Chapter 16

The next few days were spent relaxing from the consequences of their most recent missions and their advancements. Roden was particularly anxious to get back to training with his advanced skill set. Errrkkkk was similarly excited to demonstrate the benefits of his advancement.

Riakon was less enthused by his advancement given his lack of any particular direction to empower his development. He found he was unable to actually engage in the Point of Convergence. Miriana hypothesized he was unable because his body was too accustomed to his paladin abilities and thus his only avenue for Convergence was as a paladin.

On the second morning after their return, they were visited by the Court Mage at their Villa. Yan was excited to hear what they found, but was quickly troubled by the news of an intelligent gremlin attempting to harness the conflux. When they produced the black crystal Yan couldn’t help, but fawn over the object.

“My word boys! This is magnificent! Tell me again how was this forged?”

Roden took charge detailing the event “well Grumell the gremlin was going on about his Great God before he jammed a much smaller crystal just like this one into the wrinkle that we assumed was the conflux. A shockwave of force later and this thing appeared within the conflux.”

Yan nodded as Roden spoke validating each assumption, “fascinating! Let me try a little analysis…”

Yan trailed off as his eyes flared a light blue color. Roden had no doubt that he was casting some version of Sight of the Magi to get a more thorough look at the specimen.

Abruptly, Yan recoiled as if burned. His eyes slammed shut as he reeled back. He would have tumbled over the footrest behind him if Errrkkkk hadn’t snatched ahold of his shoulder and held him mostly upright.

Roden moved alongside the man in case he was in need of healing. “Yan, are you okay?”

The court mage blinked a few times, his eyes having returned to normal. He waved the men off.

“Thank you friend, but I am okay. I was just taken by surprise at this thing’s unusual aura.”

“Unusual how, cacaw?”

Yan’s brows knit together, “the best I can gauge from that pitiful essay is that the crystal pulls in its own magical reserves.”

“Forgive us good Sir, but my brother and I are not mages. Can you elaborate?”

“To put it simply, most items with a magical aura are charged with magic that will eventually run out. Except for a few rare circumstances all magic items are limited in their lifespan. This crystal here draws in magic directly from the magisphere.”

Roden pondered his words and allowed his own knowledge of the world to mingle until he arrived at a conclusion, “that is why the gremlin’s with these crystals are using magic that should be well beyond their ability.”

Yan nodded, “I would agree that is the case. However, there is also the issue of their increased intelligence. That can only be the result of extended existence. The formation of culture and language is no rapid process. I fear something has been brewing under our noses for a long time and it is just now coming to fruition.”

“How can we help, cacaw?”

Yan thought for a moment, “I may need you boys to track down that conflux from your first mission and make sure it is secure.”

“Is it even possible to secure these things?” Riakon interjected.

“No, not really. However, I can mobilize Adventurer’s from the Outpost to defend the cave. My worry is if the gremlins have already secured the conflux then the average party of adventurers may not be enough to overwhelm a gremlin shagrem like Grumell.”

Errrkkkk and Roden looked at each other, both men weighing the mage’s request with their previous plan to assail the dragon near Rock’s Edge. Roden addressed the mage,

“We have an engagement near Rock’s Edge that we need to attend first. How long would it take for you to have some adventurers holding down the cave.”

“I should be able to have them there within a couple days. Finding adventures in the know or suitable to include in our confidence is more difficult. How long will your engagement take?’

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“With travel and everything I can't imagine we would be at the cave in less than a week.”

A deep frown spread across the man’s face, “a week is not good at all. How did you intend to travel to Rock’s Edge?”

“By boat!” Errrkkkk and Riakon both hopped at the chance to mention their newest acquisition, “cacaw!”

“To Kreg then over land to Rock’s Edge.” Roden added in an attempt to calm the elderly mage.

Yan shook his head, “no that won’t do. Is your engagement time sensitive?”

Riakon spoke, “the sooner the better.”

“Great! I will see that you are transported there via the Circle Array. I will inform them the moment I leave. You must leave at once. Head to the Outpost and they will see you are transported to Rock’s Edge.”

All three men were left speechless at their fortune and a mix of trepidation. Landing in Rock’s Edge that much sooner meant they would be fighting a dragon much sooner than anticipated.

“Pick up your jaws men and get ready to leave. I will be in touch.” Yan gave them a slight bow of his head before seeing himself out of their villa.

“Shit guys…I guess we are fighting a dragon.” Roden said with a hint of mirth.

“Fuck yeah, cacaw.”

“And I get my powers back!”

Both Errrkkkk and Roden glared at Riakon cause the big dragonkin to shrink. The ever present conflict of Roden and Errrkkkk having to pick up the slack of Riakon’s diminished power level evident in their glares.

The men quickly set to packing their things and gathering up any supplies they had on hand. They planned to purchase mountaineering gear when they arrived in Rock’s edge so their packs were relatively light.

