The next morning, the team made their way to the fountain as promised. Levi marveled at its craftsmanship, running his fingers through the cool water and watching it trickle back down. The fountain was a masterpiece, intricately designed and well-maintained. They didn’t have to wait long before Bradley and Izzy approached together.
“My father wasn’t happy,” Bradley said in place of a greeting, his tone neutral. “But I can join—for Izzy’s sake.”
“My family was ecstatic,” Izzy said brightly. “They’re excited to see how much I’ll grow in a year. They even said they’d come to the Battle of the Guilds to cheer me on.”
“Good to hear,” Levi replied.
Just then, Lord Louis appeared from the other side of the fountain, holding a large, rolled parchment. “Mr. Levi, I have the tools and maps I promised for you and your team. I would also like a word in private—it won’t take long.”
Levi nodded. “Meet us at the city gate,” he said to his team. “I believe Anna mentioned there were additional supplies needed. See if you can arrange for a vehicle as well.”
“That’s correct,” Anna said. "We’d like to leave in a couple of hours, so please be prompt.”
“Of course,” Louis replied.
The team departed, and Louis gestured for Levi to follow him. He led Levi to a small café. It was open but completely empty. Louis noticed the look on Levi’s face and offered an explanation.
“I rent this café for important meetings that require privacy,” Louis said.
“I see,” Levi said, sitting across from him. “What can I help you with?”
“You have a strong affinity for chaos magic, do you not?”
“I do,” Levi replied with a nod.
Louis unrolled the parchment, placing mugs on the corners to keep it flat. It was a map of the world—one Levi had never seen before. The continents were unfamiliar, vast landmasses separated by large seas. The westernmost continent on the map was where they currently were. Qu’ant was marked in the south, and the Onyx Kingdom in the north. In the center of the map, a series of islands formed a large triangle, with its larger islands as the triangle’s points. Levi guessed this was the Triadic Kingdom. Another massive continent dominated the eastern portion of the map, split into two distinct regions: north and south.
Levi’s eyes were drawn to pulsing red dots scattered across the map. They glowed faintly, pulsing in and out like a heartbeat.
“Incredible,” Louis said, watching Levi’s expression. “You can see them without me channeling mana?”
“I can,” Levi confirmed. “What are they?”
“I was hoping you could tell me,” Louis admitted.
“What is this map?” Levi asked.
“You’ve seen the fountain, no?” Louis asked. Levi nodded. “Have you heard its history?”
“The basics,” Levi replied.
“Then allow me to share the true story,” Louis said, extending his hand. Louis conjured a golden sphere and instructed Levi to put his hand in it. “This is an ability of mine—passed down from my mother, a bard. She inadvertently gifted me this power.”
Levi shrugged. At this point, he wasn’t worried about anyone attempting harm after his decisive victory over Lord Finley Calder. He placed his hand on the golden sphere Louis conjured. Instantly, the café and the world around them melted away, replaced by an open wilderness.
They stood in a field when a group of men approached. Louis’ voice narrated, though his body was absent from the vision.
“This is the story of Ernest Qu’ant and his quirky friend—not the fairy tale about the fountain that children are told, but the true story of Ernest, the first city lord of a damned nation.”
Ernest stood tall, his long blond hair flowing behind him. His muscular frame and glowing green eyes gave him an air of authority. Beside him was a man of a stark contrast. The man was tall but scrawny, with dark chocolate skin, a speckled white afro, and piercing red-purple eyes that shifted ever so slightly. His sharp goatee and calm demeanor made him seem every bit the mage.
“How are the towns in the west, V?” Ernest asked.
“The rulers are losing their grip,” Veluvius, the skinny mage, replied. “The nation needs unification to thrive.”
“Tell me something I don’t know,” Ernest said with a sigh. “Help me lead this nation to prosperity.”
“And how would you propose I do that, old friend?”
“Can’t you summon creatures to do your bidding?”
“That is not how summoning works,” Veluvius said firmly. “It is a partnership, not a dictatorship. If you tell me your intentions, I can summon an appropriate ally.”
