As they make their way down the main street, Lord Aldor can't believe his eyes. The outlandish rumours he'd heard about a mountain town were true and in the same place as the last known location of Dungeon Categoriser Elric Highgrove no less.

After having received similar reports from multiple sources regarding a spontaneously-growing mountain with extremely-strange vegetation, a new town springing up and information about his missing Categoriser, the Lord of Ishda took it upon himself to investigate the far-fetched, yet-interwoven claims.

Assembling his private guard, consisting of more than three-dozen veteran-warriors each over level 30, Lord Aldor also summoned Elric's only remaining Apprentice Anon. The least preferred of the three, but the only one left. He then had his space mages open a portal directly to Orad, the village closest to the mysterious mountain and the steady stream of strange reports.

Upon their arrival, a heavy storm was raging down over the small farming town. The Lord and his men took shelter inside the Mayor's building. His intention was to gather as much information as possible before setting off anyway. Knowledge is power as they say.

However, without having to converse with anyone, the Lord and his men all gathered at the North-eastern window. No one said a word as the eye-catching phenomenon that was said to be growing and changing faster than naturally possible was easily visible to them in the distance. Even through the horrendous weather. If anything, it was hard not-to-notice the multicoloured work of unnatural beauty and fear combined, looming over the land in the distance.

Pink and purple. Black and red. Green and blue. Brown and white.

After speaking with Orad's chief and waiting for the storm to pass, Lord Aldor, third-apprentice Anon, the Lord's space mages and his guard detail all set off toward the terrifyingly-beautiful mountain, which somehow looked bigger than it did during the storm.

It took them almost half the day to reach their destination. The Lord and his men noticed that they'd begun to see less and less monsters the closer they got. Eventually they stopped seeing traces of them all together.

"My Lord. There are quite a lot of buildings but there is no wall. It would appear that there is a town ahead," a scout reports as they edge closer.

After cautiously approaching with his entourage, unsure of what he might find, Lord Aldor was lost for words. When he heard mention of a new town founding itself beside the even-newer mountain in the forest, he was expecting something the size of Orad or even smaller. Maybe forty buildings max with a chief, a few guards and a shit-load of farmers.

Instead, he finds himself looking upon a magnificent city. Marble work everywhere with hundreds upon hundreds of buildings lining the streets. Nothing looks out of place and some of the craftsmanship matches and even outclasses that found in his own city. Granted the masons and stoneworkers in Ishda do some amazing work, but there are more than a few buildings that catch the Lord's eye due to their... Uniqueness. In terms of size, the city is almost close to that of Ishda. However, it's harder to tell without a better vantage point.

As they head inside the wall-less mountain city, happy faces go about their day-to-day activities whilst paying no mind to the stray Lord and his men. A friendly greeting or a passing nod is all the reception they receive until they hear the sound of horns blaring from the opposite end of town. Almost immediately, men and women start closing up their businesses and rush past them toward the direction the noise cam from.

Caught up in his own curiosity, Lord Aldor follows the streaming crowd of people through the well-laid-out-streets until they reach a large circular building. All made from white stone, archways guide the citizens inside with multiple entrances. Inside, tunnels and hallways lead to plentiful seating that overlook an arena below. The host's box can be seen from the seat Lord Aldor chooses and inside it he spots a few odd-looking individuals that catch his interest.

Before he has a chance to make his way to the obviously-more-important seating area, two holes appear in the centre of the arena allowing the platforms below to rise up. Each one carries a different contender to the surface and as they step off the automated device, the ground seals back up and they face each other.

Each person shows respect to the other and the event doesn't look like a savage fight to the death. Even if everything else would suggest otherwise.They bow to the Ringmaster, the person at the front of the host box, before making one final show of recognition in Lord Aldor's direction before they commence their match.

"I should have come here sooner," Lord Aldor whispers to himself as he sits back down, forgetting his destination whilst captivated by the thrilling fight and magical displays, completely unaware that apprentice Catergoriser Anon disappeared shortly after their arrival.

----------------------------------------

I'm not oblivious to the group of people that arrive in my city whilst trying to be discreet. Unfortunately for them, they're basicslly ants that are crawling across my body and alerting me to their presence all on their own.

Thanks guys.

I've been following them ever since they entered due to the unnecessary headache that my family was giving me. I know they're only being helpful, but I had to open up all my connections and shout, "Stop!" before they ceased the constant bombardment of repetitive information.

I can feel them too, you know!?

Probably better than you lot and I've even it Me banging on my ear.

I know that I said handling guard-duty and city-watch was going to be left solely to my Commanders, Mira and Hana, but even they were banging on about the importance of our guests. Plus, after my mind has just been information-blown, I may need to keep a closer eye on things. I've got to stop brushing my problems off. Especially since they keep coming back to bite me in the ass. Because of their arrival, I also had to end my brief reunion with Anya for a second time.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

Although it is a great reason to prolong an awkward conversation that I was certainly not handling the best. So, thanks again guys.

Anyway, the fact that regular people can't see or hear me is working in my favor today. Or at least it was until I spotted the youngest person in the entourage. White Robes with a single stripe, this lad's obviously filling a certain missing-expert's spot and is probably on the road to taking the role full time. It gave me a bit of a shock if I'm honest. Even though I can tell his profession by the design and colour of his robes, they're exactly the same as the ones Katrina arrived in, I was still caught off guard when his eyes locked with mine.

