“Welcome child of Jasper.” A kind looking man motioned for Auna, Jensen, and a member of the Ember Moon merchants to sit. Sargent, an obvious fake name, had invited them to the information guild to talk.

  “Auna is fine, considering there are no adults in the Jasper line.” Sitting down on the floor with Theo, Ayda, and the now nearly as big as Theo—Kaida. Theo was in his larger form, which was large enough for her to still ride. The wolves had grown to the size of the animals that pulled their carriages, something a bit bigger than a horse. “Thanks for hosting us in a larger room.” Auna gave a slight bow of her head. They had been brought to a room with nearly no furniture on the ground floor, easily able to fit the large wolf. The winged salamander was still able to be carried by Auna.

  “Of course, we have seen you ride your wolf. We didn’t know if the skill had a cool down time or not. We wanted you to be as comfortable as possible considering everything.” Sargent waved a hand, which had a few maids bring in refreshments.

  “Considering what exactly?” Auna asked taking a cup of juice.

  “I think he means to say he is assuming you are not participating this year in the festival.” Jensen was shaking his head as he snuggled close Auna, Theo laying his head on his lap. Kade was walking around getting pets from everyone. He was a very attention seeking salamander.

  “By the words of Lord Pearl can I assume you are going to participate?” Sargent hesitated before taking a drink from a tea cup.

  “Yes. I wouldn’t miss it. Enough of that though, why did you want us to be here?” Auna pet Kaida who was sleeping on her lap now.

  “I called you here to discuss the attacks from the last few years. We know Ciela had been looking into the soils of Wardite.” Sargent stopped talking.

  “Are you asking if she found out about the pest issue?” Auna raised her eye brow.

  “I see, you are a little too clever for that? Fine, I will be more direct. Have you figure out they are doing war grade magic testing?” Sargent changed his tactic.

  “Yes, we think they are doing the testing under the ground. Have you noticed the ships they are sending out and receiving? I think it is about once a month.” Auna offered.

  “Are you saying you know where the ships leave from?” Sargent leaned forward.

  “Are you saying you know where they end up?” Auna leaned further into Theo.

  “Can we move past this weird tension? I want to do something fun.” Jensen groaned.

  “I see, I suppose we could put this dance behind us. We know a ship leaves Jules under the Wardite flag, we know it stops at EnCo, and Lindle before coming back. The EnCo stop is very normal from what we can understand. The Lindle stop is less so. From what we can tell the shipments happen late at rotating ports, no pattern.” Sargent again went silent.

  “They always leave from the shore of the great monster forest, near Jades’ territory. The ship is from the Jade ship yard. They leave and receive late at night. From what we could tell they unload cargo and travel through the edge of the great monster forest, then through Jade territory the last part of the journey.” Auna pulled out a map to show the location. It was visible from the walls of their new city. It was far enough away though that most people would not be able to see the ship. They had a few different races with great eyesight though.

  “If it is so close to what looks like a city, I am assuming a city of Jasper, why do they continue to use that spot?” Sargent was now nearly on the floor with them.

  “Our walls are full different devices and runes that make it hard to see past. We also only have low light sources to not attract monsters. Without knowing the city was there, it would be hard to find. The whole point is to blend in.” Auna stood up to stretch.

  “I see, that is smart. You have been in control of majority of the great monster forest for less than a few months. How are you already so far along in building a city?” Sargent picked up the attention seeking Kade, which gave a guttural purr in his arms.

  “Why should I tell you that?” Auna was now sitting down again, Jensen nearly snoring.

  “I propose an alliance. We have been following the Ember Moon merchants for a few years now. We know they are loyal to you, and you are loyal to the king. We also know you are very close to making enough money. We are willing to help you complete your city. We currently have our main headquarters in the mountains of Wardite. I’m sure you can see why we are not happy about that arrangement.” Sargent stopped again.

  “I am open to an alliance, though I do not want your headquarters in our port city.” Auna firmly answered.

  “I see. That is unfortunate. However, could we set up a branch like we do here? We have a mage with great space magic. They can set up small transportation circles that take less mana to run, we would like to set one up in your city.” Sargent pointed to his own map showing their headquarters was places in the mountains of Wardite close to the Kings’ land. The map also showed a branch in Sapphire. Each country had at least one branch of what Sargent had labeled plainly as Information guild branches.

  “You have a branch in the Gods land?” Auna was stunned.

