s skull. He closed his eyes and started dumping death flames, shadows, and pure dark mana alike into the dragon. Shadows reached out from the skull and clung to the first vertebrae of the neck and then worked their way down through the dragon¡¯s entire body until he was a dragon missing only a wing and shadow of a soul. Soon the missing wing was back and then finally a pair of orbs formed made entirely of death flames in the dragon¡¯s eye sockets. Kahtesh was back.

 Chapter 8 Soulshadow.

    Chapter 8 Soulshadow.


    ¡°While Aria is remaking the ritual for our favorite dragon,¡± Lenna began. ¡°Isaac, did you notice something else¡­ unexpected on your Status screen?¡±


    Isaac hummed in thought before his eyebrows shot up and his eyes went wide. ¡°I leveled up?!¡± Isaac exclaimed. ¡°When?¡±


    Aria looked at him incredulously while she traced over the old ritual again. ¡°I have no idea.¡± She said with sarcasm almost literally dripping off of her tongue. ¡°Maybe it was when you challenged a living legend to a duel and killed him?¡± She asked innocently.


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac replied seriously. ¡°I don¡¯t level up like that.¡± He explained. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I ever have. I know earlier on, I leveled at a strange pace but I was also converting my mana pathways while everything else was going on. Actually, when we checked my Status at level eight it showed my Polarity at eighty something percent. I would bet my life savings on my tenth level up happening the exact moment when I finished converting my mana pathways. We couldn¡¯t figure out how I was supposed to level beyond level ten but now, all of a sudden, I am level eleven. Something happened and we need to figure out what it was.¡±


    Aria hummed in thought as she got back to work. ¡°What strange thing or new power did you unlock recently?¡± She questioned.


    The group was silent while Aria worked for a few seconds before Isaac¡¯s frown caught Lenna¡¯s attention. ¡°Did you figure it out?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I think so.¡± He looked over at Kahtesh and then back down at the ritual. ¡°When I first started recreating Kahtesh he was bound to my shadow before he even started forming.¡± He began. ¡°When I recreated Shaeo it was different. I just remade her. It was that simple. They both require my mana to maintain function while out and about but Kahtesh is always with me. I can¡¯t put Shaeo in my shadow. She¡¯s, at the very core of her being, less connected to me, less¡­ real, I guess.¡±


    ¡°So you used your magic in a slightly different way and all of a sudden you leveled up?¡± Aria asked incredulously. ¡°If that isn¡¯t cheating I don¡¯t know what is.¡±


    ¡°Aria, how many different ways can you think of to use shadow and death in a way that isn¡¯t just straight manipulation if you can¡¯t use spells?¡± Isaac asked her.


    Aira shrugged. ¡°There has to be at least twenty.¡± She replied. ¡°If it is that easy then you can just do them all and jump straight to twenty and become a demigod or whatever.¡±


    Isaac looked at Aria like she had grown a third ear. ¡°You sound uncharacteristically unenthused about something interesting.¡± He told her.


    Aria shrugged. ¡°Demigod ascension is not one of my fields of study. Yes it would be interesting to see and experience, because it doesn¡¯t happen often, but it isn¡¯t something new or unheard of.¡± She explained. ¡°I hope I am around to see it happen first hand but I won¡¯t be heartbroken if I miss it.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°That¡¯s fair I guess.¡±


    Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try to do something new again and we can see if you level up?¡± Lenna offered to get them back on track.


    ¡°Like what?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Well, are there already eleven different weird things you can do?¡± Aria asked.


    ¡°Let me think.¡± Isaac began and held up his fingers to start counting. ¡°Dark vision, that was the first one, Zei taught me how to do it but I was already level one before then.¡± Isaac said with a frown. ¡°Maybe my Dark Mana Manipulation talent was my first level ability?¡±


    Aria nodded. ¡°Most likely. The first level for mages is when we can cast our first spell. They are intrinsically tied together but for a cleric it is a side effect of our bond with our god.¡± She explained. She hummed in thought. ¡°But I think freeform death and shadow manipulation was most likely the actual first level ability for you. The talents seem separate from class related skills and abilities.¡±


    Isaac nodded along. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s assume that is true for now.¡± He began again. ¡°Level two was Dark Vision, level three was my Shadowcloak that let me go invisible when we first met.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think there are eleven here.¡± He said. ¡°Kahtesh, Shaeo, teleportation through shadows, boosting myself, healing through death, healing others through death, fueling an effect through a strand of mana¡­¡± Isaac shook his head. ¡°That is only ten and even then the levels that I got them didn¡¯t match up with when I leveled up.¡±


    ¡°That is because before level ten you were leveling up from mana pathway conversion.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°And you have done other things. Maybe your shield made of concentrated mana, or maybe, your mana trying to keep you alive even when you aren¡¯t conscious is a skill, I have seen, and you have told me of, multiple instances, where it seemed to have a mind of its own. Every one of those times it was to save you.¡±


    Isaac hummed in thought with his hand on his chin. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right. Ugh.¡± He ran his hands through his hair. ¡°But now we are at twelve and I am only level eleven.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good thing.¡± Aria cut in. ¡°It could just mean that some of it might be considered one thing instead of two or you might have gotten more than one thing at level one. This is uncharted territory.¡± She said with some excitement but not as much as she had in the past. It felt, to Isaac, like he was becoming less interesting of a specimen to her over time.


    ¡°Alright¡­ we can roll with that hypothesis for now.¡± He conceded. ¡°We can turn it into a theory by causing me to level up right now. I need an idea of something that I can do that isn¡¯t just normal freeform mana manipulation. Help me out.¡±


    Aria¡¯s gaze became distant as she worked and thought at the same time. Lenna¡¯s face got a little more set and rigid in deep contemplation. Claus just watched them all, more content to just spend time with them and enjoy their antics than actually looking to be helpful. Isaac¡¯s brows threatened to power through his blessing from Zei and change their default state to ¡®Furrowed¡¯.


    ¡°Alright¡­ I admit, this may be more difficult than I expected.¡± Lenna conceded.


    ¡°I have one I can try.¡± Isaac said and sat down against the inside of the fence crowning the top of the Celestial Dawn.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Aria asked and looked up from her work that she had just finished. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I use shadows to see in the dark, what happens if I use death to see?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that just happen naturally when you are boosting yourself?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No.¡± He replied. ¡°When I am boosting myself I am adding new death mana to my output and guiding it. Shadows are still being fed to my eyes.¡±


    Aria stepped out of the circle and looked at the little dragon. ¡°Kahtesh, step into the middle of the circle but be careful not to smudge any of the chalk.¡± She instructed and the dragon looked to Isaac for confirmation. Isaac chuckled and nodded his head and the dragon complied. Aria turned to look back at Isaac. ¡°That¡¯s new.¡± She said. ¡°He seems very¡­ aware.¡±


    Isaac nodded again. ¡°He is completely sentient, more or less.¡± He explained and waved her off. ¡°He¡¯ll listen to you unless he doesn¡¯t understand it or it goes against an order I have given him.¡±


    ¡°He just questioned my directive though.¡± Aria argued.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s my familiar not my foot, what do you want me to tell you?¡±


    Aria rolled her eyes. ¡°You are basically creating life¡­¡± She looked back down at Kahtesh. ¡°unlife, life adjacent, sapience? Whatever. You should know how much control he has over himself and if he can disobey you or not.¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t really see the point. Kahtesh is more than willing to jump into any trouble I tell him to and that is good enough for me. He knows that I am not going to throw him at something just for him to get destroyed. He doesn¡¯t really have any reason to disobey me when I am the one powering his Soulshadow.¡± He explained.


    ¡°Soulshadow¡­ that¡¯s what you¡¯ve taken to calling it then?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°It is self explanatory and doesn¡¯t sound awful.¡± He explained. ¡°Anyway, let me focus. While our little buddy is getting scanned I¡¯m going to try and create a new skill.¡±

 Chapter 9 Black Dragon

    Chapter 9 Black Dragon


    Isaac felt the constant trickle of shadows that flowed up from his core, up the front of his neck, out to his jaw muscles, around and over top of his mouth, up behind his cheekbones, into the receptors in the back of his eyes, encapsulating the inside of his eyeballs, and finally ending behind his lenses. The trickle of shadows was so incredibly thin that just observing it showed Isaac exactly how thin he could make a strand of mana. All of this happened by itself. He had guided the mana to its endpoint all those months ago but he had never needed to focus on maintaining the mana¡¯s movement. It had been natural as if that was always the way that the mana was supposed to go. He took one last deep breath before his resolve set and he forced what he had started calling an ¡®aspect shift¡¯.


    Isaac had shifted dark mana to shadows, shadows to death, and death to dark mana countless times before. It had come naturally for him as they were all technically the same things. Mana was not water but it sure liked to act like it a lot. If someone thought about dark mana like water then death flames were ice and shadows were steam. They were all simply water but in different forms, showing different aspects. As Isaac aspect shifted his shadows into death flames, he miscalculated one small thing. His death flames still needed his immediate guidance. As soon as he completed the near instantaneous shift everything broke apart and the rooftop was cast in dark shadows.


    Suddenly the ceiling of the cavern could no longer be seen. The details of Lenna¡¯s face existed only in his memories. The lamp Aria brought up kept his eyes from properly adjusting to the incredible darkness of the world around them. ¡°How do people live like this?¡± Isaac asked. His gaze drifted up towards the ceiling. An impenetrable void opened up before him. He shook his head and focused inwards again. This time he manually guided death flames from his core up through the same path he had felt his shadows take. It took a fair amount of control to follow the exact path until the mana finally seemed to slot into place. In an instant, Isaac¡¯s vision went black. He recoiled slightly as even the glow of the lamp had vanished.


    Isaac looked down and was bombarded by information. The first, and most obvious, thing he noticed was his mate¡¯s soul. Her soul blazed with an almost blinding white. It shed no light but it was like a reverse silhouette. He couldn¡¯t keep himself from squinting in her direction at first as his eyes adjusted to her blinding presence. Another thing he noticed was the thread reaching from his chest to his shadow and then from his shadow to Kahtesh. The little dragon was glowing a soft white as he sat in the middle of the ritual circle staring back at him. Aria and Claus were almost the same brightness as each other and were a bit brighter than Kahtesh but not nearly as bright as Lenna.


    ¡°Am I seeing your levels?¡± Isaac asked.


    Aria stopped and hurried over to him to peer into his eyes. ¡°Why?¡± What do you see? Your eyes are eerie.¡±


    Lenna approached at a more measured pace. ¡°Indeed. All I can see is death flames.¡± She looked over at Kahtesh. ¡°Very reminiscent of your shadow.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I can sort of see the outlines of objects. If this is how Kahtesh sees things then I feel bad for the little guy.¡± Isaac said and looked like he had just taken a bite of something sour as he tried to look at Lenna from so close. ¡°You¡¯re so bright.¡± He told his mate.


    ¡°Oh?¡± She asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to take some time to adjust to this.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Your soul is very bright. Far brighter than anyone else''s.¡± He said and looked down at his own hands. He was a little brighter than Claus but not by much. ¡®Now that I look at it¡­ I can see myself getting a little brighter¡­ unless it¡¯s just my imagination.¡¯ He looked up at Aria. ¡°I think I¡¯m leveling up.¡±


    Aria¡¯s eyes widened a little. ¡°It really is that easy for you then.¡± She grumbled and stood up straight. ¡°We can test you again after the dragon is done.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°We can do that.¡± He agreed. ¡°For now, I¡¯m going to take a minute to get used to this.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Aria replied with a nod. ¡°Explain everything you see in as much detail as you can.¡± And explain he did until Kahtesh¡¯s Identify was finished.


    Isaac blinked a few times to help his eyes readjust as he switched back to his normal Dark Vision. His Soul Vision, as he had come to call it, lacked definition at best and was disorienting at worst. The reason he had cut short his training time with it active was because Kahtesh¡¯s Identify was finally finished. They crowded around the illusory screen for a third time and what Isaac and Lenna saw shocked them greatly.


    Name: Kahtesh Race: Golem (Bone - Dragon - Blue)


    Length: 9¡¯1¡±  Weight: 98   Eyes: N/A


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


    Height: 4¡¯1¡±  Scales: N/A   Level: 6


    Strength: 21           Dexterity: 11    Constitution: 21


    Intelligence: 6         Wisdom: 6    Will Power: N/A


    Total: 60 + 0


    Talent: Lightning Dragon Breath, Flight


    Blessings: Familiar of Isaac Wexler (Small healing over time as long as you are receiving mana from your master.)


    Curses: Familiar¡¯s Curse. (You can only exist as long as you are receiving mana from your master.)


    ¡°Kahtesh,¡± Isaac said with some concern in his voice while he turned to look down at the dragon. ¡°Did you know that you could level up?¡± Kahtesh tilted his head to the side in a very dog-like manner. ¡°You don¡¯t understand level ups at all do you?¡± Isaac further questioned and Kahtesh rocked his head to the other side. Isaac frowned. ¡°I didn¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°How precise is your communication with him?¡± Aria asked.


    Isaac tilted his hand back and forth in a ¡®so-so¡¯ gesture. ¡°He can understand my intent flawlessly but the return is hazy. He can send feelings back to me but they are usually very¡­ it feels like I just got hit by a runaway cart full of whatever he is feeling in the chest. The first time it happened was when he was stuck and the mushroomancer was bullying him. The panic I felt almost brought me to my knees.¡± He explained. ¡°Why?¡±


    Aria shook her head. ¡°Just curious.¡± She replied.


    Isaac turned his attention back to his familiar. ¡°Have you noticed yourself getting abruptly stronger, smarter, or faster?¡± Kahtesh swooshed his tail back and forth and straightened his head. ¡°Like just now? A few minutes ago maybe?¡± Kahtesh swooshed his tail back and forth faster. Isaac reached out and scratched the top of the dragon¡¯s head absently while he turned his attention back to his mortal companions. ¡°I think his level is equal to half of mine. Every time he levels up he gets an extra point into every stat. He gets a little smarter, faster, stronger, more aware, and harder to put down.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°I can see that. He hasn¡¯t grown at all but his quality is increasing with your level at a one to two ratio.¡± She agreed.


    ¡°Last thing we can do is double check that your level has just gone up.¡± Aria said. ¡°But something is bothering me,¡± She began with a frown. ¡°The first time we did this your level up had been slow. Right now, if Kahtesh is anything to go by, then your level up was almost instant.¡±


    ¡°Over the past five minutes or so, yeah.¡± Isaac agreed.


    ¡°How?¡± Aria questioned. ¡°Why is it so much faster?¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°The only thing I can think of is that it is far less of an increase compared to back then. I wasn¡¯t receiving a fifty percent increase but a nine percent one. That and the fact that my body is properly aligned with my power now and it was definitely not back then.¡± He replied.


    Aria thought about his answer for a few seconds before nodding. ¡°We should really be writing all of this down.¡± She told him. ¡°If there is ever anyone else with a True Mage class then having reference material would be beneficial.¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°From everything I have learned, the odds of that are almost nonexistent.¡± He countered. After Aria retraced the ritual, again, Isaac sat through the ten minute duration until his level up could be proven and sure enough it was. The only thing that had changed on his Status screen was that he was now level twelve.


    ¡°I think that proves all of our hypotheses correct.¡± Aria said with a content nod. ¡°You know, I had this other hypothesis a while back, it was actually based off of dragons.¡± She began. ¡°I cracked open an old reference text on black dragons, only drow ever really have to deal with them as they prefer the Innerworld, and their powerset seems very similar to yours.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°I should probably check it out then.¡±


    Aria nodded. ¡°Black fire coursing through their veins, an aura that can kill from ¡®the intensity of the feeling of being about to die¡¯ alone, vanishing from sight and coating their bodies in liquid shadows that seem to blunt all incoming attacks, nigh unstoppable regeneration.¡± She explained. ¡°The way dragons typically level is with age alone, as far as we are aware, and I had assumed that it would be the same for you. Obviously that was incorrect but it still seems like it would be much more logical than learning a new skill and suddenly getting a power boost.¡±


    Isaac had to cede the point. ¡°Yeah, that would make more sense considering our similarities but I definitely prefer this way.¡±


    Aria gave him a very unamused look. ¡°Yes, I would imagine so, you get to have the powers of a black dragon without any of the drawbacks.¡± She retorted.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t use spells.¡± Isaac countered.


    ¡°Use?¡± Aria asked. She latched onto his turn of phrase like an eagle¡¯s talons on a fish.


    Isaac scratched behind his head sheepishly. ¡°I may have copied a shadow spell from a grand master shadow sorcerer and used it against him.¡± He admitted. ¡°The problem was that it lacked any real substance. It was just a shadow of the original spell.¡± He said his pun with a shit eating grin.


    ¡°Puns are an art form in some parts of the world.¡± Aria mentioned.


    ¡°Oh really?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°This is not that part of the world.¡± She finished with a cold stare. ¡°But that is off topic. Explain to me how you cast the spell and what was weird about it.¡±


    ¡°Aria, how and what do you think?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°I can only use dark mana and I have an entire dragon¡¯s worth of it, apparently. I just copied what he said, word for word, and dumped power into it until it worked. The spell made shadow tendrils that were supposed to grab onto someone and hold them in place. My shadow tendrils didn¡¯t have any substance to them so they were useless but they looked convincing enough, I guess, at a glance.¡±


    Aria nodded in thought. ¡°I wonder if a spell crafter could make you a spell.¡± She thought aloud. ¡°If you ever find one who can, let me know, I want to see a spell that only uses a tiny part of the mana spectrum. It would be interesting at least.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I can do that.¡± Isaac agreed. After a moment of silence he continued: ¡°Now that that is over with, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you about the prisoners from Ben¡¯s End and Outpost Charles.¡±

 Chapter 10 Already Paid For

    Chapter 10 Already Paid For


    ¡°Do you want to meet with any of the prisoners?¡± Aria asked.


    Isaac put his hands up in a placating gesture. ¡°No. That sounds like a horrible idea.¡± He replied.


    Aria shrugged. ¡°Not all of them are getting the ¡®traitor¡¯ treatment.¡± She explained. ¡°It is pretty case by case, apparently. Sir Michael was most of the way through them when our little war started.¡±


    ¡°I feel¡­ not responsible but¡­¡± Isaac trailed off as he tried to find the right word.


    ¡°The right word is responsible, Isaac.¡± Lenna interjected. ¡°You feel responsible for Lisa because we killed her boyfriend, beat the hells out of her, then treated her like a sack of flour.¡±


    Isaac winced. ¡°I still don¡¯t think it¡¯s a feeling of responsibility.¡± Isaac argued. ¡°I just want to know the punishment she received and if Izen went easy on her like I asked him to.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Lenna halfheartedly agreed.


    ¡°They haven¡¯t dished out punishments yet.¡± Aria explained. ¡°In situations like these they interrogate and judge each person individually but hold off on declaring anything until all of the proceedings are finished just in case new information comes to light. Once it is all over the duke and magistrate will line them all up together and announce each punishment by groups.¡±


    ¡°Like; ¡®Person one and persons five through nine get the gallows.¡¯ or ¡®Person two gets a fine of seventeen gold and a hundred hours of community service.¡¯?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Community service as a legal punishment?¡± Lenna asked incredulously.


    ¡°I have actually heard of that happening in rare cases on the frontier.¡± Aria replied. ¡°It is rare and usually only used to punish important people¡¯s kids when a fine wouldn¡¯t do any behavioral correcting.¡±


    ¡°Understandable.¡± Lenna said.


    ¡°But yes, Isaac, more or less like you said.¡± Aria answered him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask one of the ¡®Law Guys¡¯ next time I see them.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°¡®Law Guys¡¯?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Captain Tim, Magistrate Michael, Duke Izen, you know, the three that deal with laws and stuff.¡±


    Aria blinked at him owlishly. ¡°You should be very glad that you are on good terms with the duke, Isaac. Some nobles would throw a fit if they found out you talked about them how you talk about, and to for that matter, the Duke of Safeharbor.¡± She explained.


    ¡°I think I have finally hit the point where nobles throwing a fit is more of an inconvenience than a problem.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°I guess Lenna is a double platinum adventurer now.¡± Aria commented with a shrug. ¡°You don¡¯t quite have the notoriety of the Blade Master or the Glinting Blade but the Lady of Hellfire name should carry some actual weight now with two platinum tags.¡±


    ¡°Tags?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Yes, instead of badges, double platinum adventurers get a set of dog tags. One has a list of how many of each level of bounty they have completed and the other has their nickname, class, and level.¡± Aria explained.


    ¡°Good to know.¡± Isaac replied. He turned to look at Lenna. ¡°What¡¯s next on our list?¡±


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Give Izen back his magical gear, find new gear for you, get our platinum tags, and meet Macken.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°We had dinner an hour ago so I doubt we will be getting much more done tonight.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop by Stan and have him check out Jallen¡¯s old gear. We can call it a night after that and do the rest in the morning.¡± Isaac offered.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Thanks for humoring me.¡± Aria said to Isaac with a wave. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll get a level out of this or not. El¡¯No is starting to get stingy with levels for things that aren¡¯t related to my quest.¡±


    ¡°Finding the ancient vampire civilization?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s the one!¡± Aria agreed.


    ¡°Good luck and anytime, Aria, well, almost anytime, I¡¯d rather not get woken up in the middle of the night over something like this.¡± Isaac said and moved towards the edge of the building.


    Aria rolled her eyes. ¡°Yeah, yeah. See you around, Legend Slayer.¡± Isaac grinned and vaulted the fence forty feet off the ground. Kahtesh hopped excitedly. ¡°What?¡± Aria asked and turned to see Lenna rolling her eyes before a grin formed on her face and approached the fence Isaac had vanished over.


    ¡°Come on, Kahtesh.¡± Lenna said and tossed her legs over the fence. The little dragon bound towards her before he jumped into the air. Lenna put her hands up and grabbed onto Kahtesh¡¯s shoulders, his front claws tried to grab onto her but failed to find purchase, not that it mattered. Kahtesh¡¯s momentum took both of them off the edge of the roof.


    Aria ran over to the edge to see what happened and watched as Kahtesh¡¯s wings vibrated with power as he tried to fly with Lenna¡¯s weight. All that happened was a rapid but controlled descent to the ground. Isaac was waiting for them at the bottom and Aria could only shake her head as Lenna landed in a roll and Kahtesh tripped on his front feet and then face planted into the street.


    ¡ª


    ¡°That looked awesome!¡± Isaac exclaimed with a laugh. ¡°The entire way until Kahtesh ate the street.¡±


    ¡°It is good to know that he can slow my descent but we were still picking up speed.¡± Lenna explained as she dusted herself off.


    ¡°Yeah, almost there buddy.¡± Isaac said and scratched the little dragon under the chin. After righting himself he had come to his master, either awaiting his next order or for praise, Isaac wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°It might be enough to save you at some point so it¡¯s good to know now.¡± Isaac continued to Lenna.


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna replied and looked around. They had garnered a small crowd again. This time, however, there were more looks of curiosity and astonishment than resentment. ¡°We should leave and let everyone get on with their evenings.¡±


    Isaac noticed the small crowd as well. ¡°Yeah.¡± He replied and turned towards Stan¡¯s Smithy. ¡°Kahtesh.¡± He spoke and a black void opened up out of his shadow. The dragon curled up and sank into the void with a flick of his tail. Once the dragon was completely gone the void closed back up and the pair went on their way.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Always interestin¡¯ when ya walk in me door.¡± Stan greeted the pair as the door closed behind them. Stan¡¯s shop hadn¡¯t changed, not that it had been very long since the last time they had been inside, even if it felt like it. Weapons hung along the walls and were visible under glowing stone light. The old dwarf looked¡­ happy, though Isaac had no idea why.


    ¡°That¡¯s because I never just come by for a chat.¡± Isaac explained with a grin as he pulled Jallen¡¯s helmet out of his inventory. He tossed it to the dwarf who deftly caught it out of mid air despite the fact that his eyes hadn¡¯t even tracked the piece of armor.


    Stan turned it over in his hands and squinted down at it. ¡°Tis some ¡®igh grade stuff.¡± He commented. ¡°Dark elf, V¡¯Nova make, probably, paint¡¯s almost all gone.¡± He looked up to see a grinning Isaac. ¡°There¡¯s a story ta this one ain¡¯t there?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Whose helmet do you think is in your hands?¡± Isaac asked.


    Stan squinted back down at the helmet and turned it over. He reached inside and tried to pull something out with little success. ¡°What bastard imbeds a crown inta the inside ¡®a helm¡­¡± His voice trailed off as he realized that there was only option. He looked up from the helmet with wide eyes. ¡°Is this?¡±


    ¡°Jallen V¡¯Nova¡¯s helmet.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I have the rest of the set too.¡±


    The old man¡¯s eyes started to gloss over and he half strode, half limped around the counter and across the distance to Isaac before he yanked the young man down into a fierce hug. ¡°Thank ye.¡± He croaked. ¡°Thank ye fer avengin¡¯ me son.¡±


    ¡°I, uh, sure, Stan.¡± Isaac stammered and patted the smith on the back. ¡°You know I didn¡¯t do it for you though, right?¡±


    Stan released Isaac and wiped across his face with his sleeve. ¡°Aye, I know.¡± Stan replied.


    ¡°Um, well, you''re welcome, I guess.¡± Isaac awkwardly replied.


    Stan took a deep breath before he huffed it out. ¡°Aight, what do ya be needin¡¯ with it?¡± He asked, back to business as usual.


    ¡°Well, it is a little warped here and there, some straps are broken, I washed most of the blood out of it but I¡¯m sure I missed some.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°It is the best armor I have ever seen and I would love it if it got fixed and painted for Lenna.¡±


    Stan nodded. ¡°Lemme take a look at it.¡± He said and moved back to his counter. ¡°Set it there.¡± He said and gestured towards the cleared counter.


    ¡°Stan,¡± Lenna said to get his attention. ¡°does your leg need healing?¡±


    Stan shook his head. ¡°No.¡± He replied but left it at that.


    Isaac removed Jallen¡¯s armor one piece at a time and placed it onto the counter in front of Stan. The old smith went over each piece with a magnifying glass. Eventually he sighed and shook his head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°It needs worked on inna anti-magic but that¡¯d risk tearin¡¯ the paddin¡¯.¡± He explained.


    ¡°And it is lacking a self repair function.¡± Lenna continued.


    ¡°Aye.¡± Stan agreed.


    ¡°How big is the risk?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°Do you think the armor is still wearable as is?¡±


    ¡°Aye, tis still wearable.¡± Stan replied. ¡°Might bind a bit ¡®ere and ¡®ere.¡± He stroked his beard. ¡°I¡¯d say tis to risky ta have the kid do it.¡± He said. ¡°Should be fine if I do it though.¡±


    Isaac breathed out a sigh of relief. ¡°You had me worried there for a bit. What¡¯ll I owe you?¡± He asked.


    Stan looked at him like he¡¯d grown a second head. ¡°¡®What¡¯ll I owe ye¡¯ he asks.¡± Stan scoffed and grabbed the first piece. ¡°A whole lotta ¡®already paid for¡¯.¡± Stan said while walking into the back.


    Isaac blinked owlishly after him and then turned to Lenna who had a warm but melancholic smile on her face. ¡°Well, that¡¯s that then, I guess.¡±

 Chapter 11 What They Are For.

    Chapter 11 What They Are For.


    Isaac and Lenna arrived at the Adventurers¡¯ Guild Hall to meet with their favorite receptionist early in the morning. Neither of the pair had gotten much sleep but the quiet time together, to talk and process everything that had happened, was much appreciated.


    Lenna¡¯s feelings on the death of her uncle were a little more complicated than her thoughts on it, unfortunately. In her mind, he needed to be put down. He was a powermad ancient monster who took pleasure in crushing everything he didn¡¯t like under his boot without a shred of mercy. He was both impulsive and cunning which made him an unpredictable opponent who, thankfully, was also easily baited. He was driving Contantis, Lenna¡¯s birthplace, into the ground with reckless spending and, recently, an ill prepared city assault. For the benefit of her homecity, all of those living in it, her new home, and everyone she cared about, he needed to be stopped.


    The complicated part was that he had helped her a lot. He had given her everything she asked for and hired the greatest tutors for her. It was because of him that Lenna spoke so many languages, could wield every weapon in the world, see through most people¡¯s lies and masks, and run a city. Most of those things were still useful for her and she appreciated it. That, however, did not mean that she ever actually liked the man.


    Jallen V¡¯Nova had been, and still was, the only person that she was truly afraid of. She feared Fable¡¯s power but that fear was mostly squashed by her anger at him for killing many of her old friends and anger at herself for not being strong enough to save them. When Lenna was finally honest with herself about how she felt about Jallen¡¯s death she was relieved but she had one regret: She wished that she could have said thank you to the man, for all of the help he had given her, over the centuries. She felt this way even though she knew that the only reasons she had been chosen were because Jallen hadn¡¯t had any children and she had the highest stats among her cousins.


    Lenna shook her head to clear it as Isaac pushed the doors open for the pair to head inside. She smiled a bit at the sight of one of the Alice twins sitting behind the desk. Even after all of this time she had trouble telling which was which.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised, I didn¡¯t see you yesterday to receive your payment.¡± Alice commented almost as soon as they were inside.


    ¡°Payment?¡± Isaac questioned and glanced back at Lenna for answers. In all the chaos surrounding the battle, the open bounty on drow military personnel had slipped his mind.


    ¡°She was credited with four infantrymen and one knight-paladin kills.¡± Alice explained. ¡°Should I sell the gear and have it deposited into your account or do you want any of it?¡±


    Lenna glanced at Isaac but he didn¡¯t comment so she shrugged. ¡°Just sell it.¡± She told the receptionist.


    Alice nodded. ¡°Okay, do you want the reward deposited directly when it arrives or should we send a messenger for you to pick it up?¡±


    ¡°Just deposit it.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Why the delay anyway?¡±


    ¡°The payout is way out of budget for the city. Fifty nine infantrymen, and seven knight-paladins is a total payout of forty seven thousand gold not accounting for all of the gear that is being sold to the dukedom to outfit the important guards.¡± Alice explained.


    ¡°Important guards?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Sergeants, ducal guard, maybe the captain too.¡± Alice quickly replied. ¡°Long story short, the duke is out of money and the Adventurers¡¯ Guild doesn¡¯t have the gold on hand to foot the bill so everyone is stuck waiting until a shipment arrives from Sapphirestone.¡±


    ¡°So a few days to a week?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± She affirmed. ¡°If there isn¡¯t a riot before then.¡± She added under her breath.


    ¡°We weren¡¯t actually here for money at all.¡± Isaac informed her. ¡°We need our double platinum tags.¡±


    Alice¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Really!¡± She asked and stood up in her seat with her hands planted on her desk.


    ¡°Yep. Lenna¡¯s sixteen and there is no point in me pretending that I can¡¯t handle the same level of threats.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°So what should I put as your level?¡± Alice questioned Isaac. ¡°Sixteen? Twenty?¡±


    ¡°Can you-¡± Isaac started to answer but was cut off by Edward who had just walked in behind them.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°Put two question marks.¡± Edward said with a yawn. ¡°I¡¯ll approve it.¡±


    Alice nodded quickly. ¡°Understood, Guild Master.¡± She said. ¡°What about bounties completed? Should the ones directly from the duke be added?¡±


    Edward nodded. ¡°Yes. Add two more to the official number. I already talked to the Duke about it. We saw this coming a while ago.¡±


    ¡°On it!¡± Alice exclaimed and jumped down before she hurried into the back.


    ¡°They will have to be shipped in from the capital. There is only one set of dies in each country because of how few of us exist at a time.¡± Edward explained. ¡°Alice is ordering them now but I wouldn¡¯t expect to see them anytime soon.¡± He sighed. ¡°And that isn¡¯t even considering the telepathic communication I am going to have to deal with later.¡± He grumbled. ¡°There are so many question marks on your badges that an official might show up with your tags to test you before they hand them over.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s that bad?¡± Isaac asked.


    Edward nodded wearily ¡°Yes.¡± He yawned again. ¡°Is that all you needed?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°How should I get the Lets of Quickness and Gambeson of the Guarded Soul back to Izen? Should I just walk in the front door with them? Drop them on his desk?¡±


    ¡°Just go to his office, I doubt anyone will try to stop you at this point, don¡¯t go waving them around though.¡± Edward instructed.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Isaac said and gave him a wave. ¡°I think it¡¯s time I give Izen one less thing to stress about.¡±


    ¡ª


    Isaac knocked on Izen¡¯s office door for the first time. Every other time he had been in that specific room he had just appeared. His entrances had been rude to say the least but Izen always seemed more exasperated than angry so Isaac continued to see it as a valid way to drop by without any rumors spreading. This time, however, he had Lenna with him so teleporting wasn¡¯t an option. ¡°Come in.¡± The pair heard from the other side of the door and Isaac opened the heavy wooden door into Izen¡¯s cozy office.


    As usual Izen was sitting behind his old hardwood desk in his, just as old, plush comfortable chair. The swords on display against the wall looked freshly polished in the relatively dim light in Izen¡¯s office. ¡°I figured it was about time I gave you one less thing to worry about.¡± Isaac said by way of greeting as he and Lenna walked in. Lenna closed the door behind them and Isaac saw Izen press something under his desk. A familiar magic washed over the walls and hardened in place. The magic sealed all sound inside of the room and provided a high resistance against most spying magics.


    ¡°Isaac, Lenna.¡± Izen greeted them and gestured for them to sit in the cushioned chairs on their side of Izen¡¯s desk.


    Isaac pulled the borrowed magical gear out of his Inventory as he walked over. ¡°I figured you would want these back.¡±


    Izen nodded and Isaac saw the slightest smirk creep onto the corner of his mouth beneath his full beard. ¡°Yes. Though I assume you are prepared to pay for damages, correct?¡± The Duke questioned with eyes fixed on the discolored line stretching across the front of the gambeson.


    ¡°Only if the water relic in Ben¡¯s End is for sale?¡± Isaac continued joking with the duke.


    Izen chuckled and shook his head. ¡°I have tried, believe me.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac questioned, suddenly quite curious.


    ¡°As it was put there by a previous king, it is property of the royal family and only the royal family can legally touch it. Even the workers that built the bathhouse around it had to be very careful not to even bump it.¡± Izen explained. ¡°Sera asked for it as a birthday present once. I tried to find even the smallest loophole to allow me to bring it into Safeharbor but there is not a single one.¡±


    ¡°Damn.¡± Isaac swore and Izen nodded solemnly. He then noticed the pile of identical letters on Izen¡¯s desk. There was a stack at least a dozen high and another three were laid out to let the ink dry. ¡°Are those?¡±


    ¡°Letters to the families of the fallen, yes.¡± Izen answered.


    ¡°How many?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Forty one dead, five will never fight again, one will never walk.¡± Izen explained. ¡°Seven adventurer casualties, twenty four guards, sixteen soldiers.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°That is better than I expected considering the drow casualties.¡± He said emotionlessly. ¡°What is going to happen to them?¡±


    ¡°We will wait another six days for their families to come up with the money for a resurrection ritual. If they cannot then we will cremate them.¡± Izen explained. ¡°Luckily for some, the payout their families will receive should be enough to enable resurrection.¡±


    ¡°How many, if you had to guess?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°All three of my personal guards who died should have enough, but only barely. Their families might not resurrect them however.¡± Izen said solemnly.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Isaac demanded.


    Izen sighed and rubbed his eyes. ¡°Unfortunately, you and I are the lucky ones. If we died we know that our loved ones would pay any price to get us back. Some would rather coast on the payout and their savings for the rest of their lives instead. I have seen a few families ruined over the years because of such greed and heartlessness.¡± He sat up straight in his chair. ¡°I think one of the Adventurers will be resurrected and the two with missing limbs should be able to come up with the gold to get their limbs regrown. The garrison members are stuck on the wrong bank of The River Styx as it were.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°On a somewhat similar but mostly unrelated note, is the prisoner available to be seen yet?¡±


    ¡°The drow knight-paladin?¡± Izen requested clarification.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied.


    Izen shook his head. ¡°I cannot say for certain but I think you will have to wait another day or so until Sir Michael allows visitors, you are free to ask him but I ask that, whatever his response, you abide by it for the time being.¡± He informed them.


    ¡°As long as he doesn¡¯t make us wait for too long, otherwise I will have to check on him myself. As easy as that would be, I want to trust Michael and this is his opportunity to prove that he deserves it.¡± Isaac replied. Izen and him locked eyes before nodding slightly to each other. The silent conversation amounted to the assurance that if Macken was being tortured despite cooperating with Michael¡¯s questioning that Michael would be getting replaced, forcibly.


    ¡°Very well.¡± Izen said. ¡°If that is all, I must really get back to these.¡± He gestured to the written and not yet written letters to the families of the fallen.


    ¡°Of course, see you around Izen.¡± Isaac said.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Lenna said to the duke.


    ¡°For what?¡± Izen asked curiously while Isaac placed the borrowed gear onto the seat he had just vacated.


    ¡°For not being like my uncle, for caring about your subjects as people. I can see it in your eyes, how much this weighs on you.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Once those are done, regardless of what else you have to do, spend some time with Sera.¡±


    Izen looked slightly surprised at Lenna¡¯s words but nodded. ¡°I will, thank you for the kind words, and, for what it is worth, I am sorry that you had to fight and kill those you once fought alongside. Not counting you three in the middle, the rest of the line had a two to one casualty rate. You saved a lot of lives on our side and for that I can never thank you enough.¡±


    Lenna nodded but didn¡¯t reply. Isaac nodded towards the door. ¡°Thanks for letting me borrow those.¡± Isaac said as he got the door for Lenna and himself.


    ¡°That is what they are for.¡± Izen replied with a nod and Isaac shut the door, leaving the duke alone in his office in silence to get back to his morbid but necessary task.

 Chapter 12 Quality Of Life

    Chapter 12 Quality Of Life


    After their meeting with Duke Izen Arbencroft the V¡¯Nova Wexler duo moved slightly down the street to the incognito paired wizard towers. Alexander¡¯s tower rose high into the air inside its invisibility shield and illusory base that made it look like a plain stone building nestled between the high end manors of the noble quarter. Alexander was not who the pair were there to see however, no, they were there for the inverted tower under the Court Mage¡¯s. Around the back of the disguised base of Alexander¡¯s tower there was a small set of stairs that led down to a solid oaken door. Just inside the door were a pair of guards who had the incredibly boring, and sometimes unnerving, job of making sure no one tried to sneak into Jala L¡¯Vore¡¯s inverted tower.


    The wizardess was an alchemist first, a necromancer second, and rune master third. Recently she had been too focused on her alchemy and the study of some of the more exotic underground lifeforms that had been delivered to her laboratory. Now, however, she had finished cataloging everything she could before her test subjects deteriorated beyond usefulness. Now that she had nothing that she considered fun to do, and her upstairs neighbor wasn¡¯t asking her questions or debating with her about the ¡®nature of magic, the universe, and everything¡¯, she was burning her meager budget on gold paint.


    Jala hummed to herself as she finished the one hundred and seventy fifth line of her grand, stone shattering, world remaking, magic ritual. Her husband handed her a mug of water as she sat back on her haunches. ¡°Thank you.¡± She said and took a long pull before the sound of familiar footsteps drew her attention. She looked back over her shoulder just in time to see the owner of those footsteps, and her silent mate, emerge from the stairwell that led up to the second floor. She sighed deeply as she saw the look in her niece¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s done then? Thirty two hours ago by my count.¡±


    ¡°Yes, auntie.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°How are you holding up?¡±


    ¡°Me? I¡¯m fine.¡± Jala replied casually. ¡°Why?¡± She asked with what almost came across as genuine confusion. It wasn¡¯t sarcastic but an attempt to appear to not know why she was asking.


    ¡°Jala.¡± Her mate, Fen, said admonishingly. ¡°She¡¯s doing what we do. Let it go.¡± He told the pair. ¡°Is there any other reason you are here?¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No. I just wanted you to know, if you didn¡¯t already, and I wanted to check up on you.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Well, be a dear and get my other bucket of gold-dust paint from the second cabinet on the left just outside the stairwell.¡± Jala told her. ¡°I am almost done with this and the sooner it is done the sooner I can get a bed so Fen stops pestering me.¡±


    Fen scoffed and then chuckled. ¡°I need somewhere to put you when you pass out.¡± He chastised her. He then shifted his attention to Isaac as Lenna nodded and walked back up the stairs to get what Jala had asked for. ¡°When are you going to remove these?¡± He asked the mage. Fen still wore anti-magic cuffs, collar, and belt. ¡°I feel like a cripple and it¡¯s not like there is a reason to leave here at this point.¡±


    Isaac searched Fen¡¯s face for an ulterior motive but honestly couldn¡¯t find one. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Michael about it when I see him later. As much as I would like to say that I have free reign over the city, and I more or less do, it wouldn¡¯t do me any favors to go pissing off those in power unnecessarily.¡± Isaac told him.


    Fen nodded in understanding. ¡°Still not officially running the city then?¡± He asked as Lenna returned with the can of paint. ¡°Lenna, keep my mate company while I speak with yours.¡± He told his niece and gestured for Isaac to follow as they headed back up to the second floor from the third. Lenna didn¡¯t object but his tone grated on her and Isaac¡¯s nerves. It was clear that his status as a grandmaster shadow sorcerer still inflated his ego beyond its healthy limits, even though he was completely sealed out of his magic.


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    Isaac and Fen moved to a small sitting area on the second floor where Jala had a huge pile of research texts piled up. The two chairs were perfect for Fen and Jala who hardly spoke but were always in each other''s presences. ¡°I take it this is about Jallen?¡± Isaac asked as he took a seat across from Fen.


    Fen nodded. ¡°Who killed him and how?¡± Fen asked. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine the bastard dying and I want to make sure it was real.¡±


    ¡°We had the body Identified because Lenna wanted to be sure as well.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°I killed him. I had to kill him nine-ten times. All of those medals he had on under his armor worked as extra lives like in a vi-¡± Isaac winced. ¡°Never mind.¡± He said after a short moment. ¡°What¡¯s important is that he was almost impossible to put down. I had to use a Ten Men potion to do it.¡±


    Fen raised an eyebrow. ¡°What is a Ten Men potion?¡± He asked.


    ¡°A potion that burns up your body and mana pathways, if your pathways are too weak, for incredible strength. That on top of my boosting skill, I created with my death flames, made me easily the physically strongest human on the planet, who isn¡¯t a demigod of strength or something.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Even then it took the full duration of the potion to kill him.¡±


    Fen nodded at the summary and explanation. ¡°Good. Then he really is dead.¡± He said. ¡°Where is his body?¡±


    ¡°Sanctified and then cremated.¡± Isaac replied.


    Fen nodded again. ¡°Good.¡± He sighed deeply. ¡°I am serious about us not having a reason to leave now. Without her twin there isn¡¯t a reason to go back. My family is probably feeling the political hit that comes from a sudden lack of a real powerhouse but they always sneered at Jala¡¯s work. Jallen funded her eccentricities, but now you do it, though not as well, and Jallen is dead.¡± He explained.


    ¡°I was serious about talking to Michael too. I¡¯m sure you will need to keep a tracker on you that will alert them all if it is tampered with but I¡¯m sure I can spin something to allow you to at least lose the cuffs. Honestly your collar is what is keeping your power down the most.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Everyone is afraid of Words of Power. No one likes having their heart get crushed under the magical weight of your mana pool.¡±


    Fen smirked. He knew Isaac was talking from experience. ¡°I¡¯m sure it is harder to do now that you have leveled up.¡± He commented with a taunting look in his eyes.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t helping your case.¡± Isaac replied coldly.


    Fen waved him off. ¡°Even just one hand would be nice. I can¡¯t even use quality of life spells like this, and relying on Jala for simple things is awful.¡± He complained.


    Isaac nodded and was about to say something when everything started shaking. ¡°What is happening?¡± He questioned while looking around. He could feel a massive amount of mana being pulled into the ritual below them.


    ¡°Jala got tired of waiting. She¡¯s adding another five floors with the entirety of our budget.¡± Fen explained casually as he held up a mug of cold tea so it wouldn¡¯t spill. He took a sip and frowned down at it. ¡°See, this is why I need some of my magic back.¡± He complained while the doors on the cabinets continued to rattle and shake. A moment later Alexander materialized in the middle of the room.


    ¡°What is happening?¡± Alexander demanded. He had bags under his emerald eyes and his black hair was an absolute mess. Even his robes hadn¡¯t escaped the exhaustion as they were dirty and disheveled with use.


    ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Fen said casually and held up a finger towards the court mage while he took another sip of the tea he clearly didn¡¯t enjoy drinking cold. A moment later the shaking stopped. ¡°There it is.¡± He continued. ¡°Go down and have a look yourself.¡± He told the young wizard.


    ¡°I¡¯m curious too.¡± Isaac said and rose to his feet.


    Fen sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll be down in a moment. I need to find a burner to reheat this tea.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Jala!¡± Lenna called while staggering under the shaking floor. ¡°This is going to cause an uproar.¡± Lenna finally couldn¡¯t maintain her stance and dropped onto her knees to join her aunt on the floor.


    Jala shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± She assured her niece. She pointed towards a wall and they watched as a doorway of stone appeared and then a wall rose up out of the ground to hide a stairwell that was forming down to the fourth floor. ¡°It¡¯ll be over soon.¡±


    Lenna huffed indignantly before a grin spread out across her face. She started chuckling at the normalcy of her aunt doing something without considering the consequences or how anyone else would react to it. It made her feel good. It made her feel like she could trust that her aunt would be alright. Maybe not right then, maybe not soon, but Jala would recover. Afterall, there was only one Queen of Chimeras.

 Chapter 13 Responsibility.

    Chapter 13 Responsibility.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to teleport into his office.¡± Isaac declared.


    Lenna glanced over at him while they finished closing the distance to Sir Michael¡¯s office. The Office of the Magistrate was on the first floor of a two story rectangular building attached to the side of the duke¡¯s manor. The order the pair had done all of their interactions had been on purpose. This was the one that Isaac was the least excited for and their most recent stop had been informing his aunt-in-law that her twin was dead. ¡°Is that going to help anything?¡± Lenna questioned rhetorically.


    ¡°No, but it¡¯s a good reminder.¡± Isaac commented and vanished. Isaac appeared just inside of Sir Michael¡¯s office and turned around while opening the door from the inside to let Lenna in. ¡°Michael.¡± Isaac greeted the young magistrate who¡¯s eyes took him in with no expression whatsoever.


    ¡°Lord Wexler, or Darkness, I suppose, what brings you to my office? I have not been here very often recently.¡± Sir Michael replied diplomatically.


    ¡°A few questions and an escort.¡± Isaac replied directly.


    ¡°I see.¡± Michael replied.


    ¡°Duke Arbencroft and Aria Tre¡¯bor both sent us to you.¡± Lenna explained.


    Michael sat up a little straighter. ¡°For different reasons I assume?¡± He asked


    Lenna nodded but it was Isaac who answered: ¡°The prisoners from the Mr. Nobody incident, specifically the small scout from Outpost Charles, I would like to know what their punishments will be.¡± He explained rather than questioned.


    Michael nodded and got up from his chair, that he had inherited from his predecessor, the predecessor that Isaac and Lenna had killed, and walked over to a filing cabinet. ¡°I was informed that you had taken special interest in one of the prisoners.¡± Michael commented while he searched for the information on the prisoners in question.


    ¡°I have a tendency to be as ruthless as Lenna is direct.¡± Isaac responded easily. ¡°The girl still cooperated with us even though she had been on the receiving end of both.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Michael replied and Isaac scowled at the slightest hint of a smirk on the slightly older man¡¯s face. ¡°Here it is.¡± He said and handed Isaac a small stack of papers. ¡°I would prefer if those do not leave this room.¡± He hurried to inform Isaac before the mage could vanish into the shadows with his only copy.


    Isaac nodded and started looking through the pages. He skipped past most of them and only bothered to look at the few that he cared about. ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Isaac commented and sat on the armrest of one of the chairs in front of Michael¡¯s desk.


    ¡°You mentioned an escort?¡± Michael asked to continue moving them along.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied while Isaac was still busy. ¡°To see Macken Cla¡¯Cen.¡±


    Michael sighed and slowly sat back down across from the pair. ¡°I would prefer to wait a few more days.¡± He told the duo. ¡°I am fully aware that, if you really wished to, you could just go see him yourselves which is why I am still going to agree to escort you there.¡± He continued. ¡°It is clear that there is still more that he is refusing to tell us about but as far as I can tell it is only newer information.¡±


    ¡°How are you questioning him?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°If it is anything like how bad these punishments are then there is nothing to worry about.¡± Isaac commented and tossed the stack of papers onto Michael¡¯s desk. ¡°Lisa is getting banished from the duchy, her father is losing his position, the rest are being shipped off to Sapphirestone with nothing but the clothes on their back. No violence or imprisonment at all.¡±


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    ¡°What?¡± Lenna asked, completely dumbfounded at how light their sentences were.


    ¡°All of their assets were seized and used to repay everything that was stolen.¡± Michael explained. ¡°They are all incredibly lucky that no one was actually hurt by their actions. In the end it was nothing but petty theft and mislabeled goods.¡±


    ¡°Even though they were working with Mr. Nobody?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Michael nodded. ¡°Most of them didn¡¯t know or understand what was actually going on, I made sure of it.¡± He leaned back in his chair. ¡°This was a case of the left hand not knowing what the right foot was doing. The guard in Outpost Charles only knew that the scout was acting weird so when she started bribing him he stopped asking questions. The smith was aware that the items he was receiving were from his former clients and assumed that they had been stolen which was why he sold them back to the smithy in Safeharbor in the first place. It was an incredibly disorganized mess.¡±


    ¡°What about the drow involvement?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Simple manipulation of a naive girl, just like your assessment.¡± Michael replied. ¡°One of the guards from Ben¡¯s End was not listed with the rest of those I gave you.¡± He continued. ¡°That is because his file is in a different category. He had been approached by a drow informant. At some point he started selling information for diamonds. They were found in his apartment. He is to be executed in front of the others so they are aware of exactly how lucky they are that none of what they did was coordinated.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I guess that is that then.¡± He said. ¡°This was a lot cleaner than I was expecting.¡±


    Michael nodded with a slight smile. ¡°Yes, and honestly, I am glad for it. This was my first incident as Magistrate and it could have been incredibly messy. Thankfully most of those involved were smart enough to keep their noses out of each other''s business.¡±


    Isaac eyed him cautiously. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied skeptically. ¡°Lucky.¡±


    Michael took a deep breath. ¡°I know how it might look, but I assure you that I am not the type of person to let traitors off the hook, at all.¡± He explained. ¡°Traitors deserve to be-¡± He cut himself off before he could finish his thought as the realization of what Lenna, and potentially now Macken, were to the drow empire.


    ¡°To be what, Michael?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Judged on a case by case basis.¡± Michael replied diplomatically. ¡°Now, about an escort to the prisoner, would you mind waiting a few more days?¡±


    Isaac watched him like a cat watched a mouse that had gotten caught out in the open. His predatory gaze seemed to watch for the slightest slip up, the smallest shift in the wrong direction. ¡°I will be seeing him today, but we can wait a day or two to actually talk with him.¡± Isaac stated emotionlessly.


    Michael swallowed hard. ¡°I see. Well, in that case, allow my aid to walk you to his cell.¡± Michael said and flicked a small bell on his desk. A moment later the same younger soldier, that Isaac had seen with Michael before, arrived.


    ¡°Yes, sir?¡± The aid asked.


    ¡°Please show these two to Cell A.M. Zero One.¡± Michael ordered.


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The soldier replied and gave Isaac and Lenna a salute. ¡°Right this way, my Lord, my Lady.¡±


    Isaac and Lenna shared a look of surprise at the extreme formality and respect. He looked stiff as the stone they walked on like he was afraid a single slip up would tarnish his family name for a hundred generations. The pair moved to follow him but Isaac stopped at the door. ¡°Michael?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Darkness?¡± Michael replied.


    ¡°I do not trust easily. It is even harder for me to trust those in power. Always be completely sure that your decisions will be accepted by both the king you serve and the children on the street. Keep doing a good job,¡± Isaac said and walked out the door while he called over his shoulder: ¡°and don¡¯t let me down.¡±


    Michael was silent as he stared out the door where Isaac had just been. ¡°Yes, Lord Darkness.¡± He agreed before he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He took another one and then sighed. ¡°I wish he would have closed the door on his way out at least.¡± He grumbled to himself and then the door abruptly swung closed by itself right before his eyes. Michael swallowed hard as his mouth became drier than noon in the Dishantee desert.


    ¡ª


    Isaac and Lenna were led down into the basement and through more complex corridors than a building of that size and shape deserved. Isaac had this habit of memorizing new buildings like his life depended on it. He was sure that he could have made it out blindfolded but the multiple abrupt direction shifts were still grating on his nerves. Lenna memorized everywhere she went to a slightly lesser degree than Isaac, but unlike Isaac, she did this even when they were out in the open, at least as out in the open as they could be underground.


    ¡°They are meeting with the prisoner.¡± The aid, Isaac never bothered to get his name, said to the pair of guards standing outside of a solid iron door.


    The guards shared a look. ¡°We are under orders to not let anyone except for Sir Michael or yourself inside, sir.¡± The one on the right replied. He was four inches taller and at least fifty pounds larger than the aid but rank still applied it seemed.


    ¡°I am aware.¡± The aid replied. ¡°I was there when the orders were given, soldier, Sir Michael instructed me to guide them to the prisoner. If anything happens I will take full responsibility.¡±


    The guards shared another look. The one on the left nodded and the one on the right grabbed a keyring off of his belt. He seemed to know which key was the right one, even though they all looked almost identical, and quickly unlocked the door for them. ¡°Understood, sir.¡± The guard said to the aid. ¡°We will be awaiting your return. Is there an estimated time for the¡­ visit?¡±


    The aid looked at Isaac and Isaac looked at Lenna who was suddenly put on the spot. ¡°Just five minutes will be enough, for today.¡± She replied.


    The guard nodded and opened the door for them. The aid walked in with Isaac and Lenna right behind. Once they were inside the door was closed and locked behind them. ¡°Is that really necessary?¡± Isaac asked. He played it cool but on the inside his anxiety had just spiked to the moon. He hated being locked inside places even if he knew that he could teleport out. What made him even more uneasy was the awful feeling he was getting from some of the cells. The five cells on the left all had permanently active anti-magic fields.

 Chapter 14 Repercussions

    Chapter 14 Repercussions


    Isaac and Lenna stopped right outside of the cell at the very end of the corridor. An anti-magic field sealed it off from the rest of the world just as much as a solid iron wall would. The door to the cell was solid, only up to waist level, with the top half being just a set of bars. The doorframe was encapsulated by a grid of diagonal three inch bars that attached it to the wall and ceiling. This allowed the guards to still see into the cell clearly but limited the sightlines of the person inside while maintaining a high structural integrity. ¡°It is this one, sir, ma¡¯am.¡± The aid said with a deep nod. ¡°Would you like to enter the cell with him? I am afraid that I must insist on the anti-magic field being active the entire time.¡±


    ¡°From here is fine.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°How much is he free to move in there?¡± Lenna asked and peered into the cell to see for herself. Much to her surprise, Macken''s only bindings were a set of stocks that locked his ankles together. Granted, the stocks were solid iron and probably weighed well over two dozen pounds so moving quickly in them was impossible but his free hands were still surprising.


    ¡°The more he has cooperated the more Sir Michael has been lightening his restraints.¡± The aid explained. ¡°When he arrived he was locked up so tight that I could hardly see his face¡­ my Lady.¡±


    Lenna hummed in acknowledgement of his words. ¡°Macken, it¡¯s me.¡± She said and the prisoner opened his eyes.


    ¡°I know.¡± He replied simply.


    ¡°I brought my mate to visit you.¡± She continued.


    This time Macken sat up from his wool blanket that he had to use as a cot. ¡°The one who killed His Grace?¡± Macken asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you both come in for a chat?¡± Macken asked.


    Lenna opened her mouth to speak but Isaac was there next to her in an instant. He looked down his nose at the captive. ¡°No.¡± Isaac replied simply.


    Macken startled. He stared at Isaac for a long moment. ¡°He does have a pretty face, for a human.¡± He commented to Lenna who looked mortified. ¡°What?¡± Macken asked.


    ¡°That is not why I am with him.¡± Lenna snapped.


    ¡°I figured not, you passed up on all of the handsome suitors your mother picked out for you.¡± Macken continued. ¡°That is why they tried to stick you with my brother.¡±


    Lenna took a deep calming breath. ¡°Macken, stop being an ass. We are here to make sure they weren¡¯t torturing the information out of you.¡± She chastised him.


    ¡°How long have you two known each other?¡± Isaac interrogated.


    ¡°Two hundred and fifty years, give or take a decade.¡± Macken replied with the same tone and cadence that Isaac had used.


    ¡°Friends?¡± Isaac continued.


    ¡°Apparently.¡± Macken replied. ¡°First time I¡¯d ever heard her say it was while we were trying to kill each other.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Ever feel anything more?¡± Isaac continued his interrogation.


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    ¡°Isaac!¡± It was Isaac¡¯s turn to make Lenna look mortified. The poor aid behind them just looked away and up towards the ceiling like it would help him fade more into the background.


    ¡°Once, a century or so ago.¡± Macken replied. ¡°Walked into the wrong showers. She hit me so hard I woke up the next morning. Broke my skull.¡±


    ¡°Deserved.¡± Lenna shot back under her breath.


    Isaac scowled down at him. It was clear that he didn''t like what he had heard. Macken put his hands up in surrender. ¡°It was an accident, I was drunk.¡± He said in his defense. ¡°She beat the hells out of me for the rest of the year at every opportunity. Anything untoward I felt was bled out of me in the sparring ring.¡± Macken assured them, mostly Isaac, as he felt like the mage was plotting how to kill him and make it look like an accident.


    ¡°Lenna?¡± Isaac said with a raised eyebrow in her direction.


    ¡°What?¡± She jolted. ¡°Oh, no, never like that.¡± She replied directly. ¡°He is abrasive at the best of times.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Macken called out with a tone and look on his face that showed that he had taken exception to her words. ¡°What was wrong with me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re an ass.¡± Lenna replied simply.


    ¡°Why? Because I teased you?¡± Macken demanded.


    ¡°Enough.¡± Isaac said and they both stopped bickering. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± He sighed.


    ¡°Are you ready to return then?¡± The aid asked hopefully.


    A look of pure horror took over Lenna¡¯s entire face at the realization that everything that had just happened had been observed by the magistrate¡¯s aid. Macken burst out laughing so hard that tears soon started to come to his eyes. ¡°Not, one, word.¡± Lenna threatened through her teeth at Macken who only started to laugh even harder.


    Isaac tried to keep a straight face but he was failing. He cleared his throat. ¡°Yes, we can leave.¡± Isaac told the aid. ¡°We¡¯ll be back at some point. Hopefully by then he won¡¯t be inside an anti-magic field.¡±


    The aid nodded. ¡°As you say, my Lord.¡± He replied to Isaac with a slight bow.


    ¡°Anti-magic cuffs are fine, like what Fen L¡¯Vore has.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°Uh, my Lord, isn¡¯t this prisoner much more dangerous, physically speaking, than Archmagus L¡¯Vore?¡± The aid questioned.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°He is.¡± He replied simply. ¡°But he¡¯ll be fine. If he isn¡¯t, let me know. I¡¯ll hit the planet with him until he starts cooperating again.¡±


    The aid nodded quickly. ¡°As you say.¡± He replied just as quickly and started to lead the duo out of the underground cells.


    ¡°Bye, Lenna!¡± Macken called out through barely suppressed laughter. Lenna just scowled and followed after the aid.


    ¡°Macken.¡± Isaac said with a nod as a farewell.


    ¡°I never got your name, mate of my old unit leader.¡± Macken commented. ¡°I think I heard Lenna call you ¡®Isaac¡¯, is that right?¡±


    ¡°I have a lot of them.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Lenna calls me ¡®Isaac¡¯, the soldiers call me ¡®my Lord¡¯, people in charge call me ¡®Lord Wexler¡¯, and recently, everyone except Lenna, has been calling me ¡®Darkness¡¯ or some variant of it.¡±


    ¡°And what should I call you?¡± Macken questioned with some humor in his voice and on his face. It was hard for Isaac to tell if it was just lingering from the interactions with Lenna or if Macken was trying to pick a fight.


    ¡°I am the Lord of Darkness itself.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°You can call me Darkness. If I decide I like you, I¡¯ll let you call me Isaac.¡± He finished and then vanished into nothing without even leaving a fading silhouette. Macken couldn¡¯t have known but the reason there hadn¡¯t even been a trace left of Isaac was because he was still there, only invisible. Isaac watched Macken for another moment before he decided to catch up with Lenna and the aid who had stopped just inside the door. Unlike most people, Macken seemed to have the presence of mind to keep his comments to himself once Isaac was out of sight.


    ¡ª


    Isaac knocked on Michael¡¯s door before he opened it and walked in. The knock was purely to show that he was capable of being polite and just chose not to be. Michael looked up from the letter he was writing. ¡°You are back.¡± Michael said emotionlessly.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied and sat in one of the chairs across from him. Isaac casually crossed his legs and leaned back in the chair. ¡°Macken is fine, you can release the breath you are holding.¡±


    Michael did just that before he caught himself. His eyes widened slightly. Isaac was managing to pick apart his mask of stone and impartialness with seeming ease. ¡°That is good.¡± Michael replied evenly. ¡°I take it there is something else on your mind?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I want one of Fen L¡¯Vore¡¯s wrist cuffs removed. He is an arrogant bastard but he won¡¯t cause too much trouble. If you have any problems, just put it back on.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°You want me to release, and I quote, ¡®the second most dangerous mage in the region¡¯¡¯s cuffs so he can, what, lightning bolt one of the guards who look at him wrong?¡± Michael questioned. ¡°Darkness, with all due respect, are you insane?¡±


    Instead of being annoyed or insulted Isaac was actually amused. Michael¡¯s clear attempts at being polite, and as reasonable as possible, were losing to the man¡¯s better rationality and shock, Isaac couldn¡¯t blame him. On paper it did sound like an awful idea. ¡°I see where you are coming from, Michael, but he will be fine. His wife is here and he won¡¯t do anything to jeopardize her if he can help it. It¡¯s not like I am telling you to take off his collar. That should never leave his neck as far as I am concerned. Words of Power are too dangerous.¡± Isaac explained understandingly.


    Michael sighed deeply and started rubbing his temples. ¡°You¡­ we can do a test run.¡± Michael conceded. ¡°Just one cuff.¡±


    ¡°Just one cuff.¡± Isaac agreed with a smirk. ¡°Any more and I feel like his head would get so big it wouldn¡¯t fit through the door.¡±


    Michael, despite himself, chuckled at Isaac¡¯s joke and then sighed again. He looked back up at the mage across from him. ¡°I will go over to take it off myself, sometime within the next day or so, I hope that is acceptable.¡± He offered Isaac.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yes, that¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m not in a rush.¡± He replied. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, Michael, Fen deserves everything he gets. I am fully aware that the reason he hasn¡¯t gotten punched in the teeth by one of the guards is because they are afraid of the repercussions from those around him.¡±

 Chapter 15 Ghost.

    Chapter 15 Ghost.


    Lenna and Isaac left Michael to his work and moved on to the next person on their list, Lenny. There was only one problem, finding the lad. ¡°What do you mean you haven¡¯t seen him in days?¡± Isaac asked Lenny¡¯s  older brother, James, incredulously. ¡°You used to hover over him like a mama duck and now you expect me to believe that you have no idea where he is?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious boss, he¡¯s been takin¡¯ jobs left and right, he hardly comes home to sleep.¡± James replied. ¡°He¡¯s pushing himself like an overboard sailor trying to catch up to the ship.¡±


    Isaac sighed deeply. ¡°I¡¯ll find him and talk some sense into him before he dies of exhaustion or something.¡± He assured the older brother. ¡°Any clues?¡±


    ¡°I heard something today about the gang that hangs around the warehouses.¡± James began. ¡°Apparently some of their guys keep saying that there is a ghost haunting them all of a sudden. The timing just seems weird to me. Maybe it¡¯s Lenny.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll check it out.¡± He assured him. ¡°What is that gang known for?¡±


    James frowned deeply and looked hesitant to say. Right when Isaac was about to prod him he nodded to himself. ¡°Mortal trafficking.¡± James explained. ¡°¡®Used goods¡¯, mostly. No kidnapping, they just move people. Their boss knows some mind magic. I have a file on him.¡±


    ¡°Just give me the rundown.¡± Isaac replied seriously. He was suddenly not in a joking, casual, or relaxed mood. James knew instantly that there would be a lot less people in the district soon enough.


    ¡°Weak charms and hypnotism. Only works on the weak willed or rundown. Even then it doesn¡¯t last very long. By all accounts he isn¡¯t very good at it but the fact that he can do it at all is the reason he has people that follow him. He is greedy and lets his men get away with anything.¡± James said the last word with a lot of extra emphasis.


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°And why wasn¡¯t I told about them before?¡± Isaac questioned evenly.


    ¡°He owns all of the warehouses in the district. He employs around ninety people in legitimate business. Those people will all lose their livelihoods if he suddenly disappears.¡± James explained. ¡°I knew you would jump right to getting rid of him, boss, but you gotta be careful about this or a lot of people are gonna to starve.¡±


    Isaac let out a low growl that caused the hair on the back of James¡¯s neck to stand on end. ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out.¡± Isaac said and spun on his heels to leave. Lenna grabbed his hand and they both vanished. The door opened and then closed a moment later.


    ¡°What are we going to do about your armor?¡± Lenna asked to yank Isaac back from the mental edge he was walking along.


    ¡°What?¡± Isaac asked and shook his head to clear it. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You have your chestpiece and nothing else. The rest of it has been annihilated beyond repair.¡± She reminded him.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± He assured her. ¡°It¡¯ll have to last until my dragonscale armor is finished.¡±


    Lenna sighed. ¡°We could get you another temporary set.¡± She offered.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No. It¡¯s a waste of money.¡±


    ¡°If it saves your life it won¡¯t be a waste of money.¡± She retorted.


    ¡°I can lose a limb or four.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°They¡¯ll grow back.¡±


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    Lenna¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°Isaac Wexler.¡± She said with forced evenness. ¡°Sometimes you make me want to hit you.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°The fact that you haven¡¯t, shows me just how much you love me.¡± He replied with a smile that melted away all of the irritation he had just built up in her.


    Lenna sighed but she had a hard time still scowling at him. ¡°It does.¡± She replied. ¡°And you would do well to remember that.¡±


    Isaac laughed. ¡°I love you.¡±


    Lenna rolled her eyes. ¡°You know I love you too.¡± She said and elbowed him in the side. ¡°Now, what are we going to do about your missing armor?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I¡¯m serious about waiting. It should only be another few weeks or so and Jallen isn¡¯t trying to execute us anymore. We should be fine if we try to keep a low profile.¡±


    Lenna did not look amused. ¡°A low profile? Isaac, do you know who you are?¡± She questioned.


    ¡°I can keep a low profile.¡± He assured her. ¡°You just won¡¯t like it.¡±


    Lenna narrowed her eyes on him. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The best way for me to keep a low profile would be to go off alone.¡± He told her. ¡°I can spend days at a time completely invisible and silent.¡± Lenna¡¯s look struck him in the chest like a knife. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look.¡± He told her. ¡°It is obviously safer for me to be with you at all times, and I obviously prefer it, but unless you¡¯ve suddenly started taking disguise lessons from Marie, and feel like going without your armor for a while, we are always going to stand out.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Lenna replied quietly.


    ¡°For now, let¡¯s just find a good place to keep an eye on the warehouses. Once we find a good spot to set up shop, I¡¯ll sneak in and check them out. Hopefully we¡¯ll find Lenny along the way.¡± He enlightened her of his plan. ¡°If we can wrap this up before Stan is done with your armor I¡¯ll be happy.¡±


    Lenna nodded along. ¡°Don¡¯t start anything without me, understand?¡± She told him.


    ¡°Of course.¡± He agreed and kissed her. ¡°It¡¯s no fun to do it alone.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°What are we staring at?¡± Isaac asked from right next to the young man he was looking for. Lenny was sitting by a window in an abandoned house across from one of the warehouses. The window was broken and almost none of the streetlight made it inside.


    Lenny jumped. ¡°Halya, fuck, shit boss.¡± He swore in rapid succession. ¡°You scared me half ta death. I almost left my body behind for the afterlife.¡± He breathed heavily.


    Isaac just chuckled from next to him. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you.¡± He told the warrior-rogue.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Lenny questioned. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been doing our rounds since the craziness is over. With Jallen taken care of and Mr. Nobody¡­ dead?¡± Isaac questioned and looked over his shoulder to Lenna for an answer.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°I hope Jala isn¡¯t keeping it alive somewhere. Nothing deserves that fate.¡± She replied. Lenny gave her a nod in greeting and she returned it.


    ¡°Things have calmed down a lot.¡± Isaac finished.


    ¡°With nothing crazy happening, he is bored.¡± Lenna summarized for Lenny.


    ¡°Ah, ok.¡± Lenny replied to Lenna.


    Isaac turned around to scowl at her for a moment before he turned back to look out the window Lenny was looking through. ¡°Is this the place?¡± He asked.


    Lenny nodded. ¡°Yeah. This is the only one that doesn¡¯t actually receive anything. The rest hold food from the incoming caravans or potions and monster parts for the outgoing ones.¡± He explained. ¡°People are still coming in and out. The weird part is that they usually walk in by themselves, no visible coaxing.¡±


    ¡°Hypnotism and charms, according to your brother.¡± Isaac explained.


    Lenny nodded. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought too.¡± He replied.


    ¡°But now you aren¡¯t so sure.¡± Isaac asked rhetorically.


    Lenny absently nodded again. ¡°Yeah, I haven¡¯t really seen the boss around. Something is fucky.¡±


    Isaac turned and sat down at the other side of the window to watch as well. ¡°Well, let¡¯s wait and see.¡± He said. Lenna walked over and pulled a sandwich out of her Bottomless Bag. She handed it to Isaac and then gave another one to Lenny before she finally took one for herself. Isaac gave her a warm smile and nodded in thanks while Lenny bashfully accepted the food. ¡°While we have lunch. You¡¯re pushing your body too hard. Something is going to give out at this rate.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Lenny agreed quietly. ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Then why?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m just¡­¡± Lenny began. ¡°I¡¯m tired of being so far behind.¡± He said. ¡°I want to be strong enough to help, to be trusted to help, to never end up in the situation my brother was in.¡± Isaac nodded in understanding but the young warrior-rogue wasn¡¯t done. ¡°And finally, there was something I thought I¡¯d be able to help with but Teach said that I would just be in the way.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Isaac said. ¡°I understand.¡± He nodded and took another bite of his sandwich while he found his next words. ¡°Lenny, even if you had been strong enough to help I probably wouldn¡¯t have called on you.¡± He explained and Lenny whipped his head around to face Isaac. Before Lenny could cut in, Isaac continued: ¡°The most useful part of you for people like me and Edward is that no one knows who you are. You¡¯ve been taking bounties in secret and attributing them to someone else, right?¡±


    Lenny nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± He agreed. ¡°But I still wanted to be a part of everything.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Isaac said with a comforting smile. ¡°But as long as we can¡¯t be completely sure that no one will recognize you, I need you to keep being a ghost.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what the disguise items you are looking for are for.¡± Lenny said with wide eyes.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°What did you think they were for?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Lenny replied honestly. ¡°You have a lot of money, I thought you just wanted them.¡±


    Isaac sighed and ran his hand down his face. ¡°Come on man, do I look that frivolous to you?¡± Lenna coughed into her hand and Isaac scowled at her.


    Lenny looked between them. ¡°Am I supposed to answer that?¡± The look Isaac gave him could have withered a dozen flowers.

 Chapter 16 Psychedelic Mushrooms,

    Chapter 16 Psychedelic Mushrooms,


    ¡°So what have you learned?¡± Isaac asked as the trio sat down to watch and wait.


    ¡°I take it you just came from my house?¡± Lenny asked.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Nothing my brother didn¡¯t already know.¡± Lenny explained. ¡°Other than the weirdness I mentioned.¡±


    ¡°Have you been inside?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Lenny shook his head. ¡°No. I¡¯d need some form of invisibility or something.¡± He replied.


    ¡°How good do you think their magical traps and defenses are?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°Good but probably worse than Mr. Nobody¡¯s.¡± Lenny postulated.


    Isaac hummed in thought and then looked at Lenna. ¡°Just tag me first.¡± Lenna replied to his unspoken question. Isaac flashed her a grin and took her offered hand. Shadows clung to her hand and Isaac rose to his feet.


    ¡°I¡¯m going for a walk.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°A quiet one I hope.¡± Lenna replied with a stern look on her face.


    Isaac flashed her another grin. ¡°They are only enthusiastic when I¡¯m with you.¡± He said and blew her a kiss before he vanished.


    Lenny blinked a few times and then looked between Lenna and where Isaac had just been. ¡°Uhm, lady boss?¡± He said.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Is this one a those times I should pretend I didn¡¯t see anythin¡¯?¡± Lenny questioned.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± She replied simply. ¡°Now, be ready just in case his walk gets enthusiastic without me.¡±


    ¡ª


    Isaac strode across the street with total confidence. His Shadowcloak hid him from everything save for the most powerful specialized spells or those with a very specific set of senses. He was confident that this gang didn¡¯t have a literal ghost or a rune master on par with Jala on their payroll. Isaac walked up to the man-door on the side of the building and stepped through it. The door was locked, Isaac could tell based on the bolt that was clearly visible between the door and doorway, but that mattered little to Isaac. His casual step took him five feet forwards to the otherside of the door courtesy of a quick teleport. Once inside he was met by a small entryway and a pair of private-sector guards playing cards. Their swords were in easy reach and their spider-chitin armor looked mildly enchanted and well polished. The black former exoskeleton glistened in the oil lamp and glowstone light. The pair looked trained and were still somewhat alert even though they were halfway through their game of cards.


    Isaac casually strode past the pair and walked through the open doorway behind them. Once through he was clearly able to see the operation the gang had been running. To call them a gang had been a bit below the mark. They were a proper crime organization. A dozen people were locked in cages along the one wall. Inside the cages there were cots bolted to the ground and a wool blanket for each person. None of the captives looked malnourished save for one person who looked utterly broken. Isaac could tell that the reason for the man¡¯s malnourishment was his own refusal to eat. Everything seemed to be running well and cleanly. The captives weren¡¯t even stuck living in their own filth like one would expect. It seemed that whoever ran the organization took great care to not lower the value of the merchandise.


    ¡°That¡¯s odd.¡± Isaac said quietly to himself. ¡°When he said that they were free to do anything to their captives this is not what I expected to find.¡± Isaac continued to walk around and he soon stumbled across a series of small crates with odd looking mushrooms in them. ¡°Cheap drugs and transport/housing of slaves¡­ where is all the real money coming from?¡± He continued to look around and that is when he found it. Most of the way in the back of the building there was a small walled off section with a door leading inside. Isaac quickly looked around to make sure no one was watching his general direction before he teleported to the otherside of the door. Once inside he almost tripped from the uneven footing. He stood at the top of a stairwell that had a switchback only a dozen steps in.


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    Isaac carefully moved down the stairwell. He was almost at the switchback when he heard two people walking up the stairs in his direction. ¡°¡­ all¡¯s I¡¯m sayin¡¯ is we gotta finda way outta the ci¡¯y ¡®¡¯fore Ducan blows ¡®is lid. Damn scary that ¡®un.¡± Isaac heard one of them say to the other. The pair of gang members were hilariously unevenly proportioned. The one that had spoken was a tall and lithe human who looked to be in his forties and was missing a few teeth. The man reeked of unbrushed teeth and unwashed armpits. His compatriot was a stout dwarf who was so fat he hardly fit beside the tall human. The dwarf looked like someone tried to make a man shaped dumpling and then wrapped it in an old ill fitted suit and dunked its head in a barrel of grease.


    ¡°Well, figure it out. That is your job after all.¡± The dwarf said to the human. Isaac had to take a flying leap over the head of the dwarf so the pair wouldn¡¯t walk directly into him but neither of the pair seemed to notice.


    ¡°W¡¯at you mean it¡¯s me job?¡± The human questioned. ¡°Ain¡¯t you always goin¡¯ on ¡®bout ¡®ow yer the thinkin¡¯ man?¡± The pair then stopped just inside the door to the main warehouse.


    ¡°Listen, Bert, if we do not use our heads and collectively find a way out of the city, Duncan is going to be the least of our problems. Cells three, seven, and nine through fourteen have all been sold already and the clients are not people to be messed with.¡± The dwarf explained. ¡°Now, help me find a way past Arbencroft¡¯s lackeys.¡± He finished and then opened the door. The pair continued out and soon closed the door behind them.


    ¡°Well, that was informative.¡± Isaac commented to himself and then continued down the rest of the way into the basement. The area smelled like moist dirt and sewage. Once Isaac was through the doorway at the bottom he understood why. Rows upon rows of planters were set up under illusory sunlight. There was even an Ocean in a Bottle set up so it would steadily pour water into an open pipe. The pipe split off into twenty other ones that each led to the end of their respective rows of planters. Each of the side pipes had small holes poked in them at regular intervals to spread the water across the entire underground farm. Inside each of the planters was a collection of discarded rubbish from potato peels to human feces. A few of the planters had mushrooms sprouting up out their tops.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t just shipping the drugs, they are growing them in the basement.¡± Isaac said as the organization¡¯s large amount of money started to make sense. Isaac took a deep breath and turned to leave. ¡°Well, I think that answers all of my questions that the warehouse can answer.¡± Isaac commented and started walking back up the stairs to leave. ¡°Now, who is Duncan?¡± He wondered aloud to himself.


    ¡ª


    ¡°That was fun.¡± Isaac commented as he appeared behind Lenna and Lenny who were still peeking out of the broken window.


    ¡°What did you find out, boss?¡± Lenny asked without missing a beat.


    ¡°A bit.¡± Isaac began and then filled the pair in on everything he had seen and overheard.


    ¡°Duncan is the name of the big boss that runs all of the warehouses.¡± Lenny explained. ¡°He¡¯s a little taller than me, rogue-wizard hybrid as far as I know. He¡¯s not great at either but how do you fight somebody who keeps messin¡¯ with your head while trying to stab you?¡±


    ¡°James said that I can¡¯t just remove him.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°Usually I would argue but the captives seem well cared for. As much as I believe that everyone deserves their freedom I don¡¯t think breaking them out right now is the best option we have at our disposal.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What¡¯re you thinkin¡¯, boss?¡± Lenny questioned.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to talk to Izen.¡± Isaac began and Lenny¡¯s eyes got a little wider. ¡°If we can orchestrate an opportunity for them to ship out the slaves then catch them at the dwarven fortress we can get the most out of this.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Lenny asked.


    ¡°By killing their reputation without killing the man responsible for holding the slums together.¡± Lenna explained to the rogue-warrior.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°If we can pull something like that off then Duncan¡¯s clients will be breathing down his neck and want their money back. The hit should make him a bit more careful and with a little luck he¡¯ll drop the high risk business of dealing with slaves and stick to selling and shipping psychedelic mushrooms, like a normal person.¡±


    ¡°A normal person?¡± Lenna asked evenly.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied simply. ¡°I¡¯d never do it but I can understand why some people would want to throw their useless lives away into an out of this world dream.¡±


    ¡°So, what do you want me to do, boss?¡± Lenny asked, cutting into the duo¡¯s odd argument.


    ¡°Just keep an eye on them and see if anything else weird stands out. I want to know where the boss is and why those captives you saw earlier were so cooperative.¡± Isaac ordered. ¡°Just make sure to stay out of sight. Maybe if you do this job well enough we can come up with a good moniker for you.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡± Lenny asked.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Ghost? James said that some of the guys down there think they are being haunted by a ghost but we know it¡¯s just you.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Ghost might stick.¡±


    ¡°What about Phantom?¡± Lenny asked.


    Isaac chuckled and shook his head. ¡°We can figure it out once this is over and we have a way to conceal your identity. For now, just keep watching and keeping a low profile. I¡¯ll go talk to Izen and Tim about the plan.¡± He explained. ¡°Lenna, why don¡¯t you swing by Stan¡¯s to see if your armor is ready?¡±


    Lenna looked down at her hand that was still covered in shadows. ¡°I¡¯ll grab some more throwing spikes if he has them as well.¡± She said. ¡°I¡¯ll see if the Tanner¡¯s have a leather vest or something for you too since I¡¯ll be close by.¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Fine. But don¡¯t spend too much on something that isn¡¯t going to survive the afternoon.¡±


    ¡°It had better last longer than that. You need to stop taking hits directly.¡± She chastised him.


    ¡°I rarely take direct hits.¡± Isaac countered. ¡°It¡¯s just when I do it gets messy.¡± He added quickly and quietly.


    ¡°Well, stop getting hit.¡± She told him and Isaac scoffed.


    ¡°How am I supposed to do that?¡± He asked with exaggerated wonder. Lenna almost smacked him.


    ¡°You are the Lord of Darkness, you figure it out.¡± She retorted. ¡°Now let¡¯s get going before Lenny loses all respect for you.¡±


    Isaac slowly turned to look at Lenny who was very pointedly not looking in his direction. ¡°Lenny?¡± Isaac spoke.


    ¡°Huh? Yes, boss?¡± Lenny asked as if he hadn¡¯t been listening.


    ¡°You never heard anything.¡± Isaac said casually.


    ¡°Right, boss, ears stopped workin¡¯ for a bit there. Back to normal now though, don¡¯t know what happened.¡± Lenny said with a nod.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Keep up the good work, kid, and stay out of trouble.¡± He told his young friend.


    Lenny gave Isaac a quick salute. ¡°Will do boss.¡±

 Chapter 17 Goodwill,

    Chapter 17 Goodwill,


    ¡°I didn¡¯t push it too far did I?¡± Lenna asked once the pair was out of earshot of Lenny.


    Isaac eyed her for a moment. ¡°You mean the banter?¡± He asked.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Isaac hummed in thought. ¡°If we were alone, definitely not.¡± He replied noncommittedly.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Lenna said quietly. ¡°I-¡±


    Isaac cut her off. ¡°But it¡¯s fine because it was just Lenny. If we are going to be working with him more in the future then I don¡¯t want to feel like I have to be careful around him. Teammates shouldn¡¯t stress you out. That was the worst part about teaming up with Fable and the Ravens.¡± He explained.


    ¡°Oh. I see.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    Isaac smirked and bumped shoulders with her. ¡°Relax, would you?¡± He told her.


    Lenna took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. The breath took with it most of her tension and stress. ¡°Okay.¡± She said with a nod. ¡°Let¡¯s get to work.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll find you when I¡¯m done.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°If I haven¡¯t met back up with you by the time you are done then meet up where we just left Lenny.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Love you.¡± Isaac said with a wink before he vanished into thin air.


    ¡°I love you too.¡± Lenna said after him. Because of the lack of a fading silhouette she knew that he had only gone invisible, and thus could probably still hear her, so she said it with a smile.


    ¡ª


    Isaac appeared inside of Izen¡¯s office with a pair of steaming cups of tea. He had heard Sera in the garden and decided to stop by to say hello. When she asked where he was going, and he had enlightened her, she had given him tea for both him and Izen before sending him off with a smile.


    Isaac let his shadows fade once he was sure Izen was in his office, he didn¡¯t want to accidentally trigger any alarms, and sat down on the edge of Izen¡¯s desk. ¡°Hey partner.¡± Isaac greeted the duke.


    Izen took in a sharp inhale from Isaac¡¯s sudden presence startling him. ¡°Hello, Isaac.¡± Izen said with a nod. Isaac handed him his tea and the duke took it with an appreciative smile and nod. ¡°Is she still in the garden?¡± He asked.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah. She was playing Kingsman with Marie and thoroughly destroying her.¡± He explained.


    ¡°Is Lenna here?¡± Izen asked to which Isaac shook his head. ¡°Then it¡¯s all business, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I¡¯m afraid so.¡± He told the older man. ¡°My guys in the poor side of town found something a bit too complex for me to handle by myself without causing more harm than good.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°I have a plan but it requires moving the guard around to give some smugglers an opportunity to, well, smuggle.¡±


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    Izen nodded along. ¡°Good news for you then, in two weeks we are going to throw a festival in celebration of Jallen V¡¯Nova¡¯s defeat.¡± He explained. ¡°All of the guards will be moved around for that as we will need more guards on patrol in high traffic areas. That would allow us to have less guards at the gate and lessen search procedures for a few days.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯d be perfect.¡± Isaac replied and took a sip of his tea. ¡°When are you announcing it?¡±


    ¡°Two days from now. That will be a ten day heads up.¡± Izen explained. ¡°Will that be enough?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be perfect.¡± Isaac said with a nod. ¡°They are getting antsy because whoever already paid for their merchandise is not happy with it being held up in Safeharbor. One other thing about this though, can we get dwarven support?¡±


    Izen raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why?¡± He asked. ¡°They do not like getting involved with us unless it is for the common good.¡±


    ¡°We have no idea who the clients are right now. If we can capture all of them alive then we might be able to get some good information out of them and maybe the buyers can get hit on their end.¡± Isaac explained his reasoning. ¡°It¡¯ll be hard for a small group of us to ensure that it doesn¡¯t turn into a bloodbath.¡±


    Izen nodded. ¡°How many men do you have in town?¡± He asked. ¡°I could spare four or five of my personal guards and have them wear adventurer gear to join you.¡±


    ¡°Exactly one who I would trust in a fight to hold their own, not including Lenna of course. One more that is a good lookout and can probably use a crossbow.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°No one else that would actually do it without being under duress.¡±


    Izen nodded with a frown. ¡°I see. How many do you think there will be?¡± He asked.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I have no idea how much they are planning on moving but if I had to guess at least two wagons.¡± He replied. ¡°That¡¯s only like four to six men but if they plan on emptying the warehouse while they can then who knows, ten, thirty?¡±


    Izen nodded in understanding. ¡°I can see why you wanted the fortress to help.¡± He said with a sigh. ¡°I will have Alexander contact them but it might be better if you go yourself.¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow in question. ¡°Really?¡± He asked. ¡°Why me?¡±


    Izen stared at him for a long moment. ¡°You are serious.¡± He said after some time. ¡°Because they felt you from there. You are a celebrity. What you did gained a lot of goodwill, not just for Safeharbor, but for you specifically from them.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Isaac said and leaned back. ¡°I didn¡¯t even think about that.¡± His face then was set in a frown. ¡°How are they going to handle Lenna?¡±


    Izen frowned deeply and leaned back in his own chair. ¡°I am not sure, honestly. Usually I would say poorly, very poorly, but they are aware that she volunteered to be bait to draw in the drow forces. I am afraid that you will have to find that one out on your own.¡± He replied thoughtfully.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll get back to you once we are sure that they are going to take the opening. If they are then I will need Alexander to set up a meeting for me with the dwarves.¡± Isaac said.


    Izen nodded. ¡°We can do that.¡± He replied and then changed the subject. ¡°I will contact you once I am ready to start dealing with the construction and distribution we agreed on.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. I figured you would be a bit too busy for a little while. I don¡¯t have a distribution network set up or anything so it is more or less on Alice right now. The Silverstrands have all of the material and means of production so we¡¯ll all have to get together at some point to discuss how everything is going to change but that can wait until things settle down a bit.¡± Isaac said and stood up. He drained his teacup and stretched. ¡°I think that was everything.¡±


    Izen nodded. ¡°We will have to find a way for you to stop by without taking years off of my life.¡± He told the mage.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°We are going to be so rich that you will be able to buy those years back.¡± He said and then vanished.


    ¡ª


    An hour after the duo had left Lenny to his work they met back up right after Lenna had left Tanner¡¯s Leatherworking. ¡°How¡¯s the armor?¡± Isaac asked Lenna by way of greeting.


    ¡°Not finished.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Stan said tomorrow morning. He has to be really careful with it.¡±


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°The sooner we can get you in a set of invulnerable armor the better.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°Speaking of armor.¡± Lenna said and pulled a black leather vest out of her Bottomless Bag. The front and back of the vest were both hardened leather but the bit in the center, where the buttons were, and on the sides were just treated. The vest was more for fashion than for defense but it did have a simple cut resistance enchantment. Lenna hoped that it would survive Isaac long enough for her mate to get his dragonscale armor back from the enchanter.


    ¡°How much did you pay for it?¡± Isaac asked with a frown but he took the vest anyway.


    ¡°Twenty seven.¡± Lenna replied.


    Isaac narrowed his eyes on her. ¡°That trick only works on things that are overpriced but still cheap.¡± He told her. ¡°Two hundred and seventy gold?¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°It was worth it. It looks nice.¡±


    ¡°Uh huh.¡± Isaac fakely agreed. ¡°It looks like¡­ I don¡¯t remember what it looks like, but I feel like it looks like something annoying people who like to get into bar fights would wear.¡±


    Lenna gave him a very incredulous look. ¡°What does that even mean?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea.¡± Isaac replied honestly. ¡°This is definitely one of those times that if my brain had come at it from a different angle I would have gotten a headache.¡±

 Chapter 18 A Bad Influence

    Chapter 18 A Bad Influence


    ¡°Everything is locked up like Fort-¡± Isaac winced. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to get into without the chime that dispels wards and the ability to pick dial locks.¡± Isaac explained. He had just gotten back after a brief sashay through a certain gangsters office. It had been the last building they had scouted out for a reason. The magical defenses were twice as good as the ones in any of the other buildings that Duncan ran or owned. The man was meticulous. Any and all incriminating evidence was either burned away in the ashtray on his desk or locked inside the most secure safe Isaac had ever seen. The outside, and no doubt the inside as well, of the safe was covered in wards and structural reinforcement enchantments.


    ¡°I guess we just have to wait, boss.¡± Lenny replied. ¡°Once he makes his move maybe we can get inside?¡± He offered.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No, it isn¡¯t worth it. If our plan is just to mess with his operation, outright raiding it would be counterintuitive. If we remove the mortal trafficking then all he is really doing is growing and selling drugs, which, in all honesty, is completely fair game as far as I am concerned.¡± He explained. ¡°Let¡¯s just leave him alone from here on. It¡¯s been two days. The word about the festival is going to get spread around and we should see some movement soon. For now, let¡¯s split up. Lenny, keep watching this one.¡± Isaac said and gestured towards the building he had just sneaked out of. ¡°Lenna, take the bunkhouse and keep track of how many different gangsters are on his payroll. Kahtesh and I¡¯ll take the warehouses. Let¡¯s meet up tonight at midnight on the roof of the pawnshop.¡±


    Just like James and Lenny had planned, the pawn shop was up and running again. The brothers had hired a retired guard from the slums to run it. The man had lost both his legs to a monster two decades prior and had been doing his best to survive. He could keep a secret and had no problems dealing with thieves so he had been a great pick. In the brother¡¯s youths he had given them a little instruction in knife work so they could protect themselves and now it was their turn to repay the favor.


    Lenna narrowed her eyes on Isaac. ¡°Why do I feel like you are up to something?¡± She asked him.


    ¡°Probably because I am.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°But that is besides the point. We should still split up and get the full picture of how he plans on responding to the festival news.¡±


    Lenny nodded. ¡°Sounds like a plan, boss.¡± He agreed and settled in to continue watching Duncan¡¯s office from a rooftop across the street.


    Lenna sighed. ¡°Fine.¡± She acquiesced. ¡°I assume I will find out whatever you are up to after it is too late to stop you?¡± She asked Isaac.


    ¡°Most definitely.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°If it makes you feel any better it isn¡¯t dangerous¡­ well, it shouldn¡¯t be, though,¡± Isaac rambled on before he added under his breath: ¡°if I manage to get myself hurt with paint then I probably deserve it.¡±


    ¡°Paint?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°Nope.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°I clearly just heard you mumble something about paint.¡± Lenna pressed.


    ¡°You¡¯re hearing things.¡± Isaac said simply. ¡°Anyway, see you tonight.¡± Isaac said and squeezed her hand. Shadows clung to Lenna¡¯s hand as Isaac disappeared.


    ¡°I think I am more concerned now than when I had no idea what he was doing.¡± Lenna commented.


    Lenny glanced at her. ¡°You know, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m more scared of him now or when I thought he had a brand on my soul.¡± He commented. ¡°Before it was more a fear of dying but now it¡¯s a fear of what kinda shit he¡¯s gonna to drag me into.¡±


    Lenna sighed. ¡°You have no idea.¡±


    ¡ª


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    ¡°What in all nine of the hells did you do to him?¡± Lenna asked with a mix of awe and horror.


    ¡°I think the lines are¡­ neat.¡± Lenny commented.


    Isaac held his chest as if he¡¯d been shot. ¡°Neat?¡± He questioned. ¡°I spent five hours on those and all I get is ¡®neat¡¯?¡±


    Lenna shook her head as she looked down at the little dragon. Isaac had spent his entire time watching the warehouses painting Kahtesh. The dragon¡¯s white bones were now home to black lines that ran along each bone as if he had simply traced the base skeleton. All of the areas where the bone was stretched, or grown out to cover the openings, were covered in jagged, lightning-like lines that all further obscured the true size and shape of the dragon. All of the black paint made it almost impossible to properly track the dragon¡¯s movements when he was moving quickly in the dark. ¡°He needs a bath.¡± Lenna said at last.


    ¡°Come on, it looks awesome.¡± Isaac tried to argue.


    ¡°It looks like one of those plants that you put in a bowl of dyed water so you can see their leaf structure.¡± Lenna commented. Isaac and Lenny both stared at her like she had just said something far beyond them. ¡°What?¡± She asked.


    ¡°You really did have the best education money could buy in the Drow Empire didn¡¯t you?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Education?¡± Lenny asked. ¡°What does colorful plants have to do with education?¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Let¡¯s just forget about plants and whatever art project Isaac decided to turn Kahtesh into.¡± She said and took a deep breath. ¡°Back on target boys. What did we learn?¡±


    ¡°Duncan and his top players are running around like there¡¯s a devil after ¡®em.¡± Lenny explained his findings. ¡°It looks like they¡¯re taking the bait.¡±


    ¡°They brought six wagons into the warehouse. I didn¡¯t see any of them leave but that doesn¡¯t mean they will still all be there in the morning.¡± Isaac continued. ¡°I¡¯d say they plan on using six wagons.¡±


    ¡°Forty seven men stay in the bunkhouse. Twenty three of them look like they can handle themselves. I don¡¯t think any of them are over level seven though.¡± Lenna revealed her own findings.


    ¡°This is seeming more and more doable.¡± Isaac said. ¡°I think it¡¯s time I get Alexander to set up a meeting with the dwarves.¡±


    ¡°Oh, boss, one more thing.¡± Lenny cut in before they decided to go their separate ways for the night. ¡°I stopped by my house since it was on the way here, James got word about the next auction.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac said, suddenly even more interested. ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°Two months from today, like I said before, they give a two month heads up.¡± Lenny replied.


    ¡°If we can, I¡¯d like to go with you.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°If not, I¡¯ll make sure you have enough money to buy at least one good disguise item.¡±


    Lenny nodded. ¡°Got it, boss.¡± He said and then gave the duo a wave. ¡°I think I¡¯m gonna sleep in my actual bed for once this week.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Isaac and Lenna said at the same time. Lenny shrunk back like he had just been chastised by a parent. He backed up until he hit the edge of the roof before he rolled backwards off of it and out of sight.


    ¡°You are a bad influence on him.¡± Lenna said. ¡°He has started going for dramatic instead of efficient exits.¡±


    Isaac laughed. ¡°I¡¯m a bad influence on everyone who isn¡¯t a bad person.¡± He replied. ¡°I take saints, like you, and drag them to the line that separates the light and dark sides.¡±


    Lenna rolled her eyes. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± She said with amusement in her eyes.


    ¡°Sure it does.¡± Isaac countered.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Lenna asked. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°Shadows are the boundary between light and pure darkness.¡± He said. ¡°Also, death is just a transition point between being alive in life and being whatever you are in the afterlife.¡±


    Lenna just stared at him. ¡°No.¡± She replied.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°What do you mean ¡®no¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I am not acknowledging that just because it sounds like it should make sense, because it doesn¡¯t.¡± She explained. Isaac¡¯s laughter filled the rooftop while Kahtesh watched on with confused curiosity. Sometimes the little dragon had no idea what was going on, this was one such time. In the little dragon¡¯s defense, nonsense was a human pastime, not a dragon one.


    ¡ª


    Lenny may have said that he was going home to his own bed but that was just so the boss, and especially the lady boss, would get off his case. He knew that they meant well but it felt like they were treating him like their child instead of their partner, underling if Lenny was being honest with himself, and it was a little annoying. Regardless, he had something he really needed to do. It was this thing that led to him swinging by the storeroom in the theater hall. The building hadn¡¯t been used in at least seven months. Everyone knew that Safeharbor was too poor to host plays every weekend like the larger cities so it sat empty and unused unless there was a very special occasion. In those instances the duke would clean it up and try to make it look like it hadn¡¯t sat idle the rest of the time. All that really did was make what Lenny was planning on easier.


    Once inside the storeroom Lenny searched through half a dozen creates full of props until he finally found what he had been looking for. When Lenny was a boy, maybe four or five, his brother had snuck him inside to see one of the plays. The mask of the villain of the play was pure white with an exaggerated black grin painted on the front. The eye holes were covered in a thin, black, veil of some kind that made it impossible to see through from farther than a few inches away. This let the actor still see but removed the ability for any onlooker to see the eyes of the wearer. In the play that had been necessary because the grand reveal had been that the villain had been the mentor of the hero all along. That villain had also used a pair of sparkling curved swords. Little Lenny didn¡¯t really understand the plot or the message the play tried to convey but his young mind and eyes had latched onto the flippant villain, his swagger, and probably most importantly of all, his mask and swords. Now, in his hands, he had the mask. On his hips he had real swords that were even more extravagant than the villain¡¯s because, unlike the villain, his swords were real.


    Lenny slowly put the mask over his face and couldn¡¯t keep himself from grinning, much like the mask. ¡°Finally.¡± He whispered to himself. ¡°The Phantom has come to life.¡±

 Chapter 19 Trap

    Chapter 19 Trap


    Duncan Ebbenson was a hard working man. He spent what felt to him like every waking moment of his life working. He had been put to work at an early age to help pay for his father¡¯s alcoholism. Working hard in the slums of Safeharbor meant something else than working hard in the fields of Clarestia or Rivenbor. For Duncan it meant pickpocketing with a bit of extra work in the mushroom fields that wrapped around the southside of the city.


    Just outside the walls, downhill from the city itself, the mushroom fields had always been used to cultivate alchemical mushrooms and the ones everyone liked to use for tea. From the age of four until he had turned thirteen Duncan had worked both of these jobs. It changed one day when a wizard, an adventurer, had spotted him and told the young Duncan that he had the potential to be a wizard.


    The wizard could feel the slight amount of increased mana capacity that the boy possessed. There was only one problem for the young Duncan; his father had drunk away every copper they had ever owned. This meant that Duncan wouldn¡¯t be able to make a trip to the capital, or even Sapphirestone, for real wizard training. Upon hearing of Duncan¡¯s plight the wizard had given him a spellbook. A small one but even so it was worth more than his family¡¯s home. Duncan had guarded it with his life. He still didn¡¯t know the name of the wizard or why he had given him such an incredible and expensive treasure. The wizard had asked Duncan to do only one thing for him in return. The wizard looked down at the young Duncan and said: ¡°Take this kindness I have given you and pass it along. Good deeds, charity, and compassion are what makes our world worth living in.¡±


    To this day Duncan strove to do what he could. He was aware that the slave trade that he participated in was frowned upon but he had his reasons for going along with it. For one, he chose who he would sell people to. For another, he kept them all in the best condition he reasonably could. And finally, he had even gone so far as to spread rumors that the slaves in his care were heavily mistreated to breed an even more intense fear of being sold into slavery. He had hoped that the rumors would help keep people from making so many bad decisions, specifically the ones that ended with them in his warehouse, but unfortunately it had done little to help.


    Duncan sighed as he remembered everything that had led to the predicament he had found himself in. Everything from the time his father had tried to pawn off his spellbook, which ended with Duncan burying a dagger in the side of his father¡¯s neck, to the crackdowns on his competition. He shook his head to clear it before he gulped down the glass, yes it was real crystal, of water on his desk. Most of those in similar positions to Duncan, those in power, tended to have alcohol nearby in their offices for days like the one he was having, but after watching his father destroy his family, Duncan wanted nothing to do with the stuff. Did that make him somewhat of a hypocrite for growing and selling psychedelic mushrooms? Probably, but it was worth it. The storage business was not one that turned a high profit by itself and he had a lot of men that needed money for themselves and their families.


    Duncan ran his hands down his face wearily. His beard needed trimming again but it wasn¡¯t so long as to be in the way, it was just a bit longer than he liked it. Duncan looked in the mirror and he had to admit that his age, and the stress of propping up a third of the slums by himself, had caught up to him. His salt and pepper beard matched his hair. More and more he was seeing white instead of dark brown. His dull green eyes betrayed his elvish ancestry, though it was back at least seven generations, and the bags under his eyes were so dark that he doubted even a week¡¯s worth of sleep would fix them. He sighed again, only belatedly realizing that he had been doing that a lot lately, and left his office. Down the stairs and out of the building he went. He rounded the corner to take the alleyway to his house. Usually people of his position would have a guard with them for a walk from work to home but Duncan had made sure to purchase a house almost right behind his office.


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    It was late into the night, a few hours before the early risers would start to stir, so the city around him was deathly quiet. Something sent a shiver up his spine and he looked around. If he hadn¡¯t been so exhausted he might¡¯ve noticed what was wrong earlier. ¡°Fog?¡± He whispered. A layer of fog had settled in the alleyway. He turned around and it was even more intense behind him. He turned back, he was only a hundred feet from his back door and the safety that the wards in his house would give him, but what he was met with made him take an involuntary step back.


    A man stood with a pair of curved swords in his hands. Their blades were pointed outward as if he was purposefully opening himself up like someone greeting an old friend. His clothes were tattered but it was easy to spot the hard leather under the tattered clothes. His brown hair was a bit of a mess but none of those things were what really caught Duncan¡¯s attention. No, it was the bone white mask with an exaggerated smile painted on it in black. Duncan reached into his pocket to get his wand. He had taught himself magic with the help of that spellbook from decades long past but, even if he was loath to admit it, he was bad at spellcasting. He did know a few spells though and, with the thirty feet between himself and the maniac in front of him, he was sure he could get a quick spell off. After all, he usually only needed one.


    The man across from Duncan laughed exaggeratedly. He sounded young but old enough to know better than to try and challenge him unless he had a counter for Duncan¡¯s magics. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± The masked man said. ¡°Not unless you want them to find your corpse in the morning.¡± He continued with no small amount of pleasure and amusement in his voice.


    Duncan, for his part, froze. He had no idea what the masked man had up his sleeves and for all he knew the man could teleport behind him and bury his blades in his back before he could withdraw his wand. Duncan wasn¡¯t sure if he could cast Charm with enough stability and power behind it to actually affect the masked man without the wand so he decided to play along. If the man hadn¡¯t attacked him yet then maybe he wasn¡¯t planning to do so at all. Or maybe, maybe he was just playing with him. ¡°You¡¯re the Ghost then?¡± He asked. Duncan had heard a few of his men whispering about ghosts and at first he had played it off as someone taste testing the merchandise but now he wasn¡¯t so sure.


    The masked man visibly recoiled. ¡°Yuck, ¡®Ghost¡¯?¡± He said with disgust. ¡°Do you know what a Phantom is, Duncan Ebbenson?¡± He continued but he never let the older man speak. ¡°A Phantom is a specter that haunts a lonely road. They are travelers who were murdered in the dark with no witnesses but the bugs and the moon.¡± He gestured around them.


    ¡°The ¡®Phantom¡¯ then?¡± Duncan played along.


    The masked man tilted his chin up in what Duncan could tell was satisfaction with a healthy dose of manic glee. ¡°Exactly. But who I am matters little.¡± The Phantom replied. ¡°What matters is that there is a play going on and you must ensure that your men play the part.¡±


    Duncan eyed the masked man even more wearily. The more the man spoke the more it sounded like there was a lot more to him than just some maniac in the night. ¡°And what is my part?¡± Duncan asked.


    ¡°You are going to stop mortal trafficking after this next shipment, after all, we aren¡¯t so cruel as to stiff you with the merchandise.¡± Phantom answered. ¡°Your last chance to do so is sometime during the festival while the security around the gates is the lowest.¡±


    ¡°That sounds a lot like a trap to me.¡± Duncan replied simply.


    Phantom laughed. ¡°And why would I tell you about then?¡± He asked. ¡°You are already making ready to ship out those pathetic slum-kin who overplayed their hands.¡± He tapped his chin with the flat of the tip of one of his blades. ¡°Six wagons, by my count, but there are more slaves than that. Two slaves to a wagon?¡±


    Duncan could feel his shirt clinging to his back from the sweat that continued to trickle down despite the cool air that never seemed to change in Safeharbor. ¡°What makes you think that I was going to send all six?¡± He asked. Phantom started to casually stroll towards Duncan and the older man knew that he had to act immediately or not at all. Duncan¡¯s hand flicked out of his pocket and he pointed his wand at Phantom. The Phantom continued his casual stroll and Duncan cast his spell. ¡°You don¡¯t want to come any closer.¡± Duncan whispered as his magic flared.

 Chapter 20 I Won’t Forget.

    Chapter 20 I Won¡¯t Forget.


    The Phantom almost tripped as Duncan¡¯s spell activated but then he seamlessly transitioned into a forward twirling roll that took him almost the rest of the way to Duncan. ¡°You want to leave.¡± Duncan said and he again tried to throw everything he could at the graceful maniac, that was only a handful of feet away, while he tried to back away.


    Phantom abruptly closed the distance between them. Duncan pulled out his knife and tried to swing at Phantom but a curved sword easily parted the knife in two. Duncan gasped as his attacker twirled around him. The backside of the curved swords struck the back of Duncan¡¯s knees as well as his neck in such rapid succession that Duncan was on his hands and knees with a splitting headache before he even realized it. ¡°You are making it hard to keep from killing you, Duncan Ebbenson.¡± Phantom said, all of his mirth and mania was gone and only a cold promise of death remained in his voice.


    ¡°Why?¡± Duncan asked. ¡°What does any of this matter to you?¡±


    Phantom tut-tutted while he shook his head. ¡°No questions. The only reason you are still alive is because you need to do your part.¡± Phantom crouched down in front of Duncan. Duncan looked up to see the white mask but in the dark he couldn¡¯t see a single facial feature of the man in front of him. ¡°Remember, all of them at once when the time comes, you won¡¯t want me to come back for them.¡± With that, Phantom rose to his full height and strode away through the thick fog at Duncan¡¯s rear.


    Duncan rolled onto his butt to see where Phantom had gone but it was too late. There was nothing left of the attacker but a lingering fog but even that was starting to lighten. Duncan stayed there for a long minute before he got to his feet, dusted himself off, and went home to sleep. He only hoped that everything he had just seen was a dream or hallucination from overwork. If he woke up with bruises in the morning then he would know that it had actually happened.


    ¡ª


    Lenny took a few deep calming breaths to try and calm his pounding heart. He had stopped by the crazy artificer¡¯s shop and bought a headband that scattered mental attacks. As was the usual with Eliza¡¯s creations it only mostly worked like a conventional item of the same type. Something about testing a way to scatter single target mental attacks or something. It was all way over his head when Eliza¡¯s apprentice, Clayton, had tried to explain it to him. What mattered was that the headband, that had cost almost the entirety of what Lenny still had saved up, had just saved his life. Sure, Lenny knew that Duncan wasn¡¯t likely to actually kill him, but the real problem would have been when Isaac and Lenna would have busted him out. He could imagine the fury in their eyes and was sweating just thinking about it.


    Lenny took another calming breath and looked down at the Cloud in a Bottle he had stolen from the hot elf tinkerer that hung out with her sister and that oaf of a knight or whatever he was. Lenny never took the time to remember adventurer names unless they were people truly worth remembering like the Blade Master or Glinting Blade or Assassin of a Thousand Faces. The Cloud in a Bottle had worked perfectly. Everything had gone according to plan but even so it had been nerve wracking.


    None of it would have been necessary if it wasn¡¯t for a few specific things. The first was that one of the prisoners, who wasn¡¯t scheduled to be sent out, was the sister of the boy who had posted the job in the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. The second was that Duncan was a smart man and the odds of him backing out at the last moment because something felt weird were high. This way Duncan was forced to play along for fear of repercussions. Lenny wanted to do it himself because as scary as Isaac could be he wasn¡¯t the scariest thing out there.


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    Lenny had learned a few things a lot faster than most people. One of those things was one his brother had told him when he was little: ¡°It is not the dark that scares you, it¡¯s that you are afraid of not bein¡¯ alone in the dark.¡± Once Lenny had wrapped his head around that, the dark had actually gotten less scary. Lenny had just applied that same concept in reverse on Duncan. Isaac was a known quantity. He was someone to be feared but he could be tracked. He could be followed. He could only be in one, maybe two, places at a time. Lenny and Phantom were different. Phantom didn¡¯t exist. He couldn¡¯t be tracked. He couldn¡¯t be followed. He couldn¡¯t be known. Duncan would always be looking under his bed for the Phantom¡¯s grinning face. All Lenny had to do was open the Cloud in a Bottle every now and then. Thankfully for Lenny, Duncan was a rational man with a high self preservation instinct otherwise the plan would¡¯ve gone off in his face like a snapped crossbow string.


    Lenny rose to his feet and stuffed the magic bottle, his swords, and his mask inside of his magic bag. He pulled out a cloak that only went down to his knees and threw it on. It was one of the ones most of the out-of-towners liked to get before they got used to the lower temperatures of being underground. He tossed the hood up and slowly made his way back home. At least he would get a few hours of sleep before Isaac and Lenna were up and about. Three or four hours would just have to be enough. He had no intention of telling the boss he had just gone off script even if it was to make sure some of the unwilling actors stayed on it. Hopefully it wouldn¡¯t come back to bite him later.


    ¡ª


    ¡°He said that he will be waiting to hear from you.¡± Alexander told Isaac. He was still engaging in telepathic communication with the Captain of the Dwarven Guard up in the fortress. ¡°If your plan looks like it is going to work just tell one of the guards at the gate that ¡®Plan Mousetrap is a go.¡¯ and let the guard know what your signal will be for them to engage. They will not want to fight your battle for you but if all you need is extra numbers to prevent unnecessary bloodshed then they are completely on board with your plan.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Thank him for me and let him know I will be thanking him in person if this all works out.¡±


    Alexander nodded in confirmation and did just that. ¡°It is done.¡± He told Isaac and sighed wearily. ¡°Do you ever sleep?¡± He asked Isaac. ¡°Or rest at all for that matter?¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I like my full seven to nine hours just like everyone else.¡± He replied. ¡°Sometimes I skip all together because my magic can kill bodily weariness.¡±


    Alexander shook his head and then looked down. It was clear that he was directing their attention through the floor and down towards Jala¡¯s inverted tower. ¡°I haven¡¯t slept for more than two hours at a time in days.¡± He complained. ¡°The tremors are localized, thank the gods she is so good at what she does, but it is hard to sleep when she starts rearranging the world under me.¡±


    Isaac rested his hand on the wizard¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Just talk to her.¡± He told Alexander. ¡°Ask her if maybe she can wait to do it until times when the sun is up on the surface. That should at least give you a window to get some real sleep.¡±


    Alexander brightened slightly. ¡°Really? Do you think that would work?¡± He asked.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I honestly have no idea. It¡¯s worth a shot though. She might try to get some gold paint out of you for the trouble but that¡¯s on you.¡± He explained.


    Alexander nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± He told the mage. ¡°I think I¡¯ll get right on that.¡± He rose from his chair across the table from Isaac and Lenna. ¡°Actually, while you are here, I think I have gotten everything I could out of your drider skeleton. Everything is cataloged that I have the ability to catalog. What are your plans with it for now?¡± Just as Alexander finished asking the question the drider collapsed into a heap of bones again. Isaac had simply cut the power.


    ¡°I need it to stay somewhere extremely secure until my house is built and warded.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°I am afraid I must add a skeleton to your closet for the time being.¡±


    ¡°That was awful.¡± Lenna cut in.


    ¡°I thought it was pretty good.¡± Isaac fired back.


    Alexander sighed. He did not have the energy to deal with Isaac and his antics so he just nodded. ¡°That is fine. I can keep it here, just please, do not forget about it. It is still taking up my limited storage space.¡± Alexander replied.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Oh believe me, I won¡¯t forget.¡±

 Chapter 21 Wait And See.

    Chapter 21 Wait And See.


    Days passed in a slow blur as Lenna and Isaac went about their tasks and duties. Lenna was soon equipped with a freshly fixed and painted set of V¡¯Nova Patriarch Armor. After the armor adjusted to her form its name changed to one more fitting though still not quite accurate: V¡¯Nova Matriarch Armor. Lenna was no clan matriarch but the armor had no way of knowing that. The name wasn¡¯t what mattered either. No, what mattered was that Lenna was now wrapped in padded steel that was capable of withstanding almost any physical attack on the planet. Nothing short of getting hit by a building would even slightly warp her armor. An ancient dragon or a mad dark mage juiced up on a Ten Men potion would be able to bend the armor but little else. In those cases she was more likely to die from the whiplash of getting thrown around before the armor gave out. That wasn¡¯t even considering the near immunity to mental attacks granted by the Crown of Unassailability. The Crown had been fused into the inside of the helmet and reflected any mental attacks back to the sender with extreme prejudice. The helmet cared little for things like distance or line of sight as it simply tracked the attack back to the sender by virtue of the attack¡¯s mana trail.


    Lenna¡¯s armor was painted royal purple with silver trim. The paint was magically treated to be more durable and self-repair to a degree. That did not mean that it would never need repainting however, it just meant that hopefully it would last a while. Aside from collecting Lenna¡¯s new armor, they had sold Jallen¡¯s sword to Izen for a decent price and the Duke now had it hanging behind his throne in his main hall. That money had almost entirely gone to pay for the painting of Lenna¡¯s armor, refilling their coffers after paying for the immensely powerful poisons Isaac had gotten from Marie, and replacing their used consumables from the great battle.


    ¡ª


    Isaac had made the hike alone, much to Lenna¡¯s chagrin, to the gate of the dwarven fortress. Solid gray stone had been cut into blocks, stacked and arranged into a wall, and then fused in place with magic to help ensure stability. The gate was framed in a bulky stone arch that was covered in runes and glyphs filled with all manner of magic. Isaac appeared fifty feet from the gate and its guards to keep from spooking them too badly. He looked up at the raised gate and could only marvel at the massive iron teeth that could be dropped at a moment¡¯s notice to seal the passageway out of the Innerworld and into the Outerworld. Isaac could see through the opening and his breath caught at the glimpse of the surface that he could see.


    A dwarf called out to him but he hadn¡¯t noticed. The noonday sunlight framed a million verdant trees in radiance and life. The stone and dirt path was hot and the heat haze mirrored the dense grove across the small clearing that persisted beyond the second gate. A dwarf had stopped a dozen feet from Isaac before he seemed to recognize the look in Isaac¡¯s face and where he was staring. ¡°First time seein¡¯ the surface kid?¡± The dwarf questioned, this time the dwarf was close enough that he jerked Isaac¡¯s thoughts back to his task and the reason he was there in the first place.


    ¡°Yes, and no, it¡¯s the first time I have seen the surface on this plane.¡± Isaac explained and looked over and slightly down at the dwarf. ¡°I might have to go on a stroll out there at some point. It looks much better than the random transitions between gray and red stone down here.¡±


    The dwarf laughed and shook his head. ¡°Ifin ya don¡¯t mind the heat.¡± The dwarf countered.


    It was then that Isaac truly noticed how much hotter it was. The closer he had gotten to the gate, and the surface, the hotter it had become. And it was indeed hot. It had gone from a pleasant cool to a scorching summer heat just slowly enough that Isaac hadn¡¯t noticed. Now though, he was sweating, heavily, in his multiple layers and cloak. ¡°It is pretty oppressive, yeah.¡± Isaac replied. He shook his head to get it back on track. ¡°But that is not why I am here. I was instructed to inform you of a signal when we will be requiring your assistance.¡±


    The dwarf looked to his companion in question but the other dwarf shook his head. ¡° ¡®ose instruction?¡± The dwarf asked.


    ¡°Your captain¡¯s.¡± Isaac answered. ¡°He and the Court Wizard, who was acting as a go-between for me, were talking and decided that it would be best if I just told you what the signal would be directly.¡±


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    The dwarf¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°I-I see.¡± The dwarf replied. ¡°So¡¯s that make ya the Legend Slayer?¡±


    Isaac chuckled with a grin. ¡°Yes. Though I do have a real title.¡± He explained. ¡°I am Isaac Wexler, the Lord of all that is Dark, the Lord and Demigod of Darkness.¡± Isaac introduced himself casually.


    The dwarf swallowed hard. ¡°Aye sir, we¡¯ll be lettin¡¯ who¡¯s on station know the signal. Wh-what might it be then?¡± He asked.


    ¡°A lighting bolt towards the heavens. You won¡¯t be able to miss it.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Any caravans that come through without such a signal should still be checked extra thoroughly, but the one that is accompanied by a lightning bolt is the one that I will need you to surround, with at least a dozen, hopefully two, men.¡±


    The dwarf nodded. ¡°Aye sir, ¡®e¡¯ll be ready.¡± He assured Isaac.


    Isaac grinned. ¡°Thanks.¡± He replied. ¡°And if all goes well, let your captain know that I¡¯ll be thanking him personally. It always pays to have good relations with your neighbors.¡±


    The guard nodded but before he could reply Isaac was gone as if he had never been there. The guard flinched back at the sudden departure. ¡°Sven?¡± The guard asked.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see him go neither.¡± The second guard replied. ¡°Go on an¡¯ tell the Cap¡¯m ¡®bout this. I¡¯ll ¡®ait here.¡±


    Isaac watched the guards¡¯ reactions and shrugged. ¡°Pretty normal guys, I don¡¯t know what I was expecting but, aside from their strong accents, they are pretty indistinguishable from the human guards.¡± Isaac shook his head. ¡°Guards are guards I guess.¡±


    ¡ª


    Once Isaac was done with his short excursion to the dwarven fortress the pair returned to the rest of their tasks. Isaac and Lenna visited Macken a few more times. Each time they had stayed a bit longer and talked a bit more with the imprisoned knight-paladin until the day of the festival arrived. Meanwhile, Isaac had noticed that Lenny had picked up an interesting, if relatively plain, mask which the rogue-warrior had refused to comment on beyond: ¡°I picked it up because I liked it, is all.¡± Isaac was fully aware that there was more of a story there but since the mask wasn¡¯t magical, and therefore couldn¡¯t have been used to spy on them, he didn¡¯t bother pressing the young man. Soon it was the day of the festival and people were out in droves. Not only were the people of Safeharbor out and about for the festivities but also people from Sapphirestone had come to sell pastries and other festival foods. There were even some dwarves from the nearby fortress who made the walk to engage in the merriment, caused by the death of one of their oldest surviving enemies.


    Michael had also finished handling the prisoners from Ben¡¯s End. They had all been shipped out the morning before the festival so they wouldn¡¯t interfere or put a damper on anyone¡¯s festive moods. In fact, there was even more celebration to be had. A handful of the deaths and dismemberments on the human side of the conflict had been reversed with the help of the gold from Sapphirestone and the pope, that still hadn¡¯t left with Fable. The joy and festive spirit were palpable as Isaac and Lenna casually made their way through town.


    Lenny was already waiting for them at an impression three quarters of the way to the fortress from Safeharbor¡¯s closest gate. Duncan had fallen for the trap and it was loaded and ready to be sprung. While they waited for Duncan¡¯s men and their wagons to be ready to leave, the pair waded through the festival goers and purchased pastries and other festival snacks from the myriad of stands and carts set up along the main thoroughfares. ¡°This is amazing.¡± Isaac commented as he took another bite of the fried dough that was twisted into something akin to a net and covered with sugar.


    ¡°Mhhm.¡± Was Lenna¡¯s reply through a mouthful of the stuff.


    ¡°We should have festivals more often.¡± Isaac commented.


    Lenna chuckled. The air from her nose sent sugar into the air and Isaac started laughing as Lenna¡¯s face reddened. ¡°Shut up.¡± She told him once she had swallowed her food.


    ¡°There aren¡¯t really any attractions though and I know that Izen isn¡¯t making any money off of this one.¡± Isaac continued after a moment. ¡°He had to ensure that there would be no taxes for goods sold during the festival and waive the entry fee for wagons just to get sellers from Sapphirestone to come down here for it.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Maybe if there were some attractions, something worth coming down here for, more people would come and we could have more festivals.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Like what?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°You are the idea guy.¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Maybe the drider silk gear would make some adventurers make the trek down here more often.¡± He offered. ¡°It would only be high level adventurers, but there would still be more people coming in than before.¡±


    Lenna nodded in agreement. ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait and see.¡± She replied and the pair continued to enjoy their festival food while they neared the gate to leave the city. Soon enough their trap would be sprung and the slaves would all be freed without crushing a pillar of the less fortunate. That was the real issue with messing with Duncan¡¯s businesses. There was plenty of evidence to show exactly how much help he was providing to the less fortunate in the slums of Safeharbor. There were a lot of people there that would suffer if anything happened to Duncan so Isaac and Lenna could only hope that their plan would pressure Duncan into shifting his business practices without bankrupting the man. Only time would tell.

 Chapter 22 Defensive Protection.

    Chapter 22 Defensive Protection.


    ¡°I told you you were a bad influence on him.¡± Lenna commented from the group¡¯s place just out of sight of the road that led from Safeharbor to the dwarven fortress. Lenny had just finished explaining his plan of attack to Isaac and Lenna.


    ¡°It does sound like a plan I would come up with.¡± Isaac wholeheartedly agreed.


    ¡°I also, may have, kind of-¡± Lenny began.


    ¡°Out with it.¡± Lenna said, waving him on. The wagon train leaving Safeharbor was getting closer and closer to their position.


    ¡°I confronted Duncan and told him to ship all of the slaves out at once otherwise I was going to go get whatever ones he hadn¡¯t.¡± Lenny confessed in a deluge of words and a single breath. ¡°I just gave him a good scare and made sure he would actually follow through with our plan.¡±


    ¡°You did what!?¡± Isaac demanded. ¡°What if he trapped the wagons instead of going along with what you told him?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I am offering to do it this way.¡± Lenny insisted. ¡°If it¡¯s just loaded with a bunch more guards than usual it¡¯s no big deal but if he has some anti-magic bomb or something then I¡¯ll be the only one hit by it.¡±


    Isaac ran his hand down his face. ¡°Fine.¡± He acquiesced. ¡°Do it now.¡± He ordered and settled in to wait.


    Lenny looked a bit bashful as he asked: ¡°Can you, maybe, make me invisible?¡±


    Isaac gave him a flat look but did as Lenny asked. ¡°Now go.¡± He ordered again and the rogue-warrior took off in a run. ¡°Is an anti-magic bomb a real thing?¡± Isaac asked Lenna who shrugged.


    ¡°I have no idea.¡± She replied. ¡°In my experience, elves are more dedicated to an idea or study than humans but humans are more creative. Take that as you will.¡±


    Isaac frowned. ¡°That kid better not get himself blown up because he went off script.¡±


    ¡ª


    Kenten Kimberson was a low level adventurer from Sapphirestone who had escorted a caravan into Safeharbor for easy coin. When he was approached with a request to escort another caravan out of Safeharbor on the day of the festival he wasn¡¯t sure if he would take it. When they offered double the usual rate for someone of his level he couldn¡¯t say no. Sapphirestone had plenty of festivals and those festivals had the sun-kissed beauties of southwestern Altia walking about instead of sunstarved dwarves.


    Kenten sat in the lead wagon right next to the driver with his crossbow on his lap and his greatsword resting behind him just inside the wagon. His chainmail was in the process of slowly being replaced by plate armor so at present his biceps and thighs were exposed and he only had an open face helmet but it had proved to be more than enough against any wild animals they came across. Suddenly something caught him by surprise. It took him a moment to truly realize what it was. ¡°Fog.¡± He said aloud. The man next to him suddenly started to look extremely nervous. ¡°It¡¯s two hours before noon right?¡± He asked the wagon driver.


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    The wagon driver nodded. ¡°Yes. I think we should hurry up.¡± He said while shifting in his seat.


    Kenten gestured towards the rapidly disappearing road. ¡°Through that?¡± he asked and shook his head. Kenten stood up and cupped his hands around his mouth. ¡°Prepare for contact!¡± He called out loud enough that he was sure the soldiers at the dwarven fortress would have heard him. It was unlikely that the guards at Safeharbor heard them over the clamoring of the festival but the dwarves had always taken their jobs seriously. He was sure that they would have reinforcements soon enough. What struck Kenten as weird was the area in which the ambush was happening. They were far too close to two locations full of reinforcements for any bandits worth owning something like a Cloud in a Bottle to risk robbing them.


    Disembodied laughter started rolling from just ahead of them and the wagon driver pulled the wagon to a halt. The fog was too thick for them to be sure that they were even still on the road. ¡°Contact?¡± A young man¡¯s voice full of humor and question asked. ¡°That is a word for it. Now, I believe you have something you shouldn¡¯t. A few somethings, actually, a few more people than you should.¡± A man clad in rags over leather armor wearing a white mask with an exaggerated smile across it sauntered into view. He had a pair of exquisite curved swords that glinted in the stifled torchlight.


    ¡°One on me!¡± Kenten called out to the rest of the caravan. ¡°Sound off!¡± He was met by a chorus of names from the rest of the caravan but none mentioned anything about more robbers. Kenten watched as the figure in front of them waited patiently without a care in the world and it made him nervous. ¡°What do you want?¡± He asked the masked stranger.


    ¡°Slaves.¡± The masked man replied with a grin in his voice. ¡°Oh! But not you of course. The ones you have stashed away.¡± He giggled out and started sauntering his way over to them. ¡°Let the slaves out into the fog and I won¡¯t take any of you instead.¡± He threatened them jovially.


    Kenten swallowed hard under the pressure and turned to look at the driver who had turned deathly pale. ¡°What is he saying about slaves?¡± Kenten demanded. ¡°You said it was just potions and ingredients.¡± He snapped at the driver.


    ¡°He-he¡¯s lying to you.¡± The driver replied. ¡°D-Do something about him! It¡¯s what we are paying you for!¡± At that moment the other caravan guards and some of the other wagon drivers approached up the sides of their wagon and arrayed themselves towards the masked man.


    ¡°Oh goodie!¡± The masked man exclaimed. ¡°You know, Phantoms aren¡¯t usually in the presence of more than one person at a time but I made an exception today. It makes me so happy that you all decided to show up together.¡± He sighed dramatically and dusted his knee pad off with the flat of one of his swords. ¡°But unfortunately I am afraid that only one of you is allowed to fight me at a time.¡±


    ¡ª


    Lenny¡¯s face paled even as he kept up the act. He was not expecting seventeen armed and armored men to be arranged against him. There were supposed to be twelve members of Duncan¡¯s men but even among them he doubted that all of them would be combat ready and even if they were he doubted that they would all come to meet him at the same time through the dense fog. He could not have been more wrong. ¡°Hey, boss, a little help here?¡± He whispered under his breath. ¡°This may have gotten a bit out of hand.¡± He added quietly before he raised his swords into the air. ¡°Now, who is first?¡± He said with as much of a grin in his voice as he could muster.


    ¡ª


    Isaac sighed deeply from his position next to Lenny. He originally wasn¡¯t going to join the rogue-warrior but now he was glad that he had. Lenna and Kahtesh were left just out of sight and it was time for everything to come to head. Or at least it would be as soon as the small army arrayed in front of Lenny decided to make a move. Lenny had asked for help and help he would get, only if it looked like he actually needed it though.


    ¡ª


    Kenten held up a hand. ¡°Hold!¡± He commanded. ¡°Jess, Benny, and John, check every inch of the wagons for secret compartments and search every expanded storage for slaves. If it turns out that we are carrying slaves this job is finished.¡± He ordered the makeshift team he was a part of. The three looked hesitant at first but then moved to do as he had instructed. He was the de facto leader only because he had completed one more caravan job than Jess who had completed six of her own.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± The lead wagon driver exclaimed. ¡°Kill him!¡± He ordered and pointed at the masked man who suddenly burst into raucous laughter. Everyone halted at the sudden noise.


    ¡°You can¡¯t even kill a phantom with steel swords.¡± He laughed. ¡°What are you going to do against the Phantom with them?¡±


    The small army of black spider armor clad warriors moved forwards and fanned out a bit as they did so. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Kenten snapped. ¡°Get back in line. Guard the wagons in case he had companions.¡±


    The lead wagon driver scoffed. ¡°Who do you think you are ordering around? If you aren¡¯t going to help then you aren¡¯t getting paid.¡± He threatened Kenten.


    ¡°If I am not sure that you aren¡¯t actually carrying slaves then the most you can expect out of me is defensive protection.¡± Kenten retorted simply. ¡°Now, everyone just stay calm until the search has been completed.¡± As if his words were the exact opposite of what he had said, all chaos broke loose as soon as he had spoken the final syllable. Unfortunately for Kenten he wasn¡¯t really the one in charge of the caravan and its defense. No, the man next to him was, Kenten had always just been along for the ride. Hopefully it would be a ride that he could walk away from but the feeling he was getting from the black armored warriors, the man next to him, and the masked man across from them, brought far too much doubt into his mind for his liking.

 Chapter 23 I Greet Darkness.

    Chapter 23 I Greet Darkness.


    Black armored warriors charged towards Phantom who stood alone in the dense fog against the group of moderately trained but decently armored thugs. Before any of them got within melee range the two in the back that had leveled crossbows at him received a very sudden and painful surprise. The one on the left was abruptly hurled at the one on the right. The pair of crossbowmen collapsed onto the ground in a heap. Right at their time of impact a thunderclap rang out and a bolt of lightning lanced towards the ceiling of the cavern above them. Stone splintered on impact and a few small pieces of stone rained down on the caravan.


    Phantom engaged in a dance of steel as a dozen men bore down on him. Every step he took was a retreating one that took him further into the dense fog and every swing of his swords carved notches into his opponents blades or cleaved them in two. Phantom started to get worried because he knew that he was approaching the edge of the fog cloud. They were less than a dozen feet from the Cloud in a Bottle. Very soon the fog cover would vanish and he would be surrounded. As it was, only a few of the gangsters could bring their blades to bear on him at a time. Suddenly he was yanked backwards as a feeling of nothingness assaulted his skin. Shadows had covered him from head to toe and a familiar figure suddenly came into sight dragging him away from the group of gangsters and towards the Cloud in a Bottle.


    ¡°Cork it and run.¡± Darkness ordered and vanished. Phantom did as he was told and in a matter of moments the only traces of his presence were the broken blades of his enemies and the quickly fading fog.


    ¡ª


    Isaac shook his head as he appeared next to Lenna and Kahtesh as they approached the caravan from the rear. ¡°That went so completely off the rails.¡± Isaac complained to Lenna as he appeared next to her. He was still draped in shadows so thick it gave the illusion that he was made of them.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°He is like you, but worse in every way.¡± She commented.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how I should take that.¡± Isaac replied honestly.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Exactly how I said it.¡± She stated. The caravan in front of them had stopped completely so they were soon standing just behind the rearmost wagon. A small woman with a crossbow slung across her back froze as she heard their voices. She turned around slowly to get a look at who was talking and visibly paled.


    ¡°Boo.¡± Isaac purred in a deep gravelly voice that carried a hint of dark amusement. The woman flinched back and Isaac chuckled darkly. Isaac¡¯s amusement didn¡¯t help her regain her faculties.


    ¡°Y-You¡¯re him, r-right?¡± She stammered.


    ¡°There are a lot of¡­ hims.¡± Isaac purred. ¡°Who do you think I am?¡± He questioned. The woman swallowed dryly but didn¡¯t answer right away so Isaac pressed her. ¡°Say, my, name.¡± The woman started to flounder as her mouth opened and closed. ¡°Well? Out with it.¡± He ordered.


    The woman tripped over something as she tried to back away and she went down in a heap. Lenna sighed. ¡°You are going to break her.¡± Lenna commented.


    Isaac rolled his eyes. ¡°She¡¯s weak.¡± He replied. ¡°How long until the dwarves arrive?¡± He asked.


    Lenna listened hard and could just make out the sounds of horseshoes on stone over the sounds of chaos from the front of the wagon train. ¡°Two minutes, give or take.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Good.¡± Isaac purred. The pair stood there in silence for a long moment as the half-dwarf woman in the back of the rearmost wagon slowly got herself back under control and soon dropped out of the back of the wagon to face them. Her crossbow was still on her back so it was clear that she didn¡¯t intend on attempting to fight them.


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    ¡°I-I am Jess Stonewarden.¡± The half-dwarf stammered out. ¡°I greet Darkness.¡± She said with a bow. She kept her head low as if she was afraid that the slightest offense would relieve her of her head.


    ¡°And Hellfire.¡± Isaac added.


    Jess seemed to hitch for a moment before she added with her head still bowed: ¡°And Hellfire.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Isaac purred. The cold sweat on the woman was visible from almost ten feet away through the fading fog. ¡°Now, why are you so afraid of me? I haven¡¯t killed¡­¡± His voice trailed off as he realized that what he was about to say wasn¡¯t truthful. ¡°I haven¡¯t murdered anyone in cold blood in a while.¡±


    If Jess could have gotten smaller she would have. ¡°I-I have heard stories.¡± She stammered in reply.


    ¡°What about?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°They say that Darkness is the strongest person in the Innerworld, ma¡¯am.¡± Jess replied. ¡°And that he is prone to¡­ removing things he doesn¡¯t like.¡±


    ¡°Like Jallen V¡¯Nova.¡± Isaac added.


    Jess nodded. ¡°Y-Yes. Like the immortal Jallen V¡¯Nova, slayer of dragons and bane of Safeharbor.¡± She continued.


    ¡°My temper isn¡¯t that bad.¡± Isaac joked with Lenna but he kept his voice low and gravely. Fear as strong as what the woman in front of them was showing would only serve to keep her in line so Isaac saw no reason to try to change her perception of him.


    ¡°It can be.¡± Lenna replied casually. ¡°Like that time I had to keep you from dusting a pedestrian that swore at me.¡±


    ¡°He was screaming racial slurs at you just because you¡¯re purple.¡± Isaac argued.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Regardless, it sounds like the dwarves have arrived.¡±


    ¡°Stonewarden.¡± Isaac said to get Jess¡¯s attention. The woman nodded with a gulp. ¡°Go forth, gather all of those you travel with. Bring them to the front of the caravan. Tell them who is coming.¡± Jess nodded and hurried off to complete her new mission.


    ¡°You like bullying people.¡± Lenna commented.


    Isaac looked at her as if she had just slapped him. ¡°That hardly counts as bullying.¡± He tried to argue. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to do anything to her.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what Fen said about Alice.¡± Lenna reminded him of the misunderstanding that almost ended both Isaac and Fen¡¯s lives. The territorial bulls had immediately jumped from posturing to shedding blood with little preamble. In the end Isaac had to regrow his heart and both of his arms and then save Fen by repairing the older man¡¯s mana pathways before their degradation bled him dry of his own life.


    Isaac was silenced for a time by Lenna¡¯s very direct and very accurate retort. Eventually it sounded like everyone had been gathered at the front of the wagon. The fog had almost entirely cleared so their walk towards the front did not go unnoticed. A dwarven man on a short and stocky horse approached them at a trot. Both man and horse were covered in thick steel that was adorned with dozens of one-time-use enchantments. He gave the pair a nod as he pulled his horse to a stop. ¡°Ahoy there.¡± He greeted them.


    Isaac nodded, the dipping of his silver eyes the only visible expression of the gesture. Lenna nodded towards the dwarf as well but hers was clearly seen. ¡°You got them all?¡± Isaac asked.


    The dwarf grinned widely with his bright teeth shining for all to see. ¡°Aye we did!¡± He affirmed. ¡°I take it ya are the Legend Slayer everyone¡¯s talkin¡¯ about?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± Isaac replied and let his shadows fall away for a moment. ¡°There should be slaves hidden somewhere inside of these wagons. That is what this whole operation is about.¡±


    ¡°Plan Mousetrap.¡± The dwarf stated.


    Isaac gave the dwarf a flat look. ¡°Yes, plan Mousetrap.¡±


    ¡°Ya didn¡¯t tell the guards, confused the poor sod that informed me.¡± The dwarf complained.


    ¡°I take it you are the captain then?¡± Isaac asked.


    The dwarf nodded firmly. ¡°Aye I be.¡± He replied. ¡°Captain Patty Stonewarden at yer service.¡±


    ¡°Stonewarden, like the girl with the crossbow?¡± Isaac asked and nodded towards the front of the line.


    ¡°Aye.¡± Patty replied. ¡°She¡¯s me uncle¡¯s kid¡¯s kid to his first wife.¡±


    Isaac looked at the dwarf flatly. ¡°So your second cousin.¡± He surmised.


    The dwarf wrinkled his face in thought for a long moment. ¡°Aye, that be the case.¡± He eventually replied just before Isaac was going to change topics.


    ¡°When you said ¡®to his first wife¡¯ did you mean your uncle¡¯s first wife or your cousin¡¯s?¡± Isaac had to ask. The dwarf¡¯s wording had been anything but clear.


    ¡°Boys.¡± Lenna cut in and both of them froze. ¡°Please, let us stay on target.¡±


    ¡°Aye, the lass is right.¡± Patty replied. ¡°I¡¯ll have me men do a good search but ya might have ta scare the hidin¡¯ spots outta the ones upfront.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Sounds like a plan.¡± Isaac said. Captain Patty hurried back to the front of the caravan and started ordering his men about. Isaac and Lenna both went full Darkness and Hellfire as Isaac¡¯s Shadowcloak materialized and Lenna¡¯s Armor of Ire bloomed into being along with her aura. The pair of them emerged from around the side of the caravan like figures of nightmares. All commotion halted as those present took in the pair.


    ¡ª


    A figure of living shadows with only a pair of barely visible silver eyes seemed to float along the ground. The almost formless void of shadow seemed to drink in all of the torchlight that was shed its way. To its side was another figure just as if not even more imposing. Her dark armor looked as though it were made of hardened shadows and fire in a solid representation of the inferno of the depths of the hells. Wisps of fire and shadows flaked off of her as she walked and the dark embers looked as though they would burn the soul on contact. The pair stopped in front of the man the dwarves had singled out as the leader. The void of shadows leaned down towards the leader, a motion that looked unnatural given its form, and its silver eyes bore into the leader¡¯s eyes. ¡°What¡¯s, my, name?¡± It, he, asked in a voice that was deep and gravely and promised torturous pleasure if the one he¡¯d spoken to did not cooperate.

 Chapter 24 Festivities.

    Chapter 24 Festivities.


    Isaac peered down at the little man that was tied up, both hands and feet, on the ground in front of him. ¡°What¡¯s, my, name?¡± Isaac asked to cement the feeling of terror and dread that was written on the man¡¯s face.


    ¡°D-D-D-Darkness.¡± The little man stammered out.


    ¡°Good.¡± Isaac purred. ¡°Now, who, am, I?¡±


    The caravan leader looked both frightened and confused like he wasn¡¯t sure how to answer. ¡°Uh, um, Lord Wexler, I, uh, think?¡± He stammered.


    Isaac¡¯s irritation must have been seen in his barely visible eyes because the man tried to recoil but was stopped by a stout dwarf that loomed behind him. The dwarf had simply pressed his shield to the man¡¯s back to keep him from retreating even an inch. ¡°I, am, The Lord Of All That Is Dark.¡± Isaac spoke with every fiber of his being. The concentrated effort put into the words caused his Shadowcloak to ripple and everyone with mana sensitivity, save for Lenna, visibly recoiled, even the guards. They felt his words in their hearts as if the world itself had spoken them. The man in front of Isaac wet himself. ¡°Now, explain to me, why you thought, that I would let you all get away with a dark deed that I have specifically forbidden?¡±


    ¡°I-I-I-I-I di-didn¡¯t know. I swear. You have to believe me!¡± The little man pleaded.


    ¡°What didn¡¯t you know?¡± Isaac pressed.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you had forbidden it! I swear!¡± The man continued to plead.


    ¡°Do you have all of Duncan¡¯s slaves with you?¡± Isaac questioned and the man nodded repeatedly with much enthusiasm. ¡°Do you, really?¡± Isaac purred.


    The man looked like he was about to faint. ¡°I-I think so?¡± He replied with almost manic fear in his eyes.


    ¡°Good.¡± Isaac replied and straightened. ¡°Release his bindings.¡± Isaac told the dwarven guard behind him. ¡°He will show you to the slaves.¡± The guard nodded curtly to Isaac and glanced towards his Captain. Captain Patty nodded once in reply and the guard immediately got to work.


    Isaac surveyed everything in silence. Most of the prisoners that met his eyes immediately shied away from him. Lenna stood next to him casually with her spell and aura on full display. ¡°They have certainly made this easier,¡± Lenna began. ¡°but I think we could have done without them and still not had to kill anyone.¡±


    ¡°Someone would have tried to run.¡± Isaac replied, still just as deeply as before. ¡°It would have been irritating. I would have killed some of them.¡±


    Lenna nodded in agreement. ¡°Fair point.¡± She conceded. ¡°When this is over, want to get more of that fried dough net thing?¡±


    Isaac chuckled but because he was still focused on being ¡®The Lord of all that is Dark¡¯, instead of just his normal self, it came out dark and villainous. Lenna didn¡¯t mind though, she was used to Isaac¡¯s multiple personalities. ¡°Of course.¡± He agreed but despite the deepness of his voice and his current persona some warmth still bled through.


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    ¡ª


    ¡°So that was what happened.¡± Isaac finished telling Izen about their recent adventurer. ¡°After it was finished, I was somehow conned into buying an entire keg of ¡®Patty¡¯s Personal Pleasant-dreams Potion¡¯ as he calls it.¡± Isaac grumbled. ¡°Cost a damn fortune too. I don¡¯t even drink.¡±


    Izen chuckled. ¡°Yes. Captain Stonewarden is known for that.¡± Izen explained. ¡°I still have not finished the keg he, ¡®conned¡¯, me into buying twenty five years ago.¡± He confessed. ¡°It is almost empty so I can take some of it off your hands, considering that you are the reason for my consumption of the last quarter of it.¡±


    Isaac laughed. ¡°I make your life just that much more interesting.¡± He joked. ¡°But yes, you can have half of it and I¡¯ll give the other half to Celeste. She has put up with a lot because of us as well.¡±


    Izen nodded with a warm smile that was almost entirely hidden by his beard. ¡°She will appreciate that.¡± The duke agreed. ¡°Back on topic, do you think this will change Mr. Ebbenson¡¯s business direction enough?¡±


    ¡°I think he will still be growing, selling, and shipping the extra tasty mushrooms if you get my meaning.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°But hopefully he¡¯ll keep his fingers out of the slave market drawer after getting them slammed in it.¡±


    ¡°We can only wait and see, I suppose.¡± Izen conceded. ¡°For now, thank you for the update. Do let your, Phantom, know that I appreciate his assistance.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I will.¡± He assured the duke. ¡°And if you ever need a less experienced, less potentially destructive, less politically know, more vulnerable version of me just let me know. I¡¯m sure he would enjoy it,¡± Isaac said before continuing under his breath: ¡°if he doesn¡¯t get himself killed first.¡±


    ¡°Of course, now go, enjoy the festivities. We do not get to have these often.¡± The duke told the dark mage across from him. ¡°Make sure you get Lenna something nice. That is what festivals are really for after all.¡±


    Isaac stretched in the chair. ¡°That might be a tall order. Picking out something that she likes is a nigh impossible task. I don¡¯t want her to like it just because I got it for her. I want her to actually like it and then be happy that I got it for her.¡± Isaac half explained and half complained.


    Izen gave Isaac a knowing smile. ¡°Good luck.¡± He replied.


    Isaac sighed as he stood up. ¡°You¡¯re no help.¡±


    Izen chuckled. ¡°Jewelry?¡± Izen asked.


    ¡°She only sees the practical uses for it. If it isn¡¯t for station or being used as an enchantment carrier she doesn''t care for it either way.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Tea?¡± Izen offered.


    ¡°She only drinks herbal teas unless it¡¯s with Sera. I think it is just medicated hot water to her.¡± Isaac stated evenly.


    ¡°Flowers?¡± Izen offered.


    ¡°She¡¯s colorblind. I might be able to find a perfume that she likes though¡­ thanks, I¡¯ll have to try that.¡± Isaac replied with a smile.


    ¡°Glad to be of help.¡± Izen said with a returning smile of his own. ¡°Now go spend time with your mate. It is only a matter of time before some other craziness shows up. Gods know you are a magnet for it.¡± Isaac could only chuckle as he shook his head before he vanished. The gods weren¡¯t the only ones who knew that Isaac was a magnet for craziness. He knew as well.


    ¡ª


    Isaac and Lenna spent the rest of the festival acting like normal people. A few people stopped to thank Isaac for killing Jallen V¡¯Nova but mostly people just treated them like normal individuals. It wasn¡¯t until afterwards that Isaac realized it was because many of the stands were run and staffed by people from Sapphirestone who had no idea who they were. It was late evening and the festivities were wrapping up for the night when Isaac and Lenna stumbled across Clayton who was scurrying about with a clearly magical picnic basket. He was trying to get at least one of every kind of food that the stalls were selling, with varying degrees of success. When he saw them he froze momentarily. ¡°Ah, Darkness, I wanted to let you know that I received the research materials. I haven¡¯t had a chance to go through them yet but I will let you know once I am finished.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great, Clayton.¡± Isaac replied wholeheartedly. ¡°Let me know when you, me, and Alexander, maybe Jala as well, can sit down and have a discussion about it. At this point I am less concerned with people finding out about my abilities as, let¡¯s be honest, everyone has seen almost everything already.¡±


    Clayton nodded excitedly. ¡°Certainly.¡± He seemed to realize something and hurried to leave. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll talk to you later!¡± He called as he rushed to the next stand.


    ¡°What was that about?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°I think he is collecting festival foods.¡± Lenna replied.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah, but why?¡±


    It was at that moment that they both realized the most likely culprit: ¡°Eliza.¡± They both said at the same time.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°I wish we could meet the mad wizard that lives in the back of the dimensionally expanded building full of portals to demi-dimensions.¡± Isaac shook his head. ¡°I know they are different but they just seem too similar to be, I don¡¯t know, safe?¡±


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°If he hasn¡¯t been shunted into the space between planes yet, I doubt he will soon.¡±

 Chapter 25 Sir Cla’Cen,

    Chapter 25 Sir Cla¡¯Cen,


    Macken Cla¡¯Cen¡¯s cell had seen some improvements. Most noticeably he was entirely free save for four free hanging cuffs that adorned his wrists and ankles as well as an iron collar around his neck. The cuffs were the same as the ones that Fen L¡¯Vore was forced to wear but the collar was different. Unlike Fen, Macken was not able to simply speak and cause someone to die. On the other hand, Fen was not able to strengthen himself with his aura. The collar worked on a simple principle. If Macken used his aura, at all, at any time, the collar would shrink down to half its usual size. Supposedly there was a way to reverse the shrinking to allow strong enough healing to still save his life but Macken certainly wasn¡¯t going to test it.


    Another improvement was made not to his cell directly but just outside of it. Up against the outside of his cell there were a pair of old wooden chairs that had been brought down specifically for Isaac and Lenna. Their visits had gotten longer over the previous week and the chairs had been a welcome surprise. Most of their time together had been spent filling in Macken on everything that had happened to Lenna after she had left Contantis. A bit of time had been spent doing the inverse as there were some minor things that had happened in Contantis after Lenna had left. Apparently Lenna¡¯s cousin had been promoted to temporary heir apparent until Lenna could be brought back. That was the official story anyway but it was clear that the entire situation was a bit more complicated than that.


    Jallen hadn¡¯t wanted to make his nephew the heir apparent as, to be frank, the boy was an idiot. The issue was that he was incredibly physically strong and just as strong willed. This meant that he had the potential to reach maximum level if he was guided properly. That and he had the same number of status points as Lenna. Jallen had placed him in the position just to fill it until he found someone that wasn¡¯t a moron. He had never wanted to actually bring Lenna back. No, Jallen V¡¯Nova would have dropped the mountain they were under on her if he could have. None of that mattered now though. Jallen was dead, sanctified, cremated, and used as fertilizer.


    Lenna and Macken had finally caught up when Macken shifted his attention to Isaac. They had talked a bit during everything but Isaac had always just been a tag-along during the dark elves¡¯ conversations. ¡°Isaac-¡± Macken was cut off by Isaac before he could truly even start.


    ¡°We aren¡¯t close enough for that.¡± Isaac replied. Something about Macken just put him on edge. Maybe it was his jealousy getting the better of him or maybe it was something else but Isaac couldn¡¯t be sure. One thing he was sure of was that he was never going to let Lenna visit him alone.


    ¡°As I was saying, I haven¡¯t approved of you yet. Fight me.¡± Macken told Isaac.


    ¡°What?¡± Isaac asked with genuine surprise.


    ¡°What?!¡± Lenna exclaimed. She could not imagine what idiocy had just gone through Macken¡¯s head to challenge Isaac of all people to a fight.


    ¡°No real weapons.¡± Macken said and waved her off. ¡°I just want to see how this¡­¡± He gestured at Isaac from top to bottom. ¡°killed Lord V¡¯Nova.¡±


    ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± Isaac asked a little defensively.


    ¡°It means that if you don¡¯t prove to me that you aren¡¯t a fraud then I won¡¯t approve of you mating with Lenna.¡± Macken explained.


    ¡°Hah!¡± Isaac cackled. He was completely blindsided by how utterly ridiculous what Macken had just said was. ¡°You?!¡± Isaac said in disbelief. ¡°Why-I don¡¯t even know where to start?¡±


    Macken¡¯s face went from a casual smirk to slight irritation. ¡°Yes, me.¡±


    ¡°I have no reason to fight you.¡± Isaac said simply. ¡°What would I gain from it?¡± He asked. ¡°You aren¡¯t strong enough to pose a challenge, it won¡¯t even be a fun fight, I won¡¯t get anything out of it.¡± Isaac went on. ¡°If Jallen hadn¡¯t had an entire small country¡¯s worth of magic items on him I would have killed him without needing that godsawful potion. You? In normal gear? Are you serious?¡±


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    ¡°Yes.¡± Macken replied. ¡°I want to see for myself this so-called ¡®Legend Slayer¡¯ the guards keep going on about.¡±


    Lenna had been looking back and forth between her mate and her first real friend. ¡°Please don¡¯t kill him.¡± Lenna asked Isaac with only the slightest hint of concern.


    Macken looked at her like she had just betrayed him. ¡°You make it sound like I don¡¯t have a chance.¡± He accused her.


    ¡°I have to ask him not to tear you in half Macken.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°Because he can. I¡¯m surprised he hasn¡¯t done it to someone yet.¡±


    ¡°If you can convince Michael to take off your cuffs and collar long enough for me to beat you so hard your ancestors abandon you, then I will do so.¡± Isaac told Macken while looking down his nose at him. ¡°But I want you to remember, Macken. For the audacity of saying that you have to approve of me, I will make you feel weak and powerless.¡±


    Macken was scowling at Isaac by the time the mage had finished speaking. ¡°I think, I think I really don¡¯t like your mate, Lenna.¡±


    ¡°Macken, don¡¯t act like you didn¡¯t start this.¡± Lenna retorted. ¡°I won¡¯t protect you from him unless he is actually being unreasonable. He isn¡¯t. Yes, it would feel nice to know that someone important to me approves of my mate but it isn¡¯t necessary. You picked a fight. You can lose it.¡± She explained simply before she turned to Isaac. ¡°Again, please don¡¯t kill him.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I won¡¯t kill him.¡± He replied. Lenna looked like she was about to say something else so Isaac continued: ¡°He¡¯ll have all of his limbs still attached.¡± He assured her.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± She replied and stood up. ¡°I think it is a good time to leave before Macken puts his foot in his mouth again.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ did you just choose a human over me?¡± Macken asked.


    Lenna looked and felt so utterly perplexed that it took her a moment to respond. ¡°Yes, Macken, I did.¡± She replied. ¡°He is my mate. What part of that don¡¯t you understand? He is not going to be my mate. He is my mate. It already happened.¡±


    Macken looked taken aback. ¡°What? Why?¡± He asked with a slightly wrinkled nose.


    ¡°I can¡¯t deal with you right now.¡± Lenna said and turned on her heel before she marched off towards the exit.


    ¡°Dumbass.¡± Isaac said and vanished.


    ¡°What?¡± Macken said in confusion to himself. ¡°A human of all things?¡± He wondered aloud. ¡°What fucked up mushrooms did she eat?¡± He continued before he scoffed. ¡°She thinks he is going to beat me without any gear? She¡¯s lost her damn mind.¡± He stood up and banged his cuff on the bars. ¡°Oi!¡± He called the guard who was stationed a few dozen feet from him. ¡°Get your boss back down here. I have something to say to him.¡±


    The guard eyed him up and down incredulously. ¡°I¡¯ll let him know.¡± He said with that same feeling lacing his voice.


    ¡ª


    ¡°You want to do what?¡± Michael questioned.


    ¡°Fight that bastard Lenna bound herself to.¡± Macken replied.


    Michael ran his hand down his face in exasperation. ¡°And he agreed to this?¡± He asked.


    ¡°He said if I could get you to take off my collar and cuffs long enough for us to fight then he would fight me.¡± Macken explained.


    Michael took a deep breath. ¡°Fine.¡± He acquiesced. ¡°But, I need to know the exact number of standing troops you left behind when you left to come here.¡±


    ¡°Sixty soldiers, twelve knights, three of them were late additions so they are multiclassed into paladin from different warrior variants, six wizards to maintain all of the city¡¯s defenses.¡± Macken rattled off. ¡°Now set up our fight.¡± He demanded.


    Michael just stared at him for a long moment. He had been trying to get that information out of Macken for a week. Macken had this way of answering every question vaguely enough that the information couldn¡¯t be used in a military operation but informative enough to be considered cooperating. This specific question he had expertly dodged around time and time again but now he had just blurted it out like he had been hanging onto it so he could use the information to purchase something in the future. It appeared that ¡®future¡¯ was now and that ¡®something¡¯ was a fight that he was bound to lose. ¡°I will set something up.¡± Michael replied and turned to leave. He stopped himself before he had taken more than a step. ¡°Sir Cla¡¯Cen, I will do as you asked but I will warn you, you have just made a very bad mistake. Whether or not you feel divinity from that man, you should fight him as if you were fighting a demigod, because he very well might be one.¡± With that final word Sir Michael left Macken to his own devices.


    Macken was starting to wonder if maybe he actually had made a mistake. At first he just thought they were trying to scare him, like it had been an act or something. Surely there must have been some trick that they used, some spell or something, to allow that man to kill Jallen V¡¯Nova. That is what Macken had believed. Maybe they had found a way through Jallen¡¯s mental magic defenses and then disoriented him or maybe half a dozen mages casted boosting spells on Isaac before the fight. No matter what, Macken simply couldn¡¯t wrap his mind around Jallen losing in a fair fight.


    Now though, the more people warned him to go all out, to give Isaac everything he had, that told him that he was going to lose completely and spectacularly, Macken was starting to think that maybe he in fact did bite off a bit more than he could chew. But even if he did, that didn¡¯t mean that Lenna should have chosen a human to be her mate.


    It was preposterous, idiotic, shortsighted. But it was too late for her. That was something else that Macken would have to make peace with. He rubbed his chest as he felt his power try to flair on its own. His ancestors were rolling in their graves, especially after he had told Michael the information the other paladin had been asking for. Macken had a feeling deep in his chest that his fight with Isaac was going to be ¡®do or die¡¯ in more ways than one. The worst part was that he had no idea how long he would have to wait.

 Chapter 26 Do Something About It.

    Chapter 26 Do Something About It.


    Isaac sighed as he sat cross legged in the middle of the arena. His fight with Macken was not supposed to be some grand event. Izen, however, had other plans. Izen and Sera were on a morale campaign. After the loss of a small but noticeable part of their fighting forces it was imperative that those places were filled. The sooner the better because it took time to train up competent combatants. Whatever the reasons, the audience that was waiting impatiently for Macken to arrive was irritating.


    Isaac didn¡¯t mind an audience if he was going to get something out of it. He did mind when it was just a bunch of people that had shown up for a blood sport. Granted, half of the selling point of their fight was that no one was going to die either way. The other half was people wanting to watch the Legend Slayer in action. Isaac was also getting tired of being called that. Sure, Jallen V¡¯Nova was a legend and Isaac did indeed slay him but he felt like people were latching onto it a bit too hard. He preferred to be known for what he was than what he had done. Was he positive that he was a demigod? No, but Rei and Zei hadn¡¯t been very specific about the limits of the power they had given him. What he was sure of was that as far as mortals were concerned he was the most directly powerful wielder of dark mana in the known world, on par with literal dragons, Alexander had said so himself. Isaac would prefer to be known as the Lord of Darkness rather than just a Legend Slayer. There were plenty of slayers of legends. Some of them were even in the crowd. Apparently Fable had nothing better to do.


    Isaac pushed all of those thoughts out of his mind and decided that if people wanted a show he would give them one. Though Isaac was sure that it would be a very brief one. With another deep breath he settled down to meditate. He took one, deep, steady breath after another as he let all of his senses fall away and let his mana run free. Soon enough the crowd¡¯s tune had changed.


    As Isaac was lifted into the air by the immense volume of dark mana pouring into him and cycling back out, the crowd¡¯s emotions split into two categories. The first was those that could directly feel how much mana was moving around and through him, they had fallen into stunned silence. The rest were those that couldn¡¯t, their murmuring wasn¡¯t quiet but it was very subdued compared to how it had been before.


    For Isaac, he felt like he was almost onto something. Every time he had meditated it had been just out of reach. Something faint but very real. Something was reaching out. Something wanted him to reach out to it as well. But then, just like every other time, he was interrupted. Isaac sensed Macken approach and he could tell that the knight-paladin was starting to second guess himself even without being able to see or hear the man. With a final deep breath, Isaac stopped meditating and pulled all of the dense dark mana out of the way so the two combatants could lock eyes. ¡°This is stupid, you are stupid.¡± Isaac told Macken. ¡°But it is too late for you to back out now.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t patronize me.¡± Macken shot back, more bravado than real irritation in his voice.


    ¡°You are lucky that I¡¯ve had a few days to calm down after the ridiculousness you spat at me.¡± Isaac told Macken while he held more dark mana off to his sides than Macken had normal mana in his entire body in a deathgrip. ¡°I did, however, promise you that I would make you feel helpless and weak.¡±


    Macken scowled and closed his faceplate. ¡°No one is capable of that.¡± Macken declared and drew his sword. Macken¡¯s blade blazed with radiant white light that signified the purity of his oath. He settled into his combat stance. ¡°Let¡¯s see if you are as powerful as advertised.¡±


    ¡°Are you ready yet?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°I can¡¯t have you giving any excuses afterwards.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± Macken shot back and charged at Isaac.


    ¡ª


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Lenna sat casually, in a seat especially prepared for her, next to Serentia Von Arbencroft. Together they were two of the most powerful women in Safeharbor but there were no eyes on them. The spectacle that was about to unfold had everyone¡¯s rapt attention. This was a blessing for the women as it meant that they could speak in peace without fear of anyone reading into their expressions and reactions. ¡°The healer is ready, right?¡± Lenna asked Sera.


    Sera nodded. ¡°Of course, we can not let anything happen to one of Safeharbor¡¯s heroes.¡± She replied. ¡°Do you think it will be that bad?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that Isaac is going to overestimate Macken¡¯s durability.¡± Lenna replied calmly. ¡°Isaac has calmed down but I was sure that he was going to turn Macken into a smear on the wall.¡±


    Sera glanced over at Lenna. ¡°You do not think that it will be as bad as your fight with Eskahno Ravenborne do you?¡± She questioned.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No. Isaac promised me that Macken would still be alive and have all of his limbs attached by the end of it.¡±


    Sera let out a deep breath. ¡°Oh thank the heavens.¡± She sighed. It was at that moment when Macken made his first move. Both women watched in silent rapt attention as the knight-paladin catapulted himself at the Dark Mage.


    ¡ª


    Isaac back stepped out of Macken¡¯s first attack and then sidestepped his next one. He ducked under Macken¡¯s third but it put him in a position where he wouldn¡¯t be able to dodge the next one easily. That was enough of a reason to teleport to the other side of Macken. Isaac hadn¡¯t bothered to put on his armor or take out his sword for the fight. After his teleportation he put his hands in his pockets and just stood casually facing Macken as the knight-paladin whirled around to try and find him. ¡°Slow.¡± Isaac replied calmly.


    Macken launched after him again. Isaac started boosting himself while he dodged Macken until he was just fast enough that no matter what Macken did he couldn¡¯t pin down Isaac and the Dark Mage didn¡¯t even have to teleport away anymore. ¡°Stop running and fight me.¡± Macken demanded through gritted teeth.


    Isaac teleported a few feet closer to Macken and palm striked his chest while he grabbed Macken¡¯s swordhand. The knight-paladin was stopped almost cold from Isaac¡¯s impact. Macken¡¯s momentum pushed the pair of them a few inches across the sand before they completely stopped. The sudden stop still pushed all of the air out of Macken¡¯s lungs. ¡°Weak.¡± Isaac said calmly and then with one fluid motion he threw Macken over his shoulder and slammed him onto the ground hard enough to bruise bone. Isaac could feel Macken slowly healing back the damage but he didn¡¯t care. Isaac wasn¡¯t trying to kill him, no, this was a show of dominance. Isaac peered down at Macken. ¡°Small.¡±


    Macken stared up at Isaac. ¡°That was a cheap shot.¡± Macken spat and started getting to his feet. Isaac casually teleported a handful of feet back and just let Macken rise back into a fighting position. ¡°Fight me for real.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t worth it.¡± Isaac replied calmly. ¡°You are simply, not enough, to make me do such a thing.¡± With an easy thought and casual movements Isaac teleported right up Macken¡¯s right side, grabbed the knight-paladin¡¯s wrist with his right hand, yanked it straight, and then smashed his forearm down on the reinforced steel, now fully extended, elbow.


    Metal warped and bent under Isaac¡¯s impact. Two of the straps, holding Macken¡¯s vambrace and his elbow guard together, snapped. Macken dropped his sword and twisted to grab it with his other hand. Macken¡¯s shoulder dislocated with the quick movement in the wrong direction but he paid it no mind. He grabbed his sword out of mid air and swung it towards Isaac. Isaac let go of Macken¡¯s arm and teleported two feet to the side so he was now standing right in front of Macken as the knight-paladin tried to keep his balance from the awkward swing. ¡°Bastard.¡± Macken said through gritted teeth as he stumbled slightly. His arm aggressively snapped back into place as all of the damage Isaac had just done was easily healed away.


    ¡°Do something about it.¡± Isaac challenged him and then vanished. Isaac casually walked around Macken¡¯s side for a moment as he deliberated on what form of mental and physical beat down he would move to next. He stopped in place and grinned. ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to do this to something not as hard as a mushroomonstrocity.¡± He said aloud to himself. No one could hear him while he was in his own little silent and invisible world.


    The entire crowd went silent as another of Isaac¡¯s fading silhouettes appeared out of nowhere. It was a dozen feet from Macken so Macken instinctively swung his sword behind him to defend against a potential attack. He got nothing but air, of course. His sword glowed with intense radiant light as he spun in place in an attempt to find Isaac. Soon a fading silhouette appeared in front of him and he swung at it. His blade sizzled a path through the fading shadows but that was all they could do. Macken¡¯s enemy was already long gone. A few seconds later another silhouette appeared but Macken didn¡¯t swing at it. Instead he just waited. He was about to swing at open space, in an attempt to hit Isaac before he teleported away again, but he was a second too late. Another of Isaac¡¯s remnants appeared and was cleaved in two by Macken¡¯s blade. Before Macken could properly formulate a plan another silhouette appeared and then another and another as Isaac continued to teleport again and again, each time only a few feet from Macken as the knight-paladin spun in place.


    Suddenly there was a loud crack of metal slamming into metal, leather straps snapping, and bones crunching. Macken was flung across the arena so hard his neck was snapped instantly. His healing went through him as fast as it could and his neck was reset before he impacted the ground. The problem for Macken was that he hadn¡¯t had control over his body for his entire flight.

 Chapter 27 I’ll Think About It.

    Chapter 27 I¡¯ll Think About It.


    Macken hit the ground in a cartwheel. He felt his right elbow crunch under the awkward impact, again, and could only tuck and roll until he finally came to a stop. He rolled onto his back and set his elbow. He had lost his sword somewhere along the flight and knew in his heart that the fight was already over. Whatever Isaac had just hit him with hit harder than a cartload of bricks. Macken let out a groan in pain as his magic tried desperately to fix everything that had broken from the impact. Unfortunately it could do nothing to fix the torn straps or warped metal of his armor.


    Isaac appeared casually looking down at Macken. His hands were back in his pockets. ¡°I should have tried that on Jallen.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°Though I doubt it would have kept him down long enough for me to recover. That one was a real monster, you know.¡±


    ¡°What did you do to me?¡± Macken asked as he rolled himself over onto his face so he could push himself to his feet.


    ¡°I kicked you.¡± Isaac replied simply. ¡°I expected more from you.¡±


    Macken¡¯s jaw set. Isaac was definitely starting to get under his skin. At the beginning he was mostly just playing along but now he had had enough of Isaac¡¯s condescending attitude. White light flowed like liquid over Macken¡¯s entire form and a sword made of pure compressed light formed in his right hand, a shield of identical make appeared in his left. What preceded the items was a simple but powerful chant: ¡°My resolve is weapon and armor enough.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°No. It isn¡¯t.¡± He said and started ramping up his boost to as high as it could go. It was even stronger now than it had been and he was interested to see how high he could push it. ¡®One minute is enough.¡¯ Isaac thought to himself as he pushed the boost to a point that would drain him of all of his reserves in around a minute¡¯s time. It was noticeably stronger than before but only by about ten percent. It was twenty percent stronger than the last time Isaac had used it in a fight while he wasn¡¯t under the influence of a foreign spell or potion.


    Macken lunged again and so did Isaac. Isaac¡¯s fist flew at Macken before the knight-paladin could even make a swing of his own. Macken raised his shield just in time for the hard-light object to take the full force of Isaac¡¯s right hook. Macken was tossed backwards off of his feet as Isaac¡¯s feet dug troughs in the sand. The hard-light shield cracked. Before the shield had time to reform Isaac launched himself at Macken. Time and time again Isaac pounded on the man. It only took one more punch to shatter the shield and then Macken was doomed. Punch after punch landed as Isaac kicked up sand with every chasing stride. After the sixth punch Isaac decided that Macken didn¡¯t get to feel the ground under his feet anymore.


    Isaac slid low and then rose into an uppercut that caught the still reeling Macken in the chest. Macken was tossed almost straight up into the air and Isaac decided to start juggling. Everytime it looked like Macken was going to get to hit the ground Isaac was suddenly there with one attack or another to keep him in the air. Macken wasn¡¯t allowed to touch the ground for almost thirty seconds.


    At first the crowd had gone silent under the sudden wave of Isaac¡¯s power. Soon though they started to go wild. Watching Isaac move in what amounted to flickers and streaks made the spectacle one that none of them would ever forget. Then the crowd¡¯s excitement had died down again. Once it was clear that Isaac could keep Macken in the air permanently it stopped being a fight and became a circus. Finally Isaac let Macken hit the ground face first.


    Isaac had waited to stop juggling Macken until he stopped feeling Macken heal himself. The man was covered from head to toe in bruises and had an untold amount of bone damage but he would probably live so that was fine with Isaac. Isaac strode over to Macken and rolled him over with his boot. Half of the knight-paladin¡¯s armor was strewn about the arena. ¡°How do you feel?¡± Isaac asked casually. ¡°I¡¯m not used to holding back enough that I don¡¯t kill someone outright. It almost happened with that first kick.¡±


    ¡°I hate you.¡± Macken groaned.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I asked.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°I¡¯ll live.¡± Macken said.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°That wasn¡¯t exactly what I meant either. You see, I already know how close to dying you are. That is why I stopped when I did. You are more or less out of mana and look like you were just stuffed in a giant ball and given to a bunch of giants to play kickball with.¡± He explained. ¡°Let me rephrase my question: How long did it take you to feel weak and helpless?¡±


    ¡°Eat shit.¡± Macken spat back.


    ¡°Creative.¡± Isaac said blandly. ¡°Whatever, go back to your cell. I¡¯m sure Lenna will want to check on you after a while.¡± Isaac finished and started walking away.


    ¡°I¡¯m not done yet.¡± Macken said and started to try and get back to his feet.


    ¡°Just stay down.¡± Isaac told him. ¡°You are making it really hard to not kill you.¡± Macken got the entire way to his feet but once he tried to take a step his knee gave out from under him and he collapsed back to the sand, unconscious. The announcer said something about a winner but Isaac had stopped paying attention. The crowd broke into cheers as Isaac¡¯s power finally vanished. He casually took a step and appeared next to Lenna, leaving behind a fading silhouette where he had once been.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± She told him.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°For what?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Not killing him. I know it must¡¯ve been hard to not hit him in the head.¡± She explained.


    ¡°I definitely had to fight the urge on more than one occasion, yes.¡± Isaac confessed. ¡°So, you''re welcome.¡±


    ¡ª


    A few days passed and then Isaac and Lenna received a letter from the duke. It was a simple message informing them that the duke, duchess, and court wizard would be away for a few days as there was a Founding Day ball held in the capital for all of the nobles to attend. Apparently it was the country¡¯s birthday.


    ¡°On one hand, I appreciate that Izen feels like we are important enough to inform when they are going to be away for a few days but on the other, I feel like this message meant something.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°Like what?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°Like we are the kids Izen is leaving home alone and he just told us ¡®Don¡¯t burn the house down while we are gone.¡¯¡± Isaac said flatly.


    Lenna smirked. ¡°Probably.¡± She agreed.


    ¡°You know, now something is definitely going to happen while they are gone.¡± Isaac replied. His eyes suddenly went wide. ¡°Oh, Sera is going to be so mad.¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac¡¯s wide eyes locked with hers. ¡°We have reservations a day before they return.¡±


    Lenna looked at him with obvious confusion. ¡°Reservations? Where? Why?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Oh, uh, nowhere.¡± Isaac blatantly lied.


    Lenna narrowed her eyes on him. ¡°Nowhere?¡± She pressed.


    ¡°Well, somewhere, but nowhere that I am going to tell you.¡± Isaac teased while he got his figurative feet back under him.


    Lenna rolled her eyes. ¡°I better like it if you are keeping it a secret.¡±


    ¡°You will.¡± Isaac assured her. ¡°I promise.¡±


    ¡ª


    Later that day the pair could be found just outside of Macken¡¯s cell. It had been two days since Isaac had juggled him like a knife at a circus. Isaac and Lenna took their seats just outside of Macken¡¯s cell but the captive dark elf didn¡¯t say anything to either of them. Isaac raised an eyebrow in question to Lenna. Lenna just rolled her eyes and sighed. Isaac replied with a shrug while he pulled a book out of his Inventory and crossed his legs to get comfortable. If Macken wanted to sulk that was fine, it didn¡¯t bother Isaac at all. He would rather read a book anyway. After almost ten minutes of silence, where even Lenna¡¯s patience had started to wear thin, Macken finally sighed and turned to face them. ¡°Fine.¡± He grumbled. ¡°I admit it.¡± He continued. ¡°He¡¯s a lot stronger than I thought.¡± Macken¡¯s face looked like he had just eaten something sour. ¡°He¡¯s an asshole though.¡±


    Lenna was about to reply but Isaac beat her to the punch. ¡°And you¡¯re a twat.¡± Isaac said under his breath just loud enough for both of them to hear. Macken¡¯s eye twitched.


    ¡°Isaac.¡± Lenna chastised. ¡°Can you pretend to be civil?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try, for you.¡± Isaac conceded. He sighed and tossed his book to the side where it vanished out of thin air. A flash of surprise went across Macken¡¯s face before he quickly schooled it again. ¡°Are we done?¡± Isaac asked Macken. ¡°I think we can both stand to be less¡­ abrasive, to each other, for Lenna¡¯s sake.¡±


    Macken stared at Isaac for a moment and then nodded his head. ¡°Yes.¡± He agreed and then sighed. ¡°I used to think that the Glinting Blade was the only monster in human skin walking around but I appear to have been proven wrong.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not the only other human who could tear you apart in Safeharbor right now.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Edward, the Guild Master of Safeharbor is also known as the Blade Master.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Granted, it would be far less one sided but he would still win. Swordplay is his thing.¡±


    Macken looked to Lenna for confirmation and she nodded. ¡°Yes, Edward Sasston would have methodically taken you apart.¡± Lenna agreed. ¡°Like Instructor Cla¡¯Cen.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s as brutal as my grandfather?¡± Macken asked incredulously.


    ¡°Yes and no.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°He is about ninety to ninety five percent of him.¡± She explained. ¡°He is definitely worth sparing against.¡±


    Macken nodded. ¡°It would have been less humiliating I bet.¡± Macken speculated.


    ¡°Oh most definitely.¡± Lenna agreed.


    ¡°Darkness, thank you for showing me your strength, I hope I never have to fight you again.¡± Macken said to Isaac.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°For what it is worth, the main reason Lenna can spar with me is because she knows what I am going to do before I do it, most of the time.¡± He explained. ¡°She is still far better than me at every form of combat, save for maybe barehanded fighting, but if I pull out all the stops I can beat even Fable in a duel.¡±


    Macken¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Truly?¡± He asked.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yes. I did a few days before Jallen came knocking at our front door.¡± He explained. ¡°It was close, sure, for a while. One thing I have over him is infinite stamina. He is getting old.¡±


    ¡°He is still a monster.¡± Lenna cut in before Macken could get any ideas. ¡°He fought me for a while and then ended it in one move.¡±


    ¡°Limit Break?¡± Macken asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Limit Break.¡±


    ¡°I want to fight him myself.¡± Macken explained. ¡°Even if it is the last battle of my life. I need to cross swords with him again. I need to have the opportunity to avenge my brother and the other six.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°I understand.¡± She replied.


