I probably should have realized from the start that chasing after a stranger was not the best idea. But I was so captivated by the thought of learning about another Shard. At first, I thought the hooded stranger was simply in a hurry, and I just needed to catch up with him. Even if I couldn't start a conversation, at least I would know his name or see his face. But very soon, I realized that the person in the cloak wasn't just running somewhere but was actually fleeing. And, most likely, fleeing from me. The only reason for such behavior that came to mind was that I was recognized as the guild sheriff, and the unknown cloaked person had no desire to cross paths with law enforcement. This version was indirectly confirmed by the stranger's obvious predisposition to Shadow magic. I sensed this predisposition the moment he used one of the shadow spells designed to throw pursuers off the track.
Such magic could confuse even experienced trackers and lead them astray. But due to my Affinity with Shadows, I felt the effect and was thus warned, which allowed me to resist the spell. Then the stranger used some cunning trick also linked to shadows, but I couldn't identify it. Suddenly, I just lost sight of him, even though I had been perfectly aware of his presence in the shadows before.
I probably should have stopped there, reconsidered, and ceased the pursuit. But no, I was already caught up in the thrill of the chase. Besides, I was confident that if I caught up with the earthling, I would be able to explain myself, and we definitely wouldn't become enemies. At this stage, I just wanted to know his name or see his face. Even that would have been enough for me!
After losing the trail, I looked up and noticed Seguna briefly peeking out from behind the clouds. The faint glow of the Night Sister gave me the idea to use "Shadow Player." And it worked. The dancing shadows around me pointed in the right direction.
Again and again, the stranger tried to shake me off by using new tricks, but all his efforts were thwarted by my five-star skill. For some inexplicable reason, on this particular evening, the "playing shadows" behaved obediently and predictably, unlike the times they had previously tried to drive me insane.
The realization that something was wrong came to me when I noticed that the stranger seemed to deliberately expose himself and allow me to spot him several times. At first, I thought he had simply run out of mana, but then I realized that I was being lured somewhere. By this time, the chase had already led me into the desolate slums of Beziu. Naturally, no one would expose themselves like that for no reason, and I suspected a trap. This simple thought cleared my mind, and I realized that things had gone too far and it was time to stop.
Pausing at a narrow passage between a watchtower and the partially collapsed wall of a long building, I looked around. This place seemed no different from the other narrow streets, alleys, and passages I had already passed, just as dirty and full of trash. But one small detail made me hesitate. Unlike other dirt-covered paths in the slums, I did not see a single human footprint in this passage between the walls. It was as if no one had dared to enter here for many days. Considering that this was a relatively dry place and that the slums of Beziu were, to put it mildly, densely populated, it seemed strange to me that the local paupers avoided this area. The second alarming fact was that the stranger, who had been fleeing at full speed, had stopped, and I could feel the presence of his shadows nearby. He seemed to be waiting for something, listening, watching.
At that moment, I looked at my actions from the outside and realized that they might have seemed rather intrusive. Taking a deep breath, I admitted to myself that I was wrong and should have stopped much earlier. But simply turning around and leaving silently would also have been wrong, so I tried to explain myself. Knowing that the stranger could hear me, I explained my actions, introduced myself, and assured the one hiding in the shadows that I was not his enemy and would actually be glad to meet him. I understood that my rambling speech after the chase almost across the entire city might have seemed staged, but I tried to be sincere.
Receiving no response, I didn't insist and, turning around, stomped loudly in the opposite direction. At the same time, I tried to walk in such a way that my back was always covered. Perhaps I was being overly cautious, and nothing threatened me, but I decided to be safe just in case.
Of course, it was disappointing not to catch up and get acquainted. That was definitely a downside. On the other hand, I now knew that there was someone else among the earthlings, someone unknown, who was ascending the Spiral of Elevation with the speed of Shards. Moreover, he was an adept of Shadows, like me, which could help "build bridges" in the future. Yes, our first meeting went openly poorly, but I hoped my sincere words could at least partially smooth over my excessive persistence.