  “Yes, though information guilds are not globally connected. So, in other countries we don’t present as information guilds. The branches are from the first great war, currently they appear as long-standing businesses. We have found a few other countries also do this, though not as good as us.” Sargent got all smug.

  “So, you are breaking the peace treaties?” Auna smirked back.

  “Yes, and no. The treaties state no act of aggression. What is aggressive about gathering information? We don’t actually use majority of it. We never use the information to better our country, just keeping tabs.” Sargent shrugged lightly. “We do use it to keep our country safe.”

  “I see, well feel free to visit Jaspers’ Capital.” Auna stood waking Jensen. “You may even set down a transport circle. I will tell my people to build you a building, a store front?”

  “That would be great, a store front for textiles would be perfect. We trade in fabrics mostly.” Sargent turned to the merchant that had been brought. “Can you provide the safe route you use to get to your city?”

  “No, I can not. At least not without Aunas’ permission.” The merchant gave a deep bow.

  “Well, Lady Jasper?” Sargent looked hopeful.

  “You will have to find your own route. There is no path through the forest, at least not a safe one. I suggest taking a boat?” Auna smirked. Her true friend skill had told her she could trust Sargent, though she did not want to show all of her cards.

  “How do your merchants travel it? We know they do not use a boat; they usually appear in the border town or capital. Sometimes from the Pearl estate.” Sargent hummed for a few seconds. “I see me bragging about my space mage was not as spectacular as I thought. You have one that has also created a smaller version of the transportation circles?”

  “We do not use transportation circles.” Auna teased. “You’ll have to keep guessing.”

  “Fine, I will. We will arrive in Hollen, beginning of Autumn.” He paused. “I will figure out how you do it. That is a promise little Jasper.” Sargent gave her head a pat.

  “Don’t pat me.” Easily she pushed away his hand.

  “Is this alliance smart?” Jensen asked once they were heading to the festival. They had met with Sargent before taking the long journey to the festival.

  “I think it is.” Nick spoke up as he patted Akus’ back. They had officially given Aku the Jasper name, as well as Sambor. There was not a grand event just a quiet name change. As they were aware not many people noticed. Jade and Bloodwave heads noticed though, both sending letters of congratulations.

  “I do as well. It will help us improvement our port city. It will also help our information reach. Sargent seems like a great person to have on our side.” Auna groaned though as the carriage hit a bump. She lay her head back down on the floor. Theo and Willow were both on the floor with her. The winged Salamanders were all sitting on the roofs.

  In their carriage was Nick, Aku, Jensen, Ciela, Sambor, and Auna. Seni, the triplets, and Chloe were in the second one. Meredith was in a carriage with her parents and grandparents. “Can’t we make a better carriage?” Auna groaned deeply.

  “Well, if you actually knew proper space magic you might be able to. Right now, your space magic is just due to your doors and storage magic. You need to study more alchemy things to create a Tardis like one. Or idk, create suspension?” Jensen teased as he rubbed her back in big circles.

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  “I have no idea what either one of though words mean.” Nick sighed as Aku groaned. “Aku also seems to get sick in carriages.”

  “Poor baby.” Auna groaned, closing her eyes. She felt Aku be gently placed beside her on the ground.

  “Nick, can you get out first?” Auna asked as they pulled to a stop.

  “Of course.” Nick disembarked first turning around to carry Auna inside, Seni quickly came over to carry Aku. Both of them looked sick, they would be put to bed.

  “Why is she here?” Samantha asked as Auna was taken to her room.

  “Is appropriate for you to follow us?” Nick countered.

  “She is not fit to participate this year; I am sure the king will agree.” Samantha said the last part as the king came to greet the duke.

  “I do agree, however as pointed out to me, I am no longer technically in control of Auna. She is now the head of her family; the Jasper family has every right to let her compete.” The king gave Auna a pat on the back before leaving. “Rest well Lady Jasper.”

  “Good morning my king.” Auna said as she came up to the king in the early morning. Theo was in his small form with Kaida and Kade walking on either side. Ayda was as always, on his head. Willow had been held down by Ciela as she snored in the poor pups’ ear.

  “Good morning, Lady Jasper. How was your rest?” The king motioned for her to sit with him.

  “Good my king, yours?” Auna sat beside him as she ate a blue apple. They had become her favourite fruit. She offered one to the king, who took it.