    ¡°I doubt they¡¯ll let you out of here while you are still oathbound to your ancestors.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°You are still an active threat. How big of an escort did they give you for your short trip to the arena?¡±


    ¡°Sir Michael and eight of his best men. They also didn¡¯t take the collar off until I was about to walk into the arena.¡± Macken replied. ¡°I was surprised it was that few.¡±


    ¡°They could have taken you.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°I have seen them in action and they are no worse than soldiers fresh out of one of our training camps.¡±


    ¡°If I would have had my aura, I probably could have fought them all.¡± Macken tried to argue.


    ¡°And died to Sir Michael.¡± Lenna countered. ¡°The boy was a lot more well rounded than I initially gave him credit for.¡± Lenna added and Macken scoffed.


    ¡°Think about what I said.¡± Isaac told Macken. ¡°While you are still loyal to your ancestors they will keep you locked in here. The food looks passable but taking a shit in front of a guard everyday has to be embarrassing.¡±


    Macken¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°Don¡¯t remind me.¡± He said with a glare at the guard just down from them. ¡°But I hear what you are saying.¡± Macken spoke. ¡°That does not mean that I will abandon my ancestors, my family, my honor, everything I have worked towards for the past quarter of a millennia.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I understand.¡± He replied. ¡°Jallen¡¯s twin, Jala L¡¯Vore, is here with her mate, Fen. It might do you some good to talk to them. They have made peace with living here as what amounts to being free prisoners. Well, Fen is still cuffed up but that is because he is prone to killing people with his voice, mostly me, but still, he has a bad track record.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Macken agreed but only time would tell if he would actually try and turn over a new leaf. Isaac sort of wished he would, only for Lenna¡¯s sake, but he still didn¡¯t like the guy. If his death wouldn¡¯t make Lenna sad, Isaac might¡¯ve told Sir Michael to execute him because he was a security risk not worth taking. Isaac would have been right, of course, at least as long as Macken was still loyal to Contantis anyway. If Macken could leave his old life behind, be less of a jerk for no reason, and be a bit less of an elf supremacist, Isaac could definitely see him finding a job as that one combat instructor that no one likes. As for what would actually happen to him; Isaac honestly couldn¡¯t care less.

 Chapter 28 I Accept Defeat.

    Chapter 28 I Accept Defeat.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Lenna questioned. ¡°And when did you even have time to set this up?¡±


    ¡°When we split up for errands a few days ago.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Wait. Isn¡¯t this the dessert parlor that we always go to?¡± Lenna questioned.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He said and got the door for her. The pair of them were in casual clothes as Isaac had thought it best to not force her into a dress for what was about to happen.


    They approached the front door when Lenna noticed a sign on it. ¡°It¡¯s closed, Isaac.¡± She told him.


    ¡°I know.¡± He assured her and got the door for her. The inside was well lit and a few employees were inside who appeared to be waiting for them.


    ¡°Welcome back.¡± The son of the owner told them. He looked to be about Isaac¡¯s age or a little older.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I assume anywhere is fine?¡± He asked.


    ¡°It is.¡± The man said. ¡°But the second floor has a better view.¡± He added with a sly smile.


    ¡°You¡¯ll bring it up to us?¡± Isaac asked and the man nodded. Isaac tugged on Lenna¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He told her and the pair went up to the second floor. Most of the wall of the building was magically reinforced glass so the entire street could be seen from a height just over the tops of any street lights.


    ¡°What is going on?¡± Lenna asked. ¡°What is today? I feel like I am missing something.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°What do you think of the view?¡±


    ¡°It looks less dirty from up here.¡± She commented. Safeharbor was not a very clean city if for no other reason than the constant accumulation of red stone dust from the ceiling of the cavern it was built inside.


    ¡°The lights are less harsh too.¡± Isaac added.


    Lenna hummed in agreement. ¡°Isaac,¡± Lenna began. ¡°You¡¯ve only ever taken me here when there was something¡­ important going on.¡±


    Isaac nodded and then gave the waiter a smile as the man set a small chocolate cake on the table in front of them. It was a circular shape with a large hole in the middle. Inside the hole was a creamy custard. The custard was almost frozen but was quickly melting from the heat of the plate it was on and the freshly baked cake it was inside. Isaac handed Lenna the knife to cut it for them as the waiter set a pair of plates with slightly larger spoons on them in front of the pair. ¡°Today is one such occasion but just enjoy it for now.¡± Isaac told Lenna.


    Lenna sighed before she shook her head in resignation. She grabbed the knife and started to cut a singular piece out of the side of the cake closest to her. She noticed Isaac¡¯s eyebrow raise slightly as if he was anticipating something and was surprised that nothing had happened. Lenna¡¯s eyes narrowed on him and then on the cake. She carefully cut the other side of the piece and lifted it onto her plate. ¡°Do you want to cut it?¡± Lenna questioned.


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    ¡°Huh? No. I gave the knife to you.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Because it sure looks like you want to cut it.¡± Lenna pressed.


    ¡°No. No, you go ahead.¡± Isaac instructed her.


    Lenna carefully cut another piece and set in on Isaac¡¯s plate. She hadn¡¯t cut into the custard at all when she had cut each piece and after the third cut she thought she caught a flash of disappointment on Isaac¡¯s face. When she realized that it had something to do with the custard she got curious. ¡°What is with the custard?¡± Lenna asked. ¡°You had this prepared ahead of time.¡± She looked up at him. ¡°What did you have them do to the cake?¡±


    Isaac sighed and looked like he was about to just tell her but then he shook his head. ¡°Nope.¡± He said. ¡°You will have to find out for yourself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not in a custard mood today.¡± Lenna teased with a fake aloof expression on her face.


    ¡°The cake is meant to be eaten with some.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Just take your spoon and grab a scoop off the top.¡±


    ¡°Would you do it for me?¡± Lenna continued her teasing. Isaac was silent for a long while as he tried to come up with something to say. ¡°Especially because I cut the cake for both of us.¡±


    Isaac sighed and resigned. ¡°I accept defeat.¡± He told her. He used his spoon and took a big chunk of the custard off the top and set it on top of Lenna¡¯s piece of cake. When he did so his spoon scraped across the top of something hard a bit under the surface. Isaac set his spoon down and held his hand over the top of the cake. Shadows poured from his hand and forced their way into the cake until they clamped down on whatever was inside. Isaac pulled up and a small wooden box was removed from the mostly frozen custard with a slight pop.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Lenna asked curiously. Isaac¡¯s shadows opened the box and pulled something out of it. Isaac got up from his seat and walked around to her side. The box vanished into his inventory but something was obviously now held inside of Isaac¡¯s closed hand. Lenna looked at him with some confusion. Even more so when he went down on one knee next to her, much like how she had when she swore to defend him until the day he died of old age. ¡°Isaac?¡± She asked. Isaac reached out for her hand with his palm up and she unconsciously placed her hand in his. Isaac held his closed hand between them and then turned it over while he pulled a ring up to be held between his thumb and forefinger. The ring was simple silver with words engraved on the inside that were filled in with black crystal so they would be easy for either of them to see in total darkness. Lenna caught one word easily enough: ¡®Forever¡¯.


    ¡°Lenna V¡¯Nova,¡± Isaac began. ¡°I have been mesmerized by you since the first time I had ever laid eyes on you, I have been in love with you since I first heard your voice, I have loved you for longer than we have lived in Safeharbor.¡± He continued. ¡°All of this is to say that with great thought and love, I come to you with a question:¡± Lenna was stunned into total silence as Isaac continued. Her mind was racing as she tried to figure out what day it was that Isaac had decided to do it at that moment. Then she realized. It had been exactly three months since their first time. Since the day that they had become irrevocably connected. ¡°Will you marry me? I know we have been a mated pair for a little while and that this is overkill bu-¡±


    Isaac was silenced by Lenna grabbing both sides of his face. She pulled him into a deep kiss for a long few seconds that seemed to be over much too soon. When she finally let him breathe she locked eyes with him. ¡°Of course I will. It never should have been a question.¡± She told him and then pulled him in for another.


    ¡ª


    Isaac was beaming and Lenna couldn¡¯t keep herself from smiling as they left, not just from what had just happened but also from Isaac¡¯s dumb face. ¡°Oh.¡± She said. ¡°Now I understand why you said Sera would be angry.¡± Isaac hummed and nodded along. ¡°Yes, she will be quite upset that she missed this.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s coming back tomorrow.¡± Isaac reminded her. ¡°We can tell her first if you want to wait until tomorrow to tell anyone?¡±


    Lenna thought about it for a long moment. ¡°I feel like it would be impolite to not tell Celeste at least.¡± She said while she played with the ring on her finger. She smiled down at it before she frowned.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see what it said before I let you put it on me.¡± She replied. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to take it off to see.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s smile was warm enough to melt ice and Lenna felt her collar start to heat up from it. ¡°It says: ¡®This ring might be temporary but my love will last forever.¡¯¡± He told her. ¡°Once the engagement and wedding rings are finished it will be replaced by a magical one but I didn¡¯t want to wait that long.¡±


    Lenna smiled. ¡°You are so impatient.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± It was at that moment that Isaac realized that he had been letting Lenna guide where they were going and he realized that they were just down the street from the Celestial Dawn. ¡°You want to tell Celeste right away huh?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Oh, no, that isn¡¯t why we are heading back here.¡± She told him.


    Isaac¡¯s brows furrowed in thought and question. ¡°Then why?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± Lenna said with a very suggestive look in her eyes as she quickly took him in from head to toe.

 Chapter 29 Lady Luck,

    Chapter 29 Lady Luck,


    While Isaac and Lenna were off enjoying themselves, a certain street urchin turned ghost story was checking in on Duncan Ebbenson to make absolutely sure that they had gotten all of the slaves. Duncan had actually sent all of the slaves that Team Shadow, as Lenny had taken to calling them, had known about. Lenny had also all but left his old name behind. It had been two days since he had last taken the mask off but in his mind it was necessary. Lenny was now simply ¡®Phantom¡¯ in his own mind. In a way, it was a means of separating work from fun. Though, if he was honest with himself, he had been having the time of his life.


    Phantom was, at the moment, picking the three stage magical lock to get into the basement of Duncan Ebbenson¡¯s house. He had already disabled the alarm spell and the magical lock that kept the roof access secure, snuck through the entirety of the man¡¯s house, found Duncan sound asleep with one of the ladies of the night from Janice¡¯s Joyrides, Crystal or something was her name, and then made his way down until he found a very secure door that could only have led to either a small closet or the basement. Unfortunately, or fortunately if he was being honest with himself, that was the only place they hadn¡¯t checked yet.


    He swallowed hard and his sweat stung his eyes. ¡®Almost.¡¯ He thought to himself. There was an almost imperceptible sound like someone stepping on mostly crushed glass and he felt the magic of the ward on the door start to dissipate. It would take a few minutes but that was fine as he had two more to go before he could even start picking the physical lock. What felt like hours, but was probably around fifteen minutes, passed before he finally finished and the door was unlocked. He slowly lifted the latch and picked up on the door as he pulled it open. The hinges felt like they wanted to make noise but the magical earplugs he had gotten at a five finger discount were doing their jobs. The items projected a small sound nullification field that was barely big enough to cover the hinges on the door.


    Phantom took one last quick glance behind him before he slipped inside. He couldn¡¯t risk closing the door behind him because he had no idea what was around the corner at the bottom of the steps. If he accidentally triggered something and then the door was locked behind him he would be thoroughly ¡®up shit creek without a paddle¡¯ as James had once said.


    Phantom was extremely careful as he went one step at a time. He couldn¡¯t risk triggering a mechanical trap and setting off a poison smoke bomb or falling through the floor. He was almost at the bottom when he noticed something strange. The fourth step from the bottom was ever so slightly off kilter. He slowly skipped it and finished the last few as well. He was met by another locked door and he couldn¡¯t help but swear internally: ¡®Damn he is thorough.¡¯ He turned around and peered under the fourth step. What he saw caused his eyes to go wide. There was the tiniest of balls of blasting jelly between the step itself and the frame it was resting on. Next to that was half a keg of the stuff just waiting to explode. ¡®Holy Halya, I almost met her.¡¯ He swore internally. He let out a calming breath and then turned to his next obstacle. He bent down and peered through the keyhole to try and see what was inside without having to break in.


    The room was cast in total darkness but the darkvision potions he had actually purchased, because trying to steal from an alchemist was a good way to be used in their next potion, did their job. His vision easily sliced through the pitch darkness and what he saw both sickened and surprised him. Duncan¡¯s basement was not a holding cell for more slaves like he had once thought, nor was it another growth chamber for his ¡®magic mushrooms¡¯, no, it was proof of the real darkness of the man known as Duncan Ebbenson.


    The square room that looked to be about twenty feet across in each direction was covered in old dried blood. It looked as though someone had once done a very bad job at cleaning up after a person had spontaneously exploded all over the room and then given up half way. Luckily there weren¡¯t any body parts and the room looked like it hadn¡¯t been used in a while but it most definitely had been used. Right when he was about to leave he noticed something else. In the back corner of the room there was a very nondescript oaken door. He couldn¡¯t even see any enchantments on it. What he did notice though was a small scrap of wood that had been leaned against the bottom of the door.


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    ¡®There is definitely something important in there.¡¯ He thought with a sigh. ¡®Damn it. I am going to get caught at this rate.¡¯ He looked up the steps to the first floor that was still shrouded in total darkness. He had followed Duncan home and waited a full two and a half hours before he made his move. At best he still had six hours of safety. At worst Duncan was already up and about. The man seemed to sleep at random times for random intervals. Now that Phantom had seen Duncan¡¯s basement he wondered if the reason the man hardly slept was because he was haunted by what he had done. Either that or he was getting into his own supply, though Phantom hadn¡¯t seen any evidence to the latter. He shook his head to clear it and turned back to the door in front of him.


    Ten minutes later he was almost through the door when he heard a sound from what he assumed to be the second floor. ¡®Shit.¡¯ He swore in total silence and flew up the steps. His every movement was nearly silent as he took the steps two at a time. For a brief moment the only sound he could hear was the wind in his ears until he stopped at the top. He strained his hearing and soon heard a creak almost right above him. He hardly breathed as his mind raced. He mentally went through the building¡¯s floor plan until he realized what was over his head. It was a toilet on the second floor. Something only rich people could afford, just like basements, as it required real plumbing. Most houses had a toilet that was more or less just a hole that opened up to the sewer system. It may have sounded like the best way to sneak into a house but it wasn¡¯t worth it. No house worth breaking into had a direct opening to the sewers when sealed pipes that were flushed with conjured water were much nicer on the nose and much more sanitary.


    He let out a nearly silent sigh as he waited for the person above him to finish their business and make their way back towards the bedroom. There was only one problem: They stopped at the top of the steps. The person seemed to debate for a moment before they started to slowly make their way down them. Phantom made a split second decision and moved out into the kitchen before he quickly and quietly latched the door behind him. With movements that threatened to cause his sleeves to snap he snatched up the magical earplugs and ducked behind the table.


    His heart was pounding in his ears as the person walked into the room less than a heartbeat after he had hidden himself. A glowstone lantern cast the room in an off-white that created more shadows than it dispelled. The person moved over to a cabinet and withdrew a glass cup before they set it on the countertop. Under the chairs, Phantom could see Duncan¡¯s bare feet and legs from just above his knees down. He watched as Duncan walked a few steps over to another cabinet and then heard as he poured himself a glass of, most likely, water. Duncan took a few deep gulps of his drink before he refilled it. Duncan put the pitcher back in the cabinet and then turned to head back upstairs. He stopped and seemed to look back over his shoulder.


    Phantom knew the moment Duncan noticed. ¡®Of course he would notice! Those were his damn wards!¡¯ He mentally swore. Duncan took a few hurried steps towards his basement door. Phantom just barely managed to get around the other side of the table before he rounded the corner. Duncan had all but dropped his glass on the table as he passed and Phantom felt a few years of his life fall away in fright.


    Duncan frantically ran his hands over the door and lock. ¡°No no no no, fuck.¡± The older man swore and tried the door. It opened easily. ¡°Damn it all!¡± He swore and raced down the stairs to make sure the other door hadn¡¯t been broken through.


    Phantom took that as his sign to escape while it was still an option. He glided out of the room and up the stairs to the second floor and then up the stairs to the roof access. He quickly slinked out and then made a running leap across the gap between Duncan¡¯s roof and his neighbor¡¯s. He raced across the roof and then vaulted its low wall before he used the wall of the next building to slow his fall. He still hit the stone ground of the alleyway hard but not hard enough to do any damage. He landed in a roll and then quickly got to his feet. He was breathing heavily. ¡°Lady Luck, thank you for blessing me this night.¡± He prayed quietly and then continued on his way. He stuck to the shadows and alleyways until he had made it to one of the deserted buildings he had been using as a safehouse of sorts. He quickly checked to make sure no one was watching and then he ran at the wall of the building. He took three steps up the wall before he reached out and grabbed onto the windowsill on the second floor. He easily pulled himself inside and then all but collapsed onto his bedroll.


    Phantom removed his mask and set it next to him. Lenny looked up at the decrepit ceiling over his head. He started to noiselessly chuckle but it soon turned into a subdued but rolling laughter at the insanity of it all. At how close he had come to getting caught. At the fact that he hadn¡¯t, even though he had broken in while the man was still home. At the unimaginable rush and thrill of it all. The implications of what he had seen could wait until he had gotten some sleep and could discuss it with Isaac. Now though? Now he basked in what he had just accomplished. There was just something so much more thrilling when breaking into a high security building for a job rather than to fill his starving belly like he had all those times before.

 Chapter 30 A New Demigod?

    Chapter 30 A New Demigod?


    Unfortunately for the V¡¯Nova Wexler duo the world did not revolve around them. While they were off engaging in romantic relations and Lenny was narrowly avoiding getting caught, a few other things were going on, some more important than others, others entirely unknown.


    In a faraway place a man who went by nearly as many names as Isaac knelt before a statue to a blind goddess. In her right hand the goddess held a gavel, in her left a set of shackles that still awaited their prisoner. The goddess¡¯s name was Justice and he was her right hand. As he knelt before the statue he continued praying to her, as he had almost every day for the last few centuries. His golden eyes were closed and his golden hair hung straight and long down his back. His white robes were covered from top to bottom in golden enchantments that could have been mistaken for elaborate filigree. His feet were bare as were his hands and head. The only items on his person were the only magical ones as well, his robes and pendant.


    As he clasped the small two inch tall iron statue of his goddess in his hands and prayed for guidance he was interrupted. ¡°My Lord, I have just received news of something.¡± The highpriest of his home temple told him. ¡°I apologize for the interruption but this is something that only you can handle.¡± He continued after the demigod of Judgment remained silent. ¡°Please.¡±


    Judgment opened his golden eyes and slowly rose to his feet. He turned to face the priest and stared at the mortal while their goddess served as his backdrop. ¡°Speak and be heard.¡± Judgment told the man.


    The priest nodded. ¡°I just received a report of someone referring to himself as the demigod of Darkness, my Lord. Multiple reports actually, every one of them is filled with outlandish deeds and ridiculous levels of power.¡± The priest¡¯s lips straightened into a thin line. ¡°The oddest part is that they did not feel a shred of divinity from him.¡±


    ¡°Tell me everything.¡± Judgment replied simply. ¡°And inform the Adventurers¡¯ Guild of my route. I might not complete the bounties on my way out, but I will be sure to complete them on my way back, after I have removed this budding threat.¡±


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    A being of unimaginable power arose from his resting place. It had been a long time since someone had dared to disturb him. A woman knocked carefully, again, just loud enough to be heard. ¡°ENTER!¡± His voice reverberated off the cold stone walls of his resting place even though his mouth did not open.


    The woman slowly opened the door and then gestured forwards. A man entered with a tray held between his hands. On the tray was a velvet cloth and on that cloth there were half a dozen diamonds with a very familiar enchantment infused into them. The pair stopped halfway from the door to his throne. ¡°Your excellency, we have come to you in our time of need as you have instructed.¡± She told him with a deep bow. The man held out the tray and bowed just as deeply.


    ¡°BRING THEM!¡± He instructed. The pair visibly winced under the assault of his voice but they deserved it for not being able to solve their problems on their own. The man approached at a measured pace, not too fast but not too slow either, and held the tray out before him. With a gesture, the diamonds floated up towards his outstretched hand. He grasped the first one and held it close to his chest. ¡°Become my sustenance.¡± He ordered the soul that was trapped in the diamond. The soul was wrenched free of the diamond and forced through his robes and into the massive taaffeite crystal where his heart used to be. The platinum engraved magical working flared to life as the unprotected soul approached. In a moment the soul was sucked into his heart-stone and deconstructed. It¡¯s energies, that not even he properly understood, fed him and he felt the fog of time start to lift from his mind once more. Again and again he did this until soon there were none left. Once he was finished, he straightened and looked down on the pathetic weaklings that had come to him for aid. They were a disgrace and he would remind them of that fact before he returned to his resting place.


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    His gaze was enough to get the woman talking. ¡°Your Excellency, I regret to inform you that the Lord of Contantis has fallen in battle with the humans, along with our high priest. Not only that but his Grace¡¯s original heir defected to them. Due to our-¡± Her voice was cut off by his hand that had gripped her throat and hauled her off of her feet.


    ¡°Who was the Lord of Contantis?¡± He demanded.


    ¡°J-Jallen, V¡¯Nova, y-your Excellency.¡± She stammered out while his skeletal hands dug into her neck.


    He dropped her and she collapsed to the ground. ¡°That boy was still alive?¡± He said more to himself than to her. ¡°Mortal humans do not have the power to kill my grand nephew.¡± He stated. ¡°What killed him?¡± He demanded.


    The woman continued to cough quietly as she gasped for air. As soon as he had asked his question she shifted into a kneeling position from her collapsed state on the floor and cleared her throat. ¡°A monster in human skin according to the reports. Some speculate that it was a tamed dem-¡± She was cut off again by a sudden pressure bearing down on her.


    ¡°I did not ask for speculation.¡± He told her coldly. ¡°Find out what it was. Once you do, find me a staging area.¡±


    She nodded rapidly. ¡°As you wish, your Excellency.¡±


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    ¡°A new demigod?¡± Klein asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°I haven¡¯t felt an ascension.¡± He told the being in front of him. He was far from human but appeared to be a human man with glittering golden hair and scarlet red eyes. His muscles seemed to have muscles as his seven foot tall form towered over Klein¡¯s thin six foot even. Klein had always been lanky but the being in front of him made him look like a blade of grass.


    The massive man nodded as his caramel skin caught the early morning sun. He grinned and showed off his jagged teeth that were only for devouring meat. ¡°That is what it said.¡± He rumbled. ¡°Judgment is already on the move.¡±


    Klein sighed. ¡°Well, if it is just some mortal getting too big for their britches then I hope they know how to run.¡± He said and could only wish that Judgment wouldn¡¯t smite him for claiming to be a demigod.


    ¡°What if it¡¯s not?¡± The massive man asked.


    ¡°Then I hope Judgement does not ruin our chances at peace or he permanently puts him down, not that he is known to take half measures.¡± Klein replied.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to go yourself?¡± Klein¡¯s interlocutor asked.


    Klein shook his head. ¡°No. I will take a page out of Ori¡¯s very long book and leave it be, unless it looks like it is going to cause a cataclysmic problem.¡± He explained.


    The massive man shrugged. ¡°If you¡¯re sure.¡± He informed him. ¡°The new one is in a little underground town called Safeharbor, just so you are aware.¡±


    Klein nodded in understanding and thanks. ¡°Let me know what comes of it, would you?¡±


    ¡°Of course my young friend.¡± The massive man said and clapped him on the shoulder.


    Klein laughed. It had been a long time since he had laughed. Not because he was always depressed or anything, simply because it had been too long since the last time he had had an actual conversation with another speaking being, that wasn¡¯t trying to devour his soul or turn him to ash. ¡°Young?¡± He asked. ¡°Gil, I am thirteen hundred years old, give or take, I lost track.¡±


    Gil¡¯s rolling laughter could be heard across the plains around them. His voice carried far too much weight for a human no matter how much he tried to look like one. ¡°I¡¯ll see you around my not-as-young-as-he-used-to-be friend.¡± Gil chuckled and then turned to leave.


    Klein nodded and then traced a circle in the air. The space in front of Gil tore open in a perfect circle that led to a massive atrium that was lined with books. There was a desk sized for the massive man and something else that very few ever noticed upon their first arrival, mostly due to the insanity of it. Behind the large desk was a desk sized to fit a being of immense proportions. The second desk was fit for someone who stood at least fifty feet tall . Klein could only shake his head at the absurdity of a desk sized for Gil¡¯s true form. ¡°Farewell, my friend.¡± He said and closed the gate behind Gil. Klein turned to face the rising sun and the direction of Safeharbor. ¡°Lady Luck, I entrust a good outcome to you.¡± He sent up a prayer to the most fickle being in all of existence. He could only hope that she was in a good mood.

 Chapter 31 Less Risks

    Chapter 31 Less Risks


    ¡°So, who do you want to tell first?¡± Isaac questioned Lenna. Celeste had known that something was up when she saw them head up to their room earlier but so far they hadn¡¯t told anyone that they were officially engaged yet. In elvish culture it didn¡¯t matter but it was a big step for humans. Not as big of a step for Isaac compared to a normal human but it was still somewhat of a step. The hardest part about said step, for Isaac, was figuring out what they were going to do with their surnames, but that was a conversation for later.


    ¡°Let¡¯s tell Celeste the next time we see her.¡± Lenna offered. ¡°The same for Macken, Edward, and Alice. We can make a special trip for Stan, Jessica, and Jala when we are ready to formally invite them. We should go and see Sera and Izen as soon as they get back.¡±


    ¡°What about Alexander, Marie, Fen, and the boys?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°I would like Aria to officiate it, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°I am fine with Aria doing it.¡± She replied. ¡°Marie and Fen will come if Sera and Jala do. It might be a bad idea for James and Lenny to be seen in public.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you are probably right.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°Alexander?¡±


    ¡°He can get one when Jala does.¡± Lenna replied.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Sounds fair.¡± He said. ¡°We should go tell Celeste and ask her about a place to have it.¡±


    Lenna sat up in bed. ¡°Yes. Though we don¡¯t have to rush. We have at least two months to figure it out.¡± She reminded him.


    ¡°Yeah, a month''s heads up should be plenty.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°After we talk to Celeste we need to go track down Lenny. I know that he wasn¡¯t done with Duncan so we should make sure the kid didn¡¯t get himself killed.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°We also still don¡¯t have our double platinum tags yet. I wonder what is taking the Adventurers¡¯ Guild so long.¡± Isaac said with a thoughtful expression on his face.


    ¡°They did say it would take a while.¡± Lenna reminded him.


    ¡°Yes but I¡¯m getting that feeling again.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Like something big is going to happen?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac shook his head to clear it. ¡°Hopefully it¡¯s nothing but we shouldn¡¯t let our guard down.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°I never do.¡±


    Isaac gave her a warm smile. ¡°I know.¡± He said and pulled her into a kiss.


    ¡ª


    Celeste looked like she was about to vault over the bar when the duo told her the news. As it was she all but sprinted around the side so she could wrap them both in a hug. ¡°I might have grandchildren yet.¡± She said more to herself than to them before she cleared her throat. ¡°Congratulations you two!¡± She told them. ¡°When is the wedding? Where are you holding it? Who is officiating it?¡± And so on her questions went.


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    Over the course of the next hour or two Celeste helped them pick out a place to have it and sort out a bunch of other things related to their wedding. She also fed them, on-the-house, and brought out a bottle of light and sweet wine for the occasion. They each only had enough for a toast before it was time for Isaac and Lenna to hit the road once more. They had a rogue-warrior to hunt down. Hopefully the kid was still breathing.


    ¡ª


    Lenny woke up from his very extended nap. He rubbed his eyes and then stumbled his way to the window with a view of the clocktower. It was dinnertime which was odd because he could have sworn that it was just past midnight when he had fallen asleep. ¡°Oh. Oh!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°I slept for fifteen hours.¡± He shook his head to try and clear it. The incredible dryness in his mouth now made perfect sense. His stomach rumbled and he was assaulted by hunger pangs. ¡°Yeah, I definitely slept for fifteen hours.¡± He finished the last of the water in his waterskin, snagged a piece of jerky to hold him over for a little while, stuffed his mask and swords in his Bottomless Bag, donned his cloak and headed back out onto the streets.


    Lenny was stuffing his face, at a small shop that usually fed workers for cheap after they were done at either the warehouses or mushroom fields, when Isaac spotted him. Lenny almost choked when a copper coin appeared in his grasp without him even noticing. He nodded and then finished his food. He left a silver coin on the counter and left the shop. He soon spotted Isaac and Lenna and he made his way over to them. They were across the street at a stand, that sold fresh mushroom tea for the workers, sampling some of the lifeblood of the working class.


    Lenny got his own and stood off to the side along with Isaac and Lenna. ¡°Hey, boss.¡± Lenny said under his breath. ¡°I have news but not here.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡± Isaac asked just as quietly.


    ¡°Where we met before.¡± Lenny replied. He quickly finished his drink, left the mug with the stand owner along with a pair of copper coins, and then headed off. A short while later all three of them were back inside of the abandoned building across from some of Duncan¡¯s warehouses.


    ¡°So what¡¯s going on?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Well, I took a page out of your book and learned some things the old fashioned way.¡± Lenny replied.


    ¡°Which is?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°I broke into his house and had a good look around.¡± Lenny replied with a shit eating grin that was far too reminiscent of Isaac¡¯s.


    ¡°You are going to either ruin him or get him killed, probably both.¡± Lenna told her mate.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m with Lenna on this one. Don¡¯t get yourself in over your head. You aren¡¯t useful to me dead.¡± Isaac chastised his mortal shadow.


    ¡°I was careful.¡± Lenny replied. ¡°But anyway, here¡¯s what happened. I climbed up the outside of his house and used the roof entrance.¡± He began and filled in Isaac and Lenna on everything that had happened and everything that he had seen.


    ¡°You almost got caught.¡± Isaac told him pointedly.


    ¡°Almost only counts with horseshoes, fireballs, and meteors.¡± Lenny countered.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Whatever.¡± He conceded. ¡°So, what¡¯s your impression on the torture chamber?¡±


    ¡°It looked like it used to be well used but it hasn¡¯t been in a while.¡± Lenny replied. ¡°His wizard lair or whatever they call it was definitely behind it though.¡± Lenny explained. ¡°His wizardy stuff was nowhere to be found and that was the only place I couldn¡¯t get too.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°It was a good thing you didn¡¯t.¡± He told the rogue. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have survived. There is no way that a man like that doesn¡¯t have it trapped to the high heavens.¡±


    Lenny begrudgingly agreed. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re probably right.¡± He conceded. ¡°So, what do you want me to do about him? I think he actually sent out all of the slaves. I couldn¡¯t find any but that doesn¡¯t mean that there isn¡¯t another secret location somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s trust that we did find them all but keep an eye on him just in case. Have your brother keep an ear on the ground for anything about Duncan and let me know if it¡¯s something that you think is important.¡± Isaac told him. ¡°Anything else?¡±


    Lenny shook his head. ¡°Nothing important. I think I have all of his men¡¯s faces and patterns memorized by now but I doubt you want to hear about that.¡± He replied with a self deprecating chuckle. ¡°I think you are right, stakeouts aren¡¯t as interesting as I used to think they were.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°At least you can sit still. I feel like I¡¯m fighting with myself to either not fall asleep or to keep from doing something less optimal out of boredom.¡± Isaac shook his head. ¡°Anyway, thanks for the good work. Keep it up and do me a favor would you?¡±


    ¡°Sure, boss, what¡¯s up?¡± Lenny replied.


    ¡°Find someone, I don¡¯t care who it is, and let them know when and where you are about to do something risky. If you don¡¯t come back they can let either your brother or one of us know, then we can try to rescue you.¡± Isaac instructed him. ¡°If it¡¯s too late then we can at least get revenge for you.¡±


    Lenny¡¯s eyes went wide and he swallowed. He had been playing really fast and loose but what Isaac had said had reminded him that sometimes the worst really did happen. It happened to his brother and they had rescued him. He didn¡¯t want to be stuck in a position like his brother had been but without anyone knowing where he was. Lenny was not built to withstand torture. He nodded a few times rapidly at Isaac. ¡°I¡¯ll do that, boss, I promise.¡±


    Isaac nodded once and patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Good.¡± He told him.


    ¡°Now if I could only get this one to take less risks all would be well.¡± Lenna chimed in to some chuckles from the boys.

 Chapter 32 Dinner?

    Chapter 32 Dinner?


    The following day went as one would expect from the pair that were planning on getting married in three month¡¯s time. In other words, the pair spent almost the entire day with Jessica Silverstrand designing a dress from scratch. That was the most pressing order for the pair as that was the thing that would take the longest to make. By the time they were finished it was almost dinner time and Sera and Izen should have been home for at least an hour or two.


    The pair made their way to the Arbencroft Estate and were let in by the guards. For the first time ever, they were led into a sitting room that was just off the main hall. It was nice but not as grandiose as the ones in many of the stories or paintings they had been exposed to over the course of their library raids. The couches were plush and soft and the tea-table was elegant crystal. There was very little gold to be seen but the woodworking was exquisite. The dark wood was cut in swirls and curls that contrasted perfectly with the solid stone foundation and accented the maroon rugs and couch cushions nicely. The lamps were a mix of glowing stone and burning oil to give the right amount of yellow and white light to almost give the illusion of sunlight.


    They hadn¡¯t waited long before Sera came to see them. She gave them a tired smile and sat down in the two-person couch that was across from the four-person one the pair had settled into. ¡°I was not expecting you until tomorrow for tea.¡± Sera greeted them.


    ¡°Sorry but there is something we wanted to tell you before Celeste or Jessica could.¡± Isaac told her with a grin.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Sera questioned. Her curiosity was clearly piqued. ¡°Do tell.¡±


    ¡°We are officially engaged.¡± Lenna told her.


    Before Sera could do anything other than widen her eyes in surprise Isaac continued: ¡°Our wedding will be in three months from yesterday.¡±


    It took Sera a minute to process what she had just heard. ¡°When did you propose?¡± She questioned. ¡°How did you do it? Why was I not there?¡±


    ¡°It was right out of a romance novel.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°It was still very sweet. I¡¯m not certain if it would have been better if it had been entirely original. Isaac¡¯s version of originality scares me sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Ouch.¡± Isaac commented but then went on to explain what had happened to Sera.


    ¡°I see. Well, congratulations. When and where is the wedding?¡± Sera asked.


    ¡°Well,¡± Isaac began and looked to Lenna for a final confirmation. Lenna nodded so Isaac continued. ¡°we were wondering if we could have it here.¡±


    Sera blinked a few times in surprise before her face took on a contemplative look. ¡°How many people are you inviting? We have the ballroom but all of the seating is around circular tables that are off to the side. It would not do for seating around a ceremony.¡± She explained.


    ¡°What if we brought in seating and had a small ceremony in the main hall?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°Then we could move to the ballroom for dancing and music afterwards?¡±


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    Sera continued to think and visualize it all in her head. ¡°That would be fine if you are not inviting any more than¡­ thirty people or so? Yes. Around thirty people, plus my husband and I of course, though we would be your backdrop if you are doing it in the main hall.¡± She told him. ¡°Thirty people is not very many. Isaac, I understand that you do not have any family to invite and Lenna, you only have two family members of your own in the city, but you two are heroes. I do not think I have ever heard of a wedding of heroes being that small.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Isaac said. ¡°Our list is small. Only those we consider friends will be allowed, along with their partners of course, so thirty should be fine.¡±


    Sera nodded slowly. ¡°If you are sure.¡± She replied warily. ¡°I would be happy if you held it here but know that only thirty chairs will fit in our main hall.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all we¡¯ll need.¡± Isaac assured her.


    Sera gave them a warm smile. ¡°I will let Izen know.¡± She assured them. ¡°Now, if you would be willing to wait another hour with me then you could join us for dinner?¡± She offered warmly.


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want to impose.¡± Lenna tactfully deflected. That would be Sera¡¯s opportunity to let them leave so she could enjoy her dinner alone with her husband and maybe their son but it didn¡¯t look like Sera was going to take said opportunity.


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± Sera replied. ¡°Cassandra, let everyone know that we will have two guests for dinner.¡± She told the maid who had stayed by the door.


    The maid bowed deeply. ¡°Right away, my Lady.¡± She replied and bowed out to complete her task. This left the three of them alone.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t Marie, was it?¡± Isaac asked.


    Sera shook her head. ¡°No. I sent her to go bother Eddy.¡± The duchess said with a wave of her hand. ¡°She can be utterly overbearing about my health. I know I have a weak constitution but that is no reason to treat me like I am made of glass.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like you had a rough past few days.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°Weak constitution?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Sera replied to both of them. ¡°The Altian Founding Day balls are always exhausting. Far too much political maneuvering and dancing for one evening. There are still some minor ones going on but the biggest one, the one with His Majesty, happened yesterday evening.¡±


    ¡°Any questions about us or what happened with Jallen?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Oh gods yes.¡± Sera replied.


    ¡°Sera, are you ill?¡± Lenna questioned.


    Sera gave Lenna a warm, almost motherly, smile. ¡°Not in so few letters.¡± She replied. ¡°My body was not up to the task of childbirth. If it hadn¡¯t been for Court Mage Harrison, who happened to be visiting at the time, I would have died giving birth. Harrison teleported to the capital and brought Pope Chrys back with him. If not for them I would not have lasted the night.¡± Sera explained. ¡°That was only the most notable incident. I am plagued with every contagious illness that anyone within a hundred miles of me possesses. I have been this way since I was a child. Unfortunately Constitution is not as easily increased as the others.¡±


    ¡°How do you deal with that? I don¡¯t think I have ever seen you sick in the time we have known you.¡± Lenna wondered.


    ¡°There is an elixir that grants a temporary boost to a person¡¯s Constitution. It only lasts for around a week at a time but my dear Izen has been buying it for me for decades. I still get sick but it helps a lot. I have just been lucky these past few months.¡± Sera informed them. ¡°But enough about me. Did anything interesting happen while we were away?¡±


    Isaac and Lenna enjoyed their time with Sera until dinner was ready and then the pair joined Izen, Sera, and Lucius for dinner. Isaac regaled Lucius with their adventures since the last time they had met while Sera and Lenna continued to converse. Izen chimed into both sides on occasion but he seemed to be content enjoying the meal. Once it was over Izen brought up work. Izen had waited until dinner was officially over because one of Sera¡¯s rules was no work during dinner. A rule that had only ever been broken once. Once was enough.


    ¡°I have everything ready for you to start designing the house.¡± Izen told Isaac. ¡°I will have our contractor contact you sometime this week and you can get started. Depending on how expensive it gets, I might request that you give me a discount the next time I am in need of your specific set of skills.¡±


    Isaac nodded along. ¡°I am sure we can work something out. When do you think he¡¯ll contact me?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I will send him a message tomorrow so the day after most likely. If not then I will make sure that he informs you.¡± Izen assured him.


    ¡°Thanks. I can¡¯t wait to have our own house. Living at the Dawn is nice but I would like to truly have our own space.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna added. ¡°Though we will need to find staff for the manor.¡±


    ¡°I am sure that we can help you with that.¡± Sera chimed in. ¡°Even if it is just training someone for you. I know that you like to find your own people and I am hesitant to let any of ours go.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°We may have to take you up on that.¡±


    Sera nodded and smiled warmly. ¡°Now, enough work, they are bringing out dessert.¡±

 Chapter 33 Realm Of The Gods

    Chapter 33 Realm Of The Gods


    ¡°You alive in there?¡± Isaac questioned Macken who was lounging in his cell. Isaac and Lenna had just left the Arbencroft''s and had decided to tell Macken about their engagement right away, well, Lenna decided that she didn¡¯t want to wait until the following day.


    Macken sat up and squinted his eyes against the glowing stone light. ¡°Last I checked.¡± Macken replied.


    ¡°Macken,¡± Lenna began. ¡°there is something I wanted to tell you, sooner rather than later. Isaac and I are getting married.¡±


    Much to Lenna and Isaac¡¯s surprise, Macken didn¡¯t immediately fire back with something. Instead, he took a moment to think first. ¡°I see.¡± He replied. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but you won¡¯t be getting a wedding gift from me. All of my assets are a bit out of reach at the moment.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s not why I wanted to tell you.¡± She told him with a chuckle. ¡°You are an ass, ignorant and abrasive, but you are as close to family as I have ever had. I would like it if you would be there for me, along with Aunt Jala and her mate, Fen L¡¯Vore.¡±


    Macken leaned in towards her and his face took on a contemplative expression. ¡°You know that I still don¡¯t like that you mated with a human.¡± He told her. Lenna scowled at him. ¡°But as far as human¡¯s go, that one has my respect.¡± He nodded as if to cement his words in his mind. ¡°What do I have to do to be there for you?¡±


    Isaac was leaning against the cell facing away from Macken so neither his mate or the prisoner could see his face. That was a good thing as far as he was concerned because he couldn¡¯t keep the warm smile from his face. Isaac had a lot of conflicting feelings when it came to Macken and most of them weren¡¯t good. At that moment, however, Isaac was just glad that Lenna had a friend that she could rely on. There was no telling whether or not they would go through with Lenna¡¯s plan to bind their strands of fate together. If they didn¡¯t, then Lenna would be alone for a few centuries, well, if Isaac wasn¡¯t actually a demigod anyway. Jala and Fen wouldn¡¯t live forever either and there was a larger gap in age between Jala and Lenna then there was between Lenna and a newborn child. There would one day come a time when the only people Isaac knew that would still be alive would be Lenna, Macken, Aria, and Wo Lu.


    Lenna smiled at Macken. ¡°Do whatever you need to in order to get Sir Michael to let you move freely.¡± She told him.


    ¡°That¡¯ll be hard as long as he is still sworn to serve your ancestors.¡± Isaac chimed in. ¡°I¡¯m not saying that it is impossible but I wouldn¡¯t let him out of the cell if I were Michael.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°That makes sense.¡± She agreed. ¡°But like Isaac said, it might still be possible without breaking your oath. I can tell you from experience that it is not a pleasant time.¡±


    Macken nodded. ¡°Lenna, promise me one thing, would you?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let Fable die of old age.¡± He told her and took a deep breath.


    Lenna¡¯s brows furrowed at him. ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on it but why-¡± Lenna recoiled as the force of a thousand angry souls slammed into her. Her aura was held just inside her body in order to keep from frightening people unnecessarily and the wave of power hit it like a falling star. Lenna was shoved a few feet back and almost lost her balance from the impact. Her eyes went wide as she saw midnight black chains start pouring out of his chest.


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    Isaac whirled around to see what had happened and he was in shock. The guard behind him fell on his ass. ¡°Go get a cleric! Now!¡± Isaac ordered the guard who scrambled away to do as he was told. The fact that the man didn¡¯t entirely lock up was proof of his combat experience and proper training. What Isaac saw gave even him a sense of powerlessness.


    Macken had collapsed onto his cot as over a dozen midnight black chains poured out of his chest and wrapped around his body, constricting him like a knot of snakes. Moonlight shone through the ceiling of the cell and a violet and silver silhouette was hovering over him. The silhouette was grabbing the chains and breaking them with their hands one at a time. ¡°Lua! Please save him!¡± Lenna called out to her goddess.


    ¡°I am trying, child, though his odds are not good.¡± Lua, the violet and silver silhouette, replied. ¡°It would have been better if he had waited another week.¡±


    ¡°YOU DARE!¡± A male voice shook the very air as another presence appeared. The chains coming out of Macken¡¯s chest contorted until they became a stream of small black spiders that followed the same path. The main difference was that they were not breaking when Lua grabbed them. Instead she was only pulling away a few spiders at a time that were quickly replaced. ¡°I WARNED YOU ABOUT TOUCHING WHAT IS MINE!¡±


    ¡°Stop being such a bastard.¡± Lua spat back and held her hands out with her palms facing each other. ¡°The ones that leave you are mine. Stop being greedy.¡± Moonlight gathered between her hands as she focused. With every passing moment Macken¡¯s body was getting twisted and contorted at harsher angles and with more pressure. Lua focused the light towards Macken and it burned away the spiders en masse.


    ¡°IF MY BROTHER CANNOT STOP ME THEN WHY DO YOU THINK YOU CAN?!¡± The voice continued. Suddenly a dark purple haze appeared in the rough shape of a drider. It reached out and planted its hand on Macken¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Stop it!¡± Lua called out. ¡°You¡¯ll crush his soul! He¡¯ll never reincarnate!¡±


    ¡°Your choice. Let me take him or doom his soul.¡± The male drider spoke calmly.


    ¡°He is mine. You lost your claim over him already.¡± Lua countered.


    ¡°Not yet.¡± The drider spoke and then grabbed onto something. Macken¡¯s body seized.


    ¡°This debt will gather interest until the day I come to collect, I swear it.¡± Lua spoke in a voice that was so chillingly calm that frost formed across the bottom of the cell. Macken¡¯s body went limp.


    ¡°You dare threaten me?¡± The half-spider half-elf god bristled. ¡°You are still an insolent child.¡± The dark haze that he was made of started to fade.


    Lua continued to glare daggers at him until at last he was gone. Lenna finally started to breathe again. ¡°Wa-was that Dri¡¯El?¡± Lenna questioned both herself and her goddess. It was at that moment that the guard returned with a mid level cleric.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lua spoke. The guard and cleric dropped to their knees. The cleric glanced up just enough to see Macken¡¯s contorted body. ¡°I am sorry, child, there has been another casualty in our conflict.¡± She sighed and her form started to fade. ¡°I could not try any harder lest your friend¡¯s soul be torn asunder. If you ever find yourself in a position like this again, make sure they wait until the full moon to make any drastic decisions.¡±


    Lenna nodded almost absently. ¡°I will.¡± Lenna whispered. Lua blanketed the area in a melancholic but comforting warmth before she faded away completely.


    Isaac was still trying to process everything they had just witnessed but he knew that Lenna needed him so he moved to her side. Isaac wrapped his arm around Lenna and she slowly turned into his embrace. Tears were streaming down her face as Isaac wrapped his other arm around her as well and squeezed her tight. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He told her quietly as all sorts of commotion started going on around them. Soon Michael was there and after that a higher level cleric. Lenna stared blankly at Macken¡¯s corpse as the higher level cleric performed a ritual to try and contact the soul of the recently departed. A short while later the cleric shook his head with a frown.


    Lenna only passively picked up on what the man said but Isaac could hear it clearly. ¡°His soul is there but I am being blocked. I¡¯m sorry.¡± He told Michael who had brought him there.


    Michael nodded and rested his hand on the cleric¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Do you think a pope could do it?¡± He asked the cleric.


    The cleric shook his head. ¡°No. It is in the realm of the gods now. This man is not important enough for them to trade favors over.¡± He explained.


    Michael nodded in understanding and turned away from the man before he approached Isaac and Lenna. ¡°I heard.¡± Isaac told him. ¡°Thanks for trying.¡±


    Michael nodded with a frown. ¡°What exactly happened?¡± He asked Isaac. ¡°If you need some time I understand, but I would like to know what and how this happened.¡± Michael questioned and Isaac gave him a very abbreviated version of the events before he moved to leave with Lenna. ¡°What should I do with his body?¡± Michael asked Isaac and Lenna before they could leave.


    ¡°Take it to Jala.¡± Lenna whispered. ¡°Take it to Jala.¡± She repeated a bit louder. ¡°Isaac, I want to see my aunt.¡±

 Chapter 34 Bane

    Chapter 34 Bane


    Isaac hadn¡¯t let go of Lenna since he had first embraced her. His touch was deeply comforting for Lenna and it was keeping her grounded. When she had started subconsciously flexing her right hand in his grasp he had switched which hand he was holding so her sword hand would be free. They weren¡¯t actually in any danger but he understood how being in a state of readiness for combat would help her in the short term. She was used to fighting under extreme circumstances and even though she was not fighting at the moment her mind was very much aligned as such.


    Isaac was only a little concerned for Lenna. He had been watching her like a hawk and he was looking for any signs that would cause him to truly worry. Most of her defense mechanisms were activated but that was fine as long as they deactivated with time. As far as he could tell she wasn¡¯t doing anything self-destructive and that was good enough until she had time to process what had happened.


    The pair walked into Jala¡¯s Inverted Tower. The guards nodded to them but Lenna hadn¡¯t even noticed. Everything that wasn¡¯t directly involved with her plan was barely on the periphery of her awareness. ¡°Auntie,¡± Lenna began as soon as the pair entered the room she was in. Right after the words left her mouth she realized that Jala was out cold. She was sitting at a desk that was made of stone that neither of them had noticed before. She had a blanket tossed over her shoulders and her face was lying on her arm which was across the desk in front of her.


    ¡°She can¡¯t hear you.¡± Fen commented from his seat halfway across the room. He was sitting casually with his legs crossed and a book in his hand. In his other hand was a steaming cup of tea. ¡°Hello, Lenna, Isaac.¡±


    ¡°Fen.¡± Isaac said with a nod.


    Fen looked up and saw the look on Lenna¡¯s face. The barest hints of shed tears and the single minded ferocity of a rabbit who decided to bite a lion even if it cost it their life. ¡°What happened?¡± Fen asked Isaac.


    ¡°Long story short; We captured her first friend during the battle, he took some convincing but finally decided to switch sides, he broke his oath and both Lua and Dri¡¯El showed up to fight over him, Dri¡¯El threatened to destroy his soul if Lua didn¡¯t let him win, Lua let him win.¡± Isaac started his one hundred word or less summary. ¡°Lenna said something about bringing his body here and that she wanted to talk to Jala so now we¡¯re here.¡±


    Fen nodded slowly. ¡°I see.¡± He replied. ¡°Lenna, why are you here? The one best suited to comfort you is already right next to you. Jala is not in a place to offer comfort right now, even if she was capable of such a thing.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°I want a weapon.¡± She spoke with certainty.


    ¡°A weapon?¡± Fen parroted.


    ¡°A Bane weapon.¡± Lenna informed him. ¡°There should be enough of Dri¡¯El¡¯s power still in his body to make a Bane weapon.¡±


    Fen¡¯s cup shook slightly so he slowly reached over and set it down on the stand next him. He took a calming breath as he marked his place in his book and the book soon joined his tea. He shifted in his seat so they could get a better look at each other. ¡°Lenna,¡± Fen began. ¡°my niece, the person who brought about the largest change in the region since the founding of this very city, a woman who I did not think to be insane nor stupid, explain to me why you want a weapon specifically designed to hurt deity that is older than every living elf on the planet combined.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to find a way to kill him.¡± Lenna stated evenly.


    Fen sighed and rubbed his eyes. ¡°There are so many things wrong with that.¡± He grumbled under his breath. He took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair. ¡°If he projects his power then a Bane weapon won¡¯t help you, though a necklace with the right enchantments might. If you are planning on stabbing or shooting him then I am afraid my impression of you was greatly mistaken. He is a god and he would crush your soul into ectoplasmic paste if you somehow found a way to meet him face to face.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ but¡­¡± Lenna began with wavering conviction and growing panic on her face and in her voice. ¡°Then what am I supposed to do?!¡± She demanded. ¡°He just showed up and killed him and I couldn¡¯t do anything about it!¡±


    Fen sighed and for the barest of moments a flash of empathic sadness crossed his face. ¡°Lenna, gods are not mortals. Even demigods, because they are still at least partly mortal, can die by mortal hands. If one of the demigods killed him then I would help you get your revenge but this is Dri¡¯El we are talking about. There is simply nothing that you can do that would hurt him. You can¡¯t even take anything worthwhile from him as he doesn¡¯t give a damn about any of us.¡±  Fen explained to her calmly.


    Jala sat up and turned to face her niece. No one there knew how long she had been awake but the bags under her eyes and half open eyelids suggested that it hadn¡¯t been very long. ¡°If that is what you want me to do with his body, I will do it.¡± Jala told her niece. ¡°Though under one condition.¡±


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    Lenna nodded. ¡°Okay, what is it?¡± She asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t let this consume you.¡± Jala told her calmly. ¡°Having a weapon, even having a weapon and being prepared to use it, is very different than throwing your life away to hunt down the one you want to use it on.¡±


    Lenna hitched slightly. ¡°I¡­ uh¡­¡± She started stumbling over her words as her brain tried to work.


    ¡°Your mate is clearly concerned about you.¡± Jala continued. ¡°He is right there, don¡¯t throw him away to chase vengeance for someone that is gone.¡±


    Lenna swallowed and then sniffled before she nodded. Tears started rolling down her face. ¡°Alright.¡± She agreed. ¡°Thank you, auntie.¡± She said and turned away enough that she could bury her face into Isaac¡¯s shoulder.


    Isaac gave Jala a warm but sad smile and mouthed: ¡®Thank you.¡¯ He then enveloped Lenna entirely in his embrace and let her cry out everything that she was feeling.


    Jala nodded and then yawned loudly. ¡°Fen, can you make more tea?¡± She asked her mate.


    Fen nodded and rose from his seat. He walked over to a tea kettle that was resting on one of the stone countertops that looked mostly clean. He refilled it with water and fresh tea leaves from a nearby cabinet. He held the kettle aloft with one hand and snapped his fingers on his other hand. A small flame appeared over his touching thumb and index finger. His thumb almost seemed to do a backwards flick and the small flame impacted his upturned palm. It was at that moment that Isaac realized that Fen¡¯s left cuff was nowhere to be seen. The small flame grew to the size of Isaac¡¯s fist and hovered in Fen¡¯s now open palm. He held the kettle over it and started counting quietly to himself.


    A little while later, Lenna and Jala were sitting across from each other. Lenna was using the chair Fen usually used and Fen had taken the desk where Jala had once been. Isaac was leaning against the chair Lenna was using with his hand resting on her shoulder. Fen had only made enough tea for the women as the kettle was only big enough for two cups of tea and he was not trying to be a hospitable host. Around that time a small contingent brought Macken¡¯s body to them. Michael was there as well but he mostly stayed out of the way. Jala directed them to place the body, stretcher and all, onto a stone table that didn¡¯t have anything on it. When Lenna turned to see it Isaac shifted slightly so she couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Isaac, I¡­¡± She began and looked up to see his comforting smile and she felt his hand on her shoulder squeeze slightly. She swallowed and turned back to her tea.


    Michael approached Isaac and said in a low voice: ¡°I would appreciate it if you kept me informed, at the very least of anything that might affect anyone else in the future.¡±


    Isaac nodded in confirmation to him. ¡°I will.¡± He told the magistrate. Michael gave him a curt nod in thanks and then departed with his men. After a moment Isaac turned to look at Jala. ¡°What exactly is a Bane weapon?¡± He asked her.


    Jala looked contemplative for a long moment. ¡°At its core it is a weapon forged of magic and witchcraft.¡± She began. ¡°It involves the fusing of the latent energies of a being, or type of being though those are less effective, into a device of violence, most commonly a sword or arrows.¡± Jala rose from her seat and strode over to one of her cabinets. She started withdrawing various instruments that Isaac assumed she was going to use to analyze the energies that she was talking about. ¡°The energies make it so the target¡¯s natural energies won¡¯t interfere with the attack. It will be as if the target was always meant to bleed or as if there had always been a slice through their mana pathways because yes, the weapon will cut through the intangible.¡±


    ¡°That sounds extremely specific.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°The creation conditions make it sound like it is impractical at best.¡±


    Jala shrugged. ¡°It isn¡¯t when there are a few thousand lightning dragons pouring out of rifts in space to wherever the hells they come from every Dragon Surge.¡± She explained. ¡°Like I said, Bane weapons work on creatures that are similar enough to the original but to a lesser extent than they would to their origin.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I see.¡± He said thoughtfully. ¡°You know, no one ever properly explained to me what a Dragon Surge was.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t something you will ever have to deal with.¡± Jala replied simply. ¡°Unless you somehow find a way to live another thousand years.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯ve been told.¡± Isaac grumbled.


    Fen sighed. ¡°Every few thousand years the mortal population hits a tipping point. Once that point is reached gates to wherever dragons are from appear and dump hoards of them into the world. Dragons fight, both mortals and each other, a lot of people die and then things slowly go back to normal as the dragon population is culled. No one knows why it is this way but it has always been like this.¡± He explained to Isaac simply. ¡°That is the only reason there isn¡¯t a demigod hunting squad in the empire. We need your demigods to kill dragons so less of them come to fight us.¡±


    Isaac nodded along but it would take him a while to properly understand all of the implications of what Fen had just told him. For now though, Lenna needed more of his attention. ¡°Thanks, Fen.¡± He told the shadow sorcerer before he turned his attention back to Lenna. ¡°Lenna, why don¡¯t we head home, it¡¯s getting late and some sleep will do you good.¡±


    Lenna nodded absently and set down her now empty teacup. ¡°Alright.¡± She agreed. ¡°Auntie, will you tell me if it is possible?¡±


    Jala frowned down at her collection of magical tools. ¡°There are a lot of different energies still inside of his body. I think I found the ones that are from our two sides of the moon. I might not be able to separate them though.¡± She said and looked up to meet Lenna¡¯s gaze. ¡°If I made a sword with this, like I assume you want, it wouldn¡¯t just be for killing one side of the moon.¡± She warned her niece. ¡°It would be a moon-slaying blade. Is that really something that you want to exist?¡±


    Lenna knew that she wasn¡¯t thinking straight so she made the best decision she could have. ¡°Can I let you know when I¡¯ve made up my mind?¡± She asked her aunt.


    Jala shook her head. ¡°No, the energies are quickly bleeding off and mixing together. I need to either get to work right away or not at all.¡± Jala explained.


    Lenna just stared blankly for a long moment before she let out a long and empty sigh. ¡°Can you make him into a shield? That was always what he was, first and foremost.¡±


    Jala thought about it for a long moment. ¡°Do you want his ashes used in the treatment or a bone armament?¡± She asked.


    ¡°His ashes, please, I couldn¡¯t bear to use his body any other way.¡± Lenna replied.


    Jala nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll get it done.¡± She told her niece. ¡°Now get some sleep.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± She said and turned to leave.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have them bill you for anything I need.¡± Jala told Isaac who nodded.


    ¡°I assumed so.¡± He told her before he too turned to leave.


    ¡°One last thing,¡± Jala called out to them. ¡°Everything about this conversation stays between us. This is heresy of the highest order.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Understood.¡± He replied. ¡°I¡¯ll keep it to myself.¡±

 Chapter 35 Potato Potato.

    Chapter 35 Potato Potato.


    Everyone experiences loss. Loss is like an evergreen tree that one passes on their journey. Almost everyone in the world has walked, rode, or driven by an evergreen tree at some point in their lives. Even those that live on tropical islands have trees that show their leaves all year around. Loss is the one thing that everyone inflicted with the mortal condition can relate to. Some people have a harder time consoling others than most. Some seem almost made for it. Isaac was the former.


    The most Isaac could really do was to be available for Lenna to talk to or cry on. He hadn¡¯t really known Macken, so he had a hard time talking about him, and he knew that grief hit him differently then it did most people, which made it hard for him to know what to do for her. Maybe there was something wrong with him mentally but that was for a different time. For now, Lenna needed him so he did his best to be there.


    After Lenna¡¯s fitful sleep throughout the night it was once again the tenth of the month. By the time Isaac awoke, Lenna had been awake on and off for a few hours. ¡°Do you want to go see Sera?¡± Isaac asked. They were supposed to meet with Sera for tea just after lunch but Isaac doubted that Lenna would want to go, though he really wanted her to. Isaac knew that his consolation abilities were lacking and he was sure that Sera¡¯s were better. Also, he thought that some amount of normalcy might do her some good.


    ¡°Not really.¡± Lenna replied, the depression was heavy in her voice.


    ¡°Alright, I guess we are sneaking in today.¡± He told her and sat up in bed. She turned her head and gave him a very half hearted scowl. Isaac brushed her hair out of her face. ¡°Let¡¯s go sit in Sera¡¯s garden and drink her tea. It¡¯ll be better than laying in bed all day.¡±


    Lenna took a deep breath and then sighed it away. ¡°I don¡¯t want to get dressed.¡± She told him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± Isaac told her, though if Isaac was going to help it was definitely not going to be something easily damaged like one of Jessica¡¯s fancy dresses.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to walk the whole way there.¡± Lenna continued.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll carry you.¡± Isaac replied simply.


    Lenna was silent for a long moment before she put her arm over her face. ¡°Can¡¯t I just go back to sleep?¡± She pleaded.


    Isaac laid down right up against her and pulled her towards him in a tight embrace. ¡°For a little while.¡± He conceded. ¡°But staying in bed all day isn¡¯t going to help.¡± He explained. ¡°Sera is our friend and I¡¯m sure she wants to be here for you but she can¡¯t exactly walk around without drawing a bunch of attention to herself.¡± As it turned out, she could.


    An hour later Isaac was helping Lenna get dressed in a simple long sleeve shirt and pants when there was a knock at the door. ¡°It¡¯s me. Can I come in?¡± They heard from the other side of the door.


    Lenna abruptly sat up a bit straighter and ran her fingers through her hair. ¡°I look like shit. Tell her to wait a bit.¡± Lenna told Isaac abruptly.


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    Isaac gave her a warm smile. ¡°No.¡± He replied and teleported to the door before Lenna could do anything about it. He opened the door and was met by a sight he never thought he would see. There, in front of him, stood a pair of women who were familiar but different. The one closest to him had dark brown hair and pale skin. She looked to be in her forties with a few streaks of gray sneaking through. Her eyes were a brilliantly blazing blue that almost seemed to give off their own light. She was wearing a simple brown dress that looked both new and cheap. Her simple dress was accompanied by a pair of traveling boots that appeared well taken care of but older than Isaac. ¡°Sera.¡± Isaac greeted her with a smile and a nod before he turned his attention on the other woman with her. The second woman looked exactly like the first except she appeared to be two inches shorter and twenty years younger. ¡°Marie.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Isaac.¡± Sera said and peered past him to see Lenna trying desperately to fix her disheveled hair. ¡°Oh dear, let me help.¡± She said and all but pushed past Isaac to get to his mate.


    Marie stepped closer but stayed out in the hallway. ¡°I feel like I should wait outside.¡± She told Isaac.


    Isaac glanced between Marie and Lenna before he shrugged. ¡°You do what you feel is best. I am not either of you.¡± He replied.


    Marie nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll stay close but out of the way then.¡± She said.


    ¡°Actually,¡± Isaac began. ¡°Can you get the roof ready? I¡¯ll go get food and meet you up there with Lenna and Sera.¡±


    Marie nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes, that sounds like a good idea.¡± She agreed and the two left Sera to be with Lenna.


    A while later the four of them were on the roof sitting around a circular table eating breakfast for Isaac and Lenna, and lunch for Sera and Marie. Lenna was visually better than she had been even though they were only a few dozen steps away from her bed. Being sedentary was not the best way to handle unfortunate things. Oftentimes it was best to simply keep one¡¯s body moving so their mind could progress through it as well.


    By the time the day was almost over Sera and Marie had had two meals with Isaac and Lenna, finished an entire bottle of wine between the four of them, played a few card games, and talked for hours. Lenna was noticeably more herself than she had been and Isaac couldn¡¯t have been more grateful for Sera and Marie¡¯s company. The friendship and companionship of the women had been a blessing beyond any a deity had given them. After the women had left, Isaac had insisted on Lenna taking a hot bath before he let her get back into bed. By the time she flopped onto their bed it was solidly nighttime but still far earlier than when they usually went to bed.


    ¡°Isaac?¡± Lenna said calmly. Her sorrow was still tagging along with her words like a barnacle on a merchant ship.


    ¡°Yes, my love?¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± She told him. ¡°And thank Sera and Marie for me.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Why don¡¯t you thank them yourself?¡± He asked.


    Lenna shrunk back like a turtle retracting into its shell. ¡°Can you?¡± She requested.


    Isaac chuckled again. ¡°Sure, if you want, I can thank them for you.¡± He agreed. He brushed some of her hair to the side even though very little of it was actually in her face. ¡°I will always be here for you.¡± He told her with a warm smile.


    ¡°Does that mean that you agree to fusing our strands of fate?¡± She asked immediately.


    Isaac realized that he had just stepped on a bear trap. He had no choice but to agree. If he didn¡¯t then she would start to spiral back into depression as the thoughts of eventually losing him compounded with the recent loss of her first friend. Isaac leaned over her so they could lock eyes. ¡°If you have truly thought through all of the consequences, and still want to do it, then yes.¡± He agreed. ¡°Under a few conditions.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± She asked. ¡°What conditions?¡±


    ¡°You never once regret it and¡­¡± His voice trailed off in thought.


    ¡°And what, Isaac?¡± Lenna questioned.


    ¡°I¡¯ll think of something, give me a minute.¡± He replied.


    Lenna snorted a laugh. ¡°You sounded so sure at the beginning.¡± She commented. Her laugh brought a smile to Isaac¡¯s face. He was afraid of how long it would take to hear it again and at the wonderful sound he felt like his heart had just melted like butter.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to think of something else before it¡¯s time.¡± He assured her. ¡°There has to be something else that I haven¡¯t thought of.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Fine, fine.¡± She waved him off. ¡°I think you are the only person who wants to put stipulations on extending your life.¡±


    ¡°That part is fine, great even. It¡¯s the other part that is the reason I am putting stipulations on it.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°Potato potato.¡± Lenna replied.


    Isaac started laughing. ¡°What?¡± He asked. ¡°You said it the same both times.¡±


    Lenna smirked. ¡°I know.¡±

 Chapter 36 Indomitable Will, Intelligence, And Charisma.

    Chapter 36 Indomitable Will, Intelligence, And Charisma.


    Lenna held no funeral for Macken. She knew that she was the only one who would grieve him. His parents had only started paying attention to him after his brother had been killed and he had no mate or friends outside of his squad. The drow way to honor the dead was incredibly different to the human way. Usually a legendary warrior would have a statue added to the Halls of Heroes in the capital if what they had done was truly worthy of legends being passed down through the generations. Macken was not a warrior worthy of something like that so his funeral would have been simple and quick.


    In Contantis, Macken would have been cremated and his ashes would have been alchemically treated and made into incense to be lit at the temple. As the ashes burned away, into a dry and heavy scent that felt like the weight of a life lost, his spirit would have been carried to Dri¡¯El¡¯s side. That was what the priests had always said anyway. After that, Macken¡¯s name would have been moved from the Cla¡¯Cen list of living family members to the list of those that had passed on. Oftentimes a small banquet would be held for those that were truly close to the deceased to reminisce but by the time the following day had started the world would have returned to normal.


    For elves, a family member or friend¡¯s passing was not as final as it would be for a human. Everyone knew that elvish souls came back eventually, just without any memories of their past. Elvish souls could not be created but they also weren¡¯t usually destroyed. A human soul could end up in the hells where it would be subject to any number of untold horrors before it was finally consumed or burned as fuel. A human soul could end up in purgatory or a gods domain to wander until its residual power eventually bled away into the very realm it walked and it vanished for all of eternity. The same was true for most of the other races. But elves, elves would almost always come back to the realm of the living.


    Lenna knew that one day she might see Macken¡¯s soul again. She knew that it would definitely one day walk Primatia again. That did not mean that her anger was any less real however. Lenna had skipped past the funeral rites and moved directly to preparing for vengeance. Once Jala was finished cremating Macken she would reinfuse the knight¡¯s ashes with the residual power of the moon deities that she had extracted. Once that was done it would be made into a wood-stain and used to treat a shield.


    Jala was not going to simply fulfill the task for her niece. Everything Jala did was to a personal end, even helping Lenna. Jala was using the experience of the project to further her understanding of deific powers and how they interacted with other commonly revered objects and spirits. Jala had ordered a leaf from the Elona¡¯s Sapling tree. The trees were found all throughout the Garden of Elona. The problem was that the garden was actually a forest the size of a continent with trees that reach a hundred times the normal size towards the middle. Elona¡¯s Saplings were scattered seemingly at random throughout the garden and what set them apart was their sheer magnitude.


    Elona¡¯s Saplings were similar to ash trees only they would grow at a rate of one inch per year indefinitely. As far as any references could confirm there weren¡¯t any reports of a storm bringing down a single tree. There were rumors of Elona¡¯s Saplings reaching to the clouds towards the center of her garden. These trees were always referred to as saplings because no one knew how big they could grow or at what age they would mature. As they grew their leaves would scale up with them. Jala had specifically requested a leaf four feet tall and around two feet across. The only reason Jala could even make such a request was that there was an Elona¡¯s Sapling visible from the human lands that bordered the Garden of Elona.


    Elona was so ancient that some thought of her as the first being to have ever walked their planet. She had so much power that even dragons knew better than to enter and expect to be at the top of the food chain. Most of the information on Elona was rumor and myth as she was, by her very nature, almost impossible to actually witness directly. She was a huntress who catered to a forest that housed creatures of unimaginable danger. She had rules that none could break lest the garden devour them. There was even a legend of an arrogant ancient red dragon turning into a cloud of red mist for his crime of torching a small part of the forest to make his nest.


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    Taking a leaf from one of Elona¡¯s Saplings was risky but she hadn¡¯t seemed to mind, yet. The humans knew better than to risk Elona¡¯s wrath too much after an incident that happened during the last dragon surge. Humans had fled into the Garden of Elona in order to hide from the massive onslaught and clash of dragons. Elona might have let them hide there had they not made one fatal mistake. The humans had decided to build a city of stone, soot, and metal inside of Elona¡¯s Garden and she had taken exception to that. The entire city and every refugee inside of it vanished without a trace.


    Jala knew better than to ask for the bark of such a revered tree but a simple leaf would hopefully be within her, Isaac¡¯s, budget. Jala had used Alexander and his connections to make the request but only the gods knew how long it would take until the leaf would arrive. In the meantime Jala would make the magical stain and any other preparations she would need in order to make a shield capable of stopping the moon. Jala had informed Lenna of the process in a very long winded letter riddled with tangents and unnecessary explanations. All Lenna really cared about was that Jala was going to make the attempt and that she had a plan.


    While Jala was hard at work, Isaac was trying to find a way to distract Lenna with varying degrees of success. Between Kingsmen, books, training, house planning, and recently, taking Lenny out for monster hunting practice, he had been doing a pretty decent job of it.


    As the time passed Lenna¡¯s grief bled away into another burning ember within her. Now, next to the rage of her ancestors at what she had done and who she had become, there was a coal that gave off a dull red glow that, maybe someday, would be put out with the blood of an evil god. She hoped that one day she would be able to hit Dri¡¯El in a place that would actually cause him pain. Lenna knew that killing half of the moon was not something that was realistically possible. She also knew that if she did somehow manage to do it that Lua would also die. That fact alone hit her like a cold bucket of water.


    With the knowledge that Lua and Dri¡¯El¡¯s lives were tied together in a similar way to how Lenna wanted hers and Isaac¡¯s to be, she resolved to take her vengeance in a more indirect way. Instead of trying to kill someone that should not be killed she resolved to simply hurt him in a way that he hadn¡¯t been hurt before. Unfortunately all of the information she could acquire pointed towards the same thing: The only way to hurt a deity is to lower the quantity of what they have dominion over. For Dri¡¯El this meant that she needed to brighten the dark side of the moon in some way, free all of the slaves in the drow empire, and reform their entire culture to value peace, love, and music. It had been eight days since Macken¡¯s death when Lenna finally hit her forehead on the table in frustrated acknowledgement of her impossible task.


    ¡°Lenna?¡± Isaac aske with some concern in his voice. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible. It¡¯s useless.¡± She sobbed into her book. ¡°He¡¯s untouchable.¡±


    Isaac started to rub her back as he gave her a comforting smile. ¡°If it was doable by normal means then someone would have done it by now.¡± He reminded her. ¡°Impossible tasks can become possible with the right application of indomitable will, intelligence, and charisma.¡±


    She turned her head so her cheek was resting on the pages and her one eye could see him. ¡°Charisma?¡± She questioned. The rest of it made sense to her but the charisma part seemed like nonsense.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°That is probably the most important part actually.¡± He explained. ¡°Take Chris Windwalker for example.¡± He began. ¡°If Chris¡¯s impossible task was to climb the tallest mountain, how would he go about it?¡± Lenna gave him a look that seemed to say ¡®get to the point¡¯ so he continued. ¡°He would find someone who could carry him to the top and then get them to do it or he would find someone to regrow his legs and convince them to do so or maybe he would find some crazy artificer to make him metal legs with nonslip enchantments or something. The point is that he can¡¯t do it alone. He would find someone capable of turning his impossible task into a possible one and then have them perform a very possible task in order to do so.¡±


    ¡°So I need to find someone who can mind control the violence out of the entire dark elf population.¡± Lenna replied flatly. ¡°Or maybe Eliza can make a ballista capable of shooting glowing stones to the dark side of the moon and I can spend the next eighty thousand years trying to turn night into day one candle at a time.¡±


    ¡°Okay I get it.¡± Isaac replied and sighed. ¡°But I am sure that even if we cannot ¡®turn night into day¡¯ in our lifetimes we can set something in motion at least.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡± Lenna questioned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet.¡± Isaac replied honestly. ¡°We are still at the indomitable will and intelligence stage. Once we come up with a plan we can use charisma to bring in the right people to make it happen.¡±

 Chapter 37 Missing A Helmet.

    Chapter 37 Missing A Helmet.


    Isaac and Lenna had a quick stop to make before they were to meet up with Lenny. The plan was to help Lenny get more experience fighting nonhumanoid creatures. Lenny had a perfect mix of gracefulness and lethality that led to him being great at gliding in and out of combat with multiple foes while removing any open threats. So far, Isaac and Lenna were both optimistic about his future prospects as a fighter capable of standing alongside them. The three of them all knew that as long as Isaac and Lenna didn¡¯t start slacking off, Lenny would never be able to beat them in a one-on-one fight. That didn¡¯t mean that he wouldn¡¯t be able to beat ninety eight percent of other combatants in solo combat however.


    Isaac and Lenna¡¯s stop was right next to Stan¡¯s Smithy. A few months prior, the old dwarf had sent the pair to the family of leather workers that he often worked with. The shop¡¯s name was simple and to the point: Tanner Family Leatherwork. A bell chimed as the pair walked in and, much like the first time they had been there, there were two human men inside.


    Both men had brown hair, brown eyes, and pale skin. The older of the two had his slightly long hair brushed back and it was tied off with a leather strap to keep it out of his face. His face was covered in stubble from yesterday¡¯s, maybe the day before¡¯s, shave. Both his beard stubble and hair were flecked with gray. There was noticeably a bit more gray than the last time Isaac had seen him. The younger man had his hair tied back in a long ponytail and his back was facing them as he used a counter, that was along the back wall, to work on something. He was so focused he didn''t even seem to notice them. The older man did, however, and he greeted them with a smile. ¡°Back so soon?¡± He joked with Lenna warmly. He knew exactly why they had come.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°My husband-to-be is always impatient when it comes to new toys.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Hank Tanner, the older of the two, replied. ¡°When is the wedding? Soon I hope.¡±


    ¡°A bit under three months from now.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°We still haven¡¯t ironed out the invite list for the ceremony but the reception will definitely be big enough for two or three of you to swing by.¡± Isaac assured them.


    ¡°Swing by where?¡± Hank asked, genuinely curious.


    ¡°The Arbencroft Ballroom.¡± Isaac replied with a grin. ¡°We¡¯ll have the best venue in the city.¡±


    Hank looked flabbergasted by the declaration. ¡°Wow.¡± He said breathily. ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors of your closeness with our dear duke and duchess, but this is unheard of. As far as I can remember only the duke and duchess themselves have been married inside their manor, ever.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Isaac said more to himself than to Hank. ¡°Sera agreed to that quite easily for it being something that important.¡± Isaac told Lenna with some concern. ¡°She definitely has something cooking if she is willing to convince Izen to go along with something this out of tradition.¡±


    ¡°Most definitely.¡± Lenna agreed. ¡°It will all work out well, I trust her.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Me too.¡± He replied and then turned back to Hank who had just learned some very juicy gossip that he probably shouldn¡¯t have learned. ¡°But that is not why we are here.¡± Isaac said to get them back on track. ¡°My armor, your message said that it was here.¡±


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    Hank nodded. ¡°Right you are.¡± He turned to his son. ¡°Thadd, help me carry the manikin out.¡±


    ¡°Just a moment.¡± Thadd replied as he finished up what he was doing. ¡°There.¡± He said and set it down on the counter. When he left to go help his father, Isaac got a good look at the intricate snake design he was making on a belt.


    A few moments and some clattering later the father and son pair brought out a manikin with a blanket over it. ¡°Your masterpiece.¡± Hank said and then he and Thadd revealed the armor.


    It was even better than Isaac remembered, if less magically enchanted than he was hoping, and cut a striking figure. Blue scales glittered with golden strengthening enchantments in the glowing stone light. Falling-shadow leather was almost entirely hidden by the cascade of thousands of small scales. Each piece was connected by thin straps that held enchanted copper grounding so any electricity would be directed downwards and away from any of his fleshy bits. The straps and copper were almost entirely hidden once the armor was equipped to ensure that it wouldn¡¯t get accidentally damaged and ruin the grounding.


    The pauldrons were small enough to keep them from getting in the way unless he was trying to reach straight up into the air by throwing his arms out to his sides and then up. Isaac could still reach over his head if he moved his arms out forwards first before he went up. That would move the pauldrons to be mostly out of the way. The vest and skirt came together like a long coat of lightning immunity given form. The seamless transition at the waist gave the armor a more reptilian look. The skirt was cut most of the way down the middle in the front and back. It hung down to his knees in the front and a few inches higher in the back so it wouldn¡¯t get in the way of him kicking or sprinting. The bracers were a suboptimal pick in hindsight but they would still do their job as long as he was careful. Isaac still liked his hands free to the open air so he wasn¡¯t going to complain about that part. What he did kick himself for was the lack of elbow guards.


    Isaac peered down at the greaves and grinned at the cleats that would aid in grounding the entire armor set. At least he had the forethought to ensure he had kneepads built into them. The leather and copper straps were attached to the skirt halfway down his thigh on the inside of the flaps. The straps went the entire way around his thigh to keep the flaps in place and then two straps, one on the inside of his leg and one on the outside, ran down each leg to connect the rest of the armor to the greaves.


    ¡°It¡¯s still missing a helmet.¡± Lenna commented.


    Isaac rolled his eyes. ¡°A helmet wouldn¡¯t have done anything agai-¡±


    Lenna cut him off. ¡°The mushroom executor almost split your head in four.¡± She reminded him.


    ¡°But I took the hit on the shoulder and it destroyed the armor.¡± Isaac added.


    Lenna let out a long and exasperated sigh. ¡°You are awful to argue with.¡± She told him.


    ¡°I know.¡± Isaac replied with a grin.


    Hank chuckled at their antics. ¡°You remind me of my parents.¡± He told them both warmly. ¡°Now, are you going to stand there and bicker or will you put it on?¡±


    Isaac quickly equipped the armor with only a little help from Lenna and Hank for some of the more awkward straps. Once it was all on he hopped in place. ¡°As good as you remember?¡± Thadd questioned with a grin. The armor had been by far the most interesting set he had ever helped make and he was damn proud of it.


    ¡°Maybe better.¡± Isaac said in awe. ¡°This should be immune to anything not magically enhanced, right?¡±


    Hank nodded. ¡°Nothing natural that doesn¡¯t use mana will be able to damage that armor.¡± He agreed. ¡°Well, unless you get in a fight with a building.¡± He added. ¡°It can still be damaged, it''s just much harder than it used to be. If anything ever happens to it, bring it back here and we¡¯ll see what we can do.¡±


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± He replied. ¡°Well, thanks again for the amazing work.¡±


    ¡°Anytime.¡± Hank said with a smile. He seemed to hesitate for a moment like there was something he wanted to say. Eventually he nodded to himself as he found his resolve. ¡°I do discreet work as well, you know.¡±


    Isaac eyed the older man up and down. ¡°I see.¡± He replied. ¡°Well, I will keep that in mind if any of my shadows need some gear in the future.¡±


    Hank and Thadd¡¯s eyes got wider in surprise. It was clear that they realized they might have just dipped their toes into a lake far deeper than they initially thought. Neither was going to take back what was said, however. Maybe in the future, the decision to open his mouth would lead to Hank¡¯s family business working with some of the greatest spies, thieves, and assassins on the continent, if not the world.

 Chapter 38 Sentence.

    Chapter 38 Sentence.


    Isaac and Lenna were about to leave the city with Lenny trailing them at a safe distance when Isaac stopped abruptly. ¡°What is it?¡± Lenna asked when she noticed the subtle change in his posture and the look of pure focus on his face. Something had sent a chill up Isaac¡¯s spine and he had instantly gone into fight mode.


    ¡°Oh?! Uh, excuse me!¡± A slightly higher pitched than normal, middle aged, man¡¯s voice called out from behind them. Isaac and Lenna both quickly turned to face the voice. A man who looked to be in his forties greeted them with a bright smile and a wave. His blonde hair looked dusty from days on the road and his beard was patchy. He wore a pair of glasses with lenses so thick it was hard to see his eyes behind them. The glasses were very obviously magical but only the man knew what they were for. He was thin and looked to be about five and a half feet tall. His plain traveling clothes were worn but there were a few magic items scattered about his person, most of them were out of sight.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Isaac greeted the man who definitely was not what had set him on edge. ¡°Can I help you?¡±


    ¡°You are, uh, um,¡± The man started stammering as he fished a clipboard out of his Bottomless Bag. He picked his glasses up slightly so he could see under them at the paper attached to the front of the clipboard. ¡°Isaac Wexler, correct?¡±


    Isaac nodded slowly. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied warily. ¡°I am the Lord of Darkness you seek.¡± Isaac¡¯s eyes never left the man but his mind and senses were anywhere else. He was barely paying attention to their conversation as the sense of danger and foreboding seemed to just hang in the air.


    ¡°Oh! Spectacular! I am Charlie Nealson and I am with the Coalition of Adventurers, Scouts, and Trackers. I was called down to your pleasant little corner of the wor-¡± The man, Charlie¡¯s, voice was cut off by a sudden pressure that stopped everyone in their tracks. A man flew to a stop a dozen feet above Charlie, facing Isaac and Lenna, and glared down at the duo.


    The man was tall with a solid build under his white robes adorned with golden designs and trim that gave off a faint glow. His golden hair and eyes blazed so brightly that even without his gear it would have been impossible for the man to hide in a dark room. His hands and feet were bare and clean. His hair floated away from him on the invisible streams of mana that permeated everything. ¡°You, who calls himself Darkness, submit to your sentence.¡±


    A feeling of a thousand eyes judging his very soul assaulted Isaac and he instinctively lowered into a fighting stance. He was vaguely aware of Lenna drawing her sword at his side. ¡°Depends on the sentence.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I¡¯m fine with community service but I have this thing with chains and cells so I-¡±


    The deific arbiter of justice hovering above and in front of them cut Isaac off. ¡°Death. That is your sentence. Now, surrender or I will force your sentence upon you.¡±


    Isaac was suddenly very aware of all of the bystanders surrounding them. He had no intention to surrender to the wingless angel bearing down on him and he was sure that there would be a lot of collateral damage if they decided to fight there. There was just one problem with taking the fight elsewhere, the city was better for Isaac. There were buildings, alleyways, carts, and stands to use as cover. Outside of the city there was nothing but open space for far too far of a distance to run. Maybe Isaac could bait him into the spider tunnels and use his knowledge of the terrain to his advantage. ¡°Not here.¡± Isaac said after a deep breath. ¡°There would be far too much collateral damage.¡±


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    The pair of blazing eyes scanned the bystanders one at a time before they locked back onto Isaac. ¡°You will not run.¡± The radiant man spoke. It was both a statement and a question.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Isaac agreed and straightened to his full height. ¡°You won¡¯t attack me from behind.¡±


    The golden man wrinkled his nose in disgust at the prospect. ¡°I am no assassin.¡± Was his reply. It sounded like the final word was literally sour to the man.


    Isaac turned and continued walking towards the gate they had been planning to use to leave the city anyway. Bystanders scattered, including Lenny, and there were already shouts ringing out down the streets. Isaac took his time and walked at a steady and purposeful pace. Lenna was at his side in an instant. ¡°This isn¡¯t good.¡± She told him with some worry in her voice. ¡°Do you feel that?¡± She asked.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied. When he had been facing the man his eyes kept trying to look away from him like he wasn¡¯t meant to stare at him directly. That combined with the odd pressure the man was emitting and the feeling of standing before a jury of five hundred men told Isaac everything he needed to know. ¡°It¡¯s Judgment.¡± Isaac told Lenna.


    ¡°Definitely.¡± She replied. ¡°But why is the demigod of Judgment after you?¡± She asked more to herself than to Isaac.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask him once we¡¯re outside.¡± Isaac said calmly. ¡°For now, let¡¯s try to play this out without having to tangle with a real demigod.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Understood.¡± She replied and continued on in silence alongside him. The pair didn¡¯t speak but instead were racking their brains trying to figure out a way to keep from coming to blows with a very real, very deific, demigod of Judgment of all things. Lenna knew of the man by another name: ¡®The Elf Crusher¡¯. Sins were not necessarily wiped clean post mortem. Some sins were soul deep and the reincarnated soul would still bear the weight of their previous transgressions. That rarely mattered. It mattered for Judgment. The man was known for killing elves that had caught his ire outright, in one hit, by smashing them with the weight of all of the soul-deep sins of their past lives at once.


    They passed through the gate and out into the open air of the massive cavern that Safeharbor was built inside. After a dozen paces, Judgment was getting impatient. ¡°Is this not far enough?¡± He questioned Isaac.


    ¡°Almost.¡± Isaac replied and continued walking. ¡°What have I done to warrant a death sentence?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°You are guilty of blasphemy of the highest order.¡± Judgment replied. ¡°Falsely claiming to be a demigod is punishable by death. After one year for every time you have claimed to be a demigod, you will be permitted to be resurrected. That, Isaac Wexler, is your sentence, proclaimed by the demigod of Judgment in the name of Justice herself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been dead before.¡± Isaac said and stopped walking. He turned around to face Judgment who still hadn¡¯t touched the ground. ¡°It didn¡¯t take. Can¡¯t say I was a fan either. Is there any other arrangement we can come to that doesn¡¯t involve us trying to kill each other?¡±


    Judgment was silent for a long moment as he processed what he had just heard. ¡°You cannot kill me. I am immortal. I cannot die.¡± He replied to Isaac. ¡°I will kill you. Will it be painless or must I use force?¡±


    ¡°I heard that demigods can die, they just come back to life in their domain later.¡± Isaac retorted. ¡°Last I checked, it is still dying.¡±


    ¡°It is not truly death unless one is greeted by the Reaper.¡± Judgment replied. ¡°I give you your final opportunity to choose a painless death before I will begin using force.¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve never been one to go down without a fight, Judgment, so let me show you why I am known as the Lord of Darkness itself.¡± As the tension was about to snap and the fight was about to begin a few thoughts went through Isaac¡¯s head. Firstly, he had no idea how to kill Judgment. The demigod gave off this feeling of total unassailability that was beyond anything Isaac had ever felt before. Everything about the man¡¯s presence just screamed unblemishable truth and justice. Isaac knew that Kahtesh was either entirely useless or only good for one lightning bolt. There was no doubt in Isaac¡¯s mind that the little dragon would be vaporized into true nothingness if he tried to hurt the demigod. Isaac was tempted to call him out for a sneak attack anyway because if Isaac was dead then so was Kahtesh.


    Lenna was tense to a degree she had never experienced before. She was certain that she would have preferred squaring off against Jallen in a duel to the death than be faced with Judgment himself. Lenna knew that she had to be incredibly careful. One wrong move and she was gone. Lenna had no idea what sins her previous lives had committed that might¡¯ve stuck around through multiple reincarnation processes and she didn¡¯t want to find out. The issue was that Judgment was there for Isaac. Lenna might have been able to stay out of it if Judgment had targeted anyone else that she knew but Isaac was the one person that she couldn¡¯t not throw herself in front of. Isaac was her best friend, her lover, her mate, her husband-to-be, and since the day they had met, her charge. She would die in his place a thousand times. She just wished that she wouldn¡¯t have to.

 Chapter 39 Psychostasia.

    Chapter 39 Psychostasia.


    ¡°You have been judged.¡± The demigod of Judgment pronounced with his gaze locked onto Isaac.


    Isaac started boosting himself as much as he could as quickly as he could. He knew that Judgment would annihilate him in an instant if he wasn¡¯t careful. The presence of the man was enough to make Isaac feel heavier than he was. With Judgment¡¯s words, however, Isaac felt like his weight had just doubled. Isaac was ready to teleport as soon as he noticed something that he would need to evade. He didn¡¯t risk going invisible for fear that it would either do nothing at all or Judgment would target Lenna. Isaac knew that Judgment would target Lenna eventually because she was already chanting to summon her Armor of Ire.


    ¡°Psychostasia.¡± Judgment continued with a scowl that seemed to bear physical weight. Light coalesced above Isaac and formed into a massive gavel whose head was the size of Isaac¡¯s torso.


    Isaac teleported out of the way only for the gavel to move with him. It slammed down with such incredible speed and power that Isaac barely had enough time to get his arms up before it impacted him. Isaac¡¯s forearms took the impact square and the full force of it was sent down through Isaac¡¯s body. The weight of every one of his sins, in both worlds he had lived in, sent him to a knee. Isaac¡¯s entire body cried out in pain as he stopped what felt like a stack of bricks with his forearms. Every joint in his body suffered even though he was boosted. Luckily Isaac could already feel the weight lifting as the gavel faded away.


    Judgment looked mildly surprised that Isaac was not flattened out of existence with that singular attack. ¡°You have committed less sins than I expected.¡± Judgment conceded. ¡°But still far above average for a human of your age.¡±


    Due to Judgment¡¯s height, Lenna was severely limited in her offensive options. She had a few but she wasn¡¯t sure which one to use because she didn¡¯t want to catch Isaac in it if he went on the offensive at the same time that she did. She did have one thing for him though. Lenna reached into her Bottomless Bag and withdrew the Orb of Shadow Projection. She injected mana into it and tossed it so it would land directly under Judgment.


    Judgment¡¯s eyes shifted to her as Isaac was still recovering from his first attack. ¡°You should not have interfered.¡± He stated coldly as shadows exploded out of the orb in all directions. The shadows burned away as soon as they got within five feet of him as if his radiance was far too much for them to coexist with. ¡°Psychostasia.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s head snapped towards Lenna as the light started to appear over her head. Isaac¡¯s mind was working far too fast to even call out to her. He teleported in front of her as she raised her sword to block the incoming attack. They both knew that it couldn¡¯t be dodged, only weathered, and Isaac wasn¡¯t going to let Lenna weather it alone. The gavel slammed downwards. Lenna¡¯s sword caught it first, then Isaac¡¯s raised arms, then the side of Lenna¡¯s face, then her shoulder, then Isaac¡¯s face as his legs hadn¡¯t even had enough time to buckle under the attack yet, then Lenna¡¯s legs gave out and she dropped to a knee while Isaac was thrown onto his back. The gavel finally stopped as its full force had been bled away by both of the pair.


    Even though the orb of conjured shadows entirely enveloped Judgment his eyes still followed the pair as if it wasn¡¯t even there. Unfortunately Lenna could not see through the shadows but she had summoned them in hopes that it would help Isaac and that Judgment would move out of them. Isaac groaned as he teleported back up to his feet. His head had hit the stone pretty hard but any injuries he had sustained were already healed. ¡°Submit.¡± Judgment told them. ¡°You can still make this painless.¡±


    Isaac shook his head to clear it and Lenna pushed herself to her feet. ¡°I would have survived it.¡± Lenna told Isaac. ¡°It¡¯s all physical force. My armor can take it.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Isaac said. That was one worry off of his list.


    ¡°Fine then.¡± Judgment raised his hands above his head as if he was holding an executioner''s ax. ¡°Blade of Raguel.¡± His voice resonated with existence once more. A beam of light started to appear inside of his hands. It connected one hand to the other and then started extending upwards. Soon the beam of light was ten feet long and a crossguard formed just above his right hand and a pommel formed just below his left. Past the crossguard, a blade started to form as the entirety of the sword continued to scale upwards. In the first three seconds the blade had gone from nothing to a fifteen foot long sword of hardened golden light.


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    Isaac knew he had to act before Judgment could swing the attack so he went on the offensive. Isaac appeared behind Judgment and immediately planted both his knees on Judgment¡¯s kidneys and grabbed both sides of the demigod¡¯s head. Isaac immediately felt his own face melting. The cellular death of a non dark creature coming into contact with death flames was getting copied and forced onto Isaac. Both Judgment and Isaac were healing away the damage as it was being done but it was still painful for both of them. Isaac tried to figure out a way to deal with Judgment without killing himself in the process while precariously balanced on the demigod¡¯s back.


    Judgment continued to charge his attack even though his target was clinging to him. He knew that Isaac was not alone so he had decided to fix that. Isaac realized it right before Judgment started his downward swing. Isaac cursed himself for missing the opportunity to remove Judgment¡¯s hands but the radiant light was already burning him from a few feet away. He knew that he would have to wait until the sword was gone to target the demigod¡¯s hands.


    The sword of compressed divine radiance, justice, and vengeance swung downwards. Isaac teleported next to Lenna with his back facing the ground. He kicked out with both feet as hard as he could. Lenna tried to dodge in the same direction that Isaac tried to shove her and they both went flying apart. Isaac felt the death flames in his feet start to cook off like boiling water just from the proximity of the sword as it cleaved through where Lenna had just been. A massive sliver of the stone had been removed entirely. A line fifteen feet long was cut through the stone and on the edges of the gash in the world the stone glowed and smoked. The sword had burned all of its energy in that attack and was completely gone. The Orb of Shadow Projection had been half a dozen feet away from the closest part of the sword yet its shadows had completely gone out.


    Lenna rolled to her feet and whipped her sword at Judgment. The blade flew end over end and slammed into the top of his shoulder. The clothing held but his bones did not. Judgment was forced downwards a few feet and pain overtook his features momentarily as Lenna let out a grunt in pain. Her sword dropped uselessly to the ground. The clang of the steel on stone restarted their fight as Isaac teleported back towards Judgment. Isaac grabbed Judgment¡¯s right hand and forced a proverbial bucket of death flames into it. Judgment and Isaac both lost their right hands. Both men recoiled in pain but one stayed aloft as the other fell. Isaac felt his vision start to swim as his hand was rapidly replaced.


    Lenna¡¯s healing poured through her broken shoulder and knit the bones back together. She ran forwards towards her fallen sword and the falling Isaac but Isaac was going to hit the ground long before she got there. Judgment gestured down towards Isaac. ¡°Retribution upon the sinner.¡± He declared and Isaac was instantly hit with all of the damage that he had just done to Judgment, again.


    Isaac¡¯s still forming hand was deleted from existence once again. Isaac focused through the pain and teleported back towards Judgment before he reached to grab his other hand. Judgment recoiled backwards as blood poured out of his other handless arm. His magic was trying to regrow it but it was not nearly as fast as Isaac¡¯s so his demi-deific blood was gushing out towards the ground. Judgment¡¯s power was blazing as he tried to heal himself through the injuries he was taking. The fact that Isaac was still coming after him without slowing down was clearly surprising him. Judgment¡¯s constant look of disdain that he had been throwing Isaac and Lenna had turned to one of surprise as he was suddenly on the back foot.


    Isaac appeared behind Judgment with his arm wrapped around the demigod¡¯s neck. Isaac¡¯s weight was dangling free and helping his arm try to force Judgment¡¯s airways closed. Isaac felt his own throat close up so he knew that it was working. The skin on their necks was decaying, though Isaac¡¯s was healing a fair amount faster than the damage he was taking. Isaac had also used his handless arm, the hand had just started regrowing for the second time, to wrap around Judgment¡¯s neck so he would be free to use his other hand.


    Judgment reached out with his remaining hand and balled it into a fist. His fist started to glow with power. Isaac held his hand a few inches away from Judgment¡¯s back and death flames started to coalesce around it. Lenna jumped into the air and clamped her hand around Judgment¡¯s ankle. Isaac¡¯s shadow opened up and a familiar draconic form launched itself out of it with its mouth already open wide. Time almost seemed to come to a halt as their entire battle came to a head.


    Judgment was yanked downwards by his ankle from the sudden increase in weight as his fist impacted Isaac¡¯s arm.


    Isaac¡¯s arm was removed at the elbow as his hand slammed into Judgment¡¯s back pushing them apart.


    Kahtesh fired a lightning bolt into Judgment¡¯s side and his own body started sizzling.


    Lenna¡¯s boots almost hit the ground as she reached up to grab Judgment by the calf.


    Judgment tried to inhale a deep breath but no air came. His heart had been burned away by an incredible amount of death flames. He took solace in the fact that Isaac would have died from the attack as well, and let himself drop to the ground.


    Kahtesh landed gracefully on the ground as the three humanoid figures crashed into it. Isaac was focusing all of his power inwards to reform everything that had been destroyed and struggled to maintain consciousness. Lenna quickly rushed over to Isaac and started adding her own healing to the mix but they both knew that Judgment wasn¡¯t gone yet.


    Around the time Isaac¡¯s heart started beating again and he took in a gasp of not so fresh air, Judgment¡¯s voice came out in a rasp. ¡°You won this time.¡± He said and then went still. His entire body started to glow brighter and brighter until it began breaking apart into wisps of light. Millions of tiny golden stars broke away from his form and faded into the mana that pervaded all. In a matter of moments he was gone, almost as if the entire battle had just been a bad dream.

 Chapter 40 Back From The Dead.

    Chapter 40 Back From The Dead.


    Isaac sat up far too quickly and his world started to spin again. It took him a moment to shake off the dizziness. He had heard Judgment¡¯s words but barely had the time to process them. His field of vision was filled with dancing golden lights rising into the air and then them fading away. ¡°What happened?¡± Isaac frantically demanded.


    ¡°He died.¡± Lenna replied, she didn¡¯t sound like she entirely believed herself.


    ¡°Bull shit.¡± Isaac said and quickly noticed something. ¡°His gear is gone.¡± He stated right as the last bit of Judgment flew off into the mana streams.


    ¡°It must be a deific armament.¡± Lenna commented. ¡°Gear that is actually a part of them.¡± She clarified.


    ¡°Okay¡­ but why is he gone?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°He said you won, then he died, Isaac.¡± Lenna explained.


    Isaac shook his head and got to his feet. His gaze took in the battlefield. It was mostly bare save for a massive wound in the cavern floor that was still steaming and radiating heat. ¡°There is no way in all the hells that he didn¡¯t have enough mana to heal that injury.¡± Isaac swore. ¡°It feels like he just left. But why?¡±


    Lenna got to her feet and looked at Isaac. ¡°Be careful, I used a lot of healing on you. Your internal temperature is really high.¡± She warned him. ¡°I don¡¯t think he could heal fast enough.¡± Lenna postulated. ¡°He was a paladin. He could only bring so much healing to bear at a time. His heart had been stopped for too long so he just died?¡±


    ¡°You sound about as convinced as me.¡± Isaac retorted. ¡°Now I feel like we stepped on a trap.¡± He continued to look around and that was when he noticed the massive amount of onlookers on the walls of the city watching them. ¡°There it is.¡±


    Lenna turned to see and seemed to shrink under their audience¡¯s observation. ¡°What does this mean for us?¡± Lenna questioned.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°I have no idea.¡± He replied honestly. ¡°I want to say that it is all good because now people are far more likely to believe the demigod of darkness thing but¡­¡±


    ¡°Other demigods are going to hear about this.¡± Lenna finished for him.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Damn.¡± Lenna swore.


    Isaac nodded along in agreement with her swear. ¡°Altia¡¯s response to this worries me.¡± He confessed.


    ¡°Judgment¡¯s domain is inside the Kingdom of Altia.¡± Lenna said with widened eyes. ¡°Oh no.¡±


    ¡°This just went from a hailstorm of swords to a ground tremor.¡± Isaac said. His lips pressed into a thin line. ¡°I don¡¯t think we are gonna get to go hunting today.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No,¡± She agreed. ¡°I think that ship has sailed.¡± She looked over at him and noticed that his arm wasn¡¯t in his armor. A bracer was dangling freely, parallel with his relaxed arm. ¡°Isaac, your arm.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± He questioned and looked down at where she was looking. Not only was his armor hanging free but his shirt had turned to dust from the base of his cuff to his shoulder. ¡°Damn it!¡± He swore. ¡°I lost another shirt.¡±


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    ¡°You basically died.¡± Lenna retorted.


    ¡°But I lived.¡± Isaac declared. ¡°My shirt did not.¡±


    Lenna wanted to grab the bridge of her nose but her helmet was in the way. ¡°The sooner we get our strands of fate fused the better.¡± She told him. ¡°I¡¯ll probably start aging slower. The amount of stress you put me through is aging me at more than double the normal rate already.¡±


    Isaac winced and recoiled slightly as if he was physically struck by her words. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He offered her.


    ¡°You ran out of mana.¡± Lenna pressed. ¡°I actually had to help heal you.¡±


    Isaac scratched the back of his head bashfully. ¡°I was boosted really far.¡± He said in his defense. Lenna¡¯s scowl could be felt even though it couldn¡¯t properly be seen through her faceplate. ¡°I also wasn¡¯t paying attention to how much mana I was using to heal back the damage I was doing.¡± Lenna¡¯s scowl didn¡¯t lessen. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Isaac told her. ¡°I wasn¡¯t being careful, I got caught up in the fight and fought like I was actually immortal. I apologize.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to do better next time.¡± Isaac promised.


    Lenna sighed and nodded again. ¡°That¡¯s the best I can hope for.¡± She said almost under her breath. She nodded towards the city. ¡°I think we should get that over with sooner rather than later.¡± She advised him. ¡°The longer the rumor mill gets to run the worse it is going to be.¡±


    ¡°Or better.¡± Isaac offered optimistically. ¡°Hopefully.¡±


    Upon reaching the gate, Isaac had ordered an escort to Duke Arbencroft. The guards had jumped to it with very little hesitation. They kept the crowd off of them relatively well and with little difficulty. No one wanted to get directly in the way of the pair, Kahtesh had gone back inside of Isaac¡¯s shadow as soon as his lightning wasn¡¯t needed anymore, so they had an easy trek to the duke¡¯s manor. A messenger had beaten them to the duke and Izen was actually at the door to greet them.


    ¡°Come in.¡± He told the pair. ¡°I have already sent for Fable and Pope Chrysanthemum Saint Crystia.¡± Izen explained and led the pair towards the sitting room. ¡°Wait to explain everything until they arrive, please. Sera and Lucius will be here shortly.¡±


    ¡°Lucius?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°Is he staying here for good now?¡±


    Izen shook his head. ¡°No.¡± He replied but did not elaborate. ¡°But he is here and this is not something that he should miss.¡± Isaac and Lenna shared a look but otherwise kept quiet. They both knew that things were about to get political whether they wanted it to or not.


    ¡ª


    The pope that Izen had called had been the one that Fable had brought with him. She was an elderly human who looked healthy but well over seventy. That made her younger than Fable but still quite old for a human to still be running around. Her silver hair hung down to her knees in a loose braid. Her skin was slightly tanned and her eyes were a gray-green that spoke of cataracts and slightly mixed heritage. Her robes were perfectly white and pulled in a very small amount of mana to maintain their perfect cleanliness. She had crows feet from decades of smiles both real and forced. Her staff was simple but extravagant at the same time. It was one long piece of oak that had been carved into what looked like a bunch of wheat braided into six feet of rope that was an inch thick. Each head of wheat was perfect and the staff was a uniform thickness from end to end despite the engravings. She brought with her the scent of the sun and grasslands.


    ¡°Chrys, this is Isaac Wexler and Lenna V¡¯Nova.¡± Sera introduced them. ¡°Isaac, Lenna, this is Pope Chrysanthemum Saint Crystia. She is one of the popes of the church of Halya.¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡± Isaac greeted her.


    ¡°It is a pleasure.¡± Lenna added with a slight bow.


    Chrys gave Isaac a nod and Lenna a warm smile. ¡°Thank you.¡± She told Lenna. ¡°I prefer to meet people when they come to pray but Fay has been dragging me around the country like I am in my twenties again.¡± Her smile seemed to brighten even further. ¡°I am glad that he has at least led me to interesting people.¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow towards Fable. ¡°Fay?¡± He asked.


    Fable scowled at him. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± He retorted.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Why not? It makes you sound more human. Maybe you would have more friends if you started going by Fay instead of Fable like you are some walking message of humility.¡± Isaac joked and Fable¡¯s scowl continued to deepen. It was clear that he was very much not amused.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Pope Chrys exclaimed and positively beamed at Isaac. ¡°That is what I have been telling him for decades.¡±


    Izen clapped his hands to get everyone¡¯s attention. Fable gave him an appreciative look to which Izen ever so subtly nodded in return. ¡°Now that introductions are over. Isaac, Lenna, please explain to us what exactly happened. We need to know what led to you forcing Judgment to reform himself.¡±


    Isaac and Lenna recounted what had happened to them in almost perfect detail. They left out most of the fight but in the end Fable had stepped in to fill Chrys in on what had happened as if he had been there. Fable had not actually been there but he had fought alongside Isaac, Lenna, Kahtesh, and Judgment so reconstructing the missing pieces of the battle was well within his realm of abilities.


    ¡°Was that payback for the ¡®Fay¡¯ comment?¡± Isaac questioned Fable.


    Fable shook his head. ¡°It is necessary to fully understand what has happened so we can formulate a response. That is, of course, assuming you do not want to lose to the next demigod to show up.¡± Isaac wanted to argue but he knew better than to doubt Fable. Fable seemed to catch what had gone through Isaac¡¯s mind so he decided to explain some things. ¡°You got lucky.¡± Fable told Isaac. ¡°You just happened to go up against a demigod with a set of skills that were vulnerable to your set of skills. The only way to beat Judgment is to come back from the dead.¡±

 Chapter 41 Margaritas

    ¡°Do you have accurate information on Judgment¡¯s capabilities?¡± Isaac asked Fable. ¡°Some of what he did made absolutely no sense to me.¡±


    Fable thought for a moment. ¡°I can tell you what I have seen but that is all.¡± He replied.


    ¡°That is good enough.¡± Isaac said and leaned in.


    ¡°Firstly, he seems to be a paladin, at least at his core. His aura weighs on people based on their sins. He operates on turning sins into physical weight which you no doubt felt.¡± Fable began.


    ¡°We did.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°He has pseudo unlimited mana.¡± Fable continued. ¡°Faith is turned into mana at a noticeable rate.¡±


    ¡°Then why couldn¡¯t he heal through what I did to him?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°You did more damage to him then paladin healing is capable of recovering from. It most likely was not a mana problem but a healing per second problem.¡± Fable postulated.


    Isaac looked over at Lenna with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Yes.¡± She replied. ¡°Paladin¡¯s have moderate to high healing per second capabilities but there is a hard limit to how much we can heal at a time. He healed his lungs back enough to get a few words in before he died, remember.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah, I remember. I also remember times when your healing was too slow even though you still had mana.¡± Isaac rubbed his chin in thought. ¡°But why didn¡¯t he have something to keep him from dying?¡±


    ¡°That is simple.¡± Fable replied. ¡°That would keep the extra damage from being reflected. If someone hit him with Disintegrate and his spell stopped it from removing his torso then it would do the same to the attacker. As a demigod, survival is never up for debate. His body is just a tool, a weapon, as far as he is concerned.¡±


    ¡°He assumes that anything that kills him will also kill the attacker.¡± Isaac followed up. ¡°That makes sense. You are right, I just happened to have the abilities to counter him. But what is he going to do now that his normal plan of attack didn¡¯t work?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the question of the day.¡± Fable replied.


    ¡ª


    Judgment sat within his own formless consciousness inside of his domain. He was waiting for his power to finish coalescing into his mortal form. As he existed with nothing physical or magical to do he contemplated what had recently happened to him. The man he had sentenced was still alive. ¡®How?¡¯ Judgment asked himself. ¡®His power was not mortal but he undeniability was.¡¯ It was times like these when he wished that his goddess would actually talk to her followers. One thing that struck him as incredibly surprising was that a man who claimed to be a dark demigod hadn¡¯t been crushed to death by his Psychostasia skill.


    ¡®Something is not adding up.¡¯ He thought. Something about how the skill interacted with Isaac felt weird to him. Psychostasia felt like it had pulled on sins from a different body for a decent chunk of the physical weight of the attack. With the drow next to him it had almost entirely pulled on sins from a previous life but he was odd. ¡®How was he reincarnated as a human?¡¯ Judgment was stuck with nothing but his thoughts in basically total silence but unlike one would expect Judgment was fine with this. He knew that he was impulsive at times but times like these forced him to think things through.


    ¡®At least I am not stuck here for a lunar cycle like the great Wolf.¡¯ He thought. ¡®A week of forced meditation is not a bad thing considering that I was defeated by a mortal.¡¯ If he could have sighed he would have. ¡®Once I am done I will have questions for Space.¡¯ He thought. ¡®There is no way that this was outside of his plans.¡¯ If his eyes could have narrowed they would have. ¡®Or that monster who calls himself the Guild Leader.¡¯


    ¡ª


    While Judgment was engaging in forced meditation Klein was surprised by another call from his old friend. Hanging from Klein¡¯s belt was a string of small stones that each represented one of many ancient monsters or demigods that he would call allies at worst and friends at best. One of the ones near the top started glowing golden and red in a mesmerizing swirl. Klein was standing near a mountain peak that framed the plains he was in the last time Gil had called him. With a gesture a circular portal opened a dozen feet from him and the massive golden haired man walked through.


    ¡°Judgment was defeated.¡± Klein surmised from how sudden the call was and the look of worry and excitement on his old friend¡¯s face.


    ¡°Quite quickly.¡± Gil explained. ¡°It was a close fight.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Klein questioned.


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    ¡°The Darkness boy just healed through the damage he dealt to Judgment until Judgment¡¯s healing couldn¡¯t keep up.¡± Gil replied and flicked his eyes to the side.


    Klein understood what his friend wanted and with a flick of his hand a pair of chairs, each suited for each of the men¡¯s sizes, appeared partly embedded into the stone. The men took their seats before Klein replied with another question: ¡°How many healers were there keeping Darkness alive?¡±


    ¡°Just himself and his paladin mate.¡± Gil said with a twinkle in his eye.


    ¡°How?¡± Klein questioned and leaned in.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know but I want to meet him.¡± Gil grinned.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡± Klein replied almost instantly. ¡°Do you have any useful information on him?¡±


    Gil shrugged. ¡°He killed the V¡¯Nova brat that was giving the Altia kids a headache.¡±


    ¡°Jallen?¡± Klein questioned.


    Gil nodded. ¡°That one.¡± He agreed. ¡°Other than that he hasn¡¯t existed for more than a season.¡±


    ¡°So nothing substantial.¡± Klein thought aloud. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Ori and see if she is willing to check him out.¡±


    ¡°Oh-ho, not willing to go see for yourself?¡± Gil prodded.


    Klein shook his head. ¡°Ori is less likely to spook him. She has a way with people and I trust her judgment of character more than my own.¡±


    ¡°You made one mistake.¡± Gil replied. ¡°Everyone does, stop letting it get you down.¡±


    Klein sighed. ¡°Regardless, I would still prefer Ori to check him out.¡±


    Gil relaxed back into his chair and took in the sights. The air was thin but not thin enough to cause the pair any problems. His eyes scanned over the seemingly endless plains that stretched to the horizon. ¡°Margaritas.¡± He said eventually.


    ¡°What?¡± Klein questioned.


    ¡°We need margaritas to accompany a view like this.¡± Gil explained. ¡°Even after thousands of years the sights of our world continue to amaze me.¡±


    Klein couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. With a gesture a portal opened to some place that seemed to gush hot air through and retrieved a pair of margaritas with little umbrellas. He handed one to his friend, the sight of the tiny drink in the man¡¯s massive paw comical in its own way, and took a sip of his own. ¡°You are right. Margaritas and a good view is something that never gets old.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°I think it would be best to wait and see.¡± Sera stated in response to the question on what their response should be to the Judgment incident.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°You don¡¯t think he is going to call a crusade or anything on me?¡±


    ¡°It would not surprise me if he returned to finish what he started.¡± Fable chimed in. ¡°But I agree with the Duchess, patience should be your default stance.¡±


    ¡°What are we supposed to do if he shows up with an army or another demigod?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°If that happens, make your way to Alexander¡¯s tower.¡± Sera replied. ¡°Not even demigods can enter there without suffering the consequences.¡±


    ¡°How will Judgment¡¯s damage reflection work with Alexander¡¯s wards?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°It should be entirely ineffectual.¡± Fable speculated. ¡°As I understand it, that tower is far older than the Court Mage.¡± Izen nodded in agreement. ¡°Even if the damage reflection would trigger through second hand damage sources, which it does not as far as I know, it would target someone long dead and buried.¡±


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°I guess that plan is something.¡±


    ¡°I will write a formal explanation of the incident to the crown for their records but as it stands I do not see why it would become a national incident. There was no collateral damage and no one died so as it stands it was simply a squabble between demigods.¡± Sera explained.


    Izen chuckled and shook his head. ¡°¡®A squabble between demigods.¡¯¡± He echoed. ¡°Just what has happened to my city?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t that be a national incident?¡± Lenna questioned.


    Sera shook her head. ¡°No, demigods are above the law.¡± She explained. ¡°It is assumed that you will all police each other.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Isaac said sarcastically. ¡°We aren¡¯t even sure if I am one or not so how does that work?¡±


    ¡°After what you have shown, we can only treat you as one.¡± Izen explained. ¡°We can speak out on your behalf to the crown but other than that you are officially on your own.¡±


    ¡°Officially?¡± Isaac asked.


    Sera gave him a warm smile. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Well, thank you for the help and advice.¡± Isaac told them. ¡°With our plan of inaction in place, I guess we should just go about the rest of our day as if nothing happened.¡±


    ¡°I would take a break for the rest of the day.¡± Fable interjected. ¡°If you act like nothing happened it might come off as you flaunting how one sided your battle with Judgment was.¡±


    ¡°It was very far from one sided.¡± Lenna stated. ¡°He actually almost died, again.¡±


    ¡°Almost only counts in-¡± Isaac began but shut himself up at the scowl from Lenna.


    ¡°Yes, but that is not what it will look like.¡± Fable explained. ¡°Remember, no one can completely recover from a battle in a matter of minutes. At the very least try to make it look like he has to recover from the fight.¡±


    Lenna nodded in understanding. ¡°Alright.¡± She said to Fable. ¡°Isaac, I would like to consult the libraries on paladin spells and magic.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Sure, is there a reason why?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I leveled up when Macken died.¡± She said quietly. ¡°But I didn¡¯t learn a spell. I want to know why.¡±

 Chapter 42 Intricate And Mystical.

    Chapter 42 Intricate And Mystical.


    ¡°I am sorry but class information on paladins is limited as it is.¡± Alexander replied to Lenna¡¯s inquiry. She had been looking for any information that might shed some light on why she hadn¡¯t learned her first fifth level spell. ¡°It is even harder to get information on Oathbreakers because most orders try to censor that information. If anyone found out that an Oathbreaker could be stronger than an Oathkeeper of the same oath it would be chaos.¡±


    ¡°What am I supposed to do then?¡± Lenna questioned.


    ¡°I would consult someone who is both ancient and cannot be censored.¡± Alexander advised. ¡°Perhaps the C.A.S.T. Guild Leader could be of help. I have heard that he has an extensive library that is older than most countries.¡±


    ¡°Or Lua.¡± Isaac offered. Both Lenna and Alexander looked at him like he had just uttered blasphemy of the highest order. ¡°What? She is a goddess, she fits both criteria and has proven to be more than happy to help out even without us asking for it. If she doesn¡¯t feel like responding for whatever reason she won¡¯t and we can try something else.¡±


    ¡°I suppose.¡± Lenna conceded. ¡°I should pray under the moonlight, maybe wait until the full moon.¡±


    ¡°That is over a week away.¡± Isaac reminded her.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°If we cannot find anything before then I will ask her, if we can then I will not have bothered my goddess over something a mortal could solve.¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s your class and she¡¯s your goddess.¡± He replied. ¡°I like her and all, and I am incredibly grateful for everything she has done for us, but I am not one of her people.¡±


    Lenna cocked her head to the side in question. ¡°You could be.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Isaac said dumbfounded. ¡°But she¡¯s a dark elven goddess.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t really matter.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Especially if our strands of fate become fused. If anything, it would probably make it easier for both of us to get to her when we die.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ huh. That¡¯s interesting. I don¡¯t know why but I was under the assumption that gods were limited to those of their race.¡± Isaac confessed.


    ¡°Fusing your strands of fate?¡± Alexander questioned.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied to both boys. ¡°Alexander, would you be able to get a message to the Fatebreaker?¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Alexander said. ¡°I was wondering how you were planning on breaking the laws of existence and the soul.¡± After a moment of thought he shook his head. ¡°I could send a diplomatic message to the high elven city he lives in but that is it. There is no guarantee that he will even get the letter.¡±


    ¡°That is good enough for now.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°What do you want the letter to say?¡± Alexander asked.


    ¡°That a hero and a princess request assistance with something that only he can do.¡± Isaac replied with a grin. Lenna almost asked him which one of them was the princess but she didn¡¯t want to pull an Isaac and get sidetracked in the middle of a conversation.


    Alexander looked confused for a moment. ¡°I can do that.¡± He agreed and then turned back to Lenna. ¡°As for your inquiry, I am afraid that I do not even have a direction to point you.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Thank you anyway.¡± She told him.


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    ¡°Of course, I am here to assist.¡± He replied.


    ¡°You look a lot better than last time.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°Have you been able to sleep?¡±


    Alexander nodded. ¡°Yes, thankfully Lady L¡¯Vore was up for a change in schedule after I made a small donation to her paint stores. She has also been eerily silent for the last few days.¡± He explained.


    ¡°She is working on a project for me.¡± Lenna explained.


    ¡°Is that what the leaf from an Elona¡¯s Sapling was for?¡± Alexander wondered.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°She is making a shield for me and decided that it would be the best medium for her plans.¡±


    Alexander put his hand on his chin in thought. ¡°I may have to go see her. I am certain that whatever she has planned will be both amazing and horrifying in its own way.¡±


    ¡°Naturally.¡± Lenna agreed. ¡°If it was any other way it wouldn¡¯t be one of Jala¡¯s projects.¡±


    ¡ª


    Isaac and Lenna searched through the public, guild, and even Arbencroft libraries to no avail. Alexander was not exaggerating when he had told them that Oathbreaker information was censored to an incredible degree. All they could find were warnings about potentially dying when breaking one''s oath. The search had taken them the rest of the afternoon and evening. Soon it was the following day and Isaac had settled in to meditate on Celeste¡¯s rooftop. One of the best ways to show that Isaac was ¡®still recovering¡¯ was to meditate in a place that others could see/feel him. That was not the real reason Isaac had decided to meditate however.


    Isaac had meditated quite a few times and on more than one occasion he felt like he was on the cusp of something. What that was he had no idea but he intended to use the day to try and find out. Lenna decided to busy herself with a few other things that were important but not time sensitive while they still had a break from any craziness. Lenna¡¯s route took her to Jessica Silverstrand to check up on the clothing she and her daughter were making out of drider silk, then to the worksite of their future house and attached workshop, and then finally to the painter to have Isaac¡¯s armor painted black because as beautiful as blue, copper, and gold looked it was very offbrand for the man who called himself the Lord of all that is Dark.


    They had split up just after breakfast and Isaac had sent Kahtesh to tag along with Lenna. He doubted that anyone would still give her trouble but just in case they did Kahtesh was under orders to protect her and give a ¡®proportional¡¯ response. Isaac left what was ¡®proportional¡¯ up to the little dragon. He was also under orders to listen to Lenna but that did little to suppress her worry that the dragon wouldn¡¯t smite someone for something trivial like a snide comment.


    Isaac sat cross legged on the rooftop and began his meditation the same way he had every other time. He let everything go and immersed himself in the feeling of the dark mana pouring through him. His consciousness drifted along the streams of dark mana as he felt like all of the stress and tightness of his mana pathways wash away.


    The dark mage stayed hovering in the air, held aloft by the mana pouring through him like a dam¡¯s spillway, for hours. He had no way of keeping track of time as his mind was blank but his consciousness was expanding. Over time it was as if a veil had lifted from his eyes, as if his ears were no longer plugged, as if the hairs on his arms could tell him about the world around him. He knew instinctively that what he was experiencing was the world through the perspective of the dark mana that was connected to him. He felt the gentle breeze of mana flowing through all of existence but he felt the darkness itself as well. The shadows cast upon the roof from neighboring buildings gave him a place to experience the world from. The dancing shadows cast by firelight were like his own skin. The ocean of blackness that hung over everything within the Innerworld felt like his ears. His Polarity Sense was his eyes, used to find potential subjects in the event that they hid from him within the light. Isaac¡¯s perception of everything continued to both increase in clarity and range until all of a sudden it stopped.


    Isaac was startled awake by Lenna rolling him onto his back. ¡°Isaac. Isaac!¡± She called out to him. His eyes snapped open but they were having trouble focusing as his mind tried to resynchronize with his body. ¡°What happened to you?¡± Lenna demanded. ¡°Kahtesh suddenly brought me back here.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s eyes finally focused in on Lenna and he saw his dragon next to her, also staring down at him as if he had just died, and he blinked a few more times before speaking: ¡°I have no idea.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s blood on your face.¡± She told him. ¡°Did you get hit by something?¡±


    Isaac shook his head. He wasn¡¯t sure why he knew that wasn¡¯t the case but he was sure that he would have sensed something flying at him through the darkness. ¡°No¡­ I,¡± He rubbed his temples as his pounding headache drowned out his thoughts momentarily. ¡°I think I passed out.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Lenna demanded. ¡°From-what caused it?¡±


    ¡°Information overload, I think.¡± He postulated. ¡°The world was so¡­ vast¡­ intricate and mystical.¡± He said with furrowed brows. ¡°I felt the world from¡­¡± He shook his head as he tried to find the right way to explain it to her. ¡°I was the shadows, the dark mana, the darkness of, well, everywhere.¡± He said and gestured around them. ¡°It was so much and it just kept going. There is just so much.¡±


    Lenna helped him sit up and gave him some water to help clear his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think you should meditate alone anymore.¡± She told him.


    ¡°Would it have mattered?¡± Isaac asked. When Lenna didn¡¯t answer Isaac¡¯s mind drifted towards one of the strange feelings that floated through his semi-conscious meditative mind. ¡°Why subjects?¡± He whispered aloud. ¡°Why would they hide in the light?¡±


    ¡°Isaac?¡± Lenna questioned with concern on her face and in her voice. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s nothing but a strange stray thought.¡± He started to get up but before he could even get his butt off the ground Lenna had her hand on his shoulder. ¡°What?¡± He asked her.


    ¡°Can you breathe through your nose?¡± She questioned him.


    Isaac looked at her with some confusion on his face before he tried to inhale through his nose and quickly started coughing. He ran death flames through himself and felt his nose shift slightly and his headache fade away. He still couldn¡¯t breathe through his nose though. ¡°It¡¯s full of dried blood isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Probably.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡± Isaac replied with a deadpan expression. ¡°I could use a hot shower.¡±


    ¡°Not until the house is finished.¡± She reminded him.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°I think an actual hot shower is the thing I am the most excited for¡±

 Chapter 43 Chocolate

    Chapter 43 Chocolate


    ¡°So, other than passing out and landing face first on the roof, did you get anything out of it?¡± Lenna questioned.


    ¡°I think I need to do it again.¡± Isaac told her and then dunked himself into the hot bathwater again. The hot water was doing wonders for the blood dried in his sinuses.


    Lenna waited until he came back up for air to give him a deadpan look. ¡°You need to pass out again?¡± She shot back incredulously.


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I need to pull back before it gets that far.¡± He leaned back and looked up at the ceiling in thought. ¡°The question is how. When I¡¯m that deep in meditation there is so little of me left in there that trying to do something consciously seems impossible.¡± Lenna sighed as she thought of something. ¡°What?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°If you meditate until you pass out again, I can time it and then keep you from meditating that long again in the future. Maybe pulling yourself out of the meditation due to an outside source will let you maintain that ¡®awareness¡¯ you talked about.¡± She explained.


    Isaac visibly brightened and Lenna sighed in resignation. ¡°That sounds like a spectacular idea.¡± He agreed. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not tired anymore so let¡¯s-¡± He began while standing up in the tub.


    ¡°No.¡± Lenna cut him off. ¡°Celeste is closing soon and no one is going to get any sleep if you are meditating.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°Fine.¡± He conceded. ¡°You¡¯re right. I can wait until the morning.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Good.¡± She replied. ¡°Now, you have two options.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°You can get dressed and we can get dinner before Celeste closes the kitchen.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°Or you can skip dinner and the clothes.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Isaac asked with genuine confusion for a moment before he noticed where her eyes were looking. Shadows covered him from head to toe in an instant. ¡°I was not aware that Lady V¡¯Nova was so lecherous.¡±


    ¡°Liar.¡± Lenna countered.


    Isaac was too dumbstruck to reply for a long moment. ¡°I¡¯m getting dinner.¡± He eventually said to change topics. Even after spending nearly every waking and sleeping moment together for most of his memory¡¯s worth of time, she still managed to blindside him from time to time. Though, in hindsight, he probably could have foreseen a similar response.


    ¡ª


    The day after Isaac¡¯s spectacular faceplant, that luckily no one witnessed, the pair were back on Celeste¡¯s roof and he was doing it again. Lenna kept track of how long it took Isaac to pass out and caught him once he did so. When Isaac groggily woke up he still had a nosebleed and a pounding headache. ¡°Good to know it wasn¡¯t the roof that made me suffer.¡± He groaned and washed death flames through himself to bring himself back to peak condition.


    ¡°Are you finished?¡± Lenna asked hopefully.


    Isaac had experienced the exact same things he had the first time he had passed out. Now he was convinced that the awareness that his deep meditation had given him was something that he could replicate. There were just two main problems. The first was that Isaac had no idea how to enter such a state while fully conscious. The second was that he wasn¡¯t sure that doing so wouldn¡¯t just knock him out outright. ¡°No.¡± He told Lenna. ¡°Stop me before I pass out again, yeah?¡±


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    Lenna nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± She agreed. ¡°You are lucky I am more patient than you are.¡± She commented. ¡°If our positions were switched you would be nose-deep in a book when I would pass out.¡±


    Isaac recoiled slightly. ¡°Hurtful.¡± He replied. ¡°Probably deserved, but still hurtful.¡± Lenna rolled her eyes at him. Whenever she doubted if he was serious or not she defaulted to not. ¡°I would still catch you though.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Lenna asked. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°I would keep my brain boosted so I would have more perceived time to react and I would just teleport into position to catch you before you hit the ground.¡± He replied smugly.


    Lenna sighed and shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to give that to you.¡± She told him. ¡°So start meditating already.¡±


    Isaac laughed and sat cross-legged in front of her. ¡°As you say, my Lady.¡± He said with a smirk and then closed his eyes.


    ¡°You can¡¯t get the last word in and still meditate.¡± Lenna challenged him.


    Isaac¡¯s closed eye twitched. He had to give it to her, she had properly cornered him. ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll call it a draw then.¡± He offered.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Lenna agreed. ¡°Now, let¡¯s try to finish this before dinner. Celeste is going to kill us if we cut it as close as we did yesterday.¡±


    Isaac nodded in agreement but didn¡¯t otherwise respond. He settled in to meditate again and let the mana take him. A while later he felt Lenna grab his arm and start pulling him down. The sudden physical contact combined with the information his inner ear was sending him brought a spark of himself back to the forefront. Isaac latched onto the physical contact and his awareness and tried to bring them together, slowly. Lenna could tell that he was pulling out of the deep meditation by the slight dip in mana pouring through him so she let him continue.


    It took Isaac a while but he eventually was capable of speech again while maintaining his grip on the information the darkness was feeding him. ¡°I did it.¡± He whispered and then winced. ¡°My head hurts.¡± He could feel everything around him within a few feet and it was already far too much. He soon realized the problem and tried to fix it with a concentrated effort of will. His resolution was way too high. He didn¡¯t need to experience the tiny hairs on his legs or the individual stitches on his shirt from the perspective of the shadows. He slowly loosened his mental grip while expanding what he was mentally holding. Just like he wanted, his perception shifted but with it it brought a lance of pain into his head so powerful that he staggered and Lenna had to catch him. The flickering of firelight from something was moving the shadows around far too much.


    ¡°Isaac?¡± Lenna said with worry in her voice. ¡®If my hair wasn¡¯t already silver it would be by now.¡¯ She internally swore at him.


    ¡°Yeah, hold on.¡± He replied and pulled his shadow perception back some more until it was only a mild strain on his mind. ¡°There has to be a trick to this, I just haven¡¯t figured it out yet.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we sit down.¡± She offered and helped him sit. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I can experience everything through the shadows but it¡¯s far too much. It is radiating from me so I am mostly just experiencing myself from the inside and the out.¡± He explained.


    ¡°And you can¡¯t tune any of it out?¡± Lenna questioned.


    ¡°No¡­ but I might have an idea.¡± He said and Lenna gulped. Isaac and his ideas were becoming legendary with everyone he knew and no one knew them or him better than Lenna. Isaac pressed his hand on the ground and sent shadows across it in a thin line and then made a wide flat space a dozen feet away from him on the rooftop. He mentally pushed his awareness towards the flat area of shadows and it moved easily. Soon he was experiencing everything through his own senses and from the perspective of the circular shadow. ¡°Woah¡­¡± He whispered.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± Lenna asked. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡± Isaac replied and then explained what he had just done. ¡°This will be great for spying on people but I¡¯m not sure what else.¡±


    ¡°When you leave shadows on me, would you be able to see through them?¡± Lenna questioned. ¡°For that matter, can¡¯t you just teleport through them back to me?¡±


    Isaac just blinked at her a few times. ¡°Did I ever tell you that you are a genius?¡± He asked her.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Lenna tilted her head in thought. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°Well, you are a freaking genius.¡± Isaac told her and then quickly summoned Kahtesh. He placed his hand on the little dragon¡¯s forehead and pointed towards the clocktower. Kahtesh instantly knew what Isaac wanted and took off.


    ¡°What are you about to do?¡± Lenna questioned him.


    ¡°An experiment.¡± Isaac replied with a grin that spoke of recklessness and trouble.


    Lenna sighed but before she could say anything Isaac took her hand and covered it in shadows. ¡°This is a horrible idea.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°Do you even properly understand the skill?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± Isaac replied and teleported away.


    Lenna¡¯s head snapped to the side and she watched as Isaac fell out of the air and landed on top of the flat roof of the clocktower. Kahtesh circled overhead but looked like he was ready to dive at a moment¡¯s notice. She watched as Isaac closed his eyes and took a running leap off the top of the clocktower. Her eyes bulged and Kahtesh dove for him. No sooner had Isaac disappeared from sight behind another building did she hear and feel him launch into the air behind her. Lenna whirled around to see Isaac flying through the air at an odd angle that would take him off the edge of the building. His eyes snapped open and locked onto the space above and in front of Lenna. A moment later he appeared there and let his momentum take him upwards. Once his momentum had bled off completely he teleported back down to land in front of her.


    ¡°I¡¯d say that wen- ow!¡± He was cut off by a swift gauntletted backhand to the shin. He looked back at Lenna¡¯s face and was met by a very not amused scowl. ¡°Kahtesh would have caught me.¡±


    ¡°Not after you teleported.¡± She shot back.


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s fair.¡± Isaac replied while rubbing his shin. The injury was already gone but the pain was fresh in his mind.


    Lenna sighed and got to her feet. ¡°Let¡¯s go. You owe me chocolate for making me deal with your blatant disregard for your personal safety.¡±


    Isaac let himself be drug along by Lenna¡¯s grip on his wrist. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡±

 Chapter 44 Six Months, To The Day.

    Chapter 44 Six Months, To The Day.


    ¡°Mmm, this is delicious.¡± Lenna commented as she had another bite of her deserved desserts. Her eyes were closed as she savored the satisfying sample.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you are enjoying it.¡± Isaac commented. She had specifically taken his slice as well as recompense so he was forced to simply watch her devour both of them.


    ¡°Have you figured out how your new skill works yet?¡± Lenna asked and took another bite.


    Isaac sat his chin on his hand with his elbow on the table between them. ¡°Not really.¡± He said with a frown. ¡°Usually I have a much more concrete understanding of what I do but every now and then one of my abilities doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± Isaac awkwardly shook his head. ¡°Magic is magical, I guess.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lenna questioned. ¡°Is that saying supposed to make sense?¡±


    Isaac felt a headache building the more he thought about what he just said. ¡°I feel like it is supposed to but the more I think about it the more I am reminded not to.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Ah.¡± Lenna said with a nod. ¡°Another one of those.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah, but back to answering your previous question; I¡¯m feeling around in the dark so I kind of know where I am going but only sort of.¡±


    ¡°That sounds¡­ like it would be incredibly annoying for you but most people would just move on.¡± Lenna replied.


    Isaac groaned. ¡°Yes.¡± He agreed. ¡°This is somehow worse than Kahtesh living in my shadow.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Lenna questioned.


    ¡°I can somehow wrap my mind around there being a space that is a shadow of what is real and that is where Kahtesh sleeps. I can also understand how a soul can theoretically have a shadow simply because it exists, it helps that I can actually see the connection we have to each other. I can even understand how in a magical world traumatic events can leave impressions or shadows on things, mostly because I have seen how my own emotions affect the mana around me.¡± Isaac went on. ¡°But this is entirely within the realm of weird, magic¡­ I don¡¯t know!¡± He threw his hands up. ¡°Fuckery?¡± He didn¡¯t sound convinced of his own vulgar term.


    ¡°It seems pretty straightforward to me.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°You are thinking about it too hard.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac asked incredulously with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°You are a dark mage, you have a connection to dark mana, the dark mana exists, you can hear through it like you do when you put your ear on the ground.¡± She explained simply.


    Isaac looked at her like she had just told him that the world was secretly always in black and white and the colors were just in his imagination. ¡°Don¡¯t you usually get mad at me whenever I spout some nonsense that only makes sense if you don¡¯t think about it?¡±


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s magic, Isaac, it has its own brand of physics. Just because you don¡¯t understand it doesn¡¯t mean it doesn¡¯t exist.¡±


    Isaac rubbed his temples as his mind started putting pieces together. ¡°Scrying magic works the same way. The spell just translates and filters the information for the caster and projects what the mana is experiencing which is why my ring of Protection from Divination works. If the natural mana can¡¯t sense me then the spell can¡¯t pick up on me even if someone is scrying on someone nearby.¡± He groaned. ¡°I¡¯m just getting the unfiltered version of it because I am too connected to the mana.¡±


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    ¡°See.¡± Lenna said calmly and finished the last bite of Isaac¡¯s slice of chocolate cake. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that hard.¡± She said around the rich dessert.


    Isaac scowled at her. ¡°Thanks.¡± He said dryly. ¡°You¡­ I actually don¡¯t know how to respond to this.¡±


    Lenna chuckled while hiding her mouth behind the back of her hand before swallowing her cake. ¡°That doesn¡¯t happen often.¡± She commented.


    ¡°It¡¯s been happening a lot recently, well, not a lot, but if I had a silver for every time it¡¯s happened today I¡¯d have two silvers, which isn¡¯t a lot but it¡¯s weird that it¡¯s happened twice.¡± Isaac rambled on.


    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth,¡± Lenna began. ¡°I am glad that you understand it now.¡±


    Isaac smiled at her making it clear that his irritation was half fake and half directed at himself with none of it actually directed at her. ¡°Me too, but now I want to ride this feeling of accomplishment and do something else productive.¡± He replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s fair but it¡¯s pretty late to start something new.¡± She told him. ¡°Maybe you should pick up a hobby, maybe knitting.¡± She offered with an entirely straight face.


    ¡°I want a piano.¡± Isaac said almost entirely out of the blue.


    Lenna rested her hand on his. ¡°Soon.¡± She told him. They had to wait until their house was finished for Isaac to have unlimited access to one.


    Isaac suddenly brightened with an idea. A very Isaac idea. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He told her and dropped a few coins on the table before all but dragging her out of the door.


    ¡ª


    ¡°This is asking to get caught.¡± Lenna commented. Isaac had taken her into the all but abandoned orchestral/theater hall. He had then enlisted her help in moving the old dusty piano out of the back and into the center of the stage.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.¡± Isaac assured her which gave her even less confidence in it being fine.


    Isaac felt over every key and slowly pressed each one down. He tested the pedals and then closed his eyes. With his eyes closed he pressed a few keys. The sound wasn¡¯t right so he shifted his left hand down further and tried again. It was almost right but not quite. He brought his thumb one key farther from the rest of his hand and tried again. He smiled and then started walking his right hand up three specific keys again and again as he held the same two with his left for a few long seconds at a time. Soon he added a third key with his left hand and shifted the keys his right was walking up, even adding a fourth to the mix. His right pinky found its own note to hold down for a few long seconds. With that the music had taken over completely.


    Lenna watched in awe as Isaac played the simple melody with total perfection. She watched as Isaac let himself become enveloped by the melody that made her feel mournful and depressed before it sprinkled in just enough hope to keep from giving up. She felt tears rolling down her face even as she refused to take her eyes off of him. Steadily more and more complex emotions were involved but the somber tone refused to leave. Lenna felt her mouth slowly dry out but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to even take a drink of water. Soon after the song almost seemed to stop before it abruptly lightened. Lenna was startled slightly at the sudden change.


    The next part of the piece Isaac was playing reminded her of walking through Sera¡¯s garden, but it was tinged with a youthful excitement that was almost, but not quite, raw and innocent. This went on with a mix of highs and lows but it never felt sad even if there were hints of worry in the lower parts. Soon that part too seemed to come to a close. In a moment the melody suddenly started anew with a fervor that she hadn¡¯t seen from him before that moment. The wave of powerful emotion poured out into the keys and resounded through the piano and the empty stands with such force that even those on the street outside of the hall could clearly hear it. Every intense emotion Isaac had ever felt was blasted across the keys and into the air one after another. Anger, pain, joy, sadness, fear, horror, love, and anxiety each had their turn, some had even more than one until finally he ended it with a few powerful cords that felt like someone slamming a stone door on a wave of fire that was gushing down a tight hallway.


    Isaac was breathing heavily and he was covered in a thin layer of sweat. He took a deep steadying breath before he opened his eyes and looked towards the sky that he had only ever gotten the tiniest glimpse of. ¡°Do you know what today is?¡± He asked Lenna as she heard a singular faint bell toll. She looked at him expectantly but she still couldn¡¯t speak. ¡°With that bell, I have been here for six months, to the day.¡±


    ¡°It feels like longer yet not as long.¡± She replied, her voice was hoarse but she still refused to reach into her bag for water lest she miss any of the moment that they were experiencing. ¡°That song,¡± Lenna began after a long moment of silence. ¡°You remembered it, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Isaac nodded and the movement sent a tear down his face. He didn¡¯t know why he was crying but there was a pain in his heart. He felt a profound sense of loss deep in his soul but he didn¡¯t want to acknowledge why.


    Isaac knew, deep inside, that coming to this world was not purely a good thing. He had left behind people who cared about him and people that he cared about deeply. He couldn¡¯t remember their names or even how many of them there were but in that moment he couldn¡¯t run from the pain of the life he had lost. In that moment Isaac could only experience it in near silence with only the shadow of the sonata and the sound of his own breathing hanging in the air. A stray memory came to him in bits and pieces. Even as he remembered the line he could tell that Rei and Zei were suppressing the pain he should have been feeling in order to let this one memory through. ¡®Nothing is free, everything has a price, sometimes the price is simply time, sometimes the price is not one you can afford to pay, but nothing in this world is ever free.¡¯

 Chapter 45 Concert?

    Chapter 45 Concert?


    Branden Clerkson was an oft forgotten member of the ducal staff. His job was both a useless and incredibly important one. He was the manager of the Safeharbor Orchestral Hall. That also meant that in times of extended disuse he was its only janitor. He lived in a small house tucked in between the hall and one of the large noble houses that was occasionally used for high class visitors. He was startled awake by a piano playing with such ferocity that he could hear it in his bedroom. He rushed outside as fast as his aging bones could take him. He had barely stopped long enough to grab a robe and he had opted for his slippers instead of his boots.


    Branden ran into the hall right as the music abruptly ended. He silently marveled to himself at the immaculate acoustics that had taken a piano¡¯s call the entire way to his bedroom. Remembering this, he began walking as quietly as possible. He had just made it to a point where he could see the stage when he picked up on a bit of the pair¡¯s conversation. Unfortunately he was walking in the dark, purely by memory, so he couldn¡¯t see who was there. Listening to their words and tones he was sure that they were not some rascals but a couple having a moment.


    ¡ª


    Isaac looked down and over at a late-middle aged man in a quilted robe and his pajamas. His hair was either gray or blonde but it was hard to tell in the total darkness. ¡°We have an audience.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°I told you we would get caught.¡± Lenna replied casually. ¡°Should we go?¡±


    The audience member cleared his throat. ¡°By all means, continue, I am Branden Clerkson, I take care of this place but it has been a long time since someone has enjoyed it properly.¡± The man, still in his pajamas, spoke.


    ¡°I see.¡± Isaac replied and then turned back to the piano as he tried to figure out what he wanted to play next. There was a slight problem however, Isaac could only play via musclememory.


    While Isaac was trying to find a way to play another song Branden continued their conversation. ¡°I would like to know how you got in here. Everything is supposed to be locked.¡± He shifted his waist and the faint jingle of cast iron keys echoed across the room.


    ¡°I take it you don¡¯t know who I am.¡± Isaac replied and tested out a few keys.


    The man shook his head. ¡°No, I cannot say that I do.¡± Branden affirmed.


    ¡°You can ignite some lights.¡± Lenna offered the man.


    Branden nodded. ¡°I, I¡¯ll do that.¡± He agreed and left back the way he had come.


    Left alone with Lenna again, even only temporarily, Isaac was able to let the resounding voice of the piano wash over himself completely. He pressed four notes at once a singular time, then twice, he smiled and then stretched his fingers. ¡°I think you¡¯ll like this one.¡± Isaac told Lenna as the tune started preemptively playing in his head. He took a deep breath and then began.


    Two of the notes were near the lower end, two of them were near the middle. He slammed the keys down thrice and then shifted to another quartet before he held those down for the count of two. He then repeated the set again but this time it was shifted slightly further downwards and he held the final keys for twice as long. After the second set his fingers danced across the keys. After a short while he repeated the starting set again and then moved back to the intense ballet across the keys. Sometimes he went higher, sometimes he went lower, it was a song of passion. Some of it was angry but some of it was a passion that couldn¡¯t be put into words. Many have tried and those often resort to calling it love but it was not love in the romantic or familial sense. It was the passion of a show fighter whose life was bet on an unyielding performance, the passion of a dancer whose grace was remembered in dreams, the passion of a juggler twirling a dozen sharpened knives. On and on it went as the magical lanterns along the walls slowly brightened.


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    Unlike the lights everywhere else in Safeharbor these magical lights were a soft yellow that served to lend a sense of warmth but also shed just barely enough light to see. Soon Branden reappeared along the edge of the stage. He watched in quiet awe as Isaac worked the piano harder than it had been in a very long time, if ever. On and on he went, song after song with little to no rest. A few minutes into the performance a chill went down Branden¡¯s back and he broke out in a cold sweat as some unknown power sparked inside of the pianist. Once the power hit it was clear that all the exhaustion from playing at such an intensity was washed away. A few times Branden had to blink and rub his eyes as what looked almost like black afterimages were left behind when the pianist. The strangest part was that the afterimages still depressed the keys. To Branden it looked almost as if the pianist suddenly had another set of hands to reach keys that would be otherwise too hard to reach.


    Isaac continued his path through every sonata he knew with reckless abandon. The world faded away as only the feel of the piano and its sound moving through him mattered. His body and even the shadows themselves were moving on their own to ensure that the power in/and beauty was unobstructed.


    Before any of them realized it, the next morning had come and more and more people found their way inside the hall. Apparently Branden had left the door wide open when he had barged in around midnight. Isaac had long stopped letting his emotions guide what sonata came next and had simply let the music decide.


    Lenna couldn¡¯t bring herself to stop him even though they both needed to eat something. The music was far too therapeutic for both of them and important to him. She didn¡¯t need to stop him, however, as finally, around the time Celeste would have breakfast ready for them, he stopped by himself.


    Isaac was breathing heavily and his eyes hadn¡¯t opened in only Lenna knew how long so when he opened them he had to give them a moment to adjust to the light. He slowly closed the lid over the keys and stood up with a long stretch and a groan. ¡°That felt good.¡± He said to himself. He had completely forgotten that he wasn¡¯t alone. Suddenly he heard applause and his head jerked to the side to see around three dozen people in the audience, not including Lenna and Branden. ¡°Ah, well.¡± Isaac said and walked out to the front and center of the stage. He gave one deep bow and then vanished into a puff of shadows.


    Lenna caught sight of him backstage and hurried to follow after him. It took Branden a moment to realize what had happened and then he too ran after them across the stage. He seemed to have forgotten that he was still in his pajamas.


    ¡°Excuse me! Excuse me sir! Please wait!¡± Branden called after Isaac.


    Isaac stopped and turned around with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I am afraid that I do not get out much so unfortunately I do not recognize you. Might I have your name?¡± Branden requested.


    ¡°Isaac Wexler.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Those I am also known as Darkness to more and more every day.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wexler-¡± Branden began.


    ¡°Lord.¡± Lenna cut him off. ¡°He is a lord.¡±


    Branden¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°My most sincere apologies.¡± He said with a bow. ¡°Lord Wexler, I cannot express enough how thankful I am for someone as talented as you to be using our hall that has long been empty and gathering dust.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I might use it more often then, if there are no problems with that.¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Branden exclaimed. ¡°Whenever you wish.¡± He assured them. ¡°I can give you the spare key, my house is right next door.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need one.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Unless it is magically locked the door will open by itself.¡±


    Branden looked confused but decided not to get hung up on Isaac¡¯s strange comment. ¡°I see.¡± He said with a hesitant nod. ¡°Well, in any case, I will do my best to clean this place up for you. Will you be in Safeharbor long?¡±


    ¡°I think he has been living under a rock.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°With earplugs in.¡± Lenna added and Isaac nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Branden replied hesitantly.


    ¡°I am the one who killed Jallen V¡¯Nova.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°I am friends with Izen and Sera Arbencroft. They have given me a residence close by but until it is finished I will not have my own piano.¡±


    ¡°So it is under construction then?¡± Branden surmised. He seemed to pick up on things quickly but he had definitely been living with his head in a tuba or something.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t know for how long yet so you don¡¯t need to worry about keeping this place dust free just for me.¡± Isaac was only ever going to touch the piano so none of the rest of the building mattered much to him.


    ¡°Would¡­ would you be opposed to regular concerts?¡± Branden asked Isaac tentatively.


    Isaac was honestly surprised but he probably shouldn¡¯t have been. It was clear that Branden wanted the hall to be used but it obviously never was. ¡°Maybe.¡± Isaac noncommittally replied. ¡°If I feel like agreeing to something in the future I will let you know.¡±


    Branden both looked let down and hopeful. He nodded his understanding to Isaac before he bowed deeply. ¡°Thank you for your consideration, Lord Wexler. I hope to hear you again soon.¡±


    Isaac nodded in reply and turned to leave. ¡°I¡¯m sure you will.¡± Isaac told him and walked away. Lenna walked after him and the pair left Branden alone with his thoughts, hiding backstage from anyone still in the stands, in his pajamas.

 Chapter 46 Next Of Kin

    Chapter 46 Next Of Kin


    ¡°I feel like we are forgetting something.¡± Isaac told Lenna as they sat down at Celeste¡¯s bar for breakfast.


    Lenna was silent for a moment in thought before she realized what it was. ¡°The man from C.A.S.T.¡± She reminded him. ¡°He wanted you for something.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah. I wonder what happened to him.¡± Isaac thought aloud.


    ¡°He¡¯s hanging around the Guild Hall.¡± Celeste told them and sat a pair of drinks in front of them. They gave off the smell of rich fruits that made their mouths water.


    ¡°How do you always have something different?¡± Isaac asked and took a sip of the juice. ¡°Is this plums?¡±


    Celeste nodded with a self satisfied grin. ¡°I know people.¡± She replied. ¡°Trade secret.¡± She added with a wink. ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t make the Guild Representative wait too long. He is probably here about your tags.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll get right on that.¡± Isaac assured her.


    ¡°After breakfast.¡± Lenna added.


    ¡°Excuse me, if you do not mind, I would be happy to get this over with while we enjoy this establishment¡¯s spectacular cuisine.¡± A slightly familiar voice said from a handful of feet behind them.


    Isaac turned to see the same scholarly man from before. His hair was a shiny blonde now that all of the road dust had been washed out of it and everything about him had simply gotten cleaner, especially his shaved face. ¡°It would be rude of me to turn you away now, though I hope you won¡¯t be ruining my breakfast with an unpleasant conversation.¡± Isaac replied diplomatically.


    The man seemed to hesitate for a moment before he nodded with a smile and took a seat close to Isaac. He left one seat in between them and sat his Bottomless Bag on it. ¡°I also hope that this does not ruin your breakfast, um, mister?¡± Charlie began with a question.


    ¡°Lord.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Ah, yes, I believe I remember something along those lines. My apologies, Lord Wexler. As to the reason for my visit, there was a problem with your guild tags.¡± Charlie continued. ¡°Unfortunately the Guild is not in the habit of simply trusting that a person is capable without documented proof, not that I am implying that you are incapable.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± He said so Charlie would continue. It was at that time that their breakfasts arrived. The syrup infused sausages and freshly baked bread made Isaac¡¯s stomach rumble so he dove right in. Lenna was right behind him.


    ¡°The problem arose because of the, rather large, string of question marks on your guild file.¡± Charlie explained. ¡°The guild branch master is capable of bending the rules of promotion in most cases but the rank of Double Platinum requires proper vetting, you are the pride of the guild afterall.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be Identifying me.¡± Isaac said simply between bites.


    Charlie nodded. ¡°I assumed as such.¡± He replied. ¡°Which in this case is fine, because I was, rather fortunately, able to witness you and your companion engage in battle with Lord Judgment, a registered double platinum adventurer of the highest order.¡±


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    ¡°He¡¯s registered?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°But of course.¡± Charlie said like it was common knowledge that every strong person was registered with the guild.


    ¡°So¡­ do I just get my tags now?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Almost.¡± Charlie replied and slid his clipboard towards Isaac. On it was a form full of legal jargon.


    Isaac read over it while he finished his breakfast. It amounted to a simple clause that if he broke any guild rules he would be subjected to guild punishments as he would be officially recognized as a guild employee instead of an outside hire. This also meant that he would be afforded a degree of protection from local governments as the guild cared little for country borders. He was required to sign his full legal name and list a next of kin that was not an adventurer or member of a military or government. ¡°Why all the restrictions on next of kin?¡±


    ¡°A number of reasons.¡± Charlie began. ¡°A guild employee is not someone who is allowed to be tied down by governments or their interests. The guild is one of the oldest existing organizations on the planet. It is even argued that it is older than the drow empire.¡± He said the last bit with a nod towards Lenna.


    Lenna didn¡¯t look convinced. ¡°The drow empire has existed, in its current iteration, for at least two dragon surges, maybe longer.¡± She replied.


    ¡°That is as far back as our guild records go as well. There is a blank area that begins around the two hundred year mark after the dragon surge before our most recent one.¡± Charlie explained. ¡°We are unsure if the guild is older than that however. Too much is lost during the dragon surges and their ensuing chaos.¡±


    Lenna nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°It is certainly old but the empire is older than any dragon or demigod on, or in, the planet.¡± She assured him.


    Charlie nodded deeply to her to cede the point. ¡°Back to our original topic, the restriction on next of kin is also to help ensure that they will still be alive in the event that something happens to you. Usually adventurers and soldiers are the first to be put into the dragon¡¯s mouth as it were. Additionally, people in power have a much higher risk of being assassinated.¡± Charlie continued to explain. ¡°The Guild Leader has found that finding a more traditionally normal next of kin, for such matters as leaving inheritance, is simply generally a good idea.¡±


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°What about former adventurers?¡± He asked Charlie.


    ¡°I am afraid that there is no such thing as a former adventurer.¡± Charlie replied with a consoling smile. ¡°Adventurers will always find their way into harm¡¯s way, retired or not.¡±


    ¡°Ain¡¯t that the truth.¡± Celeste chimed in.


    ¡°Damn.¡± Isaac swore. ¡°I was honestly kind of hoping to leave you as my next of kin.¡± He said to Celeste.


    Celeste stopped cold. ¡°What?¡± She said more in shock than as an actual question.


    ¡°As far as my family goes, I am sitting next to all of it.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°You and Sera have looked after us as if we were your own on more than one occasion but with both of you out I¡¯m not sure who to pick.¡±


    Celeste smiled warmly at him and patted his hand. ¡°You are sweet.¡± She told him. ¡°But usually it would be your child for things like this.¡± She informed him. ¡°So you¡¯d better get on that.¡±


    ¡°Celeste!¡± Lenna exclaimed. Celeste started chuckling and left to continue serving the other patrons. The breakfast rush was kicking up around them the longer they were there.


    ¡°I¡¯m hesitant to choose anyone else.¡± Isaac said to Lenna with a frown. ¡°This is an important decision.¡±


    ¡°A non-government, non-adventurer, non-military person who is close to us¡­¡± Lenna started thinking aloud. ¡°This is hard.¡±


    ¡°Stan, Jessica, the brothers on a technicality¡­ I can¡¯t think of anyone else.¡± Isaac continued.


    ¡°Well, for now, as long as you sign this I can give you your tags and move on to the other person on my list.¡± Charlie told him. ¡°You can fill in the next of kin and their information anytime before I leave or you can travel personally to the capital¡¯s branch of C.A.S.T. if you need to change or update it at any time.¡±


    ¡°Next person on your list?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Charlie nodded. ¡°Yes, um, just a moment.¡± He began and dug through his Bottomless Bag until he found another clipboard. ¡°Lenna V¡¯Nova.¡± He read. ¡°Do you¡­ excuse me miss but I do not believe I have seen another dark elf in the city, I know it might be rude of me-¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am her.¡± Lenna cut him off.


    ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Charlie said simply and nodded before he passed her the clipboard. ¡°Are there any questions that have not already been answered?¡±


    Lenna took the clipboard. ¡°Just one, well, two, but they are connected.¡± She began. ¡°What happens if we put someone that does not officially exist? What method would be used to contact them?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that is an interesting question.¡± Charlie acknowledged. ¡°Someone like myself would be dispatched to follow the instructions you have left in order to find the person in question. If they cannot be easily found then we would ask around and in some cases enlist the aid of the local officials. After sufficient effort has been made, if they cannot be found, we would call it off and everything related to you would be kept by the guild until someone who could prove to be your next of kin arrived to claim it.¡±


    ¡°I think the brothers would be fine.¡± Lenna told Isaac. ¡°I have nothing against Stan or Jessica but I don¡¯t feel like we have that kind of relationship.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Agreed. The boys, specifically Lenny, feel like younger siblings or even children at times.¡±


    ¡°Then I think we have made our decision.¡± Lenna said and then looked at Charlie. ¡°Do you have a pen?¡±

 Chapter 47 Nicknames?

    Chapter 47 Nicknames?


    Isaac and Lenna left Charlie to his own devices for a while and tracked down James and Lenny. Once both boys were in the same place, their house, Isaac and Lenna explained their plan to put them as their next of kin. Suffice to say the boys were shocked.


    ¡°I¡­ why?¡± James questioned while he tried to wrap his head around their decision.


    ¡°A few reasons, but all that really matters to you is that in the, rather unlikely, event that something puts both of us down for good, before you die of old age, someone from the Adventurers¡¯ Guild will be trying to get in contact with you.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°We have to tell them where to go and how to get in contact with you in a reasonable amount of time. We can¡¯t have them running around the city harassing low-level criminals until one of them spills where you are, and having them go to Edward or Izen defeats the purpose of choosing someone who isn¡¯t in the government or a guild employee.¡±


    ¡°Boss,¡± Lenny began. ¡°you know that the people in the easiest position to get you killed are us, right?¡± As the main point of information gathering for Isaac and Lenna, Lenny couldn¡¯t have been more right.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah, but I also know that if anyone knows exactly how hard it is to put either of us down, it is you.¡± He replied pragmatically. ¡°You also can imagine exactly how either of us would react to betrayal, especially if it meant that something happened to the other.¡±


    Lenny swallowed hard. He wasn¡¯t planning on betraying them but just the image alone was enough to preemptively shoot any of those thoughts in the head with a ballista. ¡°What about my secret identity?¡± Lenny asked without missing more than a heartbeat.


    ¡°That is why we are here.¡± Lenna replied simply. ¡°How do you want them to contact you?¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Oh, oh my, I am not, I would not like to be the one sent here in the unfortunate event that something happened to you.¡± Charlie stammered after he finished reading the contact plan for their next of kin.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Isaac asked. He thought it was rather simple on the guild¡¯s part.


    ¡°Not only is the contact point an obvious front but the contact is going to, and I quote, ¡®-will find you within the day and make contact.¡¯ even though it is not necessary for us to leave any information at all with ¡®whoever is behind the counter¡¯.¡± Charlie frowned worriedly. ¡°Lord Wexler, Lady V¡¯Nova, is your next of kin an assassin?¡±


    ¡°Is that a problem?¡± Isaac stated his question with no inflection whatsoever.


    Charlie wasn¡¯t sure if it was a question or a challenge so he opted to answer the question as carefully as he could: ¡°No¡­ not technically. I will return to the capital with these as they are. Please, just remember that your next of kin still needs to be alive in the event that something happens to you otherwise the guild will assimilate your unclaimed resources.¡±


    Lenna nodded and Isaac answered: ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°I do have another question.¡± Charlie spoke as he filed the clipboards away into his Bottomless Bag. ¡°How will you ensure that only the intended person makes contact with the guild employee?¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be an issue.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Anyone with the balls to try and impersonate my next of kin won¡¯t live long enough to make use of whatever the guild employee gives them.¡±


    Charlie swallowed hard. It was times like these when he truly remembered that no one who made it to the upper levels of mortal power got there without killing people. It was a simple fact. There would always be someone who would try and take something simply because it was valuable and that thing would need to be protected. Whether that was a druid¡¯s grove, a wizard¡¯s tower, a sorcerer¡¯s bloodline, an item, a piece of gear, or a symbol of an oath or deity, someone would always make a dumb decision that would end with them meeting the Reaper. Some of the upper echelons only had one person¡¯s blood on their hands, some had thousands. Charlie didn¡¯t want to know the exact number of those killed by Isaac or Lenna. He simply nodded and took them at their word.


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    ¡°Well, I believe that is everything. If you have any questions, I will be staying in Safeharbor until the morning of the day after tomorrow. Otherwise your local C.A.S.T. branch should have most information on file somewhere or you can come to the capital where our main branch is located.¡± Charlie explained. ¡°A fun piece of trivia before I leave, the capital of the Kingdom of Altia, built into the Altian mountain range, is actually built around our main guild branch.¡±


    Isaac nodded and offered Charlie his hand. Charlie took it on instinct. ¡°Thanks for your help but aren¡¯t you forgetting something?¡±


    Charlie took half a second to realize what he had forgotten before his eyes went wide. ¡°Oh my, my most sincere apologies.¡± He said and quickly dug into his Bottomless Bag before he pulled out a pair of simple pine boxes. Each one was only a four inch cube where the top was obviously supposed to come off.


    Isaac chuckled and took the boxes. ¡°Thanks, Charlie.¡± Charlie nodded and left so Isaac and Lenna turned their attention to the boxes. ¡°Pretty simple for something so important.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna said and opened her box without fanfare. Inside there was a simple pair of platinum plates on a chain with incredibly small links. On Lenna¡¯s first tag it simply said: ¡®Lady of Hellfire¡¯


    ¡°Who chose our nicknames?¡± Isaac wondered aloud.


    ¡°I did.¡± Edward said and sat down next to them. Charlie had waited for them at the Celestial Dawn because the pair were the only reasons that he was even in Safeharbor so it was a little surprising to see Edward there. ¡°Hey Cel, can I get some food?¡± The Guild Master called to the woman behind the bar.


    ¡°I¡¯m busy, go get something from Leo yourself.¡± She told him without missing a beat.


    Edward just looked dumbfounded. ¡°You know, I used to think that I was someone important but then people like you and Fable show up and Cel treats me like I¡¯m still seventeen.¡± He grumbled to Isaac.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Celeste is a mom. Mom¡¯s are just like that.¡± He told Edward comfortingly.


    Edward looked like he wanted to ask Isaac about his past but quickly thought better of it. ¡°Yes, she is.¡± Edward agreed. ¡°So? How are the monikers? The Guild Master of the local Adventurer¡¯s Guild branch, or at least the one that has had the most contact with the adventurer, gets to choose the moniker when we request the tags.¡±


    Isaac opened his and saw that it said exactly what he was hoping it would: ¡®Lord of Darkness¡¯ Isaac smiled. ¡°They are perfect.¡± He told the Guild Master.


    ¡°Good.¡± Edward replied. ¡°I was not going to put ¡®demigod¡¯ anywhere near those tags for fear that someone like the Guild Leader or Judgment would take direct interest in you but it looks like that precaution meant little.¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Thanks for the forethought but this is what I wanted anyway. I am the highest authority on dark mana in the world that walks on two legs. I haven¡¯t met a black dragon yet to compare skills but as far as mortals are concerned I am the one and only Lord of Darkness. That is exactly what I wanted my tags to say.¡±


    Edward nodded. ¡°Good.¡± He said and rose to his feet. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have to go get my own food like a child off the street.¡± Edward then walked into the back and immediately began chatting up Celeste¡¯s son while he was cooking. What they were saying couldn¡¯t properly be made out over the clattering of dishware and cooking utensils, as well as the commotion in the dining area of the Celestial Dawn, but it was immediately clear that they were old friends.


    ¡°Now what?¡± Isaac asked Lenna and took her tags out of her box after he set his own on the bar in front of them.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lenna asked while she pulled her hair out of the way and turned so it would be easier for him to put her new badge of office on her.


    ¡°Do we just go back to killing spiders?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°Until the silk is sold we are officially out of money once the rings are finished.¡±


    Lenna turned back to look at him with a raised eyebrow and some concern on her face. ¡°Really?¡± She asked.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied simply. ¡°If we don¡¯t find something big to hunt, neither of us will be getting a sword worthy of our levels anytime soon. We can barely afford the wedding.¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t paying for the wedding.¡± Lenna said with some confusion on her face. Sera had not only agreed to host it but everything involved she would simply have her staff do.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Maybe¡­ have you thought about that man, Branden¡¯s, offer to have a concert?¡± Lenna offered.


    Isaac frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about how I feel about performing in front of people like that.¡±


    Lenna raised an eyebrow in incredulity and question. ¡°You perform everywhere you go.¡± She stated matter of factly.


    ¡°That¡¯s different.¡± Isaac assured her. ¡°Something about playing piano in front of a lot of people stirs something inside me but I¡¯m not sure what or why. It definitely has something to do with my past but I can¡¯t remember.¡±


    ¡°It seemed to be something that you really enjoyed.¡± Lenna commented.


    ¡°Yes but¡­ I don¡¯t know. There¡¯s just these feelings that I don¡¯t understand.¡± Isaac tried, and failed, to properly explain.


    ¡°What if, what if I played with you?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°The piano?¡± Isaac wondered with a raised eyebrow.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No, the violin.¡±

 Chapter 48 A Lot Of Skeletons.

    Chapter 48 A Lot Of Skeletons.


    Isaac still hadn¡¯t made up his mind on whether or not he was up for a concert in front of hundreds of people so the pair decided to go stretch their legs. In this case, killing spiders. The pair had just decided to leave when Edward returned. ¡°Wai¡¯.¡± He told them around the food in his mouth.


    ¡°What?¡± Isaac questioned with a raised eyebrow.


    Edward swallowed. ¡°Wait.¡± He repeated. ¡°I actually came to find you for a reason.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°Why?¡±


    Edward sat down next to them. ¡°There have been a large number of drow spies around recently.¡± He explained.


    ¡°How many is a large number?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°We caught three of them.¡± Edward replied. ¡°I hope we got them all but you can never be too sure.¡±


    ¡°Three?¡± Lenna asked with obvious concern. ¡°What were they after?¡±


    Edward shook his head. ¡°They killed themselves once they got caught. The guards didn¡¯t have enough time to incapacitate them.¡± He explained. ¡°I just wanted you to know about the incidents and to remind you to keep an eye out.¡± He said the last part with a very deliberate nod towards Isaac and his Polarity Sense.


    ¡°I will.¡± Isaac assured him. ¡°I am actually surprised that we haven¡¯t had any fake refugees. They know that Lenna is here so I kind of assumed that they would send someone under the guise of a defector.¡±


    ¡°They would never do that.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°It would be too easy to pressure them into forswearing Dri¡¯El. They would rather die.¡±


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°What do you think they were after?¡± Isaac asked both Lenna and Edward.


    ¡°Probably us.¡± Lenna replied.


    Edward nodded. ¡°I agree.¡± He said. ¡°Either you or the explosive ballista bolts from the attack.¡±


    ¡°Why would they still be after us?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lenna asked. ¡°You killed Jallen and I was in the frontline. I doubt my cousin is up to the task of running the city so the council of elders is probably doing it all for him. Those ancient bastards, my parents included, are probably still hoping to get revenge one day. If not revenge then they want to be sure that you¡¯ll die of old age. You are an unknown and they will want you to be known.¡±


    ¡°Basically, just be careful.¡± Edward said. ¡°Keep your eyes and ears open. That¡¯s all I wanted to say.¡±


    A boy who looked no older than fifteen with brown hair and eyes ran up to the three of them. ¡°Guild Master.¡± He said and pulled a folded piece of paper out of a pocket on the inside of his vest. ¡°Miss Bittittiddel gimme this for you.¡±


    Edward took it with a frown. ¡°Thanks.¡± He said offhandedly and handed the boy an electrum coin. He opened the paper and his brows creased as he read it. ¡°That¡¯s not good.¡± He looked over at Isaac and Lenna. ¡°Are you up for a job?¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s the pay?¡± Isaac asked with a grin.


    ¡°Fifty gold for a short walk.¡± Edward replied. ¡°More if you can find out anything useful.¡±


    ¡°A short walk?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Someone said they saw a skeleton in the cave just past the spiders.¡± Edward explained. ¡°I want to know if they were eating mushrooms or if it was real. I¡¯ll pay you more if you can find out where it came from and even more if you can fix it. The last thing we want down here is undead. Gods know this place is lethal enough without the casualties standing back up and adding to their ranks.¡±


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    Isaac nodded once in affirmation. ¡°We¡¯ll get right on it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Edward replied.


    ¡°Just one quick thing.¡± Isaac added.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Edward questioned.


    ¡°How much of a pay increase are we talking about?¡± Isaac wondered.


    Edward chuckled. ¡°Normal bounty rules plus bonuses based on what happens.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I won¡¯t empty the guild coffers for something trivial so make sure you bring back proof.¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°It was worth a shot.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Come on, the sooner we finish, the sooner we get paid.¡± She told her mate and the pair headed off.


    ¡ª


    The pair had just entered the spider tunnels when Isaac stopped. ¡°That¡¯s odd.¡± He said quietly.


    ¡°What is?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°The spiders are closer than usual to this side of the tunnels.¡± He shook his head. ¡°But that is only what first caught my attention. There is something out there.¡± He said and pointed towards the other end of the main tunnel that cut through the spider area. ¡°The spiders are noticeably stronger than they used to be and yet they are afraid of it.¡±


    There was some movement at the other end of the tunnel but it was far too far away for either of the pair to make out what it was. ¡°Let¡¯s check it out.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Carefully.¡±


    ¡°It feels pretty weak though.¡± Isaac assured her. ¡°Kahtesh, go check it out. We¡¯ll be right behind you.¡± He said and his shadow opened up. The familiar small dragon skeleton leapt out and bounded down the tunnel. After a few increasingly far leaps he fully extended his wings and began flying. As usual, the dragon didn¡¯t beat his wings but rather ran mana over them like air currents. Flying like that he preserved almost all of his momentum and didn¡¯t have to run on the ground like lesser creatures.


    Isaac and Lenna followed after him in a jog. The pair were only a quarter of the way there when Isaac felt a strong sense of curiosity from Kahtesh. Soon after he saw Kahtesh leap backwards away from whatever was in front of him. Isaac¡¯s hairs stood on end as an incredibly intense feeling of being startled slammed into his chest. ¡®Kahtesh, be more gentle with the messages would you.¡¯ Isaac sent to his familiar. It was clear to Isaac that Kahtesh had heard him but was too preoccupied to reply to a directive that didn¡¯t really need one.


    Kahtesh continued to bound towards and away from whatever he was playing with. Then, suddenly, there was a clang of steel on hard bone and Kahtesh tumbled. That was immediately followed up with a flash of light and a roll of thunder. Once the echo of the thunder died down the entire area was bathed in total silence. Isaac and Lenna were moving silently courtesy of Isaac¡¯s shadows and not even the spiders were milling about in their tunnels.


    ¡®Did you kill it?¡¯ Isaac questioned and got a mixture of feelings back from Kahtesh. The dragon felt like he had done something wrong but he was also proud of it at the same time. Isaac sighed and decided to wait and reserve judgment until he had seen whatever it was for himself.


    Isaac and Lenna eventually arrived next to Kahtesh who was standing over a long dead corpse. The flesh had long rotted away and the armor was rusty. The armor was simple chainmail and gambeson. There was a longspear on the ground next to it. ¡°Definitely undead.¡± Lenna confirmed.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°It feels wrong in some way. Not the corpse, the corpse is fine, the residual mana is¡­ off.¡± He said and knelt down next to the armored skeleton. ¡°Kahtesh, did it feel like it was connected to something?¡± Kahtesh looked at him and rocked his head to the side. ¡°Too esoteric?¡± Kahtesh nodded. Isaac looked up and towards the massive open cavern. ¡°There are more of them¡­ a lot more of them¡­¡±


    ¡°This is as bad as Edward feared, isn¡¯t it?¡± Lenna wondered aloud.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know that yet.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Only one way to find out though.¡±


    Lenna nodded in assent and Kahtesh settled in next to them. Together the trio hiked through the large cavern until they reached the crest of the hill that almost seemed to shelter their side from the rest of the cavern. At the top of the hill Isaac¡¯s breath caught. Lenna could tell something was up and hurried the last few steps to look over it with him. ¡°Lua have mercy.¡± She swore.


    Isaac stared, almost blankly, at the almost one hundred miles of open cavern in front of them before the next crest. At the top of the crest was a battered and broken castle that was little more than a dot on the horizon. All across the massive expanse there were chunks of stone torn up and tossed around like a giant has used it as a playground. There were ancient scorch marks and a massive red line. The pair couldn¡¯t see the color of the line but the discoloration and tang of iron still hung in the air. This was the site of a brutal battle that had literally left a river of blood to evaporate across the lowest section of the cavern. If that was it then Lenna would have been happy. It was not.


    ¡°Damn that¡¯s a lot of skeletons.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure they are all skeletons?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Absolutely. There has to be at least ten thousand of them.¡±


    ¡°Edward is not going to be happy.¡± Lenna joked.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Only if he finds out before we fix thi-¡± He was cut off by every single one of the undead, that had simply been milling about, turning to face them at the same time. ¡°Is it too late to try and sneak in?¡± Isaac asked Lenna. At that moment every single undead in the cavern took a step towards them.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°I think we missed that window by about thirty seconds.¡±


    ¡°Do you think we can fight them all?¡± Isaac asked Lenna. They both knew that their bodies could theoretically last forever but Lenna would run out of mana and aura well before the army was cleansed.


    ¡°Can you teleport with me?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No. I still haven¡¯t figured that one out.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Do you think your invisibility will work on them?¡± She questioned further. While the pair were talking, the undead legion started to go from a shambling walk to a jog and now finally to a run. A cacophony of clanking and clanging metal almost drowned out their conversation as it echoed and reverberated off the cavern walls.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°They are way too coordinated for there not to be something smart controlling them. It might work but it might not. I¡¯m not sure if you want to bet our lives on it.¡± He explained.


    ¡°Nothing to it then.¡± Lenna sighed.


    ¡°Time to run?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Definitely.¡±

 Chapter 49 Death Wall.

    Chapter 49 Death Wall.


    Isaac, Lenna, and Kahtesh took off in a sprint back the way they had come from. Loose rocks and stone dust kicked up as they went. Sometimes they would slip or slide on the mild decline from running too fast but none of them crashed. Kahtesh had quickly forgone running which was the only reason he hadn¡¯t ended up on his face. They were moving a fair bit faster than the undead but that didn¡¯t mean that they were going to start slacking.


    ¡°Should we try to hold them off at the entrance?¡± Isaac asked. He really didn¡¯t like running away but he knew better than to make a heroic last stand for no reason. He also knew that his risk of death was actually pretty low but the risk of Lenna getting buried under thousands of undead was pretty high.


    ¡°You said they were weak?¡± Lenna requested clarification.


    ¡°Most of them.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Some are definitely stronger than others. I don¡¯t know why though.¡±


    ¡°Higher leveled people in life.¡± Lenna explained.


    ¡°So?¡± Isaac asked again.


    ¡°Fighting retreat?¡± Lenna offered.


    ¡°Yeah, I can get behind that.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°That way we can thin them out along the way. Maybe we¡¯ll be most of the way through them by the time we reach the other side.¡±


    ¡°You definitely jinxed us.¡± Lenna reprimanded him.


    ¡°Shit.¡± Isaac swore. ¡°You¡¯re probably right. Well, too late now.¡± He said as they slid to a stop at the entrance to the tunnel that would take them in a straight line towards Safeharbor. They turned around and waited. Not even a minute later the first of the undead barreled over the crest of the hill and started to tumble down the other side. Isaac couldn¡¯t help but snort a laugh. ¡°Kahtesh I am so glad that you were never that stupid.¡± He told his favorite dragon. ¡°You can be a bit clumsy but that is just too much.¡± Isaac laughed as more of them tripped and tumbled. Suddenly the undead slowed down and stopped tripping. The ones that had fallen rose to their feet and started a quick but methodical march towards them. Isaac¡¯s smile immediately vanished from his face. ¡°Something is definitely controlling them.¡±


    ¡°Without a doubt.¡± Lenna agreed.


    Isaac drew his sword and used his natural mana regeneration to power the creation and use of a pair of spears, each the length that Isaac was tall. ¡°Time to face the music.¡± Isaac said with a grin.


