Vythin went back to the building that their group had taken up residence in. I really should have my own place, he thought as he glanced up at the large uniform rowhouses; the only feature differing being the trail of greenery that Yvilli had somehow grown up the front fa?ade. He opened the door and walked in, breathing in deeply the sweet perfumed smell of lavender near a windowsill. Yes. A god should have their own place. And preferably something a cut-above the common crowd. He sank down into one of the chairs near the table and looked down, a brief smile flicking across his face as he thought about Kalinor spying on him.

  The door opened and he looked up, seeing Yvilli leading the children in. "Ah, Vythin. How goes the day?"

  "Good. Well, not good. Great!" Vythin stood and scooped Mary up in his arms. "Have you been enjoying your mage lessons?"

  Mary nodded, "Yes Mr. Goldy. But the Professor still has us doing numbers. I don’t like numbers."

  Vythin chuckled and set her down, "If you don’t learn your numbers, then you won’t succeed in the world." He glanced up at Yvilli as the two children ran upstairs. "Did Kalinor track you down yet?"

  She shook her head and went over to the kitchen, pulling out several foodstuffs and beginning to prepare a meal.

  This city truly is amazing, he thought as she passed her hand over a surface which melted away to reveal several small flames with a metal lattice positioned above the heat. Slate really outdid himself. "We were planning on going to Oceanside for a little bit."

  "Oh," she said, as she began to put a large pot onto the lattice. "That shouldn’t be a problem. Slate left plenty of lessons I can teach the children. How long will you be gone?"

  Vythin sat once more at the table, "No more than a day. It should be a quick flight. I just hope it goes well."

  Yvilli glanced over and gave him a knowing smile, "Oh come now. I may have once been a tree, but I saw the forest animals and critters in their season. And even a sapling could tell that the fellow is into you." She turned back and passed a hand over the wall as a metal rod appeared and water poured out into the pot.

  Vythin blushed and looked away, "It’s that obvious?"

  She giggled and sighed, "I remember when I pursued romance with a lovely birch back in my youth. A true gentleman." She glanced his way as she continued her cooking, "You’re a god now. Enjoy life. Things are going to get busy around here soon, and you may not have time to get away like this…plus," she walked over to him and sat down, "If you like him too then seize the opportunity."

  Vythin looked back at her and put a hand on hers, smiling but feeling anxiety, "I don’t know if I can trust him fully. Every mage I’ve known has made my life worse."

  She put her other hand on top of his, and gazed into his eyes; her expression understanding but sad, as if remembering some old pain; "Take it from someone who has loathed and hated people as well." She glanced towards the staircase before making eye contact with him once more, "There will always be one that is different. You can’t just group everyone together. Otherwise you may as well say every creature is evil at its core." She stood and went back to the kitchen, stirring the large pot as the water flow stopped.

  "Is that why you were hostile to Isaac? Or was I misreading that?"

  She grunted in the affirmative, "I’ve had bad experiences with shamans and druids before who thought they could dominate my will and control me. Just like your hatred of mages. But, comparatively, this has been a pleasant experience. I’ve always enjoyed caring for things - it used to be the birds and squirrels that lived in my branches. Seeing the spark of understanding in a child’s eyes...it’s something else." She looked over with a smile, "Cultivate the good while you can, Vythin. This world has so much bad in it, you have to hold onto the good." She turned back and continued to stir, "And those two children are quite special. Maybe more than you know."

  Vythin was about to reply when the door opened and an exasperated Kalinor walked into the room. He glanced at Vythin, his demeanor instantly brightening as he looked over at Yvilli, "I thought you were going to be near the mines today."

  She shook her head, "I was."

  He sighed and took a seat next to Vythin, leaning his staff against the table, "Well, Vythin and I-"

  She cut him off, "I know. He already told me."

  Kalinor glanced at Vythin, "When do we leave?"

  Vythin returned the look and nudged his foot, "I was thinking tomorrow. We can make a day of it. How familiar are you with Oceanside?"

  Kalinor scratched his head, "I know of a really good restaurant there. But outside of that, not much."

  Vythin grinned, "There’s the nearby Oceanside Riverlands which are pretty beautiful. The cliffs have some gorgeous views of Moonsorrow Bay. One of Aqua’s largest temples is there."

  Kalinor nodded, "I’ve always been partial to gorgeous views," he said with a sly grin.

  Yvilli groaned, "Could you be any more obvious? Like two birds preening and doing a mating dance."

  Kalinor chuckled and stood, "Nope." He picked up his staff and sat on a nearby couch, "I'm going to read a book. Let me know when dinner is ready."

  Vythin joined Yvilli in the kitchen and helped prepare the meal. In short order the group ate and cleaned up. As they were sitting in the main room Matthew ran over and tugged on Vythin’s legging, "Mr. Goldy? Can you tell us any stories?" Vythin blinked a few times, caught off guard as Matthew continued, "Professor tells us a story before bed. And Mrs. Y doesn't tell good stories." This drew a look of consternation from the dryad.

