It wasn't long before they were traveling through the city proper via one of the many roads leading in and out of Anastazia. Despite traveling through what seemed to be a residential area, the streets were still crowded with people. None of which seemed.even slightly perturbed by a group of blue cloaked people carrying around a cage with a person inside.

Kuzari noticed that although the blue shawls and robes were fairly popular, people supported a variety of clothing styles, many hardly wearing clothes at all seemingly more at home at a beach than in the middle of a desert city. The heat simply didn't bother many people. He did spot more than a few people sporting red scarves similar to Adara's. Glass jewelry was extremely popular, individuals of all genders wearing intricate bracelets and necklaces of colored glass. An unusual pattern Kuzari began to notice was the sorts of tattoos people had. It seemed fairly common for people to have a tattoo but rarely did an individual have more than one visible and even more strangely there were a lot of repeating designs.

Some would have simple designs like waves flowing across their shoulders, or suns emblazoned across the back of their hands. A few people had complex stars on their chests that suspiciously reminded him of the stars carried by those in the Ratcatchers responsible for carrying supplies. It seemed plausible that these tattoos denoted some form of local factions, but the way people seemed to intermingle in the crowd suggested it was more than that.

They were guided towards one of the larger spires deep in the heart of the city, a trek that took a few more hours than he expected. Kuzari had tried to practice his newfound awareness but found it difficult when he was also trying to absorb as much as he could of the sights and sounds of the city. The base of the spire was huge, easily spanning the size of a city block. A massive bronze door stood as the entrance underneath a bright red banner emblazoned with the image of a star wreathed in flames. Two men stood guard of the entrance, both wearing blue robes and sporting red scarves matching Adara's own. They nodded to her as she approached and the two opened the doors. To Kuzari's surprise, the doors opened quite easily despite their massive bulk, almost gliding open.

His cage was brought into a large entrance hall. It was sparsely decorated was lined with many doors leading to who knows where. People flitted in and out of these doors, always in a constant hurry. At the end of the hallway was a large set of stairs that spiraled up to the next floor. His carriers brought him towards these stairs and he briefly thought they were going to haul him up the flight, which would have been an amusing endeavor. Instead, they set the cage down near the steps. They exchanged a few words with Adara before setting off on their own, leaving just her to stand watch over him. Kuzari recognized the satchel sitting at her feet as the one he discovered to be Ralin's hoard of stolen books.

"So uhh is this where you finally let me out?" He asked hopefully.

He was offered no answer, the woman simply staring at the top of the stairs with a grim expression. She was expecting someone.

Moments later a man began to descend the stairs. Suddenly it seemed as if everyone about had much MUCH more important things to do than be caught dead in the entrance hall. The bustling air of the hall became quiet and empty until only Kuzari and Adara was left. All within the span of about three steps. Adara herself immediately began prostrating.

The man slowly walked down the stairs with measured steps. Unlike the more common blue robes everyone seemed to prefer in this area he wore a deep blood red cloak over intricately embroidered clothes. He too seemed to enjoy the fashion of gaudy glass jewelry, his fingers covered in rings and wearing no less than four gold necklaces sporting a variety of colors. His hair was dark and trimmed short. He had a young looking face, almost boyish in appearance. His most striking feature, however, was his skin, boasting a dark inhuman red. His eyes were an indigo color and if Kuzari had thought Thetos looked the part of a demon this man had him beat in that category.

Ralin's memories rose to the top in a panic and Kuzari found himself recognizing this man. It was Magni himself, and he was an Ifrit, a living manifestation of fire. He was their master, owned Ralin and many others outright, and boasted considerable command a chunk of the city.

Magni stared at Kuzari intently as he walked down the stairs, his steps echoing in the now silent hall. Kuzari had never felt so judged, so 'measured' in his life. I'm starting to think Adara wasn't joking about the idea that Magni would want to dissect me

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

Magni reached the bottom of the stairs and unexpectedly sat down on the steps casually, resting against the rails. His grim expression washed away into a boyish smile as he spoke.

"Well now, finally my possessions have returned to me. Though I must admit, I hadn't expected a Contractor to take Ralin's place." His voice was sweet and languid.

Kuzari was surprised and his face showed it. Adara, still prostrated and silent on the ground, slightly adjusted her head to peer at Kuzari.

"Wait, how di-" Kuzari started but was cut off by Magni making a quiet hushing sound. He felt strangely compelled to obey, totally unable to continue speaking. Whatever powers this Magni possessed was beginning to frighten him.

