“What in damnation is going up there?!”
The dwarf’s voice had more panic than fury.
“Why in the hells is there a whole battalion up in the city?!”
He gazed at the two people in the dimly lit chamber - a red-haired woman, and a tall, muscular man with shining yellow eyes - perhaps looking for answers, but both remained silent.
“Scar!”
It was just then that the leader of the syndicate made his way through the door.
“What’s going on? The city!.. No, first – who are all those n down here?”
The armored man raised his hand, motioning his subordinate to be quiet, as he slowly made his way to the chair at the head of the table.
This ti, both his movents and tone lacked their usual casualness.
“Relax, Redbeard. Everything is going according to the plan.”
“What plan?! I never heard of a damn plan! And where is Ember?! His communication sphere is still in the base, but I don’t see him anywhere! Did he scurry off, like so damn-”
“Silence.”
The cold, even tone was enough to make the dwarf shut his mouth.
“Ember is busy with other affairs upstairs, no less important than ours.”
“The n you called forth… They are not re rats, or guard dogs. Those are hungry jackals, ready to pounce upon an unsuspecting prey.”
“That’s an apt description, Redclaw. Truly, an ‘unsuspecting pray’ would be the ideal scenario…”
He shook his head, a subtle sigh of bitterness escaping through the bars of his helt.
“Anyway.”
His tone ‘reset’, regaining its usual ‘cheerfulness’.
“You’ll get your answers now. Allow to introduce the patron of our little operation…”
The door creaked open once more.
Behind it, a massive steel-clad silhouette was revealed.
***
“I see. It was indeed ti I explained it.”
As expected, Anne was prepared for my question. However, the answer wouldn’t instill much confidence.
“I think there will be so answers you’ll like, and so you dislike.”
As I ntally braced myself for the latter, she continued.
“Unlike martial Paths, Wizards have very few Techniques to help them advance through the first realm. That’s why it’s common for those of us who reach the Elevated realm to do so in our 40’s and 50’s, sotis even later.”
“Oh? It’s that slow?..”
I looked back to the guy I t at the Blue Mushroom Inn in Pine Harbor, who appeared no older than 35. However, now that I thought about it, his rate of progression was nothing to base my expectations upon.
“It usually is. Even if soone fully devotes their ti to progressing the simplest Technique, [Arcane ditation], it usually takes 3 to 5 years to master.”
I gulped involuntarily. Given the fact my current progress was 6/100 (at level 1!) I felt her assessnt was grounded in cold reality.
“Then how do Wizards progress?..”
“First, there are a few more Techniques… Although, let tell you in advance – they aren’t easier to train.”
I sighed in acceptance. I had a feeling this would be difficult, but, at least, I had my martial Skills to rely on, for now.
“The main way we progress are Traits. In fact, our journey into - and through - the High realm tends to be sowhat smoother than most martial Paths.”
I nodded, a tiny speck of relief returning to my eyes. Although…
“Of course, that’s not to say obtaining ‘qualifying’ Traits is easier. You must already possess at least 2 – initial [Arcane Throughput], and minor.. minor [True Arcane Sense].”
“Actually, my [Arcane Throughput] just reached the ‘minor’ level today.”
There was a small hint of surprise in her eyes, yet it didn’t linger long.
“That’s very fast. Regardless, even at this rapid pace, it would take at least a year for it to reach the ‘major’ tier, likely more than two – the progress speed is not linear.”
I felt my expression sink.
‘A year… 365 days. Give or take, given the calendar here is a bit different… Still, a whole year…’
That was more than ⅓ of my remaining lifespan.
“Is there… no way…”
My quiet mumble was picked up by the perceptive High Wizard, who hesitated for a mont.
“No. There are no true shortcuts on the path of arcane studies.”
“You’re not being honest.”
I knew Anne well enough to recognize her tells, which included a montary, nearly unnoticeable twitch of her left index finger.
