Edited by Cultivator
The conversation with Arthur went much better than I presumed. To be honest, I merely thought that he would stay neutral in that matter, yet he decided to support me! Because if a king says that he is more than alright with new organization being raised in the city that would threaten the monopoly of another company. It would literally mean that previous company is no longer in favor.
Just as he said, the alchemist guild is strong and if it was to disappear the Kingdom could lost a lot – one, they would lose their supply of potions. They would also have to look for a new supplier from afar, then the prices of potions would be higher as they would have to pay transporting costs as well. Unfortunately, me and my girls will be able to cover only a percent of Neira’s potion requests.
But, in the end there are at least few manufacturers of potions on continent, even if they would have to pay more, there is always a solution. On the other hand countries that have stable political connection with dwarfs are far fewer in number. Actually, I can’t name even one such country. What I offered was opportunity that happens once per millennia. There was no way Arthur would throw it away. He has too much to gain.
Now, the next business I need to take care of. I headed toward Magic Academy. There are two specific personas I need to meet. One of them I should have met earlier. Much earlier. Once again I was stopped by guards, in the end I was not student nor lecturer. This time I couldn’t threat them, guards of academy were no ordinal city militia. I patiently stated my business.
- “So, once again, who you want to meet, lad?”
- “Either professor Kleir or Hanna.”
- “PROFESSOR Hanna. Pay attention to honorific, lads, lecturers loves being reminded of their achievements.” Guard said those words without hatred. He just wanted to give an advice.
- “For me she is either Teacher Hanna, or Mother Hanna. She took me in when I was but a lost child.” I replied with smile. “On the other hand I helped professor Kleir with his researches, so he will be more than happy to see me.”
- “Fair enough kid, will need some of your data to write in guest book before… name and family name.”
- “Zariel, no family name, only guild nickname: Whiteraven.”
- “Ah, you are that kid that caused commotion during Senate meeting year ago? Fair enough. Come on in, just don’t disturb classes.”
- “I won’t”
- “Professor Hieronymus and Professor Hanna are both in their classes for now, but there should be hour long break between classes soon. You should wait for them in staff room. It’s in the tower in the middle of facility. If you would get lost, just ask golems.”
I bowed my head with gratitude and walked inside.
The academy was like second city within a city, protected by high wall covered in glyphs and runes. Sneaking inside was probably bad idea. Soon, I noticed another problem. I was drawing attention. Mostly because of my appearance. Students, depending on classes they were taking were wearing colorful robes. Either blue, green, brown or red. From time to time some patterns were visible, yet no one, absolutely no one was wearing completely black, sleeveless robes like mine.
- “The academy teaches necromancy? Since when?” I heard whisper of some girl.
- “Since never. If someone would ask for permission to self study then he would be simply granted access to restricted sources of academy, but not his own robes set.” The boy responded.
- “Fools, you know nothing? He is not studying here. That’s Zariel. Don’t talk with him.” Another girl joined discussion.
- “Who?”
- “He came to Neira about year ago, The Senate summoned him. He was asked to show his battle capability. All alone he defeated group of top Academy graduates. He didn’t even broke a sweat. Aunty told me to stay away from him…”
A-HA! Got you! Guess who is about to get bullied!? I quickly moved in their direction.
- “Hey, you!” I yelled getting closer to them. “… mind showing me way to teacher's lounge? It’s my first time here and I got lost a little.”
- “S..sir, we just started our break…” She tried to excuse herself. Silly girl.
- “That’s just perfect. It means that you have no classes to attend and you are free. Just do it, girl, the faster you would show me the way, the faster you would be free to waste your time.”
- “…B…but why me?”
- “You have problem with that? When one of your teachers asks you to bring a material he will need during classes you also question every order?”
- “You could just ask the statutes.” She said looking at one of figures made of clay staying still every few dozen meters.
- “The last golem I met tried to kill me. I feel strong aversion toward animated armors and such.”
She didn’t say anything more, she just stood up and moved in some direction. I started following her.
- “This will also teach you to keep your mouth shut next time you decide to gossip around someone you never met.” I added as we were walking.
She turned around with her eyes widened.
- “Yes, I heard that. Now, move.”
- “B..but you where more than thirty meters away! I also whispered.”
- “Spending time in dark dungeons helps to develop your other senses. So think twice before you insult adventurer.”
Oh my! Her expression! On the other hand, I am bullying kinds. How low can I fall? I am curious and willing to check, how about you?