  Vythin looked over at Kalinor who had a large grin on his face as he was reading a tome, but quite obviously listening in. Glancing at Yvilli she shrugged, mouthing ‘it's your problem for now’.

  Vythin looked down at Matthew and lifted him up onto his lap. "Okay, what type of story do you want to hear?"

  Mary spoke up, climbing up onto the couch, "Something with pirates!"

  Vythin looked at Matthew who nodded. "Where did you learn about pirates from?"

  Mary looked at Yvilli and pointed. "Mrs. Y taught us a history lesson. Moon-something is where all the pirates are!"

  Vythin chuckled, "Most of them. You’re right. Okay, how about the story of Pixin Firebrand? Ever heard that tale?" The two children shook their heads.

  "Well, Pixin Firebrand was the ‘Pirate King’. You know about the Empire, right?" The two children nodded. "This was before it became the Holy Empire. Back then there was a little but brave Spriten named Pixin. He had red flames on top of his head and a hot temper to match. When The Empire came into the Siltar Republic - where we are now - he got really mad. He got together with a bunch of other people who were mad at The Empire. They stole a few boats and began taking ships." Vythin held up his hands and mimicked a boat with one and waves with the other as the children were rapt in attention. "Their first ship was attacked by a Leviathan! A big, scary monster that can eat a whole ship!" To his surprise a phantom leviathan began floating under his hand, and he glanced over at Kalinor who continued to pretend to read; the tip of his staff dimly glowing grey. "But the brave Captain Pixin was able to beat the Leviathan! Jumping onto its back!" An illusory red person, tiny in size, jumped off of Vythin’s hand and onto the Leviathan's head - the large, eel-like scaly creature wriggling back and forth. The children both gasped.

  "Did he make it?" Matthew asked.

  "Did he kill it?" Mary asked.

  "Oh, better than that. He didn’t kill it. He didn’t just survive. He tamed it," Vythin said as the small red figure rode the Leviathan around his neck. "With his new friendly pet, he began attacking ships from The Empire - always sparing the crew, and just taking the money and shiny things." A phantom ship appeared, deep blue in color, as the illusory images did battle, the leviathan crushing the ship as the pirate vessels came in from the sides to pick up the survivors. The children oohed and ahhed at the illusory display.

  "After many years, Pixin became known as Firebrand for his hair and temper. He became a legend, and eventually spread his influence all across the Moonsorrow Bay." The phantasmal images disappeared, slowly disintegrating and evaporating into nothingness. "But no one lives forever, and Pixin Firebrand had a big bounty placed on him. The Empire really wanted him and his Leviathan dead. But they never were beaten! He became the Pirate King and made the city of Flotsam out of all the ships he had captured or crushed. And he lived there until he died; an old, happy, wealthy man. His pet Leviathan was set free; but still guards the city in the middle of the Bay to this day!" Both Mary and Matthew clapped and Vythin gave a little bow. "Okay you two. It’s off to bed. Yvilli?"

  She nodded and went over to the children, taking them by the hands, "Okay you two, you heard Mr. Goldy. Off to bed." The children groaned as they were led upstairs.

  Kalinor chuckled, "You’re pretty good with kids."

  "You made it better with your little show," Vythin said.

  "True, but you had the oratory skills to make the tale engaging. How’d you get to be so good with kids?"

  Vythin’s shoulders slumped as he leaned forward, "When my father left, my mother had to leave the house for work. I took care of and entertained my brother. I had to grow up fast."

  Kalinor leaned forward, "I’m sorry to hear that. If I may ask, why did he leave?"

  Vythin looked at Kalinor, sorrow written across his face, "He was offered tutelage at a mage college. He left us to chase his own desires. He just...threw us away like he had no responsibility."

  Kalinor frowned, "I’m sorry. The allure of power can make people make bad decisions."

  "Don’t make me regret this."

  "Regret what?"

  "Trusting a mage."

  Kalinor smiled, "Don’t worry. I won’t betray your trust," he said as he walked upstairs.

  Vythin sat there for a few moments before following and entering his own room.

  The next day broke. Within short order Vythin was flying southwest over the Starfall Badlands, nimbly dodging the scant falling stars as they streaked overhead. Kalinor rode on his back, securely lashed to a spine. Conversation was practically impossible with the wind rushing by, and so the few hour flight was quiet save for the roaring wind. The coast soon came into view. A gorgeous city built along the tops of the bluffs, several stairs carved into the stone escarpment led to white sandy beaches on the edge of the crystal clear Bay. Several wooden elevators went from the city above and descended to a series of docks that extended from the cliffs. Warehouses lined the dockside. Ships were queued and loading or unloading various goods, crowds of workers milling around like ants.