"I keep tabs of all my little followers. Can't begin to be careless when you all carry one of my special cores inside you. Very valuable things they are. The moment you entered the city I knew what happened. The...flavor of your soul radiating from the core was different than Ralin's, and I remember every distinct flavor." Magni said with an amused smile. The possessive and predatory tone in his voice frightened Kuzari even more than he already was. Memories of Ralin's own fear bubbling to the surface didn't help either.

"Yes yes, I know about the Contractors too. Your kind may be rare, but they're not that rare. I have tabs on four other Contractors living in this very city. None of which owe me as you do now. Very fascinating business."

Kuzari tried to speak, to ask questions about what Magni knew about Contractors but still found himself utterly compelled to be silent.

"Whatever shall we do with you? I'm very generous I'll have you know. I give out cores to many people who otherwise would never have access to such a wondrous thing. Access to magic and training directly from myself or my direct apprentices. Valuable information and power given to many. All I ask if in return is for my followers, my children, to pay the customary tribute. A donation of accumulated mana every so often to pay their debts to me." Magni monologued, waving his hands in the air to accentuate his words.

"Sadly not everyone can appreciate my terms, as Ralin has so clearly demonstrated. Not that I understand why, eighty years of tribute is truly a paltry sum. Why my own apprenticeship was four centuries!" Magni exclaimed, chuckling to himself. He truly seemed pleased with himself.

Kuzari balked at these words. If he understood Magni right, essentially this powerful mage would train other people how to use magic in exchange for indentured servitude. Not only that but either other people lived a long longer here than in Earth, or most humans had to pay nearly their entire lives towards this man before earning their freedom. The prospect was truly ridiculous. How long has this Ifrit been alive anyways?

"Now Ralin only paid for a decade's worth so far and it's such a shame he's gone now. I hate unfulfilled investments. It's your lucky day though as I really would hate to find another suitable vessel for that core inside you. So I'll offer you the same terms. Eighty years of service in exchange for that core and training. It's entirely up to you. Of course, if you don't like those terms I'll need to take that core back. I don't believe I've ever heard of someone surviving the procedure, but still, the choice is yours to make."

Magni's eyes gleamed viciously.

Kuzari suddenly released the breath he held in, not realizing he had been holding it in this entire time. Guy sure loves to hear himself talk, doesn't he?

Kuzari began to answer slowly, as if testing that he was indeed able to speak again, "I...I accept your terms."

What other option did he have really? He would no doubt be killed if he said no. Eighty years was a crazy length of time to him, but Ralin proved that it wasn't impossible to escape this deal, merely mind-boggling difficult. Besides, this mage knew about Contractors, likely even more than what Kuzari knew. Hell, there were other Contractors in this very city! That was either something very good or very bad. He needed to learn more.

There was an even more enticing implication with Magni's offer, which honestly is what led Kuzari to agree even more than because of the threat to his life. He had yet to tease the secret of truly using magic from Ralin's memories, and Magni was offering a path forward in that regard.

"Excellent, excellent!" Magni said with enthusiasm, "And what is my new pupil's name?"

Kuzari felt the same compulsion to obey, even though he had no reason not to answer anyways, "I was given the name Kuzari".

"Kuzari? Very well" Magni clapped his hands together and turned to Adara, "You, my child, find this Kuzari a room and make sure he gets oriented."

"Yes my Lord" Adara responded, never looking up.

Magni leaned forward towards the cage Kuzari was captive in and casually reached out and ripped the iron lock barring the cage shut. He stood back up to his full height, molten metal dripping between his fingers and spattering onto the floor. His casual easygoing demeanor was gone, replaced with the same imposing presence as when he descended the stairs.

"Oh, and let our newest student keep the books. They were all beginner material anyways. He is going to need all the help to catch up."

Adara seemed surprised at the decision and couldn't help but ask for clarification.

"When you say he needs-"

"I mean he has none of Ralin's built up affinities. He's starting from worse than scratch. He is unaffiliated."

Adara's surprise turned into shock as her head whipped over entirely to stare at Kuzari, her face a mix of confusion and horror.

Magni solemnly ascended back up the stairs without further explanation.

Kuzari felt a sense of dread as he exited his cramped cage, careful not to touch the blazing hot metal where Magni had opened the cage, clearly an unnecessary display of power.

Whatever being 'unaffiliated' meant, it didn't sound good, and he had a hunch it had something to do with why he wasn't been able to use any magic since the first time against Jodah.