A couple of weeks later, Damien had been traveling with his caravan on the road. Damien had reached a crossroad where the dirt road he was on had begun to turn into a cobblestone road which let Damien know that he was getting closer to the main roads of the kingdom. Previously, he had passed through two of the villages without incident. Damien had to lay low to avoid notice, but what he had done in Tropes village had proceeded his caravan and many people were looking for Lord Sorlen's caravan. Damien left Selene and Allen to carry on his effort to recruit the lame and homeless and to stay with the caravan. His commander objected to him leaving alone, but Damien told them that he could handle himself and left. He knew that it was immature but Damien was till irritated at himself for his earlier actions and putting the whole mission in jeopardy. Even though it appeared to the naked eye that the was alone, Damien could see on his minimap that he still had 7 green dots trailing him. That was fine so long as they weren't near him. He didn't want anyone to get hurt because of him, not that much could hurt his troops or so he hoped. The king was looking for him, not his city. Keeping his city under the radar was just as important as keeping himself safe. He just needed to explore more and he also figured that he could get more done alone than with others with him. This was an information gathering mission full time for Damien now. So, dressed in blue jeans, a green silk sleeveless shirt, a black trenchcoat, black round brim hat with a short flat top, and black boots. His staff was attached to a holster under his trench coat. Damien had seen continuous patrols on the road headed to the western villages. The way the patrols forcefully asked their aggressive questions they were looking for someone, intensely. Damien was mounted on one of his loyal and unnaturally obedient enhanced black steeds. Damien set out to the south of the sign pointed to Landon and also Carta city which must have been further down the road

Damien had an idea that had completely escaped him. He needed organic matter whether alive or dead to create sentient beings and beasts. So he figured he just needed to find a graveyard to, well I guess rob. It was at least for a good cause, Damien thought. Kind of like a dark skinned robin hood, or at least that's what Damien told himself to feel better about uprooting dead bodies. A graveyard would have plenty of material that he could convert into beings for his army. He was going to have create a massive army. Does this make me a necromancer? He needed the system to build homes and defenses. People were much more expensive than buildings for some reason. He would have the system build a template from his memory and construct the most powerful army ever seen on this planet. In 15 days since he had left his village, he had 17,551 DP from letting the days past. He could summon an army here if he wanted. He could probably take these cities in one fell swoop but, at what cost? If the king finds out where he lives, would he be able to hold off the mages of the army or the army itself? He was attempting to have people migrating west hundreds of miles to get to his village. He had no idea the power of the army, Damien was under no pretense that he's unbeatable. Damien hasn't had to fight a mage yet, he wasn't so sure of himself surviving another powerful mage or a large number of them. I have spells that I haven't even had a chance to practice yet and he didn't know their effectiveness. Honestly, he only got them by combining elements and accidentally created spells through constant failed tests.

Damien had been running his mount at a full sprint once he had gotten onto the cobblestone road. His was staff stayed strapped to the inside of his coat with a mage shield constantly activated around him. It offered the most protection from any kind of attack that many come while on the road and acted as a kind of permanent defense. He could do that same thing with his own mana core, but it would eventually begin to drain him. With the staff, he could keep the spell active even while he slept. Traveling on the mount, sprinting at an amazing speed on the road, there was the tall wheat colored grass swaying in the wind on both sides of the road. The day was a bit windier than it had been in the last couple of weeks. Damien was too new to this planet to guess its season changes. Damien had been here for months, but there was no changing of the seasons as of yet, as a matter of fact, he's only had a couple of rainy days since coming to this planet. Today, in particular, was a clear, sunny one. He checked his map and seen that he would be at Landon city by roughly, by nightfall. He sent a mental command to his commanders about where he was and continued on toward the city. He told them to go in the opposite direction into the northern mining city. Damien forgot he was on one of the wind magic imbued steeds he created, so he had arrived a few hours before the evening had set in.

There was a massive line trying to enter the city. The people in line were being asked a question and let through and some had carriages that were being checked and let through by bored looking guards. After a half hour, it was Damien's turn at the gate.

"State your business," the gateguard ordered. 

" I'm a traveling mage, a healer actually, looking for work," Damien responded.

"Those are some strange garments that your wearing healer. There are many who needs your services inside. You can stop by the temple and try your luck there. You may have a bit of trouble, though. The church has a growing animosity towards mages. What is your name healer mage." The guard said gesturing towards his staff while looking at Damien skeptically.

