“They’re staring at me,” Adara said, her eyes flicking one and another as they strolled, hand-in-hand, down the street.

“It’s because you’re wearing armor,” Zeke said. For his part, he’d chosen a simple white shirt and a pair of trousers, with a pair of sturdy boots on his feet. It was a variation of his normal attire, though he’d made sure that it was all of the highest quality. Even then, he felt a little underdressed – like walking into a fancy party while wearing shorts.

“It’s because I’m half-orc. They can tell,” she muttered, glaring at a gnome whose eyes had lingered too long on her.

That was one thing about Westport Zeke had discovered very quickly. It was more diverse than anyplace he’d ever been. Not only were there elves, dwarves – notably not the corrupted kind with which he was familiar – and gnomes, but there were other races he’d never encountered as well. He even saw a couple of demonkin hanging around the airdock, both of which were red-skinned, with curling horns. The rest of the population gave them a wide berth, though Zeke was a little surprised that no one had attacked them.

He remarked as much to Tucker, who had told him that Westport was not only a bastion of diversity, but the peace was kept by a powerful enchantment. It suppressed the power of those inside, which Zeke had discovered when he passed into the city proper.

He felt he could overcome it if he wanted to, but he also knew it would bring unwanted attention.

As it turned out, he shouldn’t have concerned himself with that, because only a few minutes after he’d left the airdock, he found his way blocked by a half-dozen gnomes. He only had eyes for one, though. Like all gnomes, she was tiny. Maybe three feet tall if he was generous with his estimate. She wore a blue robe trimmed in silver, and she carried a crystalline staff almost twice as tall as she was.

Her escort was comprised of gnomes as well, though all five of them wore heavy suits of armor and carried giant – to them – polearms.

“Can I help you?” Zeke asked, ready to flex his Will and shatter the enchantment restricting his skills. It also suppressed his attributes, but not nearly enough to make a difference.

“Who are you?” the gnome demanded in a squeaky voice. “And why have you come to Westport?”

“I don’t think I like your tone,” Zeke said, clenching his fists.

“And I don’t like a peak entity of unknown origins walking around my city,” she stated. As she spoke, Zeke used [Inspect]. The skill seemed to be the lone exception to the enchantment’s restrictions, and it activated as smoothly as ever. The results were unsurprising.

Ula Tanis Fayik – Level 99

He glanced at each of the guards, finding that they were all in their nineties as well. A formidable force by anyone’s measure. And Ula was exactly the same level as him – not a coincidence, Zeke decided. They probably thought that someone of her level – plus the city’s enchantment – was enough to counter him, especially with the help of five powerful guards.

But if they thought that, then they had no idea what they were dealing with.

Zeke may have been a little burned out on the steady grind of progression, but his personality was still the same as it had always been. That meant that the week he’d spent onboard the airship Mercury – or more accurately, the peace that had come with that time – had begun to wear on him. He wasn’t exactly itching for a fight, but he wouldn’t refuse one, either.

“What do you want?” he asked. “You obviously know my name and level.”

“Ezekiel Blackwood. Level ninety-eight. Threat level: extreme,” she said.

“Fair assessment,” Zeke acknowledged. “Though if there’s a higher threat level, you should probably bump it up a little.”

“There is not.”

“Ah,” he said, pushing Adara behind him. She was strong enough to hold her own in most fights, but not when her power was being suppressed. Unfortunately, he heard another set of gnomes approach from the rear. At the same time, the rest of the pedestrians scattered, clearing the street.

“Are we really going to do this?” he asked. “I came here in peace.”

“You are responsible for tens of thousands of deaths,” Ula stated. “You have already conquered one kingdom, and even now, your forces wage a war of conquest against the Imperium. We are well within our rights to refuse you access to this city.”

“And if I refuse to go?”

“We have not decided to bar you from Westport.”

That was a little surprising. Zeke also wondered why they simply hadn’t attacked him. That would have made more sense. While he could probably live through whatever they threw at him, their best chance of overcoming his power was to keep him on the back foot. The easiest way to do that was to set up an ambush. The fact that they hadn’t was a little confusing.

“I’m going to ask again,” Zeke said. “What do you want?”

“We would like you to come with us,” Ula answered.

“If I don’t?”

“Please comply. Doubtless you believe yourself a match for us. I will not try to convince you otherwise. However, from what I have been led to believe, you value life. If this confrontation ends in a battle, many people will die,” she explained. “I do not believe you want that.”

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

“Where do you want to take me?”

“To meet the Circle of Mages. They will determine whether or not you will be allowed to remain in Westport,” Ula replied.

That opened Zeke’s eyes a little. Upon meeting the gnomish woman, he’d expected her to be in charge. However, it appeared that she was little more than a guard. A high-level one, but a guard nonetheless.

“Promise me I’m not walking into a trap,” Zeke said.

“It is illogical to trust anything I say.”

“Maybe. But I want to hear it anyway,” Zeke said.

“Very well. There is no trap. If you do not threaten violence, then peace will be maintained.”

Zeke nodded. “Then I’ll go,” he stated. Then, he glanced back to Adara, thinking to send her back to the airdock. It wasn’t far, and it would keep out of harm’s way. However, the look on her face told him that she wouldn’t allow that. He knew her well enough not to even suggest it. Instead, he turned back to Ula, saying, “Just so you know, if you’ve lied to me, you’re the first person I’ll hold responsible.”

“That is acceptable.”

“But you won’t be the last,” he added, a note of menace in his voice.

“You seem very certain of yourself.”

“I am.”

“Very well,” she said with a nod. “Please follow.”

With that, she turned and walked away. Her short legs covered a lot more ground with every step than should have been possible, and Zeke felt a swirl of mana in the air.

“Spatial mage,” Eveline said. “Be careful.”