  Vythin descended and landed a few miles north of Oceanside on the beach. Kalinor slipped off him as he reverted to his human form. The mage smiled and took off his boots, waving a hand as they floated behind him. "I haven’t felt sand between my toes in years."

  "When was the last time you visited the coast?" Vythin asked as he flared with golden light and his own boots vanished.

  Kalinor walked to the shoreline and stood in the shallow water, "When I was on an expedition as part of my college duties. I had to work for them for a while once I earned my staff. Now I’m a free agent."

  Vythin walked up, feeling the warm embrace of the surf envelop his legs. "So what do you do to earn money now?"

  Kalinor nodded, "I joined the Adventurer’s Guild when I had finished paying off my debt to the college."

  "Purely a mage for hire? Or do you do free stuff as well?"

  "Sometimes I do charity work if I feel like it. Most of the time I do sell my services or take up a quest." He crossed his arms and sighed, "Occasionally an Adventuring Company will hire my services as well. I’ve been in many a dungeon. And every time some damned fool trips a trap." He shook his head as if remembering a bad experience.

  Vythin put a hand on his shoulder, "Come on, let’s walk and talk." The two walked along the beach towards Oceanside. A few minutes of enjoying the cool, splashing water and just listening to the call of gulls, Vythin broke the silence. "Where do you come from?"

  "I was a beggar at the Archrune Spire. My parents were Adventurers. They paid for me to be looked after while they went out on another quest with their companions. They never came back." He kicked at the sand as he walked, "Eventually the money ran out."

  "I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to open old wounds."

  Kalinor waved his hand dismissively, "I’m over it. That was over twenty years ago. Anyways, a cleric of Umbra was wandering by and adopted me. She took me in and sent me to school to make something of myself. I went through the test, as all children do, and resonated with some of the crystals." He smiled, "I was offered a spot at the mage college that day. I didn’t see my adopted mother again until I graduated, and then she disappeared."

  Vythin nodded and smiled, "I didn’t resonate with any of the crystals. But I remember the trial. You must know the inner workings of them. Care to share?"

  "Each component of Creation; from the prime elements - water, fire, shadow, light, air, and earth - to the secondary, such as healing, entropy, and even thoughts themselves have a sliver of their essence infused into the crystals. You can buy the crystals at colleges; I have a set I used for Matthew and Mary. Anyways; about one in ten-thousand people resonate with crystals, although the ability seems to be passed along via bloodlines in some instances. That resonance is called an affinity. Mages can manipulate the raw stuff of creation - what we call spellcraft." Kalinor lifted a hand as a shard of black energy pooled in his hand and he tossed it in front of him. The shard expanded into a circle and floated over his head blocking the sun. "Some mages resonate with only a few elements - they are specialists like myself. I resonated and have an affinity with shadow, illusion, and reinforcement. It means I’m more powerful with those components of Creation. Most mages, however, resonate with all of them; they are called generalists."

  "Like Matthew," Vythin commented, just enjoying listening to Kalinor's voice. The mage was quite open and enthusiastic in his conversing, and the silence from before was nonexistent.

  "Exactly. He is able to do pretty much any spell in the books, or make his own, but they will never be as potent compared to a specialist. If he were as skilled as I am, and we both cast a spell to protect someone, mine would be stronger. Think of affinities as a lesser version of a god's domains. Mages can only manipulate creation; gods can actually create."

  Vythin thought for a moment before speaking, "Wouldn’t my father have known about his own abilities as a child then?"

  Kalinor shook his head, "Most evaluators travel to established schools in towns and cities on the maps. The little villages where an elder teaches? Maybe one will pass through, but it's not a guarantee. He could have just been discovered late, especially if he came from a small village." There was a twinkle in Kalinor's eye, and it wasn't the mage sparks. He glanced over at Vythin and he picked up on the delight in those eyes.

  "Can you manipulate Creation endlessly? Do you have limits?" Vythin asked, just wanting Kalinor to keep talking.

  Kalinor shook his head once more, "No, we cannot, and yes, I have limits. Using spells taps Quintessence in my body. And I must focus on it through my staff unless it’s a simple spell. Without a focus - whether a wand or a staff that has been properly created - spells can go wild and cause some very unintended consequences. There's a story about a child who resonated with a single element - iron. He attempted to control the iron in the local forge, but had no implement. His spell went wild and he instantly hardened the iron in every creature's blood for miles around, including his own. Instantly killed everything…only a desperate or reckless mage uses spells without an implement."

  The two began to approach the docks and Kalinor donned his shoes and put up his hood while Vythin flashed gold briefly as his boots reappeared on his feet. They made their way to one of the sets of stairs, with several other people going up and down. "Are there different ways to use spells? I’ve heard of shamans before that don’t carry staves. Isaac talked about them."

