Magistrate Gokhale Do you remember what the worst day of your life is? I do… It was when a city guard showed up at my home and told me that my son, my youngest child, has been murdered by some low-class wretch. I had many favors owed to me as an influential member of noble society, and I called on as many as I needed to find out who did it. I found out that there were two witnesses, lesser nobles who had their titles stripped from them after the fact; a mockery of the highest order. I had them brought to me and they told me everything. They told me who killed my son, and they told me how he died… in agony. There is no greater sorrow than the fury of parent mourning, and likewise, no greater rage can be kindled than a parent who seeks vengeance.
I spent countless gold pieces and emptied storehouses full of mana reserves to purchase a preprepared ritual that can stop a familiar from being summoned. It was so expensive because a ritual of that nature is illegal by royal decree, but I did not care; not then and not now. If I had to empty every storehouse in Ambos to kill that familiar and his master, then I would. The ritual was stored on a jewel, and when I wanted to activate it, then all I had to do was input some mana. I planned my trap, first myself and the two now defunct nobles would corner the familiar after its master had left it alone, then one of them would send out their Salamander familiar so as to probe the familiar’s strength. If the Salamander proves ineffective, I will utilize the ritual after summoning my own personal familiar Egoes, a lesser dragon species called a wyvern.
*A few days later*
The familiar proved stronger than predicted, it was not immediately killed by Egoes and was even able to contact his master and attempt to flee. They made it outside the effective area of the ritual, but it did not matter as the master had been neutralized already. There was no escape anymore. The familiar was at its end now, attempting to radiate magic in a desperate effort to save its life and the life of its master. Egoes would make quick work of him, but I wanted him to suffer like my son did. I would make his last moment on Atmosia one of torment, and I would do it with my own hand. At least that is what I thought as I brought down as large a ball of fire as I could muster onto the vermin’s head. For a moment, I felt peace, justice, and joy at having avenged my son, but that was all stolen by that… thing once more. It emerged from the flames unscathed, and it spoke only a single, soul crushing word to me… It told me to run. I do not know if it was out of defiance or sorrow, but I did not run, I stayed. Part of me wanted to die, another, much larger, part of me wanted something I knew I would never have… my son back in my embrace, and vengeance.
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Investigator Dehal’s POV
“Dehal, we have reports of nobles fighting just outside of town!” One of the guards under my command said after barging in.
“Again,” I replied annoyed, I stood up from my resting perch and followed him to the area. To my surprise, the people involved were faces I had seen before; Suma, and her familiar Sentinel... or Jake. When I arrived, Suma was being tended to by a healer for a broken wing and leg, and Jake was unconscious and radiating some form of blue magical energy. I tried to enter it, but was warned away, apparently magic doesn’t work right inside the field and they had to move everyone away from Jake so that they could cast healing and other types of magic to investigate the area. “Suma,” I called out to her, “what happened?”
“Three noblemen attacked us, I was knocked unconscious, but Jake defended me.” Suma explained. I looked over at Jake, through the thick fog of energy, and saw him lying on the ground. I went closer and spotted what appeared to be the dismembered corpse of a wyvern.
“Jake did that?” I whispered to myself. It took a while, but Jake did eventually stop producing that energy and we were able to recover him from the fog. We had to drag him out of it by his feet with our Borogs and perform healing on him afterward, but we managed it. He didn’t wake up for a full day, honestly I thought he was going to die, but he was strong and recovered.
While he was asleep, Suma gave us permission to do a memory delve for some answers, and we found a lot more than we bargained for. Jake was dreaming when the delve was performed, and our Memory Mage found out the hard way what he was dreaming of. Apparently, he was dreaming of the battle in which Jake has been burned, stabbed at, nearly crushed, and beaten, but still kept fighting. He managed to kill a wyvern, take a full force blast of flames without damage, and protect his master all before finally losing consciousness. Our mage had to repeatedly stop to get her bearings… or to stop crying. By the time it was over, all our delver would say was… Vikings.
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Jake’s POV
All the fire blasts and fogs of Chaos Magic eventually drew other Neame to the area, who, in turn, called for guards. I found out what happened later from Suma, as I had passed out and stayed out for a solid twenty-four hours. Suma spent some time healing my wounds while I was out, and she was interrogated as well. I later learned that Suma consented on my behalf for them to perform another memory delve on me. With that, they were able to get the evidence needed to arrest the two former lesser nobles as well as the now former magistrate. His noble title was stripped from him and given to the next in line in his family, his oldest son. I heard a rumor that he tried to kill himself, but it was never confirmed.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
When I did wake up, I was starving and sore, but all my burns had healed and only a bit of stiffness remained in my elbow. Suma had been tended to as well, the blow from that white cat familiar broke one of her wings and legs, but she was up and about by the time I was awake again. I also apparently continued to emit that fog of magical energy for another hour after losing consciousness, and it didn’t disperse for nearly six hours. They actually had to remove everyone from the area because all their spells kept getting inverted.
“I heard you finally woke up,” Investigator Dehal said flying into the room I was in,” how are you doing?”