    ¡°Remember, fighting retreat.¡± Lenna reminded him. ¡°And spears?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with spears?¡± Isaac asked like he had just been informed that it was a business formal meeting and not a business casual one and he had just shown up without a coat.


    ¡°Everyone knows that blunt impacts are better at shattering bones.¡± Lenna explained.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s fine, I get more force launching shadows away from me than trying to swing them.¡± He replied.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°If you¡¯re sure.¡± She said and ignited her sword with her aura.


    Kahtesh opened his mouth and a roll of thunder split through the clattering of metal and bone like the midnight bell. A flash of light revealed the rust colored scene before them. Rusted armor and weapons, rust colored stone all around them, blood stained bone peaking out from under the armor, and red dust floating in the air.


    Skeletal soldiers charged, Isaac and Lenna dodged backwards while cleaving their attackers in two or punching holes through them. Kahtesh fired another lightning bolt, then he took a bite out of one of them, he tripped another with his tail and then all of a sudden they were on top of him. Kahtesh panicked for a moment before a familiar embrace pulled him down into the void. A moment later he appeared behind Isaac again.


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    ¡°Be careful.¡± Isaac reminded Kahtesh. Kahtesh replied with another lance of lightning into the skeletal ranks. Skeletons fell by the dozens as seconds turned to minutes. By the time Isaac, Lenna, and Kahtesh had reached the other end of the tunnel it had been an hour. The flames on Lenna¡¯s sword had long died out. She had fired a few fireballs into their ranks to thin them out but they had kept coming. They had killed thousands of skeletons already but there was no end in sight.


    The trio wanted to stop at the end of the tunnel but it was too wide. The tunnel was made for a wagon to fit through with a person walking on each side. The only reason they hadn¡¯t been overrun completely was because the skeletal legion wanted to kill them and not move past them. That was the reason Kahtesh had been trampled on, he wasn¡¯t the target. Isaac¡¯s spears had vanished as he switched to healing himself and Lenna while boosting his own physical prowess. The skeletons had somehow managed to maintain a small amount of combat knowledge, at least some of them, because some of them had been stabbing at them with their weapons instead of just trying to pile on top of them like the rest.


    ¡°It¡¯s the drow skeletons.¡± Lenna explained as she cut a spear in half that had been aimed for her eyes. ¡°They''re in plate armor.¡±


    Isaac noticed it too but it was good to have confirmation. ¡°Do you think these are all from that battle?¡± Isaac asked as he desperately tried to hold back the mass of bones and steel.


    ¡°Open gate to torment and fury!¡± Lenna called out and drew a line with a gesture of her finger across the ground in front of them. An orange line followed the path Lenna had directed and a mirror of it appeared ten feet above it. Fire gushed out in a blinding torrent that completely cut off the tunnel from the cavern Safeharbor was built in. The trio jumped back from the wall and waited. Skeletons tried to force their way through. Whether from their own directive or the others behind them pushing, the trio didn¡¯t know.


    Ash and steel poured forth through the wall of burning suffering. The undead had barely slowed down. ¡°We need help.¡± Isaac confirmed what Lenna was thinking.


    ¡°I can¡¯t hold this for much longer.¡± Lenna said. ¡°Send Kahte-¡± She cut herself off as she heard the warning bells tolling in Safeharbor.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Yeah, they can definitely see the flames from there.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s still miles of ground they¡¯ll have to cover.¡± Lenna reminded him. ¡°I can only keep this up for another minute or two let alone an hour.¡±


    ¡°Kahtesh, I hope you¡¯re ready for more.¡± Isaac told the dragon. Kahtesh, for his part, seemed to realize something and turned to face the wall of flames. His mouth opened up and he fired another bolt of lightning into the horde. ¡°Good idea.¡± Isaac said and formed a spear in his hand. With concentrated mental and physical effort he launched it forwards through the geyser of flames and into the charging undead behind it.


    Soon a minute had passed and then two. Lenna was running out of mana. She was about to cut it off when they felt a ripple in space behind them. ¡°Darkness, Hellfire, if I may be so bold, could you please stop making more work for me.¡± A familiar voice said from behind them.


    Isaac laughed. ¡°Good to have you with us.¡± He told the Court Mage.


    ¡°Please take over.¡± Lenna said with obvious strain in her voice.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Alexander replied. ¡°Open gate to torment and fury.¡± He chanted and made an identical Wall of Flames right behind Lenna¡¯s.


    Lenna let her spell fade and her shoulders visibly slumped. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Alexander nodded. ¡°I hesitate to ask but¡­¡±


    ¡°No idea.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Just an army of skeletons in ancient armor that seemed to be controlled by something or someone but we didn¡¯t see who or what it was.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± Lenna said. ¡°Do you hear that?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°They stopped.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Do you think they realized that someone else showed up?¡±


    ¡°Like they were waiting for your mana to run out and then gave up because someone replaced you?¡± Isaac asked. Lenna nodded in reply. ¡°That¡¯s terrifying.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡± Alexander said. ¡°Someone is definitely controlling them. I can keep the Wall of Flames up for a while but if it is not killing them then I feel like it is a waste.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna said.


    ¡°Take it down but be ready to put it back up again.¡± Isaac instructed the wizard.


    Alexander nodded and did as he was told. The army of skeletons quickly came into view. They all turned their heads to lock onto Isaac. They hadn¡¯t even completed their first step in his direction before Alexander had the Wall of Flames back up. ¡°Nope.¡± Alexander said with a start. ¡°They are definitely after you.¡± He told Isaac.


    ¡°Kahtesh, keep the barrage up.¡± Isaac instructed the dragon and then waited until after the next lightning bolt had fired to continue talking. ¡°Let¡¯s get some space.¡± Thunder rolled. ¡°So we can talk in relative peace.¡± Thunder rolled again.


    Alexander nodded and the living members of the team moved away from the bone dragon so they could hear each other speak clearly. ¡°What do you think it is?¡± Alexander asked Isaac and Lenna.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°I have no idea. I expected to feel another dark creature other than skeletons but that¡¯s all I felt.¡± He explained.


    ¡°Do you think that they could have some way to conceal their presence from you?¡± Alexander wondered.


    ¡°How so?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°Like divination protection?¡±


    Alexander nodded. ¡°Yes. We are not entirely sure how your ability works.¡±


    Isaac frowned. ¡°Maybe. That very well could be the case. If it is then how will we track down who is controlling them?¡±


    ¡°The castle.¡± Lenna cut in. ¡°All of the undead looked like they were just told to wander around in front of the castle. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if their master is hiding inside.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that like, really obvious?¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°It is worth a look at least.¡± Alexander offered his thoughts.


    ¡°Definitely.¡± Lenna added.


    ¡°Alright, but how?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°We¡¯d have to get through that.¡± He said and gestured towards the Wall of Flames that blocked off the rest of the army of skeletons. ¡°Wait¡­¡± Isaac held up his hand to stop either of the other two from saying anything as he concentrated on his Polarity Sense. ¡°They¡¯re retreating. But why?¡±


    ¡°They must have realized that they had failed and it wasn¡¯t worth wasting more minions on a death wall.¡± Alexander offered.

 Chapter 50 Bright Ideas.

    Chapter 50 Bright Ideas.


    ¡°How far back have they retreated?¡± Alexander asked Isaac after around ten minutes of wasting his mana maintaining the Wall of Flames.


    ¡°Halfway and into the side tunnels. Horseshoe ambush formation.¡± Isaac explained curtly. ¡°Damn, I wish that scout hadn¡¯t gotten himself killed.¡±


    ¡°Azazel?¡± Alexander questioned.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± He replied. ¡°I am clearly their target but I am also the best person to try and sneak past them to find their master.¡±


    Alexander let his Wall of Flames fade. ¡°Why not bring backup?¡± Alexander offered. ¡°Like when you fought Lord V¡¯Nova.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the Flame Ravens say something about leaving?¡± Lenna asked Alexander.


    ¡°They will be escorting a caravan to Sapphirestone soon, yes.¡± Alexander informed them. ¡°What about our Lady¡¯s guard?¡±


    ¡°Marie?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°Not a chance she¡¯ll leave Sera¡¯s side unless there is no other option. Without knowing what we are going up against, she won¡¯t take the risk.¡±


    ¡°There are plenty of high level wizards in the city, myself included, who could cast flight on you.¡± Alexander offered another suggestion to up Isaac¡¯s chances of survival.


    ¡°None of that will really help with what I am afraid of.¡± Isaac began. ¡°I am afraid of the smarter undead being able to track me through my invisibility based on the feeling of emptiness in their soul senses.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Alexander spoke. ¡°I am afraid I have nothing for that.¡± His brows furrowed. ¡°But it should not matter. Undead cannot track you like that. Their senses would have to be honed to an obscene degree and no simple undead will maintain their faculties enough to train something like that.¡±


    ¡°Jallen¡¯s ancestors did it just fine.¡± Isaac replied with obvious skepticism towards Alexander¡¯s comment.


    ¡°That is because those were not truly undead. They were the souls of ancient elves summoned into magically created bodies that mimicked the form of a specter.¡± Alexander explained. ¡°You should be fine.¡±


    ¡°Should?¡± Isaac latched onto the word.


    ¡°I would be a fool to state anything of this nature with total certainty.¡± Alexander replied. ¡°I can give you a tracking device I have been working on if you would like.¡± He offered Isaac. ¡°In the event you require my specific set of spells, you can activate it and I¡¯ll teleport above it.¡±


    ¡°How does it activate and why above it?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Simply press down on the activation button. The runes will line up and activate the magic which will both activate the item and keep the button depressed.¡± Alexander explained. ¡°I would be teleporting blindly and teleporting into an object is rarely a good time.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t teleportation spells switch the areas in space instead of trying to interpose one on top of the other?¡± Isaac asked.


    Alexander nodded. ¡°Yes but that is not the real problem. Let us say that I teleport into a wall. A section of the wall would suddenly be gone and in all likelihood it would lose integrity and come down on top of me. That is why I said ¡®rarely¡¯.¡± Alexander enlightened him.


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    ¡°Hmm.¡± Isaac hummed. ¡°What would happen if you tried to teleport inside of someone?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Alexander explained. ¡°Their soul would prevent the magic from taking hold in the same place that it exists. If a teleportation spell is overlapping with a creature that has a soul, even a bestial one, it will fail.¡±


    ¡°Do all creatures have souls?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Alexander replied simply.


    ¡°Even trees?¡± Isaac pressed.


    ¡°More so than insects actually.¡± Alexander answered. ¡°Though I am sure that Lady L¡¯Vore would have more information on that subject.¡±


    ¡°Back to the topic at hand, please.¡± Lenna cut in. She was letting them talk as she rested from their recent battle but now she was ready to start actually solving the problem.


    ¡°I think you and I are going to have to just walk there while invisible.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°Or I run there and Alexander teleports you and himself to me once I am at the castle.¡±


    ¡°There is a secret, third option.¡± Alexander informed them. He looked up like he was searching for something along the cavern wall. Finally his eyes locked onto an oddly flat spot on the stone. ¡°Right there.¡± He pointed at it. ¡°The stone there is only six inches thick. On the other side of it is the uppermost tunnel. You should be able to sneak the entire way to the end without the skeletons noticing you even if you weren¡¯t invisible.¡±


    ¡°As you said, sneaking shouldn¡¯t really be a problem.¡± Isaac reminded him. ¡°Why go through the trouble?¡±


    ¡°If you bait them into a charge again and then teleport up to Hellfire, who would be already there waiting for you, we can keep them busy here and lock their forces into a pitched battle. At that point most if not all of their forces will be piling through the tunnels at us instead of guarding their master. The skeletons will be packed too tightly for you to push through even if they weren¡¯t all charging at us so you will have to go around.¡± Alexander finished his explanation with another point towards the flat section of rock.


    ¡°That¡­ is actually a pretty good plan.¡± Isaac complimented Alexander. ¡°Let¡¯s go with it. Does anyone have a map of the tunnels?¡±


    ¡°I have an old one.¡± Alexander replied. ¡°The original court wizard of this domain extensively researched them.¡±


    ¡°Wow, uh, okay then.¡± Isaac stammered. The plan was coming together almost too easily. ¡°Lenna, Kahtesh, and I will stay here just in case something changes. I¡¯ll trust the rest of the plan to you.¡±


    Alexander nodded. ¡°I think I will fly to conserve mana for now. Are you alright if it takes a few hours?¡± He questioned the duo.


    ¡°As long as nothing changes and Isaac can sit still for that long.¡± Lenna replied before Isaac could.


    Alexander nodded again. ¡°I will hurry.¡± He assured them and took a running leap into the air. Mana swirled around him as his gravity was nullified and wind magic started pushing him forwards. Dust was kicked up as he soared towards the city.


    ¡°Now we wait and pray that our new enemy doesn¡¯t get any bright ideas.¡± Isaac said with focused eyes directed towards the tunnel. Kahtesh was crouched low at its entrance and seemed to be debating whether or not to go on the hunt. ¡°Stay here Kahtesh.¡± Isaac told him. The little dragon looked back at him and then back in the direction of the skeletons. He slowly slunk back towards Isaac a few feet to show that he wasn¡¯t going to go on the offensive. He made sure that his new position still had a clear line of sight down the tunnel however. If any of the skeletons were going to make a move he would be ready.


    Kahtesh didn¡¯t know why but the skeletons just rubbed him the wrong way. Something about them just felt like they were created wrong. They didn¡¯t feel like they were like him at all. They felt like someone had smashed two things together that weren¡¯t supposed to be together and then glued them in place with something else entirely. That was very different from Kahtesh who was simply a perfect union of his old self, his master, and every aspect of dark mana. No, Kahtesh didn¡¯t like the skeleton soldiers one bit.


    A few hours later a small group of forty men and women arrived at Isaac and Lenna¡¯s location. Among them were Edward, Fable, the Flame Ravens, the ex-Crimson Coins, Eliot and the elf sisters, three garrison teams of nine men each and Alexander. ¡°It is always something crazy with you isn¡¯t it.¡± Edward commented as his phantasmal horse came to a stop in front of Isaac and Lenna. He dismounted and then held out his hand. ¡°Return to four, then to me.¡± He commanded and the horse faded away. The horseshoes floated into his hand and he deposited them into his Bottomless Bag.


    ¡°We still need to get a pair of those.¡± Isaac stage whispered to Lenna.


    Lenna nodded in agreement. ¡°It would be nicer than running everywhere.¡± She agreed. ¡°But running is good for you. You still can¡¯t run twenty miles without your magic yet.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I want to run twenty miles without my magic, thank you.¡± Isaac replied like she had just told him to walk on hot coals or stab himself in the hand.


    ¡°The day before we are about to leave.¡± Fina grumbled.


    ¡°Can¡¯t be helped.¡± Esk replied to her. ¡°The Guild Master is paying an electrum coin per skeleton, which is shit pay I might add, but since we¡¯re here, we should help out.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be a good workout before three days of riding in a wagon.¡± Mark added.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been working out every day.¡± Shy mumbled under her breath. Marie hadn¡¯t stopped training her and Lenny so the rogue was being pushed to her limits multiple times per week.


    ¡°I¡¯m just here to watch.¡± Eleonora chimed in. ¡°It¡¯s not everyday I get to watch my predecessor in action.¡± She said and eyed Edward up and down.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t if I were you.¡± Isaac warned the lithe and flirtatious swordswoman. ¡°His girlfriend will gut you in your sleep and then stitch your corpse back together so it looks like nothing happened and your organs just split into pieces on their own.¡±


    Eleonora put her hands up in a placating gesture. ¡°Fine.¡± She acquiesced. ¡°But I¡¯m still just here to watch.¡± She thumbed towards her two companions. ¡°Brick just wants to smash stuff and Bart¡¯ll actually be able to make good money.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Bar-thol-o-mew.¡± Bart corrected her but otherwise stayed silent.

 Chapter 51 Here Goes Nothing.

    Chapter 51 Here Goes Nothing.


    ¡°The plan is simple.¡± Alexander called over all of them. ¡°Darkness will pull them towards us and we will keep them busy in shifts while they sneak around and remove the problem at its source. If we are lucky we will actually be able to gain some ground from these monsters¡±


    Esk raised his hand. ¡°Why just the two of them?¡± He asked.


    ¡°How many are there?¡± Bartholomew asked in the same way at the same time.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got this.¡± Isaac said to Alexander and the wizard nodded towards him to go ahead. ¡°Because as long as it¡¯s just Lenna, I can keep us both undetectable.¡± He answered the first question and then nodded towards the other wizard present. ¡°As for how many there are? A shit load. Too many for me to count without getting a headache. No Walls of Flames though, they got wise to it earlier and stopped attacking. Stick to active spells.¡±


    ¡°Are you leaving the dragon?¡± One of the garrison called out.


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac replied simply. ¡°He¡¯s going back in my shadow until I need him.¡± He emphasized the point by sucking Kahtesh back into the void. ¡°Any other questions?¡±


    ¡°How long will this take?¡± Fina asked with her arms crossed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to miss dinner for this.¡±


    ¡°Dinner is in an hour.¡± Esk replied like she was the stupidest person he¡¯d ever seen.


    Fina tsked. ¡°I should have stayed in town.¡± She grumbled.


    ¡°Eight to twelve hours¡­ we¡¯ll have a lot of ground to cover.¡± Isaac answered her question honestly. ¡°The sooner we can get this done the sooner we can all go home and eat.¡±


    ¡°Enough questions.¡± Alexander cut it before anyone else could ask another stupid question. He floated over to Lenna and grabbed onto the back of her collar. He whispered something imperceptible and Lenna felt weightlessness take hold of her. ¡°Ready?¡± He asked her.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She replied and he drug her through the air up to where her and Isaac¡¯s entrance would be.


    Once at the location, Alexander pressed his hand to the stone and whispered: ¡°I need not find a path for Gia herself will make me one.¡± With those words the stone warped and pressed to the sides revealing a hole just large enough for Lenna to fit through. He helped her to the ledge and then released her gravity nullification. ¡°Please do not fall.¡± Alexander requested of her. ¡°He would kill me.¡±


    Lenna chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Just make sure he hurries and doesn¡¯t do anything too reckless.¡±


    Alexander nodded. ¡°I will do my best and gods¡¯ speed.¡± He told her and dropped. When Alexander was only ten feet off the ground he rapidly slowed his descent and landed with a bend of his knees.


    ¡°She¡¯s ready?¡± Isaac asked him.


    Alexander nodded. ¡°Yes. She wanted me to tell you to hurry and to not do anything too reckless.¡±


    Isaac smirked and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m immortal. How many things can really be described as reckless?¡±


    Alexander fished a steel cube out of his Bottomless Bag and handed it to Isaac. The cube was covered in golden runic engravings and had a very obvious button to press on top of it. ¡°Please be careful with this.¡± He told Isaac and handed it to him. ¡°This is a prototype, it is not built to be tossed around.¡±


    Isaac covered it in shadows and dropped it. The shadows dispersed and the item was gone. ¡°Just set it down in an area with plenty of clearance and press the button, right?¡± Isaac questioned.


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    ¡°Yes.¡± Alexander replied. ¡°But only if you require assistance.¡±


    ¡°What in the hells is out there if he needs help fighting it?¡± The same garrison member as before questioned.


    ¡°Something strong enough to hide from me.¡± Isaac replied simply. ¡°And some things just need a wizard to solve. I can tell the darkness itself to do as I ask but I can¡¯t Disintegrate Walls of Reality or negate spells as they are cast.¡±


    ¡°Even Darkness has limits, if anything, he has more limits then most of us.¡± Fable stepped in. ¡°But in exchange he is the strongest one here. Now, straighten up and prepare for contact.¡±


    Isaac nodded to Fable. ¡°Here goes nothing.¡± Isaac said more to himself than to them and started ramping his boost to just under maintainable levels so he could still regenerate some mana. Isaac took off at a run down the tunnel and he quickly reached the maximum speed for mortals without magic and held it. If he really needed to, he could have pushed himself a little bit further but even then it would only have been by a small amount. If he really wanted to break records then he would be competing with people that stacked speed enhancing spells on themselves and no matter how far Isaac pushed himself and his boosting skill he would never be able to keep up with them. Those people were insane speed junkies.


    When Isaac passed the first skeleton he threw a spike made of shadows at its head and kept going without slowing down. He hit four more before they started moving. There seemed to be a five second gap between when something happened and when the skeletons would respond. It was likely that that was how long it took for their master to relay orders to them. Once they started moving they all went to close in on him at the same time. Every side tunnel that he could see was flooded with skeletons as at least five thousand of them tried to box him in. Isaac waited until they were all thoroughly committed to start his retreat.


    With a quick teleport Isaac was facing the other direction and started sprinting back towards the defense team. They were arrayed twelve wide with tower shields and maces at the ready. Isaac took out another twenty of the skeletons before he reached the shield wall. With one massive jump he flew over the wall and landed in a slide. Isaac used his armored boots and knees to slow himself to a stop. The armor ground and grated against the stone as the scales proved to be much harder than the rock.


    Isaac sprung to his feet and caught Alexander¡¯s gaze. They both nodded and then Isaac was gone. It was up to the shield wall, adventurers, and court mage to keep the skeleton army busy for as long as possible. Hopefully the horde would stay focused on them until Isaac and Lenna were done.


    ¡ª


    Alexander summoned another black shadow sword formed of a shard of reality that was roughly sword shaped and covered in shadows. The spell also redirected light away from the blade to make it even harder to track in low light conditions. It was the only spell that Alexander could bring to bear that mimicked Isaac enough to be convincing. He then used telekinesis to wield three of them as the Flame Raven¡¯s rogue wielded another. The hope was that the cloaked figure surrounded by three swords and using a fourth that were all made of shadows would be enough to trick whoever might have been watching that Isaac was still there. Even if it didn¡¯t, it wasn¡¯t an ineffective strategy, just a mildly mana intensive one. Alexander really hoped that Darkness, Hellfire, and their pet dragon would be beyond the army of undead before his mana got too low. Hopefully after that the army wouldn¡¯t need him on the front lines anymore and he could save up enough mana to be useful in the event Isaac placed the beacon.


    ¡ª


    The shield wall had opened up to allow Shy to play the part of Isaac. Fable had cast Quicken on her and she knew that Alexander had her back but it was still nerve wracking to be the one pretending to be Isaac of all people. She had a front row seat for half of Isaac¡¯s fight with Jallen and had even almost been collateral. She knew that even with everything that was stacked on her side all she could do was pretend to be Isaac fighting with consistency and endurance in mind. The problem was that there was a very real time limit on how long the magic casters supporting her could last. She knew that Isaac had no such limit. Just then a lightning bolt rang out from one of Safeharbor¡¯s native wizard adventurers. The wizard was pacing himself but not very well. She knew that he would only be able to last half an hour to an hour at best. The sooner Isaac and Lenna wrapped up their assassination mission the better. Though, if Shy was being honest with herself, she was glad to not be going along with Isaac again. The last time she had, she felt like the slightest mistake would spell her end while he and Marie were treating it like a summer stroll. She shook her head. ¡®Never again.¡¯ She thought and resolved to fight in Isaac¡¯s place for as long as necessary. Well, as long as they were home before breakfast at least.


    ¡ª


    Lenny¡¯s knuckles were white as he practiced barehanded combat against a wooden contraption that counter attacked every time he attacked or blocked. The rapid clapping of wood hitting bone and visa versa rang out through the main room in his and his brother¡¯s house. Lenny was working out his frustrations on the new contraption and had quickly come to realize that it was exactly as hard to fight as how hard he hit it. That had been proven the first time he had been hit in the cheek by the damned thing.


    No matter how many times he hit it, or for how long, his annoyance of being left behind, again, didn¡¯t waver. ¡°You¡¯ve been at it for half an hour.¡± James said from the old couch half a dozen feet away. ¡°He already told you that you can¡¯t openly work with him. That defeats the point of this ¡®Phantom¡¯ business, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I, know.¡± Lenny replied through deep breaths as his pace refused to slow. ¡°It¡¯s, still¡­¡± He narrowly avoided getting hit in the face again and stepped back. He grabbed a towel out of mid air that his brother had thrown at him. ¡°It still fucking sucks.¡±


    James chuckled deprecatingly. Lenny scowled at him. ¡°How in the hells do you think I feel?¡± He asked his little brother. ¡°I¡¯m the one that gets to walk around and talk all day while my precious little brother is trying to get himself killed helping the man that held him hostage.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that and you know it.¡± Lenny countered.


    James waved him off. ¡°What matters is that I want to be out there with you but we both know that I was never cut out to be fighting people. I¡¯m observant and good with manipulating people but you are the fighter of us. To borrow your words, ¡®It fucking sucks.¡¯ that I¡¯m being left behind.¡±


    Lenny sighed. ¡°Fine.¡± He replied. ¡°I get it. I¡¯ll stop complaining.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± James replied. ¡°Because it¡¯s freaking annoying.¡±

 Chapter 52 Badly Thought Through

    Chapter 52 Badly Thought Through


    With the map from Alexander, Lenna guided them through the tunnels at a jog. Isaac was dedicating a large amount of his regeneration to keep them both entirely silent. Isaac threw Lenna a look that said: ¡®We need to move faster.¡¯ Lenna nodded an agreement and soon they were all but sprinting through the tunnels. Even running at high speed it still took them almost an hour to get to the other end of the tunnels. As they approached the end they had a decision to make. They could either break through a section of the wall into the large cavern and then sprint the massive distance to the fortress or try to sneak around behind the skeletons that were still in the tunnels and then sprint to the decrepit castle.


    Lenna made the decision for them and charged up the last tunnel towards the weak point in the wall. ¡°Impact.¡± She whispered just loud enough for Isaac to catch it. He threw shadows at the wall to deaden the thud of Lenna slamming to the stone. Her aura blazed across her body as she sprinted at the deadend. She took a page out of Isaac¡¯s book and went straight from a sprint into a spinning back kick. Flames trailed behind her leg as she forced every ounce of strength she had into the strike. Her mana and aura surged and in a moment the wall had exploded out the other side.


    Isaac moved in a blur. He teleported six times in rapid succession to catch the falling debris before it could smash into the ground below. As it was, the noise was only barely drowned out by the army of skeletons that was still trying to force itself into the tunnel. It appeared that the initial estimate of ten thousand was very far off. The skeletons hadn¡¯t stopped coming. All of the stone debris was sent into his Inventory and he felt himself quickly double in weight. With his last teleport he was next to Lenna at the new gaping hole in the wall around fifty feet up from the shambling horde.


    Isaac slammed into the ground as his awkward landing was magnified by his sudden mass increase. The wind was knocked from his lungs and he was left gasping for air. Lenna was next to him in an instant, all remnants of her flames were already long gone, and tried to help him sit up. ¡°Did you get it all?¡± She asked worriedly.


    Isaac started pulling chunks of stone out of his Inventory and quickly handed them to Lenna. Lenna took each one and set it down as gently as she could. He had to use the regeneration he had been using to silence them to boost his strength enough to breathe and not drop one of the stones. ¡°I think so.¡± He told her. ¡°Now, how do we get down?¡±


    ¡°We fly.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°Kahtesh can take me past them.¡±


    Isaac looked out of the hole towards the seemingly endless wave of steel and bones. ¡°That¡¯s not going to work.¡± He assured her. ¡°This whole thing is way worse than we planned for.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to head back?¡± She questioned him. ¡°We might need the Altian military if this keeps up.¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No. We need to end this before Safeharbor¡¯s paltry defense forces get crushed under a hundred thousand skeletons.¡± He explained. ¡°It¡¯s now or we join the frontline and hope Safeharbor has enough time to evacuate before we are overrun.¡±


    ¡°Where did this threat even come from?¡± Lenna wondered aloud.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I¡¯ll get one of the clerics to ask a corpse after this is all over with.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Wait, did we just switch places?¡± She asked him.


    Isaac narrowed his eyes on her. ¡°I can be the one that stays on track once or twice.¡± He said almost defensively.


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying, this is new for you.¡± Lenna commented.


    ¡°Kahtesh can take you to there.¡± Isaac said to get Lenna to drop the teasing. He pointed to an area along the side wall where there weren¡¯t any skeletons. The area was out of the way enough that the skeletons had no reason to go over there.


    ¡°That will have to do.¡± Lenna agreed. ¡°I hope Safeharbor is still there when we get back.¡±


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    ¡°Do you think that the reason the army stopped trying to dive through your wall of fire was because they were still amassing or because they didn¡¯t know how many mages there were to maintain it?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°There it is.¡± Lenna teased.


    Isaac shook his head and summoned Kahtesh. He had Kahtesh get a thirty foot running start before he needed to grab Lenna. ¡°Good luck with the landing.¡± Isaac told Lenna and the dragon. ¡°I¡¯ll try to catch you but no promises.¡±


    Lenna nodded and moved ten feet back from the hole. ¡°Ready.¡± She told her mate and by extension the dragon.


    Isaac wove shadows through her armor and over Kahtesh¡¯s claws before he gave a countdown. ¡°On one.¡± He told them. ¡°Three, two, one.¡± At ¡®one¡¯ Lenna and Kahtesh both started sprinting. By the time Lenna had reached the hole Kahtesh was only ten feet behind her. His incredible traction with his monstrously sharp claws on the stone meant that he was almost at full speed in an instant.


    Lenna dove out of the hole and Kahtesh followed a split second later. The dragon caught her on her pauldrons and Lenna¡¯s hands clamped around the dragon¡¯s forearms. They managed to glide almost two hundred feet before they came to a tumbling halt. Isaac took the brunt of the impact for Kahtesh and his shadows enveloped Lenna to silence and soften her rolling landing.


    ¡°Can I just say that today is full of badly thought through plans.¡± Isaac groaned as he pushed Kahtesh off of him.


    Lenna rose to her feet and turned to look at the horde of skeletons. Not a single one of them seemed to take notice of the pair. ¡°I suddenly have a really bad feeling about this.¡± She told Isaac.


    ¡°Like they are ignoring us on purpose because of how much noise we¡¯ve accidentally made or because of the dim flash of light from you breaking a stone wall with your foot?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°Both.¡± Lenna agreed. ¡°This should officially be a failed plan.¡±


    ¡°To be fair, it wasn¡¯t a very good one, it just seemed to be our only real option.¡± Isaac confirmed with a shrug.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No.¡± She countered. ¡°You should have gone alone and then once you were at the castle, used the thing Alexander gave you so he could teleport both of us to you.¡±


    ¡°My second plan.¡± Isaac said with a frown. ¡°This is the last time I let Alexander make the plan.¡±


    ¡°Half of it sounded good.¡± Lenna offered. ¡°At least now the undead are focused on something instead of just milling about.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think we actually didn¡¯t fail our stealth mission already?¡± Isaac wondered.


    It was Lenna¡¯s turn to shrug. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t bet on it but maybe we got lucky.¡±


    ¡°I think we both have very average luck.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°It bounces back and forth so much between awful and amazing that it just kind of becomes average.¡±


    ¡°Bad luck because this is happening at all, good luck because we haven¡¯t been swarmed yet?¡± Lenna questioned.


    Isaac nodded with a frown. ¡°Either way, I¡¯m not taking any more risks than necessary between here and the controller of this army of the dead.¡±


    ¡°What about the frontline?¡± Lenna asked with a hint of worry. ¡°If we are too slow they won¡¯t last.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to learn how to run while holding hands.¡± Isaac told her simply. ¡°That is the only way I can keep us both invisible the entire way there¡­ hopefully.¡±


    ¡°Your regeneration has increased enough for that?¡± Lenna questioned.


    Isaac frowned. ¡°I hope so. Only one way to find out.¡±


    Kahtesh was sent back to bed and the duo started off in a jog with their hands locked together. They slowly increased in speed but it wasn¡¯t very long before their grip slipped and they had to quickly stop and relink before the skeletons noticed anything. Luckily the invisibility was still made of shadows so they drew less attention even as the invisibility was fading away. Unluckily it was taking them far too long to get to the castle. Unfortunately they didn¡¯t have a faster means of travel. By the time they had arrived they were long past their target time.


    The low end of Isaac¡¯s estimate had always been more of a wishful daydream than a probable timeline but they were already at thirteen hours. They had covered almost a hundred and fifty miles, if they counted the tunnels, by the time they were in front of the castle. They had been forced to stop to let Isaac regenerate his mana on more than one occasion which had only served to make everything worse.


    Isaac and Lenna were now standing just outside of a blasted apart stone wall and were mentally readying themselves to brave whatever was inside. ¡°Safeharbor better still be there when we get back.¡± Isaac swore, only Lenna could hear him because of their shared shadowcloak.


    The castle was small by castle standards so it really was more of a fort than a castle but it was made of stone and had two clearly visible turrets from the front and a broken iron gate. In Isaac¡¯s mind it checked all the boxes for a castle even if it was a long abandoned and half destroyed one. The front wall was two hundred feet across from the outside edge of a turret to the outside edge of the other one. The chunk of broken wall was right next to the leftmost turret and far enough from the gate that the gaping twenty foot bite that had been taken out of the wall hadn¡¯t weakened the gate¡¯s frame¡¯s structural integrity. If they were on the surface there was no doubt in Isaac¡¯s mind that the castle wouldn¡¯t have been overrun with vines and shrubbery but in the Innerworld everything was just coated in a thick layer of red stone dust.


    ¡°Just focus on the task at hand. We can worry about Safeharbor afterwards.¡± Lenna told him. She took a deep focusing breath and then nodded once to set her mind solely on their objective.


    ¡°Wanna make a bet before we head in?¡± Isaac asked her.


    ¡°It depends on the bet.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Five gold says that this is a trap.¡± Isaac told her.


    ¡°Isaac,¡± Lenna began. ¡°we share a bank account.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah¡­ how about a questionless favor?¡± Isaac offered.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°We really only question each other if the idea sounded stupid or to make sure we didn¡¯t miss anything.¡± She reminded him.


    ¡°Bragging rights?¡± Isaac offered a different bet.


    Lenna chuckled. ¡°Sure. Bragging rights.¡± She agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll take you up on that. I think we actually had a string of good luck but the frontline has had to pay for it.¡±

 Chapter 53 That’s Suicide!

    Chapter 53 That¡¯s Suicide!


    Lenna had no way of knowing how right or wrong her bet had been. After the first hour was over, the frontline had switched with the reserve soldiers and adventurers. After another hour the last group had been moved in. When it was time for the first group to move back into place they realized that holding for more than six hours was simply not possible. The casters were all out of mana after their second turn, even Alexander, and the frontline was quickly becoming too exhausted to keep it up. The mages had been forced to start meditating as soon as their turn was done but it still wasn¡¯t enough.


    Alexander had been forced to do something he really didn¡¯t want to do. Due to his plan they had been caught out with far too much distance between them and the city to make a safe retreat. There were far too many skeletons and even if someone managed to hold a Wall of Flames for long enough to make the skeletons back off, which they had tried on Alexander¡¯s second turn supporting the frontline, as soon as the wall was down the skeletons would start charging again. They had even begun throwing their weapons through the wall.


    Alexander summoned up his resolve and threw his pride into the wind. With a gesture and concentrated focus he reached out to someone that he knew would help but would also charge an arm and a leg for it, maybe literally. ¡®Lady L¡¯Vore, can you hear me?¡¯ He sent to the woman who lived in his basement, a basement that was already half the size of his tower.


    ¡®Hmm, yes, I can hear you.¡¯ Jala sent back.


    Alexander was sure that she had forgotten his name. He honestly couldn¡¯t remember the last time she had used it. He couldn¡¯t keep himself from sighing. ¡®How much would it cost me to have you teleport forty people ten miles in a straight line with a clear line of sight?¡¯ He asked her directly.


    ¡®Hmm, it depends on the time frame. I am in the middle of something.¡¯ She replied casually with absolutely no urgency in her message at all. It made Alexander¡¯s eye twitch.


    ¡®Half an hour from now.¡¯ He sent back after he took a quick look over the people he had brought to what had turned into an attempt to stop a tsunami with castle walls. It worked¡­ for a while. ¡®They need to be moved within half an hour.¡¯


    ¡®You remember that leaf I ordered?¡¯ Jala returned. ¡®I would like you to cover that.¡¯


    ¡®WHAT?¡¯ Alexander couldn¡¯t keep himself from mentally shouting back. ¡®That was worth more than my library.¡¯


    Jala sent a sigh back to him. ¡®Well, I suppose I could make due with an assistant and a lifetime supply of gold paint.¡¯


    Alexander winced. ¡®I will just contact another court mage to come bail me out if you are going to be unreasonable.¡¯ He countered.


    ¡®Oh!¡¯ Jala replied. ¡®You could have just asked your senior for help.¡¯ She replied cheerily.


    ¡®What?¡¯ Alexander couldn¡¯t help but reply. This was why he hated dealing with Jala. He never knew how she would react to anything. One moment she was arguing with him about something arbitrary and calling him a mindless child and the next she was acting like she was a reliable teacher. The worst part was that Alexander had no idea what the real Jala was like. Maybe it didn¡¯t even exist and she just always showed people whatever she needed to in order to get what she wanted out of them.


    ¡®Consider it a favor that you now owe me.¡¯ Jala replied and then in a moment there was a sudden shift in the magic in front of Alexander and Jala materialized as if there weren¡¯t any wards against teleportation around their tower. She really could have left whenever she wanted to. Alexander had always thought that she was capable of it but to actually see it happen so quickly and easily made him feel like he had just made a deal with a fey creature. Maybe he had. At the very least he now owed a witch a favor. A six hundred year old witch no less.


    It only took Jala ten minutes to use illusion magic to create the spell sigils for teleportation under all of them. Another ten minutes later and the same sigils were copied over open ground right in front of the nearest city gate. ¡°Thank you, Lady L¡¯Vore.¡± Alexander told her.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Fable said with a skeptical look on his face. ¡°This would have turned out quite messy without a grandmistress¡¯s help.¡±


    Jala seemed to take notice of the legendary warrior for the first time. She gave him a quick look up and down before her eyes settled onto his arm. ¡°Boy,¡± She said to Alexander. ¡°I want that arm as my favor. It is full of twisted energies that are parasitic in nature but also full of life and the symbiotic relationship between the living tree and this man¡¯s arm is something that I absolutely must study.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that that is outside of my abilities to procure.¡± Alexander replied diplomatically.


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    Jala sighed and kicked a rock like a child being told ¡®no¡¯. ¡°Fine.¡± She grumbled. ¡°And here I thought that you were someone important but if that is outside of what you can do then there is no helping it.¡±


    ¡°I am important.¡± Alexander sighed. ¡°But he is more so.¡±


    Jala suddenly perked up. ¡°So I should have made a deal with him instead?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Fable replied. ¡°I know better than to make a deal with a witch.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a wizard. A real and proper master of mana and magic. Don¡¯t call me something that you know nothing about.¡± Jala chastised The Glinting Blade like he was a teenager who had just mouthed off about something he had no business knowing. Those few that were listening to their conversation all shared looks of concern and worry. No one had ever talked down to The Glinting Blade like that.


    After a moment of silence Fable nodded to her. ¡°I apologize, grandmistress L¡¯Vore. Please, continue with the rescue of our men.¡± He told her diplomatically.


    It was in that moment of total focus on Jala and Fable that Alexander noticed something. Jala¡¯s robes had been altered in a way that he hadn¡¯t noticed before. There was another layer of fabric stitched over top of the actual robe. The fabric seemed to be heavier than it should have been when she moved and it also looked almost stiff. His eyes widened in shock. She had enchanted her own robes without anyone knowing with metallic thread of some kind that he had no way of knowing where she acquired it. Alexander swallowed hard.


    Jala frowned at Fable and Alexander. ¡°You really are a useless junior.¡± She told Alexander. ¡°You act like a bureaucrat that uses magic instead of a real wizard. Fix that so you can pay me back for this.¡± She then snapped her fingers and they were all instantly in front of the gate. She hadn¡¯t maintained physical contact with any of them like teleportation usually required and she hadn¡¯t even used an incantation. Everything was done with runic arrays made out of illusory light and her massive mana pool.


    Jala visibly sagged after the mass teleportation. ¡°Now, don¡¯t bother me again unless it actually concerns me.¡± She told Alexander. ¡°And get rid of those bones before their perversion of death messes with any of my experiments.¡± She turned to leave but then stopped. ¡°Actually, if that is Shamsha, make sure I get the fragments of his heartstone.¡± She then snapped again and was gone.


    ¡°Wait-¡± Was all Alexander could get out before she was gone.


    ¡°Does she know about this threat?¡± Fable questioned Alexander.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I want to know.¡± Alexander replied. ¡°But we don¡¯t have time for that. Fable, organize the defense here. I¡¯ll go make sure we can get all of the mushroom farmers inside before the undead run them over.¡±


    Fable nodded curtly. ¡°Edward!¡± He called out. ¡°Organize the defense!¡± He ordered the Guild Master. Fable then started stalking towards the incoming horde with both swords drawn. ¡°I¡¯ll soften them up.¡±


    ¡°You better not die on me, you old bastard.¡± Edward threatened.


    ¡°That is why there is a cleric in town.¡± Fable replied casually. ¡°I¡¯m not done putting down threats to humanity yet.¡±


    Shy turned to her best friend and party member. ¡°Fina, how long can you maintain Invisibility?¡± She questioned her team¡¯s sorceress.


    ¡°I need some time to rest.¡± Fina replied honestly. ¡°Maybe ten minutes? Would Shroud work?¡±


    Shy shook her head. ¡°You have until Fable makes contact to refill your reserves.¡± She explained. ¡°He needs help.¡±


    ¡°Shy, that¡¯s suicide!¡± Fina scolded.


    A woman, a native, Eleonora, sighed next to them. ¡°Bart, hit me up with Quicken. I¡¯ll thin some of them out on the way back.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Edward spoke calmly but loudly enough for all of them to hear. ¡°All of you are going to climb the wall and wait until the undead arrive. Casters are forbidden from casting anything that isn¡¯t Fireball or Wall of Flames. Everyone else, rest up while you can.¡± He ordered them. ¡°Move. Now.¡±


    No one looked happy about it but he was the Guild Master for a reason. Edward Sasston had fought in multiple wars and even more skirmishes. The only person among them who had more experience was Fable who had promptly tossed everything into Edward¡¯s lap. ¡°But what about Fable?¡± Shy questioned even as she was complying with his order.


    ¡°Fable can handle himself.¡± Edward replied with pure confidence. ¡°Worry about the city and all the civilians that can¡¯t stand up against one undead soldier let alone thousands.¡±


    ¡°How many do you think we¡¯ve killed?¡± Esk asked.


    Edward shook his head. ¡°You were supposed to keep track of your own kills.¡± He told the platinum adventurer. ¡°I have no idea. Too many to count. Most of the cities on the surface would¡¯ve been buried under them by now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because they are out in the open and full of rookies.¡± Esk shot back.


    Edward nodded. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve been lucky to have not lost anyone yet. It will not stay that way if Isaac and Lenna don¡¯t end this soon.¡± He gestured towards the incoming horde as bells all across the city began to ring. ¡°We need a miracle¡­¡± Edward¡¯s voice trailed off as he realized something. ¡°Jared!¡± Edward called out to the most outspoken garrison member that had joined them. ¡°Go tell Cel what¡¯s going on! Maybe we¡¯ll get our miracle!¡± Jared nodded and took off in a run towards The Celestial Dawn. Edward knew the man was exhausted, they all were, but Jared showed no sign of slowing down.


    Edward sighed. ¡°What is it?¡± A voice came from next to him. Marie seemed to have just appeared out of thin air.


    ¡°It was supposed to be seven thousand undead soldiers.¡± Edward complained and watched as the skeletal menaces poured out of the tunnel like a kicked anthill. ¡°Seven thousand of them have already been killed.¡±


    ¡°Where did all their armor go after you destroyed them?¡± Marie questioned.


    ¡°Half of it was burned to ash and the rest was trampled under foot. It was rust in the rough shape of armor.¡± Edward explained. ¡°It had formed a ramp up to our shield wall before Jala L¡¯Vore, of all people, came and bailed us out. They were about to start cresting the shield wall on the remains of their comrades.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t the same just happen at the city walls?¡± Marie questioned.


    Edward nodded. ¡°Yes. Probably in less time.¡±


    Marie looked at him with some confusion. ¡°Why quicker?¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t have to wait for their comrades to be killed to start piling up.¡± Edward replied and walked inside the city. Once he and Marie were ten feet inside the city, the gate slammed down and a sergeant met him.


    ¡°We are at your disposal, sir.¡± The sergeant said and saluted him.


    Edward sighed again. ¡°Find everything explosive in the city and bring it to the top of the wall. We need to keep them from climbing the walls.¡±


    The sergeant nodded once. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± He agreed and began ordering his men around.


    ¡°This reminds me of Moucastle.¡± Edward said to Marie.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pack Sera up.¡± Marie replied. ¡°Don¡¯t die on me Eddy.¡±


    Edward turned to look at Marie but she was already gone. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± He whispered, unsure if she could still hear him, and turned to look through the iron grate that sealed the city off from the oncoming wave of the dead. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±

 Chapter 54 FINALLY.

    Chapter 54 FINALLY.


    Isaac and Lenna climbed the pile of rubble for the ten feet it took them to enter the hole in the castle walls. Inside there were a few stone buildings and plenty of ancient signs of battle. What had really concerned the pair wasn¡¯t the decrepit state of the inside of the castle or even the undead soldiers that were still walking through the gate in the direction of Safeharbor. No, it was the massive vertical portal that stood thirty feet across in a perfect circle. There was a line in the ground that had been gouged out with magic to allow the portal to rest so its widest point was only a few feet higher than the ground. That was what was allowing the undead to pour out ten abreast in a seemingly endless tide.


    The portal shed bright violet light in all directions and in mesmerizing patterns but what was inside of the portal could hardly be seen. All the pair could make out was stone walls, floors, and open space. ¡°AH. FINALLY.¡± A voice rumbled across mana and air alike. Isaac and Lenna felt the voice in their cores, chests, and feet in equal measure. The pair looked around but felt and saw nothing.


    A figure floated out of the portal and looked down at the undead. The figure wore long flowing robes of dyed drider silk adorned with platinum buttons with platinum filled enchantments carved and poured into them. Its skeletal form was adorned with a platinum crown and rings. It carried no wand, staff, or scepter but simply let its arms lay limply at its sides. Even only sixty feet away from it, Isaac couldn¡¯t sense the being at all. Its bare bones were polished to an almost mirror finish that, along with the platinum, scattered the violet light of the portal in all directions. It almost seemed to glow with magical power.


    ¡°THE HUMANS ARE DOING BETTER THAN ANTICIPATED.¡± It spoke. Isaac had no idea why the thing had to speak at such a volume that made everything rumble with its words but it seemed incapable of being subtle, even with its own monologues. Its head suddenly snapped towards Isaac and Lenna without warning. This gave them a clear view of the blazing orbs of perverted death mana that filled its empty eye sockets. He reached out towards them with his palm. ¡°COMMAND: BE UNDONE.¡± He ordered them, or maybe it was existence itself in their location, and a branch of reality destroying force suddenly appeared.


    Isaac and Lenna dove in opposite directions as the Disintegrate punched through the space they had just occupied. Lenna¡¯s invisibility started to fade as soon as they had lost contact and Isaac had no choice but to let it. He let his own invisibility fade as well. Now was his favorite part of every confrontation; villain banter. ¡°What a rude way to greet a guest.¡± Isaac purred as he appeared, drenched in shadows, with only his eyes visible.


    Lenna appeared ten feet to his left at the same time with shadows wafting off of her like steam in a hot spring. ¡°Agreed.¡± She added and made a show of brushing off her shoulder of any dust that might¡¯ve clung to her.


    ¡°HAHAHAHAHA!¡± The floating skeleton laughed in what would have been a belly laugh had it not been conjured and resonated through magic. ¡°I LIKE YOU.¡± It told them. ¡°I AM SHAMSHA V¡¯NOVA, LORD OF UNDEATH, RETIRED EXECUTIONER OF CONTANTIS.¡±


    ¡°Lord?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°Shamsha?¡±


    The skeleton¡¯s body language abruptly became almost hostile. ¡°MY MOTHER GAVE ME THAT NAME AND I WILL NOT HAVE IT MOCKED!¡± The skeleton roared.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t mocking you.¡± Isaac replied calmly. ¡°I was only curious. You called yourself a Lord but you have a Lady¡¯s name.¡±


    ¡°YOU ARE THE ONE THAT KILLED MY GRANDNEPHEW.¡± The skeleton stated. ¡°WHAT ARE YOU?¡± He demanded. ¡°I MUST KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR CORPSE.¡±


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    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you if you lower your volume down to normal levels like a civilized creature.¡± Isaac shot back. ¡°You are obnoxious.¡±


    It looked like the skeleton really wanted to immediately attack Isaac but it somehow managed to hold itself back. ¡°Fine.¡± It spoke at a much lower volume that could still be heard over the sounds of marching skeletons. The skeletons hadn¡¯t taken notice of them at all. ¡°What are you?¡±


    ¡°I am Isaac Wexler, Lord of all that is Dark, the rumored human demigod of Darkness.¡± Isaac introduced himself. ¡°Now, Shamsha, why have you attacked Safeharbor? Was it for revenge? If it was then why are your skeletons ignoring us now?¡±


    ¡°They have orders to return that cavern to how it once was.¡± Shamsha replied. ¡°After you fled I gave them the order and they have yet to finish carrying it out. It should not be too long now.¡±


    ¡°Will you withdraw them?¡± Isaac asked diplomatically.


    ¡°Will you kill yourself?¡± Shamsha retorted. He seemed to be studying Isaac and Lenna closely like he was reading their every weakness but neither of them felt any new stirring of mana.


    ¡°How are you hiding from me?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°Dark creatures do not simply hide from me. What makes you so special?¡±


    ¡°HAHAHAHA!¡± Shamsha burst into laughter. ¡°NOT EVEN LUA CAN SEE ME! I made sure of that a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°Some kind of magic shield against divination that is far stronger than anything we have.¡± Lenna told Isaac calmly. ¡°It would be nice to learn it.¡±


    ¡°If he won¡¯t turn his army back then we must end him or the army or both.¡± Isaac replied calmly. ¡°Hiding skills or not, this man should be dead. He is a perversion of death and it grates on my nerves.¡±


    ¡°Arrogant, insolent, adolescent, shitstain.¡± Shamsha said to Isaac. ¡°FEAR ME AND DIE! DIE I TELL YOU!¡± Three waves of magic rolled out from him in rapid succession. They crossed the distance faster than the speed of sound and slammed into Isaac with the force of a fifth and a ninth level spell. The first ninth level spell was eaten up by Isaac¡¯s amulet, that saved his life once per day, so Isaac had never even felt that one. The second ninth level spell continued to pour more and more mana out until Isaac¡¯s heart was crushed under its force. The Fear on the other hand did the exact opposite of what Shamsha had anticipated. It did exactly what Lenna thought it would. After all, she was the first one to realize that Isaac, the battle junkie, lacked a flight response.


    Isaac launched at Shamsha as the fear took hold of his psyche. His heart was quickly put back together, much to Shamsha¡¯s surprise, so the word of power hadn¡¯t even slowed him down. ¡°Isaac!¡± Lenna called out after him. ¡°Shit.¡± She swore and took off in a run towards the skeleton and her mate while she spoke the chant for her Armor of Ire.


    Isaac¡¯s mind had been entirely overtaken with an instinctual need to kill the being that was assaulting him. His spell had completely overpowered the divination protection of Isaac¡¯s ring and washed through his mind with more intensity than he could deal with. Isaac hadn¡¯t received proper training on dealing with mental attack spells, that was why he had the ring in the first place, but even if he had, the outcome would have probably been the same. The skeleton was simply too old and powerful for Isaac¡¯s mind to put up proper resistance to the spell. It was like trying to stop a flash flood with an overturned wagon, the water just went around even as it pushed it aside.


    Isaac was burning power at an alarming rate as his boosting skill started up almost on its own. His sword appeared in his right hand and claws made of shadows on his left. Death flames started to coat both weapons before some part of Isaac¡¯s consciousness managed to fight back enough to cancel the outgoing death flames. He could feel the hold of the spell breaking as his overwhelming magical power tried to shunt it out of the way. If given a few more moments the spell would have broken but Isaac was already right in front of the skeleton.


    Lenna watched as Isaac¡¯s berserk state shrugged off the skeleton¡¯s spells. The first was chain lightning that was supposed to catch both of them but Isaac¡¯s armor quickly grounded it. The next was a Reality Bind of some kind but the power pouring off of Isaac and his enhanced strength broke it like a bull running through a glass door. That time the skeleton actually looked surprised and recoiled slightly. It followed up with a Disintegrate that Isaac hadn¡¯t dodged. Instead something she hadn¡¯t even though possible happened. The branch of disintegration was met by a throwing spike in mid air. It looked to Lenna like Isaac¡¯s body had just moved on its own to hit the incoming attack with one of his own.


    She watched as Isaac leapt into the air at the skeleton and his sword was met by a small Reality Shield without Shamsha even needing to chant it. Isaac¡¯s claws met the same fate and then suddenly Isaac was flying towards the wall at the speed of an arrow. A near deafening sound of rolling thunder accompanied him. A fireball exploded before Isaac could hit the ground and Lenna was washed in heat that she easily shrugged off.


    Isaac was catapulted into the ground without losing very much of his backwards momentum. He hit the stone and tumbled and twisted, skipped and spun, until he finally slammed into the castle wall. ¡°Isaac!¡± Lenna called out. ¡°Focus!¡±

 Chapter 55 Die For Me.

    Chapter 55 Die For Me.


    Isaac could hear Lenna¡¯s voice through the pain and spinning but only barely. Oddly enough it was his impact with the wall that seemed to clear his head. Either that or it was his mana that finally finished breaking down the hostile magic via pure potency difference. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Isaac swore as he teleported a dozen feet away from where he had crumpled to the ground. It was just in time too because twenty orange streaks slammed into the place he had just been.


    Isaac looked up just in time to see Lenna¡¯s Fireball go off. Shamsha was too focused on killing Isaac that he wasn¡¯t paying attention to Lenna. The skeleton was tossed a dozen feet backwards but after the fire faded over a dozen small Reality Shields flickered and faded away. Shamsha casually tossed a lightning bolt at Lenna with a flick of his wrist before he returned his full focus to killing Isaac.


    Lenna took the lightning bolt in the chest mid sprint and stumbled but she easily turned it into a roll and was back on her feet. Her Armor of Ire ate up a bit of the attack and whatever it didn¡¯t she was already healing away.


    Isaac had to teleport out of the blast radius of another fireball only for it not to explode. The ¡®ember of a dying star¡¯ simply sat there glowing in all of its brilliant orange glory, waiting, patiently hoping that someone would get close enough for it to explode. Isaac had to unwind his boosting skill a bit so he could regenerate his mana again. His berserk state hadn¡¯t thought through what burning so much mana would mean for the battle and now he was struggling to regain the ground he had lost. He was thoroughly on the back foot. ¡®It¡¯s time for backup.¡¯ Isaac thought and teleported outside of the wall.


    It only took Isaac two seconds to place Alexander¡¯s beacon, press its button, and return to the battle but in that time Shamsha had switched his focus entirely to Lenna.


    Lenna narrowly twisted out of the way of the Disintegrate aimed at her and then tried to throw a Fireball back at Shamsha. The skeleton simply reached out and closed his fist and the Fireball winked out with little fanfare. Another Disintegrate was coming at Lenna too quickly for her to dodge so she did the only thing she could do in such a situation; she made a sacrifice. Lenna caught the incoming Disintegrate with the tip of her sword and could only watch as the weapon¡¯s length was halved in a blink.


    Isaac appeared behind Shamsha in mid air and tried to hack into the skeleton with his sword. A reality shield caught the blade and then another thunderous explosion caught Isaac without the skeleton even turning to face him. Isaac twisted in mid air to be facing the direction he was flying and teleported back to Shamsha. He used his momentum from being thrown away by the thunderous automatic spell of the skeleton to jam the point of his sword into the spell caster. Again, much to Isaac¡¯s chagrin, his blade was caught by a reality shield and he was thrown away.


    ¡°YOU WEAK, PATHETIC, IGNORANT, INANE, IMBECILIC, WORM!¡± Shamsha swore at Isaac. ¡°LEARN YOUR PLACE!¡±


    Isaac continued his seemingly futile attacks while he tried to figure out a way to deal with the skeleton. Isaac was really betting on Alexander showing up to help, it had only been a handful of seconds but he was starting to get the feeling that Alexander wouldn¡¯t be coming. Isaac knew that in the meantime he would have to make do. He just really wished that he didn¡¯t have to. Kahtesh appeared with a crack of thunder and a lightning bolt that slammed into the side of Shamsha. As expected, the Reality Shields appeared to block the strike but before they faded Isaac had already tried to stab Shamsha¡¯s other side.


    Shamsha was entirely unharmed by everything Isaac, Lenna, and Kahtesh could throw at him. Even Isaac¡¯s attempt at attacking him from both sides did nothing and neither of them had mental magics, not that they were likely to work on something without a brain. ¡°Damn it!¡± Isaac swore aloud.


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    Shamsha¡¯s attention snapped to the newcomer and he reached out and closed his hand in the direction of the skeletal dragon. He then made a throwing motion towards Lenna and the skeleton was catapulted at Lenna with enough force to toss her off over her feet and break Kahtesh in half. Lenna¡¯s armor saved her from the majority of the impact but Kahtesh had no such luxury. The next time Isaac was in Shamsha¡¯s line of sight he used another spell that had seemed to work quite well on Isaac before. ¡°FEAR ME!¡± He ordered the dark mage.


    Isaac felt the magic slam into him, but right before it could overtake everything, he slammed his mana reserves and mental strength into the incoming spell. The spell shattered against the proverbial fist of an angry god that Isaac had hit it with. Isaac retaliated by teleporting right onto the skeleton. Before he could be blasted away Isaac had already locked his arm around Shamsha¡¯s neck. Reality Shields kept Isaac from directly touching Shamsha but there was still plenty of leverage for Isaac to keep from getting blasted away. It hurt though. It hurt a lot. All of the air in Isaac¡¯s boosted lungs was blasted out and he heard the straps on his armor strain and creak under the sudden force. One of his buttons snapped and he felt his left pauldron abruptly loosen.


    At so close to Shamsha, Isaac could feel where the center of the skeleton¡¯s power was. It was a little lower than the core of a living person and Isaac knew that not only would they have to get through the seemingly endless amount of reality shields but they would also need to destroy that part of Shamsha if they wanted to end the ancient monster. Isaac reached down and slammed his hand into the reality shields that were blocking the skeleton¡¯s core. ¡°GET OFF OF ME!¡± Shamsha yelled and Isaac was almost dislodged again by a very purposeful thunderous explosion.


    ¡°Then die for me.¡± Isaac shot back through gritted teeth.


    Lenna jumped to her feet and launched her sword at Shamsha¡¯s face. The sword impacted a Reality Shield that showed up to block it but in exchange he wouldn¡¯t be able to see for a second or two.


    The moment of distraction from Lenna¡¯s sword hitting Shamsha¡¯s face was enough for Isaac to get an idea. Isaac teleported down to one of the skeletons and threw it at Shamsha. It impacted him as expected, before he could react, and set off the thunderous explosion. ¡°It has to have a limit!¡± Isaac called out Lenna. Lenna nodded and grabbed a rock off the ground before she launched it at Shamsha with all her strength.


    ¡°WHAT?!¡± Shamsha cried out as he was jostled around by impact after impact hitting him from different directions. He couldn¡¯t see because they always made sure to target his face. He put his hands up in front of his face to intercept the next attack only for some of them to start coming from behind him. ¡°KILL THEM.¡± He ordered his minions and all of the skeletons switched targets from the city to Isaac and Lenna in an instant. Momentarily there was a lul in the incoming projectiles and he looked around. A bone slammed into the Reality Shields in front of his face again and he was no longer able to see as he recoiled from the sudden impact.


    Isaac had collected the entirety of the skeleton that he had thrown at Shamsha and began using it as projectiles. The shockwave had destroyed the skeleton but Isaac didn¡¯t need it in one piece to throw it at Shamsha. Lenna had done roughly the same thing but she didn¡¯t have the luxury of an Inventory to hold the skeleton¡¯s pieces. Then, all of a sudden, all of the skeletons seemed to notice that they were there. ¡®Shit.¡¯ Isaac swore internally and cut a few of them down before he threw another bone at Shamsha¡¯s face. Lenna had taken one of their spears and, using mana and aura enhanced strength, launched it through five of them where it got stuck.


    ¡°Now what?!¡± Lenna called out. She followed it up with a Wall of Flames that took up the entire gate leading out of the castle. This meant that no old skeletons would be able to come back in the way they had left but they still had to deal with all the new skeletons.


    ¡°Crush them!¡± Isaac called out.


    ¡°How?¡± Lenna demanded and beat a skeleton with another skeleton.


    ¡°Forget about me and use your aura!¡± Isaac yelled back as he kept up as much pressure on Shamsha as he could. Shamsha had been put on his back foot but that didn¡¯t mean very much if the skeleton never ran out of defenses.


    Lenna¡¯s aura surged out of her and slammed down onto the area around her with everything she had. All of the rage that she had in her heart was burned as fuel to enhance the soul-deep weight of her aura. The skeletons around her staggered and some of them fell over from the impact. Some of them even turned to flee in an almost living gesture of self preservation. Lenna knew that it was just the effect of her aura but it made her feel an immense sorrow for those that had been trapped in their own dead bodies to be puppetted around by this ancient monster. Unfortunately for Shamsha, that fact only served to increase her anger towards him and the potency of her aura.

 Chapter 56 Damned If You Do,

    Chapter 56 Damned If You Do,


    Isaac and Shamsha were both utterly infuriated at each other, for rather obvious reasons, but even so they made sure to stay out of Lenna¡¯s aura. Neither of them wanted to be subjected to such a thing though neither of them noticed the other¡¯s wariness to be near her once her aura had been fully unleashed.


    The reasons why the Lord of Darkness and the Lord of Undeath were so vexed by one another were simple. Isaac couldn¡¯t kill the skeleton no matter how hard he hit him because the old Reality Shields would quickly be replaced by new ones. He had the idea of melting through one with his mana like he had before but the damned skeleton kept exploding and throwing him around. As soon as Isaac lost contact with the shield it would vanish and a new one would take its place.


    Shamsha couldn¡¯t pin down the damned human and the death-shadow monster in living flesh wouldn¡¯t stay down no matter how hard he hit it. Finally Shamsha decided to do something both risky and self destructive. His skeletons would just have to be caught in the crossfire. ¡°I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU HUMAN!¡± Shamsha roared and the air around him vibrated with the power of his summoned voice and magical intent to speak. Both Isaac and Lenna almost staggered from the impact of his voice both physically and magically. ¡°BEFORE ELF, DWARF, AND MAN THERE WAS LIFE BEYOND IMAGINING! IN A TIME WHEN DRAGONS WERE BUT A LINK IN THE CHAIN OF EXISTENCE! BEFORE BALANCE WAS STRUCK ONLY CHAOS RULED! IN A TIME LIKE THIS, GIA HERSELF PROCLAIMED! ¡®LET THE STARS FALL AND START THE WORLD ANEW!¡¯¡± Shamsha bellowed while he tried to fight off Isaac¡¯s continuous assault.


    Above the castle, at the ceiling of the cavern, a dozen blazing orange, red, and violet portals opened. The portals were stable and ringed with runic letters describing the reset of the world in the language of the gods. The air shook and the temperature spiked as a dozen blazing boulders the size of the Celestial Dawn started to fall through the portals. They picked up speed as they went until they slammed into the ground of the cavern all around Shamsha.


    Isaac and Lenna both sprinted towards Shamsha. Lenna tried her best to reign in her aura as she ran and Isaac sucked Kahtesh¡¯s remains into the void so the remains of the dragon wouldn¡¯t be ground to dust by the falling sky. Shamsha whirled around to face him. ¡°AWAY WITH YOU!¡± He roared but only had enough time to hold his hands out in Isaac¡¯s direction before Lenna and Isaac both slammed into him from different directions. They both clamped down on Shamsha, before he could explode and throw them away, so he wouldn¡¯t be able to teleport away without taking them with him. Little did they know that Shamsha had never bothered to learn a short range teleportation spell. In his youth he had thought that it took the joy out of traveling. At that moment he regretted that decision greatly, not that it would have mattered because of the pair clinging to him.


    Meteors slammed down all around them. The castle exploded into a billion chunks of stone. Alexander¡¯s beacon was eviscerated. Hundreds of skeletons were removed from existence. Shamsha¡¯s portal was destabilized and exploded out in a wave of mana, not that anyone could feel it through the falling stars. The ground under them broke and bounced which tossed them all into the air. Shamsha hadn¡¯t realized that he had been pushed to the ground until that moment. Apparently Isaac had been attacking him from above and in the face so much that Shamsha had naturally recoiled away in the downward direction enough for his feet to touch the ground.


    Everything around them was filled with exploding stone and a primal fire formed from a meteor shower. Isaac and Lenna were both hit by exploding chunks of stone but none of the meteors had landed directly on top of them. After what felt like an eternity, but was actually only five seconds of the hells coming to the Innerworld, it was over. Stone was still falling from the explosions but the meteors were gone and only craters and dust remained.


    ¡°What¡­ the fuck¡­ was that?¡± Isaac asked before he was abruptly blown away from Shamsha in another thunderous explosion. Isaac had relaxed too early and had forgotten about their actual opponent during what felt like the end of the world.


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    Lenna had maintained her grip on the skeleton who now sagged in her hands. It was then that she noticed that she was actually holding onto the skeleton directly. The Reality Shields were gone. Shamsha¡¯s robes were also full of holes and all of his buttons were noticeably missing material in the shape of spell sigils, specifically the ones for Reality Shield and Thunder Wave.


    ¡°damn it all¡­¡± Shamsha spoke. His volume was so low it was hard for Isaac to hear him. Lenna couldn¡¯t hear him at all because her ears were ringing from the chunks of stone that rattled her helmet with her head still inside it.


    ¡°Are you finally out of mana, you mad bastard?¡± Isaac questioned and approached the downed skeleton.


    ¡°may dri¡¯el smite you and curse you until the end of time.¡± Shamsha swore at him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to punch him in the nose next time I see him.¡± Isaac shot back and punched Shamsha in the chest instead. Isaac reached through one of the gaping holes in Shamsha¡¯s robes and clutched a glowing red, violet, and black gem. Isaac planted his boot on Shamsha¡¯s chest and readied himself to rip out the gem. ¡°Any last words?¡±


    ¡°the skeletons will run free after i die.¡± Shamsha said. ¡°and i really do hate you, isaac wexler, lord of all that is dark.¡± He finished and Isaac ripped the gem out of Shamsha¡¯s torso with a nod. Isaac turned and slammed it onto the ground with as much force as he could muster but it didn¡¯t break, it simply lodged itself into the churned up stone ground.


    ¡°Shit.¡± He swore and turned to Lenna. ¡°How do we break it?¡±


    ¡ª


    Lenny was crouched on the top of the clocktower overlooking the walls of his city. No one without true dark vision, from a potion or a person like Lenna, had any chance of seeing him. He had chosen a cloak that perfectly matched red dust stained treated pine that capped the tower. He could hardly see half of the city through the smoke and blazing backdrop of war. Not a single spell was thrown from the walls because every single mage that could cast Wall of Flames had already done so at the base of the stone city walls. Any mage that couldn¡¯t had already burned through their mana pools hours ago. Celeste had taken a large chunk of the skeleton army out but it was soon made very clear that losing a thousand skeletons meant nothing to the rest of the horde.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting something like this so soon after the last near city ending experience.¡± A woman¡¯s voice said from right behind him. Lenny hadn¡¯t noticed her arrival so he already knew who it was.


    ¡°Me neither, Teach.¡± Lenny replied to Marie. ¡°How¡¯s the ducal family?¡±


    ¡°Sera and Lucius are ready to leave but waiting until an outcome has been decided.¡± Marie explained. ¡°They don¡¯t want to leave if they don¡¯t have to. Izen will die here one day, he is just waiting to find out if it will be today or not.¡±


    ¡°What about you and the Guild Master?¡± Lenny questioned.


    Marie stared at him for a long moment before answering: ¡°He¡¯ll die here with his brother-in-law. Those two are both too stubborn for anything else. As for me, I¡¯ll keep Sera and Lucius safe, just like I always have.¡±


    Lenny nodded grimly. It was an awful position that Marie was in. She couldn¡¯t be next to her lover while he was fighting for the city because she had people that she had sworn to protect. Even if Marie decided to go help the frontline for a time, she would be forced to be the first one to retreat so she would have enough time to make an escape with the duchess and heir. ¡°Damned if you do, damned if you don¡¯t.¡± Lenny whispered to himself.


    Marie didn¡¯t respond right away but simply let the silence hang as they watched the balance of the battle. ¡°You as well, right?¡± Marie eventually asked him.


    Lenny nodded again. ¡°Yeah. I want to be down there but the boss has said, far too many times, that I am the most useful when no one knows who I am.¡± He explained.


    Marie walked over to him and sat down on the ledge he was crouching on. Her golden hair was a stark contrast to her black clothes and cloak. ¡°Here.¡± She said and handed Lenny her choker. It was made of a black fabric that looked almost like it had been woven from thousands of tiny slivers of black leather that had been formed into strings. It was covered in platinum threaded runic engravings. ¡°Put this on.¡±


    Lenny eyed it with curiosity but did as he was told. The magnetic iron clasps didn¡¯t quite reach the whole way around his neck. ¡°Uh, Teach, it¡¯s too small.¡±


    ¡°Just give it a minute.¡± Marie replied. ¡°Once it¡¯s sized itself to fit you, put on that goofy mask of yours and go help my boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°But how will I hide my identity? I take it this is supposed to do something?¡± Lenny wondered.


    ¡°Once it is ready, say the following words: ¡®A perplexing voice always amazes a quiet jay before Thiokeenaxi¡¯s end.¡¯¡± Marie told him. ¡°It will make your voice forgettable to everyone who hears it. Because it is magic enacted on you and not them it should protect you from someone like Fable remembering your voice.¡± She explained. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean he won¡¯t remember your posture or gear though, so be careful.¡±

 Chapter 57 Our Second Miracle

    Chapter 57 Our Second Miracle


    ¡°They are building up too fast!¡± Sergeant Thomson called out over the cacophony of clattering bones and rending steel.


    ¡°Brent and Fina you¡¯re up!¡± Edward ordered and the pair immediately cast a pair of Walls of Flame at the base of the city wall.


    ¡°I-I can¡¯t keep this up!¡± Brent panted.


    ¡°Just fifty more seconds until Bartholomew can take your place.¡± Edward tried to encourage the boy but it was no use.


    Brent stumbled as the last of his mana was pulled from his system by the ongoing spell. ¡°Shi-¡± Fina¡¯s curse was drowned out by a sudden explosion that rocked the area Brent was supposed to be maintaining.


    Edward and Fina both whipped their heads to the side in shock as they heard manic laughter coming from twenty feet away. It was the artificer from Eliot¡¯s party cackling with undisguised glee at the blast of her explosives. The small elvish woman was a liability most days but today she was proving her worth.


    ¡°They¡¯re already filling in the gap!¡± Sergeant Thomson yelled. ¡°Guild Master! What now?!¡±


    ¡°You take a deep breath.¡± A calm voice carried across their section of the wall. ¡°Halya will aid us.¡±


    Edward was temporarily too dumbfounded to speak as he saw the elderly cleric of humanity¡¯s patron goddess. She was the last person he expected to see on the battlefield. ¡°Pope Chrysa-¡± He began but was cut off by a raised hand from the woman.


    ¡°Eddy, I need some space and someone to make sure I do not get speared.¡± She told him. Seemingly to punctuate her order, another spear flew over their heads. The skeletons had started throwing their weapons at them, before they piled up, as soon as the first Wall of Flames had been cast.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Edward told her. ¡°Fina! Drag Brent out of the way. The pope needs some space.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Guild Master.¡± Fina replied and immediately did as she was told.


    Chrys stood with her staff held casually in one hand and raised her other to the sky. Edward immediately interposed himself between the skeletons and the miracle they needed. He cut a spear out of midair that was roughly aimed at their general direction.


    ¡°And lo, Halya said unto them: ¡®Burn the harvested fields to feed the next generation. Let nothing go to waste. Use the dead and the discarded to nourish the future so that you, my children, may flourish until the end of days.¡¯¡± Chys recited a verse from the time when Halya was able to walk among them. Each of her goddess¡¯s words resonated with the world itself as she quoted them. A dull golden glow seemed to seep into reality as she continued to quote the great goddess of fertility, growth, and harvest. Small, ethereal, golden, wheat shoots started to sprout among the skeletal army. Over the course of a dozen seconds they appeared to move through their entire life cycle. The seeds fell and faded away before, all of a sudden, every illusory plant caught fire simultaneously. The fire itself was golden and radiated a divine brilliance that eclipsed the substantial heat it produced.


    Fina let her spell fade so she could save on mana. She had never seen such a miracle before but she was not surprised that a maximum level cleric was capable of such a feat. Alexander appeared a moment later at the top of the stairs leading up to them. He was panting hard as he had clearly been running. The court mage had long since ran out of mana so flight hadn¡¯t been an option. He pulled a silver stone out of his bottomless bag as he staggered over to her. The lightshow caught his attention, before they could converse, and they both turned to watch four square miles of terrain burn with the divine brilliance of a merciful guide. The burning field hung in place for almost thirty seconds before it started to fade.


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    Edward caught Chrys as she staggered. ¡°Are you alright?¡± He questioned the elderly woman.


    ¡°My soul hurts but I¡¯ll live.¡± She told him. ¡°My mana is yet full, child. Take me to the rest of the clerics.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take her.¡± Sergeant Thomson interjected and looped Chrys¡¯s arm around his shoulder. The rest of the noncombat clerics had been stationed at regular intervals along the wall to do the only two things that they were able to; heal the wounded and bless their armaments.


    Edward nodded to the sergeant. ¡°Pope Chrysanthemum, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your assistance.¡± He told the elderly woman. ¡°Please don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡±


    ¡°Oh bah,¡± She waved him off with the top of her staff. ¡°Just make sure it was worth it.¡± She told him and then let Sergeant Thomson help her along the wall.


    ¡°Fina, take this.¡± Alexander said and stuffed the silver stone into her hand. ¡°Actually, have another. You are the best mage we have readily available.¡± He added and gave her another one.


    ¡°What is¡­ are these mana stones?¡± She questioned even though she knew exactly what they were. ¡°Alexander, I can¡¯t use these if they¡¯ve been filled with your mana. It might kill me.¡±


    Alexander gave her a weary smirk. ¡°Just who do you take me for? I have an apparatus in my tower that refills them with natural mana.¡± He explained and then stuffed one into the unconscious Brent¡¯s hand and gave Bartholomew one of his own.


    ¡°What about the rest of the mages?¡± Bartholomew questioned.


    ¡°Aside from Celeste and Fable there aren¡¯t any other mages in the city that can cast Wall of Flames. At this point no other spells are efficient enough to warrant using my limited supply of these.¡± Alexander explained. ¡°We are all that stands between the undead and the entire garrison going hand to hand with an endless army of the dead.¡±


    Bartholomew nodded in understanding. He had been watching every single guard and soldier in Safeharbor rain blessed bolts and arrows down on the undead. If only Jallen V¡¯Nova hadn¡¯t attacked so recently then they would have had explosive ballista bolts to add to the mix. Bartholomew closed his eyes and focused on pulling the mana out of the stone in his hand. All other stray thoughts could wait until they were out of the apocalyptic event they were currently weathering.


    ¡°Have you seen Fable?¡± Alexander asked Edward.


    Edward nodded and gestured towards the tunnel that the undead were still pouring out of. ¡°Over there, last I saw him.¡± He explained. ¡°They are too far away and it is too dark out there to tell if he is still alive.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Fable.¡± Fina cut in. ¡°If anyone can survive wading through that mess it is him.¡±


    ¡°Even Fable has his limits. We have seen them.¡± Edward reminded her.


    ¡°Give me five minutes and I¡¯ll go look for him.¡± Alexander said and slumped down against the wall. ¡°Pope Chrys bought us some time. Use it well.¡±


    Edward nodded and looked out over the charred and empty land that the pope¡¯s miracle had created. Not even the armor or weapons of the undead remained, only a thin layer of ash. Her miracle may have taken a lot out of her but she had utterly annihilated more undead in half a minute than Fina or Bartholomew could in an hour, even with the undead voluntarily running headlong into their flames. ¡°That was our second miracle today. As much as I would like to say that good things come in threes, I wouldn¡¯t bet on it.¡± Edward told Alexander. ¡°Rest up while you can.¡± He added to the rest of the mages.


    An hour and a half after Chrys¡¯s miracle, the mages had officially run completely dry. Bartholomew was in critical condition after he drank his seventeenth mana potion. By all accounts he was incredibly lucky. Usually a mana reversal would have happened within the first ten. Fina refused to drink her only mana potion. That was saved for when she needed to save her own life and no one else''s. She had a label on it that said: ¡®Liferaft only¡¯. It would only be drunk in the event that she didn¡¯t have enough mana left to teleport herself away and only then.


    Fina had drawn her sword and stood alongside the rest of her team one hundred feet to the left of the gate. The skeletons had formed three mounds and that one was theirs. They had a dozen guards behind them but otherwise they were left to fend for themselves. Along the right flank Elliot and his team along with Bartholomew¡¯s team members and most of the other adventurers in the city prepared for contact with the endless horde. In the middle there were fifty guardsmen supporting Edward, Duke Izen, Sir Michael, and Captain Tim. The rest of the guards were ushering people deeper into the city just in case any skeletons somehow got past them all.


    Alexander had left to find Fable and had brought back a bloodied, but somehow still breathing, living legend. Fable was barely recognizable when Alexander had dumped him in front of Pope Chrys. Unfortunately Alexander was once again out of mana before he could make much of a difference to the massive mound of bones and steel that had piled up against their walls.


    Soon enough the first skeletons climbed over the wall. It was a trickle at first. One or two at a time that were quickly crushed or tossed back over the side. Then it became a handful at once, four to six, until finally they were coming over the wall by the dozen. They seemed to reach an equilibrium of ten to twenty skeletons per second at each of the three mounds. It was a lot for fresh warriors to deal with but soon exhaustion settled in. One by one guards or adventurers would take an injury that necessitated their retreat to the healers.


    Edward could feel his vision closing in as exhaustion settled so deeply into his bones he doubted it would ever leave. Izen, Tim, and Michael were rotating with the guardsmen in five minute shifts to keep their energy levels as stable as possible. The only person capable of switching out with Edward was Fable and the old man was unconscious and would continue to be for only the gods knew how long. He swung and somehow managed to miss a skeleton. It was at that moment that he realized he had pushed himself too far. In a blink the skeleton that he had missed was falling to the ground in three distinct pieces and a tired grin crept across the Blade Master¡¯s face.

 Chapter 58 Safeharbor’s Walls

    Chapter 58 Safeharbor¡¯s Walls


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Edward heard one of Izen¡¯s ducal guards question.


    ¡°State your name!¡± Another called out.


    A very indistinct voice purred: ¡°Phantom.¡± And then laughed in a way much like the crazy elf girl at the end of their right flank.


    Edward chuckled at the name. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you came.¡± He said and dropped to his knees. ¡°Switch with me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, our mutual friend told me to make sure you survived. She would never say it but I could tell that she really wanted to be here herself.¡± Phantom replied with a laugh that seemed to tell everyone within earshot that he was definitely not taking any of the chaos seriously. Phantom drug Edward to his feet and all but shoved him into the ducal guard that arrived to question his identity.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Edward told Phantom before he turned to the guard. ¡°Oh shut up Tod. If someone arrives to help when you need it, don¡¯t be an ass.¡± That shut the guard up in an instant. The man could do nothing but nod to Edward and help him back from the broken battleline.


    Phantom danced and spun through the skeletons for minute after minute without slowing. Every swing was perfect and graceful as it bisected undead after undead. He had been at it for ten minutes before signs of fatigue started to show. He gradually started slowing down but it was noticeable to Edward, who had been watching him like a hawk, almost immediately.


    Edward was grateful to Lenny for giving him a break but he knew that the boy was not up to the challenge of filling in his position. Lenny was taking out eight skeletons to Edward¡¯s ten which was enough to fill the gap but it put undue stress on the rest of the frontline. Edward forced himself to his feet and put his helmet back on, the illusion that his armor produced to make him look like he was wearing a toga had long ago been bashed away. Edward had just taken his first step towards Lenny and was about to call out to the rogue-warrior hybrid that it was time to switch places when everything suddenly changed.


    Every animated skeleton suddenly stopped moving. Then, as one, they all turned around to leave. Safeharbor seemed to hold its breath as everyone wondered what was happening. Right when the undead had reached around the fifty foot mark from the city wall, people started to cheer. Edward let out a sigh and then the whole world shook.


    ¡ª


    Alexander¡¯s eyes were closed as he was meditating. Every drop of mana counted and he needed enough to be able to teleport the duke out of the city. Izen had specifically told him not to do so but Alexander had his own priorities. Sera and Izen had helped him a lot during their time working together and he felt like he owed it to Sera to save her husband. There were no doubts in his mind that Izen would be absolutely livid but if the duke was still alive then he could lead a punitive force to crush the undead and retake the city in the future.


    Alexander felt a jolt of lightning go through him. There wasn¡¯t actually any electricity because it was from the illusion that he had built into a certain magical prototype. Alexander gulped hard. He was officially in a horrible position. Not only had his plan of handling the undead situation failed miserably but now he wouldn¡¯t even be able to fulfill his promise to Isaac and Lenna. When the beacon hit him with the illusory jolt it also gave him its exact coordinates to facilitate his teleportation. There were two major problems that kept him from teleporting directly to the duo. The first was that he needed to stay in Safeharbor so he could bail Izen out at the last second and teleport him out of the city. The second was that Alexander didn¡¯t actually have enough mana to teleport the entire way to Isaac and Lenna. He could get close, maybe a mile or so away if he teleported immediately, but that wouldn¡¯t help the duo as quickly as any of them would¡¯ve liked. Even then, what good was a wizard without mana.


    Alexander slammed his eyes closed again and tried to meditate through the tingling from the magical beacon.


    Right when Alexander was about to get up to find a mana potion, because he couldn¡¯t meditate through the beacon¡¯s constant tingling, He heard cheering from the top of the wall. He jumped up and started running towards the nearest set of stairs that would lead him up to Izen. He had just taken his first step on the set of stairs when the ground under him started to shake. The entirety of Primatia seemed to tremble and groan while rocks and stone dust shook loose from the ceiling above them. Alexander looked up just in time to see a massive slab of stone at least twenty feet across and ten feet wide peel off of the cavern ceiling. ¡°Oh, oh no.¡± Was all he could say as he watched in horror. It looked like it was right above the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. The very building that half of the people from the slums were currently packed into for safety.


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    Alexander didn¡¯t hesitate and started casting two spells back to back: ¡°Heed my command magic and space, take me to this imagined place.¡± Was immediately followed up with: ¡°DEFLECT!¡± He yelled the word in the ancient language of magic and threw his hands up into the air above him as he appeared on the roof of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. He poured all of his remaining mana into the low level spell and a shield the size of a dining table formed above him with a severe slope off the side of the building towards the street below. Thankfully there shouldn¡¯t have been anyone still out in the street and, with the rumbling that had just stopped, everyone would be too busy recovering their footing to try and run in fear.


    The slab of stone hit the shield so hard that the wall of reality dropped a foot and half from the impact force alone. The shield slammed into Alexander¡¯s hands and almost pushed him over. The stone broke into a dozen pieces as it exploded from the impact. Most of the stone went in the direction Alexander had intended but some of it still wound up on the roof of the building. The stone that went in the intended direction ended up smashing into the crown of the building. The crown hadn¡¯t come out of the exchange unscathed. Some of the low wall had broken and cracked which only added to the falling debris.


    Alexander heaved a huge sigh in relief as dizziness overtook him and he dropped onto his butt. His shield faded and rained stone dust and pebbles down on his head but that was fine. He was alive and the building was still mostly intact. He hadn¡¯t even thought about how much damage a ground tremor could do until the sound of a collapsing building pulled him from his relief. Alexander crawled over to the edge and looked out over the city. One of the old buildings in the slums hadn¡¯t been able to handle the shaking and was now a pile of rubble. He could only hope that the people that lived there were in the Adventurers¡¯ Guild and not their home. Alexander turned and leaned against the short wall. ¡°That¡­ was way too close.¡± He said to himself.


    The court wizard jumped as a realization hit him. He spun around to get a look towards the skeletal horde and the city walls. What he saw brought a sense of relief to him that he couldn¡¯t put into words. The relief hit him so hard that, along with his general exhaustion and mana deprivation, caused the young man to pass out. They found Alexander there later, with his head on top of the wall, his eyes closed, breathing heavily as if he didn¡¯t have a care in the world, and covered in red stone dust like a statue that hadn¡¯t been cleaned in dozens of years.


    ¡ª


    Izen tried to maintain order as Edward tried to take stock of the situation. As soon as the tremors had stopped both men had jumped into action. Edward immediately noticed that Phantom was gone. The boy had made his exit while the world was shaking like a wet dog. Edward didn¡¯t blame him. No, if anything, Edward was amazed at the boy¡¯s ability to adapt and make the right decision in an entirely unknown situation. After noticing that Phantom was gone the next thing that Edward noticed was that the skeletons had stopped their retreat. Most of them were collapsed on the ground but they were all rising to their feet. They seemed to meander aimlessly for a few long seconds before one of them locked its lifeless eyes with one of the guard¡¯s. It turned its body to face him and then started running at him with reckless abandon.


    Soon the sounds from that one brought the attention of the others and the enemy were moving towards them again. There was something odd about them now however. Edward could tell immediately that they were acting entirely on instinct and were no longer being ordered around. He knew this because they weren¡¯t trying to work together to get to them any more. All of them simply ran towards their intended targets. Most didn¡¯t even make it up the mounds of their comrades. They had even stopped throwing their weapons. It was officially just a mindless horde. Edward wasn¡¯t happy that the undead were back on the offensive but the relief that he felt from them losing cohesion almost made him relax.


    Edward turned to his brother-in-law and nodded. ¡°Their commander is dead! It¡¯s time to clean up! Don¡¯t slack off now! Warriors of Safeharbor! We have them on the back foot! Crush them!¡± He called out at the top of his lungs. There were cheers all across the wall but they were noticeably filled with more resolve than excitement, that had been used up when they thought that the undead were retreating. In their defense, they had been.


    ¡°Reorganize! Maintain previous formations!¡± Izen ordered and gave Edward a nod. ¡°Let¡¯s make sure this mess is cleaned up before our wayward heroes return.¡± He said to his close aides. ¡°We have a reputation to uphold.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Edward questioned. ¡°And what is that? They keep saving us.¡±


    ¡°That no matter what comes, Safeharbor¡¯s walls are unassailable.¡± Izen replied proudly.


    ¡°I hate to be the one to tell you this,¡± Edward laughed. ¡°But I think they were assailed.¡±


    ¡°You know what I meant.¡± Izen shot back.


    Edward laughed harder. ¡°You heard him! Kick these corpses off of our walls!¡± He punctuated it by picking up half of a skeleton and launching it away from the walls towards the still animated corpses. Some of the guardsmen had seen the spectacle and many more started joining him. Despite the grim circumstances and the exhaustion pervading the entirety of the frontline, there was laughing and cheering as more and more corpses were thrown at their still animated brethren. Safeharbor had survived another local apocalypse. For many it was their second one but for a select few it was just another one to add to the list. All of the men on the wall had been in the battle against Jallen V¡¯Nova¡¯s men. Some of them had been guarding the caravan that had been attacked by the mushroom infested Ori-Masa and some of them had seen even more cataclysmic events in the past and taken part in halting them. The world they lived in was a brutal one, their city was even worse, but it was theirs.

 Chapter 59 Skulls

    Chapter 59 Skulls


    Isaac and Lenna looked down at the glowing black, red, and purple stone embedded into the churned up ground in front of them. ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t break this.¡± Isaac said with a look of total perplexity on his face.


    Lenna hummed in thought. ¡°Let me try.¡± She stated and reached for her sword only to find it missing from her scabbard. ¡°Oh, right.¡± She looked around but the back half of her sword was nowhere to be found. The pointy end had been completely annihilated by Shamsha courtesy of a disintegration infused branch of contorted magical reality. ¡°I, uhm, seem to have lost my sword.¡±


    ¡°The one I got from Rei and Zei?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Y-Yeah.¡± Lenna said with a regretful sigh. ¡°Would it make you feel better if I told you Shamsha had disintegrated half of it before I lost it?¡± Isaac looked like someone had just burned down his favorite restaurant or died his favorite black cloak pink. Lenna patted him on the shoulder. ¡°I am sure that they are surprised that it lasted this long with how hard both of us are on equipment. What else from them hasn¡¯t been utterly destroyed yet?¡±


    ¡°Most of it, actually.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°The armor wasn¡¯t up to the stress of use but the swords had been holding up quite well.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t use the shortsword.¡± Lenna reminded him.


    ¡°But I have, and it¡¯s still in pretty good shape.¡± Isaac defended himself. ¡°The knife is still in great shape.¡±


    ¡°When was the last time you used it for anything other than cutting fruit?¡± Lenna questioned.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point here. Now you are just trying to distract me from the fact that you lost what was left of my sword.¡± Isaac accused her.


    ¡°Was it working?¡± Lenna asked flatly.


    Isaac was silent for a few seconds. ¡°Maybe.¡± He eventually replied.


    ¡°Let me try with your sword.¡± She told him and held out her hand.


    Isaac pulled the sword out of his Inventory and looked down at the thin blade. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to break it, are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stab with it so it doesn¡¯t flatten your edge.¡± She assured him.


    Isaac sighed and handed her his sword. ¡°Please don¡¯t break.¡± He said to the sword and Lenna rolled her eyes. Lenna stood over the ragged gem and closed her eyes to focus.


    ¡°Ama¡¯s death. My inability to protect my squad. Macken¡¯s assassination.¡± Lenna whispered to herself. With each statement of anger and pain her aura built. Flames built as her entire body seemed to turn into an untrimmed candle wick. The entire area was bathed in red, orange, and yellow light that brought with it the heavy sense of loss and pain that was used to fuel a burning rage towards the world, fate, and Dri¡¯El. With a primal yell that surprised Isaac, Lenna drove the point of the sword down into the heartcrystal of Shamsha. The tip of her, Isaac¡¯s, sword drove two inches into the gem before it was halted. Lenna heaved deep and heavy breaths as her aura faded.


    ¡°Feel better?¡± Isaac asked her with some concern in his voice.


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    Lenna nodded. ¡°A bit.¡± She replied breathily. ¡°I broke it.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s face paled and looked down over his sword in a panic. ¡°Not this one too.¡± He whined.


    Lenna chuckled. ¡°Not your sword.¡± She replied and hefted the gem up into the air with the sword.


    ¡°It¡¯s losing power.¡± Isaac said and placed his hand on the gem. ¡°Slowly but¡­ wait, even with that much damage it is only barely losing power.¡± he told her. ¡°We should get this to Jala while it¡¯s still fresh and before something crazy happens like the skeleton comes back to unlife¡­¡± Isaac¡¯s voice trailed off and his head slowly turned to see Shamsha¡¯s very dead face. Isaac reached down and grabbed the skull of the Lord of Undeath, Isaac absently wondered how many ¡®Lords of Undeath¡¯ he would meet in his lifetime, and picked it up with ease. The rest of the pile of bones stayed where it was, in a heap, on the ground.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Lenna asked. As she studied his face an idea of what he might be thinking came to her: ¡°You can¡¯t be serious?¡± She questioned. ¡°Him?¡±


    Isaac nodded slowly. ¡°I probably could have done it to Jallen but he would have eviscerated himself as soon as he tried to use one of those divine attack things and there is no way that he would have had a real aura.¡± He explained. Lenna was about to correct him on the proper term but he continued before she could. ¡°The same goes for any paladin but this is different. Shamsha is worth it.¡±


    ¡°And Shaeo¡¯ahna wasn¡¯t?¡± She replied incredulously.


    Isaac nodded in agreement. ¡°We¡¯ve never needed another person in the front. We both almost exclusively attack at melee range. Kahtesh¡¯s only real use is that of a portable lightning bolt spawner.¡± His eyes just kept getting wider at the possibilities. ¡°Imagine if we had this monster living in my shadow.¡±


    ¡°But what about Kahtesh and his¡­ soulshadow?¡± Lenna wondered.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Only one way to find out.¡± He replied simply. ¡°But regardless, not here.¡± He said and tossed Shamsha¡¯s skull into his Inventory. ¡°We can do that at home when we aren¡¯t being watched by drow scouts.¡±


    ¡°Drow scouts?¡± Lenna asked and casually looked around.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°They¡¯ve been watching the castle from the other end of the cavern.¡± He explained.


    ¡°The end we came from?¡± Lenna questioned.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No, the dead end.¡± He replied and they both looked through the rubble across the open space to the other end of the massive cavern. It really was a deadend, at least it looked like it and that was what it said on the map, as the cavern¡¯s ceiling simply sloped downwards until it made contact with the ground. ¡°Let¡¯s just go.¡± He told her.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± She agreed and the pair headed off towards Safeharbor.


    ¡ª


    ¡°I guess it was poor form of me to hope that Shamsha was just messing with us when he said that they would just run free.¡± Isaac commented.


    Lenna nodded as she hacked through another skeleton on their way to Safeharbor. ¡°You think the city is still there?¡± She asked him.


    ¡°Gods, I hope so.¡± Isaac swore. ¡°If not, I might crush Shamsha¡¯s skull out of spite.¡±


    Lenna sighed. ¡°Only one way to find out, right?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± He agreed. ¡°Wanna see who kills the most before we get back?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ nevermind.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°You¡¯d cheat and only cleanse your own exhaustion or something. Not to mention, I am breaking these after only a swing or¡­ two.¡± She punctuated it by breaking a crossguard off a sword in a skeleton¡¯s skull. Her aura coated her fist and she punched the broken off crossguard which went clean through the back of the skeleton¡¯s skull.


    ¡°Actually, I have a question.¡± Isaac stated. Lenna didn¡¯t bother to reply because she knew that he would ask whether or not she told him to go ahead. ¡°What is really keeping them together?¡± He asked. ¡°Like, why do they collapse when their skulls get destroyed? Why do they keep going when their arms and legs are crushed but once you break their spine or skull they collapse?¡±


    ¡°The spell that animates them uses the skull as an anchor point.¡± She explained. ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice the gold paint inside their skulls?¡±


    ¡°Gold paint?¡± Isaac asked and ripped a skeleton¡¯s head off so he could turn it upside down and look inside. ¡°Huh.¡± He said. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± He then threw the skull at another skeleton and destroyed another with a swing of his sword. ¡°But what about their spine?¡±


    Lenna shrugged and punched another one so hard her fist got lodged in its skull. She didn¡¯t slow but simply used the skeleton as a flail to attack the next one. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She answered. ¡°Probably something to do with how the spell works. Ask Jala when we get back.¡±


    ¡°It was just a passing curiosity. It¡¯s not like I can cast spells like that anyway. I only really need to know enough to recognize and counter them.¡± He replied. ¡°This is going to take all day isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Lenna sighed. The only reason she was still moving was the trickle of death flames Isaac was feeding her. ¡°Probably.¡± She agreed. ¡°I hope Celeste has something warm to eat when we get back.¡±


    Isaac laughed. ¡°Me too. Actually, while we are back on the topic of Safeharbor, what do you think happened to Alexander? He never showed up when I used the beacon.¡±


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°No idea.¡± She replied. ¡°It is probably a good thing that he didn¡¯t. I doubt he would have survived the rest of the battle.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°Well, wherever he is, I hope he isn¡¯t dead. I won¡¯t be able to pick on him for not showing up otherwise.¡±

 Chapter 60 Two Days?!

    Chapter 60 Two Days?!


    Phantom watched from the roof of a nearby building as Edward rallied the soldiers. ¡°He should have it handled.¡± He said to himself and headed for the clock tower. Once there he looked around for Marie but couldn¡¯t see her, not that that wasn¡¯t expected, so he took a seat on the edge of the roof. As he looked around he saw a collapsed building from the ground tremor and Alexander passed out on the roof of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. ¡°This could have been a lot worse.¡± He idly thought aloud to himself.


    ¡°Yes, it could have.¡± Marie replied as she appeared next to him. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Phantom smirked. ¡°Anytime, Teach.¡±


    ¡°You know who I am, you don¡¯t have to call me that anymore.¡± Marie told him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not calling you ¡®Assassin of a Thousand Faces¡¯. It¡¯s too much of a mouthful.¡± He said casually.


    ¡°You can call me Marie.¡± She offered. ¡°I think you¡¯ve earned it.¡±


    Phantom shrugged. ¡°I think I¡¯ll stick to calling you ¡®Teach¡¯ if that¡¯s okay.¡±


    Marie was silent for a long moment. ¡°It makes me feel old.¡± She confided in him. Phantom burst out laughing. Marie punched him in the arm and he almost fell off the clock tower. His laughter only intensified. ¡°Bastard.¡± She called him.


    ¡°Ha, I, hahahaha, I can¡¯t, haha, Marie, you¡¯re twice my age ya know?¡± Phantom replied through his laughter.


    Marie scowled at him and shoved him off the clock tower. Phantom¡¯s laughter abruptly cut off as he twisted in mid air and threw his grappling hook up to the edge. It caught easily enough and he slowed his descent to a stop over the course of half a dozen feet to make sure the hook wouldn¡¯t carve up the rooftop. He pulled himself back up over the ledge still chuckling to himself. ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck.¡± She warned him.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± He replied seriously but the smirk on his face still bled through clearly enough for Marie to scowl at him. ¡°How¡¯s the dukeling and duchess?¡±


    ¡°He is the heir to your home territory.¡± Marie reminded him. ¡°You should refer to him with some level of respect.¡±


    ¡°I will when he has earned it.¡± Phantom said casually. ¡°Are they unpacking?¡±


    Marie nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve been in contact with Sera this entire time.¡± She explained. ¡°Why did you come back here?¡±


    ¡°To find someone to talk to while I wait for you-know-who to come back.¡± Phantom explained.


    ¡°You¡¯d have better luck finding your brother. They won¡¯t be back for a while. Not unless someone goes and gets them and well,¡± Marie gestured towards where multiple mages were sitting and meditating together. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect that anytime soon.¡±


    ¡ª


    Marie was right. It was not anytime soon. Isaac and Lenna had waded through so many skeletons that they had lost count. Shamsha¡¯s Starfall hadn¡¯t destroyed nearly as many skeletons as either of the pair would have wanted. Miles upon miles of skeletons were wiped out as the pair cleaved a path through them towards home. Neither of them had any idea how long it had been by the time they reached the end of the tunnel that led to Safeharbor¡¯s cavern.


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    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s still standing at least.¡± Isaac said as they continued carving through the undead.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost empty out here.¡± Lenna observed. ¡°Safeharbor must¡¯ve cleaned most of them out already.¡±


    As correct as Lenna¡¯s observation was, they couldn¡¯t really feel the difference in enemy density. The massive amount of noise the pair were making only served to pull in more and more skeletons. ¡°How many should we say we killed?¡± Isaac asked her.


    ¡°A hundred thousand.¡± Lenna replied as she broke another skeleton with another skeleton. ¡°I feel like I haven¡¯t eaten in days.¡±


    ¡°Did, did you lose track of time?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°No.¡± Lenna said defensively. ¡°Maybe a little.¡±


    ¡°Take a guess then.¡± Isaac told her.


    ¡°A day or so?¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Or so?¡± Isaac requested clarification.


    ¡°Well, it took us thirteen hours to get there.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°And we were running. We¡¯ve been walking most of the way back at, three miles per hour maybe? The first part of our return trip was empty so we could run. We¡¯ve walked maybe half of it.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been gone for two days?!¡± Isaac exclaimed. After the first two hours of fighting they had fallen into a trance and simply cut down skeletons with every step forwards for the last sixty miles or so.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°That sounds right.¡± She gestured towards Safeharbor. ¡°It looks like the way should be clear once we get through these. Want to run back?¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No. We have a reputation to uphold. We¡¯ll just keep killing everything that gets too close. We¡¯ve already been gone this long, what is another hour or two?¡±


    Lenna nodded in agreement. ¡°How is your gear holding up?¡± She asked him.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Isaac said and inspected his sword while three floating spears made of shadows formed and punched through the closest undead¡¯s heads. ¡°It needs sharpening but the enchantments are doing a great job of preventing most of the wear and tear.¡±


    ¡°What about the armor?¡± Lenna wondered. She had noticed his floppy pauldron a long time ago and was surprised that it was still hanging on.


    ¡°The skeletons can¡¯t damage it. Shamsha banged it up a bit though.¡± Isaac stated the obvious. ¡°Seriously though, how many skeletons do you think we¡¯ve killed? How many skeletons do you think he summoned?¡±


    ¡°I think a hundred thousand is probably accurate and ten per two seconds for a day or so.¡± Lenna offered. ¡°That was about how fast they were coming out of the portal.¡±


    ¡°How did he maintain control over so many of them?¡± Isaac wondered. ¡°That¡¯s over four hundred thousand skeletons.¡±


    ¡°It probably wasn¡¯t that many.¡± Lenna corrected. ¡°But it was a lot. And he probably had some runic array set up or something inside that demiplane his portal went to.¡±


    ¡°How do you know it was a demiplane? And, aside from the obvious, what is a demiplane?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°It looked too fake inside to be anything else. You can usually tell when the entire thing is fabricated via magic.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°It is the obvious.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°It is a diminutive plane of existence summoned, created, and controlled via magic.¡±


    ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll be able to get into it?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°Alexander probably can, given enough time and protection. It probably has good loot inside.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Where could he have gotten all of those skeletons to reanimate in the first place though, like how long would he have been collecting corpses from battlefields to have half a million skeletons to throw at us?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°It just doesn¡¯t seem plausible.¡±


    ¡°The last dragon surge.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°He probably just cleaned up battlefields after humans and elves got massacred by dragons. For humans it always seems like the dragon surge was ancient history but elves usually have their first or second child around the time they turn three hundred. If each generation is that long then it has only been a little more than four generations since the last dragon surge. It could be more or less but you get the point. For us, it wasn¡¯t really that long ago.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°For humans it¡¯s about twenty years on average right? So that is something like sixty four generations. It was twelve hundred and eighty years ago or so right?¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes to both.¡± She answered him. ¡°We should have another seven to twelve hundred years of safety. Maybe longer if the humans on the plains keep killing each other en masse.¡±


    ¡°Because it goes by population.¡± Isaac remembered.


    Lenna nodded in affirmation. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°They¡¯re back!¡± A soldier on watch yelled. The immediate reaction from everyone nearby was to shush him and scowl at the boy. They had silenced the clock tower because the last time it had rung it called a thousand skeletons towards the city. Everyone was doing their best to keep the noise levels down until Safeharbor¡¯s fighting force had enough time to rest and recuperate. Once everyone was ready they would start the real clean up operation. Even though the skeletons weren¡¯t under anyone¡¯s direct control anymore they were still a threat in their massive numbers.


    ¡°Send for the Duke and Guild Master.¡± Sergeant Thomson ordered a nearby messenger. ¡°Tell them they have returned and are bringing with them the rest of the undead.¡± The messenger nodded and took off in a run. ¡°Get every off duty guardsman you can find up here with every blessed arrow and bolt we have left.¡± He ordered another messenger. ¡°And find a healer just in case.¡± He added and took Edward¡¯s position above the gate. Once the Guild Master or Duke arrived he would cede the position but until then he was the most experienced, highest rank, guardsman on duty. ¡°Raise the gate five feet and lock it.¡± He ordered the pair that operated the gate¡¯s winch. ¡°Get ready to slam it as soon as they are inside.¡±

 Chapter 61 For What It’s Worth

    Chapter 61 For What It¡¯s Worth


    ¡°The heroes return.¡± Izen greeted the duo of returning adventurers at the gate. A cleric was standing next to him, ready to begin healing any injuries at a moment''s notice. ¡°Welcome back.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Isaac said with a nod. ¡°I think Lenna and I need a bath and a hot meal. Would it be alright if I gave you a report later? The problem has been handled, for now. Hopefully Jala can make it permanent.¡±


    Izen joined the pair as they headed into the city. The sight of the duke walking alongside anyone made sure that everyone stayed out of the way. The fact that Duke Arbencroft¡¯s interlocutors were the famous Lord of Darkness and Lady of Hellfire only multiplied people¡¯s willingness to keep to themselves. ¡°If it is not anything that should be classified, I am fine with a verbal report now, if you are.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Isaac conceded and began retelling his and Lenna¡¯s adventure to reach and then ¡®slay¡¯ Shamsha V¡¯Nova. They followed it up with the durability of the hearthstone and the tale of over a day of not-so-glorious battle that was their return trip.


    ¡°Another old V¡¯Nova¡­¡± Izen said to himself. ¡°Lenna, how many more ancient threats do you think are hiding in Contantis?¡±


    Lenna shook her head with a frown. ¡°I had no idea this one even existed.¡± She confessed. ¡°It caught me entirely by surprise that we had a Lich ancestor. Only the elders know what else is buried under that city.¡±


    ¡°Do you think Lady L¡¯Vore would know?¡± Izen questioned. ¡°Alexander had mentioned that she said the name: Shamsha.¡±


    Isaac stopped walking and turned to lock eyes with Lenna. ¡°We need to have a talk with your aunt.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°I believe I will join you.¡± Izen added. His guards shared a look behind their backs that made it clear to each other that they both felt uneasy around Jala L¡¯Vore.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Auntie?¡± Lenna said tentatively to get Jala¡¯s attention. Jala was elbows deep in an entire cow. No one, not even the soldiers guarding her tower, knew where it came from or when it had arrived.


    ¡°Yes, hello, dear.¡± Jala said with a grunt as she hauled out the animal¡¯s massive heart and, as gently as she could, plopped it down onto the countertop behind her.


    ¡°What do you know about Shamsha?¡± Lenna questioned directly. Isaac and Izen were a step behind Lenna and were content to let the paladin get any information she could out of the mad witch. Fen, for his part, had barely glanced up from his book to take note of those entering before he decided to, at the very least pretend to, go back to reading his book.


    ¡°So it was him then?¡± Jala answered Lenna¡¯s question with a question.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Who was he and how did you know about him?¡± She questioned gently.


    ¡°Just an old man with a silly name and a short temper who stayed here long past his time.¡± Jala explained. ¡°He did it in the worst way possible too.¡± She added with a shake of her head. ¡°I tried to study him once, it was an awful time. He kept yelling about insolence and whatnot.¡±


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    Lenna nodded slowly. ¡°I¡­ see¡­¡± She responded before she decided that it was time to move on. ¡°Are there any other¡­ interesting things locked in Contantis¡¯s cellar?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Jala replied and finally turned to look at Lenna. ¡°Interesting things? Hmm¡­ There was that petrified hero from the last dragon surge. He picked a fight with the wrong L¡¯Vore if I remember correctly. That one might be interesting to you. I took most of what I found interesting with me when I left the city, the first time, and I never really gave it back. Jallen never asked for it so it didn¡¯t seem like a problem.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Thank you.¡± Lenna told her aunt. ¡°About Shamsha, what are we supposed to do with his heartst-¡±


    ¡°You have it!¡± Jala exclaimed and all but jumped onto her niece. Fen winced at the volume and scowled at his book like he was disappointed in it for causing trouble. The look was definitely not meant for the book.


    ¡°Yes but-¡± Lenna tried again to finish a sentence.


    ¡°Where?!¡± Jala demanded. ¡°That was the one part of the old bastard I never got a good look at.¡± Jala stuffed her hand into Lenna¡¯s Bottomless Bag before Lenna could even properly react and withdrew the hearthstone of the ancient undead mage. ¡°Ah ha!¡± She exclaimed and ran across the room and down the stairs to a different laboratory that was better set up for studying magic items and souls.


    Lenna, Isaac, and Izen followed her at a measured pace like none of them were sure if it was a good idea or not. Fen didn¡¯t look up from his book until one of Izen¡¯s guards tried to follow them. One glance from Fen halted the guard in his tracks. The utter confidence and ancient power in his gaze sent shivers up the man¡¯s spine. ¡°I will be fine.¡± Izen assured his guard with a nod and then rejoined Isaac and Lenna. Fen casually went back to his book and the guard looked utterly lost with what he was supposed to do.


    Jala immediately dove into studying the magical gem. ¡°Uh, auntie? Jala?¡± Lenna said to try and get her attention. ¡°Can you promise me that he isn¡¯t going to come back or anything?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that won¡¯t be a problem.¡± Jala assured her niece. ¡°How long has he been dead for?¡± She asked and then shook her head. ¡°Never mind, I can get a more accurate time in a moment. Regardless, it will be fine. I have him handled.¡±


    ¡°I, uh, alright.¡± Lenna conceded and turned to look at Isaac and Izen. ¡°She says she has it handled.¡± She parroted with a shrug.


    ¡°That¡¯s good enough for me.¡± Isaac replied and turned to leave. ¡°Everything else is officially a ¡®tomorrow problem¡¯.¡± He said and made for the stairs.


    ¡°If you are both sure¡­¡± Izen said but didn¡¯t look very convinced.


    ¡°Jala¡¯s been learning instead of creating. We only have to worry once she starts creating again.¡± Isaac said while waving off Izen¡¯s concerns. ¡°Actually, Jala!¡± Isaac called out.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Jala replied and turned to look at him. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°What is the end goal with all of your research? I can¡¯t imagine someone like you would be doing all of this just for the knowledge itself.¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Jala¡¯s face immediately brightened. ¡°I am going to create artificial life.¡± She replied simply. ¡°The ultimate lifeform capable of growth and learning and even being resurrected.¡±


    Isaac nodded in understanding. Suddenly all of the times Jala had seemingly gotten distracted by odd things made sense. At first it hadn¡¯t made very much sense to Isaac that Jala had wanted to study his animation process and Kahtesh as much as she had wanted to but now the pieces had properly fit together. ¡°That sounds¡­ both heretical and utterly-¡±


    ¡°Amazing?!¡± Jala cut in.


    ¡°I was going to say insane but amazing works just as well.¡± Isaac conceded. ¡°Insane is quite on brand for you though so I¡¯m not really surprised.¡± Jala just shrugged and got back to work. Isaac nodded to himself. ¡°Good talk.¡± He said more to himself than to her and left with Lenna and Izen.


    ¡°Researching artificial life is outlawed.¡± Izen explained to the pair in a whisper. He didn¡¯t want his guards to hear what they had just learned. ¡°Try to keep this a secret if you want her to stay here.¡±


    ¡°That bad?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°The Church Inquisitors would show up within a week to hunt her down for heresy.¡± Izen explained.


    ¡°Noted. We¡¯ll keep it quiet.¡± Isaac assured him. ¡°Are you convinced that Jala has it handled now?¡±


    Izen¡¯s lips were pursed into a thin line. ¡°Yes, though I do not like it, I am positive that this ¡®Shamsha¡¯ will not be a problem anymore.¡± Answered Izen. ¡°With this, I will let you go rest.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I was wondering about the battle.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°How bad was it?¡±


    ¡°Three deaths.¡± Izen replied simply. ¡°All of them are alive again already. Alexander took responsibility for everything. It was his plan and he insisted on bearing its failures. I am sure that he is glad that you both returned safely.¡±


    Isaac nodded along with Izen¡¯s explanation. ¡°Thanks and, for what it¡¯s worth coming from me, you all did much better than either of us could have hoped. We saw how many skeletons were heading your way but we couldn¡¯t take the time to try and thin them out. Safeharbor had been put to the test recently and has come out on top with colors held high. So, I guess, what I am trying to say is, ¡®Good job and I am glad that I chose this city.¡¯¡±


    Izen couldn¡¯t form a reply immediately and Isaac took the opportunity to leave before he could. Izen was so completely taken off guard by Isaac¡¯s sudden praise that for the first time in a long time he was left utterly speechless. Isaac and Lenna were long gone before a smile crept onto the duke¡¯s face. ¡°You know, for what it¡¯s worth coming from me, I am glad you did too.¡± Izen said to Isaac, even though the dark mage was far out of earshot, but regardless of distance, the sentiment was felt in the future demigod¡¯s heart. Safeharbor wasn¡¯t the most righteous or beautiful city by any means but it was now also Isaac¡¯s city. Together the dark mage, his mate, the duke, and the duchess would ensure that Safeharbor lived up to its name with the help of all of their family, friends, and allies.

 Chapter 62 Yellow Dress

    Chapter 62 Yellow Dress


    After well over a day of rest and ¡®recuperation¡¯, the V¡¯Nova Wexler duo found themselves in the Guild Hall verbally accepting their payment for services rendered. ¡°We can¡¯t pay you right away.¡± Edward explained. ¡°Usually a city that dealt with this many city-ending threats would have been abandoned on the surface. The only reason the Arbencroft Duchy is propped up by the rest of the Altian Kingdom is to safeguard it from the drow empire. Because of our status as a fortress town and our negative budget, C.A.S.T. will not let me keep more than a few hundred thousand gold on hand at any given time. Apparently the risk of robbery is too high.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever been robbed?¡± Isaac wondered. He had taken so many I-owe-yous from the Guild and Duke that taking another one wouldn¡¯t matter very much, as long as he got his money eventually that is.


    ¡°Once.¡± Edward conceded. ¡°A tracker from the main branch arrived and found the thief within a day.¡±


    ¡°How did he do it?¡± Isaac asked curiously.


    ¡°Do what?¡± Edward questioned.


    ¡°Track down the thief.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Listen, Isaac, I trust you.¡± Edward began.


    ¡°I sense a ¡®but¡¯ coming.¡± Isaac cut in.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t know if I should trust that you won¡¯t just take a payment that is due to you at your leisure if you knew no one would ever be able to prove that you did it.¡± Edward explained.


    Isaac had to cede the point. ¡°That is fair. A little hurtful, maybe, but fair.¡±


    ¡°If it makes you feel any better, the Guild still owes me money for the payouts I footed a little while ago.¡± Offered Edward.


    ¡°So they track down missing money in a day or so but take forever to pay their own debts.¡± Isaac said dryly.


    ¡°The Guild Leader is a little¡­ odd. He¡¯ll make sure you get your money, even if it happens post mortem.¡± Edward replied. ¡°He seems to have a sort of blindness to the passage of time. The only reason he, and his minions in the capitol, are so on top of missing money is because there isn¡¯t a guarantee that the guild will get its money at all. C.A.S.T. has never cheated anyone out of their money, even if they can be stingy when it comes to paying from time to time.¡±


    ¡°What am I supposed to do in the meantime though?¡± Isaac wondered. ¡°Lenna¡¯s started punching monsters to death. She needs a new sword.¡±


    Edward raised an eyebrow. ¡°If all you need is a sword, I might have an idea. Let me get back to you on it. For now, just sit tight and if you absolutely need money for something, come to me and I¡¯ll figure it out.¡±


    Isaac was genuinely surprised at the honest generosity from Edward, even if the Guild Master would eventually get his money back it was still a very personal offer. ¡°I will. Thank you.¡± Isaac replied with a nod in thanks.


    ¡°Do you have anything to keep you busy until the money arrives?¡± Edward wondered.


    ¡°Sort of. I¡¯ll let you know how it goes. Why? Is there something you need done?¡± Isaac asked.


    Edward shook his head. ¡°Nothing that I need anyone over level seven for. The sewers need fifty men for their half a decade sweep. It is usually just mutated rats and the occasional naturally reanimated animal skeleton. None of the guards will go down there unless it has started causing problems on the surface but by then it requires an extermination squad and turns into a whole small crusade.¡± Edward explained. ¡°If you didn¡¯t have anything to keep you out of trouble then you could join but, as long as I get a few weeks to catch up on paperwork and breathe before the next catastrophe happens, I will be happy.¡±


    ¡°As interesting as seeing the way the sewers operate would be, I¡¯m allergic to horrid smells and fecal grime.¡± Isaac lightheartedly replied.


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna added with a very serious look on her face.


    Edward chuckled at the fact that even the rather serious Lenna was taking part in the joke and shook his head. ¡°It was worth a shot. If you¡¯ll excuse me, I have a mountain of paperwork waiting for me.¡± Edward sighed and left to engage in the worst part of any leadership position.


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    ¡ª


    Klein had been walking for well over four hours but during that time the sun hadn¡¯t moved an inch. It was still noontime and he was sweating buckets under the unforgiving tropical sun. Cicadas buzzed continuously in rhythmic patterns as they seemed to cheer him on, or maybe that was just his imagination, as he climbed what had been referred to as ¡®The Ten Thousand Steps To Enlightenment¡¯. Klein knew that it was a bunch of bull shit spouted by the monks at the bottom of Ori Jikan¡¯s mountain. He also knew that she had sped up the passage of time inside of her domain to allow him to make the climb without the rest of the world passing him by. He also knew that she was deliberately not coming to meet him.


    Klein finally came to a stop at the top of the last step and grabbed his knees while panting heavily. ¡°There is no way that there are only ten thousand steps.¡± He complained through deep breaths. He shook his head and looked up to see a woman that he had always been quite fond of, though never really in the romantic sense, that he hadn¡¯t seen for quite a while.


    The woman¡¯s long, flowing, pure black, silky hair was being combed by a woman who looked almost exactly like her, no doubt a descendant of her sister¡¯s clan, with her eyes closed and face tilted towards the hot sun. ¡°It is ten thousand from the last lantern.¡± Ori explained. Her peaceful expression was the pure definition of perfection as the warm sunlight caused her perfectly smooth skin to glow. She was a small woman and the stone that she was perched on, combined with her flowing white and red robes, made her look like a winter court fairy princess out of an old legend. Maybe she was who the legend was about in the first place since he had only heard about it four centuries ago.


    ¡°The first section is known as the Path To Peace and it is twenty three thousand, three hundred and thirty three steps.¡± The attendant added with a slight bow towards Klein. ¡°This servant from house Jikan greets you, Klein Fehnok, demigod of Space.¡±


    ¡°Hi.¡± Klein said through deep breaths. ¡°Do you have any water up here?¡± Klein questioned his old friend.


    Ori gestured to an area a dozen feet away from him of open grass and suddenly there was a small koi pond. ¡°Plenty.¡± She replied casually.


    ¡°You know what I meant.¡± Klein lightheartedly scolded her.


    The servant girl looked like she was about to leave to fetch something from the house that Klein knew existed from his previous visits but couldn¡¯t see. It looked as though the only things on top of Ori¡¯s mountain were them, her rock seat, and now a koi pond. ¡°No.¡± She told her servant. ¡°He can drink out of the pond. It has been a millennium since I last saw him.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been like two hundred years. And that is only because you haven¡¯t come to a Council since Battle complained about your cookies. We both know that he was only trying to get under your skin so you would fight him. Blade has complained every decade that no one brings snacks anymore, it even got to the point where he said that he wouldn¡¯t finish Battle¡¯s new ax until he apologized to you.¡± Klein ranted. There was just something about being in Ori¡¯s presence that made him feel like he was in his fifties again.


    Ori finally looked down and opened her eyes so she could see him. ¡°Is that why he came?¡± She asked. ¡°I never let him in.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Klein replied flatly. ¡°When was the last time you¡¯ve even left your mountain?¡±


    ¡°Last month.¡± The servant answered for her. It seemed that she knew her mistress very well. For someone who lorded over time itself, Ori was awful at keeping track of it.


    ¡°And how long was she gone?¡± Klein asked.


    The girl shook her head. ¡°A minute, from my perspective.¡±


    ¡°So you just took a year sojourn for what, new paints?¡± Klein questioned.


    ¡°There was a new species of frog found in the Jilanian Jungle and I wanted to paint it.¡± Ori explained simply and pulled a painting, of a tree frog with pink skin and yellow eyes sitting next to a pink flower in bloom, out of the air and showed it to him. It was perfect and utterly lifelike.


    Klein sighed. ¡°It looks very nice.¡± He told her. ¡°But other than miss¡­¡±


    ¡°Amaya.¡± The servant replied.


    ¡°Amaya, that¡¯s a pretty name, who have you talked to within the last hundred years?¡± Klein pointedly questioned his oldest surviving friend.


    ¡°It could have been you if you came by more often.¡± Ori shot back.


    ¡°Ori, even if I did come by at regular intervals, who knows if it would have been a year or a thousand for you.¡± Klein argued and then took a deep breath. He let it out slowly. ¡°I-¡±


    Ori cut him off: ¡°Came here for a reason other than to talk to me. I know. Why do you think I made you walk the entire way up here?¡±


    Klein sighed again and nodded. ¡°Can we at least sit and talk?¡±


    Ori stared at him for a moment that could have been a second or a century and he wouldn¡¯t have known the difference. ¡°Fine.¡± She conceded and got up from her seat. No sooner had her bottom left the stone had an entire oriental building materialized behind her. The wood was painted a brilliant scarlet and the floors were sapphire crystal. Every window lacked a pane as no winds or bugs could enter the house without her permission. She walked up the three stairs to her porch and in a blink Amaya had appeared with a tea table, chairs, and a steaming tea set. A wave of dizziness assaulted Klein and he almost lost his balance. ¡°You know better than to try and resist me on my mountain.¡± Ori scolded him.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to.¡± Klein groaned. ¡°If you would have given me some warning I wouldn¡¯t have instinctually fought it.¡±


    ¡°Sit.¡± Ori ordered him and let Amaya get her chair for her. Klein soon joined her around a porcelain tea table. The tea set was entirely made of almost perfectly clear diamonds. It brought him back to their youth when the two of them, along with Gravity, figured out how to artificially create diamonds by subjecting the right material to the right forces for the right amount of time.


    Amaya served them a simple black tea and suddenly it was sunset. ¡°I, please, Ori, stop bullying me, I am sorry that I haven¡¯t come to see you recently.¡± Klein told her with a seated bow.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Ori replied noncommittally. ¡°Why are you here Fehnok?¡±


    The use of his family name instead of his given name hit him like a blade in the heart. ¡°There is a boy claiming to be a demigod.¡± He began. ¡°Judgment tried to kill him but was forced to reconstitute himself. Judgment lost in an open battle in front of a thousand witnesses.¡±


    Ori sipped from her tea. ¡°So?¡± She asked. ¡°What is another demigod? There are so many of us already. Remember when there were only ten on the planet?¡±


    ¡°The problem is that he is claiming to be the demigod of Darkness.¡± Klein replied.


    Ori slowly set down her tea. ¡°I see. You want me to check him out without scaring him into hiding. You want me to find out if we need to put down a demigod before he becomes a problem.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Klein replied. ¡°Would you come to the next Council if Battle wasn¡¯t allowed to come?¡±


    ¡°You would ban a demigod from a meeting of demigods to eat my cookies?¡± Ori asked without a single change in her impartial facial expression.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Klein replied. He wasn¡¯t sure if he had just set off a trap or not but after a moment of silence Ori didn¡¯t react either way so he continued on with the reason he was there. ¡°So? Will you do it?¡±


    ¡°Which?¡± Ori questioned.


    ¡°Both?¡± Klein offered hopefully.


    Ori sighed. ¡°Fine.¡± She conceded. ¡°But Battle will be wearing a bright yellow dress for the entirety of the Council.¡±


    Klein snorted a laugh. ¡°Alright, I can do that.¡±

 Chapter 63 That wasn’t me.

    Chapter 63 That wasn¡¯t me.


    ¡°Hey boss, did ya forget about me?¡± Phantom said from the other side of the roof of the Celestial Dawn.


    Isaac raised an eyebrow in question. He had just sat down with Shamsha¡¯s skull and was about to start diving into it. Kahtesh was back in one piece and curled up a few feet away from him. Lenna was halfway up the stairs as she had stopped her ascent at the sound of someone¡¯s voice. ¡°No? Is something wrong?¡± Isaac asked.


    Phantom shook his head. ¡°No. I just expected some kind of reprimand for joining the battle on the wall.¡± He explained.


    ¡°You joined the battle?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°Also, why does your voice sound weird?¡±


    ¡°Teach gave me this.¡± Phantom replied and tapped on the choker around his neck. ¡°It changes my voice so no one will recognize me.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Alright, why did you join the battle?¡±


    ¡°It was payment for making sure G.M. didn¡¯t get himself killed during a heroic last stand on the walls.¡± Phantom replied.


    ¡°G.M?¡± Isaac parroted in question.


    ¡°Guild Master. Some of the street kids that work with the guild have been calling him that.¡± Phantom explained.


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°Did anyone recognize you?¡±


    Phantom shook his head. ¡°Not that I know of. I feel like it would have been better if I just kept my mouth shut about it.¡±


    Lenna sighed and sat down on the top step with a clear view of both boys. ¡°It was reckless but I understand.¡± She told him. ¡°Just, be careful, alright.¡±


    Phantom nodded. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± He replied with enough seriousness that she knew that he had heard and understood her and would take her advice into consideration in the future. She was also distinctly aware that her advice probably would not keep him from doing the same thing later. ¡°So, what did I interrupt?¡±


    ¡°I was about to try and recreate the necromancer that caused our two day war against the undead.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Did you have anything to report?¡±


    Phantom shook his head. ¡°Not really. The slums are the slums but nothing incredibly heinous is going on that I can¡¯t fix on my own. You are too high profile for some low-level criminals downtown. If anything huge comes up again, like with Duncan, I¡¯ll let you know.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Thank you. Keep up the good work. We can head out again in a day or so if you want.¡± He offered Phantom.


    Phantom shook his head. ¡°I think I can fight any small and weak enemies perfectly fine. I need to fight some real monsters. Like basilisks or mushroom soldiers. Next time you are going to come across something like that it would be great if I could tag along.¡± Phantom requested. ¡°Can I watch?¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it, and yes, as long as you stay quiet. I am used to an audience when I am up here. I¡¯m never sure where I am being watched from but I know they are out there.¡± He said and glanced around at all of the buildings tall enough to get a look at their rooftop, there weren¡¯t many.


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    ¡°Is it a good thing that I have my mask on?¡± Phantom asked warily.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Probably. It is a lot harder for them to follow us whenever we meet up with you in the slums. The disappearing act we do every time has always worked, at least for a little while.¡± He finished explaining and shifted his position slightly. Isaac took a deep breath and then let it out slowly as he started to work his mana into the skull that was nestled between his hands on his lap.


    ¡ª


    Shamsha had finally finished it. He looked across the room at the corpse of his mother. The conflicting feelings revolving around the woman warred within him. On one hand, he had truly loved her. On the other, he knew that he had always been a replacement for his older sister who was stillborn. He sighed and then chuckled at what he had just done. Soon sighing would be a thing of the past. His gaze swept over the massive ritual painted in the blood of his family members, not all of them of course, just the ones with a direct blood connection to himself. His older brother, mother, and father. It had been gruesome business, keeping them alive so they could keep producing blood until he had enough for the ritual. Once it was done, he had trapped their souls inside enchanted diamonds just like a devil had taught him to. Finally, everything was ready.


    ¡°SOO-¡± He cut himself off with a wince. He had tried to speak using magic again but the volume was always hard for him to control. ¡°Soon this will be my voice and I will be truly immortal.¡± He had been repeating the phrase for days like a mantra. With one final look around the ritual, and the odd crystal he had traded a murderer¡¯s soul for from a devil, he took his place in the middle of the pentagram of blood.


    ¡°This had better work.¡± He whispered with his real voice. He glanced at the rune he had cast that would cast resurrection on him if he stayed dead for more than an hour. He took one last deep breath. ¡°Offero corpus meum et promitto animam meam sempiternam diabolo Asmongoldo pro potentia inmortuorum eternorum. Libenter hoc facio et pura mente. Nunc Shamsha V¡¯Nova factus sum, Domine inmortuae.¡±


    Magic rippled and a dozen mana stones were drained dry. Quartz crystals cracked as every drop of mana was ripped from them. Phantasmal hands of reality and soul magic ripped into his chest. The odd glowing crystal in his hands was stuffed into the gaping hole that opened up where his core was supposed to be. The weight of the hells pulled down on it more than he was expecting so it had fallen an inch or two before it finished fusing with his mana and soul. His skin was blasted away and his muscles were burned off but Shamsha couldn¡¯t feel anything but pain. Only in hindsight could he know what the pain was. The world had gone black almost immediately as his eyes ruptured under the immense magical pressure of three life forces, three souls, and three loved ones.


    Six gallons of blood, bled over six days, blazed with life force in the six large lines he had painted. The words he had spoken were written in three sets of nine that orbited the circle around the pentagram. He could distinctly feel them being seared into his very soul until finally everything clicked into place in one, final, resounding blast of agony.


    ¡ª


    Isaac¡¯s eyes shot open and he tossed the skull away from himself. He was covered in sweat and breathing heavily. ¡°It was just a dream.¡± He said to himself to help calm his pounding heart. ¡°That wasn¡¯t me. It was Shamsha. It wasn¡¯t real.¡±


    ¡°Isaac?¡± Lenna said worriedly from beside him. ¡°Are you okay? You looked like you wanted to scream but couldn¡¯t.¡± She grabbed his hands that he had been wringing without realizing it. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Shamsha.¡± Isaac spoke as his gaze bore into the skull that had finished rolling a dozen feet away from him. ¡°Shamsha was so much worse of a person that I expected. I don¡¯t know what I expected but it wasn¡¯t that.¡± Isaac said with a pained look on his face. He could still smell the blood and see the images of the shriveled corpses of Shamsha¡¯s family every time he blinked. ¡°I need water.¡± He told Lenna. ¡°I feel sick.¡±


    ¡°It was that bad?¡± Lenna asked as she let go of one of his hands so she could reach into her Bottomless Bag and get him some water.


    ¡°He farmed his own family for blood and then used their souls as fuel.¡± Isaac explained with a look of utter disgust on his face that was so intense it was mixed with horror and confusion at the act. One of the few things Isaac remembered from his first life was how much he cared, and was cared for, by his family. Doing what Shamsha had done to a random person was awful enough, but to his own family? Isaac felt his stomach turning in knots. ¡°I, I need a break.¡± Isaac said and took the offered waterskin without even realizing it. After a moment his mind seemed to catch up with his hand and he took a sip of water.


    ¡°Are you going to be alright?¡± Lenna asked him.


    Isaac rose to his feet. ¡°Yeah.¡± He told her. ¡°I just need a walk and some air.¡±


    ¡°Air?¡± Phantom asked. ¡°Down here?¡±


    ¡°Just a walk then.¡± Isaac replied unconsciously and started down the stairs to leave.


    ¡°What about the skull?¡± Lenna asked him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Isaac said barely loud enough for her to hear as he left.


    Lenna picked up the skull and put it in her Bottomless Bag. Kahtesh looked up at her like she was supposed to tell him what to do. ¡°Just follow him and make sure nothing happens to him while he¡¯s like this.¡± Lenna told the small bone dragon. ¡°That is all we can do for now. When he is ready to talk or move on from this, he will.¡± She looked after her mate. ¡°For now, let¡¯s just be nearby, okay?¡±


    Kahtesh bobbed his head slightly and then followed her gaze. He still wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about what his master was trying to do. All Kahtesh knew was that he was Kahtesh. He remembered as much as Isaac did about his life, which was only really his death, so was he even Kahtesh at all? Those thoughts were far too big for the little dragon so he just did as his master¡¯s mate had instructed him and followed after Isaac. Regardless of what was to come, Kahtesh would trust his master, after all, weren¡¯t they sort of the same thing.

 Chapter 64 Still In One Piece

    Chapter 64 Still In One Piece


    Lenna and Kahtesh followed Isaac as he wandered into the theater. Lenna had to unlock the door to follow him as Isaac had walked through the door without even blinking. Teleporting had become so natural to Isaac that crossing from one side of the door to the other was just like walking through any open doorway. After the short delay they found Isaac staring down at the piano. ¡°Should I?¡± Isaac questioned himself and the two spectators. Kahtesh rocked his head to the side. He didn¡¯t understand what his master wanted. Isaac¡¯s feelings were as dull as a paving stone. Kahtesh couldn¡¯t feel any intent from Isaac at all so he could only go off of what he heard and that was anything but helpful.


    ¡°Do what?¡± Lenna asked for them both.


    ¡°Bring him back, even a shadow of him.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I¡­ that man was truly evil in a way I thought only storybook villains could be. It is so hard for me to comprehend the acts of evil and violence that some people commit.¡± He said without taking his eyes off of the piano. ¡°I know that I am anything but a saint. I barely remember everyone that I have killed and even then it is only those I have killed in this life. I understand lashing out in anger or removing obstacles or fighting to the death for one¡¯s ideals or faction. I can understand all of that but something inside of Shamsha was just, just broken. He felt like he had real and normal feelings and emotions, hopes and dreams, but at the same time he felt no guilt over what he had done. He was sad that his mother was gone but only as much as if you had lost your favorite sword or pen. It was so wrong that I feel disgusting from living through just the shadow of it.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we should study Kahtesh some more. Maybe Jala can tell us more about Kahtesh¡¯s soulshadow.¡± Lenna offered. ¡°If we can be sure that there is none of the original in there, then you can use Shamsha¡¯s body and power for good, or at the very least, your own gain. It won¡¯t be enough to pay back his sins but it¡¯ll be better than just throwing away the resource we have taken.¡±


    Isaac sighed and sat down. He slowly opened the lid over the keys and ran his fingers over them. Isaac didn¡¯t answer Lenna with words but simply let his heart play the song of his feelings. It was a depressing song that brought with it the profound sadness that one has after witnessing a city crumble, or an orphanage burning to the ground. Lenna found herself instinctually clutching her chest as she listened to him. The song he played slowly changed from his heart to a dirge for those long dead. Isaac knew that no one had properly mourned Shamsha¡¯s family and he felt like he owed it to them for some reason. Even though Isaac hadn¡¯t been the one to do it, feeling and experiencing the aftermath through Shamsha threatened to make him feel guilty for something he hadn¡¯t done.


    Once Isaac was done he sighed and closed the lid. ¡°I don¡¯t need Jala.¡± Isaac told his mate and rose to his feet. ¡°I will bring back the monster¡¯s elvish skeleton and force it to work as I wish if I must. I hope Jala is having fun with his soul. She can be in charge of his soul¡¯s punishment. I will handle his body.¡±


    ¡ª


    Isaac scowled down at the skull in his hands. His gaze softened as he looked towards Kahtesh. ¡°Rather than making him from scratch. I want to merge you.¡± He explained to Kahtesh. ¡°There is a lot of awfulness in there but I need you to be strong. Accept the information, the memories, the knowledge of spellcraft, but reject the personality. Do you understand?¡± Isaac questioned his physical shadow.


    Kahtesh rocked his head to the side in reply. He very much did not understand.


    ¡°Just remember what I told you and try to will it to happen.¡± Isaac told Kahtesh.


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    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have a Willpower stat.¡± Lenna reminded him. ¡°Are you sure it is going to work?¡±


    ¡°It will.¡± Isaac said with certainty. It was his power, his familiar, and his will that guided the process. Isaac would force it to work with nothing but overwhelming magical and mental power if he had to.


    Isaac closed his eyes and held out his hand. Kahtesh pushed his head into Isaac¡¯s open palm and Isaac began. Mana and intent flowed into Kahtesh and Shamsha. Shamsha¡¯s body began to form and Isaac was thrown back into the memory of Shamsha¡¯s original death. He could feel the tiny fragment in his hand watching everything with him. ¡®Learn but remember: your family, Lenna and I, are the most important things, things to be treasured and protected, not used and discarded.¡¯ He mentally sent to Kahtesh with as much conviction as he could muster.


    He continued to feed the creation of Shamsha¡¯s body until he felt like everything was about to click into place. The connection was about to override his link with Kahtesh. At that moment Isaac grabbed Kahtesh¡¯s mind and soul and forced them into Shamsha with every ounce of willpower and focus he could muster, after having lived through Shamsha¡¯s transformation a total of seven times before his body was finally finished, it wasn¡¯t as much as he would have liked. Isaac didn¡¯t know it at the time but he hadn¡¯t been breathing during the entire twenty minute ordeal. His body had started burning mana to fuel itself as he moved ever farther away from mortality.


    Kahtesh¡¯s tiny soul and young mind slammed against the impression of the ancient wizard. Isaac forced Kahtesh into the semi-filled space where Shamsha¡¯s soulshadow was about to be formed. The impression of everything that Shamsha was, pressed in on the little one who tried his best to do what his master had told him. Kahtesh was scared, very, very scared, but there was nothing that he could do but try to succeed in his task. Hundreds of years of spells being cast forced themselves onto him without his consent. Kahtesh knew he needed the information but it only served to scare him even more. If he could have had a panic attack then he would have but he lacked the biological processes that let/caused that to happen. Right when Kahtesh was about to be crushed under Shamsha¡¯s shadow he heard something: ¡®Come on buddy, you can do it, we are almost there. Just a little further.¡¯


    No sooner had Kahtesh heard his master¡¯s voice had the pressure spiked. Kahtesh fought back with every scrap of his miniscule strength in one final defiant push against the impression of the man that his master despised. Even as he did so, he felt bits of the man bleed into him as they merged into one being that was both bygone and new, young and old, weak and powerful. He both reveled in, and cursed, the power that came with it. He felt it then, the lack of wings, the lack of a tail. The long fingers and toes. Power focused in his eyes that were more forward facing than he was used to and he looked down his small nose. He rotated his wrists in a motion that was both natural and alien to him. He could only really see the outlines of his hands but it was good enough for him to understand that his body was now as close to that of his master¡¯s as he would ever become.


    Isaac opened his eyes and gazed at his creation. It felt both familiar and alien in a way that he didn¡¯t like. Kahtesh, now in Shamsha¡¯s body, felt just different enough for him to be concerned. Despite his concern, he took a moment to inspect the new body and it was odd in a way that he had expected.


    The divot along the side of the head just behind the eyes had filled in. Bone had grown out, back, and away from the skull to maintain the silhouette of elvish ears. Bone grew down to cover the nose opening and more bone grew up and down over the outside of his teeth. The orbs of death flames that filled his eye sockets were partly shielded as a bit of the sockets had expanded and closed inwards half an inch or so in a way that seemed to focus his gaze even more. Just like every other time, bone had grown out from each of the neck vertebrae to maintain the old silhouette of the throat though a little smaller. Each of his ribs expanded into thin plates. More ribs formed on the lower vertebrae though those were much closer to the spine and tucked in at least an inch inside the radius of the original rib plates. These new ribs had grown into plates as well and went the entire way down to his pelvis. His pelvic bones grew bone over each divot and across the forward opening almost, but not quite, the entire way.


    Isaac looked at his creation¡¯s arms and hands as the skeleton did. The bones had all thickened in the places where they used to be thinner to fill out the silhouette. Like everywhere else this only served to increase his durability and his weight. His forearms were the weirdest of them all however. The bones couldn¡¯t grow inwards towards each other because the bones would touch when he rotated his hand even if they were the same size as before. This meant that there was a warped but flat surface where the bones would lock together once they had rotated to their farthest point. When the hand was twisted in the other direction there would be an opening between them that could be seen through. At his palms the bones that were the first half of his fingers, that would usually be covered in fleshy bits and muscle, had grown together to maintain structural integrity. The legs and feet were much like the arms and hands though without the oddity of the forearms.


    Both of them looked down at the skeleton¡¯s feet and watched as the toes wiggled. Isaac chuckled. ¡°How are you feeling? Are you still in one piece in there buddy?¡± Isaac asked and looked back up at the face of his creation. The skeleton didn¡¯t move for a long moment before it slowly shook its head side to side in a very distinctive negative.

 Chapter 65 SHAMESH.

    Chapter 65 SHAMESH.


    ¡°What?¡± Isaac demanded frantically. ¡°Kahtesh, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    The skeleton shook its head slowly as if it were an utterly strange motion but it knew it had to be done.


    ¡°No?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°No, what? Nothing is wrong?¡±


    The skeleton shook its head again.


    ¡°No¡­ no, you¡¯re not Kahtesh?¡± Isaac asked worriedly. He felt a sudden pain in his chest that was entirely emotional but he refused to process or focus on it.


    The skeleton nodded.


    ¡°Are, are you Shamsha?¡± Isaac questioned tentatively.


    The skeleton shook its head again.


    Isaac breathed a deep sigh of relief. ¡°Then, who are you?¡± He questioned his physical shadow.


    The skeleton¡¯s head tilted to the side in a very familiar gesture. It then reached up and pointed at its mouth.


    ¡°You can¡¯t speak?¡± Isaac asked and the skeleton nodded. ¡°But you should be able to, there should be a magic spell that creates sound. That is how Shamsha was talking.¡±


    The skeleton straightened and seemed to pause as it tried to figure out how to speak. It reminded Isaac of someone standing in front of a line of levers but they had no idea which lever did what. A high pitched screech blasted out of the skeleton at such a volume that Isaac and Lenna were both forced to cover their ears and use their respective healing to keep from having ruptured eardrums.


    ¡°TOO LOUD!¡± Isaac yelled at the skeleton. ¡°LOWER THE VOLUME!¡± The sound abruptly cut off. Isaac¡¯s hearing quickly returned to normal and he heard a quiet ringing. At first he thought that it was his ears but then he realized that it was coming from the skeleton. ¡°A little louder.¡± Isaac told him and the volume spiked to merely ¡®uncomfortably loud¡¯ instead of ¡®earsplitting¡¯. ¡°That is a little loud. Could you meet in the middle?¡± Isaac questioned. He could tell from the slight recoil and hunched posture of the skeleton that it didn¡¯t think that his request was possible. Isaac waved it off. ¡°That¡¯s fine. What are you trying to say?¡±


    The skeleton pointed at itself. ¡°SHAMSHA AND KAHTESH.¡± It blasted loud enough that Isaac couldn¡¯t suppress a wince but not loud enough to cause any real auditory damage.


    ¡°Both?¡± Lenna asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you were trying to do?¡±


    The skeleton and Isaac both shook their heads. ¡°The plan was for Kahtesh to only learn Shamsha¡¯s memories, not to merge them.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Are you separate or completely merged?¡± Isaac asked the skeleton. Shamsha/Kahtesh interlocked its fingers. It seemed like the skeleton wanted to speak as little as possible because it was aware of its own auditory difficulties. ¡°One being, huh.¡± Isaac thought aloud. ¡°Which one are you more like?¡±


    The skeleton rocked its head to the side in a clear show of lacking understanding. ¡°Which direction is your personality leaning?¡± Lenna tried to rephrase the question for it.


    The skeleton rocked its head to the other side. ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Isaac began. ¡°we can figure that out later. Do you remember what I told you?¡± The skeleton nodded. ¡°Say it outloud.¡±


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    The skeleton seemed to hesitate for a moment. ¡°LEARN BUT REMEMBER: YOUR FAMILY, LENNA AND I, ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS, THINGS TO BE TREASURED AND PROTECTED, NOT USED AND DISCARDED.¡¯¡± The skeleton played a perfect recording of Isaac¡¯s internal voice at full volume.


    It was then that Isaac realized that the skeleton had been using his old voice, the voice he had before he rebuilt his body, to speak. Isaac¡¯s old voice wasn¡¯t that much different than his current one, it was a little higher, more like it was spoken from a higher part of the throat rather than from a different person. They sounded similar enough that they could have been brothers. ¡°W-what should I call you?¡± Isaac asked the skeleton. The skeleton shook its head and pointed at him. ¡°You want me to name you?¡± The skeleton nodded.


    ¡°Are, are you still completely loyal to Isaac?¡± Lenna questioned pragmatically.


    The skeleton turned to look at her and nodded. It pointed at Isaac. ¡°MASTER, CREATOR, PRIMARY.¡± It explained.


    ¡°You really are a fragment of me then?¡± Isaac asked and the skeleton nodded. ¡°I see.¡± Isaac said and then delved deep into his thoughts.


    ¡°Shamsha and Kahtesh are both written using two characters in draconic.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°Sham, meaning hold or wait, and Sha, a feminine denotation. Kaht means a jolt like that of static or a little zap and Esh is the male denotation.¡±


    ¡°Then, since you aren¡¯t a lightning dragon anymore, but you are made from the shadow and impressions of three males, what about Shamesh? Patience, that is what your name would be in Standard.¡± Isaac offered his familiar that was a mix of two-three beings. Isaac wanted more than anything, not related to Lenna, to know that he hadn¡¯t destroyed his companion. Isaac had slowly begun to actually care for the dragon to some degree and it made him feel awful to think that he might¡¯ve crushed the poor thing under the weight of his power and Shamsha¡¯s lingering impression. Kahtesh was just so young, so new, and had such little time to truly become himself that there was a very real fear that the impression of Shamsha had broken Kahtesh apart and the new being was just a swirling mass of the two powered by the shadow of Isaac¡¯s soul.


    The skeleton nodded. ¡°I LIKE IT.¡± He told Isaac and, for the first time since the change, Isaac felt emotion flow through their link. It was joy and thankfulness. Isaac breathed such a huge sigh of relief that he almost had to sit down.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Isaac said barely louder than a whisper. ¡°Try saying it.¡±


    The skeleton nodded. ¡°SHAMESH.¡± He spoke and then hopped in a very childish and dragon-like movement that resulted in his toes catching on the ground and him toppling and crashing into the ground. He just stayed there for a moment and Isaac felt humor being sent his way. Isaac chuckled at the collapsed skeleton.


    ¡°I think you need to relearn how to walk.¡± Isaac told him. ¡°Or at least how to run and jump. Your weight and center of balance is all off compared to Shamsha and, well, your anatomy is entirely different from Kahtesh.¡±


    Shamesh nodded. ¡°I WILL LEARN. I AM SHAMESH.¡±


    Isaac laughed at the child-like excitement. ¡°Yes, yes you are buddy.¡±


    ¡°What in the name of all that is holy is going on up here?!¡± Celeste demanded as she barged onto the roof. ¡°What is that?!¡±


    ¡°SHAMESH.¡± Shamesh replied.


    Celeste recoiled at the volume. ¡°I got that much.¡± She said with a wince. ¡°Isaac, what is that?¡±


    ¡°My skeleton.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°You remember the little dragon.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Celeste replied.


    ¡°I sort of merged him with an ancient wizard and he is trying to learn how to speak.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°It might take him a bit to get the volume right.¡± He turned to look back at the skeleton. ¡°Can you try to lower the volume again now that you¡¯ve had more time to get used to it?¡±


    Shamesh nodded and then spoke so quietly Isaac and Lenna could barely hear him, Celeste was still recovering from his earlier words. ¡°is this quiet enough?¡± Shamsha questioned.


    ¡°Try to meet in the middle again.¡± Isaac told him.


    ¡°Like this?¡± Shamesh replied. His volume was that of a person trying to be heard over the sound of a busy dining room.


    ¡°Good enough for now.¡± Isaac told him. ¡°Say hello to Celeste.¡±


    Shamesh looked at Celeste with his orbs made of death flames. She felt a faint chill run up her spine. ¡°Hello.¡± He told her.


    ¡°Yes, hello.¡± Celeste replied. ¡°If you keep at your current volume you can keep talking until ten bells.¡± She explained. ¡°If you can lower to this volume then as long as you are in the room you can talk all night for all I care.¡±


    Shamesh nodded. ¡°I will try.¡± He told her.


    Celeste gave him a strained smile. ¡°Thank you.¡± She told the skeleton and turned to its master. ¡°Isaac, you know this will cause a panic right?¡± She demanded. ¡°A dragon skeleton was a lot for people already, but because he wasn¡¯t walking ¡®round on two legs they were able to disassociate enough to let it go. What are you going to do when the inquisitors show up from the capital calling you a necromancer?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out.¡± Isaac promised her. ¡°For now we will keep him hidden from the public. Once he¡¯s gotten a hold of walking and moving around I¡¯ll send him into my shadow and take him to the towers. Maybe Alexander or Jala will have an idea on how to keep people from panicking when they see him.¡±


    Celeste could only shake her head. ¡°You could paint him pink and give him a rainbow wig and people would still panic, Isaac. You are going to need a miracle to keep from topping the church¡¯s most wanted list.¡±


    ¡°Good thing miracles aren¡¯t that uncommon.¡± Isaac replied casually. Celeste was so utterly dumbfounded by the ridiculousness that had just come out of Isaac¡¯s mouth that she couldn¡¯t come up with a response. Celeste just shook her head and turned around. She walked back down the stairs and, right as she was walking through the threshold into the rest of the building, Isaac just barely caught her swearing under her breath about gray hairs and old age.

 Chapter 66 Assistant

    Chapter 66 Assistant


    ¡°Perfect.¡± Isaac told Shamesh. ¡°That is the best volume. Can you mark it somehow so you don¡¯t lose your calibration?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly.¡± Shamesh replied. ¡°I have a perfect memory. I think. I should be able to match this volume again easily in the future.¡±


    ¡°This is so insane.¡± Isaac said more to himself than to Lenna or Shamesh.


    ¡°I know.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°He is actually talking to us.¡±


    ¡°I never thought I would see the day.¡± Isaac agreed.


    ¡°Is that good?¡± Shamesh questioned.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°I have no idea.¡± He replied honestly. ¡°But I hope it is.¡±


    ¡°How could it be bad?¡± Lenna wondered.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not sure but I have this vague feeling that sentient man-made creations are a bad idea.¡± He told her. ¡°It is probably something left over from my old life. Those feelings never make any sense without context.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°I think it is a good thing, Shamesh.¡± She told the skeleton. ¡°Now, we need to find a way to help you blend in.¡± Isaac¡¯s face suddenly brightened with an idea that he certainly thought was spectacular. ¡°Oh no.¡± Lenna said to herself.


    ¡°A butler.¡± Isaac said with absolute certainty. ¡°A bone golem butler is completely on brand for the Lord of Darkness itself.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ uh¡­¡± Lenna began but kept stopping herself. ¡°That is a bad idea, I am sure of it, but I don¡¯t know why, yet.¡±


    ¡°That means it is worth a try.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Worst case, the inquisitors show up, which they would anyway if we tried nothing.¡± Lenna opened her mouth to argue but then just decided to sigh. ¡°Great, no objections.¡± Isaac said and immediately went for his spare clothes. He pulled out a black button shirt and pants as well as his old pair backup-backup-backup boots, all the other ones had been destroyed or were a part of his dragonscale armor. ¡°Come here, let¡¯s get you dressed.¡± Isaac told his physical shadow.


    Shamesh did as he was told and all three of them struggled to get the clothes on him. It required some odd movements, for the skeleton, but they finally managed it. The pants were a bit too wide around the waist so they used Lenna¡¯s spare belt to keep them up. Both the pants and shirt were an inch too long and the boots were an inch too big. ¡°This does not look the same.¡± Shamesh told his master.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°No, it does not. But it will have to do, for now. Maybe we can go to Jessica first and get her to size something for you.¡± Isaac offered.


    ¡°Jessica only does formalwear, you wear formalwear under your armor everyday. Butler attire would be done by someone else. I am sure Marie, or whoever Sera¡¯s head maid is, would know.¡± Lenna explained.


    ¡°After we talk to Jala for a bit, we can go see Sera and Izen.¡± Isaac said and Lenna nodded in agreement.


    ¡ª


    Isaac gestured out to the side and a black void opened up. A being made of bone that loosely resembled an elf rose out of the void wearing a black button shirt, black pants with a black belt, and black leather boots, none of which fit it properly. Fen snorted a laugh and then quickly schooled himself. ¡°Did you play dress-up with a skeleton like a child necromancer?¡± Fen teased. ¡°What poor soul¡¯s body is that that must be subjected to such horrors?¡±


    ¡°Shamsha¡¯s.¡± Isaac explained and Fen went deathly quiet. Jala finally turned to look and almost dropped the tuning fork that was in her hand. She sat it on the counter next to her without looking and hurried over to Shamesh.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Is it really?¡± Jala asked Isaac. ¡°It looks nothing like him.¡±


    ¡°Well I should hope not.¡± Isaac retorted. ¡°It isn¡¯t actually Shamsha. His name is Shamesh because he-¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a combination of Shamsha and your dragon.¡± Jala cut him off.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac confirmed. ¡°Do you have any ideas on how to disguise him to prevent mass panic?¡±


    Jala snapped her head to the side to give him a gaze full of shock and horror. ¡°Hide him?!¡± She exclaimed. ¡°You are so close to greatness, boy, and you wish to hide him?!¡±


    ¡°If too many people cause a panic about him then the inquisition will show up to smite him down to his component atoms.¡± Isaac very directly explained to her. ¡°We need to make people be comfortable around him so that doesn¡¯t happen.¡±


    ¡°They were fine with the dragon.¡± Jala shot back.


    Isaac ran his hand over his face. ¡°That is because humans are only okay with that sort of thing if it doesn¡¯t look at all like them. Hells, they would probably be fine if they knew he was a dark elf skeleton and not a light elf one.¡± He tried to explain to the old totally-not-a-witch.


    ¡°Humans need proper genetic guidance to be less stupid.¡± Jala countered.


    Isaac opened his mouth to reply but mentally stumbled for a second as he tried to formulate a reply. ¡°That is definitely not something you should be doing.¡± Isaac settled on just attempting to keep her from playing at being a god over humans.


    Jala huffed in irritation. ¡°Just, put a hat on him and get some properly fitting clothes or something.¡± She waved him off and turned back to Shamesh.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure there are Disguise items within your reach.¡± Fen offered them. ¡°If not, just get the boy upstairs to do it. He definitely knows that spell, every real wizard does.¡± Isaac blinked at him and then turned back to look at Jala. ¡°She¡¯s many things but a conventional wizard is not one of them.¡± Fen corrected Isaac¡¯s train of thought.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Isaac said and teleported away to get Alexander.


    ¡°A new toy skeleton eh?¡± Fen asked Lenna.


    ¡°He isn¡¯t a toy.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°Right Shamesh?¡±


    ¡°I feel like one right now.¡± The skeleton said helplessly as Jala poked at him. At the sound of his voice she froze and then slowly looked up to meet his eyes with ever widening ones of her own.


    ¡°You speak?!¡± Jala exclaimed. ¡°How? I felt the magic but how do you know it? Explain. Everything.¡± She ordered the skeleton.


    Shamesh looked at Lenna, and even without facial muscles, she could tell that his gaze was pleading for help. ¡°Not until Isaac gets back.¡± Lenna told Jala. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t want to tell you then he won¡¯t but if you try to pry it out now then you definitely won¡¯t be getting anything out of them.¡±


    Jala huffed in irritation again. ¡°Fine.¡± She spat and called her tuning fork to her hand with a flick of her wrist. The instrument flew across the room in a gentle arch until it landed firmly in her hand. She quickly rapped it against Shamesh¡¯s forehead before the skeleton could react. She held it up to her ear and then nodded to herself. ¡°I see.¡± She said and pulled a notebook out of her robes and a pen out of her sleeve. She set them down on the table next to Shamesh and started scribbling in it frantically.


    ¡°Now she is never going to leave.¡± Fen cursed under his breath.


    ¡°Leave?¡± Lenna questioned.


    Fen glanced at her with a frown. ¡°Yes. I have been wanting to get out of this hole in the ground for months but she won¡¯t leave until her work here is finished and now she will never be finished. Not with your mate being as weird as he is.¡± He explained.


    Lenna looked back over at her aunt and nodded. ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be going anywhere anytime soon.¡± She told her uncle. ¡°Which is a good thing. Isaac isn¡¯t one to forgive debts until he feels like you have paid it off.¡±


    ¡°And we haven''t¡± Fen questioned.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Not yet. Mostly you have just been stacking them up.¡± She told him honestly. ¡°Isaac is perfectly fine with that, for some reason, but he won¡¯t be if you decided to leave without paying him back.¡±


    ¡°What would constitute a proper payment?¡± Fen questioned and seemed to lean in slightly.


    ¡°Knowing Isaac, probably something either as small as a lens that changes dark mana into the full spectrum or something as large as a perfect copy of the moon.¡± Lenna explained just as Isaac reappeared.


    ¡°What about a copy of the moon?¡± Isaac questioned, entirely unaware of what he had just teleported back into.


    ¡°Fen wants to know what you would need to consider their debt paid.¡± Lenna explained which got a scowl from Fen.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, a copy of the moon would do it. Specifically one that is always bright and can interpose itself in front of the dark side of the moon as the phases change so it would always appear to be a full moon.¡± Isaac quickly agreed. ¡°For the sole reason of spiting the half-spider half-man all bastard.¡±


    Lenna huffed a laugh but Fen¡¯s body language was perfectly neutral. Jala hadn¡¯t even heard their conversation itself but upon hearing Isaac¡¯s voice she turned and immediately demanded answers. ¡°Explain why he can talk.¡± She told Isaac. ¡°I, must, know, how he can cast spells even though you are only feeding him dark mana.¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh, I have no idea.¡± Isaac replied to his mate¡¯s aunt. ¡°I¡¯m actually curious about that myself.¡± Isaac¡¯s eyes suddenly locked onto Shamesh as he felt a sudden feeling of helplessness and panic from the skeleton. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He asked aloud.


    ¡°Am I a toy?¡± Shamesh questioned his master.


    ¡°What?¡± Isaac replied. ¡°No. Why?¡±


    ¡°Fen called me a toy. Jala is treating me like one. I would like it to stop.¡± Shamesh explained.


    Isaac frowned. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious as to how you function?¡± Isaac asked his physical shadow.


    Shamesh shook his head. ¡°Should I be? Are you?¡± The skeleton questioned.


    ¡°I already know how my body functions, so, not any more.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°You know how your body functions?¡± Jala questioned him. ¡°To what extent?¡±


    ¡°All of it, I think. I don¡¯t remember learning about it but I know what organs do what and how. Why?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°What about non-human bodies?¡± She questioned him further.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I only really know what crosses over. Maybe a little about fish? Again, why?¡±


    Jala tsked. ¡°I could use an assistant but you won¡¯t do.¡± She explained and then went back to measuring Shamesh like nothing had happened between them. If Isaac didn¡¯t know, and the skeleton wasn¡¯t leaving, then she would take the time she was given to try and uncover as many of their secrets about artificial life as possible.

 Chapter 67 Staff.

    Chapter 67 Staff.


    ¡°Yes. I see the problem.¡± Alexander said while nodding sagely. ¡°Just from a surface glance at the magic at work it is easy to tell that this is not necromancy but it is definitely necromancy-adjacent.¡±


    ¡°Do you think we need a disguise?¡± Isaac questioned the court mage.


    ¡°Oh most definitely.¡± Alexander agreed with Isaac and Lenna¡¯s previous assumption. ¡°A disguise spell or artifact of some kind would be necessary.¡± He continued. ¡°Though, on second thought, you have been walking around with a dragon made of bones in your shadow for quite a while. It is more of an open secret but people still keep their tones low while talking about it. As long as you are not sending it-er-him to run errands for you it should be fine.¡± After thinking about it for a second more he raised a finger. ¡°Though, the butler idea would help a lot. I would recommend a full set of armor but to each their own.¡±


    ¡°We can try it.¡± Isaac said with a shrug while looking at Lenna. He then looked over at Shamesh who was standing perfectly still while Jala poked him with an iron rod covered in golden runes and lined with quartz crystals. Each time she touched him some of the crystals would start to glow in differing patterns and amounts. ¡°Okay Shamesh, we can leave, for now.¡±


    ¡°What? But I just started!¡± Jala exclaimed.


    ¡°Go over your notes or something. He has been sending me all sorts of negative feelings for the past five minutes.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Shamesh told Isaac and walked over to him.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Isaac asked his skeleton who seemed to carry an aura that spoke of a request yet unspoken.


    ¡°May I walk to wherever we are going next?¡± Shamesh requested.


    ¡°This time, maybe not every time, but yes.¡± Isaac said and easily coated the skeleton in shadows. Shamesh was easier to hide than Lenna because there was already an existing connection between the pair. Something about Shamesh being Isaac¡¯s shadow probably helped as well but that was a bit harder for Isaac to put his finger on. ¡°Let¡¯s go see the assassin and try to find Shamesh some clothes, maybe some butler training as well.¡±


    Lenna chuckled. ¡°You are serious about the butler thing aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied simply. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted a butler that can still kick ass.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°Always?¡± Lenna questioned.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Maybe, maybe not, but it¡¯ll still be awesome.¡±


    Lenna rolled her eyes. ¡°How old are you?¡±


    ¡°Old enough to do whatever I want and live with the consequences without a safety net.¡± Isaac replied pragmatically. Lenna just shook her head and went along with him and Shamesh.


    ¡ª


    Isaac and Lenna were led to Sera and Marie who were playing Kingsmen in Sera¡¯s study instead of working on the small stack of ledgers and loose papers that were on her desk. Sera¡¯s office was very different from Izen¡¯s. Where Izen had old weapons of dukes long past, Sera had paintings of the ocean and beautiful forests. Where Izen had dark wood and dark cushions on his chairs, Sera had shining pine and brilliant blue cushions. Where Izen preferred firelight with a dash of glowing stone light, Sera had just enough candles burning around the room to give an illusion of sunlight through the glowing stone light.


    ¡°You let me win.¡± Marie grumbled. Her auburn hair was hanging over her eyes as she squinted at Sera.


    ¡°I did not.¡± Sera replied. ¡°You are getting better.¡±


    Marie turned to regard Isaac and Lenna. She seemed to sense something else as her body language momentarily betrayed a sense of unease. ¡°Hello.¡± Marie greeted them. ¡°I¡¯ll have to have a talk with the maids. They didn¡¯t announce your presence ahead of time.¡±


    ¡°I told them they didn¡¯t have to.¡± Sera explained. ¡°Isaac and Lenna are my only two guests that they shouldn¡¯t fuss too much over. They are here too often and most times it is not an official visit. I gave them the same orders for Eddy but my brother never comes to see me.¡± She gave Isaac and Lenna a warm smile. ¡°Welcome.¡±


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Isaac replied with a nod. ¡°And this is another unofficial visit.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Sera said with a twinkle in her eye. She always knew when it was going to be something interesting at best and a segue into utter chaos at worst. Either way it was going to be entertaining, probably. ¡°Do tell.¡±


    In a blink Shamesh in all of his ill fitted clothed glory appeared just off to the side and behind Isaac. ¡°I was hoping for a butler uniform for my shadow.¡± He explained.


    Sera¡¯s mouth hung open momentarily at the skeleton that had just appeared. She quickly schooled herself and gave them a smile. ¡°I think we might be able to work something out.¡± She said and then turned to Marie. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I think he just snuck a very dangerous creature into the manor and you should probably be a little more concerned than you are.¡± Marie replied without taking her eyes off of Shamesh.


    ¡°Oh he¡¯s fine.¡± Isaac said and waved her off. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to hear the story?¡±


    With that Marie seemed to relax slightly in her chair. ¡°Alright.¡± She agreed. ¡°If you are completely sure it¡¯s safe for Sera.¡±


    ¡°He.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°But yes, I wouldn¡¯t bring anything or anyone I thought would hurt her anywhere near her. You should know that by now.¡±


    Marie searched his face for a long moment before she sighed and seemed to relax further. ¡°Yes. You are right. You haven¡¯t given me any reason to suspect anything other than proper care for Sera¡¯s safety. I¡¯m sorry, I just really don¡¯t like surprises and you are practically made of them.¡± She explained.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°That¡¯s fair.¡± He agreed.


    ¡°So?¡± Sera pressed. ¡°Sit and tell me all about it.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Lenna began. ¡°it all started when we went to end whatever was controlling all of those skeletons¡­¡±


    A while later, they had their lunch brought to them out in the garden, Isaac and Lenna finally finished telling the story. ¡°How was it from your point of view?¡± She asked Shamesh only to be startled upon actually hearing his voice as he replied.


    ¡°It was strange. Everything is strange. I did not like it.¡± Shamesh explained. ¡°My master has explained it thoroughly. I have nothing else to add.¡±


    ¡°I-I see.¡± Sera said with a nod. ¡°And how do you feel about becoming a butler?¡±


    ¡°Will it permit me to spend more time outside of the shadowy world?¡± Shamesh asked Isaac.


    ¡°Shadowy world?¡± Isaac parroted. ¡°You mean the place I send you?¡± Shamesh nodded. ¡°Is there something wrong with it? What is it like?¡±


    ¡°Disorienting.¡± Shamesh explained. ¡°Time is odd. I could be there for hours or days and not know the difference.¡±


    ¡°What about weeks or months?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°I have not been there for weeks at a time.¡± Shamesh replied. ¡°I do not know.¡±


    Isaac and Lenna shared a look. ¡°Yes, you have.¡± Isaac corrected. ¡°You have been kept in the void for at least two weeks at one point.¡±


    Shamesh tilted his head to the side in confusion. ¡°I do not understand.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think time flows the same for you in there as it does out here.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°If anything, that is better for you. It means that when you need to be hidden away close at hand you won¡¯t be waiting for extended periods of time.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Shamesh asked.


    ¡°Why what?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°Why does waiting matter?¡± Shamesh clarified.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°So you won¡¯t get bored, I guess.¡±


    ¡°I do not understand.¡± Shamesh replied.


    ¡°What? Boredom?¡± Isaac wondered.


    Shamesh nodded. ¡°Yes. Please explain it to me.¡±


    Sera and Marie watched and listened with much interest. Once Isaac had finally gotten to the bottom of why people get bored and how people don¡¯t like that state of being, Sera threw Shamesh another complex idea to see if he would understand it. This continued almost until dinnertime. Marie had called for a maid who arrived about the time they finished the discussion on attraction.


    ¡°Please, Sera, no more.¡± Isaac begged. ¡°I can only mentally handle so much at a time.¡±


    Sera laughed with such pure and obvious joy at it all that Isaac and Lenna couldn¡¯t help but smile along. She then gestured towards the maid. ¡°This is Kathrin.¡± Sera explained. ¡°She will be measuring you, Shamesh, so you can have clothes that fit properly. Also, Kathrin, would you mind teaching him how to properly serve his master?¡±


    ¡°Ex-excuse me, my Lady?¡± Kathrin questioned with wide dark oak colored eyes.


    ¡°He has perfect memory but some things might take him a few tries to get right so please be patient with him.¡± Sera explained. ¡°He is quite new to having thumbs.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Shamesh, introduce yourself.¡± Isaac added.


    Shamesh¡¯s gaze hadn¡¯t left the woman since she had entered. ¡°Hello, I am Shamesh.¡± The skeleton spoke. It looked as if it were a miracle that the woman hadn¡¯t screamed. As it was, she had turned ghostly white. When she hadn¡¯t replied in any way for more than five seconds Shamesh turned to Isaac. ¡°Did I do it right?¡± He asked his master.


    Isaac, for his part, was chuckling to himself at the maid¡¯s reaction. ¡°Yes, yes you did it perfectly fine.¡± He assured his skeleton. ¡°Though, they may teach you to introduce yourself in a different way. I would defer to them.¡± Isaac then turned to Maire. ¡°I can trust you to make sure nothing happens?¡±


    Marie nodded. ¡°I will make sure everyone behaves.¡± She assured him. ¡°That includes you, Shamesh.¡± She told the skeleton.


    Shamesh tilted his head at her and then looked to Isaac for guidance. ¡°What does that mean?¡± He asked Isaac who groaned internally at being asked to explain something else. ¡°It means that she will correct your behavior if you make any mistakes. Sera is the highest authority for you, followed by Marie, followed by Kathrin for as long as you are here learning.¡± He then turned to Sera. ¡°How should we schedule this?¡±


    ¡°You can drop him off after breakfast everyday until his training is done.¡± Sera replied like she was talking about leaving a kid at a school or a playdate.


    ¡°If you are fine with that much extra work.¡± Lenna cut in. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want to put unnecessary pressure on your staff.¡±


    ¡°I already told you that we would be willing to train your staff for you. We just did not expect one that does not need to sleep or eat, otherwise I would say that he could stay here overnight but the manor sleeps and so should its staff.¡± Sera explained. ¡°Now, as much as I would like to invite you for dinner, I am afraid that I will be eating in my office. My procrastination break has turned into taking half the day off and I may not look it, most of the time, but I do actually have work that needs to be done.¡±


    Isaac laughed and Lenna chuckled. ¡°Thank you for all of your help.¡± Lenna told the duchess.


    ¡°Do not thank me yet.¡± Sera replied with a smile. ¡°Now, Kathrin, measure Shamesh so they may be on their way and then, when they are ready, escort them out.¡± She ordered the maid and then turned back to Isaac and Lenna. ¡°I am afraid I must be off first, have a good night you three.¡±

 Chapter 68 Draw The Bow

    Chapter 68 Draw The Bow


    The day after Shamesh was created the trio were back inside the Arbencroft Estate. ¡°Just let me know if you have any problems, regardless of distance, we are connected.¡± Isaac told his creation.


    ¡°I will.¡± Shamesh assured him.


    ¡°He¡¯s such a doting father.¡± Sera teased Lenna. ¡°It¡¯s adorable. Can you imagine what kind of a hit his reputation would take if word of this got out?¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡± Lenna replied without even looking at Sera. ¡°You know how he gets when people forget that they shouldn¡¯t mess with us.¡±


    Lenna¡¯s statement sobered Sera up quickly. ¡°Yes.¡± The duchess agreed.


    Isaac nodded to Sera and then looked at Kathrin. ¡°Teach him well.¡± He told the maid.


    ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± Kathrin replied with a bow.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be back after dinner.¡± Isaac told Sera.


    ¡°Yes, you should take the time to go on a date.¡± Sera told him. ¡°Gods know Izen doesn¡¯t take me on those anymore. Enjoy them while you have the time and no responsibilities.¡±


    ¡°I think that can be arranged.¡± Isaac replied and turned to leave.


    ¡°Thank you, again, Sera.¡± Lenna told the duchess. ¡°If you ever need anything, you only have to ask. I won¡¯t ask questions but I know Isaac would, we would still help you regardless of your answers.¡± She added the last part with a smile and wink.


    Sera laughed genuinely. ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡± She assured the pair and waved them goodbye.


    ¡ª


    Isaac and Lenna spent the rest of the morning meeting Jessica Silverstrand and talking about the drider silk. They also stopped by their manor just long enough to see the wide and deep foundation. They specifically didn¡¯t stay long enough for anyone to notice them. After lunch they were in the orchestra hall with Branden.


    ¡°Here is the best Violin we have.¡± Branden said while handing Lenna the century old instrument. ¡°It may need to be tuned. If you have any problems with it let me know and I will do my best to alleviate them.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Lenna replied and took the instrument. Branden then offered her a quiver of bows.


    ¡°There should be enough for as long and as hard as you wish to play. Again, if you need anything, please, let me know.¡± Branden continued with obvious excitement in his wizened features.


    ¡°I will.¡± Lenna assured him. She hung the quiver on her waist via the attached belt and withdrew a bow. She eyed the bow and made sure it was straight and the hair was taut. She looked over the violin and could already tell that the strings weren¡¯t as taut as they should have been. She put the violin up to her chin and took a deep breath. ¡°This is going to sound horrible.¡± She warned Isaac and Branden. She then pulled the bow across the strings one at a time. ¡°It isn¡¯t right but I¡¯m not sure how to fix it.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°I¡¯ve never played before but I have heard it.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Isaac said from a few feet away from her. He was sitting on the piano¡¯s bench waiting for her. ¡°The way you said it, I thought you knew how to play.¡±


    ¡°I can.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°I have a blessing from Lua.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Isaac asked with obvious confusion on his face and in his voice.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°Lua can impart the ability to play music through her blessing.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°Music is one of the first things that drow culture clamps down on so Lua had to find another way to give it to us. Most of us can¡¯t just learn it like everyone can. Even owning an instrument can be grounds for punishment and playing anything that hasn¡¯t specifically been sanctioned by the emperor is grounds for execution.¡±


    ¡°So she will just teach you how to play as soon as you start?¡± Isaac questioned incredulously.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No. It is not that easy. As long as we are dedicating the song to her she will guide our hands. Through doing this, over and over again, we can build up muscle memory of how to properly play and then go from there.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Huh, that is a really interesting way for her to give music to the silent.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°The silent?¡± Lenna questioned. ¡°Those who cannot make music.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I think it is fitting.¡±


    Lenna nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes.¡± She then turned to Branden. ¡°Can you tune this?¡±


    Branden hummed. ¡°I can try but it will not be perfect. I was hoping you would be able to.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Do you think one of the other ones would still be in tune?¡± Lenna questioned.


    Branden shook his head with a frown. ¡°This is the one most often used by visiting musicians. I am sure that in the duke¡¯s collection there is one that is still in tune.¡± He offered.


    Lenna sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll play with you tomor-¡± Her voice died in her mouth as a shimmering white light bathed both her and the violin.


    Draw the bow across the strings.


    Lenna felt the voice in her soul even though no one else around could hear it. Isaac straightened in his seat as he felt something within his own chest resonate with the light and faint presence that was bathing the hall. Lenna did as she was told and as the bow drug across each string the peg corresponding to it began turning until the string was tuned perfectly. Lenna swallowed hard at the sudden pressure she was feeling from her goddess very obviously watching. The fact that her goddess had specifically helped her just made her even more nervous. ¡°Th-thank you.¡± Lenna whispered and the light vanished.


    Branden had fallen onto his rear on the hardwood floors. ¡°Wh-wh-what was that?¡± He questioned with wide eyes and in obvious shock.


    Isaac and Lenna ignored him as they locked eyes. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°If I can join you, I will, but don¡¯t concern yourself with me or anything else going on around you. Just play, play and pour your heart into it.¡±


    Lenna nodded and closed her eyes. Her fingers found the strings along the neck of the violin and her bow felt perfect in her hands. She drew it across the strings and felt her fingers move almost on their own. It felt to her almost like she was being embraced and the one doing it was guiding her fingers through the motions of playing a sonata that sang of peace and adventure, wilderness and freedom, love of all things and a world full of serene brightness.


    She fell into intrigue and wonder, interesting mysteries and secrets to be learned. From there she began building intensity until all at once everything stopped. A sharp pain rang out from the violin as she aggressively tore the bow across the smallest string. A sound that felt like a knife in the heart. After a moment of silence the melody was full of sorrow, guilt, and grief. It stayed that way for quite some time until finally it seemed to find resolve and chose purpose. It continued on with firming power and direction until it reached its conclusion that left the feeling of a never ending uphill battle hanging in the air.


