A cold breeze bristled past Jano as he moved through the streets. He walked a bit more upright than he had before. Not having to be at the workhouse at the crack of dawn gave him a bit of spare time to repair his clothing. Patching up the holes in his fraying cloak was the hardest part, but with enough patience anything was possible. Or so Alsace had told him before she went to work. The last of the light had faded during his journey and darkness well and truly hugged the cobbled streets.

He felt the cold seeping through his thin shoes. He still longed for his old work boots, which had provided at least some protection from the uneven ground below. But boots were expensive and for the past few years, food had been much more of a priority. He could deal with bruised feet. Perhaps he wouldn’t have to for much longer.

He knocked loudly at the door of the Mage’s house. He looked at the building in a different light now that his power had been returned. He began examining small cracks in the join at the corner as he waited. He took the time to admire the tiny specks of detail which ensured that the aesthetics were right. Even in the Middle, where all the houses looked the same, small details were important. Shuffling noises came from the other side of the door, and the distinct smell of something burning filtered through.

The Mage appeared and shoved the door open. He ushered Jano inside fervently. “Come in, come in. Well. How do you feel?” He asked.

Jano was a little taken aback. He hadn’t expected such enthusiasm straight from the get go. “Erm. Great, thanks for asking.” He coughed and looked down at the floor briefly. When he realised the Mage was waiting for him to say more, he carried on. “Though I can tell I don’t have the same control over myself yet. It’s almost like the power is a little…. uncontrolled.” He said.

“That’s to be expected. Your spirit has been neglecting drawing on essence for years now. It can’t go from zero to hero overnight you know?” He examined Jano. Walking around him in a circle and scanning him.

“So, there’s been nothing…. no side effects?” Darrel had a curious look on his face. His long brown hair usually obscured his features.

“No, I feel fine.” Jano replied. “Wait — what side effects?”

“Good, good…. that’s what I expected of course.”

That didn’t exactly sound convincing, Jano thought.

Darrel’s eyes met his and as though reading his mind, he started. “You were never in any serious trouble. Probably. I don’t think that anyone has really tried contracting over the top of another for a very long time, so there was always a small risk. There was an ancient book in the library about it. Apparently it’s an old practice, it was sometimes used where a master had died but the contract didn’t provide for termination by death. It was seemingly quite rare, standard form these things nowadays, but there is a small chance of a phenomenon called conflict apparently. Though I think we’d know by now if anything was wrong.” Darrel put his hand on his shoulder and tried a reassuring smile. Oddly enough, Jano didn’t feel too reassured. “So have you already tried to use your old powers yet?” He smiled.

Risk? He didn’t mention any risk before we did it, he thought. “You told me not to…” Jano responded, thinking it was another test of some sort.

He looked at Darrel, but his face gave nothing away.

“Well that’s a shame. But no matter, I’d like to see for myself what you can do. Follow me.”

Without another word, the Mage spun on his heels, opened the door and left the house. His robes floated against the gentle evening breeze as he wound through the labyrinthine grey streets of the Middle. Jano almost lost his trail right at the start. He scrambled to catch up. As he did so, the noise from the late night restaurants, taverns and comfort houses faded away. They were heading towards the northern section of the city. Jano grew nervous and his palms became very clammy.

“Can I ask, where are we heading?” He said as they grew closer to the calm orange light which filtered over the walls of the richer sections of the city. Jano had only been further than the Middle a few times, and only ever for a specific job. They were quite strict on allowing Slummers into the nicer parts of the city, particularly closer to Essence Square and the Palace. The area itself was colloquially known as the Northern Quarter.

“We’re heading to an old place, long forgotten. It’s called the Dome of The Royal Blood, though now it should probably be called the Forgotten Dome of The Royal Blood.” He said.

Jano’s face twisted and he momentarily stopped walking. “Sorry? Are you sure that place even exists? I’ve never heard of it.”

Darrel glanced back, the white of his teeth flashing in the darkness. “Didn’t you listen to the bit where I said the ‘Forgotten Dome’? I guess you’ll have to trust me. But if everyone knew where it was, it probably wouldn’t be much good for our purposes now would it?”

They continued to walk towards the Northern Quarter. With a Mage, the Guards probably wouldn’t think to question them. But even still, Slummers weren’t meant to be anywhere near these parts at this time. He might have a new Class, but his clothes were still a bit of a giveaway. It dawned on Jano that even Class Seven citizens would be the lowest of the low there: a feeling he was quite accustomed to.

