“Jial, what do you mean?” a young man questioned an older and more properly dressed man.
“Gilliam. How long do you really think it has been since you left?” Jial replied questioningly.
The two men were in a small office, with some wooden shelves along one wall, a table filled with engraving tools and magical crystals along another, and in the rough middle offset a little away from the door was a multi-drawer desk they were sitting by. Behind the desk sat Jial, a middle-aged man with the most piercing stare behind his wireframe glasses, messy black hair and a grey robe. He had a round pin, six empty triangular slots around a circle and one coloured yellow making seven slots. The pin was fastened on his grey robe around his heart.
On the other side of the desk sat Gilliam, a young man looking to be about 30, he had just past shoulder-long blonde hair wrapped back into a simple and short ponytail. He wore a set of simple dark brown shirt and pants covered by a much more extraordinary grey coat. It was surprisingly simple but high quality in appearance, the only thing making it stand out was the black lining on the inside which wrapped around the exterior ever so slightly making a black line around the transition, and the metal buttons which had a simple outline of a goblin’s head engraved on them. His right hand had a ring made up of three braided bands, one gold with two silver around it, the three bands terminated in the main crystal which looked like a mini glass cylinder which was just over halfway glowing purple.
“Eh... I don’t know...” He pondered for a second or two. “You said I was gone for half a year the first time, but when I returned to the Fractured Lands I was there for much longer... There isn’t really a day-night cycle so... A year? It feels like about a year...” Gilliam sounded uncertain, sounding more like guessing than anything.
“You were gone for four years. This means that your enrolment in the academy was voided over three years ago. You failed your first year and were expelled as a result.” Jial’s stoic and expressionless face barely broke up a little due to a small smirk.
“I mean... Yes... I guess that makes sense.” Sitting back in his chair with a sour face, a quick ponder changed it to a neutral expression as he contemplated why he even wanted to continue his time at the academy.
“Why do you even want back?” Jial broke in, seeming to have caught up with Gilliam’s train of thought. “I doubt there is much more you can learn at the academy. At least not in magical studies. History. Law. Geography and so on. All this can be learned from books if you’re interested.”
His stilted speech took a bit of time to get used to. Every pause in a sentence felt just a little longer than one would expect, almost making it sound like he was done talking.
“I guess... You have a point. I think I just wanted something to do, now that the Fractured Lands is self-sufficient and they don’t have the same strong need to invade others, I kind of don’t have more to do there...” The ending of his explanation sounded more like he was bored than anything. “It was interesting working them from a dead desert to a point where farming and animal keeping was a thing... They struggled to move from their warmongering culture to... anything else.”
There was a hint of pride in his voice.
“Well. With you wanting your name to be kept off the records. Both as a Heptagon mage and also as the new Demon Lord of the Fractured lands. Not to mention as the one who stopped the invasion. All of this removes any statuses you might have besides being a powerful mage. So besides your wish for a... as you worded it: chunk of money. There isn’t much we can do to help you as a failure student.”
Jial’s barely smirking expression broke into a wide smile, there was a strong hint of schadenfreude in his voice.
“You ass... You’re enjoying this.” Gilliam leaned forward and pointed accusingly at Jial.
“Yes. Very much.” The answer came immediately without a hint of hesitation.
This somehow deflated Gilliam’s irritation. Though to him it was only two years ago he still remembered how Jial reacted to his ease of using the magical runes. It must have been annoying for a teacher in magical circles to see someone surpassing them after an introductory class.
Gilliam sighed. “Well, I suppose I could travel the world a bit, didn’t get much time to do that before.” Sitting back into the chair properly he pondered a moment. He didn’t get a chance to travel too much, a little here and there but it wasn’t the same as travelling around. He would liked to have seen more of the world but he also felt the need to have something to do, something more specific than just travelling.
He continued. “I’ll admit that after that time... though relatively short as far as an invasion goes, but after that time I feel... different. I always liked to have something to do but... I’m fine not fighting another invasion.”
Jial chuckled, quickly restoring his stoic expression. “There is always something to do. As a mage you can set up some service or company. Many healers start a clinic. You could probably do better as part of the army if there is another war. Or perhaps as an adventurer.”
Gilliam was currently slouching in his chair with his head tilted backwards, looking at the ceiling with a bored expression, but Jial’s comment snapped his focus back.
“Oh, an adventurer, that sounds neat. They were common in media, it was always kind of interesting, and if it gets boring I can just leave!”
Jial lifted an eyebrow. “Yes... Though it’s heavily frowned upon and would damage your reputation. You could just quit should you grow bored or decide to retire.”
“Then that’s decided! I’ll look into the adventuring business!” Pumping his fist in the air like he had just won a contest he quickly grounded himself again as he faced Jial questioningly.
“Where do I become an adventurer?”
