I don't understand why we don't just run from this place as fast as possible.
"Short and simple answer, if we ran now, we would be caught in days at best," I replied, glancing at the feline.
Then what is your plan?
"You want me to tell you and ruin the surprise? Now, where is the fun in that?" I commented with a grin.
Despite trying to appear confident, the simple fact was that I was caught off-guard. I knew the crown would not let me slip away without a fight, but I had not expected the Academy to send so many mages out to track me down. A potential Archmagus might be a useful tool, but far from invincible, even with all their resources. Still, it was not a total loss.
If I was trying to capture a fugitive, I would place mages in every city and increase security at the borders. Either the trackers would find their prey, or the tightening snare would drive them out of the cities and into the arms of the patrolling groups. In truth, it was a challenging situation to escape, but admitting defeat was not in my nature.
The question remained, what do I do?
Hours passed, and the sun had started to creep towards the horizon when I finally thought of something that might work. It would be risky, difficult to pull off, and require most of the skills I learned in Espionage, but it was the best option I could think of on short notice.
Moving through stalls and stores, I spent a good chunk of my remaining gold purchasing supplies for my plan. After today, I would be effectively broke, but I doubted Ferren currency would be worth much where I was going regardless.
With my purchases made, all that was left to do was set the bait for my trap.
Walking down to the docks, I spotted dozens of trading ships of different sizes, ranging from small single mast crafts to ones with three large sails, capable of carrying hundreds of crates. Although I knew the basics of trade on the ocean, the Esttons were entirely invested in land-based enterprises, and I never bothered to learn the names of each ship type.
Near the docks' center, I spotted a taller man, gray-haired with a formidable build and a thick bear, scanning the workers scurrying around. A board was clutched in one hand, and the men around him moved with apparent deference, marking him as the dockmaster.
"Good afternoon," I said as I approached with a smile.
He turned to me, a cross expression on his face as he replied, "What d'ya want, boy?"
Taking his annoyance in stride, I replied, "I am looking for passage up north along the coastline, as soon as possible. Willing to pay, of course."
The man raised an eyebrow, grunting and looking back down at the board in his hands.
"Nothin' small would have the space for a passenger. Best choices would be the Maid's Mantle and the Red Hawk. Both of 'em are big enough, and both leave at first light. The Mantle is the white-sailed ship four docks down that way, and the Hawk has red sails, three further. If you pay and the captains agree, don't see any issues with it. If they ask, tell 'em Gerald sent ya."
Handing him a gold coin, I pushed past, making my way further along the docks.
The Maid's Mantle was my first stop and the captain, a painfully slim man with skin darkened from months on the ocean, was more than happy to oblige. Judging by his demeanor, he assumed I was some noble with gold to burn on a frivolous journey, but I suspected he did not care enough to pry. His enthusiasm waned when I requested a tour to "ensure my safety," but I insisted, putting on the mask of a petulant mage.
Of course, I had no intention of actually boarding the ship in the morning, but he did not need to know that.
While walking through the underbelly, I glanced at him near the cargo section, waiting for an opportunity. Annoyingly, the captain did not grow distracted, and I knew I needed to force a distraction before it was too late.
Moving my hand by my side, I reached out, telekinetically pushing a glass bottle sitting on a nearby shelf to the ground. It fell with a crash, shattering into pieces, and the captain started before turning to look at what fell.
The instant his eyes turned from me, I flicked out one hand, tossing a mana crystal a dozen feet across, aiming for the space underneath a supply crate. It bounced off target, but I narrowed my eyes, again using my telekinetic abilities to shift it into place.
Low-grade crystals tended to leak small amounts of mana, and with how much I had pumped into that one, it should mimic the signature of a weak, untrained apprentice. In theory, at least.
"So, what'd think?" he asked, looking to me.
I paused before replying, "How much gold do you want in exchange for the passage?"