She stopped, squinting her eyes at .
“Sebastian…”
I returned her gaze, my eyes filled with resolve – and subtle desperation.
“Teacher… please.”
We stood in silence for a few more monts.
“No.”
“Why?..”
She pursed her lips, her gaze stern.
“Because I said so.”
I didn’t lower my gaze.
“I need to know.”
“There’s nothing you need to know about it! It’s far too dangerous!”
I sighed, but my resolve was not diminished.
“More dangerous than facing a Demolisher demon? Or fighting level 4 Path-bearer one-on-one?”
Her eyes opened in reprehension.
“That’s the more reason for you to repress this madness! You look like you nearly died today, and now you’re asking for more ways to seal the deal?!”
I closed my eyes, contemplating for a few monts.
“1006 days.”
“What?”
“Unless I find a way to survive, this is exactly how much I have left to live. Well, maybe less, if sothing unexpected happens. The countdown did decrease, after all.”
“...”
She stood in silence, processing my words.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier…”
In truth, this wasn’t sothing I wanted to reveal at all. However, keeping the truth from her sohow felt even worse.
“You speak as if it’s sothing determined. If it’s so kind of rare sickness-”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“The High Sun Priest already tried to help , but in the end, even his goddess could only provide a… safety asure. Theodor knows, too.”
“The chief?..”
“He promised to provide a lead – not to a cure, but soone that might know a way. Regardless, I can’t allow myself to idle around. The longer I wait.. the lower my chances get.”
Seeing her expression sink certainly didn’t feel good. No, it felt like shit.
‘You’re doing the right thing. You need to hurry.’
Hearing Sebastian agree with sohow made it feel even worse.
However, as much as I hated it, this was the cold truth – I couldn’t afford to carefully and cautiously advance, like most people would in my situation.
I had to grasp at any shortcut, no matter how dangerous, if it ant saving even a bit of ti.
“Pathway supercharge.”
“...”
Her voice was faint, her tone – defeated. I didn’t reply, steeling my heart, and waiting for her next words.
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from . Please report it.
“Master Jeordrim in the Tower – if he’s still there, he can do it. Although his price… Actually, that’s not my concern.”
Sohow, those words hurt more than they should have.
“I’m sorry… I… I think it’s best I return another day.”
Quietly turning around, I began walking back towards the exit. Anne made no attempt to stop .
‘Why? You can still-’
‘Shut the fuck up.’
I really didn’t want to hear his words right now.
It was clear I wouldn’t be able to focus on studying complex formulas, anyway.
“Oh, is that?..”
“Eww, it’s that young stallion the old lady brought in.”
“Ha! How unsightly.”
A few hushed whispers I heard on my way to the tram stop didn’t exactly help my mood, either.
‘You’re acting like a child. This knowledge is worth more than anything you could have gained by yourself.’
‘I’m acting like a child?..’
I gritted my teeth, which might have evoked a few smirks from a couple of gossiping ladies at the sa stop. I couldn’t give a rat’s ass about it, though.
‘Maybe it’s you who should learn how normal people act. Just because you never had a proper childhood, doesn’t an everyone must live according to your warped standards.’
I stepped into the opening doors of the tram, expecting the silent treatnt, as usual. However…
‘Take that back.’
To my surprise, this would not be the case this ti.
‘Take what back?’
I wasn’t in the mood to soften my ‘words’, though.
‘What of those things were wrong? The fact you never had any friends- No, that you never even t other kids your age? That you’ve never seen another adult beside your father? No, maybe you did see your mother at a young age, but that must’ve been so long ago even I can’t see anything more than a blur.’
I could feel his anger rising, but I didn’t stop.
‘You never went to a school, or an academy. You never had teachers; Peers; Hell, you’ve never talked to a random shopkeeper, or even a janitor! What gives so like you the right to tell how to-’
‘SHUT UP!’
