“Destruction of property vital to Aezrith’s functionality, endangerment of citizens, and adventuring without a license within city limits,” the Thunderstagian read aloud as he wrote. A magic stenography device typed slowly as he read. “What do you have to say for yourselves?”

Nate, who had been seated while Captain Stonecrusher relayed the charges, stood. “Permission to approach?”

The councilman displayed a brief surprise at the formal request, “Granted.”

“I have several things to say for myself and my bodyguard Krypdyr, and frankly for the rest of my family who are now resting, hopefully healed, in the Temple of Air. First and foremost, I am under contract with the Scuffle Alliance, Incorporated.” This time the surprise was much more prolonged and their stenography device began typing more rapidly.

“Second, myself and my companions were attacked by a group known locally as the Mage Hunters. May I show you what our attackers looked like?”

“You can create illusions?”

“Not really, no.”

“Then how?”

Nate paused to think, and sent a chat message to Krypdyr. “I feel like the shapeshifting thing is probably best kept secret.”

“Agreed,” Krypdyr said.

Nate addressed the councilman, “I stumbled upon a spell that lets me change myself for very brief periods of time.”

“Proceed.”

Nate pulled up his shapeshifting menu, shifting into an approximation of Wort. The stenograph machine whirred as it wrote even faster.

“I think your stenographer’s going to break if you don’t slow it down.” The whirring crescendoed and the stenograph machine exploded. Shards of twisted metal shredded the ground and table all around Nate, but none of it hit him as he flinched away from the blast. Captain Stonecrusher stepped between the blast and the council members, taking shrapnel across his body, though it did no real damage to him.

The notations, which seemed to be on magical paper as it remained unscathed, sat in the remains of the stenograph wreckage.

“Things seem to keep exploding around me lately,” Nate said as he moved to Stonecrusher, “Do you need healing?”

The captain waved him away, checking on the Thunderstagians, who were more shaken than actually damaged. The one who was serving as the judge picked up the notations and read, his eyes widening. He quickly handed the paper to the other, staring over at Nate. After moments of reading, the other did the same.

“I have two more questions for you.”

“Ask away,” Nate said, shifting uncomfortably.

“You were standing right next to the machine when it blew up, yet you are unmarked. How is that possible?”

“Might be better if I didn’t say.”

The councilman stepped up close to Nate, leaning down to his eye level. He whispered into his ear. “The stenograph is enchanted to list the sigil stones active on those involved in the given court case. It kept trying to type yours, but something was blocking it. To the point that it exploded.”

Nate sent a question to Quilly.

Quilly: The machine was trying to give away our secrets.

Nate: You could have told me.

Quilly: There wasn’t time.

Nate: Did you overload the machine?

Quilly looked guilty.

Quilly: It kept trying to get our information. So I changed a few of its parameters that caused it to, well, you know.

The council continued in his hushed voice. “No one here cast a spell to affect the device. We have sensors in place to detect such things. There’s only one explanation. I think I’m going to be 100 platinum richer. My final question is this, and we will speak privately if we must. How did you come across the Interface Sigil Stone?”

Nate sighed, watching Quilly’s surprise fade to mild interest. With another command, the councilman nearly fell over when he received a pop-up message in his field of view.

Nate Arkwright has sent you a chat request. Accept? Yes. No.

The Thunderstagian cheered and called the other one over. “Cifnir! I told you! It’s time to pay up!”

“You’re kidding me, Rayn!” Cifnir said.

“I am not!”

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

“I’m a little confused,” Nate said.

“You know that you being right would be extremely bad, right?” Cifnir said.

Rayn hesitated. “Shit.”

Nate: Will you please focus for a moment and tell me what is going on?

Rayn: Better. I’ll show you.

Rayn pulled out his slate and typed something in, presenting it to Nate. There were a number of writings on an open tab, but one was highlighted.

Aezrith's Fall

In skies adrift where shadows weave,

A storm-born man the winds deceive.

With sigils carved and fated luck,

He bends true rules, the glue unstuck.

A tethered bridge, a breaking chain,

The sand below shall drink the rain.

From fractured steel and burning glow,

The city's pride will sink below.

The charming man with proper Quill,

Will strike the core and leave it still.

Yet through the fall, a seed will grow,

A truth revealed in ember's glow.