“I understand. But I fear peace cannot be achieved without bloodshed.”
“Such is the thinking of a warrior who never left the war,” Veluvius replied. “There are many paths to peace before we resort to violence.”
“Then tell me the way, old friend,” Ernest pleaded. “The rulers are violent and nasty. I have my friends—you, Vincent Godfrey, Penelope Calder, and Guilly Avington. Perhaps the five of us can form a united front.”
“Four,” Veluvius corrected. “My path does not align with nation-building. I seek knowledge and magical mastery—summoning wonders that aid all efforts, not just one.”
Ernest looked at Veluvius with sadness. “I understand,” he said solemnly. “I do not like it, but I understand. You have your path.”
“Perhaps,” Veluvius said thoughtfully, “you could settle in the southeastern region. It remains unoccupied.”
Ernest nodded, considering the suggestion. Just as he was about to reply, a horn sounded in the distance. The thunder of hooves echoed across the field.
“Ready yourself,” Ernest said, turning to see Veluvius had disappeared. Shaking his head, he muttered, “Always with the summoning circles.”
A large man in heavy armor dismounted from his horse and approached Ernest.
“State your business,” the man demanded.
“I’m Ernest Qu’ant,” Ernest replied calmly. “I was traveling to the coast when I heard you approach. Is there a problem?”
“War has been declared,” the man said bluntly. “The nationalists are rebelling against the throne. Which side do you fall on?”
Ernest’s sharp green eyes studied the man. Behind him, 25 imperial guards stood ready for combat. Whatever Ernest said next would determine his fate.
War?” Ernest asked. “So the king had enough of the rumors?”
“Just so,” the guard said. “Our majesty has decided to put an end to the silly rebellion at once. So I ask again… which side do you fall on.” The guard’s aura flared the longer Ernest took to respond.
“I am on the side of history,” Ernest said, equipping his bow. He had no arrows or a quiver. The guards must have noticed the same thing. The guard unsheathed his sword; power poured out as all the guards followed their leader.
“History will never know your name as you will die today,” the guard leader said
The vision faded, and Levi found himself back in the café. Louis clutched his head, clearly drained.
“Apologies,” Louis said weakly. “The vision consumed more mana than I anticipated. I’ll be fine after a potion.”
“Thank you for sharing that,” Levi said. “But what does this have to do with me?”
Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
“The rest of the story goes with an obvious victory for Ernest as Veluvius had summoned many creatures to win that battle. Ernest did gather those people he had been talking about, they settled in the coastal city. After sometime the nationalist were losing to the throne. Ernest and company made their way and through their efforts defeated the throne. The nation was renamed to Qu’ant and the city they settled was called Captial City.”
“How is this relevant to me?”
“Did you see what Veluvius looked like in the vision?”
“Yes,” Levi said.
“Did you see his statue at the fountain?”
“No,” Levi said, realization dawning. “They had a falling out?”
“Ernest betrayed Veluvius. He became paranoid that Veluvius would try to take over the nation. This was not a thing our history teaches. The truth was passed down in journals from Ernest and his children. I want to know why. That’s why I am searching so hard for my ancestor. I do not believe him dead, but in hiding.”
“Hiding from who?” Levi asked.
“The same man who he betrayed, Veluvius.”
“So why are you telling me this?”
“This map,” he unrolled the map. “Has had these ten dots appear within the last year and half.” Louis pointed to the glowing dots. Levi looked at the map and saw that there was only six dots.
“Uhh,” Levi said.
“Yes, I understand that there are four dots missing but that is a recent development. There was a dot that was here in the city before you arrived. But it had faded away a few days ago. I was told that you arrived from the Onyx kingdom, which is where the other two dots were and the last was in the cloud plaine island. Since you are a chaotic paragon and Veluvius was a practitioner of chaos magic, I thought you were the connection.”
“I see,” Levi considered this, though he already knew the answer. The dots marked the locations of Veluvius’ letters. What puzzled Levi was why a descendant of Ernest had the map.
“How bad was their falling out?” Levi asked suddenly.