A glint I recognized as greed filled his eyes, and he named an exorbitant price that ordinarily I would never pay. I made a show of haggling, trying to affect a desperate demeanor as I half-begged him for a lowered price. In the end, I spent almost half of my funds, securing a place on the ship. We parted with my promise to meet them at first light, insisting I needed to sleep in a real bed.
The Red Hawk, captained by a woman who looked more annoyed than anything else about my proposition, nonetheless played out similarly. Gold was an excellent motivator, and she was more than happy to accommodate if it meant an additional profit on top of her usual trade revenue.
Moving back towards the gate, I reached into my pack, checking the handful of mana crystals inside the spatial pouch. They were all barely stable enough to qualify as proper magical instruments, just like the ones I tossed into those ships, but stability was not what I needed. I wanted them to leak mana like an old bucket, and the faster, the better for my purposes.
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There were still a few hours left until that stage, though, and I still needed to do one more thing before I could set my plan into motion.
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Graham leaned backward in his chair, stretching his back and feeling the ache from sitting too long. Constant travel on the road was wearing on him, and he was eager to return to Volaris. Fighting was simple, but looking for a single kid in an entire kingdom was a nightmare, even with magic.
The brat's mana was so weak, they practically needed to be on top of him to zero in on it. Even worse, they had no real leads where he might be, other than that he was no longer at the capital or the Academy. All they told Graham and a few hundred other battlemages was that they were looking for a sixteen-year-old kid with Aether mana, wanted for some nebulous crimes against the crown.
Taking another drink from the expensive wine in front of him, Graham noticed a young man slide into a seat several spots further along on the bar. He was average-looking, probably in his late teens, and thin but built with compact muscles. Brown hair cut close to the scalp and brown eyes filled out his features. Similar to their target, but nothing conclusive enough.
Signaling for an ale, the teenager downed it in one long gulp, setting it down and letting out a sigh. The bartender raised an eyebrow but shrugged, refilling the mug and placing it back down before turning to Graham.
"Anything else for you, sir?" he asked with a smile, laying on the courtesy thick. The bartender might not have realized Graham was a mage, considering he took pains to look and act like a trader, but he was experienced enough to pick out wealth when he saw it.
That, and Graham had purchased a vintage that cost more per glass than a room cost for a night.
Shaking his head, Graham indicated his drink with a smile and shrug. Nodding, the bartender wandered away, dealing with several other patrons. Several seconds passed before the youth turned to Graham, giving him a friendly smile.
"This place is crazy, huh?" he commented, gesturing to the bustling inn.
Chuckling, Graham nodded, responding, "First time in Aranth?"
Laughing, the boy replied, "That obvious? Yeah, I'm from- my home is further north-east. It's a little town called Thorndale, a few weeks away. This city is much different from home. Bit of a culture shock, I suppose."
He said it smoothly enough, but the hesitation set off Graham's instincts. More than that, his speech was too clean, too well-pronounced, with enunciation that spoke of tutoring.
"That so? What made you decided to come down here?" he pushed, gesturing to the bartender to refill his new friend's drink. Drunk people talked more and made mistakes, and he doubted a teenager would be able to tolerate more than a few.
"Oh, just traveling. I always wanted to head up north, to see the capital, but I hear it's sometimes a bit dangerous, with criminals and all that. Do you know anything about that?" he responded, nodding in thanks as his mug was refilled. He took another drink, casting a quick glance around the room.
"Not much, honestly. I live in town, but I tend to spend my time on the roads. The life of a trader has its ups and downs." Graham lied, giving him a smile and a rueful laugh.
"You're a trader? Maybe you can help me with something then. I am interested in the trade ships down at the docks. Do you know who I would talk to about getting onto one? I'm hoping to earn a bit of extra gold and maybe learn a thing or two, but I'm not exactly what you'd call experienced on the ocean."