    Lenna slowly opened her eyes to see Isaac watching on in awe and Branden still on the ground slack jawed. ¡°That¡¯s her story isn¡¯t it?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna nodded slowly. It was then that she realized she had been crying at some point during the song. The tears hadn¡¯t quite dried which meant that it hadn¡¯t been very long but it also hadn¡¯t been the end. ¡°Yes. No one really knows what happened back then other than those who were there. Lua won¡¯t directly talk about it and hers is the only account that can be truly trusted, I think.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Have you asked her?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then how do you know she won¡¯t talk about it?¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Maybe she has been waiting for one of her followers to ask about the song she teaches them? What if she¡¯s been waiting for someone to talk to?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s almost blasphemous, Isaac. She is a god older than elves. A deity of a celestial body. Can someone like us, like me or any of the other drow she has rescued, pry into something so obviously painful from the past of our goddess like she is just another friend who needs counseling?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yes, you can.¡± He assured her. ¡°Maybe not now, but you can. She has been watching over you for a while. The worst she will tell you is to leave it alone. I have a hard time trusting most people with power but gods and deities are different for one simple reason, they must abide by their nature. Lua¡¯s nature is that of a kind teacher who cares so deeply about their students that it borders on motherly love.¡± He explained. ¡°If you ask, and she wants to talk about it, she will. But if you never ask then she, in all likelihood, will never answer.¡±


    Lenna sat on his words for well over a minute. Isaac decided that he was fine with letting her and he would move on to stretching his fingers. Isaac closed his eyes and let his fingers move to something akin but not quite the same as what Lenna had just played. After a few minutes of trying Lenna took a deep breath and put the violin back up to her chin. ¡°I¡¯ll try again.¡± She told him.


    Isaac stopped and waited. ¡°Go ahead.¡± he told her.


    Lenna began again and Isaac gently tapped each key that felt right to him. He didn¡¯t press any of them hard enough to make a sound but simply tried to make a note of each one. It was quickly apparent over the course of the evening that Lenna was only gifted with that one song. That was fine for now because she could learn to play plenty of other ones in the future by building on the lessons learned from playing the story of Lua and her greatest regret.


    Branden sat quietly as the pair played and could only watch in shock as after the dozenth time through the song Lenna had learned from Lua, Isaac started playing along with her almost perfectly. Another half dozen times later and Isaac was playing a perfect harmony and echo to Lenna¡¯s violin. It needed some work to be a proper duet but it was enough to introduce plenty of commoners to cultured music. There was plenty of racket in the whorehouses downtown but nothing those amateurs could play stacked up against what he had just heard. Even still, he could feel nothing but joy from music regardless of where it was from or why it was being played. Maybe, just maybe, a human had been touched by the elvish goddess of music.

 Chapter 69 Retainer

    Chapter 69 Retainer


    ¡°He has been learning very well.¡± Sera explained. Kathrine and Shamesh were standing off to the side staring directly ahead and still enough to be furniture. ¡°Rather than simply teach him to greet guests and keep an eye on the wine, Kathrine has taken to teaching him everything a retainer should know.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Isaac told Sera but it was directed to Kathrine as was proper etiquette. Isaac rarely used it but it would probably help Shamesh do his new job if Isaac acted like his status would imply. It would not take long for Isaac to completely forget this and go back to his usual casual ways however.


    ¡°It has been our pleasure.¡± Sera replied with a smile. ¡°His clothes will be finished tomorrow. We are having new ones made that fit his form better and match your specific aesthetic.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac wondered what that meant exactly for Shamesh¡¯s clothes but Sera just winked at him.


    ¡°Tomorrow, my friend.¡± She told him with a smile.


    ¡°Thank you, again.¡± Isaac said with a nod towards Sera.


    ¡°Until tomorrow, duchess.¡± Lenna nodded a bit deeper in farwell.


    ¡°Until tomorrow.¡± Sera echoed with her own nod that was equal to Isaac¡¯s.


    ¡°Shamesh.¡± Isaac said and turned to leave. Shamesh walked at a slightly hurried but measured pace to reach them and as soon as he stepped into Isaac¡¯s shadow it darkened and pulled him inside. ¡®You can tell us all about it at home.¡¯ He told Shamesh before the skeleton and his pinned up sleeves and pants finished vanishing.


    ¡ª


    ¡°After that I was taught how to dust fine objects without breaking them.¡± Shamesh explained.


    ¡°Did you break any?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°I did.¡± Shamesh said with a lowered head.


    ¡°I see.¡± Isaac replied neutrally. ¡°How did they go about fixing it?¡±


    ¡°I fixed it.¡± Shamesh explained.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°With magic.¡± Shamesh replied simply.


    ¡°How many spells do you know?¡± Isaac finally remembered to ask.


    ¡°Thirty three.¡± Shamesh replied. ¡°Shamsha knew more but I do not remember them all.¡±


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°That is an impressive amount regardless.¡± He praised the skeleton. ¡°So, now for the real question, did you enjoy it?¡±


    Shamesh was silent for a long moment as he tried to understand the complex emotion. ¡°I do not know.¡± He eventually replied. ¡°I did not dislike it, other than when I dropped the vase.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°That is good enough for now.¡± He told his creation that was also sort of himself in an odd very detached way. ¡°But I will not lie or try to mislead you, Shamesh, in the end you are an extension of me. I want your existence to be pleasant but regardless of what you want to do with your free time, I will still be dragging you into combat. You are a powerful wizard and you fill a role that neither Lenna nor I can. We need someone who can reliably put down tough opponents at range and someone who can lock enemies down for short durations.¡±


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    Shamesh was silent for a moment after Isaac finished as if he was waiting for more. ¡°I understand. I am your shadow, assistant, aid, retainer, weapon, tool. That is my purpose. Everything else is¡­¡± Shamesh seemed to hitch as he tried to understand and find the right word to express himself. ¡°Pleasure? Entertainment?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac nodded in agreement. ¡°Both words can work.¡±


    ¡°Is my understanding correct?¡± Shamesh questioned.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Thank you, my Lord.¡± Shamesh said with a bow.


    Isaac smiled. ¡°That was perfect.¡± He praised the skeleton. ¡°Now, Lenna and I are going to get dinner and then go to bed. With the shrinking of time from your perspective while you are in my shadow it won¡¯t feel like it but we will see you in the morning.¡±


    Shamesh bowed slightly. ¡°As you wish.¡± He replied and sunk into the void that opened under him.


    Once Shamesh was gone Isaac sighed and turned to Lenna. ¡°I have no idea how to treat him.¡± He confessed. ¡°I feel responsible for him like he is my child or something but his existence is tied to me directly. I feed him the mana he needs to be able to think and move his limbs. He is basically a very lifelike spell but in the end he isn¡¯t alive. I don¡¯t think that the emotions he feels are really real either. It is like he is pulling on the impressions on my soul of how I felt in similar moments but without any context.¡±


    ¡°There are many spirits that do something similar.¡± Lenna agreed. ¡°He is very lifelike.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Isaac. I don¡¯t have any advice for you. This is a first for me too. I have never met a sentient golem before.¡±


    ¡°But is he really even sentient or is he just following some automatic but complex sys-¡± Isaac clutched his head in pain. He had felt the headache coming but plowed on regardless. He groaned in pain. ¡°I was really hoping to finish that one.¡± He whimpered as his world spun slightly from the pain.


    Lenna rubbed his back. ¡°Regardless of how he functions, treating him well shouldn¡¯t lead to any dissonance between you. At the very least, treating him like you would a servant or hired guard should be fine. You don¡¯t need to feel like you are obligated to give him anything akin to love, Isaac, do you understand?¡±


    Isaac nodded as he listened to her through the slowly dissipating pain. ¡°I know. He was right, at the end of the day he is a tool, but so is a sword and we clean, polish, and sharpen them to make sure they are functioning properly and won¡¯t let us down when we need them.¡± He explained more to himself than to her.


    Lenna patted him on the back. ¡°Good. You¡¯ve come to a conclusion.¡± She said and stood up. ¡°Are you good to walk? I am hungry.¡±


    The following day when they had arrived at the Arbencroft estate for the second time, to pick up Shamesh, Isaac and Lenna had been suitably impressed. Shamesh had received a set of clothes that very much matched Isaac and Lenna. He wore a black coat with black pants and shoes. His buttons were all silver and his shirt was a deep red wine and a band of braided orange, black, and silver cord wrapped around his head as if it was denoting who he belonged to.


    ¡°This is excellent work and you were correct.¡± Isaac told Sera. ¡°It does match us very well. How much did it cost you?¡±


    ¡°In all? Only ten gold. Most of it was fabric. Dyes are expensive but not overly so when shadow-wolf shadow glands and blood can be used to make both the red wine color and black.¡± Sera explained. ¡°Consider this set and his training as a housewarming gift.¡± She told the pair. ¡°I¡¯ll think about charging you if you suddenly show up with a dozen maids and cooks that need training and clothed.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I would like to buy another nine sets of that same uniform for him. In all likelihood he will end up wearing them into combat at some point.¡± Isaac told her.


    Sera nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± She agreed. ¡°You can pay-¡± She cut herself off as Isaac pulled a handful of exactly ten platinum coins out of the air. He then pulled out a small but empty pouch and poured them inside.


    ¡°That is ten.¡± He told her. ¡°Whenever they are ready is fine but I would prefer to at least have the second set soon.¡±


    Sera nodded. ¡°That will not be a problem.¡± She assured him. Sera then turned to Lenna. ¡°Lady V¡¯Nova, what do you think?¡± She asked and gestured towards Shamesh.


    ¡°The clothes fit well, and even though I cannot see the different colors properly, it looks good.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°The brighter color on the band stands out a bit much to my eyes.¡± She looked to Isaac for assistance. ¡°How does it look to you?¡±


    ¡°It looks fine to me.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°It is silver, orange, and black.¡± He explained. ¡°The color of our eyes and your hair, the color of your fire, and the color of my magic and hair. Yes, those colors would not usually be put together like that but it helps anyone who sees him know who he is with.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°I understand.¡± She replied. ¡°It is all very nice.¡± She told Sera. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Sera smiled at Lenna a bit bashfully. ¡°I must apologize, my dear.¡± Sera confessed. ¡°I had completely forgotten that your eyes are not adapted to the light.¡±


    Lenna chuckled. ¡°You do not have to skirt around the term.¡± She told the duchess. ¡°I am color blind. It is unfortunate now that I live in a world that is always so bright but unlike you I am not blinded by the very environment that we live in. It is all a trade off. I know many humans treat color blindness as a disability but if I were to do that the other way around then all of you would be disabled for not being able to see in the dark.¡±


    Sera listened attentively to Lenna until she finished her lecture. ¡°I see. Yes, I had never thought about it like that.¡± Sera hummed in thought. ¡°Perhaps, I wonder, could we allow you to see colors in the same way that we are able to see in the dark?¡±


    ¡°With a potion?¡± Isaac wondered.


    Sera nodded. ¡°Yes. There has never been a very large demand for something that is entirely just for a slight increase in quality of life for a very small amount of the population but I am sure that it is possible.¡± She informed them.


    Isaac nodded along. ¡°I would ask Jala, she is the best alchemist I know, I am sure of it, but I honestly try not to bother her more than necessary.¡± He explained.


    Sera smiled. ¡°I will ask around a little the next time I am in the capital. It will give me an excuse to leave behind the rest of the noblewomen and talk to the court mages.¡±

 Chapter 70 Reality Studies

    Chapter 70 Reality Studies


    The following days after Shamesh first got his new uniform he was further taught things like taking care of gear and how to polish different metals. He was taught decorum and how to set a table. He learned every simple and common chore that a maid would learn, as well as how to properly assist a noble in things such as finance and greeting guests. His schooling went on and on.


    While Shamesh was learning how to be helpful off of the battlefield, Isaac and Lenna were teaching themselves how to play their respective instruments. Isaac was getting back into the swing of playing the piano without any memory of actually playing it where Lenna was actually being taught how to play by her goddess in a sort of possession-like experience. The more they played, the better they became, but even more so, the more they were able to play the songs the other was playing.


    The trio¡¯s days passed in such a manner until suddenly the month was over. Now, this usually would have just been another footnote to their daily lives but this was the day, of the night, of the full moon. It was the night of this day that Lenna was going to meet with her goddess. That was not until well after dinner however so the majority of their day would have been like those that came before but instead they were ambushed by Clayton when they returned to the celestial dawn for lunch.


    ¡°I finished going through the notes.¡± Clayton greeted them. ¡°The ones on mana and its colors. Would you like to go over them now?¡±


    Isaac stopped and contemplated for a long moment. ¡°Lenna?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I am fine with either.¡± She replied.


    ¡°My curiosity has been mounting but let¡¯s wait until after lunch.¡± Isaac told the young wizard.


    Clayton nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes, I, uh, haven¡¯t eaten in¡­ a while.¡± Clayton said bashfully. ¡°I would appreciate that.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Now, where to start.¡± Clayton said more to himself than to Isaac and Lenna though he was clearly open for suggestions.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with a quick overview of what each color entails, like how dark mana is death and shadow.¡± Isaac offered and Clayton nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Yes. That sounds like a perfect place to start and then we can delve into what happens when you mix them.¡± Clayton agreed and then settled in to begin. ¡°The notes start with red, orange, yellow, green, and blue. After that they go to the pairs of indigo and violet, and white and black.¡± Clayton began. ¡°Does that work for you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I already know dark or black mana quite well and I can infer a lot about white mana but the rest are pretty unknown to me.¡±


    ¡°Red is the color that governs an increase in heat and the creation of fire.¡± Clayton began.


    ¡°Like combustion?¡± Isaac wondered.


    Clayton shook his head. ¡°Not exactly. Fire needs air but a fireball can explode underwater. This is because of the actual creation of fire that red mana is responsible for.¡± He explained. ¡°Does heat make sense to you?¡±


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    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Heat is energy and spending mana to increase heat makes as much sense as spending mana to move an object.¡±


    Clayton nodded. ¡°Good, then we can continue.¡± He said and Isaac nodded his ascent. ¡°Orange is for absorbing impacts and the creation of stone or other naturally occurring hard materials. Apparently it requires a certain level of knowledge into the material itself before it can be created. The creation of precious metals is banned in every country, though I do not know of a single mage that can actually do it.¡±


    ¡°If we think of mana as a type of morphic energy that can be whatever your intent dictates then this still makes enough sense. Much like how you convert mana into heat energy you can convert it into matter. You said ¡®hard materials¡¯ why?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°Why can¡¯t you use it to create matter regardless of its state?¡±


    ¡°The notes were not only from one person and I haven¡¯t had the time to figure out whose handwriting belonged to whom but one of the writers theorized that it was because it was actually the color of Gia herself and kinetic absorption.¡± Clayton explained.


    ¡°So would the other colors be able to create things as well and have a deity that they are connected to?¡± Isaac wondered.


    Clayton shook his head. ¡°I have no idea.¡± He confessed. ¡°From orange we go to yellow. Yellow is the color of lightning and stored energy. The stored energy can be released to catastrophic effects, oftentimes an explosion of lightning.¡±


    ¡°Fireballs are not only red mana.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°They are a complex spell that uses multiple colors of mana to create an explosion. I think red mana is actually combustion and following the pattern it would go; recombining, creation in the solid state, creation in the plasmatic state, creation in the gaseous state, and creation in the liquid state.¡± Isaac theorized.


    Clayton had begun scribbling down everything Isaac had said once he realized that Isaac was making connections based on science that was only touched upon in the upper level classes in the college. ¡°How, how do you know so much about reality? The study of reality is something that very few people actually directly dedicate themselves to but you are talking like an old professor.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Isaac replied honestly. ¡°It feels like common knowledge is fueling my leaps in logic to connect these but it seems right.¡± He explained. ¡°But what about the other colors? Actually, no, before we get to that, continue your explanation of the first set of colors.¡±


    Clayton nodded and looked back at his list. ¡°According to your theory, yellow is plasmatic creation and the storage of energy.¡± Clayton picked up where they had previously left off. ¡°That is more or less all of what they had on the subject. Study of it was very volatile and deemed physically dangerous.¡± Clayton explained. ¡°Next up is green. In the notes it is written as the creation of air and imparting force on objects. After that it is blue. Blue is the creation of water and lowering temperature.¡±


    ¡°Alright, so, on the other side of the color¡¯s coin we have an increase in heat energy, reduction in kinetic energy, storing of energy, increase in kinetic energy, and reduction in heat energy.¡± Isaac summarized. ¡°Is that right?¡±


    ¡°Precisely.¡± Clayton agreed. ¡°Are you ready for the other colors?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°I think I¡¯ve got the gist of the first five colors.¡±


    ¡°They are referred to as the Base Colors. The next two are the Binding Colors and the last two are the Divine Colors.¡± Clayton explained. ¡°The base colors are indigo and violet. Indigo is the color of time and the soul. According to the notes this is the color that was more thoroughly studied. Green dragons have indigo eyes and use soul and time magic. This fact helped them properly place what the color did and how. They discovered that the soul is what dictates one¡¯s passage through time. This means that time is always relative to each person¡¯s soul individually.¡±


    ¡°That is why elvish souls degrade at differing rates in the realm of the living.¡± Lenna surmised.


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Clayton exclaimed. ¡°By using indigo mana they were able to adjust the rate that a creature with a weak soul passed through time.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Isaac wondered. ¡°Does more mana equate to a faster passage through time or a slower one?¡±


    ¡°Both and neither.¡± Clayton explained. ¡°Attempting to adjust the passage through time in either direction always resulted in the expenditure of mana.¡±


    ¡°Then how would they choose which way they would affect the target?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Intent.¡± Clayton replied. ¡°Intent was the key. It was entirely through the power of their own soul directing the mana that they could choose how the mana would affect the target.¡±


    ¡°Is intent really all that binds mana to us? Why and how is mental intent and focus a measurable phenomena?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Clayton replied honestly. ¡°Moving on from there we have violet which is space and gravity. The reality studies in this were far beyond me.¡± Clayton confessed. ¡°Something about compressing versus tearing the fabric of space?¡± Clayton shook his head. ¡°It was all draconic to me.¡±


    ¡°Draconic?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°He means it was like trying to learn another language.¡± Lenna chimed in. ¡°I wonder how magnets apply to all of this?¡±


    Clayton paled. ¡°Please, I was having enough trouble without adding in something as impossible to understand as where magnetic fields come from.¡± He pleaded.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°I am curious too but we can move on.¡±


    Clayton sighed. ¡°Thank you.¡± He then straightened a bit. ¡°Next is white and black mana which I am sure you know as much about as they did.¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Now I am not so sure.¡± He confessed. ¡°Let¡¯s go over it anyway. There seems to be a lot more science involved than I originally thought.¡±

 Chapter 71 Truly A Shame

    Chapter 71 Truly A Shame


    ¡°White mana is the color of light and life. The ephemeral concept of the latter appears to be quite difficult to quantify.¡± Clayton began. ¡°Light is simple, more mana equals a brighter light¡­ though,¡± Clayton sighed. ¡°There were what honestly looked like the ramblings of a madman that said something about a high concentration of white mana causing someone to be more attuned to righteousness.¡±


    ¡°Why do you think he was a madman?¡± Isaac questioned. With his fight with Judgement still somewhat fresh in his mind he was incredibly curious.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t provable. There were even some notations on his work by someone else that expressed doubt but the evidence was so inconclusive that they couldn¡¯t entirely discount the possibility. That is why his notes even remained.¡± Clayton explained. ¡°Do you understand the concepts behind light and life more than their names? I for one was having trouble understanding them.¡±


    ¡°Yes and no.¡± Isaac confessed. ¡°If light is more than just the creation of electromagnetic waves in the visible spectrum then there should be a spell that kills someone with invisible light. If there is then I haven¡¯t heard about it. If that is not what light does and it is simply the creation of the glowing effect then I am as lost as you are. As for life? That is as esoteric as they come. I can¡¯t even think of a metric that can measure the amount of life something has. If it even existed, would I be considered dead because death mana heals me?¡±


    Clayton looked utterly lost on the subject. ¡°Well, it sounds like you understand it more than me so let us move on.¡± Isaac nodded in assent so Clayton continued: ¡°Black mana is the color of shadows and death. As far as I can tell it is only the antithesis of light and life but I have witnessed solid shadows so my understanding cannot be correct.¡±


    ¡°I think that the reason shadows can be solid isn¡¯t because shadows are tangible but because light isn¡¯t. If that is the case, then a shadow cast on the ground is technically tangible but it is so incredibly thin that it cannot be measured. But when someone like me is using an ocean¡¯s amount of mana to create shadows and compress them in on themselves, and hold them in place, they can appear to be as solid as steel. In the end it is simply the infinitesimal amount of density that a normal shadow possesses that makes them appear to be intangible.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°As for death, I have no idea. The concept of life and death as an actual quantifiable force is entirely beyond me.¡±


    Clayton nodded along with Isaac. ¡°I can see that.¡± He agreed with Isaac¡¯s theory on shadows and scribbled it down. ¡°This has been quite helpful.¡± He said and looked up at Isaac like he was about to leave.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you forgetting something?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Clayton looked confused for a moment before his eyes suddenly widened. ¡°Oh, yes, I apologize.¡± He replied and quickly turned to another marked page in his notebook. ¡°Combining colors of mana.¡± He read off the top of the page. ¡°I have a few of them here but obviously not all of them.¡± He explained. ¡°These were just the ones that were specifically mentioned at some point in the notes.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Just start from the top then.¡±


    Clayton nodded. ¡°First we have acid. It is made with a mixture of Gia, lightning, and water creation aspects of their respective colors. The exact specifications vary from acid to acid. Well, instead of ¡®Gia, lightning, and water¡¯ it is ¡®solid, plasmatic, and liquid¡¯ creation aspects.¡± Clayton explained. ¡°Though I must confess that plasmatic creation is still a bit beyond me but I fail to see how it interacts with solids and liquids to create a substance that eats through other materials.¡±


    Isaac hummed in thought. ¡°It has to be with how the different states of matter interact with one another.¡± He thought aloud. ¡°I wonder if acids created this way always turn whatever material they¡¯ve eaten into a gas and produce heat as a byproduct. If so then they would be creating the other two colors that are missing from the equation.¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Clayton shook his head. ¡°I have no idea.¡± He confessed. ¡°The next one was poison which was Gia, death, and water or Gia, death, and air depending on the state of the poison. Again, the ratios vary based on the intended effect and the type of poison being created. This actually brings me to a question: Are you affected by poisons?¡± Clayton finished his explanation with a question.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied simply. ¡°There is a poison that can kill a god of poisons, I am sure of it. That is just how poisons work.¡±


    Clayton nodded in understanding. ¡°I am afraid that even though the listed elements make sense to me I do not understand how and why they work the way they do in spells like these.¡±


    ¡°It is physical matter creation being used to make something that is actually poisonous and it is being modified by the death mana to ensure that the effect is negative. The last element is simply the medium. At least that is my understanding of it.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Unless there is anything else, let¡¯s move on to the next one.¡±


    ¡°This one has an exact ratio listed as the optimal amount.¡± Clayton began. ¡°Thunder is made with thirty two percent of the energy storage aspect of yellow mana and sixty eight percent of the imparting of force from green mana.¡±


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°The energy storage aspect is just used to draw out the impact over a longer amount of time to get the most transfer of energy with the least amount wasted. There are definitely times when the ratio will need to be changed but even then it will probably result in a rather large amount of wasted energy.¡± He explained. ¡°That one was easy enough.¡±


    Clayton nodded along and then moved on to the next one when he was sure that Isaac wasn¡¯t going to add anything else. ¡°The next one is one that you are very familiar with.¡± Clayton began. ¡°Holy Light, Divine Fire, Radiant Fire, Heavenly Smite, all of these are the same things but with slightly tweaked ratios. The base ratio that is generally the most effective is sixty percent light, thirty percent life, and ten percent fire.¡±


    ¡°It is a perversion of white mana.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°The added fire aspect is probably what makes it violent. I bet there is a version of black mana like this as well.¡±


    ¡°There is.¡± Clayton replied. ¡°It is often seen as rapid necrosis and cellular death. It is often generally referred to as necrotic damage but its ratios can be tweaked just like with the white variant.¡± He explained. ¡°The base ratios are sixty eight percent shadow, twenty five percent death, and seven percent water.¡±


    ¡°Water?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Why is the amount of shadow so high?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°The amount of shadow is so high because you need a ton of shadows in order to actually get anything out of them. The water aspect is what is confusing to me. I figured it would be fire as well.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°I think the reason that the water aspect is used is because it is the inverse of the fire aspect that is used in the white version.¡± Clayton postulated. ¡°The next two might be even harder to understand.¡± He warned them. ¡°Psychic and Reality.¡±


    ¡°Start with psychic. It¡¯ll be best to get all of the ones that I¡¯ll probably never properly understand out of the way first.¡± Isaac replied.


    Clayton nodded. ¡°Very well.¡± He said and shifted a little in his seat. ¡°Psychic combinations vary greatly so no ratios are listed but they are always a combination of life, death, soul, space, and energy storage.¡± Clayton explained. ¡°I have no idea.¡± He replied preemptively to Isaac''s question.


    ¡°I¡­ what?¡± Isaac stammered while he tried to understand why each of the pieces of the puzzle were there. Eventually he just shook his head. ¡°You know what? Just move on. I don¡¯t need to understand how psychic magics work, only how to protect myself from them.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna added.


    ¡°Finally we have the last one that is listed that has some semblance of consistency. All of the spells that make fire, stone, lightning, wind, and water are so inconsistent that there are literal pages of research of different wizards trying to isolate different parts of the spells in order to prove their theories.¡± Clayton ranted. ¡°Reality, the effect and the magic, is made with this exact ratio that is expressed in different ways through the spell forms: nine percent raw white mana, nine percent raw black mana, ten percent for each of the following; heat, impact absorption, energy storage, impact creation, and cold.¡± He stopped to take a breath before continuing: ¡°Seven percent time, six percent gravity, and eighteen percent space.¡± He looked up from the notes at Isaac. ¡°I am afraid that that is all that I can tell you. I have no idea why these need to be in this exact ratio and what that means.¡± He confessed.


    Isaac looked like his brain was running a mile a minute as he tried to uncover the secrets to reality itself from the formula used to create its expression using magic. ¡°White and black mana are the immaterial expression of existence, what is there but cannot be measured. Time is a constant used to anchor it all. Gravity is a constant to all things that have mass so that has to be there or else it wouldn¡¯t technically exist. Space is obvious because everything exists within it. The rest of the rainbow are basically just the rules of reality involving and governing over all that is. Yes, that actually makes sense.¡± Isaac said more to himself than to the wizard sitting across from him who was rapidly scribbling in his notebook once again. ¡°Out of all of the combinations reality and thunder actually make the most sense to me outright.¡±


    ¡°It is truly a shame that you cannot use any other colors of magic.¡± Clayton whispered under his breath. He looked up from his notes once he was done. ¡°That is everything that I have. I hope that it helped you as much as it has helped me.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°It helped some but not nearly as much as I had hoped.¡± Isaac confessed. ¡°Now, do you have any ideas on how to cause unusual effects using only black mana and nothing else?¡±

 Chapter 72 One Small Step

    Chapter 72 One Small Step


    ¡°That was an interesting discussion. I¡¯m not sure how helpful it actually was but it was interesting.¡± Isaac commented while he and Lenna left to resume their music practice in the orchestral hall.


    ¡°Jala said that there are drow libraries and sorcerers who have dedicated their lives to the study of black mana.¡± Lenna reminded him. ¡°Maybe she will know something else.¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Maybe.¡± He replied. ¡°But more likely than not they are focusing on where their high density of black mana is coming from in order to get more of it. We actually know that it comes from the plane of order and darkness, death and shadows. Fen mentioned it before and how he has a connection to it. I believe the boundary between this plane of existence and that one is thinner the further down we go.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna agreed. ¡°They might still have some knowledge that the humans don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°That would require us to somehow be able to retrieve the information.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°I am sure that we will find the opportunity to look inside one of those libraries at some point.¡± She assured him. ¡°This corner of the world is changing and there is a drow city that is run by sorcerers not very far from here.¡±


    ¡°That is true.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°I guess we will have to wait and see. Speaking of sorcerers, we haven¡¯t heard anything back from the Fatebreaker.¡±


    Lenna shook her head with a frown. ¡°No, we have not.¡± She replied. ¡°Maybe¡­ maybe we could, make a trip to him?¡± She offered tentatively.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I would like to actually experience the outside world at some point. It would have to wait until after the wedding but I am not opposed to stopping by wherever he is on our travels.¡±


    Lenna sighed partly in relief and partly in resignation at Isaac¡¯s response. ¡°Sometime in the future.¡± She agreed. ¡°But for certain.¡±


    ¡°Nothing is truly for certain, my dear. Out of everyone here, there are few that know that lesson better than us. Death isn¡¯t for certain but neither is life, hells, the end of today isn¡¯t even certain. I cannot tell you with one hundred percent certainty that the sun will rise tomorrow or that I will live to breathe my next breath.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°That is why I do not like to promise things if I can help it. Usually if I promise something it is because the breaking of the promise won¡¯t be that big of a problem but making it will placate everyone else involved. There are a few notable exceptions however.¡±


    ¡°I should hope so.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Because I won¡¯t stand for any promises made between us to be broken.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Isaac told her with a smile. ¡°And I love you for it.¡±


    ¡°That better not be the only reason.¡± Lenna shot back with a straight face. The slight tightening of her facial muscles that tipped off anyone observant enough that she was teasing him and not being entirely serious could only be noticed by someone who spent a lot of time watching her every expression.


    Isaac and Lenna spent the rest of the day playing music. They picked up Shamesh from ¡®retainer school¡¯ and ate dinner. They then headed out for the dwarven fortress. Shamesh cast levitation magic on both of them and flight magic on himself. He then towed them towards the fortress in a straight line that was able to completely bypass the switch back in the road that connected the two bastions against the drow empire. Once they were a short ways out from the fortress Shamesh set them down and bowed out back into Isaac¡¯s shadow.


    As Isaac and Lenna approached the massive iron gate and one of the guards walked out to meet them. They stopped a dozen paces from the gate and the other guard clearly had his hand ready to do something, it was unclear what exactly as it was simply held a few inches out from the rest of his body with his elbow bent. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Bit late innit?¡± The dwarven guard said to the pair.


    ¡°That is the point.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°We need to see the moon at midnight.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°I am Isaac Wexler, the Lord of Darkness. Many people refer to me as the legend slayer but I prefer my other titles over that one.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°After we are done talking to Lua we will be headed back, so, if you would be so kind, let us through.¡±


    The guard seemed to take a moment to process what Isaac had said. He then hesitated a moment before he finally settled on what to do. ¡°S¡¯it true? Didja really tear ¡®im in half an¡¯ throw ¡®is bits at the rest o¡¯ the army?¡± The guard asked.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°They get better and better every time I hear them.¡± He told Lenna with obvious humor. ¡°No. I did throw him through a warwagon and hit the ceiling of the cavern with his face though. The best was definitely the impact with the ground afterwards. You can still see the depression in the stone where the ground couldn¡¯t hold up from the impact.¡± Isaac replied, only exaggerating his own story a little. ¡°That was probably my most climactic fight but the one I had most recently might¡¯ve been the hardest. At least Jallen could be injured. Ancient liches are full of tricks that make them a nightmare to put down. I was able to just beat on Jallen until he stayed down, which was nice.¡± He went on. ¡°So? Can we go through now?¡±


    The guard shared a look with the other that Isaac and Lenna couldn¡¯t see. The other one flashed a massive grin. ¡°Aye, ya just lost me ¡®ive gol¡¯ but yer free ta pass.¡± The first guard replied and started walking back over to his post.


    The other guard waved them through. ¡°We usually require a toll but as long as yer just headin¡¯ out and right back in we can overlook it, this time, just don¡¯t tell the boss, aye?¡± The second guard told them with a less heavy accent.


    Isaac nodded to him. ¡°Thanks.¡± He replied. ¡°And you don¡¯t have to worry about us snitching on you for doing us a favor. You guys were a great help a little while ago.¡±


    The dwarf¡¯s bright smile only seemed to widen. ¡°Thank ya. I¡¯twas fun.¡± He then waved them through and the duo walked under the massive gate.


    Passing through the gate was an entirely foreign feeling for both Isaac and Lenna. To the pair, it felt like they were crossing into the space between planes and the large open area between the two gates seemed to stretch on for forever and no distance at all at the same time. This was obviously just in their heads but it was a giant step for the pair. Neither of them had truly been outside into the Outerworld even if they had both seen it at least once.


    The feeling of being exposed set in as the familiarity of the Innerworld left them and the foreign expanse of the surface replaced it. There was a feeling of freedom that came with the anxiety but neither of them would be able to decide if it was worth the vulnerability in that moment. Some of the guards around them, there were eight in all, shared some words but neither of the pair paid them any heed.


    The gate guards were broken up into four pairs. The first pair had been the ones that they had talked to. The second and third pairs were stationed opposite each other on either sides of the space between worlds and between the gates to guard their respective entrances into the fortress itself. The fourth was stationed outside of the outside gate much like their counterparts in the Innerworld. All of the guards let them go unmolested. Perhaps it was the experience that the dwarves had seen play out countless times that caused them to let the duo go without even a word or perhaps it was who the duo were. Neither of those things really mattered to the outcome however and soon enough the pair were standing just inside of the last gate that would lead into the outside world. The world that the drow had been cast down from. The world where daylight reigned. The world Judgment had come from.


    Isaac took a deep breath. ¡°One small step fo-¡± He winced in pain. ¡°Ouch, damn it, that felt really profound too.¡± He swore under his breath.


    The nostalgia of the interaction that Isaac had just had with himself next to her caused Lenna to chuckle slightly. With that act much of the trepidation and tension left her and she started laughing at the sudden lightness and humor in her-of-all-people being afraid of taking a step into the unknown. Without any further hesitation she took a step out into the Outerworld.


    Isaac smiled at Lenna fondly as she plowed ahead without any further hesitation and he quickly followed her. As soon as he had taken a step out into the open he looked away from his feet and Lenna to truly take in the wider world. Together the two of them took in the surface in the brilliant moonlight of near midnight.


    The clearing was cast in a pale blue-white that cast dark shadows under each blade of grass and the forest behind it was a mask of total darkness. The pair could see through it clearly enough but even so they couldn¡¯t see more than a few dozen feet deep until the density of the foliage made it impossible to see further. The road was well traveled and worn down from thousands of wagons going back and forth over the centuries. In unison they looked to the sky and what they saw took their breaths away.


    The sky opened up into an ocean of dark blue that spoke of untold secrets, adventure, exposure, horror, emptiness, and power beyond their imaginations. Scattered across the massive ocean of outer space were billions of stars that painted the sky in strokes of muted color. The stars may have been their own colors but it was hard to see the difference between them when they were so densely packed together. A few of them clearly stood out and there was no doubt in Isaac¡¯s mind that they would be used for navigating at night. As incredible as the sky and its countless stars were, they all paled in comparison to the reason for their excursion.


    High above them hung an orb of brilliant imperfection. Craters, mountains, valley¡¯s, peaks, and divots marked her surface but each change of color that came with them only served to highlight how massive and far above them all she was. She watched over them all for half of every day without a complaint and with nothing but love in her heart. The feeling of comfort and love that came from gazing upon her beautiful glistening form threatened to bring a tear to Isaac¡¯s eye. Tears were already streaming down Lenna¡¯s face as she gazed upon her goddess. A sweet and melodic, warm and gentle, cool and kind voice bathed them in its tender symphony: ¡°Usually I would not interrupt those so moved by my visage, but my time at the apex of my monthly power is approaching.¡±

 Chapter 73 Loss

    Chapter 73 Loss


    Lua¡¯s light seemed to focus in on the pair of heroes but she did not summon forth a projection of her dark elven body. They had come to see her when she was at her strongest and she knew that her presence alone would be enough. She was still right in front of them even if hundreds of thousands of miles separated them. Lenna dropped to a knee in an instant and averted her gaze. That was to be expected as the woman was once again in the direct presence and attention of her goddess. What accompanied Lenna¡¯s movement managed to surprise even Lua herself, slightly. Isaac gave her a deep bow. The only bow he had given anyone in a way that truly meant subservience.


    Isaac was never going to do something like swear eternal loyalty to Lua but he had a profound respect for the goddess. He knew that the feelings that radiated from her were true and pure. He had done some research into the goddess and many others and had learned something of an unspoken but open secret among clergy: ¡®Balance is what holds the pantheons together.¡¯ That simple fact is what led to Lua being so pure and just and powerful. Almost every good and righteous aspect of dark elven existence was thrust upon Lua¡¯s shoulders to bear as the rest of their small pantheon was stacked against her. Even with balance attempting to take place the odds were still anything but in her favor. She would never be stronger than Dri¡¯El because that would allow her to overthrow the pantheon but instead she would always be his equal but be incredibly resistant to the rest of the pantheon. Isaac could hold nothing but respect for someone who fought on for millennia against such odds without ever falling under the weight of her responsibility. She had remained pure and strong, beautiful and just, kind and loving throughout eons of existence.


    ¡°Rise child.¡± Lua told Lenna. ¡°Thank you for the gesture, young one, but it is not necessary.¡± She told Isaac. ¡°Tell me, my child, with your words, what brings you to me like this.¡±


    Lenna rose to her feet but had trouble looking up into the sky towards her goddess directly. Isaac straightened and with a smile and a nod stepped back from Lenna. Lenna fidgeted slightly and cleared her throat. ¡°I, I am having trouble with my class.¡± Lenna began. ¡°I should have learned a fifth level spell, I have the ability to cast one but the whispers of the ancients, their anger, it hasn¡¯t taken form like it should have. I, I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± Lenna was almost pleading at the end. It was clear that the shortcoming had hit her even harder than Isaac had realized.


    ¡°Do you know why that is?¡± Lua asked the mortal woman under her light.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No. I, what is wrong with me?¡±


    A feeling like the compassionate smile of an older loved one settled onto Lenna. She could almost feel a set of arms wrap around her in a comforting hug. ¡°Nothing, nothing is wrong with you child.¡± Lua assured her calmly. ¡°You are so incredibly sad, hurt, and broken inside.¡± The goddess continued. ¡°But that is fine. It is normal. You are mortal after all. My dear, what is left where the chains of your oath once were?¡±


    Lenna sniffled and rubbed away some of her tears. If she had been like such a crying child to anyone else in all of existence she would have been so incredibly embarrassed by herself but, with Lua, it was a different story. The goddess was the mother Lenna never had but had always needed. The grandmother that should have doted on her but she never received. The teacher who should have praised her but never did. Everything that Lenna had needed, desired, and missed out on throughout her entire life was what Lua represented, what Lua was. ¡°It is the anger at what I have done.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°It is also your anger.¡± Lua corrected. ¡°And it is being held back by your suffering from the loss of the one I could not save.¡±


    Lenna could feel the sadness in Lua¡¯s tone and almost felt crushed by it. She sniffled again. ¡°So what do I do? I can¡¯t just stop being sad. He was like a brother to me. He was my rival and my best friend and he died. I¡­ I miss him, even though he was an idiot, even though he was annoying and always acted way too arrogant. What, what am I supposed to do?¡± Lenna pleaded to her goddess. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°My child.¡± Lua said with such empathy that Lenna knew that the goddess was actively feeling everything that she felt. Lenna closed her eyes only to open them a moment later as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Lua standing before her. The goddess¡¯s naked form was almost solid enough to be truly there. The pressure on Lenna¡¯s shoulder was almost heavy enough to be from a physical person in front of her. The ethereal glow of moonlight radiated from Lua with enough of an intensity that she was almost hard to look at but it was clear that the goddess was keeping it at bay enough that Lenna could look into her face. ¡°Lenna,¡± Lua called her by name for the first time. ¡°It is okay to feel sadness and pain at the loss of a loved one. Unfortunately for you, it is holding you back in a very real sense. Once the grief has moved on, you will be able to hear the whispers of all of the built up anger inside of you, from both you and your ancestors. There is nothing wrong with you, there is nothing wrong with what you are feeling.¡± The goddess explained.


    Lenna nodded and her body language shifted. Lua noticed it right away and pulled the mortal woman into an embrace. Lenna had no idea how long she cried there in her goddess¡¯s arms but it was clear that Lua was running out of time with her when the goddess pulled away. ¡°Th-thank you.¡± Lenna sniffled out. ¡°For everything that you have done for me.¡±


    ¡°Shhh.¡± Lua replied. ¡°Close your eyes and focus inwards. Let everything else fade away but your anger towards Dri¡¯El for what he did. I know of what your aunt is making and I approve. Imagine yourself using it against him. Focus on every drop of anger in your heart and listen to what it is telling you.¡± Lua directed her.


    Lenna did as she was told and as she focused she felt her pain and grief be temporarily taken away from her. With the pain gone she could finally hear the whispers of her anger and with them came the chant for her new spell. It was a simple one. It was only the name of the spell and nothing else. Lenna knew in her heart that only someone who felt exactly the same way that she did, someone with a broken oath and someone who hated a deity more than every person that had ever wronged them, would be able to cast the spell that she had just learned.


    Lua released Lenna and pulled back. ¡°Good. Now, let the spell that you have just learned carry with it all of the anger and pain that haunts you. Release it into your spells so it cannot drag you down. You have a very long and lovely life ahead of you, my dear, please, live it fully.¡± The goddess told the paladin before her form blew away in the wind. The light from the moon dimmed and returned to normal and suddenly Lenna was distinctly aware of the dwarves behind them. Her helmetless face suddenly felt incredibly exposed.


    ¡°Lenna?¡± Isaac asked tentatively. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Lenna sniffed as she pulled her helmet out of her bottomless bag. The act made her realize that when she had felt Lua, the goddess must¡¯ve moved through the armor as if it hadn¡¯t been there. She quickly slipped her helmet over her head and turned to face him. ¡°Yes.¡± She replied. ¡°Better than alright, actually.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac said with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Did she help you?¡±


    Lenna tilted her head in question. ¡°Yes. Didn¡¯t you see?¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No. The moonlight flared brightly on you for a moment and then everything was back to normal and you were in a slightly different position and Lua¡¯s presence was gone.¡± Isaac explained. When Lenna didn¡¯t reply for a long moment Isaac continued. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Lenna began but couldn¡¯t find the right words to even begin trying to explain it to him. ¡°I love my goddess.¡± Lenna eventually said and took a deep breath. Her breath hitched slightly but the following exhale released all of the residual effects of her crying. Isaac tilted his head at her but didn¡¯t speak right away. ¡°She helped me a lot, and not just with the spell. Do you want to see it?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s see it.¡± He told her and gestured out towards the worn down road.


    Lenna¡¯s open palm was held outstretched at hip height. With a sudden motion she raised it to just above her shoulder and said two words: ¡°Hellflame Strike.¡± A geyser of orange and black flames blasted out of the ground and into the sky with a vengeance. The flames only existed for around two seconds but during that time they seemed to have a desire for revenge that burned so deep that some of the flames were black. The light from the orange flames was still enough that it was hard to keep from squinting in the pale moonlight of midnight. Lenna looked up at the moon. ¡°Thank you, my goddess.¡± She prayed. ¡°I know it might be impertinent of me, but, if there is anything that I can help you with, any way that I can show you how much I am thankful for what you have done, for how much it meant to me, please, tell me.¡±


    ¡®Shhhh.¡¯ Lenna felt the voice in her soul like a gentle brook feeding into a pond. ¡®It is enough that you are genuine. Now go, live your life. If there is ever a time when I need you, I will call on you, but do not think about it. Think about your life and future.¡¯


    Lenna smiled and nodded towards the moon. ¡°I will.¡± She replied and turned to leave. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Isaac. I feel good, but also like I need to sleep.¡±


    Isaac chuckled and offered her his arm. ¡°Shall we?¡± He said and she took it. Isaac then tossed the moon a glance and winked at the goddess. ¡®Thank you.¡¯ He mouthed.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Lenna asked and turned her head to look at him clearly.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Isaac replied with a smile. ¡°Nothing at all.¡±

 Chapter 74 Utterly Ridiculous.

    Chapter 74 Utterly Ridiculous.


    A few days, countless songs, and Shamesh¡¯s training later something expected finally arrived. They were to be paid the next day, their house was to be finished in two, they were to have tea with Sera in three, but it seemed like even though good things were to come in threes they would first be preceded by a bad one. The pair had just settled in to play with Shamesh standing off to the side patiently observing along with Branden. The later middle aged man was still trying to get comfortable with a bone golem butler hanging around when they heard the doors open.


    All four of them turned their heads to see a figure clad in white and gold with blazing golden eyes and glowing golden hair. His feet never touched the ground as he floated out of the hallway and into the hall itself. His eyes locked onto Isaac. ¡°No.¡± Isaac said simply. ¡°You do not get to come in here and cause a problem.¡± Isaac told the demigod without a single hint of trepidation in his voice. ¡°You can wait until we are done like everyone else.¡±


    Judgment stopped in place and stared intently at Isaac as he heard the dark mage¡¯s words. Once Isaac was finished Judgment took in the other three present. He wrinkled his nose at the bone golem but then nodded at Isaac. ¡°Very well.¡± The demigod agreed. ¡°I will wait.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s eyes widened in surprise slightly before he nodded at the demigod. Isaac turned his attention back to the piano. ¡°We can start whenever you¡¯re ready.¡± He told Lenna.


    Lenna relaxed her grip on the violin, thankful that it hadn¡¯t shattered in her grasp, and readied her bow. ¡°Ready.¡± She told Isaac.


    Isaac started playing a simple song that Lenna had learned over the course of the last week or so. It was easy enough that she was able to branch out from Lua¡¯s Tragedy. This was helping her put into practice what Lua had taught her so they could continue on to more complex songs. Isaac knew the piano part of the song the same way he knew every other piece he performed. That was to say, he had no idea why he knew it but wasn¡¯t about to start reading too far into it for fear that it would change. The song was a dance that moved the tune back and forth between the violin and piano. The tune was the same for both instruments repeated over and over as they passed it back and forth. First Isaac would go, then they would go together, then Lenna would go, then they would go together again, and then it would repeat from the beginning. They did this twice almost as a warm up before Isaac nodded to Lenna and she took a deep breath.


    Lenna stopped and closed her eyes. She remembered the meeting with her goddess more vividly then she remembered any other part of her life. Many of her deeper memories were either eroded with time or were far more complex so she had a harder time remembering every detail. As she placed the bow on the strings she felt the blessing of Lua take over and together her and her goddess¡¯s blessing played the song of Lua¡¯s Tragedy. Isaac soon began playing along with both an echo and harmony. This was more of an effort on Isaac¡¯s part as he learned a song that hadn¡¯t just forced its way into his fingertips. Once they were done Lenna opened her eyes and relaxed.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you play another while I study the new sheet music.¡± Lenna offered Isaac. Branden had given her the sheet music for a beginner piece and it was next on her list of songs to learn. Lenna had a hard time reading the music while playing it but her memory was good so she settled on memorizing the piece and then playing it while Isaac and Branden corrected her. That was not why Lenna offered for Isaac to continue playing however. Lenna was hoping that if Judgment could see that Isaac wasn¡¯t just some mad dark sorcerer claiming to be a demigod, then maybe the divine hammer of justice would think twice about trying to turn him into dust.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Isaac said with a nod and started playing a deep and dark piece full of shadows and rage. The exact opposite of what Lenna wanted from him. Once he was done he looked over at Judgment and decided on another song. This time the long drawn out deep notes and the harmonic rhythmic beating of a middle key and a lower one invited feelings of a march backed with pure conviction. As Isaac moved through the piece it was soon incredibly clear that it was meant to invoke the feelings of a crusader¡¯s march during a holy war.


    Lenna sighed and set down the sheet music. ¡°Do you want to just get this over with?¡± She asked Isaac. ¡°I doubt you are helping his opinion of you. Play something with heart or let¡¯s go outside and see what Judgment wants.¡± If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Isaac said and looked up towards the sky. He closed his eyes and took a deep centering breath. Instead of rising from his bench to meet the demigod he started playing the first song that Lenna had heard him play on the piano. The song moved through its three segments like the three stages of Isaac¡¯s life that he couldn¡¯t remember. After that, he moved to a sonata full of panic, adventure, and wonder. From there he moved to one of warmth and love but as he played it he would abruptly stop and interject with a melody that hit like clashing swords. It was the story of his life in the Innerworld. Eventually he stopped and closed the lid over the keys. Isaac was slightly winded so as he closed the lid he flashed a pulse of death flames through his body so he was at least in perfect condition in the event that Judgment wanted to fight, again.


    ¡°Are you finished?¡± Judgment asked as Isaac rose from his seat.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°If you are only here to talk then there is a restaurant nearby.¡±


    Judgment looked contemplative for a moment. ¡°I am going to hit you with the gavel of justice. It will not take into account any of the sins it has already hit you with.¡± The demigod explained. ¡°If the results are satisfactory, I will leave and seek counsel on what must be done about your claims. If they are not, I will fight you to the death, again.¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Fine. We can do it in the street if that is it. Not the fighting part, the hammer part.¡± Isaac clarified. ¡°I haven¡¯t killed anyone recently, that wasn¡¯t already dead, and I¡¯ve kept my fingers to myself.¡±


    Judgment¡¯s blazing but somehow still cold eyes never left Isaac. ¡°Lead the way.¡± Judgment instructed and Isaac, slowly, left the building along with Lenna and Shamesh. Once they were outside, Judgment looked at Shamesh but spoke to Isaac: ¡°What is that creature?¡± He demanded.


    ¡°It is a bone construct that is an imitation of a mad wizard. It is being piloted by the shadow of my soul that has been imprinted with fragments of a young lightning dragon and is now my retainer.¡± Isaac answered truthfully and directly. ¡°Ignore him.¡±


    Judgment didn¡¯t sense a single lie in Isaac¡¯s words so he returned his full attention to the mage himself. ¡°Are you ready?¡± He asked Isaac.


    Isaac raised an eyebrow in question and surprise. He was surprised that Judgment even asked, considering how gung ho he was about trying to turn Isaac into a smear on the road the first time they met.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Sure, I can block it right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Judgment replied. ¡°Psychostasia.¡± The demigod¡¯s expression was entirely neutral as the gavel of justice appeared over Isaac¡¯s head. Four spears of shadows so dark that they devoured the light around them appeared around Isaac. Their tips impacted the hammer as it swung down at his head. The tips of the spears were momentarily blunted but the impact was minor. ¡°You witnessed something horrible but did nothing.¡± Judgment told Isaac. ¡°Explain.¡±


    Isaac sighed and sat down on a chair made from the shadows that used to be a set of four spears. ¡°When I made Shamesh I had to witness what the mad wizard had done to become a lich in the first place. It was horrible, yes, but it was also something that I could not change because it happened in the past. That shouldn¡¯t count as aiding and abetting.¡± He argued. ¡°Are we done here?¡±


    Judgment stared down at Isaac for a long moment as if he was searching for a reason to fight him anyway. Eventually the demigod simply nodded at the dark mage. ¡°Very well. I will seek counsel on how to handle you further.¡± Judgment explained and turned away from Isaac. The demigod leaned forwards and then shot off like an arrow towards the exit.


    ¡°Ugh he¡¯s so annoying.¡± Isaac grumbled once Judgment was a few hundred feet away. ¡°He better not show up demanding to hit me with the stupid light hammer every month. If he does, I¡¯m gonna kill him.¡±


    Lenna chuckled at the absurdity of it all. ¡°This is utterly ridiculous.¡± She told him.


    ¡°What is?¡± Isaac asked her.


    ¡°What isn¡¯t?¡± Lenna countered.


    Isaac thought about it for a moment and then shrugged. ¡°Fair point. It is rather preposterous. I don¡¯t think a demigod should be this petty. He already lost once, just bugger off and leave me the hells alone.¡± He grumbled.


    ¡°You did the thing again.¡± Lenna told him.


    ¡°Where I used a word that didn¡¯t translate at all so it came out in a language that you didn¡¯t understand?¡± Isaac requested clarification even though he already figured out what she meant.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes, though I think I can understand it anyway.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Do you remember the word?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°B-buh-buhg.¡± Lenna shook her head. ¡°I know I¡¯m not saying it right.¡± She said while giving up.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s fine. It is weird how that happens sometimes.¡±


    ¡°There are probably words like that for you as well.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Like Pecurke. That probably should¡¯ve translated but it didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I think the only consistent thing about my translation ability and my memory is that it is odd.¡± Isaac stated. ¡°There is definitely some kind of pattern or set of rules that it is following but I¡¯ll be damned if I know what they are.¡±


    Lenna let silence hang in the air for a moment as a way to let the topic and conversation die before she changed it: ¡°Want to go back inside and practice some more?¡±


    Isaac looked around at all of the people that had been watching them. It wasn¡¯t many but it was more that he could count on one hand which was too many in his book. The entire confrontation with Judgment had at least a dozen witnesses. Isaac stood up and turned towards Lenna and the way they had come. ¡°Yes.¡± He said and headed off.

 Chapter 75 Conclusions.

    Chapter 75 Conclusions.


    The world was still, as it almost always was, as she walked into the underground town. She walked past people going about their day. From her perspective they were still life reliefs, in reality she was merely moving so slowly through time that everyone, who was moving through it at a normal speed, looked to be frozen in place. The air moved around her in such a way as to not disturb anything that was not within the exact space that she traveled through. The spell that her ability was based off of had been a work of art, her pride and joy, millennia ago. Well, it was millennia from her perspective, for everyone else it was a little over a millennium.


    She wandered through the city for a little while to get a feel for it and its people. The people were pale but hearty, not in body but in spirit, from living in a place that was always under a threat of one kind or another. She stepped out of the way and into an alleyway. She took a deep breath to reign in everything about her. She tried to minimize her presence as much as she could so people, specifically strong people, wouldn¡¯t notice her presence. She then changed her speed through time to as close to those around her as she could manage. She knew that it wasn¡¯t perfect but it was close enough that unless someone was both observant and specifically looking for her they wouldn¡¯t notice. She was sure that her words would come out either a little fast or a little slow while she was talking to people but that was fine. At most they would consider her a little weird. She was weird though, and no amount of tweaking her timeflow would change that.


    She knew that her flowing robes and pants with dozens of folds would draw attention but that was fine. Most people would just think of her as a traveler from far away, which she was, and her accent would help to sell that fact. Her accent wasn¡¯t very heavy but she rarely had conversations with anyone who was not a member of her clan and thus in their native tongue. She smiled as she thought back on her first interactions with her two best friends and how they all had to learn a spell just to understand each other. ¡°Hi-¡± Her voice croaked as she tried to use it for the first time in only the gods knew how long. She never bothered to keep track of exactly how long time had passed from her own perspective. It was far too annoying when the sun passed at a consistent pace for everyone but her. ¡°Hi.¡± She tried again and then nodded to herself.


    She walked out of the alley and over to a stall owner. He was selling cloaks to residents who had lost theirs or needed a new one, but it was clear from the stall¡¯s position near the main entrance and thoroughfare that he was looking for ill prepared travelers. ¡°Miss!¡± He called out to her. ¡°You look like you are in need of a good cloak. It¡¯s a bit cold down here don¡¯t ya think?¡±


    ¡°Hi.¡± She greeted him back once she was close enough that she didn¡¯t need to yell. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll take a cloak.¡± She told him and fished in her sash for a gold coin. She handed it to him and he eyed it strangely.


    The cloak seller took the coin and bit into it. It felt soft and heavy enough that it was probably real but it had strange engravings on it so he hadn¡¯t been sure. ¡°This one here looks about your size.¡± He told her and handed her a cloak. The cloak was among the smaller ones that he was selling.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± She said and gave the man a slight bow.


    He looked sheepishly at her and scratched the back of his head. ¡°It¡¯s nothin¡¯.¡± He replied. ¡°T-Take care now.¡±


    She nodded and looked like she was about to leave before she turned back to him. ¡°I am an adventurer from another kingdom.¡± She explained to him. ¡°Where is a good inn for an adventurer of middling level to recover from a long journey?¡±


    ¡°Ya got good coin then?¡± The man asked her. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Pardon?¡± She replied.


    ¡°You have plenty of money?¡± He asked again.


    She nodded. ¡°I do. I made plenty of it on the way here at least.¡± She explained. ¡°Though, I am not a noble or anything.¡±


    The cloak seller nodded and gestured down the street. ¡°Four blocks that way, take a right.¡± The man gave her directions to a place called ¡®The Celestial Dawn¡¯. She nodded along with his directions and then offered him another gold coin and bowed slightly to him once more. ¡°Oh, uh, it was nothing nobody else wouldn¡¯t do.¡± He replied. ¡°I don¡¯t need payment for just some directions.¡± He assured her.


    She smiled and placed the coin in his hand. ¡°Please, take it.¡± She told him. She could tell that her foreign accent and attractive looks were doing wonders to get the best out of people, especially middle aged men, again. She rarely actively tried to flaunt her beauty but she also rarely had to. The man took the coin and she was soon on her way.


    She had just reached the inn she had been directed to when she felt a certain demigod approaching the town at high speed. She sighed and waited for him to enter the city. She tracked him with her senses towards a part of town a few blocks away. She changed the rate that she passed through time, again, to the extreme degree that she used while traveling long distances. She stopped a block away from Judgment and tried to equalize her timeflow. Once she was back to ¡®normal¡¯ she walked the rest of the way to a large building that reminded her of the theater in Altia from a half a millennium ago. The large stone building had holes cut in walls near the ceiling to allow some of the lovely sounds from inside to bathe the surrounding area in their art.


    She waited there, listening to the songs played inside, for almost an hour until they finally stopped. She felt an odd flaring of power momentarily but then it was gone. Soon after, she felt Judgment moving back outside. She decided to wait and listen. There was no reason for her to get caught peeking when she could just see what happened in the past later.


    She heard their conversation about one of their members and the rest of their interaction with relative clarity. Eventually they went back inside and continued playing as Judgment went in search of Gilgamesh or Klein. From everything that she had felt she was sure that the man that had slain Judgment was the one inside and she was also certain that he was not evil. Whether or not he was good was yet to be seen but if Judgment wasn¡¯t sure how to deal with him then that meant that he wasn¡¯t a serial killer at the very least.


    She settled in and sat on her feet in the alley next to the theater. She was in no rush so she wouldn¡¯t increase the rate that time passed from her perspective. She simply let the music from the duo gently caress her ears until they were finished. Once they were done, her job would get started in earnest. The Celestial Dawn would have to wait.


    A few hours after She had settled in to listen to the music it stopped and the musicians and retinue left the building. She waited until they were long gone before rising to her feet. She dusted herself off and resumed her mission. The world around her slowed almost to a stop once again. She walked over to an area where she knew the pair had been and watched the past unfold before her. She had sworn to never go back in time again but she was more than capable of watching time in reverse.


    She watched as the pair reentered the building and she followed along. With some focus towards her sash she became incorporeal so she could walk through the door and continue following the pair backwards through time. She followed the pair back and forth dozens of times. She tracked them through their excursion to the outside world to meet with Lua. She tracked them through their adventure involving Shamsha. She tracked them through their fight with Judgment. On and on she went through Isaac and Lenna¡¯s entire past.


    Eventually she reached a place out in the middle of nowhere where the trail seemed to end. Isaac was lying on his back in the dark with nothing but a box and a dim lamp. She then let it play forwards again. He sat up and found a letter in the box. She read the letter over his shoulder and her eyes widened at the signature. ¡°You let me see this.¡± She said aloud.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Came a reply from the phantom image of the letter from months past.


    ¡°Why?¡± She asked.


    ¡°They are good kids.¡± Another voice came from right next to her. This voice was soft and motherly unlike the childlike voice from the letter. ¡°We wanted to be sure that you knew that. You are, after all, the wisest among your pantheon.¡±


    ¡°Not Klein?¡± She asked and got a laugh that warmed her heart in reply.


    ¡°Watch him yourself and come to your own conclusions.¡± Said the voice from the letter. ¡°But remember, you had better have a good reason if you decide to get rid of him.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± She asked again. ¡°Have you both given him your blessings?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Both voices replied in unison.


    ¡°What about her?¡± She questioned.


    ¡°She is not to be touched.¡± The motherly voice told her sternly.


    ¡°I understand.¡± She replied with a bow. ¡°Thank you both for informing me and letting me witness all of this.¡± She got no reply.

 Chapter 76 Questions

    Chapter 76 Questions


    Isaac and Lenna both stopped in perfect sync. Isaac unconsciously rubbed his chest from the odd tingle he felt in his core and Lenna scanned the area around them with the focus of a hunting bird of prey. ¡°You felt it too?¡± Isaac asked.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Something strong was just here.¡± She affirmed.


    ¡°And powerful beyond even Judgment.¡± Isaac added. ¡°Did you-¡± Isaac sniffed the air as he got a whiff of something.


    Lenna took a deep breath in through her nose as well. ¡°Cherries and¡­ peaches?¡± Lenna spoke her aromatic findings aloud.


    Isaac nodded in agreement. ¡°Whoever it was, they¡¯re long gone now.¡± A few people were giving them odd looks as their eyes swept every degree of visibility from their position. A black void opened up next to Isaac and a creature made of bones in the rough shape of an elf and dressed in a butler¡¯s suit rose from the pitch black shadow. ¡°Shamesh, do you know a spell to find out who was just here?¡± Isaac questioned his skeletal retainer.


    ¡°I am afraid that I lack a spell for this, my Lord.¡± Shamesh said with a graceful bow. Suddenly there was a lot more attention on them.


    ¡°Thank you, Shamesh, I will call on you again later.¡± Isaac told his familiar.


    Shamesh bowed again. ¡°As you say, I shall take my leave.¡± Shamesh replied and sank back down into the black void.


    Once Shamesh was gone, Isaac tsked. ¡°Damn, he has a lot of great attack spells but I guess he can¡¯t be all powerful.¡± Isaac grumbled. ¡°Let¡¯s go see Alexander. His array should¡¯ve picked up on whatever that was.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Agreed.¡± She replied.


    They had both only taken half a step towards Alexander¡¯s tower when it happened again. Isaac felt his core quiver under the barest touch of a power far, far, too vast and ancient. The hair on the back of Lenna¡¯s neck stood on end and she felt a shiver run up her arms and spine. Neither of them had much time to process their own reactions because there was a woman standing a dozen feet in front of them. Her long black hair was braided to keep it tidy and as she bowed towards them in greeting her hair swung forwards almost brushing against the ground. She straightened and smiled pleasantly at the duo.


    The woman¡¯s clothes were strange but familiar to Isaac. She had a cloak that hung over her shoulders which hid some of her garb but plenty of the myriad of folds were still visible. Each half of the shirt was pulled across her chest in alternate directions and tied at her waist by both her sash and the skirt-like pants. Each of the pant legs consisted of a hundred folds of fabric much like a young woman¡¯s summer skirt. When she was standing still they almost seemed to turn into one continuous stream of folds that wrapped around her lower half. Her boots were the same design as Isaac¡¯s old ones, simple soft leather that tied halfway up the calf.


    As the newcomer straightened and smiled at the pair she gave off this odd feeling of being out of synchronization with the flow of time itself, it got better as she continued but it was still disconcerting. ¡°There is no need for that.¡± She told them. At first her words came out almost too fast but as her sentence continued her speech slowed down to a nearly normal rate. ¡°I am right here.¡± By now her voice was almost at the proper speed for her. The main reason it was even noticeable was because she did not give off the feeling of someone who spoke quickly due to endless prattling, but rather, she felt like one who spoke merely at need instead of idly.


    Isaac felt her power fade away into the background as if she was simply a part of the world around them. By the time she was done he couldn¡¯t sense her presence, at all. ¡°I see that.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°And who might you be?¡±


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    Her smile widened a bit. ¡°I am Ori Jikan.¡± She told them simply. ¡°You may call me ¡®Ori¡¯ or ¡®Miss¡¯ or ¡®Lady Jikan¡¯.¡± She waved down the street in the direction the pair were going before they felt her. ¡°I believe you were about to go somewhere for dinner. Allow me to join you and I will answer your questions then.¡±


    Isaac nodded warily. ¡°Alright.¡± He told her. ¡°Did you have somewhere in mind?¡±


    ¡°Yes, actually.¡± Ori smiled. ¡°Dave¡¯s Grill on ninth street, if you do not mind the walk.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°That¡¯s fine. They serve monster meat there a lot. Usually only locals go there but you are anything but a local.¡± Isaac replied to which Ori merely nodded in affirmation, if her timing was still off, Isaac could no longer tell.


    ¡°Thank you for obliging me.¡± Ori replied instead of answering Isaac¡¯s other statement.


    Isaac nodded and turned towards their new destination. As he did he and Lenna shared a look. Lenna¡¯s seemed to say: ¡®I don¡¯t like having someone that dangerous behind me.¡¯


    Isaac¡¯s reply was: ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter if she is in front of or behind us.¡¯


    Ori was silent until they arrived at Dave¡¯s Grill. Once all three of them had been seated by a rather cheery waitress, and they had been informed on what they were having for dinner by said cheery waitress, Ori finally locked her black eyes on Isaac¡¯s silver ones.


    ¡°You are correct.¡± Ori began. ¡°I am from very far away.¡± She informed them. ¡°You felt my power so you already know what I am.¡± She said specifically to Isaac. Lenna remained perfectly still as her fears were confirmed by the mysterious woman. ¡°No, I was not sent here by that child but I am here because of him.¡± She preemptively answered Isaac¡¯s next question. At the sudden shift in body language from Isaac she smiled and bowed her head slightly. ¡°I apologize. Continue and ask your questions.¡±


    Isaac was nervous, very, very, nervous. The woman across from them could actively see or hear whatever he was about to do. He was sure that there had to be limits but he had no interest in trying to find them. Just from the brush against her power that he had felt he was entirely positive that she was the last person on the planet that he wanted to fight directly. ¡°Time then.¡± Isaac stated the rather obvious conclusion on her identity.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She replied simply.


    ¡°What era are you from?¡± He wondered. He knew that it was impolite to ask a woman her age but part of him doubted that she had one specific age to give him in the first place.


    ¡°This most recent dragon surge.¡± She replied honestly. ¡°Just like Space and Gravity. Blade is a bit older because he is actually from before the dragon surge, to correct your misinformation.¡±


    Isaac forced down the desire to swallow at his past being directly referenced by someone that he didn¡¯t think had actually been there. ¡°Not to be rude, but why are you here?¡± Isaac questioned her directly.


    ¡°My oldest friend asked me to meet the ones who killed Judgment.¡± She explained. ¡°The fact that your most recent exchange with the boy did not end in more bloodshed means that you are at least a decent person. I could have left it at that but I wanted to meet with you personally.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Because there are only two ways to truly understand someone and this is the one that I prefer.¡± She replied.


    ¡°The other is violence.¡± Isaac surmised to which Ori nodded. It was at that moment that their food arrived so they all fell silent as they were served grilled shadow-wolf steaks with wild onions. The scent of garlic wafted heavily off of the steaks and Ori immediately brought her hands together in a silent prayer. Her prayer was over in a heartbeat and her fork and knife were in her hands a moment after that. Isaac and Lenna were a bit farther behind her but it was clear that Ori was famished.


    ¡°Is your friend a demigod?¡± Lenna questioned Ori directly.


    Ori nodded with a mouthful of steak. Isaac had to agree with the look on the woman¡¯s face, the steaks were far better than he expected. Dog meat, because that is what it was, was not at the top of Isaac¡¯s list of foods to try. It somehow managed to maintain some of the innate magical properties of the wolf which meant that it was less dense than usual and thus broke apart easier. For Isaac, however, it also seemed to relive some wariness almost like a cup of mushroom tea.


    ¡°So, you are just here to sit and have dinner with us?¡± Isaac asked after he swallowed his first mouthful.


    They had to wait for Ori to chase her steak with some water before she was ready to speak again. ¡°More specifically, Klein asked me to make sure that you weren¡¯t a threat to mortals as a whole, and to make sure that if you were, you would not be one for long.¡±


    ¡°That is quite¡­ direct.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°Am I, or could I be, a demigod? If I am, what would happen if Lenna and I bound our strands of fate together?¡±


    Ori hummed in thought. ¡°I do not know if you are but there is the potential for you to be. I will not tell you how, you must figure it out, just like the rest of us did. I have no idea how the binding of strands of fate will affect you.¡± She answered him as clearly as she could. ¡°Only the Twin Deities could answer the first part of your first question. I did not ask Rei when we last spoke.¡±


    ¡°You spoke to her recently?¡± Isaac asked and leaned in slightly.


    ¡°Recently¡­hmm¡­ Yes, I would say recently is accurate.¡± Ori replied.


    ¡°What does that even mean?¡± Isaac questioned.


    Ori¡¯s eyes seemed to glaze over as her focus left them for a moment. She blinked and then refocused on Isaac. ¡°It was around three hundred hours ago from my perspective.¡± She told him. ¡°That is recent for both of us, I believe.¡±


    Isaac nodded though he was still slightly confused on what that meant exactly. ¡°Well, Lady Jikan, thank you for answering my questions.¡± Isaac told the demigoddess across from him. ¡°Do you have any questions of your own?¡±

 Chapter 77 Nothing Else.

    Chapter 77 Nothing Else.


    ¡°I am curious about what I cannot see.¡± Ori explained. ¡°Due to this, I will ask you some hypothetical questions.¡± Isaac nodded in assent. ¡°If you saw a platinum coin fall out of someone¡¯s purse, would you tell them, ignore it, pocket it, or grab it and give it back to them?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d probably just keep it if I knew no one would notice.¡± Isaac replied truthfully.


    ¡°If there were two burning buildings and one of your friends were inside of one of them and the other held a family of ten would you; save your friend and then the family, save your friend and ignore the family, save the family and then your friend, or let luck decide their fates?¡± Ori questioned further.


    ¡°It depends on the risk to myself.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°And what the friend means to me.¡± He expanded on his answer. ¡°If I had the power that I do now then I would save my friend and send Shamesh to save the family. Obviously my friend takes priority but Shamesh is more than capable of stopping a building from collapsing. If I didn¡¯t think that I could save my friend by myself, I would have to bring Shamesh along to help me and then if the family could still be saved I would take care of them afterwards.¡±


    Ori smiled at Isaac. ¡°You are taking these questions seriously. Thank you.¡± She told him with a slight bow of her head.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°You want the truth so I will give it to you.¡±


    ¡°What if I wanted a lie?¡± She asked curiously.


    ¡°Then I would lie to your face without a second thought.¡± Isaac replied calmly. ¡°I could tell you that I am what happens when a black hole falls to Primatia and devours its fill of mana and humans and becomes sentient. I could explain to you that the sky is actually green and the trees are purple and blue, you¡¯ve had your colors mixed up for your entire life. I could tell you that I¡¯ve never killed a man in a fit of rage or that I don¡¯t see those I am not close to as resources to be used when needed.¡±


    ¡°But not at will?¡± Ori questioned directly.


    ¡°Resources should not be wasted.¡± Isaac stated.


    ¡°What about all the things you wasted money on in the past?¡± Lenna asked before Ori could ask another question.


    ¡°They bought something.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°They bought good will, memories, peace of mind, and resources in the future.¡±


    ¡°How many people would have to die for you to trade their lives for someone you knew?¡± Ori asked further.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Isaac replied simply.


    ¡°Lady V¡¯Nova.¡± Ori answered and leaned in slightly.


    ¡°All of them would not be enough.¡± Isaac answered without blinking. The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife.


    Instead of any kind of negative reaction to Isaac¡¯s answer, Ori leaned back in her chair and smiled contentedly. ¡°That answer is enough for me. It answers my next dozen questions. Thank you for your time Lord Wexler, Lady V¡¯Nova.¡± She gave each of them a shallow bow. ¡°I will not see you again until after your wedding so I will congratulate you now. As is custom where I am from I will offer each of you one piece of advice. Usually it is advice on maintaining a happy marriage but I do not think that you need it.¡± She then rose to her feet and it was only then that they realized she had practically licked her plate clean even through the questioning. She looked directly at Lenna. ¡°Do not hold your children to the same standard that you hold yourself. That is something that no mortal can ever hope to achieve, let alone a child.¡± She then turned to Isaac and locked eyes with him. ¡°And you, do not spoil your children rotten. I do not want to be the one who has to clean up after them.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Isaac chuckled at her clearly forced sternness. ¡°Thanks but I have a feeling we¡¯ll see each other before any children arrive.¡± He told the old demigoddess.


    Ori¡¯s stern facade faded away and she smiled grandmotherly at them. ¡°You may be right, but by then I won¡¯t have an excuse to give you unsolicited advice.¡± She retorted. ¡°We will meet again, and thank you for dinner.¡± Ori said with a bow.


    Isaac felt the tingle of power beyond his comprehension go through his core as Ori turned and then vanished. ¡°Huh.¡± Isaac said aloud. ¡°This definitely is near the top of the list of strangest divine interactions of my lives.¡±


    Lenna snorted a laugh. ¡°That, that is your take away from this?¡± She questioned him while chuckling.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve met¡­¡± He started counting on his fingers. ¡°Four, maybe six divinities and at least two demigods. This one and the one an hour before it have to be at least number three and four, maybe even two and three on the list of most weird.¡±


    ¡°Which one is the most weird?¡± Lenna questioned curiously. She certainly didn¡¯t think any of them were normal.


    ¡°Definitely when the Reaper showed up for a chat in the middle of the street.¡± Isaac confirmed her unspoken guess. ¡°A god accidentally getting me killed, that was pretty normal all things considered, though I¡¯m not really sure if that one should count because I wasn¡¯t really in one piece when we met.¡± Isaac said as he started listing them off. ¡°The twins? That was a perfectly normal interaction with deities that do what they do.¡± He continued. ¡°The Reaper dropping by for a quick chat was just so strange that I could only really act casually because I couldn¡¯t think of any other way to act.¡± Isaac confessed. ¡°Lua stopping by in our bedroom like privacy doesn¡¯t exist was certainly odd but the situation was urgent so I¡¯m not about to complain about it.¡± He said and took a deep breath before he continued the list. ¡°Pretty much every interaction with Lua has been very personal which is very much on brand for her so none of them have really been odd except maybe when¡­¡±


    ¡°When she and Dri¡¯El fought over Macken.¡± Lenna finished for him.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah. Judgment is this dumb mix of blind zealot and robo-¡± Isaac winced and rubbed the side of his head. ¡°Cold, unthinking, machine, like a clock.¡± He scrunched his face and then tried to blink away the pain. ¡°So our first meeting with him was probably how it usually goes whenever he goes anywhere, just with a lot more Judgment losing than usual. This most recent time was clearly a first for him as much as it was a first for us to have a demigod as our audience.¡±


    Lenna nodded in agreement. ¡°Having heard every event from your perspective¡­ yes, I think today has been towards the top. It is odd that you can even have a list, I hope you know that.¡± She told him.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Most people live lives that might seem strange to others around them, yours is just a bit stranger than most and mine is even more so. Honestly, that is why I try to not learn anyone¡¯s name unless it is actually necessary. It is so much harder to ignore someone I know personally and even harder to purposely throw them to the wolves when necessary.¡± He explained.


    Lenna nodded in understanding. ¡°You know me.¡± She told him.


    ¡°You would regret either choice you made with the pair of burning buildings because you are too good of a person.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°You would probably end up going after the family unless it was me though.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± She agreed.


    ¡°How many lives would you trade for mine?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°All of them.¡± Lenna said with the weight of regret hanging on her voice as if it had already happened. ¡°I would curse myself for not being strong enough to save you and everyone else the entire time, but I would still choose you, every time.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Isaac replied and then casually took another bite of his steak. ¡°Never change that part of you.¡± He told her around a mouthful of food. He swallowed and then looked directly at her. ¡°One of us has to have emotions that work properly. Gods know I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Because you don¡¯t have a flight response?¡± Lenna questioned.


    ¡°Because all I have to do to not feel bad about something is to tell myself that I shouldn¡¯t. That¡¯s all it takes and any guilt is sealed away. I know it¡¯s not normal but I also know that that is the way that I am. You need to be the one to keep me from doing something drastic under strenuous circumstances.¡± Isaac told her.


    ¡°Like what?¡± Lenna wondered.


    Isaac looked her dead in the eyes without the barest hint of humor or hesitation. ¡°Executing the city of Contantis and everyone in it that I can feel with my Polarity Sense for sending Shamsha after us, for feeding a monster like him. I would drop the mountain on them if it weren¡¯t for two things.¡±


    ¡°What two things?¡± Lenna asked quietly even though she thought that she already knew the answer.


    Isaac calmly answered her: ¡°Those around me would look at me like I was an actual monster, and it would upset you. Nothing else.¡±

 Chapter 78 Eccentricities

    Chapter 78 Eccentricities


    The first thing that Isaac and Lenna did once they had money in hand, and in the bank, after their payout for saving Safeharbor, again, was to swing by Adventurous Tastes. Once the pair had entered the building, which was larger on the inside than the outside, they immediately felt someone or something watching them. They looked around until a sudden bit of movement drew their gazes in the dim artificial sunlight. A pair of large yellow-green eyes blinked behind black furred eyelids. A pure black cat eyed them with a mix of disinterest and disdain for ringing the doorbell.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it a crow last time?¡± Isaac asked aloud.


    ¡°Definitely.¡± Lenna agreed.


    ¡°It¡¯s Eliza¡¯s isn¡¯t it?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°I think so, yes.¡± Lenna replied.


    Isaac nodded sagely. ¡°That makes sense. Is Clayton around, familiar of Eliza Thane?¡± Isaac questioned the cat. It¡¯s tail flicked down the aisle that it¡¯s top-shelf nest was nestled in. ¡°That way?¡± The cat just closed its eyes and settled back in. ¡°I will take that as a yes.¡± Isaac sighed and did as he was directed.


    After walking down an aisle for at least the entire length of the building¡¯s exterior wall, Isaac and Lenna found Clayton reorganizing a shelf of crystals with runic enchantments infused into them. Clayton saw them coming and smiled. ¡°Hello.¡± He greeted them. ¡°I did not expect to see you here so soon. I take it this is not about the magic theory we talked about.¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No.¡± He confirmed. ¡°Lenna really needs a sword. I know we talked about Eliza maybe making a sword for her but the results from that conversation were¡­¡±


    ¡°Inconclusive.¡± Lenna finished for him. ¡°Even if he can¡¯t make a sword for me, I need something.¡±


    ¡°He still hasn¡¯t even looked at your inquiry. He is very much a one task man.¡± Clayton explained. ¡°What are your minimum requirements? I might be able to find something that will suffice in the short term.¡±


    ¡°It needs to cut cleanly and hold its edge against unenchanted steel at the very least.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°It also needs to be around this size.¡± She said and pulled her scabbard out of her Bottomless Bag. She handed the scabbard to Clayton when he reached out for it.


    Clayton turned it over in his hand and then frowned. ¡°Would you be alright with a conjured sword?¡± He asked her. ¡°Something entirely made of magic that won¡¯t even use a scabbard. You would still have to figure out how to carry the hilt and crossguard but it should be lighter at least.¡±


    Lenna frowned. ¡°Conjured swords are mana intensive and unreliable.¡± She told him directly. ¡°I would prefer a real one.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s unreliable about them?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°They can be dispelled.¡± Lenna explained.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I see.¡± He shrugged. ¡°They sound cool though.¡±


    Lenna sighed. ¡°Fine, but only if we also buy a real sword too.¡± She acquiesced. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Clayton nodded and handed Lenna back her scabbard. ¡°This way.¡± He directed and started off down the maze of shelves and aisles that somehow got more confusing the further they went into them. The oddest part was that it always felt like they were walking in a straight line but when they looked back they wouldn¡¯t be able to see the end. After a minute or so Clayton stopped at an entire section of shelving that was nothing but weapons. Most of them were weird like an ax made entirely out of wood, the same kind of wood that Isaac¡¯s old armor was made of, or a spear that looked like an oddly detailed throwing spike about six inches long. There was an arrow that was made entirely out of ice and it gave off a gentle mist. Right next to the arrow was a buckler that was made out of sand that was constantly flowing over itself without losing shape.


    ¡°He really is a mad genius when it comes to enchanting isn¡¯t he.¡± Isaac commented in awe at the spread of ridiculousness laid out before them.


    Clayton coughed into his hand. ¡°Yes. That is certainly one way to put it.¡± He replied.


    ¡°So which one did you have in mind for me?¡± Lenna questioned the wizard.


    ¡°Oh, ah, it¡¯s around here somewhere.¡± Clayton jolted and looked around the shelves and racks for a few seconds. ¡°Ah ha!¡± He exclaimed and grabbed a hilt that had been suspended in the air with magic. The hilt was hanging upside down with a pair of flat and thin razor-like blades that outlined where a blade should have been. After two and a half feet they connected to an actual blade tip.


    ¡°What in the nine hells is that?¡± Lenna questioned incredulously.


    ¡°A retractable sword.¡± Clayton said with a hint of pride. He pressed his thumb onto the end of the pommel and flicked his wrist. The razorblades twisted and pulled in on themselves before they were pulled into the hilt. They didn¡¯t stop until the two inches of actual sword at the bottom clicked into place right against the crossguard. ¡°There.¡± Clayton said and handed it to Lenna.


    The entire thing was shining steel that was no doubt covered in silver or platinum engravings. Eliza picked a good pair of materials to hide his designs if that was what he was going for. ¡°This is a deathtrap.¡± Lenna said while she held the hilt limply in her hand an arm¡¯s length away from her.


    Clayton chuckled and took the sword back. ¡°Just hold it like this.¡± He explained and gripped the hilt right up against the crossguard. ¡°Then channel mana into it and swing.¡± Right after he said it he did as he directed. With one quick swing the sword exploded out to its full length. A shimmering plane of reality magic formed between the two thin ribbons of steel. It was almost perfectly see through. ¡°Once you stop channeling mana into it, the pane of reality will fade away and you can fold it back up.¡± He explained.


    ¡°As¡­ ¡®cool¡¯¡­ as that is, I would like something that is less¡­¡± Lenna¡¯s voice trailed off as she tried to find the right way to put it.


    ¡°Over engineered.¡± Isaac finished for her. ¡°It is amazing and I love it.¡± Isaac told the wizard. ¡°Unfortunately, it just feels more like an armory decoration that can be used in a pinch, or a full length sword that can be smuggled into somewhere it shouldn¡¯t be, instead of a main battle weapon.¡±


    Clayton¡¯s shoulders slumped slightly and he put the sword back. ¡°Yes, you are right, of course, it has always been my favorite of the eccentricities filed away back here.¡± He explained. ¡°Perhaps this one is more your style?¡± He asked Lenna and handed her a hilt and crossguard that had nothing attached to it at all. The black iron was covered entirely in platinum engravings.


    Lenna took the hilt and examined it. ¡°How does it work?¡± She questioned the wizard.


    ¡°It has to attune to you, unlike the retractable sword, but once it is done you can simply feed mana into it. The durability of the blade is directly related to how much mana you feed it which means that it is also exactly as difficult to dispel as you can make it.¡± Clayton explained. ¡°The blade¡¯s shape, color, and elemental alignment are based on the environment as far as we are aware but it might act strangely with your specific¡­ mana related difficulties.¡±


    Lenna nodded in understanding. ¡°So, if I feed it everything I have, it will be able to slice through a block of solid crystal.¡± She surmised.


    ¡°Well, assuming you can force the quarter of an inch spine into the space that was just cut, yes.¡± Clayton replied. ¡°The blade¡¯s sharpness is also based on your quality of mana. Based on your adventurer tags alone I can assure you that it is at least as sharp as one of Stan Ironeye¡¯s swords.¡±


    Lenna looked over the simple hilt, crossguard, and pommel that were all perfectly square to make enchanting it easier. The top half of the hilt had rounded edges to give it a comfortable grip at least but it was a case study in function over fashion. Its rugged look was then completely blown away by the enchantments covering every fraction of an inch of the magical item. ¡°How much?¡± Lenna wondered.


    ¡°Twenty seven thousand gold.¡± Clayton replied. ¡°If anything strange happens when you use it I can probably cut the price back to twenty four thousand, but no lower, under the condition that we can record some information on it and your mana.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll take it.¡± Isaac said. ¡°Even if Lenna doesn¡¯t want it, or doesn¡¯t want to keep it once she gets a real sword, I would like to see if I can cut through stone like butter and block Edward¡¯s quickdraw.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Clayton perked up. ¡°If you use it I am sure we will get an interesting result. So far it has always been a black reality blade in general conditions. We managed to turn it red and cause it to give off heat but otherwise creating conditions capable of changing its alignment were unfeasible.¡±


    ¡°Twenty four now and if nothing interesting happens we will pay you back the other three thousand.¡± Isaac offered.


    ¡°Deal.¡± Clayton replied and offered Isaac his hand.

 Chapter 79 Truth.

    Chapter 79 Truth.


    Lenna held her arm out to the side with the hilt of a sword in her hand. The sword, so far, was missing its blade. ¡°Ready when you are.¡± Clayton said from a half a dozen feet away. He had his notebook out and a fountain pen in his hand.


    Lenna focused her mana into the blade. At first nothing happened as the blade greedily drank in her power. Once it reached a certain threshold the blade suddenly appeared. In a blink where there was once air there was instead a blazing inferno in the shape of a longsword blade. It was the perfect length for Lenna and was entirely weightless, at least it was at first. ¡°It feels od-¡± Lenna cut herself off as she tried to swing the sword. She felt herself overcoming inertia to move the conjured compressed blade of raw flames laced with reality magic. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It is made to simulate the weight of a weapon of similar specification as what you¡¯ve turned it into. This works both ways. It will give you follow-through as if it was a solid steel blade but it will also not be affected by gravity.¡± Clayton explained. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Try to dispel it.¡± She told the wizard.


    Clayton looked hesitant for a moment and then nodded. He reached into his robe and pulled out a small wooden wand that was capped with a simple quartz crystal. He pointed it at Lenna¡¯s new sword and chanted: ¡°Command: Negation.¡± The crystal on his wand flared in a soft white glow and Lenna¡¯s sword flickered.


    ¡°The blade didn¡¯t vanish at least.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°That was as powerful of a dispel as I am able to cast.¡± Clayton explained. ¡°Our mana quality is very similar though fundamentally different.¡± He told Lenna. ¡°It should at least hold up against any wizard of gold tier or below.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°We just fought a lich. This would have been utterly useless.¡± She replied and stopped feeding power to the weapon. The blade went out with a woosh as the magic holding the fire in place faded before the flames themselves.


    ¡°Just until we can get an enchanted steel or adamantine sword for you.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°I hesitate to say this, but we can trade if it would make you feel better.¡±


    Lenna eyed her mate up and down as if she was looking for something wrong with him. ¡°Are you feeling alright?¡± She asked. ¡°I know how much you like that sword.¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°The sword is fine. If I am being honest with myself, the reason I like it is mostly because it is mine, not because it is amazing in any way. It is reliable and I am used to using it but it¡¯s not like it¡¯s some legendary sword or anything.¡± He explained. ¡°So, we can switch if you want.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ I will think about it.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°Do you want to try it?¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait a bit for it to attune to me but sure.¡± With that the trio settled in to wait. While they waited, Clayton had Lenna and Isaac both push mana into a mana stone for future study. With that out of the way and the necessary time passed, it was time for Isaac to test out the paradoxical blade. ¡°Actually, before I begin, what is this thing called anyway?¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°Environmentally Adapting Blade.¡± Clayton replied. ¡°It is a mouthful, do you have a better name for it?¡±


    ¡°For those of us with real power,¡± Isaac began. ¡°power that has changed us in our very cores. This blade represents what is in our hearts, our souls, our cores. It expresses what is inside of us for all to see. It is our souls personified irrefutably. It is, in a way, an absolute Truth.¡± As Isaac said the final word he dumped his entire regeneration rate into the sword in as compressed a manner as he could. If he had tried to create a sword made of shadows with so much mana it would have been at least as big as he was and hard enough to stop a runaway wagon full of bricks.


    More power than Clayton had ever seen blazed through the sword that was meant for archmages. It was a weapon with no practical limit to how much mana it could take. Practical being the operative word. The platinum runes themselves cost twenty thousand gold to inlay and had been done by one of the greatest artificers in the world. As Clayton watched with magic flowing through his glasses to allow him to witness everything that was happening magically as well as physically, he realized that practical and actual were very far apart.


    A black void so pure that it brightened the area around it by virtue of its very existence formed in a perfect imitation of Isaac¡¯s steel blade. The reality magic that was supposed to hold everything together was struggling to simply exist under the pressure that was Isaac¡¯s mana. The shadows, death, and darkness that was held in the shape of a sword drank in the light around it. As it devoured the light it pulled in more. This caused the area around it to be brighter than it usually would be but it also visually distorted everything around it.


    ¡°It¡¯ll break!¡± Clayton exclaimed once he realized exactly how close Isaac was to overloading the enchantments.


    Isaac stopped feeding as much mana into the sword as he had originally. ¡°Is this alright?¡± He asked the wizard.


    ¡°I, uh, I¡¯m not sure. All I know is that you were very close to causing a catastrophic failure in the guiding and limiting enchantments.¡± Clayton explained.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°That was my full regeneration rate.¡± Isaac told the wizard. ¡°I am actually surprised it survived. I figured that someone like Eliza would have built in some kind of limiter to keep an overload from happening.¡±


    Clayton shook his head. ¡°It is meant for archmages and grandmasters not demigods.¡± He said with a sigh as he confirmed that the sword was not about to blast apart into a thousand pieces and concuss the entire area with a demigod¡¯s amount of mana all at once. He had no doubt that the mana shock alone would knock him unconscious, at least until he hit the floor.


    ¡°I might have to commission a sword like this from Eliza in the future. One capable of handling me at full power. I think it should be able to handle twice as much power as this one just to be safe. Actually, three times as much, just in case I have to cut something that is uncuttable or block a meteor or something.¡± Isaac told Clayton while looking over the blade.


    ¡°If you fed any more power into a similar weapon it might get hard to see while fighting with it.¡± Clayton warned.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Isaac said and his eyes turned into black orbs of death flames. ¡°I can see entirely with mana if I need to.¡± He said and turned his eyes back to their unnatural silver color.


    Clayton nodded and gulped at the sudden transformation. It was when Isaac did stunts like that, and almost overloading a magical item meant to be able to handle a maximum level wizards worth of mana output, that Clayton was truly reminded that Isaac was not a normal human. ¡°I¡¯ll add that to the list of things to bring up with my master.¡± Clayton replied. ¡°Now, you might not want to maintain such high output into the weapon. You are still degrading the enchantments but at a rate of about triple their natural rate.¡±


    Isaac cut the power flowing to the blade and the area around him suddenly plunged into darkness. Once the dark mana, shadows, and death flames dissipated completely, Isaac was nowhere to be found. ¡°That worked decently well.¡± Isaac said from behind Clayton and Lenna. Lenna casually turned around but Clayton almost dropped his notebook when he jumped in fright.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Though, I feel like that ¡®feature¡¯ might cause issues under certain circumstances.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah. If there was a normal human next to me when I did that they might end up dusted by accident.¡± He agreed and looked at Clayton. ¡°Add that to your notes on the weapon. The flare at the end is ill advised.¡±


    Clayton nodded and jotted it down. ¡°Excellent observation.¡± Clayton praised them. ¡°I imagine that some might want to keep it as a feature but in most cases it would be more of a detriment.¡±


    ¡°Now that we have a new super magical sword, you don¡¯t have any normal magic swords do you?¡± Isaac questioned the wizard.


    ¡°No.¡± Clayton replied. ¡°We do not.¡±


    Lenna sighed. ¡°Of course not.¡± She said and looked at Isaac with a look that absolutely screamed-


    ¡°I know, I know, you told me so.¡± Isaac said with raised hands. ¡°But you have to admit, the sword is pretty awesome.¡±

 Chapter 80 Adamantine

    Chapter 80 Adamantine


    ¡°Isaac.¡± Lenna said with a frown while they walked to Stan¡¯s Smithy to grab a new real sword for her.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Isaac hummed in reply.


    ¡°The sword¡­ it won¡¯t attune back to me.¡± Lenna told him.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think I broke it do you?¡± Isaac asked her.


    ¡°I think you broke it.¡± She confirmed.


    ¡°Shit.¡± Isaac swore. ¡°I hope Clayton can fix it or something. We¡¯ll have to check in with him again later.¡±


    Lenna nodded in agreement as she pushed open the door to Stan¡¯s Smithy. ¡°Agreed.¡± She said while the doorbell chimed.


    ¡°Stan?¡± Isaac said with some concern in his voice. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Lenna turned to see Stan Ironeye sitting on a stool behind the clerk counter with his hand in a splint. ¡°What happened?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°Ah o¡¯ course it¡¯d be yous.¡± He grumbled. ¡°Don¡¯t tell my daughter-n-law about this or I¡¯ll ne¡¯er ¡®ear the end o¡¯ it.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Only if you tell me how it happened.¡± Isaac promised.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Stan said with a sigh. ¡°Dumb boyo scared the shite outta me while I was beatin¡¯ on a bit o¡¯ metal.¡±


    Isaac chuckled as he already saw where the story was going. ¡°And you missed.¡± Isaac surmised with barely suppressed laughter.


    Stan scowled at him. ¡°Ah ya bastard¡¯s worse than Celeste.¡± Stan swore at him.


    Lenna just shook her head in disappointment at both of them. ¡°I can heal it for you.¡± She offered him.


    ¡°Putting wounds back together without payin¡¯ somethin¡¯ just don¡¯t sit right with me.¡± Stan replied.


    ¡°You can give me a discount on a new sword if that is what you mean.¡± Lenna told the old dwarf.


    Stan shook his head. ¡°No. It¡¯s the healin¡¯ itself. Just ain¡¯t natural.¡±


    Lenna seemed to brighten a bit. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the issue, then my healing should be fine.¡± She told him. ¡°My healing will give you a fever as a price for it.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Stan questioned. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Something about the burning anger of my ancestors at me, because I am using my mana, especially in a way that they wouldn¡¯t approve of.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°They¡¯ll know?¡± Stan asked and Lenna nodded. ¡°And their panties¡¯ll be in a twist?¡±


    Lenna chuckled. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give ya a discount on a sword.¡± He told her and half walked, half hobbled over to her. It was clear that his knee was still giving him trouble.


    ¡°What about the knee, Stan?¡± Lenna asked as she placed her hand on his smashed finger. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Stan fought back a wince in pain as Lenna directly touched the injury. ¡°That¡¯s just age, lass, nothin¡¯ ta heal there.¡± Stan told her. ¡°But don¡¯t go tellin¡¯ Celeste ¡®bout it.¡±


    Lenna shook her head at him again. ¡°Fine. But she¡¯ll find out sooner or later.¡± Lenna replied and let go of his finger.


    Stan¡¯s eyes lost focus and it looked like he was about to fall over. Lenna put a steadying hand on his shoulder. ¡°I think you need some water.¡± Isaac told Stan.


    ¡°¡®Hind the coun¡¯er.¡± He told Isaac.


    Isaac retrieved Stan¡¯s mug and handed it to the dwarf. ¡°Stan, this isn¡¯t water.¡±


    ¡°Yer ¡®ight, tis be¡¯¡¯er than wa¡¯er.¡± Stan replied and chugged the ale Isaac had retrieved.


    ¡°Should we come back later?¡± Isaac asked.


    Stan shook his head and took a deep breath. He already looked a little steadier on his feet. ¡°That one ¡¯¡¯ere.¡± Stan said and pointed at a longsword hanging on the wall. ¡°Was tryin¡¯ ta copy the one ya have. Should be close ¡®nough.¡±


    Lenna looked over at the sword. It was a simple two handed sword that could be used with one hand as needed. If she wasn¡¯t as strong as she was, then using the sword with one hand would be ill advised, but Lenna was used to it. The longsword offered something that nothing else truly did for her. For paladin¡¯s like Lenna, casting spells was an integral part of their fighting style. Unfortunately that required an open hand. For most spellblades they would just choose a one handed sword and always leave their offhand open for casting spells. For Lenna, she only needed an open hand sometimes. She much preferred a larger sword for general use with the option to switch to a more common spellblade fighting style as needed. She also really liked the weight of a larger sword. It just seemed to feel right in her hand.


    She walked over to the sword and picked it up off the rack. She looked down both sides of the blade and down both sides of the spine as well. ¡°It looks good.¡± She told him. ¡°It¡¯s not enchanted though.¡±


    Stan nodded. ¡°Nope.¡± He replied. ¡°But guess what I got in?¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow in question. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Guess.¡± Stan told him again.


    ¡°Based on your face,¡± Isaac began. ¡°it¡¯s definitely some kind of crafting material.¡± When he didn¡¯t get a negative reaction from the dwarf he kept going. ¡°A metal, probably something that¡¯ll help the blade keep its edge while Lenna is hacking into bones and stabbing through steel with it.¡± Stan nodded him along. ¡°No, you didn¡¯t actually get adamantine did you? Isn¡¯t that stuff, like, super expensive?¡±


    Stan nodded. ¡°It is.¡± He agreed. ¡°Fer ten, I¡¯ll coat that sword and ya can have the sword fer free.¡±


    Isaac looked over at Lenna who looked genuinely surprised at the prospect. ¡°I¡¯d say ten thousand gold is worth it.¡± Isaac told her.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes, it is, but if you coat it now, it won¡¯t be able to be enchanted later.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°There are two ways ta have an enchanted adamantine sword.¡± Stan began. ¡°The first is ta enchant it, then coat it. That¡¯s the cheap and normal way.¡± He explained. ¡°The second is ta coat the sword around where the runes¡¯ll be as if they¡¯re already there.¡±


    ¡°How do you do that?¡± Isaac asked curiously.


    ¡°Magic.¡± Both Lenna and Stan said at the same time. Stan looked surprised and when they met eye Lenna just smirked.


    ¡°They use a magic apparata-thingy ta keep the adamantine outta where it shouldn¡¯t be.¡± Stan finished explaining.


    ¡°Why would they bother doing that?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°That is the only way to really have the adamantine be properly affected by the enchantments.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°Some elvish cultures still use wood that was carved into the exact mesh the runes would look like, they then sheath the sword in it before they dip it in the adamantine. Once it dries, they cut away excess and remove the charred wood in chunks.¡±


    ¡°Aye, the long way.¡± Stan agreed. ¡°If ya got a decade fer one sword that¡¯s fine but most o¡¯ us normal folk ain¡¯t that patient.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna replied much to Stan¡¯s surprise. ¡°I need a sword now, not in fifteen years when they are done filing away the excess adamantine. There are reasons the drow empire can fight everyone else to a standstill. This is one of them.¡±


    ¡°Human and dwarf crafting styles with elf lifespans to fight and train.¡± Isaac agreed with a nod. ¡°But about that sword, does it really need to be enchanted now? Can¡¯t the adamantine be recycled later and used to coat a new sword?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡± Stan replied smugly. ¡°Just coat it now, then when ya get another sword, reuse the adamantine.¡±


    ¡°Or a shiny new helmet for Isaac.¡± Lenna added with a smile. Isaac looked like she had just smacked him in the face. A face that would have been protected if he had a helmet.


    ¡°Why ya even wear armor anyhow?¡± Stan asked Isaac. ¡°I heard ya can bounce back from anythin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°It still hurts to be stabbed, you know.¡± Isaac replied and rubbed his shoulder where the mushroom assassin monster had carved through his armor and into his shoulder and collarbone.


    ¡°Hadn¡¯t thought¡¯a that.¡± Stan replied.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s get this sword coated so Lenna can stop punching monsters to death.¡± Isaac told the old smith.


    ¡°What happened to yer old one?¡± Stan questioned.


    ¡°It got disintegrated.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Then a meteor fell on what was left of it.¡±


    Stan blinked at her owlishly. ¡°Adamantine won¡¯t protect against that.¡± He told her.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°I know.¡± She replied. ¡°But I need a sword that will survive the V¡¯Nova fighting style.¡±


    ¡°She means her ¡®hit it until it¡¯s dead¡¯ and ¡®if it didn¡¯t take damage then you didn¡¯t hit it hard enough¡¯ plan that always seems to work.¡± Isaac interjected.


    Stan nodded sagely. ¡°That¡¯s how fightin¡¯ is.¡± He agreed. ¡°No other way about it.¡±


    ¡°I have more nuance than that.¡± Lenna told Isaac with a scowl but his suppressed grin clearly gave away that he was just teasing her. Lenna shook her head. ¡°Can we come back later for the sword once it¡¯s ready?¡±


    Stan nodded. ¡°It¡¯ll be a day or two. I gotta heat up the special crucible and then its gotta cool naturally.¡± He explained.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°We won¡¯t be taking another bounty for a few more days. Thanks Stan.¡±


    Stan gave the pair a nod and took the sword. When he did he seemed to realize that he didn¡¯t need the splint anymore. ¡°Ah, uh, lass, thank ye.¡± He told Lenna awkwardly with a final nod before he turned to leave.


    ¡°Did you help his limp?¡± Isaac whispered when he saw Stan walk more than hobble away.


    ¡°I tried.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°He¡¯s right, it¡¯s more age than injury. I did help it a little though, I doubt he¡¯ll notice.¡±

 Chapter 81 Random But Interesting.

    Chapter 81 Random But Interesting.


    ¡°Welcome to Tanner''s Leatherworking, how may I-¡± Thadd Tanner said while he finished hanging up a leather pouch on a display rack. He had cut himself off when he looked over his shoulder to see Isaac and Lenna. ¡°Hi, how is the armor holding up?¡± He asked Isaac and gave Lenna a nod in greeting.


    ¡°Great.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°It managed to mostly survive a real battle which was all I could ever ask for.¡±


    Thadd¡¯s easy smile fell at Isaac¡¯s words. ¡°Mostly?¡± He asked with barely suppressed horror in his voice.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac said and walked over to the Tanner¡¯s clerk counter. Isaac covered the counter in shadows and reached inside to withdraw his armor one piece at a time. Once it was all on the table he let the shadows fade away. The black paint that Isaac had added to his armor had chipped off in a few places revealing the glimmering blue scales of a certain blue lightning dragon.


    ¡°Oh. Oh!¡± Thadd exclaimed as soon as he noticed the snapped strap. ¡°This strap was enchanted.¡± He said more to himself in shock than to anyone else. ¡°How, no, what did this?¡± He asked and looked up from the armor.


    ¡°I got blown up, a lot, there was a lot of magic and explosions. We were fighting what amounted to an undead archmage who really liked shockwaves and explosions.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°So, is it something you can fix?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Thadd asked and then gulped. ¡°I, I don¡¯t know if this is something I should be trying to do alone.¡±


    ¡°Alone?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°Where¡¯s Hank?¡±


    ¡°Sick.¡± Thadd said with a sigh. ¡°Nothing serious, he said it wasn¡¯t worth going to or calling someone from the church to come by.¡±


    ¡°Does he have a fever?¡± Lenna asked.


    Thadd shrugged. ¡°If he did it wasn¡¯t bad enough for mom to start worrying so I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be fine. Don¡¯t worry, mom wouldn¡¯t let anything happen to him, especially when there is a church a dozen blocks away.¡± He explained to the duo. ¡°But it does mean that you¡¯ll either need someone else to do it or to wait for my old man to get better.¡±


    ¡°Each piece is individually enchanted, right?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°Could you just give me a replacement strap and then let me know when this one is repaired?¡±


    Thadd nodded. ¡°Yeah, I think I can do that.¡± He told the mage. ¡°Just give me a few minutes to make a replacement and switch them out. I¡¯m glad that dad designed it to be easy to replace each piece individually, otherwise this wouldn¡¯t be possible.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t why it broke in the first place is it?¡± Isaac asked the Tanner.


    Thadd shook his head. ¡°No.¡± He replied and then pointed at the broken strap. ¡°It snapped in the middle because the reinforcements around the button holes were stronger than the strap itself. This kind of break isn¡¯t uncommon with adventurers. You guys always seem to put your gear through more than any gear should. It is also a mark of a good piece of gear. If it was a bad design or improperly made then it would have broken at the attachment point instead of in the middle.¡±


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°Thanks for the lesson.¡± He told Thadd. ¡°Do you think a week is enough time for Hank to be up and about and to have the strap fixed?¡±


    Thadd shrugged. ¡°I hope so. Trying to run this place by myself is awful.¡± He replied honestly. ¡°There is a reason I usually keep to myself when customers show up, dad says I¡¯m not professional.¡± If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± He told the younger man. ¡°But that¡¯s fine when it¡¯s repeat customers who are also usually casual.¡±


    Thadd nodded in understanding and then immediately got to work. A dozen minutes later the duo were off again with the promise of a new strap in the near future. After that, they left to see Edward who had offered to try and find them a sword.


    ¡°Well, I have good news and bad news.¡± Edward replied to Isaac¡¯s inquiry about the sword. ¡°The good news is that there is a paladin family on the surface that literally gives them away. I was hoping that they might also be selling them.¡±


    ¡°Which leads to the bad news.¡± Isaac surmised.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Edward confirmed. ¡°They do not sell them. The only way to get one is to win their annual tournament which isn¡¯t for a few months.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Lenna said. ¡°Thank you for looking into it.¡±


    Edward gave her a nod in acknowledgement. ¡°The Heidenburgs have always been at odds with the Sasstons and now, because of my sister, the Arbencrofts. It was fun imagining their reactions to an honest inquiry from a Sasston, not as a political rival but as a Guild Master looking out for one of their strongest adventurers.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to keep that in mind for the future.¡± Isaac said. ¡°The sword Stan is making for Lenna right now is an expensive stop-gap measure, not a permanent replacement. What can you tell me about their swords?¡±


    ¡°A lot and nothing at the same time.¡± Edward replied with an apologetic smile. ¡°They like to experiment with new and different aura related enchantments. Dawn Capacitors are standard for their people but for auxiliaries and tournament winners they can¡¯t exactly make those ahead of time. I remember a paladin from another country won an invisible sword that masks the user¡¯s aura. That was a decade ago at least.¡±


    ¡°So random but interesting.¡± Isaac summarized.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Edward replied.


    ¡°Interesting indeed.¡± Lenna agreed. ¡°If you don¡¯t think my presence would cause an¡­ event, I would like to participate as well.¡±


    Edward chuckled and shook his head. ¡°Honestly, they are a bunch of battle junkies backed by the crown. Over the generations they have gotten a sense of royal honor beaten into them, but who knows how that will mesh with the paladins that have been killed by the drow over the centuries.¡± Edward replied. ¡°They might accept you with open arms and try to make you an auxiliary or they might try to crucify you. I have no way of knowing. Hells, each member might treat you differently.¡±


    ¡°That is more helpful than it might seem but still not that helpful.¡± Isaac retorted. ¡°Thanks for the information and the effort. We¡¯ll have to check them out once we have everything in the city settled.¡±


    ¡°Settled?¡± Edward asked. ¡°Are you planning on leaving?¡±


    ¡°I figure that once we have the wedding, it would be a good time to go on a trip and explore some of the surface. If anything happens you can always have Alexander or Jala go get us.¡± Isaac explained.


    Lenna raised an eyebrow in question. This was the first she was hearing of Isaac¡¯s preferred timeline. ¡°Before any of that though, we have some things to take care of like, maybe, inviting the Guild Master to our wedding directly.¡± She offered.


    ¡°Oh, yes, that.¡± Isaac stammered. ¡°Well, Edward Sasston, you are officially invited to our wedding at your sister¡¯s primary residence in exactly two months'' time.¡±


    Edward gave them both a warm smile. ¡°I would be honored to attend. What about the twins? I am sure that they would be heartbroken to be unable to attend.¡± He informed them.


    ¡°You can close down the Guild for a few hours right?¡± Isaac asked.


    Edward¡¯s brow furrowed in thought as he swirled his drink. ¡°Not exactly.¡± He replied. ¡°Technically the Guild never closes. There is another clerk who naps at the girl¡¯s desk until morning. He is only there in case of an emergency. I might have to request a spare receptionist from Sapphirestone for a few hours but I¡¯ll figure something out, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure that all three of us are there. Two months from today right?¡±


    ¡°Two months from today.¡± Isaac echoed in affirmation.


    ¡ª


    ¡°What if James and I wore disguises?¡± Lenny offered. ¡°We could definitely sneak into the venue.¡±


    ¡°Onto the duke¡¯s property?¡± James questioned. ¡°With your teacher runnin¡¯ about?¡±


    ¡°There is no way that she would rat us out if we weren¡¯t causing any trouble.¡± Lenny argued.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask Marie herself if it would be possible?¡± Isaac offered the boys. ¡°We actually wanted to invite you two but there was no way to do it openly. If Marie can work something out, and she thinks that it is actually worth attempting, then I will approve of your plan to sneak into the wedding. Only under those conditions.¡± Isaac decreed. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t think it is a safe plan, then the best I can do is sneak you some food the day after.¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡± Lenny jumped at the opportunity they were given.


    ¡°Have you ever stopped to think before you just jump in face first?¡± His brother demanded. James sighed. ¡°But yeah, I¡¯ll go along if the boss¡¯s conditions are met.¡±


    ¡°Keep out of trouble boys.¡± Isaac told the brothers as the duo went to leave. ¡°And remember, only if Marie thinks it¡¯s a safe and doable plan.¡±


    ¡°Understood, boss.¡± Lenny replied and gave him a salute.


    Lenna shook her head at the chaos that was Isaac, James, and Lenny in the same room. It always seemed to her like the boys all got dumber the more of them there were in one place. Especially younger boys. Now, Isaac, James, and Lenny, were not children and James was around thirty years old but the point still stood. ¡°It makes me wonder how the militaries of the world even function.¡± She thought aloud under her breath.


    Isaac smirked when he heard her. He knew that the brothers hadn¡¯t so he waited until they were gone to reply: ¡°They don¡¯t unless there is a task to complete. At that point they shift from idiocy to practiced training, discipline, and resolve.¡±

 Chapter 82 Flowers

    Chapter 82 Flowers


    ¡°Thank you Mister Mason for the tour.¡± Isaac told the foreman who¡¯s men built the V¡¯Nova Wexler family manor. It was all done to Isaac¡¯s specifications. The foreman had been surprised when Isaac had originally spoken with him. It was unusual for a client to be able to sketch out an entire blueprint, in an afternoon, right in front of him. Isaac¡¯s attention to detail and seeming innate ability to spot structural weaknesses had taken the foreman off guard. Isaac had planned out each arch and cross brace needed to share the structural load of the building as he went. Every now and then, Isaac had stopped and went back to a previous floor or section of the blueprint to add another structural support. It was all so incredibly well done that Mister Mason¡¯s architect friend couldn¡¯t find a single thing wrong with it, in fact, he had said that Isaac had reinforced more than necessary in a few areas. When Mister Mason had brought it up with Isaac later on, Isaac had informed him that those rooms were where he intended to have a piano and a safe put in.


    ¡°I could not trust this to anyone else, now could I?¡± Mister Mason replied. ¡°Please, Lord Wexler, Lady V¡¯Nova, this way.¡± The foreman said and directed them through the front gate. The front gate was wrought iron and wide enough for two people to walk comfortably side by side through it. It was set into a red brick archway. The archway was ten feet high and surrounded on either side with a four foot high brick wall that framed the front yard. The brick wall was also a planter for Scarlet Quince flowering bushes. The bushes hadn¡¯t been planted yet because they would need regular care by a gardener. The entire area, where the bushes would be planted, was cast in a soft yellow glow that was very familiar to the duo. It was the same glow that was in Sera¡¯s garden, though to a lesser extent, and inside the Adventurous Tastes to allow the indoor and outdoor plants to grow underground.


    They walked through the gate and into the front yard. There was a dark gray cobblestone walkway that led in a straight line from the street to their front door fifteen feet away. The yard itself was seeded with wild violets in rich soil that would revitalize the plants even if they sustained minor damage. The yard was cast in a slightly brighter light on either side of the walkway but the walkway itself was left to bathe in the remnants of scattered light from the surrounding plant beds. The walls that stretched across the front of the property, by the road, turned inwards as they made contact with the adjacent properties twenty feet to either side of the edge of the front gate. This left the interior dimensions of their front yard at two sections of seventeen by fifteen with the walkway separating them, without encroaching into their space.


    ¡°It is large enough to seat guests for tea while surrounded by pleasant flowers.¡± Mister Mason told them. ¡°I loved the design as soon as you showed it to me. Do you mind if I use it in the future?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t-¡± Isaac cut himself off as he thought about the future. ¡°Actually, it would be best if you did not. Once people realize who, what, I am and that I designed this, it would be everywhere and when a design is everywhere, it loses its uniqueness.¡±


    ¡°Ah, quite the foresight.¡± Mister Mason complimented him. ¡°I will do as you ask, Lord Wexler, and attempt to maintain this property¡¯s uniqueness as much as possible. I cannot promise anything from my contemporaries however.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I know.¡± He replied and looked up at the front of his and Lenna¡¯s house.


    The front of the building was a vertical face two stories high with a low wall blocking off the flat roof that doubled as a patio. The building itself was made of a dark stone that was almost as black as charcoal, but still retained some of the blueish gray expected of granite. The front double doors were made of oak and stained with an extravagant but muted lavender purple that would match the wild violets once they bloomed. The door was framed in dark red mahogany that would match the Scarlet Quinces. The glass used in the windows set two thirds of the way up both doors as well as the six windows facing the street were completely reflective from the outside due to a special treatment on their exterior surfaces. There was a low step up from the walkway to the pad in front of the front door. Technically it wasn¡¯t needed because there was no rain underground but Isaac had wanted it for two reasons: The first was that the lack of a step up just felt wrong and the second was that he wanted people to have to work, even just a little, just to enter his home. It was a subtle statement meant to subconsciously remind people that they were quite literally stepping up in the world if they were entering his manor. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°It looks even better than I imagined.¡± Lenna commented as she took it all in.


    ¡°It is very well done, on the outside, I will reserve my judgment until we have seen every inch of it.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Please, Mister Mason, continue with the tour.¡±


    Isaac and Lenna spent the next two hours walking through every inch of their eleven thousand square foot home. They made sure each of the six main and six servant bedrooms were up to Isaac¡¯s standard. The kitchen was large enough for two or even three cooks to work at the same time without rubbing elbows and the dining hall was large enough to seat twenty comfortably. Just inside the front door there was a room on either side that served as a place to remove armor or dirty clothes and shoes. Each one was private, allowing for modesty regardless of the state of the individual or how much they needed to change before they were clean enough to enter the rest of the building. The room just inside was a sitting room where a piano, two couches, a small table, a pair of benches along the side wall, and a violin stand would be placed. The rest of the rooms were as expected of any large house, there were bathrooms, powder rooms, and toilet closets scattered around in key locations and a modest library with an attached office and study. All of that was just the first two floors and the shrunken third floor.


    There were three roof accesses to the manor, one in the front to overlook the street from the patio above the lawn and entreeway, one in the back to allow for a mostly private teatime surrounded by potted plants on another patio that was nestled between their manor and the workshop that was built directly behind it, and one to the topmost roof that permanently had a series of tables set up for teatime overlooking the city as a whole. If one counted the sitting room then Isaac had planned out a grand total of four and two halves areas for informal meals, meetings, and meditations. ¡°Save for the front area split by the walkway, each of the other areas are set for differing degrees of privacy and seriousness.¡± Lenna commented.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No, even the front is split like that for more than just my obsession with symmetry.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°If when you walk in the gate the tea is set up on the right, then it is expected to continue inside once the refreshments are finished, or the small talk is over. If it is set on the left, then it is assumed that once tea is over everyone will leave.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Lenna questioned.


    ¡°Most people are right handed and thus tend to gravitate towards the right side at all times, but specifically in times of excitement or stress. Given that fact, they will subconsciously intuit the seating as I have just explained.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°The front is for basking in the flowers and/or for greeting those that we do not want inside. That is why it is split down the middle with the walkway.¡±


    ¡°My mother would love you if she wasn¡¯t so set in her ways.¡± Lenna commented.


    ¡°I can see why the duchess does as well.¡± Mister Mason added with a jovial smile. He was slightly overweight which proved exactly how much he tended to help on the construction sight and exactly how well his business was doing. ¡°She is known quite well for her masterful work in social and political circles so when I received a request from her personally for this, I jumped at the chance. I was already in town for maintenance on some of my father¡¯s old buildings but I would have teleported here from across the world if it meant having the privilege of working with you on this. It is a lucky thing that I did not have to.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac said with a nod. Isaac had nothing against the foreman who made their manor but sometimes his incessant asskissing got old. Isaac found that it was best to just ignore the bootlicking entirely and just pick out the bit that actually mattered in the man¡¯s speech. ¡°We have seen everywhere that most would regularly visit, now, show me the basement.¡±

 Chapter 83 Private

    Chapter 83 Private


    ¡°The basement is split directly in half as you had in the plans.¡± Mister Mason explained. ¡°Would you like to see the cellar and storage half first?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac agreed and let the stout man lead the way. The wall mounted lanterns lit the halls and stairways as they went. Oaken carpeted floors were silent as they walked through the empty manor. The large rugs that were used in place of nailed down carpets were color coded based on which area of the manor they were in. There was a color for the private areas of the second floor, a color for the scholarly third floor, a color for the open areas of the second floor, a color for the dining area of the first floor, a color for the sitting and guest areas of the first floor and a color for the private servants quarters area of the first floor. The kitchen was left bare so it would be easier to clean and soon the trio were walking on exposed hard oak floors.


    Mister Mason had recommended ceramic tile flooring for the kitchen and other rooms that were prone to spills and messes but Isaac had opted against it. He disliked the uncaring feeling of ceramic floors and instead accepted the fact that magic might occasionally be needed to properly clean the oak flooring in some of those locations. The trio soon stopped at a floor access door to the cellar and storage area. Mister Mason awkwardly bent down and tried to haul the hatch open but it was quickly clear that the man was not up to the task, even so, he did not ask for assistance.


    Isaac¡¯s shadow expanded and darkened and a moment later a creature made of bones in an extravagant butler¡¯s suit arrived. Shamesh bowed towards Isaac. ¡°What might I assist you with, my Lord?¡± He asked Isaac before rising from his bow.


    ¡°Would you be so kind as to help Mister Mason with the door?¡± Isaac directed his physical and spiritual shadow.


    Shamesh nodded deeply. ¡°Should I use magic or mundane means, my Lord?¡±


    ¡°Mundane means. If it is too heavy for you then we will need to change the door.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Maybe make it out of ashwood?¡± Isaac added to himself. ¡°Oak just matched the rest of the flooring.¡±


    Mister Mason took one look at Shamesh and broke out in a cold sweat. He backed away as the bone golem took his place at the handle to the floor access door. Shamesh planted his feet and pulled. It took him a moment, and he was forced to shift his weight once he got it off the ground, but he was able to fully open the door and lean it against the wall where it latched open. ¡°It¡¯ll need to be lightened for servants to use it regularly. Especially smaller women.¡± Lenna commented.


    Isaac inspected the door. ¡°It doesn¡¯t need to be as thick as the rest of the floor as long as it has more supports. The wood could be halved in thickness if the supports are tripled in number but halved in width as well. That should make it a third lighter or so.¡± He thought aloud and then looked at the foreman. ¡°Is it too late to have you make that adjustment?¡±


    ¡°No, of course not, I aim to please, my Lord.¡± Mister Mason said with a bow. It was unclear if the glossiness on his skin was due to exertion or fear from being in the presence of Shamesh.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± He told the foreman and then turned to Shamesh. ¡°Thank you, Shamesh, take some time to get acquainted with the manor but stay within the walls for now.¡±


    Shamesh bowed towards Isaac again. ¡°As you say, my Lord, I will take my leave.¡± He replied and then straightened. With a bow towards Lenna he was off to explore the open and empty house, a lone skeleton on a quest for exploration, in a freshly created and mostly abandoned building. The foreman visibly and audibly gulped as he processed that very fact. He was very glad, at that moment, that he was not also wandering the halls alone.


    ¡°Mister Mason, please continue.¡± Isaac directed the foreman and gestured down the stairwell.


    ¡°Yes, right this way please.¡± The foreman said and led the way into the cellar. The cellar was sectioned off into areas for different kinds of food to prevent contamination and one area was enchanted with strong cooling magics. It was not quite freezing temperatures but it was cold enough that the area had to be insulated to prevent it from cooling the area around it too much. There was an area set aside for general storage and the piping from the higher floors was accessible in the event it needed repairs in the future.


    ¡°Expertly done.¡± Isaac congratulated the man. ¡°I left this part of the design up to you because I had no idea what the staff would need.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, your words of praise, especially considering the rest of your design, fills me with much joy.¡± Mister Mason replied. ¡°Is there anything that needs to be addressed here before we move on?¡±


    Isaac shook his head and looked at Lenna. ¡°No. I think we are done here. Show us the other half, if you would.¡± Lenna told the man.


    Mister Mason nodded and guided them back up to the first floor. They left the kitchen and soon found themselves in a back corner of the first floor that was out of the way of everything else. It was an area that would see very little foot traffic and thus was easy to miss. There was a door with a key in the lock. At present there wasn¡¯t anything down there worth locking the door for but it was an omen about what would one day be on the other side of that door.


    Mister Mason opened the door and nodded deeply towards them. ¡°I am afraid that I lack certain intrinsic gifts necessary to join you any further.¡± He confessed. On the other side of the door was a spiral staircase that led to the second half of the basement, none of which was illuminated by any means. The total darkness informed anyone, who opened the door, exactly who that area was for.


    ¡°Thank you, Mister Mason. When Shamesh comes by, give him the key, would you?¡± Isaac replied.


    Mister Mason swallowed at the mention of the monster Isaac treated like his head servant. ¡°As you wish, I will wait here.¡± Mister Mason said with another deep nod towards them.


    Isaac and Lenna walked down the spiral staircase into total blackness without any issue. Once at the bottom, everything opened up to reveal an almost entirely empty expanse. There were many pillars, some had pipes connected to them but most did not. All of the pillars had metal cylindrical cages of steel bars around them to prevent accidental impacts. ¡°This is¡­¡± Lenna¡¯s voice trailed off as she realized exactly why each of the columns were protected.


    ¡°A private sparing area.¡± Isaac confirmed. ¡°We can have meditation mats and a couch brought in as well.¡± He pointed along the wall near the stairs so it would be out of the way. ¡°I¡¯m thinking right there for the couch. The meditation mats can be moved at any time so it doesn¡¯t really matter where they end up.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t the floor get torn up?¡± Lenna questioned. ¡°Your boots have cleats and we are anything but gentle on, well, anything.¡±


    ¡°It will.¡± Isaac confirmed. ¡°It can be repaired with magic as needed but the oak flooring will be fine against normal wear and tear. I haven¡¯t figured out a way to have a private training area that is able to put up with our levels of stress. When I do, we can have it added.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°I like it.¡± She told him with a smile. ¡°I love it, actually. This entire place. I can¡¯t wait to move in and call it home. Not having Leo¡¯s cooking for breakfast every morning will take some getting used to though.¡±


    Isaac laughed. ¡°Yeah, I doubt there is any way that we could get him to move in.¡±


    Isaac and Lenna spent the rest of their day spending another large chunk of their money. They went to the general store and ordered some of their furnishings, they ordered more at a carpenter¡¯s shop who was the only human in the world who specialized in mushroomwood carpentry. He would be the one to make their bookshelves and wardrobes. They stopped by the Arbencroft estate to speak with the head maid and had her order in some other furnishings from the company that made and did maintenance on the Arbencroft¡¯s couches and the like. Overall it took them the rest of the day and thousands of gold. Their last stop was to see Branden to make a request for a new piano to be ordered.

 Chapter 84 Advise Them

    Chapter 84 Advise Them


    ¡°I want an organ teacher and to order a piano, an organ, and a violin.¡± Isaac told Branden while they sat at the man¡¯s dining table. Branden¡¯s house was small for the district but a little large for one man to live in all by himself, even so, it was well taken care of.


    ¡°That is quite the order.¡± Branden replied and sipped at his tea. The tea was the medicinal variant of the mushroom tea most of the residents drank as a morning stimulant. ¡°I obviously have a contact for ordering new instruments but finding you an organ teacher will be much, much, harder. There aren¡¯t very many people who play the organ. There are just too many issues with it.¡±


    ¡°What kinds of issues?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°It is too large for most noble houses to have installed.¡± He said with a very pointed look at Isaac. ¡°It is expensive and requires a lot of regular maintenance.¡± Branden shook his head. ¡°That isn¡¯t even the worst of it,¡± He sighed. ¡°the worst part is that everyone within a mile will have to suffer through you learning it. That reason alone has all but killed the instrument. Organ¡¯s are loud and if they aren¡¯t then they don¡¯t sound right. An organ is a powerful instrument that is designed to resonate not just with the pipes but with the room it is in, even the building as a whole.¡±


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°I will put off the organ for now.¡± He conceded. ¡°I should be able to fix the range of sound issue, at least until I am competent with it, with some enchantments. As for the rest of it¡­ how much worse would a magical recreation of an organ be?¡±


    ¡°Like a keyboard?¡± Branden asked.


    Isaac was taken aback from Branden¡¯s words but he wasn¡¯t exactly sure why. It was just another instance of Isaac missing context to his feelings. ¡°Explain it to me.¡± He told the older man.


    ¡°It is a magic item that looks like the keys from a piano set onto a long board. The keys can still be pressed because they have counterbalances and springs inside but the sound is produced with magic.¡± Branden explained. ¡°They are expensive but traveling pianists of high esteem and regard tend to have one made for them. Piano¡¯s are far too difficult to move around so in the long run it ends up saving them money at the cost of good acoustics.¡±


    ¡°So the acoustics will suffer.¡± Isaac said with a frown. ¡°An organ that sounds flat wouldn¡¯t really be an organ would it?¡± He asked rhetorically.


    Branden shook his head. ¡°No. It would not.¡± He agreed. ¡°I can get you everything else within the next year or so. The creation of instruments is not something to rush, not if you want the best quality. Until then, you are of course still free to use the ones in the hall.¡±


    Isaac nodded in thanks. ¡°That timetable might be a little awkward but worse comes to worst, I can leave instructions on where to leave the instruments. As for an organ teacher, do you know of anyone that might be interested?¡±


    Branden hummed in thought. ¡°I am not sure. Most of them are employed by the churches but there is one in the capital that is a free agent.¡± He explained.


    ¡°The churches¡­¡± Isaac parroted. ¡°Actually, I might be able to work with that. We¡¯ll have to stop in with all the major churches as we travel.¡± He told Lenna. ¡°I¡¯m sure there is one that wouldn¡¯t have a problem teaching me. It should only be about twice as hard as a piano.¡±


    Lenna chuckled at Isaac nonchalance about learning an instrument as complicated as an organ. ¡°Yes.¡± She laughed. ¡°I am sure that one of them would be willing to do you a favor.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Branden frowned. ¡°Churches are not known to be that open with their prized relics. Most church organs were made by the same person a hundred years after the last, well, you know, the thing.¡± Branden explained.


    ¡°The dragon surge?¡± Isaac asked. Branden¡¯s eyes went wide and he seemed to shrink into his chair slightly. ¡°Branden, do you know what the impetus is for their invasion?¡±


    Brand shook his head. ¡°N-no. I cannot say that I do.¡± The older man replied.


    ¡°Total Global Mortal Population.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Saying the words ¡®dragon surge¡¯ isn¡¯t going to summon a million dragons. I might summon one, maybe two, but even with the Flame Ravens and Fable out of town I think we can handle a dragon or two.¡±


    ¡°The collateral damage would be atrocious.¡± Lenna commented. ¡°I think it would be best not to tempt fate too much. Lady Luck must balance the good luck with the bad.¡±


    ¡°Fair point.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Regardless, Branden, you were saying about how most of the organs were made by the same person?¡±


    Branden nodded. ¡°Yes. Because of how old most of them are, they are very fickle when it comes to taking on a new organist.¡± He explained. ¡°I do not think I have ever heard of an outsider ever touching an organ without extreme repercussions.¡±


    ¡°Like being burned at the stake extreme, like fined out of their livelihood extreme, or like thrown out face first into the street extreme?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°It depends on the church.¡± Branden replied seriously.


    ¡°It won¡¯t hurt to ask.¡± Isaac said with a shrug. ¡°If I get lucky then great, if not, I¡¯ll have to wait until the capital.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°If only your house was ready, you could host us one of these times.¡± Sera teased the pair hardly a moment after they had sat down.


    ¡°I get this feeling that your bodyguard would be anything but pleased at that notion.¡± Isaac joked while Marie scowled at her charge. ¡°Marie, you can join us, it¡¯s not like we don¡¯t know it¡¯s you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, but I must remain vigilant.¡± Marie replied.


    ¡°Vigilant yesterday, and tomorrow.¡± Sera said with a roll of her eyes. ¡°So? How is the new house? What is it like on the inside? I have barely had a chance to take a peek at it from the outside.¡±


    Isaac and Lenna gave Sera a generic rundown of the building with the promise of a tour once everything was furnished. Over the course of the afternoon the trio caught up with each other to the distant sounds of a bustling town and the smells of flowers. A few other things of note came up throughout their visit. One of the things of note being the care of Isaac and Lenna¡¯s Outerworld plants in the Innerworld.


    ¡°Would it be too much to ask your gardener to teach Shamesh?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°It is true that you do not have enough of a garden to warrant a full time gardener but it might be best if your gardener doesn¡¯t go on adventures with you.¡± Sera warned.


    Isaac nodded in agreement. ¡°I know but there is just one small problem.¡± He began.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have manor staff.¡± Lenna finished for him. ¡°We just, sort of, forgot to find someone capable and trustworthy to do it.¡±


    Sera frowned in thought. ¡°That does make things difficult.¡± Sera agreed. ¡°Marie, ask around if any of our staff have family members that might be interested. It could give everyone a nice start.¡±


    Marie nodded. ¡°I can do that.¡± She replied. ¡°What about the boys?¡± Marie asked Isaac and Lenna. ¡°Do they know of anyone from the slums that might be a good fit?¡±


    ¡°The problem is the dynamic.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I don¡¯t want them to feel like it is charity work. I want professionals with professionalism, not someone who does mediocre work because they think I am being altruistic.¡±


    ¡°Then make it clear up front.¡± Sera advised him. ¡°You are both very scary people when you want to be. Advise them that crossing you would end exactly as badly as they are imagining it. Tell them what you expect out of them and offer them a wage. If they agree then you know it is someone with no small level of drive to do better for themselves.¡±


    ¡°Having said that,¡± Marie cut in before Isaac or Lenna could respond. ¡°if they do cross you, well, don¡¯t break your pattern.¡±


    Sera frowned deeply. ¡°I am not a fan of the examples you have made of people.¡± Sera confessed. ¡°I understand it, mostly, but violence, specifically mortal violence, is something I try to leave as a last resort, not a regular tool.¡±


    ¡°I know, Sera.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°But I am no noble heir, I am a man with a lot of power and things to protect. I don¡¯t usually go out of my way to make an example of someone and each time I have, it has set a precedent that has actually held up quite nicely over our months here.¡± He explained. ¡°How many times have you heard about us getting in a fight over something stupid like snide comments or something? None, that¡¯s how many times. Everyone knows that we exist here, in this city, without their consent. They know that we will come down on them, hard, if they start picking fights. And lastly, most of them know that we are agreeable people as long as they are polite to us. Those deaths, the men brutally sacrificed, saved countless others from my wrath in the future.¡±


    Sera nodded. ¡°I know. I just wish that people did not have to die. That is all.¡± She replied. ¡°Now, on to better topics, what is this about music and instruments that I have heard about you?¡±

 Chapter 85 Hypothetical

    Chapter 85 Hypothetical


    The doorbell chimed as Isaac pushed open the door to Stan¡¯s Smithy. Lenna was right behind him as they entered. The pair had just left the Arbencroft estate after their monthly teatime with the duchess and were now onto their last scheduled event of the day. It was time for Lenna to get a new sword. The pair had come alone, their third wheel had been given other orders. Shamesh had been instructed to keep their new home clean and defended until they could properly move in. With how long it would take for their furniture to arrive, specifically their bedding, and their lack of staff, his job was not estimated to end soon. Isaac knew that he needed to sit down and have another conversation with Shamesh about the golem as a person but it was such a difficult topic to handle that he had been putting it off.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waitin¡¯ for ya.¡± Stan said by way of greeting the duo. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡±


    Lenna¡¯s face brightened a bit and Isaac had to tear his eyes off of her to focus on Stan. ¡°You have it?¡± Lenna questioned before Isaac could.


    ¡°Aye.¡± Stan replied. ¡°It¡¯s under this rag.¡± He told them and gestured to a box with a large piece of cloth draped over it.


    Isaac and Lenna approached and eagerly awaited Stan¡¯s reveal. ¡°Well, don¡¯t just leave us hanging.¡± Isaac said and gestured for the man to get it over with.


    Stan laughed deeply and yanked the cloth away. Inside the box was a simple steel blade, at least that¡¯s what it looked like at first glance. The sword was polished but instead of having a mirror finish like most steel swords it was just a clean silver-gray sword. ¡°There ya are. Yer new sword.¡± Stan said proudly.


    Lenna hesitantly reached into the box and grabbed onto the hilt. Adamantine was expensive due to its rarity more than its overall usefulness. There was much, much more gold in the world that could be used for enchanting steel, to the same level of durability as adamantine, without the need for special equipment to even begin working with the metal. Generally, it was seen as an alternative to the conventional methodology when it came to weapon making rather than a preferred creation strategy. It was faster and able to be done by non mages, which in and of itself brought about a large amount of backlash, but it was also using an extremely rare material. An extremely rare material that would be used in the creation of something that was going to be used to fight dragons and mages, both being beings commonly known to utterly destroy everything in a general direction while fighting for their lives. Now, having mentioned all of those things, the sword itself was a first for Lenna. She had never been allowed to touch the adamantine sword on display in her uncle¡¯s throne room and the few times she had touched an adamantine sword, she hadn¡¯t been able to fight with it.


    Lenna picked the sword up out of the box and inspected it with a palpable sense of awe. ¡°It is heavier than I thought it would be.¡± She commented.


    ¡°Adamantine is heavy, even if it¡¯s just a coating.¡± Stan replied. ¡°I figure it won¡¯t be too much for someone like you though.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No, it might take some getting used to but it¡¯s still light enough to use properly.¡± She told him. ¡°Thank you for this. I am sure that Edward would have jumped at the opportunity for something like this.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s plenty left for him, lass, don¡¯t you worry.¡± Stan explained. ¡°Now, I got more work ta do so off with ya.¡± He told them with a wave.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you always the one complaining about kids always being in a rush?¡± Isaac jokingly questioned.


    ¡°Aye, that¡¯s why I¡¯m stuck scramblin¡¯.¡± Stan replied with a grumble and headed into the back towards the sound of iron on steel.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Shamesh, take a seat.¡± Isaac instructed his physical and spiritual shadow. The pair sat opposite each other on the floor in their sitting room. Lenna was nearby, leaning against a wall, there more for support than anything else.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Shamesh questioned once they had both settled into their positions. Isaac was sitting cross legged so Shamesh had copied him.


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Nothing is wrong.¡± He told Shamesh. ¡°This is about you and your growth.¡± He began. ¡°If anything changes about how you feel about what you do, tell me so we can adjust things to make it more¡­ pleasant for you.¡± Isaac¡¯s voice had trailed off while he tried to find the exact word he was looking for. ¡°You are new, made from something young and something old using me, someone neither young nor old, as the foundation. You could continue to change or you could stay exactly the same. We have no way of knowing ahead of time, unless you have some insight on the matter, so it is imperative that you keep us updated.¡±


    Once it was clear that Isaac was waiting for the being of bones to reply, Shamesh nodded. ¡°I will.¡± He promised. ¡°I do not see or expect any further changes. I will try to maintain an accurate understanding of myself so I can inform you if anything changes.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Isaac said with a smile. ¡°Now, I have a, mostly, hypothetical question for you.¡± He told Shamesh and the golem nodded in reply that he was ready for the question. ¡°If you could only do one household chore, regardless of what that chore would be even if you do not yet know how to do it but could be taught it in the future, what would you choose?¡±


    Shamesh remained silent for well over a minute as his head tilted back and forth ever so slightly as he thought about Isaac¡¯s question. Eventually the skeleton straightened again and locked eyes with Isaac. ¡°Is being a guard a household chore?¡± Shamesh questioned.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°It can be but is not necessarily. If that is what you want then we can change things so it can be a household chore but otherwise it would not be considered one.¡± He explained.


    Shamesh nodded once. ¡°I would like guard duty to be my singular household chore, if a situation arrived that I could only complete one of them.¡± Shamesh replied.


    ¡°Why?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°No other chore requires continual input. Every other chore can be done by a normal person operating on a normal schedule. Only I can fulfill the role of sole guard of an area at all times.¡± Shamesh explained.


    ¡°Are there any other reasons?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°It is the role that I am best suited to. No other role gives the opportunity to use all of my spells, abilities, and skills.¡± Shamesh replied.


    ¡°All of?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°All of my spells, and old abilities and old skills.¡± Shamesh corrected himself. ¡°I have learned new abilities and skills pertaining to the care and cleaning of an estate or manor.¡±


    ¡°What if guard duty was not an option?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°What if everyone, including you, were only permitted to work for twelve hours per day?¡±


    Shamesh was silent again as he processed Isaac¡¯s inquiry. ¡°If I am permitted to use magic, then cleaning.¡± Shamesh replied. ¡°If not, arms and armor maintenance.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Isaac further questioned. He felt like he was getting close to finding the answer to his question. Isaac really just wanted to know if Shamesh disliked what he had been instructing him to do but he didn¡¯t want Shamesh¡¯s conscious thoughts to skew the truth in any way. Shamesh knew, afterall, that he was a tool and that he would be used. For all Isaac knew, Shamesh might simply tell him what the golem thought he wanted to hear.


    ¡°Magic makes cleaning much quicker and thus I would be the most optimal pick for the task.¡± Shamesh replied. ¡°My vision is lower quality than average so most tasks with fine motor control and a delicate touch are far more difficult for me than others. Because of this, it is best for me to perform tasks that have a low probability of inflicting unnecessary damage or repair costs. Arms and armor are more resilient than most other objects.¡±


    ¡°What about cooking or gardening?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°I cannot smell or taste. That would make me a below average cook.¡± Shamesh replied. ¡°I do not believe that entrusting me with a living creature directly would be a positive experience for the creature¡¯s growth due to the death mana that is exposed in my eyes.¡±


    ¡°All of your answers have been incredibly logical, Shamesh, but what would you prefer?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°I¡­ I do not know.¡± Shamesh replied after a moment of silent contemplation.


    ¡°Good.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°That is a good start. If you figure it out, let me know, otherwise, continue on as normal.¡± He instructed the skeleton. ¡°That should be a good marker for perceiving internal change.¡±


    Shamesh bowed. ¡°As you say.¡± He said to Isaac.


    ¡°Are your other tasks completed?¡± Isaac asked.


    Shamesh nodded. ¡°Yes. Everything has been cleaned to an acceptable level and the building is ready to receive furnishings. The new door to the cellar has been installed and the mess from the installation has also been cleaned.¡± Shamesh reported.


    ¡°Good.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°We are finished here for now. Any spies have no doubt noticed your presence here so enter my shadow again just in case we need you.¡± Isaac instructed his retainer and rose to his feet. Shamesh did as well and bowed to Isaac. The void of the mage¡¯s shadow opened up beneath him and brought him back to the realm of darkness and silence.

 Chapter 86 Better Than Running.

    Chapter 86 Better Than Running.


    ¡°We could use a good hunt.¡± Isaac told Alice while resting his elbows on her counter. ¡°We¡¯ve been out of combat for too long. What¡¯s the situation out there?¡±


    ¡°There are still some skeletons wandering around. They keep turning up and causing problems.¡± Alice explained. ¡°Not very many but enough that the Guild Master is thinking about putting together a sweeper team to handle them.¡±


    ¡°Just thinking about it?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Last I heard, yeah.¡± She replied. ¡°The spider population is low enough that if you go back to hunting them as regularly as you had been, they might all get wiped out within a month or so.¡±


    ¡°Is that a good or a bad thing?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°I would have thought you were joking a few months ago but rare spider parts are actually a low volume export of ours now, so I¡¯ve been told to keep track of the estimated population numbers and to try and keep them between one and three hundred.¡± Alice explained. ¡°They are under a hundred right now so I¡¯ve been telling adventurers that, for the time being, the open bounty on them has been rescinded. The problem is that they are still worth a lot if you sell them for ingredients.¡±


    ¡°What are the estimated population numbers for the skeletons?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°No idea.¡± Alice replied. ¡°The number I have is fifty but that hasn¡¯t changed no matter how many have died.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s odd.¡± Isaac thought aloud. ¡°Is there anything noteworthy about them? Are they missing limbs or have a lot of preexisting damage?¡±


    ¡°Yes and no.¡± Alice said. ¡°It is all far too random to be helpful. That is why the Guild Master has been thinking about just sweeping the area.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see if Jala has any helpful information for us. Either way, we¡¯ll be back to take that job. Have Edward put an actual bounty together for us, yeah?¡± Isaac told the receptionist.


    Alice nodded. ¡°I can do that. Good luck.¡± She told them. Isaac and Lenna had barely taken one step when Alice stopped them. ¡°Actually, uh, I don¡¯t know how to ask this¡­¡± She began. ¡°Is Lady L¡¯Vore actually as scary and crazy as everyone is saying? She seemed a little odd but pretty normal for a wizard to me when she was here.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Jala was trying to seem normal when she was here. She can be like that when she wants to be, but she is a mad alchemist, dumping frog tears and unicorn sweat into a cauldron to try and make something else that doesn¡¯t actually exist.¡± He explained. ¡°If she seemed nice to you then you should keep that image of her in your head. Everyone sees her in a different light. I doubt she would be opposed to seeing you if you brought her something interesting.¡±


    Alice nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± She replied. ¡°I heard that Lord L¡¯Vore can use his magic again.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°A bit of it. Not enough to be unstoppable or even enough to escape on his own, but he is still a grandmaster sorcerer.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°He could give Alexander a run for his money, but anyone from Edward¡¯s old team, save for the duke, could probably deal with him.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of the Guild Master,¡± Alice said and leaned in conspiratorially. ¡°Do you know what¡¯s with all the ladies that keep showing up around meal times?¡±


    Isaac smirked. ¡°I think I do, yes.¡± He replied.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Oh? What is it? Who are they?¡± Alice questioned in a whisper. ¡°I know they aren¡¯t, you know, from downtown, because that isn¡¯t his style but it just makes us even more curious about it.¡±


    Isaac winked at her. ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡± He replied.


    Lenna chuckled. ¡°You should let the poor man have his secrets.¡± Lenna told the young receptionist. ¡°Gods know he doesn¡¯t have very many.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say, about one.¡± Isaac added with a grin.


    Lenna elbowed him in the side. ¡°Let¡¯s get going before you open your mouth again.¡± She told him.


    ¡°Hey, c¡¯mon, that¡¯s not fair!¡± Alice called after them. ¡°Why do you get to know but we don¡¯t?!¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Any ideas?¡± Isaac asked Jala and Fen after he explained the skeleton phenomena to them.


    ¡°Demidimension breach.¡± Fen replied casually. ¡°You killed the anchor and Jala has been bleeding him dry.¡±


    ¡°If the crack didn¡¯t appear in here then it must be where you first injured his heartstone.¡± Jala added. ¡°Or it could be where the portal to it last existed.¡±


    ¡°Those places are right next to each other.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°It has to be there then.¡± Jala replied.


    ¡°Unless it is where he spent the most time.¡± Fen countered.


    ¡°If that were the case then the skeletons would all be inside Contantis.¡± Jala retorted. ¡°Not in the Horror¡¯s Stolen Web or the Bloodriver Cavern.¡±


    ¡°Are those the names of the tunnel system with all the spiders and the large cavern on the other side of it?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°That is their designation in Neckeden.¡± Jala explained. ¡°I had already left Contantis by the time the battle had taken place so I don¡¯t know what Contantis calls it. The Horror¡¯s Stolen Web is an old name for them that is older than me, I don¡¯t know what the kids call them now.¡±


    ¡°Those names are better than any of the others I¡¯ve heard.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°I wonder if they¡¯ll catch on if we start using them?¡±


    ¡°Probably.¡± Fen replied dryly. ¡°You are celebrities in this anthill.¡±


    ¡°Back on topic, is a demidimension breach exactly what it sounds like?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°The demidimension is trying to merge back with reality now that it is no longer anchored properly. The actual rift may take any number of forms but considering everything that has happened, I would say it probably looks like a stab wound in space.¡± Jala explained.


    ¡°Or like someone blew up a mirror and tried to put it back together using telekinesis with their eyes closed.¡± Fen added. ¡°It depends if the breach formed in the wake of the meteored portal or the stabbed heartstone.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the information.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°If I¡¯m right, I want you to count this favor against our debts.¡± Fen told Isaac.


    ¡°If I¡¯m right, I want an assistant.¡± Jala added. ¡°I can¡¯t be in two places at once.¡± Isaac and Lenna almost missed Jala add one more word under her breath: ¡°Yet.¡±


    ¡°Fen, deal, Jala, I¡¯ll see what I can do but I can¡¯t promise anything.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°If Jala is right, I choose dinner when we get back.¡± Lenna bet Isaac.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Sure, you¡¯re on.¡±


    ¡ª


    Isaac and Lenna stopped by the Guild Hall and got a written gold rank bounty to find the problem and fix it. It was well below what they were used to for bounty payouts but it was a fair amount for the service to be rendered. The skeletons weren¡¯t a big enough problem to waren¡¯t calling in a team of platinum level adventurers, Isaac and Lenna were just bored, and a team of golds could handle fifty skeletons without breaking a sweat. The real issue could be resolving where they were coming from.


    With the bounty registered, the duo left town and made the trek to their most recent battlefield. Once they were well out of sight from Safeharbor and any spies that had been keeping an eye on them, Shamesh arrived out of Isaac¡¯s shadow with a bow.


    ¡°Can you pull us along again?¡± Isaac asked the skeleton.


    ¡°Of course, my Lord.¡± Shamesh replied with a bow and began casting his spells. He cast Levitate on both Isaac and Lenna and then cast Flight on himself. Isaac and Lenna each took one of his hands and Shamesh flew towards the location of Shamsha¡¯s demise.


    ¡°How many spells can you maintain like this at a time?¡± Isaac asked their transport. The feeling of weightlessness was similar to being submerged in water. There was still pressure coming from above and below him but seemed to equal out to allow Shamesh¡¯s magic to raise and lower them at will.


    ¡°Shamsha could maintain Levitate indefinitely but I cannot.¡± Shamesh replied. ¡°I can almost maintain it but I fall short by one Levitate standard duration per two hours.¡±


    ¡°How long can you maintain two Levitates and a Flight?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Almost four hours.¡± Shamesh replied. ¡°We should be able to cover most of the distance before then.¡±


    ¡°Set us down before you run out of mana.¡± Isaac instructed his familiar. ¡°If my math is right, it should take you almost thirteen hours to refill your reserves based on the levels of the spells you are using.¡±


    ¡°That is correct.¡± Shamesh confirmed.


    ¡°We won¡¯t need you at full power but I think a third of your reserves would be nice to have.¡± Isaac thought aloud. ¡°Set us down after three hours of flying. Do you refill your reserves faster in the void?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Shamesh replied. ¡°I will not refill my reserves properly in the shadow world.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll jog the rest of the way. Lenna and I will handle any enemies we encounter so you can save mana.¡± Isaac informed the other two members of his team. He sighed contentedly. ¡°This is so much better than running.¡±


    ¡°As much as I believe you should continue to work on your endurance, I have to reluctantly agree.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Thank you, Shamesh.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my Lady.¡± Shamesh said with a bow of his head. ¡°It is my pleasure to be of assistance.¡±

 Chapter 87 Demidimension

    Chapter 87 Demidimension


    ¡°Holy shi-¡± Isaac began.


    ¡°In Lua¡¯s name.¡± Lenna whispered in awe. The sight before the trio was unlike anything either of them had ever seen or imagined. Nine copies of the same impossible sight were scattered around a thirty foot area. Each in a different orientation that took physics and threw it into the fire. Each of the nine ¡®Breaches¡¯ looked like someone had stabbed a molten sword through unbreakable glass. The navette shaped missing pieces of space were surrounded by white cracks that spiderwebbed out from them along the same two dimensional plane. Inside them was all the same view of a massive room made of stone blocks and lit by an omnipresent soft gray glow. Each breach seemed to choose its direction at random but they all seemed to be an equal distance from where the center of the portal used to be.


    Milling about under the stab wounds in space, which were really just the representations of the connecting points between real reality and manufactured reality, where a few dozen skeletons in various states of damage and disrepair. A moment later the trio found out why. A skeleton from inside the demidimension attempted to leave it and the chaotic nature of the breaches proved their destructive potential. Out of the nine portals, seven of them took a chunk of the skeleton. The top half of the skeleton¡¯s spear fell out of one breach, half of its head took another, both feet found a third, the left elbow took the fourth, four ribs took the fifth, only the pelvis took the sixth, and the rest toppled through in a heap out of the seventh. Another skeleton immediately followed after it and it only lost a foot to portal number three while the rest of its body landed face first after a ten foot drop out of portal number nine.


    ¡°Number three likes feet.¡± Isaac commented.


    Lenna tore her eyes away from the awe inspiring spectacle to stare dumbfoundedly at Isaac. ¡°What?¡± She asked in a mixture of shock and confusion.


    ¡°The third portal from the left, from our perspective, took both the feet from the first skeleton and a foot from the second.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Look, there are almost exclusively boots piled under it.¡±


    Lenna turned to regard the portals and realized that Isaac was right. As she looked at the ground under the other portals she noticed a similar phenomena. ¡°One likes weapons, actually, no, it likes right hands and the weapons they hold.¡± She observed.


    ¡°Each breach corresponds to a different part of the portal that used to be there but only when they feel like it. The seventh and ninth portal seem to be the main ones. Look,¡± Isaac said and pointed at the portal the furthest to the right. ¡°There are a lot of mostly intact skeletons under it.¡±


    ¡°I think they¡¯ve noticed us.¡± Lenna commented. She was right, all thirty or so skeletons had turned towards them.


    ¡°Yeah, we could have been quieter, it was just quite the spectacle.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Gather them up and I¡¯ll annihilate them all in one strike.¡± Lenna told her mate.


    ¡°On it.¡± Isaac replied and vanished. Soon enough skeletons were being tossed into a pile and yanked backwards into each other until almost all of them were in a tangled heap of steel, rust, and bone.


    Lenna opened her hand and held it out from her at around her waist height. Her palm pointed towards the ceiling and in one motion that was accompanied by two words she raised it to eye level without bending her elbow. ¡°Hellflame Strike.¡± She said with a cold fury that dredged up all of the wrath and anger she had suppressed and forgotten about. She felt herself heat up in her armor as the feelings brought with them a physical heatwave that radiated out from her skin. That was not the only heat wave, however, as the chant and motion had summoned forth a geyser of burning death and destruction that reached for the sky and turned everything caught within it to ash and dust.


    Isaac whistled as he appeared next to her. ¡°That is some serious power.¡± He commented. ¡°That has to be at least four times as hot as a fireball without the shockwave. If you catch someone in it, and they are still, they will get stuck with a few thousand degrees of agony for almost two seconds. I wonder how reality shield¡¯s will hold up against it.¡±


    ¡°Reality shields don¡¯t really transfer heat.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°But they still do transfer some.¡± Isaac pointed out. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing it does as much damage as it does, I can¡¯t cast very many of those in a row.¡± Lenna said and walked towards the breaches. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with, Shamesh, any ideas?¡±


    ¡°None, my Lady. I am afraid that any assistance I may offer will need to be directed by someone else.¡± Shamesh replied with a slight bow.


    ¡°Send a telepathic message to Alexander and inform him of the situation. I¡¯m sure he will want to see this.¡± Isaac told his retainer. ¡°Lenna, try casting a Fireball inside the demidimension.¡±


    ¡°Come forth ember of a dying star.¡± Lenna ordered and pointed into one of the breaches. The fireball attempted to form from half a dozen fragments that resulted in a small snap and flash and a general raise in the ambient temperature around the breaches. ¡°The spell was scattered as the mana tried to pass through the breach.¡±


    ¡°It breaks things up both ways, got it.¡± Isaac replied and teleported next to a crawling skeleton that was missing its bottom half from Lenna¡¯s Hellflame Strike. Isaac planted his boot through the skeleton¡¯s rusted helm and its skull in short order.


    ¡°Court Magus Alexander has informed me that he is on his way. He has requested the ability to scry on our location so he can see where to teleport to.¡± Shamesh informed them.


    ¡°Ask him if he can scry on you or if it has to be on Lenna or I.¡± Isaac replied.


    A moment later Shamesh relayed the return message: ¡°He has informed me that without the ability to see you, there is a risk of the teleportation failing from him attempting to teleport into the same space as you.¡±


    ¡°Tell him that Lenna and I are standing behind you.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Turn around before you tell him that.¡±


    Shamesh nodded and did as he was told. A few moments later a ripple of magic and transfer of space brought forth the Court Mage. ¡°Hel-¡± Alexander cut himself off as he got a good look at the breaches with his own eyes. ¡°Holy Halya.¡± He swore under his breath. ¡°This is unlike anything I have ever seen.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is pretty neat.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°How do we get rid of it?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Alexander asked dumbfoundedly. ¡°What do you mean ¡®get rid of it¡¯?¡±


    ¡°That,¡± Isaac said and gestured towards a skeleton that was in the process of falling through four breaches at once. ¡°keeps happening. That would be fine if half of them didn¡¯t remain intact enough to cause a problem.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll set up a quarantine zone and bring my equipment out to study it.¡± Alexander replied and looked like he was about to teleport away.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Isaac ordered the wizard. Alexander froze in place.


    ¡°Have you forgotten where we are?¡± Lenna questioned the young man. ¡°How exactly do you plan on avoiding drow spies, drow assassins, drow raiding parties, wandering Phase Widows, wandering Tunnel Horrors, Shadow-wolf packs, loose skeletons, and potential Doppelgangers because you are out here alone?¡±


    Alexander was entirely still, like a mouse under the gaze of a cat. Not only was that the most he had ever heard Lenna say at one time but every word of it was true. She had just pointed out a dozen different ways that he could die in one run-on sentence that had taken her three breaths to complete. ¡°I, yes, you are correct, Lady V¡¯Nova, I may have been a bit hasty. I will have to consult with his grace over how to handle this situation.¡± Alexander replied with a lowered head.


    ¡°That¡¯s all well and good but what are we supposed to do about our bounty to get rid of the skeleton problem?¡± Isaac questioned the wizard.


    ¡°The breaches are far too far apart to surround them with an anti-undead ward.¡± Alexander thought aloud. ¡°How many skeletons do you think are left inside?¡±


    ¡°I only ever see a few of them at a time. It¡¯s like they are wandering towards the breaches and just falling through at random.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°It could be five or five hundred thousand. The other side of this is Shamsha¡¯s demidimension. I would like to get inside too.¡±


    ¡°For the riches of an ancient lich?¡± Alexander questioned.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°If you could wait here for a time, I would like to consult with the library and maybe another court wizard who specializes in dimensional magics.¡± Alexander requested. ¡°He may have a way to dismantle the demidimension from this side. If that is something that we can do, then according to my sparse knowledge on the subject, everything inside of it should be shunted out into real reality.¡±


    ¡°What if there are a million skeletons inside of it?¡± Lenna questioned.


    ¡°We will be properly prepared, unlike last time.¡± Alexander said with total seriousness. He had no intention to repeat his previous tactical mishap.


    ¡°We can wait, as long as you bring hot food back with you when you return.¡± Isaac told the mage.


    ¡°And it happens within the day.¡± Lenna added. ¡°I do not want to sleep in a crater.¡±


    At Lenna¡¯s mention of a crater Alexander took a moment to actually take in the surrounding area properly. There were half a dozen craters the size of the first floor of a family home. Scorch marks and shattered stone covered the area and it was only then that he noticed the fragmented remains of the fort that used to exist around them. ¡°What happened here?¡± Alexander questioned in awe. It was destruction that showed a magnitude of power he hadn¡¯t ever witnessed directly before.


    ¡°Shamsha dropped an extinction level event on top of himself, and us, in a last ditch attempt to win.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°It smashed through his portal,¡± He gestured towards the breaches. ¡°hence the current problem. Jala and Fen said that the breaches only appeared later because Jala has been bleeding Shamsha dry, so he can no longer work as the anchor for the demidimension, or something.¡±


    Alexander nodded to himself in thought. ¡°I see. That is technically possible but I did not think it could actually happen.¡± He mumbled under his breath. ¡°Alright, yes, I will return post haste.¡±


    ¡°With hot food.¡± Isaac reminded him.


    ¡°Yes, with hot food.¡± Alexander agreed with a smirk. ¡°Heed my command magic and space, take me to this imagined place.¡± With that, Alexander was gone.


    ¡°Shamesh, take this time to regenerate your mana. Once you are full, I¡¯ll need to send you back into my shadow. We don¡¯t want any foreign court mages getting the wrong idea and calling the inquisition.¡± Isaac instructed his familiar.


    ¡°As you say, my Lord.¡± Shamesh replied with a bow.


    ¡°Lenna,¡± Isaac said and turned to his mate. ¡°let¡¯s clean this place up a bit. I don¡¯t want a skeleton trying to bite my ankles later when we sit down for dinner.¡±

 Chapter 88 Grand Magus

    Chapter 88 Grand Magus


    Lenna heard what sounded like a sprinting stone golem and jerked upright. She had been bent down to clear away some of the bones, armor, and other debris from where Isaac and her were going to wait for Alexander¡¯s return. What she saw momentarily surprised her until she remembered who she was with. Lenna sighed and shook her head as she set her hands on her hips and settled in to wait for Isaac to finish.


    Isaac had created a dozen solid spears of shadow and was mentally launching them into the side of the crater they were in one after the other. Each impact resounded not from the solid shadows impacting stone but from the stone impacting itself after the sudden involuntary deconstruction. Isaac¡¯s spears were portraying an entire team of masons quarrying out a wagon load of gravel. Eventually Isaac stopped and wiped some sweat from his brow as the shadows dispersed.


    ¡°Isaac, what is that?¡± Lenna asked him while she stared at the two foot by four foot area of stone that was all but turned to sand.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see in a minute.¡± Isaac replied and took a few pulls from his waterskin. ¡°I just need a short break. Shadows are not meant to be used like that.¡±


    Lenna nodded in agreement at the obvious misuse of Isaac¡¯s color of magic. ¡°Should I keep cleaning up the area?¡± She questioned. ¡°Or are you just going to throw stones and stone dust over everything?¡±


    ¡°Only get rid of the bones.¡± Isaac replied and tossed his waterskin back into his inventory.


    ¡ª


    Alexander had finally finished speaking with the Crown Spatial Advisor. He was an elf who had been studying spatial magic since before Safeharbor had even been an idea. The man was a master at everything related to the school of magic. His obsession was so intense that there were rumors that his reason for it was actually an unrequited love for the demigoddess of Time. It was common knowledge, to all of those that lived long enough, or talked to those that did, that Space and Time were extremely close. Whether the man¡¯s spatial knowledge came about from a fruitless attempt at replacing Space as Time¡¯s best compliment, or for some other reason, it didn¡¯t matter to Alexander. All that Safeharbor¡¯s Court Mage cared about was the elvish male¡¯s mastery over dimensionality.


    Alexander took the time he had, until Karthen Eidi¡¯Diasta would arrive, to get Celeste to help him bring the pair of waiting maybe-demigods some hot food. Celeste had just headed into the back to help Leo pack the food up when Alexander felt a massive but pinpoint ripple and pressure in the mana next to him. A moment later a tall elvish man with pure golden hair, glowing green eyes, skin the color of exposed birchwood, and sharp features appeared with little fanfare. There were no visible effects, nor any obvious exhaustion, from the man who had just teleported from the capital to right next to him without the aid of a ritual or any guidance, as far as Alexander could tell. ¡°Alexander.¡± The elvish man purred. ¡°This is,¡± He looked around the room but only witnessed some slack jawed adventurers and guardsmen eating dinner. ¡°not the location of the ¡®event¡¯.¡±


    ¡°No, Grand Magus, I was instructed to not return unless I,¡± Alexander began and then cleared his throat before he finished in a low voice: ¡°returned with warm food.¡±


    Karthen¡¯s chin rose ever so slightly and his shoulders seemed to square even more. His dark gray robes stitched with literal emerald thread only magnified his imposing and authoritative stature. ¡°Alexander. Are you, or are you not, a court mage to a duke of his majesty, the king of the land on which you stand?¡± He questioned the young prodigy turned court mage. Karthen didn¡¯t wait for Alexander to reply. ¡°You have status that commands respect and I had wrongfully assumed that you were aware of that fact. Now, take me to the dimensional destabilization destination.¡±


    Alexander had barely opened his mouth to reply before Celeste walked out from the kitchen with a picnic basket full of warm food and fresh drinks. ¡°Here you are, Alex-¡± She began before she looked up from her burden to see the imposing Grand Magus of spatial magic. ¡°Is there anything I can get ya before you head out?¡± She asked both Alexander and Karthen.


    Karthen seemed to take in the half elven woman in her entirety as his ancient emerald eyes stared unblinkingly at her. Alexander took the basket from her with a nod. ¡°No, thank you, Celeste, we must be off.¡± The young wizard told the seasoned sorceress.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Celeste replied. ¡°I packed enough for four but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s enough anymore. If you run out of food, I am sure Karthen would be delighted to come back and get more.¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Karthen finally blinked and actually flinched slightly at hearing his first name so casually spoken by a woman he didn¡¯t remember ever meeting. ¡°Who are-¡± He began.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not going to order anything then I have other customers.¡± Celeste cut him off with a smile and then seemed to glide around them to help one of her regulars at the bar.


    ¡°If you are ready, Grand Magus.¡± Alexander said and prepared to teleport. ¡°Should I teleport us both?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Karthen distractedly replied. ¡°I doubt I could stomach your shunt through space that human wizards call teleporting. Go, I will follow.¡±


    Alexander nodded and spoke the incantation. A moment later he appeared where he had appeared previously. ¡°He¡¯s coming make sure Shame-¡± Alexander¡¯s words cut off as he realized Shamesh was nowhere to be found. Not only that but he also felt Karthen appearing next to him, so even if he had finished his sentence, it would have been too late for Isaac to do anything about his bone golem retainer.


    Karthen appeared as Alexander was blinking dumbfoundedly at a very peculiar sight. Nestled into the side of a crater seven feet deep and twenty feet across were the duo he had come to see. Isaac had his hands behind his head and his eyes closed. His legs were crossed as he lounged in a pod of crushed stone that was the perfect size for him to rest in. Right next to the dark mage was an identical carved out seat for his mate who was also relaxed. Behind Lenna¡¯s helmetless head was a folded blanket that she was using as a pillow and her fingers were interlaced across her abdomen. Her sword sat sheathed across her lap and her eyes had just cracked open at their arrival.


    ¡°Finally.¡± Isaac said with a sigh. ¡°Any longer and I would have tried to stabilize the breaches myself.¡± Isaac rose to his feet and offered Lenna a hand. Lenna took it and let him haul her to her feet.


    Alexander took a moment to compose himself and then began walking towards them. Karthen followed behind him at a leisurely pace. ¡°I had to wait for Celeste to finish packing our food.¡± Alexander commented. ¡°She said she packed four meals.¡±


    Isaac and Lenna turned to regard the pair of wizards. ¡°But there are four of us.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Alexander replied.


    Isaac frowned. ¡°I hope the new guy is either really good at spatial magic or brought his own food.¡± He commented. ¡°Who¡¯s your friend?¡±


    Karthen was taking in the pair of adventurers with no small amount of suppressed disdain. All adventurers were crude and most of them were also abrasive. Adventurers were the reason why most elven nations saw humans as uncultured Neanderthals, apes capable of speech and using simple tools, the nobility being the only exceptions. Karthen couldn¡¯t hold back a slight wrinkling of his nose at the dark elven woman with the human adventurer. Her armor was of noble drow quality and the way she moved spoke of centuries of military service. Karthen couldn¡¯t keep himself from looking down his nose at her. He had never heard a single good thing about a dark elf, from a credible source, and he doubted he was about to have a good experience with the one in front of him. Not because of anything she had specifically done but simply because of what she was.


    A sudden flare of power that threatened to buckle Karthen¡¯s knees exploded from the area next to the woman. The feeling of witnessing the death of a thousand souls settled onto his heart like an anchor of solid iron. His entire body became slick with cold sweat as a pair of silver eyes bore down on him with a righteous fury that could have only come from an angered god.


    ¡ª


    Isaac put up with the looks most people threw at Lenna because she hated causing trouble. At the same time, Isaac had no qualms with smashing the face that had thrown his mate a dirty look into the dirt with enough force to permanently rearrange it. That was while they were inside of Safeharbor where he had to be careful not to overdo it. When the uppity newcomer looked down at Lenna like she was the dung a beetle rolled across the ground he refused to let it go. Fortunately for the elf, Isaac needed a good spatial mage and he had faith in Alexander¡¯s ability to get one.


    Power was the one thing that everyone, no matter their age or upbringing, understood. Power was something that Isaac had in abundance. Power was how Isaac decided to correct the foreign wizard¡¯s behavior before it drove him to do something more drastic.


    Isaac¡¯s entire mana regeneration rate was forced out of his body in the form of death flames in all directions except for around his eyes. The flames that poured out of his eyebrows and forehead were directed away from his eyes so that the wizard could see exactly how Isaac felt about his conduct. ¡°Alexander, did you inform your friend on who you were meeting here?¡± Isaac questioned the court wizard in a perfectly measured and flat tone. The dichotomy between his tone of voice, directed at Alexander, and the awesome expression of controlled violence and disdain he was directing at Karthen, only served to amplify the other¡¯s inhuman perception of him.


    Alexander bowed immediately. ¡°I did not, Lord Darkness, I ask for you to be lenient in this circumstance on account of this man¡¯s usefulness to not only yourself in this situation, but also the crown on a daily basis.¡± He spoke quickly and deliberately. There was an audible but suppressed quiver in his voice from being so close to, what was undoubtedly, enough death flames to remove him from existence before he could even feel the pain. Alexander had worked with Isaac enough to know that Isaac wouldn¡¯t blame him for Karthen¡¯s ¡®behavioral problems¡¯, however, the magical and soul deep pressure was still incredibly intense.


    Karthen was not one to pay much attention to the happenings in the kingdom around him. He paid attention to the movements of powerful people and he made sure that the teleportation network remained operational. He also made sure to always be available for the king in the event that his expertise was needed. Everything else, especially when it came to adventurers, was forgotten almost immediately after he had overheard it. At the mention of Isaac¡¯s title, Karthen¡¯s mind had finally put together the casual image of the man, his description, and the recent report of a man and woman in Safeharbor giving Judgment a public beatdown. Karthen had never been a fighter and that fact had never gone to the forefront of his very being at such a rate as it had upon that realization. The urge to teleport away was almost overwhelming, but he knew that if the man in front of him was actually a demigod then there would be no running from him. Everyone knew that the demigods of humanity worked together, and if Judgment hadn¡¯t declared a crusade, then that meant that any ill will between them had been cleared up.


    ¡°Speak, wizard.¡± Isaac demanded with two simple words backed by all of his earned and bought power. The power not of a demigod, but of a dragon.

 Chapter 89 Shunted

    Chapter 89 Shunted


    ¡°I, Karthen Eidi¡¯Diasta, meant no disrespect, Lord Darkness, it was a bad habit from a younger, less mature, time. I apologize, I beg your forgiveness just this once.¡± Karthen said with his head bowed. It took everything the wizard had to keep his knees from buckling while he bowed low. The pressure didn¡¯t lighten in the slightest and Karthen risked a glance up from the ground. What he saw was the woman next to the man, who was brazenly acting as a beacon for every Tunnel Horror within a hundred miles, gently placing her hand on his arm.


    ¡°Isaac, I think he understands.¡± She told Isaac casually while her hand and half of her arm bathed in the power that felt like it had Karthen¡¯s heart in a vise.


    ¡°I am not the one you need to apologize to.¡± Isaac told Karthen coldly.


    ¡°I greatly apologize for any offense given, my Lady.¡± Karthen said through teeth grit with effort to maintain his horizontal bow.


    ¡°As long as it does not happen again, we are fine.¡± Lenna replied calmly.


    At Lenna¡¯s words the pressure started rapidly dying down. Within ten seconds there was only a phantom shadow of the feeling that had once threatened to give the ancient wizard a heart attack. ¡°Your magnanimity knows no bounds.¡± Karthen praised her and straightened as much as he could. His shoulders were still slumped with exhaustion and his entire body felt sticky from the cold sweat still covering it. ¡°I thank you and reassure you that it will not happen again.¡±


    Lenna nodded in acceptance of his apology and then casually turned to regard Alexander. ¡°Alexander, dinner?¡± She asked the court mage.


    ¡°Of course, Lady V¡¯Nova.¡± Alexander replied and walked towards her with the picnic basket. ¡°I do not believe I have asked this before but would you rather be addressed as Hellfire, Lady Hellfire, or Lady V¡¯Nova?¡±


    Isaac had elected to completely ignore that Karthen was there unless he specifically needed the wizard for something, or vice versa, so he was already digging into the basket for their meal.


    ¡°Either is fine.¡± Lenna replied to Alexander¡¯s question. ¡°It is going to take me some time to get used to being addressed as Hellfire directly.¡± She confessed. ¡°Starting now might be good preparation for when we are traveling the surface.¡±


    Alexander nodded. ¡°It is often difficult for adventurers to adapt to having a title bestowed upon them, it is a good thing that the Guild Master simply reaffirmed the one that Darkness has given you.¡± He said as small talk while the portions of fish soup and fresh bread were divvied up.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna agreed. ¡°While we eat, why don¡¯t you introduce Karthen Eidi¡¯Diasta, was it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite the mouthful.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°It is an old name.¡± Lenna informed him. ¡°Light elf surnames tend to get shorter over time.¡±


    ¡°As Lady Hellfire has said, I am from a long line of advisors that dates back to just after the first dragon surge after, The Fall.¡± Karthen explained with a hesitant glance towards Lenna. When she hadn¡¯t reacted to his mentioning of the fall of the dark elves he seemed to inflate a little. ¡°I am the first of our line to have mentored humans directly. I learned immediately that their politics changed far too quickly for me so I elected to limit my interactions to only things that I was truly an expert in.¡±


    ¡°Spatial magic.¡± Lenna surmised.


    ¡°Just so.¡± Karthen affirmed. ¡°I was the one who created the original teleportation network three hundred years ago and I am the one who continues maintenance on it.¡±


    ¡°We have yet to use it ourselves but we have had others use it in our stead.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°It saved us a lot of time but cost just as much.¡± This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ¡°That was intentional.¡± Karthen explained. ¡°There are a lot of humans whose livelihoods come from transporting goods. When king Ekzecken set the toll, he chose it with that in mind. There was a human nation a few millennia ago that brought itself to an economic collapse by making trade too easy. The sudden loss of a million jobs forced ten percent of the country to banditry.¡±


    ¡°That was a smart move.¡± Lenna complimented the long dead king Ekzecken.


    ¡°I believe so as well.¡± Karthen agreed. His eyes drifted to the nine breaches in reality as another skeleton toppled out of it. This one rose to its feet with only one pauldron missing. Before he could even mention the rising skeleton, a spear of solid shadows materialized above Isaac¡¯s shoulder and launched itself at the skeleton¡¯s head with ruthless precision. The spear blasted through the rusted steel helmet and shattered the skeleton¡¯s skull. It toppled back onto the ground in an inanimate heap. ¡°Would you mind if I begin my work?¡± Karthen asked.


    Lenna looked to Isaac for direction and Isaac nodded. ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± He said and continued stuffing his face with Leo¡¯s amazing cooking. Lenna looked back at Karthen and nodded to him to go ahead.


    ¡°Thank you, it is not every day that I get to witness an event such as this.¡± Karthen replied and pulled a pair of glasses out of his pocket. He put the glasses on and the glass turned violet. Emerald lines appeared inside his glasses denoting things that only he could see.


    ¡°You found an expert quite quickly.¡± Lenna commented to Alexander. ¡°How did you get a Grand Magus here in two hours?¡±


    ¡°He is the one that taught me teleportation magic. He teaches at the college every now and then. I was just lucky enough to be there at the same time as him.¡± Alexander explained. ¡°The only person better at teleporting in the entire world than him is Space himself. I actually consulted him about what happened with Mister Nobody. Apparently he already knew of a way to teleport without maintaining contact with the person but it was deemed ¡®crude, barbaric, and rough on the fabric of space¡¯ so I was told to let it go.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about the rest but the part about being rough on the fabric of space is a good enough reason to let it go.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°Teleporting and messing with space in general is something that unnerves me on a subconscious level. It just feels like a bad idea.¡±


    ¡°I have seen you teleport.¡± Alexander commented.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°It looks like teleporting but that is where the similarities end.¡± He explained to the wizard. ¡°I am entering the shadows and then leaving them. It¡¯s hard to explain but there is no space magic involved at all.¡±


    ¡°If it walks like a pecurke, and talks like a pecurke¡­¡± Lenna began.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure the saying is with ducks.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°It is with chickens.¡± Alexander replied.


    ¡°Where on Gia¡¯s green ass is it chickens?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Altesia.¡± Alexander said. ¡°I have always heard it with chickens.¡±


    Lenna hummed in thought. ¡°Is it because there aren¡¯t any ducks or pecurke in the mountains, nor ducks or chickens underground?¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°I am about to close all of the breaches.¡± Karthen said after three hours of tinkering with magical recording instruments and half an hour of drawing a massive magical ritual circle, with a dozen pieces of chalk that seemed to move on their own. ¡°Is everyone ready?¡±


    ¡°Other than them all vanishing, what is going to happen?¡± Isaac asked and appeared next to him as if he had always been there.


    Karthen flinched but tried to play it off as if he hadn¡¯t. ¡°Twenty three percent of the demidimension will be shunted out into real reality at the centerpoint of the ritual. Specifically, the twenty three percent closest to the breaches. The breaches will also be part of that so everything inside the ritual will be subject to their instability. Once that has finished I can begin the ritual to open a proper gate to the rest of the demidimension. That should anchor it here for at least twenty four hours if I am using chalk, which I will be. If for some reason the gate needs to be maintained for longer then I will close the first one and make another in its place out of copper or silver.¡±


    ¡°How long will copper and silver keep it open?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°One week and two months respectively.¡± Karthen replied.


    Isac looked back at Lenna and Alexander. ¡°We are ready when you are, Karthen. Just one last question: How far do you think a Tunnel Horror is going to feel it?¡±


    Karthen gulped involuntarily. ¡°Far. Very, very, far.¡±


    Isaac cracked his neck and Lenna put on her helmet. ¡°Begin.¡± Isaac told the wizard.