Louis frowned. “According to my ancestor’s journals, it wasn’t drastic. Veluvius simply refused to fight for Qu’ant anymore. He eventually stopped teaching at the guild and disappeared after training his last student.”
Levi leaned back in his chair, his mind racing. “So, Veluvius left the guild and the city entirely?”
“Yes,” Louis said with a nod. “He stopped showing his face in the city and began isolating himself. The damage was already done, though. The guild suffered immensely after his departure.”
“You mentioned the Battle of the Guilds earlier. You were there? You’ve personally witnessed the fall of the summoners?”
“I witnessed the tail end of it,” Louis replied grimly. “I was just a boy, but I’ll never forget the chaos. That was the final blow to the summoner’s guild in Capital City.”
Levi studied Louis for a moment. “Your family has always been rangers, right? Starting with Ernest?”
“Yes,” Louis replied. “But my mother was a bard, as I mentioned earlier.”
Levi tilted his head, deciding to shift the focus. “Do you know what the dots on the map represent?”
Louis’ expression became eager, leaning forward slightly. “Do you?”
“I have a guess,” Levi said cautiously.
“Would you mind sharing?” Louis asked, his anticipation clear.
Levi shrugged. “They’re letters from Veluvius. Likely similar to the journals your ancestor left behind, but smaller and more targeted.”
Louis blinked, digesting the information. “Letters?” He frowned, his gaze falling on the map. “Then why do I have this map?”
“That’s my question too,” Levi said. “Maybe it’s worth looking into your mother’s side of the family.”
Louis nodded thoughtfully. “Perhaps that’s my next step.” He sighed, a deep weariness in his expression. “I’ve been staring at this map for decades, hoping it would lead to answers, but it hasn’t. At least, not the answers I wanted.”
He rolled the map back up and held it out to Levi. “Here. Take it. If those letters hold the key to something important, maybe you can figure it out.”
Levi accepted the map and gave Louis a sincere nod. “I appreciate it. And I think looking into your mother’s lineage could be a good step forward.”
“I shall,” Louis said, bowing slightly. “Thank you, Levi. You’ve given me clarity. I feel like I can finally move forward.” Levi extended a hand, and Louis shook it firmly before showing him out of the café.
***
Meanwhile, the rest of Levi’s team, along with Bradley and Izzy, made their way through the busy city streets toward a vehicle depot. The options were overwhelming—land boats, hoverships, magical carriages, mini RVs that looked like something out of a fantasy world, and more.
“Levi would’ve loved this place,” Piper said with a laugh.
“He absolutely would’ve,” Anna agreed. “He’d probably be drooling over half of these.”
“Does he like vehicles?” Izzy asked curiously.
“He does,” Piper said. “But he’d also be the first to tell us no. He wants us to train and push ourselves. That means running. A lot.”
“That’s a long time to only run,” Bradley said. “His stamina stat must be through the roof.”
“Actually, I don’t think it’s as high as you’d think,” Piper replied. “He just knows we all need to get stronger. We have a contract that requires us to be much stronger than we are now. Levi feels the brunt of that pressure. If you want to get a vehicle, go ahead, but don’t expect him to ride in it.”
“No,” Izzy said firmly. “I’ll do whatever you guys do, even if it kills me.”
“It just might,” Bradley teased. “You’re a few stars behind us, Iz. Your stamina is going to be much lower than ours.”
“I’ll figure it out,” Izzy said confidently.
The group passed the vehicle shop, and Izzy gave it one last forlorn look before Anna led them to another building. The large structure resembled a banquet hall, but inside it was bustling with vendors selling all manner of items—crafts, potions, weapons, and supplies. It was a shopping paradise for adventurers.
The team split up to browse. Piper was looking for a weapon that could double as a magical conduit as she’d returned the sword to Levi. Anna wanted an armor upgrade, as her current gear was from her 2-star days. Tycen didn’t need anything in particular but stuck close to Anna, enjoying her company. Izzy, still holding a crush on Tycen, tagged along with them. That left Bradley to wander aimlessly with Piper.