Beware the hand that heals and mends,

For destiny twists where power bends.

A hero walks where shadows call,

Aezrith, to rise anew, must fall.

Several of the lines did seem to point to him. He used the chat function to group Rayn and Cifnir together.

Quilly: Hey, look! It mentions me!

Rayn: Who’s Quilly? What kind of name is that?

Cifnir: This is very cool and terrifying at the same time.

Quilly: Hello! I’m Nate’s Interface Sigil Stone. He has named me Quilly, which I quite like.

Nate: Really subtle, Quill. I have no intention of causing the city to fall, even if the poem says that the city will rise anew. What does that even mean?

Quilly: Sorry, Nate. It’s already in motion.

Before Nate could argue, he got a new pop-up.

Quest: Citybreaker

Objective: Fulfill the Prophecy! And not just because seeing a floating city crash is kind of awesome!

Reward: 1 Magic Item Upgrade Token

This quest cannot be denied.

Nate: Seriously?!

Quilly: What?! I like that it involved me. Seems like a good time.

Rayn: What happened?

Nate: Nothing to worry about now. Any chance you can get me away from Captain Stonecrusher’s allegations?

“What is going on?” Stonecrusher grumbled as he watched everyone standing in awkward silence. Nate handed the slate to Krypdyr, whose eye ridges raised as he read the prophecy.

Rayn walked over to stand before the oreforged. “We can handle it from here, I think.”

“What is to be his sentence?”

“He is to go and register with the Adventuring Academy and work off the cost of repairs to the city, he is to be given the first task of repairing what he can do himself.”

Cifnir raised his hand as Stonecrusher moved to protest. “If you have issues with this sentencing, you may challenge it when Beacon Flamel and his Stormchaser squad returns this way twenty days hence.”

Stonecrusher rumbled, looked away, and stomped out of the room.

“I appreciate this,” Nate said. “I’ve been meaning to join something like that anyway.”

Rayn hastily jotted a note and stamped it with glowing ink. “Bring this with you to the academy and they’ll get you set up. Krypdyr should be able to facilitate your association with the SAI.”

“Does that help in any way with the academy?”

“It will give you a slight increase in the quality of available quests, usually with better rewards and such. And you get access to SAI affiliate quests. But beyond that, no.”

Nepotism Achievement Unlocked! You got out of trouble because you know someone important. Like being the son of a president. Some people don’t like it when this happens, but those same people would sure as shit take the same treatment if they could and needed it. Don’t you just hate double standards? Reward? 1 Aezrith Get Out of Jail Free Card.

The card, when Nate plucked it out of inventory, looked like one from the Monopoly board game, but it had a sketch of the three tiered city and the following text printed on it.

Aezrith Get Out of Jail Free Card. Type: Wondrous Item. Weight: 0 lbs. Value: Varies. The variable value of this item depends on the severity of crime you free yourself from. When you present this card to a guard or magistrate, you cease to be accused of the crime in question. Even if you murdered the king of the realm. Isn’t that crazy?! I hope you pick a good one to use this on. Be a shame to waste it on something stupid like Jaywalking or punching a meter maid in the face for giving you a ticket after only being parked in a 15 minute spot for five minutes. Scratch that last one. That one would be great.

Nate: Quilly, you know you kinda scare me sometimes. How does this item work?

While Quilly was typing his response, Nate activated his Astral Sense. And wished he hadn’t. The card nearly blinded him. He made a pained sound out loud, causing Krypdyr to look around with his hand on his sword hilt. It was so bright he couldn’t even see what schools of magic it contained.

Quilly: It’s complicated. I’m afraid I can’t tell you that just yet. Soon, I hope.

Nate: You’ve never been tight lipped before. Why now?

Quilly: Can’t tell you that either. What I can tell you is that I’ll be able to tell you later on, once you get stronger.

Nate: Alright. I’ll trust you for now. But I expect a full explanation eventually.

Quilly: Of course.

Nate and Krypdyr stepped out of the council room after saying their goodbyes. Captain Stonecrusher loomed over them to the right of the door. His voice seemed grumpier than before.

“I’ll be sure to keep my eyes on you. We go straight to the Academy.”

Nate smiled at him, “Lead on, sir.”

Back in the room, Cifnir grumbled as he slapped a bag of platinum into Rayn’s smug hand.