The stream of his consciousness was so overwhelming I felt it pulsate in my head in the form of a migraine.
‘I had a happy childhood! I loved my father! And he loved ! Cared for ! He-’
‘He did nothing but put you through endless training!’
‘He did that to protect ! To make ready for!..’
His words suddenly halted, as if he suddenly choked.
‘His death?’
There was a mont of silence in my head, like a calm before the storm.
‘You!.. If it wasn’t for you!..’
‘Then what? What would change?’
‘I’d be able to avenge him!’
‘Would you, now? How can you be so certain?’
I could feel my words bringing him to a pause.
‘Do you trust that that being, whatever it was, actually cared enough to keep his end of the bargain?’
With all my limited experience dealing with random evil gods, they didn’t much care about their followers.
‘And even if it did – what could it possibly summon that would simply let you storm into Luskar? What if, whoever killed your father is actually one of the archmages, or their personal disciples? Are you sure whatever would be summoned instead of could take them on? And even if it could, would it also be able to defeat the army that’s probably at their heels?’
Hearing no reply, I continued.
‘And even if it was strong enough to sohow do it, how do you expect to find the killers? It’s not like you can just walk up to those ruins and magically find the answer. At least, if that was possible, I’m certain the Ministry’s investigation departnt would be much, much smaller.’
I couldn’t stop the flow of my own thoughts from continuing.
‘You have no plan. No roadmap. Not a damn clue on how to achieve your goal. And yet you lecture on how I should act?’
‘Don’t lie to , you bastard! You have no idea what you’re doing, either! You’ve been aimlessly drifting from one faint beacon of hope to the next, trying to grasp at anything that might save your miserable soul!’
‘OUR miserable souls. Do you really think those things inside us wouldn’t take you with ? Did they look that benevolent to you?’
‘...that’s not the damn point! This is all the more reason for you to stop wasting ti-’
‘I’m NOT wasting any fucking ti!’
The few people in the cabin must have glanced at my shifting facial expressions thinking I was insane, but that was the last thing I cared about.
‘I may have just pushed away the only damn person in this city who wanted to help ! Without expecting anything in return, or trying to recruit into their faction, or having the voice of a scheming deity drive his actions! All for the sake of growing faster! For the sake of my- OUR survival! So don’t you bloody dare talk about wasting ti again!’
‘For our survival… hehe… what a pathetic lie.’
Sohow, the mocking, slightly bitter laughter brought a different kind of discomfort.
‘You say that, yet half of the reason for you coming to this city was to get rid of , wasn’t it?’
‘I…’
This ti, it was my turn to be lost for words.
‘You will try it again, won’t you? The first chance you get?’
For a few seconds, I sat in silence, barring the faint buzzing of the tram, moving atop its rail.
‘You-’
‘Listen.’
‘You won’t-’
‘LISTEN.’
My silent exclamation finally made Sebastian halt his words.
‘If it’s true that summoning here - , specifically - was not your prerogative, I swear you this – I will do anything within my power to help you with your revenge, after I’ve found a way to overco this affliction.’
Another mont of silence followed, as the tram approached yet another stop.
‘You don’t have a choice, regardless.’
‘If I don’t have a choice, then what’s with all this damn yapping about getting rid of you? Either I have a choice, or I don’t. Pick one.’
His voice didn’t resu until the tram jerked forward once more.
‘Do you truly believe your word is worth that much to ?’
‘Do you want to swear on one of those damn artifacts? I could probably get my hands on one at so point.’
‘...No need. I can tell if you’re lying.’
‘Then what the hell is with that question?!’
He really had a way to get under my skin. Well, technically, he was already there, but that wasn’t the point.
A few more seconds passed.
‘Fine. I’ll take your word for it.’
‘...’
‘However – that doesn’t an I fully trust your judgent. If you ever do anything as reckless as you did back in the sewers, trying to breach that barrier… I will stop you. Each and every ti.’
‘Fine.’