Jial chuckled, seeming to find amusement in his former student’s lacking patience.
“The most organised and perhaps best place to start is any of the branches of the Order of Steel. They started as a group of mercenaries quite some time ago. But now they have Guild halls in the larger cities across the world. Just go there and sign up.”
He explained it as the teacher he was, though a bit high level and lacking in detail it still gave a decent idea of things.
“Oh, that easy?” Gilliam pondered, for some reason he expected there to be more. Some problem in finding them, only some fancy people allowed in or...
“There will most likely be a test.” Jial continued, which confirmed Gilliam’s thought of some missing important detail. “Though you won’t have a problem passing the first one. It’s just to make sure you don’t go out and die to a street rat somewhere.”
Gilliam’s vigour returned, this sounded interesting. He spoke with Jial more about the subject and learned a few more important details.
Though Jial didn’t remember everything, he knew there was a ranking system that usually started you at the bottom, a gate-keeping of jobs to make sure that a newbie doesn't go on a solo job to take out something big and nasty. Once you racked up enough experience, or if they recognized your skill, you could advance to the next rank if you passed a test of their choosing.
The Order of Steel isn’t only weapons and armour, they might have started like that but it’s evolved into a full-fledged Guild with Halls, basically branch offices of sorts around the world. Both capitals had one, as did most of the larger cities. Though as an Arcane mage, he would need to consider if he would go to Albion, a mage as uncontrollable as he might be put on a to-kill list faster than he should.
This had Gilliam think about Kintas for a moment, though he was a very skilled Inquisitor, he could be rusty... And considering getting more of his kind after him didn’t feel good.
This just meant he only needed to pick a rough location, find a city and check if there was a branch there, then go find out more. If nothing else it sounded like a good way to get started.
As the topic seemed to come to an end, Jial took the conversation elsewhere.
“To change the subject. How is your familiar? She’s not with you.” Jial asked, seeming honestly curious.
“Oh, Savia? She’s out harassing birds or something. She gets bored easily but she feels happy at the moment.” Gilliam tapped his head as he ended his explanation. He did not doubt that Jial would understand the reference to the empathic bond he shared with his familiar, as this was common knowledge.
“I would like to study her. If you allow. Her species isn’t well understood.” He leaned forward, supporting his chin on his thumb and index finger with his elbow on his desk.
“Yeah... I’d have to ask her after I know exactly what you intend to do. I feel like if I ever sensed that she was in danger I might just accidentally delete you...” Gilliam answered honestly but didn’t seem exactly proud of this.
“I take it you haven’t gotten over it during your time in the Fractured Lands?” Jial tilted his head and raised an eyebrow.
“No, it’s the opposite. I have gotten more used to it... I think the situation had a lot to do with it but the warrior-like culture, and living amongst them for a few years, might have made it different.” Gilliam forced an uncertain smile.
“Do you think it’s a good idea to go into dangerous situations as an adventurer with that mind?” Jial asked with the same subtlety as a hammer to the shin.
Gilliam’s expression softened some. “I think it’ll be fine. Not being in a demon world, and doing things with other people will hopefully make it better. Something like getting back on the horse, as it were. If nothing else it’s not like I want to kill, I just feel... indifferent about it.”
It was clear that he had given this a lot of thought, however, he wasn’t anywhere near being certain, it was a topic he didn’t know much about.
He sat back in the chair and took a deep breath. “Now, I’m saying this without bragging but... Given just how powerful I am I feel that it might help knowing that I’m among normal people... you know?” The ending of the sentence was almost toned like a question for validation more than just a rhetorical one.
“A few solid defences on me would protect me from even the demon lord, meaning that anything normal should be fine.”
“You might need to dial that back.” Jial cut in, which surprised Gilliam a little. “If you want to keep yourself ‘low key’. As you called it. You might need to limit yourself a little in what you do. Going around simple jobs casting spells even most experienced mages can’t do.”
Jial’s piercing stare finished his statement for him.
“I know, but honestly I don’t care about that. I imagine that I’ll make some enemies but I think the worst is that I get treated differently and get some fucker full of himself. I’ll figure out the local laws and how to handle them if it comes to that.”
Gilliam realised how cold this sounded, but he felt that it was a logical outcome. It wasn’t illegal to be a Heptagon mage, the only thing he wanted to keep down low was that he was now the leader of the Fracturians... That could cause problems. But that wasn’t something he planned to... or even knew how to show. That he’d be found out as a fancy mage wasn’t something he intended to actively hide, but he didn’t intend to walk around announcing it either.
“Well. I suppose that’s your problem.” Jial sighed, with his stoic expression this felt like an odd combination. “I imagine you will end up with quite the reputation once you get known as the Heptagon mage. It’s a bigger deal than you might think.”