After a moment I understood why she didn’t want to show me way personally. It was quite a distant. We walked for over fifteen minutes, the break lasted for hour. If she wanted to return to same group of people she would waste half of her break.
It pleased me greatly.
We stopped in front of tall tower that was raised in the middle of plaza. Damn, because of dozen lesser building raised here and there you really wouldn’t notice it before “walking” on it.
- “Great. Thanks. You are free to go, brat.” I said and walked inside without turning back.
Now, up. I started climbing stairs. 1st floor, 2nd floor, 3rd floor, 4th… 1st floor, 2nd floor 3rd…wait. What the f…
Somewhere is the distance I heard quiet giggle.
Brats. Some first year learned lesser illusion spell called confusion. It gave wrong idea of walking in the circle, or in this case, starting from lowest floor.
I exhaled air annoyed.
- “Kids, you have this one chance to dispel this hex. I am bad with counterspells, so if I were to deal with it, I would rewrite it structure and trap YOU inside…”
- “…What are we going to do?”
- “Shh! He is bluffing. Haha! Elder student that can’t deal with such a easy spell, it will be fun!”
Fun? FUN!? You little brat.
I sighed exhausted.
- “Don’t blame me for what is about to happen…” I closed my eyes entering mediation state.
Then I launched echo of earth, localizing the foolish kids. Life and magic appeared in darkness around me. The spell was actually nicely done, the threats were solid and glyphs were put in places that maximized the effect. Some young prodigy was showing off his skills?
- “Zari?! What are you doing here?” I was stopped in the middle of my little vengeance.
- “Teacher Hanna.” I smiled turning back. “I wanted to visit you and discuss few matters. Preferably with Professor Kleir. But, before that, could you please give me a second?”
- “Ho? What do you want to do?”
- “Teach somebody a lesson…”
I returned to analyzing the spell structure. Then, I started corrupting it.
I have never seen this spell before, but it didn’t matter. Advanced mage is hiding structure of their spells so other mages couldn’t counter it. But these kids? They were taught basics, I am more than sure that they won’t start learning battle aspects of magic in at least three more years… which means that I have more than needed to play a game with them.
Now, reverse structure, mirror threads, relocate points, change form, double magic consumption, stabilize… and hide form under few riddle-spells.
- “W..What is going on?!” I heard voice from before.
- “I.. I don’t know! I can’t control it!”
- “Really Zari, Really?!” Hanna seemed to be bit disappointed.
- “It’s education.” I frowned.
- “What if they would hurt themselves in this illusion?”
- “Then it will be important lesson. A LESSON TO NOT IRRITATE STRONGER MAGES!” I yelled so they could hear me. “Fear not, I messed with mana consumption, the spell won’t last long.”
- “But won’t it make illusions.. stronger?”
- “Oh, yes.”
- “What are you showing them?”
- “Nothing just yet, but in moment they should…”
I was disturbed by most horrified scream I ever heard.
- “Voila, 50th floor of Tower of Despair. With all its habitants…”
- “PLEASE! SIR! LET US GO!”
- “Free yourself. I told you I am bad with couterspells! I could have messed something with spell structure!” I lied. Then, once again, I showed my most innocent smile to Hanna.
- “I didn’t raise you to be such person.”
- “No. You raised me into person that pays their debts. For kindness I will pay with kindness, for hostile actions.”
- “Whatever. You sure it will vanish soon?”
- “Ay. Ay!” I ensured her. To be honest, I casted this spell for the first time, I was also lacking skill that could tell me exact duration of my this little spell.
- “Come with me. Kleir should already be there.” She started climbing again.
In few more minutes we reached the top floor of the tower. A few other teachers were already there, sipping tea and having late lunch. Professor Hieronymus Kleir was there too.
- “ZARIEL! Good to see you! Long time not see! I must give you my thanks! That lady, Morgana, has really rare bloodline. Partly Asmodian! You know how rare Asmodians are?!.. Good to see you too, Hanna.” He greeted my old teacher without same enthusiasm. “How can I help you?” the last part was addressed to me again.
- “Do you have here some place where we could talk in private?”
- “My office should be more than enough. It’s also fairly close.” Kleir said right away.
Indeed. Few teachers had their offices in the same tower. Kleir’s was even on same floor. He quickly grabbed few books that he brought with himself and left the lounge.
- “Please, pay no attention to mess!” He said making some space on the table.