“See anything you like?” Piper asked.
“No,” Bradley said, glancing around. “I already have everything I need.”
“Life of an aristocrat,” Piper teased with a chuckle.
“Exactly,” Bradley replied with a smirk. “Why do you need weapons? Aren’t you an aristocrat too?”
“I am,” Piper said, nodding. “But I’m not the same class as my family. That caused quite a bit of drama.”
“Oh?” Bradley asked, intrigued.
“I come from a family of assassins,” Piper said bluntly.
“You’re the nicest assassin I’ve ever met,” Bradley said, blinking in surprise.
“Oh yeah? How many assassins have you met?” Piper asked with a smirk.
“Only a couple, admittedly,” Bradley said, counting on his fingers. “But they all set my expectations for what assassins are like—cold, distant, mysterious. You’re none of those things.”
“That’s probably because you met assassins on the job,” Piper said. Bradley nodded, and she continued. “On the job, they have to be all those things. Killing people isn’t as easy as people think. Assassins have to process those emotions, often more than people who kill impulsively. The better they are at shielding themselves emotionally, the better they are at the profession.”
“I guess I never considered that,” Bradley admitted. “So if you’re not an assassin, what are you?”
Piper paused, giving him a suspicious look. “Now that’s personal, Bradley Calder. We’re not close enough for that.”
Bradley frowned slightly, his reaction catching Piper off guard. She hadn’t expected him to care so much. Most aristocrats she’d met would’ve kept prying for information. Still, she decided to give him a hint.
“My class combines spells and rituals with movement and combat,” Piper explained. “I usually use kunai knives—they’re great for throwing and act as conduits for magic. But I’m looking for something for close combat. A sword, dagger, maybe a battle staff.”
“Everything worthwhile for a 3-star is probably overpriced here,” Bradley advised. “Especially in this city. Most of the adventurers here are 1-star or 2-star at best, so there’s not much demand for high-quality 3-star gear.”
Piper frowned. “What rank do most people leave the guilds here?”
“1-star,” Bradley replied. “What about in Arvendon?”
“2-star,” Piper said. “I went to the guild in Arcross, though. It’s the same there.”
“Sounds like your professors push you hard.”
“They do,” Piper said with a nod. “It’s intense, but it’s worth it. They guide us closer to our class evolutions before we graduate. The Battle of the Guilds usually involves the top 2-stars from each guild.”
“Did Levi really win the entire thing by himself?” Bradley asked, his tone incredulous.
“He did,” Piper said with a grin. “And he was already 3-star by then.”
“He was what?” Bradley nearly shouted. “How was that possible?”
“I told you earlier,” Piper chuckled. “Levi works hard. It’s easier for him to advance as a summoner, but he puts in the effort. He decisively beat the rangers, took down the warriors with ease, and finished his final battle against Anna and the sorcerers. Let me give you some advice: if you ever face Levi, don’t underestimate him.”
“I don’t underestimate his power,” Bradley said.
“Don’t underestimate any aspect of him,” Piper corrected. “His intelligence is his most underestimated quality. Levi may not be as book-smart as Anna or Tycen, but his strategy and tactics are unmatched.”
“I see,” Bradley said slowly, realizing his earlier arrogance might’ve been a grave mistake.
Piper smirked, watching the contemplative expression on his face. They approached a vendor selling close-range weapons.
“What can I do fer ya, love?” the vendor asked with a toothy grin.
“Any 3-star gear?” Piper asked.
“Aye,” the vendor said, rummaging through his stock. He pulled out a pair of ornate cloth bracers with golden designs, a white background, and red trim. “Finest bracers I have. For a pretty lady like yerself, two gold.”
“Two gold?!”
“These are the best 3-star item I have, a wealthy person like yerself can surely afford it from a lowly vendor as meh,” the vendor said.
“The quality is poor,” Piper said. “No gear at that rank should be so expensive. Not a chance,” Piper said, turning away before he could haggle further. She sighed, frustrated. Bradley had been right—everything here was overpriced junk.
Defeated, she and Bradley went to find Anna and the others.