Gilliam knew it was a huge deal, the reactions of people when he started his time in the academy were muted a bit but that might be due to the invasion and the fear of death. Everyone seemed to keep this a bit down low, then. They reacted but not extremely so.
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“Just... how big of a deal? When I started at the academy there were reactions, yes, but not to any extreme?”
“I think the main issue there was that they didn’t know how to react. In our history. There is one other confirmed Heptagon mage. But nobody knows anything about him. Or her. Just that the mage existed. The lacking information doesn’t properly confirm the mage’s existence but it’s taken as fact.” Jial didn’t seem entirely convinced by his explanation.
Gilliam pondered this for a moment but ended up shrugging it off with a sigh. “Well, I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it, I don’t think I have the mind to prepare for something like that and living a lie doesn’t sit right either. I’ll let what happens, happen and take it from there.”
He had again slouched backwards over his chair and was staring at the ceiling. He wanted a change of pace but didn’t know what to do with himself.
“Well. In that case. If you just want to get started I can recommend you to register at a branch in V’ida. At least that’ll let you keep your mage status if you need it. And you can always transfer to another branch later if you choose it. Aestu is a port city so it should see some activity.” Jial opened a drawer and took out a wooden tube from it. Opening the tube’s lid he took out a rolled-up piece of parchment and rolled that out flat on his desk.
It was a very, very detailed and well-made map over the Northern V’idan landmass, he pointed out a location between a massive valley to the west before he drew a line with his finger south, then towards the coast eastwards.
“This is where the Academy is. The normal road is south to Yar’i. Then east through the Capital. East through Poline and finally east-southeast to Aestu. On horseback this will take you about two weeks if you only break at night. On foot it’s probably closer to three.”
Gilliam was a bit amazed by the map, he knew magic could cheat a lot but it was for some reason more detailed than he expected. The explanation was also simple enough to understand: as the map was that detailed he saw that Jial traced his finger along a line that looked like a road, probably the main one as this was a normal path.
“So basically follow the main road?” Gilliam wanted to just confirm.
“Yes. Basically.” Jial confirmed as he removed his hand from the map. There was almost an annoyed tone to his confirmation, somewhat like Gilliam abstracting it too much.
“Well, in that case, I think it’s about time I start moving!” Gilliam sounded excited, though it was three weeks of walking he knew he could always just cheat by using Savia as transport if he decided that it took too long.
He had already gotten to his feet before Jial got a chance to comment. “So you’re leaving right away?” He looked a bit puzzled at the sudden development.
“Yeah, I don’t see why not. I’m sure you have the answers to things you wondered anyway, no?” He sported a questioning smile.
“Well. I did want to know more about the Fractured Lands. There was only so much information the explorers came back with. They lacked information about the inner workings of their society. Specificity.” Jial was a strange man but he liked his details, probably one of the reasons he taught the high-detail subject of magical circles.
“Well, in that case, I’ll leave you with this.” Gilliam mentally pinged his ring and suddenly, in his hand was an uprooted plant.
It had large and thick leaves, not unlike the aloe plants. These were gathered at the top of a wood-like spiral stalk almost like a warped, green rose. It had a few branches with similar, but much smaller, collections of thick leaves at the ends. Around the base where it would be in the soil, there were small berry-like spheres, that were attached to the spiral base. Below the berries were roots, a few strong and thick branch-like ones but also a plethora of almost hair-like thin ones.
“I don’t think you got your hands on something interesting from the Fractured Lands, so you can have a plant! It grows in sand normally, so I think it feeds on mana in the air, you might want to channel some into it every now and then... I have no idea how to move it out of its habitat changes how it works...”
He placed it on Jial’s desk, having a little sand that was trapped within the spiral of the plant fall out onto the wooden surface.
“The small berries can be picked when they become water-like. It’s a good source of water in the Fractured Lands. It can grow as large as trees and I have seen the berries the size of melons, so if you pot it, expect it to grow if you find a way to nurture it.”
Jial had a moment of intrigue as the plant was placed on his desk, Gilliam used this to leave before another conversation opened up. He closed the door behind him and left down the hallway towards the spiral staircase that would take him into the main lobby.
Coming down the spiral staircase he headed out the main doors, finding himself in the southern Field of the academy. A large triangular field that was well maintained, all of the fields were attuned to their element and this was Earth.
The academy was formed in a Heptagon, a seven-sided polygon seen from above, in the centre stood a massive tower and the walls separating the ‘triangles’, or Fields, housed all the rooms, from student dormitories to workshops to classrooms.
He could feel the Earth-attuned mana in the area being stronger than the background radiation level of the others. There were a lot of students practising their magic, manifesting rocks, lumps of dirt and more. A few were doing other spells which felt a bit out of place but they were probably training something specific.
Connected to the outer wall was a massive forcefield that not only kept out any potential attacks, should that happen, but it also acted as weather control. Currently, it was raining quite heavily outside but not a single drop fell on the people inside the barrier. Though it didn’t change the lighting of the area at least it kept the current downpour from drenching everyone and everything.
