Amegnon's oath was a constant weight. The only saving grace was that it held him to the capital city of Castleton, and not to the actual castle or royal palace at the heart of the city. Today he walked the streets of the city and wore simple attire, nice enough to let people know that he had money, but not so nice that they thought him a member of nobility.

He technically wasn't nobility, but his position granted him some authority over most nobles. Being the only peasant while growing up inside the royal palace had been a challenge. His entire family was caught in a monster wave when he was only ten years old, and the carnage left him as the only survivor. He hadn't dedicated any time to it as Arch-magus yet, but he had never discovered the source of that monster wave. Olivander had never been forthcoming about it, but he might not have known either. The assumption had always been a ruptured dungeon, but he didn't know for sure.

Amegnon's induction as a ward of the royal family had been a stroke of luck. In an effort to improve his public image, the late King had brought many orphans into the castle, but only a few, like Amegnon, had been made eligible for expensive schooling or training. The rest were taught some skills and given the opportunity for work in the city or castle when they came of age.

Today, Amegnon would begin building his network. He was tired of being in the dark on too many things. He had decided to leave Steven to do some more official network building. Those that Steven found would become the network that people more or less knew about, while those he found today would be sworn to secrecy and put to work on his true goals.

The streets of Castleton were well patrolled. Crime existed, but it was circumspect. No one was getting attacked or robbed in the streets. Amegnon was glad for that. He would hate to ruin his disguise by needing to save someone or apprehend some thief. Order was important. He threatened to throw the kingdom, maybe the world, into chaos, but out of that chaos, order would be born. He would forge it himself even if he had to rebuild society brick by brick. He did hope it wouldn't come to that.

He arrived at his destination as the sun was high in the sky. Vendors crowded the streets, hawking their wares and an endless sea of food carts were crammed into every available gap. Amegnon found it messy and chaotic, but he was willing to use it to his advantage.

People milled about, buying, selling, and getting lunch. It was time to be outside, as was the custom here in the city, so when he entered a run-down tavern on the end of the block, he found no one inside.

The bartender didn't even feign busyness by polishing glasses or silverware, instead the man was sitting in the corner reading a book. He glanced up when Amegnon shut the door, surprised to see anyone come inside.

"G'day. Something I can get for you, sir?"

"I'm here to see Martha. I have an appointment."

"Ahh," the bartender said, nodding as though that explained everything. "She didn't mention someone would be coming by. I'll see if she's ready for you. A drink while you wait?"

Amegnon never drank, but he considered it today. The way his plans had been going sideways was stressing him out, and people turned to drink in that kind of situation, didn't they? He needed to lose some tension before he annihilated the next person who didn't do what he expected.

"You know, that would be nice," he said. "I'll take whatever you think is best."

"Hmm. Best for an early afternoon meeting? I have just the thing."

The bartender mixed up a drink while Amegnon admired wood carvings displayed on one wall. The carvings were one and all intricate model ships. Each was hewn from what looked like a single block of wood. Each was unique, and matched the wood it had been pulled from in a way that made it feel like each carving was what the wood was meant to be. These would have never become tables, chairs, lumber, or anything else. They had one destiny that that had reached for from the moment they began growing. A perfect ending.

"Here you are sir, I'll be right back."

The man left Amegnon's drink on the bar and then went through a door behind the bar. The drink was a neat short glass with ice — not uncommon in the city — and a golden liquid adorned with a slice of citrus fruit. That was less common, but trade from the southern isles was good this time of year.

Amegnon took a sip. A complex back and forth of pallet burning alcohol, a rich depth of flavor from the aged liquor, and the citrus aroma worked together to shape the drink. It was disgusting.

Amegnon set the drink down. Perhaps today wasn't the day to try new things. He had business to be about. Frivolity like fancy drinks was for people like Olivander. More and more he decided he was a different kind of man. A man who took things seriously and did the hard things that needed to be done. No room for distractions.

Playing at war had been a distraction, but it had yielded unexpected progress. He couldn't gamble that there would be payoffs anymore. He needed to focus on what needed to get done, and that started with an information network that wasn't corrupted by the other Magi.