This wasn’t a full resolution, but, at least for now, we managed to reach a compromise.
The rest of my trip, both by tram - through central - and on foot - through Northern - went without anything of note happening. About 1.5 hours after I left Anne’s estate, I was already making my way into the Tavern.
“Haa…”
Having already eaten dinner, I wasn't hungry. Taking the quickest shower of my life - or, at least, what felt like one - I slumped onto the bed, exhausted from this extrely long day.
As if on auto-pilot, I raised my hand, manipulating the Tides to reproduce my last attempt at Barrier.
While the result was basically the sa as the one during dinner, I still kept the image of Anne's proper barrier - including its formation - in mind.
For so, as if in a daze, I simply lay there, any thoughts unrelated to energy manipulation slowly draining from my mind.
The attempts drained my Arcane reserves, but my newly increased recovery speed, coupled with the slowly increasing efficiency of the spell, left with just enough downti between attempts to co up with the next set of seemingly arbitrary adjustnts.
Just when I felt I was about to doze off…
tap tap tap
The unexpected taps on my door jerked awake.
“Are you asleep?”
The hushed voice wouldn’t be enough to wake up… Had it not been for my enhanced senses. Still, I appreciated the consideration.
“One mont, Xin!”
I quickly threw on my clothes - having already gone to bed - before opening the door, letting the half elf inside.
“Sorry for the intrusion.”
“No, that's alright.”
My tired voice betrayed my exhaustion, yet I could still hold it together for a bit.
“Let get straight to the point, then.”
The mber of the Silver Claymore suddenly bent his back in a deep bow.
“Thank you. For saving both and Eve.”
“Wha– No, raise your head. It wasn't even who organized the whole mission. If it wasn't for Bern.. for the others-”
“They are my party mbers. Don't misunderstand – I'm eternally grateful to them, as well. However, you didn't have to do this. And, if it wasn't for your involvent, we'd certainly be dead by now.”
I didn't know how to answer, averting my eyes. To that, the half-elf simply chuckled.
“Fine, fine. I didn't just co here to throw around empty words of gratitude, anyway.”
As I raised my eyes, about to throw a questioning gaze, a bunch of papers were extended towards .
I took them out of pure instinct.
“What-”
“All the information we had regarding the Undercity tunnels, plus the latest additions from today. And, most importantly, the paintings and general descriptions of the four officers and leader of the Crimson Shadows – at least, to the extent we managed to procure.”
For a few seconds, I stood in silence, processing his words.
“...why?”
“In case you're targeted by them, this might give you a better chance of survival. If you study the sewer and Undercity maps, you might also use them as an escape route, when you're in the clutch.”
“No, but… This is the party information, is it not? Is Bern really ok with this?..”
The half-elf let out another dry chuckle.
“Couldn’t contact him directly. But, if you end up joining us, it'll be par for the course. And if not – my debt will be repaired, regardless. Bern will understand.”
I blinked.
‘Never expected my own words to be thrown back at so soon.’
The dwarf must have recounted our early-morning conversation.
“By the way… With what's going on in the city, the deadline has been extended.”
“Deadline?..”
“For you to decide. It was based on a certain eting, but that eting has been delayed – at least a week, possibly two. I heard Hilda left you a communication sphere – I wrote down a few codes of possible locations. The timing codes are the sa.”
“I… see.”
I was still dumbfounded, with my mind barely working as-is, but decided to play it cool, using the last bits of my strength to prevent that exhaustion from seeping through my expression.
“Anyway, I think it's best I let you return to bed.”
My attempt bore little fruit, not before the perceptive half-elf, at least.
“Alright.. thank you.”
“No. Thank you.”
With another short bow, the half-elf turned around, leaving the room.
‘I… Should probably check this out.’
However, the papers were already tossed on top of the nearby drawer stand, as I collapsed back onto the bed.
Darkness took over before I could even take off tomorrow's clothes.
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