    Karthen focused power into the massive ritual circle. All of the white chalk began to glow with power that continued building for a minute straight. After exactly sixty seconds space seemed to quiver inside the circle. The first breach exploded out like a window hit by a thrown stone. Mana rippled under the assault for a hundred miles. Every other breach was hit by at least one fragment and shattered in turn, sending out more and more ripples through the magic that permeated all of existence. A thousand shards of fractured reality exploded outwards into an invisible wall of stable space created by Karthen¡¯s ritual. A second after the explosion everything stopped as if frozen in time. A second after that, everything inside the ritual circle pulsed before it was suddenly overlapped with a section of the demidimension of the exact same dimensions. Bones, rust, rotted wood, and at least four still animate skeletons exploded into dust and debris as the space they were thrust into was already filled with air, stone, and the inanimate corpses of the fallen and failed escapees. The pulse of mana rippled out far farther than the original nine.


    There was no physical shockwave from either of the explosions because everything was entirely contained within the ritual. A few seconds after the final explosion the chalked finished breaking down and died out. Only scarce remnants of the magical chalk remained in a perfect circle that surrounded total destruction. As soon as the barrier vanished from the ritual, a wave of dust shot out in all directions. Lenna turned her head away from it, Isaac made a wall of shadows that directed it around him, and the two wizards were forced to weather the choking dust cloud. Neither wizard was going to waste mana on keeping the dust off of them when there would definitely be at least one Tunnel Horror on the way. It was only a matter of time and they all knew it.

 Chapter 90 Incoming!

    Chapter 90 Incoming!


    ¡°They¡¯re coming.¡± Isaac informed everyone else present as soon as he felt the first one with his Polarity Sense.


    ¡°We could take this opportunity to temporarily retreat to a safe location. As long as we have returned before the seventeen hour mark I will not have an issue opening the gate.¡± Karthen informed them.


    Isaac tossed the wizard a look as if he had just grown a second and third head. ¡°Why would we leave? Tunnel Horrors need to be dealt with when the opportunity arises.¡±


    ¡°I am afraid that I have not been in a combat situation in a very long time.¡± Karthen said with growing concern. ¡°I do not doubt your considerable combat prowess but there will be far more than one on the way.¡±


    ¡°Three, no, four, already.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Alexander, cast Quicken on Lenna and then Flight on yourself and get off the ground.¡± By the time Isaac had finished his order Lenna was already wreathed in shadows with burning embers glowing beneath the surface. ¡°Karthen, if you aren¡¯t going to be helpful, return to Safeharbor. You¡¯re in the way.¡±


    ¡°As you say, I will take my leave then and await your battle¡¯s successful conclusion.¡± Karthen spoke quickly with a bow. He turned while taking a step in the direction of Safeharbor and vanished with barely the slightest magical or physical disturbance.


    ¡°Shamesh.¡± Isaac spoke as his retainer appeared out of his shadow. Isaac was already ramping his boosting skill up to nearly its highest sustainable level. ¡°Flight on yourself and get off the ground.¡±


    Shamesh didn¡¯t waste any time and did as he was told. Once in the air he and Alexander looked down at the churned up ground and scattered craters. Soon the craters would also be filled with holes.


    Isaac shadow-stepped out of the way of the first Tunnel Horror. Luckily it was a good distance ahead of the rest of them so the team had enough time to start meshing properly before the real chaos began. The massive, seven foot wide by thirty five foot long, disintegration worm flew out of the stone nearly fifteen feet before it even started to rotate over itself towards Isaac. The two wizards did not miss their opening. In perfect synchronization Alexander and Shamesh spoke three words: ¡°Command: Be Undone.¡± Before anyone had enough time to react, Shamesh cast another one two feet to the right of his first impact.


    All three Disintegrate branches of unreality impacted the side of the armored worm a foot or two apart. Each one caused the armored plate within a foot of the impact sight to crumble and the flesh underneath to liquify. The Tunnel Horror immediately forgot about Isaac and turned towards the flying wizards. Isaac took the opportunity to teleport and stomp the side of the Tunnel Horror¡¯s head so its new wound would be close to the ground. Lenna was there just in time to make a sprinting jump towards the open wound. Her flaming adamantine sword scorched its way through the weakened armor and ruptured flesh. She landed in a roll that took her out of the splash zone from her attack and turned just in time to see Isaac teleport punch it in the opposite direction.


    Shamesh reached out with his mind and magic and picked up a pair of stone slabs. He slammed them into opposing sides of the worm with enough force to shatter the boulders into a hundred pieces. The opposing impacts forced the wound open even more and Isaac took the opportunity to continue his beat down on it. With every hit from Isaac, the worm¡¯s wound became a larger and larger tear in its side until its guts were gushing out all over the cavern floor. The worm had just started to fall when the next one blasted out of the ground towards Isaac.


    Isaac teleported out of the way and punched the second one so it would slam mouth first into its weakened companion. The second horror plowed straight through the nearly dead first one and finished the job. The first one collapsed in almost two pieces as three Disintegrates tore up the second one¡¯s side. A third one flew straight up into the sky towards Shamesh and the skeleton had to dodge out of the way lest he became its next meal. Shamesh baited the third one down towards Lenna while he fired a disintegrate at the fourth one that had shown up to go after Isaac. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Lenna roared with effort as she attempted to bisect the third horror that Shamesh had brought next to her. The third one yanked itself away from Lenna but it was too late as Lenna had already sliced through its armor down two thirds of its length. Its acrid blood marred the stone ground as it tried to retreat away from the one that had just almost split it longways in half in one move.


    Isaac hit the second one into the path of the fourth and they bounced off of each other without doing much damage. ¡®Bait another around in front of Lenna again.¡¯ Isaac sent towards Shamesh.


    ¡°Lenna! Dodge!¡± Isaac yelled as he noticed the fifth one change direction towards her.


    The ground gave out under Lenna as she tried to dodge to the side but it was fine because she was hit by a rock the size of her torso in the side that tossed her out of the way of the charging Tunnel Horror. Shamesh had used a chunk of stone to ensure Lenna¡¯s safety as he knew that she was more or less immune to physical damage while inside her uncle¡¯s repurposed armor. Alexander was flying around and pelting every open wound he could see with small icicles in an attempt to distract the monsters with absolutely no luck. The monsters were distinctly aware of who had the most mana and it was Isaac and Shamesh. The only reason Lenna had even drawn one of them to her was because of the massive flare of mana she gave off while she tried to bisect one of their number.


    Shamesh hit the fifth horror with three Disintegrates back to back. The horror chasing him had given up and gone for Isaac once it realized that Shamesh wasn¡¯t constantly giving off an extreme amount of mana and was only doing it in bursts. The fifth horror barreled straight for Shamesh and the skeleton had to lead it around in an arch to make sure it would pass by Lenna correctly. ¡°Mistress! Incoming!¡± Shamesh called when he was only ten feet away from her. The horror was only five feet behind him and Lenna was right next to another horror that she had just carved a fresh gash into. Lenna turned around and moved to bisect it like she had done to the other one Shamesh had given her. Right before the horror passed in front of her she saw Isaac appear with a sword of void black magic and a huge grin on his face.


    Isaac had shifted half of his regeneration rate into Truth and decided to mirror what Lenna had done. The reality infused dark mana blade was resistant to the disintegration magic of the horror¡¯s maw which was a point in Isaac¡¯s favor but he was soon reminded of the fact that his sword was not being boosted by a double platinum level paladin¡¯s aura and burning mana. Isaac was being pushed backwards along the ground even as his sword cut into the creature but that only happened for a fraction of a second.


    Alexander slammed shoulder first into the side of Isaac¡¯s crossguard with a reality shield to help keep it in place. The young wizard had read the battlefield like an open book and moved to help Isaac before the mage had even arrived himself. Alexander had expected Isaac to use his regular sword which was why he was throwing his entire momentum into it with all of the power of his flight spell. Isaac and Alexander actually managed to push further back into the worm as it flew past before it finally came to a halt.


    Isaac, Lenna, and Alexander all scattered away from the newly bisected Tunnel Horror just in time to see one of the ones Isaac was fighting go after Shamesh. Shamesh expertly danced out of the way of the incoming attack and slammed both of his hands into the side of the monster¡¯s head. A pair of thunder claps rang out as two simultaneous shockwaves were directly transferred into the side of the worm¡¯s head. Its mouth end snapped away from the wound from one of Shamesh¡¯s previous Disintegrates. Isaac impacted the other remaining wounded one hard enough to keep it away from Shamesh so his retainer, mate, and Alexander could finish the other one.


    Lenna held her hand out palm up and focused in on the worm trying to devour Shamesh. Shamesh noticed her stance and took the worm way up into the air and then straight back down. Right before Shamesh was about to crash into the ground he dove out of the way. Lenna raised her hand into the air and spoke her incantation: ¡°Hellflame Strike.¡±


    A concentrated gush of black and orange flames burst out of the ground directly into the horror¡¯s open maw. The spell only lasted for one second instead of two as the horror crashed through its starting point. The horror rolled and twisted until it was focused on Lenna but the stone it was burrowing through was giving it more and more resistance, until at the end, it was eating more stone than disintegrating it. The worm burst from the ground in an explosion of stone and Lenna rolled out of the way. Lenna immediately noticed the burning rot that had eaten away at the monster¡¯s maw and smirked at how effective even half of her spell was. The only issue was that she had burned through most of her mana and was down to only one or two good hits with her sword. She had gone all out from the beginning just like everyone else and they were all running out of mana. Lenna didn¡¯t even bother enhancing her next few strikes as she carved gashes into the side of the horror as it passed by her. It had barely left her reach when it tumbled onto its side and rolled across the ground.


    Isaac had been teleporting around as if it didn¡¯t cost him any mana and now he was paying for it. Luckily there was only one Tunnel Horror left and it had already taken a Disintegrate from Shamesh so it was easy enough to, along with Shamesh throwing small boulders at it, lead it around to Lenna so she and her adamantine sword could finish the job. Finally, after what felt like ten minutes of the most intense workout any of them had ever had, but was actually only around a minute and a half, it was over.

 Chapter 91 Position Of Ignorance.

    Chapter 91 Position Of Ignorance.


    ¡°That was some amazing timing, Alexander.¡± Isaac complimented the wizard while they all took a breather after their glorious minute and a half of horror monster slaying bloodshed.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Alexander said between deep breaths.


    ¡°How¡¯d you do it?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°I saw the way you were looking at Lady V¡¯Nova, after she bisected the first one. When I saw what Shamesh was doing, I knew exactly what you were going to do¡± Alexander explained.


    Isaac blinked owlishly at him. ¡°Am I that predictable?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna and Alexander said at the same time.


    ¡°You try too hard to have fun while fighting instead of just killing the enemy.¡± Lenna explained.


    ¡°You do have a flair for the theatrical.¡± Alexander agreed.


    Isaac didn¡¯t deign to reply and instead turned to Shamesh. ¡°Just hide and regenerate your mana for now.¡± He told his retainer and shrouded the skeleton in shadows. ¡°Karthen?¡± Isaac asked Alexander.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send him a-¡± Alexander¡¯s voice trailed off as they felt the incoming teleportation spell. Isaac shot Alexander a look that threatened to stop the young wizard¡¯s heart. ¡°I didn¡¯-¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡± Karthen greeted them as he reappeared. He gave them a bow. ¡°I congratulate you on your-¡±


    ¡°You were scrying on Alexander.¡± Isaac stated with steel in his silver eyes and voice.


    ¡°I, uh, yes?¡± Karthen replied tentatively. ¡°Should I not have?¡±


    ¡°Alexander, you have a spell to modify memories do you not?¡± Isaac questioned the court mage.


    ¡°I do but I need special permission from the duke to use the spell on anyone as it is a banned spell.¡± Alexander explained with worry on his face.


    ¡°Alexander?¡± Karthen questioned.


    Before Alexander could reply, Isaac appeared next to Karthen. ¡°Do it. I am giving you authorization.¡± He ordered Alexander.


    Karthen tried to take a step away from Isaac but bumped into something that he couldn¡¯t even feel. He threw Alexander a look that basically ordered the court mage to sort out the situation. ¡°Grand Magus, what did you see while you were watching me?¡± Alexander questioned the ancient spatial wizard.


    ¡°I could not see either of them, they are under protection from divination spells.¡± Karthen explained.


    ¡°But you did see the new arrival, didn¡¯t you?¡± Isaac pressed.


    ¡°Did I? It was all quite chaotic and I was too occupied worrying about my former pupil to notice anything else.¡± Karthen lied through his teeth. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°Karthen Eidi¡¯Diasta.¡± Isaac said the wizard¡¯s full name for the first time. ¡°If so much as a word about our fourth party member and his abilities gets out, I will not have to find you for I will already know where you are.¡±


    Karthen paled and seemed to shrink back further into the wall that he couldn¡¯t feel. Karthen wasn¡¯t lying when he said that he couldn¡¯t see Isaac or Lenna but he had seen the repercussions of their actions from Alexander¡¯s perspective. He had also seen their fourth party member and the creature of bones showed at least as much magical prowess as a combat mage of his level, not a magical combat master, but it was at the same level as the average maximum level combat wizard. Karthen had witnessed Tunnel Horror¡¯s get bisected and watched as they were tossed around under extreme impact forces that were powerful enough to break their stone-like chitin. He had also seen first hand how none of them had taken so much as a scratch save for a scuff mark on Lenna¡¯s breastplate.


    Karthen bowed towards Isaac. ¡°I understand and will maintain my position of ignorance.¡± He promised Isaac.


    ¡°Then there is no reason why Alexander can¡¯t just remove the last two minutes of your memory.¡± Isaac argued.


    ¡°Actually,¡± Alexander began but stopped himself to swallow under the piercing gaze of Isaac and the calculating gaze of Lenna that had just switched targets to him. ¡°the spell can cause long term memory damage unless it is used within thirty seconds of the memory that needs to be erased.¡±


    Isaac''s eye twitched. ¡°Alexander,¡± Isaac began. ¡°You have three options.¡± He said and held up a finger to begin counting. ¡°One: You wipe his memory of the battle regardless.¡± He held up a second finger. ¡°Two: You take responsibility, personally, if any of this get¡¯s out.¡± He held up a third and final finger. ¡°Three: You chose neither and I kill him. The breaches are already closed so my bounty is complete.¡±


    Alexander looked at his former teacher with pleading eyes. ¡°You understand how much of a risk I am taking to vouch for you, right?¡± He asked the Grand Magus. ¡°You cannot run from them and neither can I.¡±


    Karthen nodded his head a few times rapidly. ¡°I do. And I will never forget this favor.¡± He told the young wizard. ¡°I swear myself to silence on my family¡¯s honor.¡±


    Alexander nodded once in finality. ¡°I will take responsibility for the Grand Magus.¡± He told Isaac. ¡°He is more interested in magic than politics anyway. If for some reason he does leak information about you, then I will help you remove any evidence of said leaks before taking your retribution.¡± Alexander swore to Isaac. ¡°Will that suffice?¡±


    Isaac nodded to Alexander. ¡°That will do.¡± He told the court mage that had helped him quite a few times in the past. Alexander leaking information himself had never been in question. The wizard¡¯s loyalty to his duke and duchess was pure and unblemished and Isaac and Lenna had no reason to believe that he would put either of them in jeopardy on purpose. ¡°Alexander, you know that I trust you, right?¡± Isaac asked the wizard without any of the previous intensity.


    Alexander was stunned into silence for a moment. ¡°I, uh, thank you.¡± He replied.


    ¡°If you had given Izen a recording of the battle, I wouldn¡¯t have cared because I trust Izen to get rid of the recording once he finished watching it.¡± Isaac continued. ¡°I do not trust your friend and because of that, I will have to hold you to your promise if the time comes.¡±


    Alexander nodded. ¡°I understand.¡± He replied like a soldier who had been given orders to lead his men into battle, though the young wizard showed no fear, it was still obvious that he was hiding any worry behind a front of duty and resolve.


    Isaac gave Alexander an easy smile. ¡°Now, why don¡¯t we get into Shamsha¡¯s shed and see if we can¡¯t find anything expensive?¡±


    Alexander nodded again. ¡°Yes.¡± He agreed and then turned to Karthen. ¡°Grand Magus, if you would please begin.¡±


    Karthen didn¡¯t say it out loud but the interaction between Alexander and Isaac had given him a profound respect for his former student. The young man, who stood before a being of terrifying power, looked as though he could have stared down a tsunami. Karthen gave Alexander a nod of respect and gave Isaac a shallow bow of subservience before he turned towards where the breaches had been. ¡°I am afraid that the area will need to be cleared off as I will need a flat surface to draw out the ritual.¡± Karthen explained. ¡°If you would give me a moment-¡± His voice died in his throat as he felt magic reach out and grab hold of the Tunnel Horror corpses that were in the way and push them away to give him space. ¡°Thank you.¡± He said and then swallowed. The rest of the debris quickly followed after as it was all pushed aside under invisible forces that all of those present could easily feel.


    ¡°You are going to have to fill in the holes yourself.¡± Isaac told Karthen. ¡°I trust that won¡¯t be a problem for you.¡±


    Karthen shook his head. ¡°Not at all.¡± He replied and got to work.


    It took nearly an hour for Karthen to fill in the holes with stone shaping magic and draw out the required ritual. Once he was finished it took him another minute of dumping his mana into it until a portal finally appeared. Watching a portal appear was a new experience for Isaac and one that Lenna had not had for a very long time. The pair had been too busy fighting for their lives, when Shamsha had used portals to summon meteors from the sky, and the entire event had happened in the span of a second.


    The portal started as a violet smoke that seemed to materialize out of thin air. As it did it coalesced into a ring that hung in the air. The ring was a dozen feet across on the inside and the smoke itself was another three inches thick. After a moment the smoke transitioned into a flat pair of bands that held unknown runes between them. Another ring was formed between the first two and the runes shrunk as they seemed to pick which new ring they would be in at random. The open space in each ring was soon filled with new runes. The process repeated until there were seven rings packed into a three inch thick band and thousands of runes.


    In the space between each of the seven rings the runes seemed to pulse. They pulsed again and again, each time leaving one of the runes glowing at a brighter intensity. Once five runes were glowing, inside each of the six sets of runes, between each of the seven rings, four colors began swirling inside the one portal as the connection between two realities was formed. A moment later the swirling colors in the middle of the portal faded away and Shamsha¡¯s demidimension was on the other side.

 Chapter 92 Stopping For Lunch

    Chapter 92 Stopping For Lunch


    In front of the four mages and paladin stood a portal to a realm that was solid yet not real. It was reality but not ¡®real¡¯ reality. A false and inferior recreation of true existence, one that served as a glorified basement where Shamsha had kept all of his toys that he hadn¡¯t felt like maintaining.


    With the portal to the demidimension now stabilized and open, skeletons decided that it was time for them to once again enter the real world. ¡°Alexander, beachhead.¡± Isaac directed.


    It took the court mage a moment to remember his proper military terms before he nodded once in acknowledgement of his orders. A beachhead was not something that Alexander had thought about since his time in training as a court mage. It was military terminology that someone who lived underground didn¡¯t expect to ever use. ¡°I do not have much mana left but I can open an area for you all to follow.¡± Alexander replied and started walking towards the portal. ¡°Stars of doom head my call.¡± He chanted and held out his hand palm up. A trio of small marbles of reality formed in the air above his outstretched palm. A moment later they flung themselves through the skeletons¡¯ open eye sockets and blasted apart the enchantments animating the enemies


    Alexander took out a few more skeletons before he stepped through the portal. The perfectly created stone blocks that served as his backdrop made him look like he was a person painted by one artist in a room painted by another. The uncanny perfection of the wall made his presence there seem wrong in a way that made Isaac uneasy. ¡°Karthen, can you get back if we get stuck in there?¡± Isaac asked the Grand Magus.


    ¡°Yes, though not until tomorrow.¡± Karthen explained. ¡°Opening a portal through the Veil, or the ¡®barrier separating the gods from mortals¡¯ as some call it, requires a rather large amount of my mana.¡± Karthen explained but pointedly did not look directly at Isaac. The man¡¯s fear of the mage was making it hard to read him accurately. Isaac wasn¡¯t sure if Karthen was lying to him or just terrified.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Karthen, you go in next and Lenna and I will follow.¡± Isaac ordered the Grand Magus. ¡®Shamesh, stay out here and make sure the portal is undisturbed.¡¯ He silently ordered his retainer.


    ¡®As you say.¡¯ Shamesh replied mentally with a bow that only Isaac could see. The bone golem took up his position a dozen feet from the portal where he would wait until Isaac and Lenna returned.


    Karthen looked hesitant but eventually his curiosity and fear won out. He stepped in behind Alexander and Lenna stepped in behind him. Isaac slipped in behind Lenna almost as if he were her shadow and all of a sudden they were all inside.


    The sight that met them was awe inspiring, terrifying, and underwhelming at the same time. They arrived inside a massive warehouse made of the perfectly created stone that they had seen from the outside. The portal was set into the wall of an alcove so it would be visible from the rest of the room but could not be seen through. The massive expanse of the warehouse went on for a truly ridiculous amount of space that was hard to even properly comprehend. The perfectly identical stone blocks caused one¡¯s vision to blur as they tried to figure out how deep the room went.


    The fact that it was only one room was what underwhelmed Isaac. He had expected an entire compound that had been handcrafted to Shamsha¡¯s needs but it was simply an empty space with a few thousand ritual circles burned into the ground. ¡°Wait¡­ what are those?¡± Isaac asked and gestured at the elaborate sigils, made of solid gold with nine quartz crystals set into each of them that seemed to be trying to take in light instead of refract it. The sigils went on and on for as far as they could see into the room.


    ¡°Some kind of control spell.¡± Karthen explained. ¡°It looks to be restricted to- oh my!¡± He exclaimed and jumped back from a skeleton that had taken notice of him and attempted to add him to its number. There were still a few thousand skeletons scattered about but the noise that Karthen had just made seemed to draw the attention of a large number of them. His exclamation echoed off the perfectly smooth stone again and again down through the massive room.


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would say that you were trying to get us killed.¡± Lenna said as she cut down the skeleton in one casual swipe of her blade that cut the top half of the skeleton¡¯s head clean off.


    ¡°What is it restricted to?¡± Isaac asked Karthen and started cleansing skeletons with casual lethality.


    ¡°Undead¡­ I believe¡­ I would have to get closer to know for sure.¡± Karthen explained though he looked like he was heavily contemplating going back through the portal.


    ¡°If you stay where you are, you will be safe. It is safer for you here than it is for you out there.¡± Isaac told the ancient wizard.


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    Karthen swallowed hard. ¡°I, uh, yes.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Do you know any combat spells at all?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°I know almost every spell in existence.¡± Karthen declared proudly. ¡°How else is one to reach the maximum level of wizardry?¡±


    ¡°By discovering new things.¡± Alexander replied. ¡°Or figuring things out for yourself.¡±


    ¡°There is plenty of time to learn new things and reveal the secrets of a school of magic once you have reached level twenty.¡± Karthen replied. ¡°It only took me until I was two hundred and ninety nine years old.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I should have been a wizard.¡± Lenna commented.


    ¡°I was about to say that.¡± Isaac joked. ¡°You would have reached level twenty some time this year.¡±


    Lenna snorted a laugh. ¡°No way, I could have done it by now. A little risk taking goes a long way when you spend three centuries with your nose in a tome.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Karthen, if you really know every spell, then stand there and be ready to cast a reality shield if something comes flying at you. That¡¯s all you have to do until this is over.¡± Isaac explained. Usually he would have put the wizard to work but he was positive that the wizard hadn¡¯t been lying when he talked about the mana intensiveness of opening portals. He had felt the wizard¡¯s massive outpouring of mana that he had done for both rituals.


    ¡°I, yes, I will do that.¡± Karthen said with a sigh of relief. It was clear that the wizard had expected to be put to work in a combat role.


    ¡°I am afraid that my usefulness to you is mostly at its limits.¡± Alexander told him. ¡°I had planned on setting up a series of defensive runes around the portal to allow for our safe retreat, but with the Grand Magus¡¯s ability to close the portal by simply breaking the ritual, I had thought it unnecessary. I see now that I was, once again, incorrect.¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No. You were correct that it isn¡¯t needed.¡± Isaac explained while he and Lenna continued to casually remove the incoming skeletons. ¡°Lenna and I can keep going indefinitely. A portal that small can be held by both of us for as long as is necessary. Actually, Lenna, can you keep our wizards in one piece? I¡¯ll start thinning them out.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes. Just make sure to come back every minute.¡± She reminded him. Isaac nodded and started boosting himself as he teleported into the midst of the incoming skeletons.


    Eventually all of the skeletons were either destroyed or broken to a point where Isaac didn¡¯t feel like teleporting to them just to finish them off. It had taken quite a while but with all of the skeletal threat neutralized they had nothing holding them back from what had been drawing Isaac¡¯s attention from the beginning.


    The far end of the demidimension was glowing with a sparkling golden light from the illusory illumination reflecting off of countless gilded objects. At the incredible distance between the portal and the pile of riches it was impossible to tell exactly what was over there or how much of it there was, but it was a lot. The illusory light seemed to only exist to cause the gold to sparkle which further cemented the idea that Shamsha was an incredibly vain individual.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see any traps.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°I have no idea if that is a good or a bad thing though.¡±


    ¡°We should proceed with caution.¡± Alexander warned. ¡°Shamsha was a wizard older than any city that I have ever been to. Who knows what he did with all of that time on his hands.¡±


    ¡°A platinum coin on that being an animated pile of gold.¡± Isaac said and flashed Alexander a grin.


    Alexander shook his head. ¡°I do not know enough about your abilities to know if you already know if that is an animated pile of gold. I would be a fool to take a bet against you without a perfect understanding of the circumstances.¡±


    ¡°So you won¡¯t make a bet with me unless you already know the outcome.¡± Isaac surmised.


    ¡°Even then, if you had brought up the bet, I would begin to second guess myself.¡± Alexander replied.


    ¡°Only one way to find out.¡± Lenna cut in. ¡°Let¡¯s go, but be careful.¡±


    Isaac and Alexander shared a nod and began following Lenna towards the far away pile of glowing gold. Karthen followed behind them at what he felt like was a safe distance. They traveled for an incredibly far distance that seemed to stretch on indefinitely when they were looking at the destination but was a reasonable distance when they were not.


    ¡°There is definitely some magic at work.¡± Alexander commented.


    ¡°Some kind of perception warping effect that makes the room seem infinitely large but only when it is gazed at directly.¡± Karthen agreed from a dozen paces behind him. ¡°That has been the only magical effect that I have noticed, Alexander?¡±


    ¡°Likewise.¡± Alexander replied. ¡°Lord Darkness, Lady Hellfire, have you noticed anything else?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly.¡± Isaac said while he walked with his eyes closed. ¡°The mana in this space feels wrong. I feel like I used up a good chunk of the dark mana that existed in here and now the mana feels thin like the air at the top of a mountain.¡±


    ¡°I imagine that this place was filled directly with Shamsha¡¯s mana and it most likely is not bringing in new mana from the rest of existence.¡± Alexander postulated.


    ¡°Not even through the portal?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°Some is no doubt entering through the portal but it is more like two streams with differing sediments running alongside each other. Both are maintaining their composition despite common sense suggesting that they would mix and equalize.¡± Karthen explained. ¡°A space like this was most likely entirely created and filled with this ¡®Shamsha¡¯s¡¯ magic and mana. In a way, it has been tainted with the being¡¯s mana signature.¡±


    After over a dozen hours of walking they finally reached the pile of gold. It was actually a massive mound of gold ritual grade sand. The tiny pieces of gold only needed to be mixed with a binding agent and painted into the lines of a ritual circle or set on the component locations for a ritual to be burned as fuel for it. ¡°That is a ridiculous amount of gold but where are the magic items?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°There.¡± Lenna said and pointed towards a rod that was only partially sticking out of the pile of gold dust.


    ¡°I think this is too much gold for us to move.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°Like a lot too much gold.¡±


    ¡°I think you might be right.¡± Lenna agreed.


    ¡°Give me everything you have in the bag and fill it up with gold. We know that it can hold five hundred pounds.¡± Isaac told his mate.


    ¡°There is a lot of stuff still in the bag.¡± Lenna reminded him.


    ¡°What is the heaviest?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°Food and water by far.¡± Lenna replied.


    Isaac smiled and glanced between the rest of the party. ¡°I guess we are stopping for lunch before we head out.¡±

 Chapter 93 Dishonorable

    Chapter 93 Dishonorable


    ¡°A chest for my treasures, a place for my pleasantries, a box for my curios, a capsule for my memories.¡± Karthen chanted. An amorphous swirl of color and liquid fog coalesced in front of him. ¡°I can bring a few hundred pounds of gear back this way. Please, only whole objects. Loose things get everywhere.¡±


    ¡°My Bottomless bag will be better for bringing back loose gold dust.¡± Alexander replied and approached his old teacher.


    Alexander had just finished transferring over all of his gear, that was in his Bottomless Bag, to his old teacher when Isaac wrapped his hands around the golden rod that was just barely sticking out of the pile of gold dust. The entire room shook and they heard what sounded like an avalanche and rending metal coming from inside the pile of gold. ¡°Oops.¡± Isaac said and stumbled backwards as the dust below him suddenly lost cohesion. Isaac lost his footing but before he could fall onto his back, or teleport to reorient himself, Lenna caught him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you should have touched that.¡± Lenna commented.


    ¡°You feel that?¡± Isaac asked her. There was no doubt in his mind that the two wizards behind them felt the massive stirring of mana that was going on inside the golden dune.


    ¡°I swear Isaac, if that is a golden golem-¡± Lenna began but never had the time to finish as a geyser of gold dust blasted out of the pile and into the pair. Isaac and Lenna were sent hurtling backwards. The impact had come so quickly and with so little warning that neither of them had been able to take the hit with any grace whatsoever.


    Isaac and Lenna tumbled over each other for thirty feet before they came to a stop. Isaac had been knocked unconscious from the blunt force trauma to his face and Lenna was definitely concussed. Lenna groaned as she rolled Isaac off of her and slammed a heavy handed pulse of healing into Isaac to wake him up.


    Isaac sat up with a jolt before he clutched his head in pain. Death flames washed through his system for a couple seconds before he reached out and rested a hand on Lenna. His power washed all evidence of the recent impact away. ¡°Ouch.¡± Isaac groaned. ¡°What was that?¡±


    Lenna turned at the sound of roaring flames to see Alexander fighting a living dune of golden sand. ¡°That¡¯s a first.¡± She commented and pushed herself to her feet.


    Isaac teleported to his feet next to her. ¡°Yeah.¡± He agreed. ¡°I think you and Alexander are going to have to handle this one.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Can you hold its attention?¡±


    Isaac cracked his neck as his boosting skill started winding up. ¡°Only one way to find out.¡±


    ¡ª


    Alexander put up a reality shield just in time to spray gold dust in every direction as the living mound of gold failed to do to him what it had done to Isaac and Lenna. He realized instantly that the most reliable way to kill the creature in front of him was to melt it down. The problem was that he didn¡¯t have anywhere near enough mana to melt that much gold. If he was right then there had to be a core enchantment somewhere inside of it. Maybe it was made of gold or maybe it was made of diamonds. If it was made of gold then he could melt it down and end the monster but if it was made of something that couldn¡¯t be burned with conventional fire, he was absolutely screwed.


    ¡°Uh, Alexander, I will be just over there.¡± Karthen Eidi¡¯Diasta, his former teacher and Grand Magus of space magic told him.


    Alexander¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°Grand Magus,¡± Alexander began and started pelting the infinite wave of gold with red streaks of embers and flames. ¡°I had thought better of you.¡± Alexander continued. ¡°I had wrongfully assumed that if one of your students, past or present, were in trouble, you would come to their aid.¡± Karthen froze in place. ¡°If you were truly a mentor worth following you would, at the very least, attempt to assist your student in whatever plan or scheme they had created to solve the CURRENT ISSUE!¡± Karthen flinched at Alexander suddenly raising his voice at him. ¡°Open gate to torment and fury!¡± Alexander yelled and drew a line seventy feet long to completely seal off the animated pile of gold dust from them. Immediately afterwards he whirled around on Karthen. ¡°Well?!¡± He questioned his former mentor. ¡°Are you a man or a coward?¡± A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Karthen felt like he was about to wilt under his former pupil¡¯s gaze. Alexander¡¯s green eyes were so much like his own but they seemed to blaze with an intensity that was far beyond him. Karthen took a deep breath as he tried to muster his courage. After all, it wasn¡¯t like he was in any real danger, right? ¡°Yes.¡± Karthen breathed out. ¡°You are correct. I have acted in a very dishonorable way to my old mentee. What would you have me do, Alexander.¡±


    Alexander blinked owlishly at the ancient wizard for a moment before his rapidly dwindling mana reserves brought him back to the present. ¡°I, uh, yes.¡± Alexander said and turned back around to face the monster. ¡°Melting it is the first step and hopefully the last. Once it has all been turned to molten metal, if it is still moving around, we will need to rapidly cool it again. Regardless of how this thing functions, that should halt its mindless flailing.¡±


    ¡°Wall of Flames?¡± Karthen asked. ¡°Freeform Crucible? Sol Invicta? Fireball?¡± He continued listing off fire spells.


    ¡°Sol Invicta wastes too much mana on the light and holy aspects of it. How large of a Freeform Crucible can you make?¡± Alexander questioned.


    ¡°Drop the wall.¡± Isaac told the court mage as Lenna barreled past them.


    Alexander did as he was told and watched as Lenna¡¯s Hellflame Strike blasted a large area of gold dust in every direction. The gold dust pulled back in as it had every time before but the heat had been able to almost entirely transfer into the gold. ¡°Cone of Flames!¡± Alexander called out. ¡°That will have the best mana to heat generation!¡±


    ¡°That spell heats up the caster by a large amount as well.¡± Karthen replied.


    ¡°She¡¯s the type of woman who would break her hand on an enemy¡¯s face if it meant knocking a few of their teeth out.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°That¡¯ll work.¡± He told Alexander with a nod and appeared next to Lenna. A thin line of death flames connected Isaac and Lenna to each other. The relentless wave of mortal terror wafting off of Isaac lessened as some of it started to feel like it came from Lenna.


    ¡°As for my crucible¡­ I doubt I could encase the entire monster for more than a few seconds.¡± Karthen continued.


    Alexander took in the monster that was a hundred feet across and at least fifty feet deep and tall. Its dune shaped nature meant that there was a bit less gold than it would seem at first glance but the volume was still obscene. Alexander was about to say something when he stopped abruptly and turned to look at Karthen directly. ¡°I thought you could not cast crucible around living creatures.¡± Alexander questioned with a statement.


    ¡°You cannot.¡± Karthen agreed. ¡°However, if the gold is being controlled by a creature, as a weapon would be as if controlled via telekinesis, then the spell should take hold.¡±


    Alexander blinked owlishly at his former mentor, again. ¡°Grand Magus, you are a genius, if this works.¡± Alexander praised him. ¡°Cast a spell that cannot be cast if there is something ¡®living¡¯ inside of it. Golems have always made those spells fail, right? Do it in sections until you find where the ¡®mind¡¯ is located. Once we have it narrowed down then Lord Wexler and Lady V¡¯Nova should be able to retrieve or destroy it.¡±


    ¡°I am not a genius, Alexander, I am a wizard.¡± Karthen said with more pride than Alexander had ever heard from the ancient mage. ¡°Fix what once was broken, replace what once was lost, return to perfection, my magic is the cost.¡± Power washed out of Karthen like a gentle breeze backed by a tsunami. The gentle wave of power washed over a third of the monster and the gold dust attempted to revert back into solid chunks. In some places it turned into coins but in others it turned into odd chunks of gold. The heat was thankfully retained but unfortunately the monster still maintained control over it all. Now instead of a punch that held more momentum than solid force, it instead hit with a million maces made of gold.


    Isaac and Lenna were suddenly put on the defensive as they attempted to maintain a continuous stream of fire. Isaac had been intercepting any attacks that were made at Lenna with a combination of his own body and solid walls of mana but now he was forced to simply move Lenna out of the way of the incoming attacks.


    Karthen repeated his spell on the opposite side of the dune and then again in the middle. The third time the spell failed to even take hold of the random gold in the designated area. ¡°You were right, Alexander.¡± Karthen told the court mage. ¡°It is in the middle. I will continue to narrow it down.¡±


    Alexander nodded. ¡°Can you get it out once we find it?!¡± Alexander called towards Isaac and Lenna.


    ¡°Damn it.¡± Isaac swore under his breath. ¡°Shamesh would be really nice right about now.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna agreed with obvious strain in her voice as Isaac¡¯s death flames continually rebuilt her torched skin. ¡°I¡¯m running out of mana.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll need an explosion!¡± Isaac called back to Alexander. ¡°And its exact location!¡±


    ¡°Reality Prison followed by a perpendicular Levitate.¡± Alexander directed Karthen.


    ¡°How small should the bars be and around what?¡± Karthen replied between casts of his strange spell that seemed to attempt to revert the gold back to a previous state.


    ¡°Two inch holes and around nothing. I need you to use it as a sieve. When it impacts the centerpiece of this madness it should push it against the far wall.¡± Alexander explained.


    Karthen nodded in understanding. ¡°Reality is truth, reality is law, reality is short, reality is tall, in truth of law and reality¡¯s jaw, I hold thee in reality¡¯s maw.¡± He chanted and reached out with the fingers of each hand touching their twin of the other. Three hundred and sixty ten foot long rods of solid iridescent reality formed a cube shaped cage around nothing at all. The cage was hollow and easy enough to see through but the small holes would prevent anything larger than two inches across from going through it. ¡°If only birds and dragons can fly then what am I?¡± He chanted with a smirk. ¡°I always loved that chant.¡± He added in a whisper to himself as a Levitate spell that had its axis rotated to be perpendicular to gravity, instead of aligned in its inverse, took hold of his Reality Prison. The cage of solid reality shot forwards with ever increasing speed as Karthen dumped power into the spell. Isaac and Lenna dove out of the way as the magical construct impacted the roiling mass of coins, dust, and misshapen chunks of gold.

 Chapter 94 Vorpal

    Chapter 94 Vorpal


    Lenna barely managed to get out of the way of a jail cell shaped sieve with the power of a landslide behind it. Isaac almost seemed to let it pass through him as he teleported away and then back again to where he had been. The sieve of reality magic, and its resulting impact, threw gold dust and chunks in every direction. It barreled through the golden mass with little regard for resistance of any kind. It did stop increasing in speed but it was still going fast enough to succeed in its intended purpose. The cell abruptly stopped a handful of feet away from the far wall and the sound of rending metal and crushing stone reverberated through the very walls themselves.


    ¡°I caught it!¡± Karthen exclaimed. ¡°Alexander, now what?¡±


    Alexander appeared next to Lenna with a quick step that teleported him the twenty feet that had been between them. ¡°Quicken.¡± Alexander chanted and cast the spell on Lenna.


    Isaac gave Alexander a nod and then vanished. Isaac appeared inside of the cage of reality magic to get a good look at their opponent. What he saw was to be expected. There was a runic array layered on top of itself that worked as the list of rules and directives the golem would follow. It also served to store memories so it could continue to fulfill old orders without needing to be reminded. The runic array was made of platinum that was infused inside of a diamond the size of Isaac¡¯s torso. They had all underestimated the size of the monster¡¯s ¡®heart¡¯.


    Isaac changed the path of his mana regeneration from boosting his strength and speed to creating half a dozen arms and hands. His shadowy limbs reached through the bars and clamped onto the giant diamond. ¡°PULL IT BACK!¡± Isaac yelled over the sounds of battle and encroaching golden sand. Gold was trying to fill in around the diamond regardless of what was in the way. That meant that his cage was rapidly filling up with chunks of gold and gold dust that were attempting to smother him against the bars closest to the diamond.


    ¡°Return to me.¡± Karthen ordered the magical construct forged of the mana of existence itself, and it listened.


    Isaac, the diamond, a few hundred pounds of gold, and the Reality Prison were all yanked towards the ancient wizard. No sooner had Isaac and company reached a high speed did the cage vanish and Lenna appear. Her sword was already coming down with blazing flames of wrath and conviction. Lenna threw everything she had into that one downward strike. Her armor blazed with her aura as it enhanced her strength and her muscles threatened to tear themselves apart under their own adrenalin enhanced frenzy. Her sword cleaved through gold as if it were water. The adamantine was unblemished as Lenna forced it through a hundred times more metal than it was.


    Lenna¡¯s sword impacted the diamond with a resounding clang. She felt the bones in her hand fracture as her sword was immediately arrested. Alexander ducked under her arm and placed both of hands against the diamond. ¡°Command: Negation.¡± He chanted and all the gold froze in place as if time had stopped. The diamond dimmed as the platinum inside of it stopped glowing. ¡°Do it again.¡± Alexander told Lenna in a rush. ¡°It¡¯ll power itself back on any sec-¡± He cut himself off as all of the platinum magical runic array ignited again in a blaze of silver-white light. ¡°Command: Negation.¡±


    Isaac slammed his hand into Lenna¡¯s back as he imparted enough death flames to regrow an arm. The bones in her hand rapidly ¡®killed¡¯ their fractures and returned to their optimal condition. Lenna brought her sword up to stab down into the diamond. ¡°Boost me.¡± Lenna told Isaac and slammed her sword down in the tiny grove that her earlier attack had made. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Isaac focused and began boosting up Lenna¡¯s strength as much as he could as quickly as he could as Alexander repeatedly turned off the golem¡¯s heart. ¡°Alexander, I believe I have a solution to this.¡± Karthen offered from half a dozen feet away. He was standing just at the edge of the golden carnage with a finger raised tentatively.


    ¡°Just do it!¡± Alexander told the older wizard before he followed it up with another cleansing of the diamond¡¯s mana.


    ¡°An ax that cannot cut is not an ax at all, a sword that brings no disaster is not a sword at all, a spear that cannot pierce is not a spear at all, a weapon that is not vorpal is not a weapon at all.¡± Karthen chanted and raised his hands over his head while he walked steadily towards them. A fragment of space that seemed to hate existence itself formed into a pane of glass in the shape of the cut out of a sword. It looked like the cracked glass of a broken window yet it was somehow the very fabric of space itself. It looked like nothing as it was still easy to see what was on the other side of it but looking through it just felt wrong somehow. The image didn¡¯t seem correct, almost as if the contrast was stripped from the colors on the other side of it. This weapon of magic and destruction formed with its hilt hovering between Karthen¡¯s hands as if he were wielding it over his head. ¡°Step back.¡± He told them.


    Lenna backed away and Alexander dispelled the diamond one more time before he did the same. Lenna had done noticeable damage to the diamond but a sword, no matter how sharp, still had a width to it. The wedge shape of a sword was the reason why she couldn¡¯t cut any deeper than she had been. As it stood, she had taken a chunk out of it after a series of well placed stabs with the strength of seven men and an almost undamageable sword. Karthen¡¯s sword was a sword in silhouette alone. It had no width and thereby could not be hung up on the material of which it was about to cut.


    Karthen tentatively set his feet and cut downwards. His magical construct of the concept of ¡®vorpal¡¯ slashed through the diamond as if it wasn¡¯t even there. The diamond parted in two and all the gold that had been suspended in the air dropped to the ground in a loud crash and a hundred thuds. Karthen looked down at the weapon in his hands and took a deep steadying breath. ¡°Command: Negation.¡± He spoke softly towards the blade. His magic broke apart the sword and it shattered into a million panes that had no color yet every color for the fraction of a second that they existed before they faded into nothingness. Karthen immediately dropped onto his rear, onto a pile of gold, breathing deep relieved and relaxing breaths. ¡°I am never, and I mean never, coming along with you on an adventure, again.¡± He told Alexander through his deep calming breaths. ¡°This was the most horrifying, the most dangerous, the most potentially lethal thing I have ever done.¡±


    Alexander started chuckling as he dropped onto the gold next to his former mentor. ¡°Yeah, it was quite an adventure, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°That was¡­ that was some amazing teamwork.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°Lenna, how did you know to be ready for me and the diamond? Karthen, how did you know when to drop the reality cage thing? Alexander, how did you manage to follow Lenna through all the flying debris and gold chunks?¡±


    ¡°I saw the bulge in the gold as you passed back through it and simply got ready. Alexander coordinated the dispelling of the Reality Prison with Karthen.¡± Lenna explained.


    Alexander told his side of it next: ¡°I just used Lady V¡¯Nova as a shield against the debris. I knew that if she couldn¡¯t destroy it in a single hit it would need to be dispelled. I believe I underestimated the toughness of the golem heart. Even if it were made of diamonds, I was sure the diamond would shatter and crack but it must have had some kind of enhancement to prevent that.¡±


    ¡°I was merely doing what Alexander instructed of me until the end.¡± Karthen explained. ¡°I say again, I am never doing field work again. You may consult me in my tower or my office at the college at any time but I will never go with you to the field.¡±


    Alexander chuckled and laid back on the pile of gold behind him. ¡°Honestly, it is days like today that make me wish I would have just been an adventurer.¡± He said and then chuckled to himself again. ¡°It is every other day that I remember why I took the opportunity to be a Court Mage. My tower is awesome.¡±


    Isaac laughed as he and Lenna sat down across from the two wizards. ¡°Yeah, it is pretty awesome.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°Just imagine if there was an entire magical research station under it that studied anything and everything as long as it posed no risk to innocents and normal people.¡±


    Alexander groaned. ¡°Please do not remind me, I had finally gotten away from her and her insanity.¡±


    ¡°I would ask,¡± Karthen began. ¡°however, I immediately thought better of it.¡±

 Chapter 95 Honored

    Chapter 95 Honored


    After two hours of magic assisted collecting and storing, the quartet managed to acquire most of the gold dust and all of the gold chunks. Apparently Alexander had an additional Bottomless Bag in the form of a pocket in his robes. It was a bit more awkward stuffing thousands of gold pieces worth of gold into it but it did the trick. Combined they managed to bring with them a literal ton of gold. Finally, all that was left was the golden rod that had triggered the entire mess and an ornate stone throne filled with platinum engravings that had been buried under all of the gold.


    ¡°Do you think that the rod was what triggered the golem or the act of touching the gold?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°It was definitely the act of touching the gold. Golden rods are prone to being turned into traps though, so be careful.¡± Alexander warned.


    ¡°Because they can be filled with golden runes and you wouldn¡¯t be able to tell unless the runes were actively pulling in power?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Alexander replied.


    Isaac shrugged and picked up the rod. ¡°Do you think this is the kind that adding mana to it would trigger them or is it just a regular rod of gold?¡± He asked while inspecting the item that could have been used as a bludgeon due to its weight alone.


    ¡°If it was, then an Identify would trigger it.¡± Alexander told him. ¡°Honestly, it would be safer if you just mangled it beyond all recognition.¡±


    ¡°Unless it has a way to turn impacts into mana that would then set off the runes causing it to go off like a wagon load of explosives.¡± Isaac replied casually. ¡°Only one way to find out.¡±


    ¡°Wai-¡± Alexander tried to say with terror in his eyes but it was too late. Isaac spun and whipped the rod as far as he could, which wasn¡¯t nearly far enough if it were to explode after a heavy impact. They watched as the rod sailed through the air with the grace of a cargo ship. It hit the stone ground with a heavy clanging thud. ¡°Oh,¡± Alexander said with obvious relief in his voice but the widened eyes on Isaac told him he had spoken too soon. Unfortunately the rest of the words were already on their way out of his mouth: ¡°I think w-¡±


    A light so bright it threatened to permanently remove the vision of all of those who witnessed it was accompanied by a sound so loud that all of their eardrums ruptured at once. All four of them hit the ground with their hands over their ears at the same time as vertigo and pain removed any notion of standing from their minds.


    Isaac was the first to recover as his death flames cleansed him of his recent experience. Isaac looked around with clearing vision and wobbled on his hands and knees for a moment as his inner ears tried to right themselves. He looked around to find nothing but his three companions still collapsed on the ground. He half stumbled, half crawled, over to Lenna and started healing her.


    ¡°That was¡­ I don¡¯t even know where to begin.¡± Lenna told him with a scowl. ¡°You need to stop speaking bad things into existence.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Isaac asked defensively. ¡°It was one time.¡±


    ¡°You spoke the golem into existence too.¡± Lenna accused him.


    ¡°Oh, shit, you¡¯re right.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Okay, from now on, I¡¯ll keep those comments to myself.¡±


    Lenna sighed and shook her head. ¡°Let¡¯s get the wizards moving again, and Isaac,¡± Lenna began.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°no more touching potentially magical items.¡± She scolded him.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± Isaac replied like a child who had just been told they could not sword fight their sibling with a real sword.


    Lenna healed Alexander the best that she could without sending into a fever induced coma. Alexander was then able to grab some healing potions for himself and Karthen to at least get rid of the pain. Both of them would still be hard of hearing for a while and the ringing was not going away any time soon but at least they were mostly recovered and could see again. ¡°I say again, I am never doing field work, ever, again.¡± Karthen grumbled for the seventh time. ¡°The throne is intriguing, yes, however, I will have no more part of this madness. If you are all ready to leave then I can teleport us all to the exit, if not, I will wait for you all outside where at least I will have an easy time teleporting back to civilization.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°How much do you think the throne weighs?¡± Isaac asked Alexander.


    Alexander hummed in thought. ¡°Too much for us to take with us for now, unless you plan on carrying it.¡± He replied.


    ¡°You think I can carry it?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°I watched you beat a Tunnel Horror to death with your hands recently, I believe you should be fine.¡± Alexander told him. ¡°Why do you want it?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°But it is the last valuable thing here. Shamsha really only had gold on hand for some reason.¡±


    ¡°To replace all of the rituals and to make more animated skeletons.¡± Alexander surmised. ¡°Well, if you are going to take it, you should take it now. I do not wish to walk back and the Grand Magus is offering us a free teleport back.¡±


    Isaac paused. ¡°Hold on, dimensional space inside of a dimensional space is supposed to be catastrophic right?¡± He asked the pair of wizards.


    ¡°It depends on how stable the spaces are and how far removed from reality they are as well. A demidimension like this one is both incredibly stable and a pseudo reality in and of itself. The demidimension acts more like another plane of existence than a conjured space, otherwise, yes, it would be incredibly catastrophic.¡± Karthen explained. ¡°Now, may we go?¡±


    ¡°Can you teleport us and the throne back?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°If Alexander empties his mana pool in dispelling magic on it first, fine, as long as it gets us out of this place.¡± Karthen grumbled his assent.


    ¡°Good enough for me, Alexander?¡± Isaac replied.


    Alexander sighed. ¡°As you wish.¡± He replied and then proceeded to do as his former mentor had instructed. Once they were completely positive that nothing was going to happen, Karthen teleported all of them back to the entrance. Once they were there an invisible force, from Shamesh, picked up the throne and brought it outside for them.


    ¡°Is this a ¡®gift for Izen¡¯ or a ¡®gift for my study¡¯ kind of gift?¡± Isaac asked Lenna.


    ¡°I can inquire with his grace once I have regenerated sufficient mana.¡± Alexander told him. ¡°Grand Magus, do you have enough mana to teleport us back to the city from here?¡±


    Karthen sighed. ¡°No, I do not.¡± He replied. ¡°I have enough mana remaining to teleport myself back to the city and I am incredibly inclined to do so.¡±


    ¡°Do you not want to study the portal and demidimension now that it is open?¡± Alexander asked.


    Karthen sighed again. ¡°I do.¡± He agreed. ¡°Very well, I will remain here, with you all, until I have finished compiling the degradation information on the demidimension and adequately archived the space as a whole.¡±


    ¡°Should we make camp or just sit around?¡± Isaac asked the ancient space mage.


    ¡°It should not take me more than a few hours, do with that what you will.¡± Karthen replied and started pulling something that looked oddly like a telescope out of his odd amorphous storage space.


    Eventually the group managed to make it back to Safeharbor and they even succeeded in not having any more hiccups. After all of the gold was dumped in a back room in the Adventurers Guild, Karthen rapidly made his escape. ¡°I bid you all farewell and I pray to Lady Luck that we never physically cross paths again. I will be available for physical or magical correspondence during any time that the sun is visible in the sky, in the capitol, where it is safe.¡± He said with a deep nod towards Isaac and Lenna and a brief one towards Alexander. ¡°Return.¡± Karthen ordered magic itself and with that he was gone.


    ¡°He totally made us wait longer than we needed to.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°Most definitely.¡± Lenna agreed. ¡°Not that I blame him. People like that are not meant to leave their libraries. I am surprised that he was as useful as he was. That would have been incredibly difficult, if not impossible, without him.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Isaac said with a nod. ¡°It might do him some good to get out and touch grass some more though, did you see how pale his skin was?¡±


    ¡°Lord Wexler, have you seen how pale anyone who-¡± Alexander cut himself off as he looked at Lenna. ¡°almost anyone who lives underground looks?¡±


    ¡°Fair point.¡± Isaac conceded. ¡°Thanks for finding him.¡±


    Alexander nodded deeply. ¡°It was my pleasure. Knowing how cowardly he is, I doubt you have anything to worry about with him.¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°I¡¯m just not quite ready for everyone in the capitol to know everything yet.¡± He confided in Alexander. ¡°Once we have a better foundation, and actively moving against us is obviously a bad idea, then and only then, will I be fine with Shamesh and a few other select abilities being spread around.¡±


    Alexander nodded in understanding. ¡°Once you have reached level twenty.¡± He surmised. ¡°Who knows when that will be though.¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Not level twenty but twenty levels worth of political weight and leverage.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°I need to wait until either we are summoned to the king or have an open meeting with another demigod, specifically one that people recognize, like Judgment. Even then, I will have to wait until knowledge of that gets spread around for a bit.¡±


    ¡°You said an ¡®open meeting¡¯.¡± Alexander brought up. ¡°I did get some odd readings the other day but it was around the time Judgment was here so I wrote it off.¡±


    ¡°Time stopped by for a visit and dinner.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Those readings were probably accurate.¡±


    Alexander¡¯s eyes widened slightly. ¡°So the streaks across the map that were moving at speeds beyond my comprehension were just her moving around?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°Where did the lines go?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°Down from the fortress, through town, a lot in town, out towards the portal area and back into town, towards Ben¡¯s End a few times and back, then finally it started following you around for a little while and then it streaked away out past the fortress again.¡± Alexander explained.


    Isaac¡¯s eyes widened in realization. ¡°She was following every path we had taken.¡± He said and then paled. ¡°She was following my path the entire way to the beginning.¡± He added in a whisper.


    ¡°At least now we know how she knew so much about you.¡± Lenna offered him. She then said with such a sudden change of topics that Isaac and Alexander both just looked at her owlishly for a moment: ¡°I don¡¯t know about you boys but I think it¡¯s time for hot food.¡±


    ¡°I, uh, yeah.¡± Isaac said. ¡°Some hot food sounds nice. Alexander?¡±


    ¡°The Celestial Dawn?¡± Alexander questioned.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Isaac and Lenna replied in unison.


    Alexander smiled. ¡°Then I¡¯d be honored to.¡±

 Chapter 96 Biscuit?

    Chapter 96 Biscuit?


    Isaac appeared next to the duke¡¯s cluttered and dimly lit desk. He had a tray of biscuits in one hand and a mug of mushroom tea in the other. ¡°Do you ever leave this place?¡± Isaac asked the duke as he carefully sat the tray of biscuits down directly on top of the most stable of the piles of parchment and paper.


    ¡°Those are¡­¡± Izen began but it was too late to stop Isaac so he just sighed. ¡°Less and less this time of year.¡± He confessed.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac asked and handed the older, much more worn down, man the mug of mushroom tea before he pulled a teacup with pomegranate and rosehip tea out of his inventory. ¡°What¡¯s so special about now?¡±


    ¡°We are about to go into winter, which means our shipments of food will slow down and get more expensive. His and Her Majesty''s birthdays are coming up at the end of the month.¡± Izen went on but stopped to take a sip of the mild stimulant he had been given. ¡°Perhaps worst of all, Lucious¡¯s unending invitations to tea with every unmarried noblewoman under the age of thirty. They all seem to forget that Lucious will take my place, down here, in the dark. All they see is him and not what he is tied to.¡± He sighed and shook his head.


    ¡°He¡¯s a smart and good looking duke-to-be. What mindless maiden wouldn¡¯t want him?¡± Isaac joked.


    Izen chuckled softly at Isaac¡¯s jab at the noble girls of the kingdom. ¡°If I could pass the burden of this place off onto someone other than my son, I would, but it has to be him. He has been trained in almost every aspect of keeping this domain from starving and being enslaved by our neighbors. He is also the only one with the right political mind and charisma to keep the crown funneling money into this place.¡± Izen rubbed his temples. ¡°You¡¯ll help him, won¡¯t you?¡± Izen asked and looked up at Isaac.


    To Isaac, the duke¡¯s words were not words of a ruler but of a father who only wanted what was best for his son. The lack of ¡®proper¡¯ speech really drove home to Isaac that Izen was not making the request from his station, at all. Isaac gave the duke a warm smile. ¡°After everything that you¡¯ve done for us, everything that Sera has done for us, we¡¯ll try.¡± Isaac promised him.


    Izen sighed in relief. ¡°That is a weight off my shoulders. I know you told Sera that you would, but hearing it directly from you is much more reassuring.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Unfortunately, as per the usual, I can¡¯t just stop by without adding paper to the pile.¡±


    Izen nodded. ¡°The throne.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac said. ¡°What should I do with it? Alexander said that you wanted to talk with me personally about it.¡±


    ¡°I think you should give it to the king, not to use but as a trophy.¡± Izen explained. ¡°I am sure that he has heard many things about you, some of them true, some of them false, many of them conjectures. Making a show of gifting him something like that will not only be a show of good faith, but also be something entirely out of character from what he is expecting of you. As long as you keep subverting his expectations then he will be wary of reserving judgment of you, at least until you have met in person. That should go a long way in maintaining your self sovereignty. Especially after the show on Sera''s birthday.¡±


    Isaac frowned but nodded along as Izen spoke. ¡°You are right, it is very out of character to gift to someone I have never met an ancient relic that is older than the country that he rules.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Izen, I¡¯ve met with two demigods this week. I am not some free spirited, theatrical adventurer who is trying to keep in everyone¡¯s semi-good graces like some court jester. I am willing to offer it to you as a thank you gift but if I do that then I expect you to use it, if not, then I¡¯ll keep it for myself. Lenna and I fought that absolute menace ourselves and it was his throne.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ¡°Two?¡± Izen questioned. It was clear that that was the part that he had gotten hung up on.


    ¡°Yes, Time stopped by for dinner to tell me that she knows everything about me and to show me that as long as I am in this world, she is the highest authority. That was not what she meant to portray, but casually almost stopping time like that, and answering my questions before I even asked them proved it enough.¡± Isaac went on. ¡°She seems nice but she also asked me some morality questions and I answered them truthfully. Do you know why?¡± Izen shook his head but before he could say anything Isaac answered his own question: ¡°Because I wasn¡¯t sure if I would ever get to see a sunrise if I dared to lie to her.¡± Isaac slumped back in the chair across from Izen. ¡°I got off topic but what I was trying to get across is that if your king wants a new throne then he can take it from someone else, or have a new one built. Only people I owe a lot to get gifts from me.¡±


    Izen nodded slowly. ¡°I think we have both had a rough few days, biscuit?¡±


    Isaac laughed and shook his head as he took one of the small crumbly cookies from the tray and stuffed the entire thing into his mouth. ¡°These are really good.¡± He said around the mouthful of crumbly sweetness.


    ¡°So, the throne, what have you decided to do with it?¡± Izen asked him to get him back on topic completely.


    Isaac swallowed the treat with some help from his tea and then settled into the chair more comfortably. ¡°It¡¯s too heavy to put anywhere in my house without reinforcing the flooring, which is fine, but it¡¯s not like I am some storybook villain living in an abandoned castle in a place that is always dusk with thunderclouds overhead. What am I supposed to use a throne for? It isn¡¯t even that comfortable. I¡¯d rather have one of these.¡± He said and patted the arm of the chair he was seated in.


    ¡°You could take over Contantis, replace everything that happens to have color with either black or silver, cover the streets in fog, place sporadic flicking glowing stones at every intersection, and then make some threat for world domination.¡± Izen offered. ¡°Then, when some poor child who was saddled with the fate of the world shows up with a legendary sword from the king¡¯s armory, that definitely won¡¯t be strong enough to kill you, you can take a hit only to burst into shadows and escape to lick your wounds.¡±


    ¡°I never took you for a theater enjoyer.¡± Isaac said with a straight face.


    ¡°Whenever we go to the capital, Sera makes sure we catch a play before we return. I have no say in the matter.¡± Izen explained. ¡°Not that I have ever tried to argue.¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°I am no closer to knowing what to do with the throne.¡± He groaned. ¡°Only¡­ never mind. I know exactly what I am going to use it for.¡±


    Izen raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°I am the Lord of all that is Dark, right?¡± Isaac said with a twinkle in his eye that instantly gave Izen a feeling of pure dread.


    Izen sighed. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then whenever, wherever, I need to greet someone, I will have Shamesh plant it in the ground. The thing about the villain in an ancient ruined city was a great idea, thanks.¡± Isaac praised his friend.


    Izen sighed and rubbed his temples. ¡°I should have kept my mouth shut.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°So that¡¯s why I need you to teach Shamesh the spell that Karthen used.¡± Isaac explained to Alexander.


    ¡°You want to use the entire internal space of the Nebulous Warehouse to hold a throne that you do not even want, just so you can use it, what, once, for pure theatrics?¡± Alexander questioned.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Mana have mercy.¡± Alexander swore and ran his fingers through his hair. ¡°Well, at least it will be a good test to see if he can learn new spells.¡±


    ¡°If so, would it be possible for you to teach me how to teleport?¡± Shamesh asked the court wizard.


    ¡°Short range teleportation? Sure. Long range? Probably not. I had to learn it backwards because the theory never made any sense to me and it would take too long to teach you.¡± Alexander replied. ¡°As it is, I have spent too long away from the array and I need to prepare for the royal birthday celebration.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Isaac told the young wizard. ¡°And Alexander, if there is anything you need, let me know.¡±


    ¡°Actually, there is something. If you could keep an eye out for any magic items that cast spells without the user needing to know magic, please acquire them and I will reimburse you.¡± Alexander replied. ¡°It has started to become a problem and no one has been able to track down where the items are coming from.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I can do that. Who knows if we¡¯ll find any of them though.¡±


    Alexander smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good enough. Knowing your luck, I am sure you will find yourself directly in the middle of it at some point.¡±

 Chapter 97 Kee Kee Kee

    Chapter 97 Kee Kee Kee


    ¡°Ready to buy some elicit goods?¡± Lenny asked Isaac as he donned his Phantom mask. Lenny handed Isaac a black masquerade mask that hid his eyes behind a thin white mesh.


    ¡°This is a bit on the nose don¡¯t you think?¡± Isaac asked as he put it on.


    Lenny laughed. ¡°It would be but¡­ you¡¯ll just have to see it.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°What about Lenna?¡±


    Lenny looked up at Lenna. ¡°With all due respect, lady boss, there is no way in all the hells that I can get you in there without everyone knowing who you are. If you two wanna crash the blackmarket auction that¡¯s on you but I would really like it if you didn¡¯t.¡± He told her.


    ¡°Isaac?¡± Lenna asked.


    Isaac smirked from under his mask. ¡°If you insist, my Lady, then I will indeed need an escort.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know whether I should say that you two are way cuter than the Walking Nightmares should be, or tell you to stop being gross so we aren¡¯t late.¡± Lenny, Phantom, told them.


    ¡°Walking Nightmares?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Everyone knows you and I are working together at this point, well, you and Phantom are anyway. That also means that all the chaos I¡¯ve been stirring up was just added to your exploits. Everyone with anything to hide has been checking under their bed for one of us and everyone knows that the two of you are entirely untouchable. The stories are spread around of your fights and the terror you¡¯ve put into Duncan¡¯s men. Basically, everyone thinks you are fucking scary and no one knows when or where you¡¯ll show up.¡± Phantom explained. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get going, we need to be there early if we want good seats.¡±


    ¡°Give us a moment.¡± Isaac said and pushed Lenna into one of James and Lenny¡¯s back rooms.


    ¡°Oh don¡¯t do that here.¡± Phantom groaned.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Lenna yelled back. ¡°That¡¯s not- hey watch your hands.¡±


    A few minutes later, Isaac and Lenna walked out in their well known and distinctive tea-day garb. Lenna¡¯s silver and form fitting but modest one shouldered dress, and Isaac¡¯s plain black long sleeved button shirt and pants, were well known from their many trips to see Sera for tea. Isaac wore his mask and then looked to Phantom for one for Lenna.


    ¡°Ugh.¡± Phantom groaned. ¡°I knew this would happen.¡± He said and handed Lenna a silver mask with black mesh over the eyes. Both masks were simply painted wood but the paints were incredibly expensive. Pure black paint required actual alchemical reagents in order to have a glossy finish and the silver paint literally had silver dust in it so it would color properly and sparkle in the light.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I like about you.¡± Darkness told Phantom. ¡°You are always prepared. Now, lead the way.¡± He told the sword dancer and then offered his arm for his mate. Hellfire took it after donning her own mask. It was finally time for the blackmarket. Unfortunately, it was only the Safeharbor blackmarket, but it was something.


    Darkness shrouded Hellfire and himself in shadows until they reached a back alley with a sewer access point. ¡°The sewers?¡± Darkness questioned. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°I will never be able to get that smell out of this dress.¡± Hellfire complained. ¡°I can keep it at bay though, if you are willing to bear a fair amount of heat and a spectacle.¡±


    ¡°I am always up for a spectacle.¡± Darkness replied.


    ¡°Have you seen the three of us?¡± Phantom joked. ¡°Our existence is a spectacle, but no, this is not actually a sewer entrance. Just do exactly what I do.¡± He told them and stood on the iron slab covering what looked to be a sewer access point. ¡°Rob Shaefar.¡± He whispered and then fell straight through the iron slab. Darkness and Hellfire felt a faint change in the mana around them but a second later everything was back to normal. It all happened so fast that they hadn¡¯t even had enough time to figure out what kind of magic was at play.


    ¡°I can¡¯t feel the shadows under the grate.¡± Darkness expressed.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go first.¡± Hellfire spoke and stepped onto the iron slab. ¡°Rob Shaefar.¡± With those two words she fell through the slab. Darkness followed immediately after and was met with a tight, dark, and dusty stone passageway.


    ¡°This runs parallel with the sewers in some places but the walls should keep the smell out.¡± Phantom explained. ¡°There aren¡¯t that many access points like this. The actual sewers need to be accessed and we can¡¯t have the duke¡¯s men tearing up an alleyway because they can¡¯t get the door open.¡± He explained. ¡°Follow me and watch out for the spiders, most of them are deadly.¡±


    ¡°How does that door work?¡± Darkness asked. ¡°Does it become incorporeal or is there a reality shield that is perfectly hidden with illusion magic and the activation phrase just turns it off for a second?¡±


    ¡°No idea, boss.¡± Phantom replied while he led the duo down the dark tunnel. He had become almost addicted to darkvision potions as of late and once again it was proving its worth. Darkness kept the dust from the tunnel off of himself and Hellfire via shadows that seemed to devour the tunnel only to spit it back out after they passed.


    ¡°Phantom.¡± Darkness spoke. His voice had dropped an octave as he readied himself for the coming spectacle. ¡°We are getting close.¡± Darkness had felt ahead and noticed that the shadows met a flickering wall two more bends and two hundred yards away.


    A chill went up Phantom¡¯s spine upon hearing the voice so close behind him. The lack of echo caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end. The shadows on the walls had muted any echo to a point where his human ears could no longer notice it. ¡°I know.¡± He said with a bit of forced mischievous cheer in his voice. ¡°I hope they are ready for a show, though, if not, it might get even more fun.¡±


    ¡°If you were any less powerful, then everyone would think you were just deranged maniacs.¡± Hellfire told her companions. ¡°Though,¡± Her voice softened ever so slightly as a whisper of warmth bled through. ¡°I must admit, you are rubbing off on me.¡±


    ¡°Every night.¡± Darkness replied with obvious humor in his deep and gravelly voice. Phantom pretended not to notice Darkness¡¯s comment.


    ¡°Isaac Wexler,¡± Hellfire spoke in a whisper that he could barely hear. ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to pay you back for that later.¡± She promised him. Darkness only smirked as they continued on.


    Once they rounded the second corner they were met with an oak door with a viewing slit at around eye level. ¡°Vanish.¡± Phantom spoke just loud enough for Darkness and Hellfire to hear. The pair were gone in a blink and Phantom sauntered up to the closed door. The torch that hung on the wall a foot in front of it cast him in flickers of orange and yellow. He knocked twice, then twice again, and then twice again. It sounded like a heartbeat reverberating through the oak door as it rattled on its cast iron hinges. ¡°A lone fox has found a den claimed by a dusty skulk.¡± He spoke towards the door. The slit opened up to a pair of large eyes that peered through before it slammed closed again.


    The door opened inwards after a short moment and the click of a lock or trap being undone. What met Phantom was another tight hallway with a large half human, half either goliath or orc, man that stood at seven and a half feet tall. The massive man glared down at Phantom. ¡°A fox you say?¡± His rumbling baritone reverberated. ¡°Then what does he say?¡±


    ¡°It depends if he is welcomed or not.¡± Phantom replied. ¡°If he is not then he says nothing, but if he is, then he says kee kee kee.¡±


    The giant man nodded and stepped aside. It was only then that a small alcove with a chair could be seen just out of the way. ¡°He is welcomed.¡± The man spoke and waved him in.


    No sooner had Phantom walked in had the giant man attempted to close the door. The door barely budged. It took him a moment to realize that something was wrong. Before he could do anything a pair of figures appeared. One was blazing in orange flames and held the door open with one hand. She was dressed in a fine silver silk dress that was far too high quality to be seen in the underground of Safeharbor. The other was a man clad in black who darkened the very space around them with his presence. ¡°Kee.¡± Phantom spoke with a chuckle behind his mask as he continued on.


    ¡°Kee.¡± Darkness purred and smirked at the large doorman.


    ¡°Kee.¡± Hellfire added as she finished walking past the door and let it go so he could close it.


    It took the massive man a moment to collect himself before he closed the door behind them. He wasn¡¯t sure if he should sound the alarm or just let them go. It was far too late for anyone to escape if they were there for an unfortunate reason. The large man had not survived as long as he had by being stupid however, he knew in his bones that the woman that stopped the door with one hand could fold him like a piece of parchment. He knew that the masked man with a pair of jewel encrusted curved swords could filet him and leave nothing but a boneless sack of flesh and innards behind. But perhaps even scarier, he had heard the screams that one fateful day, the day that Darkness had fed a man to his pet monster immediately after Hellfire had absolutely bodied the crimson coins. The last thing he wanted was to end up on the wrong end of those three. So he did what he was sure would give him the best chance at surviving; he locked the door, took his seat, and kept his mouth shut.

 Chapter 98 Our Last Stop

    Chapter 98 Our Last Stop


    ¡°Take a sea¡­¡± A short woman in worn out worker¡¯s clothes said before she looked up from her apple. She had a dull knife in one hand and half an apple in the other. ¡°Oh, oh no.¡± She whispered when she realized who the three were that were passing her on their way into the main hall.


    Phantom led Darkness and Hellfire through a curtain and into a massive room cut out of the stone under Safeharbor. The benches arched around a center stage in cascading rows of rough cut stone. Most of the benches were loosely filled with everyone looking for something that couldn¡¯t be sold out in the open. ¡°Front or back?¡± Phantom questioned his charges with an exaggerated gesture and a bit of mania in his voice.


    ¡°Back.¡± Darkness replied. ¡°We are here for the auction, not to end it early.¡±


    ¡°Then by all means.¡± Phantom gestured to the bench closest to them. There were two people already sitting on it. One of them turned around to see what the commotion was about and then froze in place once he noticed who was standing before him. ¡°What was your line, Darkness? Ah, yes,¡± Phantom began and then leaned in close to the man. ¡°Boo.¡± The man jumped and practically landed on his compatriot before they both tumbled off the bench. Phantom shooed them away. ¡°Skitter away little rats.¡± He then stepped aside and waved Darkness and Hellfire to their seats.


    Neither of the pair showed any expressions as they took their offered seats. Shadows covered the benches before either of them sat down so the grime and red stone dust wouldn¡¯t cling to their high end clothes. Phantom took the seat at Darkness¡¯s left while Hellfire took the seat to his right. Together, the raggedy tans, browns, and greens with the dusty white mask made Phantom blend in with the rest of the crowd, or it would have if everyone didn¡¯t recognize the mask and swords at first or second glance. The beautiful Lady clad in silver with perfect skin that almost seemed to glow a steely purple in the dim glowing stone light was practically a beacon of grace and power. In between the Phantom of Safeharbor and the stunning Lady Defector of Contantis was the man that some still had nightmares about. The Human Demon, The Specter of Death, The Legend Slayer, The Lord of Darkness, these were the names those in the room knew him by. His pale skin stood stark against his black clothes, mask, and hair. The smirk marking his face made everyone who dared to look feel a sudden sense of dread.


    The rest of those present wore a mixture of masks made of anything from fabric with eye holes cut into it to velvet bird masks and everything in between. There were some merchants, servants, thieves, and beggars in attendance and their chosen clothes ranged from dusty ballroom coats to tied together rags. If Darkness had worn a cloak and made an effort to not stand out then he could very well have made it through the entire auction without anyone even knowing it was him. He had no doubt that Phantom had a spare mask that was less well known that he could have worn. Hellfire on the other hand was never going to go unnoticed. There was no way to hide what she was without drawing even more attention to her. One thing that everyone had in common in the underground auditorium was their lack of openly worn armor. Most of them didn¡¯t have exposed weapons either but Phantom¡¯s curved swords were as notorious as his mask so they were on full display.


    ¡°All right, you lot!¡± A man in a tattered tophat wearing clerk¡¯s clothes walked out from behind the large curtain that hung behind the stage at the center of it all. ¡°Are you ready for¡­ what¡¯s got y¡¯all so silent?¡± He questioned and looked around. He peered out from under his hat and through his red band with eye holes that served as his mask. It only took him a second to notice Hellfire and then the man next to her and the man next to him. ¡°Ah, I see, we have some special guests. Well, no matter, let the auction begin!¡± The man¡¯s ability to roll with the punches of the trio¡¯s appearance showed that he would have been successful if he had chosen a more honest career of showmanship. ¡°On to the first!¡± He shouted and a woman dressed much like him but without the hat wheeled out a cart with a small assortment of vials and glass bottles. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Stolen from Mister Albert Henry, the Alchemist on Seventeenth Street.¡± Phantom spoke quietly to Darkness. The dark mage nodded once in understanding but otherwise kept quiet.


    ¡°An assortment of aids and ills without label nor marking. Only an Alchemist or wise wizard could identify these items but there is no doubt that lying inside one of these miraculous magical¡­¡± The auctioneer¡¯s voice trailed off as he tried to find another word to alliterate but failed. ¡°these bottles, lies something that could save you in your harshest time of need or slay your enemies with but a sip or drip.¡± The auctioneer went on. ¡°We are starting the bid at five gold coins for the eight of them.¡± A man in the crowd raised his hand. ¡°I see five, do I see- ah six, what abou- beautiful seven!¡± He went on as hands were raised. At ten he jumped to fifteen and then twenty. The bidding stopped at seventy five. The man who won had to walk up to the front and take his prize immediately. There was no waiting nor trust in a rogue¡¯s ability to pay. The money was exchanged for all to see and the items nestled into a small wooden box lined with hay.


    ¡°That¡¯s about it.¡± Phantom explained. ¡°It¡¯ll go on like this until they run out of goods.¡±


    ¡°How do the suppliers get paid?¡± Darkness questioned.


    ¡°The blackmarket buys the items off of the supplier beforehand. They probably paid twenty five to fifty gold for those vials and the rest is profit.¡± Phantom explained.


    ¡°Where does the money go afterwards?¡± Darkness wondered.


    ¡°To the Guild.¡± Phantom replied. ¡°From there it¡¯s dust in the wind.¡± Their entire conversation was spoken in quiet whispers with as little motion as possible so the onlookers would have a hard time eavesdropping on them.


    ¡°Next up is a bit of a treat!¡± The auctioneer called out. ¡°A Bottomless Box! This one has some years on it but we guarantee its stability and performance, in fact, we will hold off on it until we allow you all to bid on what lies inside!¡± He reached into a wooden box the entire way up to his shoulders, with both hands, and paused for dramatic effect. He quickly ripped out a fine curved sword that looked a lot like the ones the V¡¯Nova soldiers used. It lacked any enchantments, unlike the real ones, but most of those in the room would be none the wiser. ¡°Some of you may be wondering where a wicked blade like this came from and, of course, I cannot spare the details exactly, but any of you who had the fortunate ability to witness the great battle against the¡­¡± He trailed off as he remembered Hellfire¡¯s presence in the back row. ¡°The raid from our estranged neighbors, would recognize this blade in a mere moment. That¡¯s right! This is a blade of elvish make from the empire down under! We start the bidding at five hundred gold!¡±


    The auction continued past the fake sword and beyond the Bottomless Box. It moved on after a collection of jewelry, some fake but most real, until finally it reached something that the trio had expected but hoped not to see.


    ¡°Finally, our last stop before the main event!¡± The auctioneer called out. A woman and her two daughters were pushed out onto the stage. Their iron chains hung heavy and clattered against each other. They were dressed in sackcloth long shirts that hung to their knees. To call them dresses would be a disservice to the article. Their feet were bare and they were shivering from the relative coldness of underground. They looked healthy enough, all things considered, but they looked like they hadn¡¯t eaten in at least a few days. The three women had dark brown hair, tanned skin, and pale olive green eyes. They looked utterly terrified. ¡°All in great condition from across the sea, these lovely ladies have been kept whole,¡± He winked towards the audience. ¡°and healthy for our wonderful customers. The older two can speak, read, and write Overworld Standard and Elvish. The younger one can too, though not very well, or so I am told. Their ages are thirty one, thirteen, and seven. Due to the oldest and youngest¡¯s ages, we will lower the cost by a few gold but their perfect health and the middle one¡¯s age will raise it a bit more. In all, we will start the bidding at three thousand g¡­ol¡­d¡­¡± His voice died out as the back of the room lit up in an orange blaze and the weight of million grudges descended upon the auditorium.

 Chapter 99 Strays.

    Chapter 99 Strays.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like this.¡± Hellfire whispered to her mate. ¡°I do not like this one bit.¡±


    ¡°Then do something about it.¡± Darkness told her with a grin. ¡°Wherever you go, whatever you do, I¡¯ll be your shadow.¡±


    Hellfire rose to her feet as the auctioneer was just getting to the part about what price the bidding would start at. The man¡¯s eyes were immediately drawn to her and her silver dress. Hellfire concentrated her aura on herself as if she was trying to enhance her strength, even though she wouldn¡¯t need it. She stepped forwards onto the bench in front of her, between a pair dressed in workers clothes, and then took a step onto the one after that. Those in between her and the stage shifted, stumbled, or otherwise moved out of her path. There were no moves made against her. No one dared to try and stop her. Her bright orange flames danced across her skin and illuminated her approach in what must¡¯ve felt like a divine visit. The pressure of her aura was restrained, but even so, most of those present had never been in the presence of her aura before, and for the uninitiated, it was anything but pleasant.


    By the time Hellfire had made the final step onto the stage, Darkness was already standing next to the auctioneer. ¡°Three thousand?¡± He questioned with a grin. ¡°I think three thousand is fair. We were in need of servants.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, of course, servants.¡± The auctioneer stammered under the gaze of the dark mage. ¡°Though, three thousand was just the starting bi-¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Darkness cut him off with one, softly spoken, word. ¡°I made my stance on slavery clear. I, the Lord of all that is Dark, am being kind to you.¡±


    The auctioneer swallowed hard and nodded rapidly. ¡°Of course, three thousand for a, a finding fee, yes, a finding fee, your, my, Darkness?¡± His voice raised an entire octave as he said the final word. ¡°No, ah, that¡¯s not what I meant. I was trying to say my Lord and Your Darkness because I wasn¡¯t sure what to call you at the same time and it just came out all backwards I-¡± The man rambled on until Darkness raised a finger to his own lips.


    ¡°Shhhh.¡± Darkness told him. ¡°Give me your hat.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What?¡± The man stammered but did as he was told. ¡°Why?¡± He was then dumbstruck as Darkness pulled out a handful of platinum coins from what almost looked like the shadow of his own arm, cast by one of the glowing stone lights. Darkness dumped ten handfuls of platinum coins into the auctioneer¡¯s hat before he handed it back.


    ¡°Three hundred platinum coins.¡± Darkness told him and then turned around to see how Hellfire and the ¡®servants¡¯ were doing.


    ¡ª


    Hellfire stopped in front of the woman and girls that she had decided to rescue. She knew that Isaac would find some way to spin all this in their favor so she left everything, save for the three in front of her, to him. ¡°M-mommy?¡± The littlest one spoke as she clung to the skirt of the oldest of the three.


    ¡°Shhh.¡± The mother spoke. ¡°It¡¯ll be alright. Just stay next to me.¡± She told the girl while she pulled her daughters in close. The woman looked terrified, defiant, and utterly confused. There must¡¯ve been a dozen questions on her mind but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to ask any of them to the figure of blazing power and elegance in front of her.


    ¡°What is your name, little one?¡± Hellfire asked in the softest voice she could muster. It didn¡¯t come out as warm as she would¡¯ve liked but at least it wasn¡¯t cold. Hellfire bent down slightly to be closer to the child''s height but her dress made any awkward movements or positions difficult. ¡°I am¡­¡± Hellfire had to take a moment to internally debate what name she wished to tell the little one. ¡°I am an adventurer. See?¡± She raised her wrist up to eye level and the pair of platinum tags jingled from where they hung. When Hellfire had changed into her dress she had opted to wear the silver and amethyst necklace that her mate had given her. When she did so, she had been forced to find a more creative way to keep her adventurer tags on her. She settled on wrapping the neck-chain that the tags were on around her wrist a number of times until it wouldn¡¯t fall off.


    The mother gasped at the sight of the tags and the power that they represented. ¡°Th-thank you.¡± The mother spoke. ¡°I¡¯m sure this was not on purpose bu-¡±


    ¡°It was.¡± Hellfire interrupted her. ¡°We were here as guests for the auction, not to dismantle it.¡±


    The mother¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Wait¡­ does that mean?¡± She began.


    ¡°It is, complicated.¡± Hellfire replied. ¡°I will let my mate explain it to you. For now, just know that you will have somewhere warm to sleep tonight.¡± This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°With warm food?¡± The little one asked shyly.


    ¡°Not now, Mar.¡± The older daughter snapped quietly at her.


    ¡°Mar, that is a lovely name.¡± Hellfire told her. ¡°And yes, with warm food, and clean clothes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Martha.¡± The little girl replied. ¡°I¡¯m not little anymore.¡±


    ¡°I see. Martha, that is a very grown up name.¡± Hellfire complimented her.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Martha demanded.


    ¡°I have many names, and I can tell you about how I got each of them later, for now, just call me ¡®my Lady¡¯.¡± Hellfire told her.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a name.¡± Martha told her matter of factly.


    Hellfire smirked. ¡°Then call me, ¡®Lenna¡¯.¡± She told the girl.


    ¡°Phantom will handle the rest.¡± Darkness said from beside her. To the girls, it was almost like they had blinked and he was there, but the mother had been watching him out of the corner of her eye when he left behind a fading silhouette to appear next to them.


    ¡°Are we going straight back to the Dawn?¡± Hellfire questioned.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Darkness replied. ¡°Back the way we came.¡± He explained and then turned to regard the mother. He had questions for her but it would be best if he asked them in private. He wanted to know if there were others who were with them and if they had been captured and turned into slaves, sold off by someone with power over them, or taken for their debts. Those questions could wait, for now, he had work to do. He turned back to Hellfire without a word towards the three that she had just rescued. ¡°The key.¡± He told her and it appeared in his hand.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Hellfire told him as she took the key. She was about to offer to unlock the mother¡¯s shackles but Darkness put a hand on her arm. When she looked at him he made the slightest gesture towards the mother with his chin and she immediately knew what he meant. She handed the key to the mother. ¡°Leave those here.¡± She instructed the woman.


    The mother barely hesitated for a moment before she took the offered key and got to work. There was quite the commotion going on in the stands as onlookers whispered to each other. Someone jeered at them and the mother caught movement out of the corner of her eye. She looked up from where she was kneeling to undo the shackles around her ankles and realized that the movement was the man in black vanishing again. Her eyes searched the room for him. She caught sight of him and watched as a man, presumably the one who had jeered at them, crumpled to the ground clutching his throat at the man in black¡¯s feet. A blink later and he was back as if nothing had happened.


    ¡°There is a child present.¡± Hellfire spoke almost scoldingly at him.


    ¡°That is why he¡¯ll live.¡± Darkness replied flatly.


    The family were finally unchained and Darkness turned to leave. Hellfire nodded after him to the mother and her daughters. ¡°Come.¡± She told them. ¡°He is impatient.¡± As she turned to follow after her mate she felt something brush against her hand. She turned back and looked down to see Martha rubbing one little hand with the other. ¡°Be careful, fire is hot.¡± She told the little one and then continued after her mate.


    Darkness led the way out of the auditorium and past both of the guards without issue. At some point they had all stopped making sounds as they stepped down. The bare feet of the slaves no longer slapped the stone ground as they walked and it felt almost as if they weren¡¯t walking on anything at all. The oddest part was that none of them had noticed it happen. They had been so focused on following the torch of a woman that led them through the dark tunnels that the ground turning black hadn¡¯t even registered in their minds. ¡°Mom, what is that?¡± The older daughter asked in a whisper as they hurried after the purposeful strides of the ones that had purchased them.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The mother replied honestly. ¡°Just keep going.¡±


    Eventually they came to a deadend. Darkness stopped and looked around for a moment. Eventually he found the small symbol carved in the stone that Phantom had told him to find before he left to get help. That short conversation was why Darkness had only appeared next to the auctioneer as Hellfire had finished her walk to the stage. ¡°A fox¡­ of course.¡± He grumbled and pressed it. The ceiling overhead opened up where they had fallen through to enter. He turned and looked back over Hellfire and the family. ¡°Lenna, I¡¯ll get them, help them at the top.¡± He instructed her while his hand continued to press on the fox symbol. As long as his hand stayed on it, the cover would stay incorporeal. Once he let go then he would have twenty seconds until it turned solid again.


    ¡°That is quite the jump to make in a dress.¡± She commented. The ceiling was seven feet off the ground and Lenna really didn¡¯t want to get her dress dirty if she could help it.


    ¡°Take my hand,¡± He told her and offered her his hand with a grin. ¡°my Lady.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± She told him and gingerly took his hand to let the shadows under her feet raise her to the surface. It took a few seconds as it required conscious effort to keep the ascent steady but soon enough she was at the top.


    ¡°One at a time.¡± Darkness told the mother and daughters. ¡°I don¡¯t care who is first and who is last, just pick one.¡±


    ¡°Me first.¡± Martha insisted after she watched Lenna fly through the hole in the ceiling on a pillar of shadows.


    ¡°My my, you are a brave one.¡± Darkness told her. ¡°Very well, take my hand.¡± He told her and offered the little one his hand in the same way he had offered it to Lenna.


    Her mother moved to stop her but she had already wormed her way through her mother and sister to stand where Lenna had stood. She tried her best to copy what she had seen as she gingerly rested her hand on his. ¡°Thank you.¡± She told him. Darkness smirked at her and raised her to the surface where Lenna was there to help her step onto solid ground. ¡°Cold.¡± Those at the bottom heard her complain as her feet touched the stone once again.


    ¡°Next.¡± Darkness insisted.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go next, mom.¡± The older daughter said resolutely and repeated after the first.


    Once it was just the mother and Darkness in the tunnel, she finally worked up the nerve to ask: ¡°What will be done with us?¡±


    ¡°Indentured servitude for the three thousand gold I spent on you.¡± Darkness explained. ¡°Our manor needs staff and two and half able bodies just so happened to be in my debt without a job or a place to stay.¡± She stared at him for a long moment. ¡°Take my hand.¡± He instructed her and she did so without even realizing it. As the shadows beneath her started to raise she began to wobble. ¡°Stand straight.¡± He ordered and she did her best to stand upright. Once she did, the ride was much smoother to the top.


    Once the mother was on street level, Darkness appeared next to them. ¡°Phantom?¡± Lenna asked.


    ¡°Is not getting this mask back.¡± Darkness explained. ¡°I think I like it.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you should get one that will double as head protection, since you refuse to wear a helmet like some hero on a mural.¡± Lenna offered as she took off her mask. ¡°So? Phantom?¡±


    Darkness looked over his shoulder at her as he started walking towards the end of the alleyway. ¡°Getting someone more¡­ experienced with strays.¡±

 Chapter 100 What It Means To Be Human.

    Chapter 100 What It Means To Be Human.


    Isaac had been sitting on the edge of the rooftop at the corner of the alleyway where Lenna and the family were waiting. He was invisible for everyone except Lenna because his shadows clung to her, allowing her to peer past the veil of darkness. He had ditched his mask because as much as he liked the look, he really didn¡¯t like things on his face. If he was being honest with himself, he didn¡¯t even like his own shadows on his face for extended periods of time and he couldn¡¯t even physically feel them.


    Lenna had kept the family, mostly the youngest daughter, company. The little one had taken the moment of peace to begin questioning Lenna relentlessly. Lenna, for her part, was handling it admirably but Isaac could tell that it was starting to wear her out. She was anything but an extrovert and the little girl was nothing but one.


    Eventually, Isaac noticed a covered wagon drawn by a singular horse come down the street. That was an odd sight for the area but not an odd one for Safeharbor. Guiding the horse from the bench was a blonde girl that Isaac had noticed at the Celestial Dawn recently. She was a new waitress who looked no older than fifteen. The fact that she could drive a wagon at that age meant that she was definitely not a Safeharbor native. The wagon came to a stop at the edge of the alleyway and the cover facing it was pulled up by Phantom who revealed Celeste waiting with a loose pile of clothes. He tied up the cover and then hopped down from the wagon.


    ¡°Good work, Phantom.¡± Lenna told him.


    ¡°You rob me of a dramatic exit, my Lady.¡± He spoke with a deep and exaggerated bow. ¡°The misty roads I am known for would be, unfortunate, for you, so I bid you adieu.¡±


    ¡°Darkness will guide you.¡± She told him and a moment later it appeared as if his shadow reached up and devoured him. Lenna strode towards Celeste. ¡°Thank you.¡± She told the motherly woman. ¡°I couldn¡¯t make them walk through town without shoes.¡±


    Celeste eyed the two girls and their mother and then frowned at Lenna. ¡°Load them up and we can talk about this later.¡± She told her.


    Isaac appeared next to the wagon facing Lenna and the girls. ¡°This is Celeste, she brought clothes for you.¡± Isaac told them and then looked at the woman in question. ¡°Blackmarket deal, Lenna couldn¡¯t just leave them, see if you can get any information out of them on the way back, yeah?¡± He whispered to her.


    Celeste¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°You aren¡¯t coming?¡± She questioned him.


    ¡°No. That way they can change in the wagon.¡± Isaac replied. The two finished their conversation just in time for Lenna to arrive with three tag-alongs. Isaac, Celeste, and Lenna helped the three into the wagon before Celeste started undoing the ties that held the cover open.


    ¡°We can talk after I get them settled in.¡± Celeste told him. ¡°For now, what are they to you?¡±


    ¡°Well, they owe me three thousand gold, Phantom owed me money once too.¡± He told her. ¡°By the way, I want to hear how he got you here, later.¡± Celeste nodded and closed the tarp. From the outside Isaac and Lenna could hear her fussing over the family until the reins clapped and the wagon pulled away. ¡°I hope that waitress is safe.¡± Isaac told Lenna. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    She knew that he wasn¡¯t referencing how much danger the waitress was in but rather how likely she was to start talking about Phantom. Everything else that happened was fair game as far as Isaac was concerned. He would prefer if their compassion wasn¡¯t yelled from the rooftops because some might see it as him getting soft, but he wasn¡¯t about to tell her to keep her mouth shut about it. ¡°Me too.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°Now, I would like to get back into my boots and pants, at least. I believe I have had enough of dresses and slippers for one day.¡±


    ¡°You can change here.¡± Isaac offered her. ¡°Our Phantom is no longer being hidden by me, so I can hide you instead.¡±


    Lenna looked at him like he had just told her the most scandalous thing she had ever heard. ¡°No.¡± She told him like he was crazy for even suggesting it.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Why not, it¡¯s not like anyone would be able to see you?¡±


    Lenna¡¯s eyes looked like they were going to fall out of their sockets, they were so wide. ¡°I am not changing in a place this exposed, what if something happens and you need to use your shadows for something else? Will I just be exposed?¡± She demanded.


    ¡°Any price is worth your modesty, so no, I would just not use my shadows for anything else.¡± He told her.


    ¡°No means no, Isaac. Let¡¯s go back to the Dawn so I can change and we can sort out everything.¡± She instructed more than offered him.


    ¡°You were incredible.¡± Isaac told her as he offered her his arm.


    She took it as she fell in beside him. ¡°I am not now?¡± She asked teasingly.


    ¡°You were more incredible than usual.¡± Isaac clarified as they began their walk home. ¡°A brilliant blazing bonfire on a cold night, for those girls, more or less literally. I believe, my Lady, that you are a natural at your role.¡±


    ¡°And I believe, my Lord, that you show more compassion than you claim to have.¡± She replied. ¡°We have saved slaves on multiple occasions but you have always kept your distance, why?¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°I just think that in many cases, they are weak and didn¡¯t deserve to be saved.¡± He replied. ¡°There are times when I can give the benefit of the doubt, like the mother of your little friend. If her children were threatened, then I can see her acquiescing to any demand, for their sake. My problem is when there are those who aren¡¯t staying in slavery to protect a child who obviously can¡¯t fend for themselves. Those people are weak. ¡®Fate worse than death¡¯? If that¡¯s true then die to escape it. Fight until the final breath for any reason at all but don¡¯t just wallow in self pity and complain about the situation being helpless. Those people, they are cattle on two legs at best, bugs at worst.¡±


    Lenna was silent as Isaac went on and on until he finally stopped. ¡°What about those born into it?¡± She wondered.


    ¡°I do not know if this applies to any of the other races, but what makes us human is not our environment or the shape of our ears, no, it is the single minded focus and ferocity to fight anything and everything that is trying to hold us back, head on. Injuries held us back, medicine and potions were created. Monsters tried to crush our civilizations, walls and weapons were made. The wisdom of our elders was dying off with them, words were created and carved into stone. Life, no, existence, existence itself is a trial by combat and any who give up on that fight, who stop striving towards something better, those are the people in danger of losing their humanity.¡± Isaac ranted with enough conviction that Lenna began to feel what he was saying in her heart, though she didn¡¯t entirely agree with it.


    ¡°What about those who just want to live, those that want to grasp at the hope of a better tomorrow?¡± Lenna asked him.


    ¡°Then they are fighting a losing battle. One day, maybe not today, or tomorrow, but one day, their end will come and they will still be in the same place that they started from with nothing but painful memories and gray hairs to show for it.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°It is better to blaze bright like the sun for but a moment than to exist as a fruitless ember for an age.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Lenna said after a moment. ¡°I believe that is mostly a human way of thinking, yes. As a race with so little time on or in our planet, I can see why that mentality would be necessary. For elves at least, the chance for a rescue, like today, has a much larger window of time to come. There are those who struggle on for a hundred years only to be rescued by some unknown entity. Humans do not have that time to wait for a savior, you must be your own more often than not, even though I wish it weren¡¯t so.¡±


    ¡°I have this feeling. When I think about the sky, the moon, and the stars, I have this whisper of a feeling that they were once within reach. Like there was a chance, a small one, but a chance nonetheless, that I could have reached out and touched them. That kind of thing is not something that can be done by elves or dwarves. That is the kind of thing that requires a human¡¯s will to fight the unknown by making it known.¡± Isaac explained through a wince as he fought against his building headache. ¡°That, that is what it means to be human.¡±

 Chapter 101 Margaret

    Chapter 101 Margaret


    ¡°So that about sums it up.¡± Isaac finished telling Celeste about the visit to the blackmarket, and everything that culminated in a masked man appearing next to her out of nowhere as she was closing up for the night. ¡°I was not, and still am not, planning to staff our manor with charity cases. This goes one of two ways and one of them I am positive Lenna and I both would not prefer. The first one is simple; we give them some money and send them off into the world with a few coins and some new clothes. The second is they get sent to the Arbencroft Estate to be taught how to properly take care of a manor and then they work in our home until their debt to us is paid off.¡±


    ¡°A debt of three thousand gold.¡± Celeste replied.


    ¡°Without interest.¡± Lenna corrected what was no doubt going through the sorceress¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Fine. Even so, how much are you going to pay them? Where are you going to get the constant stream of money in the meantime?¡± Celeste wondered.


    ¡°We have enough saved up to keep them on hand for years.¡± Isaac stated. ¡°Their wage should be less than a walk-in maid¡¯s. How much do they make?¡±


    ¡°Ten to twelve gold a week depending on how good they are.¡± Celeste replied.


    ¡°Seven gold a week with rooms and meals included for the older two. The little one can make three until she is ten. Then she can make five gold per week until she is thirteen where she will be moved up to the adult wage.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°That should be a fair wage and if the older two are giving five gold out of each pay back to us for what they owe, that should be six years or so. We¡¯ll cover any uniform expenses and the like so they can keep up their regular payments.¡±


    ¡°What if they don¡¯t pay you like that?¡± Celeste pressed. ¡°Are you going to just take it out of their pay or are you going to let them live there forever? What if they do horrible work?¡±


    ¡°If they bite the hand that feeds them then they can fend for themselves.¡± Lenna spoke unflinchingly. ¡°I want to help them, we have helped them, but I will not have that generosity be taken advantage of.¡±


    ¡°As for the pay, if they want to pay more or less per week then we can figure that out but there will be a minimum and a maximum. At the very least, one of the gold coins that the children earn will absolutely not be taken as payment. The inverse is also true to some degree. The mother is thirty, and fully human as far as I can tell, that means that she has thirty more years of work left in her. I think that at the very least two gold per pay needs to be put towards what they owe.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°I do still intend to get our money back, even if it is not soon.¡±


    Celeste finally took a deep breath and sighed it out. ¡°Alright. I admit that you have thought it through, or at least just thought it through to a sufficient degree.¡± Celeste conceded. ¡°Are you going to sit down with them and explain this in the morning?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°We need to get confirmation from Sera that she can take them until their training is done first. Our manor is not fully furnished yet. At the very least we¡¯ll need to wait a week until the bedding arrives from Sapphirestone.¡±


    ¡°In the afternoon then?¡± Celeste requested clarification. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°For now, can you just keep them here using your motherly charms and Leo¡¯s cooking?¡±


    Celeste gave him a flat look. ¡°Flattery may work with many, but it does not work with me, Isaac.¡± She told him and then sighed. ¡°But yes, I will keep them off the street until they have at least heard your offer.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Isaac told her with a grin. ¡°I think moms are predisposed to be bleeding hearts and I thank you for it.¡±


    Celeste shooed him away. ¡°Get out of here so I can go to bed and don¡¯t you dare make me regret this, at this point I¡¯m not sure how I would, but you¡¯d better not find a way.¡±


    ¡ª


    Isaac and Lenna walked into the room that Celeste had temporarily given the family after a pair of knocks on the door. Isaac had opened the door and then closed it once he and Lenna were inside. The youngest, Martha, was sitting on the bed watching them with an odd mix of interest, weariness, and curiosity. The oldest daughter and mother both rose from their chairs to stand before the duo and bowed. ¡°Thank you for saving us from that place, I am Margaret and this is Madeline, Martha has already introduced herself.¡± The mother greeted them with a higher grade of decorum then Isaac had expected.


    ¡°I am the Lord of Darkness, Isaac Wexler.¡± Isaac introduced himself. ¡°And this is my Lady of Hellfire, Lenna V¡¯Nova, as I am sure you are aware.¡±


    Margaret bowed again. ¡°I am. Is there anything that we can assist you with? If I may be so direct, what are your plans with us?¡± The mother questioned.


    ¡°There is. You may. And read this.¡± Isaac told her. He pulled a flat sheet of paper out of a thin plate of shadows that appeared over his hand and handed it to her.


    Margaret tentatively took the paper and then began reading it. On the page were all of the conditions and payments that the duo had talked with Celeste about as well as a few extra terms that Sera had recommended. One such term was that anything they broke needed to be replaced or repaired with their own money. That was the biggest deterrent that many employers could have against staff ¡®accidentally¡¯ breaking expensive things and then selling it off once a new one replaced it. It was also a way that some employers used to keep a specific staff member under indentured servitude by having items break and the staff member in question being blamed for it. The addition of that condition was also a test to see how good Margaret¡¯s contract comprehension was.


    ¡°What will count as a broken item?¡± Margaret asked once she arrived at that specific part.


    ¡°Something that my retainer cannot simply put back together using magic.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Or, if you are able to use the spell, that you cannot put back together.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like you are telling us that if you do not realize it was broken then anything is fine.¡± Margaret stated.


    Isaac grinned and sat down on his shadow that rose up to take the shape of a throne much like the one still resting in the Guild¡¯s storeroom. ¡°If you think that you can fool me, my Lady, or my retainer, then you are more than welcome to try. But remember who you would be attempting to fool.¡±


    ¡°I am afraid that I do not know very much about you, my Lord.¡± Margaret replied. She was doing a masterful job of maintaining a businesslike temperament despite the fact that nothing about Isaac made any sense to her. His magic was even more strange than any other magic she had ever seen. His temperament was somewhere between benevolent ruler, charitable stranger, and dragon from a storybook. The story where a beautiful black dragon took the hero¡¯s family hostage so he would retrieve an ancient relic for her came to mind. Like Isaac, the dragon had talked to the hero with his family in the room. It was a simple contract with farther reaching consequences than the hero could have possibly foreseen. Margaret read over the entire contract again as she tried to find something that she was missing. She thought about her family lineage and wondered if there was something the enigmatic strangers in front of her could have been after.


    ¡°I do not have all day.¡± Isaac told her after he had given her a few minutes to think and reread the singular page that made up the contract. ¡°If you do not like the contract, then I am done with you. If you do, then sign it and get it over with.¡±


    ¡°I, uh, would it be alright if I took some time to discuss it with my daughters, your lordship?¡± Margaret requested.


    Isaac sighed as he rose to his feet. ¡°If you would have asked for that in the first place then I wouldn¡¯t have wasted the last five minutes waiting for you.¡± He told her with a frown. ¡°Fine. But Margaret,¡±


    ¡°Yes, my Lord?¡± Margaret replied.


    ¡°You are not important nor powerful enough for someone like me to scheme against. Do not keep me waiting too long. If I find someone else to take the job before you sign it, then I am sure there is an abandoned house somewhere in the slums that you can use.¡± Isaac explained and turned to leave.


    Lenna smiled warmly at Martha. ¡°Goodbye, Martha, you, your sister and mother, as well as Isaac and I, should have dinner together later, alright.¡± She told the little one. It was a clear deadline for Margaret on when her answer was needed as well as an invitation for Martha to leave the small room that consisted of two small beds, two chairs, and a small table.


    ¡°Okay!¡± Martha replied. ¡°Thanks for the clothes!¡± Her volume was a bit high for Lenna¡¯s elvish ears but the knight did not let it show. Instead, she gave the child another warm smile and a nod before she left with her mate.

 Chapter 102 Naturally

    Chapter 102 Naturally


    ¡°Mar, don¡¯t eat with your fingers!¡± Madeline snapped in a whisper at her sister who was happily digging into her dinner. The family of three and the V¡¯Nova Wexler duo were sitting at one of the tables in the corner of Celeste¡¯s dining hall. Martha looked up at her sister, while she still held a piece of meat in one hand and a spoon loaded with rice in the other, and blinked owlishly at her. Madeline sighed and rubbed her temples as if she was trying to smoothen out stress wrinkles.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine.¡± Lenna told the girls warmly. ¡°By the time she is your age, if you decide to accept the job, we will expect her to know proper table etiquette. For now though, she is just a child, and a hungry one at that.¡± Lenna¡¯s warmth was able to properly come out, unlike the night they met, because she was in a place that she was comfortable in and wearing clothes that she was used to.


    Madeline bowed towards Lenna in her seat. ¡°As you say.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Tell us your story.¡± Isaac directed Margaret. His words were not harsh nor were they soft. It was the same tone and cadence that he would have used giving Shamesh an order. A statement that was expected to be followed but with absolutely no hostility or arrogance.


    Margaret hesitated a moment before she nodded to Isaac. ¡°Would it be alright if I left some of the more specific information out?¡± She asked him.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± He told her.


    Margaret took a deep calming breath before she was ready to begin. ¡°Six years ago my husband was killed while trying to protect someone of relatively high importance in our home country. It was his job and his duty but, in the end, his charge was still slain. Because of that, some people began gossiping and defiling my husband¡¯s honor.¡± She began. ¡°My story starts a little further back. I was a lady-in-waiting to a young but prominent noblewoman. I had met and quickly fallen in love with her cousin¡¯s personal guard. We courted for a time and then came a wedding and our two wonderful daughters. After his death, and the rumors wouldn¡¯t stop no matter what I said to the contrary, I sold everything that I could and packed up the girls with only the barest of heirlooms and a few changes of clothes.¡±


    Margaret took a moment to wet her throat and collect herself as everyone, even her own children, listened intently. Isaac wasn¡¯t leaning in but he also wasn¡¯t making a show of being bored. He and Lenna were simply listening attentively but it was clear that neither of them had any personal stakes in the story. ¡°Then what happened?¡± Martha asked her mom with wide eyes.


    ¡°You were there, silly.¡± Madeline told her and ruffled her hair. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember?¡±


    Martha shook her head, half to say no and half to finish messing up her hair. Her dark brown curls hung over her face to the point where she could hardly see. Madeline watched in horror as Martha used her hand, that had just been holding a piece of meat, to brush her hair out of her eyes. ¡°Nope.¡± Martha replied to her sister¡¯s question and then stuffed a spoonful of food into her mouth.


    ¡°It took us a week via carriage to reach a port city and we stayed in an inn there until I found a ship heading to a country that I had barely ever heard about. Altia and my homeland had almost no diplomatic relations so I was positive that no one here would have known of my husband or what those back home were saying about him.¡± Margaret continued where she had left off. ¡°The trip was long and the weather was like flipping a coin with an awful summer storm on one side and a clear sunny day on the other. Eventually we arrived in Port Vespera where I made the unfortunate mistake of finding a cheap inn. The inn that we used was a front for mortal trafficking. They stole us away, took all of our belongings, and then shipped us off to Sapphirestone. Once there, we were handed off to someone else who then smuggled us out of the city and into this one. After that we were kept underground for a little while until the day of the auction. You were there for the rest.¡±


    Isaac nodded once Margaret finished her story. It wasn¡¯t a very uncommon one and a story that Altia was trying to stop from repeating. Slavery in and of itself was not something that the country disagreed with on an economic level and most often not on a moral level either. As with most things, there was a line that once crossed would lead into depravity. Altia had outlawed slavery because there were too many cases of those not physically able to defend themselves being kidnapped and sold off. Criminals and debtors were on the list of people that most residents of Altia had no problems with being slaves. What they did have problems with were the stories of lone women being abducted and sold to whorehouses or disgusting nobles. Eventually the crown got tired of the backlash whenever a story would surface and they just outright outlawed the practice. People who were slaves were still kept as slaves but no one could be born into slavery and no new slaves could be bought or sold. That was two kings ago. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°You did well to make it this far in one piece.¡± Lenna praised them. ¡°I know that taking the offered position feels like moving from slavery to slavery with terms and conditions. I assure you that is not the case. My husband is just very keen on returns from investments.¡±


    Margaret nodded along with Lenna. ¡°What would happen to us if I refused?¡± She questioned the duo directly.


    ¡°Like I said before, the slums are always looking for new residents.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°We will let you go but we will no longer be paying for your stay here in the Dawn. That room and your meals are costing me gold coins per day.¡± He explained.


    Margaret nodded in understanding. She had to make a decision before Celeste closed the Dawn for the night. ¡°Fifteen gold per week of our pay will go to paying off what we owe you, for now.¡± She declared. With food and clothing covered directly by Isaac and Lenna as household expenses they didn¡¯t have any expenses to worry about for themselves.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°Not about taking the job but about using all of your available money immediately? What about if something happens to one of you, or us?¡±


    ¡°At fifteen gold per week, what we owe you will be paid off entirely before Madeline¡¯s eighteenth birthday.¡± Margaret explained. ¡°I want her to be able to choose her own future and find her own path. The last thing I want is to tie her down with me until half of her life has gone by.¡±


    ¡°Mom, I-¡± Madeline began but a look from her mother silenced her with a promise to discuss it further at a later time.


    ¡°If that is what you are after then I am willing to make a change to the contract. It is going to cost me fifty gold for each of you to be trained at Duke Arbencroft¡¯s manor by his maids. I was originally planning to just cover it but everything must come with a tradeoff.¡± Isaac began. ¡°We can segment what you owe into three sections of one thousand and fifty gold. Once each segment is paid off then the corresponding individual will be released from the contract. At that point if they still wish to be employed by us then we can draft up a more conventional contract for employment.¡±


    Margaret blinked at him in stunned silence for a long moment. ¡°Really? Just like that?¡± She questioned.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied simply. ¡°There will be the expectation that a replacement is trained before they leave but finding the replacement will be on us. If no replacement can be found in a reasonable time, say three months, then that expectation will be voided.¡±


    Margaret nodded along with Isaac. ¡°I, uh, thank you.¡± She told him. ¡°This means more to me than you can imagine.¡± She seemed to remember something at that moment and her eyes widened a bit. ¡°You never planned for us to just leave once the contract was up, did you?¡±


    Isaac smirked. ¡°What made you think of that?¡± He wondered.


    ¡°Near the bottom of the page it stated that for every year of service we would each receive a one silver per week increase in wage. That was you laying the groundwork for future employment contracts. Yearly raises without stipulations are unheard of. If that would become negotiable after the original contract was concluded then a simple live-in maid could potentially be earning a dozen or more gold per week without any expenses of her own by the time she is my age.¡± She looked over at her youngest daughter. ¡°How far into the future do you see?¡± She asked Isaac as she turned back to him. ¡°I apologize, as my employer and the Lord of the house, I was disrespectful.¡± She added quickly with a seated bow.


    ¡°I hope that our shared futures will be mutually beneficial and your daughters grow up to be as sharp as you are.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°As to the question and perceived disrespect, the answer is far yet as near as closed eyelids, it was no disrespect but a breach of decorum that will be trained and practiced out of you. The duchess¡¯s maids trained my retainer quite well and I have high hopes for you.¡±


    It was at that moment that Isaac¡¯s previous mentioning of the duke¡¯s manor seemed to slot into place in Margaret¡¯s mind. ¡°The Duchess?¡± Margaret repeated with wide eyes. ¡°We are to be trained under a high-noble¡¯s supervision?¡±


    ¡°Yes and no.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Sera does not have the time nor the patience to oversee your training herself. Her head maid will not even be doing it but rather the woman who is set to take the head maid¡¯s position when she retires.¡±


    Margaret nodded in understanding. ¡°Of course.¡± She all but whispered. ¡°If I may ask, why is the assistant to the head maid of a ducal house training us?¡±


    ¡°Because Duchess Serentia Von Arbencroft is a wonderful woman who promised to train our manor staff after her husband, Duke Izen Von Arbencroft built us a manor in the city.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°Their titles aside, those two are very important friends of ours and your attitudes will be directly reflected onto us. Mistakes are fine but bad attitudes are not.¡±


    Margaret nodded rapidly. ¡°Of course, my Lord, we will be on our best behavior.¡± She promised him. ¡°Once our contract has been revised and signed.¡±


    ¡°Naturally.¡± Isaac replied with a smirk.

 Chapter 103 You’ll Know Where To Find Me

    Chapter 103 You¡¯ll Know Where To Find Me


    ¡°My Lord, my Lady.¡± Kathrin greeted them with a bow. She glanced at the three women behind the duo. ¡°I have been informed by her Grace of the situation and will see to the task at hand. We can only hope that they take to the position with as high an aptitude as master Shamesh.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Kathrin, though I would try not to hold the children to the same level of perfection.¡± Lenna told the woman. ¡°In descending order this is Margaret, the mother, Madeline and then Martha, the children.¡±


    Kathrin nodded to the three that would soon be in her care. ¡°Greetings, I am Kathrin, maid of house Arbencroft.¡± She told them. ¡°Now, her Grace wished for me to pass on some information that had slipped her mind.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°I take it this is about something important with how you¡¯ve been eyeing the newcomers.¡±


    Kathrin bowed her head in both acknowledgement and apology. ¡°Yes. The celebrations in the capital are beginning today and continuing on for just over two full weeks. While they are away, Captain Timothy and the Guild receptionists have been instructed to go to you with any problems that they cannot handle on their own. Her Grace thanks you for your assistance and understanding.¡± Kathrin explained.


    ¡°I take it everyone else is out of town then.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°I thought Edward was done with social events but I guess this is an exception. Very well.¡± Isaac said with a nod. ¡°We will leave these three in your very capable hands.¡±


    ¡°Thank you and it is my pleasure to be of service.¡± Kathrin replied with a bow.


    Isaac turned towards the trio that would become their manor¡¯s staff. ¡°If you need anything that Kathrin cannot help you with, someone can assist you in contacting us or Celeste.¡± He told them.


    Lenna smiled at the girls. ¡°Kathrin is very nice but she will have to be a little strict with you so your training can get over with faster.¡± Lenna explained. Margaret and the girls thanked them before the duo left to lounge about town for the following two weeks. They were not left entirely alone over the course of those two weeks however. Shamesh could only handle so much of Jala¡¯s prodding while she helped him with the Nebulous Warehouse spell. Alexander had been forced to push him off onto her right when he was about to get the spell down for good. It had taken a whole four days to get back to the point where he had been but with a different teacher. By the time the night of the full moon came around again he was finally able to cast the spell with confidence.


    Shamesh stood before Alice, Isaac, and Lenna in one of the Guild¡¯s storage rooms. ¡°A chest for my treasures, a place for my pleasantries, a box for my curios, a capsule for my memories.¡± He chanted and an amorphous swirl of colors and liquid fog coalesced in front of him. It was like a dozen cans of paint that refused to mix but could also sort of be seen through. The pastel gyre swirled in front of him and he turned to look at Isaac. ¡°Telekinesis, my Lord?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied.


    Shamesh nodded and reached out with his hands and power. The throne of dark gray stone decorated with ornate platinum engravings lifted off the ground and was slowly pushed into the vortex. The Nebulous Warehouse was only around three feet tall but once Shamesh touched it with the throne the maelstrom of color expanded to fully subsume it. Once it was inside, Shamesh turned to Isaac. ¡°As for getting it out, I do not believe it will be a gentle process.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°I cannot affect it with telekinesis while it is inside the warehouse. I can withdraw it but as soon as I do it will fall at least fifteen inches to the ground.¡± Shamesh explained.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I guess it can¡¯t be perfect but that is good enough. Thank you Shamesh, and it is good to know that you are truly capable of learning new spells. How was that by the way? Working with the entirety of the mana spectrum on a spell that you didn¡¯t instinctively know how to cast?¡± This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡°It was strange.¡± Shamesh confessed. ¡°Moving the mana that is inside of me to create new runes inside my core and mind with conscious effort was not something that I was used to. Magus Alexander was incredibly patient with me even though he was very busy. Lady L¡¯Vore was less interested in teaching me as she was in watching me struggle to cast it.¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not surprised.¡± He grumbled. ¡°Well, at least now you can carry stuff like I can. How much more can you fit in there?¡±


    ¡°It is very difficult to know for sure. The exact integrity of the dimensional pocket is nebulous at best.¡± Shamesh explained.


    ¡°Ugh that pun was awful.¡± Alice groaned with a smile.


    ¡°Pun?¡± Shamesh questioned. ¡°Oh.¡± He stated once he realized where he had accidentally made one. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°If you had to take a guess at the minimum and maximum amount of weight and or volume you could add, how much would it be?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°At least a bar of copper and at most almost another throne.¡± Shamesh replied. ¡°I know that it can take more but not as much as what is already inside it. The exact statistics of the spell vary from mage to mage based on mana potency and how precise the original spell was that created it.¡±


    ¡°I take it the spell to access it is different from the one used to create it in the first place then.¡± Isaac surmised.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Shamesh confirmed. ¡°It was a ritual that Lady L¡¯Vore drew out for me and I powered once it was completed.¡±


    ¡°Then there shouldn¡¯t be very many, if any at all, better created Nebulous Warehouses on the planet. Your mana potency is at least as strong as a living grand magus and Jala is a true master at the art of rituals.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°That is good to know. Maybe one day your warehouse will no longer need to house the throne, but for now, I am glad that we can get it out of Alice¡¯s storeroom.¡±


    ¡°I am too.¡± Alice replied. ¡°I couldn¡¯t move it and I couldn¡¯t exactly put anything else in here with it now could I. It¡¯s a good thing that everything has calmed down. Before you two showed up we never needed this room anyway but with all the craziness that was going on there for a while every room was being used.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of, everything has been running fine without the boss?¡± Isaac wondered.


    Alice rolled her eyes. ¡°He was half of our trouble. Though, he does already have a stack of forms and letters to address when he gets back. One of them smelled like cinnamon and iron. It was really weird.¡± She rambled on.


    ¡°You smelled his letters?¡± Lenna questioned. This might have been a new level of nosy for the twins.


    ¡°No¡­ maybe one or two¡­ but only the ones that we didn¡¯t know who they were from.¡± Alice tried to defend her and her sister to no avail. ¡°Listen, we wouldn¡¯t be so curious if anyone told us what was going on!¡±


    ¡°Alice,¡± Isaac began. ¡°usually anything you tell us we would keep to ourselves in good confidence.¡±


    ¡°No, please.¡± Alice begged.


    ¡°But there are at least two people that will get a kick out of this that absolutely must be told.¡± Isaac finished. ¡°One of them being Edward.¡±


    Alice¡¯s eyes looked like saucers plastered onto her face as she gave Isaac the biggest puppy-dog eyes he had ever seen. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell him. We¡¯ll, I¡¯ll do anything.¡± She pleaded.


    ¡°I would take that back.¡± Lenna warned the tiny receptionist. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t offer to do anything in exchange for something to someone like Isaac.¡± Alice turned to her with still giant eyes. ¡°Oh I am with Isaac on this one, a certain someone might pass out from laughing so hard when they get back.¡±


    ¡ª


    Isaac and Lenna found themselves approached by Clayton out of nowhere only a short while after they left Alice to explain to her twin how their ¡®expert¡¯ sleuthing was about to be exposed. ¡°Eliza has given me a list of requirements in order for him to create the sword of legend that you are asking for.¡± He told them by way of greeting. ¡°Is now a good time?¡±


    Isaac and Lenna shared a look and then Isaac nodded. ¡°Sure. I take it you have it in writing.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Clayton replied.


    ¡°Then we are ready when you are.¡± Isaac prodded the wizard to continue.


    ¡°Firstly, the time frame is two and a half years at best.¡± Clayton started off with news that already made Isaac frown. ¡°Secondly the price will be two hundred and fifty thousand gold as well as twenty mana stones filled with Lady V¡¯Nova¡¯s mana. The mana stones may need to be refilled at a later date in order to finish the weapon. If there are any problems then the price and duration will increase. Additionally, while he is working on it, he will not be working on any other items for anyone else or for you. Because of that, he requires all of the money and resources up front.¡±


    ¡°That is insane.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I know that what we are asking for is not something that has been done before but a quarter of a million gold coins up front is ridiculous.¡±


    Clayton sighed. ¡°I know. That is what I said when he told me as well but he was dead set on the terms. If for some reason he is not able to finish the weapon in five years time then he will refund everything except the first two hundred and fifty thousand gold.¡± Clayton explained. ¡°That is the only protection for your investment that he was willing to give. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Isaac sighed and rubbed his temples. ¡°Let¡¯s think on it.¡± Lenna told him while resting her hand on his arm. ¡°I know that it will be an amazing sword but sometimes the price is too high. We need to decide if that price is too much.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± He agreed. ¡°We¡¯ll get back to you, Clayton.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Clayton replied. ¡°You will know where to find me.¡±

 Chapter 104 Worn But Never Needed

    Clayton¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh! I almost forgot!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°There was another reason I came to find you.¡± He told them and dug into his Bottomless Bag for something. A moment later he withdrew a small wooden box. ¡°Your rings were completed.¡±


    Isaac took the offered box and handed it to Lenna to open. Lenna slowly opened the lid to reveal a paired set of onyx and diamond rings. The entirety of the bands were made of the two crystals and layered with golden enchantment runes. The four rings were nestled in individual slots carved into the interior of the box. The reason for them being kept well away from each other was because Isaac had wanted them to fuse together on their wedding day. Each of the onyx rings carried with them the enchantment that would cause them to glow when the wearer of the other ring was in pain. Unfortunately it did not care how much pain the other person was in just that they were in pain. Each of the diamond ones carried with them the soul shielding effect of the Protection from Divination enchantment.


    ¡°They look just like how I imagined they would.¡± Isaac said.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°They are beautiful. The gold looks very dark against the diamond and the opposite against the onyx. It makes the enchantment runes standout quite beautifully.¡± She complimented them. ¡°Put mine on me.¡± She told him and held out her left hand.


    Isaac smiled warmly at her and withdrew the diamond ring that fit her. ¡°I¡¯ll need to take the silver one off in order to put the diamond one on.¡± He explained.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wear them all at the same time?¡± She questioned.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°You can, but the silver one will need to go on your other hand.¡± He explained.


    Lenna handed the box back to Clayton so both of her hands were free. She quickly moved the silver promise ring that Isaac had buried in a chocolate cake those many weeks ago. She put it on her ring finger on her right hand and then handed him her left one. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± She told him.


    Isaac smiled warmly at her and took her hand in his. He gently slipped the crystal band over her knuckles and into place. There was a small divot and a small bump on opposing ends of the exterior edge of the ring. That was where the onyx ring would slot into place and they would become one inseparable ring of onyx, diamond, and gold. ¡°Thank you for agreeing to marry me.¡± Isaac told her.


    ¡°Thank you for asking me.¡± Lenna replied with the most radiant smile Isaac had seen from her up until that point. ¡°I love you, Isaac Wexler.¡±


    ¡°I love you too, Lenna V¡¯Nova.¡± Isaac replied with so much love in his heart that he felt like it was about to burst. Just then, the sound of breaking glass brought the world around them back into focus.


    Isaac and Lenna both jerked slightly and honed in on the origin point of the sound. A middle-aged man with disheveled hair and a slight flush to his face stood dumbstruck a dozen feet from them. Their entire conversation had taken place just outside of the Celestial Dawn as that was where Clayton had caught them. The drunken man had just let the bottle slip out of his hand while he watched the romantic spectacle.


    Across the street a woman stage-whispered to her partner: ¡°If even the scary black magic man can be romantic to his lover then why can¡¯t you?!¡± Her words made Lenna blush as she too had forgotten about the world around them as soon as the rings had come into view.


    Clayton cleared his throat. ¡°Well, now that your moment has been sufficiently ruined, congratulations, again, but I really must be going.¡± He apologized and handed the box back to Lenna. Lenna took the box from him without even realizing it and then looked at Isaac with wide eyes. Clayton nodded to them both and took his leave immediately afterwards.


    ¡°Someone is bound to see you as more than just a beautiful killing machine at some point.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°I know how you are about public displays of affection but I¡¯m pretty sure that the entire city will know about this by tomorrow.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°It is also going to get exaggerated all the while.¡± Lenna groaned. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t we have had this conversation inside?¡±


    ¡°Because then this lovely turn of events wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡± Isaac replied with a grin.


    ¡°You¡¯re killing me.¡± Lenna exaggerated. ¡°I feel as though I could die of embarrassment in any heartbeat.¡±


    Isaac laughed. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside and get you a drink. Then no one would be able to tell if it was the alcohol or the embarrassment that has you red in the face.¡± He teased her. Lenna narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He replied. ¡°But this is quite fun. And you, my darling beautiful ancient warrior, are rarely this adorable, so I am making the most of it.¡± Lenna kicked him in the shin.


    ¡ª


    Sometime before Sera, Izen, and their entourage returned, a certain graying ginger haired woman came knocking. Isaac and Lenna were relaxing in their room, reading some of the pile of books they often borrowed from the Guild library, when the knock had come. Lenna, who was closer to the door, got up and opened it to reveal Jessica Silverstrand standing in the doorway with a huge grin. ¡°They are finished.¡± She told them proudly. Her gray eyes were practically glowing and her silver and auburn stranded hair was a slight mess from the rush that she had been in to meet the duo.


    ¡°Jessica?¡± Isaac said from over his book. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. What¡¯s finished?¡± He questioned and then got a good look at her face.


    ¡°The drider silk clothes.¡± Lenna stated. ¡°The treatments are finished?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Jessica replied. ¡°I did not want to bring them out of the shop without someone capable of guarding them but I absolutely had to tell you as soon as they were finished. It is a shame that Sera is in the capital right now. Oh I cannot wait to show her!¡±


    Isaac chuckled at the older-middle aged woman¡¯s excitement. ¡°Do you want us to go see them tonight or can we wait until the morning?¡± Isaac asked her. ¡°I am excited to see them too but, well, how do I put it nicely?¡±


    ¡°You need sleep.¡± Lenna told the younger woman. ¡°There are bags under your eyes that one night¡¯s rest will not get rid of.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Jessica exclaimed and clapped her face. ¡°I see.¡± She said with a yawn. It was as if any exhaustion had been put off until she had the time to notice it and Isaac and Lenna had just pointed it out. ¡°Yes. Tomorrow.¡± She agreed.


    ¡°Stay in one of Celeste¡¯s spare rooms tonight and when you get up in the morning we will go to the shop to see them.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°It won¡¯t do to have the best dressmaker in Safeharbor pass out from exhaustion on the street.¡±


    Jessica nodded. ¡°Okay, yes, I will do that.¡± She told them and turned to leave.


    ¡°Rest well, Jessica.¡± Lenna told the dressmaker.


    ¡°Goodnight.¡± Isaac added.


    ¡°Goodnight.¡± Jessica parroted. Little did the dressmaker know but she would not be up in time for breakfast the next day.


    ¡ª


    Inside what amounted to an armored and warded warehouse stuffed behind the Silverstrand Seamstress there were spools of drider silk and a bag of clippings and threads that were too short to use properly. There were mannequins with padding strapped and clipped onto them to make them the same size as the person that was going to wear whatever had been on them. There were barrels of an expensive treatment that would make the naturally extremely flammable drider silk completely fire retardant. The shop was eerily silent as the Silverstrands, that had been working in it up until the night before, were now all resting or enjoying the freedom that came from a finished project.


    ¡°This place feels like an old ruin that was frozen in time.¡± Isaac commented as Jessica tapped on an iron slate just inside the door that caused all of the magical lanterns to turn on. Some of them were the yellow of firelight, some of them were the sharp white of glowing stones, and even more of them were the soft white of the summer sun. The reason for the myriad of lights was so that the colors of their projects could be inspected in every manner of lighting that they would be observed in.


    ¡°They worked hard on these. Drider silk has such low friction and is so fine yet slightly stretchy that it is awful to work with.¡± Jessica explained.


    ¡°You looked like you worked quite hard yourself.¡± Lenna commented.


    ¡°I was not working with the silk at all. The reason for my exhaustion was that I was doing everything else while the girls worked with it.¡± Jessica explained. She led them over to a mannequin dressed in a petticoat and corset. The undergarments were made of fine silver silk that looked shiny but was not reflective. On a chair next to it was a folded pair of under armor for Lenna. ¡°All I can say is both of you had better not have lost or gained any weight.¡± Jessica told Lenna. ¡°They were made to your measurements but unlike most clothing, modifications cannot be done properly if at all. It is what it is.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°I understand.¡± She replied and hesitantly set her hand on her new clothes. ¡°It¡¯s soft.¡± She whispered.


    ¡°Of course, it is silk.¡± Jessica told her. ¡°Well, try it on.¡± Lenna looked at her wide eyed. ¡°Oh not here, you know where the fitting room is.¡± She replied and waved her along. Once Lenna was on her way, Jessica turned to Isaac. ¡°This gift, for my friend, thank you.¡± She told him. ¡°I know that it was me and mine that did all the work but this is still a priceless artifact that you are giving her.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I know.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Sera is our greatest benefactor and patron, not to mention an amazing friend. I couldn¡¯t let anything happen to her. If anything happens to me, I need to know that someone with real power will be looking out for Lenna. There were too many reasons for me to ensure her safety to not give her something like this. My hope is that it is worn but never needed, for both of them.¡±

 Chapter 105 A Lot Of What’s Happened

    Chapter 105 A Lot Of What¡¯s Happened


    Isaac and Lenna¡¯s time as the temporary go-to for problems and issues went by far smoother than either of them expected. Thankfully, Izen and Edward were good at finding competent people even though Tim had not been chosen for his competence. The guardsman had been chosen for his firm character and absolute loyalty which was all well and good in a normal guardsman, but was not the only metric a leader should be chosen by. Tim had grown into his position after many years of service and was now a solid commander of the Safeharbor Guard. On the other hand, Alecia and Alexis were both friendly and competent girls who could be serious when they needed to be but were usually more prone to goofing off. While the Guild Master was away they had almost completely shelved the goofing off part and entirely leaned into their competence. The pair of them ran the Safeharbor branch of what was commonly known as the Adventurers¡¯ Guild without any immediate problems. Isaac and Lenna didn¡¯t know what Edward would return to, but there hadn¡¯t been any problems that needed someone in power¡¯s immediate intervention at least.


    It had been a day over two weeks when Isaac and Lenna finally got the message that Sera and Izen had returned from the capital. It had been a simple letter that was brought to them by a guardsman directly. Inside the letter, Captain Tim had explained that they were relieved of the duty of ¡®Temporary High Authority¡¯ in the city and were now free to carry on as usual. The only thing that Isaac and Lenna had actually changed from their regular schedule was that they didn¡¯t go hunting while Sera and Izen were away. The two still practiced their music in the Orchestral Hall and still raided the Guild and public libraries regularly. They still sparred and practiced their combat techniques, though now they did most of it in the basement of their new home, and they still stayed in the Celestial Dawn.


    After dismissing the guardsman Isaac turned to Lenna. ¡°Well, that was a relaxing two weeks. I¡¯m beginning to think that maybe it isn¡¯t us that attracts all of the craziness, but Izen.¡± He told her.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°I do not think it is a matter of attracting craziness but rather a simple case of falling dominos brought about by your entry to our world.¡± She explained. ¡°A lot of what¡¯s happened came about simply because you were here. Lua sent me to you because she knew that you wouldn¡¯t have any prejudice against me and would take me in. That set off my uncle who then did everything from an assassination attempt to subterfuge to an actual city crushing raiding party. His demise then caused Shamsha to be sent after us which led to the skeleton invasion, and our climactic battle with the lich from ancient times.¡±


    ¡°The mushroomancer thing probably wasn¡¯t my fault but was a classic case of ¡®wrong place, wrong time¡¯ or ¡®right place, right time¡¯ depending on how you look at it.¡± Isaac continued from next to where Lenna had left off. ¡°Capturing your aunt and uncle was by sheer happenstance. I¡¯m sure that given enough time and enough problems, the Flame Ravens would have been sent after them. I doubt it would have gone smoothly with how insanely lethal Fen is when he needs to be. They might have had to call in a double platinum team to deal with Fen and whatever monstrosities Jala had cooked up.¡± He went on.


    ¡°But Judgment and Time would definitely not have come here had you not gone on about you being a demigod.¡± Lenna added. ¡°That one is entirely on you.¡±


    ¡°True.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°But honestly, that didn¡¯t affect Safeharbor very much as a whole. Out of all of the craziness, I think the demigods showing up are towards the bottom of the list. A lot has happened in the last seven and a half months. I can¡¯t take responsibility for Mister Nobody, though. That one was already going on long before we came around.¡±


    ¡°That is fair.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°It has been the most eventful half a year of my entire life.¡± She told him. ¡°Soon it¡¯ll be our wedding and then we are off to travel the surface. What am I going to do about the sun? Are we going to exclusively travel at night?¡±


    ¡°We could add black glass lenses to the inside of your helmet to work as sunglasses.¡± Isaac offered. ¡°If that isn¡¯t enough, then yeah, we can travel mostly at night.¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°That is an interesting idea.¡± Lenna commented. ¡°We can give it a try when the time arises.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Isaac began with a sigh as he plopped back onto the bed. ¡°now what do we do with ourselves?¡± He asked her. ¡°We have a while until the wedding but nothing to hunt and no obvious adventurers to be had.¡±


    ¡°We can continue living our lives as we have been.¡± Lenna offered. ¡°Most people¡¯s lives are not a continuous string of adventurers and near death experiences.¡±


    ¡°Yeah but where¡¯s the fun in that?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Great.¡± Lenna said with an eye roll. ¡°Now something has to happen. I can guarantee that you just spoke something into existence, again.¡±


    ¡°Okay but at least I didn¡¯t specifically mention something.¡± Isaac defended himself.


    ¡°I think that might be worse.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°At least then I would know what to expect.¡±


    Isaac looked contemplative for a long moment before he sat up abruptly. ¡°I know what it¡¯s going to be.¡± He told her.


    ¡°Lua, give me strength.¡± Lenna prayed aloud.


    ¡°Judgment is going to come back and it¡¯s going to be a whole thing.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°He¡¯s been gone for a while and he definitely looked like he was going to come back last time we saw him. On top of that, he was going to check in with someone important on how to handle us, well, me. That was more or less the entire reason Lady Jikan showed up.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it is less you speaking things into existence and more you just making connections subconsciously.¡± Lenna commented. ¡°Who knows, maybe you¡¯ll be wrong this time and Judgment will just send a letter like a normal person.¡±


    Isaac barked a laugh. ¡°Judgment, act like a normal person?¡± He questioned with a chuckle. ¡°That¡¯ll be the day I wear a pink suit.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that.¡± Lenna promised him. ¡°If that day ever comes, I will remember this conversation.¡±


    ¡°For a day.¡± Isaac added quickly. ¡°I don¡¯t think I would survive wearing a pink suit for more than a day or two.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°I am glad that you had an uneventful time.¡± Sera told them with a sigh after they finished informing her of the happenings while they were away. ¡°Two weeks of noble insanity was far too much for my old heart.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Marie said from beside her with a scowl. ¡°You should have skipped more of the events. Most of those were for the younger nobles anyway.¡±


    ¡°Someone had to be there for poor Lucius. He looked like a drowning man in a thunderstorm.¡± Sera countered. ¡°Those wolves looked like they wanted to devour him alive.¡±


    ¡°They certainly wanted something from him.¡± Marie replied.


    ¡°Marie!¡± Sera exclaimed. ¡°That is my son! I do not even want to think about it.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like you weren¡¯t the only one to have a tough time of it.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°Lucius looked like he could handle himself pretty well. Was it really that bad?¡±


    ¡°Every single event he went to there were at least four vultures circling him. The worst part is that none of them have even been here before. The only one that has been here before, that I am willing to entertain as being my daughter-in-law, is Count Clarkson¡¯s daughter. She is not even technically a noble as that title is not passed down hereditarily.¡± Sera went on. ¡°Even so, she seemed like a sweet girl last we talked.¡±


    ¡°That was seven years ago.¡± Marie countered. ¡°She barely even looked at Lucius at any of the events.¡±


    ¡°That is a great sign.¡± Sera said with a grin. ¡°That means that she is not only after him because of his looks, like all of those wasps.¡±


    Isaac laughed. ¡°Which are they, wolves, vultures, or wasps?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Sera exclaimed. ¡°All of the those and then some. I have not even gotten to piranhas, sharks, wyverns, termites, or harpies.¡±


    ¡°Pecurke, hive spiders, grave wraiths, and will-o-wisps.¡± Lenna added.


    ¡°Yes, and those too.¡± Sera agreed. ¡°They are all¡­ all¡­ tramps.¡±


    ¡°Sera?!¡± Marie said with wide eyes like she had just heard something that she never thought she would. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that is going a bit far? Like, I would expect that from a Heidenbrug but never from you.¡±


    ¡°Oh pish, they deserve it for hanging all over my son like he is some prized bull.¡± Sera countered much to Isaac and Lenna¡¯s amusement.


    ¡°Well, all ranting about the endless line of women attempting to saddle your son aside, we do actually have a reason to be here other than just your amazing tea.¡± Isaac changed the subject before Sera gave herself a stroke.


    ¡°Oh? Something good I hope.¡± Sera replied.


    ¡°It is. It is also something that we should get your husband for, after all, he is part of the reason it was even possible.¡± Isaac told her.


    Sera leaned forwards in her seat. ¡°Now I absolutely must know. What have you and my husband been doing behind my back?¡±

 Chapter 106 It’s Been A Bit.

    Chapter 106 It¡¯s Been A Bit.


    ¡°Isaac,¡± Sera began and turned to look at Isaac and Lenna. She saw Isaac¡¯s smirk and Lenna smile as she shifted her gaze from one to the other. ¡°Lenna, what is this?¡±


    ¡°Happy late birthday.¡± Lenna told her friend with a warm smile. ¡°It was Isaac¡¯s original idea. Jessica made some corrections along the way, but here it is. We hope that it will keep you as safe against physical injury, as you have kept us against politics.¡±


    ¡°I, I do not know what to say?¡± Sera stammered and turned to her husband. ¡°You knew about this?¡±


    Izen nodded. ¡°Yes. I warned them about possible political issues and ordered the treatment for the silk. This was their idea and doing, all I had to do was keep a secret.¡± He explained.


    ¡°I was all for it.¡± Marie chimed in from a step behind Sera as she peered over her friend¡¯s shoulder to get a good look at the hanging drider silk corset and petticoat.


    ¡°You knew too?!¡± Sera exclaimed. ¡°Did everyone know except me?¡±


    ¡°It was only us in this room and the entire Silverstrand family, as far as I am aware.¡± Isaac offered her. ¡°So, do you like it?¡±


    ¡°Like it?!¡± Sera exclaimed as she looked around between her friends and husband.


    It was then that the Arbencroft Heir walked into the room and took a look at his mother and her gift in front of her. ¡°So it¡¯s done then?¡± He asked rhetorically.


    ¡°You knew too?!¡± Sera cried out much to Isaac and Lenna¡¯s amusement.


    ¡°Well, make sure it fits.¡± Isaac told her through a chuckle. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t, Jessica is going to blow a fu-¡± Isaac winced in pain. ¡°gask- a seal.¡± Isaac finally settled on something that made sense given the technological level of the planet he was on.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Lucius asked Isaac. ¡°That does not look normal.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Isaac said.


    ¡°He¡¯s fine.¡± Lenna said at the same time.


    ¡°The point still stands. If it doesn¡¯t fit, then make sure to add some padding or lose some weight because I don¡¯t think any of us want to break the news to Jessica.¡± Isaac told Sera.


    ¡°I have taken great care to maintain my figure, thank you. If it is Jessica¡¯s work then I am sure it will fit perfectly.¡± Sera replied.


    ¡°Well don¡¯t just stare at it, come on.¡± Marie said as she pushed past Sera and grabbed the garments. She held open the door to a dressing room that was adjacent to the sitting room that they were in. ¡°Let¡¯s go. The sooner you have this on, the better, as far as I¡¯m concerned.¡±


    ¡°I, uh, I am coming.¡± Sera stammered and hurried after her. At the doorway she turned around and looked at Isaac and Lenna. ¡°Thank you, both of you, this is a gift worth far more than the little that I have done fo-¡±


    Marie yanked her through the doorway and closed the door. Through the door could be heard Marie¡¯s voice saying: ¡°Stop being mushy and try it on already.¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Izen chuckled and shook his head at Marie¡¯s antics. ¡°Picking up where my wife left off,¡± He began. ¡°this is worth far more than what we have done for you. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Think of it as a down payment for all of the mediocre and missed birthday presents that are no doubt going to come in the future.¡± Isaac told him with a smile.


    ¡°That is right, you are going to be traveling the surface for a while.¡± Izen commented.


    ¡°You are? When?¡± Lucius questioned.


    ¡°After the wedding.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°There are many places we would like to see, but this is still our home.¡±


    ¡°Do you want a gui-¡± Lucius began.


    ¡°No.¡± His father cut him off. ¡°If they require a guide, then I am sure that we can find someone that is not you to guide them.¡± He shook his head and then turned back to the duo. ¡°What are your plans between now and the wedding?¡± He asked them.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°The wedding is less than a month away and starting another adventure in the meantime sounds like an awful idea.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°I am inclined to agree, but we both know that something new will happen before then.¡± She added.


    Izen nodded with a serious look on his face. ¡°Yes, life is never dull for long around you two.¡± He told them.


    Lenna rolled her eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t know the half of it, did you hear about the time Lua appeared in our bedroom?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I have.¡± Lucius piped up.


    ¡ª


    Luckily the drider silk undergarments fit Sera just as well as Lenna¡¯s had fit her. After leaving the Arbencroft estate, the duo went about their lives as they had been with a few minor adjustments. Isaac and Lenna had decided to begin moving towards their next level ups while they had the downtime. With the incredible amount of gold that they had looted from Shamsha¡¯s demidimension they were comfortable living for a century, as long as they didn¡¯t make any huge purchases, even with paying their new staff their due wages.


    The main change to the pair¡¯s schedule was that every third day they would spend the entire twenty four hours cooped up in their basement practicing. On occasion it had interfered with the men moving the new furniture into the building but that was just an unfortunate byproduct of Lenna¡¯s aura training. Lenna knew that her next milestone was aura related, again. This time it was just the next step on her aura strengthening journey. She had to maintain her aura, in an area around her, without directly affecting anything or anyone, not even herself, within an area of five times her height. It was a nightmare of aura control and strength in and of itself, but the further requirement of keeping it active and in that state for a full twenty four hours was what really pushed Lenna to her absolute limits.


    For Isaac, his training was a bit different. It was a frustratingly simple idea but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t accomplish it. He knew that in theory he should be able to enact his will on the shadows and have them continue to do what he had told them to, even once a direct connection had been removed. He had thrown spears and arrows of shadows before and those rarely had a direct connection to him once they left arms reach. Those had maintained their state for a least a second before the shadows dispersed back into the mana stream. As far as he could tell, there shouldn¡¯t have been any reason on why they couldn¡¯t maintain their integrity once he told them to. It was a hiccup that had quickly driven him up a wall. It was during one of these training sessions that he had had a first: He was happy to have Judgment show up.


    Judgment did the polite thing and waited patiently for Isaac and Lenna at the gate to their home. He hadn¡¯t needed to wait long for the pair and when he noticed Lenna¡¯s aura, and what she was doing with it, he gave her the slightest of approving nods before he returned his entire attention back to Isaac.


    ¡°Judgment, it¡¯s been a bit.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°I see you¡¯ve been well.¡± Isaac¡¯s statement was as much truth as it was sarcasm. He wasn¡¯t specifically trying to get under the demigod¡¯s skin but the slightly snide greeting had come too naturally for Isaac to stop until it had already been said.


    ¡°Likewise.¡± Judgment replied simply. ¡°I come with a request as well as a declaration.¡± He explained. ¡°It has come to my attention that some things should be kept private.¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°Did Space tell you that?¡± He asked and waved him inside.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Judgment stated and lowered himself until his bare feet seemed to stand flat on the air half an inch above the ground. He walked through the open gate and followed the pair into their home. Just inside the door, Isaac and Lenna slipped off their boots and into slippers.


    ¡°I would offer you a pair, but we have not finished renovating.¡± Lenna told the demigod in their entree way. ¡°I hope you understand.¡±


    Judgment nodded to her. ¡°I do.¡± He told her. ¡°And there is no need, my feet will not dirty your floor, nor will it dirty my feet.¡±


    Lenna nodded in reply. ¡°Then come to our dining room. It is the only place with chairs at the moment.¡±


    Judgment followed behind Isaac and Lenna until they reached a long table lined with chairs on both sides and two on each end. The head of the table was two seats wide so the pair of them would always be seated shoulder to shoulder as they looked upon their guests and dinner. Isaac and Lenna took their seats at the head and Isaac gestured towards the rest of the table. ¡°Take any seat you wish.¡± Isaac offered him.


    Judgment looked at the pair of chairs at the foot of the table and at the long line of chairs that ran between them and the head of the table. If he took a seat at the foot of the table, then he would be able to look straight at Isaac while he was talking to him, but then it would feel like he was forced to raise his voice to simply talk to the dark mage. He eventually settled on taking a seat near Isaac with only one chair between them. The entire time, even while he was sitting, Judgment never directly touched anything. It was as if he was being repelled by everything around him that wasn¡¯t white and brilliant glowing gold. ¡°Thank you.¡± Judgment said as a courtesy once he was seated.


    Isaac nodded in reply. ¡°Now, you said something about a declaration and a request?¡±

 Chapter 107 Request

    Chapter 107 Request


    ¡°The request is simple and one that every demigod has done at least once. Space is the ¡®first among equals¡¯ and has seen all of our Status Pages. The request is from him.¡± Judgment began. ¡°The declaration must wait until I have heard your answer.¡±


    Isaac narrowed his eyes at Judgment. ¡°I have not met Space and thus will not accept his request. If you, Judgment, needed to see it so all of you would leave me alone for a while, we could work something out.¡± Isaac offered. ¡°I would, of course, require a vow of silence from you first. But my real question is why? Why is it needed?¡±


    ¡°Space has a special Identify ritual that reveals a person¡¯s divinity.¡± Judgment replied simply. ¡°The declaration is as follows: Isaac Wexler, of another world come to ours, has been tested and was found to be inexperienced, violent, distrustful, and potentially dishonest. He was also found to be neutral, loyal, and resolute, as well as capable of empathy, foresight, trust, art, and honor. In light of these things, until the next Council meeting convenes, all demigods are to maintain a stance of neutrality against him unless directly provoked.¡±


    ¡°Council meeting?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°That is for demigods, and only demigods.¡± Judgment stated.


    ¡°When is it?¡± Isaac wondered. ¡°I would like to know when a change in attitude against me might arrive.¡±


    Judgment shook his head. ¡°I am maintaining a neutral stance.¡± He told Isaac simply. ¡°With that, I will leave and inform Space of your answer.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Judgment replied. ¡°Shall I leave the way I entered?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll walk you out.¡± Lenna said and rose from her chair. When Isaac moved to follow her, she shook her head slightly and led Judgment towards the front door of their home. Once they were out of line of sight of Isaac, Lenna continued to make conversation with Judgment. ¡°Judgment, I understand your stance of neutrality, but how do you feel, personally, about my husband and I?¡±


    Judgment had hardly looked at her, not out of any ill will but simply because she was not the reason that he was there. This time his eyes locked onto her as they moved through the sitting room. ¡°I do not like him. He lacks respect and restraint. You at least understand your place as a mortal. My only irritation at you was for your part in my previous demise, though I know the righteousness in it. That is all.¡± He answered her directly.


    Lenna nodded in acceptance of his answer. ¡°Thank you, Judgment, for the answer and the visit. Though, I believe that it is customary to offer a token gift when arriving unannounced. This time we were not able to offer you proper hospitality, however, if you were to arrive with, say, tea or flowers from your homeland, I would make sure to offer you our utmost hospitality.¡± She told him as they reached the end of the V¡¯Nova Wexler property.


    Judgment stared at her for a moment before slowly nodding. ¡°I understand.¡± He replied. ¡°I will take that into consideration in the future.¡±


    Lenna bowed slightly to him. ¡°Good travels to you and may the moon light your path in the darkest of nights.¡± She offered, as a farewell.


    ¡°And may the righteousness of your deeds be rewarded and the wrongs against you be punished accordingly.¡± Judgment replied with a nod before he launched away in a whoosh of air towards the exit of the underground cavern that all the residents of Safeharbor called home.


    ¡°You are a far more pleasant hostess than I am a host.¡± Isaac told her as he walked out of the front door to stand next to her just inside their front gate. ¡°I just feel this urge to rile him up whenever I see him.¡±


    ¡°You did well.¡± Lenna praised him. ¡°I could feel your internal struggle at times.¡±


    ¡°I was that obvious?¡± He wondered.


    ¡°To me, yes.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°I cannot speak on whether or not Judgment noticed.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°A position of neutrality is far too ambiguous. The indeterminate timeframe is the real problem.¡± He thought aloud. ¡°We will need to have a conversation with Time¡¯s friend at some point. I do not like that he is the de facto ruler of demigods.¡±


    ¡°Only the human ones.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°There is a mountain, a peak that reaches towards the heavens yet is built on the fires of the hells, far to the north. There is a demigoddess that lives there that has never allied with any faction, nation, or race. The drow empire has tried everything from diplomatic envoys to offerings to a declaration of war and she has laughed at them every time. There is a howl that follows the night as it races across the planet through places that no other demigod nor mortal would dare to tread, simply to stay under Lua¡¯s light, that howl cares not for politics or Councils. There is a tree so tall and wide that her leaves blot out the sun and her roots are warmed by the lava deep underground, her spirit cares only about herself and what she can see.¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Elvish demigods?¡± Isaac wondered once he was sure she was done.


    ¡°Most of them, but the first is unknown. She doesn¡¯t look like any race that is around today, and is venerated all across Primatia by those in need of just a bit more strength to succeed.¡± Lenna explained.


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°You are telling me that even if the human demigods are being dodgy about how they plan on dealing with us, well, me, that the non-human ones couldn¡¯t care less.¡± He surmised


    ¡°Yes, but also, I wanted you to know that allying with them is not the only way, just most likely the safest.¡± She replied.


    Isaac nodded and put his arm around her. ¡°Thank you.¡± He told her.


    ¡°Of course.¡± She said with a smile. ¡°You call me ¡®ancient¡¯ so often, I figured you could use some ancient wisdom from time to time.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Shamesh!¡± A little girl called out as she ran towards the retainer made of bones. Their matching black attire with silver buttons and deep red wine colored undertones would have marked them as being together even if their matching headbands of silver, orange, and black cord hadn¡¯t.


    ¡°Miss Martha, I believe you have been informed on the risks of staying too close to me.¡± Shamesh replied calmly as he turned to meet the oncoming little maid.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to be any taller.¡± She told him. ¡°You can reach all of the high places.¡±


    If Shamesh could have sighed then he would have. He had no idea why the little girl had taken a liking to him but she had. Her older sister obviously didn¡¯t like him for a just as unknowable reason and her mother was understandably wary of him. They all had been informed about the potential risk to the young ones'' growth that being next to Shamesh¡¯s leaking death flames could pose. Martha hadn¡¯t cared in the slightest. ¡°Miss Martha, is there something you require my assistance with?¡± He asked his junior in the position of taking care of the V¡¯Nova Wexler manor, but senior in the position of being sapient being.


    Martha leaned in close and loudly whispered towards him: ¡°I heard something about a wedding. Who is getting married?¡± She wondered with giant eyes and barely contained excitement.


    ¡°Our Lord and Lady.¡± Shamesh replied simply. ¡°I was certain that you had all been informed.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Martha hitched. ¡°But Len- Lady Lenna said that Lord Isaac was her mate.¡±


    Again, if Shamesh could have sighed, he would have. ¡°You should refer to them as Lady V¡¯Nova and Lord Wexler, miss Martha, remember?¡± He corrected her.


    ¡°Well?¡± Martha pressed on as if she hadn¡¯t heard him.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Shamesh replied. ¡°Lady V¡¯Nova is an elf and elves mate for life. They have already mated and are thus a mated pair. However, in human culture it is customary to have a formal event where a higher power recognizes the pair as being husband and wife.¡±


    Martha nodded along sagely. ¡°What does mating mean?¡± She asked as her follow up question.


    Shamesh instantly knew how his master had felt when he had a seemingly endless amount of questions. The skeletal retainer thought about his reply to the little maid for only a moment before he settled on the best response that he could think of. A response that had been spoken countless times over the course of history and would no doubt be spoken countless more times for all of the future as long as new mortals were being born: ¡°You should go ask your mother. She will have a better answer than me.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Mom,¡± Madeline spoke in a hushed tone. ¡°shouldn¡¯t we be keeping Martha close so, you know, she stops trying to play with that monster?¡±


    ¡°Shamesh.¡± Margaret corrected. ¡°I have spoken with him and he assured me that he would try to send her back to one of us whenever possible.¡±


    ¡°You trust it?¡± Madeline questioned. ¡°It is very clearly some skeleton creature out of nightmares. Actually, it¡¯s in my nightmares.¡±


    ¡°He is our senior here.¡± Margaret corrected again. ¡°But yes, he is right out of a nightmare. That does not give you or I the right to speak about him like he is some uncaring walking nightmare. Lady V¡¯Nova has made it quite clear, and I have come to the conclusion as well, that Shamesh is still quite young and is still trying to learn how to live. You should be nice. If for no other reason than the last thing that anyone wants is for your fear of what he might be to turn him into that very thing.¡±


    Madeline shivered just from the thought of her mother¡¯s words. ¡°Still, where is Mar?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Margaret asked and looked around. They were supposed to be unpacking all of the linens that had just arrived and she had only just realized what Madeline had opened their conversation with. ¡°Mar!¡± She called out across the manor. She was glad that neither the Lord nor the Lady were home.


    ¡ª


    ¡°White, silver, violet, royal purple, orange, crimson, or black?¡± Sera asked Lenna for the thousandth time as she went over yet another decoration that Lenna couldn¡¯t even remember the proper name of.


    ¡°Sera, please, just do what you think is best.¡± Lenna replied wearily. ¡°I can run a dozen miles in armor without getting tired but you have thoroughly exhausted me.¡±


    ¡°Well.¡± Sera began. ¡°This is what happens when you wait until two weeks before the wedding to make any actual decisions. I had to practically drag you out of the house to decorate your own wedding venue.¡±


    ¡°Isaac is better at this kind of thing.¡± Lenna pleaded. ¡°Can¡¯t he do it?¡±


    Sera narrowed her eyes on the woman far her senior in years but not in life-learned wisdom. ¡°No. It has to be you.¡± She declared.


    ¡°Why?¡± Lenna asked for the fifth time.


    ¡°Because the woman chooses the decorations for the venue and the man chooses the menu. That is just how it is supposed to be.¡± Sera explained for the fifth time to her.


    Lucius chuckled from the doorway nearby. ¡°Thank you, Lady V¡¯Nova, for taking the brunt of this for whoever ends up being my future wife. You are truly a blessing.¡± He told her with a smirk.


    ¡°Lucius, you and your future wife are not welcome.¡± Lenna replied and then turned back to Sera. ¡°And Sera, you do remember that I cannot tell the difference between half of these colors in the ever changing lights of this place, right? If it was always dark then I could at least help decide what colors blend well.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Sera replied. It appeared that she had forgotten, again. ¡°Henry needs to get back to me about those color vision potions.¡± She added in a grumble under breath


    ¡ª


    ¡°Meat.¡± Isaac told the chief chef of the Arbencroft estate. He was not going to be the one making the food for the wedding but he was there to consult with Isaac on what the menu should be. ¡°As many kinds from nearby as relatively easily possible. As long as none of the smells or flavors clash too much we should be fine. Do the same thing for vegetables. I want all of it. There had better be at least a dozen dishes that I¡¯ve never seen before.¡±


    The chef grinned at Isaac. ¡°I am not sure how well the hired hands will do it, but I am sure that local variety is something that I can do. I can guarantee that you won¡¯t have even heard about half of what we will be serving.¡± He promised.


    Isaac gave him a nod and turned to leave. ¡°Well, that was easy. I hope Sera hasn¡¯t turned Lenna into a zombie while I was gone.¡±

 Interlude 8

    Interlude 8


    ¡°And here is where we must end, my dear.¡± Darkness purred with a grin. He knew exactly how his daughter would react to the sudden break in the story.


    ¡°What?!¡± Amaranth exclaimed. ¡°You cannot stop here, not right before the wedding.¡± She pleaded. ¡°Come on, father, this is the part I have been waiting for.¡±


    ¡°If you, my dear, are expecting some grand expository speech where I go over every snack and ribbon, every dance and song, then you are sorely mistaken.¡± He told her.


    Amaranth waved her father off. ¡°No, though I would appreciate that, that is not what I have been waiting for. Neither you nor mother have ever told me what your vows were. I, want, to, know.¡± She demanded. ¡°So let us just go over the wedding quickly and then you can leave to hunt whatever unknowable horror you are all getting ready to slay.¡±


    Darkness hummed in thought with a finger on his chin. Amaranth already knew what that exaggerated posture meant. ¡°No.¡± He told her simply. ¡°You will have to wait. While you wait, to keep your mind off of it, can you-¡±


    ¡°Yes. I will look after Celeste.¡± Amaranth cut him off as she set her pen down. She leaned back in her chair and felt her back pop from countless hours hunched over her desk. ¡°This is the first time you both will be away, for her. How do you think she is going to handle it?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I have no idea. You sulked and Claus got into trouble. Maybe Celeste won¡¯t even notice.¡± Darkness replied. ¡°If she ends up being too much to handle, well, Claus could use a good challenge.¡±


    ¡°I will do that.¡± Amaranth replied. ¡°Father, be straight with me, what are the odds of your failure? Also, do you think anyone is going to try and capitalize on your absence?¡±


    ¡°If we fail, then no offensive action will be able to handle it.¡± Darkness explained. ¡°I will not jinx it.¡± He told her which was all of the information she needed. Their odds of losing were low but definitely present. ¡°As for our neighbors? Two of their cities aren¡¯t there anymore. I would hope that they have learned their lesson. If they aren¡¯t careful, the last of the sister cities will soon join her siblings in becoming an object lesson.¡±


    ¡°Even if you fail?¡± Amaranth questioned.


    ¡°They might start to stir, but they move far too slowly to be able to capitalize on any perceived weakness.¡± He assured her. ¡°Now, come see us off.¡± He told her and then took a step into her shadow and vanished.


    ¡ª


    Amaranth met her sister and brother at the town square. All three of them gazed upon the statue of their parents and their dragon, three beings that were all almost dragons in their own rights but all were missing real draconic blood. Their mother and father stood back to back. Isaac was retreating away from an attack that hadn¡¯t had the luxury of being set in stone. His cloak flowed seamlessly into his armor and shadow and his face was softened with shadows to the point of unrecognizability. His sword was low, ready to rise from his opponent¡¯s blindspot and ensure that was their final mistake. His free hand almost seemed to trail behind his backwards momentum as death flames dripped off of it, lethality in its purest form. The sculptor who had set all of this into plain dark grey stone had taken ages to get the smooth, untextured, barely tangible shadows covering Isaac correct, and even now, they were not quite right. They were close enough for anyone who hadn¡¯t seen them in person though, which was fine for the town square. No matter what the sculptor had done, he just couldn¡¯t set the spectacle, of all of the light in the area draining away, into stone.


    Lenna squared off against her imaginary foes as she readied some kind of fire spell. Her hand was bathed in flames that were done so perfectly that, even made of stone, they looked as though they would reach up and consume anything above them. Her plate armor was more plain than her uncle¡¯s repurposed armor from all those decades ago, though in truth, it was far, far, better. Her helmet was off so her stern features, laced with pure intensity and a tinge of anger, were on display for all to see, though, no one that walked by would dare to hold the statue¡¯s gaze for long. The sculptor had done an amazing job at setting their mother¡¯s penetrating gaze into his work for countless eras to come. It was so lifelike that some of the more unsavory folk avoided that side of the square all together, for fear that she could see their darkest secrets.


    Lording over the square was not the, barely larger than life size, statues of their parents but the massive dragon behind them. With his wings outstretched he took a defensive posture to protect their parents from any attacks coming from his direction. At the same time, he looked as though he was about to unleash a dragon¡¯s breath down mainstreet towards the northwestern gate. His body was made of elongated bones as his natural skeleton was stretched to cover every gap and hole. His pale majesty was a legendary sight that heralded an incoming violence that few would ever be able to equal. The Reaper had once ridden a pale horse, as the legends about him changed, but his horse was nothing in the face of the Bone Dragon Ashtohkesh, the Pale Black Flames of the Entwined Demigods of the Innerworld, the Demi-divine King of Dark Dragons. His final title was one that was created for the sole purpose of igniting a mindless rage inside of any dark dragon that heard it, and it had worked. A dozen dragons of varying sizes, colors, and ages have laid broken at his feet over the decades that he has been in service. The open eye sockets of the mythical monster were filled with actual small balls of death flames, created from a tiny platinum enchantment that none could see from the outside. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°It¡¯s funny.¡± Claus said from beside his sisters. ¡°They made mom and dad a little bigger, but shrunk the hells out of Ash¡¯esh.¡±


    ¡°Language, Cel is here.¡± She scolded him before explaining his observation: ¡°That is because he needed to fit in the square. As it stands, they used his tail as a curb.¡±


    Claus and Celeste leaned to the side in perfect unison in exactly the same way so they could peer around the dragon and look at what Amaranth had mentioned. ¡°Huh.¡± Claus replied. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I never noticed that.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I never noticed that either.¡± Celeste agreed.


    Claus chuckled and ruffled her hair. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve had a few thousand more chances to miss it than you, so at least you know now and not when you are thirty.¡± He told her.


    ¡°But you¡¯re older than thirty.¡± She ruthlessly reminded him.


    Claus clutched his chest like he¡¯d been shot. ¡°Ouch. No need to remind me. Soon I¡¯ll be a relic, like Ama- Ow!¡± He cried out in pain as his older sister smacked him.


    A black void opened up in front of them and their parent¡¯s raised out of it over the course of one exaggerated second. They could have just appeared but their father was nothing if not theatrical. Their mother was clothed in her favorite silver dress and her father wore his classic black shirt and pants. Both of them looked like they didn¡¯t have a care in the world and were only planning on stopping by their neighbor¡¯s for tea.


    ¡°Cel, be good for your sister, and remember what I told you.¡± Lenna told her youngest daughter as she bent down to give her a hug.


    ¡°If I don¡¯t like someone I should only burn them a little unless they are, or are about to, hurt someone.¡± Celeste replied proudly.


    Lenna sighed. ¡°Close enough.¡± She told her and kissed her on the top of her head. She then rose back up to her full height and looked over their two adult children. ¡°We¡¯ll be back. Don¡¯t burn the house down.¡±


    Claus laughed as Amaranth rolled her eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve been saying that for longer than I can remember.¡± He commented.


    ¡°That is because of the time when your sister almost did, in fact, burn the house down.¡± Isaac explained with a grin. He gave his youngest daughter a quick hug and then turned a serious gaze to the two older ones. ¡°I am always watching, but if you notice that I am not, lock down the city and wait for us.¡±


    ¡°We know the drill.¡± Claus replied.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Amaranth said at the same time.


    ¡°Good.¡± Isaac spoke with a nod and then turned to his wife. ¡°My Lady of Hellfire, it is time to go.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my Lord of Darkness.¡± She replied with a smirk and a wink. Fire raced up her body starting from the tips of her toes. Everywhere it passed was covered in royal purple and scorch mark colored adamantine. The platinum enchantments were the only thing that shone brightly on her armor but the rings of orange flames caused them to scatter campfire-like light in all directions. Once the fire reached halfway up her thighs more rings formed at her fingertips. They too raced upwards until her entire body was covered in her mythical plate armor. The entire transition only took around two seconds, as did Isaac¡¯s.


    Shadows poured out of the dark mage turned demigod and seemed to almost solidify into millions of tiny, black, silken scales. Inside of the silk scales there were real dragon scales from a black dragon. The drider silk caused every movement to be entirely silent and prevented the scales from taking any unnecessary damage while the scales dispersed any solid impacts. The armor was a slim fit that, if seen without the cascading shadows permanently coming off of it, looked like a fantastical long sleeve shirt and pants. Over top of it formed black layered, hardened leather plates that gave him an unusual but more conventional look of protection. It was all an illusion, however, as the entire exterior armor was just the webbing of a black dragon¡¯s wings with as many self repair enchantments as could physically be put on it. The ¡®real¡¯ armor barely offered any protection compared to what was under it. His hood floated up on its own and soon only shadows and a pair of silver eyes could be seen from inside the cloak.


    ¡°Come forth, Ashtohkesh.¡± The Lord of Darkness spoke with words that shook the mana itself in the localized area. A black void opened behind the pair of demigods, behind the statues of them, behind the statue of the dragon in question, and took up the entire thoroughfare. A massive bone white dragon with a wingspan of at least fifty feet launched out of the void and into the air overhead. He banked and circled the square in a silent arch with wings fully outstretched. He did not beat his plate-like wings but guided mana over them to generate the lift necessary to fly. The amount of mana that was guided over his massive wings to hold his majestic bulk in the air was staggering even for those that had seen such a spectacle before. ¡°My Lady.¡± Darkness purred and held a hand out for her. Only his forearm and hand were visible from the cloak of living shadows that he had become.


    Hellfire took his offered hand and shadows seemed to swallow them up like a cocoon before launching towards the dragon as its arch reached its closest point. The shadows splashed against the back of the dragon and there the Lady of Hellfire appeared. Her legs straddled the dragon¡¯s neck just in front of his wings but her mate was nowhere to be found. The dragon banked towards the exit to the Outerworld and then sped up as a black mist seemed to stream off of it before rapidly dispersing.


    ¡°It is always a show.¡± Amaranth commented.


    ¡°That¡¯s the best part of seeing them off.¡± Claus added with a smirk that looked far too much like their father¡¯s.


    ¡°Is it always like this?¡± Celeste wondered.


    ¡°Sometimes.¡± Amaranth replied. ¡°Though, you never really know how something is going to go when our father is involved.¡±


    END VOLUME FOUR: JUDGMENT

 Darkness and Hellfire, Volume Five: The Greatest Adventure Interlude 9

    Darkness and Hellfire


    Volume Five: The Greatest Adventure


    To be capable of love is to be capable of hate. One cannot truly hate unless one once loved and had that love turned into suffering. Do not let your strong dislike and disgust be mistaken for hate. Doing that is a great disservice to those that truly know hatred.


    - Lenna V¡¯Nova


    Interlude 9


    In the sky, or where the sky would have been, above the underground city of Safeharbor there was a phenomena known as The Inverted Moon. There was a perfect ring of fire that burned upside down. It was large enough that anyone inside of the cavern could see it lording above Safeharbor. Inside of the circle of orange and red flames there was a burning crescent that was an exact match to the phase of the real moon.


    The Inverted Moon was a marvel of magic and authority that few people actually understood. Even so, brave souls from across the ¡®Civilized¡¯ parts of Primatia made the trek to witness it purely for appreciation of the spectacle. Little did any of those travelers know that the spectacle of The Inverted Moon was about to be used as a backdrop for the owners of the domain in which it resided.


    On silent wings, that did not beat but brought with them a wave of wind and magical pressure, divinity raced into the air between The Inverted Moon and the city it lorded over. A dragon made of bones blotted out The Inverted Moon with his monstrous wingspan for a moment before he looped upwards with a simple shift of the angles of his plate-like wings. He let gravity slow him until he was but a dozen feet below the fiery moon where he seemed to hang in the air. He tilted backwards and let gravity pull him towards what would have been the cobbled stone of the city square of Safeharbor. The city square in question had turned so solid and purely black that no reflections or features could be seen. The total blankness of the void made it hard to look at as one¡¯s eyes would unconsciously slip off of it.


    The dragon¡¯s wings closed once he was pointed directly towards the most open part of the square. The area wasn¡¯t large because it was mostly just the area behind the statues that overlooked the square but it would be large enough for him to stand. He was nearly at the height of the rooftops when his wings opened up to their full glory and almost all of his momentum was yanked away. A wave of wind and shunted away mana rocked the surrounding area before his massive claws reached out and sank into the blackness. He stood there bathing the area in his majesty for a long moment before it was time for him to return to his resting place.


    The dragon shook slightly, almost like a dog but slower and with much, much, more power. He then almost lazily turned and took two steps while curling around himself and laying down. His tail passed over the heads of a dozen onlookers with inches to spare before its tip settled by his snout. He let out a huff, despite not having lungs, and black smoke rolled out and into a passerby who was gawking with his mouth agape. The dragon slowly sunk into the void blackness of the city square, over the course of a dozen seconds, before he fully vanished with the onlooker still coughing out black soot. Once he was gone, the field of shadows dispersed like whisps off a foggy lake. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Elsewhere, the dragon¡¯s riders were already sitting down for lunch with their children. The spectacle was merely the announcement of the couple¡¯s return home.


    ¡ª


    ¡°So, how was fighting a horror beyond my comprehension?¡± Amaranth Serentia V¡¯Nova Wexler, Lady Sentinel and Grand Magus of Spellcraft, questioned with no small degree of sass.


    ¡°Not even a ¡®welcome back¡¯.¡± Her father, Isaac Wexler, The Demigod of Darkness, replied flatly. ¡°Fine. It took ages to put down though.¡±


    ¡°Ah, the old ¡®hit it until it stops getting back up¡¯ plan.¡± Her brother, Claus Izen V¡¯Nova Wexler, Lord Sentinel and Captain of the Safeharbor Guard, commented.


    ¡°That¡¯s my favorite plan.¡± Her little sister, Celeste Aria V¡¯Nova Wexler, the Heiress of Fire and future Lady Sentinel, added while nodding sagely. Amaranth had no idea when she had started emulating their brother but she hoped that Celeste would only pick up the better parts of his personality.


    ¡°That is your mother¡¯s favorite plan as well.¡± Isaac replied with a grin.


    The woman in question, Lenna V¡¯Nova, The Demigoddess of Hellfire, smiled warily and rubbed her shoulder as if she was trying to loosen a tired muscle. ¡°¡®Hit it until it dies¡¯ is what every monster hunt turns into. None of them go down easily anymore. No tricks work and there are no clean kills.¡± She explained. ¡°But yes, I prefer the simple approach when possible.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Amaranth questioned. ¡°Are you going to regale us with the battle in question or simply continue to allude to it to make us suffer?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps one day,¡± Isaac began with a twinkle in his eye that everyone present knew meant that he was about to be difficult just for the sake of being difficult. ¡°one day we might have caught up to this point in time and I will have you pen it.¡±


    Amaranth scowled at him. ¡°That is cruel.¡± She told him.


    ¡°Yes, let the contempt flow through you.¡± He prodded. ¡°I am almost getting enough power from it to make another Walking Shadow.¡±


    Amaranth¡¯s eye twitched before she took a deep calming breath. ¡°You truly are a nightmare, father.¡± She told him.


    ¡°Alright you two, enough.¡± Lenna scolded them and then turned to the maid that had just wheeled in a cart, loaded with freshly baked bread and slices of half a dozen different kinds of meat that were framed with leaf vegetables and coated in savory sauces. ¡°Mary, thank you for the food, as always.¡±


    The maid bowed before she began setting the table. ¡°It is my pleasure, as always.¡± She told the demigoddess with a smirk and a wink. She met Isaac¡¯s eyes a moment later and she returned his almost imperceptible nod with a deeper one of her own. Even if Isaac rarely, if ever, openly thanked the manor staff for the things that they were expected to do, they all knew that he appreciated them, if for no other reason than their considerable pay.


    Hours later, the pair, who had been going back and forth at the lunch table, were once again seated in Amaranth¡¯s office. ¡°Are you ready to finally continue where we left off?¡± She asked him.


    Isaac smirked. ¡°So, after the wedding-¡± He began but cut himself off with a chuckle at the sudden spike in irritation he felt from his daughter. ¡°Fine, fine. Final preparations started the day before the wedding. By then, Aira and Claus had arrived from Outpost Charles, after Alexander had called upon them with long range telepathy, and Aria was busy fussing over all of the things she was supposed to say.¡± He shook his head. ¡°She didn¡¯t even have the mindfulness to keep from bringing my anxiety up with hers.¡±

 Chapter 1 As Ready As I’ll Ever Be.

    Chapter 1 As Ready As I¡¯ll Ever Be.


    ¡°Aria!¡± Isaac snapped at the pacing elven cleric. Aria¡¯s gaze shot from the floor in front of her to Isaac¡¯s face in an instant. Her dusk-kissed brown hair fell awkwardly across her face as her forest green eyes almost seemed to vibrate with anxiety. ¡°It is my wedding, not yours. Calm, the, fuck, down.¡± He punctuated every word with a point at her and an intense glare. ¡°I¡¯m over here stressing about writing my wedding vows and your ENDLESS PACING is not helping.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Aria replied. ¡°But what if I mess up? This is the first time I¡¯ve ever presided over a wedding and it is in front of high nobles and living legends. I can¡¯t mess up and these customs are weird. If two people have already, you know,¡± She said and made a circle with one hand and poked a finger from the other hand through it. ¡°then what is the point of a ¡®guarantor¡¯ over the people¡¯s ability to what?¡±


    ¡°It is supposed to be symbolic.¡± Isaac explained with a sigh. ¡°That is why it is the mother of the bride and the father of the groom that are the guarantors. It¡¯s just the parent¡¯s saying that they raised their children into proper adults that can be sufficient spouses.¡±


    ¡°But, sorry if this comes out rude, neither of you have parents who¡¯ll be in attendance.¡± Aria replied. ¡°What am I supposed to do when we get to this part? Ugh it¡¯s all so confusing with traditions that are completely foreign to me.¡±


    ¡°Sera is going to act as Lenna¡¯s guarantor and Izen is going to act as mine. It¡¯ll keep everything flowing as usual.¡± Isaac assured her. ¡°Now, why are you pacing in my study? Go pace on the roof or something.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s study was relatively open with a mahogany desk that looked incredibly similar, but brand new, to the duke¡¯s desk in his own office. He had a sofa chair as a reading chair that had a neat quirk that allowed the thin arms to be taken off of it. This allowed the chair to be used as a reading chair that could actually be slid into the desk as needed. The arms were hanging on their respective pairs of brackets, that were set into the sides of the desk, as Isaac was actually using the desk. There were a few empty shelves and bookcases around but nothing else, so far, in his study. One of the wall¡¯s of Isaac¡¯s study had a window to the outside world which allowed him to look outside while lost in thought, which is what he would have been doing if Aria hadn¡¯t been trying to break in his new flooring with her endless pacing. One of the other walls of Isaac¡¯s study was a folding partition that was currently open to allow full access to the library that was currently entirely devoid of books.


    ¡°Okay, okay, what abou-¡± Aria began again before Isaac cut her off.


    ¡°Go to the venue, ask for the duchess, say who you are, and ask her your questions. The wedding is tomorrow and I still don¡¯t have my vows finished because none of them so far have felt perfect.¡± He instructed her.