With these thoughts, I left the slums and, after weaving through the narrow city streets, found myself back at the central square. Repeating my previous path, I reached the place where I met the hooded stranger. Despite the late hour, the alchemy store from which the cloaked person had emerged was still open. After a moment's thought, I sharply flung open the door and strode into the shop. My initial plan was to haggle over something not very necessary and expensive and, if possible, inquire about the recent customer. But the shopkeeper's reaction to my appearance was somewhat unexpected, so I had to abandon that plan. Noticing my Sheriff's Sign, the alchemist jumped up from his stool, waved his hands, and began to babble:
"Sir, please forgive me, but we are already closing. I would be happy to help you, but tomorrow, as today I have a very important meeting..."
The appearance of this alchemist did not inspire any trust. Below average height, around forty years old, plump, even flabby, with a carefully combed-over bald spot, his image was completed by slightly sweaty palms. However, he was dressed richly, in the latest fashion. An unpleasant type, evoking strong associations with earthly swindlers and fraudsters. He tried to grab me by the elbow and push me out the door, but I didn't allow it. Dodging his grasp, I pressed my index finger to his chest and spoke in a stern, severe tone.
"Sheriff of the Tunnellers' Guild, Om Raven Alexandrite, and I have a few questions for you."
Stepping back from me, the alchemist grimaced theatrically and snapped:
"Like I said, come back tomorrow, I'm busy today."
"I must insist." The alchemist was of Steel rank and a head shorter than me, so when I took a step forward, I towered over him like a looming rock.
"Listen. Are you the sheriff of the town? No. You're a guild sheriff, and not even from my guild. I don't have to talk to you or answer any of your questions."
And he was, in fact, completely right, but I wasn't about to back down so easily. Crossing my arms over my chest and smiling defiantly, I leaned against the doorframe.
"That's correct, you don't have to answer. It's your right. Just as it's my right to walk out this door and head to the local branch of my guild... where I can exercise my right to list your shop as untrustworthy."
"This is outrageous!!!" the alchemist's voice rose to a squeal.
"If no other complaints have ever been made against you by tunnellers, then you have nothing to worry about."
From the way sweat suddenly beaded on the shop owner's temples, it was clear that such complaints had indeed been made, likely more than one or two. Of course, listing the shop as untrustworthy wouldn't doom the business. But considering that the main suppliers of rare ingredients to such stores were tunnellers, it could significantly raise procurement prices for this particular alchemist. And since Beziu was a sizable city, this alchemical shop was surely not the only one, meaning there was competition. And as is well known, an increase in procurement prices does not bode well for competitiveness.
"Alright, I will answer your questions," the shopkeeper swiftly changed his stance, wiping sweat from his forehead with a pristine lace handkerchief.
"A man in a cloak left your place about half an hour ago. Medium height. Slim. Knee-high boots. Short sword on his back."
"Many of my clients fit your description," the alchemist's eyes gleamed slyly. "People often hide their visits to alchemists and try to conceal their appearance," he lowered his tone to a whisper and continued, "especially when it involves buying potions that enhance male potency."
"I repeat. A sword in a sheath on his back. I'm sure none of your other clients carry a weapon in that manner."
"There are many strange people in Beziu," the alchemist grinned broadly, spreading his arms wide.
"Alright," I returned his smile. "I understand. But you, too, must understand me..."
As soon as my hand touched the door handle, the alchemist's nerves broke, and he started speaking quickly and incoherently:
"Okay! Okay! He sometimes comes here. He's been here about five times before. But he always changes his appearance. Never wears the same thing. Except for that sword he carries in that unusual way. He constantly uses different names. Nobody in the city even knows where he lives, and no one has seen his face! Moreover, he seems to have some kind of artifact that hides his aura. And the guards, when you mention him, just tap their foreheads and say there's no such resident in the city and never was. He calls himself a bounty hunter, but he's not part of any guild or clan. Not a person - a ghost! By the way, in the slums, they call him the Gray Ghost. They say he feeds the beggars, and they cover his tracks. But I haven't checked... Just rumors..."
"Is that all?"
"As for what he bought or sold, I won't say," the alchemist declared, putting his hands on his hips and proudly raising his chin.