The whole room looked just like I imagined it to be. Covered in books about different races and sketches of monster. I picked one paper from the chair on which I was supposed to sit.
… It was sketch of me. Have you seen Leonardo da Vinci Vitruvian Man? Similar sketch, except that my body was “cut” exactly in half. On left side I was described as human, on right I was some weird combination on every possible nightmare. Everything was there, my reaction time, speed of adaptation, maximal and minimal sizes I could morphed into during examination.
The piece of paper was quickly taken away from my hands.
- “Please, pay no attention to it. Just as you asked I did not intend to publish it. I used it as background for my other researches. It actually speeded up my other projects regarding chimeras.” He cough few times awkwardly. “So, how can I help you?”
I allowed myself to inform them about my little enterprise. They quickly found out that my little company is in slums and that recently certain senator, owner of alchemist guild, visited those areas trying to shut competitive illegal organization. They quickly informed me that Senate gathering will discuss this matter in three days. But, then again I had one more matter to discuss.
- “You see… Daralon told me, that Ruby told him, that she had conversation with the chairman regarding… me. He wants to recruit me. I need to show myself as individual who in helping the society, preferably before next Senate meeting. So I have a question to you two: do you have some nice labor for me?”
- “Aaand.. what exactly you have in mind?”
- “Don’t know. Clean Academy, collect trashes in park?”
- “If that would be that easy.” Hanna snorted amused “No. Usually we require magician to perform on level of his abilities…”
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
- “Which is a problem, for Daralon told me that I was given one of the highest danger ranks.”
- “… I can always bring the topic that you helped me with my studies.” Kleir said after moment. “Not only you let me examine you, not only you send to me that half demoness and protected our research group in old city of ancients. Hey, aren’t you honored as a Senate ambassador?”
- “Since Ancient’s City I talked with Mantis Queen only once.” I grimaced. “It may be wise to meet her soon. Ask if she needs anything.”
- “Is there something you do extraordinarily well?” Hanna asked.
- “I kill, burn and destroy.”
- “It won’t do.”
- “I’m an alchemist, but I can’t tell everyone about my little company until meeting day. I am not sure, I think I am decent summoner. Last time I checked summoning six familiar was quite spectacular.”
- “Yes, but how would that help y…” Kleir froze in place. “… Lecture.”
- “What?” Hanna and I asked in unison.
- “You can have your own lecture! From time to time the Academy invited mages to have their own lessons to teach certain subjects. Last time we were hosting Archmage Tonilla, expert of material animation and enchanting! She talked about very interesting differences between those two arts! When does simple enchanting ends and not-living object animation starts?! What differs animation from necromancy and…”
Normally I would actually like to hear more about it, the problem is that I was lacking time.
- “Professor… Please…” I groaned quietly.
He coughed again.
- “Well, what I mean is that we could ask head teacher to give you your own lecture. Ha! If someone would educate our youth about summoning it would be viewed as something more than a courtesy! Also, you would be paid.”
- “Money is not a problem.”
- “Oh, in that case head teacher will like…” Of course. As an director he needed to take care of finances. As much as he would love raising prestige of his Academy by hosting as many lecturers, he also needs to count every coin he has.
- “That is actually quite nice idea.” Hanna nodded. “Summoning is a difficult art, mostly because it has no formal text book. There are dozens of researches about it, but all of them are mostly hypothesis. Because of that many students are having problems with summoning their first familiar.”
That should be more than easy… especially that… Cooo-dee-x-chaaan.
~Hooo? Look who finally remembered about my existence!
Don’t be like that! I always remember about my sweet, little codex! I merely don’t want to waste your precious time with my humble persona!
~ Ha-ha-ha! Oh, that one way to excuse yourself. You really think that flattery will get you anywhere with me?
… I do
~Good. Flattery WILL get you everywhere with me. Keep spoiling me and I will consider sharing my boundless knowledge with you, peasant!
Good, Codex is in good mood.
You know, I was just reminding how you saved my life the first day we met! And all those wonderful ideas about alternative usage of the spells.
I heard her snort and chuckle in my mind with disbelief.
~Ok, ok. I will share my knowledge about it even as I hate idea that you will later repeat it to some ungrateful, shitty brats. This is why I have condition!
Just name it, oh wise and merciful Codex-sama! And so very pretty!
~ You will do research in the library about summoning first!