Miriana wasn’t around so they made it part of their plan to stop at her temple and let her know the change in their agenda.

Both Errrkkkk and Riakon gave Grok and Branch instructions. Roden couldn’t understand what Errrkkkk was saying as he spoke to the plant in bird song, but he got a kick out of Riakon’s conversation with the now nearly full grown Grok.

“Okay little guy, we are going on a trip to fight a dragon. You are going to stay here with Miriana and Branch. Now you be on your best behavior. Be careful on the furniture and make sure to thank Miriana when she feeds you. If you need some exercise you don’t leave the area around the villa and if anyone sees you make sure you get inside right away.”

For his part Grok mostly nodded, but the look on the garg’s face was anything, but satisfied. When Riakon had finished his instructions and stood, so did Grok.

“What are you doing?”

Grok gurgled and jawed at Riakon before pointing to the door of the villa.

“No you are not coming with to fight a dragon.”

Grok gurgles turned more energetic and guttural.

“Maybe not time you can come along. Don’t slack off on your training while we are gone and we will see if you are ready when we come back.”

Grok harrumphed at Riakon before sitting back on his heels and crossing his arms.

“Good bye Grok, I love you.”

“Grrrrkkkkk luggg goo.”

“Good boy.” Riakon said tousling Grok’s hair between his ears.

The men left the villa and headed directly to Temple Street to find Miriana. They easily found Zamira’s temple just beyond the curve of the main street. From the outside Zamira’s temple seemed subdued. It lacked any flamboyance or gaudy decorations. The outside and courtyard reminded Roden of the Parthenon with large straight columns that held carved clouds at their peaks instead of Greek decorations.

Inside however was a different story. The inner chambers of Zamira’s temple were lavish in comparison to the more standard temples around Mir. Through conversations with Miriana Roden knew the temple survived as the primary tomb of powerful adventurers.

The grounds of all temples were hallowed against undead intrusion, but Zamira’s temple was said to be particularly unforgiving to any attempt to breach the tomb beneath for nefarious purposes. That meant despite the temple’s position off the main street. It was quietly one of the riches in the city.

Miriana had made it a point to make those who came to grieve were comfortable and placated with food and drink. People could come and lay their loved ones to rest without having to worry about the great cost of a funeral or preparing for a service.

Roden caught Miriana’s eye as they moved through the lobby of the temple. She was front and center greeting people as they entered. She was surrounded by a group of four novices who showed her great reverence.

Miriana smiled when they approached, “what are you boys doing here all geared up?”

She gave Roden a hug, before he addressed her question, “we have to go. We are being given transport to Rock’s Edge as soon as we leave here. We wanted to stop by and let you know we are leaving Grok and Branch at the villa while we are gone. We have another thing to attend to once we are done and will be back as soon as we can.”

Miriana pursed her lips, “I suppose it can’t be helped. Are you boys ready?”

“Cacaw.” Errrkkkk said resolutely.

“As ready as I can be.”

Roden looked her in the eyes, “no choice, but to be ready.”

Miriana nodded and addressed the novices around her, “well girls, we have three gentlemen adventurers here about to go off on a dangerous mission. What should we do about it?”

The novice on her immediate left spoke in a soft voice, “we should say a prayer over them for a blessed adventure, my lady.”

Miriana nodded approvingly, “good, anything else?”

The novice on the far right spoke up, “if the adventure is dangerous we could light a vigil.”

“Very good, you girls go get some candles and we shall set them here.”

The girls returned moments later with three candles, one for each man.

While each girl blessed each man, Miriana presided over the vigil while the girls light the candles in order.

Miriana concluded the ceremony “for as long as you hold breath in your chests, life in your heart, and the adventure in your souls. These candles shall burn until your return.”

Each man bowed their heads in reverence, “thanks mom.”

Miriana smiled warmly, “of course dear.”

With another hug for his godly mother, the men left the temple heading straight for the Outpost. Once inside they spoke to a clerk who quickly directed them to the Circle Array. Roden noticed a middle aged Elven man stood in attendance of the Array, when it occurred to him that nearly all Elven people appeared to be middle aged, no doubt a byproduct of their dramatically slower aging.

The clerk exchanged words with the man before he began the ritual that would send them to the mountain town of Rock’s Edge. They stood in the center of the circle as it began to glow. The pattern on the floor was actually a series of concentric rings with a spiral in the center. The ritual culminated when the entire pattern on the floor winked out and the men felt themselves lurch forward. Their arrival was nearly instantaneous. Their only notion of anything having happened was the small bit of momentum that made them all take a step once inside the Circle Array at Rock’s Edge.

The men stepped out of the Outpost in Rock’s Edge, the cold crisp air buffed their Coastally clothes and invaded their lungs as they took their first look at the famed Violet Mountains that served as a brilliant and beautiful backdrop to the city, where their journey to slay their first dragon was set to begin.