Chapter 4 – Into the Crucible

  Emerging from the chamber, I transferred the second ticket to the mage stationed at the gate while my eyes absorbed the transformed surroundings.

  The tower of Cujor diverged markedly from the resplendent Radiant Obelisk. Unlike the tter—with its transparent crystal walls that bathed polished greenstone rooms and rune-adorned floors in sunlight—Cujor’s edifice was constructed as a fortress. Its walls, hewn from ivory stone, permitted little light, and its runes were sparsely and deliberately pced, evoking a restrained mystique rather than overt grandeur.

  Maybe those are strategic locations? Or the most efficient?

  The mages themselves further distinguished this locale. Their demeanor cked the measured solemnity and composed elegance of their Raakwell counterparts; instead they moved with an almost frenetic energy – a likely consequence of their overwhelming numbers. If I were to exaggerate a bit – they made a sea of white.

  Then why is this guy wearing blue?

  Along with the ticketchecker, I spotted a few other colors going about the field of white.

  Exiting the tower with Jericho, I noted that the Tower of Cujor was diminutive in scale compared to the Radiant Obelisk. And why is it built in the wilderness? A dense forest enveloped the structure, intersected by a narrow dirt road – a strip of grass scarcely twenty paces wide that separated man from nature.

  “Does this road lead to Niege?” I asked a group of youthful mages poised to enter the tower.

  After an affirmative nod from them I mounted Jericho and set forth along the widened animal trail – a meandering path through an endless canopy of trees.

  I found myself pondering the peculiar decision to erect a mage tower in such a remote location. Traditionally, these structures are built atop mana nodes, yet I detected no discernible difference in mana density between the tower and its surroundings. As our path wound deeper into the forest, no monstrous presence disturbed the quiet; only the gentle chorus of birdsong, the rustle of leaves and the occasional hum of insects accompanied us.

  Gradually, the forest receded, trees growing sparser until the ndscape revealed a formidable mountain range that jutted from the earth like the scales of an ancient dragon.

  Here I am, Orkazines.

  Legend holds that the tyrannical reign of the Ancestor Dragon, Malthrog, was ended by the Serene Lady, Uzena, his colossal form now decaying into the Orkazine Mountains, while his head y in the dwarven empire of Crudamore. Here ferocious beats adapted to the harsh clime roamed the snow-capped peaks that had, for millenia, divided Dreseon from Crudamore.

  Did the kingdom even exist a thousand years ago?

  As I pressed onward, a cluster of man-made structures emerged against the mountainside – presumable the settlement of Niege.

  I spurred Jericho, the horse galloping up the slope with ease as I idly noted the passage changing from dirt to stone. The mountain was bereft of abundant greenery, a sentiment echoed by the entire range.

  Upon reaching the settlement, a sign at the town’s entrance confirmed that I had arrived in Niege. Strikingly, the town cked fortifications. The main body of town was surrounded by uniform stone buildings – sbs hewn from various stones formed waist high boundaries, metal beams and pilrs arranged above it to support gss walls and roof. Withing these structures, crops flourished, a curious integration of agriculture and architecture.

  That answers one question.

  Further inside, most buildings were modest in size, made of uncut stones bound together with mud and crowned with roofs of grass and timber.

  The living standard here seems abysmal.

  I spotted an armored individual ahead of me, and with several hours of sunlight remaining, I decided to visit my new workpce.

  “Excuse me, can you point me towards the Adventurer’s guild?” I querried.

  Turning around, the man recoiled slightly, expression turning apprehensive. “Just keep going along this road, and you’ll find it on your left. It’s a big building, you won’t miss it,” he said, his eyes roaming over my equipment and Jericho, the wariness never leaving.

  “Thank you,” I replied, gently urging Jericho, who snorted at the man before trotting forward.

  Is that the dialect here? The man had spoke with a rapid cadence compared to the pins. Moreover, the people here generally had a shorter stature, which would make me more conspicuous. I wasn’t especially tall, but I was still taller than most.

  Before long, I arrived at the Adventurer’s guild. A wooden sign, positioned beside the entrance rather than above the gave as I was accustomed, bore the guild’s name. The building itself was an edifice of cut and polished stone, crowned by a gable roof lined with blue tiles arranged in a distinctive, cross-shaped projection.