“What? Why?”

“Because one wrong move, and you’ll find yourself miles away,” the former demoness answered.

“I can be back in a few seconds,” he argued in his own mind. Indeed, if he really pushed himself, he could cover a mile in only a few seconds. More if he decided to use [Shifting Sands]. Being teleported away seemed more like an annoyance than an actual hindrance.

“Straight up.”

“What?”

“I once knew a spatial mage,” Eveline explained. “His favorite move was to transport an enemy miles straight up.”

“I can survive a fall from any height,” Zeke said.

“But can you survive space?” she asked. “Even if you can – which is likely – you’ll have no real way to direct your path. It’s possible that you’d just drift around out there. Or maybe stay in orbit for years. Or she might send you straight down, which is probably better for you. Most other people would be crushed beneath millions of tons of rock. My point is that you don’t mess with spatial mages unless you have to.”

Zeke frowned, but he didn’t respond. Instead, he focused on the city itself as he followed the little gnome through the streets. The other guards kept pace, surrounding Zeke as he looked around. The architecture was eclectic, presenting a number of disjointed styles that seemed to fit the notion that the city was quite diverse. The streets, however, were all but empty, with most people having stepped aside to allow for the group’s passage.

Were they afraid of the gnome? Or Zeke. Perhaps they were just respectful.

“You can’t really believe that last one,” Eveline said.

He didn’t. Respect didn’t send people to cower in their homes and shops. Fear did.

Over the next few minutes, they marched across the city until, at last, they reached their destination. It wasn’t a building, but rather, what looked like a gondola lift, though one without cables.

“Inside,” ordered Ula.

Zeke inspected the interior, finding that there were no other guards to be seen. What’s more, there clearly wasn’t room for the crowd of gnomes. “Seems like it’ll be a tight fit,” he remarked, climbing in. Adara followed, and finally, Ula boarded. The other gnomes remained outside. “Not afraid to be in here all alone with me?”

Ula answered, “Not at all.”

That’s when Zeke noticed the network of runes within the carriage. When it lifted off the ground, he saw that many of those glyphs were meant to govern its flight. He’d seen similar enchantments on the Mercury. Yet, there were plenty of others that remained inert, and it didn’t take Zeke long to trace the connection between them and a pendant around the gnome’s neck.

In a moment of pique, he considered severing that connection. With his Path of Arcane Destruction, it would have been the work of a thought. Yet, he restrained himself, largely because Ula had yet to make any aggressive moves. If – or perhaps when – she did, he would surprise her with the full scop of his power. Until that moment came, he would act as if he didn’t know the runes were there.

“This Circle of Mages – who are they?” Zeke asked as the magical gondola carried them above the city and to the huge plateau in the distance. As they drew closer, Zeke could see that the natural formation had been carved with millions of artful sculptures, balconies, and even a few glittering fountains.

“They are the true rulers of this city, though they normally prefer to remain in the shadows,” Ula answered.

Adara asked, “And what do they want with us?”

“I am not privy to that information,” Ula replied. “My job was to collect you. What happens once you are in their custody is up to them.”

“Above your pay grade, huh?” Zeke said. “I get it.”

She displayed no emotion at all, which he thought was response enough to give him some insight into her nature. She was just doing a job, and one she considered important. Everything else was beyond her.

Which, considering that she was only a level away from the peak, said a lot about the Circle of Mages Zeke was intended to meet. They were almost assuredly at the peak, but they probably had good classes and useful paths as well. One thing was certain, though – they would have power.

“You need to be careful. It may different here than in Hell, but in my experience, anyone calling themselves a mage is probably tricky,” Eveline said. “They will be masters of their chosen field, and they will –”

“They’re dangerous,” Zeke said. “I get it.”

“I can tell by your thoughts that you’re not taking this seriously,” she chided.

“I am.”

But the reality of it was that, after fighting monsters the size of skyscrapers, it was difficult to get too worked over someone the size of a child. Ula was assuredly powerful, but her stature made it difficult to take her seriously. He knew that was a mistake, but his instincts didn’t seem to agree.

“Besides,” he said. “That’s why I keep you around. You felt that Ula was a spatial mage, right? You’re going to be able to warn me if I should worry about someone else.”

Her only response was a sigh.

Fortunately, the gondola ride didn’t take much longer before it reached the summit of the plateau, which was dominated by an enormous palace that seemed like a city of its own. Almost as if she’d read his mind, Ula said, “This is the original city. In our native language, it is called Ikhania. You may refer to it as the Ancestral Seat.”

The carriage slowed to a stop before a small gate, and Ula disembarked. Zeke and Adara followed her inside, and he had to admit that he was impressed with the décor. It reminded him of what he’d seen in both Adontis and the Imperium, though with less gold and more taste.

Thankfully, it was large enough to accommodate his height, which turned out to be a bit surprising, given that he didn’t see a single person inside that wasn’t a gnome. It made Zeke feel like a giant, awkward and out of place.

Finally, after a few more minutes, Ula came to a stop in front of a pair of double doors guarded by a handful of warriors wearing ornamental armor and carrying pikes. She knocked, and a squeaky voice immediately said, “Enter.”

The doors opened, revealing a round chamber. When Zeke stepped inside and looked around, he was reminded of a coliseum. All around were raised seats bearing an audience of at least a hundred gnomes. Before Zeke could process that information, Eveline spoke, “You should be very, very careful, Ezekiel. Each one of these gnomes are peak powers, and none of them are weak.”

“Good to know,” he muttered.

A particularly old-looking gnome stood and banged his staff against the stone floor before he said, “Ezekiel Blackwood. You stand before the Council of Mages to be judged for your crimes against the Imperium and the Kingdom of Adontis. What do you have to say for yourself?”