They walked under an archway, this one pristine and almost sparkling in the moonlight. A marked contrast to those in the Slums. It had intricate engravings across the stone. Creatures of myth and legend, with a rune or two for good measure. He suddenly realised he was walking on a smooth stone path, rather than the patchy earth of the Slums and cobbled streets of the Middle.

As they grew closer to the Northern Quarter, the houses were now morphing into larger and larger structures. Growing limbs and wings. This was the land of wealthy merchants, judges or city officials. Even the occasional retired Mage might choose to live here. Their gardens were larger than the entire block of houses on which Jano’s house was situated. Jano had seen homes like this before, he had helped work on one or two. Talented stonemasons were often called upon to do the grunt work of the Mage Architects. Not that he had complained, getting a job on properties like those paid very well. Remembering the last time he was in the Northern Quarter, Jano felt a sting in his stomach. He tried to put it out of his mind.

Jano was observing the wall which separated the Middle and the Northern Quarter just ahead, when Darrel stopped over a small metal plate on the ground. Jano would have missed it if it wasn’t for the Mage. The view was hidden by a row of large shops, which were empty at this hour.

“Can you move this?” He asked.

“I don’t know.” Jano shrugged. “It’s been so long since I could do anything really useful and with force.”

“Just give it a try.” The Mage said with perfect serenity.

Jano knelt down on the still wet stone path, and examined the metal plate on the floor. He reached out with his fingers, trying to feel the essence of the cold metal. In his past, he was one of the few stonemasons on this side of the Empire who had learned to manipulate multiple different materials into his stonework. Fusing them together to form stronger, more beautiful designs. He could never quite control them as well as he could stone. Though usually he would have enough master to move a manhole cover.

He focussed his power on the cover. Feeling the cold iron essence in his spirit. It was sluggish and did not respond as well as he had hoped. It felt as though he was back to being a Class Ten. He pulled and pushed, but nothing worked. He looked up and shrugged. “Apologies, I can’t.”

Darrel looked a little disappointed. “Watch out the way then.” He said and Jano scurried backwards. Jano watched the Mage push his hand towards the metal cover and with a loud thud, the cover flew away down into the darkness. A black hole took its place, a wooden ladder poking out of the dark, just below the rim of the ground.

Darrel looked at Jano with something resembling sympathy. “Don’t worry, it will all come back soon I’m sure. After you.” He held out his arm, inviting Jano to go first. Jano wearily looked at the old ladders. How long have they been there? He decided to trust the Mage and he awkwardly put his weight onto the wood.

Jano clambered down the rickety wooden ladders. He had to stop himself from noticing the creaks and the splintering wood as he did so. He descended into the darkness. Step by step. The small halo of light above was slowly becoming smaller and it was almost entirely blocked out when Darrel started following him down.

A faint orange glow illuminated the ladder as he got further down the ladder. It looked like a lamplight, but it was just out of sight at all times.

A splash of water let him know he had reached the bottom. It was about ankle high and it soaked his shoes and the bottom of his trousers. Darrel joined him and cursed. A small ball of orange light floated out from behind the Mage's robes, lighting up the path a little way in front of them. Shallow water lined the circular stone sewer they were standing in. It smelled like waste and stale water, stronger than even the Slums. “Follow me, and let’s be quick about it shall we?” Darrel said.

They walked quickly onward, their feet sloshing in the water. Jano didn’t want to think about what they were walking through, but at least the water was only shallow. The sewers were long and straight, a welcome sight from the maze that was the streets above. They walked straight for around a hundred paces before heading through a small hole to their right. There was no water down in this section, which Jano was grateful for. They continued along the dry path for a while, the little orange light continuing to emit an eldritch glow to help them find their way. Finally, they passed down some small stone steps, onto a thin firm path once again.

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They walked for another fifty paces or so before turning once more and heading down some more stone steps. Jano had been trying to keep track of where he was, but at this point he was totally lost.

At the bottom of the steps lay the entrance to a large dome. The entrance was a grand curved doorway and the stone steps morphed into a soft sand which morphed awkwardly around their feet. The dome looked like it was made of sandstone based on the colour of the building; it was much lighter and more welcoming than the dark grey of the city. Jano could see small cracks and crumbling as they got closer, but it was in a surprisingly good condition. The water obviously didn’t make it down this far and even time hadn’t yet had its way with the structure.