  “Unfortunately, they don’t seem to have stables, buddy,” I patted Jericho upon dismounting. “Wait here for a bit, okay? I’ll be back in a jiffy,” I instructed, earning a mildly disgruntled snort and a pyful nudge from him.

  “Yeah, yeah, you won’t have to wait long,” I moved through the sliding double doors noting that the interior bore a familiar sembnce to what I was to.

  Twin application counters fnked by a stone counter for rougher work were present across the doorway. Attached to the left wall was a notice board, a few notices posted on it. Notably, there were no waiting seats for adventurers.

  Overall, there’s even less traffic than I expected. Or maybe that’s just because it’s afternoon right now.

  “Who’s in-charge here? I’ve been transferred from the capital,” I addressed the man at the stone counter.

  He was fat. That was the first thing I noticed. The other thing – his biceps looked bigger than mine, but maybe that was because of the brown woolen jacket he was wearing. I couldn’t tell his hairstyle beneath the simirly woolen cap, but his clean-shaven face adorned hazel eyes. The next most prominent thing about him was his wide chin, and like all the other people I had seen here, had fair skin, unlike mine which was slightly tan.

  He looked at me, the other clerks – girls, both of them – also gncing over. One of the girls dropped her client as she came to me while the guy was in the process of pointing to her.

  Is he reading on job? He put the book under the table as he saw me looking at it.

  “I’m Carmel. I’ve been heading things here in the absence of a guildmaster. Might I ask who are you?” she said. I noticed both girls were wearing the same woolen clothes, with a bck torso and white arms, a white cap and bck pants. While Carmel had brown hair, the other girl had bck flowing down her shoulders. Like all guild receptionists, they were beautiful.

  They’re dressed identical. Maybe best friends?

  “I’m Liam, transferred from Raakwell. I’ll be taking charge here,” I said, then added, “tomorrow,” after a moment’s thought.

  “Oh, so they finally dispatched someone,” Carmel said. Pointing to both of the other members, she continued, “That’s Adrija, and he’s Montel, our dismantler.”

  “Good afternoon,” they both said after standing up.

  “Good afternoon to you too, are you three the only people here?” I asked.

  “Yes,” Montel replied. He looked tense.

  “Well, don’t worry about me and just do your job. I’ll come back tomorrow. For today, can you point me to an inn? Oh, and here’s your copy of transfer order, please update the archives, will you?” I took the letter out of my pendant cube, handing it over to Carmel.

  After all of this was done, I was on my way towards the inn they had recommended.

  Back in Raakwell, in the same chamber where Liam had been transferred, a meeting was taking pce between Haines and Aldric. Sitting on the same chair that Liam had sat on, Aldric was fnked by two guards that stood at attention.

  “Guildmaster Aldric, now that Liam has been transferred, when will the Loan be approved?” inquired Haines – a slender young man draped in a red coat, brown trousers, and a scarlet cape.

  Aldric, draped in the same white robes, replied, “You loan will be approved, Sir Haines, however, you have to remember your end of the bargain. I have yet to receive permission to shut that dungeon.”

  “Oh, come now, Aldric,” Haines said to which Aldric raised his eyebrows, “that’s just a measly dungeon. You’ll get your permission, but are you really implying that you’ll impede me for it?”

  “Heines von Darlen,” Aldric began, steepling his finger and leaning on the table, “it would be prudent if you learned how to address your betters.”

  “What?” Haines had just uttered before Aldric’s eyes fred a brilliant blue as a torrent of Aether surged forth. The guards, to their horror, found their body and aura both rendered immobile, same as Heines.

  “Let’s see,” Aldric spoke after some deliberation, “your loan will be approved upon securing the requisite permission and disbursed once I have acquired the dungeon core.”

  “B-But, that will take at least three months,” Haines stammered out.

  “Yes. And so?” Aldric looked in Haines’ eyes, his meaning clear but unsaid.

  “N-nothing. We shall do as you say, guildmaster Aldric.” Haines forced out through his trembles and sweat.

  “Good. Then, gentlemen, if there’s nothing else, I will have to ask you to leave.”

  With that, the pressure radiating from Aldric dissipated and Haines and his guards could move again. Without a word, they scrambled out of the office as Aldric went back to perusing documents.

  Brago130sf