Riniock returned to his dorm to gather a few essentials. Once ready, he headed for the gates, where an invisible, impenetrable barrier shimmered faintly, guarded by a vigilant gatekeeper.

‘Riniock,’ a familiar voice called out. ‘The arch-maegi mentioned you’d be heading out as an escort.’

‘Sir Lazrus,’ Riniock greeted, a faint smile tugging at his lips. ‘It’s been a while.’

‘Indeed it has,’ Lazrus replied with a nod, his tone reminiscent. ‘Where does your assignment take you?’

Riniock moved closer to the barrier, noticing Linry had yet to arrive. He reached out, his fingers brushing the translucent magic, studying its texture and structure. ‘Just through the town. We won’t be crossing the borders.’

Lazrus observed him quietly, intrigued by his attempt to analyse the barrier. ‘I hear your escort is a young woman from Ikshar Academy. Is that correct?’

Riniock nodded, aware of Lazrus’s keen gaze following his every move.

Despite his preliminary studies on magickal barriers, Riniock found himself unable to fully grasp the nature of the one before him. Each time he struck it with his fist, faint scratches would appear, only to seamlessly stitch themselves back together, leaving no trace behind.

The barrier was clearly powered by a continuous flow of odh – a hallmark of magickal constructs known as arrays, which sustained wide-reaching effects.

‘I can’t sense the source of the odh flowing through this,’ Riniock muttered, his frustration evident.

‘That’s because multiple layers of protection are in place to shield this area from probing, attacks, and spells of all kinds,’ Lazrus explained, watching the young acolyte’s curiosity with mild amusement. ‘At your current level of magickstry, it’s no surprise you can’t detect the array’s eye.’

‘The eye of the array?’ Riniock repeated, intrigued.

‘Yes,’ Lazrus clarified. ‘It’s the core of the array – its metaphorical heart. If the eye is disrupted, overridden, or overwritten, the entire array collapses. It’s the single most critical point of any array.’

‘That sounds simple enough in theory,’ Riniock remarked thoughtfully, ‘but I assume there are complications?’

‘Naturally,’ Lazrus affirmed. ‘This particular array is designed purely for passive defence. However, a true master of arrays could craft one that functions as both offense and defence, rendering it hard for someone to leisurely look for the eye.’

‘Really?’ Riniock’s eyes lit up with interest. ‘Something like that exists?’

‘Certainly,’ Lazrus replied, his tone carrying a hint of admiration for the craft. ‘It all depends on the skill, ingenuity, and resources of the one who weaves the array.’

‘Are you skilled in array tuning, Sir Lazrus?’ Riniock inquired.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

‘I am, to a degree,’ Lazrus replied with a faint nod. ‘But that’s a discussion for another time.’ He gestured towards the horizon. ‘It seems your companion has arrived.’

Descending the hill of illusions, Linry approached, accompanied by a senior maegi from the academy.

Linry moved with her characteristic grace, her long black hair flowing behind her as the breeze played havoc with her robes, sending them flapping wildly. In contrast, her escort seemed entirely unremarkable – an unassuming face amongst the countless others.

‘Linry,’ Riniock murmured under his breath.

‘I’m glad you agreed to this,’ she said softly, her voice carrying warmth that belied the tension in the air.

‘The arch-maegi insisted,’ Riniock replied curtly, his tone sharp enough to catch her off guard. ‘I’m your escort,’ he continued, his words deliberately cold, ‘so there’s no need for idle chatter.’

Linry met Riniock’s gaze, her eyes narrowing as she saw through his deliberate lie.

‘Well then,’ she replied smoothly, choosing to play along. ‘Would you do me the kindness of guiding me through town?’

‘After you,’ Riniock said, gesturing for her to lead the way.

The barrier parted before them as Lazrus performed a series of intricate gestures, granting Linry, Riniock, and their security details passage beyond the gates.

The walk through town was calm, the silence between them unbroken for a time. After Riniock’s subtle warning, both had silently agreed to keep conversation minimal, avoiding anything that might provoke suspicion.

Fortunately, the security details from both the Ikshari and Gorlean factions maintained a respectful distance, far enough to give the pair some semblance of privacy. This allowed them the chance to exchange a few quiet words now and then.

As they strolled through the bustling streets, they passed numerous vendors and stalls. The merchants had set up shop in every available nook – between houses, under lamp posts, and in unlikely corners. Their wares, however, were unremarkable, consisting mostly of mundane trinkets and everyday items.

‘Where can we find stalls that sell magickal wares?’ Linry asked, her gaze sweeping over the offerings with a hint of dissatisfaction.

‘There are a few,’ Riniock said with a knowing smirk. ‘I happen to know the best spot. At least from what I remember as a child.’

‘Good,’ she replied, her tone expectant. ‘Lead the way.’

After navigating a series of twists and turns, crossing a bridge, meandering through a winding viaduct, and passing through the bustling town square, Riniock finally led Linry to the location he deemed the best for magickal wares.

‘This is it,’ Riniock said, stopping in his tracks and gazing ahead.

Linry scanned the area, her eyes darting left and right, searching for the promised marvel.

Riniock couldn’t help but smile. He remembered his own reaction as a child when his parents first brought him here. Back then, they had still doted on him, treating him with the warmth and love he cherished. For a brief moment, he allowed himself to recall those better days – when, as the youngest of twelve brothers and three sisters, he had once felt truly valued. The memory stirred a bittersweet tear in his eye, but he quickly brushed it aside.

‘I don’t see it,’ Linry finally said, her tone tinged with impatience, snapping him from his reverie.

‘You’re just not looking hard enough,’ Riniock replied, quoting his father with a mischievous grin. He approached a stone bust of an important councilman; the figure’s stern visage adorned with a pair of carved spectacles. ‘If you still can’t see it,’ he added with a playful smirk, ‘perhaps you need to clean your glasses.’

Linry furrowed her brow, clearly puzzled, as Riniock extended two fingers towards the bust’s stone spectacles. With a gentle push, the lenses clicked inward, and his figure vanished before her eyes. His shadow lingered for only a moment before fading after him.

Startled but left with no better option, Linry followed his example. Pressing the spectacles, she was immediately enveloped in a surge of energy, her surroundings dissolving in an instant.

When her vision cleared, she found herself in an entirely different place, and her astonishment was evident. ‘This is –’

‘Magickal, right?’ Riniock interjected, his excitement matching hers as he gestured to the breathtakingly enchanted marketplace that stretched before them.