This time it was my time to protest. Reading theoretical divagation about certain matter meant that I would spend long hours in library reading about boring shit that some second-grade mage wrote. Summoning was a mystery! Forgotten art! I was more than sure all their book were nothing more than gibberish!
~ That’s my condition! Take it, or leave it!
Dumb bitch.
~ WHAT DID YA SAY!?
Nothing, miss. I love you, miss.
~ Good
She is just curious how human’s knowledge about summoning currently looks like.
I exhaled air annoyed.
- “Something wrong, Zari? You don’t like the idea?” The teacher asked me after seeing my reaction.
- “Hm? No! It’s great! I love it! Even more, I can lie all I want and no one will be able to prove me wrong! It’s just… I need to read about those hypothesis to have some foundation…”
- “Ah, I read few of those. If you ask me, these are thrashes…” Kleir didn’t help me at all! “Garbage studies written by garbage people that wanted to get famous yet failed miserably. Their prediction and theories had absolutely no scientifically proved background! Atop of that…”
Hanna kicked him under table.
- “I… I mean… it is ok… as long as someone likes fantasy novels… FOR THERE IS NO BLOODY SCIENCE IN THOSE!” Another kick.
- “Anyway… You can just take of your studies, sweetie, we will talk with head master about it. There should no problem. We will ask for minimal possible payment. This way director would send you invitation via letter with attachment containing his personal thanks and words of gratitude…”
I raised from the table.
- “Very well… Thank you, professor… teacher…” I bowed my head to both of them.
- “Zari!” Hanna called one more time. “Be careful. Also, take care of yourself. I know the Senator is in charge of the Alchemists Guild. She is overly prideful, she may want to have her own revenge on you.”
- “I am always careful, teacher. But I will keep it in mind.” I smiled one last time.
Flashbacks on this nice, warm feeling, of days I spend in village having lots of friends and something similar to family. The feeling of someone really worrying about you. Unconditionally and always. I love you too, teacher. You are my second mother.
I left the tower, then the Academy, and headed toward Library. In the end I had quite a lot of research to do.
…
…
…
FUUUCK! These books really are filled with gibberish!
The summoning, or so called forgotten arts, still remain a mystery. Up until now none definition was found to be sufficient to fully describe mentioned subject.
Blah blah blah. Fucker is speaking about nothing! Most basic knowledge dressed into scientific babbling to make it look like actual scientific paper! Do you know what it remind me?
And the LORD spake, saying, "First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin, then shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who being naughty in My sight, shall snuff it
Actually, the second one still makes more sense to me!
~ Less whining! More reading! Actually, if you would ignore those less specific parts you could get the idea that author was looking in right direction.
Really?
~No. I am messing with you. It really is gibberish.
FUCK IT! CODEX!
~ Thehe. Sorry, couldn’t restrict myself. Go on, go on! You still have… 11 more books to read.
Mercy! Please?
~ Knowledge given without efforts is worthless. Prices needs to be payed!
You are just bullying me that lately I didn’t gave you as much attention as you wanted!
~Damn. You already know me so well… Go on! Books-books-books-books!
Ha. Very well. At least those books have a nicer cover than your manifestation!
~It’s not the outside beauty what matters! It’s inside!
That’s exactly what every ugly woman would say.
~… Zariel. Put away that bitch.
You mean this certain book? It lays nicely in hand, I have to admit!
~ Put aside this whore or I will never talk to you again!
But, I need to prepare myself to the lecture!
~… very well. Find yourself some quiet, sheltered room and enter meditation stance… And Zariel.
Yes?
~ Don’t you even consider calling other books but me pretty! Get it!?
Yes, yes, miss Codex.
I did not believe it would work. On the other hand because of Morgana Codex gain girl’s mentality. Still, those hard backs of the book and nice silk cover were…
~HEY! I can tell where your thoughts are wandering to!
Yeah, sorry, sorry!
~ Ya relocating already?!
Yeah! Give me a minute!
~ Make haste, or I will change my mind.
I put books back on their places before leaving and once again moved toward factory, find myself empty room, sat in lotus pose and let my mind drift into darkness.
~ Now, bite the pillow. I could make it longer and a far more comfortable session, you know, like sex with foreplay. I just don’t want to. Now, raise your butt, I am coming in dry!
That was a lame comparis… OH YOU LITTLE BITCH!
I reminded myself as I was watching group of dwarfish blacksmith working over piece of metal. In perfect unison they were hammering it down, they moves were completely and perfectly coordinated.