  Kalinor responded between breaths as they climbed, "They are a little different…. They draw their power from Creation itself, but are often limited to a single prime element that they really understand...If a shaman or druid was standing in a river, he could use spells endlessly as long as it had something to do with water. If he was standing in a pond, he wouldn’t be able to do very much unless he made some waves. And they will never resonate with other elements of creation; prime or secondary…Remember, resonating means affinity…We use the terms interchangeably."

  Vythin barely broke a sweat as he walked the large stairs that crossed back and forth but Kalinor was panting. Kalinor glanced back, "enjoying the view?"

  Vythin blushed and turned his head, "Maybe I was," he replied.

  Kalinor laughed lightly, panting as he stopped moving. "Do you mind carrying me the rest of the way? I’m not used to this many stairs."

  Vythin grinned and scooped the slender mage into his arms as he continued to climb. Kalinor wrapped his arms around his neck, "This is more like it. A strong handsome man carrying me up stairs? What’s not to love."

  Vythin couldn’t stop blushing and just laughed nervously as he focused on putting one foot in front of the other. "Why not pace yourself? Ask for some pauses?"

  Kalinor grinned up at him, "I was hoping to get you to sweep me off my feet. I told you, I’m good at getting what I want."

  The climb took a short while. Vythin’s sure steps and stamina cresting the final steps. He set Kalinor down. The two made their way into the heart of the city, following a main road towards the southern edge of town, just chatting casually about their pasts. It was very easy to talk to Kalinor, and Vythin found himself opening up more and more, even sharing a handful of stories about his roguish past - something he rarely spoke of.

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  On the cliff a large wooden building stood, single story but extending quite wide, with a large deck built over the cliff edge. Kalinor pointed at it and led Vythin in. The two were seated and eating and drinking as the sun rose high in Moonsorrow Bay, having pleasant, light conversation.

  Kalinor set down his wine glass as they finished their meals, "Where did you come from? Hometown, family, et cetera."

  "I’m from Wallwatch. I’ve got one brother, and my mother, who passed away while I was gone."

  Kalinor picked his glass up once more, "I’m sorry. A toast to her memory then."

  He raised his glass and Vythin raised his, clinking it, "A toast to our mothers. Wherever they are." They both drank and Kalinor set his glass down once more.

  "What did you do after that?" Kalinor asked.

  "I left before she died, trying to get money to send back to help take care of Orinor and her. I felt...I don’t know, I felt the need to become the man of the family, I guess? But I got caught up with a bad crowd and became a thief."

  Kalinor leaned forward, putting his chin on his hands, "The plot thickens. You mentioned this, but you never mentioned why you stopped doing it."

  "We had a job in the Kingdom of Cruxia that went wrong." He wrapped his hand around the glass, staring into the nearly clear liquid, "My job was to unlock the doors and act as a lookout. I did my part and unlocked the doors, scouted the escape route, and stood watch. The crew went in, got the goods, and got out. But as I was tailing them we were betrayed. A mage who was part of the crew was actually working for someone else...I made it out without being caught, hid in a cave, met a dragon, and couldn’t leave. Well, until I became a god."

  Kalinor leaned back, "That is quite the story." A small black mote appeared next to him and he glanced at it with a frown. "I’m sorry to cut this short but something happened back at my tower." He stood up.

  Vythin stood as well, "Is it something I can help with?"

  Kalinor sighed, "Perhaps, although this is not how I expected the day to go. You owe me a favor still, for signing up to infuse your diamond, yes?" Vythin nodded and Kalinor continued, "Well I’m calling in that favor."

  "Shouldn’t we wait for Isaac and Slate to help?"

  Kalinor shook his head as he drew a pattern with his staff, "They could help, but she is a light mage. Extremely powerful specialist. And a direct counter to my own abilities. But you-" he glanced out of the corner of his eye, "-control the prime element of creation itself. She only manipulates it. She should be easy for you to handle."

  A black circle appeared at the tip of his staff and expanded in a horizontal plane of pure blackness. Vythin glanced back and pulled out a fistful of dreks leaving them on the table. Kalinor stepped through the black circle as Vythin followed, the other customers staring after them as the portal blinked closed.

  Vythin stepped into a circular room; a large pattern etched into the worked stone on the floor, red lanterns flickering with light illuminating the interior with their dim glow. "I thought you were all about Shadows. You can warp?"

  Kalinor began leading Vythin up the stairs, "Not like Isaac, no. He is doing something that is completely different from what I can do - he has unlimited range from what I can gather, and no limits on where he can go. Every mage learns the fundamentals of teleportation - a simplified version of Isaac’s warping. But we can only go to certain places. Some are more skilled at it though." He pulled out a small notebook and handed it back to Vythin. He thumbed through, seeing various labels of cities across Heimfold with different circles with arcane runes written on them. Kalinor continued, "My tower has one of its own. It took me a lot of money in rare components and almost a full year of work. There’s lots of them, but getting access to one to write down the runes is tricky or expensive." Vythin handed the notepad back as they ascended the tower, passing various rooms - each the same ten-foot by ten-foot cylinder save for the staircase going up the side. Each floor appeared to be its own room dedicated to some specific purpose.