"Alright. I understand. Thank you for your cooperation."
"Should I inform your Guild if he shows up again?" the alchemist asked obsequiously.
"No need," I replied curtly, leaving the shop without saying goodbye.
Upon stepping outside, I stood for about ten seconds, pondering whether I should visit the Tunnellers' Guild and ask the locals about the mysterious Gray Ghost. I could also make the rounds of the taverns and, not sparing on drinks, try to loosen the tongues of the regulars who are usually aware of all the city gossip. But after thinking it over for a bit, I abandoned these ideas and headed towards the lake harbor.
Of course, I wanted to learn more about the mysterious earthling who had so quickly reached Wootz, but it's important to know your limits. I had already made a fool of myself with my attempt at pursuit. If I stayed in the city and started asking questions, the Gray Ghost would surely find out. And that would only make him even more hostile towards me. Besides, I had said I wasn't his enemy, so it was better to refrain from actions that could be interpreted as hostile.
It had been an intriguing encounter, after all. And even if this Ghost wasn't a Shard, but simply very skilled and lucky, communicating with him and exchanging knowledge could have been very beneficial. His Shadow Magic arsenal was much larger than mine, which meant he knew about the nearby Seguna altars and, importantly, had access to them. That would also have been interesting for me. But the opportunity was lost, and I could only hope that our next meeting would go much better.
Lost in thought, I reached the city harbor and found that the ferry to the other side of the lake was already closed due to the late hour. My inquiries attracted the attention of a pair of guards on duty. They blocked my path with a stern look, but as soon as I introduced myself as the guild sheriff, they immediately changed their demeanor and even helped me find a boatman who agreed to ferry me across. I had to pay almost twice the standard fare, of course, but I was promised to be taken not just to the other shore, but almost to Katiyer. I could have ordered a simple crossing to the other shore and then made my way to the city on my own. That might have been faster. But I hadn't slept for more than a day, and the idea of dozing off for three hours in a gently rocking boat seemed quite appealing.
"The city dock of Katiyer is closed for the night," the young boatman of Copper rank warned me after I had settled comfortably at the stern.
"I know. Wake me when we approach the ruined tower."
The light drizzle had long since ended, and there was almost no wind, so the boat, guided by a skillful hand, glided over the water with barely any sway, making me even sleepier. Securing my belongings to prevent them from falling overboard, I leaned against my backpack and, despite a rather eventful day, quickly fell asleep. I dreamed of some nonsense, as if I were performing completely naked at an ancient Olympics. My opponents were exclusively Greek heroes: in wrestling, Hercules; in archery, Odysseus; in running, Leonidas of Rhodes; and in javelin throwing, Hector. As a result, I lost all my competitions in this dream. So the boatman's slight cough, intended to wake me, was a welcome relief.
"Sir, we are almost there." To confirm his words, the boatman pointed to the silhouette of the familiar tower emerging in the night mist.
"And what is that pier?" Peering into the darkness, I pointed to a structure that had caught my attention. "It wasn't here ten days ago."
"That? Ah! That's the new pier of Lady Brunge's estate. They say she leased her estate to some new guild, and they built it."
"Oh, really?" I smiled, pleased that I wouldn't have to search for Arien. "Then head there."
"But they don't let anyone in. The pier is private and closed to outsiders."
"I can go. I'm not an outsider."
"As you say, sir," the boatman agreed meekly. Though my proposal clearly made him uneasy, he didn't dare to object.
To ease the boatman's nerves, I immediately paid him for the entire journey, significantly improving the young man's mood.
The new pier wasn't very large. It was built to accommodate about ten boats or to dock a couple of trading barges, no more. Extending roughly thirty meters into the lake, it was lit by three magical lamps. Despite it being nighttime, I could make out a couple of silhouettes. One person stood leaning against the railing, while the other paced back and forth on the wooden platform. Perhaps someone couldn't sleep, but more likely, it was the night watch.
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When our little boat sharply changed course, and the boatman steered it towards Brunge's estate, it didn't go unnoticed by the pair on the pier. As soon as the boat approached, a sharp shout stopped us:
"Stop! Docking here is prohibited!"