"Sir? She'll see you now. Do you want to take your drink?"

"I've changed my mind, I think a level head is in order."

The man shrugged and showed Amegnon into the back. The narrow hallway with wooden walls was filled with crates of wine and liquor, cramped, but tidy. Amegnon approved of the efficient system they had.

"Here she is. I'll be up front, but you can leave out the back when your business is done."

Amegnon nodded and passed the man a silver coin for the drink. The man deftly pocketed it before heading back up the hallway.

Amegnon knocked, and a smooth voice called for him to enter.

He entered and shut the door behind him, then turned to find an expected face looking at him over a desk with neat stacks of paperwork.

He hadn't met Martha before, but with the name and her line of business and reputation, he had expected a hard older woman who didn't take any nonsense. Efficient. Practical.

Instead he found a beautiful young woman with long red hair, painted lips, and a revealing blouse. This was a woman who looked like she reveled in the inefficient and the ostentatious. Deep green eyes examined him, and Amegnon of just two years ago would have been flustered.

Now, he saw beneath the carefully crafted facade. He just saw a woman who took any advantage she could get. He had no doubt she would have dressed like a simple house servant if she thought it would be advantageous during their meeting.

"Arch-magus. It's a pleasure to meet you," she rose, leaning suggestively over the desk to extend her hand in greeting.

Amegnon ignored her, summoning his grimoire and picking out a spell that would allow him to detect hidden surveillance.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

When his grimoire manifested, Martha's pleasant and inviting expression went icy, and she stood up straight. She didn't say anything though. He was Arch-magus after all.

With the spell in place, he immediately picked out two separate effects that would transmit any conversation. One was obvious. The one that was meant to be found. The other was hidden more carefully, in such a way that he suspected it might be a legitimate plant. Some other party spying on Martha.

With a wave of his hand, two chains manifested. Each was just a handful of links joined into a circle. He inscribed them with power and sent them to the scrying spell effects. Once they were encircled, he dismissed his grimoire.

"Martha, I presume? I would rather not have prying eyes and ears observing our conversation."

A knock came at the door. One of the scrying spells must have been placed so her body guard could keep an eye on her.

"It's fine, Jerome. Leave us be."

"Yes, ma'am," the bartender said through the door.

"Well, not many find my scrying effects."

"They're both yours then?"

She let out a laugh and sat down. "Of course. If someone were able to listen in on us that easily, then I wouldn't be a very good information specialist, now would I?"

Amegnon took a chair on the other side of her desk.

"Amegnon the Just, they call you. Where did the name originate? There are many tales."

He decided to humor her. He wanted a good working relationship with the woman, and understanding him would go a long way towards ensuring her loyalty.

"When I left the capital two years ago on my quest to become a Magus, I hunted down criminals. I became an agent of justice. Thus, Amegnon the Just."

She looked at him with not a little incredulity.

"That's it? No big story?"

"The story is that I was very good at what I did. Word spread ahead of my coming, and after a few months, criminals began turning themselves in rather than face me."

"So you're powerful, then?"

"I wouldn't have been able to oust Olivander Casumus if I wasn't powerful. Surely you know this?"

"I do, but you can learn something about a man when asking him questions like that directly. Take your predecessor for example. I never met him, but everything I've heard indicates that he wouldn't answer such a question so directly. It tells me things, helps me paint a picture."

"If you mean to imply that Olivander is humble, then you clearly know nothing about the man."

"No, it doesn't say that. Let's say he had the same story you did. Trained by a great Arch-magus. Feared by evil men and women. I ask him, 'So you're powerful, then?' His response would be to disparage those he fought against. 'They weren't really so tough. The strength of my enemies was overrated.' Something like that. These are assumptions though. As I said, I never met the man.

"But what does that tell me? Olivander sees the people around him as weak. You see yourself as strong. There is room for some nuance there. What I seek is to know you better. I've been hearing some concerning things about you, Arch-magus. I want to make sure you're the person you claim to be before I help you do anything."

Amegnon appreciated the caution.