“Better,” I said and took a big bite of something called a Magiopa. “My arm is a bit sore though.” I said with a full mouth.
“You sure have a knack for getting yourself into trouble it seems, but everything has been sorted out, so I don’t think you have much to worry about from the former magistrate’s family.” Dehal said.
“I suppose that’s a relief.” I said after swallowing.
“Oh, and you have a visitor.” He said.
“Suma?” I asked.
“Not exactly…” He said. Meanwhile, another nymph, much larger and well decorated, flew in.
“Hello, Jake,” he said, “My name is Udoka Sopra, and I am the Grand Duke of the Royal Citadel and the country of Ambos. It is nice to meet you.”
“Um, hello sir. I’m Jake. It’s nice to meet you as well.”
“I am truly sorry to hear about what has transpired, you have my word I will make sure the nobles responsible are appropriately punished. I ask only that you do not attempt to seek retribution yourself, please leave it to me.” The Grand Duke said with a slight bow and a spread of his wings.
“Oh, of course. Please, you don’t have to bow sir.” I said nervously, but I wasn’t really sure why. Yeah, he was a high ranking Neame judge or something, but I couldn’t put a pin in why he seemed so… dignified. He was beautifully decorated, at least as much as the large Neame who attacked us was anyway.
He straightened up then spoke again. “Jake, I have a few questions if you do not mind. I had planned to ask them during our scheduled meeting but… well, we need answers regarding what happened.”
“I understand sir, please ask me whatever you like.” I told him.
“Thank you.” He took a breath. “Firstly, what is your magical affinity?”
“Chaos, or do you mean my specific... like... attribute thing?”
“Yes, your attribute.”
“Inversion.”
“Quite rare Indeed. Do you happen to know your mana levels?”
“I’m sorry sir, no I don’t. I was told they must have been high though.”
“Yes quite, and how much training have you received from Lady Suma?”
“She’s taught me a bit, the basics at least, and how to perform a summoning spell on my weapons.”
“I see. Regarding your weapons, may I see them?”
Investigator Dehal interrupted, “Sir, I don’t believe that is a good idea.”
Grand Duke Udoka Sopra nearly scoffed, “Nonsense, Sir Jake is an honorable man. He defended his master despite the danger presented to his own life. All without need.” He turned back to me, “Sir Jake, if you would not mind?”
“Sure,” I said and summoned destiny. As soon as I did, her tip fell to the floor between the Grand Duke and I.
“Was it… supposed to do that?” Investigator Dehal asked confused.
“No, it got snapped by that noble’s wyvern during our fight. Actually, most of my weapons are damaged now that I think about it.” I said then sent Destiny away and summoned Mori and Aegis instead. Aegis was still full of holes, but Mori seemed mostly intact, if a bit dulled at the ends where it hit that wyvern’s scales.
“Even damaged I am able to see they are fine weapons, and your ability to use shadow casting was unexpected as well.” The Grand Duke said. He turned to investigator Dehal, “I trust what he has said falls in line with what your investigation has found so far?”
“It has, sir,” Dehal replied.
“Then I ask that you give Sir Jake and I a moment alone.” Dehal bowed a moment then left the room, sealing the door behind him. Turning to me he asked, “Sir Jake, what I ask you now is of a personal nature, I ask that you answer truthfully.”
“Okay.” I said confused.
“There have been concerning reports of late. You remember the mind delve that was performed on you a short time ago?"
"Yes sir.”
“Well, as you may know, another one was performed while you slept.”
“Yes sir.”
“The information gathered is already being suppressed, but I needed to ask you personally. Sir Jake, are you a Viking?”
“What?!” I asked shocked, but I really shouldn’t have been. I knew this would get out eventually, somehow.
“Sir Jake…” The Grand Duke pressed urgently.
I sighed, and relented, “Not exactly.”
“Not exactly? In what way is the information incorrect?”
“I’m not a Viking, but I am the same race as them.” The Grand Duke seemed concerned, his feathers were slightly raised, and that normal sparkle that all Neame I had seen had was a bit dimmer.
“Can you elaborate?” He wondered.
“The Vikings, as you know them, were a culture. They lived and died out a long time ago. It is possible that I’m one of their descendants, but there’s no way to know for sure.”
“I see.” The Grand Duke said before growing quiet. Deep in thought his grey feathers occasionally ruffled, breaking the hanging silence for just a moment. “Sir Jake, I ask that you keep this information to yourself. I do not believe it is in anyone’s best interest to know.”
“I will sir,” I agreed, happy that he wasn’t angry or afraid now that he knew the truth.
“And please tell Lady Suma the same as well.”
“Actually sir, she doesn’t know.” I said cautiously. This seemed to catch him off guard.
“You have not told her?”
“No sir.”
“May I ask for what reason?”
“She really… really… hates Vikings.”
“I see, then I shall refrain from mentioning it as well. Sir Jake, if you do decide to tell someone, please insure they keep it a secret if possible.”
“I will sir.” I said. With that, our conversation ended, and the Grand Duke left. Once he was gone, I got in contact with Suma, and she came to make sure I was okay before we left.