  "Where are we going?" Vythin asked.

  "To the roof; it will give you the best view and we can take stock of why one of my wards went off. Wards are alarms created by spells, by the way. Most folks don't know proper terminology."

  Eventually the two reached the top of the stairs as Kalinor pulled out a large black key and fit it into a lock in the ceiling. He turned, a loud series of clicks reverberated through the stairwell, and pushed a hatch open, climbing the last few steps. Vythin exited the stairwell to find that he was several hundred feet in the sky; a waist-high, black metal rail surrounded the top of the tower, and six points jutted up from the corners. "How high up are we? And where are we" Vythin asked.

  Kalinor paced to the edge and leaned on the rail, resting his staff next to him, "My tower has thirty floors. A little over 300 feet. I call it ‘Blackspire’. As for the where…" he pointed behind Vythin and he looked back, seeing an enormous tower extending up into the sky past the clouds and disappearing into the heavens. A massive edifice several hundred feet along a single side.

  "The Archrune Spire," Kalinor said walking up behind Vythin, "I went to Archrune College, which is that building right down there." He pointed and Vythin saw a large building similar in design to those of the Essence Isles. White carved stone with ornate columns bedecked the exterior of the building. It was draped with banners of six different colors across the exterior - one for each primary element. Glancing around, Vythin saw hundreds of towers dotting the landscape. Some small, some tall; but a huge variety of styles and colors dominated the skyline.

  "Part of graduating from that college is getting the privilege of owning land near the Spire itself."

  Vythin looked back at Kalinor with a newfound appreciation, "You’re really rich then? Having this giant tower?"

  Kalinor smiled, "I make plenty off of my freelance work. As for the tower, I built it myself. It’s made out of shadows that I reinforced to become solid." He walked back to the other side of the tower and looked off towards a small river flowing serenely by. "I think I figured out why my ward went off." Kalinor pointed at a large square tower near the river; pure white marble topped with square crenellations, sitting about five hundred feet away. A large white crystal was floating above the tower-top, and a human woman with pure white hair was holding a staff up to it. "And that’s what triggered my ward."

  Vythin joined Kalinor at the edge of the railing. He immediately felt a connection with the large crystal; feeling the Light within it seemingly call to him. "Why would that trigger your ward?"

  Kalinor shook his head, "My tower is made of darkness. And Light can cancel it out. They are polar opposites." He leaned over the railing and pointed down. Vythin leaned as well and saw that the tower wall had a large hole in it.

  "That does seem like quite a problem," Vythin said.

  "It’s happened twice before. Smaller crystals those times, and smaller holes in the tower. I’ve asked her to stop - politely too, but she just ignores me. I even asked the college to step in, but since we both are freelance they don’t want to get involved."

  Vythin looked at the crystal and stared, wondering aloud "What is she doing?"

  Kalinor squinted before pulling a spyglass out of his pouch and peering at her. He frowned, "She is making a Light crystal - but a massive one." He looked over at Vythin, "She’s making a big version of the crystals used to check for affinity in new mages. But this is way larger than any I’ve seen," Kalinor clarified. He put a hand to his chin in thought, "They can be used to store quintessence for a later use. But one that large? Something is off."

  Vythin stared hard at the woman, "I can feel the Light inside." He could feel the heat in his chest begin to pulse, and felt...something. Some cry of anguish from the crystal. "You said that mages have to use their own Quintessence to fuel spells, right?"

  "Yes...and no." Kalinor leaned against one of the points that poked upwards. "There was a way to take Quintessence from another creature but that was outlawed and is punishable by death. Why do you ask?"

  "I can feel it...the pain. The light trapped in that crystal is in pain."

  Kalinor looked back at Vythin, his expression growing stern, "Are you sure?"

  Vythin nodded as an emotion boiled up within him - a righteous indignation and a sense of repulsion at what this woman was doing. "I’m positive," he growled out, his voice becoming more guttural and akin to his draconic form.

  Kalinor pulled up his hood and stepped away from Vythin, "What’s say we fly over and have a chat with her then?" Vythin nodded and transformed into his dragon form, pausing for just a moment for Kalinor to climb on as he launched himself off the tower across the small distance between him and this woman with the crystal.

  She must have heard his approach - turning and pointing her staff - a white rod topped with a ruby gemstone. A beam of white light slammed into Vythin. He felt nothing as the wave washed over him. He glanced back to see Kalinor had manifested some sort of shield around himself, the light bisecting around him. He reached the tower, hooking his front claws onto the crenellations, his back claws sinking into the stone below as he perched himself there, bringing his head to her level.

  She held her staff in front of her defensively as a glimmering shield appeared in front of her; white sparkles appearing in a grid pattern. "Back, foul beast!"