"I am no one, in particular, I travel around to assist anyone who can afford my services. My name is master healer, Donte Sorlen. I found these garments in a giant merchant caravan with hundreds of carriages selling goods. You will definitely like what you find shold you get the time. It should be coming this way in a month or so, according to the merchant leader I had spoken to." Damien said changing the subject.

"Will do master healer. All mages must register at the mages guild union entry of the city. You will need a guild badge. Any mage found without a badge inside will be imprisoned immediately. I suggest you head that way now I will send one of the men as escort," the guard said.

Damien thanked the guard and continued inside.

His face remained impassive, but Damien's heart thumped loudly in his chest. He didn't know what registering as a mage meant and at the moment he felt very screwed.

After a few moments, a young guard waved Damien to follow. Damien dismounted and asked the guard if there was a stable to take his mount. The guard nodded but told Damien that he would watch his mount while Damien was inside. As Damien followed the man, the cobblestone streets were littered with people. Thousands were coming and going every which way. Most people dressed in plain colored clothes, the men in a plain colored white top and trousers that were usually brown. Many of the women were wearing long plain dresses. There were carts being pulled by a strange bully beast with 4 horns. Damien even saw a horse with wings attached to a fancy carriage. The buildings were all made of stone. Some had wood attachments but were mostly made of some form of blocked stone. Many of the buildings were single story with a few with more. Damien couldn't help but admire all of the buildings and people. Just as much as Damien stared, the passing groups of people stared at him in return. At his clothes and staff in particular. Some that stared at the staff frowned or were outright angry. Some looked at it with great interest. That must be the group wanting to capitalize on bounty on his head. If they only knew they were looking at a king's ransom walking past them. He found a paper notice in one of the villages about the bounty. Its offer was outrageously generous the king really wanted Damiens dead or alive. He sure many was sure many people would choose the dead portion of the notice. This world has been the wild wild west since he has arrived here.

As the two traveled straight down the road, there was a large building coming into focus. It resembled the mage academy that Damien built but was much smaller. It was about 15 feet tall, to where Damiens academy was a small skyscraper. As they were traveling Damien sent his thoughts inward to the system. "System I need a spell to suppress my magical abilities. I also need to purchase a high level healing spell. One that is similar to Divine healing. I have to keep up my front.

Arcane suppression spell is 5,000 DP. Arcane suppression is the ability to lower the magical level of all abilities and overall magical strength. The mage can suppress all spells or a few, whatever the mage wills the spell to do. No one below your level will be able to accurately gauge your strength. Mages at the same level or higher can use various effects to see past this effect.

Major healing spell is 11,000 DP. Major Healing can heal all wounds, illnesses, poisons, physical and mental effects of any kind and can reattach limbs if the limb is still in a person's possession.

Would the Host like to purchase these spell?

"Yes. Give me the spells."

Affirmative. Spells uploaded into Hosts' memory. 1,551 DP remaining.

With this new spell uploaded into his mind, Damien had become far less anxious. He had a way to protect himself from spells that can detect magical strength. He also has a powerful healing ability that will be his cover for using divine touch. Damien could now do magic without worry, for the most part. He still didn't have a way to determine how strong he actually was. He still has never come across another mage outside of his city so he was curious about running into some in this city. He wanted to know what power in the arcane arts looked like. His magic was enhanced by the system so even his basic spells were stronger than what a normal mage was so he was a horrible judge on magical power in this world. What's considered strong to these people? Damien thought.

Damien followed the guard a tall building that looked like it took up a large portion of the city. The local mage guild of this city had mages pouring in and out of the sliding wooden door. Damien could tell this city was massive. The road he was on continued on. With his mana enhanced vision, he could see a second gate in the distance from where he stood. So this was the outer city. I have seen very few poor and homeless in this city so far which is a good sign about its leadership. Damien wanted to meet the nobles in charge of this city, but he didn't know how he could set up the meeting. Damien cast the suppression magic spell and began walking into the building. As he entered, there was a black haired youth behind the podium in grey robes.

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"Hello sir, how can I help you?" The youth asked while looking up and down at the man's strange clothing.

"I'm here to register myself with the local mage hall."

"Ok, go to the counter to sign up for your badge," the youth responded.

"Thank you."

Damien noticed there were mages dressed in all types of elaborate robes of a solid color, some with multi colored robes to show they had more than one affinity. Some mages had strangely shaped staves and wands with different colored jewels sitting around the main hall, many had the traditional pointed mage hat with a round brim. There were also the up and coming mages who were dressed in plain shirt and trousers. These were most likely still trying to make a name for themselves. Many noticed Damien's staff, and were pointing and talking in hushed whispers, asking nearby people if they have ever seen such a stone. Ignored all the glances and stares and continued to the four long lines in front of the counter that you pointed to. After a long while, it was finally Damien's turn to step up to the counter. Damien walked up to stand in front of a beautiful redhead woman with matching robes and lipstick on. Damien noticed that she had a curvy figure and air about her that radiated power.