I felt as my head changed places with that piece of metal – now I was the one being hammered down.
Worse hangover after drinking session with Gisele was better than this!
~ Actually, those other books were supposed to prepare you for that. It’s like a new physical activity, first you need to warm up the muscles or you may overwork and rip them. The brain isn’t much different in this aspect from muscles. You are gouging on aspects that until now where but a ambiguous concepts. It’s like riding a rollercoaster without a belt. Try to not fall out.
I WILL GOT YOU FOR THIS, YOU LITTLE BIIIIII!
The arcana. The forgotten. But, is that true? Summoning have many meanings, many branches. What does it mean to summon? Mostly, to relocate objects, things, spirits and beings without interferences of physical powers. Despite similarities to many similar forms, summoning is,
The vision was much clearer than precious one. It descended upon me between waves of pain. Head splitting agony and blissful knowledge. Soul crushing pain and then wonderful enlightenment.
Eventually I almost stopped registering pain as I started anticipating another fragment of knowledge, another note, another page.
Two days later.
FUCK! I am late! My first lecture ever and I am already late! WHERE THE FUCK IS ROOM 350?!
I came running toward the classroom, and slowed down right in front of it, mostly to walk inside with dignity. Whatever, I will teach few kids few tricks. Show few familiars and walk away. Nothing to stress about. How many kids can one small classroom hold in worse-case scenario? Thirty?
I got inside.
Room 350 was not a classroom. It was a whole auditorium, and my audience wasn’t made just out of kids, I saw few teachers and even few Senators. I even recognized Senate Chairman, mostly because he was sitting in the special lodge. Was it a good thing or bad thing? I had troubles with telling it. Whatever, one hour of shame and I will be able to move on.
I moved to the table in the middle.
As I got there I started putting opened books in order on the desktop, I will be using few quotes from those. Then I stared blankly into the crowd for some time before starting.
- “What is summoning?”
Everyone thought that I was going to answer the question I just asked. Well, they were wrong.
- “It’s the moment you are telling me the answer.” I said after a short pause. “Also, put your quills down, it’s not a theory lesson so no definition will be dictated. I prefer holding a conversation with you, this way I will be sure if my point of view is understandable. So? What comes to your mind when you hear word summoning?”
After an awkward silence.
- “I can tell you my own view about this matter, but most of you will forget about it after five next minutes, I prefer making my own description of summoning together with you.”
Finally a few people raised their hands.
- “The girl in red.” I said pointing to a girl with my head.
- “It’s an art of forming a pact with familiar…”
- “Yes, go on.”
- “… There isn’t anything more, I think.”
- “Technically you are right. Partly, but right. Summoning is much, MUCH bigger term than that. Tell me, only familiars can be summoned? Actually, what is a familiar? Oh, don’t be afraid, I will answer this one. My favorite definition is one suggested by Archmage Solomon is his
. But, does it mean that you can’t summon anything until you from a pact?”
The same girl answered.
- “I think it is impossible.”
- “Then you are wrong, but feel no shame, barely anyone knows about it, and far less are actually using it, but have you heard about so called wild summoning?” Oh, another few grimaces of older mages.
- “Wild summoning is a form of well, summoning being that is not bounded to you, one of my friends, so called Pyrox, used it once near to me. He summoned a fire higher spirit – salamander. Wild summoning allows you to summon beasts much, much stronger than regular familiars, the problem is that because of its power you will rarely have power to control it, in most cases summon will try to rip you apart. Oh, and there is one more special case of Wild summoning. I can bet that all of you heard about it. Hero summoning, as we know it took place over 200 years ago during last Demon invasion. On the other hand, how many of you used Gates?”
Only Senate members and a few teachers raised their hands.
- “Tell me, isn’t that a summoning?” I asked.
- “No one knows, these are altars built by Ancients, we barely know how to use it, how it works lies outside of our knowledge.” One of teachers yelled.
- “Yet the similarity is uncanny, isn’t it? One could say that only thing that differs travels via gates and summoning familiars is that mage is transporting himself, not the other being. Actually, I think that Gates are more advanced form of summoning, can I proof it? Absolutely no. This is but my speculation, like everything we know about summoning. But, as we can’t really say anything more in the matter of Gates, let’s focus on our favorite part – familiars. As far as we know the number of familiars we can have is unlimited, it more than hard to expand it – people having three are rare, but it doesn’t matter that there are not people with four, five or even six.” Here I made a pause “Or more. Also, a problematic aspect here is necromancy, for reanimated corpses are not treated as familiars, but what if somebody would corrupt a soul that didn’t yet left this world and force it back to some vessel?”
