> “I don’t understand the reticence to let my armies in. I’ve annihilated one Fortress City for not opening their gates to me; do you truly think I have not the heart to break another?”

* Mad King Zarconius, the Siegebreaker

Level 3!

Level 17!

-TYPE CLASSES MERGING

Level 7 + Level 3 = Level 11!

Talent Advancement!

🠊 earned!

The morning came with lots of questions.

“Who the hell was that?”

“Why is there a hole in the next door wall?”

“Who even are you, Bim?”

“How did I manage to sleep through all of that?” That one was from Greg.

Eventually, Bim just held up a hand, beseeching them silently for peace. Once things quieted, he explained, in short, what was going on. “Over two months ago now, a man who at the time was an , Level 5. His insane mentor, Donal Oakchild, a high-level , went mad, trying to find a way to repair his dwindling health due to age, and tried to murder Bim in his sleep. It came to a struggle, and in self defense Bim managed to murder Oakchild.

He found me through some connections in the underworld-- I reached out to him, more or less-- and we , traded identities. Spells register one of us as the other. I usually only stay as a given identity for a few months, perhaps a year, to throw off the scent of whoever they’re running from, but-- I like this life. And Hughes, the original Bim, is at peace with his own. We decided to just live these lives, and be successful in them. But now that damn bastard warlord in Cardona wants ‘justice’ for Oakchild’s death, as he was one of the best medical professionals in all of Esultare, and a personal friend to the Throne.”

Zara was silent, Greg was blown away, and Helena’s brow was drawn together, processing.

After a few moments, Zara said, quietly: “How can I trust you? How can I know that anything you say or do is genuine, if you’re so good at deceiving people?”

Bim smiled. “Oh, that’s simple enough. I’ll swear on both my Classes to uphold your trust and do my best to defend and aid all three of you.”

“You seem very casual about taking up such an .” Greg said, eyebrow raised.

The boy’s smile seemed to turn melancholy. “Because, in the last few weeks, I’ve grown closer to the three of you then I have to most anyone I’ve ever known. Perhaps that simply speaks to how shallow so many of my bonds have been. But I mean it. I swear on my Class.”

made!

“We have three more days before Antonius will be able to try to track us down again. We should get moving.” Bim spoke quickly, moved quickly, practically shivering with tension.

“Antonius? Like Antonius Andrium? Antonius, Andrium, Duke of the Plains? One of the most powerful spellweavers in all of Esultare?” Zara asked, eyes wide. “He’s a living legend, and he was next door? How did you escape him.”

“A simple illusion and complete confusion. He had a preconceived notion of how things were going to go with Bim Selkis, but I’m not the Bim Selkis he was expecting. It threw him for a loop. Then I used some of my Talents to get out of there, and muddled his ability to use his magic-- which he’s overly reliant on, if that interaction taught me anything-- to track me, he got impatient and flustered and left in a huff. He’s a very predictable man, in some ways.” Bim grinned mischievously.

“Do you know him personally?” Zara asked.

“That was the first time I’ve met him, but I’ve heard a lot from a friend on the inside about him.”

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Greg latched onto that last bit. “‘Friend on the inside’? Do you know someone in the Cardonan Court?”

Bim winked, then sobered. “I have promised complete trust, so I suppose I should explain. I’ve been in contact with a double-agent serving under Spymaster Caspian Devolion for several months, even before I took over Bim’s identity. They’re my most useful contact, and have fed me a lot of information, but I’m worried. They haven’t covertly messaged me in over two weeks, and I wasn’t informed about Antonius’ arrival beforehand. They might be dead or discovered. Regardless, we need to move. I’ve told you all I know, I swear. We need to get to Cardona.”

“Shouldn’t we be moving away from the capital? It’ll be exactly where they want you to go!” Helena said, frustration overcoming her.

Bim looked more serious than ever before. “What I’m about to tell you is high treason, and if you don’t want to be involved any further, I understand completely. Please leave now, before you become accomplices.”

Zara shook her head. “I’m not leaving. Bim-- Hughes-- whoever you really are, I trust you. We’ve been through a hell of a lot. Spill it.”