  “Good, are you sure about this? Your wrists are still too injured to properly use your sword.” The kings’ voice was full of concern. Even his shadow guard was giving her a look of pity.

  “I think you, and too many people forget I use magic.” Auna sighed standing up. “Just you wait and see, I will still win.”

  “I can’t wait Jasper!” The king called to her as she walked away.

  Auna, now was not the last participant. She was placed to go before the commoners, though after all of the nobles. She was currently the lowest noble in Jules.

  “Now here comes the savage! With a new family name! Welcome Jasper the savage to the arena.” The annoying reporter was basically bouncing around in his bubble.

  “How on Arcadia are you still announcing this thing?” Auna grumbled.

  “Well as many know I am an elf, so I will be young enough to report on this event for a long time!” The reporter then flipped upside down. “Let’s see what the king has in store for this year!” The crowd got very loud. “I can’t help but notice Jasper has changed her sword for a staff! What a beauty as well!”

  He was twirling around her commenting on the staff. It was a white piece of wood carved smooth. Leather was wrapped around it in three spots, each had a strap to hold her hand. She currently was holding the middle strap, the other two were spaced for combat. The top was in the shape of a crescent moon standing properly. The moon had two sharp sides to be used for combat. It also had mana and magic crystals of different types on both sides. If one looked closely, they would see modern runes for focusing magic, and increasing durability.

  The first monster to appear was an earth elemental. Auna stayed put shotting dark magic orbs at the elemental followed up by wind slices. It exploded into a million chunks of rocks. Everyone was silent. Next came a wolf-bear pack, she used water magic to drown them.

  “How savage! She drowned them! Who knew the savage could use magic?” The announcer was going nuts.

  Using lightening bolts, she killed the water elemental. Then used her fire to kill the treant, next a wind elemental in the form of a tornado nearly tore the area apart. However, Auna surrounded it in a fire vortex removing all the oxygen—killing it.

  “For the first time since this started Jasper has moved!” The announcer got close to her, so she used wind magic to push him away. As she moved, she sliced the legs of a few wolfs which goblins were riding. Using her magic she drowned half of them, and burnt the other half before they could touch her. She was a level so much higher than she should be at her age that these monsters were too far below her. “Wow six goblin riders down in a blink of an eye!”

  “Oh no what is she going to do against an ice elemental? Fire magic is known to be too weak to melt such things!” The announcer was keeping a safe distance from Auna now.

  Slowly Auna stopped moving looking at the creature. It moved closer freezing the ground as it went. Even the announcer moved as far away as he could, Auna began getting a thin layer of frost on her. Many people had ended the tournament here. Not Auna though she simply stepped forward to it, most ice elementals preferred to kill their foes without actually attacking. More Ice covered her, she saw the king stand up, ready to end the duel. He had a right to pull out anyone he saw fit, Auna just smiled.

  “You poor thing. So far away from home. Let me end your suffering.” Auna gently touched the creature. Ice elementals were known to be gentle, and never attacked first. They were also rare. She felt bad so many had been brought in to be killed. She sent a mix of lightening, fire, and earth magic through the elemental. It shattered after a rainbow of colour exploded inside of it.

  “I don’t even know how she did that!” The announcer was back as Auna used fire magic to warm herself up. Next was ten salamanders of the dark magic variant. She used a holy magic spell to kill them all at the same time. “How could we have forgotten! This child is a church prodigy!”

  Auna ran at first from the literal hoard of fist sized spiders of different magic types. She really was not happy. She was using all kinds of magic to take them out as quickly as she could. Sighing she opened her wings, damaged as they were, the patches should have held for a few minutes. She was wrong, crashing down right into the center of the hoard. She was for a moment drowned in spiders, which bit her and pulled at her. Angry she exploded in fire and lightening magic; the hoard perished.

  “Wow what a show!” A fire elemental came out into the arena. “Does she even have enough mana left to fight? Who knew the savage sword fighter had such strong magic? She does look like she is puffing!”

  Auna rolled her eyes, using water and ice magic she finished the elemental easily within a few minutes. The announcer was right though she was down to one third of her magic. “I have defeated the fire elemental!” Auna howled before leaving the arena. She washed up, and sat to watch the final people go through their ten levels. As usual her monsters had seemed different, often stronger or in higher quantity. Not even Sambor defeated his Ice elemental. Jensen did though, however, his fear of spiders was much stronger than hers. He saw the hoard, and dropped his shield having been so rattled. He loudly announced “Fuck that shit! I’m out.” And ran to the exist. He was now sitting beside her shivering still. She was holding his hand.