Yeah. That’s what I did to Greg. I didn’t know it would end this way still, I would be damned by every legal organization if they knew that Greg isn’t just a twisted treant but an undead in a tree-vessel. It’s darkest under the lamp, maybe if I would openly speak about such possibilities no one would suspect me to actually commit this crime.
I continued lecture for longer than intended, I pointed out how first summoning is special, for your first familiar resembles you or your needs the most and I pointed out how important connection with the spirits is.
- “Yet I have a warning, never try forming your first pact when you are angry or furious, as I said, familiars are reflecting who you are, but a human’s nature isn’t steady. It is violent, dictated by emotions. If you would for a pact after argue, or worse, with desire of vengeance, you will end up with creature that would whisper in your ears about desire of blood. It would be always there poisoning your mind. Eventually, your anger will turn to hate, hate into aggression and this would lead you to madness. The changes would be slow, you wouldn’t even notice the influence. This is why I suggest: your first summoning should take place under supervision of teachers after meditation session, or even better, after pilgrim to a calm place – sanctuary, church, monastery. Don’t get me wrong, I hate religious organizations of any sort, but one thing I have to admit, no one knows definition of purity better than them, no matter if they are worshiping Sun, Moon or life itself. That would be enough. Any questions?”
I shouldn’t have asked this question, for I was not prepared for what happened. Literally everyone had question. From silly questions of 1st years kids like
In the end I needed to last in the chamber almost twice longer than I was supposed to. As students started leaving the room few teachers and Senators came to me, mostly to congratulate my fascinating lesson. I was mostly answering with polite jokes of how I am not finding in-door lessons fascinating at all.
I hoped I would teach some kids of the Senators before tomorrow’s meeting, wishing they would say my name once or twice during supper. Meeting them in person was much better, at least in short-time period.
As last the headteacher came, mostly to ask me if I am willing to come one more time in the future.
- “I won’t mind, but I need to find something worthy wasting other people’s time. Repeating same things over and over again would make people bored with me and thus – with summoning.”
- “You are far too harsh for yourself, on the other hand I heard you are perfectionist, so this attitude is understandable.”
- “I thought I would have about thirty or so students, I was not prepared for such crowd.”
- “Ah, I am afraid it was my doing. Not many experts come to share their knowledge about this matter, so I allowed myself to make it a public lesson. Still, it ended with few teachers bringing their classes to you.”
- “Haha, I could predict that people prefer to work less than more and they would use such possibility to relax a little watching somebody performing their job.”
- “I would love to deny, but I am afraid you are at least partly right.” The older man sighed exhausted. “Still, if you would ever consider finding more stable life.”
Here it starts again. A job offer.
- “Sir, I am honored, but as I said few times already – I prefer practice over theory. Adventurers rarely live long enough to retire, and I am completely fine with this idea.”
- “It’s true that as adventurer you save life of hundreds, but as teacher you can affect lives of thousands, and change the lives of millions.”
- “Yet I am narcissistic egotist and I am not doing my job to help others but to merely enjoy myself.” I needed to cut this quickly. This sly fox is doing his job for much longer than I live.
I was afraid that if I would let him continue his polite monologue he would eventually made me promise a little thing. Which would lead to slightly bigger thing and in result I would waste my life behind a desk.
Mages. How can you not hate them?
One last time I left University and headed toward factory. Tomorrow is my great day the confrontation at the Senate. I couldn’t return to the Guild yet. In the Guild Gisele is waiting for me, and with her drama I will have to handle. That would exhaust me and I need to stay focused. Just one more day. Either we would become an open facility and gain access to the library and better tier equipment, or I would have to formally disband my group, stay low for couple of months and start same factory somewhere else.
Doesn’t sound bad, does it? In reality, this delay would be a tragedy. The Syndicate losing their financial backbone for those few months could collapse. Right now, Rogue was doing great job by keeping every possible ally in iron grip. Everyone though the Syndicate is back for good, this is why they weren’t restricting and helped us hoping for better treatment in the future, if we would slow down for those couple of months everyone would know how fragile the new Syndicate still is.
So, putting it bluntly: I am walking on a razor’s edge.