"I am willing to tell you what I'm trying to do," he said. "Explain everything so you know exactly what you're getting into. All I require is an oath. If you decide to refuse to work with me, you will allow me to remove the memory of my plans from your mind. If you decide to work with me, I will ask for a degree of secrecy that I have no doubt you already enforce for your clients."

She tapped her ruby lips with a finger while she thought.

"I am quite curious. I wouldn't normally agree to something like that, but given your…station, I think I would be willing to agree to your conditions. You already have my rates I assume?"

"I do, but I have one more ask in that area. If you're working for me, and creating my network, I need some measure of exclusivity."

"You would ask me to swear to that?"

"No, I would take your word, and not a soul oath. I do not wish to tie your hands if working with someone else would further your work for me."

"Oh, I don't know if I'd mind you tying my hands," she teased.

He wondered at the effectiveness of her tactic. He would be hard pressed to believe that someone seriously seeking her services would be beguiled by a suggestive look or direct flirt.

He summoned his grimoire again and found the oath.

"I guess it's going to be all business with you, Arch-magus. A pity, but I can admire your professionalism. Very well, I will swear."

He incanted the oath, and they both swore. Then she promised outside the bounds of the oath to begin offloading her other contracts if they came to an agreement.

Then Amegnon began explaining his plan.

It took time, and she asked several clarifying questions, but when they were done, she sat back in her chair and looked at him with wide eyes and all pretense of flirtation absent.

"I'm not trying to destroy the world, I'm trying to save it. We're going to usher in an unprecedented era of prosperity and peace, not just in our kingdom but across the world. "

She got up and poured herself a drink.

"I don't suppose you're going to let me think about this?" she asked.

"No. I need an answer before I leave this room."

She sat back down and drained her glass.

"You can do it?"

"I have everything I need. Everything except reliable information. The only thing that can stop me is unexpected surprises."

"What about the Dungeon Spirits. You explained what you did, but not why. You've captured some fragments of the spirit?"

"There are some fundamental aspects of reality that can only be shaped by the great Dungeon Spirits. It's a sad necessity, but in order to complete my plan, I need that power."

"But getting rid of the Dungeon Spirits is dangerous, right?"

"More dangerous than I assumed. Once I start, we'll be on a tight timer."

"You're not going to do this at the conclave, are you?"

"No. I need more time, and it would be foolish to try when they have so much power assembled. Small out of the way dungeons will serve me until the last stages of the plan."

"And after it's over…we won't need them anymore. Wow. It sounds a little crazy, but when you put it all together. A world without uncontrolled dungeons. No more monsters roaming the countryside."

"Yes. Even the things they accuse me of — trying to rip apart our world — won't be a problem anymore."

"Okay. So, what are the problems? You wouldn't come to me unless there were some. And not just some horse shit about 'surprises.'"

"There are several, but the greatest one right now is the Hammer. She is watching me closely. I need to figure out a way to either keep her occupied, or remove her."

Martha began to laugh. "Ahh, that's rich. No one in their right mind is going to look into a solution where the only option is to eliminate the Hammer. It's destined to fail."

"Why? She's strong, especially in single combat, but she's limited."

"Okay, okay. I take it back. You do need me. If you think the Hammer is limited outside single combat, then she's already won. She's craftier than people realize, and she's hiding some big secrets."

Amegnon leaned forward, a hunger in his eyes. The Hammer hadn't just forced his hand and jeopardized his mission, she had humiliated him. He was committed to his plan, but there was room for revenge.

"I only have speculation right now," she said, giving a placating gesture. "Give me some time and I can verify some things."

She sighed and then sat up straight. "Alright, Arch-magus. You have me interested. There are plenty of spots where things go south here, but I know you're going to try to do this whether I help you or not, so I'd rather sign on and make sure we do this as safely as we can. Deal?"

"Deal," he said, shaking her proffered hand this time. "Now that you're committed, I want to discuss another idea with you."

"Oh?"

"I am worried about my former mentor. I am wondering if we can get a spy close to him…he's traveling with a group right now, and it might be the best chance anyone has ever had."