The boatman immediately stopped rowing and raised his hands, as if to show he had nothing to do with it. I picked up my things, slung my backpack over my shoulder, and when we were about five meters from the pier, I loudly said:
"Friends!"
And then I jumped, easily overcoming the distance between the boat and the pier. Upon landing, I deliberately swung my spear behind my back and gave a theatrical bow. I recognized the two guards patrolling the dock that night. The girl standing slightly behind was one of the few who sat at the guild table during my attempt to pass Arien's exam. Miranda had mentioned her name, and I was now frantically trying to recall it.
"Felicia, good to see you again." Judging by the way her eyebrows twitched in recognition, I seemed to have remembered correctly.
But with the second guard, things were far from simple. I knew him too, but only from my "previous life." One of the eighty-seven who marched to the final battle. Clement the Iron or the Sword of All Directions, as he was called after he reached the Mithril Step of the Spiral. One of Nate's three guards, miraculously surviving when the God of War perished, taking the Demon Prince with him. An excellent swordsman, a student of Ronin, an unyielding warrior.
A warrior. Yes. But now, the insignia of the Ainuminati adorned his chest. Strange, considering that Arien had recently only been accepting mages into the guild. Could it be that in this Cycle, things had gone so awry that he preferred the path of magic?
A strip of steel leaving its scabbard blocked my path. And here was the answer: no, he still preferred a sword over a staff.
"Clement," Felicia placed her hand on the shoulder of the warrior who blocked my path, "calm down, he's one of us."
"One of us?" The swordsman snapped, ignoring the girl's gesture. "I don't see any sign of our guild on him. And earthlings come in all sorts."
"He's a personal... friend... of Arien," the girl found a somewhat truthful description.
"Friend?"
The warrior's sword lowered, and I took advantage of it. Quickly stepping forward, I extended my open hand and introduced myself:
"Raven."
"Clement." Looking away and sheathing his sword, he nonetheless shook my outstretched hand.
"Felicia," I addressed the girl, "Arien summoned me, and I need to see her as soon as possible."
"Haven't seen her since morning," the sorceress shrugged.
"A lot has changed here in the last few days, you even built a pier," I spread my hands. "Will you guide me so I don't get lost?"
"Clement," the girl turned to her partner, "do you mind if I step away?"
"Not at all." The swordsman shrugged, pretending to be more interested in the lake water than in me.
When we stepped off the pier, I leaned towards Felicia and whispered:
"And how long ago did these changes start?"
"What do you mean?" The girl pretended not to understand the question.
"Clement is clearly a warrior, but Ainuminati used to only accept mages."
"Let's just say, after your 'visit,' a lot has changed here." Felicia's tone made it unclear whether she was pleased or annoyed by this.
"I didn't have anything to do with it..." My surprise was genuine.
"Nevertheless," the girl smirked, "nevertheless. Many of us tried to convince Arien that a guild of only mages would develop one-sidedly, but..." From her shrug, I guessed that Felicia was precisely among those who tried. "Yet, after you disappeared, I casually mentioned the Aes Sedai[1], and for some reason, it made Arien reconsider and revise the guild's regulations."
"Aes Sedai?" I heard the name or term for the first time.
"Oh... It's from Earth fantasy. Something like a guild where each mage had one or several warrior protectors who covered the mages in close combat," Felicia explained. "Turns out, Arien read the same books, and my argument made sense to her."
"Ha! You see, it means I'm not to blame for these changes of yours."
"Yeah, surely." The girl chuckled softly. "But until a warrior didn't outdo our Arien on her own turf, she didn't want to hear anything about any changes. And suddenly, after your visit, she listened. No connection at all, none." The sorceress's voice dripped with sarcasm.
"I'm not involved; I can assure you that I didn't talk to your leader about the guild's structure."
Stopping, the girl looked me up and down and replied quite seriously:
"I believe you weren't in the mood for such conversations, and I can guess what you were up to."
"Uh..."