    Aria huffed. ¡°Fine.¡± She said and turned towards the door. She had only taken three steps when she stopped and turned around to ask him another question. ¡°Isaac,¡± She began with none of the previous franticness. ¡°why did you choose me to officiate this?¡±


    Isaac sighed with a smile towards her. ¡°Because, you dense priestess of El¡¯No, you are the first friend I made in this world and I wanted you to be a part of this.¡± He then shooed her away. ¡°Now, unless you are going to tell me what my perfect future vows are going to be, go pester Sera with your questions on human marriage ceremonies.¡±


    Aria smiled warmly at him. ¡°I¡¯m gonna tell Claus that I¡¯m your first friend and not him.¡± She told him and spun on heel before she hurried out the door.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t tell if she is thirteen or nearly three hundred sometimes.¡± He commented to himself before he looked back down at the blank sheet of paper in front of him. ¡°At what point do I just give up on making a plan and just wing it in the moment?¡± He asked himself. ¡°Well, if I don¡¯t have this right by the time I need to say them, I guess I¡¯ll just have to wing it.¡±


    ¡ª


    Lenna was sitting on the roof of the Celestial Dawn staring at the ceiling of the cavern her home resided in. She could still imagine the brilliant moon hanging overhead and closed her eyes to bask in the memory. She smiled to herself. ¡°I think I know what I am going to say.¡± She said to herself.


    ¡°Well that¡¯s good.¡± A motherly voice came from the top of the stairs leading to the roof. An older middle-aged woman with graying ginger hair and crimson eyes was standing there with a tray of sandwiches in one hand and a pair of mugs in the other. ¡°My husband and I used vows that had been passed down to us.¡± She explained and slowly strode over to the seated Lenna. ¡°If I sit there with you, you are going to have to help me stand. I¡¯m getting too old to sit on the floor.¡±


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Lenna chuckled. ¡°I will.¡± She promised the younger but more wizened woman. ¡°Who passed them down to you?¡±


    Celeste handed the drinks and food to Lenna before she lowered herself to sit cross legged next to her friend and, as of the next day, former tenant. ¡°I recited the ones my mother had used and he recited the one¡¯s his father had. It is common in dwarven culture to pass them down like that because of the emphasis on the wisdom of previous generations in their culture.¡± She explained. ¡°I just wanted to be like him, so I asked my mother for hers.¡±


    Lenna smiled at the pleasant story. ¡°Every culture does this differently. It is interesting to see how. For elves, weddings are more of a ¡®post binding¡¯ celebration. An afterthought where the male and female are showered with gifts. In dark elven culture it is one of the few times when things like music and dancing are acceptable but, from what I¡¯ve heard, in light elven culture it is just used as an excuse to party.¡±


    ¡°And what is it for you two?¡± Celeste questioned with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°A lot and little at the same time.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°At first, it was just an excuse to receive gifts from everyone.¡± She confessed and Celeste laughed at the brutal honesty. ¡°But now, I don¡¯t know. It feels like it has more weight to it than it otherwise should. We are already a mated pair so what does the ceremony really mean?¡±


    ¡°It is a bunch of frivolity surrounding a public declaration of love and loyalty between you two.¡± Celeste replied just as bluntly as Lenna¡¯s confession. ¡°And an excuse to get showered in gifts and throw a party.¡±


    Lenna laughed at the truth of Celeste¡¯s words. ¡°I am inclined to agree.¡±


    ¡ª


    Lucius was in a dressing room just off the hallway that led to the main hall. He was there with Isaac on the dark mage¡¯s wedding day. Isaac¡¯s white suit was a stark contrast to what he usually wore. His usual pure black attire was either at home or in his Inventory. Isaac¡¯s wedding suit was complete with a tailcoat and two tassels. The duke had offered everyone that had taken part in both the battles, against the Contantis Army and the army of skeletons, tassels for what he had called ¡®The First and Second Battles for Safeharbor of the year Twelve Seventy Seven¡¯. It was made with strands of black, orange, violet, royal purple, silver, gold, and ocean blue thread. The other tassel was one that he and Lenna had decided on. Black like Isaac¡¯s power, silver like their shared eyes and Lenna¡¯s hair, and braided orange with black for Lenna¡¯s power. It was then wrapped at the top with a singular band of gold to help hold it all together. The two tassel¡¯s stood out against Isaac¡¯s suit but they would most likely be subsumed by the shadows that would be trailing from Isaac. The final piece of embellishment was a certain pair of platinum tags whose chain was wrapped around Isaac¡¯s right wrist just like how Lenna¡¯s usually were when she was out of her armor.


    ¡°All set.¡± Lucius told him and took a step back to give him one more look over. ¡°Nothing out of place, everything is straight, no wrinkles or dirt, you are physically as ready as you are going to get.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Isaac told him. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you to be the one in here with me, but thanks.¡±


    ¡°Well, my father wanted to be but, you know, he has to be the host and look regal and imposing on his throne.¡± Lucius explained.


    ¡°My throne looks way more imposing but he didn¡¯t want it.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°I still haven¡¯t seen it.¡±


    Before Isaac could reply there was a knock on the door. ¡°She is ready.¡± Came a familiar voice from the other side. Isaac wasn¡¯t sure how Marie had managed it but somehow Lenny and James had been brought on as extra help during the craziness that was a wedding in the ducal household. She had absolutely covered them in high grade makeup and mild prosthetics that were indistinguishable from natural skin and bone structure. Isaac didn¡¯t want to know how much she would charge for it later and could only hope that their attendance would be her wedding gift to them.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Lucius replied without even knowing that he was talking to the rumored, and quickly becoming famous, Phantom of Safeharbor. ¡°Shall we?¡± He said and reached for the door to get it for Isaac.


    ¡°Lady Luck, Lua, Rei and Zei, calm my beating heart and give me strength.¡± Isaac whispered loudly enough that Lucius still caught it.


    Lucius gave him an encouraging smile. ¡°If even you are anxious, I might need a calming spell before mine.¡± The young duke-to-be joked with a wink. ¡°You¡¯ve got this.¡±


    ¡ª


    Lenna¡¯s pure black dress sat comfortably on her as she turned this way and that in front of the mirror. Her lace sleeves, collar, and stockings covered any skin that would have been completely exposed save for her head and hands. Her plain black dress hung the entire way to her ankles but showed off her black slippers that boasted small silver roses in place of bows. Her platinum tags chimed against each other with her movement as they hung from their chain that was wrapped around her right hand. Her silver necklace, that Isaac had given her all those months ago, rested gently on her collarbone with its amethyst directly under her chin. Her hair was braided back in three braids that were then braided together. The smaller braids were made with two parts her hair and one part either a black, an orange, or a royal purple ribbon. The contrast with her silver hair made sure that they would still be visible in any lighting.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I have ever seen a more beautiful bride. Definitely not in such a simple dress.¡± Celeste praised her. ¡°You are going to make Isaac forget his lines.¡± She added with a smirk. ¡°Sera did that to Izen on their wedding day.¡±


    Lenna chuckled. ¡°He has probably planned for that.¡± She replied. ¡°You know him.¡±


    Celeste smiled warmly at her. ¡°He has always been mesmerized by you.¡± She told the bride. ¡°Everyone who¡¯s spent any amount of time with you two has noticed how he shifts to shield you from anyone that you aren¡¯t actively talking to.¡±


    ¡°He what?¡± Lenna questioned.


    ¡°He knows how shy you are and makes sure to at least partly stand between you and everyone else so they don¡¯t try to talk to you.¡± Celeste explained. ¡°I¡¯ve watched him shift out of the way once you¡¯ve said something but otherwise doesn¡¯t let anyone talk to you.¡±


    ¡°I, I never noticed that.¡± Lenna said softly. ¡°I¡¯ll, should I?¡±


    Celeste chuckled with a shake of her head. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you whether or not you should thank him or tell him to stop. It is just something that we¡¯ve noticed.¡± She gave Lenna a moment before she asked the question that Lenna knew was coming: ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    Lenna took a deep calming breath. ¡°As ready as I¡¯ll ever be.¡± She replied.


    Celeste knocked on the door and got a quick reply: ¡°Yes ma¡¯am?¡± From a voice Lenna recognized and couldn¡¯t help but shake her head at. James being the messenger for when she was ready was something that she had no idea Marie could pull off. The Assassin of a Thousand Faces could apparently work miracles in her spare time.


    ¡°She¡¯s ready.¡± Celeste told the thug turned informant masquerading as a temporary servant for the ducal house. They gave the man a moment before Celeste turned to look at Lenna as she opened the door. ¡°Mentally ready or not, it¡¯s showtime.¡±

 Chapter 2 Two Solemn Vows

    Chapter 2 Two Solemn Vows


    Isaac closed his eyes and took one final deep breath as he walked out into the hall that ran behind the main hall. There were two doors that led to either side of the thrones and he and Lenna would each be taking one of them. This meant that for, what was supposed to be, the barest of moments, the pair would get to see each other before they stepped out into the main hall. As Isaac walked through the door, that the duke¡¯s heir held open for him, he saw an unfamiliar face that was so common anyone would have forgotten it in an instant. The not too sharp and not too dull features of a slightly tanned middle aged man with brown hair and eyes with the shaved face of a servant to nobility smiled at him with a bow. Isaac winked at him as he passed and then turned towards his destination. As he did so he got his first look at his mate and he stopped dead in his tracks.


    The simple black dress that the love of his life was wearing matched her perfectly. Both were straightforward and stark against almost any backdrop. Both were solid and unblemished. Neither were flashy nor attention seeking but both drew the eye nonetheless. ¡°You look good.¡± She complimented him with a smile that seemed to light the hallway around her.


    ¡°I, yes, I mean,¡± He stopped his stuttering to take a focusing breath. ¡°I know I look good but nothing I have ever seen, nor will ever see, can come close to your beauty.¡±


    Lenna smiled with obvious amusement at Isaac¡¯s stuttering. ¡°Smooth.¡± She told him both sarcastically in relation to his stuttering and to praise his following reply.


    ¡°Very.¡± Isaac said with a chuckle. His response was both self-deprecating and self-praising following both of Lenna¡¯s replies¡¯ meanings. He gestured towards the doors that they were to take. The ten feet separating each door seemed like such a short distance to the pair that, at that moment, wanted to skip the entire wedding and just leave in each other¡¯s arms together. ¡°I would say age before beauty but you beat me on that account as well.¡±


    Lenna rolled her eyes. ¡°There is no before or after, Isaac, we enter at the same time.¡±


    ¡°Well then, shall we?¡± Isaac replied and shadows started billowing through his white suit, dying it in shades of black and gray.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied with one simple word as her entire dress ignited with her aura. The black dress looked like the coals of her scorching flames. Her aura was hot to the touch but not as hot as a real flame, due to its inherent metaphysical nature, so her dress did not actually begin to smolder. The pair stared at each other for a moment longer as they observed the majestic figure that the other posed. Lenna was a living torch of focus and conviction while Isaac was the originator of darkness itself. One was a beacon for her beliefs and honor while the other was the reason why tunnels grew darker the father in one went. With one final smile shared between the two, they turned and let James and Lenny get the doors for them.


    The pair stepped out into the main hall of the estate of the duke of their home and were met with total silence. As they entered they caught sight of many familiar figures like Edward Sasston, Alexis and Alecia Bittittiddel, Jessica Silverstrand and her entire family, Stan Ironeye with who could only be his grandson Leo, Celeste and Lucius slipping into the back row now that their duties were fulfilled, Chris Windwalker in a wheelchair next to Claus son of Rock, Priest Harry Lovecraft in gleaming full battle gear as usual, Court Magus Alexander, Sir Michael and Captain Tim, Thadd Tanner and his parents, Clayton Smith, Jala and Fen L¡¯Vore, a certain spy named Thomas who was trying very hard fade into the background behind the Tanners and Silverstrands, Margaret, Madeline and Martha with what appeared to be an empty seat next to them where Shamesh was actually sitting with Shroud cast on him. Everyone in attendance was either a member of their household, someone who had helped them noticeably in the past, or someone that was brought as a plus one, or plus five in Jessica¡¯s case, of someone that had.


    They strode inside with steps perfectly matched in time and distance without even looking at each other. They took four steps inside before they both turned to face each other and met in the middle after another four graceful paces each. The pair met in front of Aria Tr¡¯bore who was standing just in front of Duke Izen Von Arbencroft and his wife Duchess Serentia Von Arbencroft. Once the two were only a step apart, they reached out and took each other¡¯s hands as the ceremony began. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡°We gather here today as witnesses of two solemn vows made before mortals and gods alike. The two before us, Lord Isaac Wexler of a land unimaginably far away, and Lady Lenna V¡¯Nova of Contantis of the Drow Empire, are here on this day, that to them will become forever sacred, to set into the hearts and minds of all those present their truth and dedication to each other.¡± Aria began. ¡°If any dare object then let them engage in firm discourse with the offending party immediately.¡± Isaac, Lenna, Aria, Izen, and Sera all glared at their tiny audience. It was more of a show than anything as they all knew that none there would make such a claim. ¡°Very good.¡± Aria punctuated the silence and then looked back and forth between the pair that were to be wed. ¡°As one final inquiry before the pair are to speak their vows, who here is willing to stand as guarantor on behalf of our soon to be husband and wife. One that will swear under El¡¯No, the goddess of Knowledge, that they are certain of the honesty, conviction, and care that each of these will maintain towards the other from now until the end of their very souls?¡±


    ¡°I-¡± Izen, Sera, and a motherly and incredibly warm but gently cool voice that brought with it a blanket of care and serene silver light from the sky began at the same time. However, where Izen and Sera had stopped, the motherly voice of the pair¡¯s patron goddess continued: ¡°The love and loyalty that Lenna holds towards her mate is undeniably pure and steadfast,¡± Lua told all of those present. The pure divine pressure of the goddess¡¯s projected presence was almost enough to bring Aria to her knees but she managed to master herself enough to stay standing as being chief witness required. ¡°and the ardent care and fervent defensiveness that Isaac has proven time and again that he holds towards Lenna is beyond question.¡± Lua declared. ¡°They each have my blessing both as individuals and as a mated pair. May your lives shine brightly and for far longer than either of you thought possible.¡± She blessed them before her presence started to lessen and the silver light from the sky started to fade.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Isaac said towards the light with a pure and honest smile. The blessing from the goddess that had looked after Lenna for so long, and after him as well, meant more to him than anyone save for Lenna and Lua could ever know. As far as Isaac was concerned, Lua was practically his mate¡¯s mother so her blessing was really the only one that mattered.


    Lenna went to bow her head towards Lua in thanks when she heard a whisper in her ear from her goddess: ¡°No one bows on their wedding day.¡± Lua told her in a warm but admonishing tone.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Thank you, my goddess.¡± She spoke barely louder than a whisper. A moment later, Lua¡¯s presence was gone.


    ¡°As it has been said, let it be remembered.¡± Aria proclaimed with a slight quiver in her voice before she looked back and forth between the pair once more. ¡°Now, now that your vows have been blessed and your words backed not only by your actions but by the trust of one that knows your hearts unlike any save for one another, you may speak and declare your vows. Who will speak first?¡±


    Isaac grinned. ¡°I wrote mine down so I wouldn¡¯t forget, so you should go first.¡± He told his mate while he pulled out a folded piece of paper, not out of his Inventory but out of his breast pocket on the inside of his coat. The placement near his heart, in the physical world, of his vows to her was not lost on Lenna and she smiled warmly at him.


    Lenna chuckled softly. ¡°I suppose it is my turn. I made a vow to you first, on the first day we met just after you saved me. Long after that, you made a vow to me when you put a ring on my finger. It is only fitting that I go first again.¡± She told him.


    ¡°You have always been the more assertive one of us.¡± Isaac replied with a wink and a grin. Lenna fought down the urge to blush in front of all of those watching and instead decided to just push through it in true V¡¯Nova fashion.


    Lenna cleared her throat and squared her shoulders in focus. ¡°Isaac, in the grand totality of my life, I have never met someone as completely unique as you. There are plenty who speak of their loved ones as though they were the only diamond in a sea of quartz but you are truly different. You are my mythril in an iron mine. You draw me in with a wondrous prismatic display of heart, intensity, and creativity. You are, without a doubt, the greatest adventure of my life and I can do nothing but thank and praise you for it.¡± Tears were streaming down her face at the pure emotion in her words even though her body language was completely disciplined and steady. ¡°I vow, from now until the day my soul ceases to be, to continue to love and protect you. I will be your shield as you have shielded me. I will be your sword as you have fought for me. I will be your foundation as you have supported me.¡± Lenna held out her hand towards Aria and the cleric placed an onyx ring in her palm.


    ¡°That is hard to follow up.¡± Isaac told her with a smile and a shine in his eyes from the barely held back tears. ¡°I have poured over what I was going to say for hours until the day became night and the night became day again. No matter what I wrote, no matter how I wrote it, none of it was as perfect as you deserve. Words can be misunderstood but so can actions and those speak much louder.¡± He began. ¡°In the end, I settled on something that was simple and familiar yet expressed my promise, my solemn vow, to you.¡± He dropped the paper in his hand without ever unfolding it. ¡°I, Isaac Wexler, of a land unknown even to me, proclaimer and claimer of the title of Lord of all that is Dark, dark mage, blessed by deities both named and unknown, swear to protect you and ours until the end of my very being. My heart is yours as it has been since the first time I laid eyes on you.¡± He held out his hand towards Aria and she placed the other onyx ring in his palm as well. ¡°I will continue to fight for you, to defend you, to support you, as you have done for me. I swear this before every deity, god, mortal, or otherwise that may be listening. You are mine and I will never let you go.¡±


    The pair placed their rings on each other¡¯s fingers and the onyx rings rotated on their own to fit perfectly into the diamond ones. There was no sound or light accompanying the joining of the rings but they would never be separate again as their magic had fused them together, permanently. Just like that night six months prior, two had become one.

 Chapter 3 Gifts.

    Chapter 3 Gifts.


    A thick dark mist and brilliant leaping vermillion flames spun and twirled in a mirrored dance of adamantine and magic. The same sword dance that was done during Sera¡¯s birthday was once more on full display, though this time in front of friends and loved ones instead of nameless nobles.


    Once the newlyweds¡¯ first sword dance was over, the bride¡¯s uncle strode towards them. With a flick of his wrist a pure black sword made of reality magic enshrouded in shadows materialized in his hand. His curved conjured blade hung casually at his side as he approached with purposeful strides. A few of those present readied themselves to fight him but the bride and groom just turned to meet him casually.


    ¡°Did you feel left out?¡± Isaac asked Fen L¡¯Vore with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°It has been ages but it is custom that the older generation guides the younger, one last time.¡± Fen told him with a slight upturn of his chin.


    His wife, Jala L¡¯Vore, arrived a moment later and grabbed her niece¡¯s hands. ¡°Come. Let us twirl and whirl. You drug me out of my studies so you must now indulge me.¡± She spun away from her niece and flicked her hand. A rapier of reality magic appeared in her hand trailing behind it black wisps of shadows.


    Lenna laughed and stepped away from her husband to engage with her aunt in a dance of blades. ¡°Very well, auntie, try to keep up.¡± She prodded and the pair began.


    ¡°You only did this so Jala had an excuse, didn¡¯t you?¡± Isaac questioned Fen rhetorically.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been locked away for too long and my skills have been gathering dust. I¡¯ll need to be in good form when we finally leave this place.¡± Fen countered and slashed towards Isaac. Fen¡¯s opening move showed Isaac that he was not engaging in a dance with the dark mage but rather a spar masked as one.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°I figured Jala would be here for at least another century.¡±


    ¡°All the more reason to shake the dust off when I have the chance.¡± Fen countered and slashed.


    ¡°Speaking of dust, is the shield our wedding present by chance?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°No.¡± Fen replied as he quickly realized that Isaac was not being pressured by him in the slightest. All of the dark mage¡¯s training with his paladin mate, combined with a very minor boost from his available mana regeneration rate, meant that Isaac was not only keeping pace with Fen but forcibly maintaining the status quo. ¡°Who knows when that will be ready.¡± Fen confessed. ¡°She is still waiting on the leaf.¡±


    ¡°Then what are you giving us?¡± Isaac questioned with a grin. It was customary but not required to give the newlyweds a gift but that didn¡¯t keep Isaac from pressuring Fen just because he could.


    ¡°A promise.¡± Fen replied with a frown.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac said and continued to hold the apparent casualness of their spar at a casual level to prevent anyone from getting worried about their clashing silent blades.


    ¡°Jala will create the security array for your¡­ farm¡­ and I will maintain availability in the event of an emergency for your household until you return, but not a moment longer.¡± Fen explained.


    Isaac was taken by surprise to such an extent that he almost missed the parry of Fen¡¯s next attack and had to harden shadows against his shoulder to keep the elf¡¯s sword from cutting his sleeve. ¡°That, that is much more than I was expecting. Thank you.¡± Isaac genuinely thanked him. Fen L¡¯Vore was a grandmaster shadow sorcerer and not one to be underestimated. There were few mortals capable of going head to head with him and those that could should¡¯ve had no reason to do so. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Fen nodded. ¡°I think the dust has been shaken off.¡± He spoke and took a step back to disengage. ¡°Now that business is over with, where is the duke¡¯s fine wine you have no doubt been given?¡±


    Isaac laughed and gestured towards one of the walls. ¡°There are a few chilled bottles for the guests, but,¡± He gestured towards his and Lenna¡¯s table. ¡°There is a bottle of the really good stuff that has just been opened.¡±


    ¡°Perfect.¡± Fen said and started towards Isaac and Lenna¡¯s table.


    ¡°But Fen,¡± Isaac called after him and the sorcerer stopped to give him a raised eyebrow. ¡°only one glass for you and one for Jala. I want at least half of it to take home.¡± Fen smirked and nodded before he continued on his way. If there was one thing that Fen could get behind, it was taking everything and anything that was offered or desired.


    ¡°I am afraid that I cannot keep up with such intensity.¡± Sera spoke as she approached Isaac. ¡°Perhaps a simple ballroom dance?¡±


    Isaac nodded deeply to her and noticed that Lenna was doing the same to Izen. Jala had trailed after her mate towards the expensive wine on the newlyweds¡¯ table. ¡°I think that can be arranged, though, you will have to forgive me if I step on your toes.¡± He told her with a smirk. ¡°I¡¯m still not very good at them.¡± Isaac said and tossed the hilt of his magic sword into his inventory.


    ¡°Oh pish.¡± Sera said and waved him off as she stepped up to begin dancing with him. Sera waited until they were well into the dance, and they were both comfortable enough for a distraction, to begin the topic of her arrival. ¡°The real wedding gift from Izen and I to you is not just the wedding itself but one last thing.¡± She told him.


    ¡°Sera.¡± Isaac said admonishingly. ¡°You are starting to make even me feel bad. How do you think poor Lenna feels?¡±


    Sera shook her head. ¡°That is why we are only telling you.¡± She replied with a wry grin. ¡°I have a letter of introduction from us for anyone you meet on your travels. It should grant you a fair amount of comfort and authority on your journey depending on where you go.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t that hurt some of the goodwill and reputation you¡¯ve built up over the years?¡± Isaac wondered. ¡°We would be using your name to receive hospitality.¡±


    Sera shook her head. ¡°Not a meaningful amount of it. Everyone knows that Arbencrofts and Sasstons are known to go adventuring in their youths so they are all expecting Lucius sooner or later.¡± She explained. ¡°A few more mouths to feed and bedsheets to change will not mean anything to those worth showing the letter to.¡± She explained. ¡°Just do not do anything that would reflect poorly on us, please?¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°I will do my best to not bite the hand that fed me.¡± He replied. ¡°What are Izen and Lenna talking about?¡± He asked abruptly.


    ¡°Oh, this and that.¡± Sera replied with a wry grin. ¡°Oh look, the song is done, make sure to spend time with all of your guests.¡± She finished with a graceful bow and a twirl towards her husband. The duke and duchess moved away to let others spend time and dance with the newlyweds as Celeste, Stan, and a very bashful looking Leo approached.


    ¡°This is my son, Leo.¡± Celeste introduced him. ¡°I know he usually hides away in the kitchen but this time his Pop and I managed to drag him out into the open.¡±


    Leo was a short man whose crimson hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail. His gray eyes looked exactly like Stan¡¯s but he was a full foot taller and nearly as wide. He looked like a relatively short and stocky human man with an amazing beard and too pale eyes. He could have been anywhere from twenty to thirty with his still youthful but worn countenance. ¡°Hello.¡± Leo told them with a deep but soft voice and a nod. ¡°Congratulations.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Isaac told him with a smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s ¡®bout all yer gonna get outta the lad.¡± Stan explained. ¡°In the territories of my kin, the tradition¡¯s a bit different. Usually it¡¯s only the folk of the fresh pair that gives somethin¡¯ to them.¡± He began. ¡°But you¡¯ve avenged my son which means you¡¯re family too.¡± Isaac and Lenna¡¯s eyes widened slightly in surprise at where the old smith¡¯s conversation was going. ¡°So, what I¡¯m tryin¡¯ ta say is, there is a bar of adamantine with your name on it in my shop. It¡¯ll be there for ya when you come back or you can take it with you on your travels, either¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Stan.¡± Lenna told the old dwarven smith. ¡°I will ensure that it is put to good use, if not by us then by our future generation, whenever they come.¡±


    Stan nodded once in finality as if now the gift¡¯s transition of ownership was now set in stone. ¡°Good.¡± Stan spoke and then stood there awkwardly for a moment.


    ¡°I think what the old man was trying to say was, ¡®Congratulations on your wedding and we wish you the best for the rest of your days.¡¯¡± Celeste summarized. ¡°As my gift to you,¡± Celeste began and reached into a Bottomless Bag that was hanging at her hip. She heaved with some noticeable effort before she pulled out a bag stuffed with coins. ¡°travel funds.¡± She told them.


    ¡°Celeste, we don¡¯t need-¡± Isaac began.


    ¡°Take them or it¡¯ll be seen as an insult.¡± Celeste cut him off.


    Isaac grabbed the bag and caught sight of a silvery coin on the top before he dropped it into his Inventory. He knew that Celeste wouldn¡¯t make a show of giving them a bag of actual silver coins which meant that they all had to be platinum ones. ¡°Thank you.¡± He and Lenna told her at the same time.


    ¡°Now we¡¯ll get out of the way so the rest can shower you with gifts.¡± Celeste told the pair and ushered her son and father-in-law away.


    After Celeste and her family came the Tanners and then the Silverstrands. The Tanners gave them a tome of creatures that have the best crafting materials and the Silverstrands promised a full wardrobe for both of them upon their return. After the families came the solitary creatures such as Thomas and Harry Lovecraft. Those wished them well and gave them a pure mana potion and fertility tincture in kind. Harry winked hard at the pair while handing them the small bottle, much to Lenna¡¯s embarrassment. Sir Michael gave them a map of the country that would always show where they were and Captain Tim gave them a bottle of wine from his personal stash. Next came Alexander and Clayton who had worked together to create ¡®A Tome of Introductory to True Magic Theory¡¯ which was packed full of all of the fundamental knowledge they had, including information on the colors of mana. Finally, came the three from the Adventurers¡¯ Guild and after them would come the duke-to-be and the three from Outpost Charles. With all the nobles, mages, and common folk out of the way, it was time for the adventurers to throw decorum to the wind and do what they did best, be themselves.

 Chapter 4 An Adventurer Wedding

    Chapter 4 An Adventurer Wedding


    ¡°Is it Lord and Lady Wexler now?¡± Edward asked as he approached. ¡°Aria ended with a proclamation of husband and wife, not your names.¡±


    ¡°It is the one thing that we cannot agree on.¡± Lenna confessed.


    ¡°V¡¯Nova just rolls off the tongue too well. To anyone who didn¡¯t know about the V¡¯Nova clan, it sounds like a really amazing, mysterious, and fantastical name.¡± Isaac argued. ¡°Wexler is just, plain. It sounds too normal.¡±


    Edward nodded in thought. ¡°I see.¡± He said with a contemplative look. ¡°So how should we address you?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Lord Wexler.¡± Lenna began.


    ¡°And Lady V¡¯Nova, as before.¡± Isaac finished.


    ¡°What about your children?¡± One of the Alice twins questioned.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ll cross that bridge when we get to it.¡± He replied. ¡°For now, that is something that can easily be pushed back.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± The other Alice replied.


    ¡°So, we picked out the gift but the boss paid for it, because, well, we are kind of broke.¡± The first Alice explained.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Edward said with a sigh. ¡°I do pay them well enough.¡± He defended himself with a glare towards the girls. ¡°Rather than stuff your library full of books you have already read that probably aren¡¯t worth reading again, I commissioned an entire set of The Plant, Beast, Monster, and Elemental Encyclopedia. It will take a while but you should get all thirty two volumes delivered to your house within the next year or so.¡±


    ¡°That couldn¡¯t have been cheap.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°Books are expensive, let alone those massive tomes.¡±


    ¡°I commissioned them from the main Guild branch so I am only paying for shipping. Consider it also a gift from the Guild Leader. It will require use of the teleporter and two couriers so yes, it was not cheap, but it was within the bounds of a wedding present.¡± He assured them. ¡°Now, I believe we have held you up long enough.¡± He said and glanced over his shoulder at the four left who hadn¡¯t had their turn to congratulate the newlyweds.


    ¡°Thank you, all three, four, of you for the volumes.¡± Isaac told them before they left. ¡°Knowledge is life for an adventurer and you have commissioned it in abundance for us.¡±


    ¡°See, I told you it was a good idea.¡± The second Alice bragged to her twin and their boss.


    ¡°They still totally would have been happy with an entire section of books from the fiction section.¡± The first Alice argued.


    Edward just shook his head and waved at Isaac and Lenna as they left with a few final parting words: ¡°Adventures are only adventures if you live to tell about them. Be careful on your travels.¡±


    Isaac nodded seriously towards the Guild Master. ¡°We will.¡± He promised him.


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t your honeymoon I would be insisting to come with you.¡± Lucius told them with a smile. ¡°Unfortunately, there is not much I can give you as everything I own is more or less bought and paid for by my parents.¡± He confessed honestly. ¡°I can do you a bit of a favor though.¡± He grinned and handed them an opened envelope.


    Isaac took it and opened the letter to see a confirmation of a work order being completed and ready to be picked up. ¡°What is this?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°Sapphirestone Fine Glassworks.¡± Lenna read the name of the company. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Lenses for your helmet.¡± Lucius declared proudly. ¡°They are enchanted so they won¡¯t break unless something hits them hard and directly. You will have to use a binding agent of some kind to hold them in place on the inside of your helmet but they will darken based on how bright the area is that you are in.¡± He explained. ¡°In total darkness they will be completely clear but if you try to look at the sun they will be completely black, so be careful when fighting something that shines divinely bright.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°Those will be perfect.¡± Lenna complimented the gift.


    Lucius scratched the back of his head. ¡°Well, I paid for it with my allowance so my parents more or less paid for it but, you''re welcome.¡± He replied. ¡°They will hold them for you until someone arrives with the confirmation letter to claim them.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Lenna said. ¡°This is a very well thought out gift that will see almost immediate use.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, uh, congratulations.¡± Lucius looked like he was about to leave but then stopped himself. ¡°You don¡¯t happen to know someone who would be willing to pick me up as a party member do you?¡±


    Isaac chuckled and Lenna smiled at him. ¡°What level are you?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°I¡¯m a fifth level magic knight.¡± Lucius explained. ¡°I¡¯m decent with a rapier and my casting is good but I don¡¯t have a lot of battlefield experience.¡±


    ¡°Fifth level is pretty good for not having any battlefield experience.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been trained by some of the best and I do have some real battle experience, but not a lot.¡± Lucius replied. ¡°So? Any ideas?¡±


    ¡°None that would be a good fit for you I¡¯m afraid.¡± Isaac replied with a consoling smile. ¡°Besides, you want to explore the sunlit Overworld before you get stuck down here for a few decades.¡± Isaac told him. ¡°Get two more magic knights and find a crazy cleric of knowledge to follow around. I¡¯m sure you guys will get in plenty of trouble that way.¡±


    ¡°Hey! I heard that!¡± Aria called from a dozen feet away where she was waiting her turn.


    Lucius laughed. ¡°¡®Healers are important in any team that wants to survive¡¯, that¡¯s what my father told me. Thanks for the advice.¡± He told them with a nod. ¡°Now, I will let your friend, the ¡®crazy cleric of knowledge¡¯, have her turn and, in case I don¡¯t see you before you leave, have a great trip and never forget about the home you have here.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t.¡± Lenna assured him. ¡°Take care of yourself, Lucius.¡± He gave one last nod before he stepped away so the three from Outpost Charles could have their turn.


    ¡°A crazy cleric of knowledge huh?¡± Aria questioned indignantly.


    Isaac looked up at Claus who was next to her. ¡°I¡¯m not wrong.¡± He told the giant man.


    Claus shook his head. ¡°No.¡± He replied in his gravely bass voice. ¡°You are not.¡± He agreed.


    Aria shot him a look that screamed disbelief that he took Isaac¡¯s side instead of hers. ¡°Anyway,¡± She began and turned back to the pair. ¡°It took me a while, and there are a bunch of rules for this, but I can take an educated guess at your future for you. That is my gift, you can choose if you want to know it or not but if I realize that something specific will lead to your death I¡¯m going to tell you regardless.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°You can do that?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°One of the rules is that I can¡¯t see myself when I do it, so it¡¯s more or less useless to use on Claus or myself because even if we are separated, my involvement up until that point will make the reading almost impossible.¡± She explained. ¡°So, unless you decide to help Claus and I look for the secret vampire civilization, it should be pretty accurate.¡±


    ¡°Okay, don¡¯t ruin any good surprises. I trust you to use your judgment to reveal any really bad things that you see.¡± Isaac told her.


    ¡°We will have to do it back at our suite where I already have the ritual laid out, so come by before you two head off to bed.¡± She winked to punctuate the last bit.


    Isaac rolled his eyes and Lenna forced a stoic expression as if she hadn¡¯t heard her. ¡°Thank you, we will.¡± Isaac assured her.


    ¡°My gift.¡± Claus said and pulled out a glass lidded wooden box, with a brand new pair of sets of cards inside. Cards for the very first game Isaac had ever played upon arriving in their world. ¡°For when you get bored, on the road.¡± He told him with a grin.


    ¡°Thanks, Clau-¡± Isaac was cut off as the massive man wrapped his tree trunk arms around him and hauled him off the ground in a big hug. A moment later Claus dropped him back down to the ground. Isaac chuckled and took the offered box. ¡°Thanks, my friend. Every time we play I¡¯ll be reminded to come home after our adventure. Maybe when we get back, Lenna and I will help you two on Aria¡¯s quest for a little while.¡±


    Claus nodded. ¡°Good. It¡¯ll be fun.¡±


    Isaac chuckled again. ¡°Yeah, it will be.¡± He agreed. ¡°Speaking of quests, adventures, and the first time I played this game, I see you brought someone along. Chris, I¡¯m surprised you agreed to travel with these two after what happened last time.¡±


    Chris wheeled around from behind Aria and Claus. ¡°I decided to move here. I¡¯m gonna take you up on your offer to find me work here that¡¯ll pay better than at home. As for traveling with the totally-not-together pair, I think I learned my lesson about staring into the dark whenever I hear a noise. It was a bit nerve-racking for the first few nights though.¡± He told them.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you made it.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°Your mother decided to stay I take it?¡±


    Chris scratched his cheek. ¡°Well, she still seemed like she was on the fence about it but, if I¡¯m being honest, I don¡¯t think she really wanted to get here two days before the wedding. The whole thing is kinda awkward and there was no way that she was going to have a gift for you. I don¡¯t.¡± He confessed with a chuckle and a grin. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that all I can offer you is congratulations.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Isaac replied with a smile. ¡°Honestly, we got way more than we had ever expected. I was expecting to have a full wine cellar but instead everything we¡¯ve been given has been, or will be, directly useful.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an adventurer wedding for you.¡± Aria chimed in. ¡°Adventurers don¡¯t need plateware and new bedding for wedding presents, we need potions, maps, boons, and items.¡±


    Isaac and Lenna looked around and both had a realization at the same time. Everyone there either worked for or with adventurers, were retired adventurers, or were adventurers. ¡°I guess this really is an adventurer wedding. Sera had made it sound like it was much more grandiose.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°That¡¯s because we didn¡¯t open the ballroom to more people after the wedding. Everyone here was also there for the ceremony.¡± Lenna explained.


    ¡°Okay boys, let¡¯s let the newlyweds get something to eat before it¡¯s all gone.¡± Aria said to wrangle the wheelchair bound teenager and her goliath guardian. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to come by¡­ actually, come by in the morning. Claus and I can work around the ritual for tonight. You two are bound to be worn out by now.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like an excellent plan.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°Tomorrow morning, maybe late morning.¡±


    Aria laughed. ¡°Late morning.¡± She echoed in agreement before leaving with the boys.


    ¡°Alright, my love, I believe it is time to sample every dish the Arbencroft head chef could come up with with semi local ingredients.¡± Isaac said to Lenna while he offered her his arm.


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna replied while taking it. ¡°I am starving.¡± She said before adding in a whisper with a sly grin: ¡°And not just for the food.¡±

 Chapter 5 Going To Be A Long Day,

    Chapter 5 Going To Be A Long Day,


    Isaac and Lenna arose to the sound of soft knocking on their door. Isaac looked around blearily at the large room. It was the first time he had woken up in that particular space. He and Lenna had just spent their first night in their new home and were already making plans to leave on an adventure. Looking around the large bedroom, it was decently empty. There was a desk with a strange box on it that seemed to be made of a dozen different woods at the same time. There was a large closet that was almost completely empty. There was also a pair of armor stands with Isaac and Lenna¡¯s armor on them. On either side of their generous but not massive bed, there was a nightstand with lanterns that ignited with a simple tap and glasses of water. Other than those few simple things, their room was bare. ¡°Would you like breakfast in bed or in the dining room?¡± Margaret¡¯s voice came just loud enough to hear through the door.


    ¡°The dining room is fine, we¡¯ll be down in a-¡± Isaac¡¯s voice was cut off as Margaret opened the door and walked inside. ¡°-moment.¡± He finished. Isaac and Lenna¡¯s lower halves were thankfully covered with a blanket but unfortunately Lenna¡¯s top half was not.


    ¡°Pardon me.¡± Margaret said as she entered without a care in the world and tapped the metal plate next to the doorframe to light the lanterns in the room. She walked over to the side of the closet with Lenna¡¯s clothes and opened it. ¡°Under armor or street clothes today, my Lady?¡± She questioned.


    ¡°Street clothes.¡± Lenna answered with a yawn. Apparently she didn¡¯t mind Margaret¡¯s intrusion in the slightest.


    ¡°Casual or are we meeting with his or her grace today?¡± Margaret questioned further.


    ¡°Casual.¡± Lenna replied and sat up.


    ¡°Uh, Lenna?¡± Isaac spoke to get her attention.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She said and turned to look at him.


    ¡°You are naked.¡± He reminded her.


    ¡°I am aware.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°With someone else in the room.¡± Isaac reminded her further.


    ¡°I am aware of that as well.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°Is this not part of Margaret¡¯s duties?¡± She questioned him.


    ¡°I was not aware that it was.¡± Isaac said simply.


    ¡°She said that she was a lady-in-waiting to a noblewoman before.¡± Lenna reminded him. ¡°I assumed when she entered that this was a part of her duties.¡±


    ¡°It was not outlined in the contract directly, no, my Lady.¡± Margaret cut in as she approached, with a fresh set of a long sleeved shirt and pants, and stopped in front of her. ¡°Though I assure you that I am more than capable of handling this much.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Lenna told the woman and got out of bed. Margaret immediately started helping her get dressed as if she knew every move Lenna was going to make before she even made it.


    Isaac, for his part, was not going to let another woman see him naked, let alone dress him, so he pulled his spare undergarments out of his Inventory and slid them on while maintaining his dignity with the blanket. After that he got up and approached the closet to get his own clothes and replace the ones he had just removed from his Inventory.


    ¡°My Lord, if you would have waited, I would have assisted you.¡± Margaret told him as she finished up with Lenna.


    ¡°I would prefer it if you didn¡¯t.¡± Isaac replied honestly. ¡°I have never been waited on like that and I would prefer if my wife was the only one to see me, exposed.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see, my apologies. I wrongfully assumed that as a lord you were used to a servant dressing you in the morning.¡± Margaret said with a curtsy. ¡°I will wait until I am cleared to enter in the future.¡± She assured him and then turned back to Lenna. ¡°A simple braid, ponytail, crown?¡± She asked Lenna and pulled out the desk chair for the paladin to sit. ¡°We still have not received the vanity I see.¡±


    ¡°A high ponytail is fine, thank you.¡± Lenna replied and took the offered seat. ¡°I believe we forgot to place that order. Would you be able to do that later?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my Lady. Should I do it right away or after my other duties are fulfilled?¡± Margaret requested for clarification.


    ¡°Anytime before closing time is fine.¡± Lenna replied and sat perfectly still as Margaret combed through her knotted hair. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡°Oh dear, when was the last time someone else did your hair?¡± Margaret questioned. ¡°There are so many knots.¡±


    ¡°Yesterday.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°It is always a mess in the morning.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Was Margaret¡¯s simple reply. It was clear that she was inferring another reason as to why Lenna¡¯s hair was such a mess.


    ¡°You seem really comfortable with this.¡± Isaac commented as he finished dressing himself. ¡°Was this how it was in Contantis for you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°I learned very early on that if I rejected an assigned, an assigned slave, they would be put to death under the assumption that they had done something to offend me.¡± She explained. ¡°The best I could do was tell them that just one was enough because she was that amazing at her job. That meant that there would only ever be one woman held in captivity for my sake.¡±


    ¡°That is very kind of you.¡± Margaret spoke barely louder than a whisper as she worked.


    ¡°No, it was not.¡± Lenna stated. ¡°I could have brought on more girls at regular intervals and tasked them with easy busy work. That would have given them a comfortable enough place to live, serviceable food, and easy work. I just, I just couldn¡¯t stomach the chains any longer than necessary.¡±


    Margaret rested her hand consolingly on Lenna¡¯s shoulder for a moment before she went back to doing her hair. ¡°You were kind to whoever was lucky enough to be assigned to you, that is all that matters.¡± Margaret told her mistress comfortingly. ¡°I know slavery is outlawed here, but it is not where I come from.¡± She explained. ¡°It is not extremely common but there are still slaves and none of them are ever treated very well. It speaks volumes of your character that you were kind to even one slave let alone however many served you during your lifetime.¡±


    Lenna stayed silent after Margaret¡¯s words but Isaac did not. ¡°She¡¯s right.¡± He told her. ¡°One day, when we are strong enough, and have enough allies to do it, we will go and empty Contantis of all of its involuntary inhabitants. Today is not that day though, today is the day that we get our future¡¯s seen by Aria and we begin packing for our trip.¡±


    Lenna took a deep breath and then sighed it out. ¡°Yes. Larger problems require larger amounts of force than we currently have available.¡± She agreed. ¡°Margaret, what is for breakfast?¡± She asked with a sniff.


    ¡°Biscuits, goose eggs, and duck fried in pig fat. It is served with oranges and a mixed fruit juice that arrived from an orchard near Sapphirestone. I am unaware of their recipe.¡± Margaret explained. ¡°I hope it is to your liking, Madeline is making it now.¡±


    ¡°She can cook?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± Margaret replied. ¡°It was necessary with how few staff members are here for more than one person to be able to cook. I left breakfast in her more than capable hands in order to assist my Lady and, if you wished, yourself.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I believe we will be leaving the manor in good hands while we are away.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for saying s-¡± Margaret¡¯s voice abruptly stopped as she heard a creak in the floorboards just outside of the bedroom. ¡°Who is there? Mar, is that you?¡±


    ¡°Shit, I knew I should have come alone.¡± A familiar voice to Isaac and Lenna but not to Margaret swore quietly. Margaret took a step back and reached into her apron for something immediately upon hearing the voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Margaret.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°James, you had better not have tracked dirt in here or I¡¯ll let Margaret take you out back.¡±


    ¡°I, uh, it¡¯s not a lot. I¡¯ll help clean up, I promise.¡± James replied.


    ¡°Ugh, take off your damn shoes.¡± Lenny swore at his brother and then rounded the corner to stand in the doorway. ¡°Hey boss, lady boss.¡± He greeted them both with a nod. ¡°Sneaking in here is hard, even without any alarm enchantments. You live in too busy of a neighborhood for a midday break-in.¡±


    ¡°That is kind of the point.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Well, we noticed your new indentured servants and thought we could give them some advice, you know, as former indentured servants of yours.¡± Lenny replied with a grin before it vanished from his face at the sound of James toppling to the floor while he tried to take his boots off. ¡°Miss?¡± Lenny asked the woman who looked like she still was not sure if she should be brandishing a knife at him or not.


    ¡°Margaret.¡± She told him curtly.


    ¡°Miss Margaret, I will not stop you if you decide to beat my brother half to death for his transgressions against you. I am sure that it took you and your daughters many hours to clean this massive house.¡± Lenny told her with an exaggerated bow and then stepped into the room and out of the doorway.


    Margaret sighed and relaxed enough to go back to tying Lenna¡¯s hair up into a high ponytail. ¡°We will see, after our Lord and Lady have their breakfast, if there is any dirt left uncleaned by then, I will have him lick the rest off of the floor.¡± She told him.


    ¡°You are as generous as you are beautiful.¡± Lenny replied and rose.


    ¡°Lenny.¡± Isaac spoke.


    ¡°Yes, boss?¡± Lenny asked.


    ¡°Stop flirting with Margaret and tell me what brought you into my bedroom.¡± Isaac told him.


    ¡°Yes, boss.¡± Lenny replied with a nod. ¡°I was wondering if I could tag along with you.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac replied simply.


    ¡°See, I told you he would say no.¡± James¡¯ voice came from the hallway.


    ¡°Mom, who is this strange man in the hallway?¡± Martha¡¯s voice immediately followed.


    Isaac¡¯s palm met his forehead. ¡°If it was just you, Lenny, my mood would not have been negatively impacted.¡±


    Lenny gulped. ¡°I, uh, well, now that that is out of the way and I have been entirely shot down before I could even get off the ground, James and I have an offer for the three lovely ladies looking after your manor.¡± Lenny spilled out before he could get forcibly removed from the premises.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Lenna wondered. ¡°It had better be good, I am not going to save you from him.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenny immediately replied. ¡°We wanted to give you,¡± Lenny began with a nod towards Margaret. ¡°a way to contact us if anyone gave you any trouble while the bosses were away. I know this is a horrible third impression but-¡±


    ¡°Third?¡± Margaret questioned.


    ¡°Yes, we were disguised as servants at the wedding and we met at the auction.¡± Lenny explained and pulled his mask out of his Bottomless Bag at his hip. It was then that Martha peaked her head around the corner. The little girl¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of the mask. ¡°Oh, hello.¡± He said to the little one.


    ¡°Will you be joining us for breakfast, mister Phantom?¡± She asked him with large round eyes.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°He has been bad so he is only allowed to eat whatever is left after all five of us have eaten.¡± He told the little maid.


    Martha gasped. ¡°What did you do?¡± She asked in a loud whisper and then looked down the hall at the other man who had finally managed to take his boots off and stuff them into his bag.


    ¡°I brought my clumsy brother along through the roof entrance instead of coming alone.¡± Lenny told her sadly.


    ¡°I am not clumsy. Do you know how hard it is to take boots off while standing up and not being flexible enough to touch your toes?¡± James questioned indignantly.


    Isaac sighed again. ¡°Martha, can you please bring James a pair of slippers and something to clean up all the dirt he tracked in.¡± He requested of her.


    ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± Martha said with a bow and hurried off to fulfill her orders.


    ¡°This is going to be a long day, isn¡¯t it?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°Based on how it has started, yes.¡± Lenna agreed.

 Chapter 6 Look Into

    Chapter 6 Look Into


    Isaac and Lenna sat side by side at the dining table. The first pair of chairs just inside from the head of the table were empty with the following two on either side filled with Margaret and Lenny on one side and Martha and Madeline on the other. The only person with an empty plate was Lenny. Margaret had just finished explaining to Martha that there was plenty of food for ¡®Mister Phantom¡¯ and that the Lord and Lady of the house were only making him wait until everyone else was finished before he could get his own food. That was why Martha was now shoveling food into her mouth, with as close an approximation to proper table manners as a seven year old who was trying to eat as fast as possible could muster. In her little mind; the sooner she finished, the sooner Mister Phantom could start.


    ¡°There is another reason I came today.¡± Lenny told Isaac and Lenna. His eyes flicked to the plate still piled high with a hot and hearty breakfast on it.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°Something important?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea.¡± Lenny replied honestly. ¡°Remember how you told me to keep an eye out for magic items that let a person cast spells without being able to control mana themselves?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac said to keep him going.


    ¡°The final item at the auction was one such item. I didn¡¯t find out about it until a while later and decided to do some digging.¡± Lenny began. ¡°There is a wealthy merchant named Eugene Even Pierce.¡± Lenny then visibly cringed. ¡°Or Mister Eep as people started calling him.¡±


    ¡°That is an awful name.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°Well, Eep,¡± Lenny then chuckled to himself at the horrendous nickname. ¡°ended up spending six platinum bars on the item. It was an elaborate brooch in the shape of a shield that cast and maintained a Reality Shield bubble around him for ten minutes, less if the bubble was directly attacked by something like a building or something else equally as ridiculous. It is a pretty good item but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s worth six platinum bars. What¡¯s going on with the item type you asked me to keep an eye out for?¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°I have no idea. Alexander said that he would reimburse us for any we found and picked up. He said that they were causing a huge mess in the capital but that¡¯s all I know. There has to be something we don¡¯t know. A reality bubble brooch is not something that should be causing problems for the court wizards of Alita.¡± He replied.


    ¡°I believe it has something to do with the fact that it is a spell. I do wonder why though.¡± Lenna chimed in.


    ¡°It has to be related to whoever is making them.¡± Isaac surmised.


    ¡°Should I keep looking into it?¡± Lenny asked. ¡°Though, if I am limited to only what I can learn while in Safeharbor it might be kind of difficult to get anything concrete.¡±


    ¡°Do you think you can get through the dwarven checkpoint without being remembered?¡± Isaac queried him in return.


    ¡°You mean by not being noticed or by being forgettable?¡± Lenny wondered.


    ¡°Either.¡± Isaac clarified.


    ¡°I think I can be forgotten under the right circumstances. Sneaking through there is a no go though. No one sneaks through the dwarven checkpoint. There are hundreds more runes packed between every brick and block of stone than it looks like there is.¡± Lenny declared. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You can expand your area of influence to Sapphirestone as needed but you¡¯ll need to find a way to keep Lenny and Phantom from being connected.¡± Isaac told him. ¡°Actually, I have a question. If no one can sneak through a dwarven checkpoint then how do slaves and contraband get through?¡±


    ¡°Bottomless Boxes and Bags.¡± Lenny replied. ¡°You can stuff a person inside a Bottomless anything as long as they fit and it¡¯s been aired out ahead of time.¡±


    ¡°Do you think that Phantom could smuggle himself out?¡± Isaac wondered.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Not a chance.¡± Lenny stated. ¡°Everyone in the underground of our underground city hates me. Little old Lenny will have to just tag along with some caravans from time to time.¡±


    ¡°If you are confident in your ability to do it, without blowing you or your brother¡¯s cover, do it.¡± Isaac told him. ¡°Otherwise, stay in Safeharbor and keep up with your training. While we are gone, Izen and Edward are going to need someone shady that they can rely on.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for your return, as long as it isn¡¯t for more than a year.¡± Lenny told him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to let G.M. or Teach down by bailing on them as soon as you leave.¡±


    Isaac nodded and Lenna smiled at him. ¡°You are growing into quite the man.¡± Lenna complimented him. ¡°I know it hasn¡¯t been very long, but the you from before seemed like a large child chasing thrills.¡±


    ¡°Oh I am still chasing thrills, lady boss, but I am also aware of those that have helped me.¡± Lenny clarified. ¡°That¡¯s why I won¡¯t be sticking around for more than a year waiting for you.¡±


    Lenna chuckled. ¡°Fair enough. Now, I believe it is your time to eat.¡± She told him. Lenny looked around the table and noticed that everyone was finished. With one quick glance towards Isaac, to which he got a nod in reply, Lenny dove into the breakfast as if he hadn¡¯t eaten for days.


    ¡°The breakfast was very well made.¡± Isaac complimented Madeline as he rose to his feet.


    Madeline hurried to rise before he did and curtsied in reply to his compliment. ¡°It was my pleasure, my Lord.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Lenny, save some of it for your brother, and I trust that the two of you will leave without anyone seeing you.¡± Isaac told the sword dancer.


    Lenny nodded. ¡°Yep.¡± He agreed through a mouthful of food.


    ¡°Margaret, we will be home for dinner.¡± Lenna told their stewardess.


    Margaret had risen from her seat at a much more measured pace than her eldest daughter, or her youngest daughter who had hurried to mimic her, and was ready to reply with grace. ¡°Will the seventeenth hour be appropriate, my Lady?¡± Margaret requested clarification.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°If for some reason we are later than that, you may eat without us.¡±


    ¡°As you say.¡± Margaret said with a graceful bow.


    With James and Lenny taken care of, their household in order, and the chiming of the eleventh bell on the wall clock, it was finally time for Isaac and Lenna to get their futures read by their friend, the ¡®crazy cleric of knowledge¡¯.


    ¡ª


    Aria opened the door for Isaac and Lenna. Unlike the last time the pair had shown up at Aria and Claus¡¯s hotel room, the cleric and warrior did not look like they had just scrambled out of bed to meet them. Aria swung the door open wide to let them in with a smile. ¡°Good morning newlyweds.¡± She greeted them. ¡°Get any sleep?¡±


    ¡°I slept like the dead.¡± Isaac told her honestly. The wedding had been beautiful and a wonderful experience but even he had been drained by the end of it. Lenna only made it home at all because Sera had a carriage take them home. She had fallen asleep during the three minute bumpy carriage ride home.


    ¡°Likewise.¡± Lenna added.


    ¡°Wow.¡± Aria said flatly. ¡°You¡¯re no fun. Anyway, sit down in the middle of the ritual.¡± She told them and gestured to the massive magical ritual circle that had been drawn out in chalk across the floor.


    ¡°Does the innkeeper know you are using their floor for a ritual?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°Nope.¡± Aria replied casually. Claus, who was sitting on the bed because the table and chairs had been piled up in the corner, just shook his head. The look in the massive man¡¯s eyes spoke of a futile attempt to get Aria to choose a better location for the ritual. The ritual in question was a nine pointed star drawn with one continuous line that was surrounded by a circle with another circle that fit perfectly inside it. Seemingly plastered on top of the rest of the ritual was a compass rose. There was a space just barely large enough for both Isaac and Lenna to sit back to back in the middle of the compass rose. All around the ritual there were different small runic letters. At each of the nine points on the star there was an hourglass. Each of the candles, placed on the tips of each of the four cardinal directions of the compass rose, were being lit by Aria as soon as she no longer needed to hold the door open for Isaac and Lenna.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to sacrifice us to El¡¯No in some ritual that turns our beings into nothing but compressed information are you?¡± Isaac wondered as he stepped into the ritual circle.


    ¡°That¡¯s been the plan all along.¡± Aria said dryly. ¡°No but seriously, this ritual is way harder than I thought it would be. This is literally a ninth, a fourth, and a third level ritual stitched together like a chimera.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t filling me with great confidence.¡± Isaac told her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it is just Farseeing, Foresight, and Scrying sewn together with chalk.¡± Aria replied. ¡°This is going to hurt, me not you, and I¡¯ll be basically blind for the rest of the day so I hope you appreciate this.¡±


    ¡°What? Why do it then?¡± Isaac asked her.


    ¡°Because this is the greatest, biggest, most spectacular gift you will ever get from me. Also, like you said, I¡¯m your first friend. It¡¯s about time I act like it.¡± She told him. ¡°Now, close your eyes, sit perfectly still, don¡¯t stir even the smallest mote of mana, and absolutely, whatever you do, do not talk or get out of the circle.¡±


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°Understood.¡± Lenna said at the same time.


    ¡°Claus, if I pass out, it¡¯s fine. I was already warned about the possibility of it happening and once the vision is finished I will wake back up. That means don¡¯t touch me unless I¡¯m still unconscious after the ritual circle finishes burning up.¡± She told her guardian.


    Claus took a deep breath and let it out slowly in sigh. ¡°Fine.¡± He grumbled. ¡°Sit down first.¡±


    Aria nodded. ¡°Right. Don¡¯t want to fall and smack my head on the burning ritual.¡± She said more to herself than to the other three present. She sat down cross legged at the edge of the ritual circle where both Isaac and Lenna could see her clearly with a simple turn of their heads. ¡°Okay you two, ready?¡±


    ¡°What about the divination protection on the rings?¡± Isaac wondered.


    Aria hitched. ¡°If you don¡¯t put those in your Inventory right now, I am going to have a stroke.¡± She told him.


    Isaac took Lenna¡¯s ring and put both his and hers inside his Inventory as instructed. ¡°Will it still work if we are going to put the rings back on as soon as this is over?¡± Isaac asked her.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Aria replied. ¡°I only need them off now so the spell can get a lock on you. Now, final check, ready?¡±


    ¡°Ready.¡± Isaac and Lenna said at the same time.


    ¡°Good.¡± Aria stated. ¡°Then let us begin our look into the future.¡±

 Chapter 7 The Great Futures.

    Chapter 7 The Great Futures.


    ¡°A book of memories yet to be written, a painting of sights yet to be seen, a song of melodies yet to be heard, a play of decisions yet to be made.¡± Aria began. The chalk lines drawn into the smooth, well fit together, wooden floor started to glow a soft white that steadily turned cerulean blue. The orange flames of the white stick candles doubled in size and turned a deep red that was the perfect inverse of the glowing chalk lines. The sand in the hour glasses all started to flow upwards as the ritual began in earnest. ¡°A singing pop-out picture book in the palms of my hands, as knowledge yet to be known is brought forth from the four winds of time. Give me a glimpse of the great futures. Show the sights that shouldn¡¯t be seen.¡±


    The room darkened so completely that only things actively producing light could be seen, everything else was merely a silhouette. Aria twitched and spasmed in pain in her seated position. She grunted as it felt like someone was grinding sand against her eyeballs. A moment passed in total silence save for the gentle pouring of the upwards going sand and the sizzling of the glowing chalk as it boiled away. After the better part of a minute of silence, Aria fainted. She slumped over herself and ungracefully rested her forehead on the floor. A few seconds later, the chalk finished burning itself out and the candles, that looked like they could have burned for hours before the ritual had begun, had burned out. The hourglasses started flowing normally and the room brightened back to normal levels.


    Claus was at Aria¡¯s side as soon as the ritual finished burning itself out and he helped her sit up. Aria groaned in pain and in protest as he moved her. Once she was sitting upright again her eyes were closed and tears of blood had marked her face in a pair of long crimson lines. She took in a deep breath and tried to open her eyes only to stop almost immediately. ¡°Ow, ow, ouch.¡± She fired off and quickly gave up opening them until she was properly healed. Claus just shook his head as his massive paws enveloped her small shoulders to keep her stable and upright. ¡°This is awful.¡± She declared. ¡°I am never doing this again.¡±


    ¡°As much as I would love to thank you for going through with this, and maybe pick on you for looking like shit, Aria, are you going to be alright?¡± Isaac asked her.


    ¡°I need a priest.¡± Aria grumbled.


    ¡°What?¡± Isaac asked dumbfounded.


    ¡°I am completely out of mana and need a real healer, no offense Lenna, to dump their mana pool into my eyeballs while they are kept submerged in hot water to get all the blood out of them.¡± Aria explained. ¡°Now, while it¡¯s fresh in my mind, let me tell you everything that I saw.¡±


    ¡°Is it all lethal?¡± Isaac wondered with a hint of horror in his voice.


    ¡°Oh, right, you only wanted to know the super bad things.¡± Aria said and thought for a moment. She mouthed something here and there for a minute before she settled on something. ¡°You will fight many battles and many of them will push you to the brink, who knows, you might even die in one or two of them but those deaths should not be the end of your story. There is one battle that will certainly end in both yours and Lenna¡¯s permanent deaths.¡± She warned. ¡°There will come a time when something will cause you to go on a rampage in Contantis, Isaac. Lenna will follow you but together you will not be enough to raze the city. When the time comes that you feel the urge to bring the former home of your wife to ruin, do not. You must wait until¡­ until a dragon can tear the walls asunder. But not any dragon, a white dragon with black flames that is large enough to blot out the sun.¡±


    ¡°That is a lot.¡± Isaac told her. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Far more than I was expecting.¡± Lenna agreed.


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s a lot to take in, not a lot about our future. Something will happen that will cause me to want to tear Contantis apart at the seams, but what?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°I have no idea.¡± Aria replied. ¡°Just remember, Isaac, do not even think about going into Contantis without a white dragon with black flames that is the size of an inn. Anything else, anything less will be suicide.¡±


    Isaac nodded even though she couldn¡¯t see him. ¡°I will. You said that Lenna would follow me which means that Lenna being there will not be the reason.¡± Isaac agreed and then speculated. ¡°What could cause me to do something so reckless?¡±


    Aria shook her head. ¡°I have no idea.¡± She repeated. ¡°Now, Isaac, you and Lenna should leave so Claus can lock the door behind us.¡± She told the people she had temporarily given her sight for. ¡°Claus, be a dear and carry me to the temple of Halya. Those priests have nothing better to do underground. Everyone knows Halya doesn¡¯t help mushrooms grow because they are not actually plants.¡±


    Claus sighed and scooped her up like a sick child. ¡°Key.¡± Claus said and nodded towards where a key sat on the counter. Isaac got up and grabbed the key and he and Lenna followed Claus and his burden out. Isaac locked the door behind them and handed the key to Claus. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Isaac nodded in reply to him and looked at Aria. ¡°Thanks, Aria, I mean it.¡± He told her.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, the best way you can thank me is by listening to what I told you.¡± She told him. She then shifted slightly to point in the direction that Claus was facing, which just happened to be a wall. ¡°Onwards my noble steed, to a healer!¡±


    ¡ª


    After leaving Claus and Aria to enlist the aid of the healers of Halya, the duo went to the general store and stocked up on preserved food. They then went to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild and received a caravan protection job that would begin in two day¡¯s time. Once that was out of the way the duo returned home and began working on their respective abilities and skills that needed attention while they still had a space of safety and silence.


    Lenna had been controlling her aura, like before, in an attempt to cross over the threshold into level eighteen. Her aura slipped seamlessly over and around everyone that passed through it without it ever affecting them. She had restarted her training around the time the duo had headed to the dining room for breakfast. The mental strain was noticeable but not too much for her to bear. The real test was one of endurance. She had to make it a full day once again and this time the prospect of maintaining perfect aura control over such a flimsy yet powerful aura such as hers, one built on hatred that could easily turn to apathy if not focused on, was one that was possible but daunting to the greatest degree.


    Isaac was once again locked in his office staring at his shadow. ¡°Why, why won¡¯t you just stay?¡± He asked his shadow with narrowed eyes. ¡°What am I missing?¡±


    Isaac gestured upwards and his shadow rose up to stand in front of him. ¡°Now, just stay, just don¡¯t fall apart or move as soon as I let go.¡± He told his shadow as if it could nod in response. The thought of making it do just that crossed through his mind but he quickly shook it away and refocused. As soon as Isaac released his direct mental control over the shadows they dissipated back into mana, again. ¡°Damn it.¡± Isaac swore under his breath and then gestured for the fiftieth time for it to rise.


    ¡°Just, just Stay.¡± Isaac said with clear frustration and animated hand movements. His control slipped during that brief moment of outburst but the shadow did not start to drift away. Standing there, right in front of him was his silhouette. ¡°What?¡± Isaac asked himself, mana, and his shadow. He reached out and touched his shadows gingerly. The simple contact seemed to break something and the shadows drifted away as if on an invisible wind. ¡°Huh?¡± Isaac questioned in horror. ¡°What happened? Why did it stay? Why did it go?¡± He questioned in panic. ¡°Ugh why won¡¯t thi-¡± Isaac shut himself up as he realized what he had done. When he had ordered the shadows to stay with more than just his words or intent but with the mana in his core, his entire being, the shadows had listened. When he had touched them, he had moved them which made them no longer stay exactly how he had originally intended which caused them to break continuity with the order he had given.


    Isaac looked down at his shadow once more. ¡°Rise.¡± He ordered it and his silhouette rose up to meet him. ¡°Stay.¡± He ordered and it maintained its position and orientation perfectly. Isaac walked around it once and immediately noticed that it was a three dimensional copy of him, not a two dimensional silhouette. He also realized that it was flimsy and that some of the mana that should have been going towards his core was being directed away from it, before it even entered him, and into the silhouette to keep its integrity. Isaac let out a chuckle as he realized he had done it. His chuckle turned into a cackle and before long a deep roar of laughter, that could have come from the dark lord that Izen had satirically mentioned he could become, reverberated and echoed down the halls. He had done it. Now, even without a direct connection or constant focus, the shadows themselves would obey him.

 Chapter 8 Animate.

    Chapter 8 Animate.


    There was a knock at the door followed by a click from the latch. Isaac, who had been looking between the three copies of himself made of shadows, turned towards the door just in time to see Margaret push open the door. ¡°Pardon me,¡± Margaret began. ¡°but I assumed that you would be in need of some refreshments after your¡­¡± Her voice trailed off as she looked between Isaac and the copies of himself that were so black they were hard to look at directly. ¡°enthusiastic celebration.¡± She finished.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Isaac told her for going above and beyond her stated duties once again. Isaac knew that she was trying to get a wage increase as soon as possible, to shorten how long it would take her to pay off their debts, but that didn¡¯t take away from how good Margaret was at her job.


    Margaret bowed slightly at the thanks and wheeled the wooden serving cart through the threshold into Isaac¡¯s office. She moved it out of the way and closed the door behind herself as she didn¡¯t know if what was inside was meant to be shared with anyone else or not. ¡°I have water, some of the mixed fruit juice from breakfast, everything necessary to brew you some tea, or I can go get something else if you wish.¡± She explained.


    Isaac¡¯s face lit up with an idea. ¡°Just pour a glass of water for me and leave it on the cart. I trust you have a towel within reach?¡± He replied.


    ¡°Of course, my Lord.¡± Margaret told him and did as she was requested. She pulled a simple, perfectly clear, crystalline glass cup from the top shelf on the cart and filled it with water from a pitcher that somehow had frost coating it. She set it on the cart and waited to see if Isaac needed anything else, though, the real reason she didn¡¯t excuse herself was because of her curiosity about what Isaac and his risen shadows would do.


    Isaac nodded in thanks to Margaret and then turned to one of his shadows. ¡°Solidify.¡± Isaac ordered the shadow and he felt a noticeable drop in the mana that should have been going towards his core as the construct¡¯s mana density spiked. He glanced between the other two shadows. ¡°Begone.¡± He spoke and they broke apart before drifting away on the mana flow that went through all of existence. He turned back to the first one. Now that the only two things drawing power from him were Shamesh and the singular silhouette in front of him, it was time for a real test. ¡°Animate.¡± Isaac¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at the almost nonexistent increase in mana regeneration loss. At first he thought that maybe it hadn¡¯t worked but the shadow seemed to shift slightly and turn its head to keep him directly in front of its eyes.


    Margaret gasped slightly at the sudden movement from the standing shadow.


    Isaac smirked. ¡°It worked.¡± He whispered to himself. ¡°Good.¡± He then looked towards the glass of water. ¡°Retrieve it for me.¡± He spoke to the shadow. Just the simple intrinsic intent, that came from words being directed towards a person or thing, was enough for the shadow to know that Isaac was talking to it and not Margaret.


    The shadow turned and slid across the ground towards the cart at a steady speed. It took Isaac a moment to realize that it was moving at the speed of mana which was somewhere between a human¡¯s speed walking, a lightfoot¡¯s jog, and a dragon¡¯s leisurely stroll. It reached out and clasped its hand around the glass before it turned around to move back to Isaac. Some of the water splashed out of the glass, at the quick turn, and immediately started soaking into the rug. Once the shadow was out of the way, Margaret moved to pad down as much of the water as she could. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Isaac reached out and took the glass from the shadow as it stopped in front of him. ¡°I did it.¡± He whispered to himself again. ¡°I speak and they will finally listen.¡± He eyed the shadow up and down as he drank from the mostly full glass. ¡°Margaret, how would you feel about assisting me in a test of my new creation?¡±


    Margaret swallowed as she eyed the standing shadow. ¡°If I may ask, what might that entail, my Lord?¡± She wisely questioned.


    ¡°I want to see the extent of what this can do and how complex of orders it can follow.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°I want you to order it around as you work, have it do various tasks and we can see how well it understands other people¡¯s intent.¡±


    ¡°Intent?¡± Margaret asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied simply. ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°I, I suppose it would be alright, for a little while.¡± She conceded. ¡°Though with how rough it was with the glass, I would hesitate to have it touch or move anything that is breakable.¡±


    Isaac nodded in agreement. ¡°That is a hesitation born of wisdom.¡± He agreed. ¡°You will now have the designation: Shadow.¡± Isaac told the standing shadow. ¡°Whenever Margaret gives you an order, fulfill it as she intends it to be fulfilled.¡± Isaac told the shadow. The shadow made no moves but simply stayed staring at him.


    Margaret cleared her throat. ¡°Uh, Shadow, come to me.¡± She directed the being made of mana. The shadow made no moves to comply with her order.


    ¡°Focus.¡± Isaac told Margaret. ¡°Put some willpower into the order. Tell it what to do like a soldier would order her men.¡±


    Margaret nodded once and squared her shoulders. She took a deep breath and pointed to the space next to her. ¡°Shadow, fall in.¡± She ordered it but once again it made no moves.


    ¡°Fall in beside Margaret.¡± Isaac calmly instructed the shadow and it did as ordered without waver or hesitation. It stopped next to Margaret and then turned around to face him again. ¡°I see.¡± Isaac said more to himself than to Margaret or the shadow. ¡°Come back.¡± He told it and he returned to stand in front of him. ¡°Thank you, Margaret, that will be all.¡±


    Margaret bowed. ¡°I am glad that I could assist you, my Lord.¡± She replied and left with the cart much the same way that she had entered.


    Isaac eyed his shadow. ¡°I got a level out of this.¡± He told his shadow once Margaret was gone. ¡°I figured I would, but I still have no idea what uses I will have for this.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Begone.¡± He ordered it and it broke apart much like its siblings. Isaac hummed in thought as his mind began coming up with ways to make his Scripted Shadow Control useful in combat. Shadows did not have a mind and thus could not follow orders but only intent. On one hand that severely lowered the utility of creating multiple shadow golems to do his bidding but on the other hand it meant that, theoretically, he should be able to mentally direct them in the same way that he did with shadows that were actively connected to him. Isaac cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s time to get to work. Lenna is going to be completely blindsided next time we spar.¡±


    ¡ª


    Lenna continued to sit cross legged in the ¡®secret¡¯ training area under their manor. Everyone that passed over her wasn¡¯t permitted to even feel the presence of her aura as she guided it over and around each person. Madeline didn¡¯t even notice the few degrees of increased heat in the front half of the manor as she went about her chores. Martha had unconsciously loosened her collar as she moved from little task to little task.


    Lenna could feel each person and could tell what they were doing based on how her aura outlined them. She felt as Margaret entered Isaac¡¯s study only to leave it a short while later. Based on her posture the woman was pushing a cart. Madeline was sweeping up after the latest delivery had, probably, tracked in more stone dust from outside. Martha was bouncing up and down as she bothered Shamesh who was, based on his location, posture, and movements, painstakingly going over every inch of either her or Isaac¡¯s armor. Shamesh was making sure that everything would be as clean and polished as possible before they left on their trip.


    Lenna¡¯s attention paused on Shamesh and Martha as she felt the little one take something that Shamesh had offered her and then rub it on his face. Lenna snorted a laugh as she realized that she had to be polishing Shamesh¡¯s bone so he would shine like that armor. She shook her head in disbelief at the young girl and magical bone creature¡¯s antics. She smiled warmly to herself. ¡°I am going to miss this while we are gone.¡± She said to herself and then chuckled. ¡®I¡¯m thinking out loud like Isaac again.¡¯ She admonished herself internally. ¡®It hasn¡¯t been very long but those girls feel more like family everyday. That will make our homecoming all the better when we return. I just hope that Lenny and Fen will make good on their promises to be available for them.¡¯

 Chapter 9 Happy Birthday, Izen.

    Chapter 9 Happy Birthday, Izen.


    Izen Von Arbencroft, duke of Safeharbor, sat on his throne in his main hall and nodded in thanks to another lower noble. Every, single, one of the boot-lickers had brought him something utterly useless. A flimsy shiny sword, a barrel of wine from their territory, a thoroughbred horse that, funnily enough, had awful night vision. Every gift was a waste of either space or resources and most of them were even ill thought out. At least the wine was a personal gesture from one lord of a territory to another. Unlike his wife, Izen did not have a ball to celebrate his birthday but rather held a simple banquet where any who wished to come were free too. The only restriction that he had put in place was that their entry to the feast was entirely dependent on them bringing a gift that was worth more than the food that they would be eating. This meant that some of the richer merchants from Sapphirestone had stopped by and given him even more useless things.


    Izen¡¯s storeroom was once again going to be filled with small amounts of high grade spices and perfumes along with countless other ¡®goodwill¡¯ offerings. Thankfully, one of the merchants was one that he had dealt with during his adventuring days and could be trusted. That man, and his company, would soon be tasked with discretely selling most of his birthday gifts. Any gift that couldn¡¯t be tracked directly to him was fair game as far as Izen was concerned. By this point in the reception, he was beginning to wish that it was over, or at the very least, he could have a break. Half a dozen more soulless gifts later and the two that he was both excited for and were dreading walked into the hall.


    ¡°Duke Arbencroft.¡± Isaac greeted him with a grin and a nod. Lenna gave the duke and duchess a short curtsy from beside him and smiled at the duchess.


    ¡°Lord Darkness.¡± Izen replied with an equal nod. ¡°I heard that you are planning on leaving on your honeymoon soon.¡± He gave Lenna a nod as he turned his attention to her. ¡°Again, congratulations.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for hosting our wedding.¡± Lenna replied with a casual smile. There were still some nobles in the hall that either hadn¡¯t left yet or were waiting their turn to speak with the duke and they all started whispering amongst themselves at her reply.


    ¡°It was our pleasure.¡± Sera spoke warmly.


    ¡°I know you were expecting a spectacle upon our arrival so we¡¯ll make it quick before we enjoy your wonderful food.¡± Isaac told the duke and duchess with a casual smirk. ¡°Our gift to you is,¡± Isaac let silence hang in the air for a moment. ¡°our honeymoon.¡± Isaac¡¯s smirk turned into a grin. ¡°We will get out of your hair for a little while so you don¡¯t have to worry about demigods stopping by.¡±


    ¡°I, see.¡± Izen replied. ¡°I am not sure if I consider that a gift, anymore, you have been a chaotic yet reliable presence for most of the time that I have known you.¡±


    Isaac hummed in thought. ¡°Well, I guess we will need to come up with another gift then.¡± He said and made a show of holding his chin in thought.


    ¡°There is always the shield.¡± Lenna played along.


    ¡°That would be a good one, we could probably do better though.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°The shield of Jallen V¡¯Nova is a good backup though.¡±


    ¡°We could give him the sword too.¡± Lenna offered. ¡°They are amazing proof of an incredible victory.¡± Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°A victory that we had a firm hand in.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°Well then, Duke Arbencroft, would the sword and shield of Safeharbor¡¯s oldest villain suffice?¡±


    Izen¡¯s face actually showed a bit of surprise as he hadn¡¯t expected a gift of such an incredible magnitude as that from the pair. If he was being honest, he half expected the joke gift to be the real one. ¡°That, a gift like that is far too great for another birthday on my long list of them.¡± Izen replied. ¡°Though, you already knew I would say that.¡±


    Isaac grinned. ¡°Over the past few days I have been increasing the stores of materials. I trust you can handle everything in my absence.¡± He told the duke. Isaac had been, in the background while everything else was going on, forcing the bone golem of Shaeo¡¯ahna to continuously produce drider silk for the Silverstrand family and he and Izen¡¯s joint venture. By the time of Izen¡¯s birthday there was enough drider silk in storage to keep the Silverstrands busy for a year or two. Isaac had just pushed any part of his own responsibilities pertaining to their joint venture off onto Izen while he and Lenna were away. That, in and of itself, was still not worth the extravagant gifts that the duke had just been given, but it was also a symbol of Isaac and Lenna¡¯s eventual return, as the pair would be wearing the rest of Jallen V¡¯Nova¡¯s gear while on their adventure.


    ¡°I will handle everything, even after you return, if you so wish.¡± Izen replied. ¡°It is the least I can do. Thank you for bringing me the first piece of usable wall decorations I have received today.¡±


    ¡°Izen.¡± Sera snapped in a whisper and nodded towards where a noble was standing off to the side. That noble was the one that had given him a flimsy sword made of pure electrum. It sparkled but was good for little else.


    ¡°Permission to approach?¡± Isaac asked. There was fifteen feet between them which was close enough to have a casual conversation but not nearly close enough to bestow upon the duke the gear of a slain villainous legend.


    ¡°It will always be granted to you, my friend.¡± Izen replied and rose to his feet as Isaac and Lenna approached. Sera joined him and they waited patiently for the duo to arrive within arm¡¯s reach.


    Isaac reached down and a swirl of shadows obscured his hand up to his elbow. A moment later he withdrew the shield of Jallen V¡¯Nova. Isaac withdrew and then handed Izen a black steel round shield that was as tall as his chest. The shield had a massive hexagonal diamond set into the middle of it and was covered in hundreds of golden inlays. Many of them were a part of the enchantments but some of them were just for show. In the end, if seen from a far enough distance, the shield glittered and sparkled. Unlike the useless sword that Izen had been given, Jallen¡¯s old shield was capable of taking a fully grown dragon¡¯s claw without anything more than a simple scratch, that wasn¡¯t to say that whoever was holding it would survive. In addition to its monstrous resilience it was also capable of maintaining a Reality Shield on its own after its wielder gave it a bit of mana as a push to cast the spell. Izen did not have the mana necessary to do it but his son did. It was a gift that would be passed down through the Arbencroft generations for as long as there were Arbencroft generations.


    Izen received the heavy shield with grace, though it was clear that he was not as fit as he once was. ¡°I will keep this both within reach and in a place of honor at all times.¡± Izen said as a thanks to Isaac and Lenna. ¡°For what good is a shield if it cannot be reached when needed.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Isaac replied with a smirk. ¡°Though I hope you never need to use it, I am glad that it will be available for you to do so.¡± He finished and then reached into the shadows once more. He withdrew a brilliant shining longsword a moment later and offered it to Izen with both hands. It was a standard longsword design that was just barely small enough for Jallen to use in one hand. That meant that for someone like Izen it was a two handed sword without question. The long but relatively slender steel blade was covered in golden lines that marked out each of its myriad enchantments. The returning enchantment would be useless for anyone who wasn¡¯t a V¡¯Nova as only V¡¯Nova¡¯s were crazy enough to actually practice throwing their longswords like javelins. The Dawn Capacitor was tuned specifically for Jallen, so it would never be useful for anyone else, but Izen wasn¡¯t a paladin anyway so that hardly mattered to him. The hardening and sharpening enchantments were strong and reliable though so they would at least always be useful. In all, it was a high quality sword that¡¯s real worth came from who it once belonged to.


    Izen took the offered sword with more grace than the shield as he was more used to large swords than solid steel shields. ¡°Every time I look upon this blade I will remember our battles together. Make sure that you both return before my next one.¡± Izen told Isaac with a smile of his own.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°As long as your next battle happens in the dark, I will be there.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Izen said with a nod.


    ¡°Happy Birthday, Izen.¡± Isaac spoke calmly and deliberately.


    ¡°Thank you, Isaac. Enjoy the food and, if I do not see you again before you leave, enjoy yourselves on the surface.¡± The duke told his younger and much more enigmatic friend.


    Isaac laughed. ¡°That is the point.¡± He said with a nod a step backwards. ¡°Until next time, may the moon watch over you and the Reaper leave you be.¡±

 Chapter 10 Finally, Over.

    Chapter 10 Finally, Over.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost time.¡± Lenna told Isaac. The two hadn¡¯t stayed at Izen¡¯s birthday banquet for long because of this very fact. They were now back home and in their basement training area.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to put it off until the beginning of the month?¡± Isaac questioned her for the fifth time that day. ¡°Or at least upstairs near the bathtub?¡±


    ¡°Actually, the bathtub would have been a good idea but¡­ it¡¯s happening. I won¡¯t have enough time to make it up there.¡± She told him as the heat started to rise within herself.


    ¡®Shamesh, get me a bucket of ice water and a cold wet blanket. Lenna is leveling up. Get the girls to help you if you need to.¡¯ Isaac sent to his retainer with his mind and intent alone.


    ¡®Immediately.¡¯ Shamesh replied as he got to work.


    ¡°Lenna, it is too close to the new moon.¡± Isaac repeated, again. ¡°Just let go of your aura before the level up takes hold.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°I won¡¯t have many more opportunities to train for this. He will definitely show up on my twentieth level up and I need to be prepared.¡± She explained.


    Isaac sighed and knelt beside her. ¡°Shamesh is on his way with some stuff to cool you down.¡± Isaac told her.


    Lenna nodded. She looked like she was about to respond when she tensed up in pain as her mana pathways ignited inside her body. The searing pain was far worse than the last time that she had been conscious for a level up. Her aura burned itself into her mana pathways, her core, her very soul as it passed the invisible threshold and into its supposed final form. Lenna¡¯s jaw was clamped so tightly that she had to consciously keep from cracking her teeth. Steam started to waft off of her as her body temperature spiked to utterly ridiculous levels. One benefit of her Oathbreaking showing itself in a fire based way was the intrinsic resistance to temperature that it gave her as a byproduct. Every level up tempered her more and more which made her more resistant to the next one. That was why she was even still alive. Many Oathbreakers died from their level ups without incredibly specific magical interdiction because they lacked a building resistance to the building intensity of their level ups.


    ¡°Breathe.¡± Isaac reminded her as he tentatively touched her shoulder. He immediately yanked his hand back in pain. ¡®Shamesh.¡¯


    ¡°Here.¡± Shamesh spoke as he literally flew down the steps and into the training room.


    ¡°Water.¡± Lenna gasped.


    ¡°She¡¯s dehydrating.¡± Isaac explained to Shamesh. Shamesh handed him a bucket with a thick comet shaped block of ice in it. ¡°Did you shoot ice magic at the water?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Shamesh replied. ¡°It was the fastest way.¡±


    Isaac nodded and started rapidly spiking his boosting ability. He grit his teeth and then launched a knuckle strike directly into the block of ice with enough power to cause it to burst into a hundred pieces. He ignored the small amount of blood, that mixed with the water from his temporarily split open knuckles, and grabbed a piece of ice that looked like it would barely fit inside Lenna¡¯s mouth. He held the ice at Lenna¡¯s mouth. ¡°Eat.¡± He ordered her and she struggled to open her mouth wide enough to chomp down on the ice through the pain.


    Shamesh draped the cold blanket around Lenna¡¯s shoulders which helped her loosen up a little. She was able to get the entire piece of ice in her mouth and was able to drink it down as water after only a handful of seconds. ¡°More, ice.¡± Lenna whispered in pain.


    Isaac grabbed another piece of ice and put it in her mouth before he dumped the rest of the bucket on top of her and the blanket she was now wearing. ¡°Shamesh, we need a lot more. I have no idea how long this will take.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°I¡¯m going to try to get her into the bath. Ask Celeste if there is anything that Lenna can use for hydration that has a higher boiling point than regular water. If anyone would know, it would be the fire sorceress.¡± Shamesh nodded and took off back up the stairs while he reached out telepathically to Celeste for assistance. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°This is, much worse, than I, expected.¡± Lenna confessed. ¡°Why is it, so bad?¡±


    ¡°Probably because you were tempting fate.¡± Isaac scolded her and scooped her up in his arms while using the blanket as a buffer.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, I¡¯m too hot.¡± Lenna warned him but didn¡¯t have the strength to protest.


    ¡°Gods you are stubborn.¡± Isaac swore and raced up the multiple sets of stairs to get her to the master bathroom¡¯s large tub. Without his boosting skill he wouldn¡¯t have made it, and even with it, by the time he placed her in the tub his arms were in a constant state of healing through light burns. Isaac tapped the metal plate that activated the spigot causing cold, freshly conjured, water to come pouring out onto Lenna and her steaming blanket. ¡°This is about as bad as your double level up was but this time you are conscious.¡± Isaac told her with a frown.


    ¡°Not, quite.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Because I¡¯m still conscious.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Sure, but it is still awful.¡± He agreed and Lenna nodded. A moment later Shamesh entered the room. ¡°What did Celeste say?¡± Isaac asked immediately.


    ¡°Diluted fruit juice and salt.¡± Shamesh replied. ¡°She said that she always had a fever when she leveled up as well and that helped her rehydrate.¡±


    Margaret burst into the bathroom right after Shamesh was done explaining what he had learned to Isaac. She took one look at Lenna and her eyes went wide. Thankfully she took in the situation quickly and processed what Shamesh had told Isaac just as fast. She turned around and ran back down the hallway towards the stairs that would lead to the first floor and the kitchen. ¡°Madie! Mar! I need you in the kitchen!¡± She called out while taking the stairs two at a time.


    ¡°How much should we try to cool you down?¡± Isaac asked Lenna while kneeling next to the tub.


    ¡°I¡¯m, fine.¡± She said through gritted teeth. ¡°I need, to let it, temper.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Shamesh, can you keep the water at that temperature?¡±


    ¡°I can try.¡± Shamesh replied and touched his hand to the still rising water. It was rapidly reaching the point where it would overflow if left to run any longer. The water was warm like a cup of tea that was left to cool down for too long. ¡°I do not have any gentle ice spells at my disposal.¡± He confessed.


    ¡°Do it.¡± Lenna told him and he nodded.


    Shamesh loaded his middle finger like he was about to flick something and mana stirred as an icicle tried to form in front of his finger inside the water. Once it was fully formed he flicked the icicle. The icicle was three inches around at its widest point but only six inches long, because of the water medium of the spell causing the icicle to bulk up, which fired into the bottom of the tub and burst apart. The small ice explosion rapidly stole all of the heat from the general area of impact. He felt the temperature of the water drop slightly but it soon returned to its old temperature.


    Isaac turned off the spigot and watched as Shamesh fired icicle after icicle into the bottom of the tub only for no ice to ever last more than a few seconds. Margaret arrived a few minutes later with a pitcher of watered down fruit juice with some salt in it. ¡°Is she going to be alright?¡± Margaret asked after Lenna downed a glass with gusto.


    ¡°Yes, it looks like the worst has passed already.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°It was just intense instead of long lasting.¡±


    ¡°It felt, feels, long lasting.¡± Lenna grumbled from her position like a drenched cat forced to take a bath.


    ¡°It has been twenty seven minutes since I was informed of your level up, my Lady.¡± Shamesh explained.


    ¡°The next half hour or so should just be her body getting used to the changes. She¡¯ll have a fever for at least that much longer.¡± Isaac told Margaret. ¡°Shamesh, thank you for the help, you may go. I¡¯ll call you if we need anything else, oh and can you thank Celeste for me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, my Lord.¡± Shamesh replied and bowed. ¡°Then I will take my leave.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything else I can do?¡± Margaret wondered as she looked at her savior still in mild pain, fully clothed and wrapped in a blanket, in the bathtub.


    ¡°No, but thank you, Margaret. Let the eavesdroppers know that she¡¯ll be fine in a little while. And warn them not to make oaths or vows that cannot be kept, especially ones to or related to people.¡± Isaac told her.


    ¡°I will, my Lord.¡± Margaret replied and bowed out much like how Shamesh had. That left Isaac and Lenna alone while they waited out the latter half of her trial of fire.


    ¡°This hurts.¡± Lenna told him. It was the first time that he had truly heard her complain about the pain from something and it broke his heart. Isaac squeezed her hand but had to let go after a short moment from how hot it still was.


    ¡°You haven''t passed the worst of it, have you?¡± He asked her. ¡°You just passed the fire portion.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± She replied. ¡°The, hatred, the black flames of vengeance, it is their turn.¡± She got out slowly. ¡°They burn warm but deep. Not hot, and bright.¡± She finished with a wince.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be here.¡± Isaac told her and stroked her cheek.


    ¡°Juice?¡± She asked him and he smiled warmly at her.


    ¡°Of course, my Lady.¡± He replied as he poured and handed her another glass. ¡®Shamesh, we¡¯ll need you again in a little less than half an hour.¡¯ He sent to his retainer without Lenna knowing.


    ¡®I¡¯ll be right outside the door.¡¯ Shamesh replied. ¡®I live to serve.¡¯


    Unfortunately for Lenna, Isaac¡¯s prediction was wrong. Instead of a measly hour of pain, as her body was forcefully adapted to the increase in aura continuity and maximum mana reserves, it was four. Every half an hour she would switch from a boiling fever to just being miserable. The rage from her ancestors at her broken oath switched to her ruthless hate and desire for vengeance against Dri¡¯El and then back again. After four cycles the pain finally bled away and she was left aching but cool and leveled up. Her final words before exhaustion took her were: ¡°Finally, over.¡±

 Chapter 11 Hugh J. Mark.

    Chapter 11 Hugh J. Mark.


    ¡°Are you sure you are ready to leave?¡± Isaac asked Lenna. It was an hour before their caravan was supposed to leave the city and he wanted to be one hundred percent sure that she was put back together enough for an adventure. After her level up ordeal, the thought of going on a three day long caravan trip would have been a daunting task for most, not for Lenna.


    ¡°Yes, again, Isaac, I am fine. At worst I am still a little tired but rest can be had in the back of a wagon.¡± She assured him.


    Isaac scoffed. ¡°Like you are going to sleep while the outside world passes you by.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Isaac, I¡¯ll hardly be able to see anything. It will be far too bright for me.¡± She reminded him.


    ¡°That is why I got this.¡± Isaac declared and pulled a black parasol out of his Inventory. ¡°This should help at least a little.¡±


    Lenna smiled warmly at him for the forethought. ¡°Thank you.¡± She told him and took it. She was about to try and put it in her bottomless bag when she noticed that it didn¡¯t close. ¡°Isaac, it doesn-¡± She began but stopped when he put his hand on hers.


    ¡°I know.¡± He replied with an apologetic shrug. ¡°I¡¯ll just have to keep it for you.¡±


    Lenna narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°Did you do that on purpose?¡± She wondered.


    ¡°Do what?¡± Isaac asked innocently.


    ¡°You got one that you would have to hold so I would need you to get it for me every time.¡± Lenna accused him lightheartedly.


    ¡°I have no idea what you are talking about.¡± Isaac replied with a barely suppressed smirk.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Are you sure you are alright to be up and about, my Lady?¡± Margaret questioned Lenna as the duo were about to leave.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna said with a roll of her eyes. ¡°I will be fine. It is you who I am worried about.¡±


    ¡°My Lady has nothing to worry about. Your friend seems very unique, but reliable, and I have heard whispers about my Lady¡¯s family that lives under the wizard¡¯s tower. We will be fine.¡± Margaret assured her.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Martha interjected herself into the conversation. ¡°we can handle it.¡± The little one agreed. ¡°My Lady.¡± She then added after a moment as she realized she hadn¡¯t said it yet.


    ¡°Thank you, Martha, I feel better already.¡± Lenna told the little one before she turned back to Margaret. ¡°If you need anything,¡±


    ¡°Yes, they know who to talk to and where to go.¡± Isaac cut her off. ¡°Margaret, we are entrusting everything to you and trust you to handle it.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my Lord. Everything will be as you left it upon your return.¡± Margaret assured him.


    ¡°Good, then we will be off.¡± Isaac said and turned to leave.


    ¡°Have a safe trip.¡± Martha told them brightly. ¡°Come back soon.¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Lenna couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at how adorable their little maid was. ¡°I can guarantee that it won¡¯t be safe, so how about something different?¡± Lenna offered the little one.


    ¡°What?¡± Martha questioned.


    ¡°A fun trip and a safe return.¡± Lenna replied.


    Martha nodded. ¡°Have a fun trip and return safe, my Lady.¡± She spoke with a bow.


    ¡°We¡¯ll try.¡± Lenna assured her and then joined Isaac.


    ¡°Madeline,¡± Isaac said before they left, which got the older daughter¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Yes, my Lord?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Take good care of the garden for me, and make sure to keep some of the flowers for yourself.¡± Isaac told her before he walked through the threshold.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Thank you for joining us. Your presence takes a whole load of stress off our shoulders.¡± The man who was in charge of the wagon train said by way of greeting the duo upon their arrival. ¡°I am Hugh J. Mark. I run a little transporting business that unfortunately seems to attract a lot of bandits and other unsavory sorts. Hopefully, with a pair of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild¡¯s finest along, we will be able to stay out of trouble. It was a nightmare just getting here in one piece.¡±


    Isaac couldn¡¯t help but smirk at the man¡¯s name but luckily the man just took it as a greeting. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect our presence to stop any attacks before they happen, but we can guarantee that your attackers won¡¯t survive the attempt.¡± Isaac told him. ¡°Hopefully with as little damage to the caravan as possible.¡±


    Hugh did not seem to take the addendum to Isaac¡¯s assurance with even a hint of humor and simply scrunched his face. ¡°Please, I cannot pay you if the shipments don¡¯t make it.¡± Hugh replied.


    ¡°Getting paid is half the point.¡± Isaac assured him. ¡°Now, are we ready to head out?¡±


    Hugh took a moment to adjust to the new topic of heading out but then nodded. ¡°Yes. Everyone is ready.¡± He replied. ¡°Do you have horses?¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯ll need a ride.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°I see.¡± Hugh replied with a look that spoke of doubt in his decision to accept the adventurers the guild had sent his way. ¡°You can ride in the front wagon behind Ellie Zakson, she¡¯s my second in command and could use another set of eyes up front. She doesn¡¯t have great eyesight, you see.¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± Isaac replied and then added in a whisper that Lenna barely heard: ¡°But she doesn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°What was that?¡± Hugh asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take watch.¡± Isaac said to cover what he had whispered to Lenna. ¡°My wife will need a little while to adjust to the brightness of the surface.¡±


    Hugh nodded as he looked at Lenna¡¯s entirely armored form. ¡°I see.¡± He replied. ¡°I¡¯ll go let Ellie know and then you can ride in her wagon until we either stop for lunch or run into trouble.¡± He told them.


    ¡°Sounds good.¡± Isaac replied with a nod and then watched the tanned man with balding dirty-blonde hair walk away. Hugh was a lithe man who looked like the reason he had stayed skinny, despite countless hours sitting on a bench guiding horses down dusty roads, was because he opted to ration his food to save on money. It was clear that Hugh J. Mark was not in as good of a monetary place as he otherwise should have been.


    ¡°What?¡± Lenna asked Isaac. She had noticed something slightly off with Isaac.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°Nothing, something about these people just makes me feel like we are going to be riding along with a comedy routine.¡± He explained. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s get comfortable. We¡¯ve got a lot of bumpy hours ahead of us.¡±


    ¡°Do you think the girls will be alright?¡± Lenna asked as they walked towards the front wagon.


    ¡°They have Fen and Lenny looking out for them. If anything happens that those two cannot handle, then Alexander or Jala will call or come get us. Have faith in our minions.¡± Isaac told her.


    Lenna snorted a laugh. ¡°Our minions?¡± She parroted. ¡°Fen would have a stroke if he ever heard you say that.¡±


    ¡°Lenny already knows he is one. A very famous, very strong and decently paid one, but still a minion.¡± Isaac replied casually. ¡°But yeah, probably best no one ever tells Fen that he is a minion.¡±


    ¡°Am I a minion?¡± Lenna asked innocently.


    ¡°Absolutely not.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°You are an accomplice.¡± Lenna laughed and reveled in the humorous beginning to their first real excursion.


    ¡ª


    The trip out of Safeharbor and through the dwarven fortress was simple and straightforward but slow. At each juncture money was paid and wagons were given a quick glance over. The speed that the checks were done was a testament to the ease of which items and people could be smuggled into and out of the city. The road was bumpy and the wagon did little to keep from transferring every bump and rock into the passengers directly. The woman that the duo were set to ride with was a quiet woman with pale skin, a wide brimmed hat that hid almost all of her white hair, a crooked back, and a heavy squint. The lack of sagging in her cheeks made her look about forty but everything else about her would put her somewhere around seventy. Her light brown eyes always seemed out of focus as she guided the wagon which made Isaac a little wary about their driver. He did not expect that someone that would guide horses into a wall would be permitted to take the lead wagon, but it still made him a little uneasy.


    Soon enough the horses were taking their first steps out into the world under the cloudy early winter sky. The air was finally as cool outside as it was underground and the cloud cover helped Lenna actually get to look around. Even so, she was forced to squint. The trees that had been brilliant and emerald in color the last time Isaac had seen them were cast in muted greens from the cloudy sky but still seemed to radiate life. Maybe it was his attunement with darkness but the incredible density of life, of the forest just outside of the cold stone cavern that he called home, was absolutely breathtaking.


    ¡°It is incredible.¡± Lenna whispered to Isaac.


    Isaac nodded as he took in the brilliant majesty of life that covered everywhere the eye could see. ¡°Yes, yes it is.¡±

 Chapter 12 Soon Enough.

    Chapter 12 Soon Enough.


    ¡°Get comfortable.¡± Ellie told the pair as they began their three day trip in earnest. It was going to be nothing but slightly bending stone and dirt roads for the next forty miles. It was a trip that usually could have been done in a day or so by a dedicated enough hiker but wagons were slow and people needed breaks to feed and water the horses and stretch their legs every few hours.


    Isaac settled in next to Ellie on the bench seat and Lenna sat behind him just inside the wagon so the cover could help shield her from the comparatively bright daylight. ¡°So, how long have you been guiding caravans?¡± Isaac began as small talk. There was going to be a lot of silence to fill while the seemingly endless trees, bugs, and small rodents passed them by. Speaking of bugs, that was by far the worst part of the outside world for Isaac. He got used to the light quickly enough but the occasional bug buzzing around his face was annoying at best. At one point he just incinerated it with a small puff of death flames which unfortunately spooked the horses.


    Lenna was thankful for her full-face helmet that helped shield her eyes from light but it still wasn¡¯t enough. She ended up just keeping her eyes closed as the wagon rocked and rolled under her. Her only other option was to just keep squinting at everything to use her eyelashes as a light shield.


    Birds chirped and sang as they fluttered from tree to tree, chasing bugs and grabbing twigs for the nests. Various other tree based creatures climbed and hopped from branch to branch in search of a meal or playing with each other. The cloud cover left everything slightly muted and the colors dull but life went on with little other change. The horses pulled and the mortals sat mostly in silence as the hours dragged on.


    By the time the wagon train had stopped to rest for lunch, Isaac had learned almost the entire story of Ellie¡¯s life. Apparently she had been born halfway between two cities while her parents were making a delivery. Ever since, she had always been on the road. Nowhere had ever felt like home other than a moving wagon. She had grayed early and was only forty but her bad eyesight had always made people think she was older than she was. The constant squint was both a blessing and a curse. Few people would bother an older middle aged woman who was not that attractive unless necessary, and Ellie seemed to like that, but at the same time it was the reason that she was still single. Hugh was a friend from a caravan a long time ago and she had easily accepted the job once he had offered it to her. Unfortunately for her, Hugh seemed to be everyone¡¯s favorite mark and not interested in her in any romantic way. She had never had feelings for Hugh but she was getting to the point where she would be willing to give any decent looking guy with a decent personality and hygiene at least a chance.


    ¡°Y¡¯all are from down under, yeah?¡± Ellie asked Isaac as she slipped the feeding bag over the head of one of her horses.


    ¡°More or less.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Lenna¡¯s eyes aren¡¯t built for the surface, but there is a guy in Sapphirestone that has something that¡¯ll help her with that. We could have just traveled at night but the surface is so much more vibrant under the sun.¡±


    ¡°Night¡¯s scary for most.¡± Ellie told him. ¡°I¡¯ve never had great sight, but I can hear real well, so it¡¯s never been as scary for me, but there are a lot a things that are real hungry at night.¡±


    ¡°Lenna and I aren¡¯t any better than any other double platinum adventurers in the daylight, but at night it would take a demigod to get rid of us.¡± Isaac assured her in what probably came off more like bragging but was basically the truth. Only something capable of tangling with a demigod could pose a real threat to the pair under the moonlight.


    ¡°Someone is watching us.¡± Lenna spoke quietly. She had thought that her words were quiet enough that only Isaac could hear but apparently Ellie¡¯s sharp ears had heard her as well. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°From the caravan?¡± Ellie asked just as quietly.


    ¡°No.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Not unless one of them is in the trees behind you.¡±


    ¡°Not a chance.¡± Ellie told her. ¡°Too many spiders and snakes in the trees for anyone to be off wanderin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Lenna, protect the caravan. I¡¯m gonna go take a look at our admirer.¡± Isaac told her and started climbing into the wagon. With a casual gesture he left shadows clinging to Lenna¡¯s hand and then finished hiding himself inside the wagon. Once out of sight, Isaac vanished in the embrace of shadows and arrived cloaked in them in the dense foliage. It took him a little while to find the man Lenna was talking about and when he did he simply stood nearby and watched.


    The man was covered in a thin layer of dust and dried mud that served to protect him from the endless amount of insects. He was wearing tattered clothes that did their job well enough but were in dire need of repair. The best part about them, for the man anyway, was that they were brown and green which helped him to blend into the forest around him. He kept glancing down at a flat square piece of bark in his hand and making tallies on it with a piece of charcoal. ¡°Where did that other guy go?¡± He asked himself in a whisper before he shook his head. He turned to leave and started slinking off farther back into the forest.


    Isaac debated following the man for a moment before he realized that he didn¡¯t have to. They weren¡¯t hired to handle the bandits so he would let them make the first move. Once they did then they were fair game. It would also mean a lot less legwork for Isaac if he waited until they ambushed the caravan to beat them and make them guide Lenna and himself back to their camp for an easy cleanup. ¡°Godspeed.¡± Isaac spoke towards the bandit scout from inside his cloak of silent shadows.


    Once the scout was truly out of sight Isaac appeared next to the wagon Lenna and Ellie were waiting next to. ¡°It was just a scout. No point in doing anything about it now. We don¡¯t want to spook them.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°Y¡¯all are using us as bait?!¡± Ellie exclaimed.


    ¡°Calm down.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°Lenna can wrestle a giant and I can fist fight a dragon. There is nothing a few idiots in rags can do to us if they have no idea who they¡¯re messing with.¡±


    ¡°Just who are you, anyway?¡± Ellie questioned him.


    ¡°I am the Lord of all that is Dark, the Legendslayer, the demigod of Darkness, Lord Isaac Wexler.¡± Isaac introduced himself. He then gestured towards Lenna. ¡°And this is my wife, my Lady of Hellfire, favored and blessed by Lua, defiant survivor of Dri¡¯El, Lady Lenna V¡¯Nova.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of fancy titles.¡± Ellie replied. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what half of them are but they sound important. Demigod? Are the ones on top alright with you claiming that?¡±


    Isaac wasn¡¯t going to lie, he felt a bit insulted even though it was the truth. He was the strongest dark mage in the world until someone proved otherwise and there wasn¡¯t a single shadow sorcerer that would be able to do it. As far as he knew, it would take an actual black dragon to even attempt at beating him at his own game. An ancient, maybe even an adult, black dragon could do so but he wasn¡¯t claiming to be a black dragon so he had no idea if they would care at all. Isaac turned to look at Lenna. ¡°This seems like a case of ignorance opening the gate to disaster.¡± He told his wife.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know any better.¡± Lenna explained to him. ¡°You are a new demigod, one that has been kept under wraps while you regained your strength no less.¡±


    ¡°Yes but how does she not know about Judgment and I trading blows outside of the city. That was over a month ago.¡± Isaac replied in mild disbelief. ¡°We literally fought a demigod in front of a thousand people. I vanquished a demigod in front of a thousand people. He then came back and hit me with a hammer of justice or whatever, in the middle of the street.¡±


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°Some people just live with a bucket on their head?¡±


    ¡°I travel the world.¡± Ellie defended herself. ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t hear ev¡¯ry rumor and I believe even less of ¡®em but I ain¡¯t gonna believe the insanity y¡¯all are spoutin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°I would show her but the horses would be entirely inconsolable.¡± Isaac told Lenna. ¡°This is going to be a long trip, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Just until the bandits show up and you go all ¡®I, am, Darkness¡¯ on them.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°By then, I think even the local dead will know who you are.¡±


    ¡°You know, I kind of expected something like this eventually. What really caught me off guard is the fact that we just came from Safeharbor.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°The place where I hit the planet with a legend so hard it rattled glasses in the duke¡¯s manor. The place we waded through thousands of skeletons to get to. The place we had a brawl with a demigod in front of. I turned a man to dust in front of two dozen people, like four times.¡±


    Lenna shrugged again. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell you, Isaac.¡± She told him.


    Isaac just sighed. ¡°The bandits can¡¯t come soon enough. The belief in my status as a demigod is one thing but the double platinum adventurers known as the Lord of Darkness and Lady of Hellfire should at least be well known. We are some of the strongest people on the continent. I don¡¯t want to have to make any examples of idiots picking fights just because they don¡¯t know who we are, again.¡±

 Chapter 13 Witness

    Chapter 13 Witness


    Isaac lazily watched the members of the caravan as they unpacked bedrolls and other camping supplies. A few campfires were lit around a small alcove in the treeline that the wagons had nestled into for the night.


    Lenna was up and about, looking around each wagon and the surrounding area with newfound energy now that she could actually see without squinting at everything. The members of the caravan seemed to be used to adventurers and their oddities so they paid Lenna little mind and just continued to go about their business.


    Isaac had chosen a high but sturdy-looking branch on a tree overlooking the encampment as his watchpost and had his one leg hanging limply off of it while he embraced the feeling of nightfall. The cool night air was a bit more crisp than the last time he was on the surface under the moonlight but it was far from unpleasant. His armor was warm and the night breeze was soft, as the crescent moon started its ascent in the east. Unbeknownst to everyone below him, a figure arrived to rest on the branch as well.


    ¡°How¡¯s the view?¡± Isaac asked his interlocutor.


    ¡°It is new.¡± Shamesh said from beside him. Isaac¡¯s shadowcloak kept him entirely concealed from everyone save for the dark mage himself. ¡°The moon is very vibrant. Much more so than I imagined.¡±


    ¡°What does it look like to your eyes?¡± Isaac asked his retainer, his bone golem shadow, the being forged of shadow, bone, dragon, wizard, and death.


    ¡°They are incredible.¡± Shamesh replied. ¡°Two halves of one whole that are constantly at war. One ever losing yet neither ever achieving true victory.¡± Shamesh turned his gaze away from the celestial object to look at his master and creator. ¡°You should witness them as well, my Lord.¡±


    Isaac nodded and turned to look at the moon. As he did so, pure black death flames blazed through his mana pathways around and through his eyes. The world plunged into darkness as light ceased to be a metric of which to see for the dark mage. Two blazing forms took up his entire vision the moment his eyes and the death flames began working together. One was a massive orb that seemed to be devouring the brilliant blazing crescent. It was somehow clear that the crescent was only losing for but a moment in the grand scheme of their endless war. Lua¡¯s majestic brilliance would not be defied for long and Dri¡¯El¡¯s ruthless grasp on their shared domain would not last forever. Both seemed to heave and ho, back and forth, with Lua losing a little more each time but it was such a small amount that it was barely noticeable. Even while Lua appeared to be losing her duel with Dri¡¯El she seemed to be building in strength for her return as her power seemed to ever so slowly rise in density as her territory was lost.


    ¡°You were right.¡± Isaac told his retainer. ¡°I am glad that I got to see this.¡±


    Shamesh gave a slight bow. ¡°I cannot imagine how bright the sun is if even the halves of the moon are so blinding.¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t look at the sun.¡± He warned his retainer. ¡°You¡¯ll hurt your eyes.¡±


    Shamesh bowed slightly again. ¡°I will keep that in mind, my Lord.¡± Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Isaac nodded and looked down at the camp below them. He easily picked out Lenna¡¯s radiant form as her soul¡¯s power and magical density far outweighed everyone around her. He noticed a few others that were a dull white as opposed to the common, barely visible, gray of most common folk. It didn¡¯t surprise him that there were some with classes and levels mixed in with the rest of the wagon drivers, life on the road was hard after all. One never knew when they would need to find their own food or fight off a wild animal.


    An entire caravan of people without levels or classes could sneak through many places on Primatia without drawing too much attention to themselves but having just one person with a noticeable amount of personal power would immediately open the monsters of the area¡¯s eyes to their presence. Things like class, level, magical density and volume, and the number of magic items, all seemed to draw the attention of the smarter and more powerful foes that lurked around in the shadows of the world.


    Usually it was still far too risky for caravans to travel without protection because predators got hungry and seemed to be able to tell who could put up a fight against them to some degree. How that expressed itself was that the predators would go after those with classes and levels first, in order to strip away the protection of their meals, but if there was no such protection, then they might not even notice the bipedal proverbial rabbits hopping through their territory unless they directly stumbled upon them. As far as any of the scholars who had written some of the books in the Adventurers¡¯ Guild Library could tell, monsters and beasts did not gain levels but somehow got more sustenance out of food with a higher mana density. They were also, slightly but to a noticeable amount, more predisposed to feel aggression towards people with classes. Druids and Rangers often possessed a natural affinity with animals or magic, which could help but the very noticeable disparity between the predators versus prey seemed to indicate a natural aversion that predators had against mortals with classes.


    A noise pulled Isaac away from his musings and he turned to see a softly glowing form stalking towards the edge of the camp. There was still a decent amount of hustle and bustle as food was cooked and given out. The form seemed to hold its ground and hunker down to wait. ¡°Wolf?¡± Isaac asked his retainer who was more used to seeing with only death flames as sensory organs.


    Shamesh looked down and eyed the creature. ¡°I cannot be positive, but I believe it is, yes, my Lord.¡± Shamesh replied after a moment.


    ¡°Keep an eye out for more. If it is just one hungry dog then we don¡¯t have anything to worry about.¡± Isaac instructed him. Shamesh bowed slightly in acknowledgement of his order and started to look deeper into the forest from their perch. ¡°I¡¯m surprised it didn¡¯t spot us.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°I guess it¡¯s true that most don¡¯t think to look up. I doubt wolves have any natural predators inside the forest canopy.¡±


    ¡°Nothing that could be run from, as I understand it, my Lord.¡± Shamesh replied. ¡°I believe I see another wolf.¡±


    Isaac followed Shamesh¡¯s gesturing finger to see another form skulking through the brush. ¡°The moment one of them makes a move on the caravan, end it as quietly and with as little destruction or collateral damage as possible. I would like to be able to sell the hides too if we can.¡± Isaac instructed his retainer.


    ¡°As you wish, my Lord.¡± Shamesh spoke and seemed to lock onto the one closest to camp with his eyes.


    ¡ª


    Ellie had just been handed a bowl of pork stew made with only the cheapest of ingredients and non-perishables. It was guaranteed not to be that tasty but it would be filling enough, and it was edible, so she had long ago stopped complaining about how bland it was. The cook was simply the man who was least likely to make the food inedible so it was only to be expected. She blew on the spoonful of stew that was held up to her mouth as she listened to the fires crackle and the leaves rustle. A twig snapped in the brush somewhere and then it was silent again. That wasn¡¯t a good sign. Scampering in the dark was fine, there were plenty of nocturnal critters that were easily spooked by people or simply liked to play. One lone crack meant that something had taken a poorly placed step and was now waiting to see if anyone had noticed.


    Ellie turned to see Lenna pause as she was about to take her helmet off. It seemed that she had heard the noise too. A few moments of silence later and there was another twig snapping. Brush rustled and then there was a crash and a thud as a lifeless wolf tumbled out into the open. At that moment, the entire caravan seemed to freeze in place as everyone wondered what was going on. The wolf looked perfectly fine except for the fact that it was laying on its side, unbreathing. She heard Lenna sigh and then turned to see the knightly woman take off her helmet. Silver hair cascaded down her purple stone colored skin in a mess and her silver eyes soon found Ellie¡¯s.


    ¡°Isaac has it handled.¡± Lenna assured her. ¡°Eat, a few strays are no reason to let a good meal get cold.¡±


    Ellie nodded slowly and then did as she was told as sounds of sprinting wolves radiated out of the dense brush going in the opposite direction of the campsite. Only come morning would she learn that the wolf, and another like it, had been killed with a ruptured heart with no other signs of damage. Another wolf had been killed via a clean break to the neck and yet another had been suffocated to death without any signs of struggle.

 Chapter 14 An Awful Spy

    Chapter 14 An Awful Spy


    After spending the entire night lounging in the trees and around camp, Isaac and Lenna were ready to be back on the move. The cool night air and the dull crescent moonlight were nice but the night bugs were just as bad as the daytime bugs but without the benefit of being on the move. Isaac had also been forced to move multiple times as the campfire smoke moved in the night breeze. By the time everyone was ready to go, the morning dew was only barely dry. The sun had risen to clear skies and the heat had gradually risen to comfortably warm temperatures. Isaac¡¯s black cloak and painted black dragon scale armor were far too hot in the sunlight so he opted to hide in the front wagon with Lenna while they continued on. The wolf hides were added to the list of cargo to be sold off in town and thankfully Hugh had agreed to leave the money from the sale at the Adventurers¡¯ Guild when they confirmed the completion of the bounty. The caravan had just stopped for lunch when Ellie had made herself look busy next to the wagon to talk to the pair.


    ¡°I heard something again.¡± She spoke quietly but loud enough that the sound would be able to transfer through the canvas without much difficulty.


    ¡°Which side?¡± Isaac asked her and sat up.


    ¡°North side.¡± Ellie replied. ¡°Are you gonna handle them now?¡± She wondered.


    ¡°He¡¯s already gone.¡± Lenna told her casually. ¡°But no.¡±


    A short while later Isaac returned and had some questions for Ellie. ¡°It was a pair of scouts this time and they seemed to be checking how many people were in the caravan, just like last time. What is the deal with bandits on this road? And bandits in general. Like, I feel like most of them would be able to find work in frontier towns working as rangers or guards.¡± He commented.


    ¡°The Adventurers¡¯ Guild keeps track of its members so there¡¯s no way they¡¯d get adventurin¡¯ work anymore.¡± Ellie explained. ¡°For many, banditry looks like the best option. Especially when a bandit group has gone untouched for a little while nearby.¡±


    ¡°Like here.¡± Isaac surmised.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Ellie replied. ¡°This road¡¯s a bit of an oddity, ya see. The dwarves don¡¯t wanna get involved with human problems so they leave well enough alone. But on the other side of the route, Sapphirestone focuses more on the navy and the naval base that¡¯s stationed there. They don¡¯t gotta lotta guards for how big the city is already, so even the adventurers are stretched thin to pick up the slack.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense I guess.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°I guess I¡¯m just surprised that no one strong enough to just wipe them out single handedly has done it yet.¡±


    ¡°Someone tried to, a little while ago, so I hear.¡± Ellie explained. ¡°Flame Ravens tried to hunt ¡®em down but they scattered like mice. They only got a few of ¡®em.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°That makes sense. The Flame Ravens are a party built for hunting threats that are on their level. They are used to punching up so a bunch of low level bandits must have felt like sand running through their fingers. I doubt Shy could¡¯ve tracked all of them down one by one in a reasonable amount of time¡±


    ¡°You seem to know a lot about the Flame Ravens.¡± Ellie commented.


    ¡°Shy and Fina did a mission with me at one point and Mark and Esk trained with Lenna for a little while.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Back to the topic at hand though, that is one of the reasons I don¡¯t want to spook them. If we wait until they attack then I can make sure none of them escape while Lenna deals with them.¡±


    ¡°While blind in the sunlight.¡± Lenna commented.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°You can fight with your eyes closed. You¡¯ve done it before. But if you think you need help I can work something out.¡± Isaac told her.


    ¡°It depends on how large of a front they force us to put up.¡± She explained. ¡°I can only cover an area fifty feet across. Anything beyond that will be up to you.¡±


    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll just have to wait and see what kind of ambush our opponents will be springing.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Ellie, they won¡¯t try to cause any unnecessary damage to the wagons right?¡±


    ¡°They should leave the wagons untouched if they can, yeah.¡± She agreed. ¡°Won¡¯t do them any good if their loot gets torched. It¡¯s the people I¡¯m worried about. We aren¡¯t fighters. That¡¯s what we pay you for.¡±


    ¡°You have a few competent combatants in your ranks.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°They can be put to work.¡±


    Ellie scrunched her face for a moment before she seemed to wonder how he knew. ¡°How did you kno-¡± She began but Isaac cut her off.


    ¡°I can see people¡¯s souls.¡± Isaac told her directly. ¡°I know how powerful a person truly is.¡±


    Ellie was silent for a moment as she took in what Isaac had told her. ¡°You can see everyone¡¯s souls?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Only when I want to, but yes. Why?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°Does that mean you can spot Doppelgangers?¡± Ellie wondered.


    ¡°Why?¡± Isaac questioned again. As he narrowed his eyes on her, death flames ignited to change his visible spectrum from light to soul. Ellie¡¯s lack of instant recoil from the death flames instantly tipped him off but Ellie was not quite what he had expected. ¡°You¡¯re not human.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°But, I don¡¯t think you are a Doppelganger either.¡±


    Ellie¡¯s face paled instantly. ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± She replied instantly. ¡°My dad was¡­ He was found out when I was little.¡±


    ¡°The man that should have been your father got ambushed in the night and switched with a Doppelganger, when the ¡®replacement¡¯ returned to your mother, she jumped on him thinking he was her husband and then you happened, does that sound about right?¡± Isaac surmised.


    Ellie nodded. ¡°More or less.¡± She agreed.


    ¡°So are you a changeling then?¡± Isaac wondered.


    Ellie shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She replied honestly. ¡°I can¡¯t change too much about myself and I¡¯ve always been afraid of being found out so I don¡¯t even try anymore. Can you keep this a secret?¡± She wondered with clenched fists, white knuckles, and trembling hands.


    ¡°If you haven¡¯t eaten anyone then I don¡¯t care.¡± Isaac said and waved her off. Ellie immediately shifted her attention to Lenna.


    ¡°If Isaac is fine with you, then I am too.¡± Lenna assured her. ¡°But answer the implied question.¡±


    Ellie shook her head. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t eaten anyone.¡± She stated. ¡°I can¡¯t even properly shapeshift.¡±


    ¡°What can you do?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to put me to work, are you?¡± Ellie asked in return.


    ¡°No, but it¡¯s good to know what you are capable of, just in case.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°I can only change my coloring and my bones are a bit more bendable than normal.¡± Ellie explained. ¡°They can still break but they tend to bruise instead.¡±


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°You also have poor vision and great hearing.¡± Isaac added. ¡°Slightly better healing than everyone else?¡±


    Ellie nodded. ¡°A little. Not too much that it raises any questions though, just some comments the first time someone notices.¡± She replied.


    ¡°There are all types of people on and in this planet and I am not one to judge based on species.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°I am very much someone who is not above blackmailing people though. So, if I ever need your specific set of skills, I¡¯ll contact you to call in this favor of not forcibly Identifying you in front of everyone.¡±


    Ellie nodded with a gulp. ¡°I understand. But seriously, I¡¯m just a wagon driver. That¡¯s all, nothing more.¡± She pleaded. ¡°I¡¯d be an awful spy or double agent or whatever.¡±


    Isaac laughed. ¡°I can tell. You¡¯d crack under even the easiest amount of pressure.¡± He replied with a barely suppressed grin. ¡°I¡¯ll keep it in mind.¡±


    ¡°Isaac, if you add any more strays and misfits to your band of minions, Izen is going to have a heart attack. The last thing anyone wants is a barracks full of Darkness¡¯s Shadows.¡± Lenna told him.


    ¡°Darkness¡¯s Shadows?¡± Isaac asked and then grinned. ¡°Shadows of Darkness, or just Shadows for short. I like that. That is actually a great idea.¡±


    ¡°Damn it.¡± Lenna swore. ¡°I should have kept my mouth shut.¡±


    ¡°We could train them in the basement, or better yet, we could buy the house next to ours and turn it into a training ground for rogues that use magic and/or magic items.¡± Isaac went on as a brand new brilliant idea was beginning to put itself together in his head.


    Lenna groaned. ¡°Lua have mercy.¡±


    ¡ª


    Isaac and Lenna were just getting ready to stretch their legs one last time before the caravan resumed their journey when the sounds of men sprinting through the underbrush tickled their ears. Isaac and Lenna both looked towards the North at the same time. ¡°They¡¯ve made their move. It¡¯s time to have a little fun. Lenna,¡±


    ¡°Yes, Isaac?¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Make sure one of them survives, is conscious, and can walk.¡± He told her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try my best but, it¡¯s really hard to see and if they end up in the way of my sword, that is their fault.¡± She jokingly replied. ¡°So I¡¯ll leave the capturing to the man that turns people to dust by touching them.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then maybe I¡¯ll stretch my legs a bit.¡± Isaac told her with a smirk. ¡°Maybe my mana pathways too.¡±

 Chapter 15 Jinx

    Chapter 15 Jinx


    ¡°Hand over the adventurers, the wagons, and any weapons you have on you! Do that and we¡¯ll let you all walk to town!¡± A large man with a commanding voice bellowed out over the parked wagon train. ¡°You have until the count of ten!¡±


    ¡°Because that is all the higher you can count, yes, we know.¡± A living silhouette purred as its cloak seemed to billow perpendicular to the direction of the wind. He had appeared within a blink evenly spaced between the wagon train and the thieves. It was a simple mugging, nothing less, the only part that was more was the fact that there were nineteen muggers.


    ¡°What are you?¡± One of the many men arrayed against the caravan spoke aloud. It was not the leader but a smaller and more lanky man that was missing a few of his teeth.


    ¡°I am the Lord of all that is Dark.¡± The standing shadow purred. Steam was wafting off of him as he seemed to be cooking off in the direct sunlight. ¡°I was resting. Using this caravan to take me from my home to my neighbor. You have disturbed me.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t scare me.¡± The large man in the middle declared.


    One of the women behind him tripped as she tried to back away. ¡°He should.¡± A deep feminine voice warned him as a knight in full plate sauntered out in front of the caravan holding a pure black parasole. ¡°He likes examples.¡±


    ¡°Futility, ignorance, incompetents, arrogance, weakness, haplessness, and finally, an example of what not to do when a demigod stands before you.¡± Isaac purred.


    ¡°It¡¯s just an illusionist and a warrior, kill them and we can move on.¡± The large man declared and raised his sword that was at least as tall as Isaac.


    He had barely taken a step when the female knight¡¯s voice rang out: ¡°Open gate to torment and fury.¡± She spoke the words calmly but with her chest so her voice carried out across the invaders and the caravan alike. With a gesture an endless torrent of flames made a wall nearly a dozen feet high and twice as long from her left side the entire way to the end of the caravan. ¡°Now bow.¡± She ordered them.


    ¡°Kelsy! What level is that bitch?!¡± The lanky man screamed at the fallen woman a few feet from him.


    ¡°I-I-I-I don¡¯t know! All I¡¯m seeing is my own level?!¡± The woman yelled back.


    ¡°Wait, ¡®s those platinum tags?¡± One of the other bandits questioned as he noticed Lenna¡¯s double platinum tags that were dangling from her neck for all to see. ¡°Oh we are so fucked.¡± He swore. ¡°Scatter!¡±


    ¡°Huh, bandits with self preservation.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°Shamesh,¡± He spoke and stepped to the side. As he did so, a figure of bones dressed in elegant butler¡¯s attire stepped away in the opposite direction and bowed towards him. ¡°Do not let any escape, but we need at least one of them alive.¡±


    ¡°As you command, my Lord.¡± Shamesh spoke and rose back to his full height. ¡°Should I keep the mess to a minimum?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac confirmed.


    ¡°Understood, my Lord.¡± Shamesh replied. By that point many of the bandits were barely visible in their retreat. Even the largest among them had immediately bolted. There were only two remaining. The woman that had fallen and another that seemed to be frozen in place. The stationary bandit had realized that everyone was faster than him and that if he ran he would be the first one to be captured. He most likely expected to be able to escape at a later time and was simply accepting his capture as a temporary endeavor. ¡°You may Die.¡± Shamesh spoke towards the bandit the farthest away. ¡°You may Die as well.¡± He continued before the first one had even hit the ground. ¡°Die.¡± He ordered the next one as the first one¡¯s lifeless body hit the ground. ¡°Die. Die. Die.¡± By the time he had thinned out nearly a third of the fleeing bandits, the rest had taken cover behind trees, as if that could save them. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°What the fuck, Richard!¡± One of the surviving bandits. ¡°I thought you said it was an easy caravan to hit!¡±


    ¡°It looked like it!¡± One of them yelled back. ¡°How was I supposed to know they were being protected by a demo-¡± His voice was cut off as Isaac appeared with his hand already through the man¡¯s throat. A moment later, black dust and ash drifted away on the slight breeze as the man¡¯s equipment crumpled to the ground.


    ¡°I told you. I am a demigod. I am no demon. Though, if one wants to try, and take my title, as the Lord of all that is Dark, they are more than welcome to try.¡± Isaac purred, his true form was almost completely revealed. Death flames were pouring off of him and his dragonscale armor only served to add ripples to the dripping fire.


    ¡°Richard!¡± One of the bandits called out. Another bandit shot a bolt from a crossbow directly at Isaac¡¯s head. It passed through a fading silhouette as he materialized in front of the person that had shot it at him.


    ¡°Anyone who stops resisting, will not be killed by me.¡± Darkness spoke calmly but loud enough for all of them to hear. As he did so, he grabbed the crossbowman by the face and watched as the top half of the man turned to dust with the simple gesture.


    ¡°Then what will you do with us?!¡± A bandit demanded.


    ¡°Make you walk to Sapphirestone, then you can be their problem.¡± Isaac replied calmly.


    ¡°They¡¯ll just kill us!¡± The bandit yelled back. ¡°We didn¡¯t do anything to you! Just let us go!¡±


    ¡°Is that what you have been doing, mortal?¡± Darkness questioned and slowly turned his gaze to face the man cowering behind a tree from Shamesh.


    ¡°Yes?¡± The man replied with seemingly little faith in his own answer.


    Isaac appeared in front of him. ¡°Stupidity will not save you.¡± Isaac explained calmly in his deep and gravely ¡®Lord of Darkness¡¯ voice.


    The man swallowed hard. ¡°B-b-but I¡¯m not resisting.¡± He pleaded.


    ¡°Walk back to the caravan, drop your weapons at Hellfire¡¯s feet. All of them.¡± Darkness instructed the man. ¡°You have twelve seconds. Eleven.¡±


    The man panicked and dove at Isaac with a brandished skinning knife. The knife glanced off of Isaac¡¯s dragonscales without even leaving a mark. The man¡¯s momentum took him directly into Isaac¡¯s chest, face and shoulder first, and he melted away on contact. A pair of legs toppled to the ground at Isaac¡¯s feet. One of their thighs hit Isaac¡¯s boot as it landed and disintegrated the entire way down to the ankle as death refused to be easily sated.


    Darkness sighed. ¡°For the rest of you, ten, nine,¡± He continued his countdown. A few of them ran back towards the caravan while trying their best to strip themselves of their weapons. The rest decided it was time to make a run for it.


    ¡°Die. Die. Die.¡± Shamesh spoke from where Isaac had left him. With how weak the targets were, the word of power barely took any mana out of him compared to what it would take to remove someone like Lenna, Edward, Marie, or Fable. Shamesh had finally almost run out of mana though so he was forced to use a weaker spell on the final two fleeing bandits. ¡°Stars of doom, heed my call.¡± He spoke and raised both hands. Four marbles of every color imaginable formed above each hand and then shot out towards their intended targets. Each orb found its mark causing the final two fleeing bandits to drop in a heap as tiny chunks of them were removed. Chunks specifically located in their back, right behind their core. In a matter of moments, the entire bandit stick up had been reduced to half a dozen cowed men and women. Men and women that could boast of survival in the face of the Lord of Darkness and his Lady of Hellfire.


    Isaac let his power fade as he appeared in his physical shadow¡¯s shadow. He touched Shamesh¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Rest and recharge.¡± He ordered his retainer. ¡°And while you do, finish off the two you crippled and collect anything on their persons worth at least a gold piece, unless it is coins, grab all of those.¡± He added quietly and covered Shamesh in shadows so he would vanish from sight.


    ¡°Right away, my Lord.¡± Shamesh replied and began following his orders.


    Isaac turned to see utter chaos. Lenna¡¯s fire had left a scorch mark two feet wide down the entire length of the caravan. Three horses and one person had fainted. Five bandits were sitting on their hands in front of Lenna with a pile of small weapons between them. Every wagon driver was trying to either calm or awaken their horses. All of the horses that hadn¡¯t fainted were going absolutely crazy as their senses started to come back to them in pieces. It appeared that Isaac had underestimated the effect the presence his death flames had on the horses. The man that had fainted was just weak but mana sensitive. Isaac walked towards Lenna casually. ¡°Animals spook too easily up here.¡± He told her as he approached.


    ¡°You have been macro and micro dosing the animals in Safeharbor for months. These belong in the light.¡± Lenna stated as she gazed down at the figures in front of her. In truth, she could hardly see them. She had to squint incredibly hard just to see through the brightness enough to make out that there were five of them. The parasol helped but only marginally. The ground itself was too bright from the direct noontime sunlight.


    ¡°I think that went well, all things considered.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°Isaac, did you just jinx us?¡± Lenna questioned calmly.


    ¡°No, I def-¡± Isaac stopped in the middle of a word as a sound rang out across the trees. It was a deep and throaty howling roar. It sounded like a tornado or a pipe organ left out in a windstorm. It was a siren of might, magic, majesty, and mortality. What really caught Isaac¡¯s attention though was not the physical sound but the magical one that he felt tickle his core. He had finally heard it for himself. It appeared that something had answered the call of Isaac¡¯s massive outpouring of mana. He finally had his first Outerworld legendary opponent. It was finally going to be time for a battle of dragons.

 Chapter 16 Hold Still.

    Chapter 16 Hold Still.


    ¡°Dragon! Scatter!¡± The first member of the caravan to see it exclaimed at the top of her lungs. Men and women, caravanners and bandits alike, scattered into the trees while leaving the horses to fend for themselves.


    ¡°Isaac, I¡¯m basically blind, describe the dragon to me.¡± Lenna instructed her mate while she waited to decide if a retreat was in order.


    ¡°Cherry red, twenty foot wingspan give or take, already looking at us.¡± Isaac told her with a grin. ¡°I¡¯m gonna fight it.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Lenna spoke calmly. ¡°Let me fight it.¡± She told him and handed him their Bottomless Bag.


    ¡°What?¡± Isaac questioned in surprise. ¡°You can¡¯t see.¡± He reminded her as he took the bag without thinking.


    ¡°I have a plan.¡± She explained. ¡°Wait for it to land.¡±


    Isaac side eyed his wife. ¡°If you¡¯re sure.¡±


    The giant flying flame lizard flew around them in a circle before it finally descended and landed right in front of them. The landing was powerful and measured, a show of force more than a graceful touchdown. Each of the dragon¡¯s scales were the size of Isaac¡¯s palm and a heat haze filled the air around it. Its burning crimson eyes shifted back and forth between Isaac and Lenna. As it did so, its head shifted slightly back and forth so it could keep whoever it was looking at directly in its sights. The majestic creature¡¯s back swept horns and eyes that sat between side facing and front facing made Isaac wonder what creature could force a dragon to have defensive and prey-like features.


    ¡°Honored dragon.¡± Lenna began in the language of the dragons without even a nod. Lenna straightened a bit as she let the tip of her adamantine blade rest on the ground in front of her. ¡°I was not informed that this was your territory.¡±


    ¡°Fallen Elf.¡± The dragon¡¯s voice crackled and rumbled through the mana between them as it spoke without opening its mouth. ¡°Though you speak well enough, I am not here for you.¡±


    ¡°What do you want with my mate?¡± Lenna questioned directly.


    ¡°You cannot make demands of your betters.¡± The dragon snapped and locked in on Lenna with nearly all of its focus.


    ¡°That would require you to be my better.¡± Lenna replied evenly. ¡°That has not been proven one way or the other.¡±


    ¡°Yet.¡± The dragon promised and lowered itself to launch at her.


    ¡°If you want to destroy the caravan, then we can fight here. If not, then we can fight somewhere else.¡± Lenna enlightened the dragon.


    The dragon paused right before it would have launched itself at Lenna. The mythical creature¡¯s perfectly crafted instincts must¡¯ve warned it about the folly of what it was about to do. ¡°Explain.¡± The dragon demanded.


    ¡°We can wait for the caravan to leave, or we can go back a few miles to the other clearing. If the forest gets pushed back around there, no one will complain.¡± Lenna replied with the same practiced, perfectly even, voice that she had been using with the dragon since the beginning of their conversation.


    ¡°You are blind and slow. I will not wait for you to stumble to a clearing before I squeeze your meat out of your armor.¡± The dragon scoffed. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Lenna sighed. ¡°Then, in order to not wound your fragile pride, we will trade blows one after another. Right here, right now.¡± Lenna taunted the dragon and started walking towards the side of the road so only trees and corpses would be behind her.


    The dragon¡¯s growl was a deep rumbling hum that caused the rocks on the ground around it to bounce and vibrate. The temperature around them suddenly spiked to a midsummer¡¯s day instead of midwinter like they were. ¡°You will cheat.¡± The dragon accused Lenna.


    ¡°I will not cheat, my mate and his shadow will not help, I will not dodge. The same must be true for you.¡± Lenna declared.


    ¡°You think the armor will save you from my fire. I will liquify the treasure if it means ending you faster.¡± The dragon went on talking down to Lenna.


    ¡°Isaac, it is about to get hot.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°I will handle this mighty child.¡±


    Isaac eyed his wife up and down. ¡°Fine, but if I think you are going to die, I will step in to save you and see what the dragon wants with me.¡± He told her.


    Both Lenna and the dragon¡¯s gazes focused in and narrowed on Isaac. ¡°The fight is to the death.¡± The dragon argued with Isaac.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be. I would like the opportunity to talk with a dragon, once the arrogance has been beaten out of you.¡± Isaac told the mythical creature before he vanished. A moment later, Isaac was standing in front of the two horses in the front of the caravan. They were unconscious. The horses and probably a dozen mortals had all fainted at the repetitive hits to their cores from the dragon¡¯s words. The dragon cared little when it came to collateral damage from its magically concussive speech. The fact that their very words could shock weaker beings into unconsciousness meant that dragons were actually pretty bad at hunting in most cases. At least as far as hunting for food was concerned.


    ¡°Before we begin, I am Lenna V¡¯Nova, what is your name, dragon of fire?¡± Lenna questioned and squared her shoulders even more. The stance was a declaration that she would not even attempt to block the incoming attack.


    ¡°Cha¡¯toh¡¯sha.¡± The dragon spoke. ¡°I will attack first. You challenged me.¡±


    ¡°You had better make it count.¡± Lenna threatened. ¡°And you had better say your prayers, to your god, that I do not get back up.¡±


    The dragon, Chatohsha, growled in indignant fury at Lenna¡¯s insolence and complete disregard for how powerful a real dragon was. The daughter of might and fire, the adolescent red dragon, Chatohsha, dug her claws into the packed dirt and stone road. If the fallen elf wanted her to make the first hit count, then she would. Chatohsha just hoped that her gear would still be mostly intact afterwards.


    Lenna stood resolute in the face of the immature but powerful mythical being in front of her. She had seen dragons and a mere twenty foot wingspan, even on a female, put them at about the same age. If it were a male then Lenna was sure that the dragon would be half a century her junior. On one hand, they were lucky that it was a young and inexperienced dragon that wasn¡¯t used to prey not just fighting back but entirely changing the rules of engagement on her. On the other hand, an older dragon wouldn¡¯t have come knocking just because of a strange mana event. The risk of more dragons of the metallic variety showing up and ganging up on them would be too high.


    Chatohsha took a deep inhale and then seemed to grin. ¡°You thought that I would steep to your level and attack physically, you were wrong.¡± She declared before opening her jaws and sending a torrent of fire at Lenna. The fire was projected forwards strongly enough that stones were tossed in the same direction as the flames. Any dust was burnt up before it could even be properly stirred under the immense amount of heat.


    Lenna weathered the geyser of flames that washed over her with perfect stoicism. It was hot. The flames burnt her skin, which was actually a little surprising. After Lenna¡¯s level up she felt her body become tempered with her aura, which she was currently using as a buffer between the fire and her armor, so she expected the fire to affect her a good bit less. It took her a moment to realize that the reason the dragon¡¯s fire was still hot enough to lightly burn her skin, through her armor and aura, was that it was actually just that insanely hot. Dragonfire was far more intense than she had expected, which clashed with her near immunity to most fires and heats. Lenna could reach into a campfire and shift the logs around without burning but even just five seconds of a true dragon¡¯s fiery breath was enough to cause her actual damage.


    Once the flames were gone Isaac walked towards Lenna with their Ocean in a Bottle in his hand. ¡°Can I spray you down?¡± Isaac asked Lenna.


    The dragon looked at Isaac in shock and then back to Lenna. Her mouth actually hung a few inches open. Nothing that Chatohsha had ever fought before could survive her fire. Everything just turned to ash when confronted with the true power of a dragon.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna spoke loud enough for both of them to hear. ¡°I have survived the first hit.¡± Isaac immediately began spraying her with water to cool her armor down and it billowed off of her in waves of steam. The ground and flora were burnt to a crisp for fifty feet behind Lenna with only the space directly behind her heels unblackened.


    ¡°How?¡± Chatohsha demanded.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡± Lenna began as Isaac stopped spraying her and closed the distance so he could just pour the water over her instead. ¡°You are not my better.¡±


    ¡°Impossible.¡± Chatohsha stated as if Lenna had just told her that the sun they were standing under wasn¡¯t real.


    ¡°Lenna, end this in one hit.¡± Isaac told her.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Lenna said to get him to stop pouring water on her. ¡°If I don¡¯t, then Chatohsha and I will be at this for a while.¡±


    ¡°Make your attack, mortal.¡± Chatohsha ordered Lenna. Dragons could not die of old age, as far as anyone knew or would confirm which was why they were mythical creatures in the first place. They were not divine, as far as anyone knew, and yet they could live forever.


    ¡°Say my name.¡± Lenna shot back. ¡°I am usually very patient, but obviously no one has ever punched you in the mouth before. Now hold still.¡±

 Chapter 17 I’ll Eat You

    Chapter 17 I¡¯ll Eat You


    ¡°Take your shot, elf.¡± Chatohsha ordered Lenna with a sneer that seemed to transcend the crackling rumble of her mana created voice.


    ¡°Not, until, you, say, my, name.¡± Lenna growled back. ¡°I can understand humans hating me because of the pain my people have caused, so I let them release some of their pent up frustration. You are a dragon, an apex creature, you have no excuse. I have just survived your most potent attack. You owe it to me, to say my name.¡±


    Chatohsha lowered herself and growled so deeply that bits of brimstone-like saliva dripped from her maw to the ground where it began sizzling. ¡°Lenna V¡¯Nova.¡± The she-dragon rumbled. ¡°Get your limp and paltry attack over with so I can end you fairly.¡±


    ¡°Isaac, I need to see, only for a moment.¡± Lenna told her mate. ¡°Can you do that?¡±


    Isaac smirked. ¡°I think I can manage that, for a moment.¡± He told her. ¡°Shamesh, help me up.¡±


    Shamesh flew out of the trees where he had been waiting to fire a Disintegration beam at the dragon. Shamesh offered Isaac a hand which the dark mage quickly took and was hauled into the air. Once above the dragon and paladin, Isaac felt a sense of weightlessness overtake him. Isaac looked down at Lenna but before he could even ask she nodded as if she could feel his gaze on her. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± She told him.


    Isaac took deep breaths of air as if he was trying to oxygenate his entire bloodstream at once. Shadows gushed out of him in all directions as he tried to blot out the sun for his wife. Isaac quickly surpassed his regeneration rate as the sun mercilessly cooked off his shadows. The ground below him darkened but it was not dark enough for his Innerworld-born future demigoddess. ¡°Darken!¡± Isaac ordered his color of mana as it floated in the air around him. The mana itself was the focus of his command. He was the greatest authority over black mana, not just in his mind but in the mind of everyone who had witnessed one of his absurd feats. He refused to be denied. He refused to let the mana drift uselessly through the area he was trying to darken. He refused to let the passive power of the sun prevent him from exercising his power as he wished. He refused to let anyone who witnessed what was happening think that he could possibly be anything other than a demigod. He had traded his memories of his entire previous life for power and he refused to let it let him down. The intensity, focus, intent, and refusal to be denied was felt and heard within a mile as mana echoed with Isaac¡¯s will.


    The small misting dark cloud that had begun to hang over Chatohsha and Lenna suddenly darkened to an impenetrable blackness. Chatohsha¡¯s eyes shot up in shock and surprise as she realized that she was suddenly cut off from the sky by a force that even red dragons feared. Black and platinum dragons were the true pinnacle of dragon immortality and a human wielding that power as if he was a dragon, of equal age to her, lording over her sent a chill down her spine. She instinctively shrunk in on herself slightly and braced to dodge or even flee. If he made even one move against her then she would leave them alone. There weren¡¯t very many things that a red dragon truly feared but an invulnerable, unresting, unrelenting, unstoppable force that ignored pain and could leap out of one¡¯s shadow to gut them was one such thing.


    ¡°Your fight is with me.¡± Lenna spoke which immediately arrested Chatohsha¡¯s attention as the elven woman began to glow. ¡°How many mortals have you killed, Cha¡¯sha?¡± Lenna skipped the syllable that adult dragons added to their own name when they became an adult. It was an insult in a way that mattered. For Lenna to call the dragon a child in her own words was one thing but to use the dragon¡¯s own culture to insist that she was still a hatchling was a step too far. If there hadn¡¯t been a wall of shadows dark enough to swallow her whole, she would have disregarded the challenge and pounced on Lenna immediately. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    As the paladin started to emit a dull orange glow, she started whispering to herself an incantation. It was at that moment that Chatohsha realized that she had greatly underestimated the woman. The lack of shiny armor or white cloth led her to believe that Lenna was just another warrior. She assumed that a warrior would not have enough strength to do much more than draw blood even with an adamantine sword. A paladin was an entirely different story. If paladins were good at any one thing, it was ending a fight in one blow. ¡°Ten, maybe thirty. I didn¡¯t count, paladin.¡± Chatohsha answered. Lenna started dragging her sword along the ground next to her as she cemented the entire image of Chatohsha into her mind.


    While Chatohsha and Lenna were having their final talk before Lenna put the arrogant dragon in her place, Isaac was struggling. His mana regeneration rate bottomed out as soon as the word had been spoken. His mana reserves were plummeting as not only was he trying to maintain the cloud of shadows but also Shamesh¡¯s consciousness. His chest felt raw like a scuffed knee on gravel, on the inside. It felt like his core was trying to flow backwards, as he forced the underlying magic of existence to listen to him, on a scale that was so far out of reach for every other mortal on the planet. Even the gods that were watching were surprised. He knew that he was at his breaking point and that if he kept trying to force it, he would tear himself open on the magic level, maybe even the physical one as well. ¡°fade.¡± Isaac whispered to the mana so it would gently bring everything back to normal.


    The cloud above Lenna and Chatohsha started to fade as Lenna continued stalking towards the dragon. Blazing embers burned under an armor of shadows that covered Lenna. Her sword danced with orange flames that seemed to trail an otherworldly darkness behind them. Her silver eyes began to glow orange bright enough that her opponent could see them through the slit in her helmet. ¡°For those lost, for those you would one day slay.¡± Lenna spoke the eulogy for the dragon in front of her. Chatohsha would not be permitted to exist until the next dragon surge.


    Instead of trying to do a crazy leaping strike or something else out of a mural or storybook Lenna stopped right in front of the dragon. Chatohsha¡¯s back foot slid back slightly as she tried not to take an unconscious step back. ¡°Get it over with.¡± The dragon told the paladin with defiance in her body language and bonfire-like voice.


    ¡°What did you want with Isaac?¡± Lenna questioned.


    ¡°Enough, I¡¯ll eat you if you don¡¯t take your swing now.¡± Chatohsha shot back.


    ¡°Answer, or I¡¯ll aim for your sigil.¡± Lenna threatened. Losing the part of the dragon that allowed for the elemental breath was worse than dying for any dragon, regardless of color or subspecies. It was a permanent scar that served as nothing but humiliation until the day the dragon was finally slain or starved themselves to death.


    ¡°He felt tasty.¡± Chatohsha replied as the dirt under her started to harden like clay just from the heat that she was giving off.


    Lenna gave the dragon one curt nod. ¡°I am glad that you are as braindead as you appear.¡± She spoke one final insult before she brought her sword up in an uppercut. Lenna¡¯s uppercut, powered by all of her natural, physical, and mana enhanced strength turned into a thrust once the blade had cut thoroughly through the dragon¡¯s upper throat and into her mouth. The thrust went straight for Chatohsha¡¯s brain but at the last moment she jerked away and upwards leaving a spray of near boiling blood to cover Lenna.


    Chatohsha had chosen to flee rather than to die. Her arrogance as a dragon was thoroughly crushed and she would have a scar for all of time to prove that lesson learned. That was, if Lenna and Isaac decided to let her leave.


    Isaac slumped in the air just as the cloud of shadows broke apart. He watched as the dragon tried to run from Lenna¡¯s strike that would have removed her from the gene pool. ¡°What?¡± Isaac questioned in a semi-delirious state. He had just done the normal person equivalent of picking a roof off of a person or holding a crumbling mine shaft up with nothing but their own strength and willpower. He had greatly overestimated his willpower in relation to his mana regeneration rate and was still actively suffering for it.


    ¡°Get back here!¡± Lenna ordered the dragon and shifted her sword and stance into position to throw her weapon at the dragon that had just beat her wings to try and flee.


    ¡°You win, this time, mortal. Lenna V¡¯Nova, I will remember that name.¡± Chatohsha swore as she turned in the air to leave. Just then, a blazing sword made of the hardest metal in the world punched through her wing before its hilt tore its way through the webbing. Orange liquid exploded out of the injury as sulfurized iron blood was blasted free of its containment. An agonized wet, throaty, rumbling honk sounded out across the treetops as Chatohsha missed her next wing flap. She was old enough to be able to fly with nothing but her mana control but the massive amount of force that her wings could generate was still useful and she had been planning on making use of them. The sudden lack of an aggressive upwards force that was supposed to happen caused her to tip and plummet to the ground. The challenge had just turned into a fight for survival, for the dragon.

 Chapter 18 Ground Her.

    Chapter 18 Ground Her.


    Chatohsha hit the ground like a sack of bricks. Lenna could barely make out her silhouette through the blinding light of the midday sun. Isaac and Shamesh hung in the air, the former trying to regain his bearings and the latter waiting for orders. A dozen horses were unconscious from the repetitive magical trauma of being within a hundred feet of a draconic conversation. Half a dozen mortals were unconscious as well though most of them were at least in the trees and not out in the open. Only time would tell if any of them had been standing behind Lenna when the dragon had attempted to incinerate her. The rest of the mortals were trying their hardest to get as far away from the dragon as possible. And worst of all, Lenna¡¯s sword was somewhere in the general direction of the rearmost wagon.


    The dragon rolled to her feet with a powerful shove off of the ground with her good wing. She landed with a slight slide as she was more focused on getting upright than being graceful. Her claws dug tiny trenches through the packed dirt and stone of the well traveled road.


    ¡°Hellflame Strike.¡± Lenna chanted with an upwards gesture that released a geyser of black and orange flames directly upwards and into Chatohsha¡¯s underbelly. At first the dragon was confused but then she felt herself start to burn. It was not the burn of fire cooking a lesser creature but of draconic scales turning brittle and beginning to necrotize.


    Chatohsha launched herself at Lenna in an attempt to end the paladin before she could make another attempt on her life. It was clear to both parties that neither had planned on letting the loser escape. Just the slash across the neck from Lenna¡¯s strike would have been enough for her to claim the victory but Lenna had always planned on killing the dragon. Chatohsha hadn¡¯t been any better when she had opened with an attempt to turn Lenna to ash. Both three century old, prideful, pinnacle females were out for blood for one reason or another. Lenna had had enough of Chatohsha¡¯s arrogance and that wasn¡¯t even mentioning the fact that, if Chatohsha lived until the next dragon surge, she would be an ancient powerhouse by then. Chatohsha would have leveled cities while tearing through younger and less experienced gold and silver dragons as if they were mere playthings. It was better to end her while there was a chance to do so. Chatohsha simply hated lesser beings talking back to her.


    Lenna caught the motion of something darker than everything else as the dragon shot towards her. She leaned into her opponent¡¯s attack while she strengthened herself as much as she could. Chatohsha caught her in her mouth and clamped her jaws down as tight as she could. Lenna felt her armor start to buckle under the pressure as the physically strongest subspecies of dragon tried to pop her like a grape between her mythical jaws. A shadowy whip snapped out at the inside of Chatohsha¡¯s mouth to little effect as the shadow armor tried its best to ward off the crushing force. Lenna shifted and barely got her hands into position against the roof of Chatohsha¡¯s mouth as her head and shoulders hung out one side of the dragon¡¯s maw and her legs hung out the other. As soon as she started to push, Chatohsha snapped her head back and forth before abruptly letting go and launching Lenna at breakneck speeds into the forest.


    As soon as Lenna was out of the picture, smashing back and shoulder first through a tree, Chatohsha braced herself and then shot into the air. She had no delusions of her attack killing Lenna and she knew that any injuries the paladin had taken would be gone in a matter of moments. She also knew that the only reason she even had the upper hand for that moment was because the dark elven woman could barely see.


    Chatohsha had barely gotten twenty feet off of the ground when her incredibly sharp hearing caught something that suddenly reminded her that the paladin was not alone: ¡°Shamesh, ground her.¡± Chatohsha rolled in the air out of the way of an invisible force that attempted to latch onto her. She had felt the stirring of mana and moved entirely on instinct. The problem was that the roll had prevented her from gaining any more altitude. A moment later a branch of reality magic that would have proved lethal missed her by a mere inches. A quick glance downwards saw the bone creature aiming another at her but by then she was out of range, or so she thought. What went flying at her was not a branch of reality but a lightning bolt. She would have known what it was going to be if she had bothered to learn the hand signs mortal mage¡¯s did while casting. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Lightning coursed through the red dragon as she tried to maintain her controlled flight. Her throat injuries had already stopped bleeding but they were still slowing her down. That combined with uncooperative muscles, due to the entire lightning strike coursing through her, spelled another sudden plummet to the ground. A sudden updraft caught her and forced her upwards just in time to prevent a collision with a pair or trees that stood a few feet above their kin. Generating an updraft with their heat was one of the many reasons red dragons were so feared by humans. It meant that they could glide at an extremely slow speed and rain down endless waves of dragonfire without falling out of the sky.


    Just as Chatohsha had saved herself from another sudden meeting with the ground a shadow appeared under her and stabbed with an equally dark sword at her previous throat injury. She yanked her head to the side at the last moment and kicked out with her front claw. She felt it make contact with something before any resistance vanished. She took that as a sign and put as much of her mana control as she could into forcing herself forwards. As she sped up even further, she angled upwards and tried to make for the relative safety of the sky. She had achieved a height of a hundred feet before she felt the shadow appear again. This time it was aiming for her wing. She rolled and batted the shadow away with her other wing in one motion that happened so fast that her attacker could only grunt as he was launched sideways through the air. Up and up she went, as high as she could go as quickly as she could do it. Even so, it was not enough to save her from the man built like a black dragon.


    Every time he appeared she countered him. She rolled, kicked out, snapped her tail, sent a puff of dragonfire in front of her that she would then fly through, and so on. After the seventh time she realized how he was continuing to appear under her. Her shadow, the one formed from the giant ball of fire in the sky, was being cast almost straight downwards. Crossing the distance of her long shadow, that reached from her underside to the ground, would be like taking a simple step to a black dragon. She twisted again in midair and ushered forth a torrent of fire beneath her to sever her shadow before she launched into a shallow dive to pick up even more speed. The farther away she got from their camp the better her odds of him giving up were. She had finally managed to get almost a mile of distance from her ill fated curiosity when suddenly the sky began to darken above her.


    Her eyes widened in shock and surprise as thick magic ritual rings formed in the air overhead. They were purple and orange and the runes read out a tale of death and destruction on a continental if not planetary scale. All at once, five boulders as wide as she was long began falling through the portals closest to her. They rapidly picked up speed but they had started at an almost neutral velocity. Chatohsha launched herself towards the ground in a steep dive that took her away from the falling meteors. She was back down to a measly hundred feet above the ground when the meteors struck behind her and exploded. Trees, rock, dirt, fire, and only the gods knew what else was catapulted out in a wave from the impact sights. Half of a fully grown tree hit Chatohsha at the base of her tail and yanked her down with it back into the forest canopy. She hit a tree and blasted through it with her forehead. She knew that it was the hardest bone in her body and she had absolutely zero faith in any of her other bones surviving the impact.


    The next thing Chatohsha remembered was waking up as the sun was going down. Her head was pounding and her right wing was broken in addition to the hole taken out of it by the paladin¡¯s sword. Her left wing¡¯s shoulder was sprained as was her right front ankle. She definitely had a skull fracture and she could feel the shattered vertebrae in her upper tail. She knew that if the dark mage was after her then he would have already killed her. She had no idea why or how she was still alive but that was good enough for her. For the first time in her draconic life, Chatohsha had felt the sting of defeat. What made it all worse was the fact that only in hindsight did she realize that a massive expenditure of mana like the one that she had felt could have only been a trap. The duo had lured her in and tried to use her for training. If they had simply wanted to kill her then she would have died in the first exchange from a disintegration spell to the head. Chatohsha huffed a sigh and then immediately regretted it as she felt her broken ribs.


    The defeated red dragon forced herself to her feet through her shattered body¡¯s protest. She grit her teeth and started walking. Every step sent a shock of pain through her from one injury or another but she knew that even just one night¡¯s rest could lead to her head being mounted in a mead hall. It would probably even be one with a stupid name. Even though Chatohsha escaped with her life, she couldn¡¯t be happy about it. Her pride was in tatters, her body was in even worse shape, and she had definitely made an enemy of someone that an older, smarter, dragon would have avoided. And of course, she was on her own. Dragons were solitary creatures after all.

 Chapter 19 Two flames

    Chapter 19 Two flames


    Isaac had left the dragon to Shamesh and immediately headed to Lenna to make sure that she was still breathing. After he had made sure that she would survive, he had gone after the dragon to keep her from escaping. The dragon had proceeded to show him a reaction time in the realm of fractions of a tenth of a second. Each move that Chatohsha had made was perfect and the exact, and sometimes only, counter to what Isaac was trying to do. Her bodily control was unlike anything Isaac had ever seen. Once she had severed her shadow with a wave of flames he had lost her and by the time he was ready to go after her again she was too far away and moving too quickly for him to catch her. Shamesh had tried but his flight spell was nothing compared to the being that had inspired the spell¡¯s creation in the first place.


    When Shamesh had finally thrown out his trump card in an attempt to bring down the dragon, Isaac had lost her. Right after the first explosion hit Isaac had lost her. He had no idea why he couldn¡¯t feel her presence despite her being a dark aligned creature. The other explanation he could think of was that something or someone had shielded her from his detection. With everything up in the air, Isaac was forced to admit defeat through a swarm of grumbling curses and a kicked rock.


    Isaac had returned to Lenna and explained what had happened. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t believe she managed to escape both Shamesh and I.¡± He confessed.


    ¡°We need to let the guild know.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°If someone can track her down then now is the time. Dragon¡¯s heal very quickly and a slit throat and torn wing will be healed within a week or two. The scales won¡¯t heal as quickly though, so she¡¯ll be vulnerable where I cut her for the next few months, or even a year. You can¡¯t feel anything, at all?¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No. Something is definitely up. You don¡¯t think she¡¯s-¡± Isaac began before Lenna cut him off.


    ¡°No.¡± She told him. ¡°Stop, I don¡¯t want to hear it. If you spout some nonsense that somehow happens to be the worst case scenario again, and we have to deal with it, I might actually be angry this time. We just started our journey and we already lost a dragon. There is no way that this is going to be as quiet of a trip as we had planned.¡±


    Isaac raised his hands in defeat. ¡°Okay, fair enough. For now, let¡¯s search the area and regroup all of the mortals and hopefully rouse the horses. By some miracle the caravan is still intact.¡± He told her. ¡°As infuriating as letting our quarry get away is, at least we kept the caravan safe. I would hate to go through all of this and not even get paid.¡±


    ¡°That dragon really got under your skin, didn¡¯t she?¡± Isaac casually questioned Lenna as they moved from unconscious person to unconscious person. At each individual, Lenna would touch them and send a pulse of healing mana through them. The simple pulse was enough to get them to stir and resume consciousness.


    Lenna frowned at Isaac¡¯s question. ¡°Yes, she did.¡± She replied. They were both silent for a long moment as Lenna worked. ¡°Maybe more than she should have.¡±


    Isaac nodded in agreement. ¡°You seemed a bit more generally angry than usual, which is to say, you seemed angry. You are usually really good at not showing that kind of thing.¡± He informed her. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea.¡± Lenna confessed. ¡°Something about the dragon made me just want to wrap my hands around her neck, even before she spoke.¡±


    ¡°I know exactly what you mean.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°That¡¯s sort of how I felt with Judgment.¡±


    ¡°But I am also a fire wielder, like her. Our alignments or elements or whatever should be more or less the same, shouldn¡¯t they?¡± Lenna wondered.


    ¡°Maybe not.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°You don¡¯t have normal fire, you have hellfire, maybe that has something to do with it.¡± Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°I barely even have hellfire, Isaac. I am not even sure if it is hellfire.¡± She confessed.


    ¡°Why not? It¡¯s two-tone fire.¡± He asked her.


    ¡°Hellfire comes in nine colors, one for each circle of hell.¡± Lenna explained.


    ¡°One for each color of mana?¡± Isaac wondered.


    Lenna nodded slowly as she put the two things together in her mind. ¡°Red fire is hot, orange fire turns a person to stone, yellow fire causes a person¡¯s body to seize up, green fire is nothing at all, blue fire is cold, indigo fire slows a person down or speeds them up-, whatever the opposite is of what the person wants-, violet refuses let go of anything that it has burned. The final two colors, white and black, are exactly as one would expect. Together there were five elemental layers, two layers of esoteric change, a layer of scorching radiant fire and a layer of reality that had been swallowed by an ancient dark power.¡± She explained. ¡°If anything, it looks like I am using some orange and black hellfire but then the target burns away instead of being turned to stone.¡±


    ¡°That is quite a bit different than how I thought hellfire was like.¡± Isaac commented with a shrug. ¡°Well, as long as people are extra afraid of it, that is good enough. So why do you think that you and the dragon hated each other from the beginning?¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°It was almost like our subconscious minds were at war the entire time.¡± She offered him.


    ¡°Like two flames warring for dominance before they even clashed?¡± Isaac surmised.


    ¡°Yes, like that.¡± Lenna agreed. ¡°I wonder why she brought that feeling out of me so much.¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. That sounds like something we would need to talk to a dragon about, either that or a dragon expert.¡± Isaac replied.


    Lenna sighed and straightened for the last time, for a little while. ¡°That was the last mortal. Should we track down the ones that ran?¡± She asked him.


    ¡°Not yet, if the waggoneers are all awake then let¡¯s start at the beginning and wake up the horses one at a time. By the time the entire train is up and moving, some of those that ran away may have returned.¡± He offered.


    ¡°What about the bandits?¡± Lenna wondered.


    ¡°I think the bandits just got away this time. They aren¡¯t worth our time to go after without a tracker.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°At the very least, they should be keeping their heads down for a while.¡±


    Lenna nodded in agreement. ¡°Alright.¡± She acknowledged and started back towards the front of the caravan. An hour later, all of the horses were awake and taken care of. Many of them spooked as soon as they woke up and the only thing that kept them from bolting was the fact that they were tied together and to a wagon with its wheels locked. Some of the people that had run away had returned with minor injuries. One had been slightly severe as the man had been bitten by a venomous snake in his flight but luckily everything needed to take care of it was on hand in the lead wagon. An hour after that, all of the people were either accounted for or presumed ¡®lost¡¯.


    The caravan was preparing to get moving again so they would at least be at the next rest area before making camp for the night when Ellie walked over to them. ¡°Were you planning on using us as bait for the dragon too?¡± She questioned. It was clear that she was trying her hardest to make it come off as a question and not as an interrogation.


    ¡°No, we had no idea that there was a dragon in the area.¡± Isaac replied with a frown. ¡°Honestly, I should have felt it coming but it seemed to almost come out of nowhere to my senses.¡±


    ¡°You sure talked a lot with it before letting it get away.¡± Ellie continued.


    Isaac¡¯s face went from neutral to a scowl in an instant. ¡°We didn¡¯t let it get away. Something or someone is protecting it from my senses.¡± He stated.


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you both fight it together? I saw your challenge or whatever. That didn¡¯t seem like you were trying to kill it to me.¡± Ellie argued.


    ¡°Because, Ellie Zakson, I was trying to end the fight in one hit. It should have worked even without Isaac¡¯s help but the damned sun is too damn bright for me to see anything.¡± Lenna swore. ¡°Next time, you fight the dragon.¡±


    ¡°If you have nothing else to say, then stay quiet.¡± Isaac told Ellie with a scowl still marking his face. ¡°A dragon of that level was way harder to put down than she had any right to be, and that¡¯s coming from me.¡± He said more to himself. ¡°I need to know why I couldn¡¯t feel her unless I was looking at her. It has to be some kind of divination shroud.¡±


    ¡°Like from a spell?¡± Lenna wondered, Ellie already forgotten.


    ¡°Maybe, or like a blessing from their god? I don¡¯t know enough about blessings, especially ones from dragon gods.¡± Isaac confessed. ¡°This bears some looking into when we finally get to Sapphirestone.¡± He turned back to Ellie as if suddenly remembering her presence. ¡°Were there any casualties?¡±


    ¡°Three; Flin, Leaf, and Mitchel. They think that Flin and Leaf were in the path of the dragonfire.¡± Ellie replied with a defeated look on her face. ¡°Mitchel is nowhere to be found.¡±


    Isaac nodded but it was Lenna who spoke: ¡°I am sorry about those boys, especially if they were caught in the dragonfire. But,¡± She continued with a raised hand before Ellie could speak. ¡°you should be grateful that only three are missing after a dragon attack. Usually there would only be a few survivors instead of a few missing.¡±


    Ellie just stared at Lenna. What Lenna had told her was true and she knew it but that didn¡¯t make the loss hurt any less. She hadn¡¯t known the three in question very well or for very long but she had still shared bread with them. Eventually the wagon driver just nodded once to Lenna and marched off to find her oldest friend in the caravan, at least he was still alive, somehow.

 Chapter 20 Shake Down

    Chapter 20 Shake Down


    The remainder of Isaac and Lenna¡¯s trip to Sapphirestone went by quietly and under an air of defeat and hope in equal measure. Conversations from the caravanners were muted and their moods were damp. A few times a caravanner would be heard crying at night but everyone pretended not to notice. Those close to the three that hadn¡¯t shown up, despite the slow speed of the caravan and the note that was left at their previous campsite, would each grieve in their own way. It was a sad time for most and a soul crushing time for few while the final miles of the trip crawled by. Some were used to losses on a caravan trip but many were not. That was the difference between those that ran caravans in the frontier and those that did not. Usually bandits would leave the caravanners alive and only take their stuff so the job really wasn¡¯t that difficult or even as dangerous as many made it out to be. The dragon event had reminded them all of the very real terrors that made their homes away from civilized towns, and the high leveled adventurers that fought them.


    Luckily for all involved, the forest fell away and a sandy wetland opened up for them. The area had once been a marshland that was fed from a nearby river as it failed its final trek to the sea. Dams and troughs had ensured that most of the water from the river now made it to its destination, not before it fed the city built on the water¡¯s edge anyway. The road was entirely made of a solid block of stone whose top sat a few inches above the rest of the ground in most places. There were hairline fractures all through it as the uneven ground beneath it threatened to tear it into pieces, for now it held firm. With the solid stone road design they would simply need one wizard capable of repairing it to come by once every few years and the road would last indefinitely. It would also be a smoother ride, which it was, and everyone that used it would be thankful for that fact.


    After another few hours, they crested a small hill and were graced with a miraculous sight. Before them, in the evening sun, were a dozen glittering sapphire capped spires that overlooked a towering grey stone wall that rose to an impressive thirty feet high. Above the walls, the tops of a few buildings could be seen as their sapphire tiles glittered and sparkled in the evening orange sun. A blue like the deep ocean marked the tops of all of the buildings in the entire city that could be seen from the outside. Their backdrop was the ocean itself as the yellow and green wetlands framed the pure grey walls in a gentle embrace. The city was at least large enough to hold twenty thousand residents and if the massive sapphire castle, whose top could be seen from even out in the wetlands was anything to go by, the prosperity of the place was still on the rise. They had finally made it. They had reached Sapphirestone.


    ¡°Thank Halya and Traveler, it''s finally over.¡± Ellie sighed. ¡°Final Stretch!¡± She called out over the wagon train. Even Ellie¡¯s bad eyesight could spot the massive stone walls and glittering blues that capped them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down! We are almost there!¡± Hugh yelled in retort from the wagon behind them.


    ¡°What kind of creatures live in these wetlands?¡± Isaac asked Ellie.


    ¡°Snakes, gators, spiders, mudsharks, frogs, and a buncha mostly harmless birds. Half of the plants¡¯ll kill ya though.¡± Ellie replied.


    ¡°Lovely.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°Snakes are decently rare in the Innerworld but all of the ones that I have heard about have been constrictor snakes.¡± It made sense because most of the natural creatures in the Innerworld either ate poisonous things or ate the things that ate the poisonous things so venoms were naturally less effective.


    ¡°These are a good split between constrictor and venomous.¡± Ellie replied.


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    ¡°How rare are dragon attacks?¡± Isaac asked her on an entirely different topic.


    ¡°Almost unheard of.¡± Ellie replied. ¡°Dragons usually know to leave mortals alone because the metal dragons¡¯ll use the information from the attack to hunt them down.¡±


    ¡°What if it¡¯s a metallic dragon that attacks?¡± Isaac wondered. He knew that metallic dragons were usually seen as the ¡®good¡¯ kind of dragon but, no matter how strong the predisposition was to not be a dick, there would always be some outliers.


    ¡°Then you are fucked.¡± Ellie replied flatly. ¡°No one will even try to avenge you. Someone in your group must¡¯ve done something wrong to the wrong person.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Is there no check against the metallic dragons?¡± He wondered.


    ¡°The demigods, maybe?¡± Ellie replied. ¡°If they even think it is worth it.¡±


    ¡°Isaac, if we ever come across a platinum dragon, I need you to be on your best behavior. No matter how badly your natural aversion is to it. All we would be able to do is hope that the dragon is reasonable.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°Now, enough about dragons, explain the city to me. The sooner we get the lenses for my helmet, the better. I am beyond tired of not being able to see.¡±


    Isaac did as he was told to the best of his ability while they slowly covered the last mile and a half to the city. Eventually they arrived at a set of absolutely massive iron gates. The gates were fifteen feet tall by twenty five feet wide and made of a lattice of thick iron beams. Enchantments were clearly drawn out and poured in silver all across them as a warning to anyone who would dare anger the city of Sapphirestone.


    There was a quartet of guards checking people as they entered and exited. Of the two that were checking those leaving, only one of them was actually checking and collecting money from people. The other was watching over the two that were checking those entering the city. The checks were almost nonexistent as they just did a headcount, checked badges and tags, and took payment.


    ¡°Three, that¡¯s three gold coins.¡± The guard that was checking the lead wagon spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m a caravanner with the caravanner''s guild.¡± Ellie told him. ¡°That¡¯s what the brooch means.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a fake. Doesn¡¯t look like any of those I¡¯ve seen.¡± The guard continued his very obvious shakedown. ¡°And what about your two hitchhikers?¡± Isaac pulled his platinum tags out from under his shirt and Lenna held her wrist out towards the man while shaking her platinum tags around. The guard gulped hard and bowed his head slightly to Ellie and the duo. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am, I guess I was mistaken. Carry on.¡± He spoke and quickly moved on to the next caravan.


    ¡°A shake down and we just got here.¡± Isaac commented with an amused smirk. ¡°A spineless shakedown, but a shakedown nonetheless.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s guards like that everywhere.¡± Ellie commented and snapped the reins to get the horses moving again.


    ¡°Even in Safeharbor?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°Almost, everywhere.¡± Ellie corrected herself.


    Their wagon crawled under the massive iron gate only for them to see another one behind it. ¡°What are they planning to stop with those gates?¡± Isaac wondered. ¡°Dragons fly.¡±


    ¡°Hydra¡¯s don¡¯t.¡± Ellie commented. ¡°Neither do most men.¡± She was silent again just long enough to denote a change in topics before she spoke again: ¡°We won¡¯t be heading straight to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. We are behind schedule and there is a lot of work to do before dark. Hugh¡¯ll stop by and tell them about what happened sometime tonight so you can get your bounty in the morning.¡±


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to stop long enough for Lenna to get out before you are rid of us.¡± Isaac told her.


    ¡°Actually, I can sort of see.¡± Lenna commented. They were just inside the wall and the sudden large amount of cover from the sun made it that Lenna could actually see where she was going, even if it was still painfully bright. ¡°Thanks for the ride, Ellie.¡± She told the woman and dropped out of the back of the wagon. Lenna¡¯s armored form clanged as her boots impacted the worn cobbled stone. Isaac gave Ellie one last nod before he vanished and appeared next to Lenna, leaving behind a quickly fading silhouette.


    Isaac and Lenna moved out of the way of the next wagon in line and stood on the walkway next to the road. The road was sloped downwards enough that they could almost see the sea over the buildings at the end of the street.


    ¡°Now, where is the enchanted glassmaker?¡± Lenna questioned Isaac.


    ¡°I have no idea.¡± He replied and pulled the letter of completion they had received from Lucius. ¡°It just says Sapphirestone Fine Glassworks.¡±


    ¡°I think you are going to have to ask for directions.¡± Lenna told him.


    Isaac didn¡¯t hesitate to take the burden of asking for help from Lenna. As much as he hated it, he knew that she hated it more. It was time to rely on the goodwill of strangers as they wandered through streets lined with tan brick buildings capped with roofs made of actual tiles of glittering blue stone.

 Chapter 21 Always So Bright.

    Chapter 21 Always So Bright.


    Isaac and Lenna arrived at a two and a half story tall building that took up a quarter of the city block that it resided on. The building¡¯s streetside walls were almost entirely made of glass and everything, inside and out, was lit by dozens of glowing stones. The ambient light was still too much for Lenna even though the sun had just set. Inside the building there was a clerk who sat with a bored expression on her face at a plain but well made wooden desk. A few feet away from her desk there was a small lineup of chairs for people to sit and wait in during the day. Behind her, there was a long curtain that went from support beam to support beam across the entire building.


    Just inside the door of the building there was a glass figure of a woman with floating hair and a chilling gaze as she seemed to be leaping off of a cloud filled with snowflakes. On the other side of the door there was a man being held up by a wave of water with a lightning bolt in one hand in a position like he was about to hurl it at someone. Both figures looked like they could have been twins with their sharp, almost elf-like, features and hair that looked almost like it was made of seaweed and icicles.


    The momentary pause to gaze at the seven foot tall glass figures let the duo notice a slight whooshing of air coming and going in resonance all across the building. It was soon obvious that via magic or mechanics air was being continuously brought in and pumped out of the building in relatively high volumes. The building was not made of brick like most of the other buildings around but out of sapphire blue painted stone. The tiles on the building¡¯s roof were all sapphire crystals like most of the other buildings the duo had seen.


    Isaac got the glass door for Lenna and the duo walked, mildly covered in dust and still in full battlegear. A soft crystal bell chimed at their entrance and the clerk jolted as she noticed them. ¡°Hello, we are going to close soon, would it be possible for you to come in the morning?¡± She greeted them.


    ¡°We are just picking up a small order.¡± Isaac replied and pulled the letter Lucius had given them out of a plate of shadows.


    The clerk seemed to both brighten and resign herself to her fate of having one last customer who would hopefully at least be an easy one. ¡°If that is all, then I can definitely help you.¡± The clerk assured him and took the offered paper. She hadn¡¯t even hesitated at the show of magic and simply rolled with it. She opened the letter and nodded a few times to herself. ¡°The order for Lucius Von Arbencroft, heir apparent, I see.¡± She spoke more to herself than to Isaac or Lenna. She looked back up from the paper to focus on Isaac once more. ¡°Please just wait a moment and I will get it and everything ready for you.¡±


    Isaac nodded and prepared to wait. The clerk flipped through a ledger until she found the order mentioned and slid her finger along the page until she spotted where the order was being kept. She got up from her seat and gave Isaac and Lenna a quick smile and nod as she disappeared behind the curtain to go and fetch their order. The sounds of glass work being done could be heard faintly through the curtain and the duo got a look at a cold furnace when the clerk had opened the curtain enough to leave. ¡°Glass work is interesting.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°A lot of fine control. I can¡¯t imagine how long it took them to make the statues.¡±


    ¡°Probably hundreds of man-hours.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°I do not think those beings were just thought up by a sculptor, they seem too¡­ real.¡±


    Isaac eyed the statues again more carefully. There did seem to be something about them that made them almost seem to have a presence. ¡°I think you are probably right.¡± He told her.


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    Just then the clerk returned with a small wooden box. She set the box in front of Isaac and Lenna and then set the ledger next to it. ¡°Please, take a look at the product and then, if it is satisfactory, sign here and it is all yours.¡± She told Isaac.


    Isaac did as he was instructed and easily picked the lid off of the top of the box and looked at a pair of rectangles with two rounded corners diagonal from each other. They looked like they would fit well, inside of Lenna¡¯s helmet, right inside the eyeholes. The glass that they were made of almost immediately went from clear to nearly completely an opaque black. ¡°I think they¡¯ll work. Lenna, can I have your helmet for a moment?¡± He spoke to both women separately in the same breath.


    Lenna took off her helmet and was met by an audible gasp from the clerk. Lenna had closed her eyes to slip the helmet off of her head but then struggled to open them in bright interior light. Her eyes fluttered a few times before she managed to keep them open in a squint as she handed her helmet to Isaac. ¡°I hope they work, the surface is always so bright.¡± Lenna told him.