“This was here before the new sewers were made. They very kindly routed them around the old city and tried to close them up. People have forgotten these places once existed. Luckily for us, I know my way around pretty well.” The Mage said as they approached the entrance. They didn’t take any time to appreciate the curved doorway and they walked quickly into the dome.

“This was once a spectacular arena; where in the days of Kings and Queens, royal games were held here on special occasions. All were invited and it was not uncommon to see peasants sat next to high born individuals as they roared in support of their favourite sport or cheered on their chosen fighter together.”

Jano listened as he regarded the seating curiously. It was piled high at the sides. He looked to Darrel who smiled and gazed about him in an odd way. The air smelled surprisingly fresh. He noticed the lack of dust and grime on the walls.

They carried on walking. In the centre was a glass circle about the size of an average person the entire way round. Jano looked into it, but could only see darkness. Then, as he was about to move away, his eyes adjusted slightly and he was sure he could see small white lines pulsing from right to left. He realised that he was standing over a large hole which must have been a significant drop.

He watched for a little longer before realising that Darrel had walked someway to the far end and was heading towards a small archway. It wasn’t unlike the archway they passed through earlier.

Jano again rushed to catch up. Though the Mage hadn’t called for him. He wandered slowly onward. Jano passed through the arch and noted the runes on the stone. He didn’t recognise them at all. Noticing that the Mage had stopped in the middle of the pathway, he pushed on.

Crashing noises surrounded him. He looked around to find the source of the noise, when he noticed the clear night sky. The stars twinkling above. He hadn’t seen anything this clear in quite some time — it had been raining above, he thought, there was a thick covering of cloud..

Darrel had turned to look at him. His face was serious. “Have you noticed anything strange?” He asked, with no hint of a smile.

“I’m sure it was raining before. Have the clouds really changed so fast? Where is the wind?” He asked.

Darrel sighed a little, his face had changed. As though he was stifling a smile. His robes now shone a brilliant red. They looked ever so slightly different, but Jano couldn’t quite picture it. He had a small design embroidered onto the cuff of his robes, but Jano couldn’t make out what it was. Tiny details.

“You’re close, but still missing something pretty obvious.”

Jano looked around once more. A particularly loud crashing sound hit his ears once more. “What is that noise?” He said, not wanting to bring up the small differences to his appearance. Has the Mage changed out here?

“Precisely! What an astute observation. I’m particularly glad I picked you for the tasks.” He said. His tone suggested the exact opposite.

“Where are we...?” Jano asked. His voice was louder and more confident now.

That is one of the correct questions.” He twirled and his robes followed his body in a gentle sway. He moved his arms as if guiding a feather to the floor. “We are outside the city walls.” He said.

Jano looked around once more. Back at the light shining at them from the stars, even the moon looked brighter. Bigger perhaps. “According to some particularly old and unwelcome history books, this place has been here even before it was used for the royal games. It is said that it has been here throughout all of the iterations of this city. In some form at least.” He said. “Apparently there are records of all sorts of activities here and an it was once called by an even older name: the Dome of the Enchanted.”

“That doesn’t really explain that sound..” Jano offered. Darrel smiled and Jano became very aware that his own face was tight, like he had been scowling. He must have been pulling a ridiculous face as the Mage talked about this strange place.

“Below us are cliffs, below those is the Vacancia Sea. Above us is the sky, the moon and the stars, free from the Empire’s menacing influences. This is where, in ancient times, Mages would practice their gifts. Children would be taught the most excellent arts and adults would put on exhibitions for large crowds. The raw energy of the sea provided an excellent source of essence and channeled power into the city.”

His eyes were almost glowing as he spoke. His arms were still moving frantically. As though they told the story in another way, in another language. “That was before..” the Mage began, but he stopped and simply smiled.

Jano tried to take it all in. The crispness of the picture. The feeling which the crashing waves gave him in his whole body. He felt strange. As though he was stronger. He walked down towards the cliff face, the black stone shining in the moonlight. As he peered over the edge, his toes curled and his legs grew heavy but he didn’t want to stop looking. He noticed a slightly worn path heading away from the edge and towards the black wall behind them.

The path led him by the exit of the sandstone dome, it was thin but with careful footing he made it. He touched his hand to the rock and instantly knew its properties. It’s essence drew into him quicker than ever before.