"Don't 'uh' me, everyone heard the terms of your bet with Arien, and everyone saw you leave together. By the way, you can thank me; I was, you could say, standing guard to make sure no one disturbed you."
"Thank you." That was all I could manage, blushing a little.
It's surprising how things turn out sometimes. I was wracking my brain over how to convince Arien to be more flexible about guild recruitment, envisioning various scenarios, arguing with myself, and it turned out everything had already been resolved. It's a very unusual feeling when something useful happens not because you put in a tremendous amount of effort, but because the lines of probabilities turned that way in this Cycle. Take Felicia, for example - she wasn't around Arien in the "previous life." In fact, I didn't remember seeing this girl even once in the Previous Cycle. Yet, one of her phrases hit the mark and struck some chords in the soul of the future goddess of Spontaneous Magic. Although, I couldn't discount my demonstration, where I achieved more with a single recorded spell than dozens of mages. One way or another, this time, the story turned out a little differently, and Arien started accepting warriors into her guild, which was a plus and would undoubtedly be beneficial in the future.
"So, you've had a significant expansion in your ranks?" I asked and immediately clarified, "How many people are in Ainuminati now?"
"Some think it's too few, while others are certain it could have been less," Felicia answered evasively, clearly not intending to give me even an approximate number.
I could have insisted on an answer, but the girl had a point. No matter who she thought I was, I wasn't a member of the guild, which meant I couldn't be considered one of their own, so she wasn't eager to share such knowledge with me. You could even praise her for such foresight.
"By the way," I changed the subject, "a few days ago I met a small group of earthlings. I mentioned your guild to them, and they showed clear interest. I'm curious, did they make it to you or did they change their minds?"
"A small group?" Felicia shrugged. "That's too vague a description."
"Three young men. As far as I remember their names, Justius, Jacob..."
"Oh! Them!" The girl immediately brightened up. "Yes, they made it. Justius didn't pass the testing, but we decided at the general meeting to accept him and his friends anyway. Their skills left much to be desired, but Arien values brains first and foremost, which I fully agree with, and these guys are clearly smart." She paused and then looked at me seriously. "By the way... They mentioned that someone told them about Ainuminati and how to find us. So that was you. Interesting." Suddenly, there was a hint of irritation in her voice. "And how many people have you recommended our guild to like that?"
"What? No. Only those three. Although I've met quite a few of ours along the way."
"And why's that?" Felicia smirked.
"That's just how it happened," I replied without making anything up. "I felt these three were a good fit for you."
"Felt?"
"Intuition," I shrugged, indicating that I considered this answer sufficient.
"Oh! Speak of the devil." Felicia brightened up as she noticed someone emerging from a small house. "Justius!" she called out.
It was indeed the same young man whom fate had already brought me to meet.
"Hello." As the earthling approached, I greeted him. "Glad to see you again."
"Raven?!" Justius expressed genuine surprise.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed how Felicia, beside me, relaxed her shoulders. The fact that the earthling recognized me indirectly confirmed my story and lowered the tension she felt.
"Do you know if Arien has returned yet?" the sorceress asked. "I haven't seen her since this morning. And Raven would like to meet her as soon as possible."
"After the breakfast, she, together with Jacob and Farabi, went...," Justius began, seemingly wanting to specify the exact place they went, but after catching Felicia's sharp gaze, he faltered, cleared his throat, and finished, "To the other side of the lake. She asked us not to worry about her. As far as I know, they haven't returned yet; at least, the boat they left in is not at the pier."
"Hmm." The mage briefly pondered, then turned to me with a slightly sad smile and continued, "It's night now, I don't think Arien will return before dawn. We have a couple of free guest rooms at the moment. Let me show you to one. You can rest after your journey." With these words, she stepped forward, making an inviting gesture with her hand.
This development didn't suit me very well, so I stayed in place and asked:
"Do you have any spare boats? Can I borrow one?"
"You're planning to go look for them?" Justius was surprised. "Now? At night? They could have headed to the neighboring town or gone to gather rare herbs, or even gone hunting in the Wicked Woods." He spread his hands. "Such a search is a pointless endeavor. Felicia is right, it's better to wait calmly until morning."