It could be because I've gotten used to skipping past my own citizens unnoticed that it semi-startled me. Either way, our short meeting of eyes has become a problem that needs addressing before anything else. As the entourage passes through the next building's shadow, still following the crowd, no one notices the dallying apprentice fall through the ground as he disappears from sight.

I didn't do anything malicious to the curious, wide-eyed youth and in fact, I did him a favor. Within the many voices drilling me about the new arrivals, Katrina's was easily one of the loudest and had the most information included with it. She even knew the identity of some of the people. I would have shown my gratitude had her explanation not statled me. The Lord of Ishda, another Catergoriser - albeit an apprentice, and a shit load of knights.

Yeah. I definitely couldn't just palm such an important person off on Hana and Mira, could I?

It was right after Kat had finished explaining when the little shit caught sight of me. I did the first thing that came to mind and had one of my Assassins shadowport him to Apprentice A. Easy easy. Problem solved. Pat on the back for me.

Although, I suppose I'm still palming my problems off onto someone else, even like that. Has that really become my M.O? My go-to? Let's be honest, it's working so far. Even if a little more diligent on my part wouldn't be a bad thing.

OK. After this I won't just pass my problems off to anyone else.

Hoping that Katrina will be able to talk some sense into apprentice B, I follow the Lord to try and find out the reason he's here. There are quite a few though and not all of them are good. In fact, would he think any of them are good?

Is he here because of what happened to Elric? Or, is it because the nearest towns and villages are scared about my growing mountain? It's probably the fact that cities my-size don't just pop up out of nowhere. They need commissioning, funding and most importantly for humans, time. I, on the other hand, spit in time's face and build whatever I want instantly.

Still, that doesn't change the fact a city inside his region is growing faster than manure on the street. Populated areas like this don't just sprout up within the span of a few months like flowers. Not on my scale and certainly not without his knowledge.

There are so many different reasons. Hopefully he just wants to establish some sort of we-take-your-money tax and I'm probably fretting over nothing.

Hopefully.

Unfortunately, he didn't have much else to say. All the way to the Coliseum, Lord Aldor didn't utter a single word. His eyes, however, were everywhere and as I followed him, his curiosity was evident. It was only when the crowd reached their destination, with Lord Aldor and his men still following behind, that he spoke his first word since entering Varona, "Amazing!"

I gotta admit though, I was quite pleased when he did finally speak. I mean, I hear the same words from my own citizens time after time, but it somehow seems different when a person in power compliments your shit.

After that, he didn't speak again until he was sat down. Fully immersed in the entertaining spectacle below. I also enjoyed my time. It was quite fun watching my own family face off against each other without the fear of death.

The Coliseum:

Any training undertaking in this location will boost skill growth by 25% and level growth by 35%

Fully engaging in combat and holding nothing back whilst in the ring will improve the chances of earning new titles and skills

Let death no longer weigh you down as anyone that's signed up to combat training is unable to die while on the Coliseum grounds and will be revived with no penalty

Any skills, stats, levels or titles earned whilst in the Coliseum are permanent

Although, I'm not quite sure how they avoid pain. I'm pretty sure that part is a given but I suppose they're levelling up faster than they were before and it's not like anyone's complained yet.

Anyway, the Lord seemed to enjoy himself watching our entertainment and in my head I'm chalking that up as a second point to me. The first was how taken he was with my city.

It's quite strange in a sense. Not the fact that he enjoyed the deathless fight, but that he stuck around for two more afterwards. He's obviously come for a reason, but instead it looks as though he has gotten caught up in the moment.

Should I make the first move? I mean, he obviously sent the Categoriser here in the first place. Right? If so then that means he knows there's a dungeon here. The Academy does a great job of hiding it but that apprentice should have known where he was the moment he entered the city!

It's hard to answer that without more information but you always manage to work things out in the end. Somehow.

That's kinda true, thoughts of the Hay Bale spring to mind.

Screw it. Let's do this.

I search for a good vassal to speak through but before I can call out to anyone, Lord Aldor's belly rumbles almost as loud as the crowd's cheering.

That settles that then.

Killing two birds with one stone, I summon Ali. Ever prepared, as sometimes I wonder if she'd make a better Core than I do, The Chef arrives besides the stands with multiple dishes lined up on a tray. She approaches the Lord, but is stopped by his guards less than ten feet away. I knew that would probably happen though. Lords and Kings are always well protected from assassination and poison attempts.

"Let the lady pass. Can you not smell that divine aroma?" the Lord orders.

Wow, just like that, huh? Maybe I should send Ali on Syndicate missions? So much for caution.

"But.. My Lord, you... We are here to..."

"I know why we are here. Now. Let her pass." The dejected guard does as he's commanded and lets my chef through. The idea of poisoning and then eating a Lord flickers to mind before I quickly shake it.

"My Lord." His guards though? I'd eat those guy if given the chance. Stopping Ali, how dare they?

Lowering her head, The Chef uses the correct etiquette and places the tray beside Lord Aldor before taking up the seat next to it. Much to the growing dismay of his personal guard. My huner is also growing and it's not because I can't taste what he can this time.

"What is that heavenly smell?" he asks, salivating a little. I am trying my best not too, lest a dungeon must descend that we could all do without. The day's going so well.

"I made this especially for you. To start with you have Eton soup, named aptly because all the ingredients used are sourced directly from that particular forest. Following that is slow-roasted Elder Boar and wild vegetables. Cooked to perfection, you won't find a better cut of meat. Finally, for dessert there is freshly-made ice-cream and berries." Ali smiles whilst proudly announcing the three-hit combo.

I might eat the Lord after all.