"Hi, I'm here to register."

"Fill out this form and then touch the Arcane Seeing Orb, so that we can see your magical affinity. It will cost 50 silvers to enter the 155 annual magical tournament." The woman said.

"Tournament? Never heard of it."

"Oh? You weren't here for the tournament? Where are you from to have never heard of the mages tournament in Landon city? That is why there are so many people in the city. If you haven't found lodging beforehand, you will be hard pressed to do so now. Well if your here to register yourself that will be 5 silvers."

Damien thought about it for a moment. He now had a way to hide his magical strength and this would help him with his problem with magical combat. "I'll do both, I need a badge also.

"It takes a week to get a badge and the tournament is four days from now. I'm sorry sir, but you may not enter." She responded. She did look genuinely sorry. "Before we go any further I need you to touch the orb. Damien nodded and waited for the woman to walk to the back. By now, all the mages in the room were watching the newcomer in strangely dress clothes and the mysterious stone the mage carried. Damien didn't know that once the orb touched the counter the talk of the room wound down to a whisper.

Damien had suppressed all but his Earth, Wind, and Water magic. Since he had seen other mages with more than one affinity he figured having multiple branches wouldn't be so bad. "The orb is ready. Reach out and channel your magic into it as much as you can until you mana runs dry." When he reached out and touched the orb and began to channel. The orb lit up brightly white, then even brighter brown, then even brighter grey, then and even brighter blue and like the woman said he kept channeling. The orb was so bright no one but Damien could continue to stare at it in the room. After about 60 seconds the orb cracked and Damien stopped channeling and the light immediately turned off and the orb was clear once again. Damien still looking at the woman didn't notice that everyone in the room was dead silent everyone gaping. Some were even terrified. "I think your orb is broken," Damien said silently cursing himself in his brain. He didn't know he would brake the damn thing. " Y-yes, I think this orb m-may have been faulty. Even though you have the magical aptitude for the tournament, you still cannot join today. I-I'm sorry once again."

"Well, it is not your fault. I'm sure a very beautiful and capable woman like you can work something out to give me a badge sooner. I'd hate for the guards to become a hassle because of something I can't control. Here the money for the badge and if you can find a way to help me enter the tournament, then thank you in advance." At that, Damien reached into his inventory and thought about a high gold in his hand when he put his hand in his pocket. Handing the high gold to the woman. "Keep the change."

The woman looked at the coin in her hand and almost fainted she was already overwhelmed from the previous display. She knew there was nothing with the orb, but even though this mage was powerful she didn't since the normal entitled air that she got from most spellcaster. So the woman's fear quickly turned into intrigue. Especially, with a man that could hand her a tiny fortune so easily. "Y-yes! I have your badge right here and your token for the Tournament Mr…" She asked

"Donte, Donte Sorlen," he responded in his best James Bond impersonation.

"I wish you good luck in the tournament tomorrow. Also, Mr. Sorlen Tonight if you're looking for a little company I live in the inner city a few streets down from the library. My name is Mary." She said proactively, leaning down so that Damien could see done the top of her dress.

"Only a crazy man could say no to that invitation. Write down your address." After she had written it down Damien turned and began to leave. Five mages stepped in front of Damien. One of the mages was staring angrily at Mary, who was still fawning over Damien and furiously at Damien. "You come in here a newly registered mage and acting like you run the place. You're not even dressed like a real mage. What do you-" Damien's Sorlen stone shone with a multicolored hue brightly and his eyes turned purple. Damien flicked his hand to the left and the five men flew into the wall and fell in a heap groaning and nursing broken bones. With Damien's path to the door cleared he stepped outside and into the street.