  “Do you want to fight the special monster? I have a different one for the singles and groups. You will have to share though.” The king had asked Auna, and two other people. Auna had won first place the other two were second and third, she did not know them personally. They were both younger. The prize for Auna was a delicate egg, inside was a dormant bird monster. All three had gotten one, hers was the biggest.

  “Do you want to?” Auna asked them.

  “Do you think you can handle it, how is your mana level?” The second-place boy asked.

  “I drank a few mana potions, so yeah I should be good.” Auna was just over half full of mana.

  “Okay, let’s do it.” The boy yelled loud enough for the king to hear.

  “Have fun children.” The king smirked lightly.

  “That, is not a good face.” Auna said getting closer to the other two.

  “Nope.” The third-place boy whined as the ground shook. “I have identified the monster; it is a sand worm.”

  “How reckless.” Auna groaned using earth magic and wind magic to rise the three of them up on a platform. “Magic at range?”

  “Yeah, that is probably good choice, I am not great at it though.” The boy whined again, he was only ten, Auna had watched him. He won second because he nearly completed all ten. For someone who used very little magic he managed the elementals well. Though it was obvious he preferred magic swordsmanship.

  “No worries, you can track it for us.” Auna looked at the third-place boy. He had used a mix of range, and close combat magic. Using a small wand instead of a staff. “You use your close combat magic when it comes close, I’ll bait with long range magic.” They all nodded, having fell into their tasks.

  “Amazing Jasper has taken to leader, and her formation choice seems to be working. How long can she keep them floating though? Surely the long-range magic must be draining her!” The announcer kept a play by play for the next four hours. Even a sandworm was too much for Auna alone. She had to move the platform several times as the worm got closer and closer.

  “I’m out of mana.” The close combat boy looked pale.

  “Same.” The swordsmanship boy said as well. Both looked to Auna as the announcer made sure the audience knew what they had just said.

  “Okay, no issue.” Auna shrugged, then dropper her staff into the mouth of the sandworm, it had an odd glow of dark and other colours. “I do suggest y’all huddle around me, you too announcer.” Auna gave a smirk as she beckoned him to her. He hesitated for a second but once the magic in the staff seemed to rise, he came closer. Auna put up a holy magic shield.

  “Wow.” The announcer whispered as the staff was eaten. It blew up in spectacular colours wiping the worm leaving a huge hole in the arena.

  “We have killed the worm.” Auna looked to the two beside her who shook their heads. Shrugging she howled along with the audience. Then she pointed to the hole. “Theo fetch.”

  Theo jumped from the stands growing to his full-size diving into the hole. He quickly grabbed her staff bringing it to her.

  “It is undamaged? Who made that!” The announcer yelled as he got close.

  “Wouldn’t you like to know.” Auna teased giving him a wink as he grumbled under his breath. He looked to the king; a silent begging was obvious.

  “Jasper who made your staff?” The king asked happily. He knew she would have to give an answer.

  “My king, this staff was made by a team of dwarfs. The leader of this team is called Larn. Larn.” Auna bowed deeply.

  “Larn? It is not a name I know. Tell me where is this Larn from?” The king smirked.

  “I honestly do not know his homeland my king.” Again, she bowed.

  “Where did you meet him?” The king pressed.

  “On the beach.” Auna shrugged.

  “Please stop playing games, Larn of where? All dwarfs introduce themselves using their place of origin, current living home, or last name.” The king looked at her with another smirk.

  “Larn of Ember Moon.” Auna answered. He must have figured out you control it, or the information guild told him. They are his loyal servants. Mr. Voice stated the obvious.

  “Oh? Do you know where this Ember Moon is?” The king asked as everyone seemed to hold their breath.

  “Of course, I do. I named it my king.” Auna smiled softly, it was not the way she wanted to spill the secret. She didn’t have much of a better option though.

  “I see.” The king paused. “Well at least that mystery is settled. Great job children, you bring honor to your families. You are dismissed.” The king waved them away.

  “What. No. Where is the entrance! No one has been able to find the entrance since it was found! I am sure we all want to know.” The announcer followed Auna as she walked away.

  “Come on now, the king dismissed me.” Auna laughed as he kept pressing. The crowd was wild.