  Vythin growled, his voice shaking the stones of the tower as he spoke, ensuring to pour as much malice into his words as he could, "Oh? Foul beast am I? Then I may as well do a foul deed." He gripped the large crystal in his teeth and bit down, feeling it crack as the light trapped within poured out like liquid; turning from a white, to a silver, and finally to a grey; through an opening in the roof, down stairs deeper into her tower. The crystal disintegrated and his maw was empty save for the rows of razor sharp fangs.

  "How dare you? I am the Archmage Sylvania! Matron of the Sun. Bearer of the dawn. Protector of-"

  Kalinor slipped off Vythin’s neck and onto the tower top, "Yeah yeah, I’ve heard it before. Too many titles go to your head."

  Sylvania lowered her rod slightly and smirked, "Kalinor. I should have figured you had a hand in this. Tame a new beastie?"

  Kalinor laughed and put a hand on Vythin’s neck. "No...you could say the reverse, actually." He glanced at Vythin giving him a wink, "This is Vythin Goldenscales. A god of light. And we have some questions to ask you."

  She glanced between the two and slightly lowered her staff, "I answer to no one but myself."

  Vythin turned his head so that his eye was on her level, "The stuff in the crystal was in pain. Why is that, small mage?"

  Her face flushed red and she screamed, "Small mage?! I’m the most powerful light mage in existence! You dare mock me?"

  Vythin chuckled, "Yes. What are you compared to a god?"

  "I’ve never heard of you. What is a god to a non-believer?" she asked arrogantly.

  Kalinor stepped just in front of Vythin’s maw, "Now now, he asked you a question Sylvania. Why was the Quintessence in pain?" He scratched his head over his hood - his face still hidden, "I can’t help but recall that in college we were taught that Quintessence you expend is willing to take the shape and function you desire. Curious, too, how once your crystal was broken the Light reverted to a physical form...It even flowed down into your tower." He walked over to her, stopping right in front of her barrier, "Tell me, how many people do you have down there? How many creatures did you torture extracting their Quintessence?"

  She smirked, leveling her staff as a beam of white blasted into Kalinor, knocking him off the edge of the tower. Vythin reached down with a rear claw and caught him, Kalinor seemingly dazed but uninjured as a black penumbra strobed around him. He closed the claw to shield him and brought his head back up to her level. He roared, the sound reverberating across the towers. "You dare?" The barrier she had erected cracking as his other claw slammed down on her. She buckled to her knees under the blow, the concussive force pushing her downwards. "He. Is. Mine."

  She slammed her staff into the ground as a pair of white translucent wings sprouted from her back as she flew backwards.

  Vythin launched himself from the tower at her. He slammed into her barrier once more, hitting her as she flew up higher, the manifested defense cracking and beginning to break apart.

  "It’s time to test you, so-called god." She ascended and Vythin gave chase, the two climbing higher and moving away from the ground. She flew into a cloud and Vythin dove in after her, coming out the other side - Sylvania nowhere in sight. He growled and swung his head around, looking for any trace of her when suddenly an enormous impact shook him and knocked him several feet downwards before he recovered and could flap his wings once more; his snout pulsed with pain. Again an impact hit him and he felt a crushing sensation spread through his right flank as he was assaulted by the unseen foe.

  Vythin could very faintly hear her laughing and her voice seemed to come from many directions at once, "For a god of you are rather dull. Control of light includes its absence; you can’t see me!" Another impact rocked Vythin and sent him tumbling downwards. He felt the pain swelling and the anger continuing to boil over, the heat in his chest begging for release.

  "You will pay for that!" Vythin roared and the heat spread over his whole form. He willed all of his thoughts to the single goal. Strip her connection to light. Sylvania appeared above him as the heat went out into the world and his will became reality. She began to fall, screaming in fear as she thrust her staff in front of her, yelling an incantation to no avail; whatever light-spell-based-flight was supporting her before failing. Vythin descended alongside her. "Where is your power now?" he laughed as she fell faster and they passed through the clouds. The greenery of the ground rushed up towards them.

  What am I doing? Vythin thought as he shook off the fury he had felt before - his instinct urging him to let this woman fall to her doom. I’m just going to kill her? He reached down and plucked her from the air, curling her into his front claw as he pulled out of his dive - the white staff tumbling downwards as it was shaken loose - and made course for her mage tower. He gently landed and let Kalinor go, setting him down gently before alighting himself. I won’t lose who I am to this instinct.

  Vythin slowly opened his claw just so Sylvania’s face could peek out. He towered over her. "I have taken your light away from you. You will face justice. But, I will show you mercy and give back your power if you cooperate."

  She slumped, "You took…my…connection?" She asked in disbelief.

  Vythin looked at Kalinor who shrugged and mouthed ‘I don’t know’ before the god responded, "I understand your spells could control light. That is my domain. And be grateful that I didn’t let you fall to your death." Vythin curled a claw around her form, forming a small cage over her, "But, if you cooperate with us, I may give you back your abilities."