Helena seemed conflicted, then firm. “If what you’re going to do is some terrible crime, I can’t just sit it out. And if it’s something worthy, I’d be a fool to turn aside now.”

Greg shrugged. “I have no plans, so treason sounds good.”

Bim steeled himself, squared his shoulders, and gave away his last secret. “I know for a fact that Antonius the , Devolion the , and Oakchild the were part of a Triumvirate serving under Stillbottums, attempting to discover the key to eternal life and, in doing so, rule forevermore. From what Oakchild ranted about to the first Bim, they had made some kind of breakthrough, but Antonius and Devolion were cutting him out. I believe we have to remove Antonius, Devolion, and Lord Stillbottums from power, to ensure that catastrophic tyranny does not subsume the entire land. It won’t be easy, in fact we’ll likely fail, but I can’t stand by and watch my people fall into despotism. Will you join me?”

He was met with silence.

Then, Zara clapped him on the shoulder. “If you believe it’s the right thing to do, I’ll join the cause. But Archons help me, if you betray my trust like you’ve been doing again, I will tear you limb from limb.” She smiled after making the threat, but her eyes were steely.

“I’ve never trusted .” Was all Helena said, folding her arms and nodding.

“You tricked the Spellguard of the East. That’s all I need to hear.” Was Greg’s answer.

And with that, their journey took on a new, much more difficult, purpose.

🟌

They traveled at a swift pace for days. Bim’s Talent still lapsed before they could see Cardona on the horizon, but Antonius, nor any other agent of the Throne, appeared to assault them or sabotage their journey.

They traveled through Sallian, then a series of hamlets and villages, the largest with scarcely a hundred residents. They were treated nicely enough, and Bim managed to befriend many people, with all four of them pausing to ply their trades when money was needed. It was on the eve of their fifth day out from their encounter with the of Esultare that they finally drew near to their destination, tired and wary of always looking over their shoulders.

“Now, they read people with arcgems as they enter through the main gate, and we have some pretty uncommon Classes, so we’ll likely be caught out immediately if they’re able to read us properly.” Bim said as they approached, surrounded by a cacophony of people all looking to be funneled through the eighty-foot-tall Fortress City’s gates.

“We need to have someone create a distraction, then slip in unnoticed while things are chaotic. I can use to not be noticed, but I’m sure a will likely be triggered by any of the rest of you trying the same. So, I’ve devised a plan. Zara, you bluster through, say you’re a representative of the Hillfolk-- true enough-- and we’re your hardened retinue. You bluster a little, act offended at having us be read, insist they check you and be done with it, then they know you’re on the level and let you in.”

Zara frowned. “It seems a little dishonest, but it’s the best we’ve got.”

Helena snapped the reins, sending the wagon forward. As they narrowly dodged a and made it the gates, they suddenly stopped moving, all momentum draining out of the vehicle.

“!” One gruff, middle-aged guard with an unkempt beard bellowed, holding up one gauntleted hand. Holding a large palm-sized emerald arcgem in one hand, he walked forward and glared at Zara, who was the most authoritative-looking one of the quartet. “What’s the meaning of this? Y’all have to go through the entrance procedures, same as everyone else.”

Zara cleared her throat, an edge of condescending irritation in her voice when she spoke. “Mister…”

“Falkyr.” The man supplied.

“Mister Falkyr,” Zara continued, “I don’t have time for petty protocols. I am serving as a representative of the people of the Steep Hills, and am an accredited . If you wish to hold up my transport, feel free, but know there will be severe consequences.”

The guard squinted. “Alright, alright, but I need to read the young man you’ve got there before yeh can go on in. He fits the description of a notorious criminal we were told was headed our way.”

Zara’s mouth went dry, and Bim paled slightly, though he immediately concealed his anxiousness like the he was. Just as the tension in the air reached a breaking point, Helena cut in. Eyes dark, teeth bared, a kind of grim intensity settling around her shoulders, she leaned towards the guard, and said in a rasping tone. “I can , Guard Falkyr. I can see it withering away your heart. Let an innocent boy be, and redeem yourself a tad for all you’ve done.”

Shaking, sweating, Falkyr waved them through.

And like that, with Helena and Bim grinning two devilish grins and the other two breathing sighs of relief, they entered the Capital City of Esultare.