Another strange question, and again Graham felt his instincts scream at him. A teenager, with evident training that might suit a noble, who was asking unusual questions about the capital and ships? Maybe he was trying to escape on a boat? It did not make much sense, but the alternative was heading into the dunes further south or the wilds to the east. Both were death sentences, particularly for a weak apprentice mage.
"Tell you what, meet with me down at the docks in the morning, and I can talk to the dockmaster for you. I like eagerness, and I have some friends in town that might be able to help you out." Graham responded with another smile.
"Really? That would be great! Oh, by the way, my name is Neil. A pleasure to meet you, my lord..."
"Graham is fine. Nice to meet you as well, Neil," he responded, holding out his hand for a handshake. Now, time to see if the boy took his bait.
The moment their skin touched, he pushed his senses into the boy's flesh, immediately detecting the telltale hint of mana swirling in his body. His eyes widened, clearly sensing the intrusion, and he opened and closed his mouth several times. Panic was evident on his face, and Graham knew his suspicions were correct.
Standing suddenly, the boy stammered, "Oh-I apologize, my lord, but I- that is to say I forgot I needed to take care of something. If you will excuse me."
Without waiting for an answer, he scurried away, moving towards the stairs and likely to his room. Graham muttered under his breath, attaching a tether to the boy before he got out of sight.
Careful not to let a satisfied smile onto his face, Graham considered his options. There were several other battlemages in the city, and with their help, he could capture the boy without issue. But why should he bother?
Archmagus Alexandria had personally sent out orders to capture this kid, and if he caught him, his prestige would skyrocket. It might even be enough to earn him the title of master, something he had worked towards for years now. Handling one apprentice should be no problem, even if he was an unusually powerful Aether mage.
Making his decision, Graham stood, placing down his payment onto the counter before following the boy's path up the stairs. The tether led up to the third floor and down one hallway, right into a bedroom near the far end.
Stopping outside of the door, he paused for just a moment before shoving it open. Across the room, the young man stood with a yell, wide eyes darting from Graham to the window nearby. Before he could do anything too reckless, Graham cast a barrier spell, blocking off that exit and ensuring the boy was trapped.
"Sorry, kid, but I can't let you go running. The Archmagus wants you, and I don't intend to let you slip through my fingers."
"Please, just let me go! I'm begging you!" He half-shouted, eyes watering and arms spread. Graham shook his head as he took a step closer, glancing over to the desk next to the bed. Several supplies stood out, most notably a map of the coastline, a compass, and a spyglass.
"Planning to take a boat ride?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. The boy froze before shaking his head, unconvincingly.
Sighing, Graham took another step forward, continuing, "Just give up and come along without a fight. You can't escape, and I have no interest in hurting a kid."
Suddenly, fiery pain broke out along his back as something dug into the meat of his shoulders. Gasping and turning, he reached back, feeling something large and hairy clinging to his shirt. As claws traced lines of agony along his skin, he realized it was some sort of animal, a cat maybe.
Grunting, Graham grabbed onto it roughly, turning and throwing it aside with a swear. With a howl, the cat landed on the bed before turning and hissing at him. A second later, he heard the patter of boots on a wooden floor, and he spun, mana rising to his hands as he gathered a spell.
But it was too late. The animal had taken his attention away for just a moment too long, and the apprentice was within arms reach. His hand flickered forward, faster than Graham could see, and he felt an explosive pain blossom from the side of his face, throwing him to the ground.
For most, that would have been the end of it, but he was a seasoned battlemage, trained to ignore pain and distractions. His mana still spun, and he held out a hand, a half-dozen bolts of wind gathering in front of him. With a grunt, he cast the spell, the projectiles crossing the few feet in the blink of an eye.
Somehow, with a speed that he had never seen before, "Neil" stepped to one side, neatly avoiding the attacks before moving back in. Graham spotted a dagger in one hand, and he felt a shiver of dread run down his back as the blade flashed through the air.
The last thing he saw before the butt of the dagger slammed into his forehead was something pass across the fugitives face. If he did not know any better, he would swear it was satisfaction.