  She slowly nodded, "I’ll cooperate. I have no choice it seems."

  Vythin opened his claw all the way and she slowly stood up, glancing warily at Kalinor as he transformed into his hybrid form. "Excellent. And no funny business. I may be your size, but…" he reached over to a nearby piece of the tower that had come loose at the start of the fight and crushed it to dust with his clawed hand. "You do not want to test me."

  She gulped and nodded.

  Kalinor gestured to the hatch, "If you will lead the way. Let’s see what you’ve been up to," he said.

  Vythin walked to her and gripped her wrist, turning her to face him, "To make sure you don’t go anywhere…" he channeled heat and steel manacles appeared around her wrists and ankles. He handed the chain connected to them to Kalinor.

  The trio descended the stairs which pivoted back and forth. Very similar to the layout of Kalinor’s own tower where each floor was a single room dedicated to a specific purpose.

  Vythin got up behind Kalinor, "Can she do anything other than Light spellcraft?" he whispered.

  Kalinor shook his head and replied in a whisper, "No. That’s why she was so powerful with it. Did you really take away her connection to light? Strip her of ability to use spells?"

  Vythin shook his head, "I think so but I’m not sure. If I did, It's only for her attunement to Light."

  "What were you preparing the crystal for?" Kalinor asked Sylvania.

  Sylvania responded with reluctance, "I was trying to access The Sun."

  "That’s quite...dangerous. Let me guess, you wanted unfettered access to the strongest source of light possible."

  Sylvania grunted, "A backdoor into Lux’s afterlife. One she wouldn't know about. Imagine it, limitless Quintessence for spells by stealing it from the souls within that realm. The boundaries that could be broken. I would be known across Heimfold."

  Vythin stared at her back, "That’s it? For fame?"

  She shot a look back at him as they reached the ground floor, "To leave my mark on the world. I’m not going to be like Kalinor here and just die with no legacy. I will be remembered. By everyone."

  Kalinor muttered something under his breath before speaking again, "Where are the people you took the Quintessence from?" Sylvania gestured to a door opposite the staircase and Kalinor gave her a quizzical look. "You know basements are not allowed by the college either."

  "If you break one rule might as well break multiple," she replied as she pulled a white key from her pocket and stuck it into the lock. She pushed the door open and the trio continued down. The air grew noticeably cooler and damp as she came to another locked door. The same key turned and a large basement opened up before them; at least a hundred feet long. Several prison cells were spaced through the room; two rows along the walls and one in the center. Each held several Crulon. The servant-race of serpent-folk stirred and recoiled away from the doors of their cells.

  Vythin looked at the horrid conditions and felt anger at Sylvania. The primal instinct of his draconic nature urging him to punish her. No more lashing out, he thought. You have to be better than that. He closed his eyes and channeled the heat within him as a nova of golden light exploded outwards. As it cascaded across the room the prisoners it touched were clothed in fine robes and boots with a travel kit next to them. He turned to Sylvania, "How do we open the cells?" She gestured to the key in her hand which he took and went cell-to-cell freeing those within. Many whispered thanks and several groveled before him as he finished freeing them all. He walked back to Kalinor who was standing off to the side with Sylvania. Vythin turned and faced the assembled Crulon. "I am Vythin Goldenscales. You are free. Your packs contain a month’s supply of rations and dreks. Go and make a new life for yourself." He stood to the side and gestured to the doorway.

  But none of the Crulon moved.

  One strode forward, dressed in purple travel robes, "Thank you sssir. But we are ssslavesss. We would rather ssserve you."

  Vythin paled and looked at Sylvania who shrugged, "I bought them and transported them here. Technically they are property."

  Vythin looked back at the Crulon who had stepped forward. "You don’t want your freedom?"

  The Crulon bowed, "No disssressspect, Golden one. You are Axan. We were made to ssserve." He got down on a knee as the rest of the assembled Crulon followed suit.

  "It looks like you just found a bunch of new worshippers," Kalinor quipped.

  Vythin glanced back at him, "Right… but how would we get them to Bastion?"

  Kalinor shrugged, "Send them to Starhold maybe? Isaac’s portal?"

  Vythin looked back at the Crulon and put on his authoritative tone, "I accept your offer of servitude. My first command is this - go to Starhold and seek the tree outside of the southern gates. There you will find a green doorway. Go through it, and you will reach my city where you may live and find purpose. This is your first task."

  The assembled Crulon bowed their heads as the purple clothed one approached, "Thank you, Goldenssscalesss. But we do not know the way."

  Vythin put his palm over the Crulon’s hand and it flashed gold briefly as a rolled up map appeared in his grip. "This will guide your way. I am naming you as leader. What is your name?"

  The Crulon bowed his head once more, "Trissstan."