Walking down the road leading to the main exit of the wall surrounding the academy he sent an emotional ping to Savia over their bond, getting a surprised reaction in return confirming that she got it.
Not long after but well before he reached the gates, he felt a familiar glee over his shared bond before something crash landed into the back of his head. Much like being flown into by a sparrow it didn’t hurt but it wasn’t exactly something you could ignore.
Reaching back and picking up the small creature that impacted him he found his familiar in his hand.
Savia was a sparrow-sized harpy-like creature. She had feathered white wings instead of proper arms. A single clawed finger on the last joint where the wrist would be, not unlike certain bats. Slightly large pointed-oval shape and solid purple eyes, skin covered in patches of snake-like scales. Long pale blond hair reaching her mid back, a long prehensile tail, sparrow-like legs and tiny spikes along her spine.
She was about palm-sized and had sat down as he picked her out of his hair, she was currently hugging one of his fingers with a large child-like smile showing her fangs.
“Savia chased birds!” She explained in her tiny voice, looking like she had done the most interesting thing in the world.
“I don’t doubt it.” Gilliam chuckled, she was always a source of honest smiles. “It seems we’re going out into the rain and will walk for a long time.” Gilliam explained to his tiny companion.
She let go of his finger and put both her hands up in the air. “Rain!”
“Though, that said, we’re not really going to get wet.” He added after her quite happy response. “I have the shield, remember?” The edge of his lips curled up in an attempt to keep a smile under control.
“Savia wants rain!” She turned around towards the gates and jumped off his hand, taking flight towards the main gates of the academy.
Gilliam couldn’t do anything but let the smile take over, affected by her honesty.
As he stepped out through the gates he was strongly hit by the rain, but as he explained to Savia there was a barrier around him, causing the rain to land on it and flow off like he was walking in an invisible sphere. Much like an invisible umbrella, this kept him dry from the heavy rain which, without it would drench him in moments.
He didn’t have to walk long before again he had the tiny creature splat-land on his head, this time being drenched herself she chose to share some of the water she had gathered while flying.
“Savia is wet!” She exclaimed as she reached her wing-arms out to be picked up.
Picking her out of his hair he cast a small spell, a deep blue circle formed with a single rune inside translating into Evaporate. Though this sounded like it could accidentally evaporate her, the water in her blood or just her internal organs, the spell was heavily tied to Gilliam’s mental image of what he was aiming for. Meaning that the spell only evaporated the surface water.
The water in her wings and on her body puffed into a steam-like cloud, just without the heat, and she was again more or less dry.
Bouncing to her feet again she reached up for him with her arms, reaching for the sky somewhat forward of where they were walking. “Throw Savia!”
Gilliam smiled as he gently closed his hand around her, holding her tight without harming her. Cocking his arm backwards he aimed up into the sky and threw her with decent force. She let out a squeal of happiness as she flew out into the rain up in the air a short distance. Taking flight as the upward motion turned into falling before she aimed her gliding towards Gilliam.
This continued for some time.
Spending most of his time playing with low-level spells, or playing with Savia, it wasn’t the most interesting walk. The rain eventually stopped and gave way for nighttime, something that didn’t rigger Gilliam’s natural response to become tired. He pondered and quickly decided that this was most likely from spending years in a different world that had no nighttime, a constant sun behind a constant sandstorm did wonders to mess up the natural circadian rhythm. He went to sleep when he felt like it, so without any proper way to measure time he probably went days without sleep at times, and probably slept several times a day at others.
Though, considering that, he did feel tired so it was probably a good idea to camp for the night. Savia had long since gone to sleep in the nest she used to make in the area between his head and the band used to keep his hair in a ponytail. Though she slept often and randomly, so it wasn’t exactly possible to use her as a clock either.
Walking off the road a bit, into the forest, he looked for a decent spot to set up a camp. Finding a small clearing he held out his hand and manifested a spell circle. It was primarily coloured sandy brown but had some streaks of yellow in it, the rune read Hut.
The dirt, rocks and ground rose in a surprisingly square shape, as it grew upwards the top of it lifted itself more than the base into a more triangular shape. The snapping of wood as it pushed away trees and the sound of rock and dirt rubbing against each other woke up Savia with a startling motion, but she seemed to calm down instantly afterwards.
Within only a few seconds a surprisingly sturdy-looking, if not a bit rough, compact stone and dirt hut stood. It looked long enough to house more than one person lying down but didn’t seem large enough to do anything else. It even had a solid door and some slits near the roof pointing downwards. They wouldn’t do much for visibility, but they would let air in and out without problems.
“Let’s go to bed properly.” Gilliam commented to Savia who was already halfway back to sleeping as he walked over to the door.