Upon returning to the guild, I claimed my reward of 1,000 gold. The increase in renown, however, was insufficient to elevate me to the next level. I couldn't quite decipher how the guild tracked renown, but it was likely rooted in some form of magic.
Exiting through the front gate, I stepped into the surrounding woods, seeking a secluded spot out of sight.
“There you are,” Scarlett said, her voice a mix of relief and concern. “How was your first quest? Ready to return?”
“It was more difficult than I initially anticipated,” I admitted, holding up the staff I had taken from the Minion mage. “All the available quests were level 2, which I can accept due to my elevated status. I fought minions.”
Scarlett frowned, suppressing a scowl. “You nearly bit off more than you could chew without blowing your cover. You're in one piece, though, so I won’t lecture you this time. Just be more careful in the future.”
“Let’s head back for now. I have a LOT of research to do,” I replied, reaching out to touch Scarlett's Guild Seal. The familiar sensation coursed through me as we activated its return function to teleport back to the Guild Demon Door.
Once inside, I began changing out of my costume. Normally, this would be impossible to conceal as an apprentice, but since Maze had taken me on as his private pupil, I had a certain level of freedom.
“How did it go?” Maze's deeper voice resonated in the air, drawing my attention.
I sighed, reflecting on the challenges I had faced. “I won, but I struggled too much. I need to train my powers, but doing so here will result in the loss of many years of my life.”
“What about that Void you mentioned?” Maze asked, his curiosity piqued.
I shook my head. “We’ll need a way to place a barrier over the whole Demon Door. It would be beneficial to make it invisible as well. Last but not least, we need a method that is automated. I must be able to form my spell worlds without distraction. Last time we ventured out, I had to maintain the invisibility at the cost of my own training, and we had to leave when I grew tired, which allowed the abominations to find us.”
“Come up to my personal library. You’ll find many books not available elsewhere,” Maze instructed, closing the book he was holding and leading the way out. He had clearly been waiting for my return, and his presence made it appear as if I were having a private lesson while conducting my quest as Grey Cowl.
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The distance to the tower where Maze resided wasn’t very far, and aside from an argument between two Guild apprentices about who was the fastest, the walk was uneventful.
Once inside the tower, Maze gestured to his bookshelves. I scanned the titles and saw several that piqued my interest. One was focused on local teleportation, obviously the one Maze had learned from. Another book delved into theories about the lost art of Augmentation creation. One tome covered the subject of the Physical Shield spell, while another explored temporary enchantments on objects. He had others as well, including titles on Fireball, Lightning, and Summon.
I pointed at the various books on magic. “I will need to read all of these.”
“Sounds about right,” Maze nodded, almost proudly. Perhaps the old man saw me as his true pupil on some level.
“That reminds me—did you read what I wrote?”
Maze nodded, raising the book he had been perusing in the Demon Door earlier. “This concept of aging, DNA, and telomeres is fascinating. Your idea that magic could potentially slow down the degradation of these structures over time is intriguing. The notion of a spell world that utilizes this concept is hard to imagine.”
“You’ll need to picture a double helix strand of DNA,” I explained. “Imagine its replication through RNA, which makes all other copies, while the magic sphere it resides within generates additional strands called telomeres throughout the process.”
“Sounds complex,” the old man winced.
“It is, and it’s more challenging than even my improved spell versions. I have a lot of spells to learn on our next voyage to the Void, but the one you’ll be mastering is of max difficulty. Good thing you're one of the best wizards to ever live,” I assured him.
“It seems we both have a lot of studying to do,” Maze sighed.
“Also, there are a few relics I will need, most of which are here. I will need time with all eyes away from Sol, Blaze, and Holdr.”
“You’re aiming for the Sword of Avo’s Tear?” Maze grinned.
“For my mother’s usage, yes. But there’s also something else,” I replied, my mind racing back to a game called Fable: The Hero’s Journey, which took place after Fable 3. In that tale, the remnants of Will and spells from three fallen heroes transformed into gauntlets, granting their abilities to a new hero. Skipping over the arduous process of a lifetime of learning needed to wield such power, I wondered how I could resist the temptation to make my father a hero in his own right. Their bodies and Will were right before me, and I couldn’t shake the thought of the strength-enhancing Will potions mentioned in Fable 2, supposedly crafted from a bone of Thunder's body. I had no desire to consume the remains of the dead or desecrate their memories. What I aimed to do was persuade the heroes of old to bestow upon us their inheritance.
If Will energy and power can be inherited, then who better than the heroes of this time who need it? Their bodies and Will are right before me. How can I resist making my father a hero in his own right?