It was clear to me that they were hiding information about the Temple of Magevra. As far as I remembered, even in the Last Cycle, Arien didn't enlighten many about the ritual until the very end. This made sense; if the locals found out about it, who knows how things could have turned out. Besides, the future goddess of Spontaneous Magic was likely very angry that I had rummaged through her papers and discovered the secret she was trying to solve. This was one of the reasons why I preferred to leave quietly while she was asleep back then.
I had no doubt that Arien was currently in the ruined Temple. According to Justius, she crossed to the other shore of Ilomen in the morning with a couple of other people. And if we take into account the time zone difference, it was almost at the same time that the linking artifact in my pouch burst. Such a coincidence couldn't be just random. Arien had clearly found something in the Temple or even solved the ancient puzzle entirely, and that's why she summoned me.
"Search?" I smiled. "It's necessary." Turning fully to Felicia, I added, "I don't need to search, I now know where Arien is."
"Really?" Unfazed by my pressure, the girl took half a step back. "You really know?"
"I even know why she took Jacob with her, specifically."
"Only Jacob? Or maybe you have something to say about Farabi, too?" The mage snapped rather sharply.
"I don't know him. But I can assume this Farabi was a physicist or mathematician on Earth." Judging by the way Justius's eyebrows shot up in surprise, I hit the mark.
"Oh really!" Felicia grew even more agitated. "So I, from the original guild lineup, don't know, but you do? Is that right?"
I could argue with her and try to convince her, but that would likely take a while, and I didn't want to waste time. So I sighed heavily with a hint of exaggeration, leaned on my spear, and said:
"Listen. I've been on the road all day. I've covered nearly a thousand kilometers. I jumped through Gates. Should I tell you how much that cost me? I was in a hurry." I caught the girl's gaze and pressed on. "Arien summoned me. And this summon is clearly not for nothing. Let's not complicate things. Just give me a boat, that's all I'm asking for."
"But..."
"Does Arien seem like the type to waste a rare signaling artifact just for fun?" I didn't let the girl argue. "I need a boat." I dropped my backpack to the ground. "As collateral, I'll leave my things. One of my backpacks, even empty, is worth more than a little lake boat."
"Fine." The girl relented under pressure. "But I'm coming with you."
"Suit yourself." I shrugged and smiled sympathetically. "If you meddle where you shouldn't, it's you who will have to deal with Arien."
Stubbornly nodding her head, the girl showed she understood.
"Do you still need me?" Justius spoke up. "I'm not just up this late for no reason, I have my own matters to attend to."
"Oh... Yes, of course. Thanks for your help." Felicia replied listlessly, waving him off.
"See you." I waved.
"Pleasure to meet you." With a slight bow, Justius turned and walked briskly towards the city.
In a slightly tense silence, we returned to the pier.
"Clement," the girl called her partner in the guard. "Raven will take one of the boats." The sorceress's hand pointed to the smallest of the docked boats.
"If it's necessary, then it's necessary," the swordsman shrugged indifferently. He still seemed more interested in the smooth surface of the lake than in us standing on the shore.
Before I jumped into the boat, a girl's hand touched my backpack.
"Aren't you tired of carrying such a heavy load?"
The hint was clear, and I dropped the backpack on the ground.
"Don't worry, no one will dare steal anything on our territory," the girl smirked.
The most valuable items were left with Katashi, so I wasn't particularly worried about that. Although losing a unique backpack made to my personal order would be unpleasant. However, the area was guarded, so everything would likely remain intact. Dropping the backpack, I jumped into the boat and extended my hand to the girl. But instead of following me, she untied the boat from the pier and tossed me the rope. Noticing my puzzled look, she explained:
"I'm on duty today, and it wouldn't be right to leave Clement alone on guard."
Understood. Knowing Arien, the sorceress preferred not to take unnecessary risks and, finding a suitable excuse, decided to stay. This Felicia clearly had well-developed intuition, something to keep in mind for the future.
[1] Author's note: A magical order from the "Wheel of Time" series by R. Jordan.