  "You will lead my new followers, Tristan. I look forward to seeing you make it to Bastion. Lose none along the way, and I will reward you greatly."

  The Crulon nodded enthusiastically and waved his fellows forward. Vythin stood to the side of the doorway as they filed out and up, leaving the tower.

  Sylvania moaned, "That cost me a fortune! Do you know how much a whole slave ship costs?"

  Vythin looked at Kalinor, "What next?"

  He tossed the chain from hand to hand, "Well, she did keep up her end of the deal. And without her staff she isn't much of a threat. I’d say we give her to the college administration and testify to her crimes. Let them deal with the punishment."

  Sylvania went pale, "But they’ll kill me! You know the penalty for siphoning Quintessence." She dropped to her knees in front of Vythin, "Please spare me! I’ll do anything."

  Her staff fell somewhere during the fight. If she’s not much of a threat without it, I should at least hold up my end of the bargain. What good is being a god if I’m not a just and fair one? He held a clawed hand above her head as she looked up in fear. It flashed gold and she gasped. "I’ve restored your connection to the light," He said in his authoritative tone once more, "You will be brought forth for your crimes, but I will argue for leniency on your behalf."

  She stuttered, "B-b-b-ut the penalty is death. I’ll serve you! Give me the same chance that you gave those slaves."

  Vythin shook his head, "They are not slaves, at least not to me. They are free and choosing to serve." He looked at Kalinor, "You have a history with her. Can she be trusted?"

  Kalinor shook his head and knelt down to her level, "We started college together. She’s stubborn and a know-it-all, always wanting to get her way." He looked up to Vythin, "I wouldn’t trust her as far as I could throw her. But I’m biased. We always fought for first and second place in almost everything." He smirked, "She was top of the class by three points on our final exams. I never forgave her for that."

  Vythin shook his head and looked back to Sylvania, "You will face justice, but you will be shielded from the most dire consequences. You have my word."

  Sylvania prostrated herself before Vythin, "Please no! I’ll do anything! I don’t want to rot in a cell my whole life!" She continued to plead and sobbed in between her cries for mercy.

  Vythin looked at Kalinor pleadingly. He nodded as he held his staff above her head. A black torrent descended from the gem at the top over her head, and she was fast asleep on the ground. Vythin sighed with relief.

  Kalinor stood up and gave him a pat on the back, "You did great! Now the debt is all paid off. Let’s take her in."

  Vythin grabbed Kalinor and gave him a large hug, "Don’t do something stupid like that again."

  Kalinor chuckled and pulled himself away, "What did I do that was stupid?"

  Vythin looked at him very sternly, "You almost died. What if I hadn’t caught you?"

  Kalinor frowned, "I was prepared."

  Vythin looked at the man, seeing the slight regret written on his face. "Even if you were prepared, please don’t take risks like that… I..."

  Kalinor just barely smiled and looked down, "I think I know what you mean. The whole ‘he is mine’ thing."

  What have you got to lose? Vythin thought as he reverted to his human form and put a hand behind Kalinor’s neck, pulling him in and kissing him on the lips. The kiss was returned in kind - with enthusiasm even, before Vythin pulled away.

  Kalinor grinned, "Well what is this? I’ve captured the heart of a god it would seem."

  Vythin grinned also, "Maybe you have. Come on, let’s get this woman out of here." He looked around the chamber and up towards the tower above them, "and I’m sure she has some neat items in this tower she won’t be needing anymore."

  Kalinor laughed, "There’s the dragon side coming out. Let’s get it done."

  The two took the captive Sylvania to the Archrune College and explained the situation. After much deliberation and Vythin’s insistence on leniency she was sentenced to life imprisonment and taken away. They went back to her tower and spent the rest of the day looting the place, filling up several large sacks of reagents for Kalinor and shiny or valuable objects for Vythin. When they finished, Vythin turned into his dragon form and leveled the white building leaving nothing but rubble. This did attract some attention and several mages arrived ready to fight - but upon explaining the situation they left without further nuisance.

  They entered Kalinor’s tower, the doorway closing behind them as they set the sacks down on the ground. Vythin grabbed Kalinor by the arm and spun him around, pushing the smaller man up against the wall as he leaned in and kissed him; a kiss that was returned with the same desire.

  They separated and Vythin grinned mischievously, "Why don’t you show me your bedroom?" Kalinor nodded and grabbed his hand, dragging him up the stairs.

  The two entered the bedroom, the door closing behind them.

  ? The Myth Seekers [A litrpg fantasy adventure] ?

  by Luminous Zephyr

  Sever the strings of gods and kings.

  But no favors come free, and the more he fights for freedom, the tighter the tangle of fate becomes.

  Finally, after forming a team to take on Janek’s Tower, the adventurers set off with high hopes.

  But before even reaching their destination, the team finds they are no longer chasing adventure.

  They are living it.