Little did Damien know, his little display of power had put him on notice. He made a few mistakes in that mage hall. Firstly, a mage able to crack an Arcane Seeing Orb was already terrifying in itself. Even, an archmage would be hard pressed to do so. Once he was finished supposedly, finished with emptying his mana, he wasn't even sweating or at the very least breathing hard. So that showed, he was nowhere near his limit. Second, He showed an affinity for four branches of magic. He had shown three elements and a life magical aptitude. They all had a glow so bright, that no one in the room could even look in his direction with open eyes. Even with their eyes closed, it was similar to looking into the sun and the light made their eyelids red while shut. His third error was that he didn't or use hand signs to cast a basic spell. Every mage in the room knew about the gust spell, but no one in the room could pick up five men with it and toss them across the room with it. It simply was not supposed to be so powerful. This mage was a monster walking in human skin, from the perspective of every mage in the hall. He radiated pure arcane energy. Arcane energy came off as a blue glow, but this mage's energy was purple. All of the mages whose energy gave off purple transparent aura were mages of legend. They had all taken their abilities and spells to the grave with them or the knowledge of their works was lost to time or war, or so the story was. The mages in the guild looked at the foreigner as though they were looking at a mage of legend themselves when Damien let his magical aura out. From that day forward, Donte Sorlen became a household name in all magical circles.

An old man watched the young mage handle five powerful mages in their own right as though they were novices. All three were master mages. When the young mage channeled his magic, despite the mage, being younger this mage was his equal if not stronger. No, that was the old mages pride talking. That young mage is stronger. The mage was thinking about all of the places he has traveled and all of the places he has learned magic and has never seen a mage stone like the one in that staff. Maybe that's what gave the man all of his power. The old man had to find out. He wanted to take the staff from the mage. What he could do with its power is unimaginable to the old mage because he had never known such a magical item could exist. He was completely certain that this mage was the mage the king was after. He felt the power of the mage and he was still shaking from terror and excitement. He was determined to get that staff from the young mage, even at the cost of his life. It was worth the cost of his life. The old man thought about all of the villages he burned to the ground around the world. The killing portion was nothing to him. He was a powerful archmage in his own right. Even he questioned his sanity thinking about attempting such a thing, for an item. He would approach this situation very slowly and carefully. If he could not take the staff from the mage well then he would have to submit to a more powerful being. He was hesitant to call this a man after what he had felt. When he walked out the old man stood and walked out the door behind him. Once he took a few steps out of the door, he said a quick chant and transformed into a disheveled old dog with brown and white coat of fur and trotted along behind the mage in black.

Damien had grabbed his horse from the soldier and asked him where could he find lodging. He had also asked if there was a graveyard inside of the city. Apparently there was a graveyard outside of the city past the rarely used south gate. Damien had dropped his horse off at the city's stable and paid the stable hand 14 silver to keep and maintain the mount for 14 days. Damien had plenty of time on his hands, so he walked to the local library. He needed more info about the world, the kingdoms and he wanted to see what he could find any new spells.

Damien headed into the large 4 story library building to kill some time and hopefully learn some new spells and understanding of this world. Damien entered the door and the counter was to the left and rows and rows of books and scrolls were to his left. The scrolls reminded Damien of an image he had seen on the internet of the lost library of Alexandria. There were rows and rows of bookshelves behind the scrolls. The library was bigger inside than the outside would let on. As a matter of fact, it was impossible to hold this many books in such a space. This had to be magic making the room bigger than the building dimensions outside. Getting over his shock at such a possibility, Damien regathered his composure and focused on the task at hand. Walking into the library Damien walked up to a counter to stand in front of a man a half a head taller than Damien, who was thin and had a hooked nose, greying black hair, and a bored look as though the whole world was an irritation to him. The man looked at Damien up and down with a disgusted look at Damien, "Welcome to the grand library of Landon city, it will be 5 silver to utilize floor one on basic lore. Floor 2 is the more advanced information and is 10 silver, Floor 3 contains the rare books for 25 silver, and the last floor is reserved for nobility and contains worldwide rare texts and some magical spell books that as you should know are the hardest to come by. That will be a gold coin. If you do not have 5 silver then you can turn and leave from my building now." the man said with open venom. Damien flicked 3 gold at the man. "Keep the rest I need to stay here all night." As the man, stood holding the coins with the first sign of any other emotion beside the disgust Damien told the man, " oh, and never judge a book by its cover librarian."

" Oh, I'm a sor-"

"Save it asshole, don't bother me for the rest of the night I need my privacy. The extra coin is for you to ensure I get my privacy. Not because of your crappy customer service."

"The people of this land are really starting to get under my skin, Damien said to himself as he walked away from the counter. Damien was about to start on the bottom floor but, instead, he headed up to the top floor. The magical lore was the most important thing to him right now. He at least had Allen to assist him with the locals. He was still ignorant of the magic in this world. So he headed directly for the fourth floor. He was beyond excited as to what he might find once he gets there. Something about the top floor was drawing him there so he picked up the pace walking up the giant winding staircase.