    Isaac hadn¡¯t been looking at her but at the clerk whose mouth was actually hanging open in shock at Lenna¡¯s face. At first Isaac wasn¡¯t sure how to react to her reaction but a moment later the woman seemed to get a hold of herself and blushed heavily. ¡°I, I know this is horribly unprofessional of me, but, would it be possible to paint you- I mean to paint your portrait, not to put paint on you. I¡¯m so sorry you just took me by complete surprise.¡± The clerk rambled on. She was fanning herself with her hand by the end of her apology.


    With the clerk¡¯s internal thoughts now out in the open, Isaac relaxed and turned away from her to try and fit the lenses in the helmet. ¡°I hope they work too, my dear, I would hate to make you suffer on our honeymoon any longer than necessary.¡± He told his mate to which Lenna just nodded.


    The clerk looked around frantically for a moment before she seemed to notice the two sets of three metal plates with the word ¡®LIGHTS¡¯ written over top of them. She ran over to the light controls and tapped the middle plate in one of the sets of three with a small pendant. The lights in the front section of the building dropped down to a dim light that would have been at home in Safeharbor. ¡°Is that better?¡± The clerk asked Lenna.


    ¡°Yes, much better.¡± Lenna replied while blinking away any residual strain from her face as her eyes were actually able to take in all of their surroundings.


    ¡°Clare!¡± A man¡¯s voice yelled from the back. ¡°We aren¡¯t closed yet! Why is the front dark?!¡±


    The clerk, Clare, ran towards the curtain and peaked her head through before yelling back: ¡°One of our customers is light sensitive, I¡¯ll fix them later!¡± She then returned to her desk but remained standing as she stared at Lenna through the dim light. ¡°Will those work for you?¡± She asked the woman made of colors that Clare had only dreamed could exist naturally on a person.


    ¡°They fit.¡± Isaac replied for Lenna. ¡°We just need to cement them in place.¡±


    ¡°I think we can do that here.¡± Clare told him. ¡°We make stained glass windows and the glass is cemented in place so it doesn¡¯t fall out during our summer storms.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°That would be appreciated.¡± Isaac stated. ¡°How long will it take?¡±


    ¡°We get our cement from an alchemist, so not only does it take a mere five minutes to set, but we can guarantee that it will not fail.¡± Clare replied proudly.


    ¡°Does that mean ¡®tonight¡¯ or ¡®come back in the morning¡¯?¡± Isaac asked her.


    Clare seemed to hesitate and then looked at Lenna. The sight of the foreign beauty must have won out over her desire to go home as she said: ¡°I can get it done within the next ten minutes if you are willing to wait?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°We can wait.¡± He replied.


    A moment later, Clare was hurrying off with Lenna¡¯s helmet and the lenses behind the curtain. Isaac and Lenna caught snippets of a conversation between Clare and the man that had yelled at her previously. What parts they did get was something about ¡®seeing who¡¯s up front¡¯ and ¡®real quick. I can¡¯t let her¡­¡¯ which got a ¡®Fine but you owe me.¡¯ in reply.


    ¡°She¡¯s head over heels for you.¡± Isaac joked.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°She¡¯s never seen a drow before. Everyone¡¯s reactions are always extreme, aren¡¯t they?¡± She replied.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°I¡¯d rather have to scare off a bunch of heart-eyed fools than fight some ignorant bastards.¡± He told her. ¡°She probably thinks you are a direct descendant of Lua because we walked in at night.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m clothed.¡± Lenna replied flatly. ¡°And I don¡¯t know how Lua would feel about you saying that. She is a deity, one who could actually have descendants, I think it¡¯s a bit rude.¡±


    ¡°With the amount of times she has called you ¡®child¡¯, I don¡¯t think she¡¯d mind but yeah, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to actually go around claiming that.¡± Isaac agreed and took a seat. Lenna joined him and they settled down to wait until her helmet was ready.

 Chapter 22 What You Cannot Feel

    Chapter 22 What You Cannot Feel


    Clare brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear as she tried to not stare at Lenna. ¡°We will not be here for very long. Maybe next time.¡± Lenna answered the younger woman¡¯s previous inquiry into the possibility of painting Lenna¡¯s portrait.


    Clare tried not to let the disappointment show on her face as she nodded with a forced smile. ¡°I see, next time then.¡± She replied. ¡°Your helmet should be ready shortly.¡± She said to change topics.


    ¡°We live in Safeharbor.¡± Isaac offered Clare which got a questioning look from Lenna. ¡°I would like a portrait of my lovely wife in my study, so, ¡®next time¡¯, very well might not be your hopes being brushed aside.¡± He offered her. ¡°Our honeymoon could take weeks or even years though, so don¡¯t imagine it will be any time soon.¡±


    Clare nodded at Isaac as she processed his words. ¡°Well, I would love to give it a try, if you¡¯ll have me. You know where to find me.¡± She stated. ¡°I¡¯ll go check on the Lady¡¯s helmet.¡± She followed up with a slight bow before she returned to the back to do just that.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Lenna asked Isaac. ¡°I know how you are.¡±


    ¡°Oh? How am I?¡± Isaac questioned her teasingly.


    ¡°Possessive, jealous, greedy.¡± Lenna replied flatly.


    Isaac stopped dead as he realized that she wasn¡¯t joking but being serious. His demeanor shifted slightly to match hers. ¡°Yes, well, I am curious about the process. If it looks doable then I may make an attempt at painting your portrait as well.¡±


    Lenna raised an eyebrow. ¡°Piano, organ, two styles of combat, magic, magic theory, a business, and now painting?¡± She questioned him. ¡°All of that combined will take at least a century to master. Humans usually devote their entire lives to a craft or skill and find a way to make it make them money, do they not?¡±


    ¡°The only thing that I am trying to be the best at is being the Lord of Darkness. The rest of those things either help or are simply hobbies.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°And I am not sure about painting yet, maybe in the future. We still have the rest of our honeymoon to enjoy before we return here.¡±


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°Fair enough.¡± Lenna¡¯s ear then shifted slightly as she heard footsteps. It was not enough to be noticeable by most, but Isaac was looking right at her when it happened.


    ¡°Did your ear just twitch like a cat¡¯s?¡± Isaac asked her as Clare returned with Lenna¡¯s helmet in her hands.


    ¡°No, you imagined it.¡± Lenna told him casually and rose to her feet to accept her helmet.


    ¡°It is done.¡± Clare told her and handed her the helmet. ¡°Though, I would wait at least until the morning before you try to play kickball with it or something. The cement is set enough to be moved but it is still a little weak.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Lenna told her. ¡°How much do we owe you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s fine, we-¡± Clare was cut off by the same man from before.


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    ¡°Like hells we will!¡± He yelled at her. ¡°Five gold for the cement and a gold for my time!¡±


    Clare winced. ¡°You heard him.¡± She said apologetically. ¡°Six gold, please.¡±


    Lenna reached into her Bottomless Bag and withdrew a platinum coin. She handed it to the clerk with a slight smile. ¡°Keep the rest, for staying late with us.¡± She told the younger woman.


    ¡°No, I¡­¡± Clare¡¯s voice trailed off as Lenna turned to leave and slid her helmet back on over her head.


    ¡°How is it?¡± Isaac asked his mate as they started towards the door.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll let you know in the morning.¡± She told him and then they were off to find a place to stay for the night.


    It didn¡¯t take the duo long to find an inn. In fact, all they had to do was go to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild and then look across the street. It was common for inns, magic shops, and smiths to try and take all of the real estate around an Adventurers¡¯ Guild for rather obvious reasons. The inn was well built, well kept, and large enough to house a hundred adventurers at a time without forcing any of them to share a bed. The building stood as tall as the Adventurers¡¯ Guild and just as wide.


    When the duo entered the inn, they were noticed by a few dozen adventurers and patrons that had packed the dining hall almost completely. Most immediately went back to their food but a few of them stopped, pointed, and started whispering to each other. Some of the whispers were picked up by Isaac and Lenna. Some were speculating about their double platinum tags and others asked their party members if the duo were the famous pair from Safeharbor. Regardless of what everyone around them was saying, the pair made their way to an open table just out of the way but still entirely lacking in privacy.


    ¡°This will have to do.¡± Isaac told Lenna.


    ¡°Can¡¯t be helped.¡± She agreed.


    ¡°It''s kind of bright in here, how are the lenses?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°They seem to be working well enough. The light has a harder time getting through but that also means that it is harder to see, though not as bad as if I were squinting.¡± She replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Isaac said and was about to move on to another topic when a young woman in a slightly frilly brown dress wove through the other tables to reach them.


    ¡°We get celebrities like you regularly but it surprises me every time.¡± The waitress told the pair. ¡°Would you mind enlightening me on who I¡¯ll be serving tonight? I¡¯m Nemma.¡±


    As Isaac and Lenna were served and ate their food, the conversations around them continued. Once Isaac had informed Nemma of their identities there was even an exchange of coins between two people at a nearby table. Apparently they were still close enough to Safeharbor for the adventurers to know who they were, even if the merchants didn¡¯t.


    Lenna had opened her faceplate to begin eating which left the top of her face covered and her eyes sheltered by her lenses, even so, it was clear from her nose, mouth, and chin that she was a dark elf just like the rumors had said. Eventually, around the time when Isaac and Lenna were about to finish the last of their food, one of the younger adventurers finally worked up the courage to approach them. He looked barely eighteen but Isaac would never forget his features. The boy¡¯s hair was a soft blue-green and his pupils were dandelion yellow. The very first thought that came into Isaac¡¯s head was: ¡®It¡¯s like the mana in his body is trying to show the world that he belongs to it.¡¯


    ¡°Uh, um, excuse me, mister, Lord of Darkness, sir.¡± He began, which got some laughs from the table nearby. He swallowed hard and took a breath to continue but it was Isaac who spoke next.


    ¡°Just Lord Darkness is fine, no mister or sir needed, though, if you must, then my Lord would be the proper term of address.¡± Isaac told the boy. ¡°What can I do for you, adventurer?¡±


    The acknowledgement of his status as an adventurer from someone so high above him seemed to inflate the boy a bit as his shoulders squared. ¡°I, I was just wondering if the stories are true, about you, I mean.¡± He stammered out. It was a much better showing than his original greeting but it was clear that he was still nervous as all hells.


    ¡°You will have to narrow it down.¡± Isaac told him and then gestured to one of the two open seats at their table.


    The boy swallowed again and then hesitantly took the seat. ¡°I heard that a punch from you is enough to disintegrate a man and that you can fight for weeks without getting tired. Someone even said that you fought Fable the Glinting Blade to a standstill.¡± The boy went on.


    ¡°Sorcerer, what do you feel from me?¡± Isaac asked him and leaned in slightly.


    The boy inhaled sharply. ¡°I, uh, what do you mean?¡± He questioned in return.


    Isaac had to hold back a chuckle at the boy forgetting the decorum entirely after being so nervous to even speak with them. ¡°With your mana senses, what do you feel from me, the most powerful mage you have ever met?¡± Isaac expanded on his earlier question.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± The young sorcerer began and closed his eyes to try and feel the world around him better. After a moment, which was as long as Isaac needed to finish his food, the young man opened his eyes. ¡°Uh, nothing, at all. It¡¯s like you aren¡¯t even there.¡±


    Isaac smiled slyly at him. ¡°Then allow me to enlighten you on three things before we go.¡± He said and placed a gold coin on the table for the waitress. ¡°The first, is that you should be more afraid of what you cannot feel than what you can.¡± He spoke and the pair rose from their seats in tandem. ¡°The second, is that I never tire. And the third, is that I won that fight against Fable. The Glinting Blade is not as young as he used to be. Though he did manage to take my arm off before he was forced to concede.¡±

 Chapter 23 Watching

    Chapter 23 Watching


    Isaac got up with a long and deep stretch. ¡°That was nice.¡± He groaned. ¡°We haven¡¯t slept since we left Safeharbor.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna said as she sat up in bed. ¡°Thank you for watching over us, Shamesh.¡±


    Shamesh, who was standing by the door patiently waiting for them to wake up, bowed towards her. ¡°It was my honor and duty, my Lady.¡± He told her.


    ¡°Shamesh?¡± Lenna spoke to coax him into what he was about to say.


    ¡°Yes, my Lady?¡± Shamesh replied as intended.


    ¡°Has anything changed, since our last talk about your growth as a sapient being?¡± She wondered.


    Shamesh was silent for a time in deep contemplation. While he thought, Isaac and Lenna began getting ready to explore Sapphirestone. It had been nearly five minutes before Shamesh finally nodded and his eyes of death flames locked onto Lenna¡¯s silver ones. ¡°I think, I miss Martha.¡± Shamesh told her.


    Isaac¡¯s eyes went wide as Lenna looked back and forth between her mate and his physical shadow. ¡°Describe the feeling to me.¡± Isaac told him.


    ¡°It is like a slight sadness at not being near her. I feel like there is a piece of myself that was left behind, not a big piece, but a piece nonetheless.¡± Shamesh explained. ¡°Is that what it is like to miss someone?¡±


    Lenna smiled warmly at Shamesh and Isaac gave him a comforting smile and a nod. ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°The longing for a friend that was left behind is something that many know very well.¡±


    ¡°It is a normal, understandable, and very real emotion that almost every other mortal to have ever existed has felt.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°I know that the feeling is not pleasant, but it is a good thing. It helps prove that you are you and not just a collection of reactions to external stimuli. This is now another nail holding up the sign that says ¡®Shamesh is a real person¡¯. Congratulations.¡±


    Shamesh was silent for a short while before he bowed towards his master. ¡°Thank you.¡± He spoke sincerely.


    ¡°Maybe one day we will find a way for you to taste food, but for now, Lenna and I must eat. I¡¯ll summon you again when we find something interesting or require your assistance.¡± Isaac told him.


    Shamesh bowed again. ¡°As you say, my master.¡± He replied as he sank into the puddle of shadows so dark that it was pure black even to Lenna¡¯s perfect vision in the darkness.


    ¡°Well, I know you just told Shamesh that we were going to get breakfast but, well, we are on our honeymoon.¡± Lenna said to Isaac with a glance towards the bed.


    Isaac looked her up and down and then gestured to himself. Both of them were already fully armored and ready to go. ¡°We just got dressed.¡± He reminded her. ¡°Maybe if we would have sent Shamesh away as soon as we woke up, but at this point, you are going to have to wait until tonight.¡± Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Lenna crossed her arms before grumbling: ¡°Breakfast had better be good.¡±


    ¡ª


    Sapphirestone¡¯s layout was well planned but complex. The port was a crescent that had been built on the rocky shore. The smell of fish and unwashed sailors dominated the area between gusts of wind replacing it with the scent of the sea. The port was large enough for a hundred simultaneously docked ships and nearly half of the piers were full. At either end there were eight warships ready to go at a moment¡¯s notice. Each fleet comprised of one Storm Class Warship and seven Frigates. Combined they carried an impressive two hundred and seventy ballistae per fleet. Each ship carried ammunition for the ballistae that specialized in penetrating into the water as well as special canisters that would break open right after they were shot and would release a few dozen iron darts at high speed into their target. The sailor that Isaac had questioned about them also seemed to know about more kinds of unique ammunition types but was not willing to share any information on them with someone that was not in the navy.


    Straight out from the open center of the port was an island made of tall smooth gray stone that formed the base of a castle that looked to be made entirely out of Sapphire crystals. The midmorning sun was caught and scattered in all directions as the jagged and uneven cuts of the sapphire stones reflected the light in different ways and in different directions. Isaac and Lenna had been informed that the castle was both a bastion against the terrors of the sea as well as the home of the Duke and Duchess Von Sasston, Sera and Edward¡¯s brother and sister-in-law.


    The Sasston Bastion was a sparkling beacon for all to see and it even had a lighthouse to help guide in ships in the dark. Out from either side, of the six hundred foot wide castle and island, there was a seawall that stood a full fifty feet above the water level. The wall was so impressively high that Isaac wondered how thick it had to be to maintain its integrity. Apparently the walls were relics of a time long past and had been reinforced with strengthening runes throughout their entire construction. The seawalls were kept meticulously clean to prevent any creatures from eating away at them as they held the merciless sea at bay. The seawalls and the city walls were the same height giving the illusion that they were supposed to be one continuous wall around the city and port. At their closest point, where the city walls met the sea and the seawall ended, there was a mere hundred and fifty foot gap.


    Isaac and Lenna had been informed that, in the event of a catastrophe, two chain link gates of deific proportions would be raised from the sea that would block each port entrance. The chain link gates would break up waves that threatened to smash the port, and ships that it harbored, as well as catch even the mythical kraken. Sapphirestone had held firm against tsunamis, megalodons, dragonturtles, and countless summer storms. It was truly impressive how unassailable the city seemed to the residents and visitors that Isaac and Lenna talked to throughout their day. Sapphirestone was a monument to the fortitude of the mortals of the Kingdom of Altia and the glittering sapphire blue roofs seemed to taunt every catastrophe that had failed to break them.


    The duo had also been informed on the nature of the glass statues in the lobby of Sapphirestone Fine Glassworks. They were the same person. The patron demigod of Sapphirestone was simply known as Storm. Storm was a being with a different face for every kind of storm. An icy princess who froze lakes and buried towns under a dozen feet of snow, a hotheaded and impulsive youth who threw thirty foot waves and hundred mile per hour winds at port towns, an aloof scaredy-cat that blotted out the sun with rolling clouds of sand, an angry elder who carved troughs into the ground with spiraling wind funnels that threw trees around like a child¡¯s toy. Each of Storm¡¯s faces came with it their own personality but they were known to split apart at need into multiple versions of themselves. They were also fickle beings, though Storm seemed to like Sapphirestone for some reason. The demigod¡¯s apparent fondness of the city was one of the many reasons people saw it as one of the safest cities on the continent, despite it being a port city.


    Eventually, after trying a dozen different versions of fried fish, including one that was wrapped in seaweed and doused in eel sauce while being fried over a fire in front of them, the duo finally found their way to the bad side of town. Every town had one; it was just a question of where. Some were only a street wide but some were half of the city. For Sapphirestone, there was an area that just had a certain grungy air about it. The sapphire roofs of the area maintained their brilliance but the walls of the buildings got dirtier and a lot of things, and people, started to look more run down. There were even a few people sitting in the alleyways that looked like they had no homes to return to.


    Once Isaac and Lenna had noticed the change in atmosphere they wandered around until they found all of the edges of the bad part of town. Once they had done so, they let it be for the time  being, and moved on to their next stop. Isaac led Lenna the entire way back to the main gate that they had entered from. ¡°I didn¡¯t think we were leaving yet?¡± Lenna questioned him as they approached it.


    ¡°Oh, we aren¡¯t. There is just something that I want to show you, now that you can see. I am sure that it will be the greatest view that you have ever seen. It is probably going to be the greatest view that I have ever seen as well.¡± Isaac explained to her and stopped a dozen feet from the wall. He craned his neck to look the entire way up to the top. ¡°Do you think you could jump it, if I gave you a boost?¡±


    Lenna chuckled. ¡°Isaac, that¡¯s thirty feet.¡± She replied. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone can jump that.¡± She then smirked at him. ¡°But I would be willing to give it a try.¡±

 Chapter 24 Love At First Sight.

    Chapter 24 Love At First Sight.


    Lenna sprinted full speed at where she knew Isaac would be. She stepped down on his invisible locked hands and pushed off as he threw her into the air. She felt weightlessness overtake her as she sailed through the air towards the top of the wall. A guard who had been looking over the side watched slack-jawed as she covered ten, fifteen, then twenty, and finally twenty five feet before reaching out towards the wall. Isaac appeared just in time to grab her outstretched hand as she felt the weight of gravity retake its hold on her. Shamesh had cast Levitate on her as Isaac was launching her into the air. Shamesh was soon flying up to meet them and landed on the wall right next to where the pair now stood.


    Two guards ran over from different directions. One leveled his spear at them but the other just held his crossbow casually across his chest. ¡°You can¡¯t be up here.¡± The one with the spear scolded them.


    ¡°Relax Kimson, they¡¯re just adventurers going where they aren¡¯t supposed to. Let them go up to the top and then they¡¯ll leave, won¡¯t you.¡± The crossbowman spoke casually. Apparently adventurers wanting to get a look at the city from the top of the main gate was a regular occurrence.


    ¡°That was the plan.¡± Isaac replied and let his hand, the one with the platinum tags on it, hang limply at his side. The guards¡¯ eyes moved subconsciously to the glinting movement. Immediately after, they looked over Lenna and saw the same thing. Shamesh was still cloaked in Isaac¡¯s shadows so neither of the guards were any wiser of his presence. The reason Isaac was shrouded in his shadows while he had helped Lenna to the top was because he didn¡¯t want his physical enhancement via death flames to cause a panic but now neither were necessary.


    ¡°Good enough, follow me. There¡¯s a ladder.¡± The crossbowman said and waved the pair towards the raised section above the main gate. That part of the wall was another ten feet higher than the rest of it to accommodate the gates below. There was a door to enter the gatehouse but the crossbowman led them to a ladder that was tucked away next to the door in the corner of the gatehouse and the wall. He quickly scaled it and waited for them at the top. Isaac and Lenna didn¡¯t hesitate and followed him up shortly after, along with Shamesh who flew up silently.


    Isaac and Lenna walked to the edge of the gatehouse roof and rested their hands on the battlements as they leaned into the view. To Lenna, it was a bright and sparkling city that looked almost like a paradise with glowing rooftops and rivers of people going about their daily lives. The city looked small and huge at the same time from their height above it all. Her lenses let her take in the sight clearly enough, but in the end, she could not experience the joy of color the way the humans around her could. It was still an impressive and spectacular sight in its own way, but for Lenna, the atmosphere of the city was what really touched her heart. It was light and bright, and cheerful in a way that no underground city could be. It was free and open and accepting in a way that the Innerworld was averse to. She took in a deep breath and let the salty ocean air grant her a sense of weightlessness that no spell could mimic.


    Isaac was mesmerized by the sapphire ocean that was even more brilliant than the real ocean that was its backdrop. An ocean of glittering sapphire stone gave way to a dock of tans and browns that was then overtaken by a cyan lake. Beyond the lake there was a band of pure gray that was split down the middle by a mountain of glittering sapphire, beyond that was a horizon of turquoise that gave way to indigo. The clear sky that met the sea was just another layer of brilliance that held Isaac¡¯s attention and didn¡¯t let it go for a long few seconds.


    Shamesh saw everything from the top of the gatehouse but he was not struck with any of what his master or mistress were feeling. To him, it was a city on the water surrounded by fortifications, nothing more, nothing less. It was a new city but his sight was not up to the task of displaying beauty to his mind, not conventional beauty anyway. Shamesh could see people¡¯s souls though, the brighter they shone the more powerful they were with one exception, Isaac. Isaac was always a clear picture to Shamesh no matter the massive amount of power that was at his fingertips. He saw most people in shades of white inverted silhouettes. He often had to focus quite hard to tell people apart from each other if they were similar in strength and potency. For him, one¡¯s density of white as well as its shade were what stood out the most. That was why Shamesh liked children. Children were easy to see in that they did not glow at all. They were just themselves. There was nothing to distract him from the outlines of their faces. They were the closest thing to a clear picture that he could ever get, aside from when he looked at Isaac.  Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    After giving the duo a moment to bask in the sight, the crossbowman finally spoke: ¡°Amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Isaac nodded but it was Lenna who responded. ¡°Yes, it is.¡± She agreed.


    ¡°I was once an adventurer who scaled this very wall to see the same sight that we are looking at now. One look and I knew that I could never leave this city. It was love at first sight.¡± The crossbowman spoke. ¡°Now, as much as I hate to cut your sightseeing short, Kimson definitely went to get the sergeant. You¡¯d best leave before that stick in the mud gets here.¡±


    Isaac turned to regard the man. ¡°One thing before we go, how do you feel about the bad side of town and the rulership that lets it be that way?¡± Isaac asked him.


    The crossbowman looked at Isaac cautiously. ¡°Who¡¯s askin¡¯?¡± He questioned defensively.


    ¡°We are friends of some of the Sasstons but have never met the ones that live here.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°I want to know how someone like you sees them and the reason that we are going to meet them.¡±


    ¡°Anonymously?¡± The crossbowman asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied honestly.


    The crossbowman ran his hand down his face and then brushed his hair back out of his eyes. ¡°Fine.¡± He conceded. ¡°I think that they could do a lot more to clean up the slums. I know that they are taxed incredibly high compared to other nobles in other cities, because it is a port city, but there must be enough gold going around to do something about the lake of scum that rests under the north-eastern wall. I¡¯ve never met them and I only know one person who has, so I would say that they must be very shy or allergic to the sun. That is all. Now, get out of here before we all get in trouble.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Isaac told him. The man nodded in reply and then his eyes went wide as Lenna vaulted the battlement. Isaac vanished in a puff of black steam immediately after.


    The crossbowman ran to the edge and looked down but saw nothing but normal traffic under him. ¡°Legends are scary.¡± He whispered under his breath to himself. He was very well aware of the anti-teleportation and anti-invisibility wards that lined the inside of the wall and the fact that none of them had activated meant that the duo had somehow managed to slip through them. He had no idea how and suddenly felt the urge to inspect all of the runes just to make sure that they were all created right and still working. For now though, he could only sigh and shake his head. He definitely did not want to explain to the sergeant what had just happened.


    ¡ª


    Isaac and Lenna arrived at the dock and stood right in the center of the crescent. There were three large rowboats tied and waiting for someone to use them to cross the tiny stretch of sea to the sapphire castle. At the base of the castle¡¯s large gray support structure there was another dock with enough room for the three boats in front of them. ¡°We should probably take a boat.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°I can¡¯t swim.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Not in armor anyway.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I could swim in my armor either.¡± He agreed.


    ¡°Should we wait for someone to come and get us?¡± Lenna wondered.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ll give them five minutes and then just make our own way across.¡± He replied.


    ¡°That will definitely draw a lot of attention.¡± Lenna commented.


    Isaac shrugged again. ¡°We are double platinum adventurers, we are supposed to draw a lot of attention. Besides, it¡¯s Sera and Edward¡¯s brother we¡¯re talking about. I¡¯m sure they will be perfectly understanding to us just showing up uninvited and unannounced.¡± He stated.


    ¡°That was a jinx if I¡¯ve ever heard one.¡± Lenna spoke.


    ¡°Shit.¡± Isaac swore. ¡°I really need to stop doing that.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna agreed. ¡°You do.¡±

 Chapter 25 Dusk.

    Chapter 25 Dusk.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s been five minutes.¡± Isaac spoke calmly. His voice had lowered by half an octave and Lenna instantly knew exactly what he was going to do.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s probably better than just knocking their door down, but it is still going to be a mess.¡± She commented.


    ¡°Things get messy when we show up.¡± Isaac replied and ignited in flames so dark that the dock in the full, late afternoon, sun looked like dusk to all of those that witnessed it.


    ¡ª


    Alejandro Eddenna sat in his chair reading a new research paper that was being passed around in the upper circles of court mages. It was a brilliant, though mildly misinformed, piece about the nature of entities from the elemental planes. He was about to set it down on the small table next to him, as he had just finished reading it, when his very soul began to tremble.


    The magic detection array, that was standard in mage towers on the border, surged with power unlike anything he had ever seen. The only thing that had ever come close was the time when Storm themselves had shown up and stopped a hurricane cold, before directing it up the coast to hit a different port city. The array temporarily overwhelmed his senses with pure terror and the feeling of falling into the river styx. He was immediately crippled as the feeling of a puppet whose strings were just cut overrode all other feelings in his body. He convulsed for a full second, before the automatic input/output balancing system that he had added to the magic detection array activated and muted the incoming terror down to a level that permitted his conscious thoughts.


    Alejandro gasped as he struggled to right himself in his chair. His body was covered in a cold sweat and he was trembling too much to even cast a spell. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small flat stone that was covered in runic engravings. On the stone there was a place for a person¡¯s thumb to rest and he did exactly that. Once he did so, the runes on the stone all lit up and he was certain that the other three that connected to it also activated. ¡°Dock, deific, magic signature, proceed, with caution, unknown.¡± He gasped out as he tried to catch his breath. He picked his thumb back up off of the stone and dropped it back into his robe¡¯s pocket. ¡°Tower, activate defensive armament protocol.¡± He spoke after he had given himself a few more seconds to stabilize his breathing.


    As one, his robe removed itself from his body, a new one flew to him and dressed him, a staff made of layered gold and platinum around an oak core settled into his hand, and a large wide-brimmed hat settled on his brow. He felt the new magics from his new set of gear instantly resynchronize with his mana signature and soul silhouette. With one deep and steadying breath he focused and mentally prepared himself to meet with the being that had just nearly accidentally killed him by raw power output alone. ¡°Tower, take me to,¡± He began and felt the teleportation array begin to power up. ¡°twelve feet east, on height, highest recent array alert.¡± With the final piece of information the array was waiting for, Alejandro vanished from the relative safety of his tower and appeared behind the person that had just sent the entirety of Sapphirestone into lockdown.


    ¡ª


    Isaac and Lenna felt mana begin to stir behind them so Isaac no longer had a reason to blaze like a lighthouse in the dead of a new moon night. Neither of the pair bothered to turn around yet though as they both watched the scattering of windows and doors, in the sapphire fortress in front of them, be covered in iron bars almost simultaneously.


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    ¡°Good, you¡¯re finally here.¡± Isaac spoke calmly. ¡°Slower than I expected, but fast enough. Inform your duke and duchess that the Lord of Darkness and Lady of Hellfire wish to speak with them at their earliest convenience.¡±


    ¡ª


    Alejandro wasn¡¯t sure what to expect but a man dressed in pure black standing in the middle of the late afternoon sun was about what he had imagined, though with a lot less exposed bone and thankfully lacking a scythe. The individual next to him also seemed entirely calm and nonchalant about the chaos that he had just caused. Alejandro knew immediately that the culprit was the black cloaked individual not just from his visible form, but also from the faint shadow of the power that had almost given him a brain aneurysm.


    It took Alejandro a moment to process what the man had just told him, but as he did so, everything seemed to fall into place. He had been briefed on the Lord of Darkness and his companion, the Lady of Hellfire, by both his duke and the court mage of Safeharbor. Their presence was expected but the event that was their arrival was not. ¡°I see. I will convey the message, though I cannot promise that it will be today. My Lord is quite a busy man.¡± Alejandro told Isaac in an attempt to get the death elemental in human form to leave his master alone by virtue of meeting him being more difficult than it was worth.


    ¡°What is your name, court mage?¡± The Lady of Hellfire spoke as she turned her head slightly to get a side-long look at him. The pitch black lenses in her helmet¡¯s eye holes did nothing to make the woman seem less untouchable or imposing.


    ¡°Alejandro Eddenna, my Lady.¡± He replied with a slight bow of his head. He had been informed that courtesy towards the lady was not only expected but required lest her companion ¡®take it personally¡¯. Alejandro had no intention to find out what exactly that meant.


    ¡°Magus Eddenna, I find myself curious as to why your duke was not present for his sister¡¯s birthday ball. Is he a cripple?¡± She questioned pointedly. ¡°I wish to hear his reason, out of his own mouth, and some reality walls and iron bars will do little more than preemptively annoy me before our meeting. Do tell him that as well.¡±


    Alejandro swallowed hard under her piercing gaze. He couldn¡¯t even see her eyes, yet he felt like they could watch mana move through his core. ¡°I, will relay that to him as well, my Lady. Where will you be staying, so I can send a messenger once a time and place for the meeting has been set?¡± Alejandro questioned her with as much grace as his trembling would allow. The feeling that the array had imparted into him had still not left the forefront of his mind and he knew that it was clouding his focus and judgment, but there was little he could do at that moment. He needed to rest and have a cup of tea before he would be back to normal, but unfortunately he did not have the time for either of those things.


    ¡°If your duke does not mind the slums being turned upside down, then we will be staying at the inn across from the Adventurers¡¯ Guild.¡± The Lord of Darkness spoke calmly once more. ¡°Otherwise, we will wait here until dusk.¡±


    Alejandro bowed slightly to both of them. ¡°I will converse with his grace and inform him of everything that you have spoken, verbatim.¡± He assured them and tapped his staff on the ground. The simple motion activated a spell that yanked him through mana back into his tower. He immediately pulled out the Speaking Stone and pressed his thumb back into place. ¡°It is the Lord of Darkness and the Lady of Hellfire, your grace. Please proceed with caution. Captain, cancel the Guard response, they would not be able to do anything to them anyway.¡± He spoke.


    A moment later he received a reply but it was not from his duke. ¡°Why not? What are they?¡± The captain questioned him.


    ¡°A fire breathing adamantine golem and the king of death elementals.¡± Alejandro replied sharply. ¡°Do not, I repeat, do not antagonize them.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Was all that Alejandro got in reply from the captain but that was good enough.


    A moment later the duke¡¯s voice came from the stone: ¡°Alejandro, meet me in my office and explain everything.¡± Little did the duke know but Alejandro was already leaving his tower to head directly there. They had until dusk, three hours by Alejandro¡¯s estimation, to either meet with their visitors or let them run free in the slums. Neither seemed like a great idea.


    ¡ª


    ¡°I think that went well enough.¡± Isaac commented once he was sure that no one was close enough to hear him except for Lenna.


    ¡°He looked like he was about to soil himself.¡± Lenna replied with her usual stoic tone. ¡°I think we overdid it.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I think Duke Von Sasston could use something like this. I didn¡¯t think about it until you said it, but he really didn¡¯t show up to his own sister¡¯s birthday ball, even though they are only three days'' ride apart, and they have a court mage who can probably just teleport them there.¡± Isaac told her with a frown. ¡°What kind of bastard doesn¡¯t show up to Sera¡¯s birthday party? I understand skipping Izen¡¯s, Izen didn¡¯t seem like he wanted any visitors anyway, but Sera¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Lenna agreed. ¡°That¡¯s why I said it.¡±


    ¡°Well, at least the sea breeze is nice, while we wait.¡± Isaac commented after a moment of silence. He then pulled a skewer out of his Inventory and offered it to her. ¡°Fish?¡±

 Chapter 26 Everything.

    Chapter 26 Everything.


    The sun was just falling below the horizon when Alejandro returned. ¡°I apologize on behalf of his grace for making you wait. He requested that you return in the morning, around noontime, for a meeting. Someone will be waiting here, on the docks, to take you to the citadel.¡± The court mage explained to Isaac and Lenna as soon as he had appeared. Isaac finally took the time to look at the mage and did so while carrying a frown.


    The older-middle aged human man that met Isaac¡¯s gaze looked exhausted. His pale blue eyes were sunken and his platinum blonde hair was spilling out from under his large hat in a frizzy mess. His tanned skin looked flushed pale and his lips were chapped. At least it looked like he had shaved that morning so it only looked like he had had a bad day and not a bad week. His robes, hat, and staff were all painted or dyed blue, proclaiming his allegiance to any who saw him.


    ¡°We agree on the time and place.¡± Isaac told him calmly. ¡°Though, I do wish this could have been decided in less time. I was starting to get excited with the sun so close to its resting place.¡±


    Alejandro bowed slightly. ¡°I understand and so does my master. Duke Sasston has informed me that adequate compensation for your time will await you, tomorrow.¡± The court mage informed them.


    ¡°I see.¡± Isaac replied simply. ¡°We will leave the slums alone until we have talked with Duke Sasston about them, or tomorrow evening, whichever comes first.¡±


    Alejandro looked slightly confused for a moment at Isaac¡¯s reply before the implications set it. ¡°Lord Darkness, some may find that comment offensive to their lord.¡± He retorted sternly yet without hostility. It was more of an informational warning than a threat or anything of the like.


    ¡°I am aware.¡± Isaac told him. ¡°However, both you and your master must see it from my perspective. We were just left to wait for nearly two hours in the evening sun for what, your master to decide to meet us for lunch tomorrow?¡± Isaac shook his head slightly. ¡°Punctuality is important in noble circles, especially high noble ones, which means that I cannot see this as simply an unfortunate waste of our time. Between the fact that we were willing to wait, and the fact that I am completely positive that you have direct contact with Safeharbor, I find it incredibly difficult to believe that he has any reason to be unnecessarily wary of us. All of these combined means that our two wasted hours were purposeful.¡±


    Alejandro swallowed under Isaac¡¯s relaxed but disappointed gaze. The unseen but piercing gaze of Lenna seemed to triple the pressure on the poor mage. ¡°We are aware of how it looks, which is why compensation shall await you, tomorrow.¡± The court mage replied amicably.


    Isaac nodded once. ¡°I understand. Inform Duke Sasston that we will patiently await our meeting with him for lunch.¡± Isaac told Alejandro. ¡°If there is nothing else, you are dismissed, Magus Alejandro.¡±


    The court mage bowed slightly in acknowledgement of everything that Isaac had said. ¡°I will relay everything to his grace and will greet you again on the morrow.¡± Alejandro spoke and then tapped the ground with his staff. A blink later and he was gone, whisked away to his tower.


    ¡°Could have gone better, could have gone worse.¡± Lenna commented.


    ¡°I do hate the wasted time though.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°If they were just going to send us away until tomorrow they could have done that immediately. They had us waiting so long that I figured they were cleaning the citadel for our arrival.¡± He finished with a shake of his head. ¡°Well, what do we do now? We¡¯ve seen just about everything there is to see in this city during the day and the slums will have to wait until tomorrow night.¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°We could check in with the adventurers¡¯ Guild and get paid for our trip here.¡± She offered.


    ¡°But then what?¡± Isaac wondered.


    Lenna shrugged again. ¡°I¡¯m sure I can think of something to pass the night away.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°You! We¡¯ve been waiting for you!¡± A small man, who looked to be the size of the average human child, exclaimed from his seat behind the receptionist counter in the Sapphirestone Adventurers¡¯ Guild. ¡°Please, right this way.¡± He told them and hopped down from his stool. He walked around the desk and waved for them to follow. The layout of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild in Sapphirestone was almost identical to the one in Safeharbor save for the liberal use of paint. Paint, and the fact that every piece of glass that wasn¡¯t a window was instead replaced with the city¡¯s namesake.


    Isaac and Lenna shared a questioning look but followed after the receptionist regardless of any questions or misgivings. They followed him to the second floor of the guild building and into a meeting room. The meeting room was casual and comfortable with a pair of couches on either side of a short table. ¡°So, now that we are here,¡± Isaac began. ¡°care to explain why we are here?¡±


    ¡°The dragon, obviously.¡± The receptionist replied. ¡°Please take a seat and I will fetch the Guild Master.¡± He told them and then closed the door behind himself as he left.


    ¡°What a strange little man.¡± Isaac spoke in a slightly off tone and cadence as if he was quoting something, though neither he nor Lenna knew what.


    ¡°This entire city is strange.¡± Lenna commented. ¡°It is one of the most beautiful cities in the world yet its ruler hides away in his castle. It is one of the richest cities in Altia yet there are slums under sheets of crystal. It is built on the edge of the ocean yet is surrounded by high walls and is known for its crystalline stone. This place takes the term ¡®two headed coin¡¯ to another level.¡±


    ¡°I noticed that too.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Something, or someone, is definitely holding the city back. I don¡¯t see a reason why it couldn¡¯t become the second capital of Altia. From everything I¡¯ve heard, it should be that way already.¡±


    Lenna hummed in thought and was about to speak when there was a knock on the door which then opened to reveal the Guild Master. He was a short man with a thick beard that was cut short to keep it out of the way, though it looked like chin straps were out of the question. His beard was a mix of salt white and cinnamon brownish-red. His light brown, almost tan, eyes showed both an age and an energy that defied it. His head was bald, by genetics not by choice, and shined with polish. His frame was toned, neither slim nor bulky, and it fit well in his open collared white shirt and sapphire blue pants. His clothes complimented his heavily tanned skin tone well and his frame was complemented by his weapons. Hanging at either side of him was a small crossbow. Both were covered in enchantments, some of which must¡¯ve gone to keep them loaded at all times while preventing their bolts from falling out, as was evident by their loaded and gilded states.


    ¡°Hello.¡± The Guild Master began with a nod towards the two double platinum level adventurers. His voice was calm and confident which complimented his rich pitch and almost gentle cadence. ¡°I am Benedict Montgomery, Scout and Ranger by trade, and Guild Master by virtue. It is a pleasure to meet you.¡±


    Isaac and Lenna took a heartbeat to eye the newcomer before they both gave him a nod in reply. ¡°Guild Master, I am Isaac Wexler, The Lord of Darkness, and this is my mate, my Lady of Hellfire.¡± Isaac began their side of the introductions.


    ¡°Lenna V¡¯Nova.¡± Lenna finished them.


    Benedict nodded again and gestured towards the couches. ¡°Please, sit, and we may begin. I am sure that you do not want your evening wasted by me, and I would like to retire for the night myself.¡± The Guild Master spoke without the slightest change from their initial greetings.


    Isaac and Lenna took their seats across from Benedict as the Guild Master sat down. ¡°Verywell, what would you like to know about the dragon?¡± Isaac asked him.


    Benedict nodded once. ¡°Good, Hilton mentioned it.¡± He spoke more to himself than to the two adventurers across from him before taking a deep breath to begin. ¡°Everything.¡± He stated. ¡°I want to know, everything. Everything you know about the dragon. Everything that stood out to you. Everything spoken back and forth, please, leave nothing out.¡±


    Isaac and Lenna shared a look of mutual acceptance to the request and then explain they did. They left out the specifics about themselves but they missed nothing when talking about Chatohsha. Apparently the group that had been sent after her hadn¡¯t been able to pick up any signs of her presence either, just like Isaac¡¯s Polarity Sense couldn¡¯t. Something was definitely going on with that dragon.


    Too many things were swirling around in Isaac¡¯s head while they informed Benedict about the dragon: A merchant who spent an obscene amount of money on a wanted type of magic item, a shut-in duke, a dragon that couldn¡¯t be tracked, and escaped bandits. By themselves each thing was just another event in daily life of a double platinum level adventurer, but if they were somehow connected, Isaac had no idea but he knew that it wouldn¡¯t be good.

 Chapter 27 That Bastard.

    Chapter 27 That Bastard.


    ¡°The answer to your question ¡®why can¡¯t anyone sense her?¡¯ is both simple and complicated.¡± Benedict began once Isaac and Lenna had finished explaining everything that had happened to them pertaining to Chatohsha, the red dragoness that had crashed their parade through the forest.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac prodded. ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°First, I must explain some history and myth.¡± Benedict told him and settled further into his seat to begin his exposition. ¡°There are two dragon deities. Once the Dragon Surge is foreseen to be less than a thousand years away, they will begin to choose their champions and guides. These young dragons are given blessings of protection to help ensure that they will live until the Dragon Surge. One part of the blessing is that mortal magic cannot latch onto their souls. This makes it so that no form of divination or control magic has any direct effect against them.¡±


    ¡°What else do the blessings give?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°Larger mana pools, stronger natural healing, sharper senses, and more resilient scales and bones.¡± Benedict replied.


    ¡°That explains why she was so damned slippery and seemed to be ready for me before I even arrived.¡± Isaac said with a frown. ¡°The blessings just pack more ¡®dragon¡¯ in each dragon. It¡¯s something that would go unnoticed unless you knew what to look for or specialized in magics that lock onto their targets.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Benedict confirmed. ¡°That seems to have been by design.¡±


    ¡°To make it harder to hunt them down specifically.¡± Isaac surmised. ¡°Chatohsha should have a massive target on her back but because no one can track her, she is basically dust in the wind.¡±


    ¡°I like smart adventurers.¡± Benedict complimented him. ¡°Unfortunately, not even my brightest scouts could find more than a crater related to her. There was plenty of blood on the ground and a trail that led towards a small dell. That was where they lost the trail. She must¡¯ve rested there for a little while and then left.¡±


    ¡°Damn it.¡± Isaac swore. ¡°I should have gone after her. I would have caught her lying down within half an hour of the clash.¡±


    ¡°Hindsight is perfect.¡± Benedict commented. ¡°No point in beating yourself up about a missed opportunity. She will surface again, some day, some place. Hopefully it will be in front of you.¡± He added with a nod. ¡°Thank you for your time, and the information, I will compile it and leave it as a dossier on the dragon in question. That will then be distributed to all of the Guild Masters, and especially the Guild Leader, for future reference.¡±


    Isaac and Lenna both nodded in reply. ¡°Guild Master.¡± Lenna began right as he was about to stand up. Benedict settled back into his seat with grace and gave her his full attention. ¡°Hopefully you can shed some light on this city for us.¡±


    ¡°I can try.¡± Benedict replied. ¡°Is there something specifically bothering you?¡±


    ¡°Duke Sasston.¡± Isaac said calmly.


    ¡°We want to understand him better before our meeting with him tomorrow.¡± Lenna added. ¡°What is he like?¡±


    Benedict had started to narrow his eyes on Isaac before Lenna smoothed over any misunderstandings, that were actually perfectly accurate understandings. ¡°He is a benevolent ruler who prefers to let the city grow and expand at its own pace. I believe that he cares very deeply about this place and the people that live here, that is why he tries his best not to get in their way.¡± Benedict explained. ¡°I have only met him a few times but he is a ruler through and through. He has the air about him of high nobility. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would believe that he was related to the royal family.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± She told him.


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    ¡°Now, if that is all?¡± Benedict questioned and waited for a reply before he would rise.


    ¡°There is one other thing.¡± Isaac said and leaned in. ¡°What can you tell us about the slums?¡±


    ¡°To leave them be.¡± Benedict replied sternly. ¡°Some things are best left alone. Good people should stay in good places, and as far as I can tell, you two are good people.¡±


    ¡°Good?¡± Isaac spoke with a raised eyebrow and leaned back on the sofa. He rested his arms on the back of the couch, leaving himself totally open for the Guild Master. ¡°I think you have the wrong idea, it is just easier to get what I want when those in power aren¡¯t breathing down my neck. We¡¯re going to the slums, Guild Master, and I would like any information you can give me on them.¡±


    Benedict frowned deeply at Isaac before he slowly rose to his feet. ¡°No.¡± Benedict replied resolutely. ¡°I will not be telling you anything.¡± He told the pair and headed for the door. He opened it without looking back. ¡°You can find your own way out.¡± He said and then left, closing the door behind him.


    ¡°And here I thought he was a nice guy.¡± Isaac commented to Lenna while lazily looking towards the door. A moment later his face shifted from a casual calm to a focused intensity that only ever came out when he was pushed into a corner. The entirety of the room was suddenly wrapped in a magic shell. No magic, no mana, entered or left and Isaac was absolutely positive that the room was entirely cased in a Reality Bubble.


    ¡°You were saying.¡± Lenna replied coldly.


    ¡°That bastard.¡± Isaac swore and hopped to his feat. ¡°Does he really think a Re¡­ a¡­ li¡­ ty¡­¡± Isaac continued before a sudden burst of drowsiness started to overtake him.


    ¡°Isaac? Isaac!¡± Lenna snapped and jolted to her feet. She took two quick sniffs of the air and frowned deeply. ¡°Sleeping gas.¡± She mumbled and turned to see Isaac already out cold on having fallen back onto the couch. Even she was starting to feel a little tired and she was resistant to most natural poisons. The fact that she was resistant to it at all meant that the sleeping gas was not conjured but something that was already at the ready. She grabbed Isaac by the collar and hauled him to his feet while slamming a hot wave of healing magic into him.


    Isaac jolted and then his eyes flew open. ¡°Huh? What?¡± He began and looked around. It only took him a second to realize what had happened. He was already starting to lose consciousness again. ¡°Shamesh.¡± He spoke and gestured next to him. A small void extended out of his shadow on the floor and his retainer was quickly pushed out of it.


    ¡°Yes my-¡± Shamesh began but then saw Isaac passed out again in Lenna¡¯s grasp. ¡°I see.¡± He spoke and then looked around. ¡°My Lady, how should we proceed?¡±


    ¡°Pop the bubble and I¡¯ll get Isaac out of here. Once the bubble has popped, fly and shroud yourself while you follow us out.¡± She ordered him.


    ¡°As you command.¡± Shamesh replied and pointed his palm towards the door. ¡°Command: Negation.¡± He ordered the anti-magic field that surrounded them. It only took a moment for the field to crack and fizzle under Shamesh¡¯s superior power. ¡°Command: Be Undone.¡± He chanted and focused. A snaking line formed of dozens of small sticks of prismatic reality magic appeared nearly instantly. His aim was not perfect so the branch of reality destroying magic hit the middle of the door instead of by the handle. The Reality Bubble instantly collapsed as its continuity was annihilated by Shamesh¡¯s spell. A moment later, Shamesh was lifting off the ground and then had vanished from sight.


    Lenna hauled Isaac towards the door and then kicked the doorknob. The brass handle, lock, and strike plate all crumpled under the assault. The doorframe fared even worse as it was blasted out in bits and pieces from the door being forcefully pushed the wrong way through it. Oddly enough, the door, with a massive hole in the center of it, seemed to come out mostly intact. Lenna strode through the shattered doorway and out into the hall. She looked to her left and then right. To her left was the hallway that they had come from but to her right was a rather interesting sight.


    Benedict, the Guild Master that had just locked them in a room with sleeping gas, had frozen in place with his key still in the lock to his office at the end of the hall. They locked eyes and he instantly knew that he was going to pay for what he had tried to do to them one way or another. Both stared at each other for little more than a heartbeat before they both burst into motion.


    Lenna threw another pulse of healing into Isaac while she shoved him towards the opposite end of the hallway. The mage caught air for a few feet before he hit the ground on his back which led to him rolling over backwards and ending up on his face. While she did that, she used the momentum from shoving Isaac to help start her sprint towards Benedict.


    The Guild Master stuffed his key into one pocket while he raised his crossbow towards Lenna with his other hand. ¡°Wait! I can-¡± He cut himself off as he pulled the trigger. It was immediately clear that Lenna had no intention of slowing down, and as it stood, she was likely to take him through his office door and into his desk ten feet on the other side.


    The bolt fired from his one handed crossbow glinted with glowing green runes as it fired towards Lenna. The bolt shattered against her armored left forearm as she batted it aside. She realized immediately that the bolt was going to do something. Lenna was already igniting her aura and left arm as the wood fragments of the bolt turned into vines that rapidly grew and tried to wrap themselves around her arm and then the rest of her. Unfortunately for the vines, and the Guild Master, Lenna¡¯s aura and conjured flames instantly turned the vines to ash and she wasn¡¯t even slowed in the slightest.


    Benedict tried to twist and roll out of the way of the charging Lenna right before she ran headlong into him. All that managed to do for him was earn a knee to the gut that was strong enough to pick him up off the ground and slam him into the doorframe to his office. He gasped for air even as he tried to shoulder her backwards and away from him. His shoulder hit what felt like a solid steel wall but that was only half of what he was doing. At the same time, his belt undid itself and stretched thin to less than half its original width. It looped behind Lenna¡¯s left knee and then around Benedict¡¯s right forearm.


    As Benedict tried to throw Lenna off balance she brought her right hand down on his back, right between his shoulder blades, and grabbed onto his shirt. She then stepped back with her left leg while she tried to throw the smaller man into the wall to her right side. Benedict managed to hang on just long enough to cause his arm to stretch a bit farther than was healthy before his belt snapped and he was launched, right shoulder first, directly into the wall.


    Benedict slumped to the ground as Isaac appeared next to Lenna, positively radiating power. ¡°Fine.¡± Benedict groaned. ¡°You win.¡±


    ¡°Damned right.¡± Lenna spoke as she glared down at him. ¡°Explain. Now.¡±

 Chapter 28 Night On The Town?

    Chapter 28 Night On The Town?


    Isaac was furious. The intense drowsiness from the nearly lethal level of sleeping gas was finally cleared away by a mixture of fresher air, Lenna¡¯s healing, and enough death flames to turn a city block¡¯s worth of people into black dust. ¡°Benedict.¡± Isaac spoke as calmly as he could. ¡°If you don¡¯t give me a good enough reason to spare your life, I am going to kill you by throwing you through as many walls as it takes to make your brain look like a dropped bowl of stew. You have ten seconds.¡±


    The reason that the poison was nearly at lethal levels for Isaac, was of no fault of Benedict, but that didn¡¯t really matter to Isaac and Lenna. The fact that Isaac was not actually as resilient as his dossier would lead one to believe had come back to bite him. The amount of sleeping gas per amount of breathable air was set to knock out people at the twentieth level with mid to high constitution stats. Isaac was only level fourteen and his constitution was only at the upper levels of what would be considered ¡®mid¡¯. The fact that one of the two present was a paladin meant that poisons of any kind were going to be actively fought against which led to the near instant infusion of the gas into the air. Unfortunately, that meant that Isaac hadn¡¯t even had time to realize that he was falling unconscious until his eyes were closed in a dreamless sleep.


    ¡°You can¡¯t go to the slums.¡± Benedict told him. ¡°I just planned on keeping you here, just until the duke and captain sent people to handle you. No one was going to die or anything, I swear.¡± His voice was pained from his dislocated shoulder, sprained and hyperextended elbow, and two broken ribs. ¡°Gia¡¯s grace be upon me.¡± He groaned out and mana started to stir around his left hand that was resting against his broken ribs. He sucked in a sharp breath as the ribs were forced back into place by his spell. He rested his head against the wall and eyed the pair standing over him. He could feel exactly how dangerous Isaac was and he knew from experience that Lenna was an unstoppable force. The only question that he would not ask the duo was how they managed to get through both an Antimagic Field and a Reality Bubble while dealing with the sleeping gas that obviously worked on Isaac.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t we go to the slums?¡± Isaac demanded and barely managed to keep himself from kicking Benedict while he was down, literally.


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell you.¡± Benedict replied. ¡°Even if you kill me, someone will just bring me back later. It¡¯ll be unpleasant, and I might forget some things, but it won¡¯t matter in the end.¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t come back if you overload his mana pathways.¡± Lenna told Isaac. ¡°Specifically his core will need to be ruptured before he dies.¡±


    ¡°I do remember reading about that somewhere¡­¡± Isaac trailed off in thought. ¡°Oh yeah, it was in the section about the risks of forcing a level up as a sorcerer. I guess I¡¯ll have my first test subject.¡± He stated and stopped wasting power on his death flames. The sleeping gas was mostly dissipated and he trusted Lenna to cleanse him if she noticed him passing out again.


    Benedict¡¯s eyes looked like they were about to fall out of his head. He almost seemed to shrink back into the corner as he desperately tried to find a way to escape. ¡°Cloud Forests¡¯ embrace.¡± Benedict chanted and a small bead of compressed fog started to form right in front of him. His heart fell as Isaac reached out and crushed his spell with his bare hand. Usually that would have done literally nothing to the spell but Isaac¡¯s hand had so much mana in it, with the same order as the hand itself, that the spell was utterly smothered.


    ¡°No.¡± Isaac purred. ¡°No more spells for you.¡± He told him as he leaned in.


    Benedict¡¯s hand shot to his unfired crossbow and he pulled the trigger. The bolt hit Isaac¡¯s boot and exploded much like the one that had hit Lenna¡¯s armor. Just like the other one, vines exploded outwards from each of the pieces of shrapnel. Unlike the other one, it was not Lenna¡¯s fire that had turned it to ash. Apparently the nature of the vines created by the effect on the crossbow was light aligned. Upon contacting Isaac, the slightest twitch of dark mana, that instantly turned into death flames, caused the entire vine to wither into dust in an instant. In the half of a second that it took Benedict to shoot his crossbow, and the following half of a second that it took for the vines to expand and then turn to dust, Isaac had already planted one hand over Benedict¡¯s face and the other against his chest.


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    ¡°I left your mouth uncovered so you can explain how it feels for me, for science, you understand.¡± Isaac told him with a scowl and started forcefully pushing his dark mana into the man. It was nothing but pure dark mana in such high amounts that Benedict¡¯s mana pathways immediately started to rupture.


    ¡°Stop! I¡¯ll tell you everything!¡± Benedict screamed out in pain. For his part, Isaac did as requested and withdrew his mana from the man. ¡°Help heal me before I bleed out!¡± The older man ordered frantically. The mana bleed that was actively happening was localized around his core. This meant that he was incapable of casting spells and actively losing his magical essence.


    ¡°Speak first.¡± Lenna told him and knelt down next to him.


    ¡°Heal me first, I¡¯ll die before I finish explaining!¡± He shot back.


    Lenna pressed her hand against his chest and started healing him. The only problem was that her healing was going to end up putting him into fever induced unconsciousness. By the time she was done, Benedict was both out of mana and unconscious. ¡°There.¡± Lenna said with a sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t have the mana necessary to do that again.¡±


    ¡°You could refill with your Mana Stone.¡± Isaac reminded her. ¡°That¡¯s why we bought it. Have you ever even used it, once?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saving it for an emergency.¡± Lenna told him defensively.


    ¡°It takes like three seconds to get the mana out of it, when have we ever been in a fight where you had three seconds to yourself where you could actually use it?¡± He questioned her rhetorically. ¡°It¡¯s for times like these when you have a moment to refill but not long enough to do so naturally.¡±


    ¡°It has just enough mana in it to power Resurrection.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°If something takes you out, but not me, I¡¯ll probably use all of my mana to kill it. Afterwards, as long as it hasn¡¯t been too long, I¡¯ll need the mana to bring you back.¡± She explained.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Fine.¡± He conceded. ¡°Oh look, he¡¯s already stirring.¡±


    Benedict groaned as his eyes fluttered open. He was immediately reminded of the awful dream that he had just had. It took his, still feverish, mind a moment to realize that it hadn¡¯t been a dream and that the pair in front of him were perfectly capable and willing to give him his final death. ¡°Shit.¡± He sighed.


    ¡°If I do that again, there will be no stopping it, spill it.¡± Isaac ordered him.


    ¡°The woman that runs the slums is named Topaz, or at least that¡¯s what she goes by. She is, or was, I don¡¯t know, in bed, literally, with the duke. Her brother, the captain of the guard, his name is Fernando Stine, and is the father of the duchess¡¯s newborn son.¡± Benedict dropped an entire wagon load of dirt on the people at the top of the food chain in Sapphirestone.


    ¡°Fuck.¡± Isaac said in a disbelieving chuckle. ¡°This place is a mess.¡±


    ¡°Lua have mercy.¡± Lenna swore at the same time.


    ¡°Where do you fit into all of this?¡± Isaac questioned Benedict. ¡°What aren¡¯t you telling us?¡±


    Benedict sighed as looked up at Isaac. ¡°I owe a lot of money to both the duke and Topaz.¡± He explained. ¡°I lost basically everything in the underground casino.¡±


    ¡°More than once.¡± Isaac surmised. ¡°How much money are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The duke cut me off at one hundred thousand, plus interest.¡± Benedict explained.


    ¡°And Topaz?¡± Isaac pressed.


    ¡°Five hundred thousand with three times the interest that the duke gave me.¡± Benedict spoke dejectedly.


    ¡°So around what, a million gold in total by now?¡± Isaac continued his interrogation.


    ¡°Eight hundred thousand, only because Topaz takes favors as payment, sometimes.¡± The Guild Master explained. He sighed deeply again. ¡°I¡¯m finished.¡± He spoke more to himself than to Isaac and Lenna. ¡°My career is over and I¡¯m in too much debt to ever be free.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°But one last thing before we leave you to pack your bags and run for the hills.¡± He told the battered ranger.


    Benedict looked up at him with weariness before surprise suddenly overtook his features. Lenna stepped back out of the way as Isaac hauled Benedict to his feet and drug him away from the door. He stopped three steps from the closed door to Benedict¡¯s office. The entire time he had been ramping up his boosting skill. With one smooth motion Benedict was yanked around him and thrown into the door shoulder blades first. The older man yelped and then yelled and then was silenced by the impact. The door shattered under the impact, as did at least one of Benedict¡¯s vertebrae, and the soon to be former Guild Master tumbled across the ground until he slammed into his desk. The lamp that had been sitting on the edge of his desk toppled off of it and bounced painfully off of his cheekbone.


    Isaac dusted his hands off on each other and took a quick and contented sigh. ¡°I feel better now.¡± He told Lenna.


    ¡°As do I.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°I was originally planning on breaking down the door with him, but he dodged.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s dinnertime, want to get something to eat and then spend the rest of the night on the town?¡± Isaac asked his mate with a smirk that spoke of trouble and probably no small amount of bloodshed.


    ¡°Always.¡± Lenna replied with a smirk of her own. ¡°For both, the food and the workout afterwards.¡±

 Chapter 29 Go!

    Chapter 29 Go!


    Isaac and Lenna had just walked out into the main hall of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild branch in Sapphirestone. They were immediately met with a familiar man who looked frazzled to say the least. Hilton, the receptionist, looked like they had cut him off from seeing to an emergency. ¡°Hey! What was going on up there?!¡± He demanded from Lenna who just happened to be in front.


    ¡°I fell.¡± Lenna told him and walked forwards. Hilton stumbled as he was forced out of the way by her stride. As Hilton stumbled, Isaac¡¯s hand reached out and grabbed him by the arm. He yanked the smaller man into the stairwell and clamped a hand over his mouth.


    Isaac¡¯s gaze bore into Hilton¡¯s very soul through his wide and exposed eyes. ¡°You need to learn to be kinder to adventurers. Your customer service needs servicing.¡± Isaac looked down at the little man¡¯s shadow. ¡°Strangle him if he yells at one more person.¡± Isaac whispered with enough concentrated effort and intent that the shadow quivered under his focused attention. Isaac looked back up at Hilton who had gone deathly pale. ¡°Now, go back to your post and do your job until your shift is done. Understand?¡± Isaac instructed him and let go of his face. Hilton fell backwards into the wall and landed hard on his bottom. ¡°Well?¡±


    Hilton nodded rapidly at Isaac. ¡°Yeep¡± His voice cracked as he tried to reply. ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Well, why aren¡¯t you returning to your post then?¡± Isaac questioned him. Hilton all but jumped to his feet and took off towards his station. Isaac smirked at Lenna as he walked out of the stairwell and closed the door behind him. By then, Hilton was out of earshot so Isaac was clear to speak softly to her. ¡°That should keep what happened upstairs quiet for a little while.¡± He told her. ¡°Maybe even long enough to get dinner.¡±


    Lenna chuckled. ¡°I hope so. We at least have to eat first before becoming public enemy numbers one and two.¡± She replied. ¡°Let¡¯s try that foreign restaurant near the slums.¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow as he walked with her towards the exit. ¡°You don¡¯t want to wait until tomorrow?¡± He wondered. ¡°We did say that we¡¯d meet with him first.¡±


    ¡°We can wait for that, but the food did look nice, and we can use the opportunity to take a look around.¡± She told him.


    Isaac nodded in reply and the trio headed off. Isaac had cloaked Shamesh in his shadows to save the retainer¡¯s mana and allow it to regenerate for a while. It took them a while to reach the restaurant in question, which was more like a food stall built halfway into a building, but eventually they arrived and without complication.


    The pair took their seats at the bar while Shamesh waited out of the way. The man behind the bar was not serving alcohol but raw fish and rice. They watched as he sliced up the fish and rolled thin cuts of vegetables into what looked like a scroll made of seaweed. He then wrapped the scroll in rice before laying each slice of fish across its top one at a time. Once that was done he pulled out a magically sharpened knife and chopped it into bite sized sections for the pair. ¡°Eat.¡± The chef told them curtly.


    Isaac looked around for utensils but didn¡¯t see any. He was about to ask when a pair of thin wooden sticks were abruptly set in front of him. ¡°Thanks.¡± Isaac told the chef and easily picked them up with one hand. He naturally cradled the one stick and pinched the other for control. With a smooth and practiced motion Isaac pinched one of the bite sized pieces and stuffed it into his mouth. Lenna and the chef both just stared at Isaac dumbfoundedly. It took him a moment to realize that they were staring at him because he was too busy savoring the perfectly balanced mix of textures and flavors. ¡°What?¡± He asked them both after he swallowed down the bite.


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    ¡°How did you know how to use those? What even are those?¡± Lenna questioned him.


    ¡°You are the first in this land to use them properly.¡± The chef told Isaac simply. ¡°How did you know? Who taught you?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea. They were just chopsticks so I just used them how you¡¯re supposed to use them.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it was a big deal.¡±


    Lenna just shook her head. ¡°Another forgotten skill then.¡± She said more to herself than to him.


    ¡°Chop, sticks.¡± The chef parroted. ¡°They are not called that where I am from.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°What are they called, wherever that is?¡±


    ¡°KiKi.¡± The chef replied simply. His dark eyes and darker hair stood stark against his light skin tone and clothing.


    ¡°Neat.¡± Isaac said in return. ¡°The food is very good by the way.¡± Isaac added and took another bite.


    ¡°How do I use those?¡± Lenna asked and eyed the sticks in Isaac¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Most people use their fingers.¡± The chef told her. ¡°He is the first to use the KiKi.¡±


    ¡°Oh, alright.¡± Lenna replied and picked up one of the pieces with her fingers and stuffed it into her mouth. After a long moment of silence as Isaac stuffed his face, and Lenna chewed the strange food, Lenna finally swallowed. ¡°I don¡¯t dislike it. It reminds me of cleshkav.¡±


    ¡°What is that?¡± Isaac asked her in between bites.


    ¡°Almost raw constrictor snake, it is baked just long enough to make it safe to eat, and then cubed and mixed with small noodles, mushrooms, and¡­ I think the common name for it is, black cabbage.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°It is lighter than you would expect because of the sweet sauce and leaves.¡±


    The chef eyed her warily. ¡°Is that night-one food?¡± He questioned her.


    Lenna turned to look at Isaac. ¡°What food?¡± She asked him.


    ¡°He asked if it was night-one food.¡± Isaac told her. Isaac looked back at the chef. ¡°Who are the night-ones?¡±


    The chef pointed at Lenna. ¡°They look like her.¡± He explained. ¡°At first I thought she was one too, but she is with you and not stealing children.¡±


    Lenna¡¯s face fell. No matter where in the world humans lived, they would always be living directly above a drow settlement or outpost. The drow empire was just that massive. Each area had its own slight shift in the culture but most existed purely to pillage the surface. Wherever the chef was from was probably just another place that was subjected to night raids by the drow in the area. ¡°I am a night-one.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°But I ran away. Isaac found me, and rescued me. Not all of us are like the ones that raid your people¡¯s villages, but unfortunately, most are.¡±


    The chef eyed her carefully for a long moment. ¡°You pay?¡± He asked her and gestured towards the food.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°Two silver.¡± He told her and she placed two silver coins on the bar after withdrawing them from her Bottomless Bag. ¡°Then you are not night-one.¡± He told her and took the coins. ¡°Want more?¡± He asked and eyed the empty serving dish, Isaac had eaten almost the entire thing by himself.


    ¡°Yes, please.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Two silver each?¡± She asked and the chef nodded. She smiled and placed four more coins on the bar. The chef nodded to her again and got to work making more of the strange food from a foreign land using only local ingredients.


    Once Isaac and Lenna had finished their dinner they stepped into an alleyway. To anyone that may have been watching, it appeared as though the dark shadows cast by the new moon night sky had swallowed them whole. With an entire night to kill, the trio set off to explore the slums before their meeting with the duke.


    An hour later, Isaac was grumbling. ¡°The good stuff has to be hidden away somehow.¡± He told Lenna. ¡°I can¡¯t just throw my senses out into the dark, it¡¯s too overwhelming, but every building we¡¯ve seen has just been normal slums stuff.¡±


    ¡°Whorehouses, drug dens, abandoned buildings, starving families and orphaned children. Also, it stinks.¡± Lenna went on. ¡°We are going to need a guide.¡±


    Isaac was about to reply when he stopped. ¡°Did you hear that?¡± He asked her.


    Lenna tilted her head slightly to focus on trying to hear better. Suddenly her eyes went wide as an unmistakable sound rang out. It was a young girl¡¯s scream and it was coming from just down the street. Lenna immediately took off in a run towards the sound and Isaac took off after her. Shamesh cast flight on himself even though it would dramatically shorten the amount of time that he would be able to keep Lenna¡¯s Invisibility active. He had no delusions of being able to keep up with his master or mistress on foot. Isaac and Lenna had barely gotten up to speed when more sounds of a struggle reached their ears. ¡°Go!¡± Lenna ordered Isaac and the dark mage didn¡¯t hesitate. A blink later and he was gone.

 Chapter 30 Need To See It.

    Chapter 30 Need To See It.


    The relief that Isaac felt when he arrived at the location of the young girl¡¯s scream was palpable. There were not very many reasons for a young girl to be screaming into the night in terror.


    The sight that Isaac arrived to see was anything but pleasant but it could have been much, much, worse. A pair of guards were beating on a boy that couldn¡¯t have been older than ten. A girl who looked only a year or so older had been tossed to the side, out of the way of the guard¡¯s boots and shins, and was struggling to get back on her feet. All in all, broken bones and bruises could be healed. What Isaac and Lenna had feared was happening could not have been.


    Isaac pulled a throwing spike out of his Inventory and jammed it into the back of the first guard¡¯s knee. As the guard was falling, Isaac punctured his arm and dented his breastplate with two more strikes. The guards in Sapphirestone wore breastplates and open faced helmets over gambesons but that was it as far as armor was concerned. Isaac¡¯s spikes were sharp and his strikes were precise and powerful so the cloth armor-like padding did little to stop his obliteration of the guard¡¯s bicep. Isaac turned and kicked the side of the second guard¡¯s knee as hard as he could. The sickening crunch of bone was unmistakable and his cleats tore skin and fabric alike. Both guards went down in yells of pain and surprise.


    Isaac removed the shadows from in front of his eyes and appeared as a pure black apparition in the dimly lit alleyway. There was only a singular lantern casting light and the new moon night sky did little to help. He looked down at the pair of guards who stared up at him in horror and pain. The first guard was gushing blood all over the alleyway and the second guard looked like the pain from his shattered knee had his consciousness in a vice. ¡°Speak.¡± Isaac ordered the guards with the full intensity of the man imperious and superior enough to claim to be the Lord of Darkness itself.


    ¡°W-What are you?¡± The first guard demanded while he tried to stop the bleeding. The second guard was awake but hardly conscious.


    ¡°Darkness.¡± Isaac replied simply with the same deep and gravelly voice that he had used to intimidate dozens before.


    Lenna arrived and planted a boot in the man¡¯s shoulder while Shamesh cancelled the Invisibility that he had cast on her. ¡°Were you ordered to do this?¡± She interrogated the guard.


    ¡°N-n-¡± The guard seemed to realize something upon staring up into the clear lenses of Lenna¡¯s helmet. The woman¡¯s eyes held not a threat but a promise of a swift execution. ¡°-Y-yes.¡± He changed his answer unconvincingly. ¡°It was on orders. We were told to teach the little thieves a lesson.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie!¡± The girl screamed at him while clutching her brother in her arms. ¡°That¡¯s a lie!¡±


    ¡°Whose orders?¡± Lenna demanded and ignited in a blaze of orange flames.


    ¡°The C-uh-J-uh-T-Topaz.¡± The guard finally settled on a name.


    Lenna sighed. ¡°I see no reason to let them live.¡± She told Isaac and looked up to meet her mate¡¯s gaze. ¡°Simple filth.¡± She spat. ¡°If they survive, the children will be at risk of retaliation.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle them.¡± Isaac told her and reached down to grab both of the men. The first guard struggled and screamed but the second immediately lost consciousness from the forced movement of Isaac beginning to drag them away from the children. ¡°Silence.¡± Isaac ordered the shadow that he himself cast over the first guard. The shadows immediately began smothering the first guard while Isaac drug the pair away. The first guard punched Isaac as hard as he could but on contact with Isaac¡¯s shadowcloak his hand ignited in death flames and was burned away the entire way up to his elbow. The little girl watched the first guard¡¯s silent screams in horror as the men that had assaulted her and her brother were drug off into the night, never to be seen or heard from again.


    Lenna slowly reached up and took off her helmet. Her silver hair looked like the white ash in the bottom of a fire. Her skin was like the burning charcoal and her eyes were like the fire spirit keeping a traveler company on a lonely night. She took a step towards the girl and her brother and knelt down to be closer to their level. The girl had instinctively brought her brother closer to her chest and leaned away from Lenna¡¯s gentle approach.


    ¡°I am not going to hurt you.¡± Lenna told her. ¡°I can heal your brother.¡±


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    The girl hesitated for a long moment as her gaze shifted from Lenna to her unconscious brother and back again. ¡°Who are you?¡± The girl questioned. ¡°And what was that monster?¡±


    At the first question, Lenna¡¯s gaze softened even more and a slight but warm smile started to form on her face. The second question caused an instinctual scowl to flash across her features, before the knowledge of the ignorance of the children, and their status as such, forcefully returned her more gentle demeanor. ¡°That was not a monster. That is my mate. He is much kinder than he looks, or believes, which is why he took the guards away before he killed them. Death is something that little ones like you should be acquainted with as little as possible.¡± She told the girl. ¡°I am known as the Lady of Hellfire.¡± Lenna explained and let her aura flames fade away which plunged the alleyway into almost total darkness. The lantern was luckily close to them so the girl could still see half of Lenna¡¯s face clearly. ¡°But I am also a servant of Lua.¡±


    The girl looked up but could only see a black circle where the moon should¡¯ve been. ¡°The moon?¡± The girl asked her.


    ¡°Only the bright side of it. My lady is gathering her strength to push the darkness back again, so while she is busy, I will help you.¡± Lenna explained and slowly reached out to rest her hand on the girl¡¯s arm. With a gentle pulse of healing magic Lenna could feel the girl¡¯s injuries. There were a lot of bruises and old injuries that hadn¡¯t healed correctly. Malnutrition was obvious but Lenna¡¯s healing could do nothing about that.


    ¡°What?¡± The girl questioned and was about to recoil away when she felt her bruises start to hurt and ache less and less. ¡°How?¡± She questioned Lenna again with wide eyes.


    ¡°You poor thing.¡± Lenna spoke and brushed some of the girl¡¯s dirty hair out of her face. ¡°No one has ever healed you before.¡± She sighed. ¡°If you move around too much, you might feel dizzy for a little while, it¡¯ll pass in a few minutes.¡± She explained and then lowered her hand to rest on the girl¡¯s brother¡¯s shoulder. With her first pulse of healing magic she felt the lethality of the boy¡¯s injuries. He was actively dying from punctured organs. Some of his ribs had turned into shrapnel inside of his body and Lenna immediately realized that her magic alone would not be enough. ¡°Lay him down.¡± She ordered the girl curtly.


    The suddenness of the change of tone and the direct order made the girl start to move before she even realized it. ¡°Wh-why?¡± She asked Lenna before her brother was even flat on his back.


    ¡°I need him to lay flat, hold onto his hand but that is all.¡± Lenna told the girl who finally shifted out from under her brother and did as she was told. Lenna reached into her Bottomless Bag and pulled out a healing potion. The girl¡¯s eyes went wide at the small glass vial that cost more than a normal person¡¯s month¡¯s pay. It was worth more than she would ever be able to pay back, not without selling herself that is.


    ¡°I-I can¡¯t p-¡± The girl began but was cut off.


    ¡°Lua would be ashamed of me, if I didn¡¯t give it to you, for simply being a child in need.¡± Lenna told her and dumped the vial into the boy¡¯s mouth. He unconsciously gulped it down and the healing from it immediately started putting his insides back together. Lenna also used as much of her power as she dared to help the process along but there was only so much of her power that she could pump into the boy without cooking his brain in his head. By the time Lenna had finished, Isaac was by her side. He had left his shadows in the dark and was now kneeling next to her, clearly visible.


    The girl hadn¡¯t even noticed Isaac until he broke the tense silence. ¡°There is a church of Halya on the other side of town. They should be able to do the rest.¡± Isaac told Lenna.


    ¡°He¡¯s healed, more or less.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°It didn¡¯t take very much of my power but that might have been too much.¡± She explained and reached into her Bottomless Bag to withdraw the Ocean in a Bottle. She gently poured some of the water out onto the boy¡¯s head. The water would help cool him down in the short term but she needed to make sure that it wouldn¡¯t cause him to freeze in the long term. The night was cold and it was clear that the children¡¯s tattered rags were not enough for the hardly above freezing temperature.


    A few moments after Lenna had returned the empty vial and the Ocean in a Bottle to the bag, the boy started to shift and stir. ¡°Cloud!¡± The girl exclaimed and hugged her brother as his eyes fluttered open.


    ¡°Star?¡± He questioned her blearily. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°They saved us.¡± She sobbed into his chest. ¡°They saved us.¡±


    Isaac turned to Lenna. ¡°Star and Cloud? There is no way that these children haven¡¯t always been orphans.¡± He told her. ¡°This is worse than Safeharbor. At least there are working orphanages there.¡±


    Lenna nodded in agreement and looked down at the siblings. ¡°Children, is there an orphanage in this city?¡± She asked them.


    ¡°A what?¡± Star questioned and looked up at her without letting go of her brother.


    ¡°A place where children without families can go to find food and shelter.¡± Lenna explained.


    ¡°There¡¯s one.¡± Star replied. ¡°It¡¯s always full so we can¡¯t sleep there. They give us food sometimes.¡±


    Lenna nodded in understanding. ¡°Where is it?¡± She questioned her.


    ¡°On the other side.¡± Star said and pointed towards the nicer side of town. ¡°The guards chase us away whenever we go over there. It¡¯s dangerous.¡±


    Lenna nodded again but this time with a frown. She turned to Isaac. ¡°We need to do something about this.¡± She told him. ¡°Children should not be afraid of guards, nor should they go hungry, nor should they be forced to weather the cold in rags.¡±


    Isaac nodded in agreement. ¡°I agree. They are much too young and small to properly fend for themselves.¡± He replied.


    ¡°W-we can fend for ourselves.¡± Cloud said defensively but with a slightly trembling voice as his head continued to clear from the high fever Lenna had given him.


    ¡°Yes, you can, but not very well.¡± Isaac told him directly. ¡°If you were doing it properly, you wouldn¡¯t be actively starving to death.¡± The boy gulped under Isaac¡¯s pitiless gaze. Isaac didn¡¯t truly pity them but he was angry that those in power had allowed their state to continue. It was just another one of the many things that Duke Sasston had to answer for. But for now, that could wait.


    ¡°Take us to where you¡¯ve been staying.¡± Lenna told Star. ¡°Are there other children with you?¡±


    Star shook her head. ¡°Not anymore.¡± She replied simply. It was so matter of fact that it took Lenna a moment to realize what the girl had meant. Every other child that had been with them had died, they were the last two.


    Lenna¡¯s heart broke from those two simple words and she had to look away while she stood. She took a moment to blink back tears before she put her helmet back on. She turned around again and held a hand out to the children. ¡°If you think you can walk, then take me to where you¡¯ve been staying.¡± She told them. ¡°I need to see it.¡±

 Chapter 31 Assisting Criminals.

    Chapter 31 Assisting Criminals.


    Star helped Cloud walk the short distance to the place that the orphans called home. The group soon arrived at a house with a broken down wall. The roof was held up by a pillar of perfectly smooth conjured stone in two places where the wall should have borne the weight of it. Inside the one room house there was a fireplace that had long gone cold, piles of scraps of cloth, a small mound of scavenged wood and metal, and a hole in the ground that leaked the smell of feces into the area while echoing with the sound of running water.


    ¡°This is it.¡± Star explained as she brought her brother inside.


    Isaac and Lenna looked at each other from just outside the wall turned entryway. ¡°This is as bad as I was expecting, but better than I feared.¡± Isaac told her.


    Lenna nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes. Though, I doubt it would be a good idea to take them the entire way to the church of Halya right now. Cloud is technically healed but he needs time to be able to walk on his own. Right now, what he needs is more blood.¡± She explained.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°It reeks, but let¡¯s stay here for the night. In the morning we can take them to the wheat worshipers and then go back to the inn and freshen up before our meeting.¡± He offered her.


    Lenna eyed the room and nodded in agreement. ¡°On second thought, we could have Shamesh carry him and go now.¡± She counter offered. ¡°He needs a bath and somewhere warm. They both do.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you think is best for them, then I will defer to your judgment.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°But, no matter what, we are not dragging them around with us.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No way. This is still supposed to be our honeymoon. And if I remember correctly, I was the one to tell you to stop picking up strays.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m glad we are on the same page.¡± He told her with a smile. ¡°I will entrust your warmth to direct the children. Shamesh will do as you command. I am going to plan out our route, I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Lenna nodded and walked inside. She held the lantern taken from the guards at waist height to allow the children to see where they were going easily. ¡°Star, Cloud, we are going to take you to the church of Halya. You can take a bath there and we will make sure that they look after you for a while, at least until you are both completely healed.¡± She told the pair that had turned to look at her in unison. ¡°Grab whatever you want to take with you. You could be back tomorrow or next week depending on whether or not you want to stay there.¡±


    Star looked visibly frightened and Cloud looked like any and all emotion had just vanished from his entire being. ¡°We should not go there.¡± Cloud spoke calmly. ¡°The sea is safer.¡±


    Lenna¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Why? Clerics of Halya are supposed to help people in need, especially humans, and especially children.¡± Lenna questioned them.


    ¡°If the guards catch us leaving there, we won¡¯t ever come home.¡± Star spoke quietly with a quivering voice.


    ¡°Why?¡± Lenna questioned them further. Her monotone voice was barely stable as she did her best to prevent any anger from leaking through.


    Star shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s just how it is. And we can¡¯t stay there forever.¡± She replied.


    Lenna nodded in understanding of her words and then took a deep breath. Star visibly shrunk back but Cloud seemed too out of it to care. ¡°We are going to take you there. You are not going to leave until we have corrected the guards¡¯ behavior.¡± She told them. ¡°It might be a few days but we will make sure that the guards leave you two alone from now on. I can¡¯t believe that this city has fallen this far in Sera and Edward¡¯s absence.¡±


    ¡°Do we have to? What do you mean? Who are those people?¡± Star questioned Lenna in rapid succession.


    ¡°Yes. It is not up for debate.¡± Lenna answered. ¡°Those people are the duke¡¯s sister and brother. They never would have let it get this bad.¡±


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    ¡°It¡¯s always been like this.¡± Cloud told her.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°No, it hasn¡¯t. Sera and Edward left here twenty years ago, at least. I wish I could have seen this place when people with integrity still ruled it.¡± She shook her head again. ¡°Are you ready to go?¡±


    Star and Cloud shared a frightened look. It was clear that they both knew that there was no fighting their savior but they were clearly afraid of what the future had in store for them. They both turned to look back at Lenna and she knew instantly that they didn¡¯t have anything that they wanted to bring with them other than each other.


    ¡°Cloud, don¡¯t panic and try to stay as still as possible. You can breathe but don¡¯t flail around.¡± Lenna instructed him and his eyes went wide. ¡°Shamesh, whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±


    Cloud¡¯s eyes went as wide as they possibly could as he was suddenly not on the ground anymore. ¡°Waah!¡± The boy shouted as he was hoisted up by Shamesh¡¯s unyielding arms. Shamesh could have used magic to lift him but, without knowing how long it would take to get to the church, it was best to keep from wasting mana.


    ¡°Cloud!¡± Star yelled and jumped to her feet next to him. Cloud had stopped at a level height to Star¡¯s eyes but was in the bridal carry position whether he wanted to be or not. ¡°Cloud are you ok?¡± She demanded from the boy.


    Cloud was almost as still as a statue as he slowly breathed in. ¡°Yes.¡± He squeaked out and then swallowed.


    ¡°Star, can you walk for a while?¡± Lenna questioned the girl.


    Star whirled on Lenna with ever widening eyes. ¡°I, what¡¯d you do to him?¡± She demanded.


    ¡°My¡­ my ghost companion is carrying him.¡± She lied to the children. It was simpler than trying to explain the truth to them and it was accurate enough.


    ¡°The black one?¡± Star asked quietly and turned her head to look at the open air under her brother.


    ¡°No. That is my husband, he is not a ghost or a monster.¡± Lenna patiently explained. ¡°You can think of my husband like the night sky and our ghost companion as the sea breeze.¡±


    ¡°Then what are you?¡± Star questioned her further.


    ¡°The campfires in the dark.¡± Lenna replied warmly. ¡°Now, come with me.¡± She told Star and Shamesh and turned to leave. Lenna had just left the building when Isaac appeared.


    ¡°I found the shortest path. There are a few guards along the way. I am wondering if it would be better for them to suddenly fall asleep on the job, suddenly vanish into the night, or if we should talk with them as we pass like normal adventurers.¡± Isaac immediately began as soon as Lenna¡¯s eyes had found him.


    ¡°It is up to you. Any option is valid, though, I think that they should at least be given a chance to see if they are all scum or not.¡± Lenna spoke her thoughts.


    Isaac nodded in agreement. ¡°Then we will talk with them as we come across them.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°Cloud will have to walk whenever we get close to them. The only other option is to make him invisible and, well, he might die of fright.¡±


    Lenna nodded in agreement. ¡°Worst case, I¡¯ll carry the boy. The armor can be washed.¡± She told him and the duo started walking down the alley back out to the main street with Star and a floating Cloud in tow.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Who goes there?!¡± A guard called out. He walked towards them with his lantern held high in one hand and drew his shortsword with the other. His companion walked just behind and to the side of him with a simple long spear held in both hands.


    ¡°Just an adventurer with two children.¡± Lenna told them calmly with her own lantern held just below her chest level and extended towards them. Lenna raised her lantern up a bit higher so the light would catch her double platinum tags. ¡°Perhaps you can help me.¡±


    The guards looked like they were ready to be confrontational but upon seeing her rank they instantly simmered down. ¡°Adventurer, we have a curfew in Sapphirestone. From three hours before to three hours after midnight. We¡¯d appreciate it if you returned to your inn immediately. Otherwise we will be forced to inform our captain and the Guild Master.¡± The guard with the lantern began.


    ¡°I am just taking these children to the Church of Halya for some care, then I will be retiring for the evening.¡± She told them. ¡°Perhaps you could lead the way? I would be able to comply with your curfew faster that way.¡±


    One of the guards caught sight of Cloud who was being partially held up by Star a few feet behind Lenna and wrinkled his nose. His face was not revealed by the lantern light but that meant nothing for Lenna. She could see every expression on both of their faces perfectly fine in the dark. ¡°Adventurer, are those beggars?¡± The guard with the lantern questioned her.


    ¡°They are lost children in need of a warm bed and a bath.¡± Lenna replied curtly.


    ¡°You should have left them where you found them.¡± The guard told her. ¡°Being a beggar is against local law. Now we will have to take them in.¡±


    ¡°I have never heard of beggars being imprisoned. The children said that guards often chase them away. Is that why?¡± Lenna questioned the guard directly.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, they are a plague on this city. Just let them sort themselves out. Either they will find work on a ship, die, or find their way to Safeharbor. Regardless of which one, it is better than them stinking up half of the city.¡± The lantern guard explained.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s a little harsh.¡± The spear guard spoke quietly to his companion. ¡°Let¡¯s just let them through. It¡¯s not like they are hurting anyone.¡±


    ¡°Damn it, this is why the sergeant hates you. Why did I have to get stuck with the bleeding heart?!¡± The lantern guard exclaimed in exasperation. ¡°You should be court-martialed for assisting criminals.¡± He told the spearman.


    ¡°We assist criminals all the time!¡± The spearman shouted back. ¡°How many times have we le-¡±


    ¡°Not. One. More. Word.¡± The lantern guard cut him off with his sword to the spearman¡¯s throat.


    The spearman swallowed and looked like he was ready to back away when suddenly the lantern guard was flung into the air and off towards the sea. The guard had been launched with such force and speed that his lantern and sword were both left behind, as was his belt and all of the air in his lungs. The guard let out a silent scream in horror as he was quickly enlightened in the ways of a wingless bird. He arched over a dozen houses and then the dock and finally splashed into the water with enough force that whatever had hit the water first had most likely broken. That combined with his lack of air and heavy, very water absorbent, gear that he had on and the man was almost assuredly going to drown.


    ¡°Now, guardsman, I take it we may pass?¡± Lenna asked the spearman casually. She didn¡¯t wait for a reply but lowered her lantern and nodded forwards to the children. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

 Chapter 32 Shy Away

    Chapter 32 Shy Away


    A hand suddenly came down on the shoulder of the guard watching Lenna and the children. He had been frozen in shock upon seeing his companion fly through the air the entire way to the dock. He jumped from the sudden contact, and was about to whirl around on whoever had touched him, when a sudden sense of foreboding crashed down onto his very soul like a sledgehammer. He was frozen in place once again, only this time by terror alone. His entire body was slick with cold sweat in an instant.


    ¡°Whenever you see a child in need, regardless of who that child is, remember this night.¡± Isaac told him simply. His casual and sagely tone was a stark contrast to the unknowable power and danger that he was exuding. ¡°Remember that your compassion is what kept you alive, and maybe your companion as well, maybe.¡± Isaac removed his hand from the man and faded back into the shadows after one final word of advice. ¡°A guard is meant to protect, not attack, it¡¯s in the name, after all.¡±


    It took the guard a moment before he was in control of himself enough to turn around and look at the place where Isaac had been. There was nothing behind him, not a single trace of whoever had been there. The sound of Lenna¡¯s clanking boots brought his attention back to the knight and children in front of him. The guard watched them pass in silence. Right as they were about to pass by him completely, he let go of his spear with one of his hands and held it up. ¡°Excuse me, adventurer?¡±


    Lenna stopped and turned to look at him with expressionless eyes that seemed to take him in as if he was simply a part of the background. ¡°Yes?¡± She replied.


    ¡°The guards by the Church of Halya walk the same path every ten minutes.¡± He told her.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± She told him and looked like she was about to continue on her way when she stopped and turned back to him. ¡°Why are the rest of the guards so awful towards the orphans?¡± She questioned him directly.


    ¡°We were ordered by the Captain to keep as much of the homeless population away from the places of charity.¡± The guard told her. Apparently he had figured that he was already in too deep to not just be cooperative with her and whoever lurked in the dark. ¡°The places of charity often bill the lord for whatever they cannot afford on their own. Some think that the Captain is syphoning off the money that is set aside to help them. If that¡¯s true, then that means that all of the charity money is going to his pockets instead, so if they need more, then he has to be the one to pay for it or else it¡¯ll all become public.¡±


    Lenna nodded again in thanks. ¡°I understand. Thank you, guardsman Marik.¡± She told him and ushered the children along.


    Marik stared after them for a long moment before he sighed deeply. It was both a breath of exasperation and relief at surviving the ordeal. He was not looking forward to the report that he would have to give about his missing partner.


    ¡ª


    Lenna knocked on the front door of the white stone building with Sapphire roof tiles. Every building had the same blue tiles that reflected the light. It was to such an extreme degree that there was no way that it was not a local law that all buildings had to have roofs made of the city¡¯s namesake. The heavy wooden door was nudged inwards slightly by Lenna¡¯s knock so she pushed it open the rest of the way. Just inside there were a trio of nuns praying before a statue depicting their patron goddess running her hand through a small plot of wheat. Each of the wheat stalks were made individually and set into the floor around her. Each of them was hand sculpted and not made with magic, that was obvious by the slight differences between each stalk that were clearly due to the mortals'' hands that were involved in the crafting process.


    One of the nuns rose to meet them and another looked back to see who had entered. The final nun hadn¡¯t even flinched as her prayers continued. The first nun approached them immediately while the second lagged behind. ¡°Hello, Halya¡¯s blessings be upon you.¡± The first nun greeted them. ¡°How can we be of assistance?¡± She asked the knight who was entirely cased in armor that had just entered their church. The nun showed no fear at the strange and imposing figure that had just entered.


    Lenna stepped half a step to the side to show the nun the children that tried to hide behind her again as soon as she had moved. ¡°These two, they need warm food, a bath, and a warm place to sleep. They were injured. I healed them as best as I could, but clerics are better at it than me.¡± Lenna explained to the nun.


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    ¡°You are a healer of some kind then?¡± The nun asked Lenna as she eyed the children curiously. ¡°A paladin?¡±


    Lenna nodded once. ¡°I am. Will you take them in, at least until they are fully healed?¡± Lenna asked her. It was around that time when the second nun fell in just behind and beside the first.


    ¡°We can take them in for the night at least.¡± The first nun spoke. She looked back over her shoulder at the nun that was still praying for a moment before she turned back to face Lenna. ¡°We only have one spare bed and only a small surplus of food and cloth. We will do our best to take care of them until someone who needs us more arrives, or until the nights are not so cold. I promise.¡±


    ¡°Sister Heather!¡± The second nun snapped in a whisper. ¡°What spare bed are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Mine.¡± The first nun, Sister Heather, replied simply. ¡°I did not become a nun to sit on my feet and pray all day for salvation. I devoted my life to the nurturing of life and the growth all around me.¡± Upon speaking her words there was a slight breeze that rippled out from her in all directions that caused her stark white robes to flutter. Her eyes went wide and she turned her hand around to open her closed fist. Inside it there was a single head of wheat. Her eyes only continued to widen as she realized exactly what that meant.


    ¡°I thought as much.¡± Lenna spoke. ¡°This is what a priestess of Halya should be.¡± She turned and looked back at the children. ¡°Sister Heather will take care of you, Halya has demanded it. If you are ever in trouble, go to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild and ask for us. It might not be us that comes to help you, but we will ensure that you receive the help that you need.¡± She assured them. Both children looked like they wanted to argue but Lenna had never seemed like a person that they would be able to argue with. Her presence was soothing yet frightening in a way that few others were. She was like a being from a different world for them, full of wonder, awe, and terrifying power.


    ¡°Will we see you again?¡± Star asked as she took a hesitant step around her.


    Lenna smiled even though the children couldn¡¯t see it. They heard it in her voice however as she spoke: ¡°One day, maybe far into the future, so make sure you survive to see us again.¡±


    Star nodded and drug her brother with her towards the nuns. ¡°Thank you.¡± Star told her. ¡°And thank your husband and ghost friend too¡±


    Lenna nodded in reply. ¡°I am sure that they have heard you.¡± She told her. A moment later, both nuns and both children looked on in surprise as a small stack of ten platinum coins appeared in front of Sister Heather and a throwing spike found its way into Star¡¯s free hand. Cloud¡¯s fist was also closed around a platinum coin but no one around him seemed to notice. It was clear to the children what both gifts meant even if Isaac hadn¡¯t meant them in any specific way. To Star it meant that she was supposed to be the one to protect the two of them and to Cloud it meant that he was supposed to be the one to provide for himself and his sister.


    Before either nuns or children could say anything to Lenna, she had already slipped back out through the door and closed it. A moment later, a no longer stunned Sister Heather opened the door to look for Lenna to thank her, but the woman was already gone without a trace. Later, when the sisters asked the children about the woman that had brought them to the church, what they were told made little sense to them. The children had spoken of a man made of blackness like the night sky, a ghost like the midnight sea breeze, and a woman who looked like a burning hearthfire.


    ¡ª


    ¡°That was a good deed we did.¡± Lenna told Isaac as the pair sat on the roof of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. The building was the only one around that did not have a sloped roof but rather had a flat one with drains set up in each corner and runes set up around the roof access to prevent loose water from entering the rest of the building.


    Isaac grunted in reply. ¡°You know, we did our good deed here, we could just leave and continue on our journey. No one would blame us for wanting to leave this absolute mess alone. We could tell Sera and Edward in a letter and let them sort it out. It¡¯s their family. Maybe we shouldn¡¯t be getting involved.¡± He told her.


    ¡°There are people here who need help. There are villains here who need a reckoning.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°This is also where the slave traders that brought the girls to Safeharbor came from. If slaves were brought in from somewhere else, before being distributed, then that means that the slavery operation here must be decently large.¡±


    ¡°We could tell Judgment. I am sure that he would sort it out quickly enough.¡± Isaac told her.


    ¡°With collateral damage.¡± Lenna countered. ¡°He would probably just go around hitting people with his hammer of justice.¡± She argued. ¡°Not only that, but he would be far too inconclusive. There is no way that he would not miss at least a third of their operation.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I know.¡± He conceded. ¡°But does it really have to be us?¡±


    ¡°Sera and Izen are busy with their own territory to worry about and Edward got rid of his title.¡± Lenna reminded him. ¡°I¡¯m sure that Edward could come and talk with his brother, but then what?¡±


    ¡°Either Duke Sasston would try to fix everything or Edward would be put in a position where he would either need to try and take over the duchy or get someone else involved.¡± Isaac postulated. ¡°With enough pushing from Edward and Sera I am sure that most of this would get resolved.¡± Isaac offered.


    ¡°You mean swept under the rug.¡± Lenna retorted. ¡°Duke Sasston would just do enough to make it look like everything was fine, and then let all of the dark dealings continue under the surface, like he has been doing.¡± Lenna countered. ¡°Just like this city, just like Star and Cloud¡¯s house. A beautiful roof held up by a conjured stone pillar and three half broken walls.¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°I know, fine, you¡¯re right, you win.¡± He told her and then sighed again. ¡°But I am not going to be the one to explain all of this to Sera and Edward.¡± He told her.


    ¡°Ah, the truth is revealed.¡± Lenna commented with a smirk. ¡°Throwing your power around has never been something that you would shy away from. Explaining why you smacked Sera and Edward¡¯s brother around, and spilled their family secrets to the public, now that is something I can see you trying to avoid.¡±

 Chapter 33 Would you like to join us,

    Chapter 33 Would you like to join us,


    Isaac and Lenna had just finished eating an early lunch when they were intercepted by a ducal guard. He wore full plate armor with a chainmail hood resting behind his neck. The young man¡¯s tanned skin and sun bleached dark brown hair marked him as a native of the region, and not a noble from the northern edge of the continent like the Sasstons and Arbencrofts. Over his armor was a pure blue vest with gold trim and a golden set of scales embellished on the front and back. In his hand there was a letter and at his hip a mace hung through a steel loop. His armor was mildly enchanted which came as a bit of a surprise until Isaac pieced together what the enchantments were. Based on what he could see, and the general feel he got from it, the armor was enchanted with a resizing enchantment, a hardening enchantment, and a self cleaning enchantment. Everything set into the guard¡¯s armor told a story of knights whose armor had a longer history than they themselves did, not the other way around.


    ¡°Lord of Darkness, Lady of Hellfire, I am here to deliver this to you, from his grace, Duke Arthur Von Sasston.¡± The ducal guard spoke curtly before Isaac and Lenna could even assure him of their identities.


    Isaac took the offered letter and opened it. ¡°He postponed it to this evening.¡± Isaac spoke dryly after reading it. ¡°Guardsman, tell his grace that if he does not wish to meet with us then he should say so outright. We will wait until this evening to hear from him again.¡± Isaac spoke directly and clearly to the guard, exactly how a nobleman would have.


    The guard nodded once. ¡°Very well, I shall take my leave then.¡± He replied and turned on his heel and marched off.


    ¡°Are we actually going to wait?¡± Lenna asked her mate.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°If for no other reason than the fact that the shadows will be longer at dusk.¡±


    ¡ª


    Isaac and Lenna had decided to waste their afternoon by exploring the slums. They had passed by countless beggars and run down buildings but it had taken them the better part of an hour to find a building that more people entered than exited. ¡°That one.¡± Isaac spoke with utter assurance. They weren¡¯t entirely sure where the entrance was to the underground of Sapphirestone but now they knew where to start. ¡°Let¡¯s come back tonight.¡± Isaac told Lenna and she nodded in reply.


    ¡°Yes, when it¡¯s easier to see and the sun stops boiling your shadows.¡± She agreed.


    The pair had only made it two blocks back towards their inn when a woman appeared in front of them. She wore a simple but flattering one piece dress that left almost her entire legs free and exposed even though it fell nearly to her ankles. The front was low cut but not quite low cut enough to reveal her corset under the dress. The shoulders of the dress were slim but solid enough that there wasn¡¯t any fear of the dress tearing in half. It entirely lacked sleeves which was normal for the area but not the time of year. The sides were laced together tightly which caused the entire thing to hug her figure as snugly as possible without restricting blood flow or movement too much. As nice as the dress¡¯s design was, what really stood out was the unmistakable color of it, topaz.


    The woman was gently tanned but her complexion matched closer to the color yellow than any of the other natives of the region Isaac and Lenna had seen. Her eyes were emerald green and almost seemed to glow. Her hair was what truly stood out in a crowd however, it was a pure, natural, undyed vibrant blue. ¡°Welcome to our city, travelers.¡± She purred as she sauntered closer to Isaac and Lenna down the street that was suddenly suspiciously empty. ¡°I trust you are enjoying it?¡±


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    ¡°Not quite.¡± Isaac replied while slightly narrowing his eyes on her. She was a strong sorceress but not as strong as Fen, she was damned close though. Isaac could feel the mana around her and, based on her passive rate of intake, he put her at level eighteen to twenty. She was much too high a level to be hiding out ruling the underworld of a city. She could have married into almost any noble family, used her reputation to start a global trade organization, or become a double platinum ranked adventurer and be hailed as a celebrity everywhere she went. She could have even joined the mage corps of the royal army and been instantly promoted to the rank of vice general, the entire world was open to her and yet she had chosen ¡®criminal queen¡¯ as her career path.


    ¡°Aw, that makes my heart break. We¡¯ve tried ever so hard to make it as welcoming as possible.¡± She told them with a pout. ¡°Is there something that we could do better, for the future?¡±


    ¡°Yes, actually.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°You could start by taking care of the orphans. They shouldn¡¯t be forced to sleep out in the cold. Not to mention they look half starved to death.¡± Lenna told her.


    ¡°Also, someone tried to hold up our wagon for an ¡®extra entry fee¡¯.¡± Isaac added.


    ¡°I see, I see.¡± The woman that could only have been Topaz nodded sagely then smirked, her sapphire blue lipstick shone in the afternoon sun. ¡°I will keep that in mind for the future, thank you, it is always nice to get feedback from other powerful people. Most of the common folk just don¡¯t see the world the same way that we do.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°But there is one other thing that has been bothering me.¡± He waited a moment and she motioned for him to continue. ¡°A few of my servants have informed me that, before they became employed by my house, they had been abducted and sold into the slave market. A slave market that stopped somewhere here, in Sapphirestone. You don¡¯t happen to know anything about it, do you?¡±


    Topaz hummed in thought and placed a finger with sapphire nail polish up to her mouth on her chin. ¡°I have heard rumors about it, but who knows if it is real. If I may be so bold, why might you be looking for such, ¡®ruffians¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Well you see, though I have no sympathy for those that are willingly enslaved to ensure that their lives last a little longer, I do have a problem with stealing children in the night and selling them off to the highest bidder. I would simply like to ensure that nothing of the sort is going on.¡± Isaac explained and felt the static in the air start to rise. ¡°That is all, once we are done, we will meet with his grace and then be on our way.¡±


    ¡°You intend to meet with his grace?¡± Topaz questioned curiously as if she wasn¡¯t charging a lightning spell of some kind.


    ¡°Of course, we have a meeting with him this evening. Would you like to join us, Topaz?¡± Isaac asked her with a grin.


    Static snapped as a lightning bolt was created in mid air between Topaz and the duo. A dozen crossbows fired from behind and beside the pair immediately after but they were too little and too late to do anything. Lenna exploded like a torch doused in far too much oil. Isaac stepped even further between Lenna and Topaz.


    Topaz¡¯s lightning bolt snapped from her to Isaac in a blink before it was redirected down into the ground harmlessly. Isaac¡¯s sword was already in his hand and formed a sword shaped void off to his right. Lenna batted the crossbow bolts out of the way and then pulled a handful of throwing spikes out of her Bottomless Bag. Before any of the crossbowmen could reload, she had impaled three of the six with blazing rods of pain and death that lit their clothes aflame while burning them from the inside.


    Isaac was about to move in on Topaz to keep her from escaping or being too much of a pain when lightning coursed down her arms. With a flick she sent a lightning bolt towards Lenna while she launched up into the air. Isaac intercepted it with his arm but was surprised when it just went around him and slammed into Lenna¡¯s shoulder. Lenna had felt it coming so she wasn¡¯t taken by surprise but that didn¡¯t lessen the muscle spasms or pain in the slightest.


    Another lightning bolt flew at Lenna before Isaac could reorient on Topaz. This time, however, Isaac was not just going to take it. A wall of shadows reached up from beneath him and devoured the lightning whole. Isaac spent dozens of times as much mana as Topaz had to neutralize the spell, but it had worked and the sudden bout of shock that flashed across Topaz¡¯s face was priceless. Isaac was about to make a move to go after her when suddenly, she exploded. It was not blood and gore that shot in every direction but water, ice, and violent winds. It appeared that Topaz was starting to get serious.

 Chapter 34 A Barrel Of Blasting Jelly.

    Chapter 34 A Barrel Of Blasting Jelly.


    A tempest in the shape of a globe a dozen feet across formed in the middle of the side street lording over it. Inside was the woman that was known as the Crime Queen of Sapphirestone, Topaz. A bolt of lightning shot out of the orb one after the other and Isaac was forced to block, surround, and capture each one with shadows to prevent them from jumping to Lenna as she finished off Topaz¡¯s lackeys. Isaac couldn¡¯t get close to Topaz because her tempest was too dense for him to shadow-step into. She had succeeded in making a space that he could not enter. The winds were also far too violent for a thrown weapon to have any chance at getting to her.


    The storm sorceress managed to keep Isaac pinned down for nearly a dozen seconds before Lenna had sufficiently finished off all of her allies in the area. The only reason it had taken Lenna that long was because of the first lightning strike that had managed to hit her. Her fingers on that arm were still not entirely cooperating but they were working good enough for most functions. ¡°Secondaries destroyed.¡± Lenna told Isaac and whirled on the primary threat. ¡°Alive?¡± She asked him.


    ¡°I would like to-¡± He had to cut himself off as thunder rolled again just like it had between each of Lenna¡¯s callouts. ¡°-but it might not-¡± A roll of thunder and another lightning bolt diffused. ¡°-be possible.¡± He finished.


    A roll of thunder. ¡°Understood.¡± Lenna replied and then immediately followed it up with a spell whose chant was drowned out by another roll of thunder. With an upwards gesture from her hand a gate to the realms of fire and the hells opened up beneath Topaz. The geyser of black and orange flames would have reached two dozen feet into the air had there not been a spherical thunderstorm directly above it.


    ¡°Ahh!¡± Topaz screamed in pain and agony as the black flames were suddenly forced through her protective barrier. The orange flames of the spell were entirely defused by the ice in the storm which turned to water as a result.


    Suddenly the area around them dropped in temperature and fog started to form all around. Static discharges bounced from water droplet to water droplet as Topaz tried to unleash a ninth level spell. Right as the mana pressure from the spell activating was reaching its zenith it shattered and broke apart. Topaz¡¯s curses of surprise and anger could barely be heard over the roaring winds surrounding her, but the fog rapidly cooking off in the afternoon sun was enough to show what had happened.


    A moment later and the vortex of cloud, cold, and thunder broke apart and was flung outwards in all directions before dissipating. Isaac was about to teleport next to her when the spell was recast. It only took another heartbeat for Topaz¡¯s control to once again be ripped from her grasp. She tried again and again and again until she was no longer flying but panting on the ground. Over and over again the spell was diffused, crushed, and dispelled by an unseen and unfelt force.


    ¡°What? What is this?¡± Topaz panted as she glared up at Isaac who was forcing his way through the repetitive explosions. Lightning shot down her arm and she flicked her wrist towards Isaac but it was uselessly redirected into the ground. The lightning bolt was just a cover for her attempt at recasting her tempest again but it was ignored in favor of crushing her protective spell once more.


    Isaac¡¯s hair was ruffled, he was damp and a little cold, but nothing more. ¡°Tell me everything about your operation or I¡¯ll just kill you and ask your corpse.¡± Isaac told her simply.


    Without warning, lightning exploded out from Topaz in all directions and she was forced up into the air as if magnetically held aloft by her core. Her eyes blazed with arcs of electricity and her hair rose in all directions from the massive amount of static in the air. She was actively giving off a red mist as she looked down her nose at Isaac. The lightning in the air was so dense that it forced all of the other colors of mana out of the area directly around her entirely. Her power flickered but was not dispelled. It flickered again and again and again. Her face blazed with fury and indignation at whatever or whoever was continually trying to dispel her magic.


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    ¡°I refuse to be defeated by the likes of you.¡± Topaz spoke with a voice so resounding and commanding that even Isaac was impressed. ¡°Now die.¡± She told him and all of the lightning around her suddenly snapped.


    A thousand tiny bolts of electricity lanced into Isaac. Some of them combined into larger ones while others found their own way to him. Regardless of how they got there, over a hundred bolts of electricity slammed into Isaac at the same time. He barely had enough time to start forcing mana out of himself to act as a buffer before he was lit up like a copper tower in a thunderstorm. Isaac¡¯s mana was blasted away by the magically guided but very real bolts of lightning that seemed hellsbent on ending him. Isaac¡¯s cloak was lit on fire as were the rest of his clothes. Some of it was from the lightning directly but most was from the sudden heat spike in the copper surrounding him. The copper did its job and sufficiently redirected all of the electricity away from his body and into the ground but unfortunately it was far too much lightning for the amount of copper and the result of that was the copper very quickly reaching hundreds of degrees.


    A lattice of pain surrounded Isaac as the copper tried to melt through him. By the time he had refocused enough to look at Topaz, she was already face down on the ground either unconscious or dead after burning her blood for power. Something that only insane sorcerers and sorceresses were known to practice was the art of turning their blood into mana, much like how a witch used lifeforce to cast curses and other witchcraft. It was dangerous and very easily lethal to the mage but it was also one of the ways that distinguished a sorcerer with conviction from one without.


    Isaac didn¡¯t have the time to contemplate that however as he was actively on fire. Shadows pulsed out of him and quickly smothered the fire before a jet of water slammed into his back. It was enough to cause him to stagger but not nearly enough to do any damage. Lenna had quickly begun using her Ocean in a Bottle to try and put out the fires, that were already out, and cool off Isaac¡¯s lighting defensive equipment.


    Lenna circled Isaac a few times as she utterly soaked every inch of him. By the time she was done, his armor¡¯s copper rigging had been sufficiently cooled down and he was completely healed due to his own death flames that had been roiling beneath the surface. Topaz hadn¡¯t even stirred. ¡°Is she dead?¡± Isaac questioned once Lenna had stopped spraying him.


    ¡®No, my lord, she is somehow barely still alive.¡¯ Shamesh told him. ¡®What would you like me to do with her?¡¯


    ¡°She¡¯s dangerous.¡± Isaac commented while water continued to cascade down his face from his soaked hair. ¡°Like, really dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Lenna agreed. ¡°Maybe more than Fen.¡±


    ¡°Yes and no.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Fen is like an assassin, quiet, lethal, with low collateral damage. Topaz is like a barrel of blasting jelly. She¡¯ll probably kill whatever her target is and everything within a dozen yards of it.¡±


    ¡°Who was harder to beat?¡± Lenna wondered.


    ¡°Topaz. But only because I had no way to get to her. If Shamesh hadn¡¯t been here, then I would have had to dump my entire mana capacity into her swirly storm thing in an attempt to melt her with death flames. I really had no other ideas. Maybe I could have boosted myself up enough that a thrown rock could have blasted through it and taken her out, but I would have been throwing blindly.¡± He answered her. ¡°Fighting Fen was more like a full contact game of tag than anything else.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°I can see that. And yes, my only ideas were Fireball and Hellflame Strike. Nothing else I could do would have had much of, if any, effect on her.¡±


    ¡°Well, she¡¯s down for the count now. The only question is what to do with her.¡± Isaac commented while glaring down at the unconscious sorceress with a frown.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have any friends in the area.¡± Lenna reminded him. ¡°I have no idea how to keep her prisoner.¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°Shamesh, tie her up and cast Invisibility on her. We¡¯ll take her back to our room. Unfortunately, you are going to have to keep watch over her while Lenna and I go meet with Duke Sasston. If she wakes up while we are away, feel free to begin questioning her, but make sure you counter every spell that she casts, again. I don¡¯t want her escaping if we can help it. As it stands, the only reason she is still alive is because she is bound to know everyone involved with the underground slave market. Once we have that information, then her usefulness is finished. After that, if she becomes a problem for any reason, her life will be forfeit.¡± He instructed his retainer.


    Shamesh bowed while still only visible to Isaac. ¡®As you say, my Lord.¡¯

 Chapter 35 Move

    Chapter 35 Move


    A half an hour before the indicated time, Isaac and Lenna met the same guard right as they were leaving to head to the docks. The guard repeated exactly the same words as before as he handed off another letter to Isaac. Isaac opened the letter with a scowl before he even read it. Inside the letter was an apology and a notification of the meeting getting pushed back to the morning. Isaac sighed in relief and folded the letter back up. ¡°It appears that this guard is to be the one to escort us to our meeting with his grace.¡± Isaac told Lenna with obvious relief in his voice. ¡°I was afraid that he was going to postpone again.¡± He then turned back to the guard and nodded. ¡°Lead the way, guardsman.¡±


    The guard seemed to hesitate as a look of confusion flashed across his face before he mastered it again. He nodded to Isaac with a hint of disbelief. ¡°Right this way then, sir, madam.¡± He directed them.


    ¡°It is Lord and Lady, guardsman.¡± Lenna corrected him sternly. ¡°Those titles are real.¡±


    The guard¡¯s blank expression faded as an honest fear started to seep into it. ¡°M-my apologies, my Lady, I was unaware. I beg your and his lordship¡¯s forgiveness.¡± He quickly replied with an incredibly deep bow.


    ¡°Understood. Carry on, but do be sure it does not happen again.¡± Lenna told him.


    The guard straightened and bowed once more, though this time with more grace and measure. ¡°As you say, my Lady.¡± He spoke and turned around again to lead them to the dock. ¡°Please, follow me.¡± Upon their arrival, they were met by a man waiting in a rowboat that was only barely big enough for three passengers and the rower. The ducal guard stepped onto the boat first and offered his hand to Lenna to help her.


    Lenna hesitantly took the guard¡¯s hand and allowed him to help her into the boat. It was clear that he was not ready for her to actually rely on his stabilizing hand, either that or he was not expecting her to weigh two hundred pounds in her armor as most nobles wore magically lightened gear. The guard had to shift to keep from losing his balance and that meant that the boat shifted as Lenna was putting her weight onto it. The boat felt like it was about to go out from under Lenna and take her feet with it when everything was suddenly locked in place. The comforting lack of feeling that came from Isaac¡¯s shadows reminded her of why she only ever trusted him. Others could let her down, but Isaac never would. That didn¡¯t mean that he would always make the best decisions, but it did mean that he would always do exactly what she needed or expected him to do. Lenna righted herself and then gingerly sat down on the seat.


    Isaac looked down on the ducal guard that had been staring at the steaming void, that had grabbed onto Lenna and the boat without any forewarning, slack jawed. ¡°I will be sitting next to my wife, guardsman. Move to the front.¡± He instructed the man directly. The guard jerked free of his stupor and, with practiced ease, moved to sit at the very front of the boat. Isaac used shadows as steps that carried him directly to where he needed to be so he could sit next to Lenna. Once all three of them were seated, the boat was ready to go. Or it would have been if the rower, a middle aged and generously sunkissed man, would have picked his jaw back up off the ground.


    As the shadows dispersed into black wisps that rapidly cooked off in the final rays of the sun, the guardsman cleared his throat. ¡°Take us back to the citadel.¡± He instructed the rower which finally broke the older man out of his daze.


    ¡°Right away sir.¡± The man spoke and began rowing them across the channel. ¡°Uh¡­ um¡­ sir?¡± The rower spoke as he took them across. Each of his words came out in time with his rowing to preserve his strength and breath.


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    ¡°Yes?¡± The guard replied.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t¡­ the guest¡­ boat¡­ sir.¡± The rower reminded him.


    ¡°I am aware.¡± The ducal guard told him. ¡°I am as surprised as you are.¡±


    ¡°Very good¡­ sir.¡± The rower responded.


    It only took another minute before they were across and the boat was being tied up at the dock at the base of the Sasston Citadel. ¡°Thank you.¡± Lenna said to Isaac as he helped her out of the boat. The casual standing position shouldn¡¯t have had the leverage to keep him from toppling over while helping her but that meant little to the man who ordered darkness itself to obey.


    The wooden dock that they had stepped onto was only a few dozen feet long before it met a stone stairway that rose to an iron door that marked the front entrance. They had noticed a place along the side of the citadel where a crane could lift cargo from a resting vessel to the top of the man-made sapphire mountain. The combination of entrances showed that the front entrance was more of a deathtrap than a grand entryway. Strategically it made sense but diplomatically it was simply threatening.


    Isaac, Lenna, and the guard leading them had only gotten to the front entrance when a ripple of mana was felt and the court mage, Alejandro, appeared right in front of them. ¡°Court Magus.¡± The guard spoke with a slight bow.


    ¡°What are they doing here?¡± Alejandro asked the guard. ¡°Their meeting was postponed until the morning.¡±


    The guard inhaled sharply and looked back over his shoulder to see Isaac¡¯s bored and disdainful glare that was directed at Alejandro. The court mage seemed to have gotten some semblance of sleep as he looked less dead on his feet than the day before but that was not to say that he looked well. ¡°I apologize. It appears that I was misled.¡± The guard replied to Alejandro.


    ¡°Wizard. Take me to your duke. We have been patient enough. We have waited over twenty four hours to meet him without much complaint, and it has come to my attention that he has taken that fact for granted.¡± Isaac ordered Alejandro. ¡°I will not repeat myself.¡±


    Alejandro paled. ¡°I apologize, Lord Wexler, but there is nothi-¡± Alejandro¡¯s knees gave out from under him as Isaac became a spring of death. Instead of water flowing out of him and draining onto the ground like a natural spring would, he exuded pure, undiluted, death flames that poured and dripped down him as they burned upside down. The ducal guard stumbled as he turned around to face Isaac while taking a step backwards. There were ten steps up to the door to enter the citadel from where the guard had fallen next to the collapsed Alejandro. To either side of them was a wooden railing and then the cold winter ocean and a smooth cliff face.


    Isaac¡¯s gaze narrowed on the men in front of Lenna and himself. ¡°Move them.¡± Isaac ordered with a simple gesture to the side with his hand. Alejandro and the guard were yanked by their long shadows. Both were shocked into inaction as their shadows literally rose up and grabbed them, before throwing them, with nearly as much strength as the men themselves possessed, into the opposing railings.


    Lenna walked forwards as her form lit like a torch on a starless night. As she walked between the guard and Alejandro she glanced towards the guard and spoke a word of warning: ¡°I wouldn¡¯t touch him.¡± She told him simply. Alejandro would either already know better or try to flee. There was no way that the court mage would attempt to manhandle Isaac so she didn¡¯t feel the need to speak to both of them.


    The guard instinctively knew what she meant and why. Isaac¡¯s death flames almost seemed to scream his mortality to the poor guard who had just been trying to do his duty. He tried to stand but was suddenly forced back down onto the ground with a simple command from Isaac: ¡°Down.¡± Both of the duke¡¯s men were slammed face first onto the stone at the base of the stairs where the wooden dock had ended.


    Lenna pulled on the iron door to let them enter the citadel but instead of opening, alarm bells started to ring. ¡°It won¡¯t budge, what is the plan?¡± Lenna asked Isaac as countless magical formations and iron bars locked down the citadel.


    ¡°We wait, again.¡± Isaac spoke calmly as he dialed back his death flames to a casual burn of half of his mana regeneration rate. He still had more than enough to keep Alejandro and the guard on the ground without killing them while he continued to feed Shamesh. For Isaac, releasing as much power as he was seemed more like unclenching a fist than putting on a show. He was finally able to just let his mana flow freely again. It happened regularly enough but that was one of the reasons he was starting to not like the surface as much as Safeharbor. In Safeharbor, Isaac was free to just let his mana run from time to time without throwing the city into lockdown.


    ¡°For how long?¡± Lenna wondered. ¡°They look like they are ready for war.¡±


    Isaac looked up at the iron door that was reinforced with reality magic, the sparkling sapphire stone that made up the walls of the Sasston Citadel, the iron barred windows, and the dozen men that were aiming their crossbows at them. ¡°Until someone important arrives to let us in, or until nightfall. Once the sun has fully set, all bets are off.¡±

 Chapter 36 Hello, Arthur.

    Chapter 36 Hello, Arthur.


    Alejandro rotated his staff in his hand to try and align its bottom tip with the ground, only to have it ripped from his grasp and thrown into the sea by his very shadow. ¡°No!!¡± The court mage yelled before he was forced back onto the ground by said shadow.


    ¡°Be still, Alejandro.¡± Isaac spoke calmly. ¡°No one has died, yet. I would prefer to keep it that way, but I need you to cooperate for that.¡±


    ¡°My Lord, please, cease this before someone actually gets hurt.¡± The ducal guard pleaded with Isaac from his position on his back against the dock.


    Isaac turned to regard the guard just as the sun was finishing its descent behind the horizon. The sun had found its way through the gap between the seawall and city wall and was now finishing its dip into the ocean. Isaac¡¯s right side was cast in oranges while his left was almost pure blackness from death flames raining down onto the stone steps. ¡°My request was simple. I want to have a discussion with Duke Sasston. If you can guarantee that, then I will let you go fetch him.¡± Isaac offered the guardsman as the shadow of night started racing up his side. ¡°If not, then you can wait there like a good little tin soldier.¡±


    ¡°But, my Lor-¡± The guardsman tried to argue.


    ¡°Otherwise,¡± Isaac cut him off as the shadow of night finished swallowing him whole and the sun finished its descent. ¡°I¡¯ll throw you into the sea and see if you¡¯ll float.¡± Isaac¡¯s voice had dropped half an octave as soon as the sun was out of his face. The guard had no further words to offer so Isaac returned his attention back to the closed door in front of him and Lenna.


    ¡°Reality magic and steel.¡± Lenna told him as soon as his gaze locked onto the object that bared their entrance.


    ¡®She¡¯s awake, my Lord.¡¯ Isaac heard in his head from Shamesh across town.


    ¡®That¡¯s unfortunate timing, but make sure she doesn¡¯t leave.¡¯ Isaac informed his retainer.


    ¡®She is currently screaming, my Lord. I have countered four teleportation attempts already. She may return to unconsciousness if this continues.¡¯ Shamesh replied.


    ¡®That¡¯s fine. As long as she is alive and still captured, I don¡¯t care what else happens to her.¡¯ Isaac explained. ¡®We are going to be busy for a while but if we need you then I¡¯m afraid that you¡¯ll have to just let Topaz go. I¡¯ll keep you informed.¡¯


    ¡®Very good, my Lord.¡¯ Shamesh said and Isaac got the feeling of him bowing before mental silence returned.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lenna asked Isaac as it was clear that his focus was elsewhere.


    ¡°She¡¯s awake.¡± Isaac informed her. ¡°Shamesh has it handled.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°But we should try to make this quick regardless.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Isaac said and walked up to the door. ¡°I¡¯ll break the magic.¡±


    Lenna nodded and drew her sword as Isaac placed his hand against the door. The death flames pouring off of him stopped cold and pure dark mana began forcing its way into the door. At first nothing seemed to happen, but after a few seconds, the door began to turn black uniformly as the reality magic that was laced through it was entirely disrupted by an incredible imbalance of dark mana. Isaac¡¯s dark mana had insisted that it was a part of the currently active spell and had given the enchantment no room to argue. A lot of mana was wasted in the process but with enough mana there are very few things that are truly considered impossible. Once the door was entirely black Isaac nodded once to Lenna.


    The Oathbreaker¡¯s entire form blazed with barely restrained power as her burning sword cleaved completely through the steel door as if it were butter. Lenna had cut a new doorway through the middle of the door leaving only a two to three inch band of steel around the new entrance. With a casual push from Isaac, whose hand was still resting against the door, the large steel rectangle fell inwards. As soon as the door hit the ground, all hells broke loose.


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    Four crossbow bolts flew at Isaac¡¯s chest and face as soon as their line of sight was open. Seven more rained down on Lenna from above, even though they weren¡¯t likely to do any damage. Isaac grabbed the one bolt that would have hit him in the head with his bare hand and let the rest bounce off of his armor. Lenna slipped past Isaac through the new doorway to dodge the bolts aimed at her while she chanted a spell: ¡°The darkest depths of my rage are both sword and armor, for I need no shield.¡±


    The guards inside the citadel were figuratively petrified as Lenna encroached on their domain. Her aura slammed down on them with enough force that one of them, a boy no older than seventeen, lost his lunch in pure fright. Her dark purple armor, covered in burning embers, covered in armor shaped physical shadows, covered in her burning aura made her look like a monster out of a madman¡¯s nightmare as she filled the hall in front of them.


    Lenna took a step forward and ordered the soldiers calmly. ¡°Move aside.¡± She told them with a voice that expected instant compliance.


    Most of them did as they were told but not all. There had only been four crossbowmen in the hallway but there had been six men with leveled spears at the ready. Out of the ten of them, one was losing his lunch, two had collapsed in pure terror and seemed to have lost all faculty, five had complied with her order without a second thought, and the other two stood defiantly in her way. Of the two that were in Lenna¡¯s way, one had a spear and the other a shortsword, that he had drawn as soon as he had fired the crossbow shot and discarded his ranged weapon.


    Lenna walked forwards and let the spear that was leveled at her push into her breastplate where it was turned aside. A whip of shadows reached out and punched the guard in the chest leaving the impact point glowing red hot in its wake. The spearman had no idea what to do so he tried to just shove Lenna away only to push himself off of her and into one of his collapsed squadmates. Another whip reached out a hit the same place as before which caused the point in the armor to go from red to orange as the padding under it threatened to burst into flames. He went down in a heap as he tripped and fell backwards over his companion.


    The swordsman actually had maintained enough control over himself to speak and pointed his shaking sword directly at Lenna¡¯s throat. ¡°Halt. In the name of Duke Arthur Von Sasston, Halt.¡± He ordered her.


    Lenna casually reached out and grabbed the sword by the blade before she yanked it from the guard¡¯s hand and dropped it to clang on the ground. She stopped right in front of the guard and looked down on the man who stood a full two inches shorter than her. ¡°I have not killed any guards, and I will not start now, but my mate has no such difficulties.¡± Lenna told the man calmly. ¡°Go, inform your duke that he has company. And let him know that my favorite tea is elderberry and my mate¡¯s is amaranth.¡± She told the man like she was giving a waitress her order. Lenna hadn¡¯t realized it at the time but her mentioning of their favorite teas had another meaning to most people. Elderberry and amaranth were two of the most potent ingredients in healing potions, as everyone who had ever needed one knew, which sent a very threatening message. A message that seemed to convey a need for healing in the near future. At least she hadn¡¯t said nightshade and hemlock.


    The guard that had just lost his sword looked over and down at his companion that had ¡®attacked¡¯ Lenna not once but twice. He saw that his squadmate was clearly still alive and not in any obvious danger. Upon witnessing that fact, combined with the soul-deep fear that he had of the woman in front of him, he was able to make the decision to follow her order. ¡°Wait here.¡± The guard told her. ¡°I will let his Grace know.¡± The guard told Lenna as he backed away from her. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back, just don¡¯t kill anyone.¡±


    Lenna just waved him away in a shooing motion. Once he had disappeared around a corner, shadows seeped into her armor from Isaac, who had taken her distraction as the perfect moment to go invisible. The shadows silenced her every movement and, because of the shared shadows, she was able to watch Isaac run down the corridor after the guard and she quickly sped up to catch him.


    Lenna was about to round a corner after Isaac when his shadows completely encapsulated her and she was entirely embraced with his shadowcloak. As soon as she rounded the corner she realized why. In front of Isaac was the guard that they had been following. He passed along Lenna¡¯s message and what he knew of the situation to another guard who broke away from his team of four to go tell the duke or at the very least, pass the message along again. Isaac managed to slip through the three new and one old guard with ease as he followed after the new messenger guard. Lenna had cancelled her Armor of Ire and stopped projecting her aura or using it to boost herself. She did so as soon as Isaac had made her entirely invisible but that did little for the size of her armored frame. As she tried to thread the gap between the guards, at the intersection, her shoulder hit one of them and he was almost thrown to the ground.


    ¡°What was that?!¡± The one of the guards called out as the one that Lenna had hit slammed his back into the wall.


    ¡°I, I don¡¯t know.¡± The guard that had been hit replied.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s in here!¡± The old messenger called out. ¡°Warn the Captain and his Grace!¡±


    ¡°Yes sir!¡± Two of the guards exclaimed and took off in a run in the same direction that Isaac and Lenna were going. As Isaac and Lenna followed the second messenger, two guards followed them without realizing it.


    They went down a few corridors and up a flight of stairs until they reached an office door that was guarded by two more ducal guards. ¡°I have, an urgent message, for his Grace.¡± The messenger informed the two men standing guard through deep panting breaths. It was at that time that the sounds of another guard racing through the halls could be heard and a moment later one of the two guards that had been accidentally chasing Isaac and Lenna arrived.


    ¡°Someone, invisible, is here.¡± He panted and dropped to his knees on the ground. ¡°Frisk, going to, Captain.¡±


    The two guards that had been protecting the entrance to the duke¡¯s office shared a look before they opened the door to their lord¡¯s office. ¡°Pardon the intrusion, your grace, but we have a situation.¡± The first one to enter stated before he had even taken in the room entirely. As soon as his eyes had looked up from the floor, he was frozen in his tracks. Sitting across from the duke, who was four wine bottles deep on his sofa, was a man in all black casually lounging on the other sofa, with his dirty boots resting on the priceless coffee table between them.


    ¡°Hello, Arthur.¡± The man in black, who was casually dominating the room, purred. ¡°It¡¯s about time we have a chat.¡±

 Chapter 37 I Have A List

    Chapter 37 I Have A List


    The two ducal guards, who had been charged with keeping his grace safe, were standing halfway through the doorway into Arthur Von Sasston¡¯s office. Towards the far end of the room there was a large desk with a scattering of work and bottles in equal measure. Against both walls there were bookshelves and cabinets packed with everything from notes scribbled the day before to tomes written by ancient scholars. In the middle of the room there were a pair of sofas separated by an ornate coffee table made of perfectly clear glass crystal, that was three inches thick and adorned with golden swirls that were entirely inside the glass itself. The massive crystal slab was held up by a frame of sapphire blue stone that caught and threw the glowing stone light of the room in dazzling patterns across the floor.


    ¡°In or out.¡± A smooth and deep but commanding voice instructed them from behind. The two guards who had been used as messengers hadn¡¯t even had the energy to take part in the interaction as the combination of exhaustion and fright left them on their rears. The two active guards turned to regard who had just appeared behind them only for a strong hand to find its way against each of their backs. ¡°Let¡¯s go with ¡®in¡¯.¡± Lenna told them as she pushed them both inside. She didn¡¯t bother to close the door after her entrance but left it open for future interlocutors.


    The guards were too thrown off balance to try and stop Lenna as she casually walked over and sat down next to Isaac. She began taking off her helmet as the duke¡¯s focus started to force itself to stay on her and Isaac. The duke¡¯s golden hair didn¡¯t have a single grey in it and his sapphire blue eyes perfectly matched the frame of the table between them. His skin was fair because the sun was not on his list of things to be sought out. His white blouse was soaked through with sweat and the scent of alcohol hung like an unwashed rug over the room.


    ¡°Who¡¯er you?¡± Arthur mumbled as his eyes kept slipping off of Isaac. He shook his head to try and clear it with little success.


    ¡°Arthur, when was the last time you were sober?¡± Isaac questioned the duke. ¡°If your sister knew, she would be mortified.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡¯oo know ¡®bout m¡¯ sister?¡± He questioned with one narrowed eye. The other was forced into a squint by the glowing stone behind Isaac.


    ¡°I can hardly understand him.¡± Isaac said to Lenna. ¡°I¡¯m not even sure my translation ability is working correctly.¡± He added in a whisper that only she could hear.


    Lenna nodded as she set her helmet down on the table in front of her. There was a sharp intake of breath from the doorway, as one of the guards was dumbstruck by her beauty, but otherwise the audience had elected to avoid a physical confrontation with the duo that obviously didn¡¯t mean their duke any harm. Everyone there knew that if Isaac or Lenna meant the duke harm, then the duke would¡¯ve already been harmed. Lenna looked over at the four guards arrayed in the doorway. ¡°One of you, go get a healer, or something to sober up your lord. We can¡¯t even hold a proper conversation with him.¡± When they didn¡¯t move immediately she added: ¡°Don¡¯t make me inform Duchess Arbencroft of your behavior as well.¡± With her final proclamation the guards quickly designated one of their number to go complete her order.


    Arthur had continued mumbling and it was getting old. Isaac got up from his seat and walked over to the duke. He reached down and grabbed the slightly taller but slightly thinner man by the shoulders and hauled him to his feet. Isaac all but drug the man out of the sitting space and over to the open space between the sitting area and Arthur¡¯s desk. He then helped the duke fall onto his back without hurting himself and glared down at the older man. ¡°Arthur, you aren¡¯t going to like this, but I need you at least slightly coherent until the healer arrives. The incoherent mumbling is annoying.¡± Isaac told him and held out his hand towards Lenna who was almost a dozen feet away.


    Lenna pulled the Ocean in a Bottle out of her Bottomless Bag and held it out towards Isaac. ¡°Here.¡± Lenna told him.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± He replied before he gave the magic item¡¯s shadow an order: ¡°Come.¡± The bottle flew into Isaac¡¯s outstretched hand without him even sparing it a glance. ¡°Arthur, hold your breath.¡± Isaac told the duke and then dumped the bottle over top of him. Water came gushing out like a punctured barrel and utterly soaked Arthur who began sputtering as water was sent up his nose and into his partly open mouth.


    One of the guards looked like he was about to move to help his duke when a piercing glare from Lenna locked him in place. She slowly shook her head at him while maintaining eye contact. ¡°Go get the duchess, or at the very least, tell her that we are here.¡± Lenna told the guard. ¡°The state of this place is pitiful and she should be ashamed of herself for letting it get this bad.¡±


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    The guard just stared back at Lenna for a long moment before he finally broke eye contact to tell one of the other guards to go and let the duchess and magistrate know what was going on. ¡°What is your goal here?¡± The guard questioned Lenna.


    Lenna sighed. ¡°There is a list. Take a seat, or at least get out of the doorway, and wait.¡± She told him.


    Five minutes later, Arthur was able to form coherent sentences again and had drank four glasses of water. He was sitting on the floor to keep from getting his nice sofa soaked but also because he was still not very stable on his feet. ¡°I see.¡± He told Isaac who was crouched in front of him so they could look mostly eye to eye. ¡°You are the ones my sister told me about. She said that you are a disruptive force but usually a good one.¡± He added while a healer sent gentle waves of healing magic through him. The healer had his work cut out for him while he tried to battle the alcohol, the withdrawal, and countless other small things that had arisen from the duke almost killing himself with alcohol poisoning.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied calmly. ¡°Now, because you are Sera¡¯s brother, I am going to be as gentle as I can be with you.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°You are going to help me round up everyone that is involved with Topaz in any way. After that, you are going to prosecute them according to the kingdom¡¯s laws. That means average punishments for whatever their crimes are across the board. That should keep you mostly impartial. Some of your prisoners, depending on their crimes, may just happen to vanish from their cells overnight, but we will cross that bridge when we get to it.¡± Isaac informed him. Isaac¡¯s tone and casual demeanor while talking to the duke brokered no argument but left enough room for the duke to actually object if he knew he had the moral high ground to do so, he did not.


    ¡°Your grace!¡± A powerful voice called out from the doorway as a man that stood over six feet tall and was built like a city wall filled the space almost entirely. His hair and eyes were dark brown and his skin was tanned almost to the same shade. The only things that marked him as possibly being related to Topaz were their similar cheekbones and eye shape. The man was wearing casual clothes under a breastplate with his sapphire and gold badge of office hanging on his belt. The man did not look like he had just come from fulfilling his legal duties. ¡°Who are you?!¡± He demanded of Isaac and Lenna. His furious gaze seemed to flash with recollection upon seeing Lenna¡¯s unusual skin tone and Isaac¡¯s annoyed silver stare.


    ¡°I am Lady Lenna V¡¯Nova.¡± Lenna spoke while she rose to her feet. A weight seemed to settle on everyone in the room, except for Lenna and Isaac, as she released her control on her aura. Instead of the soul-deep fear or blazing fires that were usually associated with Lenna¡¯s aura, there was simply a feeling of a mouse being caught under the gaze of a cat. Everyone froze as she finished introducing herself and Isaac. ¡°And this is my husband, Lord Isaac Wexler. Now, sit.¡± She ordered him and gestured to the sofa across from the one that she was previously sitting at.


    A moment later, barely enough time for the Captain to do as he was told under the imperious gaze and aura pressure of Lenna V¡¯Nova, there was a stir of magic and Alejandro appeared right in front of Isaac and Duke Sasston. ¡°W-AH!¡± He screamed in start and toppled backwards into the duke¡¯s desk.


    ¡°Alejandro, take a seat, there is as good a place as any.¡± Lenna ordered him.


    ¡°Your people are gathering.¡± Isaac told the duke. ¡°Topaz is being held prisoner at the moment and the Guild Master is running for the hills. That means that the rest of your people should be in the citadel, right?¡±


    Arthur was entirely blindsided by the knowledge that Isaac had just casually dropped on him. The Guild Master and Topaz were the two strongest people in Sapphirestone and Isaac and Lenna had already dealt with them. ¡°Y-You¡¯re sure?¡± Arthur questioned Isaac. ¡°That was actually those two?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied simply. ¡°Topaz is a real pain in the ass. Benedict probably survived and has probably already left the city to avoid everything that is about to go down.¡±


    Arthur nodded slowly at Isaac. ¡°I see.¡± He replied but it was clear that his brain was having trouble coming to grips with everything that was happening around him.


    ¡°Ex-Excuse me!¡± A guard called out from the doorway. As one, everyone in the room turned to look at him. ¡°Th-The duchess has decided to stay in her quarters, with the young master. She sends her regards and trusts his grace an-and the captain to sort everything out.¡± He ended with a hard swallow and bow before he dashed out of the room¡­ right into a solid wall of shining steel.


    The messenger toppled to the ground as a man with pure black hair and eyes with almost platinum white skin let out a quiet ¡®oof¡¯. ¡°Watch where you are going, guardsmen. This is not a playground.¡± He scolded the guard.


    ¡°M-m-my apologies, Sir.¡± The guard replied quickly with a nod as he scrambled to his feet and got out of the way.


    The magistrate sighed and entered the room. He took in the circus that had found its way into the duke''s office and just sighed while shaking his head. ¡°It was only a matter of time, your grace, I warned you.¡± He spoke and stepped entirely into the room. ¡°Are you waiting on anyone else, Lord Wexler, or can we get this over with?¡±


    Isaac rose to his feet and eyed everyone present. ¡°Magistrate, Duke, Court Mage, Guard Captain.¡± He nodded once. ¡°We are only missing the Duchess, who is taking care of her child, the Guild Master, who probably won¡¯t be coming back, and the Crime Queen who is too much of a pain to move at at the moment.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± The Guard Captain demanded.


    ¡°Silence.¡± Isaac ordered the shadows around the man that had spoken out of turn. The shadows that the Guard Captain cast, on the sofa of which he sat, reached up and wrapped around his mouth cutting off all sound and holding him in place. Isaac sighed. ¡°Duke, Magistrate, Court Mage, squeeze onto the sofa with the Guard Captain, would you?¡± Isaac had phrased it like a question but they all complied with little more than a scowl. The sofa was only big enough for three to sit comfortably but the four of them somehow managed to squeeze in while Isaac took his seat next to Lenna.


    ¡°Please,¡± Arthur spoke with a grunt as he elbowed the Guard Captain to try and get some more room. ¡°just get this over with.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have a list to make sure we don¡¯t miss anything.¡± He assured them as he pulled a piece of paper out of a plate of shadows that appeared over his lap. ¡°Let us begin.¡±

 Chapter 38 Maintain Your Authority

    Chapter 38 Maintain Your Authority


    ¡°First on the list,¡± Isaac began while sitting with his legs crossed in a posture very reminiscent of a teacher getting ready to explain exactly how disappointed they were in their student. ¡°You skipped Sera¡¯s birthday ball. Did you even send her anything?¡± Isaac questioned as he looked up from his note of things to interrogate the duke about.


    ¡°What?¡± Arthur replied utterly dumbfounded. ¡°What does that have to do with all of this? Is that why you demanded an audience and wouldn¡¯t go away?¡±


    ¡°Arthur Sasston.¡± Isaac spoke his name calmly while very deliberately dropping his honorific of ¡®Von¡¯ that denoted him as a duke. ¡°Serentia is your sister, and a wonderful woman who has been nothing but kind to Lenna and I, yet you didn¡¯t even show up for her birthday ball, a mere thirty miles away. Before we get to all of the things pertaining to you as a duke, let us sort out the one related to you as a brother.¡±


    ¡°I, I don¡¯t have to answer to you about that.¡± Arthur declared. ¡°That is family business and no one, not even C.A.S.T. or its Guild Leader, have a say in such matters. If that is why you are here then you can show yourself out.¡±


    ¡°He forgot.¡± Lenna spoke in a stage whisper as she leaned slightly towards Isaac.


    ¡°Definitely.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°No excuses, though I would imagine that it was around the time his wife started appearing pregnant.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Agreed.¡± She stated and leaned back into her seat as she had before.


    Arthur was visibly turning red with anger. ¡°Guards, escort Lord Wexler and Lady V¡¯Nova out.¡± He ordered through gritted teeth. ¡°They have overstayed their welcome.¡± Only one of the guards made a move to follow the order but was immediately cowed by a questioning glance from Lenna. Arthur¡¯s head snapped to look at his guards. ¡°I gave you all a direct order.¡±


    ¡°My lord, please, no one has died yet, and I would not like to be the first.¡± One of the braver guards pleaded with the duke. A few of the other guards nodded in agreement as Arthur could do nothing but seethe in anger. He knew that he had burned through most of the respect and goodwill that his men had for him over the past year. He also knew that being heavy handed with them at that moment would most likely lead to the entire power structure toppling to the ground.


    ¡°Arthur, right now, I am not talking to you as the Lord of all that is Dark, the highest authority on darkness that walks on two legs, I am talking to you as a good friend of your sister.¡± Isaac spoke with every ounce of compassion that he had in his heart. It was not very much but at least some of it probably got through in his voice because Arthur seemed to relax ever so slightly. ¡°If your sister knew half of what was going on, she would be bedridden for days, immediately after she made the trek here to slap some sense into you. I don¡¯t want my first letter to Sera to be one about the sorry shape that her brother is in.¡±


    ¡°Arthur, that leads us to the next point, your alcoholism.¡± Lenna continued. ¡°There are thirteen empty bottles in this room alone, and knowing ducal staff, it was probably cleaned yesterday. You are lucky to be alive. Give me one good reason why I shouldn¡¯t tell Sera about this.¡±


    Arthur took a deep calming breath as he took Isaac and Lenna at their word. ¡°I¡¯ll fix it.¡± He promised them. ¡°Just give me some time, and please, don¡¯t tell my sister. You are right, she has always been frail and the last thing that she needs is to worry about me and her hometown.¡±


    ¡°How will you fix it?¡± Isaac asked him. ¡°And what will you fix?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet, but I will.¡± Arthur assured them and then turned to his guards. ¡°All of you, since you are as useless as an armor stand in a ballroom, get out of here. Silence the alarm bells and let the staff get back to their duties.¡±


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    ¡°Yes, your grace.¡± One of them spoke.


    ¡°Of course, my lord.¡± Another said at the same time and the guards all left them while closing the doors behind them.


    The magistrate cleared his throat. ¡°If I may, why am I here?¡± He asked the duke, Isaac, and Lenna.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get to that.¡± Isaac told him. ¡°For now, I will use Duchess Serentia Von Arbencroft¡¯s authority to command you to sit and wait your turn.¡± Isaac told the man coldly. He was incredibly disappointed in the man that was supposed to be keeping order and making sure that the dukedom complied with the will of the king.


    ¡°You have that?¡± Arthur questioned.


    Isaac nodded and pulled a letter out of his shadow and handed it to Arthur. ¡°I do.¡± Isaac replied.


    Arthur tentatively took the letter and opened it slowly and carefully. He unfolded the paper and began reading it aloud: ¡°To whom it may concern, this is a letter of introduction written by her grace, Duchess Serentia Von Arbencroft, of the city of Safeharbor, in the Kingdom of Altia. Before you stands the honorable Lord Isaac Wexler, a man who has proven himself mightier than The Glinting Blade, and as trustworthy as the cycles of the moon. Beside him is the virtuous Lady Lenna V¡¯Nova, former heiress of the city of Contantis, in the Drow Empire, a woman who has proven herself to be more steadfast than bedrock, and more noble in heart and deed than any man or woman I have ever met or known. I, Duchess Serentia Von Arbencroft, introduce them in good faith, that whoever reads this might treat them as they would me, in both their time of need as well as in passing. With Grace, Duchess Serentia Von Arbencroft.¡± Arthur finished and handed the letter back to Isaac. ¡°That is definitely real. Just what have you two done to warrant such faith from my sister?¡±


    ¡°Killed Jallen V¡¯Nova.¡± Lenna spoke calmly.


    ¡°Stopped a skeleton invasion.¡± Isaac added.


    ¡°And a chimera invasion before it started.¡± Lenna continued.


    ¡°And an undying mushroom and Ori-Masa invasion as it was starting.¡± Isaac included.


    ¡°And shut down a criminal organization that was being run by a wizard and a doppelganger.¡± Lenna tacked on.


    ¡°And stopped the main, and almost all of the secondary, slave traders in the city either directly or indirectly.¡± Isaac said with a gesture and a look at Lenna like they had both forgotten about it until then.


    ¡°Rooted out the corruption in the city guard and corrected some of the other flaws in leadership in the city.¡± Lenna brought up with a similar gesture and look to Isaac.


    ¡°Okay, okay, I get it.¡± Arthur said with his hands raised. ¡°You have been very helpful and very busy for very long time-¡±


    ¡°About eight months.¡± Isaac corrected him. ¡°Lenna can¡¯t sit by and watch bad things happen to good people.¡± Isaac said which got him an elbow in the side from the woman in question. Isaac didn¡¯t even flinch.


    ¡°I, I see.¡± Arthur began again.


    ¡°Back to the topic at hand.¡± Lenna spoke to get them back on track. ¡°There are a lot of problems going on both in the city and in this citadel that need to be addressed. We will only be here for a few days, but by the time we leave, most of them will be sorted out.¡± Her words brokered no argument as her unwavering silver eyes locked onto Arthur¡¯s sapphire ones. ¡°Firstly, no more alcohol for you for six months.¡± Arthur visibly recoiled as if struck. ¡°Secondly, we are going to have to talk about the rumors about your wife¡¯s child and your connection with the criminal underlady, Topaz.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Arthur asked her with perfect neutrality in his expression and voice.


    ¡°Duke Arthur Von Sasston, is the duchess¡¯s child yours?¡± Lenna demanded of him. Fury, sadness, indignance, and pain warred with each other across the duke¡¯s features. ¡°Arthur, we cannot help you unless we know the truth, not what you want people to know, but the truth.¡± Lenna explained to the duke.


    Arthur leaded forwards and cradled his head in his hands. ¡°No.¡± He whispered meekly. In that moment he was not a duke but a man whose wife had cheated on him and bore a child to another man. A broken man who was ready to just throw it all away and leap into the sea. ¡°He is not.¡±


    ¡°Who is the father?¡± Lenna asked him gently.


    ¡°The Captain of the guard, Fernando Stine, the man next to me and, formerly, my oldest friend.¡± Arthur spoke like a lifeless corpse.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Lenna said after a deep focusing breath. She turned to Isaac who was actively looking down on Arthur. ¡°Isaac, how does this get fixed?¡±


    ¡°Do you want the political answer or the empathetic one? They are mutually exclusive.¡± Isaac asked his mate.


    ¡°Both.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Execute the Guard Captain for the rape of the duchess. Acknowledge the child as an illegitimate heir and shut down any and all negative comments about him, at least until a legitimate heir is born. After that, then the illegitimate child can be forced into a position subservient to the legitimate heir, or disposed of.¡± Isaac explained as if he was detailing the process of removing his armor. The guard captain tried to speak but his shadow continued to smother all sound that attempted to come out of him. ¡°Down.¡± Isaac ordered Fernando¡¯s shadow which drug the Guard Captain back down into his seat as he tried to stand.


    ¡°But that¡¯s not what happened¡­¡± Arthur spoke solemnly. ¡°And I am infertile, otherwise, we would already have a legitimate heir. That¡¯s not even mentio-¡±


    ¡°That is irrelevant.¡± Isaac cut him off. ¡°That is the move that should be made in order to maintain your authority over the duchy while you still can. The duchess will not leave the citadel at least until the boy is an adult. Anything less and people will spread even worse rumors. ¡®The jealous duke executed his wife¡¯s lover after he discovered their affair.¡¯ That is what they will speak in hushed tones to each other.¡± Isaac finished. ¡°You and your wife are in charge of a hundred thousand people. You are both in the top dozen most important noble figures in this country. You both needed to remember that before making any stupid decisions.¡±

 Chapter 39 Thank Or Curse

    Chapter 39 Thank Or Curse


    Fernando Stine tore through his shadow and lunged at the man and woman sitting across from him. He had had enough. They were planning on executing him and he would do anything to ensure his survival. With his ability to speak taken away from him, he had no other choice than to use his muscles.


    Fernando had loved Yallena, the duchess, since he had first laid eyes on her. He had seen it in the way she eyed him when no one was looking that she wanted him as well. They had both kept their interest in each other in check until one fateful day when fate seemed to align their paths and circumstances. It had been a mistake and they both knew it after the fact. Morning had come and the alcohol had worn off. Fernando hadn¡¯t had the time to even get properly dressed by the time a maid had entered. She was gone again before they could stop the girl. It had taken less than a day for Arthur to find out. The verbal altercation that followed had finally ended when Arthur had bloodied his knuckles, across Fernando¡¯s teeth, and left a red mark in the shape of his open hand, across Yallena¡¯s face, before he ordered them both out. After that, the only ones that could comfort the pair were each other. Arthur had turned to alcohol and a month later Yallena found out she was pregnant. In all, it had turned into one horrible mess.


    Topaz¡¯s frequent visits to Arthur in the dead of night only stirred up more rumors and trouble as people got the wrong idea about them. It didn¡¯t take long for Topaz, her charms and her free spirited ways, to get the better of Arthur while in his most vulnerable state. Eventually those rumors became fact. While all of that was going on, the Guild Master of the local Adventurers¡¯ Guild was gambling away the guild¡¯s coffers, the Magistrate was turning a blind eye, and the Court Mage was out of his depth and chose to hide in his tower. But all of those things were in the past. At the moment, Fernando was hurtling towards the man who was going to have the duke execute him under a false charge to save the duke¡¯s image while dragging his own through the mud.


    ¡ª


    Isaac barely had enough time to pick up his feet as the sofa shot backwards three feet. Lenna had shot to her feet so quickly that the oak framed sofa had been forced out of the way of her straightening legs. She had moved entirely on instinct as she unconsciously brought her full natural strength enhanced by her aura and mana to bear. If the attack had been aimed at her, then her response would have been more measured, but the trajectory of the lunging slab of meat that was Fernando Stine had never been in question. Lenna¡¯s hand shot out and grabbed the man, who was a few inches taller and a hundred pounds heavier, by the face. It was less of a grab and more of a palm strike to his nose.


    Fernando¡¯s nose was crushed completely as almost all of his momentum was halted by one of the softest parts of his body. Lenna stepped and threw with enough force that her boots tore up some of the rug under them. Fernando was sent hurtling towards the door but only made it halfway before his massive bulk impacted the ground in a heap. He hardly rolled from the hit but managed to slide another three feet on his face and shoulder. With an injury list of spinal injuries, at least one concussion, and an absolutely obliterated nose, he would not be getting up for a while.


    The entire event, from lunge, to facepalm, to throw, to impact with the floor, and the final slide, only took less than a handful of seconds. Everyone except Isaac, Lenna, and obviously Fernando, were staring at Lenna in a mixture of surprise and horror. Lenna slowly turned to meet their gazes which caused Alejandro wilt like a winter flower in the desert sun. ¡°Magistrate, he will need a healer, or he will drown.¡± Lenna told the obvious man out in the room.


    The man in gleaming armor with pure black hair and eyes slowly rose to his feet with a slight bow. ¡°As you say, Lady V¡¯Nova, I will see to him.¡± He spoke calmly but with an extreme amount of respect for someone that wasn¡¯t actually high nobility. He approached the crumpled and unconscious Fernando and knelt down next to him. ¡°By the gods.¡± He swore in a whisper as he took in the damage Fernando had taken.


    The sofa that Isaac was sitting on was slowly pushed back into place by Isaac¡¯s shadows before Lenna sat back down in her seat as if nothing had happened. ¡°Where were we?¡± Isaac asked with a thoughtful expression on his face. ¡°Ah yes, the empathetic answer to the current set of problems.¡± Isaac sighed and put his fist up to his chin in thought. ¡°This is much harder.¡± He confessed. ¡°Especially after the stunt he just pulled.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Arthur spoke with a mixture of sadness, helplessness, and relief.


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    ¡°Not impossible though.¡± Isaac spoke after another moment of thought. ¡°It might be a tough lie to sell considering the rumors.¡± He said more to himself than to the duke. ¡°You could relieve the idiot of his command citing rumors about inappropriate behavior with the duchess, you would also need to state that the rumors were false but regardless of their truth he would need to be relieved of his position. You could throw a platinum bar at him and send him on his way afterwards to help sell it.¡± Isaac frowned in thought for another moment before continuing: ¡°The boy, he would need to be brought up as an orphan that was adopted into your family after the duchess had a miscarriage. That would explain the duchess still treating him like her own son so much more than you would be able to, considering what actually happened. Her attachment, as far as everyone else would know, would come from your ploy to fill the void in your wife¡¯s heart with another child that was born around the same time. That would also explain the midwife and the countless people that saw her with a baby bump.¡±


    ¡°There will still be rumors.¡± Lenna added. ¡°The hit to your reputation will never go away entirely. You didn¡¯t do a good job at silencing your staff early enough.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac agreed. ¡°That is still probably the option with the least bloodshed, which I am sure that most involved would prefer. If I were in your shoes, she wouldn¡¯t have come to term.¡± He told the duke evenly. ¡°In your place, I would have executed them both and named one of your lower nobles as your temporary successor.¡±


    Arthur paled at Isaac¡¯s utter ruthlessness and total disregard for life. It was at that moment that Arthur truly understood what kind of a person Isaac was when pressured or truly angered. To Isaac, all life had worth, but all life could also lose its worth. Arthur also knew, by the way Isaac looked at Lenna, that some people had a current worth that far exceeded the rest of the world. He took a deep calming breath and looked over at Fernando before he returned his gaze to Isaac. ¡°I see.¡± He spoke with a lowered head. ¡°I will need some time to think about it before I make my final decision.¡±


    ¡°You have until we leave.¡± Isaac replied simply. ¡°Speaking of, we will not be leaving until this place has been cleaned up a bit.


    ¡°What¡¯s next on the list?¡± Lenna wondered.


    ¡°Sleeping with the enemy.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°The rumors about your affair with the woman running the criminal underworld of your city.¡± Isaac said to Arthur. ¡°True or false?¡±


    Arthur sighed. ¡°True.¡± He spoke dejectedly. ¡°But only after everything with Yallena and Fernando was confirmed.¡±


    ¡°Why? She¡¯s actively working to undermine you.¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t, at the start.¡± He told Isaac. ¡°Originally she was working as a double agent. Under my orders she used her connections with the Guard to let some lower end criminals off the hook from time to time to buy her goodwill. She slowly worked her way up the chain until she arrived on top. Once there, she was supposed to bring the base of operations of a few larger organizations here so we could crush them in one fell swoop. The power and money got the best of her. I don¡¯t know when but at some point she decided to start playing both sides. She would give me just enough to keep up the facade of still being loyal but she was just playing me.¡± Arthur confessed. ¡°She came to me after, everything, with a bottle and an offer to talk about it. She knew what she was doing. The next morning, when I woke up, my signet ring that lets those with Sasston blood into the family vault was missing. I don¡¯t think she realized the restriction until it was too late.¡±


    ¡°What about the rest of the times when she was seen coming and going from your office and bedroom?¡± Isaac questioned him.


    ¡°Purely work related, I swear.¡± Arthur replied directly.


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°Good, then you won¡¯t have a problem with helping me crush the slave trade going on in the region.¡±


    Arthur shook his head. ¡°No problems at all, well, except for the fact that we do not have any of the necessary information to launch such a large operation.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Like I said, I have Topaz. She can either talk or scream out the information we need.¡± Isaac told him. ¡°Get your forces ready to move at a moment¡¯s notice and I¡¯ll contact you once we have the information.¡± Isaac instructed him before consulting the list again. ¡°The homelessness is out of hand¡­ how do you plan on dealing with that? The charities aren¡¯t getting their necessary funding because of the rampant corruption you let Topaz infuse into your command structure. Speaking of, Magistrate!¡± Isaac called out and locked eyes with the now startled larger man who was about finished making sure that Fernando wasn¡¯t going to die from being too weak.


    ¡°Yes, Lord Wexler?¡± The Magistrate questioned with a nod.


    ¡°What happened to magistrates being a beacon of righteousness and authority?¡± Isaac questioned him. ¡°If all of the corrupt guards have not been tried and convicted by the time we leave, I will inform his Majesty of your incredible lack of competence when we arrive in the capital.¡±


    The magistrate, who Isaac had never bothered to learn the name of, swallowed hard. ¡°As you say, Lord Wexler, I will complete the task posthaste.¡± He assured Isaac.


    Isaac nodded once. ¡°Good.¡± He spoke and then turned back to Arthur. ¡°That is all, for now. Once we are done with Topaz, we will contact you. I expect you and your men to be ready to move.¡± Isaac told the duke. ¡°It would be best if all of the corruption was gone by then.¡± He said while rising to his feet. ¡°We will show ourselves out.¡±


    Arthur nodded slowly at them. ¡°I will do my best.¡± He said and rose to his feet. ¡°I will be honest, I do not know yet whether I should thank or curse you.¡±


    ¡°Probably both.¡± Lenna replied with a shrug.


    ¡°Thank us.¡± Isaac stated. ¡°If it were up to me, we would have just told Sera about this and gone on with our honeymoon instead of stopping to fix your problems.¡±

 Chapter 40 That Wasn’t So Hard.

    Chapter 40 That Wasn¡¯t So Hard.


    Topaz¡¯s eyes slowly fluttered open. Her entire body ached and the world was spinning from blood loss. Her bleary eyes scanned the dimly lit room as her mind tried to piece back together what had happened to her. There was a simple bed that was big enough for two, a small desk with a chair, and a wardrobe. ¡®An inn.¡¯ She thought to herself. ¡®The one across from the Guild, I think, it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been in that one.¡¯ She blinked a few times at an odd looking armor stand that was dressed in a nice but practical suit, like something a waiter from a high end restaurant in the capital would wear.


    Something about the armor stand¡¯s eye holes were giving her the chills. It took Topaz a moment to get her eyes to truly focus on them but the small orbs of black flames that seemed to perpetually burn downwards caused her to physically shiver. ¡°Creepy.¡± She whispered and tried to move. Her hands and feet were tied but other than that she was free. She ran her tongue around inside her mouth to try and moisten it with little success. It took her a moment to force enough saliva into her mouth for her to be able to adequately wet her lips. She took in a deep breath and focused some of what little mana she had regenerated into her throat, tongue, lips, and the air moving through them. She focused on the image of a small slice of compressed air resonating with the sound she was about to make, how it would arch around her and into her bindings behind her back where her hands were tied, and readied herself.


    Topaz let out a short, sharp, and high pitched whistle but was left dumbfounded as the spell was crushed before it had even fully formed. ¡°Huh?¡± She questioned aloud and struggled to force herself into a sitting position so she could look around better. Behind her was nothing but a wall and everything else in the room seemed dormant and non-magical. She took another deep breath and focused on feeling the mana in the world around her and where it was going. Her gaze slowly moved back towards the odd mannequin in the suit. ¡°You?¡± She asked what she thought was an inanimate object.


    ¡°Yes.¡± A young but mature voice, probably from a man in his late teens or early twenties, replied. The voice was a tad higher than average but not high enough to be of any special note. It did mean that it was probably coming from someone that was not built like her brother though, so that was probably a good thing. Also, the fact that it was only similar, but not exactly the same, to the double platinum level adventurer that she hit with everything she had was probably a good thing as well.


    Now that she thought about it, she was surprised to be alive. If she had actually succeeded in killing the man known as the Lord of Darkness then there was no way that his mate would have let her live. That meant that she was definitely his and his mate¡¯s prisoner. ¡®I need to get out of here before they return.¡¯ She thought to herself. ¡°Where are you?¡± She asked the voice. ¡°Who are you? I am Topaz.¡±


    ¡°Standing in front of you. I am Shamesh, retainer to the Lord of all that is Dark and servant of the V¡¯Nova Wexler household.¡± The mannequin spoke while taking a step forwards and bowing like a butler greeting a guest.


    Topaz¡¯s shriek could be heard from the hallway through the ¡®sound proofed¡¯ room. Pure fright and terror at seeing a lich for the first time, while bound and locked in a room with it, overwhelmed every other facet of her mind, and for a moment, she could do nothing but scream. ¡°W-wait, don¡¯t eat me!¡± She pleaded. ¡°Ah! Y-yes, I can get you souls, lots of souls, liches need souls, right?¡± Her voice cracked on the final word even as mana swirled inside of her. She skipped the incantation and focused on appearing four feet below herself. That would put her solidly inside the room directly under them and hopefully in front of someone who could untie her. Even if there wasn¡¯t anyone there, she should at least have enough time to free herself and cast another teleportation spell. Her mana reserves were low but not empty. She would be able to do that much. If she could find a guard then at least an alarm would sound and she would be able to slip away in the ensuing chaos. Her mana surged and then¡­ nothing. Her mana was gone as her spell was once again smothered and blasted apart by another unseen and unheard counter.


    ¡°I am afraid that you are not permitted to leave, Madam Topaz.¡± Shamesh spoke with an apologetically deep nod. ¡°I am-¡± He continued only to be cut off by another escape attempt as Topaz tried to chain teleportation spells together. ¡°under orders to keep you-¡± He silently countered her once more. Every time he did so, he was forced to focus on that instead of speaking so his voice cut off momentarily. ¡°here and preferably-¡± Topaz wobbled from side to side as she bottomed out her mana pool again. ¡°alive.¡± Shamesh finished as Topaz toppled onto her side, unconscious, again. ¡°She could have at least stayed conscious for a conversation.¡± Shamesh spoke aloud to himself. He stepped backwards half a step to return to his previous position. If he could have sighed, he would have, but instead, all he could do was accept the current circumstance. ¡°Well, it cannot be helped.¡±


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    ¡ª


    Isaac and Lenna walked into their room, in the inn they were staying at, to see Topaz sitting against the wall and Shamesh glaring at her from half a dozen feet away. An empty cup of what was probably water was clutched in Shamesh¡¯s hand. Upon hearing Isaac and Lenna enter, Shamesh turned to them and bowed deeply. ¡°Wel-¡± He began but instantly cut himself off as Topaz looked like she was hit with a sudden bout of drowsiness. ¡°Welcome back, my Lord, my Lady.¡± He finished and then straightened. ¡°How was your outing?¡±


    ¡°Annoying.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°How was the prisoner?¡±


    ¡°Our guest has been uncooperative at best and malicious at worst.¡± Shamesh replied. ¡°The most recent incident was an attempt to freeze me using a mouthful of water as the catalyst for a Cone of Ice spell.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Isaac replied. Lenna had closed the door behind them and the pair were now staring down at Topaz who looked like she was struggling to stay awake. ¡°Topaz, I need information. Give it to me and I won¡¯t start torturing you.¡± Isaac told her which got a half focused glare as she tried to blink away the drowsiness to little effect. She was slowly regaining her bearings as mana continued to trickle into her but it would take another minute or two. Unlike Isaac, she couldn¡¯t recover from bottoming out her mana pool in a matter of seconds. ¡°I¡¯ll admit, I¡¯m pretty bad at it, so I¡¯ll just skip straight to taking off your fingers. That has worked in the past so I never bothered to learn any actual torture techniques.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you.¡± Topaz replied almost drunkenly.


    ¡°Lenna does tha- ow.¡± Isaac¡¯s comment was cut off by a solid elbow to the bicep from the woman in question. ¡°Not helping.¡± He told her.


    ¡°Neither was your comment.¡± Lenna retorted calmly. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with. I dislike torture but I doubt she¡¯ll cooperate.¡±


    Isaac nodded and walked over to stand in front of Topaz. ¡°Hold.¡± He ordered her shadow and knelt down. She tried to spit in his face but the shadow he cast on the ground in front of her reached up and blocked it. ¡°Rude way to start.¡± Isaac commented. ¡°Arthur said that you were originally a double agent. He also said that you¡¯ve been playing him. I want all of the information you have actually acquired so we can complete your original mission. You are going to give it to me and I am going to make sure it is correct while you stay here with Shamesh, who really doesn¡¯t seem to like you by the way, while I do that.¡± Isaac told her and then glanced down at her bare feet that were blackened with a burn that would not heal naturally. ¡°If you are really cooperative, I might not kill you once we are done. You did try to kill me, so I am incredibly inclined to end you, but I think that some good ol¡¯ jolly cooperation could buy your survival, maybe even some healing.¡± Isaac offered her as he looked back up to meet her actively clearing gaze.


    Topaz searched Isaac¡¯s eyes for a long moment and saw not a shred of empathy or hesitation. There was no false bravado or sadness either. No, he was telling the truth and she was entirely sure of that fact. There was no way that she was going to live through the situation she found herself in without being as helpful as physically possible, and maybe apologizing to the lich that had been lording over her. Topaz swallowed hard. ¡°You swear not to kill me, if I am completely cooperative?¡± She asked Isaac.


    ¡°I swear that if you are completely cooperative I will not kill you.¡± Isaac replied simply with a nod.


    ¡°And those two?¡± She questioned with a glance at Lenna and Shamesh.


    Isaac looked over his shoulder at Lenna. ¡°I will not kill her.¡± She spoke calmly. ¡°But if she is not one hundred percent cooperative, I will take out some of my anger, at our last engagement, on her face.¡±


    ¡°Fair.¡± Isaac agreed and then turned to look at Shamesh.


    ¡°No harm was done, even if she was incredibly rude, I will defer to your judgment as always, my Lord.¡± Shamesh replied with a slight bow.


    ¡°There you have it.¡± Isaac spoke as he turned back to Topaz. ¡°Deal?¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡± Topaz said and took a deep breath to begin. ¡°The building you were checking out before we met, inside, in the back left, there is¡­¡± On and on Topaz went as she spilled everything she knew about the underground operation, the people involved, the people adjacent to the people involved, the corrupt guards and bureaucrats she had on her payroll, and how they were getting elicit goods through customs on the docks. She told them where the underground bank was and how to access it. Topaz even went as far as drawing them a map of the entire complex, a pretty poorly done map, but a map nonetheless.


    ¡°Now, that wasn¡¯t so hard.¡± Isaac told her with a pat on the shoulder. ¡°Shamesh, we will once again be leaving her in your care.¡±


    ¡°As you say.¡± Shamesh replied with a bow.


    ¡°Ah, before you leave.¡± Topaz said with a slightly raised hand, her hands had been unbound to allow her to draw the map and there hadn¡¯t really been a reason to retie them. Isaac and Lenna turned to look at her with raised eyebrows. ¡°How do I go about using the ladies room?¡±


    ¡°Untie your ankles and go. Shamesh will accompany you, while invisible.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°It-¡± Topaz began.


    ¡°He.¡± Isaac corrected her.


    ¡°Even worse.¡± She spoke under her breath. ¡°He, will be in the room with me?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Isaac replied like she had just asked him if the sun was bright. ¡°You are still a prisoner. At least until this is all over. After that, well, that¡¯s up to Arthur.¡± He replied and walked out.


    Lenna just shook her head at Topaz. ¡°You had better hope he still has a soft spot for you.¡± Lenna told the woman as she followed Isaac out.


    It was time to let Arthur know everything they had learned and get ready to raid another criminal organization for all of their members and everything they were worth. ¡®Hopefully none of the duke¡¯s men cause any problems.¡¯ Isaac thought to himself. ¡®Who am I kidding? That¡¯s exactly what is going to happen.¡¯

 Chapter 41 Try To Run.

    Chapter 41 Try To Run.


    Sir George Pane was a man who had seen it all, or at least he thought that he had. It was a cold night for Sapphirestone but he didn¡¯t even feel the chill. No, something else was giving him the chills. ¡°Magistrate, everyone on the list is¡­ accounted for, how should we proceed?¡± A young and very shaken guardsman asked him as he stared up at the moon. It only had the slightest sliver of light and he clung to it as he looked down and met the young guardsman¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Guardsman Aguila, we should proceed as law dictates.¡± Sir George replied calmly. ¡°Line them up and I will question them, judge them, and then carry out their damnation.¡± He spoke calmly but with a tightness in his chest that simply would not go away. Some of the men and women on the list that Lord Wexler and Lady V¡¯Nova had delivered to him were people that he had known for years.


    The young guardsman nodded to his magistrate before he spoke: ¡°As you say, sir.¡± He then turned around and joined the rest of the guards, who were not on Topaz¡¯s list, in wrangling the rotten fish that had settled into the school of guardsmen that had protected Sapphirestone for four centuries.


    George slowly made his way into the courtyard of the Guard Complex. He walked through the large double doors into the open space that was flanked by two barracks and a main building across from him. As he stared at the almost five dozen men and women lined up on their knees in front of him, he remembered what his predecessor had told him before he had taken the position: ¡®The guardsmen (of Sapphirestone) are the navy academy¡¯s rejects and the locals¡¯ third and fourth sons. Their futures were bleak, otherwise they wouldn¡¯t have sold their bodies to the Guard. Always remember that.¡¯ George had forgotten and now everyone was paying the price for it. Too many guardsmen were only there because they had nowhere else to go and Topaz had taken advantage of that. The worst part for George was that usually he would be exempt from such a morbid duty, but the man who should have been doing it was stretched out and tied up across the duke¡¯s unbreakable coffee table. ¡°Damn you, Fernando.¡± George whispered under his breath.


    ¡°What was that, sir?¡± Guardsman Aguila asked him with large eyes that seemed to be searching for anything to latch onto. The poor young guard¡¯s mentor was among the ones tied up in front of them.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± George replied. ¡°By my oath no lies will be spoken.¡± He chanted with every ounce of resolve in his body. He was going to need it. Four men were already dead and another three had just been brought back from the brink. Of those, only three of them were on the list, two dead and one strapped to a stretcher on the side of the courtyard.


    As the magistrate walked over to the end of the lineup, he looked down at a familiar face. ¡°Sir George, please, we¡¯ve known each other for what, seven years now? You know me. Why am I here?¡± The middle-aged man pleaded with him.


    ¡°Have you taken money from the criminal boss known as ¡®Topaz¡¯ or any of her associates?¡± George asked the man simply and without any hesitation. Hesitation was not something he could allow himself to have.


    ¡°What? Why would I do that? How dare you accuse me of something like that?! I¡¯ve been in the Guard for seven years!¡± The former guardsman went on.


    ¡°Answer the question or I will take it as an admission of guilt.¡± George spoke loudly and sternly enough that it was clear that there would be no arguing with him.


    After a long moment of silence, right when George was about to declare him guilty, the guardsman spoke up: ¡°Just a ffphff¡­ just a¡­ yes. Yes! Fine! I took sssss- ah damn it all! I took bribe money! But so did half the Guard!¡± The guardsman yelled furiously as his will slammed against the enforced truth of George¡¯s spell. He was angry at the truth spell. He was angry at having been sold out. But more than anything, he was angry at himself from not upholding his own pledges of honor and duty.


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    ¡°Roberto Garza, I pronounce you guilty, of no less than five accounts of corruption under his Majesty''s law, code twenty three, section seventeen.¡± George declared in a voice that felt like the hammer of the gods themselves to all of those present. There was no magic involved but the power and conviction was palpable with George¡¯s aura hanging heavily in the air. ¡°Under code twenty four, section four, ¡®if a soldier, or guardsman, has been convicted of an offence that would necessitate more years of hard labor than they have remaining and available to pledge to his majesty¡¯s service, they are to be executed.¡¯¡±


    ¡°No-no, no, no you can¡¯t do this to me! George!¡± The convicted guardsman called out but Sir George simply drew his sword, the sword given to him by the king on the day he officially became a magistrate.


    ¡°Pray.¡± George told the former guard in front of him. ¡°Pray to Halya so that she may save your soul from eternal torment. This is the last mercy that I can give you, Roberto.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you!¡± Roberto spat.


    George sighed. ¡°In his Majesty¡¯s name, cease to be.¡± He spoke calmly and sliced with all the speed and power he could through the man¡¯s head. George had been aiming for his neck but Roberto had tried to duck under it at the last moment, with no success. As the top half Roberto¡¯s head hit the ground, and his body tumbled to the side, nearly half of the prisoners tried to get up and run. ¡°Cut down any runners!¡± George ordered over the chaos. ¡°If you show mercy, I will hold your trial as well!¡± With that order his aura blazed and his armor and sword began to glow white with his divinely backed oath. An oath that he would not break, especially for those that would sell out their city and its safety to criminals.


    An hour after the first head rolled, forty three former guardsmen were dead, one current guardsman had died, and eleven more were convicted to somewhere between ten and forty years of hard labor. The courtyard was covered in blood. Nearly half of the active guardsmen were sent into the mess hall as they were no longer serviceable due to either mental or physical trauma, or both.


    ¡°Merlo!¡± George yelled out to one of the older guards who was still at least able to function.


    ¡°Yes, sir?¡± Guardsman Merlo replied.


    ¡°Get a barrel of lamp oil. I want nothing but ash in this courtyard by dawn.¡± George ordered him. ¡°Paz!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir?¡± Guardsman Paz spoke even though she looked like she was about to lose her dinner.


    ¡°Find four more guardsmen and get all of the still living prisoners to the brig.¡± He ordered her.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Both Paz and Merlo replied to Sir George¡¯s orders as he took a deep breath through his mouth. He had done it so he wouldn¡¯t take a deep inhale of blood but instead the taste of iron hung on his tongue.


    ¡°Gods, this has to be the worst night of my life.¡± George whispered to himself under his breath.


    ¡°Rough night.¡± A voice came from behind him. George couldn¡¯t even muster the energy to flinch from the voice that he would never forget.