“I wouldn’t start pulling apart the cliffs now, Jano.” Darrel had walked to the path, observing him.

Nodding, he walked back to the exit. “Take one last true breath, one last look and sear this image into your brain.” He continued.

Jano inhaled, as deeply as he could. He was disappointed to find that Darrel had returned to the centre of the Dome. He sneaked another breath and headed through the arch. The runes lit up, a dim red light as he passed through.

“Why do you think I brought you here Jano?” The repeated mention of his name made him a little uneasy.

“I… don’t know. To feel the energy of the water?” He said. He had felt essence surging within him. In a totally new way, perhaps it’s the new contract, he thought.

“It’s not a bad guess. But no. Not yet. Try again.” He pushed.

He looked down through the glass of the circle. He realised now that he was looking at the waves approaching the cliffs. Before they crashed against it and their power was taken back by the Vacancia Sea.

“To see that there is life outside the city?” He guessed once more. Feeling weirdly vulnerable as he uttered the words.

He was greeted with a small smile. “Another good guess, but no.”

Jano’s heart sank a little. He had no clue. He began to make noises and half words, to fill the awkward silence which now buffeted through the Dome.

“I brought you here to train.” He said simply. And Jano was both relieved and disappointed. He had hoped for something more grand. An answer to a question he hadn’t realised he wanted to ask. “Can’t you feel it already? The Emperor has less influence here. Even over those who he has a direct contract with. You should be able to feel a little more yourself. It should make it the perfect place for us to get a little practice in.”

“So let’s do that shall we?” He grinned. The Mage clapped his hands together. “Show me what you can do.” He said.

Jano felt very nervous. What if Darrel was underwhelmed with his abilities? He had already failed to dislodge the metal cover after all. They walked to the edge of the Dome, to one of the yellow sandstone walls which led upwards, towards the seating areas.

“What do you want me to do?” Asked Jano, a little baffled at the pronouncement. He crafted stone after all, he built things, he didn’t perform.

“Well. We’re going to be…. I guess more accurately, you’re going to be my new thief.” He smiled and extended his arms, like some form of street entertainer.

“Thief?” Jano asked. He relaxed a little bit, on a scale of crimes to be committed for a Mage. It wasn’t the worst one.

“Yes. A thief. I need someone with your penchant for moving and manipulating stone essence for a few high risk jobs I have coming up.” The Mage’s face was still

largely hidden by the long brown hair but Jano could make out the trademark smile.

“Where will I be thieving from?” He asked.

“Well I can’t tell you that right now. That would be considered reckless, even if I have come to like you. No. For now, please just show me your talents at removing stones from the wall and replacing them. As if you were never there.”

Jano thought for a second. He looked at the number pulsating slowly on his wrist and shrugged. He moved over to the wall and concentrated hard.

He focussed on one chunk of stone at the top of the wall, just before the seating area, drawing on his power, he removed it about halfway. The stone looked as fresh as the day it was put in. He removed it the rest of the way, switching his concentration to the wall, to prevent any other bricks from shifting. Though it should be harmless, you could never be sure. He held it there and popped it back with a little thud.

“Very good. Very good indeed.” Darrel shouted. “Now try taking one from the centre of the wall.”

Jano turned to look at the Mage with a look of consternation. “I can try..” he said. While he was a Class Ten, his power would run out quickly and he still didn’t trust himself.

Having felt the essence of one brick, he knew the properties of all the other stones in the Dome, which made his mastery over it much easier. He pulled another brick away. That wasn’t the difficult part, but the concentration required to maintain the structure of the wall caused him to shake slightly. He placed the brick down by his feet.

“Excellent. Now another.” Darrel said.

Okay then, we’re gonna collapse this pretty Dome on my first visit, he thought.

He did the same to another two bricks as Darrel watched him. He started to shake more uncontrollably under the weight of his concentration. The yellow became a haze in his vision. Sweat dripped onto his nose from his forehead.

“Okay, now put them back.” Darrel said.

Jano muttered something under his breath. But one by one, he placed the bricks back into the wall. Eventually, it looked like he hadn’t been there at all.

A sweating, swearing mess. He turned to face the Mage and met only his wide grin. “Well it’s a start. But we have work to do.” He said. Jano sat on the dusty ground and put his head in his hands as he panted.