    A few of the guardsmen stopped to stare at the figure that had just materialized behind the magistrate. George waved them off. ¡°Carry on!¡± He ordered the still loyal and active men and women that were left in the Sapphirestone Guard. George turned around casually to face Isaac. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied with a soul-deep sigh. ¡°How are things on your end?¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Bureaucrats are not known for their strength.¡± He explained. ¡°All thirteen people on the list are alive and secure. Some of them are more roughed up than others but that¡¯s their fault not mine, they¡¯ll all live. Well, they¡¯ll all live until their trial, apparently.¡±


    George nodded. ¡°Yes, thank you, Lord Wexler, for your assistance. We needed every loyal guardsman we had left here.¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Arthur promised to write up a bounty contract and sign it off as completed if we could round them all up by morning.¡± Isaac explained to the magistrate. ¡°Lenna is currently glaring at them so they won¡¯t make a move, but I would like someone to relieve her of that duty. My wife and I have other things to do before the sun rises.¡±


    George nodded again in understanding. ¡°Are they bound in any way?¡± He questioned Isaac.


    Isaac tilted his hand back and forth in a so-so gesture. ¡°Not in a way that¡¯ll stick once Lenna and I get to work on our other task.¡± He replied.


    ¡°I will get thirteen sets of shackles and a few¡­¡± George¡¯s voice trailed off as he looked at the remaining guardsmen to choose from. ¡°I¡¯ll get at least two more men and go relieve Lady V¡¯Nova of her duty. Where are they being held?¡±


    ¡°The courthouse.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I found it strange that you even have a courthouse. Safeharbor doesn¡¯t. It¡¯s just a large room attached to the garrison¡¯s main building.¡±


    ¡°For Safeharbor, criminals are more likely to be turncoats and thus considered ¡®threats to the kingdom¡¯ which puts them under the garrison¡¯s purview. For most cities, criminals are always under the Guard¡¯s purview and thus a dedicated courthouse is necessary.¡± George explained.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Learn something new everyday.¡± He commented to himself. ¡°Thank you, Magistrate, I will await your arrival at the courthouse.¡± Isaac finished and vanished without a trace.


    George sighed. His legs felt like they were encased in stone but he still had work to do. ¡°Kimson! Marik! Come with me! There are more. Hopefully these won¡¯t try to run.¡±

 Chapter 42 Move Out.

    Chapter 42 Move Out.


    ¡°Ready?¡± Isaac asked Lenna while they looked down on a rundown pub, that was going to be their entrance to the underground of Sapphirestone, from a nearby rooftop. ¡°Most of the combat is going to be on you, I won¡¯t have any mana to spare.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I am much stronger and much better equipped than I was when we first met.¡± She joked and stepped off the rooftop. Fifteen feet to the ground was a lot for normal people, and even for many other adventurers, but Lenna took the fall as if it had only been from a fifth the height. Her bent knees and aura enhanced strength were enough. ¡°I¡¯ll get started.¡± She told him while drawing her sword. Lenna stalked towards the building like a forest fire towards a cabin in the woods. Her aura blazed and scattered shadows all around her as each of her heavy footfalls sounded like the clocktower¡¯s midnight bells. With two strong but casual strikes she obliterated the batwing doors that bared her path. She had barely set one foot inside when the first object came flying at her and the yelling began. Not everyone inside was a combatant but those that were quickly rallied to try and defeat the force of nature that burst through their door.


    While Lenna was starting the party, Isaac was preparing the backup dancers. Seven silhouettes arrayed themselves behind him. ¡°Animate.¡± Isaac ordered his seven phantasmal shadows. ¡°Kill anyone who attacks either me or Lenna.¡± He instructed and then launched himself off the roof towards the building Lenna had just entered. His shadows raced down the wall of the building he had just leapt from and chased after him along the ground. Isaac made it the entire way to the obliterated door before touching the ground, courtesy of Shamesh, and casually walked inside. The reason Shamesh was able to come along was because Isaac had ¡®liberated¡¯ a full set of anti-magic bindings from the Guardsman compound and left Topaz in Arthur¡¯s ducal guards¡¯ very capable hands. Her fate after that was unknown but Shamesh was a necessary part of Isaac and Lenna¡¯s team. He covered something that neither of them could, proper spellcraft.


    Lenna ignored a chair that was bashed across her back entirely as she cut down a brawler that tried to tackle her. She heard a man scream in agony and looked to her side to see the one that had hit her with the chair. The man had a hole through his shirtless chest right where his heart and core should have been. As he dropped to the ground she saw a copy of Isaac, that was entirely made of shadows, reforming its right arm behind him.


    Lenna felt an attack coming and turned around to face it. It was a thrown dagger that she easily batted away with her offhand. Before she could even retaliate, a shadow seemed to rise up in front of the man and reach into his chest. Isaac¡¯s animated shadow passed through the man¡¯s shirt and armor with little difficulty. Upon contacting the man¡¯s skin, the shadows turned to death flames and melted their way through the man¡¯s chest. The shadow only got halfway through the man¡¯s chest before its entire arm was gone and it had become entirely translucent. With the man¡¯s dying breath he tried to slam two daggers into the shadow that had killed him. Surprise overtook his features as they passed through the magical construct with little resistance. That little resistance didn¡¯t mean that the attacks were not effective, it was just that there was so little of the shadow left that it was dispelled from his arms waving through it. The man collapsed as his murderer finished breaking apart into nothingness.


    Lenna¡¯s aura slammed down, on all of those not allied with her, with ruthless domination. Fear and terror overtook everyone that she locked eyes with as the entire pub went silent. ¡°Shamesh.¡± Lenna spoke.


    Shamesh appeared out of thin air just behind her with a slight bow. ¡°Yes, my Lady?¡± He replied. ¡°How may I be of assistance?¡±


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    ¡°Take all of them prisoner, I doubt most of them deserve to die.¡± Lenna told him.


    Before Shamesh could reply, Isaac did: ¡°Wait.¡± Isaac said calmly but with enough power and authority that even the shadows in the room seemed to freeze in place. He gestured next to himself and another copy made of shadows rose out of the darkness cast by the lamp light of the pub. ¡°Animate.¡± He ordered it and it turned to face him just like all of the others. ¡°My shadows,¡± He began as his eyes panned the room. ¡°if any of them try to leave this room, end them.¡± He commanded and then turned back to Lenna and Shamesh. ¡°Let us continue. These weaklings aren¡¯t worth Shamesh¡¯s time.¡±


    Lenna nodded to him. ¡°Agreed.¡± She stated and headed straight to the back corner of the room where the secret entrance was hidden behind the bar. Shamesh vanished again as Isaac sauntered after her in total silence, not even the splintered wood that he stepped on made a sound. ¡°Here it is.¡± Lenna said and stopped right over the trapdoor.


    ¡°Just break it down.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°No need to get those on the other side to open it for us.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna spoke and stomped down with enough force to shatter the floor-like trapdoor. Wood splintered, cracked, and shattered under her boot but there was still too much of the door in the way. ¡°Tsk. Shamesh, remove the entire door.¡±


    Shamesh didn¡¯t bother appearing as the door was utterly obliterated by enough phantasmal force to crumple a suit of armor and the man inside it. A man just like that was right on the other side of the door. He was wearing a full set of armor, brandishing a medium sized round shield and short sword, despite being on a set of stairs indoors. The protection was beyond overkill for nearly any threat that could have come his way. Nearly being the operative word. ¡°I won¡¯t let you pass. Go back to where you came from!¡± The fully armored sentinel ordered them.


    Lenna shifted her sword into a familiar grip and launched her blade at the man with the same amount of force that she had used against Chatohsha. Lenna¡¯s blazing blade punched straight through the man¡¯s shield, armored hand, and breastplate alike, before it embedded itself in his chest and threw him down the stairs. The man was dead before he even hit the ground as his heart was cleaved perfectly in two by the sword that now pinned his shield to his chest. ¡°A man¡¯s resolve to face down an unbeatable foe should be commended.¡± Lenna spoke as she stalked down the now clear steps to retrieve her sword and continue. ¡°If only you had chosen to join the Guard instead of this hive of roaches.¡± She lamented aloud as she planted her boot on his shield and withdrew her sword from his lifeless form.


    The entire underground complex was made of brick and mortar. The reason for that was that while it was being built, its creation needed to be kept a secret from those in power. Now, the underground complex was a sort of open secret. All of the exits that Topaz knew about were actively being blocked off by the Royal Marines under the direct order of Duke Arthur Von Sasston. There weren¡¯t that many stationed aboard the eight warships in port but there were enough to block off the other eight entrances while Isaac and Lenna took the ninth.


    After continuing down the hallway, that began at the bottom of the steps, the trio stopped as the space opened up to reveal a trio of passages. ¡°Shamesh, go straight to the treasury. Follow Topaz¡¯s instructions to get it open without triggering any of the defensive arrays. I¡¯ll leave the level of force you apply to those present up to you.¡± Isaac instructed his retainer. ¡°Lenna, head straight to where the slaves are kept and do what you do best.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡± Lenna wondered.


    ¡°Become a beacon of hope and fear in equal measure. Some of those people might need healing.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the lounge and hopefully remove all of the hydra¡¯s heads at the same time. We don¡¯t want more popping up to take their place.¡±


    Lenna nodded in agreement. ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be anything or anyone strong enough to trouble either of you, but if there is, regroup and we¡¯ll handle it together. If either of you lose connection with the other, let me know.¡± She told the other two.


    ¡°If I lose connection with anything, all hells will break loose. If Shamesh loses connection with me, he¡¯ll go inert, remember?¡± Isaac reminded her.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Right.¡± She spoke, she had completely forgotten that Shamesh actually needed a constant input of mana from Isaac in order to function. It was less the mana itself and more the connection to Isaac¡¯s soul, his core, and his shadow that really mattered. Isaac squeezed her hand and left shadows clinging to it. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Of course, now move out.¡± Isaac replied and the three split up to take all three paths that stood before them. It was time to split the party.

 Chapter 43 I Need No Shield.

    Chapter 43 I Need No Shield.


    Shamesh flew through the underground complex at the speed of a professional sprinter. He had memorized the map easily enough and followed it faithfully until he came across a gated off section. There was another fully armored individual guarding an iron security door set into the large grate-like wall that blocked his progress. Following his instructions, Shamesh flew feet first into the guard¡¯s head. Shamesh didn¡¯t weigh a lot, but he hit the person in their closed helmet so hard and so quickly, that their helmet sounded like a gong as it slammed against the iron bars. The guard was unconscious instantly from the impact as Shamesh lowered himself to the ground. His Shroud spell had shattered upon contact with another person but that was fine, there was no one else around to notice him. He cancelled his flight spell as well while he yanked the keyring from the guard¡¯s belt.


    Finding the skeleton key that didn¡¯t look like it had any enchantment marking on it, but was practically vibrating with them internally, Shamesh unlocked the door and walked through. Once on the other side, Shamesh closed it behind him. If he hadn¡¯t, then after ten seconds, the entire area would go into lockdown. Lockdown was a series of reality walls and reinforcements that would be applied to everything around him. The protection would not be complete, because there were dozens of wards that would counter any magic cast in order to prevent escape via teleportation or disintegration of the barriers. Unfortunately, the wards meant that Shamesh couldn¡¯t speak but he would make do.


    Shamesh approached the next gate and unlocked it with the iron key that was covered in silver enchantments, but when he unlocked it, he turned the key entirely around once, and then back halfway, so the teeth of the key were facing upwards. He then pulled the key back out through the illusory top of the lock and pulled the door open. On the other side of the door he was met with a small waiting area and a clerks counter with two people behind it. He walked inside and closed the door behind himself. He had the keyring clutched behind his back as he slowly walked up to the counter like he belonged there. The two people behind the counter were chatting with each other and hardly noticed the entering customer as they joked around.


    Right as the pair moved to look up at him, Shamesh vaulted over their desk and grabbed both of them by the face at the same time. With all the physical might of his Isaac and mana granted form, Shamesh slammed the back of the clerks¡¯ heads into the wall behind them. Both were out instantly with heavy brain trauma and potentially skull fractures.


    Shamesh grabbed a key from under one of the now toppled stools, that the pair were using, and grabbed the other clerk¡¯s wrist and began dragging them to the next security door. He wrapped the unconscious clerk¡¯s hand around the handle and used the key. This one was disguised as a regular skeleton key but actually needed to be pushed entirely into the lock to disengage it. As long as the key remained in the lock, the room wouldn¡¯t go into lockdown.


    The unconscious clerk¡¯s hand was a necessary part of the security system but, once the door was unlocked, the clerk was no longer needed. Shamesh dropped the unconscious person and stepped over them as he pulled open the security door and walked inside. Once through the security door, Shamesh was met with a short walkway and then the vault door. He strode over to the massive steel vault door and placed his hand on the dial. Twice around to the right, stop on eight, once around to the left, stop on twenty eight, twice around to right and then stop on five. The large mechanical lock disengaged with a loud clunk. With both hands on the handle of the vault door, Shamesh heaved open the last obstacle separating him from his objective.


    ¡ª


    Lenna ran down two flights of stairs. Whenever she saw someone that did not instantly look like the scum of Primatia, she would shoulder slam them into a wall. Most survived, most, but none of them would be causing much of a problem for a little while. Those that did were left in two or more sizzling chunks. Eventually she found a solid steel door with a window of steel bars. Unfortunately, it opened towards her so she couldn¡¯t just shoulder bash that down as well.


    Lenna brandished her sword and in three cuts, one vertical and the other two diagonal from the door handle to the opposing top and bottom corners, she relieved the door of its integrity. Lenna kicked the triangle cutout section in the middle of the door with everything she had and it flew into the room eliciting a scream of fright and agony. Lenna ducked through the opening and cut down a person to her right who had immediately swung at her with an ax. Her blade went through the haft of his two handed ax and half of his chest without slowing. It did, however, abruptly stop in the middle of the man¡¯s heart as Lenna turned to regard him.


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    ¡°More scum.¡± Lenna grumbled as the life fled from the man¡¯s eyes and he dropped to his knees. Lenna stalked over to the woman that was now pinned under the triangle cutout from the door. Next to her, on the floor, was a bullwhip that was still slick with blood. ¡°Occupation?¡± Lenna questioned the woman who just stared up at her blazing form with pure terror.


    ¡°Torturer!¡± Someone yelled from the next room over.


    ¡°Quiet!¡± A commanding voice silenced them with a loud rap on steel bars.


    ¡°Good enough for me.¡± Lenna spoke and relieved the supposed torturer of her head before she turned to regard the commanding voice and its owner. Lenna was met by a man who was wider than a doorway and just as tall. He had a large beard but no other hair on his head. ¡°A dwarven goliath, never thought I¡¯d see the day.¡± Lenna commented as the man had to turn himself sideways to fit through the door and into the relatively small room that separated the cells from the rest of the underground complex.


    ¡°You won¡¯t see the next.¡± He replied and raised his fist. The man wore gauntlets that were reinforced with strips of adamantine that mirrored the skeleton of the man¡¯s hands underneath. Other than the adamantine reinforced gauntlets, the man wore a set of enchanted chainmail, probably because nothing else would ever be able to fit him.


    Lenna looked up at the man a full foot taller than her and at least three times her weight, while she was in her armor. ¡°Is that adamantine enchanted?¡± Lenna wondered while she settled into a fighting stance.


    ¡°Is yours?¡± The mountain of a man replied and lowered his stance so it¡¯d be easier to punch his shorter opponent.


    Lenna launched herself at him with a diagonal upwards cut backed with all of her aura and magically enhanced strength. While she did so she began chanting a spell. ¡°The darkest-¡± Was all Lenna could get out before their first clash. A dull clank of metal on metal resounded as adamantine met adamantine. The back of a massive gauntlet took Lenna¡¯s blow head on. A fist the size of Lenna¡¯s head shot towards her face with far more speed than she was expecting. Lenna tilted her head and shifted her weight at the last second causing the fist to scrape against the side of helmet. ¡°depths of-¡± She continued as she shifted into a lower stance and brought her sword into a high guard that aligned its blade with her opponent¡¯s middle. Meaty claws scraped against the side of her helmet again as she just barely managed to get out of the way of the man¡¯s open hand. It was instantly clear that he had planned on grabbing the back of Lenna¡¯s head while retracting his extended arm.


    ¡°ERRAAA!¡± The strongest man Lenna had ever seen bellowed as he made his next attack. The man¡¯s left arm, the one that had been used to block Lenna¡¯s first attack, shot up in an uppercut capable of tearing a man in half. Lenna shifted and tilted the tip of her sword downwards while stepping back into a different fighting stance. Her opponent¡¯s fist skipped off the top of her sword and caught nothing but air.


    ¡°my rage-¡± Lenna continued. She was about to try and counter attack, but before she could, the man¡¯s left fist went from a missed uppercut into a hammer strike that slammed down on the top of her sword driving its tip into the brick floor.


    The man launched himself at Lenna at a speed that no one that large should¡¯ve been able to move. She stepped back again into her regular fighting stance while bringing her sword back up into a high guard. Her blade was once again aligned with her opponent¡¯s middle but this time her foot was solidly against the back wall. ¡°are both-¡± She refused to stop casting her spell. She wished that the chant wasn¡¯t so damned long, especially because there was a decent chance that she was about to take a hit.


    Lenna¡¯s sword blazed even brighter as her opponent tried to knock it aside. An obscene amount of heat was transferred into the man¡¯s left gauntlet that had made contact with her weapon multiple times and the steel beneath the adamantine struts began to visibly glow. He dropped his shoulder right before impact so it would impact Lenna¡¯s face. Unfortunately for him, Lenna trained regularly with someone even faster and even stronger who also loved hand to hand combat.


    Lenna left herself open as she rotated out of the way of the incoming shoulder. Her left fist snuck up from his blind spot and drove into his hip with enough fire and physical power to drop a horse. Her opponent¡¯s shoulder impacted the wall half an inch in front of her own shoulder only because her breastplate had skipped off the battering ram that was aimed for her head. Her opponent had tripped from her impact to his hip which is why his shoulder had even been at her chest height. Lenna had just barely managed to get her legs out of the way before his tree trunks barreled through behind the rest of his body. The brick wall that had been hit cracked and crumbled under the massive amount of force the man carried with him. Throughout it all, Lenna hadn¡¯t stopped chanting her spell. ¡°sword and-¡± She continued as she drug her blade across his middle while dancing away.


    Lenna¡¯s sword abruptly stopped as a bellow of pain and fury rang out. She yanked on her sword but it wouldn¡¯t budge. Right before she could plant her feet to try again, it was yanked from her hand and catapulted into the far wall. ¡°armor,-¡± She continued despite the widening of her eyes in surprise. Her opponent shoved off of the wall and spun to face her. It was clear that he was favoring his right hip that she had hit, and his chainmail had been melted in a straight line across his middle, but he didn¡¯t even look winded. Lenna finished her chant as she raised her fists to square off against him: ¡°for I need no shield.¡±

 Chapter 44 I have a problem.

    Chapter 44 I have a problem.


    Isaac slowed to a casual but fast paced walk right before he rounded the corner. Just ahead was the location Topaz had referred to as ¡®The Lounge¡¯. It was a place of depravity that also doubled as the main meeting place for Topaz and others like her. According to Topaz, there were no less than four large criminal organizations with solid connections in Sapphirestone but only one of them in particular was the one that Isaac was after.


    The organization that Isaac was after went by the name ¡®Civil Servant Company¡¯. The CSC was known as the premiere mortal trafficking organization. Topaz had pointed out something strange about them to Isaac in a bid to get him to let her escape, or at least put in a good word for her with Arthur. According to Topaz, criminals avoided dragon and divine symbols and symbolism because they survived by staying out of sight of those such powers. The CSC emblem was a dragon. A royal purple dragon. That combination tickled something in the back of Isaac¡¯s mind but he hadn¡¯t voiced his concern. Just because the emblem was a dragon that was the color of a green dragon¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t mean that a soul and time magic wielding dragon was not-so-secretly in charge.


    Isaac strode around the corner with his hood up and head down. He walked purposefully towards the door like he was late for a meeting but trying not to show it. There were two guards on his side of the door. The door itself was closed and made of solid steel in order to give those inside some added protection in the event of a raid. ¡°Hey, slow down friend.¡± The first guard spoke while moving to cut Isaac off. The second guard stayed by his post at the door which left the two half a dozen feet apart. The distance was a bit further than Isaac would have liked so he mentally switched to his backup plan for dealing with them.


    As Isaac approached the first guard, the guard moved into the middle of the hallway to cut him off. Isaac sidestepped half a step to the right without slowing his forwards momentum to line up his soon-to-be double execution. His left hand snaked up and lashed out like a viper while his right hand flicked forwards towards the second guard. Three fingers from his left hand, whose tips were coated in death flames, punched straight through the first guard¡¯s windpipe and tapped his spine on the other side. Simultaneously, A throwing spike was launched at the second guard¡¯s face. Utilizing the momentum from the first throw, Isaac swung his right hand up to his shoulder where he grabbed another throwing spike out of his Inventory and launched a follow-up while returning his hand back to its original position at his side. While the second spike was being launched, Isaac¡¯s left hand extricated itself from the first guard¡¯s neck.


    One throwing spike impacted the second guard¡¯s faceplate as Isaac¡¯s hand pressed on the first guard¡¯s chest to push him out of the way. The second spike hit the second guard in the eye socket and the first guard began to fall. Just as the second guard was about to cry out in pain the shock to his brain hit before his adrenaline rush could or his scream could sound out. Both guards dropped like sacks of rocks. The first one clutched his throat for a moment before his spine gave out, and his spinal cord was pinched by a vertebra falling through where another one should have been. The second had his mouth hanging open as one eye rolled back while his brain¡¯s gears all seemed to strip from the massive amount of trauma it had just received. Both would soon be dead and that was good enough for Isaac so he continued on.


    Isaac walked through the steel door as if it wasn¡¯t there. He simply took a step and teleported three feet forwards to the other side of it. His sudden arrival wasn¡¯t even noticed by the collection of ¡®individuals¡¯ on the other side. What Isaac saw and smelled turned his stomach. There were beds and booths surrounding a large circular bar that was staffed by a small handful of people. Every kind of drug that was in circulation was being used by one person or another in the room of nearly fifty people. At a glance, Isaac could tell that only eleven of them were ¡®important¡¯. Three of them were specifically very high ranking in their respective organizations. Isaac didn¡¯t like how he could tell which ones were which.


    There were nearly two dozen men and women who were stripped of everything save for their chains. A dozen more who were wearing little to nothing but were obviously not slaves, that didn¡¯t mean they weren¡¯t being compelled with magic or drugs however. The nearly three dozen instances of ¡®entertainment¡¯ were not split evenly among the eleven ¡®important¡¯ individuals. The three that had stood out were surrounded by no less than half a dozen each.


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    The smells of sex, drugs, and alcohol were nearly overwhelming and a thick smoke hung in the air. There were glowing stones scattered throughout the room, but they were all set inside paper lanterns to keep the room as dim as possible, while still allowing those inside to see. It only took Isaac a moment to decide to kill all but one of the leaders and all of the bar staff while sparing those that had been ¡®entertaining¡¯ them. The only leader he would leave alive was the one from the CSC because they were going to have a very intimate conversation once he sobered up.


    Isaac pulled his old steel sword out of his Inventory. He wasn¡¯t sure why but the gleaming cross shape of the weapon just felt right at that moment. He kept it tucked inside his cloak as he walked up to the bar. With one motion he vaulted over it and slashed through the first bartender¡¯s neck. By the time Isaac was done, and the screaming stopped, there were exactly thirty seven people still alive in the room.


    ¡ª


    Shamesh heaved open the vault door and stood face to face with two hundred and sixty safety deposit boxes. Half of the boxes were locked with dial locks while the others were locked with simple skeleton key padlocks. He took one step inside and felt magic stir all around him. Shamesh¡¯s consciousness raced as he tried to find a way to protect himself from all of the unknown spells that were activating.


    The skeletal mage surrounded himself with a bubble of reality magic that had a hole just barely large enough to maintain his connection with his master. Nearly a dozen control type spells tried to take hold of him at the same time as a ward attempted to counter his Reality Bubble. Shamesh had expected the counter so he had cast it at the highest level possible which was far too powerful for the mid-level counter spell to negate. The control spells either washed harmlessly off of the Reality Bubble or tried to force their way in through the tiny hole that remained in it. The ones that tried to force their way through were weakened to a point that Shamesh could physically shrug them off which was a good thing because of what happened next.


    If Shamesh¡¯s eyes could have gone wide in shock, they would have, as four branches of reality destroying disintegration magic appeared simultaneously from each of the top four corners of the inside of the vault. All of them impacted his Reality Bubble at around the same time and took a chunk out of it causing the spell to burst apart like a soap bubble. Immediately after the bubble burst, a thick green cloud of smoke spontaneously formed in the air around him and inside the vault. A moment later and a burning white cloud formed after it in a tornado of scorching phosphoric fury.


    Shamesh dispelled the burning cloud of death with a Command: Negation with enough power behind it to counter a Meteor Storm. Again a ward tried to counter him only for it to be blown through by a massively superior force of mana. Next up was a summoning circle that began to glow in the middle of the floor. Concentric blood red lines that surrounded black letters that burned with torment and pain radiated a power that utterly disgusted Shamesh the entire way to his core. Once again, he shattered it with a dispel that was beyond the scope of the precast wards.


    Shamesh stood there in silence for a long moment as the poisonous cloud ran its course. Nothing else tried to kill him as he waited. He knew that he was running out of time because if any of those that he had knocked unconscious woke up, the entire section of the complex would go into lockdown, not just the vault. The reason the vault went into lockdown by itself was that there wasn¡¯t very much keeping someone from teleporting to just outside the vault directly if they knew where to go. Once there, if they could deal with all the safety systems, like Shamesh, security would need to be able to get to them to confront them directly.


    ¡®A chest for my treasures, a place for my pleasantries, a box for my curios, a capsule for my memories.¡¯ Shamesh chanted in his head. He couldn¡¯t speak the incantation aloud because the wards would just counter his attempt at speech. This did mean that he had to try a bit harder to cast it but that was fine, it only took him a bit longer. It took him nearly fifteen seconds to cast the spell in question as he fought through multiple attempts at countering it as more and more wards burned out, but eventually, he was successful. Shamesh stared at the amorphous swirl of colors and liquid fog that had coalesced in front of him. He nodded at the pastel gyre and turned to regard the surrounding lock boxes.


    If Shamesh could have sighed, he would have as he raised both his hands and burned through nearly half of his remaining mana casting Stars of Doom over and over again to burn through the rest of the dispelling wards. Eventually, he had a successful cast and three marbles of disintegration focused reality magic formed over each of his hands. Each one raced forwards and slammed into a different padlock. Shamesh walked over to the now unlocked boxes and pulled the first one open. Inside was a series of stacks of copper coins. The next one was full of silver coins and the one after that was electrum ones. The next two were gold and platinum and the final one was copper bars.


    Once he realized the pattern, Shamesh immediately got to work collecting only the most valuable of the loot. He took only the platinum coins and bars as well as any and all jewelry and precious stones he could find as he raced through the lock boxes. He was nearly done when he heard a person¡¯s voice from the way he had come from.


    ¡®In the words of my master: ¡®Shit.¡¯¡¯ Shamesh thought to himself as he felt two dozen more wards activate at the same time in the lobby of the underground bank. He was officially stuck and running low on mana. ¡®Master, I have a problem.¡¯ Shamesh sent to Isaac as he realized that he would not be able to get out alone, not in a reasonable amount of time anyway.

 Chapter 45 Coming To Me?

    Chapter 45 Coming To Me?


    Lenna eyed her opponent carefully. She noticed him favoring his right hip where she had hit him with a left hook capable of knocking out a pack animal. The fact that he was still able to put weight on it at all was a tribute to his obscene resilience. She noticed his right shoulder was not quite as tense as the rest of his body and she knew that there were only two reasons for it. The first reason was that he was resting it for a future assault of lighter and faster attacks. The second reason was that he had slightly injured it from the impact with the brick wall that was crumbling next to him. Lenna also noticed the blackened, hole filled, cut up, and torn up inside of his left gauntlet. The leather glove that the armor was mounted to was utterly destroyed and even the tips of the metal fingers were scorched black. All of that damage was just from the brief contact with her sword while he yanked it out of her hand and into the far wall.


    The mountain of a man eyed Lenna warily but without a hint of fear. He still thought that he had a decent chance at winning now that Lenna was disarmed. He was still quite wary of the Armor of Ire that she had cast on herself though. Her blazing aura covered hardened but translucent shadow armor, that covered burning flecks of embers, that then coated her legendary armor, made it clear that she was not going to go down easily or painlessly. The chant that she had used to summon it was also quite ominous. The chant for the spell specifically mentioned that her wrath was ¡®sword and armor¡¯. Because the shadowy armor showed no weapons, it was easy enough to extrapolate that the armor would still have some way to either augment her damage or hit back on its own.


    Lenna took a sliding step towards him as she tried to shift in closer to her melee engagement range. He had much more reach than her so there was no way that she would get the first attack off but she would prefer if she was as close to him as possible when she needed to make her counter attack. ¡°You¡¯re coming to me?¡± Her monstrous opponent questioned with a slight smirk.


    ¡°Can¡¯t knock your teeth out without getting closer.¡± Lenna shot back.


    ¡°Closer huh?¡± He asked with a raised hairless eyebrow and then shot towards her at speed only possible because of his incredible strength and solid footing.


    Lenna parried his left thrust that was aimed for her head with the back of her right hand. She ended up moving herself out of the way of the attack more than actually changing its direction. She had gotten a pretty good feel for his strength at that point and realized that she could match it if she used everything she had. Even then, she would still be utterly out classed in speed. The man moved at least as fast as Edward but hit twice as hard.


    A shadowy whip snapped out from Lenna¡¯s armor and cracked against the man¡¯s chest while his right hook came up towards Lenna¡¯s breastplate with enough force to throw her into the ceiling. Lenna leaned back away from the hook and brought her left arm in close to her chest to blunt the bow. His left fist, that had barely missed her face, opened as it was retracted. His right fist impacted her left arm and pushed her backwards. Lenna felt the bones in her left arm creek under the strain as her head suddenly stopped moving backwards. Her eyes went wide as a massive paw latched onto the back and side of her head.


    The monstrous man grinned as he pulled his right arm back again and started throwing punch after punch at Lenna¡¯s forcibly stationary head. Every time he came into contact with Lenna¡¯s armor another shadowy whip would snap out and hit his chest. The first two weren¡¯t noticeable, but as time went on, his chainmail would start to glow orange and then melt off of him. Lenna¡¯s arms shot up in a block that took blow after blow that her face otherwise would have. She was caught between an anvil and a blacksmith¡¯s hammer. His attacks were coming in so hard and fast and she was kept at such a distance from his body that there was no way for her to counter attack.


    Lenna¡¯s aura continued to get hotter and hotter as time went on. Every hit she took while pinned in place brought on a thicker and heavier amount of indignant fury. Some man, some mortal man, someone that she didn¡¯t even know the name of, some brainless fool had her entirely suppressed and it infuriated her. It didn¡¯t just infuriate her, it also infuriated her ancestors. For the first time in a long time, Lenna and her ancestors shared the same emotion at the same target. Her aura simmered and burned like a pressure cooker that wouldn¡¯t let any of the heat escape. As she heated up she started to smell burning flesh, and between the nearly endless rapid blows going at her face, she could see her opponent¡¯s snarling face. She knew that his left hand, that had her by the back of the head, was actively being cooked. She also noticed his clothes under his chainmail light on fire from the repetitive hits from her armor.


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    Lenna¡¯s right fist began burning even hotter than the rest of her as she poured mana into it and the arm it was connected to. She forcefully turned her torso back into a fight stance despite the vice grip that was locked onto the back of her head. She took his next attack solely with her left arm and cocked her right arm back to throw a punch. He saw it coming but had no idea what she was going to do, because there was no way that her shorter arms could reach his body, so he continued pounding on her. Lenna¡¯s right fist shot out with all of the power she could muster. Her aura, that blazed hotter than it ever had before, reinforced her natural and mana enhanced strength to a level she had only hit with Isaac¡¯s help. Her fist collided with his as she aimed not for the man but for the weapon that kept slamming into her. Lenna didn¡¯t realize it at the time but her eyes had been glowing so brightly that one of the onlooking prisoners could see two blazing orange pupils through her lenses. According to the prisoner, she was also growling like a territorial lioness right before their fists met.


    A wave of orange flames with black undertones bathed the man¡¯s arm the entire way up to his shoulder as he was stopped cold by Lenna¡¯s punch. Both fists were locked together as Lenna¡¯s smaller one had embedded itself half an inch into the adamantine reinforced fingers of her opponent. There was a moment of silence before he cried out in pain and dropped to a knee as his strength gave out.


    The skin of his left palm and the inside of his fingers sloughed off onto the ground as he pulled his hand away from Lenna¡¯s head. It was so thoroughly burned that nothing short of extensive healing magic would let his hand ever be usable again. There was a circle of melted chainmail rings around his core and his clothes there were still actively on fire. His right arm had broken in who knew how many places from the massive impact with an object that not only didn¡¯t move but also managed to push him back slightly. His fingers were shattered from his gauntlet caving in and on top of all of that, Lenna¡¯s punch had carried with it a desire to burn him alive. His entire right arm was burning. Not just the clothing but the chainmail and his skin as well were actively on fire as if they were logs in a hearth. His blood curdling screaming growl of agony washed and echoed through the tunnels.


    ¡°I was afraid you¡¯d dodge this, or catch and break one of my fingers.¡± Lenna commented as she took a step back from him. The words fell on deaf ears as he continued to burn alive with a fire that would not go out for who knew how long. Lenna stretched her right hand out palm up. ¡°Hellflame Strike.¡± She spoke and gestured towards the heavens. A ring of blazing orange and black opened up beneath him but was instantly drowned out by a geyser of black and orange flames reaching from the hells to the heavens with her target in between.


    By the time Lenna¡¯s spell was finished, there was barely anything left of the man that she had fought. All of his clothes and his chainmail were nothing but smoldering metal and ash. His blackened bones crumbled as the last remnants of damage of the black flames killed even the slightest amount of integrity that they had maintained through the fires. His flesh had been entirely turned to char and ash in a rather large pile in the middle of the floor. Nestled in two piles of still liquid steel there were strips of glowing hot adamantine waiting to be claimed.


    Lenna¡¯s next move elicited a gasp from one of those that managed to see her through the bars in the next room. She reached down and plucked each sliver, slice, and plate of adamantine out of the molten steel and gold and tossed them onto the floor a few feet away from her to cool down. At one point, she had to flick her wrist to get some still molten steel off of her gauntlet¡¯s fingers before it dried in place. Towards the end, she was forced to yank and pry some of the adamantine away as the steel was starting to solidify again but she managed to get all of it.


    Lenna straightened and walked over to her sword that was embedded halfway into the wall and easily yanked it out before she returned it to its scabbard. She had let her Armor of Ire fall and calmed down by then so she was only a torch in the night instead of a dark sun of calamity as she walked into the hallway that her opponent had come from. Lenna¡¯s gaze panned over the prisoners and slaves. Most wore little but few were truly exposed. She did notice two girls in particular that looked like they had the unfortunate displeasure of being the massive man¡¯s favorites. Another three, one woman and two men, were covered in cuts and gashes from a bullwhip but at least the rest seemed fine.


    ¡°A-are you here to save us?¡± A young man that couldn¡¯t have been older than Chris asked from beside her. His hands were clinging to the bars that separated them and there was hope twinkling in his large eyes, or maybe that was just the reflection of her aura.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± She told him and then looked towards the end of the hall. ¡°Get away from the bars! Help each other! No one left behind!¡± She called out with a voice that resonated power and control. Those that hadn¡¯t seen her fight only knew that she had come out of a fight with their largest and most formidable tormentor entirely unscathed. Those that had, knew that she was an unstoppable and immovable force that could not be denied. A benevolent force but an unassailable one nonetheless.

 Chapter 46 Pick Up A Friend.

    Chapter 46 Pick Up A Friend.


    Isaac had just finished proverbially stacking bodies when he received a mental message from his companion and retainer, Shamesh. ¡®Master, I have a problem.¡¯ Was not on the list of things that Isaac wanted to hear.


    ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡¯ Isaac questioned and then glanced down at his hand as his wedding ring started to glow. The glowing ring meant that she was in pain and he stared at it for a long moment while he waited for it to turn off.


    ¡®I may be stuck in the vault for the next few hours.¡¯ Shamesh replied. ¡®I entered easily enough but triggered the vault security measures on entering. I dealt with them and looted most of the vault¡¯s valuables, but one of those that I defeated has awoken and triggered the lobby alarm.¡¯ He explained.


    Isaac sighed in relief as his ring faded and Shamesh explained that he was most likely not in any actual danger but simply stuck. ¡®I¡¯ll be there once I am done here. Let me know whenever anything changes on your end.¡¯ He instructed his retainer.


    Shamesh sent a feeling of an acknowledging bow. ¡®As you say.¡¯ He sent back and then was silent in Isaac¡¯s chest. It was very easy for Isaac to distinguish Shamesh¡¯s telepathy from normal telepathy because Shamesh sent his feelings, thoughts, and words, through their connection that connected their core¡¯s to each other. It was not mental magic that could be messed with by other mages but a resonance that came from one literally being a shadow of the soul of the other, in a different body.


    Isaac stared down at the man in front of him. All around the lounge were bodies and bloodshed. Isaac had used a steel sword and not his magic which left a heavy scent of iron vying for control over all the smells of sex, drugs, and alcohol. ¡°Don¡¯chew know who I am?!¡± The pantless man in front of him shouted with a heavy slur of some substance or another.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you are still alive.¡± Isaac told him calmly. ¡°Have you met whoever runs your organization?¡± Isaac questioned him.


    ¡°Even if I¡¯ave I ¡®oudn¡¯ tell you.¡± The man slurred back indignantly.


    ¡°Where is the main base of your organization?¡± Isaac followed up while the rest of the room¡¯s survivors eyed him carefully. None of them knew for sure that they wouldn¡¯t be next.


    ¡°Ev¡¯ry on¡¯ knows it¡¯s th¡¯ Isle o¡¯ ssi¡­ sis¡­ sisafis¡­ no, that ain¡¯t right.¡± The man¡¯s ¡®compromised¡¯ state was grating on Isaac¡¯s nerves as he ¡®spoke¡¯.


    ¡°What kind of representative doesn¡¯t know where he came from?¡± Isaac questioned the man with a scowl.


    ¡°Sis¡­ sissilly¡­ n-no, that ain¡¯t right ¡®neither.¡± The criminal continued rambling on.


    ¡°Sissario?¡± One of the barely clothed people on the side asked.


    ¡°Yeah!¡± The representative exclaimed. ¡°Sisarro.¡± He slurred out.


    Isaac growled down at the man. ¡°The only reason you are going to live is because I need some actual information out of you.¡± Isaac spat down at the drugged up wreck at his feet. He then turned to regard the rest of the survivors. ¡°Release the bindings if you can.¡± He told them. ¡°Make sure everyone gets to the surface. And don¡¯t even think about taking any of the drugs or alcohol with you.¡± He ordered them and then grabbed the CSC representative by the back of his collar and started walking towards the door. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡±


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    ¡°¡®Ey! What¡¯re you doin¡¯ ta me?!¡± Isaac got in reply from his prisoner.


    ¡°Quiet!¡± Isaac snapped. ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything useful to say then shut up, before I decide to drag you by your ankle face down.¡±


    It took Isaac a while to arrive, with his prisoner, to the bank but he finally did. During the interim, things had gotten a little out of hand. Outside the bank there were a dozen armed and armored guards that had come from the bunkhouse nearby. How an underground criminal organization had managed to keep two dozen or more guards on the premises at a time was a wonder to Isaac. They were even much better outfitted than the city guards.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?!¡± One of them exclaimed upon seeing Isaac. They all turned away from the reality cage, that had formed across the entrance to the lobby of the bank, to regard Isaac and his unconscious prisoner. The CSC representative had fallen unconscious at some point, maybe it had been from the drugs or maybe it was from the time Isaac¡¯s hand had ¡®slipped¡¯, only Isaac and the gods knew for certain.


    ¡°What¡¯re you doing here?¡± Another questioned as weapons were drawn and leveled at Isaac.


    ¡°I¡¯m just here to pick up a friend.¡± Isaac said and lowered his burden onto the ground. ¡°Now, I¡¯m not Lenna, so I am going to have to ask all of you to either let me through or face me two at a time.


    The arena was set, on one side there was a tunnel only two people wide that led to the rest of the underground complex. On the other there was a caged wall of reality magic that sealed off the bank lobby and vault. Between them there was an open space a dozen feet wide and nearly two dozen feet deep. At the halfway mark there was a wall of iron bars with a singular door in it, that was swung open with a key still inside the lock to prevent the lockdown procedure from activating. Between the tunnel and the grate-like wall there was Isaac with an unconscious and pantless drugged up prisoner at his feet. Between the reality caged lobby entrance and the grate-like wall there were eleven fresh guards in plate armor with helmets donned and weapons out. There was another guard resting against the iron bars with his helmet off and blood dried on the back of his head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there! Go get him! He must be connected to all of this!¡± One of the guard¡¯s in back yelled at the rest of them to get them all moving.


    No sooner had all of the guards, except the one still on the ground, started moving in Isaac¡¯s direction did he vanish. Isaac left behind a fading silhouette in the glowstone light as he appeared right in front of the reality gated off door to the lobby. Isaac stuffed a generic skeleton key shaped hardened construct of void black shadows into the lock and turned it with an absolutely shit eating grin on his face. Only one guard managed to see what was happening, before everything went to shit, and his eyes were wide with terror as he seemed to realize exactly how bad of a situation he was in.


    Fifteen wards activated at the same time. Six of them were individual reality walls that sealed the top, front, back, sides, and bottom of the area between the grate-like wall and the lobby entrance from the rest of the world. One of them was a spell that sent an odd resonance through the mana in the area, to make teleportation harder, while an unknown number of wards waited to counter all spells cast. A cloud of green poisonous gas formed in the middle of the sectioned off death trap from an eighth ward. A white burning cloud of phosphoric death began forming and swirling through the area from a ninth. Four lightning bolts shot from the four corners near the grate wall towards the lobby door caring little for what was in the way courtesy of the tenth, eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth wards. A sound like city warning bells began echoing off the walls only drowned out by the lightning strikes for a few moments from the fourteen ward. And finally, a spell tried to hold Isaac in place because he was the one at the door when the wrong key had been entered.


    The spell that had tried to target Isaac not only slid off of his engagement ring¡¯s protective soul shield but it also only caught a fading silhouette as Isaac had already vanished back to his previous location, still wearing a shit eating grin. The sounds of pain, agony, death, and pleading for a rescue echoed down the halls, in a cacophony that reminded any of those hearing it of what most would imagine a portal to the hells to sound like. Isaac had to drag his captive away from the chaos a bit as green poisonous smoke started creeping across the ground towards them. Luckily the white phosphoric tornado stayed mostly within the bounds of the chamber of which it was summoned.


    ¡°Well, that was easy.¡± Isaac commented to himself as he waited for the spells that had killed all of the guards to burn themselves out. ¡®Shamesh, it might be a while before I can get to you. I had to do some cleaning on the outside. Though I fear the smell may never leave.¡¯


    ¡®Understood, my master, I shall continue to regenerate my mana.¡¯ Shamesh replied. ¡®How is the mistress?¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m going to assume that she is fine. If I¡¯ve managed so far without ninety five percent of my mana regeneration then I doubt she has run into anything worth fighting for real.¡¯ Isaac replied. ¡®The ring did glow a little a while ago but she probably just punched one of the locks open or something because it went back to normal after a few seconds.¡¯


    Shamesh sent back the feeling of a bow as he replied: ¡®Very good, my Lord.¡¯

 Chapter 47 Best Paying Job

    Chapter 47 Best Paying Job


    Lenna followed her half of the paired compasses until she found Isaac. She arrived to the smell of phosphorous and charred flesh. She then saw the rather self satisfied look on Isaac¡¯s face and the half naked man at his feet, who was conscious but clearly still dosed up on only the gods knew what. It was clear that, as usual, Isaac had been up to no good.


    Isaac¡¯s prisoner was also staring up at him with a look that Lenna couldn¡¯t place. The man¡¯s look was too blank to be any serious emotion but there was a hint of fear and fascination lingering behind the out of focus gaze.


    ¡°Shamesh is stuck.¡± Isaac told his mate as she arrived.


    ¡°Your doing?¡± She asked him?


    ¡°The mess in front of us is, but not Shamesh getting stuck.¡± Isaac replied.


    ¡°And the addict?¡± She questioned as she noticed the dragon insignia on the back of his rob from his belly down position on the floor. ¡°CSC?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Yeah. I killed the rest but let the prostitutes and slaves go.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°What about the casino?¡± She continued. The entrance to the casino was down a stairwell that twisted further below them with its entrance behind the bar in the lounge.


    ¡°I left it alone.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°I wanted to be here just in case Shamesh was in any actual danger. At this point, I think he is just going to have to wait it out.¡±


    ¡°What about the mess in front of us?¡± Lenna wondered. ¡°How did that even happen?¡±


    ¡°There were a bunch of guards grouped up and waiting for the lobby to open back up. I just triggered the trap array and left. It was quite the spectacular show of magic.¡± Isaac commented.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°So, are we just going to leave Shamesh there until he can get out? He has the Bottomless Bag so we might have to wait for him to clean out the casino¡¯s stash.¡± She reminded him.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°There is no way that they have more gold on hand than I can carry. That would just be stupid. There won¡¯t be nearly as many or as lethal security measures in place in the casino.¡± He told her.


    Lenna shrugged. ¡°So? Are we both going?¡± She wondered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go and be back soon.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°But before I do, my ring was glowing earlier? Not for very long so I figured you were fine but, what happened?¡±


    ¡°I ran into some trouble.¡± She told him and held out a handful of adamantine plates. ¡°This is all that¡¯s left. He pissed me off.¡±


    Isaac picked up Lenna¡¯s loot and eyed it while he stuffed the pieces into his Inventory. ¡°Damn. You are going to have to fill me in on that tonight.¡± He said and glanced back at the reality magic cage that separated them from Shamesh. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the prisoner with you. Topaz wasn¡¯t kidding when she said that all of the traps are hyper lethal. Be careful.¡±


    Lenna nodded. ¡°You too.¡± She replied and settled in to wait as Isaac took off in a jog back to the lounge.


    When Isaac arrived at the lounge, around ten minutes after he had left, he couldn¡¯t help but scowl. Four more people were dead, three wounded to some degree or another off to the side, and the rest were nowhere to be found. ¡°What happened here?¡± Isaac questioned the first injured person he came across.


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    The woman was still chained to a wall and had been eyeing the keys that were just barely out of her reach. ¡°Everyone fought over the keys, then they fought over the drugs, then they fought over the money. Half of them went downstairs but the rest left.¡± She told him.


    Isaac kicked the keys over to her and nodded. ¡°Unlock the other two if you can and then just leave.¡± He instructed her. ¡°There is no way that anyone currently in the casino is leaving alive.¡±


    The woman nodded vigorously as she fumbled with the key. ¡°Y-yes sir.¡± She replied as the lock around her neck clicked. She was chained to the wall by a steel collar around her neck but thankfully wasn¡¯t bound any more than that so her ascent to the surface wouldn¡¯t be too much of a problem.


    Isaac hopped the bar and started walking down the circular brick staircase that led to the place where Benedict had lost six lifetimes of fortunes. There was blood on the stairs and wall along with various other fluids but Isaac just tried his best not to touch anything. At one point he had to step over a person that was crumpled in the stairwell. A simple ball of death flames made sure that the person would not get back up.


    Most would call Isaac¡¯s act of killing an unconscious former slave heartless at best, but as far as he was concerned, they had already been given a second chance. By the time Isaac reached the bottom, he had ended another person and stepped over another that was already dead. The thing that all three had in common was severe head and/or skull damage. The pushing and shoving that occurred from a dozen impaired people trying to race to the bottom must¡¯ve been quite extreme.


    Isaac pushed through a curtain to find absolute chaos still ensuing. There were nine people that looked like they had been playing two separate games of poker across two of the four tables. There were two house dealers and a bartender that also handled the chips and converting chips to coins and back again. Those people were supposed to be there. The twelve half to fully naked individuals that had rushed the bar to take all of the gold were not. Most of the players and the other two staff members had all rushed to fight off the crazed savages while one player remained at each table and started rigging or outright stealing from their table.


    Chairs were toppled, chips were on the floor, two of those from upstairs were dead as was the bartender and there were teeth, hair, and blood everywhere behind the bar. Unbeknownst to Isaac, the drugs that had been circling around all but enforced a necessary primal release of some kind. The bloodshed, fear, and adrenaline from his ¡®visit¡¯ had pushed pleasure from their minds and opened up space for greed and violence. With the dulled pain and enhanced stamina from the drugs compounding those feelings and desires, it was only a matter of time before it became an absolute mess. In hindsight, it was pretty obvious that those that had left were the ones that either had not taken the drug or had already come down from it.


    Isaac sighed and ran his hand down his face. ¡°This is disgustingly savage.¡± He mumbled which somehow got the attention of the two that had been rigging and stealing from their poker tables. Isaac appeared behind the one furthest in the back and cut off his head in one clean sweep. Isaac then lunged at the other but the man somehow managed to get a knife up in time to parry Isaac¡¯s blow. He was not expecting a throwing spike to come out of seemingly nowhere and embed itself in his chest however. The distraction from the nearly instantly lethal sneak attack left him open enough for Isaac to slit his throat on the back swing. The commotion caught the attention of some of the brawlers but with all the chaos and thick smoke they had a hard time pinning him down. The fact that he was dressed in all black in a dim room and could teleport just made the skirmish even more one sided. Isaac, true to his word, left none breathing by the time he was done.


    Once Isaac had finished looting the rather small amount of around thirty pounds of gold and platinum coins that they had on hand, he left the way he had come. Isaac was thankfully surprised that all three of the injured had left by the time he had returned. He swiped a bottle of champagne from behind the bar as he left and eyed the label. ¡°Blueberry and orange?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°How many kinds of weird wine are there?¡± He shook his head as he tossed that too in his Inventory. Shamesh was going to have his work cut out for him once the day was through. The smells that clung to Isaac alone would require a directed effort to remove and he didn¡¯t even want to think about what was stuck on the bottom of his boots.


    By the time Isaac arrived back at Lenna and the prisoner, the reality magic gate was fading. ¡°How was it?¡± Lenna asked him.


    ¡°Bloody.¡± Isaac replied and then looked over at the door, to the lobby of the bank, as it opened to reveal Shamesh who was a little dusty but otherwise completely untouched. He had the Bottomless Bag hanging from his shoulder as he strode out and covered the distance towards them. ¡°How was it?¡± Isaac directed at Shamesh.


    ¡®There were no further complications, my Lord.¡¯ Shamesh mentally replied with a bow as an absolutely terrified woman peered out at them from just inside the lobby. ¡®I left quite a bit of gold behind as the gems and platinum were worth more.¡¯


    Isaac waved him off. ¡°The duchy can pick up the scraps. What about your new friend?¡± Isaac questioned with a gesture towards the onlooker.


    ¡®I had no further reason to harm her and she stayed out of the way.¡¯ Shamesh stated mentally once more as the risk of his speech being countered by wards was still incredibly high. ¡®As per your directive, I used sufficient force but saw little need for more than that.¡¯


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Good.¡± He said and then turned to regard the woman. ¡°How did you end up here?¡± He asked her.


    The woman visibly paled as she gulped down her desire to run and hide. ¡°I-I, it was the best paying job in the slums?¡± Her voice squeaked as she finished her reply and Isaac narrowed his eyes on her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust that.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Come, you are being placed under arrest.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°My retainer spared you, but if I have to go get you, then his mercy will be wasted.¡±


    ¡°R-Retainer?¡± Her voice squeaked again. ¡°T-The l-lich?¡± She questioned with absolute horror written all across her face.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied coldly and pointed to the ground in front of him. It was clear that he would not be giving her a second chance.

 Chapter 48 Wisdom

    Chapter 48 Wisdom


    ¡°So, these two¡­ prisoners, are here because why, again?¡± Sir George asked with weariness now permanently ingrained into his features. Isaac could have sworn he saw at least five gray hairs where there weren¡¯t any the day before.


    ¡°I need a full interrogation of the addict about the Civil Servant Corporation. I have reason to believe that their dragon heraldry is because they are actually being led by an indigo eyed dragon. I want to check and see for myself.¡± Isaac explained, properly this time, to the magistrate. Isaac¡¯s first attempt had been along the lines of ¡®I need to know what this idiot knows.¡¯ and ¡®make sure this chick didn¡¯t do anything disgusting.¡¯


    Sir George nodded. ¡°I can arrange that.¡± He replied. ¡°And the girl?¡±


    ¡°She claimed that the only reason she worked for the bank was because it was the best paying job, I want to make sure she didn¡¯t do anything unsavory to get there, or while she was working her way into that position.¡± Isaac stated. ¡°Depending on her answers, I would like her to be added to the list of confirmed dead during the raid.¡±


    Sir George nodded again but much slower this time. ¡°I see.¡± He said. ¡°I do not execute prisoners unless the law demands.¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No, you don¡¯t. But, have you ever heard of ¡®Spontaneous Mass Cellular Death¡¯? It¡¯s this thing going around that restarted in Safeharbor, apparently some people are carriers, I¡¯m afraid I might be one of those people.¡±


    Sir George sighed and rubbed his temples. ¡°Understood, Lord Wexler. I will keep you informed.¡± He shook his head again. ¡°But only as a thank you for all of the help you have given us, as well as the second chance to right our wrongs.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°That¡¯s good enough for me.¡± He replied. ¡°If I am not mistaken, that is the first light of dawn, is it not?¡± He said while eyeing the horizon.


    ¡°I believe it is, yes.¡± Sir George agreed.


    ¡°Well, that means it¡¯s time for us to go back to just being another pair of double platinum ranked adventurers, don¡¯t you think?¡± Isaac asked Lenna with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re right.¡± She concurred with a nod.


    ¡°Magistrate, a good hot cup of mushroom tea might do you some good, the day has just begun.¡± Isaac told the older man with a wink and turned to leave while offering Lenna his arm. ¡°We still need things from you so don¡¯t go dying from exhaustion.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°I-I, sir, uh, my Lord, I do not know how to even begin quantifying all of this.¡± An unfortunate clerk stuttered at Isaac. She had volunteered to help them make a deposit in the Sapphirestone bank that would then be transferred to the Safeharbor one. The transfer fee was a number of gold coins equal to the amount of pounds of wealth to be transferred. All coinage would be converted into platinum coins and bars for the sake of easier transport and weight efficiency. Unfortunately for her, there was now a pile of gold jewelry and coins, platinum bars and loose coins, as well as more gems than she had ever seen in one place. It appeared that Topaz had amassed quite the dragon¡¯s hoard. Most of it was no doubt due to her twenty percent interest rate on loans and the predatory practice of compound interest.


    ¡°Well, I would start by getting three carts and separating it all onto platinum bars and coins, gold bars and coins, and things that will need to be appraised.¡± Isaac told her calmly. ¡°You might want to enlist the help of another one or two of your colleagues.¡±


    She nodded absently as she stared at the mass of wealth. ¡°Yes, you are right, I will do that.¡± She said after she snapped herself out of her stupor.


    Isaac and Lenna were brought tea and cookies by the head banker while they waited for everything to be sorted, cataloged, and appraised. A jeweler had been brought in to assist them and had offered to buy some of the pieces of jewelry immediately. The jeweler had been reminded that, as an appraiser, she could not purchase any of what she appraised to prevent an under evaluation of the goods, and that she simply needed to be content with her fee for the hour.


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    All in all, Isaac and Lenna had struck it rich, again. Isaac couldn¡¯t help but chuckle to himself upon a specific realization. ¡°What?¡± Lenna asked him upon noticing his chuckle.


    ¡°I just realized something.¡± He replied.


    ¡°What?¡± Lenna said again.


    ¡°We have a drider silk business that has net us zero profit so far.¡± He began to which Lenna just nodded along. ¡°We have taken quite a few bounties of all difficulty ranks given to us both from the guild as well as from two dukes.¡± He continued. ¡°Yet somehow, all of our riches seem to be from looting as if we were just common raiders and bandits.¡± He chuckled again. ¡°The only difference is that we only plunder those deemed evil by common morality and law. A morality and law that we have bent and even broken on occasion, though not to the same extreme as our foes.¡±


    Lenna leaned back in her chair. ¡°Might makes right I suppose.¡± She replied after a moment of thought.


    ¡°To an extent, yes.¡± Isaac said and sipped from his tea, it was a pleasant citrus flavor from one of the naturally growing fruits from the surrounding area. ¡°Common people have both more and less power than they realize. The common folk have decent sway over those in power because those in power need their cooperation to stay in power. Those in power often have powerful people under them either by loyalty or pay. Those powerful people are often powerful enough, combined, to counter or suppress other powerful individuals that are individually more powerful than them. Those more powerful people must then choose between two options. The first being to keep public opinion of them from becoming too horrible. The second being to resolve to remove all of public opinion at the source. This economy of sway and power is what really keeps the truly powerful in line. The ones we end up going after just happen to find themselves on the wrong side of the tide. If they had kept public opinion from getting too bad, or they had kept from breaking too heinous of laws, they would still be alive. Well, except for Shamsha. He came at us.¡±


    ¡°You think too much.¡± Lenna replied after letting Isaac finish. ¡°These cookies are quite tasty.¡±


    Isaac just blinked at her. ¡°Are you messing with me?¡± He asked her incredulously. ¡°I honestly can¡¯t tell.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Lenna replied and took a cookie off of his plate. ¡°We need to stop at the bakery that these came from and purchase the recipe for Margaret.¡± She added and then took a satisfied bite of the stolen cookie.


    ¡ª


    An hour before dinnertime, Isaac and Lenna had received an invitation from the duke to join him for dinner. Not going to say no to free ducal food, the pair obviously took him up on the offer. ¡°Thank you for joining me, please, sit.¡± Arthur Von Sasston greeted them with a gesture towards the pair of open seats to his left.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Isaac replied with a nod.


    ¡°Thank you for inviting us.¡± Lenna said with a slight bow. The two joined the duke at the table and immediately noticed the empty seat to his right.


    Noticing the pair¡¯s glances the duke spoke up: ¡°The duchess will not be joining us, I¡¯m afraid. Her¡­ attachment, to our new ¡®adopted¡¯ child is quite strong. I hope you will forgive her absence.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Isaac replied once more. ¡°This has been, and still is, quite the trying time for you.¡± Their words back and forth were both a confirmation of the story that Arthur was going with, as well as a message to the servants in the room. Everyone in the citadel knew that the child was actually the ¡®former¡¯ captain of the guard¡¯s, but they also knew that going against the official story from the duke was likely to end in either the termination of their contract or a new contract being forced upon them. The new contract being one of one hundred years of service scrubbing barnacles off of naval ships for a copper piece a day.


    ¡°In other news, I have some information you might like.¡± Arthur said to change the topic as steaming plates of fish baked over seaweed and seasoned to perfection were brought in. The fish was already entirely deboned, skinned, and cut into bite sized chunks for them. There were sides of fruit of every color from the nearby orchards. There were also white, red, blue, and orange wines but noticeably none of them were positioned within arms reach of the duke.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Isaac asked as Lenna nodded in thanks to the staff. Both of the pair were in their armor but it had been entirely cleaned by Shamesh before they arrived. The reason was that Lenna would need to wear her helmet regardless because of how bright the inside of the Sasston Citadel was. With only a few exceptions, most of the rooms and hallways in the building were lined with windows and glow stones capable of turning even the darkest of corners bright. Lenna faceplate had found its temporary resting place within the Bottomless Bag for safekeeping.


    ¡°The slaves that Lady V¡¯Nova liberated have all been given temporary housing in one of the bunkhouses at the guard compound. After the purge, the entirety of the guard now fit in one of their two buildings. The former slaves will not be able to stay there for long but for the next month at least they will have nothing to worry about.¡± Arthur informed them. ¡°Also, all of the prisoners that were taken are being tried and punished to the fullest extent of the law by Sir George as we speak. In the end, I believe this whole mess will wrap up acceptably.¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°What of the traitor?¡± He questioned with a raised eyebrow. ¡°And her brother.¡±


    ¡°Both are being kept in the citadel¡¯s dungeon for now. I have yet to make a decision.¡± Arthur replied. ¡°Would you have any recommendations?¡±


    Isaac hummed in thought and took a moment to savor the food. He took the extended time to get his thoughts in order. ¡°She, by all accounts, should get the death penalty.¡± Isaac said. ¡°But, in leu of her extensive cooperation, a life sentence would probably be acceptable.¡± Isaac took a sip of the orange wine because it was something he had never seen before. Its color was so vibrant that he had no idea what to expect. It was rich and tangy yet sweet and crisp. The layers of the wine perfectly complemented the layers of flavor from the main dish in a way that nothing from Safeharbor had managed. ¡°If she has managed to be even more helpful, maybe some other form of punishment could be arranged. Something along the lines of, say, twenty years of military service perhaps. It would be a shame to waste such a powerful and talented sorceress.¡±


    Arthur nodded along. ¡°I can see the wisdom in that, yes. I will consult Sir George once he has had time to rest. Our prisoners may stay in the dark for a few days, it won¡¯t kill them.¡± He added.


    ¡°Is that all you wished to speak about?¡± Isaac asked as he was ready to change topics once more.


    ¡°I believe so, yes.¡± Arthur replied.


    Isaac leaned in almost conspiratorially. ¡°So, how can we get all of your chef¡¯s recipes, and at least a barrel of this wine, sent to our manor in Safeharbor?¡±

 Chapter 49 There It Is.

    Chapter 49 There It Is.


    Isaac and Lenna entered the Adventurers¡¯ Guild to search for a new caravan to take to their next destination, it was better to find one before the day they were going to leave after all, or at least find something to do while they waited for Sir George to finish his interrogation of the CSC prisoner. They had barely made it through the batwing doors when Hilton, the diminutive guild receptionist, sprinted up to them. He stopped a handful of feet in front of where Isaac and Lenna had stopped.


    ¡°Your shadow won¡¯t strangle you if you yell anymore, having said that, don¡¯t make me change my mind.¡± Isaac told the smaller but much older man.


    Hilton shook his head violently which seemed to yank his focus back onto the reason he had raced over to them. ¡°Lord of Darkness, by order from the Guild Leader, I am to offer you the position of Guild Master of Sapphirestone.¡± He informed Isaac with a clear and direct voice that easily caught the attention of all twenty of the adventurers in the Guild Hall with them. ¡°As one of the only two available double platinum adventurers in the area, and one of the two double platinum adventurers that lead to our previous Guild Master ''retiring¡¯, you are the first adventurer to be offered the position.¡±


    A cacophony of questions, curses, and demands rang out from the audience as Isaac just blinked at the man owlishly. ¡°Huh?¡± He questioned after he had a moment to process what Hilton had said. Being offered the position of Guild Master was not on his list of things that he thought would happen to him within the next ten years. ¡°What about the Glinting Blade?¡±


    ¡°The Glinting Blade has expressed many times that he would rather die than become a Guild Master.¡± Hilton replied simply and then shifted his gaze to Lenna. ¡°Lady of Hellfire, you are the second pick from the Guild Leader and are thus my second¡­ target.¡±


    ¡°Well, tell the Guild Leader, that I do not plan on becoming the Guild Master of any branch of the Adventurers Guild. The only way that that would change is if something happened to the Blade Master and there was not an acceptable replacement at hand.¡± Isaac told him directly. ¡°That is to say, Safeharbor is my home, not Sapphirestone, and I do not intend to change that.¡±


    Hilton nodded in confirmation and turned back to Lenna. Before he could even say anything she shook her head. ¡°No.¡± Lenna said without hesitation. ¡°Being in charge of a bunch of adult alcoholic children, with three to thirteen levels worth of power, magic, and weapons at their disposal, is not something I would like for an afternoon, let alone the next four hundred years.¡±


    Unlike what one might expect, there was no anger at Lenna¡¯s words, quite the opposite in fact. Most of the adventurers just nodded in agreement when she called them alcoholic children because they knew the truth of her words. They all also seemed to approve of her turning down the offer because she was not a local and they didn¡¯t want someone from out of town showing up, kicking out their old boss, and then taking over.


    ¡°I see.¡± Hilton replied. ¡°The Guild Leader expected those responses and thus left me with another message for the two of you.¡± Hilton cleared his throat and dropped his voice a bit. ¡°¡®I¡¯d owe you one if you kept the building from burning down for a few days. At least until one of my guys can get there.¡¯¡±


    Isaac sighed. ¡°When he puts it like that¡­¡± He grumbled.


    ¡°He makes it really hard to say no.¡± Lenna finished for him.


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    ¡°Fine, but no more than a week. Three days or less would be preferable.¡± Isaac told Hilton. ¡°We aren¡¯t doing any paperwork and our only goal will be to protect Guild property until one of the boss¡¯s guys shows up.¡±


    Hilton nodded. ¡°On behalf of the Guild Leader, thank you.¡± Hilton said with a slight bow. Once his mission was completed, Hilton seemed to lose all momentum and looked like he was ready to sprint away. ¡°C-Can I go back to my post now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not your boss.¡± Isaac told him while waving him off. He then turned to the small army that was staring at them. Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°I know my greatness is distracting but you don¡¯t have to stare.¡±


    ¡°Listen,¡± One of the adventurers began while rising from his table. His platinum badge was on full display where it was framed and pinned to his chest. ¡°we just wanna make sure you¡¯re gonna make do on that promise not ta interfere.¡± The adventurer was around Isaac¡¯s height and build. He wore only casual loose fitting clothes with a knife and a money purse on his belt. It was obvious that he was only there to hang out on his day off and wasn¡¯t planning on taking any quests.


    ¡°No, you listen,¡± Isaac returned and subtly tiled his chin slightly up and squared his shoulders a bit more. ¡°I do what I say I¡¯m going to do. If any of you doubt me, then we can sort it out right now.¡±


    The platinum adventurer got a twinkle in his dark brown eye as a grin overtook his features. He pulled his knife and money pouch from his belt and handed them to the guy next to him. ¡°Sort it out, like men?¡± He questioned and took a step towards Isaac.


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°You all just want a good bar fight because Benedict didn¡¯t let you fight in here, don¡¯t you?¡± He asked with obvious amusement.


    ¡°Kinda.¡± One of the other adventurers agreed, which got him a punch in the arm from one of the others at his table as another kicked him in the shin. ¡°Ow! Damn you guys!¡± He shot back as he clutched his shin.


    ¡°Well, can any of you cast a repair spell once it¡¯s over?¡± Isaac wondered and eyed the crowd of adventurers that hadn¡¯t had anything to do for the last few days. At least half of them specialized in fighting on the water, because every manner of giant sea creature could be found off the coast, and as soon as one was sighted they would be out to hunt it down. The rest fought off swamp creatures and guarded caravans. That combination meant that bounties would often come in waves and then there would be a drought immediately afterwards. Three of the adventurers raised their hands. ¡°Well,¡± Isaac began as he doffed his cloak and tossed it into his shadow that reached up to grab it. His shadows had actually done little more than hide the fact that Isaac had thrown it into his Inventory, but that was all he really needed them to do anyway. ¡°someone give me a bottle to break over his head.¡±


    The following ten minutes were nothing but total chaos as tables, chairs, benches, bottles, and tankards were broken across jaws and skulls alike. Half of the wooden floor was even broken because there was a gold rank berserker who took great pleasure in picking up smaller adventurers and throwing them straight down into the ground with enough force that the wooden boards would break. Thankfully, most of the lower ranked adventurers had gotten out of the way of the chaos so there weren¡¯t any real casualties but one of the wizards that was supposed to help fix everything was out cold. The poor wizard had literally been thrown across the room into an overturned table.


    Things had finally started to wind down, as there were only five of them left, when Isaac got blindsided by a chair to the back of the head. Lenna winced and pushed off the wall that she was leaning on to go help him when she felt his magic surge momentarily. The whole room went silent from the sudden chill that washed over them. Isaac pushed himself back up to his knees and shook his head to try and clear it while his death flames did their job. ¡°Damn.¡± He swore. ¡°It¡¯s times like these that I am reminded that I¡¯m still a mage.¡± He said with a huff and then rose back up to his feet while his power wound down and then winked out.


    ¡°That bastard¡¯s a mage?¡± One of the guys with a broken arm and a limp questioned incredulously while giving his friend a disbelieving look.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me.¡± His friend replied. ¡°He took us both out at the same time.¡±


    ¡°Double platinum¡¯s are just built different from the rest of us.¡± The first one said with a sigh. ¡°Hey, Darkness!¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Isaac replied as he dusted himself off.


    ¡°You¡¯re out. No magic remember.¡± He reminded him.


    Isaac frowned and wrinkled his nose but moved over to join Lenna against the wall. She hadn¡¯t taken part in the madness but had simply enjoyed the show. ¡°Who do you think is going to win?¡± Isaac asked her.


    ¡°Well, you lost us ten gold.¡± She told him. ¡°I bet that one,¡± She said and gestured to a man that was unconscious a dozen feet from them. ¡°that you¡¯d win.¡±


    ¡°If I was allowed to heal myself I would¡¯ve won.¡± Isaac replied.


    Lenna elbowed him in the side. ¡°Don¡¯t be a sore loser.¡± She scolded him. ¡°I think the berserker will.¡±


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No.¡± He disagreed right before the large woman with heavily tanned skin tipped over and slammed face first into the ground. She had fought until exhaustion wouldn¡¯t let her fight anymore and then kept going. ¡°There it is. I was wondering how long she could keep it up.¡±

 Chapter 50 Flow Of Time

    Chapter 50 Flow Of Time


    Gilgamesh was reading a monthly guild report from one of the branches in Ruler¡¯s domain. As usual, there was little more than stray beast and monster attacks and subjugations. Nothing important ever happened in Ruler¡¯s domain, well, nothing adventurers could deal with anyway. He still remembered the day Ruler obliterated Battle with a simple backhand. No one, not even time or himself, would survive stirring up trouble in Ruler¡¯s domain. That man was¡­ unfair.


    The Guild Leader filed the report he had just finished in a binder labeled with the city and guild branch number of the guild in question. He had just closed it when the mortal sized door to enter his office swung open. He looked up from his task to see a familiar sight.


    The man that entered the Guild Leader¡¯s office without an appointment was not a man at all, but a dragon. Tizshamesh¡¯s tarnished copper colored hair was braided tightly against his skull across the side of his head until it reached the back where it cut off right at his collar, the rest of his hair was brushed back and also cut off at that point. His skin was the color of polished copper and his one yellow eye glowed softly in the dim light of the entryway. He had lost his eye long ago to a witch. A witch that had been vaporized before she could undo the curse.


    Tizshamesh was unlike most of his kind. Usually, lightning dragons would have a hard time sitting still. Their natural mana was a constant prod in the back of their minds to go, run, fly, dive, anything to go fast. Tizshamesh never walked faster than a casual stride for a human. He never showed even the slightest spark of lightning either. With his very normal appearance, most people that met him just thought that he was a sorcerer with a glowing eye. The reason that Tizshamesh didn¡¯t follow his baser instincts was simple: he refused to let anything or anyone control him, he was a dragon after all. The reasons he helped Gilgamesh with the Adventurers¡¯ Guild were because he was given access to the other dragon¡¯s hoard of treasures, and information. Those and the fact that if Gilgamesh was around, then he wouldn¡¯t ever be forced to use his true power. He planned to keep it that way until the next Dragon Surge.


    There was another reason for the ancient copper dragon to keep his lighting in check other than sheer draconic arrogance. He was constantly building power. The other half of yellow mana was potential energy, often expressed as static. Tizshamesh wanted to see exactly where the limit was to the amount of potential energy a being could possess. He had long passed the point of being able to sleep, which was a good thing, because if he lost focus for even a second, half of Altesia would disappear.


    ¡°Tiz.¡± Gilgamesh greeted his fellow ancient dragon with a nod.


    ¡°Gil.¡± Tizshamesh greeted in return. ¡°I have news from Sapphirestone.¡±


    ¡°Do tell.¡± Gilgamesh said and leaned in slightly.


    ¡°The pair declined the original offer.¡± Tizshamesh began. ¡°As you expected. They also accepted the secondary offer; to simply keep the building from being destroyed until a replacement can arrive.¡± He continued. ¡°What you had not predicted was that the male would immediately get into a bar fight with half of the adventurers in the city, inside the Guild Hall.¡±


    Gilgamesh¡¯s laughter boomed and echoed off the bookshelves and marble floor. His belly laugh was so deep and resounding that the chandeliers shook and rattled above them. Tizshamesh felt a gentle but noticeable heatwave hit him before Gilgamesh swore and tapped on a snowglobe that instantly lowered the temperature in the room back down to where it was supposed to be.


    Tizshamesh just shook his head in disappointment at his old colleague. ¡°So? Who do you want me to send to relieve them?¡± He asked the Guild Leader.


    ¡°Call the Flame Ravens back to Sapphirestone, and inform that fifteenth level hunter that he has three months to hit level sixteen so he can take over the position.¡± Gilgamesh replied.


    ¡°The Glinting Blade will not like that. He has been overseeing their training in an attempt to get them all to double platinum.¡± Tizshamesh countered.


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    ¡°Good.¡± Gilgamesh spoke with a nod. ¡°Have the Glinting Blade train up that hunter while he¡¯s at it.¡±


    ¡ª


    Isaac and Lenna had been babysitting the Sapphirestone Adventurers¡¯ Guild Branch for over two days. It was the morning of the third day when some familiar faces walked in through the batwing doors. Eskahno Ravenborne, Mark the shield bearer, Fina the flame sorceress, and Shy the scout. Behind the Flame Ravens was Fable the Glinting Blade. Fable¡¯s usual neutral expression was tinged with annoyance at the task he¡¯d been given.


    ¡°Lord Wexler, Lady V¡¯Nova.¡± Esk greeted the pair for his team. ¡°Your relief is here.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Isaac replied with a nod. ¡°The paperwork is piling up and the kids are getting restless. We¡¯ll leave this in your very capable hands and catch the next caravan north.¡±


    Esk paled at the mention of paperwork and dozens of restless adventurers.


    ¡°North?¡± Shy asked from just behind him in a voice that was barely audible to Isaac and the helmeted Lenna.


    ¡°We are investigating a hunch while on our way to greet the king and then the Fate Breaker.¡± Isaac explained.


    ¡°That is quite the trip.¡± Mark commented. ¡°We took the teleporter to get here, why don¡¯t you just do that?¡±


    ¡°You guys have the money for the teleporter?¡± Isaac prodded with a questioning look and a smirk.


    ¡°Esk doesn¡¯t.¡± Mark replied with a grin. Apparently the magic knight had yet to pay off his loan from his master for his resurrection.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Esk yelled at Mark.


    ¡°The Guild paid for it.¡± Fina explained. ¡°But yes, Esk is the only one that doesn¡¯t have enough money for a teleport.¡±


    ¡°I hate both of you.¡± Esk scowled.


    ¡°You might want to hurry to meet the Fate Breaker.¡± Fable warned them. ¡°His color is leaving.¡±


    ¡°How long do you think he has left?¡± Lenna questioned him.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be lucky if he lives until next winter.¡± Fable replied. ¡°After a millennium, it is finally time for him to rest.¡± He then shifted his gaze to Isaac. ¡°What is this ¡®hunch¡¯ you are looking into?¡±


    ¡°The Civil Servant Corporation, well, it¡¯s head.¡± Isaac began. ¡°According to Sir George and the CSC representative that he has been interrogating, their boss doesn¡¯t leave the isle of Sissario, their offshore base and waystation. All of that is pretty normal for a company that deals with legal goods on the surface and people under it. What I find strange is the purple dragon motif that they use on everything. An indigo eyed dragon, specifically a blessed green dragon, could be using the corporation to amass wealth and information while it¡¯s growing into its power.¡±


    Fable¡¯s already stern gaze solidified like a marble statue. ¡°If there is a green dragon, do not fight it.¡± He instructed Isaac. ¡°There is nothing that any of us here can do against a green dragon¡¯s magical breath.¡±


    ¡°How do people usually deal with them?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°Suicide squads, traps, Time, Space, or Gravity.¡± Fable explained. ¡°No one with a family should ever fight a green dragon. The risk of getting locked out of time until the dragon dies is too high.¡±


    ¡°Locked out of time?¡± Isaac questioned.


    ¡°The breath of a green dragon is the only part of it that I am positive that neither of you can deal with.¡± Fable continued. ¡°If you are caught in it, it will almost halt your passage through time. Depending on the age of the dragon, a second from your perspective could be either a minute and a half or three hours to the rest of the world. The effect can last until the dragon dies, if it specifically hates you, but sometimes it lasts just long enough for it to escape. The problem is that green dragons are spiteful. If you¡¯ve managed to push one of them into a corner to the point where they feel the need to use their dragon¡¯s breath on you, they are already prepared to keep you like that until the end of time.¡±


    Isaac and Lenna shared a look. ¡°We¡¯ll let the guild in Vespera know before we do anything. It might be a good idea to have the Guild Master there let the Guild Leader know about our plan so he can contact Time, you know, just in case.¡± Isaac offered. It wasn¡¯t often that Isaac actually felt wary about an opponent but anything that Fable told them they couldn¡¯t deal with had to be a serious problem.


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Good.¡± Fable said with a nod. ¡°Nothing that ages or cares for others can escape the flow of time.¡±


    ¡ª


    Once relieved of their posts, Isaac and Lenna signed up for a bounty to protect a caravan heading up the coast that was scheduled to leave a few days later. Usually, goods would be sent up the coast via ship but caravans were generally safer and cheaper. The main upside to taking a ship was the fact that on one day the ship could sail up the coast, and on the next it could sail back down. The pair then left the Flame Ravens to their new task and decided to check in on Star and Cloud.


    Isaac and Lenna hadn¡¯t let the orphans see them but a little invisibility and patience showed the children hard at work. Cloud was studying hard under the tutelage of one of the nuns and Star was practicing with a kitchen knife that she had very obviously stolen. Once Isaac and Lenna were at a safe distance they reappeared to the rest of the world. ¡°They look like they are doing quite well for themselves.¡± Isaac commented.


    ¡°Yes, thankfully.¡± Lenna agreed. ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll remember us in ten or even twenty years?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°We are nothing if not memorable.¡± He assured her. ¡°Well, we have nothing else to do for the next few days, want to learn how to fish?¡±

 Chapter 51 Stunning Good Looks,

    Chapter 51 Stunning Good Looks,


    After a mere six days in Sapphirestone, Isaac and Lenna were ready to move on. They weren¡¯t quite in a rush but there was a lot to see before they would return home to Safeharbor. The pair had decided to join a small caravan headed to Port Vespera which was only three days away by wagon. Port Vespera was a city that had only existed for around a hundred and fifty years, making it noticeably newer than Sapphirestone, despite being closer to the capital. Their trip would take them almost due north for its entirety and would give them a good look at something they had missed on their trip to the glimmering port city.


    From the top of Sapphirestone¡¯s walls, if one was so inclined to look outward instead of inward, one would be able to see Mt. Henhopsha. The mountain in question was probably named after a dragon, but no one was exactly sure when the mountain had been named, or why it had been given a draconic name. The mountain was not very tall as far as mountains were concerned, even so, it was still around seven thousand feet higher than the surrounding area. The dense forest canopy and myriad of other events going on during the pair¡¯s journey to Sapphirestone had prevented them from getting a good look at it. Their trip to Port Vespera would take them along the base of the mountain for two and a half of their three days of travel.


    Mt. Henhopsha was a mountain that had acted as both a barrier to be overcome and a blessing to the Kingdom of Altia. Mt. Henhopsha¡¯s place near the sea meant that it was the opposing edge of the stone bowl that Altia was built in. On the side of the sea there was Mt. Henhopsha and on the side of the ¡®bowl¡¯ there was the Altian Mountain Range. There was another mountain range farther to the north but that had only recently come under Altian control. To the south there was a large forest that was steadily being chipped and cut away at, as Altia expanded more and more into what they often referred to as ¡®the frontier¡¯. Between the Altian Mountain Range and Mt. Henhopsha there was a forest, a forest that Isaac and Lenna had traveled through on their way to Sapphirestone. That forest was where most of the kingdom¡¯s timber was harvested. The incredibly high density of animal and plant life in said forest meant that a trip around Mt. Henhopsha was necessary just to get to the dwarven fortress located at her base.


    If the duo were so inclined, they probably could have made it to the capital in about two weeks on foot. That would have required them to force their way through the dense forest that grew in Mt. Henhopsha¡¯s shadow however and that would be no easy endeavor, nor would it be a fun one.


    Isaac and Lenna were getting settled into the lead wagon of their newest caravan just as the sun was starting to rise. They had already said their goodbyes and it was once again time to relax and watch the world pass them by at the speed of a mild walk.


    Their new caravan was an eclectic mix of characters. There were low scaled merchants with wagons loaded with Bottomless Boxes that were packed with fruits and wines from Sapphirestone, a trio of bards that kept that caravan¡¯s spirits high, two families that were moving from Sapphirestone to Port Vespera, and last but not least, a wagon with its own private escort that brought sapphire tiles for the lord of Port Vespera¡¯s manor¡¯s roof. In total, there were seven wagons with two men on horseback and five ride-a-longs, not counting the family of three and the family of five. The caravan was intimidating to raid due to the large list of creatures, seven drivers, four guards, eight passengers, and sixteen horses in total, at least on the surface. If anyone didn¡¯t know about Isaac and Lenna personally, then it actually made a pretty tempting target. With only four people to protect the entire caravan it would normally be a very raidable target but a target that was hard to entirely capture due to its size.


    ¡°I am almost sad to leave such a beautiful city.¡± Lenna commented as they rolled out through the main gate.


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    ¡°Agreed.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°But I was getting bored.¡±


    ¡°We could have tried out their orchestral hall.¡± Lenna offered.


    ¡°Yeah, but it wouldn¡¯t have been the same.¡± He countered. ¡°I actually miss the old beat up piano back home.¡±


    Lenna chuckled. ¡°I miss the violin as well.¡± She agreed. ¡°At least we know how to fish now. That old fisherman seemed far too excited to teach us.¡±


    Isaac laughed. ¡°It¡¯s the same everywhere, old people with too much time on their hands and a passion for whatever they¡¯re doing will always be excited to teach it.¡±


    Lenna tilted her hand back and forth in a so-so gesture. ¡°Not so much in drow territory. Most old elves just get irritated when you bother them. It is such a problem that some of the best creators are forced to take on apprentices by imperial decree.¡± She explained. ¡°The dwarves are much more family oriented so they don¡¯t have the same problem, usually.¡±


    ¡°What about the gnomish population?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°Gnomes do not seem to care as long as they can work around you. It is common for many of them to have apprentices that they have never looked in the eye. They will often respond when queried but otherwise ignore onlookers.¡± Lenna informed him. ¡°I think the one thing that elves, dwarves, and gnome creators all have in common is that none of them voluntarily sleep.¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°I can see that. ¡®Sleep is for the weak until you sleep for a week.¡¯¡± He replied.


    ¡°Where did you hear that saying?¡± Lenna wondered.


    Isaac shrugged and then made the mistake of trying to figure out the answer to her inquiry. Isaac hissed in pain and grabbed the side of his head. ¡°Well, that answers that.¡± He grunted out.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Lenna agreed.


    Isaac took a drink of water and then seemed to realize something. He flicked shadows towards Lenna¡¯s face and then covered his own mouth with them as well. ¡°Where did the girls say they were when they were kidnapped again?¡± He asked her.


    ¡°Port Vespera.¡± Lenna replied with a frown. ¡°Exactly where we are going.¡±


    ¡°The port city that is closest to the Isle of Sissario, where the CSC headquarters is.¡± Isaac continued.


    ¡°You know, if we had never met Mary, Madeline, and Margaret, we probably would have missed this entire adventure.¡± Lenna brought to light.


    ¡°Yeah, probably. We would¡¯ve stayed in Sapphirestone for a little while and then moved on. We might have ended up causing a fuss anyway, with how Arthur kept trying to send us away, but we would¡¯ve had less of a reason too. At the very least, we probably would¡¯ve left after we took the kids to the temple.¡± Isaac theorized.


    Lenna nodded along with him. ¡°A lot of people are going to indirectly owe those girls for being so darn cute.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°Is that why you were so dead set on saving them?¡±


    ¡°You cannot look at Margaret and not tell me that she is not absolutely adorable. That little one in chains was too much for me to bear.¡± Lenna said almost defensively. ¡°I still would have insisted on freeing them even if there wasn¡¯t someone so adorable with them, but I am not sure if I would have bothered to hear their entire story. I would have most likely been fine with just giving them some gold and sending them on their way, or turning them over to Sir Michael. That would¡¯ve put Sir Michael on the slavery case and it would have spread from there, though much more slowly.¡±


    ¡°Adorableness¡­¡± Isaac trailed off. ¡°And here I thought I was your biggest weakness.¡± He pouted.


    Lenna rolled her eyes. ¡°Oh you are still my biggest weakness, though maybe not for the reasons you think.¡± She countered.


    ¡°And what reasons might those be?¡± He questioned her.


    ¡°Oh, you know, reasons.¡± She replied and turned away to gaze at the dense trees that lined the road they had taken to the city. Dense trees that they had thought were just a part of the forest until they had been informed that they were in fact just densely grown orchards. Apparently the orchards were grown so tightly to allow predators to move in. The predators would then eat the birds before the birds could eat too much of the fruit, but not before they could eat a good number of bugs.


    Isaac narrowed his eyes on her for a moment before they widened with realization. ¡°It¡¯s my stunning good looks, I always knew my perfect figure had an effect on you.¡± He said with total seriousness. Lenna did not answer either way.

 Chapter 52 One Free Meal

    Chapter 52 One Free Meal


    Horseshoes clapped against weathered stone as Isaac and Lenna¡¯s caravan continued on its journey up the coast. It had taken most of the morning to finally get a good look at the entirety of Mt. Henhopsha. Isaac had been staring intently at the mountain for almost ten minutes before Lenna finally spoke up: ¡°What is it?¡± She asked him. ¡°You are staring at the mountain like it just winked at you and you are trying to figure out how.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Isaac asked before his mind had fully processed what Lenna had said. ¡°Oh, no.¡± He replied and shook his head. ¡°Something is just¡­ I don¡¯t know. It just feels off. The mountain¡¯s placement is odd. There aren¡¯t any more mountains nearby, it¡¯s not part of a range at all, there aren¡¯t even connecting hills.¡± He explained. ¡°Usually, I would just assume that it was a dormant or a former volcano but it can¡¯t be one, Safeharbor is under it.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Lenna said and eyed the mountain for a moment. A moment turned into another ten minutes of both of them staring at the mountain.


    ¡°No, it couldn¡¯t be, right?¡± Isaac thought aloud.


    Lenna nodded as she had the same thought a few minutes prior but originally had passed it off. ¡°It was made. It¡¯s not a natural mountain.¡± She spoke what they were both thinking aloud.


    ¡°But what about the large cavern that connects to it?¡± Isaac wondered about the cavern where they had fought Shamsha.


    Lenna paled and slowly turned her head towards the ocean. She swallowed hard as she mentally mapped it out. ¡°How deep do you think the ocean is just off the coast?¡± She questioned him in return.


    ¡°About five to nine hundred feet.¡± Their wagon driver answered for Isaac. ¡°Why?¡± She wondered.


    ¡°There is a cavern down there that connects to Safeharbor.¡± Isaac explained and pointed just off the coast. ¡°A cavern we fought in.¡± The wagon driver just shrugged and went back to focusing on the road and the horses. Isaac slowly turned back to Lenna. ¡°Lenna, Shamsha dropped an entire meteor shower on us, in a cavern that can probably only barely hold up the water above it as it is.¡±


    ¡°I do not know what kind of bad luck we have in store for us, but someday Lady Luck will take her due.¡± Lenna replied.


    Isaac shivered at the thought of how close they had come to being crushed under millions of tons of water. ¡°Patrons,¡± Isaac sent up a quick prayer. ¡°please negotiate with Lady Luck on our behalf.¡±


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°That might be a tall order.¡± She told him. ¡°Lady Luck does not take bribes and cannot be bargained with. She likes who she likes, and dislikes who she dislikes. All we can do is hope that she fancies us personally.¡±


    ¨C


    Halfway through the trip¡¯s second day, the caravan collectively decided to stop by a small fishing village that was just off the path. The village was run by a baron in service to the marquess that ran Port Vespera, the marquess that was in service to Duke and Duchess Von Sasston.


    The marquess¡¯s men had actually been instructed to stop by the barony in order to pick up tax paperwork on their way back to Port Vespera from Sapphirestone. Their original plan was to speed up, make the detour, and then meet back up with the rest of the caravan around dusk. They would have arrived a bit late to the campsite but it was a doable detour that only left them exposed for a few hours. With the entire caravan taking the detour, one of the small-time merchants would be able to sell a good bit of his cargo of fruits, to the small village that lived too close to the sea to have orchards of their own.


    It was just after noon when the small village came properly into sight. The caravan had been able to see small spires of smoke for some time from the houses, singular inn, and baron¡¯s manor¡¯s cooking and heating fires. It was a quaint village set just up from a peer. The village was on a slope with the buildings closest to the sea on stilts even though the stilts were usually exposed entirely to the air. The occasional storm surge would often bring waves crashing in far farther than high tide and the village had been built, or rebuilt, with that in mind. There were nothing but fishing boats out on the sea nearby, and even though people were out and about, it was anything but bustling. The village couldn¡¯t have had more than a few hundred people in total with only a little over a hundred buildings. The baron''s manor was built the farthest from the ocean but the inn looked like it was built on the highest point. The pair of buildings, one at the center and one opposite the sea, looked like they would become two isles in an ocean storm if the summer storm surges ever got too bad.


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    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ cute.¡± Lenna said after a moment of taking in the village while they approached it.


    ¡°It is, isn¡¯t it.¡± Their wagon driver replied. ¡°I grew up here.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s it called?¡± Isaac wondered. ¡°I didn¡¯t even see a sign.¡±


    ¡°Norrip.¡± The driver replied. ¡°According to the story, when the village was founded, it was the only place along the coast that didn¡¯t have an aggressive riptide, and wasn¡¯t under threat from larger sea creatures. There used to be a sign that said: ¡®No monster nor riptide.¡¯ and that¡¯s how it got its name.¡±


    ¡°How bad are the storms here?¡± Isaac continued questioning their new guide. ¡°Storm likes to send typhoons up the coast and away from Sapphirestone don¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°They send ¡®em south too.¡± The driver explained. ¡°But they can get pretty bad sometimes. Thankfully we can always see them coming for at least an hour, even during the harshest part of the rainy season.¡± The driver looked back at the duo. ¡°For big-time adventurers, you folks ask a lot a questions.¡± She commented. ¡°It¡¯s not a bad thing, just makes me wonder, it¡¯s like you¡¯ve never been outta Safeharbor.¡±


    ¡°More like out of the Innerworld.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°The sun actively hurts my fighting power and blinds Lenna so we tend to like dark places.¡±


    The driver nodded. ¡°Makes sense.¡± She said and just left it at that.


    A few hours later, the caravan had rolled into Norrip and stopped along the main thoroughfare. The thoroughfare ran right in front of the inn and then out the other side of town. The wagons all stopped just before the inn and the duo¡¯s driver, along with two other drivers, headed into the inn to negotiate for stables for the horses.


    In extending their trip from three to four days, the caravan wouldn¡¯t be arriving at Port Vespera at dusk and could instead arrive in the mid afternoon, which would allow an easier unloading of the goods and the finding of lodging. Apparently, none of the caravanners were in a rush if slowing down meant an easier time upon their arrival. Nothing that any of them were carrying would spoil if they took another eighteen hours to arrive, and none of them were working on a tight timeline, so none of them saw a point to pushing themselves needlessly.


    Once Isaac and Lenna¡¯s driver returned, Isaac waved her down. ¡°Are you all going to be fine until tomorrow?¡± He questioned her. ¡°We were thinking about dropping in on the baron.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be fine.¡± She replied. ¡°Lord Drangur is a kind man but doesn¡¯t take any nonsense.¡± She informed him. ¡°It¡¯s part of livin¡¯ on the sea.¡±


    Isaac nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± He assured her. ¡°Dawn tomorrow?¡± He asked when they would leave.


    ¡°Aye.¡± She agreed. ¡°See you at dawn, or earlier if you wanna join us for dinner at the inn.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°It depends, we might be having dinner with Lord Drangur.¡±


    ¡°You know him already?¡± The driver questioned.


    Isaac shook his head. ¡°No, but I have a way of getting at least one free meal in every town.¡±


    ¡ª


    The baron¡¯s manor looked like a wooden brick with rounded corners and a rounded roof. It was barely three stories tall but was easily big enough to house a family of seven and two servants just from its considerable width and depth. One of the reasons it was so massive was so that a good percentage of the local population, those that couldn¡¯t fit in the inn, would be able to take shelter in it in the event of a truly awful storm.


    Isaac and Lenna walked up to the front door and Isaac rapped the brass knocker. A moment later, a young man in his twenties opened the door. He had the same brown hair and eyes as everyone else in the region but he was noticeably less tanned than most others. ¡°Hello, is there something I can do for you?¡± He asked the imposing duo at his door. Lenna¡¯s faceplate was removed but otherwise she was still in full battle gear and Isaac didn¡¯t take his armor off unless absolutely necessary, while they were traveling, so he was as well. The fact that Isaac was armored but didn¡¯t have an obvious weapon actually made him look more dangerous than Lenna who had her longsword hanging from her hip.


    ¡°My wife and I would like to speak with the lord of this town.¡± Isaac explained. His interlocutor was about to say something when he took notice of the double platinum tags the Isaac and Lenna both wore proudly for all to see. He gulped. Isaac raised his hand to forestall the young man from jumping to any conclusions. ¡°It is not something incredibly important, it¡¯s just that we are here, so it would be nice to meet with him.¡±


    The young man nodded as he processed what Isaac had said. ¡°I see. I will inform his lordship.¡± He told them and then stepped out of the way while holding the door open. ¡°You may wait inside if you would like.¡±


    Isaac nodded and both he and Lenna walked into the comfortably open entryway. The entryway was lit by a large brass chandelier adorned with glowing stones inside of yellow glass that cast a much more natural looking light than most others. ¡°Thank you.¡± Lenna told the young man. Neither she nor Isaac were completely sure if the young man was a servant or a child of the local lord. His clothes were well kept and practical, which was normal for both options in a lord¡¯s household, but the colors were muted tans and browns instead of house colors. For a baron in charge of a small fishing village, it would not make a lot of sense to waste expensive dyes on day-to-day clothes that other nobles wouldn¡¯t be likely to ever see.


    ¡°He was nice.¡± Isaac commented quietly to Lenna as soon as the young man left to inform the lord of their arrival.


    ¡°He looked mildly terrified.¡± Lenna replied just as quietly. ¡°He even forgot to ask our names.¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°At least he offered for us to wait inside. After Arthur and his goons made us wait on the docks for hours just for an answer, this is like a breath of fresh air.¡±


    ¡°Arthur and his men probably thought they had ¡®noble immunity¡¯. A baron is far too close to commoners to be that arrogant.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°I am sure there are plenty of times when a baron pissed off someone like us. They were probably succeeded soon after.¡±


    ¡°Fair point.¡± Isaac conceded. Both he and Lenna turned simultaneously towards one of the multiple entrances as they heard heavy footfalls approaching. ¡°He sounds huge.¡± Isaac commented.


    Lenna scowled at him. ¡°What if they hear you?¡± She snapped even quieter than before. ¡°Be polite.¡± She finished just as the door opened.

 Chapter 53 Well Met.

    Chapter 53 Well Met.


    Lloyd Drangur wasn¡¯t sure exactly what to expect. His aide, who had greeted the duo, hadn¡¯t been very informative. There were only so many active double platinum level adventurers running around at any given time, even so, they were as varied as the colors of the rainbow.


    Upon entering the entry room, Lloyd was met with a pair that were just as different from each other as he had expected. One was a proud knight in well kept armor that was probably worth more than Norrip. She had an air of power that practically seemed to vibrate the space she occupied, even when she wasn¡¯t actively flexing it.


    Lloyd was very good at reading people and he knew instantly that he would get along well with the more straightforward of the two. He could tell that she was the honest sort by her bearing alone. Her relaxed posture meant that the duo were not there to cause any trouble, based on her slightly open stance, Lloyd figured it would be quite the friendly encounter instead.


    The man next to the knight was a complimentary contrast to her open power and straightforwardness. He looked cool, calm, and collected but something about the sharpness in his eyes, that no amount of casual smirk could hide, just sent chills down Lloyd¡¯s back. The man¡¯s lack of visible weapon but scuffed- ¡®Wait?!¡¯ Lloyd mentally yelled to himself. ¡®Are those dragon scales?!¡¯ He tried his best to keep any shock from his face but had honestly no idea how well he hid it. What Lloyd did know was that the man was dangerous. Not the kind of danger that a maximum level paladin or sorcerer was, not the kind of danger that a ruler with a stick up their behind was, no, more like a trained magical assassin that made a living making people, and dragons apparently, disappear.


    Even through all the danger and power that was in front of Lloyd, he realized something that most others in his position probably would have missed: Under all of the power, and the countless bloody battles, they were still people. They were people who had arrived for one nonviolent reason or another. Their weapons were sheathed, their stances were open, and their faces were friendly. They were still just people, damned powerful people, but people nonetheless.


    ¡ª


    Isaac and Lenna took in the man that they assumed to be the local lord as he entered on the second floor. There was a staircase that wrapped down along the wall towards them from the exposed landing that used to have three closed doors on it. The man was positively massive for a human. He had no features to imply that he was of mixed blood which meant that his large frame was just an example of human extremes.


    The lord wore a simple sea blue blouse and brown pants that matched his brown boots that were laced with sea blue laces. He stood well over six feet tall, around six feet four inches if Isaac had to guess, and looked like he weighed over two hundred and twenty pounds with nearly no fat on his body. His proportions were even a little comical as his top half heavily outweighed his bottom half. His muscle mass looked like it came from countless days on the sea hauling nets and rigging, but his legs looked like they had suffered from his desk job. His hair was a mix of sun bleached brown and gray that was pulled back into a low ponytail while his beard was kempt and close to his face but still very full.


    As the giant of a human eyed the duo, he held his composure despite being able to see exactly how outclassed he was in the power department. There was only one hiccup and it was when he was looking at Isaac. The duo both saw his eyes widen momentarily before his expression returned to a stern but neutral gaze. He grinned at them after a moment and spread his arms wide. ¡°Greetings travelers.¡± His deep voice resounded through the relatively small room considering his volume. He started casually walking down the stairs to meet them with a pace that was politely fast but not rushed in the slightest.


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    ¡°Well met.¡± Isaac replied with a nod.


    ¡°Hello.¡± Lenna added with a nod of her own.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± He replied to Isaac and then nodded to Lenna. ¡°I am Lloyd Drangur, the lord of this fair town, though if you are here, I am sure that you already knew that.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Lloyd.¡± Isaac said and offered the much larger man his hand. Lloyd took it without any hesitation and then shook Isaac¡¯s hand, with a firm grip that was very obviously restrained to keep from crushing Isaac¡¯s much smaller hand. ¡°I am Isaac Wexler, the Lord of Darkness itself.¡±


    Lloyd nodded along with Isaac¡¯s introduction but seemed to hitch at the very bold proclamation. To claim to have total dominion over something as esoteric as ¡®Darkness itself¡¯ was nothing short of a blatant call for anyone and everyone to challenge him for the position and title.


    Isaac didn¡¯t let him get hung up on it for too long however, as he immediately went on to introduce his mate: ¡°This is Lenna V¡¯Nova, my wife, the Lady of Hellfire.¡±


    ¡°It is a pleasure.¡± Lloyd said almost without realizing it as his mind was still trying to process the pair¡¯s titles. Whoever had chosen them, whether they were self made or given, was an insane person.


    ¡°Likewise.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°We-¡± Lenna stopped herself as she fully processed what she was going to say before it left her mouth. ¡°I would not like to impose, but-¡±


    ¡°Oh not at all!¡± Lloyd cut her off with a grin. ¡°Come, join me in the sitting room.¡± He offered them and waved towards a door off to their side. The aide was already waiting next to it as he seemed to know his lord extremely well.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Isaac replied with an amused smirk and a nod. It wasn¡¯t often that they were showered with real hospitality from a stranger and Isaac was all for it. Isaac and Lenna took a seat on the sofa that sat opposite a pair of sofa chairs, one for an average sized person and one sized for a goliath, where Lloyd took his seat.


    ¡°It is not often that we see adventurers of your rank out here.¡± Lloyd began as soon as they had all sat down. ¡°Based on how little of a hurry you are in¡­ sightseeing or a guild enforced patrol?¡±


    Isaac chuckled. ¡°Sightseeing.¡± He confirmed. ¡°For Lenna and my honeymoon, we decided to explore a bit of the world. We thought it only fitting that we begin our ¡®Greatest Adventure¡¯ with an adventure.¡±


    Lloyd was a pleasant man, if a bit loud of volume at times, who was also an amazing host. The trio talked for a while until Lloyd¡¯s wife, a normal sized woman with dark brown hair and eyes with a muted tan, entered and asked many of the same questions that Lloyd had. Lloyd¡¯s wife, Clare, was nearly a decade younger than him and it showed. His skin was marked with decades under the harsh coastal sun while hers was not. His hair was sun bleached and graying while hers was still vibrantly brown through and through. Something that Isaac and Lenna hadn¡¯t noticed until Lloyd rolled up his sleeves to eat, because of course Isaac got them invited to dinner, was a pair of rope burn scars that covered his forearms and palms. The discoloration on his palms was much less than the rest of his arms because it had taken a moment longer for the rope to burn through his gloves than it had to burn through his shirt.


    Upon asking about the scars, Lloyd had recounted a tale of wrestling with a whale that had gotten caught in one of their fishing nets. It had been a team effort, but at the beginning of the engagement, he had been forced to hold one corner of the net that was not anchored to anything. The corner next to him had come undone from a poorly tied knot and he had reached out and grabbed the rope without thinking. According to Lloyd, for almost half a minute he had held half of the net as the whale tried to escape. He had to hold it until the ropes could be retied behind him by the other men on their fishing vessel and once they were done, he had almost passed out from the pain and exertion.


    In addition to Lloyd and Clare, five children ranging from the age of thirteen to four also joined them at the dinner table. Throughout all of the adults'' conversations, Lenna¡¯s helmeted head hadn¡¯t been brought up even once. It had only taken the six year old ten seconds to ask why Lenna still had her helmet on at the dinner table. Once Lenna had explained to them that it was necessary for her to see in bright places, and the curtains had been closed and a few lights dimmed, she had removed her helmet. The oldest boy visibly blushed and his sister elbowed him hard enough to elicit a yelp.


    All in all, Isaac and Lenna enjoyed their visit with the Drangur family. It had been a nice experience and experiment. It proved to the duo that they didn¡¯t always need to use Sera¡¯s letter of introduction to get good food and a warm bed from the nobles of the Kingdom of Altia, they only needed the letter when hospitality didn¡¯t come naturally. Soon enough it was dawn and the pair were seen off by the baron and his family. At some point, while Isaac and Lenna were taking up Lloyd¡¯s time, the men that were supposed to collect his tax paperwork had finished their task with the help of the aide. One of the caravanners had also entirely switched out his inventory of fruit for one of fish that he was ready to take to Port Vespera. With all of their business taken care of, the caravan was back on the road and headed for Port Vespera once again.

 Chapter 54 Out Of The Spotlight.

    Chapter 54 Out Of The Spotlight.


    ¡°This trip has been really quiet.¡± Isaac commented once they had finished packing up and were back on the road again. They were on the final stretch and only had between five and seven hours to go, depending on how hard they felt like pushing the horses.


    ¡°Isaac, don¡¯t jinx these poor people.¡± Lenna scolded him with a sigh.


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Their driver exclaimed. ¡°A jinx is the last thing we need!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying, I expected to get ambushed by something at least once. What kind of caravan trip doesn¡¯t get ambushed by undead, Ori-Masa, undead Ori-Masa, wolves or their variants, bandits, drow assassins, basilisks, dragons, or even just some snakes?¡± Isaac demanded. ¡°I signed up for an ¡®Adventurer Bounty¡¯ not a ride-along.¡±


    Their driver had turned almost deathly pale. ¡°If any of those things happened to most caravans, they would be entirely wiped out.¡± She whispered in disbelief. ¡°Just what level of the hells are you from?¡±


    ¡°Not even that far down, just the basement of the world.¡± Isaac replied. ¡°Huh, maybe that¡¯s why there are so many spiders.¡±


    Lenna just shook her head at his antics. ¡°You know, your reputation as a terrifying heartless death elemental has been actively dropping to rock bottom.¡± She reminded him. ¡°It is situations like these that are doing it.¡±


    It only took them another five and a half hours to reach their destination. The port city of Vespera was wide and sprawling with large and open thoroughfares and a spiked fence where an outer wall should have been. Almost all of the buildings were made of stone for only most of the first floor and were made of wood for the rest. It looked almost as if someone had started building a city of cobbled stone only for them to run out of it as soon as they got to a height of three to nine feet. It appeared that the city continued to grow faster than the builders or city planners could keep up, either that, or someone really didn¡¯t care about what happened to the outer two thirds of the population, maybe both.


    The caravan passed through a checkpoint to enter the city at a much faster rate than the duo had expected. The guards hadn¡¯t even glanced inside the wagons and just took the drivers at their word. Some of the guards had enchanted gear that no guard would be able to afford on their salary. Some of the roads had divots that were filled in with gravel instead of being releveled. The divots looked like they were from underground erosion but could have been from tunnels that collapsed underground. There were beggars sitting openly on the street and people in brightly colored clothes only a few feet from them. Everything about the city screamed bustling commerce and proverbial buckets of money slipping through the cracks.


    ¡°I think we are in the right place.¡± Isaac commented to Lenna as they passed an alleyway where a homeless man was being shaken down for loose change. ¡°Yay, another city that looks bright on the surface but is a cesspit underneath.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna replied.


    ¡°Some parts of town are pretty bad.¡± Their driver agreed. ¡°I¡¯d stick to where the people are the thickest if you want a safe stay. Just watch your pockets.¡± She warned them. ¡°And don¡¯t think that Bottomless Bag will be enough to keep your money safe. The street rats here are smart enough to target you just because you have one. They know that there are platinum coins in there.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Isaac assured her. ¡°Should we stay with you until you finish unloading?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No.¡± She replied. ¡°Just until we get to the Vespera Merchants Association¡¯s Inbound Warehouse.¡± She explained. ¡°The VMA keep our goods safe for a small fee per day, that¡¯s one of the reasons it¡¯s better to arrive in the afternoon instead of at night.¡±


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°Alright. What can you tell me about this association? How do they keep your stuff safe from the criminal factions in the city?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I have no idea. They just do.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Isaac,¡± Lenna began. ¡°what if we end up bringing one of the largest cities in Altia to its knees while we are here?¡±


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°Then it crumbles like a sandcastle.¡± He replied. ¡°I don¡¯t see how that¡¯s our problem. We are just after the CSC, anyone that happens to be reliant on them, or in their pocket, is just going to have to deal with the fallout.¡±


    ¡ª


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    After leaving their merchant friend, the pair headed to the local branch of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. After their last guild related fiasco, the pair decided to start at the guild and work their way out from there. If they were sure that the Guild Master wasn¡¯t in anyone¡¯s pocket, then they would have a solid place to work outwards from and hopefully a way to get some reinforcements as needed.


    Upon entering the Guild Hall of the Vespera branch of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild, the pair were met with a familiar layout but a mostly empty building. The receptionist was a tired looking elderly man whose glasses were thick and looked much too heavy for his slender nose. He was nearly completely bald on the top of his head and his shoulders slumped forwards as if the entire weight of his considerable age lay upon them.


    Isaac and Lenna walked up to the elderly man and gave him a moment to acknowledge them. When he hadn¡¯t for around half a minute, Isaac leaned against his desk and cleared his throat. The man glanced up at him and then back down to his work. ¡°I sees ya.¡± He told Isaac. ¡°Imma bit busy at the moment.¡±


    ¡°Is the Guild Master here?¡± Isaac questioned the man directly. ¡°I need to speak with him.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait fer an appointment.¡± The old receptionist replied.


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t had very good experiences with that recently.¡± Isaac countered. ¡°Is he in the building?¡±


    The receptionist looked back up at Isaac again and Isaac set his double platinum tags on the desk between them. The old man gave them a look for a moment before he looked back up and met Isaac¡¯s unyielding gaze. ¡°Yous gotta wait like ev¡¯ry one else.¡± He told Isaac flatly.


    ¡°Listen, gramps, if he is here, then tell me so I can go talk to him for a few minutes. I don¡¯t care if he is buried under eight million pieces of parchment or in a meeting with the king himself. Is. He. Here?¡± Isaac demanded.


    ¡°Leave yer-¡± The old man began again.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of this nonsense.¡± Isaac cut him off and vanished.


    Lenna sighed heavily enough to draw the old man¡¯s attention. ¡°Order a new door for the Guild Master¡¯s office, just in case.¡± Lenna told him and then started walking towards the door that led to the stairs to the second floor. ¡°You should have just answered the question.¡±


    Isaac had shadow-stepped the entire way to the Guild Master¡¯s office door. He pounded on it twice and then waited. He heard an exasperated sigh and a groan. ¡°Ugh, what is it now?!¡± He called through the door. Isaac took that as his sign to enter and opened the door. Inside was a man no older than thirty with dark bags under his eyes. His blue hued skin only made them even more evident. His hair was a vibrant pure green and his eyes practically glowed with yellow mana. All around him were stacks of papers and only half of them looked organized. ¡°What? You¡¯re not old man Jenkins.¡± He said aloud while looking at Isaac questioningly. His eyes suddenly widened in horror. ¡°No, don¡¯t tell me that old bastard finally kicked the bucket¡­¡± He reached up and grabbed two handfuls of his hair. ¡°No no no, please, I don¡¯t have time to find someone else to run the desk.¡±


    ¡°Hold on.¡± Isaac told him and raised his hands, his double platinum tags dangled and reflected the light from their position in his hand from earlier. ¡°The zombie or whatever is running the desk down there is still breathing.¡± He told the Guild Master. ¡°That¡¯s not why I¡¯m here.¡±


    The Guild Master sighed and relaxed back into his chair. ¡°Oh, thank Halya.¡± He sighed and then refocused on Isaac. ¡°If it is another complaint or problem, I am afraid you will have to add it to the list.¡± He told Isaac.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s either.¡± He replied. ¡°My wife and I are following a lead from Sapphirestone and it¡¯s led us here.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± The Guild Master questioned. It was clear that he was trying not to be rude but his constant glances at the piles of work in front of him betrayed what was really on his mind.


    ¡°The Civil Servant Company. We are going to invade their island off the coast and shut down their slave racket.¡± Isaac spoke plainly and directly while he still had the Guild Master¡¯s attention. ¡°I have reason to suspect that their leader may be a green dragon.¡±


    Those final two words yanked the Guild Master¡¯s attention like a chained dog reaching the end of their tether. His eyes went wide and finally stopped glancing at the stacks of work that needed to be seen to. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± He told Isaac and focused in like a hunting falcon. After Isaac explained his reasoning and the information he had, the Guild Master leaned back in his chair. ¡°I can see why you came to that conclusion. I¡¯ll be honest, as a Guild Master, I hope you are dead wrong. That kind of monster so close to us would be a risk that the people of this city shouldn¡¯t be exposed to. But as a man caught in the middle of this wretched city, gods I hope you are right.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Isaac wondered. He had taken a seat across from the Guild Master while explaining things and was now sitting casually with his ankle resting on his other knee. He had heard, and felt, Lenna stop just outside the slightly ajar door to make sure that they weren¡¯t disturbed. She had arrived around the time he had finished explaining everything to the Guild Master.


    ¡°If it were as simple as one massively powerful creature pulling the strings from behind the scenes, then that means that once the head is removed, everything should come falling down in one fell swoop.¡± The Guild Master replied. ¡°If you are wrong, then that means that all of these hundred tiny copper level bounties will need to be completed individually.¡± He gestured at nearly half of his untouched stacks of paperwork. ¡°There are somewhere between fifty and two hundred copper tier bounties that all involve missing persons and petty crimes that the Guard can¡¯t get around to. They are stretched too thin as it is so small scale stuff just gets ignored or thrown out, those people then come to us to pick up the slack. It¡¯s good for business but not for my sanity. The rest involve people hearing things late at night and fearing that there are monsters in the sewers, or people trying to hire adventurers to fix the roads.¡±


    Isaac nodded in understanding. ¡°I can see that.¡± He replied. ¡°So, what can you tell me about the Marquess and Marchioness of your chaotic mess of a city?¡±


    ¡°Marquess Flynn and Marchioness Beatrix Thronsen are both natives. It always feels like they aren¡¯t doing enough below the surface. On the surface they do things like host charity banquets and fund orphanages. I feel like they are just trying to look good without actually doing any good but I honestly can¡¯t see the reason for it. This is their home too, they should be trying to keep it in as best working order as possible. Maybe things are worse than it looks from my perspective but that is all I can tell you.¡± The Guild Master went on without any hesitation. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get to the ¡®why¡¯ in a moment.¡± Isaac told him. ¡°What about the Captain of the Guard, the Magistrate, and the Court Mage?¡±


    ¡°The Captain of the Guard seems like a normal man who is trying his best but is underfunded and understaffed at all times. He is probably the only other person in the city who understands how awful I have it on the day-to-day.¡± He explained and then moved on: ¡°The Magistrate is growing incredibly irritated at the large number of criminals that keep escaping right before trial. They used to escape right after but then he started executing them immediately if their crimes called for it. The last time I saw him, he looked like an overpressured jar of justice. I thought he was about to explode.¡± He then took a deep breath and sighed it out. ¡°As for the Court Mage, I haven¡¯t seen the woman, at all, ever. I hear about her from time to time but it always just seems to be people that are surprised that she is still alive. I am afraid that is all I know.¡±


    Isaac nodded in understanding and thanks. ¡°I see. Well, let me recount a quick tale from Sapphirestone that needs to stay between us. Once I am done, you will know why I asked about everyone openly in power in the city. After that, we can move on to those that are a little more out of the spotlight.¡±

 Chapter 55 Sovereign Choice

    Chapter 55 Sovereign Choice


    ¡°I see why you said that this needed to stay between us.¡± The Guild Master replied to Isaac, once the dark mage had finished his retelling of the events and drama of their adventure in Sapphirestone. ¡°Social drama with a pile of greed and a few opportunistic people can really turn a city upside down. I just hope that things are more cut and dry here.¡±


    ¡°One can hope. I wouldn¡¯t bet on it though.¡± Isaac told him. ¡°There is something that¡¯s been bothering me, where are all of the lower ranked adventurers? The Guild Hall is practically empty.¡±


    The Guild Master shook his head with a sigh. ¡°Most of them went to Sapphirestone. There is plenty of work here in Vespera but not nearly enough adventure. We¡¯ve been stuck picking up the slack for the Guard for so long. It has driven away most regular adventurers and the only ones that have stayed are either here for loyalty alone or simply don¡¯t want a commanding officer while they police the streets.¡± He explained.


    ¡°You have adventurers policing the streets?¡± Isaac questioned with furrowed brows. He didn¡¯t like the Adventurers Guild being used as an auxiliary police force or worse, a paramilitary organization.


    ¡°Yes and no.¡± The Guild Master confessed. ¡°They are encouraged to always do what is right.¡± He began. ¡°The thing is, that with all the time they spend patrolling in an attempt to finish the endless stream of bounties, they end up coming across a lot of crimes in progress. People have started to treat them like they are plainclothes guardsmen which would usually be bad for business but, well¡­¡± He finished with a gesture at his mound of work again.


    ¡°Someone needs to put a stop to this.¡± Isaac said with a frown. ¡°But before that, fill me in or the non-government powerful people in the area.¡± The Guild Master nodded and then began.


    According to the Guild Master, there were three main organizations. The first was the Vespera Merchants Association. They seemed to have their fingers in everyone''s coffers that did any kind of merchant related business in or around Vespera. The problem was that the warehouses and the buildings bearing their heraldry seemed to never have any problems with the stray thugs, bandits, and rogues in the city.


    After the VMA, there was a main ¡®Guild¡¯ branch somewhere in the city. The guild in question was the one that most members of the underground were very familiar with. They did everything from organize black markets to connect hitmen to those that wished someone dead. In Vespera however, according to the Guild Master¡¯s childhood friend who was a thief by trade, the Guild had an issuance plan. If a member paid or pledged a sum of money to the Guild, then they would guarantee a singular safe exit from the authorities¡¯ custody. They had leached every coin and even their very bodies away from the petty thieves and thugs that were bad enough to get caught while they raked in coins from those that were simply being cautious.


    The final main faction was a vigilante group that only ever came out at night. There was some speculation about a good number of the vigilantes being guardsmen and adventurers that were fed up with the status quo. None of the gear any of them used went beyond clubs, long coats, and face coverings. The simplicity of the gear combined with the efficiency of the vigilantes practically proclaimed that most of them were not normal citizens. Apparently, in recent days, the night guards had been informed that the vigilantes should be arrested on sight. That fact made sense on the surface but with the city having as much of a crime problem as it had, vigilantes should¡¯ve been treated like a boon from Judgment himself.


    ¡°So to sum it all up,¡± Isaac began. ¡°We have the VMA working with the Guild to rake in money. We have the Adventurers¡¯ Guild and the Guard working to fight the rampant crime on the surface, while a disguised coalition of the two work at night to do the same, all the while the night guards are attempting to arrest them for doing their jobs. We have the lord and lady pretending to help, a useless Court Mage, and a Magistrate that is forced to sit on his hands. While all of this chaos is going on, my target is the CSC which is both a legal and illegal merchant company who probably has dealings with both the VMA and their unnamed partners.¡±


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡°That about sums it up, yeah.¡± The Guild Master replied. ¡°As far as the Civil Servant Company is concerned, I am positive that they at least work with the Vespera Merchant Association. Their main storefront has the VMA letters painted in gold, silver, and copper and circled in platinum. That is their heraldry by the way.¡±


    ¡°Well, I would like to stay out of noble politics as much as possible so we are going to start with the CSC storefront you mentioned. Lenna and I will head there now, but before we go, I have a favor to ask of you.¡± Isaac spoke as he leaned forwards in his chair.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can, of course, but I can¡¯t promise much. I don¡¯t exactly have any resources to spare.¡± The Guild Master told him.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°I know. I need you to let the Guild Leader know a few things.¡± He began. The Guild Master was surprised but let him continue uninterrupted. ¡°The first is our worry about the nature of the head of the CSC. The second is where the CSC branch is that we are going to. And the third is the time of our entry.¡±


    The Guild Master nodded. ¡°I can do that.¡± He assured him after a moment. ¡°How will I know when you enter?¡±


    Isaac stood up and grabbed the Guild Master¡¯s Neverending Pen. The pen was quickly coated in shadows and Isaac set it back down. ¡°The shadows will disperse when we enter.¡± He told him and then grabbed a paperweight. ¡°If the shadows disperse on this, tell the Guild Leader to bring a cleric with him, Lenna and I will have failed. If they turn into black flames, do not touch them or they will melt off your hand. Other than that, it will mean that Lenna and I need immediate assistance. Let the Guild Leader know and come to our rescue, please and thank you. If two double platinums aren¡¯t enough, hopefully three will be.¡±


    The Guild Master nodded and rose from his chair as well. He offered Isaac his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± He told Isaac.


    Isaac took the offered hand. ¡°Thanks, Guild Master.¡±


    The Guild Master shook his head. ¡°Just call me Heitor. If you hear anyone talk about the Thundering Blizzard, that¡¯s me.¡±


    Isaac smirked. ¡°I am The Lord of Darkness, but I don¡¯t mind if you just call me Isaac, Heitor.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°He seemed¡­¡± Lenna began as she walked beside Isaac.


    ¡°Normal?¡± Isaac tried to finish for her with a questioning glance.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± She agreed. ¡°But we¡¯ve really walked into a mess, again, haven''t we?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re just pulling on a string that keeps moving from blanket to blanket.¡± He replied. ¡°Eventually we¡¯ll get to the end of it.¡±


    ¡°One can hope.¡± She echoed his earlier sentiment. ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡±


    ¡°Remember the Safeharbor General Smithy operation?¡± He asked her.


    Lenna nodded. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll enter like a normal customer while you look around.¡±


    Isaac smirked. ¡°This time I want to add another piece.¡± He told her.


    ¡°Shamesh.¡± She surmised.


    Isaac abruptly stopped. ¡°Wait.¡± He said with worry written all over his face.


    ¡°What?¡± Lenna asked him.


    ¡°The thieves and assassins guild or whatever it¡¯s called, we never saw any part of their operation in Sapphirestone.¡± He told her. ¡°But Lenny said that there is a blackmarket in Sapphirestone. Where was it?¡±


    Lenna furrowed her brows in thought. ¡°I¡­ I have no idea.¡± She replied. ¡°I feel like we should¡¯ve come across it.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think someone is helping them do you?¡± Isaac wondered.


    Lenna¡¯s eyes brightened as she realized that he was exactly correct. ¡°There is someone.¡± She told him. ¡°Someone that at present is entirely unreachable.¡±


    ¡°A god.¡± Isaac surmised. ¡°Which one?¡±


    ¡°Probably more than one.¡± Lenna confirmed. ¡°Humans have a lot of gods but it would have to be one with precognition of some kind.¡± She racked her brain for a long moment. ¡°Sovereignty.¡± Lenna said with a nod of assurance. ¡°He would be able to ensure that they are unmolested by the authorities. Especially with how the Guild works mostly on an ¡®honor among thieves¡¯ code. There aren¡¯t really any laws but just spoken and unspoken agreements. Sovereignty is also known to be antagonistic towards Justice. By Justice¡¯s very nature, she has to stand above all and have dominion over them in order to judge and punish them.¡±


    ¡°Do you think we are going to have to indirectly go against a god in order to get this job done?¡± Isaac wondered.


    ¡°Well, it isn¡¯t like we¡¯ve actually gotten hired to do a job.¡± She reminded him. ¡°This was our own sovereign choice to go about dismantling the organization that kidnapped people we are close to.¡±


    ¡°So as long as we do not plan to lead the authorities to the Guild, we should be fine to just go after the CSC?¡± Isaac questioned her.


    ¡°I believe so.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Gods can be unknowable at times but the younger ones, like Sovereignty, tend to be very stuck in their path. If you come at a problem from the right direction, and plead your case aloud, they might just side with you even when they used to be against you. You never know but can only hope.¡±

 Chapter 56 Hypervigilance.

    Chapter 56 Hypervigilance.


    Lenna pushed open the door into the Civil Servant Company branch in Vespera. A bell chimed as the door swung open until its tether reached its limit and the door was abruptly halted. Lenna¡¯s first step into the building silenced everyone present. Usually Lenna actively tried not to announce her presence. It made her more approachable and let Isaac take all of the attention that she never wanted in the first place. This time, however, it was on full display.


    There were a few people in the lobby but they all seemed to be waiting for someone so none of them were in front of the receptionist¡¯s desk. On the surface, the CSC did exactly as advertised and then some. Their original main task was to connect wealthy people with servants and other household staff. They would work with well off merchants, fallen nobles, and even high nobles on occasion. They were an employment agency that branched out into the world of suppliers. Someone going to the CSC could find people willing to fill in almost any role in a household as well as almost anything necessary to fulfill those roles.


    Lenna walked up to the receptionist with firm steps that matched her nearly oppressive presence. For normal people, which most of those present were, being next to Lenna felt like standing on the edge of a cliff with a hundred pounds of extra weight on their shoulders.


    The receptionist looked far less uncomfortable than everyone else present. ¡°Greetings,¡± She began as her olive eyes locked onto the double platinum tags hanging around Lenna¡¯s wrist. Her gaze snapped up to look at where Lenna¡¯s black lenses stared back at her. ¡°my Lady.¡± She finished with a slight bow of her head. It was generally a safe idea to be extra careful when dealing with high ranking adventurers because power often got to their heads. At Lenna¡¯s apparent level, combined with her dreadful presence, meant that the likelihood of her taking a slip-up personally was high. ¡°What can we at the Civil Servant Company do for you?¡±


    ¡°I would like to speak with someone capable of fulfilling unusual requests.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°I do not want to be told that something is not possible, only that it will cost me more.¡±


    The receptionist nodded with a pleasant smile. ¡°Of course, I will summon someone of sufficient authority. May I inform them of the name of the Lady?¡± She asked with the full suite of pleasantries.


    ¡°V¡¯Nova.¡± Lenna replied. She left a pregnant pause hang in the air as if she expected everyone present to know exactly who she was, and was waiting to see if anyone was dumb enough to ask. If one of the random patron¡¯s audible gasps was anything to go by, some of those present hadn¡¯t needed to ask..


    The receptionist bowed her head further than she had previously. When she did so, Lenna noticed a slight shine to her skin that hadn¡¯t been there before. Either Lenna¡¯s presence was getting to her or her reputation preceded her. ¡°Thank you, my Lady.¡± She said with a smile that looked a bit more forced than it had a moment prior. ¡°If you would be so kind as to wait off to the side for a moment, I will send for someone capable of ensuring your satisfaction with our company.¡±


    Lenna took one step off to the side and crossed her arms as she settled in to wait.


    The receptionist bowed again. ¡°Thank you, my Lady.¡± She repeated. The receptionist was a master at maintaining self control under pressure, otherwise she would have crumpled under Lenna¡¯s exposed intensity and direct attention.


    ¡°I have other things to do today.¡± Was Lenna¡¯s only reply. The entire time, her tone had been completely neutral but not quite flat. Her tone only served to cement the mental image of a controlled natural disaster that most present had in their heads.


    The receptionist bowed again. She was sure that by the end of the day her neck would be sore. She opened a drawer next to her and touched one of the twelve metal plates that were arrayed inside. A moment later the receptionist reached up to cover her one ear and her eyes took a far off look as her mind was busy. She conversed with whoever was mentally communicating with her for only around ten seconds before she lowered her hand and closed the drawer. ¡°The manager will be here shortly.¡± She assured Lenna.


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    Lenna only gave her a one word response: ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡ª


    While Lenna was finally acting like a V¡¯Nova warrior princess of legend, which she officially was once she had reached level seventeen, Isaac was off exploring. Through a mixture of seeing through shadows, in order to see if anyone was on the other side of doors, and shadow-stepping, he was able to quickly rule out almost all of the first floor as nothing of note. There was an office in the back, however, that had caught his interest. The office was just as open to magic as all of the others until its sole inhabitant left to go deal with Lenna. As soon as the door closed behind him, an antimagic field locked in around the room. Isaac mentally noted it as strange but unless the opportunity arose to check it out, he had other things to do.


    Isaac had sent Shamesh to the second and third floors to look around while he took the first and the basement. The two uppermost floors were usually open to normal public business so Isaac doubted Shamesh would come across anything worthwhile but it was worth the time to look around anyway.


    Once Isaac was sure that there was nothing else going on in the back half of the first floor, he moved on to the basement. The basement entrance was located in the back near the manager¡¯s office and the backdoor. Isaac passed through a dozen wards as soon as he entered the hallway and took a moment to get a feel for them. At first glance it was obvious that they were just copies of the ones that lined the inside of every city wall. They were all spells that cancelled teleportation magic, invisibility spells, and spells to disrupt the spells that disrupted said magic and spells. Not one of them was violent or even properly subduing.


    Isaac moved down the stairwell into the basement and slipped past someone on their way back up with an employee leading the way. The person looked like a merchant with money to burn. Her dress was elegant and used at least ten times as much fabric as it needed to and was adorned with real gold thread. She had diamonds around her neck and hanging from her ears but none of that was what truly caught Isaac¡¯s eye. She had a bracelet that was set with a violet sapphire and absolutely covered in gold filled engravings. Isaac realized what spell was set into the three inches thick bracelet almost immediately; Teleportation.


    ¡®I think we have a lead on the merchant Alexander was talking about.¡¯ Isaac told his retainer as he attached a strand of shadows to the space between some of the woman¡¯s dress¡¯s layers.


    ¡®I will make note of it.¡¯ Shamesh replied. ¡®Should I inform Magus Alexander?¡¯


    Isaac sent the feeling of him shaking his head back to Shamesh. ¡®Wait until we have more information and are far away from this place. Something tells me that there are hidden wards here somewhere. It seems far too easy to break into at the moment.¡¯ Isaac instructed him.


    ¡®As you say.¡¯ Shamesh sent back with the feeling of a bow. ¡®I am also inclined to agree. I have seen nothing beyond normal alarm wards on every window. The only difference between the second and third floor is the expense of the hospitality. People more willing to give this company money are taken to the uppermost floor and given pastries and foreign teas while conversing. Meanwhile, people on the floor below are offered simple cookies and locally grown tea.¡¯


    ¡®Be careful.¡¯ Isaac warned him. ¡®Don¡¯t let your guard down just because everything else has been an open book.¡¯


    ¡®As you say.¡¯ Shamesh said again. ¡®I will maintain a state of hypervigilance.¡¯


    ¡®Good.¡¯ Isaac replied as he continued on his way.


    The first basement level was almost an exact mirror of the upstairs levels. There were a few hallways lined with doors that lead to small conference rooms, there were even employees that worked solely in the basement levels making tea and delivering baked goods. The handful of customers were all there for the same thing however, slaves. There were no slaves on hand but instead the employees, helping the rich find one-time purchase labor, had booklets filled with information and professionally done sketches. Occasionally the customer would also require things like common drugs, usually aphrodisiacs, but most of their time was spent picking out slaves. What Isaac didn¡¯t understand was why so many of those present weren¡¯t even from the area. There were nobles from neighboring countries down the coast, not up because that was Ruler¡¯s domain, and even someone from across the sea.


    Before Isaac moved on to floor negative two, he left shadows on one other person that had a magic item that stood out to him. Unfortunately though, Isaac was at his limit. He was so close to his regeneration equilibrium that, if he hadn¡¯t practiced and trained so much while walking that specific tightrope, then he wouldn¡¯t have known if he was gaining or losing mana. He did know that he was slightly gaining mana but he doubted that would last for much longer as those he was tethered to got further and further away. Once he was content that he understood everything that was going on in basement level one, Isaac returned to a mildly frightening doorway that he had noticed quite early on.


    The door frame was warded with the same wards as the basement access but that was expected. What Isaac hadn¡¯t expected was four copies of the infamous Poison Bubble magical trap combination. Each one was loaded with a different deliverer of death inside of it. The first one was the classic version with actual poison gas. The second had another spell that Isaac had recognized, because of their adventure under Sapphirestone, the Phosphoric Tornado. The third looked like a super juiced up version of the Ocean in a Bottle enchantment which Isaac assumed would just immediately flood the inside of the bubble with water. And the fourth was one that Isaac recognized because it was one of the ways to actually kill him, ice. The spell inside the fourth set was Ice Storm. Freezing solid couldn¡¯t be healed even if the bodily damage from being frozen could be. Once he was turned into an Isaac shaped ice cube and shattered, there was nothing he could do.

 Chapter 57 Gold Plated Tortoise Shell.

    Chapter 57 Gold Plated Tortoise Shell.


    Lenna was tired. This was not the tiredness of a long day of training nor was it the tiredness of the day after a sleepless night, no, this was the tiredness of someone that really didn¡¯t like dealing with people. It was the worst kind of tiredness. It felt like her soul was being worn down like a stone in a relentless river of social interactions. Usually, Isaac would handle all of it so she could pretend to be an armor stand, but not today. Today she was stuck dealing with the absolute worst kind of person, a salesman, while she maintained a persona that she had left, mostly, behind in Contantis. The imperious presence of a V¡¯Nova princess was a powerful tool but one that she generally disliked and was tiring to maintain.


    ¡°I see my Lady has stopped on the page of bulk spices. We could arrange regular deliveries of premium and fresh spices from any part of the world my Lady so desires. Everything from up and down the coast as well as from the other side of the plains.¡± And on and on the salesman went.


    ¡°Send a sample of every spice you have to our manor in Safeharbor, if it is truly as high quality as you say, then we will order more.¡± Lenna replied coolly. ¡°Now, about servants.¡± Lenna changed the topic before she was forced to commit to anything more than necessary. She had already ordered a full suite of new bedding that she had no intention of actually paying for. She needed Isaac to be done as soon as possible.


    ¡°Yes, my Lady?¡± The salesman asked. ¡°What kinds of servants would be required?¡±


    ¡°Servants that I only have to pay for once.¡± Lenna replied with faux disinterest. ¡°I dislike repetitive tasks like regular pay.¡±


    The salesman paused. ¡°My Lady, just to be completely transparent, that would mean servants that would be paid up front, correct?¡± He asked Lenna to clarify that she wasn¡¯t talking about slaves.


    ¡°If that is what you want to call them, fine.¡± Lenna replied as if she was assuming that they were both referring to slaves.


    ¡°Well, my Lady, what kinds of tasks would they need to fulfill?¡± The salesman continued to skirt around the topic.


    ¡°Guards, cleaners, a chef¡­ entertainment.¡± Lenna told the man. ¡°How much for three that can fulfill those roles?¡±


    The salesman swallowed hard. He wasn¡¯t completely positive that Lenna was talking about slaves but it certainly seemed as such. Despite being the manager on duty, he was anything but at the top of the food chain in the organization and he knew that if he messed up and brought Lenna¡¯s wrath down on them, it would be his head on a pike. ¡°What would the duration of their employment contracts be?¡± He prodded.


    ¡°Indefinite. Didn¡¯t I just say I disliked repetitive tasks?¡± Lenna replied while looking down her nose at the man.


    ¡°What species and age range is my Lady looking for?¡± The salesman asked.


    ¡°Quiet.¡± Lenna spoke with a scowl in her voice.


    ¡°Pardon?¡± The salesman questioned.


    ¡°And long lived.¡± Lenna added. ¡°I do not want to replace them in eighty years.¡±


    ¡°My Lady, it seems as though my Lady is requesting gnomish, lightfoot, dwarvish, or elvish slaves.¡± He finally spoke aloud what Lenna was trying to get him to admit to.


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    ¡°Is that something that you can do?¡± Lenna questioned him.


    ¡°Slavery is illegal in this part of the world.¡± The salesman replied.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t what I asked.¡± Lenna told him coldly.


    ¡°Anything is possible, for the right price. We aim to please after all.¡± The salesman said with a bow. He was finally certain that Lenna was actually looking for slaves.


    Lenna rose to her feet as she felt Isaac¡¯s presence behind her. ¡°I¡¯ve changed my mind.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°You have been a bore to deal with.¡± She explained and walked out of the meeting room. The salesman took nearly five full seconds to process what had just happened.


    He hurried out after her once he had. ¡°My Lady, please, what about your order of bedding?¡±


    Lenna waved him off. ¡°I can have them teleported to my home whenever I want for a mere ten times the price.¡± She replied while she continued towards the stairs that would take her towards the ground floor.


    ¡°My Lady, please, what did we do wrong? I am sure that we could make up for it if given the chance.¡± He pleaded with her.


    ¡°I doubt that.¡± Lenna told him.


    ¡°Second floor requires more than just a quick look.¡± Isaac spoke from right next to her. His shadows clung to her ear so she could hear him clearly as he gave his report. ¡°It¡¯ll take me the better part of the night to disarm them all one by one, and I don¡¯t trust that some of them won¡¯t go off anyway. I don¡¯t understand all of the trigger conditions.¡±


    ¡°This place feels like a gold plated tortoise shell.¡± Lenna said aloud. ¡°Bright on the outside but still just a corpse underneath.¡± Half a dozen patrons heard her as she strode out into the lobby. ¡°It may have been a reputable organization in the past, but now?¡± She asked and shook her head and finished her march out of the building. ¡°Alright, what else did you find?¡±


    ¡°There are two people we need to drop in on, tonight, preferably.¡± Isaac told her. ¡°I left shadows on them. They both had magic items that felt odd. Something about them was just¡­ wrong in some way. I¡¯m not sure how though. The more I think about them, the more I try to remember the feel of the items, the more uneasy I get. We need to find them and Identify them with the portable ritual.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Where is the first target?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s still inside.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°The other one has stopped moving, she is probably home or at whatever inn she is staying at. Let¡¯s wait for the man to leave and then follow him home.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Lenna agreed and the pair settled in to wait until their first target left the building. Well, Lenna settled in to wait. Isaac went on a quick shopping trip, only he didn¡¯t stop at a single shop. Isaac had instead used his five finger discount to tactically acquire a cloak and flat cap from a group of ne¡¯er-do-wells. The individuals in question were harassing a working girl in a nearby alleyway. The working girl¡¯s psyche would be scarred for life but her would-be-assailants no longer had lives to look forward to. It would take her days to get the scent of decay out of her hair and decades to get it out of her dreams, but at least it was better than the alternative.


    ¡ª


    While Isaac was off being a mostly helpful menace, Shamesh was tasked with something of his own. Shamesh had been forced to use his own magic to fly and remain invisible as Isaac was tired of the strain of so many places and people with his shadows clinging to them. It generally didn¡¯t strain his mental faculties very much but he also rarely kept so many separate tethers active at once. Shamesh flew onto the roof of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild and entered through the roof access. The roof access usually required a key to use but Shamesh just dispelled the alarm and the magic inside the lock before he used a simple spell to unlock the door. The problem with the spell was that it could be a bit rough on the lock and that meant that anyone nearby was sure to hear it slam into the unlocked position. Shamesh didn¡¯t really care either way as the most important part was that he didn¡¯t disturb anyone downstairs. Once inside the building, Shamesh headed to the Guild Master¡¯s office and knocked on the door.


    Shamesh didn¡¯t wait for an answer but simply slid a paper under the door with the words: ¡®Scouting finished. We¡¯ll talk later.¡¯ scribbled on it. Once he had delivered his message, Shamesh left the way he had come and returned to Isaac and Lenna. He was forced to change his trajectory as they were already on the move again by the time he had finished.


    ¡ª


    Isaac shrouded Lenna in shadows entirely and donned his hat and cloak. The weather was a cool fifty degrees as the sun started to dip below the rooftops. As the cold of night began to set in, thousands of men and women donned their coats and hats to keep warm. Isaac knew that he had a much easier time of blending in than Lenna so she was the one that got banished from everyone¡¯s senses.


    The duo followed their target to a nice inn that sat only a block away from the VMA main office. It was clear that the man in question had connections of some kind, either that or an obscene amount of money, probably both. Shamesh arrived as the duo were waiting for the sun to fully go down and was promptly thanked and sent to rest in the void until they needed him again. Once the sun had completely set, the duo climbed the alleyway wall to get to the third floor. Once there, Isaac teleported into one very specific room. Lenna clung to the wall just outside the window Isaac had used to make sure that there was no one else inside the room with their target.


    The room that the pair had arrived outside of was a penthouse suite on the top floor of the inn. The specific scene that played out on the other side of the window was a plump young man licking his lips as he eyed a small box full of brown powder. He was in the bathroom of his suite and had locked the door just to be sure that he wouldn¡¯t be able to escape while high as the stars in the sky. He was not expecting his night plans to be interrupted by a man that was spoken of in infamy and praise, sometimes in the same sentence. He was about to have a very unpleasant evening.

 Chapter 58 Shit Luck

    Chapter 58 Shit Luck


    Fredric Carlo Cascadia was the second son of Baron Emilio Cascadia. Their family was well off, unlike many of the other barons in the Kingdom of Altia who were just glorified governors, but he had no clear future ahead of him. His options in life were the same as any commoner with a personal recommendation from a noble lord or lady. The only problem was his lack of any standout skills.


    Unlike the self respecting children of most of the other noble houses, children like Freddy found fulfillment in vices to make up for their mediocrity. Some had decided to experience every single individual thing that they could possibly experience, some like Freddy. That was why he had bought a box of psychedelic mushroom powder and also why he had purchased the Wand of Pyro¡¯s Dream. The wand had Cone of Flames, Ember Storm, and Fireball stored inside it. The best part, for someone magically inept like Freddy, was that he only had to point the wand and speak the command phrases in order to cast them.


    Freddy had just steeled his resolve to start, what was advertised as the trip of a lifetime, when the mirror suddenly darkened. Freddy looked up, to see why the mirror wasn¡¯t reflecting an illuminated wall behind him, with more of a curious surprise than fright. There was a black void in the mirror that looked so out of place that Freddy thought that half of the back of the mirror must¡¯ve broken and fallen off. He leaned to the side to try and get a better look at it and froze. He hadn¡¯t noticed them at first, but as he moved to the side, it was impossible not to. A pair of silver eyes reflected the light, of the glowing stones that surrounded the mirror, as they followed his movement. Freddy gulped hard. He slowly turned around to face the being that stood behind him.


    The silver eyes of the uninvited guest locked with Freddy¡¯s as he finished his rotation to stand face to face with the invader. Freddy started hyperventilating as the silver eyes didn¡¯t blink but simply watched his every move. In a moment of clarity, Freddy reached for his wand to try and blow away the being of nightmares that stood across from him. His hand had barely found his wand, which was still strapped to his side, when one word resonated with the world around him: ¡°Stop.¡± The shadow that Freddy¡¯s own hand had cast locked his appendage in place. Freddy tried to struggle but was immediately made aware that it was not just the shadow of his hand that had taken the invader¡¯s words as an order. The entirety of Freddy¡¯s shadow, right up against his clothes and skin, had become incredibly stiff.


    ¡°W-w-what do you want from me?!¡± Freddy demanded as his eyes started to lose focus from a sudden drop in the oxygen going to his brain. His hyperventilating was going to cause him to faint before the encounter had even truly started.


    ¡°The wand.¡± The ruler of shadows in front of him began. ¡°Where did you get it? Who made it?¡±


    The sudden but clear and easily answered question hit Freddy¡¯s psyche hard enough that he abruptly stopped hyperventilating. ¡°Huh?¡± He questioned with utter confusion. He had no idea why the being, that obviously had total control over a power that he couldn¡¯t even begin to understand, would need to know something like that.


    Silver eyes settled on the wand in question and the shadows around it darkened even further. A small strap, that kept it from being stolen or accidentally slipping out of its sheath, was undone and the wand slowly lifted out and towards the being of shadows. A human looking hand that looked almost like it was entirely made of shadows reached out and grabbed the wand. The silver eyes looked over it for a moment before they returned to boring into Freddy¡¯s. ¡°Answer me.¡± The gravelly voice of the ruler of shadows ordered him.


    ¡°Y-yes.¡± Freddy replied and tried to relax into the solid but unfelt embrace of the shadows all around him. ¡°All I know is that the ¡®CSC¡¯s Favored Customers¡¯ are given the ability to look through special catalogs that have more interesting items in them. The wand was on the list and I always wanted to be able to cast Fireball, you know? It just always seemed so amazing and I wanted to be able to try it. It was pretty fun but the limit of once per day made me wary of actually using it once I had gotten down aiming it. Missing or it being out of charge could spell the end of me if I ever truly needed to rely on it to save myself so now I just carry it around.¡±


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    The being of shadows waited, for Freddy to finish giving him just as much unnecessary information as helpful information, as if he had all the time in the world. ¡°Who made it?¡± The upright void questioned him.


    ¡°I-I have no idea, honest to Judgment, it was just in the catalog.¡± Freddy swore. The wand disappeared into the void of shadows and then the ruler of them vanished without a trace. ¡°Hey! Wait! That¡¯s mine!¡± Freddy called out after he had regained his bearings. He had no way of knowing that the being in question was still in the room with him, watching his every move.


    ¡ª


    Isaac watched as the nobleman¡¯s son kicked a chair in frustration and then was finally drawn back to the ¡®magic¡¯ powder in the box in front of the mirror. It had only taken the boy a few minutes to leave their interaction behind and indulge himself in his illegal extracurricular activity. Isaac sighed in disappointment. ¡°Rich kids with nothing better to do.¡± He grumbled and then actually took his leave. The reason Isaac had waited so long was because he needed to make sure that the young noble truly didn¡¯t know anything else. If the boy had waited a few minutes, and then made a run for a communications device or the CSC, then he would have known that the boy was lying to him. Isaac referred to him as a boy even though Isaac was most likely the younger of the two because there was an obvious disparity in maturity, grace in character, and power.


    Once Isaac was positive that the rich kid wasn¡¯t going to accidentally help them at all, he left and joined Lenna. He motioned towards the ground and the pair of them fell. Isaac¡¯s shadows cushioned and silenced their landing. ¡°Nothing.¡± Lenna surmised. She hadn¡¯t heard their conversation but she had seen most of it through the window.


    Isaac shrugged. ¡°We know that the CSC sold the wand to him, along with the drugs, but that¡¯s it.¡± Isaac informed her. ¡°For now, let¡¯s go drop in on the second target.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± She replied. ¡°Where is she?¡±


    Isaac pointed to where they both knew the noble side of town was. It was in that direction that the marquess¡¯s mansion resided. There were also buildings for various kinds of entertainment, including an arena and theater, as well as high end businesses. There were quite a few mansions that were kept clear and clean specifically for visiting nobles which was where Isaac assumed their other target was. It only took the pair twenty minutes to reach the building of which she resided and learn that Isaac couldn¡¯t have been more wrong.


    ¡°Isaac,¡± Lenna spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is what we signed up for.¡±


    Isaac groaned and clawed through his hair in frustration. ¡°Damn it!¡± He swore in a whisper. ¡°What kind of shit luck is this?!¡±


    It was Lenna¡¯s turn to groan. ¡°No.¡± She pleaded to no one in particular. ¡°This is balancing out our good luck.¡± She told him.


    Isaac groaned again and dropped down into a sitting position on the sidewalk across from the building their target was inside. He propped his elbow on his knee and his head on his hand. ¡°Is it too late to give up and make it someone else''s problem?¡± He wondered aloud.


    Lenna eyed the massive brick walled and iron gated building in front of them. ¡°No, it is not.¡± She sighed. ¡°But how would you feel if we really just left it like this? Would you be able to accept defeat?¡±


    Isaac inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly. ¡°No.¡± He replied. ¡°I would not.¡± He sighed again. ¡°I guess we really are going to have to turn this place upside down, I had no way of knowing that she was the damned marchioness when I tagged her.¡±


    Lenna nodded in agreement. ¡°So, what is the plan?¡± She asked him.


    ¡°Do you think that the Thronsen Estate is better warded than the Arbencroft Estate?¡± He questioned with an intense look at the iron gated brick wall that surrounded the property.


    Lenna shook her head. ¡°Not unless they were specifically trying to outdo their duke¡¯s citadel. The Sasston Citadel wasn¡¯t warded any heavier than the Arbencroft Estate on the inside. Its exterior protection was stronger but not its interior. Places like that have to be built with staff changes in mind so the wards cannot be tied to specific people. It also wouldn¡¯t make sense to have dozens of items that would prevent the wards from acting on the staff because those can be lost, dropped, or stolen.¡± She explained. ¡°Are you going to go for a walk?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how enthusiastic of a walk it¡¯ll be, yet, but yes.¡± He told her and rose to his feet.


    ¡°Wait until you have me and Shamesh to stir up any trouble.¡± She ordered him.


    ¡°As you say, my Lady.¡± Isaac replied with a deep bow.


    ¡°What should I do?¡± Lenna wondered.


    ¡°Go inform Heitor of everything we have learned so far. I¡¯ll need my shadows again so, once you are out of sight, I¡¯m going to recall them. I¡¯ll also leave Shamesh outside and on standby while I go in alone. It¡¯ll be easier for me to teleport around without worrying about how Shamesh is going to get through closed doors.¡± He instructed and informed her. ¡°Once I¡¯m done looking around, I¡¯ll return and we can discuss how we are going to go about this. Who knows, maybe that wasn¡¯t the marchioness and there is some other woman that is staying with them.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°Be careful.¡± She told him.


    ¡°Of course.¡± He said with a grin. ¡°Careful is my middle name.¡±


    ¡°Do you even have a middle name?¡± Lenna wondered.


    ¡°Yes, Careful.¡± He replied with a perfectly straight face. ¡°As of three seconds ago.¡± Lenna could do nothing but sigh and shake her head in exasperation.

 Chapter 59 A Bad Feeling

    Chapter 59 A Bad Feeling


    Heitor was fast asleep on one of the sofas in the closest meeting room to his office. If there was one thing that the Vespera guild branch had it was new furniture. The entire building had been destroyed only a few decades prior which made it the newest guild building in the region. A heavy footfall stirred him awake. He listened carefully as the heavy boots of someone in metal armor strode down the hallway to his office. ¡°Guild Master?¡± A smooth and deep woman¡¯s voice resonated through the otherwise entirely silent hallway. Her fist pounded on his door twice before he heard her try to open the door. It was obviously locked so she couldn¡¯t get in.


    Heitor groaned and pushed himself up and onto his feet. ¡°I can¡¯t even take a nap in peace.¡± He grumbled to himself before he opened the door to see who was looking for him. He had barely opened the door to leave his impromptu bedroom when the armored woman arrived at the doorway. She was wearing a set of armor that seemed to almost vibrate with power to his mana senses. The woman herself obviously had mana at her beck and call but was clearly not a high level mage like Heitor.


    ¡°Guild Master.¡± She spoke with absolute certainty as her greeting. ¡°Isaac is my husband. I have information that you need to hear. He is breaking into your lord¡¯s estate at the moment.¡±


    Heitor¡¯s mind hadn¡¯t even gotten the chance to completely clear away the fog of sleep when the woman in front of him had hit him with nearly unbelievable news. Heitor put up a hand to stop her and yawned. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, let¡¯s move to my office and we can start from the beginning.¡± He told her. ¡°You said you are Isaac¡¯s wife?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Heitor. I am Lenna and we have much to discuss.¡± Lenna introduced herself.


    ¡°V¡¯Nova, right?¡± Heitor asked as he walked past her towards his office while he withdrew a key from his combat robe¡¯s pocket. ¡°I looked into you both as soon as your husband left.¡± He said and unlocked the door.


    ¡°Yes. Good.¡± Lenna replied to both of his thoughts. ¡°That saves some time. Isaac and I have been investigating two separate issues and they have just converged. Unfortunately, one of the people that they converged around returned to the Thronsen Estate for the night.¡±


    Heitor had barely shut the door behind them when Lenna had hit him with the news that Vespera¡¯s lady, or at least someone related to the Thronsen family, was at the center of the city¡¯s problems. ¡°Okay, start from the very beginning while I get some coffee.¡± He told her and strode over to a desk that was up against the wall with a coffee grinder mounted directly into the wall above it. It was clear that the Guild Masters of Vespera had never had early nights or late mornings.


    ¡°The CSC was actually something we just stumbled across while we tried to get rid of a slave racket.¡± Lenna explained. ¡°That was a quest that we had given ourselves once it was clear that things were more complicated than they seemed at first glance.¡±


    Heitor nodded along. ¡°I take it the other lead that you were following was from a quest that was given to you by someone else?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna replied. ¡°The Court Mage of Safeharbor informed us of a peculiar event. Apparently, magical items have been circulating that do not require any magical ability or attunement to use. Ones capable of casting mid and even high level spells either entirely by themselves or with only a verbal command. Any and all magic items matching that description were to be bought up and handed over to a Court Mage. Apparently, the crown wishes to apprehend the creator of those items as well but they were keeping it quiet last we heard.¡±


    ¡°I take it that the CSC and this unknown creator are connected?¡± Heitor questioned.


    ¡°Yes. According to a young noble boy that is staying in the city, the CSC sold him an item matching the description that we were given, as well as some illegal substances.¡± She explained. ¡°To make it even worse, the woman that Isaac is investigating, the one that is in the marquess¡¯s estate, also had one of those items and came from the illegal side of the CSC.¡±


    ¡°The CSC that is supposedly run by a green dragon just off of our nation¡¯s coast.¡± Heitor added as the smell of fresh coffee started overpowering any and all other scents in the room.


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    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna affirmed.


    Heitor took a deep focusing breath of freshly brewed coffee. ¡°What do you need me to do?¡±


    Lenna smirked as both Isaac¡¯s and her own assessments of the Guild Master proved accurate. Some men reached positions of power because they couldn¡¯t just sit by. Adversity forged strong combatants. Strong combatants that became righteous leaders. ¡°Get in touch with the vigilante group. Tell them that none of the ships in port are allowed to leave tomorrow. Get your best and most trustworthy men and ensure that no caravans leave either. We need the city on total lockdown while we work. If even one of these rodents escapes, well, the fewer cities that get turned upside down the better.¡±


    Heitor nodded resolutely. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best. I cannot promise anything though.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Lenna wondered. ¡°I thought a double platinum level storm sorcerer would be able to bring any city to its knees.¡±


    Heitor¡¯s eyes widened. He nodded slowly to her. ¡°If you are fine with working in the snow, then I think I can figure something out.¡± It wasn¡¯t even cold enough to freeze a puddle but apparently that didn¡¯t matter to a man known as the Thundering Blizzard.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Well shit.¡± Isaac said to himself. He was entirely cloaked in shadows and was currently staring at the marquess and marchioness having a late night drink. There were just a few issues. The first was that the marquess had an amulet around his neck that wasn¡¯t resonating with him at all. The necklace looked like it was set up to cast some kind of low level spell that reminded Isaac of a cloud. Isaac wasn¡¯t very well versed in the individual runes that were strung together to make enchantments, but he recognized one about summoning water and another pertaining to large areas of effect. The low level of the spell led him to think that it was something mostly harmless. The second issue was that the person that Isaac had been following was the marquess¡¯s sister. She was laughing and joking with the lord and lady as equals and her features were almost a perfect match to the marquess. Isaac left them and proceeded to do a quick search of all of the important places for illegal loot.


    In the end, Isaac ended up with a ring that summoned a Reality Shield in front of it and a blanket that changed temperature. Isaac wasn¡¯t entirely sure about the blanket, but from what he could tell, it was too low of a level to be anything offensive or defensive but it was clearly heat and cold related. Once he had finished looting items that shouldn¡¯t have been there, he stopped in front of the vault. He had already checked to make sure that there weren¡¯t any other banned magic items inside but there was one thing inside that had caught his attention. Sitting on a pedestal inside, Isaac had seen an elven recurve bow that had even been labeled.


    The bow was enchanted with a magic amplifier that enhanced the arrows as they were fired. The downside was that the arrows would need to either have a spell already cast on them or have some other magic active on them before they were fired. Lenna had said that she wanted a recurve bow and it was by far the best one that he had seen. It even had a variable resistance enhancement. The person that the bow attuned to would always have a bow that fit their current strength as its draw weight increased or decreased based on the wielder. The bow and string were also enhanced with self repair and durability enhancements. In all, it was a bow worthy of any archer and it would most likely outlive any archer that wielded it.


    Isaac sighed and kicked the ground as if there was a rock there. ¡°Damn it.¡± He swore under his breath. ¡°If that didn¡¯t belong to the kingdom, I would have taken it already.¡± He turned to leave. ¡°Why do they always hoard all of the good stuff?¡± He grumbled as he made his exit. Stealing it and getting caught using it later would end up being more harmful than the bow was worth. Maybe he could find a way to legally obtain it later, but for now, the bow was stuck gathering dust.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Is Isaac back yet?¡± Lenna questioned her mate¡¯s skeleton retainer.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isaac replied as he appeared next to her.


    ¡°I filled in Heitor, what¡¯d you learn and what¡¯s the plan?¡± She asked him.


    Isaac filled her in on everything that he had learned and Lenna had filled Isaac in on Heitor¡¯s plans to help them. ¡°We have two directions that we could go at this point.¡± He explained. ¡°We can either try and wrangle the Guard Captain, Court Mage, and Magistrate in hopes that they are on our side, and able to help, or we can start the party and see who shows up.¡±


    ¡°What if those that should be allies end up mistaking us for enemies?¡± Lenna wondered.


    ¡°Can the magistrate even be an enemy?¡± Isaac questioned. ¡°If he was against us then that would mean that he thought that he was doing what was best for the king and kingdom, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lenna affirmed. ¡°Otherwise he would be an Oathbreaker.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s inform the Magistrate and then start the party. If he can take his most loyal men and apprehend the marquess, his sister, and the marchioness, then that will be one less thing that we have to worry about.¡± Isaac started to form their plan of attack. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t trust the Court Mage or Guard Captain because they aren¡¯t under a divinely backed oath to do what they think is right for the kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lenna told him.


    ¡°It¡¯ll take me and Shamesh a while to open up the second underground level in the CSC building. We¡¯ll head over there now and start working while you explain everything to the Magistrate.¡± Isaac offered her as a solid plan to start. ¡°Once you are done, get ready just outside the CSC building. If there is anything down there that gives me the chills, or if I have a bad feeling about it, I¡¯ll come back for you and the three of us can handle it together.¡±


    Lenna nodded in agreement. She hated being sent to run errands while Isaac was sneaking into potentially lethal places. She was glad that Shamesh was going with Isaac this time which helped to settle her nerves but it still made her worry. Unfortunately, breaking into places and disabling wards was not her forte. She knew that splitting up would help them get the most done in the shortest amount of time and she had faith in both Isaac and Shamesh. She also knew that if she accompanied them that she would end up dragging them down. Those were the only reasons she even agreed to the plan. Only time would tell if Isaac¡¯s plan was a good one or one that would have the worst outcome that Lenna could possibly imagine.

 Chapter 60 It’s Clear. Do It.

    Chapter 60 It¡¯s Clear. Do It.


    Isaac and Shamesh slipped into the CSC store building via a third floor window. Shamesh had dispelled the alarm easily enough and Isaac¡¯s shadows made sure that they were both invisible and that the window didn¡¯t make any noise as they entered. The pair snuck through the building and found themselves at the door to the first basement level.


    Isaac closed his eyes and sent his focus into the shadows. All of everything around him slammed into his consciousness almost hard enough to instantly knock him out. It took him a moment to dial everything back to just the sight of everything from a singular localized point. With great focus and mental effort he moved the pinprick of shadow that he was using as an anchor for his senses. He was forced to sit on the ground almost instantly as a sudden wave of dizziness assaulted him. He had not kept up his practice with that specific skill and it was coming back to bite him.


    Isaac¡¯s little shadow eye slowly moved down the first step. The sudden change in reference from vertical to horizontal was jarring. After that, Isaac decided that the wall was a better surface to traverse in order to go down the stairs. He rode the diagonal trim that guided the stairs to the bottom until it reached the door at the bottom. His real body tilted back and forth as his shadow-perception shifted, from vertical to horizontal to vertical and then horizontal again, until it was back on the floor again. He moved it forwards until he could see out into the next hallway through the small opening under the door.


    ¡®We are clear.¡¯ Isaac told Shamesh. Shamesh opened the door and Isaac opened his eyes. Isaac teleported straight to the bottom of the steps. Shamesh closed the door behind himself before he jumped the entire way to the bottom where Isaac caught him with the shadows that were keeping him invisible. Isaac used his shadow-perception to see what was on the other side of the door again and then teleported out into the empty hallway. ¡®Wait.¡¯ Isaac instructed Shamesh and made sure that no one was coming from any of the side hallways. He could only hope that no one that was in any of the meeting rooms was planning to leave right as Shamesh made his entrance. ¡®Clear.¡¯


    Shamesh quickly opened and closed the door as he made his escape from the stairwell. While he did so, Isaac used his shadows to make sure that the door didn¡¯t creak on the hinges. The pair sneaked through the first level of the underground complex until they reached the door to go down to the second floor. ¡®Those wards will counter my attempts at removing them.¡¯ Shamesh confirmed what Isaac was afraid of. ¡®Once the mana leaves me and enters a ward via the dispel, another ward will break apart the mana that I was going to use to break apart the ward.¡¯


    Isaac frowned. ¡®I guess we are doing this the long way.¡¯ He told his retainer. ¡®Keep an eye and ear out for the residents. I¡¯ll be preoccupied.¡¯


    ¡®Understood.¡¯ Shamesh replied with the same inflection that Lenna would have given.


    Isaac''s first targets were the anti-magic wards in each of the Poison Bubble combination traps. He placed his hand on the first one and made sure that there was a solid space of shadows around the ward before he got to work. He sent a separate string of shadows into the ward that turned back into dark mana upon contact with it under his command. The dark mana then was forcefully infused into the ward a little at a time. The process barely touched Isaac¡¯s ocean of mana but he couldn¡¯t make it go any faster. Without knowing the exact conditions for activating the trap, Isaac wasn¡¯t going to risk just blowing the wards away with supreme magical force. There were too many of them for him to get rid of all of them at once and, aside from the Reality Bubbles, any combination of the currently active wards were completely lethal. Well, he had a good chance at surviving the water and poison smoke combination, but any of the other ones had a chance of obliterating him and Shamesh faster than they could react, if they weren¡¯t prepared for it. They would not be prepared for it if Isaac had just made an attempt at shattering them all with a few dozen streams of concentrated mana.


    It took just over a minute for the ward to break apart on its own from the constant mana imbalance that Isaac had given it. As far as any of the other wards were concerned, it was no different than a natural degradation of one of the other wards. There was almost no chance of something like that setting the others off, because if it would then they would all be entirely impossible to change or maintain. If any form of messing with the wards was not allowed, then they would be like a hundred barrels of blasting jelly balanced precariously atop a heavily sloped roof.


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    Isaac had just started on the second one when Shamesh sensed someone coming. ¡®Resident.¡¯ Shamesh sent to his master.


    ¡®Shit.¡¯ Isaac swore and made sure to turn any exposed dark mana back into shadows and bring it with him as he and Shamesh got out of the way. A person carrying an empty tray walked up the stairs and passed them towards the basement snack and refreshment room. Isaac¡¯s eyes scanned every inch of the person that they could, in an effort to find a key or a badge that would allow them safe passage through the doorway. He found nothing. ¡®Did you see anything on them that might keep the wards from targeting them?¡¯ Isaac asked his retainer.


    ¡®No.¡¯ Shamesh confirmed what Isaac had seen. ¡®Maybe the wards do not activate unless someone that is under the effects of an invisibility spell attempts to go through.¡¯


    ¡®Maybe.¡¯ Isaac replied and returned to his task of shutting down a potential coffin before it could be assembled around them.


    In the end, due to far too many interruptions and a duo that thought that the hallway was an amazing place to have small talk, it took Isaac and Shamesh nearly an entire hour to disarm all of the wards set into and around the doorway. They had to wait for another staff member to pass before the pair could slink down to the next floor. As they scouted that floor, they stumbled across something that really shouldn¡¯t¡¯ve been there.


    ¡®Shamesh, can you tell if a teleportation circle is one of a pair or a part of an array?¡¯ Isaac wondered while he stared at a teleportation circle, that was set into its own room, that had a double-wide doorway without a door.


    ¡®I am afraid that I cannot.¡¯ Shamesh replied. ¡®We would need someone properly versed in rituals and teleportation magic.¡¯


    ¡®Like Alexander or Jala.¡¯ Isaac grumbled.


    ¡®Yes.¡¯ Shamesh replied.


    ¡®If we damage one of them just enough that it won¡¯t work anymore, do you think you¡¯d be able to fix it so we can use it later?¡¯ Isaac questioned his partner in crime.


    ¡®I have no idea.¡¯ Shamesh told him honestly. ¡®It all depends if there is a synchronization ritual that is tied to the act of connecting a teleportation circle to the other one or ones in its designated network.¡¯


    ¡®Okay, we¡¯ll come back to this problem. Let¡¯s keep looking around.¡¯ Isaac said with a physical sigh to his mental words.


    The pair continued until they found a storeroom. Shamesh was left outside as Isaac shadow-stepped into the locked room. Inside the storeroom there were cabinets full of files of merchandise and around twenty separate barrels with different drugs and other illegal substances in them. Everything was labeled.


    Isaac didn¡¯t care about the drugs so he quickly moved on to reading all of the different labels on the cabinets for which types of merchandise were cataloged within them. ¡®Weapons, Jewelry, Identification Papers, Magic Items, NMMI¡­ what is that?¡¯ Isaac asked himself and opened the cabinet.


    Inside the cabinet there were folders that were each labeled again. As he flipped through them he finally found something that he was positive would be useful: ¡®Invisibility Equipment.¡¯ He thought to himself and pulled out the folder in question. He opened it and found a few entrees. The first was a cloak that made whatever was on the other side of it invisible¡­ indiscriminately, regardless of distance. It just looked like a black void. Next was a square tent that projected whatever was on the other side of it in all directions to give the illusion of it being invisible. It was a great idea for couriers and other people that traveled the wilds alone but relatively useless for most others. There was a scabbard that was invisible and made whatever weapon was stowed in it invisible as well, only while stowed. That one was quite interesting for assassins and other ne''er-do-wells. Isaac put the paper entrees back and returned the folder. He did learn one thing however; at the top of the page of each item there were the words: ¡®Non-Mage Magic Items.¡¯


    Isaac then moved on to the other cabinets. ¡®Monsters, Mortals, Machines, Miscellaneous Contraband (Altia).¡¯ Isaac hummed in thought. ¡®I wonder if there are other branches in other countries that have their own version of this one.¡¯ He thought and then moved on to the last one: ¡®Information.¡¯ Isaac opened the cabinet and only saw one paper with a list of prices based on how detailed the information needed to be, how hidden the information or person was, how important the person was, and how dangerous they were. ¡®That¡¯s what I get for hoping they just had dirt on people laying around in the open.¡¯ Isaac chastised himself. ¡®Shamesh, is it clear?¡¯


    ¡®Yes.¡¯ Shamesh replied and Isaac shadow-stepped out to meet him. The pair continued on for a while longer. They passed a few more meeting rooms until they stumbled across a teleportation room that actually had closed doors that were locked.


    ¡®Where do you think it leads?¡¯ Isaac wondered.


    ¡®Perhaps one of them leads to another branch and the other leads to their base of operations?¡¯ Shamesh offered.


    ¡®That¡¯s exactly what I was thinking.¡¯ He replied. ¡®We need to make sure that no one escapes through either of these.¡¯


    ¡®Or enters.¡¯ Shamesh added. ¡®Reinforcements could prove problematic.¡¯


    ¡®Agreed.¡¯ Isaac said with a nod. ¡®Can you make sure that this door doesn¡¯t open at all anymore?¡¯


    ¡®I could leave a Fireball on the ritual circle that will detonate if it is activated, as long as I can enter and casting it won¡¯t set off any wards.¡¯ Shamesh offered.


    Isaac shadow-stepped inside and inspected everything. He didn¡¯t find a trace of even a single ward around the teleportation ritual so he returned to his companion. ¡®It¡¯s clear. Do it.¡¯

 Chapter 61 Not Ideal, But Doable.

    Chapter 61 Not Ideal, But Doable.


    Lenna had been forced to rely on a nightwatchman to guide her to the Magistrate''s office. She used her status as a double platinum level adventurer, which was akin to a lower ranking noble, combined with her actual noble title, even though it was from a different country, to demand an immediate audience with the mortal symbol of the king¡¯s law. She had only been required to wait for half an hour, which was half an hour too long for her liking, but was better than she had feared.


    ¡°My apologies for keeping you waiting, Lady V¡¯Nova.¡± A gruff but refined voice rumbled as the doorway was filled with shining steel wrapped around old but well maintained muscle. The Magistrate was well past his prime and his wiry gray hair only accentuated that fact. His full beard was kept short and well trimmed even if it looked like his hair refused to cooperate with his intentions. His brown eyes were slightly out of focus and looked as though they had maintained a slight squint for most of his life.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Sir Solomon, but we must act quickly.¡± Lenna told him while she scrutinized the man for any signs that he might not be as righteous as his position would require. She found no such faults.


    ¡°So I have been told.¡± He replied and walked past Lenna so he could take a seat at his desk. ¡°If you could start from the beginning, I would appreciate it. I must be entirely informed before I make even the slightest move or most trivial of decisions. That is the weight that those of us in this position must bear.¡±


    ¡°Sir Solomon, are you completely certain that no one can listen in on our conversation?¡± Lenna questioned him directly.


    Solomon eyed Lenna cautiously for a moment. ¡°I am, in fact, absolutely positive that someone else is listening in. I make it a point to have one of my aids listen in at all times. Someone must take my place when I retire and they would make the transition much easier.¡± He informed her.


    Lenna nodded and grabbed a blank sheet of paper off of his desk and his Endless Fountain Pen. Solomon raised an eyebrow in question and surprise at the bold action but otherwise left her to whatever she was up to. Lenna scribbled a few words on the paper and then turned it around to face her interlocutor. His eyes had already gotten noticeably wider before she had even had the time to fully turn her message to face him. ¡°If you believe that they are completely trustworthy, then they should join us for this discussion.¡± Lenna told the wizened magistrate.


    ¡°Enter.¡± Solomon ordered his assistant. ¡°And close the door behind you.¡±


    Fifteen minutes later, Solomon¡¯s office was vacated. Solomon and his aide left to round up members from the garrison, so they could assist him in his task of executing his authority as the king¡¯s sword and living law, and Lenna went straight for the alleyway closest to the CSC branch. Lenna arrived to see Isaac completely alone in the alleyway. ¡°Where¡¯s Shamesh?¡± She asked him.


    ¡°The basement. There are two teleportation circles down there and we need to make sure that they stay inactive.¡± Isaac explained. ¡°How was everything on your end?¡±


    ¡°Good. The Magistrate is rounding up his most trusted men to arrest the marquess and his household for corruption.¡± She informed him. ¡°Now what?¡±


    ¡°Now, we can choose to wait or start the party immediately.¡± He replied. ¡°By some miracle, no one has noticed the wards that looked like they just aged a thousand years, yet. Once someone does, the entire building will be in a panic. No, probably the entire organization. No one has any reason to believe that someone would be capable and patient enough to stealthily remove that many wards without setting off a single person¡¯s mana senses. It is a terrifying destruction of their security¡¯s preconceived invulnerability.¡±


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    ¡°So we should move before that happens.¡± Lenna told him. ¡°Why would we wait, if every second that goes by could lead to the alarm sounding before we even start?¡±


    ¡°Because it would be best if the ruling family was in the middle of getting raided by all the king¡¯s horses and all the king¡¯s men.¡± Isaac had no idea why but for some reason his head suddenly ached. He took a moment to blink it away before he continued: ¡°That way we won¡¯t accidentally tip them off before the Magistrate can get there.¡±


    ¡°Fair point.¡± Lenna conceded. ¡°But how will we know when to start? We aren¡¯t in constant contact with him?¡±


    ¡°It took me longer than I would like to admit to figure that out.¡± Isaac confessed. ¡°But it is actually pretty simple. If the magistrate has a good head on his shoulders, then he will wait for the same signal that we will. If he doesn¡¯t, then we just need to be ready to move as soon as Shamesh notices that something is wrong.¡±


    ¡°And what signal will that be?¡± Lenna wondered.


    ¡°Our new friend doing his namesake.¡± Isaac replied and pointed to the slightly cloudy sky.


    The moon hung half glowing and half pitch darkness overhead almost like it was eagerly awaiting the rest of the night¡¯s events. The stars twinkled in and out of sight as the traveling clouds covered and then uncovered them. ¡°The Thundering Blizzard.¡± Lenna said aloud. ¡°But he wasn¡¯t planning on doing that until just before dawn?¡±


    ¡°Which, as much as I hate waiting, would be the perfect time to strike.¡± Isaac told her.


    ¡°It¡¯s right before the shifts change.¡± Lenna surmised. To which Isaac just nodded with a satisfied grin. ¡°Are you ready to go now, just in case someone doesn¡¯t wait?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°There is only one place with wards that we¡¯ll need to be careful of.¡± He explained.


    ¡°Where?¡± Lenna wondered.


    ¡°Our entrance.¡± He explained. ¡°I noticed new customers sneaking in through the back door. They always had to be let in and out by someone though so I assume there is at least an alarm there. Shamesh and I just used a window.¡±


    ¡°I can use a window.¡± Lenna reminded him.


    ¡°On the third floor.¡± Isaac informed her.


    ¡°Doable, not ideal, but doable.¡± She told him.


    ¡°The front door has an alarm spell on it but nothing else.¡± He offered her. ¡°I can remove the alarm spell in a minute or so but because the ward is right above the door frame, I wanted to wait to remove it. The odds of a member of the night cleaning crew or just someone strolling by inside noticing were too high for me to just do it without talking to you first.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Lenna said and shook her head. ¡°Let¡¯s just use the back door.¡±


    ¡°If you want to take them alive, it might be difficult.¡± He told her with a frown. ¡°I can kill the door guard and use their badge to let you in without setting off the alarm. I don¡¯t have complete faith in a non-lethal silent takedown. I¡¯m pretty sure that I can do it but if he has more than a few levels it might go sideways.¡±


    ¡°Will it matter by that point?¡± Lenna wondered.


    ¡°It won¡¯t matter that much but it could still have an unforeseen consequence.¡± He replied.


    ¡°It would be nice to take a few of them alive but if you were wondering if I wanted a bloodless battle, no thanks.¡± She explained. ¡°They are the ones kidnapping people and selling them. Or at the very least, they know that they are working for or with the people that do. They should understand that, in their line of work, bounties on people like them tend to say ¡®Dead or Alive¡¯.¡±


    Isaac nodded once in understanding. ¡°I just wanted to make sure.¡± He said and pushed off the wall that he was leaning against. ¡°Let¡¯s get into position to be ready once the sky starts to darken.¡±


    ¡ª


    Shamesh waited patiently and watched as people moved about without a single one noticing his presence. He had cast the Seething Ember, often referred to as simply ¡®delayed blast fireball¡¯, over the course of five minutes instead of three seconds like he usually would. The reason for the incredibly slow and drawn out cast was because he didn¡¯t want to send even the slightest ripple of mana out, that someone mana sensitive would be able to feel and, in the end, it worked out. Either that or no one in the building was mana sensitive.


    Unfortunately, Shamesh couldn¡¯t trap the other teleportation circle in the same way because its room lacked doors that would be able to hide it from the rest of the world. As it was, there was a soft orange glow in the room with the trapped teleportation circle. Thankfully, it was almost entirely drowned out by the glowing stones in and out of the room but it was still a risk.


    Everything was going according to plan until he felt a surge of mana coming from the trapped room. He had been stationed at the other teleportation circle so he could cover them both. That meant that he was almost on the other side of the building when the trap was about to go off. Shamesh knew that if he cut the power to the spell that it would fizzle out over the course of a few seconds. He had a decision to make. He also knew that if he asked Isaac what he should do, by the time he had received a response, it would be too late to cancel the spell. Knowing that, but not being a part of Isaac and Lenna¡¯s conversation about starting when the weather started to change, Shamesh made a decision. A decision that would choose the direction the entire multi pronged assault would be forced to go, for good or ill.